cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Finite Population Model for Performance Evaluation Between Narrowband and Wideband Users in the Shared Radio Spectrum

In this paper a theoretical evaluation of channel access availability of narrow and wideband users occupying a common range of frequencies in the radio spectrum is presented. User inter-request and call duration times are taken to be random and exponentially distributed. The number of available frequency channels is fixed. The differentiating feature between narrow and wideband users is the number of frequency channels required by each user to transmit their data. The probability of a given user being blocked from acquiring a spectral channel is determined. It is shown that the degree of blocking experienced by narrowband users can only be maintained by either throttling the offered load or limiting population size of wideband users requesting channel access.
Role-Identity Salience, Purpose and Meaning in Life, and Well-Being among Volunteers:

Theoretically, the more important a role-identity is to a person, the more it should provide a sense of purpose and meaning in life. Believing one’s life to be purposeful and meaningful should yield greater mental and physical well-being. These hypotheses are tested with respect to the volunteer role, specifically, Mended Hearts visitor, in which former heart patients visit current heart patients and their families in the hospital. Analyses of survey data from Mended Hearts visitors (N = 458) confirm that a sense of meaningful, purposeful life mediates the positive influences of role-identity salience on mental and physical health. The results hint at an unfolding process: the more time spent in volunteer activities, the more important the volunteer identity. The greater the identity importance, the more one perceives one matters to other people, which in turn enhances purpose and meaning. The more life seems purposeful and meaningful, the better one’s well-being.
Theory of Cylindrical Sandwich Shells with Dissimilar Facings Subjected to Thermomechanical Loads

Atheory is outlined of sandwich box-typecomposite shells designed to withstand a combination ofthermalloading,internalpressure,torsionalandaxialloads.Acrosssectionoftheshellrepresentsa rectangularboxwithcurved cylindrical sections at the corners. The facings of the shell are dissimilar to maximize their efe ciency, according to the loads acting on each facing. This approach enables a designer to optimize the structure by maximizing the load-carrying capacity or minimizing the weight. The formulation includes the following developments: 1 ) global theory of a sandwich shell composed ofrectangular and cylindrical sections, where equationsof motion are formulated based on a e rst-order shear deformable version of Sanders’ s shell theory; 2 ) theory for local deformations and stresses in the facings, where the facing is treated as a thin geometrically nonlinear plate or shell on an elastic foundation using von K´
Energy transport and cell polarity: relationship of phosphagen kinase activity to sperm function.

The energy required for motility of sea urchin sperm is transported from the mitochondrion to the flagellum by a phosphocreatine shuttle involving diffusion of phosphocreatine (PCr) between isozymes of creatine kinase (CrK) localized at the two sites (Tombes and Shapiro, Cell, 41:325, '85; Tombes et al., Biophys. J., 52:75, '87). The present studies demonstrate that high sperm CrK (various echinoderms; sea squirt, bristle worm, salmon) or arginine kinase (mollusc, barnacle, moth) activity is seen in several species with sperm of a primitive morphology (mitochondrion at the base of the head, relatively long flagellum). In contrast, CrK activity is 10–100-fold less abundant in sperm of other species (frog, mouse, rooster, rabbit, bull, and human) that either possess a modified morphology (mitochondria that extend along the flagellum) and/or utilize glycolytic metabolism. We interpret these findings as support for the use of phosphagen kinase-dependent energy transport in cells in which the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by the mitochondrion is distant from its utilization, leading to a form of metabolic polarization. Two other cell types, frog photoreceptors and rabbit oviduct cells, whose morphology and function also suggest that they exhibit metabolic polarization, contain relatively high CrK activity. The presence of high phosphagen kinase activity in metabolically polarized gametes and somatic cells further substantiates the role of such enzymes in facilitating energy transport.
Simian T-Lymphotropic Virus Diversity among Nonhuman Primates, Cameroon

Cross-species transmission of retroviruses is common in Cameroon. To determine risk for simian T-cell lymphotropic virus (STLV) transmission from nonhuman primates to hunters, we examined 170 hunter-collected dried blood spots (DBS) from 12 species for STLV. PCR with generic tax and group-specific long terminal repeat primers showed that 12 (7%) specimens from 4 nonhuman primate species were infected with STLV. Phylogenetic analyses showed broad diversity of STLV, including novel STLV-1 and STLV-3 sequences and a highly divergent STLV-3 subtype found in Cercopithecus mona and C. nictitans monkeys. Screening of peripheral blood mononuclear cell DNA from 63 HTLV-seroreactive, PCR-negative hunters did not identify human infections with this divergent STLV-3. Therefore, hunter-collected DBS can effectively capture STLV diversity at the point where pathogen spillover occurs. Broad screening using this relatively easy collection strategy has potential for large-scale monitoring of retrovirus cross-species transmission among highly exposed human populations.
Symplectic Reduction for Semidirect Products and Central Extensions.

This paper proves a symplectic reduction by stages theorem in the context of geometric mechanics on symplectic manifolds with symmetry groups that are group extensions. We relate the work to the semidirect product reduction theory developed in the 1980’s by Marsden, Ratiu, Weinstein, Guillemin and Sternberg as well as some more recent results and we recall how semidirect product reduction finds use in examples, such as the dynamics of an underwater vehicle. We shall start with the classical cases of commuting reduction (first appearing in Marsden and Weinstein [1974]) and present a new proof
Public Health Nursing: Cross‐Training in Core Services

Diminishing financial-resources and increasing demands for health care precipitated one public health district to review its framework of delivery of care for effective and efficient use of personnel and facilities. Categorical funding patterns had promoted a framework that functioned along specialized programmatic lines in which were identified inequities in funding and staffing, and use of services by clients. In addition, to the often inefficient use of staff and fragmentation of patient care were the associated consequences of overcrowded clinics, long waiting lists for appointments, and chronic understaffing of some clinics. The concept of cross-training in core services was initiated in one health center in October 1985. It was based on the belief that the best of generalized and specialized approaches to health care delivery in this district could be merged, and that all nursing staff should be proficient in certain basic functions. Results indicate improved efficiency in clinic management and flow, leading to reduced costs per patient encounter, increased demands for service that were met with existing staff, and reduced patient waiting time.
Age‐ and tumor‐correlated changes in functional antibody responses to MTV in neonatally infected mice

BALB/cfC3H female mice (neonatally infected with MTV) possess several different specific antibody activities measured functionally by reactivity with MTV-associated antigens expressed on the surface of isologous MTV-induced mammary tumor target cells. All females when young develop serum antibody which can block specific T-cell cytotoxic activity of BALB/cfC3H spleen cells; this activity remains detectable throughout life. In addition, recruiting antibody is found in the post-weaning stage. This recruiting activity is apparently directed against the same antigenicity as the blocking activity; it can be detected only rarely in whole serum but is revealed in the 19S fraction when the competing blocking antibodies are sequestered into the 7S fraction. In mid-adult life, 19S recruiting activity is found in only a few of the females; the incidence increases as the females age, and it occurs earlier in those females which subsequently develop mammary tumors. A third antibody activity of serum is blocking factor directed against different MTV-associated tumor-cell-surface antigenicity; this blocks the antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity characteristic of spleen cells from BALB/c females horizontally exposed to MTV-associated antigenicity. This blocking activity of serum is not found in young females, and in the older females it is more frequent in those which develop mammary tumors.
The impact of invasion and subsequent removal of an exotic thistle, Cynara cardunculus, on CO2 and H2O vapor exchange in a coastal California grassland

Changes in vegetation structure and composition, particularly due to the invasion of exotic species, are predicted to influence biosphere-atmosphere exchanges of mass and energy. Invasion of Cynara cardunculus (cardoon or artichoke thistle), a perennial, non-native thistle in coastal California grasslands presently dominated by non-native annual grasses, may alter rates of ecosystem CO2 exchange and evapotranspiration (ET). During spring and summer 2006, we compared midday maximum net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) and ET among adjacent grassland plots where Cynara was present and where it was absent. Measurements of NEE supported the prediction that deeply-rooted Cynara increase midday ecosystem C-assimilation. Cynara-mediated shifts in NEE were associated with increases in ecosystem photosynthesis rather than changes in ecosystem respiration. Furthermore, the presence of Cynara was associated with increased ET during the growing season. An increase in aboveground live biomass (a proxy for leaf area) associated with Cynara invasion may underlie shifts in ecosystem CO2 and water vapor exchange. Following mid-growing season sampling during April, we removed Cynara from half of the Cynara-containing plots with spot applications of herbicide. Three weeks later, midday fluxes in removal plots were indistinguishable from those in plots where Cynara was never present suggesting a lack of biogeochemical legacy effects. Similar to woody-encroachment in some semi-arid ecosystems, Cynara invasion increases midday ecosystem CO2 assimilation and evapotranspiration rates and has the potential to increase C-storage in California coastal grasslands.
A canine model of heart failure by intracoronary adriamycin injection: hemodynamic and energetic results.

Abstract Background: To eliminate the noncardiac toxicities associated with Adriamycin (Pharmacia Upjohn, Kalamazoo, MI) and to avoid the need for surgical implantation of a coronary artery catheter, we proposed serial intracoronary infusions of Adriamycin (Pharmacia Upjohn) with a Judkins catheter to develop a nonsurgical but selective model of dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs. Methods and Results: Twenty-two dogs were entered onto the study. Each dog received four weekly injections of Adriamycin (Pharmacia Upjohn; 15 mg/wk) through a Judkins catheter and verapamil orally (5 mg/kg twice daily) for 4 weeks. Dogs were evaluated with echocardiography, right-sided cardiac catheterization, and endomyocardial biopsy at times 0 and 10 weeks. The left ventricular ejection fraction decreased from 0.65 ± 0.04 to 0.48 ± 0.11 (P = .0006). The left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic diameter indices increased from 42.00 ± 2.17 to 46.92 ± 5.81 mm (P = .0029) and from 27.65 ± 2.59 to 35.00 ± 6.84 mm, respectively (P = .0210). The mechanical cardiac efficiency decreased from 28.55% ± 13.30% at baseline and 15.64% ± 9.09% at 10 weeks (P = .001). Cardiac myocyte vacuolation was present on histological examination at 10 weeks. The mortality rate was 41%. Minimal systemic Adriamycin (Pharmacia Upjohn) toxicity was noticed. Conclusion: Intracoronary injection of Adriamycin (Pharmacia Upjohn) in dogs induced a chronic dilated cardiomyopathy.
Requirements and designs for Mars Rover RTGs

A typical Rover mission, its requirements, the environment it imposes on the radionuclide thermoelectric generator (RTG), and a design approach for making the RTG operable in such an environment are described. Specific RTG designs for various thermoelectric element alternatives are presented. The result of studies show that current multifoil-insulated GPHS (general-purpose heat source) RTG and Mod-RTG designs can be modified to operate in an environment with an external atmosphere (e.g., Mars). This can be done while the helium generated by the fuel's alpha decay is vented to the external atmosphere. The use of novel selective vents and high-capacity getters is not required. The Rover RTGs can be built from standard, proven GPHS modules and standard SiGe unicouples or SiGe/GaP multicouples, using demonstrated thermoelectric material performance parameters. Rover's 500 W power requirement can be satisfied with two 250 W or four 125 W RTGs, whose sizes are compatible with currently envisaged Rover designs. An auxiliary cooling loop (e.g., water and antifreeze) will be required to cool the FTG while it is within the Rover's aeroshell during launch and transit to Mars. >
Pair duets in the yellow-naped amazon (psittaciformes : Amazona auropalliata) : Responses to playbacks of different dialects

Yellow-naped amazons, Amazona auropalliata, have regional dialects in which several functional classes of vocalization, including contact calls and pair duets, change their acoustic structure at the same geographic boundaries. Here we examine the responses of 11 pairs of yellow-naped amazons to playbacks of duets from other pairs nesting near the same roost, other roosts within the same dialect, and roosts in foreign dialect areas. Overall, pairs responded more strongly to duets from their own dialect than to those of the foreign dialect. Pairs responded to both treatments from their own dialect (local same dialect and distant same dialect) with movement towards the broadcasting loudspeaker and more rarely with squeals, a vocalization typically observed only in the context of aggressive chases. These aggressive responses were never observed during playbacks of the foreign dialect treatment or congeneric controls. There were no diAerences among treatments in the incidence of contact calls or pair duets. A similar pattern of stronger aggressive responses to local than to foreign dialects has been found in a wide range of oscine songbirds. The results of the present experiment suggest that a general function may underlie this behavioral response both in oscines and in other bird taxa with vocal learning.
Intracardiac Ectopic Thyroid Carcinosarcoma in a Dog

A 13-year-old spayed female Labrador Retriever with a 1-year history of progressive exercise intolerance was diagnosed with an interventricular mass in the heart via echocardiogram. The animal's general condition progressively declined over the next 8 months, and it was euthanatized. The intracardiac mass, which protruded into the lumen of the right ventricle, was removed at necropsy and fixed in 10% buffered formalin. Histopathologic diagnosis was an ectopic thyroid carcinosarcoma based on the presence of 3 distinct neoplastic tissue types. Intermixed within the tumor were neoplastic thyroid follicles containing colloid and solid nests of thyroid follicular epithelial cells, vascular channels and clefts filled with blood and lined by neoplastic endothelium, and osteoid surrounded by spindle cells and often rimmed by large multinucleated cells. Immunohistochemical reaction for thyroglobulin was positive in the tumor cells forming the colloid-filled follicles and solid nests of epithelial cells. Neoplastic endothelium was positive for factor VIII-related antigen. The thyroid gland was located in its normal anatomic position and was histologically normal, ruling out the possibility that the intracardiac tumor was a metastatic lesion. To the authors' knowledge this is the first reported case of an intracardiac ectopic thyroid carcinosarcoma, and possibly the first ectopic thyroid carcinosarcoma in any location in any species.
Explicit expressions for 3D boundary integrals in potential theory

On employing isoparametric, piecewise linear shape functions over a flat triangular domain, exact expressions are derived for all surface potentials involved in the numerical solution of three-dimensional singular and hyper-singular boundary integral equations of potential theory. These formulae, which are valid for an arbitrary source point in space, are represented as analytic expressions over the edges of the integration triangle. They can be used to solve integral equations defined on polygonal boundaries via the collocation method or may be utilized as analytic expressions for the inner integrals in the Galerkin technique. Also, the constant element approximation can be directly obtained with no extra effort. Sample problems solved by the collocation boundary element method for the Laplace equation are included to validate the proposed formulae.
Node-Replacement Policies to Maintain Threshold-Coverage in Wireless Sensor Networks

With the rapid deployment of wireless sensor networks, there are several new sensing applications with specific requirements. Specifically, target tracking applications are fundamentally concerned with the area of coverage across a sensing site in order to accurately track the target. We consider the problem of maintaining a minimum threshold-coverage in a wireless sensor network, while maximizing network lifetime and minimizing additional resources. We assume that the network has failed when the sensing coverage falls below the minimum threshold-coverage. We develop three node-replacement policies to maintain threshold-coverage in wireless sensor networks. These policies assess the candidature of each failed sensor node for replacement. Based on different performance criteria, every time a sensor node fails in the network, our replacement policies either replace with a new sensor or ignore the failure event. The node-replacement policies replace a failed node according to a node weight. The node weight is assigned based on one of the following parameters: cumulative reduction of sensing coverage, amount of energy increase per node, and local reduction of sensing coverage. We also implement a first-fail-first-replace policy and a no-replacement policy to compare the performance results. We evaluate the different node-replacement polices through extensive simulations. Our results show that given a fixed number of replacement sensor nodes, the node-replacement policies significantly increase the network lifetime and the quality of coverage, while keeping the sensing-coverage about a pre-set threshold.
Simvastatin-Amiodarone Interaction Resulting in Rhabdomyolysis, Azotemia, and Possible Hepatotoxicity

Objective:To describe the fifth reported instance, as of February 15, 2006, of a severe interaction between simvastatin and amiodarone and hypothesize inhibition of CYP3A4 as the major mechanism.Case Summary:A 72-year-old white man (178 cm, 77.2 kg) with diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and mild azotemia was hospitalized on September 21, 2004, with thigh weakness, achiness, and dark urine for 7 days. Coronary artery bypass had been performed on July 7, 2004. Amiodarone 200 mg/day was started on July 10, and simvastatin 80 mg/day was initiated on August 13. Laboratory testing on the present admission included creatine kinase (CK) 19 620 U/L (reference range 60–224), blood urea nitrogen 50 mg/dL, creatinine 2.6 mg/dL, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 912 U/L (30–60), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 748 U/L (30–60), urine myoglobin 71100 μg/L (<50), and serum myoglobin 13 877 μg/L (<110). Simvastatin and amiodarone were discontinued, and the patient was hydrated with forced alkaline diuresis. ...
North American Aerospace Project - Adaptable Design/Build Projects for Aerospace Education

The North American Aerospace Project (NAAP) is a NASA/industry sponsored effort to accelerate penetration of the project-based educational concept of "Conceiving, Designing, Implementing, and Operating" (CDIO) into US Aerospace Engineering programs. NAAP is developing innovative educational approaches, tools, methods and concepts specialized for the education of the future aerospace engineers. Several projects have been made available in a standardized template format. The template is designed to help an interested faculty member to quickly adopt a project and introduce it in a class. Aerospace generally, and aeronautics particularly, is a key sector of the US economy, contributing significantly to the gross domestic product, positive balance of trade, and national security. Yet the sector is facing a systemic challenge - maintaining a world-class workforce. Over the next decade, the demographics of the sector suggest that there will be a significant shortfall in technically competent engineers and other technical specialists necessary to keep this sector healthy, and preserve the nation's aeronautics core competencies. From a national policy perspective, this need has been clearly recognized. The National Aeronautics R&D Policy instructs that "executive departments and agencies with responsibility for aeronautics-related activities should continue to invest in educational development of the future aeronautics workforce…" The NASA Strategy Plan of 2006 references the need for NASA's own Strategic Management of Human Capital, and in the section on Strategic Communications: Education Initiatives reinforces NASA's responsibility to "strengthen NASA and the nation's future workforce" and to "Attract and retain students in STEM Disciplines". The NASA goals include taking "responsibility for the intellectual stewardship of the core competencies of aeronautics" which certainly includes their retention by the workforce. The importance of STEM workforce is paramount to other organizations as well, including the NAE, the AIAA and the AIA. 1 In 2005, bipartisan requests from the US House of representatives and the US Senate prompted the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study, known as the "Gathering Storm" report, of America's competitiveness in the evolving global market. The study led to the American COMPETES Act. The revised report 2 of 2010 concludes that the gathering storm has reached "Category 5". In their overall assessment the committee concludes that
Geographic association of liquor licenses and gunshot wounds in Chicago.

Abstract Background The association between alcohol and interpersonal violence is well established. Up to 80% of homicide perpetrators and victims are known to have used alcohol before the incident. However, the association between proximity to a liquor-selling establishment and gun violence is more controversial. Methods Scene address data from the Illinois State Trauma Registry from 1999 to 2009 were used to geocode all gunshot wounds (GSWs) presenting to trauma centers in Chicago during the study period. These data were linked to publicly available US Census Demographic Data and City of Chicago Liquor Board data. A combination of ordinary least squares and geographically weighted regression was performed to identify “risk regions” throughout the study area. Logistic regression analysis was then performed to assess the independent effect of proximity to an establishment with a liquor license (LL) on trauma center admissions for GSWs. Results A total of 11,744 GSWs were geocoded. No association between LLs and GSWs was identified for the city overall (odds ratio [OR] .97, 95% confidence interval [CI] .96 to .99). However, 5 distinct regions of influence between LLs and GSWs were found. In regions with the highest association, likelihood of a GSW near a packaged LL was extraordinarily high (OR 518.08, 95% CI 10.23 to 1,000), and tavern LLs were also very significant (OR 21.51, 95% CI 1.81 to 255.53). Conclusions We found that proximity to an establishment with an LL was a strong independent predictor of GSW incidence for many areas of the city, even after controlling for neighborhood characteristics. However, this association was not demonstrable for the entire city, and, in fact, marked regional variation was apparent. These data may contribute to our understanding of the interplay between alcohol and violent injury disparities.
Fault Location for Single-Circuit Line Based on Bus-Impedance Matrix Utilizing Voltage Measurements

Diverse transmission line fault location algorithms have been proposed in the past depending on measurements available. Existing algorithms usually require measurements captured from buses of a faulted line. By taking advantage of the bus-impedance matrix technique, this paper presents a possible fault location approach for single-circuit lines utilizing only voltage measurements from one or two buses, which may be distant from the faulted line. With the addition of a fictitious bus where the fault occurs, the transfer impedances of this bus and other buses are revealed as a function of the fault location. Based on the relationship between the bus voltage change due to fault and the transfer impedance, the fault location can be derived. Shunt capacitance of the line is ignored first and then fully considered based on distributed parameter line model. Electromagnetic transients program simulation studies have shown quite encouraging results.
LIPID PEROXIDATION IN PREGNANCY

Lipid peroxides and oxygen radicals are highly reactive and very damaging compounds. In normal pregnancy lipid peroxides increase, but antioxidants also increase to offset their toxic actions. However, this is not the case in preeclampsia. In women with preeclampsia, circulating levels of lipid peroxides are increased, but net antioxidant activity is decreased as compared to normally pregnant women. A source of circulating levels of lipid peroxides in pregnancy is the placenta because the placenta produces and secretes lipid peroxides, and lipid peroxide levels decrease after delivery of the placenta. Other sources are activated neutrophils, radical-initiated propagation, and self-propagation. Although some lipid peroxides are unstable, those present in oxidized low-density lipoproteins have a half-life of 3 h in die circulation and so function as circulating compounds. In preeclampsia, placental production of lipid peroxides is significantly increased, and this is correlated with significantly increased ...
Studies on enterotoxin from Escherichia coli associated with acute diarrhea in man

Abstract Escherichia coli was isolated in nearly pure culture from the upper small bowel and stool of 3 human patients with acute diarrhea from Calcutta, India. The serotypes of the somatic antigens were 078, 06, and 015; these strains are not generally considered enteropathogenic. Cell-free broth filtrates of the strains produced dilation and fluid accumulation in isolated intestinal loops of rabbits, similar to that observed with "cholera-toxin." When prepared as a cell-free filtrate, E. coli enterotoxin is heat stable (15 minutes at 100 °C.). However, when prepared as a lyophilized whole-cell lysate (WCL) by sonication of a slant culture, it is heat labile (15 minutes at 60 °C.). The 50 per cent effective dose (ED 50 ) or 1 unit (as defined by Burrows and Musteikis 14 ) was determined in the rabbit intestinal loop for WCL prepared from the 3 E. coli strains. One unit equalled 0.08, 0.2 and 0.25 mg., respectively. Similar studies with strains of V. cholerae reveal that crude E. coli enterotoxin is as potent and often more potent than "cholera-toxin." Antiserum was prepared in rabbits either by hyperimmunization with WCL or with WCL combined with Freund's adjuvant. Antitoxin neutralization titers were relatively low: 1:20 to 1:30 dilutions gave 50 per cent protection compared to a 1:2,000 titer achieved with "cholera-toxin." The 3 E. coli strains showed cross-neutralization. Rabbits immunized with 2 injections of WCL (25 U.) plus adjuvant were subsequently challenged by rabbit loop inoculations with small doses of WCL. No protection could be demonstrated in the immunized animals. Thus, crude E. coli enterotoxin is extremely potent in the rabbit intestinal loop model. However, as an antigen this material elicits a poor antibody response, and immunization does not confer significant protection to an intestinal loop challenge.
An Evaluation of Bat Rabies Prevention in the United States, Based on an Analysis from Pennsylvania

Fear of bats as vectors of rabies is pervasive as a primary cause of their needless destruction, especially in the United States. Nevertheless, transmission from bats to humans is so rare that only 27 of 50 states have reported a single case since record keeping began in the 1940s, and fewer than 0.78 persons/year have been infected. We here analyze human rabies exposure records from the Pennsylvania Department of Health to document relative risks in one representative state. Rabies exposure from bats to humans was no more frequent than from dogs and significantly less than from cats. Yet, of these three, only bats are listed as high-risk vectors. Furthermore, we found that 85.4% of rabies diagnosed from bats was confined to just one of the state's 11 species. These findings suggest that disproportionate emphasis on bats, combined with lumping all bat species into a single risk category, is counterproductive to public health interests, in addition to needlessly prejudicing the public against these highly beneficial, but declining animals.
Early Intervention during Acute Stone Admissions: Revealing "The Weekend Effect" in Urological Practice.

Purpose: Obstructing nephrolithiasis is a common condition that can require urgent intervention. In this study we analyze patient factors that contribute to delayed intervention during acute stone admission.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the HCUP SID (Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Database) for Florida and California from 2007 to 2011. Patients who were admitted urgently with nephrolithiasis and an indication for decompression (urinary tract infection, acute renal insufficiency and/or sepsis) were included in the study. Intervention was timely or delayed, defined as a procedure that occurred within or after 48 hours, respectively. Adjusted multivariate models were fit to assess factors that predicted a delayed procedure as well as mortality.Results: Overall 10,301 patients were admitted urgently for nephrolithiasis with indications for decompression. Early intervention occurred in 6,689 patients (65%) and was associated with a decrease in mortality (11, 0.16%)...
It's About Opportunities: Reflections on Celebrating National Library Week

National Library Week offers libraries the opportunity to market our services and ourselves, the opportunity to get to know our users and for them to get to know us, and the opportunity to connect with each other. While this is not the only time that such opportunities arise, National Library Week serves as an ideal focal point for the year.
Life in a Glass House: An Architectural Projection

ABSTRACTDr Farnsworth, an important patron of modern American architecture, remade the all-glass Farnsworth House (Mies van der Rohe, Plano, Illinois, 1951) through the production of photographs and poems. Bearing traces of Farnsworth’s body, these works form a transgressive and long overlooked architectural history. In this essay, I rewrite the history of this house through inhabitations of these documents - projecting Farnsworth’s photographs of the house and dwelling within them, using fragments of Farnsworth’s poems to inform my own actions within the scenes. The resulting project - a series of photographs accompanied by fragments of Farnsworth’s poems and her English translations of modern Italian poets - suggests that history is invariably transgressive in that it is informed by the relationship between a researcher’s body and her subject.
Effects of Exogenous Recombinant Human Growth Hormone on an Animal Model of Suboptimal Nutrition

Background: Nutritional dwarfing, a form of suboptimal nutrition, has been identified as a frequent cause of short stature and delayed sexual development in children. Retarded growth is an adaptive response to suboptimal nutrition.Objective: To assess whether recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) may promote growth during various levels of suboptimal nutrition.Methods: Using a previously developed rat model of suboptimal nutrition, six groups of rats (six rats/group) were fed a balanced 1:1 carbohydrate:fat ratio diet for 4 weeks. Three of the groups were administered daily injections of rhGH (0.1 mg/100 g BW) subcutaneously in the back while the other three groups were kept as controls and were given similar dosages of normal saline solution (NSS). Restricted rats within each treatment group were pair fed 80 and 60% of the ad-libitum rats intake. Daily intake of the 80 and 60% fed groups were determined based on the intake of the ad-libitum fed groups. Serum IGF-I and insulin were determined after 4 we...
Abstract 977: A Strategy to Increase African American Awareness of Health Research

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Evidence shows that there is a shortage of participation in health research trials and blood donations from African American communities. African Americans may be willing to enter into health research studies; however, African Americans are an underrepresented group in health research studies. Although most clinical trial participants are middle-class Caucasian males, due to genetic differences, having a gene pool that is representative of a range of affected individuals will be instrumental in widening our knowledge of various diseases. For instance, there are racial differences in some cancers such as breast, ovarian and prostate cancers. Thus, African American participation will aid in experimental design of health studies in order to target better evaluation, prevention, and treatment of these cancers and other diseases. The purpose of this study is to increase the education and awareness of the Black community because of the need for African American participation in health research studies and blood donations. The three components of this study are to survey, educate, and call to action (SEA). The first component includes administering anonymous surveys to aid in the understanding of current perceptions of health research within the Coppin State University (CSU) community. The second component consists of educational seminars that focus on presenting the history of Blacks and their positive and negative experiences with health research. The third component is a call to action such as having the opportunity to donate blood. The methods and procedures for this study include surveying the CSU community over several questions that focus on a participant's interest in participating in a study, knowledge of health research studies in the past such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, and ideas on what can be done to increase awareness of health research studies in the CSU community. The study population of 500 students, faculty members, and staff members was able to access surveys via an online website or by completing a form at an on campus location and submitting the form to a sealed box. Preliminary survey results of 59 participants show that 62.7% are interested in donating blood and/or participating in a health research study. In addition, 40.7% were aware of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. Several participants suggested increasing media avenues such as pamphlets, workshops, and informational commercials in order to better educate the community. In conclusion, the SEA program has made an impact on the CSU community in that several members that have attended the seminars have a better knowledge of previous health research studies and are in a position to make better decisions about donating blood and entering into health research studies. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 977.
CHANGES IN AN INVERSION SYSTEM DURING A HUNDRED GENERATIONS

An almost continuous record has been made since 1939 of the frequencies of different gene arrangements in populations of Drosophila pseudoobscura in the San Jacinto Mountains near Los Angeles (Dobzhansky, 1943, 1947; Epling, Mitchell and Mattoni, 1953, 1957). If we assume that a generation of this species has an average life span of about a month, this period of observation covers not less than 100 generations. More than 40,000 third chromosomes have been examined and a comparable number of X chromosomes, these being the two chromosomes in which inversions occur in detectable frequencies. The samples have been made at monthly intervals as far as possible and the record reflects the changes that have occurred each year for a number of years. The basic analysis of each gene arrangement has been published by Dobzhansky (Dobzhansky and Epling, 1944). Three other arrangements are being described in this paper. They bring the number known in the third chromosome to twenty, of which twelve occur in the populations referred to. Two arrangements are known in the X chromosome.
THERAPEUTIC VERSUS PROPHYLACTIC CASTRATION IN BREAST CANCER.

A comparative analysis was made of the efficacy of prophylactic castration in 79 patients with breast cancer (performed at the time of initial tumor therapy) versus therapeutic castration in 96 patients (performed when cancer recurred). The interval from initial therapy to recurrence of cancer was greater in the prophylactic group. The interval from recurrence of cancer to death was greater in the therapeutic group. The total survival time from initial therapy to death was not significantly different in the two groups.
Cost Analysis of a Randomized Trial of Early Palliative Care in Patients with Metastatic Nonsmall-Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract Background: Several trials have shown that integrated palliative and oncology care improves quality of life and mood in patients with advanced cancers. However, the degree to which early involvement of palliative care (PC) in the outpatient setting impacts the cost of care remains unknown. Methods: Data for this secondary analysis came from a trial of 151 patients with metastatic nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were randomized to early PC integrated with standard oncology care (SC) or SC alone. We abstracted costs for hospital and outpatient care, including intravenous chemotherapy, from the hospital accounting system. Oral chemotherapy costs were estimated based on actual drug costs. To estimate hospice costs, we used Medicare reimbursement rates. We examined between-group differences in costs of care throughout the entire study period and during the last 30 days before death using the bootstrap-t method. Results: The analytic sample includes the 138/151 patients who died by July 15, 2013....
Central service in Kenya tests nurse's resourcefulness.

(1966). CENTRAL SERVICE: Central service in Kenya tests nurse's resourcefulness. Hospital Topics: Vol. 44, No. 7, pp. 129-130.
Testicular atrophy following paediatric primary orchidopexy: A prospective study

Summary Background With the Nordic consensus statement advocating orchidopexy at an earlier age, the present study sought to investigate the outcomes of primary paediatric orchidopexy at a tertiary UK centre. Objective To prospectively assess testicular atrophy following primary orchidopexy for undescended testes in a paediatric population. Secondary outcomes were complication rates and whether outcomes were dependent on grade of operating surgeon. Study design Prospective data regarding age at operation, classification of the undescended testis, length of follow-up, and subjective comparison of intraoperative and postoperative testicular volumes compared with the contralateral testis were collected. Testicular atrophy was defined as >50% loss of testicular volume or a postoperative testicular volume Results Data for 234 patients were analysed. Testicular atrophy occurred in 2.6% of cases. There was no reported testicular re-ascent. All secondary acquired cases underwent a previous ipsilateral hernia repair. There was no significant difference in outcomes comparing the grade of surgeon (consultant n = 8, trainee/staff-grade surgeon n = 7–8). There was a trend towards postoperative catch-up growth in approximately one fifth of cases. Discussion Previous studies have reported a testicular atrophy rate of 5%. The present study reported a similar rate of 2.6%. In agreement with a previous publication, it was also found that testicular atrophy was not dependent on the grade of operating surgeon. The mechanism for testicular catch-up growth is not well understood. Animal studies have supported the hypothesis that increased temperature has a detrimental effect on testicular volume. However, follow-up in the present cohort was short (median 6.9 months), making interpretation of this finding difficult. It is acknowledged that clinical palpation alone to determine testicular volume potentially introduces intra-observer and inter-observer error. However, prospective studies using ultrasound to determine testicular volumes following orchidopexy have reported catch-up growth. Conclusion This study represented one of the larger collections of prospective assessments of outcomes following primary orchidopexy. It was acknowledged that subjectively assessing testicular volume is not ideal; however, the data correlated with similar studies. Table . Testicular atrophy grouped by aetiology of undescended testis. Aetiology of undescended testis Age at operation, years (median) Length of follow-up, months (median) Testicular atrophy rate Overall (n = 234) 2.2 6.9 6 (2.6%) Congenital (n = 209) 1.8 7.1 6 (2.9%) Primary acquired (n = 21) 8.7 6.5 0% Secondary acquired (n = 4) 4.5 6.4 0%
Albedo Logic for Sn Transport Analysis

Precise surface-albedo logic has been formulated for the Sn transport analysis, by superposition of linearly independent transport fields generated by a chain-compounded nest of three-pass radial-a...
The origin of non-disjunction in humans

Trisomy is the most commonly identified chromosome abnormality in humans, occurring in at least 4% of all clinically recognized pregnancies (Hassold and Jacobs, 1984). Some trisomies are compatible with livebirth as approximately 0.3% of all newborn infants have an additional sex chromosome or chromosome 13, 18, or 21. However, most trisomic fetuses do not survive to term. They are associated either with clinically recognized spontaneous abortions, where they account for approximately 25% of all such fetuses, or they terminate as sub-clinical spontaneous abortions. Estimates of trisomy frequency for this latter type of pregnancy outcome are not available but evidence from cytogenetic studies of sperm and oocytes suggest that as many as 10% - 15% of all human conceptuses may be trisomic (e.g., Pellestor, 1991).
Material properties of crushable concrete for use in vehicle antiram barriers

AbstractWith raised national security awareness because of terroristic threats, more focus recently has been placed on barrier and safety systems that can prevent the loss of life and structural da...
The complete mitochondrial genome of the hybrid honey bee, Apis mellifera capensis × Apis mellifera scutellata, from South Africa.

We characterized the complete mitogenome sequence of the South African hybrid honey bee Apis mellifera capensis × Apis mellifera scutellata using genome skimming. The mitochondrial genome was a circular molecule 16,340 bp in length with a gene organization identical to that of the other A. mellifera mitogenomes. The base composition is 43.2% A, 9.7% C, 5.6% G, and 41.5% T, with an A + T content of 84.7%. The mitogenome had 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs, two ribosomal RNAs genes, and one control region. All PCGs were initiated by ATT, ATG, ATA, and ATC codons and were terminated by a TAA stop codon. The heavy strand encodes four PCGs, eight tRNAs, and two rRNAs. The light strand encodes nine PCGS and 14 tRNAs. A phylogenetic analysis of the PCGs reveals a close relationship between this hybrid honey bee and other Apis spp.
Consolidating concurrency control and consensus for commits under conflicts

Conventional fault-tolerant distributed transactions layer a traditional concurrency control protocol on top of the Paxos consensus protocol. This approach provides scalability, availability, and strong consistency. When used for wide-area storage, however, this approach incurs cross-data-center coordination twice, in serial: once for concurrency control, and then once for consensus. In this paper, we make the key observation that the coordination required for concurrency control and consensus is highly similar. Specifically, each tries to ensure the serialization graph of transactions is acyclic. We exploit this insight in the design of Janus, a unified concurrency control and consensus protocol. Janus targets one-shot transactions written as stored procedures, a common, but restricted, class of transactions. Like MDCC [16] and TAPIR [51], Janus can commit unconflicted transactions in this class in one round-trip. Unlike MDCC and TAPIR, Janus avoids aborts due to contention: it commits conflicted transactions in this class in at most two round-trips as long as the network is well behaved and a majority of each server replica is alive.We compare Janus with layered designs and TAPIR under a variety of workloads in this class. Our evaluation shows that Janus achieves ∼5× the throughput of a layered system and 90% of the throughput of TAPIR under a contention-free microbenchmark. When the workloads become contended, Janus provides much lower latency and higher throughput (up to 6:8×) than the baselines.
Exploring Rehabilitation Counseling Supervisors’ Role in Promoting Counselor Development of Ethical Fluency:

Clinical supervision plays an integral role in the professional development of counselors, particularly for developing their awareness of ethical service delivery and decision making. This grounded...