cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of pyrethroid, organophosphate and organochlorine pesticides in water by headspace solid-phase microextraction

Simultaneous determination of pyrethroid, organophosphate (OP) and organochlorine (OC) pesticides in water was achieved with headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) followed by gas chromatography-electron-capture detection (GC-ECD). The parameters affecting HS-SPME of pesticides from water were optimized, including extraction temperature, sample and headspace volumes, and sodium chloride amounts. The effects of desorption temperature, desorption time, and position of the fibre in the GC inlet were also investigated. Extraction temperature was the most important factor affecting the recoveries of analytes, and the optimized temperature was 96°C. The addition of salt did not increase extraction efficiencies of the pesticides from the water. The optimized desorption conditions in the GC were as follows: desorption time of 10 min; desorption temperature of 260°C; and a 2 cm position of the fibre in the inlet. The method detection limits were in the low-ng/L level with a linearity range of 50–1000 ng/L...
SNi fragmentations of alkoxychlorocarbenes – a perspective

After a review of the early literature concerning S N i fragmentations of alkyl chlorosulfites and chloroformates, we present experimental and computational results for the S N i fragmentations of alkoxychlorocarbenes. Examples include cyclohexyloxychlorocarbene, 7-norbomyloxychlorocarbene, 3-nortricyclyloxychlorocarbene, exo-5-norbomenyl-2-oxychlorocarbene, and endo-5-norbomenyl-2-oxychlorocarbene. Computations generate a 'family' of closely related charge-separated S N i structures which approximate asynchronous, polar, concerted transition states and tight, short-lived ion pair intermediates. The precise description and behavior of these species in a given reaction depends on the identities of the alkyl group, the potential counterion, and the solvent.
Psychometric Properties of the Beck Depression Inventory–II in Low-Income, African American Suicide Attempters

Cross-cultural examinations of the validity and reliability of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (Beck, Steer, Ball, & Ranieri, 1996) is essential for its use in assessment and monitoring of the effectiveness of suicide interventions across racial groups. We tested the fit of a second-order, two-factor model and the internal reliability of the BDI-II in a sample of 133 African Americans with a recent history of suicide attempts. Additionally, we examined the convergent validity with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (Reynolds & Koback, 1995). The results indicate that the BDI-II is a reliable and valid measure of depressive symptoms for African American suicide attempters.
Performance analysis of production systems with rework loops

This paper presents an overlapping decomposition method to approximate the throughput of production systems with rework loops. The idea is to decompose the system into overlapped serial production lines, with the overlapping machines modified to accommodate the interactions with machines and buffers in other lines. The convergence of the iterative procedure and the uniqueness of the solution are proved analytically. The accuracy of the estimate is justified numerically and illustrated by a case study at an automotive assembly plant.
Part VI: How Should Reputations be Managed in Good Times and Bad Times?: Fanning fires: Mitsubishi Motors and the EEOC

Reputations rise and fall. In this Part of the Corporate Reputation Review attention focusses on companies whose star is waning. The presentations made at the Stern School of Business conference and now published below comprise a distillation of the insights gained by a senior crisis-management practitioner, as well as three case studies and three more empirically-oriented crisis communication studies. Included in panelists' presenta- tions are theoretical frameworks which seek to explain the behavior of managers and opponents during crisis situations.
FTIR Studies of CH3OH On Porous Silicon.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to investigate the reaction of methanol with porous silicon and hydrogen passivated porous silicon. At 300 K methanol adsorbs onto hydrogen free porous silicon by cleavage of the O-H bond. Both of the resulting surface species, Si-H and Si-OCH3, were determined to be stable up to ∼500 K. Above 500 K the Si-OCH3 moiety decomposes by breakage of the C-O and C-H bonds. The resulting carbon and oxygen were incorporated into the porous layer and additional Si-H surface species were detected. Further heating to 900 K removed the Si-H surface species. Adsorption of methanol onto hydrogen-passivated porous silicon did not occur until 600 K. At temperatures beyond 600 K, oxygen and carbon incorporation into the porous layer and Si-OCH3, Si-CH3, and Si-H surface species were seen. The previously unseen Si-CH3 surface species is believed to be stabilized by oxygen incorporation.
Retention of the cis proline conformation in tripeptide fragments of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A containing a non-natural proline analogue, 5,5-dimethylproline

Attention is focused on l-5,5-dimethylproline (dmP) as a substitute to lock l-proline (Pro) in a cis conformation in peptides and proteins, to prevent cis/trans isomerization when a protein with cis X-Pro peptide groups unfolds. Procedures have been developed to obtain optically pure l-dmP and to incorporate this sterically hindered residue as the central one in tripeptides that are suitable for fragment coupling to prepare synthetic proteins. Based on the sequences of residues 92−94 (Tyr-Pro-Asn:YPN) and 113−115 (Asn-Pro-Tyr: NPY) in bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A (RNase A), in which the X-Pro peptide groups are in the cis conformation, the tripeptides Ac-Tyr-dmP-Asn (YdmPN) and Ac-Asn-dmP-Tyr (NdmPY) were synthesized, and their structures were determined by 2D 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. YdmPN was found to exist solely in the cis conformation between 6 and 60 °C, whereas NdmPY was found to have some trans component that increased from about 10% to about 21% as the temperature in...
Different staining patterns of ovarian Brenner tumor and the associated mucinous tumor

The association of ovarian Brenner tumors and adjacent mucinous tumors is well known but not completely understood. In this study, we analyzed immunohistochemical markers on Brenner tumors and their associated mucinous tumor to explore Mullerian as well as Wolffian and germ cell derivation and determine if the mucinous component is independent or related to the Brenner tumor. Of 32 consecutive cases of Brenner tumors, 8 were identified with significant mucinous component, and 7 additional cases included foci of mucinous epithelium within the Brenner transitional nests. All Brenner tumors were diffusely positive for GATA3 and negative for Paired box gene 8, PAX2, and Sal-like protein 4. Interestingly, the areas of mucinous epithelium as well as mucinous tumors, intermixed and adjacent to the Brenner tumor, were negative for all 4 markers; however, occasional basal-like cells retained expression of GATA3. The immunoprofile of mucinous tumors associated with Brenner tumors shares the lack of Mullerian markers PAX2 and Paired box gene 8 with the Brenner tumor but differs in the expression of GATA3 only in the Brenner tumor component.
Appendix B—Notes on the permeability coefficient and its units

In the development of terms and units for a new science such as ground-water hydrology, which is based on physics, it would seem fitting to adopt the terminology that has become standard in other branches of physics such as heat and electricity. Darcy's law has its counterpart in similar laws in the other branches of physics.
Preparation and evaluation of protein microcapsules for a marine suspension-feeder, the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

Little is known of the dietary requirements of marine suspension-feeders, mainly due to difficulties in preparing and delivering microparticulate diets to animals living in an aquatic environment. The food particles must be stable in seawater and digestible by the consumer. A laboratory method for preparing cross-linked, protein-walled capsules is described in this study as a means of delivering dietary protein to marine suspension-feeders such as the oyster Crassostrea gigas. Leakage of 14C-labelled protein from capsules suspended in seawater for 24 h was reduced to less than 5% by the use of the trifunctional cross-linking agent 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride in wall formation. Invitro experiments indicated that capsules were susceptible to digestion by proteases and by style extracts of oysters. Oysters fed encapsulated 14C-labelled protein absorbed 14C with an efficiency of 40.2±5.0% (±1 SE). Biochemical fractionation of capsule-fed oysters indicated breakdown of ingested 14C-protein into material that was soluble in 7% trichloroacetic acid. Cross-linked, protein-walled capsules can be used successfully to deliver dietary protein to the oyster C. gigas.
Ewing’s sarcoma of the humerus mimicking fibrous dysplasia on imaging and biological behavior

We present the case of a 12-year-old girl who presented with a pathological fracture through a benign-appearing osteolytic lesion that was presumed to represent fibrous dysplasia. The fracture healed, and over the next 2.5 years there was further refracturing and healing with progressive osteolysis. A biopsy was performed and revealed Ewing's sarcoma. The disease was locally controlled by neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The patient is disease free with excellent function 6 years following the discovery of the lesion. We illustrate and discuss the sequence of events.
Stereotactic radiosurgery for patients with "radioresistant" brain metastases.

OBJECTIVE Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for the treatment of patients with brain metastases that have been determined to be "radioresistant" on the basis of histological examination. METHODS We reviewed the medical records of 41 consecutive patients who presented with 83 brain metastases from radioresistant primaries and subsequently underwent SRS. All patients were followed until death or for a median of 31 months after SRS. Tumor histologies included renal cell carcinoma (16 patients), melanoma (23 patients), and sarcoma (2 patients). Eighteen patients (44%) had a solitary metastasis, and 23 patients (56%) had multiple metastases. RESULTS The median overall survival time was 14.2 months after SRS. On the basis of univariate analysis, systemic disease status (P = 0.006) and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) class (P = 0.005) were associated with survival. The median survival time was 23.5 months for patients in RPA Class I status and 10.5 months for patients in RPA Class II or III status. There was a trend (P = 0.12) toward improved median survival for patients with renal cell carcinoma (17.8 mo) as compared with patients with melanoma (9.7 mo). Multivariate analysis showed RPA class (P = 0.038) and histological diagnosis of primary tumor (P < 0.001) to be independent predictors for overall survival. In the 35 patients who underwent follow-up imaging, 9 (12%) of 73 tumors recurred locally. In 54% of the patients, distant brain failure (DBF) developed. Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) improved local control and decreased DBF, according to the univariate and multivariate analyses. Patients who received adjuvant WBRT in addition to SRS had 6-month actuarial local control of 100% as compared with 85% among those who did not receive WBRT (P = 0.018). Patients who received adjuvant WBRT with SRS had a 6-month actuarial DBF rate of 17%, as compared with a rate of 64% among patients who had SRS alone (P = 0.0027). CONCLUSION Well-selected patients with brain metastases from radioresistant primary tumors who undergo SRS survive longer than historical controls. RPA Class I status and primary renal cell carcinoma predict longer survival. Adjuvant WBRT improves local control and decreases DBF but does not affect overall survival. Further studies are needed to determine which patients should receive WBRT.
Measurement of fluorescent lipid peroxidation products in biological systems and tissues.

Abstract A sensitive fluorometric assay for measurement of lipid peroxidation damage to biological preparations and tissues is described. The method consists of a chloroform-methanol extract of tissue followed by measurement of fluorescence characteristics of products derived from lipid peroxidation. Fluorescence analysis has been used successfully with rats and mice in vivo with stress induced during dietary and aging experiments and in peroxidation of subcellular organelles in vitro. Replicate extractions of fluorescent tissue showed a standard error of 2%. In a test of linearity with concentration, the amount of lipid-soluble fluorescent material in extracted samples was directly proportional to that added before extraction. Specific and general applications to in vivo and in vitro lipid peroxidation experiments are diseussed.
Formation and Destruction of Silicon Monoxide in SN 1987A

We present a new chemistry model for the silicon monoxide molecules in SN 1987A. It incorporates an enhanced rate of formation by radiative association and an enhanced rate of destruction through charge transfer between SiO and Ar+ and Ne+, which is more efficient than the energetic electron impact ionization and dissociation in a previous model. The conclusion is unchanged that the 10−4–10−3 M☉ of SiO observed in SN 1987A can be produced by chemistry models in which there is no microscopic mixing of helium into the silicon-oxygen region of the ejecta.
A Comparison Between Mexican American Youth Who Are in Gangs and Those Who Are Not

This exploratory study compares the differences between 43 Mexican American gang members and 43 Mexican American adolescents who are not members of a gang on several demographic, educational, familial, cultural, and psychological variables. Differences were analyzed using t tests and chi-square analyses. Discussion focuses on implications for counseling. Este estudio de exploracion compara las diferencias entre 43 Mexicoamericanos pertenecientes a alguna pandilla y 43 adolescentes Mexicoamericanos que no son miembros de una pandilla segun distintas variables demograficas, educativas, familiares, culturales y psicologicas. Las diferencias se analizaron usando pruebas t y analisis de ji-cuadrado. La discusion se centra en las implicaciones para la consejeria.
Investigation of reliability method formulations in DAKOTA/UQ

Reliability methods are probabilistic algorithms for quantifying the effect of simulation input uncertainties on response metrics of interest. In particular, they compute approximate response function distribution statistics (probability, reliability and response levels) based on specified input random variable probability distributions. In this paper, a number of algorithmic variations are explored for both the forward reliability analysis of computing probabilities for specified response levels (the reliability index approach (RIA)) and the inverse reliability analysis of computing response levels for specified probabilities (the performance measure approach (PMA)). These variations include limit state linearizations, probability integrations, warm starting and optimization algorithm selections. The resulting RIA/PMA reliability algorithms for uncertainty quantification are then employed within bi-level and sequential reliability-based design optimization approaches. Relative performance of these uncert...
Population of high-angular-momentum states in low-energy double-electron-capture collisions of O6+ with He.

We report the first experimental study of the angular momentum states populated by double-capture collisions of multiply charged ions. High-resolution spectra of L-Coster-Kronig electrons originating from ${\mathrm{O}}^{4+}$ 1${s}^{2}$2pnl (n=6,7) states produced in 30--105-kev ${\mathrm{O}}^{6+}$+He collisions were obtained. Analysis of the observed spectra, performed with use of Hartree-Fock transition energies, indicates population of high--angular-momentum states. A classical-model calculation suggests that the correlated transitions producing the 1${s}^{2}$2pnl autoionizing states involve both energy and angular momentum exchange between the two transferred electrons.
Death and design: The terror management function of teleological beliefs

Humans have a tendency to endorse teleological beliefs about the world. According to terror management theory, teleological or purposeful beliefs about the world help people cope with the awareness of mortality. Though research is generally consistent with this assertion, it has not been directly tested. Three studies tested and supported the notion that teleological beliefs about the world serve a terror management function. In “Study 1”, experimentally elevated teleological beliefs reduced death-thought accessibility. In “Studies 2 and 3”, mortality salience increased teleological beliefs, even if this resulted in judgment errors. Alternative explanations were tested and did not account for the findings.
Effect of long‐range correlations on transport phenomena in disordered media

Three different flow and transport phenomena considered here are hydrodynamic dispersion in heterogeneous porous media and aquifers, transport of passive particles in an oscillating flow field, and miscible displacement processes in heterogeneous reservoirs. At microscales all three phenomena are described by the classical convective-diffusion equation (CDE). The presence of long-range correlations at macroscales gives rise to a rich variety of phenomena that cannot be predicted by analyzing the CDE by classical methods. In particular, a new percolation model with long-range correlations provides a rational explanation for the hitherto unexplained field-scale experimental data for hydrodynamic dispersion in porous media and aquifers. Moreover, for transport in oscillating flow in convection cells percolation provides a novel relation between the dispersion coefficient and the Peclet number that cannot be predicted by other methods.
Encodability of Kleene's O

Let ω be the nonnegative integers. G. E. Sacks once asked whether there exists an infinite X ⊆ ω such that, for all Y ⊆ X , ω 1 Y ω 1 where ω 1 is the first nonrecursive ordinal. In this note we negatively answer this question by giving a simple proof that for every infinite set X ⊆ ω there exists Y ⊆ X such that the first recursively inaccessible ordinal. This is accomplished by proving that H α is hyper-arithmetic in Y where H α is the α th hyperjump of the empty set ∅, defined in a suitable sense for all ordinals Background information and undefined notation can be found in Rogers [11]. In particular, we write A ≤ h B(A ≤ T B) if A is hyperarithmetical (recursive) in B , and A ≡ h B if A ≤ h B and B ≤ h A . We will say that a set A is hyperarithmetically (recursively) encodable if, for every infinite set X ⊆ ω , there exists Y ⊆ X such that A ≤ h Y (A ≤ T Y ). For any set A (hyperdegree a ) let A ′ ( a ′) denote the hyperjump of A ( a ). Let 0 denote the hyperdegree of ∅. A function f majorizes a function g if f(n) ≥ g(n) for every n . E 1 is the representing (type-2) functional of introduced by Tugue [13] (also Kleene [6]). Let be the smallest ordinal which is not the order type of any well-ordering recursive in E 1 . Information on can be found in Richter [9] and [10].
Expression and Packaging of a Human Endogenous Retrovirus-K Genomic DNA Clone

Human contains large number of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) in its genome. One of the HERV families, HERV-K, entered human genome most recently and includes many members with full-length intact proviruses. Normally, these proviruses do not express but infrequently they seem to express in cancers or autoimmune disease patients. To investigate expression mechanisms of these endogenous retroviruses, a DNA copy of HERV-K was cloned and its expression was studied. The transfection of the full-length clone into human cell lines did not produce any detectable viral capsid protein, Gag, and the transcription from its own promoter in LTR was extremely poor. The transcription was less than 10 percent compare to the exogenous retrovirus. However, when the Gag coding region was cloned under CMV promoter, Gag could be expressed efficiently and secreted as particles, probably virus like particles. The efficient expression also required a nuclear export signal. The expressed Gag could also package its own genomic RNA. These results indicate that the LTR of HERV-K is normally not active but its genes have a potential to express and possibly produce infectious particles.
HIV N-linked glycosylation site analyzer and its further usage in anchored alignment

N-linked glycosylation is a posttranslational modification that has significantly contributed to the rapid evolution of HIV-1. In particular, enrichment of N-linked glycosylation sites can be found within Envelope variable loops, regions that play an essential role in HIV pathogenesis and immunogenicity. The web server described here, the HIV N-linked Glycosylation Site Analyzer, was developed to facilitate study of HIV diversity by tracking gp120 N-linked glycosylation sites. This server provides an automated platform for mapping and comparing variable loop N-linked glycosylation sites across populations of HIV-1 sequences. Furthermore, this server allows for refinement of HIV-1 sequence alignment by using N-linked glycosylation sites in variable loops as alignment anchors. Availability of this web server solves one of the difficult problems in HIV gp120 alignment and analysis imposed by the extraordinary HIV-1 diversity. The HIV N-linked Glycosylation Site Analyzer web server is available at http://hivtools.publichealth.uga.edu/N-Glyco/.
Study of the radiative properties of silicon-based materials for thermal processing and control

Radiative properties are important for radiometric temperature measurements and thermal control during materials processing. Although there have been extensive studies of the radiative properties of silicon and related materials, existing model expressions do not cover some important spectral and temperature ranges of practical interests. In the present study, selected optical models are summarized and used to calculate the optical constants of lightly doped silicon, with necessary extrapolations. The effect of coatings covering one or both sides of a smooth silicon wafer is studied at room temperature as well as at elevated temperatures. Furthermore, the influence of surface roughness on the radiative properties of semitransparent wafers with a dielectric coating is also examined. This work demonstrates the need for a more thorough investigation, with the assistance of high-accuracy measurements, of the radiative properties of silicon-based materials at elevated temperatures.
Laparoscopic Enucleation of Insulinomas

Hypothesis Laparoscopic enucleation of insulinomas is safe and effective and is associated with a short hospital stay. Design Case series identified through retrospective review of medical records. Setting University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, a tertiary care referral hospital. Patients Nine patients with insulinomas that were thought to be suitable for laparoscopic enucleation. Intervention Laparoscopic enucleation of solitary insulinomas of the pancreas. Main Outcome Measures Successful enucleation, conversion to open operation, postoperative complications, and duration of hospitalization. Results Seven of 9 patients had curative laparoscopic enucleations of insulinomas. In the 2 other patients, the laparoscopic approach was converted to an open operation to perform a distal pancreatectomy. All patients were cured. Computed tomography (CT) localized the tumor in 5 of 9 patients; laparoscopic enucleation was successful in all 5. Endoscopic ultrasonography correctly identified the lesions in 2 of 3 patients with nondiagnostic CT scans. Both lesions were successfully enucleated laparoscopically. Postoperative pancreatic fistulas occurred in 7 of 9 patients, but they caused little morbidity. No patient required another operation. Five of 7 patients treated laparoscopically were discharged to home on the first postoperative day. Conclusions Laparoscopic enucleation was safe and effective. If the lesion was seen on CT, it could be removed laparoscopically. Endoscopic ultrasonography was useful for identifying lesions in patients whose CT scans were nondiagnostic. Pancreatic fistulas were common, but they resolved spontaneously and produced little morbidity. Laparoscopic enucleation resulted in a short hospitalization and rapid recovery for most patients.
Spectral efficiency of distributed cooperative relaying

Cooperative relaying has been shown to be an effective method to combat fading in wireless communications. Among relaying strategies, distributed ones are more attractive because of the simplicity, scalability, robustness and low overhead incurred. In this paper, two previously proposed distributed relaying strategies are investigated: Timer-based Best-Select relaying and M-group Dis-STBC All-Select relaying. The motivation is to figure out which one of these two strategies performs better in spectrum-limited systems, taking into account the overhead incurred in the selection process. Numerical results indicate that, in general cases, M-group Dis-STBC All-Select relaying outperforms Timer-based Best-Select relaying.
Modeling an HF NVIS towel-bar antenna on a coast guard patrol boat: a comparison of WIPL-D and the numerical electromagnetics code (NEC)

A coast guard patrol boat high-frequency (HF) near-vertical incident skywave (NVIS) antenna is selected as a test case to compare the electromagnetic modeling programs numerical electromagnetics code, NEC and WIPL-D code. Differences between the models and program outputs are presented. The radiation pattern predictions are compared. Agreement between the results is found to be good. Minor adjustments of the two coordinate systems of the programs are necessary. A summary of the comparison is presents.
Defining the role of aprotinin in heart transplantation.

Background Heart transplantation is associated with excessive bleeding due to recipient coagulopathy, frequent need for reoperative median sternotomy, and prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass. Aprotinin reduces bleeding and the inflammatory response after cardiopulmonary bypass, but there are concerns about efficacy and side effects. Methods To determine the role of aprotinin in primary and reoperative sternotomy heart transplantation, we studied 70 patients undergoing heart transplantation between August 1993 and October 1994. Thirty-eight undergoing primary sternotomy for heart transplantation and receiving no aprotinin were randomized to group A (n = 20); patients in group B (n = 18) received the full recommended dose. Similarly, 32 patients undergoing reoperative heart transplantation were randomized to group C (n = 16), receiving no aprotinin, and to group D (n = 16), receiving aprotinin at the full recommended dose. All patients received the same immunosuppression regimen. Similarities in the groups included recipient age, weight, preoperative hemodynamic indices, creatinine, creatinine clearance, platelet count, hemoglobin, percentage receiving warfarin, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, and creatinine level at 48 hours. Results There were no significant differences postoperatively between groups A and B. Differences (p Conclusions Aprotinin decreases bleeding after reoperative heart transplantation without renal dysfunction. Decreased inflammation is manifested as reduced fluid requirement and improved pulmonary and right heart function, which benefit patients during the posttransplantation period. Aprotinin at recommended doses is effective and safe for patients undergoing reoperative heart transplantation.
Loop cosmological dynamics and dualities with Randall-Sundrum braneworlds

The discrete quantum geometric effects play an important role in dynamical evolution in the loop quantum cosmology. These effects which are significant at the high energies lead to the quadratic energy density modifications to the Friedmann equation, as in the Randall-Sundrum braneworld scenarios but with a negative sign. We investigate the scalar field dynamics in this scenario and show the existence of a phase of superinflation independent of the inverse scale factor modifications as found earlier. In this regime the scalar field mimics the dynamics of a phantom field and vice versa. We also find various symmetries between the expanding phase, the contracting phase and the phantom phase in the loop quantum cosmology. We then construct the scaling solutions in the loop quantum cosmology and show their dual relationship with those of the Randall-Sundrum cosmology.
Structured Network Coding and Cooperative Wireless Ad-Hoc Peer-to-Peer Repair for WWAN Video Broadcast

In a scenario where each peer of an ad-hoc wireless local area network (WLAN) receives one of many available video streams from a wireless wide area network (WWAN), we propose a network-coding-based cooperative repair framework for the ad-hoc peer group to improve broadcast video quality during channel losses. Specifically, we first impose network coding structures globally, and then select the appropriate video streams and network coding types within the structures locally, so that repair can be optimized for broadcast video in a rate-distortion manner. Innovative probability-the likelihood that a repair packet is useful in data recovery to a receiving peer-is analyzed in this setting for accurate optimization of the network codes. Our simulation results show that by using our framework, video quality can be improved by up to 19.71 dB over un-repaired video stream and by up to 5.39 dB over video stream using traditional unstructured network coding.
At the source: treating heart failure by altering muscle motor function.

### Cardiac Myosin Activation: A Potential Therapeutic Approach for Systolic Heart Failure Malik et al Science . 2011;331:1439–1443. A new study in Science provides proof of the principle for directly modulating the cardiac muscle's motor, myosin, as a therapeutic target in heart failure. The human and economic tolls from heart failure (HF) are significant in both developed and undeveloped countries.1–3 Although HF can take many forms,4,5 it is most commonly associated with decreased cardiac contractility and is, therefore, referred to as systolic HF (sHF).6 Current therapeutic strategies rely on blocking neurohormonal activation by inhibiting associated pathways or by receptor blockade using either β-adrenergic or aldosterone blockers.7,8 Alternatively, some therapies are directed at increasing cardiac contractility in an effort to restore sufficient blood flow, usually by activating second messenger signaling pathways that increase cardiomyocyte calcium levels and augment sarcomere contraction.9 Both strategies suffer from a lack of specificity in that they target proteins upstream of the actual contractile events that underlie force production. Affecting important signaling pathways or receptor-ligand interactions can impact cellular function and perturb homeostasis in ways unrelated to the contractile apparatus, leading to undesirable side effects, such as hypotension, tachycardia, and even arrhythmias that can lead to sudden death.10 Recognizing the significant limitations of current therapeutic modalities, Malik and co-workers have directed their efforts at directly modulating cardiac contractility by tuning motor function at the source, the myosin heavy chain. The cardiac myosin heavy chains are encoded by two genes, MYH6 , which encodes α myosin heavy chain, and MYH7 , which encodes β myosin heavy chain, the latter being the predominant isoform in human ventricle. Although having greater than 90% amino acid homology, the two proteins differ significantly at the biochemical level. In comparison with α myosin, β myosin is relatively more efficient in force production as a function of energy consumption, with …
Ketamine: an update on the first twenty-five years of clinical experience

Pendant presque 25 ans ďexperience clinique, les benefices et les limitations de ľanesthesie a la ketamine ont ete generalement bien definis. Les revues extensives de White et al.2 ainsi que celles de Reeves et al.43 ont enormement aide a comprendre ľanesthesie dissociative. Neanmoins, des etudes recentes continuent a nous eclairer sur les differents aspects de la pharmacologie de la ketamine et suggerent de nouvelles utilisations cliniques de cette drogue. Ľidentification du recepteur du N-M ethyl-Aspartate amene une preuve que ľanesthesie et ľanalgesie a la ketamine ont chacune un mecanisme ďaction different. La liaison stereospecifique de la (+) ketamine aux recepteurs opiaces in vitro, ľemergence plus rapide de ľanesthesie, et une incidence plus basse de sequelles lors de ľemergence, rend la (+) ketamine une drogue promettante pour des recherches futures. Les applications cliniques de la ketamine qui ressortent recemment, et qui probablement augmenteront dans le futur sont reliees e ľutilisation orale, rectale et intra-nasale de la ketamine pour des fins ďanalgesie, de sedation ou induction anesthesique. La ketamine est actuellement consideree comme une option raisonnable pour ľinduction anesthesique chez les nouveau-nes prematures en hypotension. Ľexperience initiale avec la ketamine en injection epidurale et intrathecale ne fut pas prometteuse et les donnees sont encore preliminaires dans ce domaine. Ľutilisation de la ketamine dans les catastrophes et les manoeuvres militaires va probablement etre plus frequente. La disponibilite clinique du midazolam va complementer ľanesthesie a la ketamine de plusieurs facons. Cette benzodiazepine est rapidement metabolisee. Elle reduit la stimulation cardiovasculaire de la ketamine ainsi que les phenomenes ďemergence sans avoir des metabolites actifs. Elle est disponible sous une forme aqueuse et n’est pas irritante lors de ľinjection intra-veineuse comme le diazepam. La combinaison de la ketamine et du midazolam sera bien acceptee par les patients contrairement a ce qui arrive quand on utilise la ketamine seule. Finalement, il est necessaire de mentionner la possibilite ďabus de la ketamine.126 Alors que la ketamine n’est pas une substance controlee (aux Etats-Unis) la prudence suggere aux medecins de prendre des precautions appropriees contre son utilisation non-autorisee.
Successful and safe delivery of anesthesia and perioperative care for children with complex special health care needs.

Abstract Study Objective To determine the utilization of anesthesia resources by children with complex special health care needs. Design Observational, inception cohort study of medical records. Setting Urban, pediatric, tertiary-care hospital. Measurements All general anesthetic cases were screened for preexisting complex special health care needs. Medical records were reviewed for demographic, clinical, and outcome data. Main Results 435 children with complex special health care needs accounted for 479 delivered general anesthetic cases. This figure represented 14% of the total 3,437 cases presenting during the study period. It also represented 22% (49 of 224) of all cancellations. Down syndrome was the most identifiable developmental disorder (n = 43, 9%). Another 143 (30%) cases showed preexisting technology dependence. Scheduled surgical procedures (n = 425, 89%) comprised the majority of cases. Intraoperative and recovery room complications occurred in 6 (1%) and 133 (28%) cases, respectively. Eleven (2.3%) cases required unplanned post-anesthetic hospital ward or pediatric intensive care unit admission. Documentation of health care proxy or resuscitation status was not identified in any child under 18 years, and in only 4 of 33 children older than 18 years. Conclusions Children with complex special health care needs represented one out of 7 of all pediatric general anesthetic cases at a tertiary-care, academic center.
A more accurate estimate of heritability

All psychological and psychophysiological traits vary, often widely, about their stable set-point values, due to transitory environmental influences. Because it is this stable set-point that embodies the genetically determined component of the trait, twin and family data based on one-time trait measurements must underestimate true trait heritability. The means of multiple measurements, taken months or years apart, then correlated within pairs of monozygotic twins, would yield an accurate estimate of the broad heritability of the set-point value, but such data are rare and expensive. Given just two measurements sufficiently far apart, the cross-twin cross-time correlation (R(CT)), divided by the retest or within-twin cross-time correlation (R(WT)), provides a valid estimate of set-point heritability. This article examines data from young and middle-aged twins who were tested twice, 3 or more years apart, on heart rate and blood pressure, personality traits, self-rating items, occupational and recreational interests, as well as on Wechsler Intelligence Scales. In every case, the disattenuated R(CT) revealed substantially higher heritability than indicated by correlations based on single measurements.
Mitochondrial NP 3243 point mutation is not a common cause of VACTERL association

This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.
Mesoscale and Synoptic Scale Interactions Leading to Intense Convection: The Case of 7 June 1982

Abstract A case study is presented involving an unusually intense mesoscale convective system (MCS) which produced extensive hail and wind damage in northeast Kansas and northern Missouri, including the Kansas City metropolitan area, during the predawn hours of 7 June 1982. The study emphasizes the preconvective period and examines interactions between mesoscale processes and the synoptic scale environment that led to thunderstorm development. The initial storms formed after dark over the western High Plains, in an area characterized by relatively weak convective potential making the thunderstorm difficult to forecast. Near midnight the convection rapidly intensified into an MCS as it progressed eastward into a much more convectively unstable environment. Several meteorological scenarios that might have led to the initiation and intensification of convection are proposed and examined. These scenarios consider lower tropospheric convergence within an air mass which initially had weak convective potential, ...
The Immunopathogenesis of Cirrhosis

Fibrosis is a type of wound healing which occurs in most organs after repetitive acute or sustained chronic injury. With continued injury, fibrosis may progress to a complex set of changes which encompass matrix deposition, immunomodulation, and distortion of liver vasculature and gross architecture. Tremendous progress in understanding the pathophysiology of this wound-healing response has led to realistic expectations for treating fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease owing to either viral hepatitis or metabolic or autoimmune diseases, among others. There have been continued clarification of the cellular source of ECM in hepatic fibrosis, major advances in understanding signaling and transcriptional events, and exciting insights into the biology of fibrosis progression and resolution [1]. The clarification of interactions between the immune system and fibrogenic response has been among the most exciting developments in fibrosis. In the liver, these advances include evidence of direct interactions between immune cell subsets and fibrogenic cells in liver, the emergence of natural killer (NK) cells as determinants of hepatic stellate apoptosis and thus fibrosis resolution, the establishment of hepatocellular apoptosis as an inflammatory and fibrogenic stimulus, and the growing recognition that HSCs contribute to the innate immune response and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). These and other observations underscore the prospect for eventually manipulating these interactions therapeutically. Whereas fibrosis accompanies progressive liver injury and may vary from mild to extensive, cirrhosis is the end stage of fibrosis of the hepatic parenchyma, resulting in nodule formation that can lead to altered hepatic function and blood flow which can be seen as a form of vascular remodeling.
National differences in regional emergency department boarding times: are US emergency departments prepared for a public health emergency?

OBJECTIVES: Boarding admitted patients decreases emergency department (ED) capacity to accommodate daily patient surge. Boarding in regional hospitals may decrease the ability to meet community needs during a public health emergency. This study examined differences in regional patient boarding times across the United States and in regions at risk for public health emergencies. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was performed by using 2012 ED visit data from the American Hospital Association (AHA) database and 2012 hospital ED boarding data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Compare database. Hospitals were grouped into hospital referral regions (HRRs). The primary outcome was mean ED boarding time per HRR. Spatial hot spot analysis examined boarding time spatial clustering. RESULTS: A total of 3317 of 4671 (71%) hospitals were included in the study cohort. A total of 45 high-boarding-time HRRs clustered along the East/West coasts and 67 low-boarding-time HRRs clustered in the Midwest/Northern Plains regions. A total of 86% of HRRs at risk for a terrorist event had high boarding times and 36% of HRRs with frequent natural disasters had high boarding times. CONCLUSIONS: Urban, coastal areas have the longest boarding times and are clustered with other high-boarding-time HRRs. Longer boarding times suggest a heightened level of vulnerability and a need to enhance surge capacity because these regions have difficulty meeting daily emergency care demands and are at increased risk for disasters. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;page 1 of 7). Language: en
Identification of Construction Cumulative Trauma Disorders: A Machine Vision Approach

Cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) are a leading cause of disability which generates huge direct and indirect costs in the construction industry. Existing efforts identify the risk of CTDs through survey or observatory studies which are subjective and expensive. This paper attempts to automatically identify the risk of CTDs on construction sites with the aid of a video surveillance system. Specific emphasis is placed on low back disorders (LBDs) which is one of the major work-related CTDs. To this end, a risk identification method is proposed based on location changes of region of interests in the resulting video streams at minimum supervision. It is used to detect repetitive trunk flexion-extension motions, awkward trunk postures, and assess risk of job-related LBDs. Preliminary experimental analysis on lab datasets demonstrates the promise of the proposed method.
Immunohistochemical study of Spitz nevi and malignant melanoma with use of antibody to proliferating cell nuclear antigen

Spitz nevi and malignant melanoma may be difficult to differentiate histologically. We applied an antibody to proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) to cases of Spitz nevi and malignant melanoma to determine if there were differences in reactivity. Cases were selected from the material of the Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Hospital. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cases were immunohistochemically stained with anti-PCNA (PC 10) with use of the avidin-biotin complex technique. The cases were evaluated for the presence or absence of reactivity, staining intensity, and semiquantitative percentage of positive cells. Positive staining was observed in six of the 10 cases of Spitz nevi. The intensity of staining was weak and the number of positive cells varied from 10% to 40%. Positive staining was observed in all 10 cases of malignant melanoma. In eight of these 10 cases the intensity of staining was strong and the number of positive cells was greater than 40%. In the remaining two cases of melanoma, the intensity of staining was weak and the percentage of positive cells was 20–30%. These results indicate that PCNA staining may be observed in both Spitz nevi and malignant melanoma. Presence or absence of reactivity cannot be used in distinguishing these processes. However, a pattern of strong, diffuse reactivity may be used as an adjunct for supporting a diagnosis of melanoma.
Decentralization and Inflation: Commitment, Collective Action, or Continuity?

Do political and fiscal decentralization make it easier or harder to control inflation? Statistical analysis of average annual inflation rates in a panel of 87 countries in the 1970s and 1980s found no clear relationship between decentralization and the level of inflation. Political decentralization, however, does appear to reduce change in countries' relative inflation rates over time. By creating additional veto players, federal structure may “lock in” existing patterns of monetary policy—whether inflationary or strict. Among the (mostly developed) countries that started with low inflation, inflation tended to increase more slowly in federations than in unitary states. Among the (mostly developing) countries that started with high inflation, inflation tended to increase faster in the federations. There is evidence that political decentralization locks in a country's degree of practical central bank independence—whether high or low—and the relative hardness or softness of budget constraints on subnational governments.
Conflict Between Major Social Systems: The Soviet-American Case

them as symbolic of the predominance of alien traditions is to underrate the power of assimilation of American democracy. In the first decade of the present century neither Idaho nor New Mexico wvas as well-integrated with the rest of the country as was Hawaii in 1949 and 1950. And if the characteristic features of the two states did not prevent their admission into the Union, then, there is no reason why those of Hawaii should be such insurmountable barriers to its bid for statehood now. The United States is currently involved in a life-and-death struggle against the aggressive and imperialistic designs of the Soviet Union. The outcome of this struggle will depend as much upon the good will of the peoples of Europe and Asia as upon the might of arms. The United States has potentially the most powerful military machine in the world. But its reservoir of good will in Asia has been drained to a dangerously low level. In the last two years communist propagandists there have been making a racial issue of the Hawaiian statehood bill with obvious success. By taking favorable action on the bill now, Congress can counteract this hostile propaganda and replenish the American reservoir of good will in that strategic continent as a guarantee against the recurrence of war and as a source of inspiration for greater and more wholesome cooperative efforts among men of all races in the new era of tomorrow