cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emergency physician stressors, concerns, and behavioral changes during COVID-19: A longitudinal study.

Author(s): Baumann, Brigitte M; Cooper, Richelle J; Medak, Anthony J; Lim, Stephen; Chinnock, Brian; Frazier, Remi; Roberts, Brian W; Epel, Elissa S; Rodriguez, Robert M | Abstract: ObjectivesThe objective was to provide a longitudinal assessment of anxiety levels and work and home concerns of U.S. emergency physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe performed a longitudinal, cross-sectional email survey of clinically active emergency physicians (attending, fellow, and resident) at seven academic emergency departments. Follow-up surveys were sent 4 to 6nweeks after the initial survey and assessed the following: COVID-19 patient exposure, availability of COVID-19 testing, levels of home and workplace anxiety/stress, changes in behaviors, and performance on a primary care posttraumatic stress disorder screen (PC-PTSD-5). Logistic regression explored factors associated with a high PC-PTSD-5 scale score (≥3), indicating increased risk for PTSD.ResultsOf the 426 surveyed initial respondents, 262 (61.5%) completed the follow-up survey. While 97.3% (255/262) reported treating suspected COVID-19 patients, most physicians (162/262, 61.8%) had not received testing themselves. In follow-up, respondents were most concerned about the relaxing of social distancing leading to a second wave (median scoren= 6, IQRn= 4-7). Physicians reported a consistently high ability to order COVID-19 tests for patients (median scoren= 6, IQRn= 5-7) and access to personal protective equipment (median scoren= 6, IQRn= 5-6). Women physicians were more likely to score ≥ 3 than men on the PC-PTSD-5 screener on the initial survey (43.3% vs. 22.5%; Δ 20.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI]n= 9.3% to 31.5%), and despite decreases in overall proportions, this discrepancy remained in follow-up (34.7% vs. 16.8%; Δ 17.9%, 95% CIn= 7.1% to 28.1%). In examining the relationship between demographics, living situations, and institution location on having a PC-PTSD-5 score ≥ 3, only female sex was associated with a PC-PTSD-5 score ≥ 3 (adjusted odds ration= 2.48, 95% CIn= 1.28 to 4.79).ConclusionsWhile exposure to suspected COVID-19 patients was nearly universal, stress levels in emergency physicians decreased with time. At both initial and follow-up assessments, women were more likely to test positive on the PC-PTSD-5 screener compared to men.
Techno-economic comparison of various process configurations for post-combustion carbon capture using a single-component water-lean solvent

Abstract Aqueous amines-based absorption is the most mature and scalable technology for post-combustion carbon capture, but subject to high energy and capital investment costs. Water-lean solvents, with associated advanced process configurations, show promise of significantly reducing both energy and capital costs via lower solvent recirculation and lower water condensation and vaporization. Even though advanced process configurations have been intensively studied for aqueous amines, few discussions can be found in the open literature for water-lean solvents. In order to fill the gap, the present study focuses on the process designs towards lower carbon capture cost enabled by water-lean solvents. N-(2-ethoxyethyl)-3-morpholinopropan-1-amine (EEMPA), a single-component water-lean solvent, was selected as an archetypical water-lean solvent. A property package was developed for the H2O−CO2-EEMPA system based on experimental data. Process models were developed in Aspen Plus for 90% CO2 capture in a 550 MW supercritical pulverized coal power plant, with optimal operating conditions determined by sensitivity studies. Techno-economic analyses were performed to compare seven process configurations: simple stripper, two-stage flash, lean vapor compression, inter-heated column, advanced flash stripper, low-pressure steam heater, and advanced heat integration. The results show a two-stage flash configuration, has a carbon capture cost of $47.1/tonne CO2 (in 2011 US dollars), about 19% lower than the industrial benchmark, Cansolv. While considerable capture cost reductions have been proven for aqueous amine using lean vapor compressor and advanced flash stripper, those configurations were shown to have negligible impacts with water-lean solvents due to differences in solvent’s physical properties.
But how many push-ups can she do? The influence of sexism on peer ratings in a military setting

Abstract Perceived gender differences remain salient in occupational settings and biases that arise maintain inequalities. We examined rater behavior of male military cadets to test how hostile sexism impacted occupationally-relevant attributions, namely, perception of peers' physical fitness, social skill, and military demeanor, items from a larger rating system and previously linked to gender bias. Linear mixed models determined how ratings were influenced by raters' own beliefs or performance, ratee performance, and whether these relationships differed by ratee gender (N = 2520 raters and 4154 ratees). Men with sexist beliefs rated women lower on military demeanor and physical fitness. Sexism was further associated with rating women's physical fitness, more so than other men's, according to push-up scores, suggesting sexist men “keep track” of women's upper body capabilities. Physical fitness scores were positively related to military demeanor rating for women but unrelated to men's score, regardless of rater's sexism. Overall, ratings were associated with different performance characteristics for men vs. women, especially for physical abilities, suggesting a mechanism for expression of gender bias in a field setting.
Designing Social Norm Based Incentive Schemes to Sustain Cooperation in a Large Community

Sustaining cooperation among self-interested agents is critical for the proliferation of emerging networked communities, such as the communities formed by social networking services. Providing incentives for cooperation in networked communities is particularly challenging because of their unique features: a large population of anonymous agents interacting infrequently, having asymmetric interests, and dynamically joining and leaving the network; network operation errors; and low-cost identity whitewashing. In this paper, taking these features into consideration, we propose a framework for the design and analysis of a class of incentive schemes based on social norms. We first define the concept of sustainable social norm under which no agent has an incentive to deviate. We then formulate the problem of designing an optimal social norm, which selects a social norm that maximizes overall social welfare among all sustainable social norms. Using the proposed framework, we study the structure of optimal social norms and the impacts of punishment lengths and whitewashing on optimal social norms. Our results show that optimal social norms are capable of sustaining cooperation, with the amount of cooperation varying depending on the community characteristics.
Abstract P202: Association of Masked Hypertension and Prehypertension with Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in the Jackson Heart Study

Background: Masked hypertension (MHT), defined as non-elevated clinic blood pressure (CBP) and elevated blood pressure on ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) monitoring (ABPM), and prehypertension (PHT) are individually associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. The degree of diagnostic overlap between PHT and MHT and their associations with subclinical CVD including left ventricular mass index (LVMI) or common carotid intima-media thickness (CCIMT) is poorly characterized among African-Americans (AAs). Methods: In the Jackson Heart Study (JHS), a large community-based cohort of AAs in Jackson, MS, CBP measurements and 24-hour ABPM were obtained at baseline (2000-2004) using standardized protocols. Analyses were restricted to 391 participants who were not taking antihypertensive medications with complete data for CBP, ABPM, LVMI measured with 2D echocardiography, and CCIMT taken from carotid ultrasound. Clinic hypertension (HTN) was defined as ≥140/90 mmHg. Non-elevated CBP was defined as Results: Of the 391 participants, 74 (18.9%) had HTN. Among the 317 participants with non-elevated CBP, 185 (58.4%) had PHT and 68 (21.5%) had MHT; 68 (21.5%) had MHT (59 in those with PHT, and 9 in those with normal CBP). In a fully-adjusted model (see Table), compared to participants with both PHT and MHT, LVMI and CCIMT was less among participants with non-elevated CBP (including those with normal CBP and PHT) and without MHT. There was no difference in LVMI and CCIMT in individuals with PHT and MHT vs. those with normal CBP and MHT. Conclusions: For AAs with non-elevated CBP, LVMI and CCIMT were the highest among individuals with MHT, regardless of whether PHT was present. This finding supports using ABPM to detect MHT among AAs with non-elevated CBP.
It's time for pediatricians to 'rally 'round the pool fence'.

Pediatrics has distinguished itself as one of the medical disciplines most concerned with preventive medicine and strategies to prevent accidents and illness. Immunizations and accident prevention education are a routine part of pediatric practice and well-child care. Poison prevention is one of the significant accomplishments of the 20th century in which pediatricians played a major role and can feel justly proud. Pediatricians played a decisive role in the establishment of the Poison Control Center network and in the development of child-proof safety caps that ultimately led to the Poison Prevention Packaging Act of 1970. The results have been gratifying, with the death rate from poisonings in children declining from 2.2 per 100,000 children in 1960 to 0.5 per 100,000 children in 1980.
Intermediate-term oncological efficacy of laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for non-seminomatous germ cell testicular cancer.

OBJECTIVE To assess the therapeutic efficacy of laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (L-RPLND) for testicular cancer in patients with nodal disease managed without adjuvant chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Consecutive patients undergoing RPLND were treated laparoscopically. Medical records for 15 patients with pathological stage I and II were reviewed. A modified template dissection was performed laparoscopically. When metastatic disease was noted on intraoperative frozen section, a bilateral template dissection was performed. RESULTS All patients had predominantly embryonal carcinoma and/or lymphovascular invasion in their orchidectomy specimen. All patients had normal tumour markers after orchidectomy. Laparoscopic RPLND was performed without intraoperative complications. The mean operative time was 299 min and mean length of hospital stay was 1.5 days. After L-RPLND, two patients were pN1 and five patients were pN2. Of the patients with nodal disease, five (two pN1 and three pN2) were followed without chemotherapy for a mean of 30 months with no evidence of recurrence. Isolated pulmonary recurrence occurred in two patients with pathologic stage I disease, and another stage I patient had recurrence in the lung and retroperitoneum outside the dissection template. CONCLUSIONS Laparoscopic RPLND appears to be safe while providing the benefits of minimally invasive surgery. Although the therapeutic benefit of L-RPLND needs to be confirmed in additional patients and with longer follow-up, our results suggest that L-RPLND provides both diagnostic and therapeutic benefits.
The Story of Unified Cordic

The story is told of how the Unified Cordic algorithm came to be developed, starting from an idea in the mind of a student and culminating in a product, a patent, a paper, a motorcade, and an award. Along the way, a unified algorithm for generating the elementary functions and the math co-processor industry in Silicon Valley were born.
On the surface climatology of the Tropical Atlantic

A sixty-year (1911–1970) mean surface climatology for the Tropical Atlantic (30°N–30°S) east of 60°W is constructed from data having a two degree latitude-longitude square spatial resolution. Fields of pressure, resultant wind, directional steadiness of wind, divergence, sea surface temperature, and air temperature are presented for the quarters of January–March, April–June, July–September, and October–December. Total cloudiness and precipitation frequency are given for January–March and July–Septembr only. Attention focuses on seasonal variations of individual elements and the relationships between contemporary patterns of different parameters.
Source and Delivery of Nutrients to Receiving Waters in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic Regions of the United States

Moore, Richard B., Craig M. Johnston, Richard A. Smith, and Bryan Milstead, 2011. Source and Delivery of Nutrients to Receiving Waters in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic Regions of the United States. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(5):965-990. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00582.x Abstract: This study investigates nutrient sources and transport to receiving waters, in order to provide spatially detailed information to aid water-resources managers concerned with eutrophication and nutrient management strategies. SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) nutrient models were developed for the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic (NE US) regions of the United States to represent source conditions for the year 2002. The model developed to examine the source and delivery of nitrogen to the estuaries of nine large rivers along the NE US Seaboard indicated that agricultural sources contribute the largest percentage (37%) of the total nitrogen load delivered to the estuaries. Point sources account for 28% while atmospheric deposition accounts for 20%. A second SPARROW model was used to examine the sources and delivery of phosphorus to lakes and reservoirs throughout the NE US. The greatest attenuation of phosphorus occurred in lakes that were large relative to the size of their watershed. Model results show that, within the NE US, aquatic decay of nutrients is quite limited on an annual basis and that we especially cannot rely on natural attenuation to remove nutrients within the larger rivers nor within lakes with large watersheds relative to the size of the lake.
Cluster Dynamics for Multiscale Interactions

A cluster approach has been proposed to describe the process of heat transport in microscale. Molecular clustering is described by integrating the Lennard-Jones potential over specific physical domains, forming cluster potentials that possess repulsive and attractive forces sensitively varying with the geometrical shapes of the molecular clusters. The cluster potentials thus developed provides a consistent approach for describing multi-scale heat transport, in that different shapes/dimensions of the clusters take different exponents in the repulsive and attractive forces. A one-dimensional example is given to illustrate the essence of the cluster dynamics simulation, emphasizing devious behavior from molecular motion and replacement of physical boundaries by cluster potentials of a larger scale.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Enhancing the Role of International Human Rights in the Psychology Curriculum

International human rights are an important concern among psychologists. Consequently, many psychological professional organizations across the globe have begun to incorporate fundamental tenets of human rights into policy statements and ethics codes. As a result of these changes, psychology educators need to expand the curriculum to include human rights. This article provides examples aimed at the integration of human rights content into existing courses (e.g., lecture topics, activities, and service learning opportunities) as well as suggestions for creating courses which are focused solely on human rights. Given the fact that psychological and physical health has been tied to respect for international human rights, it is imperative that our students, as global citizens and future psychologists, understand and value these rights.
A New Approach to Kinematic Waves in Traffic Flow

Based on the equation of continuity, a cumulative number function of cars, ψ, which is analogous to a stream function in fluid mechanics, is defined as follows; q =∂ψ/∂ t , k =-∂ψ/∂ x , where q and k stand for the flow and the car density, respectively. Various functional assumptions between q and k , yield various fundamental equations for ψ. The analytical solutions subject to the initial or the boundary condition are given for the following cass: (i) q =4 k (1- k ) with k =κ H ( x 0 - x ) at t =0, (ii) q =4 k (1- k ) with k = e (1+cos α x ) at t =0, (iii) q =4 k (1- k ) with q = a + b t at x =0, (iv) q =4 k (1- k )(1-β x ) with k = k 0 at t =0. It is shown that both expansion and compression shocks are possible and a few general relations for shock waves are obtained. Finally, extension to an axisymmetrical case is briefly discussed with a simple example of a constant density at the initial moment.
Initial in vivo rodent sodium and proton MR imaging at 21.1 T.

The first in vivo sodium and proton MR images and localized spectra of rodents were attained using the wide bore (105 mm) high resolution 21.1 T magnet, built and operated at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (Tallahassee, FL). Head images of normal mice (C57BL/6J) and Fisher rats (~ 250 g) were acquired with custom designed RF probes at frequencies of 237/900 MHz for sodium and proton, respectively. Sodium MRI resolutions of ~0.125 μL for mouse and rat heads were achieved by using a 3D back-projection pulse sequence. A gain in SNR of ~ 3 for sodium and of ~ 2 times for proton were found relative to corresponding MR images acquired at 9.4 T. 3D FLASH proton mouse images (50×50×50 μm3) were acquired in 90 min and corresponding rat images (100×100×100 μm3) within a total time of 120 min. Both in vivo large rodent MR imaging and localized spectroscopy at the extremely high field of 21.1 T are feasible and demonstrate improved resolution and sensitivity valuable for structural and functional brain analysis.
Molecular Mechanism for Orienting Membrane and Actin Dynamics to Nascent Cell-Cell Contacts in Epithelial Cells *

The small GTPase Rac1 has been implicated in regulation of cell migration and cell-cell adhesion in epithelial cells. Little is known, however, about the spatial and temporal coordination of Rac1 activity required to balance these competing processes. We fractionated endogenous Rac1-containing protein complexes from membranes of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells and identified three major complexes comprising a Rac1·PAK (p21-activated kinase) complex, and 11 S and 16 S Rac1 complexes. Significantly, Rac1 shifts from the 11 S to a 16 S particle during initiation of cell-cell adhesion. This shift may reflect a diffusion trapping mechanism by which these Rac1 complexes are localized to cadherin-mediated cell-cell contacts through an interaction with annexin II.
Energy preserving non-linear filters

Monte Carlo techniques for image synthesis are simple and powerful, but they are prone to noise from inadequate sampling. This paper describes a class of non-linear filters that remove sampling noise in synthetic images without removing salient features. This is achieved by spreading real input sample values into the output image via variable-width filter kernels, rather than gathering samples into each output pixel via a constant-width kernel. The technique is nonlinear because kernel widths are based on sample magnitudes, and this local redistribution of values cannot generally be mapped to a linear function. Nevertheless, the technique preserves energy because the kernels are normalized, and all input samples have the same average influence on the output. To demonstrate its effectiveness, the new filtering method is applied to two rendering techniques. The first is a Monte Carlo path tracing technique with the conflicting goals of keeping pixel variance below a specified limit and finishing in a finite amount of time; this application shows how the filter may be used to “clean up” areas where it is not practical to sample adequately. The second is a hybrid deterministic and Monte Carlo ray-tracing program; this application shows how the filter can be effective even when the pixel variance is not known.
Genetic Analysis of Reproduction of Hybrid White Bass x Striped Bass in the Savannah River

Abstract Hatchery-reared F1 hybrids of male white bass Morone chrysops x female striped bass M. saxatilis are stocked routinely in the Savannah River drainage by agencies of Georgia and South Carolina. Concern has arisen that these F1 hybrids themselves may be reproducing, and that possible increases in abundance of F2 hybrids or backcrosses could disturb white bass and striped bass parental stocks through ecological competition or genetic introgression. We identified and employed genetic markers at four protein-electrophoretic systems to search for recombinant genotypes indicative of successful hybrid reproduction. The genetic basis and reliability of the allozyme markers were confirmed by analysis of hatchery-reared F2 hybrids, and by examination of geographic variation in allele frequencies in populations from several southeastern states. Only 6 of 642 fish assayed from the Savannah drainage had recombinant genotypes. However, in two of four test cases involving Morone samples from other locales, the g...
Investigation of ethylene oxide oligomerization during functionalization of poly(butadienyl)lithium using MALDI-TOF MS and 1H NMR analyses

Abstract Oligomerization of ethylene oxide during the functionalization of poly(butadienyl)lithium in benzene and cyclohexane at 25 °C has been investigated by MALDI-TOF MS and 1H NMR. Chemically significant amounts of oligomer were found using 4 equiv. of ethylene oxide ([EO]/[PLi]) after 12 h in both benzene and cyclohexane. No oligomer was observed when the reaction time was minimized.
Decomposition of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) on supported cerium and iron co-impregnated oxides at room temperature

The adsorption and decomposition reactions of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) on cerium and iron oxides supported on aluminum oxide have been examined at 25 °C. The capacities of these solids for the decomposition of DMMP have been measured, and the identities and amounts of the decomposition products determined. The coimpregnated oxide formulations are significantly more reactive than alumina alone, and the current formulations are 2.5× more reactive at room temperature than any other metal oxide studied previously. A series of screening experiments show that the most active formulation is one containing 5 wt % iron and 7.5 wt % cerium. At 25 °C, Al2O3 shows a decomposition capacity of 317 μmol/g, while the alumina-supported iron and cerium oxide combination shows a decomposition capacity of more than 510 μmol/g. Formulations containing similar amounts of iron oxide or cerium oxide individually are more active than the unmodified alumina but less active than the coimpregnated oxide. The results show th...
Characterization of thermal performance of wheel outboard of an aircraft

Abstract The wheel outboard portion of an aircraft brake housing which is modeled as an annular cavity with one end open to the ambient surroundings is investigated in this work. To simulate actual conditions, a set of boundary conditions obtained from brake system tests were fed into the numerical model. Based on proper non-dimensionalization, and using a finite element numerical model a set of psuedo-universal dimensionless temperatures for different Rayleigh numbers associated with each of the temperature conditions corresponding to the actual test data were obtained. Pertinent temporal and steady state thermal performance characteristics of the wheel outboard portion of the brake housing are also examined.
Initial sensitivity of rat inbred strains to acute alcohol

The ethanol sensitivity of eight inbred strains and one heterogeneous stock of rats has been determined by the assessment of "sleep time" and blood alcohol levels upon awakening. In addition, levels of liver alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases and phenobarbital-inducible aldehyde dehydrogenase were determined. These data are presented as baseline values for correlation and selective breeding studies using the heterogeneous rats.
Interactively evolving harmonies through functional scaffolding

While the real-time focus of today's automated accompaniment generators can benefit instrumentalists and vocalists in their practice, improvisation, or performance, an opportunity remains specifically to assist novice composers. This paper introduces a novel such approach based on evolutionary computation called functional scaffolding for musical composition (FSMC), which helps the user explore potential accompaniments for existing musical pieces, or scaffolds. The key idea is to produce accompaniment as a function of the scaffold, thereby inheriting from its inherent style and texture. To implement this idea, accompaniments are represented by a special type of neural network called a compositional pattern producing network (CPPN), which produces harmonies by elaborating on and exploiting regularities in pitches and rhythms found in the scaffold. This paper focuses on how inexperienced composers can personalize accompaniments by first choosing any MIDI scaffold, then selecting which parts (e.g. the piano, guitar, or bass guitar) the CPPN can hear, and finally customizing and refining the computer-generated accompaniment through an interactive process of selection and mutation of CPPNs called interactive evolutionary computation (IEC). The potential of this approach is demonstrated by following the evolution of a specific accompaniment and studying whether listeners appreciate the results.
Transfer of endogenous retroviral superantigen from donor to recipient B cells following priming to induce peripheral T cell tolerance.

Abstract Endogenous retroviral superantigens such as vSAG-7 are highly stimulatory for T cells through interaction with the T cell receptor on the basis of Vβ usage. Priming of adult MMTV 7-negative mice with vSAG-7-expressing cells has been shown to result in peripheral Vβ6/CD4 + T cell activation followed by tolerance to further interaction with the superantigen. The goal of the current study was to examine the cells presenting vSAG-7 during this initial burst of in vivo T cell activation. Priming of MMTV 7-negative BALB/c (H-2 d ) mice with DBA/2 (H-2 d , MMTV 7 + ) spleen cells resulted in a 5- to 12-fold increase in the number of B cells in the lymph nodes. These B cells expressed increased levels of I-A and I-E class II MHC determinants. Use of MMTV 7-negative CB.17 (H-2 d , Igh b ) mice as recipients of DBA/2 (Igh a ) cells indicated that the increased number of B cells was of host, rather than donor, origin. The number of donor-derived (IgM/B220 + ) B cells observed during the course of vSAG-7-reactive Vβ6/CD4 + T cell activation was very low. Proliferation of unprimed T cells from MMTV 7-negative mice was induced during coculture with B cells from the lymph nodes of vSAG-7-primed recipients and was blocked by anti-class II MHC antibodies, as well as by an anti-vSAG-7 antibody. Highly purified host B cells from vSAG-7-primed recipients specifically stimulated the blastogenesis of Vβ6/CD4 + T cells in vitro. Collectively, the results indicate that following priming to induce peripheral tolerance, vSAG-7 is transferred from donor cells to class II MHC determinants on recipient B cells and is presented to the T cell repertoire by the autologous B cells.
Hormone accumulation in a sexually dimorphic motor nucleus of the rat spinal cord

The fifth and sixth lumbar segments of the rat spinal cord were found to contain a sexually dimorphic nucleus, the spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus (SNB). The SNB, which contains motoneurons innervating perineal striated muscles in normal male rats, is adiminished or absent in normal females and in males with a genetic mutation rendering them insensitive to androgens. The presence of the nucleus is apparently not dependent on genetic sex, but on the action of androgens. The motoneurons of the adult male SNGH accumulate hormone after systemic injections of radioactive testosterone or dihydrotestosterone, but not estradiol, and the SNB motoneurons accumulate more of the injected androgens than do other motoneurons in the same spinal segments. These results demonstrate a morphological sex difference in hormone-sensitive motoneurons that are probably involved in the sexually dimorphic copulatory behavior of the rat.
Inhibition of neutrophil function by human milk.

Abstract Human colostrum, the first product of lactation, has antioxidant properties and inhibits selected enzyme and bactericidal activities of human neutrophils. We examined the subsequent product of lactation, mature human milk, with respect to its antioxidant activities, its effects on neutrophil enzyme activities (myeloperoxidase, β-glucuronidase, and lysozyme), and its effects on neutrophil bactericidal and phagocytic activities. Mature human milk displayed antioxidant characteristics similar to those of human colostrum, reducing cytochrome c and consuming H 2 O 2 . Mature milk also displayed colostrum-like characteristics in depressing neutrophil myeloperoxidase and β-glucuronidase activities, but not in altering lysozyme activity. Neutrophil bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus was depressed by both mature milk and colostrum, without dramatic effects on phagocytic activity. These data show that mature milk shares characteristics with human colostrum that may result in anti-inflammatory effects, but the magnitude of these effects is generally smaller.
Cortical synchronization and perceptual framing

How does the brain group together different parts of an object into a coherent visual object representation? Different parts of an object may be processed by the brain at different rates and may thus become desynchronized. Perceptual framing is a process that resynchronizes cortical activities corresponding to the same retinal object. A neural network model is presented that is able to rapidly resynchronize desynchronized neural activities. The model provides a link between perceptual and brain data. Model properties quantitatively simulate perceptual framing data, including psychophysical data about temporal order judgments and the reduction of threshold contrast as a function of stimulus length. Such a model has earlier been used to explain data about illusory contour formation, texture segregation, shape-from-shading, 3-D vision, and cortical receptive fields. The model hereby shows how many data may be understood as manifestations of a cortical grouping process that can rapidly resynchronize image parts that belong together in visual object representations. The model exhibits better synchronization in the presence of noise than without noise, a type of stochastic resonance, and synchronizes robustly when cells that represent different stimulus orientations compete. These properties arise when fast long-range cooperation and slow short-range competition interact via nonlinear feedback interactions with cells that obey shunting equations.
An archival/records management perspective on PDF/A

Purpose – This article sets out to explain the purpose of PDF/A, how it addresses archival and records management concerns, how PDF/A was designed to have “desirable properties of a long‐term preservation format”, and the future of PDF/A.Design/methodology/approach – The contents of this article are based on the author's knowledge and experience of the subject.Findings – It is emphasized that PDF/A must be implemented in conjunction with policies and procedures, including quality assurance procedures to ensure acceptable replication of source material.Originality/value – This article will be of interest to anyone working with PDF files. Work has already begun on PDF/A Part 2 which will be based on PDF 1.6. Application notes and a listing of frequently asked questions will be made publicly available to assist developers of PDF/A applications to better understand the requirements of the file format and provide implementation guidance.
1552 CLINICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL SPECTRUM OF IgA NEPHROPATHY IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Since 1972, significant mesangial IgA deposition was detected in 19 patients (16 male, 3 female), undergoing renal biopsy for recurrent gross hematuria (n=15) or asymptomatic urinary abnormalities (n=4). The mean age of diagnosis was 13.5 yrs (range8-18 yrs). Significant proteinuria (> 4mg/M2/hr was detected in 11 patients (x=24.3mg/M2/hr); 8 of these 11 patients had at least one episode of gross hematuria. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was normal at the time of diagnosis in all patients. Three patients had reversible reduction in GFR of 20-64% during episodes of gross hematuria. No patients had experienced hypertension. Histopathology varied from completely normal (n=3) to focal and segmental proliferative glomerulonephritis. Capsular adhesions of sclerosed segments were seen in 6 patients and organizing crescents in 2 patients. Six patients had global sclerosis- Immunofluorescence studies revealed C3 in 15 patients, IgG in 8 pts., and IgM in 5 pts. Follow-up in 11 pts. (x=3 yrs), has shown persistence of the clinical pattern, urinary abnormalities and maintenance of GFR Therefore, IgA nephropathy appears to have a more benign histopathology in children and adolescents.
Prolonged cutaneous analgesia with transdermal application of amitriptyline and capsaicin.

Background and Objectives: Capsaicin selectively binds to TRPV1, the vanilloid subtype 1 of the superfamily of transient receptor potential ion channels, which is highly expressed in pain-transmitting C fibers. Recent reports have demonstrated that the coadministration of capsaicin with a local anesthetic (LA) at the rat sciatic nerve elicits a prolonged nociceptive-selective nerve block, suggesting that activation of the TRPV1 receptor may allow LAs to enter the nerve through the TRPV1 pore. In previous studies, we demonstrated that transdermal amitriptyline achieves clinical analgesic effects and is more potent than lidocaine. Here we examine whether the combined application of amitriptyline and capsaicin as a transdermal patch will produce prolonged cutaneous analgesia compared with amitriptyline alone. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (weights 250-300 g) were assigned to five treatment groups (n = 6-8 per group). Transdermal patches containing amitriptyline with different concentrations of capsaicin were applied for 3 hrs to rats9 shaved backs: 2.5% amitriptyline alone (control group) and in combination with 0.05%, 0.15%, 1%, and 8% capsaicin. Behavioral testing for cutaneous nociception was conducted before drug application and after patch removal using the cutaneous trunci muscle reflex. In addition, skin appearance was assessed to determine irritation by these formulations. Results: The cutaneous analgesic effect is significantly prolonged when amitriptyline is applied in combination with 8% capsaicin. Amitriptyline alone provided a complete block to pinprick for 4.5 hrs, and the time to full recovery was 96 hrs. Amitriptyline with 8% capsaicin produced a complete block to pinprick for 6 to 9 hrs, and the time to full recovery was 216 hrs (P = 0.002). Amitriptyline alone causes toxic effects in skin, whereas the higher the concentration of capsaicin, the less skin irritation was noted, and the combination of amitriptyline 2.5% with capsaicin 8% caused no adverse skin reactions. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the combined application of amitriptyline and capsaicin results in prolonged cutaneous analgesia compared with amitriptyline alone, suggesting that the activation of the TRPV1 channel by capsaicin facilitates the passage of amitriptyline into nociceptors. This transdermal patch achieves far longer cutaneous analgesia than currently available patch applications such as EMLA cream. The mechanism that underlies the lesser skin irritation noted when amitriptyline is combined with higher doses of capsaicin compared with amitriptyline alone is unclear and may be related to a counteraction of amitriptyline-induced vasoconstriction.
Prostaglandins: Bone resorption stimulating factors released from monkey gingiva

Gingival fragments from monkeys have been found to release a factorin vitro into incubation medium which stimulates bone resorption in organ culture. Indomethacin effectively blocks the occurrence of this stimulatory factor in the gingival incubation medium. All of this bone resorptive activity can be accounted for by prostaglandin-like material. The prostaglandins contributing to the bone resorptive activity have been found to be prostaglandins E1 and E2.
Adhesion in a Vacuum Environment and its Implications for Dust Mitigation Techniques on Airless Bodies

During the Apollo missions, the adhesion of dust to critical spacecraft systems was a greater problem than anticipated and resulted in functional degradation of thermal control surfaces, spacesuit seals, and other spacecraft components. Notably, Earth-based simulation efforts did not predict the magnitude and effects of dust adhesion in the lunar environment. Forty years later, we understand that the ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) environment, coupled with micrometeorite impacts and constant ion and photon bombardment from the sun result in atomically clean and high surface energy dust particles and spacecraft surfaces. However, both the dominant mechanism of adhesion in airless environments and the conditions for high fidelity simulation tests have still to be determined. The experiments presented in here aim to aid in the development of dust mitigation techniques for airless bodies (e.g., lunar surface, asteroids, moons of outer planets). The approach taken consists of (a) quantifying the adhesion between common polymer and metallic spacecraft materials and a synthetic noritic volcanic glass, as a function of surface cleanliness and of triboelectric charge transfer in a UHV environment, and (b) determining parameters for high fidelity tests through investigation of adhesion dependence on vacuum environment and sample treatment. Adhesion force has been measured between pins of spacecraft materials and a plate of synthetic volcanic glass by determining the pull-off force with a torsion balance. Although no significant adhesion is generally observed directly as a result of high surface energies, the adhesion due to induced electrostatic charge is observed to increase with spacecraft material cleanliness, in some cases by over a factor of 10. Furthermore, electrostatically-induced adhesion is found to decrease rapidly above pressures of 10-6 torr. It is concluded that high-fidelity tests should be conducted in high to ultrahigh vacuum and include an ionized surface cleaning process.
A predictive model of yellow spotted river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) encounter rates at basking sites in lowland eastern Bolivia

Abstract This paper develops a model predicting encounter rates of the yellow-spotted river turtle ( Podocnemis unifilis ) based on human hunting pressure and an ecological classification of potential basking sites. We estimate Poisson regression models for turtles observed in basking surveys. Field surveys were conducted in eastern lowland Bolivia in 2000 and 2011. Our model predicts a significant correlation between turtle encounter rates and two ecological classifications – steep cliff with vegetation and muddy flats that we believe are important habitat types for these turtles. Additionally, our model supports the hypothesis that human population has a significant but less negative impact on observed turtle encounter rates. Analyses of turtle encounter rates and factors that influence it are critical for the conservation of P. unifilis turtles and the broader Amazonian ecological system.
Joint receipt and certainty equivalents of gambles

Abstract Several rules have been proposed for calculating the utility of the joint receipt of two amounts of money in terms of their individual utilities and/or the utility of their sum. This paper explores how the rules can be generalized to gambles. A concept of a structure of gambles with a joint receipt operation ⊕ and a certainty equilvalence (CE) mapping is described (Definitions 1 and 2). Monotonicity of ⊕ relative to preference permits simple generalizations of the rules to gambles (Theorem 1), and general properties of the utility function are related to general properties of CE (Theorem 2). The latter establishes that several apparently plausible properties are inconsistent, which raises empirical questions. For the restrictive case of lotteries (random variables), it is shown that if the convolution operation is monotonic in preference, then the CE mapping is onto addition (Theorem 3). It is argued that gamblers, at least, must fail monotonicity of convolution. Finally, a homogeneous scaling property is introduced that leads to a class of joint receipt operations that have not yet received attention (Theorem 4).
On the use of registers vs. cache to minimize memory traffic

Single-chip computers are becoming increasingly limited by the access constraints to off-chip memory. To achieve high performance, the structure of on-chip memory must be appropriate, and it must be allocated effectively to minimize off-chip communication. We report experiments that demonstrate that on-chip memory can be effective for local variable accesses. For best use of the limited on-chip area, we suggest organizing memory as registers and argue that an effective register spilling scheme is required. We introduce a heuristic algorithm for register spilling within basic blocks and demonstrate that trace optimization techniques can extend the use of the algorithm to global allocation. Through trace simulation, we show that the use of registers can be more effective in reducing the bus traffic than cache memory of the same size.
Beta Blockade, Ventricular Arrhythmias, and Sudden Cardiac Death

The mechanisms precipitating sudden cardiac death may be ischemic, electrical, or mechanical. Activation of the autonomic nervous system leads to an increase in sympathetic tone, increasing blood pressure, shear forces, heart rate, platelet aggregation, and blood viscosity while decreasing heart-rate variability and lowering the ventricular fibrillation threshold. Such changes increase the likelihood of plaque rupture or erosion and platelet aggregation, resulting in ischemic or electrical sudden cardiac death. Management of benign ventricular arrhythmias should consist largely of abstinence from sympathetic nervous system stimulants; when pharmacotherapy is required, β-adrenergic blockers are the agents of choice. Optimal therapy for potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmias is not yet firmly established for amiodarone and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) use; however, appropriate secondary prevention utilizes aspirin, β blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and revascularization procedures. Currently, ICDs are established as a first-choice intervention for malignant ventricular arrhythmias, while the adjunctive and independent use of β-blocker therapy and amiodarone is undergoing further investigation.
Identification of atmospheric fronts over the ocean with microwave measurements of water vapor and rain

This paper describes some basic research techniques and algorithms developed to diagnose fronts in cyclonic storms over the ocean with data from satellite-borne microwave radiometers. Methods are developed for flagging strong gradients in integrated atmospheric water vapor and the presence of rain by using data from the SSMR on board the polar orbiting Seasat and Nimbus-7 satellites. Examination of 65 frontal systems showed that the water vapor gradient flag correctly identified 86 percent of the fronts, while the precipitation flagged 91 percent. The two types of flags emphasize different portions of the cyclone and are therefore complementary. Ultimately, these techniques are intended for operational use with data from the Special Sensor Microwave Imager which was launched in June 1987 on a satellite in the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP).
Concentration and deposition of particles and vapors in a vertical profile through a forest canopy

Vertical profiles of deposition and concentration of several particulate and gaseous species were measured in a mixed oak forest in eastern Tennessee. Deposition was measured to plastic petri plates and to paper filters, and atmospheric concentrations were measured by low-volume filtration. The results show that concentration of HNO3 vapor and coarse particle-associated elements like Ca2+ decrease markedly with depth in the canopy, but this is not true for substances associated with fine aerosols like SO42−, NH4+ and H+. Potassium showed a trend of increasing deposition to the petri plates with depth in the canopy, indicating a significant in-canopy source of particulate K+. The paper filters showed a strong decrease in deposition of SO42−, NO3− and NH4+ in the canopy, indicating that surfaces in the interiors of the canopy are subject to substantially less S and N deposition than those at the top. The deposition velocity of HNO3 vapor to the paper filters was at a minimum in mid-canopy.
The basic theorem of complementarity revisited

The basic theorm of (linear) complementarity was stated in a 1971 paper [6] by B.C. Eaves who credited C.E. Lemke for giving a constructive proof based on his almost complementary pivot algorithm. This theorem asserts that associated with an arbitrary linear complementarity problem, a certain augmented problem always possesses a solution. Many well-known existence results pertaining to the linear complementarity problem are consequences of this fundamental theorem. In this paper, we explore some further implications of the basic theorem of complementarity and derive new existence results for the linear complementarity problem. Based on these results, conditions for the existence of a solution to a linear complementarity problem with a fully-semimonotone matrix are examined. The class of the linear complementarity problems with aG-matrix is also investigated.
Identification of the major enzymic activities of the mitochondrial inner membrane in terms of their migration in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Abstract An attempt has been made to identify the large number of components separated in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels of a mitochondrial inner membrane preparation with the enzymic activities they represent. Individual enzymes and enzyme complexes (electron transfer and the ATP synthesizing and hydrolyzing complexes) were purified and coelectrophoresed with the inner membrane preparation on 10% polyacrylamide gels. Different bands in the densitometric profile of the inner membrane preparation were thus identified with one or more components of one or more of the electron transfer or ATP-synthesizing and -hydrolyzing complexes. Only one major component (band 14), of molecular weight 29,000, was not represented in any of these complexes. It is a hydrophobic protein of as yet unknown function.
Direct Adaptive Tracking Control of Quadrotor Aerial Vehicles

This paper presents a novel adaptive control algorithm solving the trajectory tracking problem for quadrotor aerial vehicles. A model reference approach is used, such that the vehicle tracks the trajectory of a reference system, which itself tracks a specified desired trajectory. The control law is derived using a backstepping procedure. A technique derived from dynamic surface control is used to simplify the expression of the obtained control algorithm, with no significant loss in terms of performance. Proof of stability is obtained using Lyapunov theory. Results from numerical simulations illustrate the performance of the obtained controller.Copyright © 2006 by ASME