cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bedside Use of a Dual Aortic Balloon Occlusion for the Treatment of Cerebral Vasospasm

Delayed ischemic neurological deficits (DIND) due to cerebral vasospasm remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Methods to prevent DIND remain limited both in safety and efficacy. A novel intra-aortic dual balloon catheter (NeuroFloTM: CoAxia, Maple Grove, MN) is under investigation for treatment of ischemic stroke, including DIND. Because this technique does not require cerebral artery navigation, it may be useful as a bedside procedure, outside of the conventional angiography suite. We report the first case of ultrasound-guided application of the NeuroFloTM system at bedside in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit. A 52-year-old woman presented with Hunt Hess IV aSAH complicated by medically refractory cerebral vasospasm. Despite surgical clipping of her aneurysm, the patient remained critically ill, failing maximal conventional medical therapy. For that reason, the NeuroFloTM system was deployed using two-dimensional, spectral and color-flow Doppler ultrasound guidance at the patient’s bedside while maintaining all forms of cerebral blood flow monitoring. The procedure was well tolerated and there was no complication. Bedside application of the NeuroFloTM system may be safely performed in critically ill patients. The NeuroFloTM system is under investigation for treatment of refractory cerebral vasospasm to prevent delayed ischemic neurological disease.
Phenolics in black oak bark and leaves

Catechin, quercitrin, robinin, quercetin 3-methyl ether, scopoletin, cholorogenic acid, several leucoanthocyanins, and condensed and hydrolyzable tannins were identified in bark and leaves ofQuercus velutina Lamarck. The concentrations of most phenolics in leaves increased as the growing season progressed, whereas those of most phenolics in bark remained essentially unchanged. Qualitative differences in bark and leaf phenolics among different trees were negligible.
Comparative Analysis of Mass Spectral Similarity Measures on Peak Alignment for Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

Peak alignment is a critical procedure in mass spectrometry-based biomarker discovery in metabolomics. One of peak alignment approaches to comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC×GC-MS) data is peak matching-based alignment. A key to the peak matching-based alignment is the calculation of mass spectral similarity scores. Various mass spectral similarity measures have been developed mainly for compound identification, but the effect of these spectral similarity measures on the performance of peak matching-based alignment still remains unknown. Therefore, we selected five mass spectral similarity measures, cosine correlation, Pearson's correlation, Spearman's correlation, partial correlation, and part correlation, and examined their effects on peak alignment using two sets of experimental GC×GC-MS data. The results show that the spectral similarity measure does not affect the alignment accuracy significantly in analysis of data from less complex samples, while the partial correlation performs much better than other spectral similarity measures when analyzing experimental data acquired from complex biological samples.
Mechanism of Action of Carbonic Anhydrase SUBSTRATE, SULFONAMIDE, AND ANION BINDING

Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) form metallocarbonic anhydrases containing these metal ions at the same binding site. Of this series, only the Zn(II) and Co(II) enzymes catalyze the hydration of CO2 and the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl acetate. Likewise, only Zn(II) and Co(II) induce the metal ion-dependent binding of 3H-acetazolamide at the active center. Acetate, azide, cyanate, sulfide, and cyanide compete with 3H-acetazolamide for the binding site at the active center. Binding of 1 eq of sulfide and cyanide to the Zn(II) and Co(II) enzymes at pH values below the pKa values of H2S and HCN is accompanied by the release of H+ ions. Over the pH range in which the inhibitors are in the form CN- and HS-, binding is accompanied by the appearance of -OH ions. The experimental data fit the theoretical curves constructed by assuming a single additional H+ dissociation associated with the protein, coupled with the metal ion, and described by a pKa of 8.1. The latter coincides with the inflection point of the pH-rate profile for catalysis by human carbonic anhydrase B. Apo- and the inactive metallocarbonic anhydrases do not show the alterations in hydrogen ion equilibria accompanying the addition of CN-. Accompanying spectral data as a function of pH show that -OH, HCO3-, and CN- compete for the same binding site on the Co(II) enzyme. A mechanism based on a mixed enzyme-zinc-hydroxide as the active form of the enzyme is proposed for the hydration of CO2 and the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl acetate.
Retinal Pigment Epithelial Hamartoma

Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) hamartomas are uncommon tumefactions characterized by proliferation of RPE and glial cells and blood vessels involving the RPE, retina, and adjacent vitreous. 1-5 Although these lesions have little, if any, growth potential they may appear similar to various malignancies, which has led to unnecessary enucleation of the affected eyes. They may be found anywhere in the fundus, but the juxtapapillary lesion is more common than those more peripherally located. Patients withjuxtapapillary lesions are predominantly boys who present in late childhood or early adulthood with blurred, distorted vision. Examination may reveal mildly decreased visual acuity and metamorphopsia on the Amsler grid and an enlarged blind spot in the affected eye. Those patients with peripheral lesions usually present in early childhood with strabismus and amblyopia. There is no sex predilection, and affected children usually have no history of prematurity or exposure to high oxygen levels and are otherwise healthy. Ophthalmoscopic examination of both lesions, in general, demonstrates a solitary unilateral slightly elevated, black or gray lesion. It is composed of an outer, relatively flat base of highly pigmented tissue that gradually blends into the surrounding normal RPE. This is covered centrally by variable amounts of thickened semitranslucent retinal and preretinal tissue. A superficial network of fine, dilated capillaries is evident within the lesion. Proliferation and contraction of the inner, gliotic surface ofthese lesions is responsible for formation of retinal striae with displacement and distortion of adjacent retinal tissue and the optic nerve head. Decreased vision may result from extension of the striae through the foveal region. Retinal vessels may be tortuous and displaced secondary to the traction. The lesions typically show no evidence of retinal detachment, hemorrhage, exudates, or vitreous inflammatory cells. Fluorescein angiography, especially in patients with juxtapapillary lesions, reveals small, dilated capillaries
cGMP increases antioxidant function and attenuates oxidant cell death in mouse lung microvascular endothelial cells by a protein kinase G-dependent mechanism

Increasing evidence suggests that endothelial cytotoxicity from reactive oxygen species (ROS) contributes to the pathogenesis of acute lung injury. Treatments designed to increase intracellular cGMP attenuate ROS-mediated apoptosis and necrosis in several cell types, but the mechanisms are not understood, and the effect of cGMP on pulmonary endothelial cell death remains controversial. In the current study, increasing intracellular cGMP by either 8pCPT-cGMP (50 microM) or atrial natriuretic peptide (10 nM) significantly attenuated cell death in H(2)O(2)-challenged mouse lung microvascular (MLMVEC) monolayers. 8pCPT-cGMP also decreased perfusate LDH release in isolated mouse lungs exposed to H(2)O(2) or ischemia-reperfusion. The protective effect of increasing cGMP in MLMVECs was accompanied by enhanced endothelial H(2)O(2) scavenging (measured by H(2)O(2) electrode) and decreased intracellular ROS concentration (measured by 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin fluorescence) as well as decreased phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and Akt. The cGMP-mediated cytoprotection and increased H(2)O(2) scavenging required >2 h of 8pCPT-cGMP incubation in wild-type MLMVEC and were absent in MLMVEC from protein kinase G (PKG(I))-/- mice suggesting a PKG(I)-mediated effect on gene regulation. Catalase and glutathione peroxidase 1 (Gpx-1) protein were increased by cGMP in wild-type but not PKG(I)-/- MLMVEC monolayers. Both the cGMP-mediated increases in antioxidant proteins and H(2)O(2) scavenging were prevented by inhibition of translation with cycloheximide. 8pCPT-cGMP had minimal effects on catalase and Gpx-1 mRNA. We conclude that cGMP, through PKG(I), attenuated H(2)O(2)-induced cytotoxicity in MLMVEC by increasing catalase and Gpx-1 expression through an unknown posttranscriptional effect.
Isolation and characterization of plasma membranes from the adrenal medulla.

Abstract– The isolation of a plasma membrane fraction from the bovine adrenal medulla and its characterization are described. The plasma membranes are enriched 13-fold in AChE, a plasma membrane marker, and represent 0.7% of the homogenate membrane protein. The yield of these membranes is typically 10-12% by the criterion of the percentage of total membrane bound AChE in the homogenate. The membranes were characterized as to their polypeptide, phospholipid and cholesterol content and compared with chromaffin vesicle, mitochondrial and microsomal membranes by these parameters. Two enzymatic components of the plasma membranes, ATPase and adenylate cyclase, were also studied. Calcium ATPase activity is 2.5-fold higher than magnesium ATPase activity, appears to be the result of a single enzyme, and is a genuine component of the plasma membranes. The magnesium stimulated activity appears to have at least two enzymatic components, one of which may be identical to the calcium ATPase. Adenylate cyclase is a plasma membrane component, but may not be uniquely localized there, as it is rather unstable throughout the fractionation procedure. It is stimulated by GTP (0.7-fold at 10−5M), GPP(NH)P (4.8-fold at 10−5M) and sodium fluoride (4.6-fold at 10−2M). It is refractory to stimulation by all other compounds tested.
Use of spacecraft data to derive regions on Mars where liquid water would be stable.

Combining Viking pressure and temperature data with Mars Orbital Laser Altimeter (MOLA) topography data we have computed the fraction of the martian year during which pressure and temperature allow for liquid water to be stable on the martian surface. We find that liquid water would be stable within the Hellas and Argyre basin and over the northern lowlands equatorward of about 40 degrees. The location with the maximum period of stable conditions for liquid water is in the southeastern portion of Utopia Planitia where 34% of the year liquid water would be stable if it was present. Locations of stability appear to correlate with the distribution of valley networks.
Modular voice processor

The modular voice processor (MVP) is a single DSP (digital signal processing) chip implementation of a multifunction vocoder in a small, low-power module. With the capability of processing FED-STD-1015 2400 bit/s LPC (linear prediction coding) and FED-STD-1016 4800 bit/s CELP, the MVP module has potential applications for numerous DOD and Federal Government applications. Attention is given to such MVP features as hardware, interfaces, bitstream, and software architecture. >
CERTAIN MORTUARY ASPECTS OF NORTHWEST COAST CULTURE

NO MORTUARY immolation of widows obtained on the aboriginal North American northwest coast. What I propose to discuss under the above heading is what Tylor, with a too careless glance at some of the data, explained away as a "mitigated survival" of widow burning.1 The three peoples among whom what I shall call an "incipient suttee" obtained are the Carriers, the northern Kwakiutl, and the Sikanni. The practice was bound up with the practice of cremation, and as we shall show in another connection, cremation was certainly diffused to these peoples from the Tsimshian. Neither for the Tsimshian nor others of the cremating coast tribes do we have adequate data on the practices attending cremation, and to what extent the custom described for Carrier and Kwakiutl has been a borrowing from the Tsimshian can not be finally decided. But it is impossible that the Carrier and Kwakiutl independently evolved the practice, and improbable that they borrowed from each other. The common centre of distribution of the trait then may have been the Tsimshian, and presumably the practice obtained among the Tsimshian. As for the Sikanni, Harmon makes it clear that they borrowed the practice from the Carriers."
Data rate smoothing in interactive walkthrough applications using 2D prefetching

Compared to a geometric approach, image based rendering applied to 3D view reconstruction does not require 3D model construction and does not depend on the complexity of the environment. But the large number of images needed for rendering poses a problem of compression and storage. MPEG style algorithms can be used to efficiently compress the data. If the image set has to be accessed through a communication channel, the available bit rate can become a limiting factor in interactive walkthroughs. As the compressed video stream from an MPEG encoder comprises variable rate traffic, different buffering and prefetching techniques can be used to smooth the data rate and thus efficiently utilize the available bit rate. Many interesting aspects arise due to the 2D nature of the problem.
Efficient gene transfer into primary and immortalized human fetal glial cells using adeno-associated virus vectors: Establishment of a glial cell line with a functional CD4 receptor

Adeno associated virus (AAV) is a non-pathogenic dependent parvovirus with a broad host range, capable of high levels of transduction and stable integration into the host cell genome. We have investigated the potential for using AAV as a vector for gene transfer into glial cells of the human fetal nervous system. Recombinant AAV vectors expressing either the reporter gene β-galactosidase or a human CD4 receptor were able to transduce both primary glial cells of the human fetal nervous system and an SV40 immortalized human fetal glial cell line (SVG). No difference in transduction efficiency was observed between the primary cells and the cell line which in both cases was as high as 95%. Stable transfectants of the glial cell line expressing the CD4 receptor were selected. An SVG/CD4 expressing line was then established. The presence of the CD4 receptor was confirmed by immunohistochemistry, Westerm immuno-blotting and flow cytometric analysis. The CD4 receptor was shown to be functional by infection of the...
DUPES OR INCOMPETENTS? AN EXAMINATION OF MANAGEMENT'S IMPACT ON FIRM DISTRESS

This paper examines whether managers impact firm performance when it is arguably needed most—during times of distress. We conservatively define managerial ability as the manager’s capacity to deploy the firm’s resources. We verify the validity of our metric using a manager-firm matched panel data set which allows us to track managers (CEOs) across different firms over time. Manager fixed effects are highly related to our measure of managerial ability. We then document that the ability of managers inversely influences the amount of time a firm spends in distress, the likelihood of a firm’s failure, and the cost of failure. These results overturn prior findings and suggest that managers of failed firms are less skilled than their counterparts.
Exploring Phytoplankton Population Growth to Enhance Quantitative Literacy: Putting Vision & Change into Action

Abstract Quantitative literacy is essential to biological literacy (and is one of the core concepts in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action; AAAS 2009). Building quantitative literacy is a challenging endeavor for biology instructors. Integrating mathematical skills into biological investigations can help build quantitative literacy. In our plankton population laboratory sequence, students test hypotheses about the influence of abiotic factors on phytoplankton populations by sampling experimental and control flasks over multiple weeks. Students track and predict changes in planktonic populations by incorporating weekly sample estimates into population growth equations. We have refined the laboratory protocols on the basis of student commentary and instructor observations. Students have reviewed the lab positively, and approximately one-quarter of them reported building their math skills by participating in the lab.
Obesity, Mammography Use and Accuracy, and Advanced Breast Cancer Risk

2) groups defined as normal (18.5 – 24.9), overweight (25.0 – 29.9), obese class I (30.0 – 34.9), and obese class II/III ( ≥ 35.0), adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, and mammography registry and use. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Adjusted rates per 1000 mammography examinations of overall breast cancer increased across BMI groups (6.6 normal, 7.4 overweight, 7.9 obese I, 8.5 obese II/III; P trend < .001), as did rates of advanced disease, including large invasive (2.3 normal, 2.6 overweight, 2.9 obese I, 3.2 obese II/III; P trend < .001), advanced-stage (0.8 normal, 0.9 overweight, 1.3 obese I, 1.5 obese II/III; P trend < .001), and high nuclear grade (1.5 normal, 1.7 overweight, 1.7 obese I, 1.9 obese II/III; P trend = .10) tumors. Rates of ER-positive tumors increased across BMI groups ( P trend < .001); rates of ER-negative tumors did not. Rates of screendetected cancers were higher among overweight and obese women than normal and underweight women, but rates of non – screen-detected (false-negative) cancers were similar. Rates of advanced breast cancer increased across BMI groups regardless of extent of mammography use. Conclusions Patterns of mammography use and mammography accuracy are not the primary reasons for higher rates of advanced breast cancer among overweight and obese postmenopausal women not using HT; thus, biologic differences in breast tumor development and/or progression may be important.
Use of Plastic Vacutainer Tubes for Quantification of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 in Blood Specimens

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 viral load results were compared for paired samples collected in plastic and glass Vacutainer tubes, using both standard (n = 60) and ultrasensitive (n = 66) assays. The results showed a strong correlation (P < 0.0001), and plastic tubes can be substituted for glass tubes.
Quantifying the coding power of zerotrees of wavelet coefficients: a degree-k zerotree model

A degree-k zero tree model is presented, in order to quantify the coding power of zerotrees in wavelet-based image coding. Based on the model, the coding behaviors of modern zerotree based image coders are clearly explained. Also, we explain why the well-known SPIHT algorithm can code a wider range of zerotrees than EZW. Experimental results support our idea that higher degree zerotree coder will have more coding power.
Assessing the Value-Relevance of Customer Satisfaction

Making use of the efficient markets hypothesis as a starting point for analysis, we outline an approach for assessing financial value-relevance of marketing metrics. We illustrate the approach by investigating the association between information contained in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) customer satisfaction metric and stock market performance. Our findings differ from previous research in that the methodological approach we use, while nesting other models, incorporates a number of efficient market considerations that previous research has not taken into account, e.g., issues ranging from unmodeled autocorrelation, to risk adjustments, to using the unanticipated component of a series in financial market analysis. We find evidence supportive of satisfaction having value-relevance. However, the ACSI metric provides statistically significant incremental value-relevance to accounting measures only for firms in the computer/Internet sector. For other sectors, i.e., the majority of firms in the sample, unanticipated changes in satisfaction do not provide statistically significant incremental information to accounting measures in explaining stock returns.
Nonlinear behavioral modeling and simulation of phase-locked and delay-locked systems

This paper presents a new method for modeling VCO and Voltage Controlled Delay Line (VCDL) circuits that allows inclusion of device noise and supply coupling effects with simplified numerical computation. PLL and DLL behavioral simulations allow accurate prediction of system performance during both locked and unlocked conditions with a great reduction in CPU time over transistor level simulators. Simulation results are presented and compared with theoretical predictions and measurement results, that demonstrate the effectiveness of this scheme.
Transverse effects of longitudinal wakefields at high dispersion

In high energy linear colliders the transverse beam emittance has to be preserved in order to achieve small interaction spots. Beams with trajectory offsets in cavities excite transverse wakefields which kick the tail of the beam leading to an undesired emittance growth. Here we will concentrate on the longitudinal wakefield creating an energy deviation /spl Delta/E/sub W/ within the beam. At high dispersion /spl eta/ the beam will be spread out corresponding to its initial (and/or correlated) energy spread /spl Delta/E/sub 0/ (or /spl Delta/E/sub rf/) and is therefore very sensitive to energy changes. The energy variation /spl Delta/E/sub W/ will cause a transverse emittance blow up in the high dispersion regions. The effect can be estimated by comparing the betatron size /spl sigmasub x/=/spl radicspl betaspl epsi/ with displacement /spl Delta/a=/spl etaspl Delta/E/sub WE. Some kicks and displacements will compensate each other along the beam line. Simulation results are presented showing how much is really compensated and the final emittance contribution of this effect for the SLC Ring-To-Linac transport line is given. To minimize it, any vacuum pipe irregularities, like bellows, diameter steps, collimators, etc. should be smoothed or avoided at higher dispersion areas. >
Balanced realization and model reduction of 2-D discrete systems with variable coefficients

A two-dimensional (2-D) model with variable coefficients is introduced, and a technique for 2-D model reduction is presented. It is shown that the stability of the reduced model is guaranteed for a class of 2-D systems with variable coefficients. It is also shown that, once a balancing structure is determined, the relative size of diagonal entries of the horizontal and vertical Grammian matrices can be used to extract a suitable subsystem which represents a reduced-order model for the original one. >
Use of a posterior composite resin to restore teeth and support enamel: report of case

In selected cases in which appearance is important, a posterior composite resin may be used successfully to reinforce and restore a tooth with undermined, nonfunctional cusps. The restoration of teeth with compromised functional cusps is not recommended. Once the decision has been made to restore the tooth with a posterior composite resin, care must be taken to follow a technique to prevent problems after treatment that result from microleakage and contraction shrinkage.
A Computerized Medical Record for Clinical Management of Children With Cerebral Palsy

Computerization has numerous applications in the administrative, business, and personal arenas. 1-3 Applications in the medical field have produced a myriad of programs with varying degrees of impact on direct patient care. A recent Institute of Medicine report states that a computer-based medical record should become the standard for medical records.4
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2-Induced Mortality following Genital Infection Is Blocked by Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Antibody in CXCL10-Deficient Mice

The role of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was evaluated for CXCL10-deficient (CXCL10−/−) mice which succumbed to genital herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection and possessed elevated levels of virus and TNF-α but not other cytokines in the central nervous system (CNS) and vaginal tissue within the first 7 days following virus exposure. Anti-TNF-α but not control antibody treatment offsets the elevated mortality rate of CXCL10−/− mice, despite increased CNS viral titers. In addition, TNF-α neutralization suppressed recruitment of leukocyte subpopulations into the CNS, which is associated with reduced CCL2 and CXCL9 expression. Collectively, the results implicate TNF-α as the principal mediator of mortality in response to genital HSV-2 infection.
Hearing Loss and Hair Cell Death in Mice Given the Cholesterol-Chelating Agent Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin

Cyclodextrins are sugar compounds that are increasingly finding medicinal uses due to their ability to complex with hydrophobic molecules. One cyclodextrin in particular, 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD), is used as a carrier to solubilize lipophilic drugs and is itself being considered as a therapeutic agent for treatment of Niemann-Pick Type C disease, due to its ability to mobilize cholesterol. Results from toxicological studies suggest that HPβCD is generally safe, but a recent study has found that it causes hearing loss in cats. Whether the hearing loss occurred via death of cochlear hair cells, rendering it permanent, was unexplored. In the present study, we examined peripheral auditory function and cochlear histology in mice after subcutaneous injection of HPβCD to test for hearing loss and correlate any observed auditory deficits with histological findings. On average, auditory brainstem response thresholds were elevated at 4, 16, and 32 kHz in mice one week after treatment with 8,000 mg/kg. In severely affected mice all outer hair cells were missing in the basal half of the cochlea. In many cases, surviving hair cells in the cochlear apex exhibited abnormal punctate distribution of the motor protein prestin, suggesting long term changes to membrane composition and integrity. Mice given a lower dose of 4,000 mg/kg exhibited hearing loss only after repeated doses, but these threshold shifts were temporary. Therefore, cyclodextrin-induced hearing loss was complex, involving cell death and other more subtle influences on cochlear physiology.
Differences in the mechanism for high‐ versus moderate‐density fibroblast‐populated collagen lattice contraction

The free-floating fibroblast-populated collagen lattice (FPCL) model introduced by Bell contains 0.5 x 10(5) cell/ml and here is defined as a moderate-density FPCL (MD-FPCL). One modification of the model is to increase the cell density by a factor of 10, where 5 x 10(5) cells/ml defines a high-density FPCL (HD-FPCL). The initial detection of HD-FPCL contraction is 2 h, whereas MD-FPCL is later, 6 h. A contracted HD-FPCL has a doughnut-like appearance, due to the high density of cells accumulating at the periphery. A contracted MD-FPCL is a flattened disc. The compacted collagen of MD-FPCL lattice exhibits a strong birefringence pattern due to organized collagen fiber bundles. In contracted HD-FPCL, a minimal birefringence develops, indicating minimal organization of collagen fiber bundles. MD-FPCL contraction was reduced with less than 10% serum; the disruption of microtubules, uncoupling of gap junctions, inhibition of tyrosine kinases, and addition of a blocking antibody to alpha2beta1 collagen integrin. Making HD-FPCL with only 1% serum or including the inhibitory agents had only minimal affect on lattice contraction. On the other hand, platelet-derived growth factor stimulated HD-FPCL contraction but had no influence on MD-FPCL contraction. It is suggested that the mechanism for HD-FPCL contraction is limited to the process of cells spreading. HD-FPCL contraction is independent of collagen organization, microtubules, gap junctions, alpha2beta1 integrin, and tyrosine phosphorylation. MD-FPCL contraction involves collagen organization and is optimized by the involvement of microtubules, gap junctions, alpha2beta1 integrin, and tyrosine phosphorylation. When studying cell physiology in a collagen matrix, cell-density influences need to be considered.
X-ray studies of phonon softening in tise2.

The charge-density-wave transition in $\mathrm{TiSe}{}_{2}$, which results in a commensurate $(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ superlattice at temperatures below $\ensuremath{\sim}200\mathrm{K}$, presumably involves softening of a zone-boundary phonon mode. For the first time, this phonon-softening behavior has been examined over a wide temperature range by synchrotron x-ray thermal diffuse scattering.
Molecular dynamics simulations of the interaction of glucose with imidazole in aqueous solution.

Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out on a concentrated system of β- d -glucopyranose and imidazole molecules in a periodic box of water at 298 K. The purpose of the simulations was to determine whether or not there was any tendency for these two solutes to associate in an aqueous environment, as has previously been observed for other planar functional groups from amino acid side chains, such as the indole group of tryptophan or the phenolic group of tyrosine. A weak stacking interaction between β- d -glucopyranose, as a model for cellulose, and imidazole was indeed observed, with an energy of ∼0.25 kcal/mol per pair, less than kT. Somewhat surprisingly, considerable imidazole self-association into small aggregates (dimers and trimers) was also observed, with binding energies of ∼0.4 kcal/mol per pair, although still less than kT. Considerable non-stacked interactions between glucose and imidazole through hydrogen bonding were also found. These hydrogen bonds primarily involved the N3 atom of imidazole, because the N–H group of N1 was insufficiently polar to compete for water hydrogen bond partners.
Patterns of shortening and thickening of the human diaphragm

To study how the human diaphragm changes configuration during inspiration, we simultaneously measured diaphragm thickening using ultrasound and inspired volumes using a pneumotachograph. Diaphragm length was assessed by chest radiography. We found that thickening and shortening were greatest during a breath taken primarily with the abdomen. However, the degree of thickening was greater than expected for fiber shortening, assuming parallel muscle fibers and no shear. So, to clarify this unexpected finding, we considered geometric models of the diaphragm. How a muscle thickens as its fibers shorten is critically dependent on geometry. Thus, if a flat rectangular sheet of muscle shortens along one dimension, surface area-to-length ratio along this dimension should remain constant, and thickness would be inversely proportional to length during shortening. The simplest model of the diaphragm, however, is a cylindrical sheet of muscle in the zone of apposition capped by a dome; the ratio of surface area to radial fiber length in the dome is substantially less than the ratio of area to length of the cylindrical zone of apposition; hence, as the zone of apposition shortens while the dome radius remains constant, the ratio of total surface area to combined length (i.e., dome + zone of apposition) must decrease and thickening of the muscle correspondingly must increase more than expected for a simple rectangular strip. A similar relationship can be derived between thickening and length in a muscle sheet with a wedge-shaped insertion into a thin flat tendon. Comparison of calculations with these types of models to data from human subjects indicates that the unexpected thickening in the zone of apposition is explained by the peculiar geometry of the diaphragm. The greater thickening of the diaphragm in the zone of apposition suggests that more of the muscle mass and more sarcomeres are retained in the zone of apposition as the dome descends. Physiologically, this greater thickening may have importance by reducing wall stress in the zone of apposition and reducing the work or energy requirements per sarcomere.
Bank Directors' Decisions on Bad Loans: A Comparative Study of U.S. and Japanese Standards of Required Care

As a result of the extensive failures of financial institutions that have occurred since 1995 in Japan, legal action against previous bank directors is expected to increase in the future. The question is, what should be the duty of care for a bank director, and in particular, what should be the court standard for determining if the duty of care has been breached by the director. This article examines the laws related to bank directors' responsibilities and discusses some Japanese court cases. The differences in legal systems and the court rulings in Japan and the United States also are compared.
Men, Muslims, and Attitudes toward Gender Inequality

Gender-based inequality is often regarded as a salient characteristic of Muslim societies, yet few works have systematically compared the status of women in Muslim and non-Muslim communities. Fish (2011) finds a gender gap in structural indicators of inequality in Muslim-majority countries that cannot be explained by levels of economic development, raising questions about whether attitudes favoring inequality are more prominent among Muslims. We investigate the impact of structural-situational factors and religious identification on attitudes toward gender-based inequality using hierarchical-level models. We find that: (1) Muslim self-identification and the size of a country's Muslim population predict attitudes supportive of inequality; (2) an individual's gender has a stronger effect on attitudes than does religious identification; and (3) measures of structural inequality also shape attitudes. The effects of these variables remain strong when we consider other contextual elements, such as gross domestic product per capita, education, age, location in the Middle East, and fuels dependence.
Force From Cat Soleus Muscle During Imposed Locomotor-Like Movements: Experimental Data Versus Hill-Type Model Predictions

Sandercock, Thomas G. and C. J. Heckman. Force from cat soleus muscle during imposed locomotor-like movements: experimental data versus Hill-type model predictions. J. Neurophysiol. 77: 1538–1552, ...
Metastable states in microwave ionization

The 38-GHz microwave field required to effect 50$%$ ionization of Li atoms decreases from 60 V/cm at $n=37$, where the microwave frequency is one-third the Kepler frequency, to 45 V/cm at $n=56$, where the microwave frequency is equal to the Kepler frequency. For $ng56$ the 50$%$ ionization field is constant at $E\ensuremath{\approx}2.4{\ensuremath{\omega}}^{5/3}$ until $\ensuremath{\sim}80$ GHz below the ionization limit, where it begins to decline. In spite of the fact that the pulse is 8000 cycles long, we detect approximately 5$%$ of the initial population in very-high-lying ($ng215$) states subsequent to the microwave pulse. We suggest that these atoms are trapped in metastable atom-field states during the microwave pulse and relax to the high-lying states when the field is turned off. The existence of such states is predicted by the simple man's model of above-threshold ionization.
Inferior vena cava filter penetration following Whipple surgical procedure causing ureteral injury

We report a case of an indwelling inferior vena cava filter that penetrated the IVC wall after Whipple's pancreatico-duodenectomy procedure performed in a patient with ampullary carcinoma, resulting in right ureteral injury and obstruction with subsequent hydroureter and hydronephrosis. This was incidentally discovered on a computed tomography scan performed as routine follow up to evaluate the results of the surgery. We retrieved the inferior vena cava filter and placed a nephrostomy catheter to relieve the ureteral obstruction. Our case highlights the importance of careful inferior vena cava manipulation during abdominal surgery in the presence of an inferior vena cava filter, and the option of temporary removal of the filter to be placed again after surgery in order to avoid this complication, unless protection is required against clot migration during the surgical procedure.
Marijuana-, alcohol-, and drug-impaired driving among emerging adults: Changes from high school to one-year post-high school.

Introduction Driving while impaired (DWI) increases the risk of a motor vehicle crash by impairing performance. Few studies have examined the prevalence and predictors of marijuana, alcohol, and drug-specific DWI among emerging adults. Methods The data from wave 3 (W3, high school seniors, 2012, N = 2407) and wave 4 (W4, one year after high school, N = 2178) of the NEXT Generation Health Study with a nationally representative cohort. W4 DWI (≥ 1 day of past 30 days) was specified for alcohol-specific, marijuana-specific, alcohol/marijuana-combined, illicit drug-related DWI. Multinomial logistic regression models estimated the association of W4 DWI with W3 covariates (perceived peer/parent influence, drinking/binge drinking, marijuana/illicit drug use), and W4 environmental status variables (work/school/residence) adjusting for W3 overall DWI, demographic, and complex survey variables. Results Overall DWI prevalence from W3 to W4 changed slightly (14% to 15%). W4 DWI consisted of 4.34% drinking-specific, 5.02% marijuana-specific, 2.41% drinking/marijuana combined, and 3.37% illicit drug-related DWI. W3 DWI was significantly associated with W4 alcohol-related and alcohol/marijuana-combined DWI, but not other DWI. W3 marijuana use, binge drinking, and illicit drug use were positively associated with W4 marijuana-specific, alcohol/marijuana-combined, and illicit drug-related DWI, respectively. W3 friend drunkenness and marijuana use were positively associated with W4 alcohol-specific and marijuana-related DWI, respectively. W3 peer marijuana use was negatively associated with W4 alcohol-specific DWI. Conclusions Driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, and illicit drugs is a persistent, threatening public health concern among emerging U.S. adults. High school seniors' binge drinking as well as regular alcohol drinking and marijuana/illicit drug use were independently associated with respective DWI one year after high school. Peer drunkenness and marijuana use in high school may be related to subsequent DWI of emerging adults. Practical applications The results support the use of injunctive peer norms about getting drunk and smoking marijuana in guiding the development of prevention programs to reduce youth DWI. Language: en
NetMOD Version 2.0 Mathematical Framework

NetMOD ( Net work M onitoring for O ptimal D etection) is a Java-based software package for conducting simulation of seismic, hydroacoustic and infrasonic networks. Network simulations have long been used to study network resilience to station outages and to determine where additional stations are needed to reduce monitoring thresholds. NetMOD makes use of geophysical models to determine the source characteristics, signal attenuation along the path between the source and station, and the performance and noise properties of the station. These geophysical models are combined to simulate the relative amplitudes of signal and noise that are observed at each of the stations. From these signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), the probabilities of signal detection at each station and event detection across the network of stations can be computed given a detection threshold. The purpose of this document is to clearly and comprehensively present the mathematical framework used by NetMOD, the software package developed by Sandia National Laboratories to assess the monitoring capability of ground-based sensor networks. Many of the NetMOD equations used for simulations are inherited from the NetSim network capability assessment package developed in the late 1980s by SAIC (Sereno et al., 1990).
Proposed pedestrian pathway roughness thresholds to ensure safety and comfort for wheelchair users.

ABSTRACTIn the United States, over three million people use a wheelchair for their primary means of mobility and they rely on functional and accessible pathways to participate in their communities. The Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines related to pathway roughness are currently ambiguous, subjective and therefore unable to be measured. Consequently, many public pathways are sufficiently rough to result in harmful vibrations and discomfort for wheelchair users. In previous research, subjective ratings and root-mean-square accelerations were reported from subjects traveling over surfaces with various roughnesses in their own wheelchairs. The purpose of the current study is to use previous data to propose roughness thresholds by correlating the roughness of surfaces to vibration data and subjective ratings from wheelchair users. The results suggest a pathway roughness index threshold of ≤50 mm/m (1.2 in./ft) for a surface segment of 100 m (328 ft) in length, and ≤100 mm/m (1.2 in./ft) ...
Electrostatics in MEMS and NEMS

Electrostatics plays a preeminent role in micro- and nanomechanics. While other forces such as thermoelastic forces, piezoelectric forces, and even magnetic forces are used in micro- and nanoelectromechanical devices (MEMS and NEMS), electrostatic forces are by far the most commonly employed. Electrostatic forces are used to move mechanical components in electrostatic-elastic systems and fluids in electrostatic-fluidic systems. The physics behind the fundamental operating principles of both electrostatic- elastic and electrostatic-fluidic systems is reviewed. Representative devices are described. Challenges in modeling, simulation, and design of future devices are discussed.
Antibiotic Bactericidal Activity Is Countered by Maintaining pH Homeostasis in Mycobacterium smegmatis.

ABSTRACT Antibiotics target specific biosynthetic processes essential for bacterial growth. It is intriguing that several commonalities connect the bactericidal activity of seemingly disparate antibiotics, such as the numerous conditions that confer broad-spectrum antibiotic tolerance. Whether antibiotics kill in a manner unique to their specific targets or by a universal mechanism is a critical and contested subject. Herein, we demonstrate that the bactericidal activity of diverse antibiotics against Mycobacterium smegmatis and four evolutionarily divergent bacterial pathogens was blocked by conditions that worked to maintain intracellular pH homeostasis. Single-cell pH analysis demonstrated that antibiotics increased the cytosolic pH of M. smegmatis, while conditions that promoted proton entry into the cytosol prevented intracellular alkalization and antibiotic killing. These findings led to a hypothesis that posits antibiotic lethality occurs when antibiotics obstruct ATP-consuming biosynthetic processes while metabolically driven proton efflux is sustained despite the loss of proton influx via ATP synthase. Consequently, without a concomitant reduction in respiratory proton efflux, cell death occurs due to intracellular alkalization. Our findings indicate the effects of antibiotics on pH homeostasis should be considered a potential mechanism contributing to antibiotic lethality. IMPORTANCE Since the discovery of antibiotics, mortality due to bacterial infection has decreased dramatically. However, infections from difficult to treat bacteria such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and multidrug-resistant pathogens have been on the rise. An understanding of the cascade of events that leads to cell death downstream of specific drug-target interactions is not well understood. We have discovered that killing by several classes of antibiotics was stopped by maintaining pH balance within the bacterial cell, consistent with a shared mechanism of antibiotic killing. Our findings suggest a mechanism of antibiotic killing that stems from the antibiotic’s ability to increase the pH within bacterial cells by disrupting proton entry without affecting proton pumping out of cells. Knowledge of the core mechanism necessary for antibiotic killing could have a significant impact on the development of new lethal antibiotics and for the treatment of recalcitrant and drug-resistant pathogens.
Prenatal Methylmercury and Cognitive Deficit

A cohort of 1022 consecutive singleton births during 1986-87 in the Faroe Islands, born to mothers who had consumed methylmercury-polluted pilot whale meat and having increased mercury concentrations in cord blood and maternal hair, received neurobehavioral evaluations at 7 years of age at Odense University, Denmark.
Motion estimation with the redundant wavelet transform

We present a fast method for computation of the motion flow based on the redundant Haar transform of reference frames in a video sequence. This algorithm gives a multiscale representation of the motion flow, which allows progressive encoding. The high efficiency of the algorithm is achieved by a multiscale correlation between the current and reference frames of the coefficients on each of the Haar blocks. The algorithm is designed to adapt dynamically to make optimal use of channel capacity.
Roadmaps to success: Conceptual Mile Markers to accelerate exploratory search sessions

During exploratory search sessions, users often experience difficulty finding and re-finding high-quality results that are pertinent to their search goals. Various studies have found that search sessions are unsuccessful, end prematurely, and/or lead to user frustration. Feild and Allan found, in their research on “Modeling searcher frustration”, that 36% of queries submitted in search sessions end with users being moderately to extremely frustrated. Additionally, in “Query reuse in exploratory search tasks”, Shah and Marchionini observed a high overlap of queries for a given task between users, as well as a high percentage of query reuse by individual searchers for themselves in re-searching tasks. This paper describes a framework and prototypical system called Conceptual Mile Markers (CMM) that reduces the “time to value” for a search by matching a user query with existing search paths (which we call “roadmaps”), that were captured from previous user search/browse sessions. In addition to allowing users to profit from the "wisdom of the masses" and reuse previously successful search sessions, our roadmaps are presented in conjunction with a clustered result set from traditional search engines, thereby allowing users the flexibility to either explore on their own, or reuse previous work. Beyond the aforementioned “time to value” benefit, CMM roadmaps may be saved and retrieved later by the originator, shared amongst other searchers who have similar search goals, archived for future reference, and/or re-loaded into the system as a type of “bring your own” style of lightweight personalization which can remove or reduce the need for explicit user tracking and registration. These “fringe benefits” address user experience areas that may improve overall productivity and reduce frustration. We propose that our framework and prototype leads to users being more likely to acquire a successful end-state and high-quality results, while being less apt to get frustrated and/or abandon searches prematurely.