cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Age-related reference ranges for complexed prostate-specific antigen and complexed/total prostate-specific antigen ratio: results from East Texas Medical Center Cancer Institute screening campaign

The East Texas Medical Center Cancer Institute conducted a regional prostate cancer screening campaign over a 3-year period from 1998 through 2000. Total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA), complexed PSA (cPSA), and cPSA/tPSA ratio (c/tPSA) values were determined. To better define prostate cancer in the population, we chose to determine age-based reference ranges for these PSA isoforms in apparently healthy men. Participants (N = 12,902) between the ages of 20 and 94 were screened and demographic information and serum tPSA and cPSA values were collected across 41 centers throughout East Texas. Men with an abnormal digital rectal examination, a follow-up biopsy indicating prostatic disease, or any clinical signs and symptoms of prostatic disease were excluded. Sera from 7541 evaluable men were tested with the Bayer Immuno 1 PSA and cPSA methods at East Texas Medical Center. The resulting PSA data were then stratified by decade of age to determine age-related reference ranges for each PSA species. The cPSA values increased across all age decades: 40 to 49 years, 1.45 ng/mL; 50 to 59, 1.92 ng/mL; 60 to 69, 2.49 ng/mL; and 70 to 79, 2.77 ng/mL (95th percentile). tPSA levels also increased with age: 1.81 ng/mL, 2.45 ng/mL, 3.17 ng/mL, and 3.57, respectively. Comparatively, the c/tPSA levels remained constant (0.87), regardless of age. The upper limits of tPSA and cPSA values reported here suggest that men should be screened using lower cutoff values than are currently in use. These limits may more accurately identify prostate cancer among otherwise healthy men.
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy in the absence of significant symptoms. Rhythm diagnosis and management aided by stored electrogram analysis.

BACKGROUND This report describes the value of stored ventricular electrogram analysis in the diagnosis and management of patients experiencing minimal or no symptoms before implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy. METHODS AND RESULTS The study population included 48 patients who received the Cadence Tiered Therapy Defibrillator System, an investigational third-generation ICD with ventricular electrogram storage capabilities. Criteria for arrhythmia diagnosis were based on analysis of the electrogram rate, RR interval variability, and morphology. Twenty-nine of the 48 patients (60%) experienced at least one episode of antitachycardia pacing or shock (one shock or more in 25 of 29 patients) that was preceded by minimal or no symptoms during a mean follow-up of 15.1 +/- 7.8 months. There were 194 tachycardia episodes registered by the device, including 101 for which ventricular electrograms were stored and available for analysis. Of the 101 stored electrograms, 74 were classified as ventricular tachycardia (VT), 24 as non-VT rhythms (atrial fibrillation, 13; supraventricular tachycardia, six; rate-sensing lead disruption, four; T wave oversensing, one), and only three as indeterminate rhythms. Based on the electrogram analysis, changes in tachycardia detection criteria and/or antiarrhythmic drug regimens were implemented and were associated with a reduction in the number of device responses for non-VT rhythms from 24 during the initial study period to three during 11.0 +/- 7.2 months of additional follow-up. CONCLUSIONS ICD responses in the absence of symptoms are relatively common in third-generation devices with antitachycardia pacing capabilities. Despite potential limitations such as the effect of bundle branch block on the electrogram morphology during supraventricular tachycardia, the availability of electrogram storage capabilities allowed a presumptive diagnosis of the events precipitating asymptomatic device responses. Device reprogramming based on analysis of stored electrograms was associated with a dramatic reduction in the incidence of ICD responses for non-VT rhythms.
High energy solar radiation and the origin of life

Recent satellite observations of young, sun-like stars allow an estimation of the ultraviolet and X-ray radiation environment of the primitive Earth. Energy from these sources is found to be much higher than previously believed. We suggest that the influence of high energy radiation on the early development of life be reexamined.
Sex fantasies revisited: An expansion and further clarification of variables affecting sex fantasy production.

Findings of prior research which indicated both external factors (experimental response cues and internal factors (sex guilt) influencing subjects' writing of their sexual fantasies were expanded. University males (N = 88) and females (N = 122) were studied. They read sex fantasy examples varying in conventionality of the sexual activity and the relationship context before reporting their own fantasies. Sex guilt level of all subjects was measured as well as their subjective responses to writing the fantasies. The data were analyzed to determine whether varying response cues along certain dimensions could influence subjects to write parallel fantasies. Sex guilt levels and sex of the subject were the best predictors of the length, explicitness, and variety of content of subjects' reported fantasies. Males wrote longer, more explicit and varied fantasies but were affected similarly by sex guilt levels as females. High sex guilt subjects in general produced more restricted content and shorter fantasies. They also experienced more embarrassment and less arousal. Females were more likely to have high levels of guilt about sex than males. The varying dimensions of the fantasy examples had little effect on the types of fantasy material revealed and therefore the erotic/explicit aspect of the examples found in the prior research seems to be the factor that produces effects on fantasy production. Comparing the two studies, females may respond with longer, more explicit fantasies when given erotic but more traditional sexual examples.
Shortened length of stay and hospital cost reduction with implementation of an accelerated clinical care pathway after elective colon resection.

Background. Patient care pathways have been developed for operative procedures with documented improvements in length of stay and cost without compromising outcome. The average hospital stay after colonic resection is 5 to 10 days. This study describes a clinical pathway for colon resections and examines patient outcome before and after institution of the pathway. Methods. One hundred thirty-eight patients underwent elective colon resections at our institution by a single surgeon before (n = 52) and after (n = 86) introduction of a clinical pathway. Length of stay, postoperative complications, readmissions, and cost per patient were compared between the 2 groups. Results. Mean total length of stay (± standard deviation [SD]) was less in the postclinical pathway patients (3.7 ± 1.5 days) compared to preclinical pathway patients (6.6 ± 3.3 days) (P <.001). When adjusted for age, sex, diagnosis, and type of operation, the difference in length of stay remains statistically significant (P <.001). There was 1 readmission in the prepathway group and 8 readmissions in the postpathway group. When the readmissions were added to the original admissions, the mean length of stay in the postpathway patients was 4.2 ± 2.8 days and in the prepathway patients was 6.9 ± 4.1 days (P <.001). The average cost per patient (± standard error of the mean), with readmission costs added, was $9310 ± $5170 in the prepathway group and $7070 ± $3670 in the postpathway group (P =.002). Conclusions. The institution of a clinical pathway for elective, open colon resections can be done safely with improvements in cost and length of stay. (Surgery 2003;133:277-82.)
Purification of KC1-soluble proteins from the cuticle of Acheta domesticus (L.).

Abstract 1. 1. Cuticles of the house cricket were scraped clean of cellular tissue, homogenized and extracted in 1·5% KC1. After centrifugation the soluble proteins in the supernatant fluid were subjected to gel filtration on polyacrylamide gels. 2. 2. The results indicate that as many as five proteins have been separated. 3. 3. If their molecular weights are estimated it appears that the size of the smallest protein is around 7000 and all of the other components are multiples of this. 4. 4. The significance of these findings in relation to the training of the cuticle is discussed.
Designing games for learning and assessment: the radix endeavor

In this paper, we briefly present a design framework, XCD, that we developed through the design of The Radix Endeavor, a multiplayer online game for STEM learning. The framework provides a method for ensuring that the learning objectives, game mechanics, and data collected are closely aligned throughout the design process. We present this method here as a resource for other learning game designers, with the goal of making designing games with deep learning more accessible.
Molecular hybridization between sheep-hemoglobin variants.

Abstract The hybridization behavior of the two electrophoretically variant sheep hemoglobins was studied. Sedimentation-velocity experiments showed that at pH 4.7, and at and above pH 10.0, both variant typs have sedimentation coefficients which are significantly lower than those at pH 7.0, indicating dissociation of the molecules into subunits. Type B dissociates more readily than type A at both acid and alkaline pH. In experiments employing hemoglobins labeled either with [14C]valine or by oxidation to methemoglobin, subunit exchange between variant types was demonstrated, but exchange to the extent predicted on theoretical grounds was not obtained. Experimental evidence indicates that this incomplete hybridization is probably not due to procedural effects. Inadequate dissociation into asymmetric half-molecules or incompatibility between asymmetric half-molecules derived from different variant types seems the most probable explanation. Most or all of the charge different between the two types, approximately four more positive charges per molecule on type B than type A at acid pH, resides in only one of the two kinds of polypeptide chains making up the molecule.
The cognitive sequelae of standard-dose adjuvant chemotherapy in women with breast carcinoma: Results of a prospective, randomized, longitudinal trial

BACKGROUND Retrospective trials have reported that chemotherapy-induced cognitive dysfunction was experienced by a subset of patients with breast carcinoma. However, recent evidence indicated that a subset also exhibited impaired cognitive function at baseline, before the start of chemotherapy. A prospective, longitudinal trial that incorporates baseline neuropsychologic evaluations is necessary to determine to what extent cognitive dysfunction is attributable to chemotherapy in this population. METHODS Eighteen women with breast carcinoma underwent a comprehensive neuropsychologic evaluation before treatment and at short-term and long-term intervals after chemotherapy. The incidence, nature, severity, and chronicity of cognitive dysfunction developing in patients with breast carcinoma treated with a standard dose of adjuvant chemotherapy were assessed. RESULTS Before the start of systemic therapy, 33% of women in the current cohort exhibited cognitive impairment. At the short-term postchemotherapy time point, 61% of the cohort exhibited a decline relative to baseline in 1 or more domains of cognitive functioning and reported greater difficulty in maintaining their ability to work. The most common domains of cognitive dysfunction were related to attention, learning, and processing speed. At the long-term postchemotherapy time point, approximately 50% of patients who experienced declines in cognitive function demonstrated improvement, whereas 50% remained stable. Self-reported ability to perform work-related activities also improved over this interval. Neither impairment at baseline nor subsequent treatment-related cognitive decline exhibited any statistically significant correlation with affective well-being or with demographic or clinical characteristics. CONCLUSIONS The current study is the first longitudinal trial to report evidence of an association between cognitive dysfunction and chemotherapy in a subgroup of women with nonmetastatic breast carcinoma. The importance of using prospective research designs, appropriate cognitive measures, and statistical methods to evaluate subgroup effects was discussed. Identification of mechanisms associated with cognitive dysfunction and of risk factors contributing to subgroup vulnerability is necessary. Cancer 2004. © 2004 by the American Cancer Society.
Ontogeny of endothelial nitric oxide synthase mRNA in an ovine model of fetal and placental growth restriction

Objective To determine: 1) placental eNOS mRNA concentration across gestation in normal ovine pregnancy and in an ovine model of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), and 2) placental eNOS protein concentration in early ovine pregnancy. Study Design A total of 24 sheep were studied with 12 ewes placed in hyperthermic (HT) conditions to induce IUGR and 12 were kept in control conditions. HT and control animals underwent euthanasia at 3 developmental time points (55, 95, & 130 days gestational age; dGA) in ovine placental & fetal development. Results Compared to controls, HT pregnancies showed 1) no differences in fetal weights at 55 dGA and 95dGA with significant reductions at 130 dGA, 2) significantly smaller placentae at 95 and 130 dGA with a trend for a reduction at 55 dGA, 3) significant decreases in cotyledon eNOS mRNA at 95 and 130 dGA, 4) a significant increase in caruncle eNOS mRNA expression at 130 dGA, 5) significant increase in eNOS protein in the caruncle, but not in the cotyledon at 55 dGA. Conclusion Placental eNOS concentration is transcriptionally regulated at mid-gestation, while additional post-transcriptional regulation is also involved during early and late gestation in this model of placental and fetal growth restriction.
Photoactivation of chlorpromazine: Cytogenetic and mutagenic effects

Abstract The mutagenic and cytogenetic effects of chlorpromazine (CPZ), a tranquilizer of the phenothiazine class, was investigated in a Chinese hamster cell line. CPZ photoactivated by exposure to dark light UV caused an increase in the number of chromosome aberrations and mutation frequency (HG-PRT+ → HG-PRT−). CPZ without dark light exposure was inactive in this test system.
Influence of chronic inorganic lead exposure on regional dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine turnover in rat brain.

The results of previous behavioral studies utilizing chronic exposure to low amounts of inorganic lead (Pb) have suggested alterations in the function of biogenic amine neuronal systems. The following study was performed to provide evidence for the possible bases of these changes in pharmacological responsiveness in exposed animals. Dams were administered 0.2% Pb acetate in drinking water to expose their offspring to Pb via the maternal milk. Males were weaned to the same drinking solution. At 120–140 days a tracer dose of 1.0 mCil-[3H]2,6-tyrosine (3H-TYR) and 0.5 mCil-[3H(G)]tryptophan (3H-TRP) was injected through an indwelling jugular catheter, and norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and their respective precursors and metabolites were quantified by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection with column eluate collected for liquid scintillation counting. At this level of exposure (blood lead (PbB) at day 90 in exposed animals=43.1±1.7 μg/dl) no changes were observed in concentration Nf NE or DA mr DA metabolites in any brain region. However, DA turnover was decreased in Pb-exposed animals in nucleus accumbens and frontal cortex. No changes in 5-HT content and turnover were observed in any brain region, but 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels were decreased in 6 of the 9 brain regions examined. These findings are consistent with observations of an attenuated behavioral responsiveness to d-amphetamine (AMPH) in exposed animals, and suggest that the changes in DA and 5-HT neurons noted by other workers at higher levels of exposure persist when PbBs are in the range of 40 μg/dl.
Nitrogen uptake and denitrification in restored and unrestored streams in urban Maryland, USA

There is growing interest in rates of nitrate uptake and denitrification in restored streams to better understand the effects of restoration on nitrogen processing. This study quantified nitrate uptake in two restored and two unrestored streams in Baltimore, Maryland, USA using nitrate additions, denitrification enzyme assays, and a 15N isotope tracer addition in one of the urban restored streams, Minebank Run. Restoration included either incorporation of stormwater ponds below a storm drain and catch basins to attenuate flow or hydrologic “reconnection” of a stream channel to its floodplain. Stream restoration was conducted for restoring aging sanitary and bridge infrastructure and introducing some stormwater management in watersheds developed prior to current regulations. Denitrification potential in sediments was variable across streams, whereas nitrate uptake length appeared to be significantly correlated to surface water velocity, which was low in the restored streams during summer baseflow conditions. Uptake length of NO3 −–N in Minebank Run estimated by 15N tracer addition was 556 m. Whole stream denitrification rates in Minebank Run were 153 mg NO3 −–N m−2 day−1, and approximately 40% of the daily load of nitrate was estimated to be removed via denitrification over a distance of 220.5 m in a stream reach designed to be hydrologically “connected” to its floodplain. Increased hydrologic residence time in Minebank Run during baseflow likely influenced rates of whole stream denitrification, suggesting that hydrologic residence time may be a key factor influencing N uptake and denitrification. Restoration approaches that increase hydrologic “connectivity” with hyporheic sediments and increase hydrologic residence time may be useful for stimulating denitrification. More work is necessary, however, to examine changes in denitrification rates in restored streams across different seasons, variable N loads, and in response to the “flashy” hydrologic flow conditions during storms common in urban streams.
1.3E2, a variant of the B lymphoma 70Z/3, defective in activation of NF-κB and OTF-2

The mouse B-cell cell lymphoma 70Z/3 is a convenient model system in which to study the regulation of immunoglobulin synthesis. Three transcriptional activators of kappa (κ) light chain synthesis have been identified for these cells: bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), interferon-γ (IFN), and interleukin-1 (IL-1). The response of the κ gene in 70Z/3 cells to LPS is mediated by increases in two transcription factors: NF-κB and OTF-2. In contrast, IFN has no effect on either of these factors in 70Z/3 cells. We have isolated by immunoselection an LPS− IFN+ variant of 70Z/3 called 1.3E2. We show here that LPS treatment of these cells causes no increase in nuclear localization of either NF-κB or OTF-2. Although they have normal levels of cytoplasmic NF-κB, it cannot be activated by LPS or by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) treatment of the cells. These experiments expand the genetic dissection of the molecular pathways of activation of κ transcription in 70Z/3 cells.
Motivation and the facilitation of change, learning, and participation in educational programs for health professionals

To be effective change agents, continuing education (CE) professionals must be able to develop strategies that assess and affect learners' motivation to learn about specific topics and engage in specific learning activities. This article suggests a framework for assess- ing and influencing learner motivation. Need reduction theory based on discrepancy analysis provides one way to explain and predict health care professionals' motivation to learn. Path- goal theory describes how learners make decisions to engage in a specific learning activity. The understanding and use of these two perspectives can help CME programmers influence learner needs and target those needs with more effective CME programs that are likely to draw high rates of participation.
A 14-kDa Arabidopsis thaliana RNA polymerase III subunit contains two alpha-motifs flanked by a highly charged C terminus.

Abstract We have sequenced a cDNA and a gene, AtRPC14, from Arabidopsis thaliana (At) (ecotype Columbia) that encode a protein related to the yeast RNA polymerases (Pol) I and III subunits, yAC19. Polyclonal antibodies raised against the recombinant At polypeptide (AtC14) bind to the Pol I and/or III subunits of about 13–15 kDa, but do not bind to any Pol II subunit in Pol purified from cauliflower, wheat or At. The amino acid (aa) sequence derived from the AtRPC14 cDNA and genomic clones consists of 122 aa, as compared to the 142 aa in the yeast yAC19 subunit and 143 aa in a putative Caenorhabditis elegans CeAC16 subunit. AtC14, yAC19 and CeAC16 contain a conserved sequence of about 85 aa which is related to two motifs in the α subunit of Escherichia coli (Ec) Pol. AtC14 lacks a highly charged N terminus of about 50 aa found in both yAC19 and CeAC16, but has a highly charged C terminus of about 30 aa not found in yAC19 and CeAC16.
Students’ Preferences in Selecting Information Resources Used to Find Scholarly Information: A Comparative Study Between Undergraduate and Graduate Students

This study compares undergraduate and graduate students’ preferences for information sources. It found that the largest percentage of undergraduates ranked Google Scholar, a scholarly database, as their 1st or 2nd choice for an information source, followed by Google, library scholarly databases, the library catalog, and library staff. The largest percentage of graduate students ranked library scholarly databases as their 1st or 2nd preference, followed by Google Scholar, the library catalog, Google, and library staff. There seems to be a connection between attendance in a library instruction session and the choice of library scholarly online databases.
Translation-invariant linear forms on C0(G), C(G), Lp(G) for noncompact groups

Suppose G is a locally compact noncompact group. For abelian such G's, it is shown in this paper that L1(G), C(G), and L∞(G) always have discontinuous translation-invariant linear forms(TILF's) while C0(G) and Lp(G) for 1 < p < ∞ have such forms if and only if GH is a torsion group for some open σ-compact subgroup H of G. For σ-compact amenable G's, all the above spaces have discontinuous left TILF's.
When Ignorance Is Bliss The Role of Motivation to Reduce Uncertainty in Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Three studies were conducted with the goal to articulate and test models for integrating the concept of motivation to reduce uncertainty into the axiomatic structure of uncertainty reduction theory. Multiple models were considered, each model defining motivation to reduce uncertainty in a different way. Motivation to reduce uncertainty was defined as a scope condition (Model 2), as tolerance for uncertainty (Model 3), as a weighted function of uncertainty by its importance (Model 4), and as the difference between one's uncertainty level and one's tolerance for uncertainty (Models 5a and 5b). Each of these models was compared to the baseline model (Model 1) derived from the original presentation of the theory where level of uncertainty, by itself, serves as a determinant of various communication behaviors. Tests of these models in terms of their ability to predict information seeking and attraction reveal that none of the models provides a consistent integration of motivation to reduce uncertainty into uncertainty reduction theory. Rather, tolerance for uncertainty (Model 3) is one of three determinants of information seeking, while level of uncertainty (Model 1) is one of three determinants of attraction. This inability to integrate motivation to reduce uncertainty into uncertainty reduction theory can be attributed to the consistent failure to find support for deviance and incentive value as determinants of tolerance for uncertainty, the rejection of Axiom 3 in uncertainty reduction theory (which specifies a positive relationship between uncertainty and information seeking), and the rejection of Theorem 17 (which specifies a negative relationship between information seeking and liking).
Mechanism of Agn nanocluster photoproduction from silver oxide films

Thin AgO films are readily photoactivated at room temperature to produce dynamic, multicolored fluorescent Agn nanoclusters. Writing efficiencies were separately examined as functions of excitation wavelength, intensity, and environmental interactions. The effects of external conditions on written nanocluster fluorescence are interpreted in terms of a mechanistic understanding of fluorescent Agn nanocluster creation and subsequent spectral dynamics, illustrating the equilibrium between nanocluster creation and destruction.
QSAR studies of copper azamacrocycles and thiosemicarbazones: MM3 parameter development and prediction of biological properties.

Genetic algorithms (GA) were used to develop specific copper metal-ligand force field parameters for the MM3 force field, from a combination of crystallographic structures and ab initio calculations. These new parameters produced results in good agreement with experiment and previously reported copper metal-ligand parameters for the AMBER force field. The MM3 parameters were then used to develop several Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship (QSAR) models. A successful QSAR for predicting the lipophilicity (logPow) of several classes of Cu(II) chelating ligands, was built using a training set of thirty-two Cu(II) radiometal complexes and six simple molecular descriptors. The QSAR exhibited a correlation between the predicted and experimental logPow with a r2 = 0.95, q2 = 0.92. When applied to an external test set of eleven Cu(II) complexes the QSAR preformed with great accuracy; r2 = 0.93 and a q2 = 0.91 utilizing a leave-one-out cross-validation analysis. Additional QSAR models were developed to predict the biodistribution of a smaller set of Cu(II) bis(thiosemicarbazone) complexes.
Organizational factors in sales forecasting management

Abstract Over the past three decades, significant advances have been made in developing sales forecasting techniques that more accurately reflect marketplace conditions. However, surveys of sales forecasting practice continue to report only marginal gains in sales forecasting performance. This gap between theory and practice has been identified as a significant issue for sales forecasting research. The forecasting literature suggests that the issue should be addressed by examining organizational factors in sales forecasting management. In this paper, we propose a theory-based framework of organizational factors in sales forecasting management that integrates research on organizational climate, organizational capabilities, organizational learning and sales forecasting. Empirical evidence of the fit between sales forecasting practice and the conceptual framework is provided by a content analysis of interview texts from an extensive field study of sales forecasting management that involved 516 practitioners at 18 global manufacturing firms.
Multiplexing wireless antenna sensors for crack growth monitoring

This paper presents the multiplexing of unpowered wireless antenna sensors for crack monitoring at multiple locations. Four antenna sensors were multiplexed to form a sensor array based on two multiplexing principles, namely frequency division and spatial division. For frequency division, a dual-antenna sensor array with each sensor operating at different frequencies was designed and implemented. Simultaneous interrogation of these two sensor elements has been achieved. For spatial division, two single antenna sensors with the same resonant frequencies as the dual-antenna sensor array were installed at different locations. By steering the illumination light toward their wireless impedance-switch circuits, these two single antenna sensors can be interrogated individually. The capability of the antenna sensor array to monitor multiple crack growth in a fatigue specimen was evaluated. Compared to a single antenna sensor, the antenna sensor array enables us to track the status of cracks over a large area.
Adjuvant and systemic therapy for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer remains a major cause of mortality. Less than 5% of patients survive 5 years. No curative therapy exists for patients not surgically resectable. Although chemotherapeutic and radiation therapeutic approaches can provide palliation, they have not had a significant impact on 5-year survival. Phase II and III studies are evaluating whether newer approaches integrating chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery will improve survival. Evaluation of new agents (e.g., camptothecins, paclitaxel [and related compounds], gemcitabine, and thymydilate synthase inhibitors) alone and in combination with other agents (including platinum-related compounds) continue to be pursued. Novel approaches based on increased knowledge about biology of this disease, including high frequency of ras and p53 mutations or expression of a number of growth factor receptors, are being studied preclinically. Approaches utilizing vaccines, gene therapy, and cyto-kines to enhance the immune response are being developed. Hopefully, new approaches will lead to improved treatment of this often fatal disease. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Adaptive Estimation Approach To Estimating Displacement In Time Varying Images

In this paper an approach for estimating the displacement of objects in successive frames of images is introduced. The algorithm operates on data that has been produced by an adaptive estimation redundancy removal technique. This approach has the added advantage over the pel-recursive and the coefficient recursive algorithms in that no frame to frame gradient vector calculation is required. Experimental results on generated images are presented for the purpose of comparing the stability of the algorithm with that of other displacement estimation algorithms.© (1980) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Outcome after Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in a Medical Intensive Care Unit

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is often performed in modern critical care units, but its efficacy has not been evaluated in this setting. It is important to evaluate CPR in critical care units because these patients often have multisystem disorders and suffer from diseases reported to carry a poor outcome after CPR. Inappropriate resuscitation of patients in this setting results in increased cost of care (both financial and emotional), with little tangible benefit. To address the question of successful resuscitation in the medical intensive care unit (MICU), we retrospectively reviewed the records of 114 patients who underwent CPR in our MICU over a three-year period. Eighty patients (70 percent) were not successfully resuscitated, 21 patients (18 percent) were successfully resuscitated but died before discharge, and 13 patients (11 percent) survived to leave the hospital. We evaluated a number of prearrest conditions (diagnoses, age, sex, duration of hospitalization, length of ICU stay, and severity of illness as measured by APACHE 2 scores) and arrest conditions (the initial cardiac rhythm and duration of CPR) to determine if the outcome after CPR was influenced by any of these parameters. Among the prearrest conditions, only a diagnosis of hypotension or sepsis and an elevated APACHE 2 acute physiology score were independently associated with a poor outcome after CPR. The only arrest condition found to be independently associated with outcome following CPR was the duration of resuscitative effort (p
A note on free-surface films in fractures

Abstract Free-surface films provide a potential explanation for fast transport of water through unsaturated fractured porous media. In air-filled fractures such films propagate much faster than a plug flow or flow through porous matrix. Thus fractures do not slow down the flow as was believed earlier but actually can transport the fluid fast. In this note we generalize the model of Dragila (1999) [4] and Dragila and Wheatcraft (2001) [5] for free-surface films from vertical to non-vertical fractures. That model represents the thin-film as a substrate on top of which solitary waves travel. Our calculations show that free-surface film flow in air-filled fractures is essentially insensitive to the angles of the inclination. Thus the simpler model of Dragila and Wheatcraft can be used in the prediction of transport rates in vertical as well as non-vertical fractures.
Separable ring extensions and cohomological dimension

Abstract Our purpose here is to obtain generalizations of several results on cohomological dimension of algebras due to M. Auslander, Eilenberg, Rosenberg, and Zelinsky in which the notion of separable algebra plays a significant role. The generalization consists of substituting the more general notion of separable K -rings for that of separable algebra. We prove also that the cohomological dimension of a semi-primary purely inseparable algebra over a field is infinite. In addition, we obtain a relative version of one inequality for projective and cohomological dimensions by Hochschild.
Does Separating Trucks from Other Traffic Improve Overall Safety

Decision makers have long speculated that building separate roads for trucks and passenger cars, or at least separating these into their own lanes, would accomplish two major objectives: (a) roadways would be made safer for passenger cars and (b) roadways designed specifically for a select class of vehicles rather than for all vehicles might represent overall savings in construction costs. This paper addresses the first objective. Recent studies on the evaluation of safety effects of truck traffic levels on general freeway facilities have not provided a clear understanding of how they affect the number of crashes. In some cases, studies have been contradictory. In addition, no studies have specifically compared passenger car-only with mixed-traffic freeway facilities. The research on which this paper is based aimed to assess whether more homogeneous flows of traffic by vehicle type are safer than the current mixed-flow scenario. An exploratory analysis of crash data was conducted on selected freeway sections of the New Jersey Turnpike for 2002. These sections operate as a dual-dual freeway facility: divided inner and outer lanes. At these locations, the inner lanes have the special characteristic of being for passenger cars only (homogeneous traffic). The selected sections, therefore, offer a very good opportunity to compare the crash experience between passenger car-only and mixed-traffic rural freeway facilities. The results of the study show that outer lanes experience more crashes, both when raw numbers are used and when exposure is included in the analysis. It was shown that truck-related crashes contribute significantly to the total number of crashes on the outer lanes. In fact, trucks are overinvolved in crashes given the exposure on these sections. Although the outcome of this study suggests that separating truck traffic from passenger cars for freeway facilities improves safety, further work is needed to understand the contributing factors leading to truck-related crashes in the outer lanes.
Effects of Jet Diameter and Surface Roughness on Internal Cooling With Single Array of Jets

The current study focused on the effects of varying jet diameter and surface roughness on the target plate from jet impingement. A single row of five jets, plenum fed, expels air onto the flat target surface and the spent air is constrained to exit in only one direction, causing the jets to encounter maximum cross-flow. Baseline jet plates were equipped with pressure taps, one for each jet, to determine flow. The initial parameters, diameter D, height to diameter H/D, and jet spacing to diameter S/D is 9.53 mm (0.375 in), 2 and 4 respectively. Upon defining the optimum array of jet diameters, three test cases will be conducted using different surface features, 90 degree ribs, chevrons and X-shaped ribs on the target plate to further enhance the heat transfer performance of the jet impingement. The parameters, width W and height H, for the surface features will be set constant at 3.18 mm (0.125 in). The Reynolds number, Re, in this experimental study ranged from 50,000 to 80,000. A transient liquid crystal technique is employed in this study to determine the local and average heat transfer coefficient distribution on the target plate. The baseline tests revealed that the heat transfer is more predominate in the upstream jets impingement zones, however, by varying the diameters the heat transfer is more uniformly distributed downstream. The results also revealed that the rib-turbulators, especially X-shaped ribs, can further enhance heat transfer enhancement in the downstream jets where crossflow can affect impingement.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Automatic glossary extraction: beyond terminology identification

This paper describes a method for automatically extracting domain-specific glossaries from large document collections. We show that, compared with current text analysis methods for extracting technical terminology from text, our extracted glossaries more successfully support applications requiring knowledge of domain concepts. After presenting our methods, we illustrate the output of GlossEx, our glossary extraction tool, and present an informal evaluation of its performance.
Conditions under which F. {N } = for tong's adaptive solution to ranking and selection problems

Tong ‘1978’ proposed an adaptive approach as an alternative to the classical indifference-zone formulation of the problems of ranking and selection. With a fixed pre-selected y*‘1/k < y* < 1’ his procedure calls for the termination of vector-at-a-time sampling when the estimated probability of a correct selection exceeds Y* for the first time. The purpose of this note is to show that for the case of two normal populations with common known variance, the expected number of vector-observations required by Tong's procedure to terminate sampling approaches infinity as the two population means approach equality for Y* ≥ 0.8413.It is conjectured that this phenomenon also persists if the two largest of K ≥3 population means approach equality. Since in the typical ranking and selection setting it usually is assumed that the experimenter has no knowledge concerning the differences between the population means, the experimenter who uses Tong's procedure clearly does so at his own risk.
Complete multi-configuration self-consistent field theory

The two-configuration self-consistent field formalism previously presented in this Journal is extended and the CMC SCF LCAO MO (complete multi-configuration self-consistent field LCAO MO) technique is presented. The single Slater determinant for a 2n electron system is replaced by a combination of determinants built from two sets of MO's, one containingn orbitals; the second, (ω —n) orbitals. All the possible double excitations from the (n) set to the (ω —n) set are considered. The orbitals as well as the linear combination of determinants are simultaneously optimized making use of the self-consistent field technique.
Pharmacological characterization of ionotropic excitatory amino acid receptors in young and aged rat basal forebrain

Ionotropic glutamate receptors were characterized in acutely dissociated medial septum/nucleus of diagonal band neurons from one- to four-month- and 24-26-month-old male Fischer 344 rats. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were used to study glutamate, alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate, kainate and N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced currents. Pharmacological properties of these ionotropic receptors were studied across different age groups by comparing concentration response curves and EC50 for agonist-induced currents, as well as dissociation constants (Kb) for competitive receptor antagonists. Our results suggest that non-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors on medial septum/nucleus of diagonal band neurons were predominantly of the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate type and display biophysical and pharmacological properties similar to other central neurons. However, peak alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate-induced currents were enhanced in aged (35.0+/-4.4 pA/pF) compared to young cells (16.2+/-1.7 pA/pF, P<0.005), and the EC50 shifted to the right (4.4+/-0.6 in young compared to 8.8+/-1.3 microM in aged, P<0.05). The Kb for 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione inhibition of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate-induced currents likewise shifted to the right (0.16+/-0.02 in young and 0.29+/-0.04 microM in aged, P<0.05) suggesting an age-related decrease in affinity for alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate receptors. N-Methyl-D-aspartate-induced currents were generated in standard physiological solutions with the addition of 1 microM glycine and the removal of Mg2+. The N-methyl-D-aspartate responses were predictably modulated by magnesium and glycine, and were antagonized by the competitive antagonist 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid. No age-related change in N-methyl-D-aspartate maximum, EC50, magnesium sensitivity, glycine sensitivity or Kb for 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid was observed. Overall, our results suggest that ionotropic glutamate receptors in the medial septum/nucleus of diagonal band have a similar pharmacological profile compared to glutamate receptors in other brain regions. More importantly, these data suggest that while medial septum/nucleus of diagonal band cells maintain N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors during ageing, a significant increase in current density and decrease in receptor affinity for alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate receptors, during this same time period, may provide a mechanism for age-related changes in neuronal plasticity and excitotoxicity in the basal forebrain.
High Efficiency, Long-Term Clinical Expression of Cottontail Rabbit Papillomavirus (CRPV) DNA in Rabbit Skin Following Particle-Mediated DNA Transfer

The ability of skin to support long lasting expression of genes delivered with a particle-mediated system was evaluated in rabbits inoculated with cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) DNA. The optimal delivery force for maximal gene expression in rabbit skin was determined in transient beta-galactosidase assays. Forty-five sites in four rabbits were then inoculated at 350-400 p.s.i. with CRPV DNA. All sites (100%) formed papillomas with multiple papillomas at most sites. These results support the feasibility of using a particle-mediated delivery system for gene therapy and suggest that some papillomavirus features, such an origin of replication, may be well suited for use in vectors to target long term expression to skin.
Osteogenic potential of postnatal skeletal muscle-derived stem cells is influenced by donor sex.

This study compared the osteogenic differentiation of F-MDSCs and M-MDSCs. Interestingly, M-MDSCs expressed osteogenic markers and underwent mineralization more readily than F-MDSCs; a characteristic likely caused by more osteoprogenitor cells within the M-MDSCs than the F-MDSCs and/or an accelerated osteogenic differentiation of M-MDSCs. Introduction: Although therapies involving stem cells will require both female and male cells, few studies have investigated whether sex-related differences exist in their osteogenic potential. Here, we compared the osteo- genic differentiation of female and male mouse skeletal muscle-derived stem cells (F- and M-MDSCs, re- spectively), a potential cell source for orthopedic tissue engineering. Materials and Methods: F- and M-MDSCs were stimulated with bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)4, fol- lowed by quantification of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and expression of osteogenic genes. F- and M-MDSCs were also cultured as pellets in osteogenic medium to evaluate mineralization. Single cell-derived colonies of F- and M-MDSCs were stimulated with BMP4, stained for ALP, and scored as either Low ALP+ or High ALP+ to detect the presence of osteoprogenitor cells. F- and M-MDSCs were transduced with a BMP4 retrovirus (MDSC-BMP4 cells) and used for the pellet culture and single cell-derived colony formation assays. As well, F- and M-MDSC-BMP4 cells were implanted in the intramuscular pocket of sex-matched and sex-mismatched hosts, and bone formation was monitored radiographically. Results and Conclusions: When stimulated with BMP4, both F- and M-MDSCs underwent osteogenic differ- entiation, although M-MDSCs had a significantly greater ALP activity and a larger increase in the expression of osteogenic genes than F-MDSCs. In the pellet culture assay, M-MDSCs showed greater mineralization than F-MDSCs. BMP4 stimulation of single cell-derived colonies from M-MDSCs showed higher levels of ALP than those from F-MDSCs. Similar results were obtained with the MDSC-BMP4 cells. In vivo, F-MDSC- BMP4 cells displayed variability in bone area and density, whereas M-MDSC-BMP4 cells showed a more consistent and denser ectopic bone formation. More bone formation was also seen in male hosts compared with female hosts, regardless of the sex of the implanted cells. These results suggest that M-MDSCs may contain more osteoprogenitor cells than F-MDSCs, which may have implications in the development of cellular therapies for bone healing. J Bone Miner Res 2007;22:1592-1602. Published online on July 2, 2007; doi: 10.1359/JBMR.070702
Antioxidant potential of Sutherlandia frutescens and its protective effects against oxidative stress in various cell cultures

Sutherlandia frutescens (L.) R.Br. (SF) is a South African plant that is widely used to treat stress, infections, cancer, and chronic diseases, many of which involve oxidative stress. The aim of the study was to quantitatively assess the antioxidant potential of SF extracts in cell-free system as well as in cell lines. Dried SF vegetative parts were extracted using six different solvents, and the extracts were assessed for total phenolic and flavonoid contents, total reducing power, iron chelating capacity, and free radical scavenging power, including, scavenging of hydroxyl radicals, superoxide anions, nitric oxide, and hydrogen peroxide. We further investigated the freeze-dried hot water extract of SF (SFE) to assess its effect against oxidative stress induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP), an organic peroxide. Three different cell lines: Chinese hamster ovary (CHO), human hepatoma (HepaRG), and human pulmonary alveolar carcinoma (A549) cells, were employed to determine cell viability, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and reduced to oxidized glutathione levels (GSH/GSSG). The results indicated that: (1) SF extracts have significant antioxidant potential that is dependent upon the nature of the extraction solvent and (2) SFE protects against tBHP-induced oxidative stress in cells by scavenging ROS and preserving intracellular GSH/GSSG. Oxidative stress is implicated in a number of disorders, and due to the public’s concerns about synthetic antioxidants, various natural antioxidants are being explored for their therapeutic potential. Our findings support claims for S. frutescens being a promising adjunctive therapeutic for oxidative stress-related health problems.