cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetics and inhibition of membrane-bound carbonic anhydrase from canine renal cortex.

Abstract The membrane-bound carbonic anhydrase (carbonate hydro-lyase, EC 4.2.1.1) in the canine renal cortex has been characterized in terms of its CO2 hydration kinetics and inhibition by sulfonamides and inorganic anions. Comparing these properties with those of the renal cytoplasmic and the human red cell B' and C isozymes, it appears that the membrane enzyme is quite different from the soluble carbonic anhydrases. The turnover number of the particulate enzyme is about 3-times lower than that of the cytoplasmic enzyme. The membrane-bound enzyme is also different from its cytoplasmic counterpart in being more resistant against inhibition, particularly against Cl−. Microsomes from the renal cortex were purified to yield luminal and anti-luminal fractions. Carbonic anhydrase activity was found in both. The luminal and anti-luminal carbonic anhydrazes appeared similar in terms of their kinetic properties and susceptibility to inhibition.
Petroleum plantations and synthetic chloroplasts

Abstract In considering the subject of this conference it seemed proper to examine the idea of how best to use the knowledge acquired through basic research to help solve the worldwide problem of diminishing energy supply and increasing energy needs. The green plants are presently one of the most effective means available to restore a positive balance to the energy and materials account. Sunshine and its conversion into chemical energy and material through the pathways of carbon reduction and quantum conversion in the green plant is the ultimate energy source, universally available on an annually renewable basis and environmentally clean. Learning how to use the green plant in the most efficient way possible is necessary, both for itself and for the model it provides for synthetic devices. Through the mechanism of the photosynthetic carbon cycle, the green plant captures the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and, with the aid of sunshine, separates hydrogen from the water to reduce the carbon dioxide first to carbohydrate. Some plant species can take the carbohydrate and reduce it all the way to hydrocarbon. The plant that comes most immediately to mind is the Hevea rubber tree which produces latex by reducing the carbon all the way to hydrocarbon. The idea that plants containing hydrocarbon-like materials, such as the latex from Hevea, could be used as a source of hydrocarbons gave rise to the work currently underway in the Laboratory of Chemical Biodynamics, University of California. With the natural green plant as a model, it seemed feasible to try to construct a purely synthetic system capable of capturing solar quanta and storing them in some stable form. This synthetic system, called “synthetic chloroplasts”, would not resemble the natural entity in detailed construction but would be capable of a similar function, that is, it would mimic the way the green plant captures solar quanta to generate oxygen on one side and to reduce power on the other side of a membrane. The potential reactants could be separated and stored and brought together later in a suitably constructed physical system for energy recovery. These synthetic systems could thus capture the quanta and convert them to some other energy form and store that energy for indefinitely long periods with the possibility of future recovery at will in some convenient form. These artificial systems could be used to generate hydrogen, for example, which could be used in chemical processing. or as an energy source, and thus release some of the petroleum products now used in this way for other purposes.
Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma—current status and future strategies

Introduction Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas which constitute 15% of all childhood brain tumors are inoperable and response to radiation and chemotherapy has not improved long-term survival. Due to lack of newer effective therapies, mean survival after diagnosis has remained less than 12 months. Trials investigating chemotherapy and/or radiation have proven disappointing. As biopsy of these tumors are rarely performed due to the high eloquence of the brain stem, information about the pathology and biology remains elusive hindering development of novel biologic agents. Poor access of most chemotherapeutic agents to these tumors due to the blood–brain barrier continues to undermine therapeutic efficacy. Thus, to date, we remain at a virtual standstill in our attempts to improve the prognosis of children with these tumors.
Constitutive Behavior of Ocular Tissues Over a Range of Strain Rates

The constitutive behavior of bovine scleral and corneal tissues is measured in tensionand compression, at quasi-static and moderate strain rates. Experiments are conductedat strain rates up to about 50 strain per second by a pneumatic testing system developedto overcome noise and measurement difﬁculties associated with the time dependent testof low impedance materials. Results for the tissues at room and the natural bovine bodytemperatures are similar and indicate that ocular tissue exhibits nonlinear stiffening forincreasing strain rates, a phenomena termed rate hardening. For example, at a tensilestrain rate of 29/s, corneal tissue is found to develop 10 times the stress that it doesquasi-statically at the same strain. Thus, conventional constitutive models will grosslyunderpredict stresses occurring in the corneo-scleral shell due to moderate dynamicevents. This has implication to the accuracy of ocular injury models, the study of thestress ﬁeld in the corneo-scleral shell for glaucoma research and tonometry measure-ments. The measured data at various strain rates is represented using the general frame-work of a constitutive model that has been used to represent biological tissue mechanicaldata. Here it is extended to represent the measured data of the ocular tissues over therange of tested strain rates. Its form allows for straightforward incorporation in variousnumerical codes. The experimental and analytical methods developed here are felt to beapplicable to the test of human ocular tissue. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4006847]
Interaction of benzoquinone- and hydroquinone-derivatives of lower chlorinated biphenyls with DNA and nucleotides in vitro.

Abstract Commercial polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are complete carcinogens in rodents, however, their initiating (DNA damaging) activity has not been conclusively demonstrated. In the present study, we reacted synthetic 2-phenyl-1,4-benzoquinones (BQ) and 2-phenyl-1,4-hydroquinones (HQ) of 2-chloro-, 3-chloro-, 4-chloro-, 3,4-dichloro-, and 3,4,5-trichlorobiphenyls with calf thymus DNA and individual deoxynucleoside-3′-monophosphates for 4 h at 37 °C. Analysis of DNA adducts resulting from BQ and HQ derivatives of the test congeners by 32P-postlabeling showed essentially similar adduct patterns. However, the adduct pattern and reactivity differed with the congener used. Quantitatively, 2-chloro-BQ/HQ produced in the highest DNA adduct levels and 3,4,5-chloro-BQ/HQ was the least reactive. Chromatographic comparison of DNA and nucleotide adducts derived from 4-chloro-BQ revealed that cytosine, adenine, and thymidine in the DNA accounted for most of the DNA adducts. Interestingly, none of the adducts in DNA were guanine-derived, even though this mononucleotide was highly reactive. These results suggest that both BQ and HQ derivatives of PCBs are capable of covalently binding to DNA, and chromatographic similarity in adduct patterns resulting from these two metabolites suggest possible involvement of intermediary semiquinone radicals. Experiments are underway to determine their in vivo significance.
A robotic dissolution system with on-line fiber-optic UV analysis.

An automated, robotic system has been developed with online UV fiber optics for real time dissolution analysis of solid dosage forms. The system is comprised of “off-the-shelf” hardware including a UV—Vis diode array spectrophotometer, fiber optic coupler, immersion probe, robot, and dissolution apparatus. The software system is modular with the functionalities of control, data acquisition, and spectral analysis separated into three Windows applications with communications performed via Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE). The fiber optic spectrophotometer collects a full spectrum over the range of 190–810 nm. Single wavelength UV analysis is performed on dosage forms in six dissolution vessels. The robotic system automates all facets of the analyses: measuring, degassing, and dispensing of the media; thermostating the media to physiologic temperature; dropping the dosage forms into the vessels; immersing the fiber optic probe at the appropriate time intervals; initiating the data acquisition, analyses, and reporting; and emptying and washing of the vessels prior to the next automated run. As a representative dosage form, 10 mg active tablets were selected and analyzed by this method. This fiber optic system has significantly improved the throughput of the robotic systems by eliminating the need for time consuming off-line HPLC or UV analyses. In addition, with the exception of system calibration, it is no longer necessary for laboratory personnel to come in contact with samples.
Making Waves: Stories From My Life

Yakov Alpert, a scientist internationally respected for his research on the ionosphere and magnetosphere, selected an apt title for his most recent book. Scientists familiar with Alpert's pioneering papers and books in radio-wave physics over many decades will immediately recognize the significance of the first part of the title, Making Waves. It is unlikely however, that many could imagine the challenges faced by Alpert in the former Soviet system to produce these achievements and present them to the outside world. The second part of the title, “Stories from my Life,” relates to these episodes, which are vividly described in the book. It is also strongly tied to the first part of the title, because to survive as a productive scientist, Alpert had to make waves within the established bureaucracy in addition to making them within the ionosphere. He did so with a high degree of integrity as illustrated in the book's epilogue. Here, Alpert states,“…I have always found it difficult, even impossible, to behave in such a way as to be in contradiction with myself, to be at odds with my own conscience. I am aware that such a stance can lead to conflict with others…It helped to save my self-respect… What I say here can also be an answer to those in the West who have asked me,‘How did you save yourself? What is your secret?’”
Mapping techniques applied to fluid mapper patterns

FLUID MAPPERS can be built to simulate a wide variety of electrostatic, magnetic, and other analogous fields. The visible flow pattern shows the field conformation in terms of a large number of flow lines. Some of these lines can be traced by being selected so that the tubes formed can be mapped by simple and sufficiently accurate routines. The flow pattern for the map of Figure 1 was formed using an 8- by 12-inch slab. Thirty-three lines, forming an equal number of tubes, were traced from the flow pattern. Line selection is arbitary, leading to a collection of unequal tubes. Only accidentally will the relative ohms of two of the tubes be the same.
A systematic review on evidence of the effectiveness and safety of a wax-matrix niacin formulation.

Niacin is a uniquely efficacious therapy in the treatment of dyslipidemia because of its broad spectrum of beneficial effects on every aspect of the lipid profile and because it has been shown to reduce both total mortality and coronary death. However, niacin therapy is hindered by its side-effect profile, which appears to be dependent on its formulation with immediate-release niacin, associated with a greater incidence of flushing, and sustained-release niacin, associated with greater liver function test (LFT) abnormalities and hepatotoxicity. One such sustained-release niacin nutritional supplement formulation, Endur-acin (Endurance Products Company, Tigard, OR), claims to have clinical evidence to support its use in the treatment of dyslipidemias, which prompted us to systematically review the literature. We identified four published papers in which the authors reported the results of two separate clinical trials and one pharmacokinetic study that fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Endur-acin significantly reduced total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio with mean reductions up to 19%, 26%, and 20%, respectively, at a dose of 2000 mg/day. Less-impressive benefits were also seen with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (+10%) and serum triglycerides (-23%). Mean LFT elevations of up to 1.6-fold were seen at the 2000 mg per day dose, however, not exceeding three times the upper limit of normal, with abnormal results occurring at similar frequency in placebo and one patient experiencing marked gastrointestinal symptoms and a hepatitis-like syndrome with reversible elevated LFT. Short-term randomized controlled trials suggest Endur-acin is effective in modifying serum lipids, although study limitations prevent a comprehensive evaluation of safety.
Mechanisms of social value creation: extending financial modelling to social entrepreneurship and social innovation

We focus on the identification and selection of innovation initiatives that are intended to create cumulative social value. We suggest that a process like discounted cash flow (DCF) is needed, but developing such a process is complicated in the social value context due to a lack of metrics and consistent social value constructs. Taking a dynamical systems perspective and using economic modelling as a guide, we argue that access to resources and information about their future use represent measurable social value. Further, we describe innovation as the recognition and exploitation of patterns in the environment that create social value.
A high power-quality, three-phase utility interface

This paper presents a new three-phase AC/DC power converter topology that provides a high-power-factor interface to the utility. The circuit topology of the converter is based on the discontinuous mode flyback converter. The objective of this work is to develop the technology for the proposed converter to meet the high-power factor requirements and to serve the demand for an advanced high-power, inexpensive, efficient and small size AC/DC rectifier in the telecommunications market. A laboratory proof-of-concept converter intended for 12.5 kW output was built to investigate the performance of the proposed converter in a practical application. The experimental results verify that the proposed converter achieves a near-unity power factor at the input and a constant voltage at the load side of the interface. However, the efficiency of the converter measured lower than expected. Further study revealed that the low efficiency is due to the adverse effects of the parasitic inductances on the energy transfer to the output. The effects of the parasitics on the converter efficiency are analytically investigated and new optimum design rules are developed, and the results of the analysis are graphically displayed to point to a practically viable and an efficient design of the proposed converter.
Equalized maximum likelihood receiver in a magnetic recording channel

As the length of a channel response increases, the complexity of implementing the Maximum Likelihood Sequence Detector (MLSD) grows exponentially. Equalized Maximum Likelihood (EML) has been proposed to approach optimum performance with significantly reduced complexity. In this scheme, the performance degradation due to the colored error sequence is taken into account. A comparison with Partial Response Maximum Likelihood (PRML) is made for a magnetic recording channel. Our results indicate that better performance can be achieved with reduced complexity especially at high recording densities. >
PYROGENS FROM AN HISTORICAL VIEWPOINT.

In 1920 fevers that followed intravenous transfusions posed difficult problems for the surgeon, and the use of triple-distilled water for the preparation of such solutions was recommended on an empirical basis. A careful study of this problem led to the following conclusions: (1) that non-pyrogenic distilled water could be dependably prepared by a single distillation in an all-pyrex apparatus containing an adequate spray-catching baffle; (2) that, if such water were sterilized immediately, it would remain non-pyrogenic; (3) that non-pyrogenic salt solutions and various other solutions for use in intravenous therapy could be made by using such water; and (4) that certain bacteria falling into the water released heat-stable and filterable products which were responsible for the fevers; and (5) that protein products could also be prepared which would elicit no fevers on intravenous injection, if bacterial contamination was prevented during their preparation. Pyrogen preparations were later made from Pseudomonas and certain other bacteria for use as standards. They were found to be mainly polysaccharide in nature. They caused immediate leukopenia and delayed leukocytosis and also developed tolerance to themselves on repeated injection. Pyrogens of endogenous origin, possibly released from leukocytes, have also been found.
Techniques for Warehousing of Sample Data

We consider the problem of maintaining a warehouse of sampled data that "shadows" a full-scale data warehouse, in order to support quick approximate analytics and metadata discovery. The full-scale warehouse comprises many "data sets," where a data set is a bag of values; the data sets can vary enormously in size. The values constituting a data set can arrive in batch or stream form. We provide and compare several new algorithms for independent and parallel uniform random sampling of data-set partitions, where the partitions are created by dividing the batch or splitting the stream. We also provide novel methods for merging samples to create a uniform sample from an arbitrary union of data-set partitions. Our sampling/merge methods are the first to simultaneously support statistical uniformity, a priori bounds on the sample footprint, and concise sample storage. As partitions are rolled in and out of the warehouse, the corresponding samples are rolled in and out of the sample warehouse. In this manner our sampling methods approximate the behavior of more sophisticated stream-sampling methods, while also supporting parallel processing. Experiments indicate that our methods are efficient and scalable, and provide guidance for their application.
Risk of Parkinson disease in carriers of parkin mutations: estimation using the kin-cohort method.

Results: Parkin mutations were identified in 25 probands with PD (10.1%), 18 (72.0%) of whom were heterozygotes.OneParkinhomozygotewasreportedin2siblings with PD. The cumulative incidence of PD to age 65 years in carrier relatives (age-specific penetrance) was estimated to be 7.0% (95% confidence interval, 0.4%71.9%), compared with 1.7% (95% confidence interval, 0.8%-3.4%)innoncarrierrelativesofthecases(P=.59)and 1.1% (95% confidence interval, 0.3%-3.4%) in relatives of the controls (compared with noncarrier relatives, P=.52). Conclusions:The cumulative risk of PD to age 65 years in a noncarrier relative of a case with an age at onset of 50 years or younger is not significantly greater than the generalpopulationriskamongcontrols.Age-specificpenetrance among Parkin carriers, in particular heterozygotes, deserves further study.
Radar detection of near-surface buried metallic reflectors in wet soil

For ground penetrating radar (GPR) sensing, with antennas positioned safely or conveniently above the surface, one must contend with the ground surface reflection as well as reflections from targets sought below it. Employing low enough frequencies to penetrate moist soil means resolution that will often not allow one to distinguish the surface from target return. New measurements at CRREL were analyzed using innovative methods to successfully reveal buried mine and mine-like targets in wet, rocky soil. With broad band short pulse illumination, one method used a simple model that predicted the expected waveforms when surface and target echoes interacted. The other method treated the same cases but proceeds from the observation that the total overlapping surface plus target return is distended in time relative to a reflection from the surface alone. By processing to define and isolate cumulative energy return over time, one could distinguish cases in which targets lay just below the surface. Both methods were successful with moist loamy soil. Performance of the second approach was also good in an extreme case, when seasonal effects were exploited.
Imidazole metalloporphyrins as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy: role of molecular charge, central metal and hydroxyl radical production.

The in vitro photodynamic therapy activity of four imidazole-substituted metalloporphyrins has been studied using human (HeLa) and mouse (CT26) cancer cell lines: an anionic Zn porphyrin and a homologous series of three cationic Zn, Pd or InCl porphyrins. A dramatic difference in phototoxicity was found: Pd cationic > InCl cationic > Zn cationic > Zn anionic. HeLa cells were more susceptible than CT26 cells. Induction of apoptosis was demonstrated using a fluorescent caspase assay. The anionic Zn porphyrin localized in lysosomes while the cationic Zn porphyrin localized in lysosomes and mitochondria, as assessed by fluorescence microscopy. Studies using fluorescent probes suggested that the cationic Pd porphyrin produced more hydroxyl radicals as the reactive oxygen species. Thus, the cationic Pd porphyrin has high potential as a photosensitizer and gives insights into characteristics for improved molecular designs.
XML screamer: an integrated approach to high performance XML parsing, validation and deserialization

This paper describes an experimental system in which customized high performance XML parsers are prepared using parser generation and compilation techniques. Parsing is integrated with Schema-based validation and deserialization, and the resulting validating processors are shown to be as fast as or in many cases significantly faster than traditional nonvalidating parsers. High performance is achieved by integration across layers of software that are traditionally separate, by avoiding unnecessary data copying and transformation, and by careful attention to detail in the generated code. The effect of API design on XML performance is also briefly discussed..
Inefficient propagation of Sn under south-eastem China

Summary. Records of 21 earthquakes with ray paths crossing south-eastern China have been examined to establish the nature of propagation of the seismic wave Sn. Sn is seen at stations within 1500km of earthquakes, but not beyond 1500km. No single localized region of attenuation can account for all the missing or weak Sn waves. The inefficient propagation of Sn through south-eastern China is surprising in light of efficient Sn propagation in other continental platforms which, like south-eastern China, appear to have been stable throughout the Cenozoic.
Issues for meteorological and oceanographic data web services

Web Services are becoming the standard technology used to share data for many Navy and other DoD operations. These enable an automated capability to obtain and integrate data for data fusion. This paper will address issues that are involved in coordination and collaboration for MetOc data access and exchange across enterprise boundaries. This includes issues of JMBL, JMBL-OGC compatibility and UCore messaging.
Ibn Al-nafis, the Pulmonary Circulation, and the Islamic Golden Age

Ibn al-Nafis (1213-1288) was an Arab physician who made several important contributions to the early knowledge of the pulmonary circulation. He was the first person to challenge the long-held contention of the Galen School that blood could pass through the cardiac interventricular septum, and in keeping with this he believed that all the blood that reached the left ventricle passed through the lung. He also stated that there must be small communications or pores (manafidh in Arabic) between the pulmonary artery and vein, a prediction that preceded by 400 years the discovery of the pulmonary capillaries by Marcello Malpighi. Ibn al-Nafis and another eminent physiologist of the period, Avicenna (ca. 980-1037), belong to the long period between the enormously influential school of Galen in the 2nd century, and the European scientific Renaissance in the 16th century. This is an epoch often given little attention by physiologists but is known to some historians as the Islamic Golden Age. Its importance is briefly discussed here.
Functional attachment of soft tissues to bone: development, healing, and tissue engineering.

Connective tissues such as tendons or ligaments attach to bone across a multitissue interface with spatial gradients in composition, structure, and mechanical properties. These gradients minimize stress concentrations and mediate load transfer between the soft and hard tissues. Given the high incidence of tendon and ligament injuries and the lack of integrative solutions for their repair, interface regeneration remains a significant clinical challenge. This review begins with a description of the developmental processes and the resultant structure-function relationships that translate into the functional grading necessary for stress transfer between soft tissue and bone. It then discusses the interface healing response, with a focus on the influence of mechanical loading and the role of cell-cell interactions. The review continues with a description of current efforts in interface tissue engineering, highlighting key strategies for the regeneration of the soft tissue–to-bone interface, and concludes with a summary of challenges and future directions.
Growth of hair in the ventral glands of castrate gerbils following testosterone administration

A study was made of the growth of hair in the ventral gland of the adult male gerbil, Meriones unguiculatus. The gland is composed of pilosebaceous complexes in which the hair follicles exhibit a very long anagen and a short telogen. Castration causes an almost immediate cessation of growth of the gland follicles. Daily treatment with 320 μg testosterone proprionate results in re-establishment of hair growth within 72 hours. Growth continues and at three weeks the ventral gland resembles that of normal animals. No influence was observed of the physiological hair cycle of the general skin on the follicles of the ventral gland or of testosterone on the hair cycle of the general skin. The pilosebaceous complexes of the mid-ventral skin of the male gerbil are androgen sensitive and differ both morphologically and physiologically from those of the general skin.
Comparison of Methods Used to Age Spring–Summer Chinook Salmon in Idaho: Validation and Simulated Effects on Estimated Age Composition

Abstract Validation of aging methods with known-age individuals is rarely done with wild fish. We used samples collected from carcasses of adult Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha that were tagged as juveniles to (1) compare accuracy and precision of ocean ages determined from scales and fin rays and (2) simulate the effects of aging errors on run reconstruction (assignment to migratory cohort) under two age composition scenarios. Scale age had an overall accuracy of 81.8% and was biased high (χ2 = 8.67; P = 0.014). Fin ray age had an overall accuracy of 98.6% and was unbiased (χ2 = 2.00; P = 0.34). Precision of fin ray readings was higher than that of scale readings (coefficient of variation = 2.1% versus 7.8%, respectively). Accuracy of fin ray ages was greater than that of scale ages (Z = 2.198; P = 0.03). For two age composition scenarios, age classification errors were greatest when using scales and least when using fin rays. Aging errors inflated the size of weak cohorts in simulated run recons...
A Tragicomedy of Communication and Information Dissemination Fails

In the following tale, we the authors document our experiences attempting to disseminate one conference paper that we hoped would be beneficial to others in librarianship in addition to aiding our promotion portfolios.
Ensemble Statistical Post-Processing of the National Air Quality Forecast Capability: Enhancing Ozone Forecasts in Baltimore, Maryland

An ensemble statistical post-processor (ESP) is developed for the National Air Quality Forecast Capability (NAQFC) to address the unique challenges of forecasting surface ozone in Baltimore, MD. Air quality and meteorological data were collected from the eight monitors that constitute the Baltimore forecast region. These data were used to build the ESP using a moving-block bootstrap, regression tree models, and extreme-value theory. The ESP was evaluated using a 10-fold cross-validation to avoid evaluation with the same data used in the development process. Results indicate that the ESP is conditionally biased, likely due to slight overfitting while training the regression tree models. When viewed from the perspective of a decision-maker, the ESP provides a wealth of additional information previously not available through the NAQFC alone. The user is provided the freedom to tailor the forecast to the decision at hand by using decision-specific probability thresholds that define a forecast for an ozone exceedance. Taking advantage of the ESP, the user not only receives an increase in value over the NAQFC, but also receives value for costly decisions that the NAQFC couldn’t provide alone.
Macromodeling of Hot-Carrier Induced Degradation in Mos Circuits

It was seen in Chapters 5 and 6 that previous efforts to evaluate the hot-carrier induced device degradation in a circuit environment have mostly focussed on the development of circuit-level (SPICE-like) simulation tools [1]-[3] or timing-based simulation tools such as ILLIADS-R [4]. These reliability simulation tools can be used to evaluate long-term circuit degradation and to improve the reliability by incremental design modifications. However, there is an increasing need for a set of geometry-based design rules to improve long-term reliability that can be readily applied to device and circuit designs.
Clinician Innovator: A Novel Career Path in Academic Medicine A Presidentially Commissioned Article From the American Heart Association.

The practice of medicine is transforming substantially and a pivotal driver of this change has been the accelerating pace of technology innovation. Traditional healthcare innovation has focused on the development of new diagnostics, drugs, and devices for use in hospitals and clinics, with more
Music therapy in critical care: indications and guidelines for intervention

Music therapy is an effective intervention for critically ill patients for such purposes as anxiety reduction and stress management. The therapy is readily accepted by patients and is an intervention patients thoroughly enjoy. The MAIT is one resource that nurses caring for critically ill patients can use to implement music therapy in clinical practice. Patients can be given the opportunity to select a musical tape they prefer and to negotiate with the nurse for uninterrupted music-listening periods. Allowing patients control over music selection and providing uninterrupted time for music listening gives the patients an enhanced sense of control in an environment that often controls them.
Identifying predictive markers for personalized treatment selection

It is now well recognized that the effectiveness and potential risk of a treatment often vary by patient subgroups. Although trial-and-error and one-size-fits-all approaches to treatment selection remain a common practice, much recent focus has been placed on individualized treatment selection based on patient information (La Thangue and Kerr, 2011; Ong et al., 2012). Genetic and molecular markers are becoming increasingly available to guide treatment selection for various diseases including HIV and breast cancer (Mallal et al., 2008; Zujewski and Kamin, 2008). In recent years, many statistical procedures for developing individualized treatment rules (ITRs) have been proposed. However, less focus has been given to efficient selection of predictive biomarkers for treatment selection. The standard Wald test for interactions between treatment and the set of markers of interest may not work well when the marker effects are nonlinear. Furthermore, interaction-based test is scale dependent and may fail to capture markers useful for predicting individualized treatment differences. In this article, we propose to overcome these difficulties by developing a kernel machine (KM) score test that can efficiently identify markers predictive of treatment difference. Simulation studies show that our proposed KM-based score test is more powerful than the Wald test when there is nonlinear effect among the predictors and when the outcome is binary with nonlinear link functions. Furthermore, when there is high-correlation among predictors and when the number of predictors is not small, our method also over-performs Wald test. The proposed method is illustrated with two randomized clinical trials.
Hepatic Hydrothorax: Clinical Features, Management, and Outcomes in 77 Patients and Review of the Literature

Hepatic hydrothorax is an important and difficult-to-manage complication of cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Here, we aimed to study its clinical features and natural history. Complete clinical data, including outcomes, were abstracted from hospital records of patients with cirrhosis and ascites admitted to University of Texas Southwestern University teaching hospitals from January 2001 to July 2012. Hepatic hydrothorax was diagnosed based on currently accepted clinical characteristics of the disease, including a known diagnosis of cirrhosis, the presence of portal hypertension, pleural fluid analysis, and the absence of primary cardiopulmonary disease.Seventy-seven of 495 (16%) hospitalized cirrhotic patients with pleural effusion (28 female; mean age, 52 yr) met the criteria for diagnosis of hepatic hydrothorax. Resting dyspnea and cough were the most prominent presenting symptoms, occurring in 34% and 22% of patients, respectively. Pleural effusions were most often right-sided (56/77; 73%), followed by left-sided only (13/77; 17%) and bilateral effusions (8/77; 10%); 7 (9%) patients did not have detectable ascites. The mean Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score at presentation was 16. The serum to pleural fluid albumin gradient (SPAG) was ≥1.1 in all 48 patients in whom it was measured. Most patients (64/77; 83%) were managed with diuretics and/or thoracentesis, while 8 (10%) underwent transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and 5 (7%) underwent liver transplant. A total of 44 of 77 (57%) patients died during a mean follow-up of 12 months. The average time from presentation to death for all patients was 368 days, while for those after TIPS it was 845 days. No deaths were reported in the liver transplant group. The data indicate that a substantial number of patients with hepatic hydrothorax had what may be considered atypical presentations, including left-sided only effusions, or pleural effusion without ascites. Here, we propose that the term "serum to pleural fluid albumin gradient (SPAG)" be used to describe the gradient between serum and pleural fluid albumin levels and suggest that not only is it consistent with the portal hypertensive pathophysiology of hepatic hydrothorax, but also it is a useful criterion for diagnosis of hepatic hydrothorax. Finally, the overall outcome of hepatic hydrothorax was extremely poor, except in those undergoing TIPS or liver transplantation.
The role of IL-6,IL-10 and TNF-α in liver damage in children with sepsis

Objective To detect the role of IL-6,IL-10 and TNF-α in liver damage in children with sepsis.Methods A total of 122 children with sepsis were recruited.The liver function,IL-6,IL-10 and TNF-α were detected.The outcome and prognosis were recorded.The comparison were made between children with higher and normal IL-6,higher and normal IL-10,and higher and normal TNF-α,respectively.Results Compared with children who had normal IL-6,the total protein,albumin,r-GT,total bilirubin were significantly increased in children with higher IL-6(P 0.05).The liver function was not different between children with higher and normal IL-10(P 0.05).Compared with children who had normal TNF-α,ALT,AST,r-GT and total bilirubin were significantly increased in children with higher TNF-α.Conclusions Inflammatory mediators IL-6 and TNF have impact on liver damage.
Impact event identification in thin plates through real strain measurements

Summary Impact event identification is a primary concern in many structural health monitoring applications. Model-based inverse analysis is a common approach for system identification as long as the physical model can accurately capture the behavior of structure. A layered analysis including estimation of impact location in the first layer and refinement and reconstruction of impact load time history through inverse analysis in the second layer was proposed and verified well with the numerical results previously. Due to unavoidable noises, implementation of the theory with a modified inverse scheme on a simply supported plate structure is conducted in this study. The real signal data is first prefiltered using a low pass filter. Different alternatives are then proposed for the inverse scheme, and a new parameter, normalized signal energy, is adopted for layer 1 due to its convenience and accuracy compared with the traditional one, that is, the time of flight method. Signal power and filtered signal data are used for layer 2 of the inverse procedure. The results indicate that the modified inverse scheme is capable of detecting impact location and reconstructing impact load time history with a satisfactory precision.
An interrogating circuit and device for magnetostrictive biosensors

High performance biosensors for the detection of bacterial in various media have been developed using magnetostrictive/magnetoelastic resonators (MSRs). An MSR is a strip of magnetostrictive alloy coated with biological molecular recognition unit, such as antibody and phage. The sensor is based on the change in its resonant frequency. Therefore, it is critical to determine the resonant frequency of an MSR. The MSR biosensors have been developed for the detection of various pathogenic bacteria in liquid food and on the surface of fresh produce in real-time and in-situ manner. However, the instruments used to determine the resonant frequency of these sensors are bulky and expensive. Here an inexpensive circuit is developed to characterize the resonant frequency of the MRS sensors. The unique circuit design makes it is possible to have a real handheld device for the interrogation of MRS sensors. Additionally, a new methodology to enhance the signal is also introduced.
Worsening Renal Function and Mortality in Heart Failure: Causality or Confounding?

Worsening renal function (WRF) is common during the treatment of heart failure (HF) and has been associated with decreased survival, hospitalization, and disease progression.1 There are several hypothetical mechanisms, including inflammation, oxidant stress, or induction of apoptosis by uremic toxins, by which a reduction in renal function could directly lead to mortality.2,3 However, patients who experience WRF also often exhibit multiple markers of increased HF disease severity and are less likely to respond to diuretics.4,5 As a result, it is difficult to determine whether the frequently observed association between WRF and adverse outcomes results directly from the reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) or is merely serving as a marker of greater HF disease severity. See Article by Beldhuis et al Over the past several years, it been described that not all forms of WRF are prognostically equivalent and WRF that occurs in the setting of otherwise beneficial HF therapies, like renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) antagonists or aggressive diuresis, seems to have a negligible impact on outcomes.6–10 RAAS antagonists, a cornerstone of guideline-based medical therapy for HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), can lead to perturbations in glomerular hemodynamics, secondary to a more pronounced vasodilation of the efferent arteriole, yielding a decrease in filtration fraction and thus at times GFR.11 As a result, it is not surprising that WRF is commonly observed during treatment with these medications.7,12 Despite the increased frequency of WRF, we and others have found that WRF in the setting of HFrEF treated with RAAS antagonists is relatively benign compared with WRF unprovoked by RAAS antagonism.7,9,12 So although the evidence for prognostic subtypes of WRF is well established, questions remain as to what causes the difference in prognosis. Is …
Venture Labor| Making Media Work: Turning to Labor Management in Communication Studies

This essay discusses a work in progress that explores how new media technologies promised to manage labor. From the film technologies of the early 20th century to today’s smart mobile devices and algorithmic software, new media have been allied with emergent forms of labor management. Although such media, when first introduced, were clunky and unpredictable, they became key instruments in new labor management practices. Thus, this essay and the larger project it discusses contribute to the “turn to labor” in communication studies, a vibrant research area that foregrounds labor as the practice of work at both individual and social levels.
The use of ultrasound in neuromuscular diagnoses.

Abstract Purpose of review: The use of ultrasonography for diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders is a relatively new but rapidly expanding field. This review covers key ultrasound findings in primary disease of muscle and nerve. Recent findings: Ultrasonography is used routinely for evaluation of entrapment neuropathies, hereditary and inflammatory neuropathies, polyneuropathies, myopathies, and motor neuron disease. When used in association with other electrodiagnostic testing, ultrasound has allowed physicians to increase the yield of clinical evaluation in diagnostic laboratories. Summary: While ultrasonography has not yet replaced the need for electrodiagnostic studies, it has become a useful accompaniment.
Application of wavelet scattering networks in classification of ultrasound image sequences

Recently, ultrasound imaging of muscle contractions has been used by several research groups to infer volitional motor intent of the user, and has shown promise as a novel muscle computer interface. Learning spatiotemporal features from ultrasound image sequences is challenging because of deformations introduced by probe repositioning. The image features are sensitive to probe placement and even small displacements during cross-session donning and doffing of the probe could compromise the classification accuracy when using a model trained on a previous session. This requires frequent recalibration. Deep learning based feature extractors have been shown to be invariant to translation, rotation and slight deformations. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of wavelet-based deep scattering features to preserve motion classification accuracy across multiple donning and doffing sessions. It was demonstrated that scattering features, which do not require learning filter weights, can significantly improve the cross-session classification accuracy by 20–30%. It can be concluded that these features are robust to minor probe displacements. They need to be further investigated with a larger data set to investigate their robustness in accurately classifying different muscle movements.
A new species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from western Papua New Guinea

I describe a new gecko, Cyrtodactylus serratus , from the Star Mts. of the western extreme of Papua New Guinea. The new species differs from all Papuan congeners in having a row of enlarged, dentate tubercles extending the length of each lateral skin fold. Further differences with the other species of Papuan Cyrtodactylus are identified and serve to highlight the uniqueness of the new species. I speculate that relationships of the new species may lie closest to C. loriae Boulenger among named forms, but numerous additional species of Cyrtodactylus remain to be described from New Guinea and this suggestion can only be considered tentative.
Strong Interactions in Wind-Wave Fields

The theory of weak resonant non-linear interactions among surface wave components has been developed greatly in recent years as several contributions to this symposium have testified. The time scale for these interactions is relatively long, characteristically of the order hundreds of wave periods, but nevertheless in certain circumstances they can be influential in spectral transfers of action and energy and in the progression of the spectral peak towards lower frequencies. At the same time, however, there are also strong interactions among wave groups that can result in rapid and strong modification of the wave characteristics, perhaps sporadically leading to wave breaking and the formation of whitecaps, perhaps more generally on a smaller scale. The theme of this paper is to explore the nature and consequences of some of these processes, particularly as they influence the turbulent fluxes across the sea surface.
Maple Labs and Programs for Calculus

This paper describes work done over the past three years at Worcester Polytechnic Institute aimed at integrating Maple computer labs and projects into freshman calculus. We give an overview of the course structure and then provide examples drawn from labs we have used. We also describe the Maple CalcP package, a set of about thirty Maple procedures written at WPI for use in the course.
Working Memory Impairment Across Psychotic disorders.

Background Working memory (WM) has been a central focus of cognitive neuroscience research because WM is a resource that is involved in many different cognitive operations. The goal of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility of WM paradigms developed in the basic cognitive neuroscience literature, including methods designed to estimate storage capacity without contamination by lapses of attention. Methods A total of 61 people with schizophrenia, 49 with schizoaffective disorder, 47 with bipolar disorder with psychosis, and 59 healthy volunteers were recruited. Participants received multiple WM tasks, including two versions each of a multiple Change Detection paradigm, a visual Change Localization paradigm, and a Running Span task. Results Healthy volunteers performed better than the combined patient group on the visual Change Localization and running span measures. The multiple Change Detection tasks provided mixed evidence about WM capacity reduction in the patient groups, but a mathematical model of performance suggested that the patient groups differed from controls in their rate of attention lapsing. The 3 patient groups performed similarly on the WM tasks. Capacity estimates from the Change Detection and Localization tasks showed significant correlations with functional capacity and functional outcome. Conclusions The patient groups generally performed in a similarly impaired fashion across tasks, suggesting that WM impairment and attention lapsing are general features of psychotic disorders. Capacity estimates from the Change Localization and Detection tasks were related to functional capacity and outcome, suggesting that these methods may be useful in a clinical context.