cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
W10BSmL, a mutant of Euglena gracilis var. bacillaris lacking plastids.

Abstract Organized proplastid structures are absent from dark-grown and light-grown cells of Euglena gracilis Klebs var. bacillaris Cori mutant W 10 BSmL, based on electron micrographs of serial sections of entire cells. Fluorescence due to normal plastid DNA is undetectable in these cells after treatment with the DNA fluorochrome 4′6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Serial sections through a newly described compartmentalized osmiophilic structure in Euglena cells are presented.
Measurement and correction of transmitter and receiver induced nonuniformities in vivo.

Signal intensity nonuniformities in high field MR imaging limit the ability of MRI to provide quantitative information and can negatively impact diagnostic scan quality. In this paper, a simple method is described for correcting these effects based on in vivo measurement of the transmission field B1+ and reception sensitivity maps. These maps can be obtained in vivo with either gradient echo (GE) or spin echo (SE) imaging sequences, but the SE approach exhibits an advantage over the GE approach for correcting images over a range of flip angles. In a uniform phantom, this approach reduced the ratio of the signal SD to its mean from around 30% before correction to approximately 6% for the SE approach and 9% for the GE approach after correction. The application of the SE approach for correcting intensity nonuniformities is demonstrated in vivo with human brain images obtained using a conventional spin echo sequence at 3.0 T. Furthermore, it is also shown that this in vivo B1+ and reception sensitivity mapping can be performed using segmented echo planar imaging sequences providing acquisition times of less than 2 min. Although the correction presented here is demonstrated with a simultaneous transmit and receive volume coil, it can be extended to the case of separate transmission and reception coils, including surface and phase array coils. Magn Reson Med 53:408–417, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Classification and regression trees (CART) for prediction of function at 1 year following head trauma

A cohort of 514 hospitalized head-injury survivors was identified based on their injury and 448 (87%) of them were followed for 1 year. Comprehensive neurobehavioral testing was performed 1 month and 1 year after injury. The authors developed predictions of six neuropsychological and two psychosocial outcomes 1 year after head injury. Prediction trees are presented for verbal IQ, Halstead's Impairment Index, and work status at 1 year. Early predictors of neurobehavioral outcome in survivors are similar to previously reported predictors of mortality. Extent (both depth and length) of coma and age are the medical and demographic variables most predictive of late outcome. Adding 1-month scores substantially improves prediction of neuropsychological variables. The classification and regression tree is a useful technique for predicting long-term outcome in patients with head injury. The trees are simple enough to be used in a clinical setting and, especially with 1-month scores, predictions are accurate enough for clinical utility.
Evidence for the Presence of Thioltransferase in the Lens

Abstract Thioltransferase (TTase) activity was identified and partially purified from the ocular tissue for the first time. The enzyme activity depended on the presence of reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase (GR) and NADPH to reduce the disulfide bond in a synthetic substrate, hydroxyl ethyl disulfide (HEDS). Maximum activity was obtained in a pH 7.4 phosphate buffer at 30°C. This enzyme distinguishes from other reducing enzymes such as thioredoxin that do not require GSH and GR for their catalytic activity. It also differs from the 52 kDa enzyme, protein disulfide isomerase by its smaller molecular size and its stability against heat treatment. TTase activity was higher in the epithelial layer but distributed evenly in the rest of the lens also, TTase showed similar activity in the lenses obtained from rats, pigs, bovine, guinea pigs, chick embryos and humans. The molecular weight of this enzyme was estimated to be 11.5 kDa on a SDS-PAGE system. Western blot analysis showed the protein reacted positively to the antibody raised by the purified pig liver TTase. Similarly the antibody raised by the partially purified lens enzyme reacted positively with the purified pig lever TTase. The presence of TTase in the lens was confirmed further with the slot blot analysis where it demonstrated a 32 P-labeled cDNA from pig liver TTase hybridizing with the RNA in the pig lens or rabbit lens epithelium cells. Based on the above information it was concluded that the lens TTase is comparable to TTase from other tissues in its functional and structural properties. It is hypothesized that the lens TTase has a significant physiological role in sulfhydryl homeostasis in the lens by protecting the SH groups of the proteins from S-thiolation. It is speculated that, lens TTase may be primary antioxidant in the lens along with GSH and GR by protecting the vulnerable lens proteins against oxidative damage.
Regeneration Dynamics and Genetic Variability of Sugar Maple (Acer Saccharum [Marsh.]) Seedlings at the Species' Northern Growth Limit, Lake Superior Provincial Park, Canada

The transition from deciduous to boreal forest is abrupt regionally and topographically in Lake Superior Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. The northern range limit of Acer saccharum is coincident w...
A sustained response to low dose interferon-α in a case of refractory pure red cell aplasia

Acquired pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) may be the result of a cellular or humoral autoimmune process. One proposed mechanism is the destruction of erythroid progenitors by self-reactive, cytotoxic T cells or natural killer (NK) cells. These cells normally express MHC class I receptors (KIR) which inhibit cytotoxicity when the target cell expresses the HLA class I antigen(s) they bind. Therefore, loss of these antigens on maturing erythroid progenitors may render them susceptible to destruction by the pathogenic cells. Interferon-alpha (INF-alpha) increases HLA class I expression on hematopoietic precursor cells. Therefore, we initiated a trial of INF-alpha in a patient with refractory PRCA. Following treatment, he developed transfusion independence, and a sustained normal hematocrit. Analysis of bone marrow erythroid cells revealed an increase in expression of HLA class I molecules. INF-alpha should be used in a controlled trial in patients with PRCA to determine its activity and mechanism of action.
Quantitative versus Qualitative Evaluation: A Tool to Decide Which to Use.

Evaluation is often avoided in human performance technology (HPT), but it is an essential and frequently catalytic activity that adds significant value to projects. Knowing how to approach an evaluation and whether to use qualitative, quantitative, or both methods makes evaluation much easier. In this article, we provide tools to help determine appropriate evaluation methods. Successful evaluation provides insightful data with which to make informed decisions.
Characteristics of Failure to Thrive in a Referral Population Implications for Treatment

Failure to thrive (FTT) in children is an important pediatric problem. Environmental and behavioral causes predominate, and detrimental effects on neurocognitive development are well documented. Multidisciplinary clinics designed to identify and treat FTT are effective but have not been widely adopted. A retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients with FTT seen at the authors' large inner-city children's hospital over a 40-month period, including those referred to a new multidisciplinary clinic. Over 40 months, only 75 children were referred and only 20 had moderate or severe FTT (z-score <-2.0). Nutritional status improved with treatment, but the small number of referrals who were severely affected led to the closing of the clinic. Recommendations for evaluating and treating children with mild FTT in primary care settings and a standardized definition of FTT that warrants more intensive treatment would help ensure that children were referred and treated appropriately.
NOD1 activation induces proinflammatory gene expression and insulin resistance in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Chronic inflammation is associated with obesity and insulin resistance; however, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Pattern recognition receptors Toll-like receptors and nucleotide...
Relationship between balance abilities and mobility aids in elderly patients at discharge from an acute care setting.

Background and Purpose At the time of discharge from the acute care setting, patients may not be evaluated for a mobility aid and it is possible this may represent an unmet need. The first purpose of this study was to examine the agreement between the Berg Balance Test (BBT) (Newton, 1997) and the Global Balance Rating scale (GBR) (Leahy, 1991) in terms of acute care patients' need for mobility aids. The second was to determine if there was an increase in mobility aid usage at the time of discharge. Method Thirty inpatients (mean age 76.7 years) were assessed by use of the BBT and the GBR. The therapist rating patients with the GBR also determined the type of mobility aid provided at discharge. Results At admission, 23/30 individuals did not use a mobility aid and seven used a cane. At discharge, nine subjects were independent ambulators, 10 needed a cane and 11 needed a walker. There was no significant agreement between the GBR in relation to the BBT to determine the need for a mobility aid. There was a significant increase (p = 0.05) in the number of subjects using a mobility aid at the time of discharge as compared to admission to the acute care setting. Conclusions Therapists should not rely on the GBR as an indicator of balance, hence the need for an assistive device until reliability and validity measures have been conducted. Therapists should use a functional assessment tool, such as the BBT, since it is reliable and a valid measure of balance ability and has been demonstrated to predict cane use. Since patients are relatively inactive in the acute care setting, referral to physical therapy for functional assessment and mobility aid recommendations should be an integral part of discharge planning. Copyright © 1999 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Northeast Pacific Cretaceous Record of Pyropsis (Neogastropoda: Pyropsidae) and Paleobiogeography of the Genus

Abstract The neogastropod genus Pyropsis Conrad, 1860 (family Pyropsidae Stephenson, 1941) is recognized for the first time from Upper Cretaceous shallow-marine siliciclastic rocks in the region extending from Vancouver Island, British Columbia southward to southern California. Four new species were detected: Pyropsis aldersoni (earliest Coniacian, southern California), Pyropsis californica (early Coniacian, northern California), Pyropsis louellae (late Coniacian or early Santonian, northern California), and Pyropsis grahami (late early Campanian, Vancouver Island). A critical review of the global reports of Pyropsis, a genus that has been commonly confused with other genera (especially Tudicla Roding, 1798), establishes that Pyropsis had an amphitropical distribution and lived in warm-temperate waters adjacent to a broad tropical realm. It is rare to uncommon wherever found, and its geologic range is middle Cenomanian to an age near the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary (probably earliest Paleocene). It was ...
Video stabilization using principal component analysis and scale invariant feature transform in particle filter framework

This paper presents a novel approach to digital video stabilization that uses adaptive particle filter for global motion estimation. In this approach, dimensionality of the feature space is first reduced by the principal component analysis (PCA) method using the features obtained from a scale invariant feature transform (SIFT), and hence the resultant features may be termed as the PCA-SIFT features. The trajectory of these features extracted from video frames is used to estimate undesirable motion between frames. A new cost function called SIFT-BMSE (SIFT Block Mean Square Error) is proposed in adaptive particle filter framework to disregard the foreground object pixels and reduce the computational cost. Frame compensation based on these estimates yields stabilized full-frame video sequences. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is both accurate and efficient.
Standards for Standardized Logistic Regression Coefficients

Standardized coefficients in logistic regression analysis have the same utility as standardized coefficients in linear regression analysis. Although there has been no consensus on the best way to construct standardized logistic regression coefficients, there is now sufficient evidence to suggest a single best approach to the construction of a standardized logistic regression coefficient that can be used in the same way across a broad range of problems as the standardized linear regression coefficient and also to suggest the adequacy of other approaches for limited purposes. This article reviews the state of knowledge regarding the use of standardized coefficients in general and standardized logistic regression coefficients in particular, and makes specific recommendations on how to best use (and avoid abusing) standardized logistic regression coefficients.
The differential role of comprehension and production practice

In the last 10 years, the ideas that second language learning requires a certain amount of focus on form, and that form should to some extent be learned explicitly, have been steadily gaining ground (see, e.g., Doughty & Williams, 1998; Norris & Ortega, 2000). What exact instructional activities this implies, however, remains the subject of considerable controversy. In the early 199Os, VanPatten and his collaborators published several studies suggesting that a type of form-focused input activities called processing instruction were all that was necessary, and that form-focused output activities were not useful, given that students who had had either input or output practice performed similarly on subsequent production tasks, whereas students used to input practice performed better on comprehension tasks than the output practice group. In a study published around the same time as the present one, VanPatten and Oikkenon (1996) even argued that not only output practice but even grammar explanation is not necessary provided students receive processing instruction. The vast majority of studies carried out by VanPatten and his collaborators, however, including the (1996) study just mentioned, dealt with the problem of learning the morphology and word order of Spanish clitic pronouns by English speakers. In our (1996) article we argued-and we still do-that the results of studies by VanPatten and collaborators are to some extent due t o this choice of structure and therefore not generalizable. Our results with 82 first-year students of Spanish as a second language indicated that the relative effectiveness of production versus comprehension practice depended on the morphosyntactic complexity of the structure in question as well as on the delay between practice and testing. The findings basically reflected the predictions of skill acquisition theory that input practice is better for comprehension skills, and output practice for production skills, but these patterns were obscured when both testing time and the morphosyntactic nature of the structure in question favored one skill or the other. Not much research has been published since 1996 that addresses these specific issues empirically. Allen (2000), however, in a study on the learning of causative structures in French, reached the same conclusion we had in 1996. In that study, traditional instruction was found as effective as processing instruction in enabling learners to comprehend and more effective than processing instruction in enabling learners to produce the French causative. It appears again, then, that which kind of instructional activity is most effective at bringing about comprehension or production skill depends on the morphosyntactic nature of the structure at issue, and that the advantage of (specific forms of) input practice over output practice for learning Spanish clitic pronouns cannot be generalized to other structures.
Correlates of Community Service Attitudes Among Family Caregivers

This article examines caregiver and care recipient characteristics associated with community service attitudes. Using Community Service Attitude Inventory subscales that were refined for use across populations, the relationship between caregiver gender, age, relationship, type of medical diagnosis, and scores on attitude subscales were investigated in a sample of 562 family caregivers. Attitudes toward services were found to be associated with caregiver gender, age, and diagnosis. Implications for research and practice are presented.
Microstructure‐property relationships in a tissue‐engineering scaffold

Electrospinning can produce tissue-engineering scaffolds possessing appropriate strength, biomimetic structure, economic appeal, and biocompatibility. To investigate how microstructural changes could potentially affect adherent mammalian cells, tensile samples were strained to 10, 40, and 80% extension, and adhered to double-sided carbon tape to maintain specific states of strain. While establishing the stress–strain response, we invoked polymer sintering to help verify that the “point bonding” concept is more significant than previously realized at both the macroscopic and microscopic length scales. Sintering successfully established the effects of deliberate, extensive point bonding/localized “notch” generation on mechanical properties and microstructural response without requiring chemical changes within the structure. We also found that fibers experience significant hysteresis in terms of their orientation following exposure to high values of strain. Aligned fibers provide higher strengths (σave = 2.8 ± 0.3 MPa vs. σave = 1.29 ± 0.04 MPa for unaligned fibers) but considerably lower elongation [eave = (30 ± 2)% vs. eave = (102 ± 6)%]. Conversely, when strain occurs perpendicular to the aligned fiber direction total strain increases [eave = (188 ± 6)%] while strength decreases (σave = 0.38 ± 0.01 MPa). Elastic response to low strains appears to estimate ultimate tensile strength. In many ways, electrospun fibers behave similarly to classic interpretations of polymer chains in that when strained in both cases elements can rearrange and translate to align along the direction of loading. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007
Building high-trust organizations

This article presents a model for trust building in organizations that is both research-based and practice-driven; it is designed to help organizations produce the staying power that only trust can generate. The authors explain the five key drivers of trust: competence, openness and honesty, concern for employees and stakeholders, reliability, and identification.
Sucking behaviors of normal 3-day-old female neonates during a 24-hr period.

Feeding behaviors were measured during six feeding sessions distributed throughout a 24-hr period in 10 normal 3-day-old female infants. Infants were individually videotaped during feeding sessions at 13:00, 17:00, 21:00, 01:00, 05:00, and 09:00 hours. Total mealtime, nutritive sucking time, pause time, number of nutritive sucks, and amounnt of nutrient consumed were measured. None of these feeding variables were affected by the time of day an infant was fed. Maternal interactions with their infants such as auditory stimulation, caretaking touches or tender touches were unaffected by the time of a feed. These maternal behaviors did not correlate with any of the feeding variables. These findings suggest that 3-day-old infants experiencing routine nursery care do not express specific day-night feeding differences and that certain maternal behaviors do not influence the infants' feeding pattern.
Action at an attentional distance: A study of children's reasoning about causes and effects involving spatial and attentional discontinuity

Spatial discontinuity between causes and effects is a feature of many scientific concepts, particularly those in the environmental and ecological sciences. Causes can be spatially separated from their effects by great distances. Action at a distance, the idea that causes and effects can be separated in physical space, is a well-studied concept in developmental psychology. However, the extant literature has focused largely on cases where causes and effects are separated in physical space but are contained within the same attentional space, for instance, how magnets on a table interact or how a lamp projected against an object creates a shadow despite the spatial gap between the lamp, object, and shadow. This paper considers the understanding of causes and effects that are separated both in physical and attentional space—a concept referred to here as “action at an attentional distance.” Findings from an in-depth study of second, fourth and sixth graders' (n = 10) reasoning about action at an attentional distance are presented. Children tended to reason locally, but when they did reason about action at an attentional distance, they relied upon mechanism information and prior knowledge. The implications for causal explanation and instructional design are considered. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 52: 1003–1030, 2015.
Adaptive neural networks and their applications

Fundamental developments in feedforward artificial neural networks from the past 30 years are reviewed. the central theme of this article is a description of the history, origination, operating characteristics, and basic theory of several supervised neural network training algorithms including the Perceptron rule, the LMS algorithm, three Madaline rules, and the backpropagation technique. These methods were developed independently, but with the perspective of history they can all be related to each other. the concept which underlies these algorithms is the “minimal disturbance principle,” which suggests that during training it is advisable to inject new information into a network in a manner which disturbs stored information to the smallest extent possible. In the utilization of present-day rule-based expert systems, decision rules must always be known for the application of interest. Sometimes there are no rules, however. the rules are either not explicit or they simply do not exist. For such applications, trainable expert systems might be usable. Rather than working with decision rules, an adaptive expert system might observe the decisions made by a human expert. Looking over the expert's shoulders, an adaptive system can learn to make similar decisions to those of the human. Trainable expert systems have been used in the laboratory for real-time control of a “broom-balancing system.” © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Lifting physical and institutional barriers to development on a small‐scale irrigation scheme

If it is accepted that both the system and the individual can act as barriers to development at the micro‐level, development policy could be aimed at identifying the major causes and sources of inefficiency and removing the existing barriers to the achievement of efficiency. In this article the major barriers to system efficiency are identified as being physical and institutional, and they include the physical structure of irrigation schemes, the land tenure system and the marketing structure. A theoretical discussion of each of these factors is used to propose more specific strategies for micro‐level rural development.
Similarity measures for image databases

Similarity between images is used for storage and retrieval in image databases. In the literature, several similarity measures have been proposed that may be broadly categorized as: (1) metric based, (2) set-theoretic based, and (3) decision-theoretic based measures. In each category, measures based on crisp logic as well as fuzzy logic are available, In some applications such as image databases, measures based on fuzzy logic would appear to be naturally better suited, although so far no comprehensive experimental study has been undertaken. In this paper, we report results of some of the experiments designed to compare various similarity measures for application to image databases. We are currently working with texture images and intend to work with face images in the near future. As a first step for comparison, the similarity matrices for each of the similarity measure is computed over a set of selected textures and are presented as visual images. Comparative analysis of these images reveals the relative characteristics of each of these measures. Further experiments are needed to study their sensitivity to small changes in images such as illumination, magnification, orientation etc. We describe these experiments (sensitivity analysis, transition analysis etc.) that are currently in progress. >
The application of geodetic radio interferometric surveying to the monitoring of sea-level

Summary. Under project IRIS (International Radio Interferometric Surveying) geodesists are using Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) to monitor polar motion to 1-2 ms of arc and UT1 to 0.05-0.10 ms, and to develop a global geodynamic network to detect and study centimetre level displacements of reference points associated with large-scale phenomena such as tectonic plate motion and glacial rebound. Differential positioning techniques using the signals broadcast by the satellites of the Global Positioning System (GPS) are being used to study finer scale phenomena, such as localized subsidence, and economically to relate these specialized surveys to the geodynamic network. Including tide gauge stations in this system will make it possible to detect motions of specific gauges and correct or delete the measurements from those gauges when computing changes in sea-level. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has selected several tide gauges on the east and west coasts of the United States, and initial epoch GPS surveys to tie the gauges to VLBI observations have already begun. Other countries participating in project IRIS are planning similar activities. In addition to providing a globally based land reference datum for the tide gauge measurements, the IRIS polar motion and UT1 time series may contribute directly to monitoring and interpreting global sea level changes. Changes in the volume and distribution of ice masses result in long-term motions of the axis of rotation, and sea-level changes affect the length of day (lod). The IRIS time series will certainly have the resolution required to detect the expected polar motion and changes in lod, and a properly designed global VLBI/GPS network should allow the ice/sea-level effects to be separated from crustal dynamics effects.
Expression of an anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipopolysaccharide core recombinant antibody in Escherichia coli:

Antibodies against Pseudomonas aeruginosa LPS are generally protective, however, this protection is usually serotype-specific. Thus the generation of antibodies against the more conserved core-lipid A epitopes has a potential for being more broadly cross reactive. Our laboratory has previously produced several monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against the core region and lipid A region of P. aeruginosa LPS. In this study, we cloned the immunoglobulin genes from mAb 7-4, an antibody with specificity for the inner core region of P. aeruginosa LPS. VH and VL genes of 7-4 were cloned into both of the M13-derived phagemid vectors, pComb3 and pComb8. 14 pComb3/VH/VL and 6 pComb8/VH /VL recombinant clones were isolated. The presence of recombinant F(ab) molecules in the periplasmic extracts of Escherichia coli was confirmed by Western immunoblots of these extracts with goat anti-mouse F(ab')2 and goat anti-mouse kappa light chain antibodies under non-reduced conditions. Recombinant 7-4 antibody also interacted with LP...
The Quinlan Case Revisited: A History of the Cultural Politics of Medicine and the Law

This article explores the cultural politics of medicine and the law through a historical examination of the case of Karen Ann Quinlan. In viewing the Quinlan case as, in part, an unanticipated consequence of the 1968 redefinition of death, this article implicates the importance of historical perspective and methodology in examining the nuances of the cultural negotiation of professional power. Using popular, legal, medical, and bioethics sources in historical context, it reveals how the legal process can nurture misconceptions about medical practice and the role of technology. It also sheds light on how the search for legal protection can motivate medical behavior. In so doing, it challenges the view that Quinlan was an important gain for patients' rights. Instead it views Quinlan's chief legacy as its offer to the medical profession of freedom from criminal prosecution when removing life support from patients in a chronically vegetative state.
Maternal autoantibody levels in congenital heart block and potential prophylaxis with antiinflammatory agents

Objective The importance of maternal autoantibody levels in congenital heart block and elucidation of maternal factors that may reduce disease burden require further clarification. Study Design Pregnancies complicated by maternal anti-Ro antibodies from 2007 through 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Results In all, 33 women were followed up throughout pregnancy. Semiquantitative maternal anti-La levels were significantly higher in pregnancies complicated by fetal heart block of any degree (median difference, 227.5; P = .04), but there was no difference in maternal anti-Ro levels. In all, 94% of fetuses maintained normal conduction when the mother was treated with hydroxychloroquine or daily prednisone therapy throughout pregnancy, compared to 59% in the untreated group (odds ratio, 0.1; P = .04). Conclusion Pregnancies complicated by fetal heart block did not have higher levels of maternal anti-Ro antibodies. Maternal anti-La level may be a useful predictor of fetal heart block. Maternal treatment with either hydroxychloroquine or daily low-dose prednisone throughout pregnancy may provide a protective effect.
Authors' commentary: Association of intraoperative vasopressin administration with acute postoperative kidney injury and outcomes after coronary artery bypass surgery

We thank our colleagues for the careful review of our manuscript and expressing their concerns [1]. As mentioned, we defined postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) based on the Acute Kidney Injury Network stage 1 criteria by an absolute serum creatinine increase of greater than or equal to 0.3 mg/dL or 50% of the baseline creatinine in 48 hours. Including fluid balance in the definition and staging of AKI has been proposed for patients with acute lung injuries and critically ill patients [2-4]. However, extension of this idea to cardiac surgery patients is challenging because one cannot assume that, at the start of postoperative period, the patients are in zero fluid balance status. Moore et al [5] have incorporated the fluid balance during 18 hours after cardiac surgery to the classification of AKI; yet, because intraoperative fluid status is on constant changewith hemofiltration and intravenous fluid administration, the 18-hour postoperative period does not take in to the account the important intraoperative phase. Although anemia is not included in themajor risk predictionmodels for cardiac surgery such as the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II [6], Parsonnet score [7], or Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality, it has been shown to independently associate with adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery [8]. However, in our study, preoperative hematocrit was not an independent predictor of postoperative AKI in multivariate analysis. Preoperative hematocrit was 37.8% ± 5.1% in patients who did not receive vasopressin during surgery compared to 37.6% ± 5.3% (P = .664). Severe anemia (hematocrit b30%) was present in 17 (6.1%) of patients who received vasopressin and 10 (4.9%) of patients who did not receive vasopressin intraoperatively (P = .375). Accordingly, groups were comparable regarding the incidence of anemia. We aimed to examine the effects of intraoperative vasopressin on postoperative AKI. The primary outcome variable was the occurrence of AKI, and the study is focused on evaluation of this complication. Although various postoperative complications influence the postoperative mortality, studying themwas beyond the scope of our article.
Traditional Productivity Growth Measurement

The word “productivity” has widely varying connotations because the word is used so extensively and loosely. Although it is generally understood that increased productivity is somehow advantageous, most people would find it difficult to clearly define the notion of productivity growth.
Has GPS Made the Adequate Enforcement of Privacy Laws in the United States a Luxury of the Past

In today’s society, nearly everyone uses a piece of technology that allows them to be tracked by a Global Navigation Satellite System and rarely do we even consider the ramifications of using these devices. When a person uses an iPhone to get directions via Google Maps they may not realize that while they are gaining information from the website, they are also allowing their movements to be tracked. It may seem like only a paranoid person would worry about being tracked when they are going from their house to work, but the fact that there has not been a line drawn between what tracking information the government may or may not use against you creates a serious problem. This paper argues that due to the increasing use and development of the Global Positioning System’s tracking abilities, the government must make it a priority to develop new privacy laws and clarifications. Because most of the privacy laws and amendments were created decades before Global Positioning System technologies existed, there is a clash between tracking and privacy that is difficult for the courts to decide without updated laws.This paper begins with an introduction of Global Navigation Satellite Systems and the Global Positioning System. The historical section of the paper gives an overview of the Soviet Union’s attack on Korean Air 007 and its importance on the future use of GPS by civilians. Next, this paper thoroughly explains the complex technologies involved in GPS tracking. The fourth section summarizes the three main parts of the United States Code that apply to GPS and the U.S. Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Policy. Fifth, the paper discusses where privacy laws conflict with certain uses of GPS tracking, which leads into the in depth review of the leading case in this area, United States v. Jones (2013). Finally, this paper concludes with a summary of current, proposed legislation on this topic and suggestions for future legislation.
Louisiana Entity Conversion Statutes Eliminate Franchise Tax Burden for Louisiana-Based Corporations

The author analyzes a recently enacted Louisiana law authorizing the conversion of a Louisiana business to another type of business entity. Because limited liability companies are not subject to the franchise tax, the ease of conversions may effectively repeal the franchise tax, the author says. She advises the Legislature to eliminate the franchise tax or impose it on all limited liability entities doing business in Louisiana.
Equality, Entitlement, and Efficiency: Dworkin, Nozick, Posner, and Implications for Legal Theory

This Article analyzes the legal theories of Ronald Dworkin, Robert Nozick, and Richard A. Posner. The Article concludes that integrity, equality, libertarianism, and efficiency are all important values that contribute to the formulation of a compelling legal theory. Part I assesses Dworkin’s theories of law as integrity and of equality of resources. With regard to Dworkin’s legal theory, this Article argues that it has difficulties as a prescriptive theory to guide the decision-making processes of judges. The Article reasons, in addition, that the implementation of Dworkin’s political, egalitarian theory could lead to excessive interference in people’s lives. Accordingly, Dworkin’s assumption that his theory of equality of resources can always be assumed to be a morally superior theory to Nozick’s libertarianism is questioned. Part II assesses Nozick’s libertarian theory. This Article argues that Nozick’s theory cannot consistently maintain strong libertarian conclusions given the foundations on which Nozick’s minimal state is built. Nozick has not done enough to counter the potential corrupting effects of flows of money into the legal forum of his minimal state. Part III assesses Posner’s theory of law and economics. The goals of efficiency and wealth maximization within the context of a legal system and society generally are assessed. While efficiency and wealth maximization are questioned as unitary, overriding concepts, this Article accepts that such considerations cannot be ignored by moral, political, or legal theorists. The Article’s conclusion suggests a possible basis for a future theory based on equality that will partially incorporate libertarian and efficiency considerations.
Kelvin–Helmholtz waves in extratropical cyclones passing over mountain ranges

Kelvin–Helmholtz billows with horizontal scales of 3–4 km have been observed in midlatitude cyclones moving over the Italian Alps and the Oregon Cascades when the atmosphere was mostly statically stable with high amounts of shear and Ri < 0.25. In one case, data from a mobile radar located within a windward facing valley documented a layer in which the shear between down-valley flow below 1.2 km and strong upslope cross-barrier flow above was large. Several episodes of Kelvin–Helmholtz waves were observed within the shear layer. The occurrence of the waves appears to be related to the strength of the shear: when the shear attained large values, an episode of billows occurred, followed by a sharp decrease in the shear. The occurrence of large values of shear and Kelvin–Helmholtz billows over two different mountain ranges suggests that they may be important features occurring when extratropical cyclones with statically stable flow pass over mountain ranges.
Dynamic stability of detached solidification

Abstract A dynamic stability analysis model is developed for meniscus-defined crystal growth processes. The Young–Laplace equation is used to analyze the response of a growing crystal to perturbations to its radius and a thermal transport model is used to analyze the effect of perturbations on the evolution of the crystal-melt interface. A linearized differential equation is used to analyze radius perturbations but a linear integro-differential equation is required for the height perturbations. The stability model is applied to detached solidification under zero-gravity and terrestrial conditions. A numerical analysis is supplemented with an approximate analytical analysis, valid in the limit of small Bond numbers. For terrestrial conditions, a singularity is found to exist in the capillary stability coefficients where, at a critical value of the pressure differential across the meniscus, there is a transition from stability to instability. For the zero-gravity condition, exact formulas for the capillary stability coefficients are derived.
Introduction, Establishment, and Dispersal of Exotic Parasites of the Larch Sawfly in Minnesota

Two exotic ichneumon parasites of the larch sawfly, Pristiphora erichsonii (Hartig) (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), Olesicampe benefactor Hinz and the suspect Bavarian strain of Mesoleius tenthredinis Morley (which is not encapsulated by the sawfly) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), were introduced into stands of Minnesota tamarack, Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch. Sawflies were sampled from 1970–74, and O. benefactor was recovered for 5 consecutive years, demonstrating establishment. However, it was also recovered from check plots, demonstrating dispersal into Minnesota from Manitoba releases. Should southerly dispersal continue at 30–50 km/yr, O. benefactor should disperse throughout the central and eastern tamarack range of Minnesota by 1978. The hyperparasite of O. benefactor, Mesochorus dimidiatus Holmgren (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), was found 1–3 yr after the initial release of O. benefactor and first in the more northerly plots and then the more southerly plots, suggesting dispersal into Minnesota from Canada, rather than natural transfer from a native host. Establishment of the Bavarian strain of M. tenthredinis in release plots has not yet been verified.
Predictive variables for the successful treatment of trigeminal neuralgia with gamma knife radiosurgery.

BACKGROUND Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) has been reported to be an effective modality to treat trigeminal neuralgia. OBJECTIVE To determine predictive factors for the successful treatment of trigeminal neuralgia with GKRS. METHODS Between 1999 and 2008, 777 GKRS procedures for patients with trigeminal neuralgia were performed at our institution. Evaluable follow-up data were obtained for 448 patients. Median follow-up time was 20.9 months (range, 3-86 months). The mean maximum prescribed dose was 88 Gy (range, 80-97 Gy). Dosimetric variables recorded included dorsal root entry zone dose, pons maximum dose, dose to the petrous dural ridge, and cisternal nerve length. RESULTS By 3 months after GKRS, 86% of patients achieved Barrow Neurologic Institute I to III pain scores, with 43% of patients achieving a Barrow Neurologic Institute I pain score. Twenty-six percent of patients reported posttreatment facial numbness; 28% of patients reported a post-GKRS procedure for relapsed pain, and median time to next procedure was 4.4 years. Multivariate analysis revealed that the development of postsurgical numbness (odds ratio [OR], 2.76; P = .006) was the dominant factor predictive of efficacy. Longer cisternal nerve length (OR, 0.85; P = .005), prior radiofrequency ablation (OR, 0.35; P = .028), and diabetes mellitus (OR, 0.38; P = .013) predicted decreased efficacy. The mean dose delivered to the dorsal root entry zone dose in patients who developed facial numbness (57.6 Gy) was more than the mean dose (47.3 Gy) given to patients who did not develop numbness (P = .02). CONCLUSION The development of post-GKRS facial numbness is a dominant factor that predicts for efficacy of GKRS. History of diabetes mellitus or previous radiofrequency ablation may portend worsened outcome.
Characterizing contact impedance, signal quality and robustness as a function of the cardinality and arrangement of fingers on dry contact EEG electrodes

Continuous monitoring of patients' electroencephalography (EEG) outside of clinical settings will be valuable for detecting the onset of medical conditions such as epilepsy, as well as for enabling patients with physically disabling conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to communicate using a brain-computer interface (BCI). This requires the development of a wearable dry-contact EEG system that takes into account not only the signal quality but also the robustness of the system for everyday use. To this end, we investigate whether certain designs of dry electrodes lend themselves to better characteristics overall with respect to these factors. Five different metallic finger-based dry electrodes were designed and scalp electrode impedance was used to compare them under varying capping conditions, followed by an evaluation of how well they captured steady state visually evoked potentials (SSVEP). Our findings indicate that configurations with a relatively low density of fingers can more effectively penetrate through hair on the scalp and are more robust to varying conditions. This was confirmed to be a statistically significant observation through a one-sided paired t-test that resulted in a p-value <; 0.004.
Public engagement with scientific evidence in health: A qualitative study among primary-care patients in an urban population

The purpose of this study is to explore the experience and perspective of patients regarding scientific evidence in health and the degree that this information impacts health behavior and medical decision making. A focus group study was conducted. Participants were recruited from an urban primary-care practice. The focus group discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded by two independent investigators. Emergent themes were identified. Participants (n = 30) ranged in age from 30 to 79 years, 60% were female, 77% were black, and 50% had at least some college experience. Three thematic areas informed a wide range in level of interest regarding scientific study design and result information: (1) scientific literacy, (2) medical decision making style, and (3) impact of culture and community on decision making. Our findings indicate that communication strategies that incorporate key elements of scientific study design, methods, and results will most effectively translate findings from comp...
Selfless Ethics: The Equality of Non-Existence

A number of scholars have attempted to situate the Buddha’s teachings within the primary Western ethical theories, namely consequentialism, deontology, and virtue ethics. One challenge that each has confronted is Buddhism’s emphasis on the ultimate non-existence of the self. In his writings, Charles Goodman has put forward an account of ho w the realization of the ultimate non-existence of the self would lead a practitioner to consequentialism. The present comment challenges the account offered b y Goodman, and argues that an ethical-particularist account better squares Buddhist ethics with Buddhist metaphysics. This comment also shows how Goodman’s more recent work, while constituting a significant retreat from his earlier argumentation, still fails to motivate a consequentialist reading of Buddhist ethics.
A review of 25 years of research in bidirectionality in parent–child relationships An examination of methodological approaches

The concept of bidirectionality represents a process of mutual influence between parent and child, whereby each influences the other as well as the dyadic relationship. Despite the widespread accep...
Antiferromagnetism enables electron-phonon coupling in iron-based superconductors

It is shown that a generic form of an antiferromagnetic wave function opens strong electron-phonon coupling channels in the iron-based superconductors. In the nonmagnetic state these channels exist locally on a single iron atom, but are canceled out between the two iron atoms in the primitive unit cell. Our findings are based on symmetry and the presence of an xz/yz Fermi surface near the M point and thus should be relevant for the known iron-based pnictide or chalcogenide superconductors.
Optimization Design of VVT System in a Gasoline Engine

The variable valve timing technology of engine that have history beyond 30 years so for. Because of their advantage what is low fuel consumption and high power than the displacement liter in recent years has been widely used. In this paper the gasoline engine bench test is running, a gasoline engine VVT anomaly is expounded, the fault analysis. The optimal design for the VVT system and related test, so as to effectively solve the problem of.
Optimization of a liquid chromatographic method for determination of oxytetracycline, tetracycline, and chlortetracycline in milk

A liquid chromatographic (LC) method was developed for the simultaneous identification and quantitation of oxytetracycline, tetracycline, and chlortetracycline in milk. Milk samples (5 mL) were deproteinized by adding 1 mL 1N HCl and 24 mL acetonitrile, and filtering. Dichloromethane and hexane were added to 15 mL filtrate to separate the water layer. The organic layer was washed with 1 mL deionized water, and the combined water layers were diluted to 4 mL. Sample aliquots of 1000 microL were then injected directly and analyzed on an LC system. The sensitivity limit of the method is 5 ppb for each antibiotic; no interferences are present at their retention times. Mean recoveries from milk spiked at 0.01-1 ppm ranged from 87 to 99%, and precision was good.