cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Do Patient Preferences Contribute to Racial Differences in Cardiovascular Procedure Use

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether patient preferences for the use of coronary revascularization procedures differ between white and black Americans. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Tertiary care Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. PATIENTS: Outpatients with and without known coronary artery disease were interviewed while awaiting appointments (n = 272). Inpatients awaiting catheterization were approached the day before the scheduled procedure (n = 80). Overall, 118 blacks and 234 whites were included in the study. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patient responses to questions regarding (1) willingness to undergo angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery if recommended by their physician and (2) whether they would elect bypass surgery if they were in either of two hypothetical scenarios, one in which bypass surgery would improve symptoms but not survival and one in which it would improve both symptoms and survival. Blacks were less likely to say they would undergo revascularization procedures than whites. However, questions dealing with familiarity with the procedure were much stronger predictors of a positive attitude toward procedure use. Patients who were not working or over 65 years of age were also less interested in procedure use. In multivariable analysis race was not a significant predictor of attitudes toward revascularization except for angioplasty recommended by their physician. CONCLUSIONS: Racial differences in revascularization rates may be due in part to differences in patient preferences. However, preferences were more closely related to questions assessing various aspects of familiarity with the procedure. Patients of all races may benefit from improved communication regarding proposed revascularization. Further research should address this issue in patients contemplating actual revascularization.
The effects of gamma irradiation on the growth and cytology of carrot (Daucus carota L.) tissue culture

Abstract Carrot ( Daucus carota L.) tissue suspension cultures were subjected to 0.5–40 krad of gamma irradiation. Callus fresh weight was significantly increased and dry weight slightly increased by low doses (0.5 and 1 krad). Cell size increased at all doses. Cell number and colony-forming ability decreased. There was a negative correlation between radiation dose and mitotic index, and a positive correlation between dose and mitotic abnormalities (multipolar separations, lagging chromosomes, and bridges). Frequency of prophase was increased, and anaphase and telophase were reduced. Tissue culture conditions increased the incidence of aneuploidy and polyploidy in comparison to carrot root tips. Aneuploidy in tissue cultures was decreased and polyploidy was increased by gamma irradiation. Gamma irradiation stimulated shoot formation a 1 krad, and inhibited shoot formation at high doses (20–40 krads). The frequency of abnormal plants (albinos, and plants with no roots or deformation of leaves) regenerated from carrot cell cultures was increased by gamma irradiation.
A Uniqueness Theorem of Fourier Jacobi Models for Representations of Sp(4)

It is shown that every irreducible admissible representation of Sp 4 ( F ), where F is a p -adic field, has at most one Fourier Jacobi model for given Fourier Jacobi data.
The effect of x-rays on experimentally produced acute contact dermatitis.

The aim of this study was to determine whether conventional superficial x-rays are therapeutically effective in contact dermatitis of the allergic type. Except for some limited observations by Crissey and Shelley on the failure of x-rays to alter the course of contact dermatitis materially, the true value of roentgen therapy in this condition has not been established decisively by critical methods of testing (1).
A 113-dB DSD audio ADC using a density-modulated dithering scheme

A stereo audio delta-sigma A/D converter is implemented to support both the standard pulse-code modulation audio and the direct stream digital (DSD) output format. It provides all the standard audio rates up to 192 kHz. A sixth-order, single-bit modulator is employed to achieve the noise performance as well as the bitstream output required by the DSD format. A novel density-modulated dithering scheme is utilized to dramatically reduce the tone level in the signal band without compromising the stability of the high-order modulator. This analog-to-digital converter achieves a dynamic range of 113 dB and a total harmonic distortion +N of 105 dB. It is fabricated in a 0.35-/spl mu/m CMOS process with a die size of 10.5 mm/sup 2/.
Echocardiographic Manifestations of Single Ventricle

Eight patients with single ventricle were studied echocardiographically. In six, the ventricular septum was not detectable; in two, a septal-like bulboventricular ridge was identified. Two atrioventricular (A-V) valves were found in all patients; in six, both valves were identified simultaneously with the transducer held stationary along the left sternal edge. Dextro-transposition of the great arteries was noted in three patients. The echocardiogram of one of four patients with levotransposition of the great arteries was consistent with later proved left A-V valve stenosis associated with Ebstein's malformation. Mitral-semilunar valve continuity was presented in five cases. Echocardiographically, the absence of the ventricular septum in a patient with two A-V valves make a diagnosis of single ventricle likely. The presence of ventricular septal-like echoes does not exclude the diagnosis of single ventricle since the right ventricular infundibulum may remain as a small outlet chamber separated from the left ventricle by an eccentric bulboventricular ridge.
Modeling the eradication of invasive mammals using the sterile male technique

Large vertebrates, like the domestic goat (Capra hircus), have been transported all over the world and are an ecological disaster to numerous island and mainland ecosystems. Eradication measures for such species are generally centered on lethal methods of removing individuals, an increasingly difficult process as populations become smaller and individual animals become much more difficult to detect. In addition, methods of lethal removal are becoming less desirable in the public eye, prompting the necessity to explore alternatives. Here we investigate the use of the sterile males technique as an effective strategy in the eradication of large mammals. The results of our simulations suggest that the use of sterile males as a single strategy would only be an effective measure to eradicate relatively small (no more than 100 individuals) isolated feral vertebrate populations. However, our results indicate that the technique could be employed as a successful and potentially cost-effective end-point complement to lethal control and/or as a preventative measure against re-invasion.
Phase-shifting human circadian rhythms: influence of sleep timing, social contact and light exposure

1. Both the timing of behavioural events (activity, sleep and social interactions) and the environmental light-dark cycle have been reported to contribute to entrainment of human circadian rhythms to the 24 h day. Yet, the relative contribution of those putative behavioural synchronizers to that of light exposure remains unclear. 2. To investigate this, we inverted the schedule of rest, sedentary activity and social contact of thirty-two young men either with or without exposure to bright light. 3. On this inverted schedule, the endogenous component of the core temperature rhythm of subjects who were exposed to bright light showed a significant phase shift, demonstrating that they were adapting to the new schedule. In contrast, the core temperature rhythm of subjects who were not exposed to bright light moved on average 0.2 h later per day and after 10 days had not significantly adapted to the new schedule. 4. The direction of phase shift in the groups exposed to bright light was dependent on the time of bright light exposure, while control subjects drifted to a later hour regardless of the timing of their schedule of sleep timing, social contact and meals. 5. These results support the concept that the light-dark cycle is the most important synchronizer of the human circadian system. They suggest that inversion of the sleep-wake, rest-activity and social contact cycles provides relatively minimal drive for resetting the human circadian pacemaker. 6. These data indicate that interventions designed to phase shift human circadian rhythms for adjustment to time zone changes or altered work schedules should focus on properly timed light exposure.
Laboratory diagnosis of lupus anticoagulants.

Laboratories are now receiving requests to evaluate patients for the presence of LA. This review will focus on the characterization, clinical associations, and laboratory diagnosis of LA
Outcomes after microvascular decompression for patients with trigeminal neuralgia and suspected multiple sclerosis.

Background Microvascular decompression (MVD) is an established surgical therapy for patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (TN). The role of MVD in patients with definite or suspected multiple sclerosis (MS) remains controversial. Methods During the period 2000–2012, 10 patients with medically refractory TN and ipsilateral brainstem T2 hyperintensity underwent MVD. In 5 patients, additional clinical features suspicious for MS were present, including prior optic neuritis ( n = 2), multiple disseminated lesions ( n = 3), and elevated immunoglobulin G index ( n = 2). One patient had failed prior percutaneous surgery; 1 patient had Burchiel type 2 TN. Follow-up (median, 14 months) was censored at the time of additional surgery ( n = 6) or last clinic visit ( n = 4). Results Neurovascular compression was confirmed at surgery from the superior cerebellar artery (SCA) plus adjacent vein ( n = 4), vein alone ( n = 3), SCA alone ( n = 2), and SCA plus anterior inferior cerebellar artery ( n = 1). Initially after MVD, 8 patients (80%) were pain-free and subsequently tapered off medications for their facial pain. Pain recurred in 6 patients at a median of 4 months (range, 1–23 months). Actuarial rates of being pain-free off medications were 50% at 3 months and 15% at 2 years. In 6 patients, additional treatments were performed, including glycerol rhizotomy ( n = 4), radiosurgery ( n = 2), balloon compression ( n = 2), and repeat MVD ( n = 1). At last contact, 5 of the 6 patients who were retreated were pain-free. Conclusions Facial pain outcomes after MVD in patients with suspected MS-related TN are poor compared with outcomes for patients with idiopathic TN. This study provides further support that many patients with MS-related TN have pain that is centrally mediated, reducing the effectiveness of procedures performed on the trigeminal root, ganglion, or divisions.
Discursive Identity Formation of Suffrage Women: Reframing the “Cult of True Womanhood” Through Song

Advocates for woman's suffrage faced significant rhetorical challenges due to gender norms of the “Cult of True Womanhood” (Welter, 1966). This study examines the portrayals of womanhood in thirty-one suffrage songs to understand how the music functioned as a rhetorical device to shape the meaning of member's “womanhood” in relation to the Cult. This analysis identifies three discursive representations of “womanhood” in suffrage music and concludes that suffrage songs generally reified the tenets of the Cult. Finally, this study suggests that maintaining musically relevant styles in protest songs may benefit social movements as a “buffer” to unify, legitimize and energize advocates and create interest among opposition. However, musical styles may also inhibit social movements from conveying complex ideologies or forming the desired collective identity for advocates of social change.
Computation with quantum systems

In 1994, Peter Shor showed that a computer based on the rules that govern quantum systems could efficiently factorize large numbers. Because of the implications of this idea on the security of data encryption, funding for the development of such a device increased significantly and sparked research for other applications of quantum information processing (QIP). Since then, the elementary logic operations and simple algorithms for such a device have been demonstrated, but building a useful quantum computer is an extremely daunting task due to the necessity of overcoming decoherence of the inherent large entangled quantum superposition states. Nevertheless, in the near term, the principles of QIP are finding applications in metrology (such as for atomic clocks) and may also provide a way to efficiently simulate other quantum systems of interest, a motivation that intrigued Richard Feynman in the early 1980's. A number of physical systems are currently considered for building a quantum computer; this talk will focus on the use of registers of atomic ions, but connections to other possible physical implementations are rather direct.
Delta improvement study - Hydrogen upper stage

Introduction T HE Delta commercial launch vehicle has had a long and successful life. It was first launched May 13, 1960 and the mission was unsuccessful. The Echo 1A satellite was carried into orbit on the second Delta mission. Between May 1960 and November 1990, the Delta completed 189 of 201 missions successfully, giving it 94% reliability. The version of the rocket that was considered for upgrade in this study was the Delta II 7925. It first flew on Nov. 26, 1990. The Delta II 7925 consists of three stages and uses nine external solid rocket motors. Propulsion for stage 1 is provided by a liquid core engine burning RP-1 fuel and oxygen. Core stage 2 is a storable liquid core and uses nitrogen tetroxide and A-50 propellants. Stage 3 consists of a solid rocket motor used to insert the payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). A payload of 4010 Ib can be placed into GTO using the Delta II 7925 with a 9.5-ft payload fairing. The study reported here is aimed at helping to reduce the use of toxic storable propellants. Special safety steps needed for these chemicals would be eliminated and operations costs would fall as a result. By using a hydrogen and oxygen upper stage, stages 2 and 3 could be eliminated from the Delta II. Figure 1 illustrates this modification. Five engines were examined in the course of this research for use in the hydrogen replacement stage. Included in the research were the following engines: an RL10C, an RL10A-4, an advanced technology low cost (ATLC) engine, an advanced expander cycle engine, and an engine with a simplified injector.
Ultradian rhythms and temporal coherence in sleep EEG in depressed children and adolescents.

Abstract Background: It has been suggested that a primary ultradian (80–120 minute) rhythm disturbance in EEG underlies sleep abnormalities in adults with depression. The present study evaluated ultradian rhythm disturbances in childhood and adolescent depression. Methods: Sleep macroarchitecture and temporal coherence in quantitative EEG rhythms were investigated in 50 medication-free outpatients with major depression (25 children and 25 adolescents) and 15 healthy normal controls (5 children and 10 adolescents). Results: Few of the macroarchitectural measures showed significant group effects. In fact, age and sex effects were stronger than disease-dependent components. Temporal coherence of EEG rhythms during sleep did differentiate those with MDD from controls. Both depressed children and adolescents had lower intrahemispheric coherence, whereas interhemispheric was only lower in depressed adolescents in comparison with controls. Gender differences were evident in adolescents, but not children, with MDD with lowest interhemispheric coherence in adolescent girls. Conclusions: These findings are in keeping with increased risk for depression in females beginning at adolescence and extending throughout adulthood. It was suggested that low temporal coherence in depression reflects a disruption in the fundamental basic rest-activity cycle of arousal and organization in the brain that is strongly influenced by gender.
Bandwidth of the complete k -ary tree

Abstract We determine, constructively, the bandwidth of the complete k -ary tree on d levels. By rectifying an algorithm of Chung (1988), we establish B ( T k , d ) = [ k ( k d - 1)/(2 d ( k - 1)).
Perinatal stress and increased fluctuating asymmetry of dental calcium in the laboratory rat.

Recent studies have consistently reported an increased magnitude of fluctuating dental, long bone, and membranous bone asymmetry as a function of perinatal stress. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that increases in the fluctuating asymmetry of calcium may be related to the metric changes in these calcium-dependent systems. Pregnant rats were exposed to noise stress from conception through weaning. Bilateral lower first molars were extracted from the neonates, and calcium levels were determined using a standard atomic absorption technique. Levels of fluctuating asymmetry of calcium were found to be significantly increased (p less than .01) in the audiogenic noise-stressed group compared to unstressed, normal controls. These results follow the pattern reported earlier for metric analysis of the dentition and support a stress-induced calcium-transport-disruption hypothesis.
Don't go there

Response inhibition, or impulse control, is critical for normal cognitive function. In this issue of Neuron, Hasegawa and colleagues use a spatial nonmatch-to-sample task to reveal neurons in and around the frontal eye fields that encode where an animal should not look.
Autoignition in methanehydrogen mixtures

Abstract Induction time and strong ignition limit associated with autoignition are determined experimentally for 11 mixtures of methanehydrogenoxygen using the reflected shock technique. The experimental conditions cover temperatures from 800 to 2400K and pressures from 1 to 3 atm. The induction time data, τ, obtained for the methaneoxygen and the hydrogenoxygen mixtures are correlated with conventional Arrhenius-type correlation formulas. The results compare well with those reported in the literature. For the methanehydrogenoxygen mixtures, a heuristic formula based on the correlations for methaneoxygen and hydrogenoxygen is proposed. This formula incorporates a parameter expressing the ratio of methanehydrogen concentrations and is found to be quite satisfactory. The strong ignition limits for the 11 mixtures are expressed by a specific value of κ = ( δτ δT ) P , which is deduced for each mixture from the induction time correlation. The results show that κ is not highly sensitive to mixture compositions. This leads to the conclusion that the dominating factor in establishing strong ignition is the sensitivity of the induction time to the rate of change in temperature.
Selective Coupling of β2-Adrenergic Receptor to Hematopoietic-specific G Proteins

The coupling of the β2-adrenergic receptor (AR) to the α subunits of the Gq class of G proteins was investigated in a cotransfection system. COS-7 cells cotransfected with the β2-AR cDNA and the Gα15 or Gα16 cDNA showed marked norepinephrine-induced increases in accumulation of inositol phosphates in a concentration-dependent manner. However, cells cotransfected with the cDNA encoding Gαq, Gα11, or Gα14 instead of Gα16 gave no ligand-dependent activation of phospholipase C (PLC). The facts that the β-AR agonist isoprenaline can also induce activation of PLC in cells coexpressing β2-AR and Gα16 and that the β2-AR-specific antagonist propranolol can block norepinephrine-induced activation of PLC in these cotransfected cells further indicate that it is the β2-AR that mediates the activation of phospholipase C in these cotransfected cells. To test the possibility of involvement of Gβγ, a Gβγ antagonist, Gγ3 mutant with substitution of a Ser residue for the C-terminal Cys residue, was used because this protein, when expressed in COS-7 cells, can inhibit only Gβγ-mediated but not Gα-mediated activation of PLC. The result that the Gγ3 mutant could not inhibit β2-adrenergic receptor-mediated activation of PLC in cells cotransfected with the Gα16 cDNA suggests that Gβγ is unlikely to be a major mediator of β2-adrenergic receptor-induced activation of PLC. Thus, we conclude that the β2-adrenergic receptor can specifically couple to Gα15 and Gα16, but not to Gαq, Gα11, or Gα14 to activate PLC.
The successor representation and temporal context

The successor representation was introduced into reinforcement learning by Dayan (1993) as a means of facilitating generalization between states with similar successors. Although reinforcement learning in general has been used extensively as a model of psychological and neural processes, the psychological validity of the successor representation has yet to be explored. An interesting possibility is that the successor representation can be used not only for reinforcement learning but for episodic learning as well. Our main contribution is to show that a variant of the temporal context model (TCM; Howard & Kahana, 2002), an influential model of episodic memory, can be understood as directly estimating the successor representation using the temporal difference learning algorithm (Sutton & Barto, 1998). This insight leads to a generalization of TCM and new experimental predictions. In addition to casting a new normative light on TCM, this equivalence suggests a previously unexplored point of contact between different learning systems.
Model for the accumulation of strontium and calcium by recently molted crayfish (Cambarus longulus longerostris Ort.)

After molting, crayfish absorbed Sr85 rapidly; rates of uptake decreased exponentially as an upper limit was approached (T 1/2 = 1 to 2 days). A simple mathematical model attributes this limit to the number of sites available for deposition in the exoskeleton. Deposited ions are relatively immobile until 2 to 4 days prior to the next molt, when some are redistributed to the calcareous gastroliths prior to reuse.
First principle calculation of stability and effects of doping on sulfur-doped TiO 2

In this paper, we present the band gap reduction effect of sulfur doping on TiO 2 in anatase phase. This study is based on Density Functional Theory (DFT). For these calculations, several types of supercells consisting of 48 atoms in anatase phase are used to study the optoelectronic properties and band gap energy of sulfur-doped TiO 2 . The band gap reduction effect of sulfur doping as a function of concentration is also studied here. The most stable substitution site for sulfur is predicted based on theoretical calculations. Based on the previous experimental results and the recent theoretical calculations in this paper, it is proven that sulfur doping is a promising approach for band gap reduction of TiO 2 for a wide variety of energy-based applications.
Reexamination of sectional aerodynamic force functions for bridges

Abstract The paper demonstrates links between the conventional aeroelastic and the buffeting force functions of a section of a long-span bridge deck. These links relate the flutter derivatives to the aerodynamic admittances and the latter to the associated indicial response functions. The effects of wind-gust coherence are included to yield net definitions of the six associated aerodynamic admittances. Some practical instances are cited. It is worthwhile emphasizing for the reader that the focus of this particular paper is uniquely on analytical models for the along-wind sectional aspects of the overall problem of bridge response to wind. Spanwise effects are mentioned at one point only.
Direct electrochemical measurements inside a 2000 angstrom thick polymer film by scanning electrochemical microscopy.

An extremely small, conically shaped Pt microelectrode tip (with a radius of 30 nanometers) and the precise positioning capabilities of the scanning electrochemical microscope were used to penetrate a thin (200 nanometers) polymer film and obtain directly the standard potential and kinetic parameters of an electrode reaction within the film. The thickness of the film was determined while it was immersed in and swollen by an electrolyte solution. The film studied was the perfluorosulfonate Nafion containing Os(bpy)32+ (bpy, 2,29-bipyridine) cast on an indium tin oxide surface. The steady-state response at the ultramicroelectrode allowed direct determination of the rate constant for heterogeneous electron transfer Ko and the diffusion coefficient D without complications caused by transport in the liquid phase, charge exchange at the liquid-polymer interface, and resistive drop.
Dynamic Energy-Window Data Collection for Positron Emmission Tomography Camera

Recent efforts in improving the image of the PET camera are focusing at improving the `intrinsic' detection resolution of the camera by using small detectors. However, such improvements have not been accompanied by the necessary corresponding improvement in counting statistics. As a result the high resolution image is noisy and the clinically `usable' resolution is much worse than the `specification' resolution measured with millions of counts collected on a point source. A new dynamic energy-window data collection method proposed by W. H. Wong has the potential to increase the true counts collected by multiple times to lower the image noise associated with high resolution images so that a better `usable' resolution can be achieved in high resolution cameras. In addition, this method suppresses the overwhelming accidental coincidence noise at very high radioactivity so that the dynamic operating range of the camera can be expanded by several times to accommodate the required large injectior bolus for dynamic imaging. This paper presents the theoretical model calculations on this method. The calculations show that multiple times of increase in the collected counts is theoretically possible for any imaging procedures in whicih there is variation in radiation level during the data collection period.
Evaluation of the Role of SNCA Variants in Survival without Neurological Disease

Background A variety of definitions of successful aging have been proposed, many of which relate to longevity, freedom from disease and disability, or preservation of high physical and cognitive function. Many behavioral, biomedical, and psychological factors have been linked with these various measures of successful aging, however genetic predictors are less understood. Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder, and variants in the α-synuclein gene (SNCA) affect susceptibility to PD. This exploratory study examined whether SNCA variants may also promote successful aging as defined by survival without neurological disease. Methods We utilized 769 controls without neurological disease (Mean age: 79 years, Range: 33–99 years) and examined the frequency of 20 different SNCA variants across age groups using logistic regression models. We also included 426 PD cases to assess the effect of these variants on PD risk. Results There was a significant decline in the proportion of carriers of the minor allele of rs10014396 as age increased (P = 0.021), from 30% in controls younger than 60 to 14% in controls 90 years of age or older. Findings were similar for rs3775439, where the proportion of carriers of the minor allele declined from 32% in controls less than 60 years old to 19% in those 90 or older (P = 0.025). A number of SNCA variants, not including rs10014396 or rs3775439, were significantly associated with susceptibility to PD. Conclusions In addition to its documented roles in PD and α-synucleinopathies, our results suggest that SNCA has a role in survival free of neurological disease. Acknowledging that our findings would not have withstood correction for multiple testing, validation in an independent series of aged neurologically normal controls is needed.
Organelle Membrane Fusion: A Novel Function for the Syntaxin Homolog Ufe1p in ER Membrane Fusion

Abstract The fusion of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes in yeast does not require Sec18p/NSF and Sec17p, two proteins needed for docking of vesicles with their target membrane. Instead, ER membranes require a NSF-related ATPase, Cdc48p. Since both vesicular and organelle fusion events use related ATPases, we investigated whether both fusion events are also SNARE mediated. We present evidence that the fusion of ER membranes requires Ufe1p, a t-SNARE that localizes to the ER, but no known v-SNAREs. We propose that the Ufe1 protein acts in the dual capacity of an organelle membrane fusion–associated SNARE by undergoing direct t-t-SNARE and Cdc48p interactions during organelle membrane fusion as well as a t-SNARE for vesicular traffic.
An Insider’s Perspective on Entrepreneurial Program Development at a Small and a Large Institution

Entrepreneurship educators have an opportunity to learn from the entrepreneurship programs at both small colleges and large universities that have already sprouted up and experienced growth, challenges, failures, and ultimate successes. Programs that have contributed to the current entrepreneurship milieu can help leaders who are launching new programs or retooling existing ones, providing information to assist in defining their outcome objectives and refining their offerings. The development of new entrepreneurship programs, one at a private liberal arts institution and one at a large state-related research university, is evaluated. The common threads of “what worked” are identified, highlighting themes that other institutions of any size undertaking new initiatives can leverage. Themes discussed include the identification of institutional champions, communication with members of the “student supply chain,” and offering both non-credit, experience-based opportunities and dynamic for-credit courses. In addition, implementing a strategy that includes faculty partnerships, designated advisory boards, and refined bootstrapping skills helps to ensure that robust human and capital resources are available for program delivery, growth, and sustainability.
Operating system support for adaptive distributed real-time systems in DRAGON SLAYER

We analyze current and future needs in building adaptive real-time systems, and then formulate a series of design requirements for their hardware/interconnection, operating system, and application levels from which we derive a plea for a layered and integrated system design. We report on the novel distributed operating system DRAGON SLAYER which provides highly reliable and adaptive kernel services for real-time applications. It supports the novel file system MELODY which, in order to both meet real-time constraints and provide for high availability in a hazardous environment, allows for replicating, relocating, or deleting of file copies. Such copies may also assume a different status regarding the recency, reliability, and consistency of their information: They may be public or private. Status changes as well as file replication, deletion, or relocation are analyzed and managed by local file assigners, based on cost and time delay criteria and - for public copies - on cooperation with all file assigners responsible for the other public copies of a given file. A distributed implementation of our integrated system design model is currently being completed in our labs in order to serve as a distributed real-time testbed. For systems modeled according to our design requirements all relevant parameters could be checked and fine-tuned according to the environmental situation for the tested system.- We also report on a sensitivity study that shows how promptly the MELODY file system reacts to changing environmental situations (changing request patterns). Our findings are discussed, future work is outlined.
Physical properties of tallow ester and diesel fuel blends

Abstract Physical properties of neat tallow methyl ester and ethanol blends were determined to find the ester/ethanol blend which had the same viscosity as that of number 2 diesel fuel. Tallow ester and ethanol in a 65:35 (v/v) ratio gave the same viscosity as that of diesel fuel. This blend was mixed with number 2 diesel fuel in ratios varying from 0 to 100%, and viscosities, densities and cetane indexes of the blends were determined. Mixture viscosity was not affected by ester content. Viscosity of the mixture decreased as temperature increased. The cetane number of the tallow ester/ethanol/diesel blend was greater than that of pure number 2 diesel fuel. The cetane number of 56 for the tallow ester/ethanol blend was reduced to 46 for a blend of 25% tallow ester/ethanol and 75% diesel fuel. It was concluded that tallow ester had potential as a diesel fuel substitute.
Multiunit activity patterns in the brachial spinal cord of dystrophic chick embryos.

Abstract The frequency of polyneuronal burst discharges was examined in different regions of the cervical spinal cord (segments 14 and 15) of normal and dystrophic chick embryos from days 18 to 20 of incubation. On the dorsoventral axis in a midlateral position, the pattern of change in burst frequency was quite different in normal and dystrophic embryos. Although bursts were encountered in each, in approximately the same region and at about the same frequency, significant declines in frequency were encountered only in deeper regions of the spinal cord of dystrophic embryos. In normal embryos, bursts maintained their frequency independently of the position of the sampling electrode. If these frequency declines in dystrophic cord are associated with changes in the pattern of motor outflow from this region, they may have consequences in subsequent muscle differentiation.
The Value of Gifts to College Students The Impact of Relationship Distance, Gift Occasion, and Gift Type

The purpose of this study was to examine inefficiency in gift giving, and in particular, the "deadweight loss" that results from giving apparel gifts to college students. Deadweight losses from gift giving were calculated using gift recipients' estimates of gift cost and gift valuations, for both December holiday and Valentine's Day gifts. Probit models were used to estimate the likelihood of receiving apparel gifts and the likelihood of receiving cash gifts. OLS regression was used to investigate the impact of gift cost, gift type, gift occasion and giver's relationship to recipient on gift value. Findings suggest that deadweight loss is a function of giver's relationship to recipient and gift type. Gifts received from parents, siblings, significant others and friends were shown to be more efficient than gifts received from aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. The deadweight loss resulting from apparel gifts was shown to be significantly greater than the deadweight loss resulting from cash gifts and ...
Quality control material for the detection of somatic mutations in fixed clinical specimens by next-generation sequencing

Targeted next generation sequencing (NGS) technology to assess the mutational status of multiple genes on formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) tumors is rapidly being adopted in clinical settings, where quality control (QC) practices are required. Establishing reliable FFPE QC materials for NGS can be challenging and/or expensive. Here, we established a reliable and cost-effective FFPE QC material for routine utilization in the Ion AmpliSeq™ Cancer Hotspot Panel v2 (CHP2) assay. The performance characteristics of the CHP2 assay were determined by sequencing various cell line mixtures and 55 different FFPE tumors on the Ion Torrent PGM platform. A FFPE QC material was prepared from a mixture of cell lines derived from different cancers, comprising single nucleotide variants and small deletions on actionable genes at different allelic frequencies. The CHP2 assay performed with high precision and sensitivity when custom variant calling pipeline parameters where established. In addition, all expected somatic variants in the QC material were consistently called at variant frequencies ranging from 9.1 % (CV = 11.1 %) to 37.9 % (CV = 2.8 %). The availability of a reliable and cost-effective QC material is instrumental in assessing the performance of this or any targeted NGS assay that detects somatic variants in fixed solid tumor specimens.
A linear-time Steiner tree routing algorithm for terminals on the boundary of a rectangle

The problem of finding the minimum-length rectilinear Steiner tree that connects a set of points on the boundary of a rectangle is considered. A linear time algorithm for this problem is presented. The algorithm was implemented in C and executed on a Sun3 workstation. Many examples were solved in a fraction of a second. An example with over 250 terminals took 6.5 s. >
Amniotic membrane sweeping

Amniotic membrane sweeping or stripping is a safe and effective method of labor induction supported by national obstetrical organizations. While its use dates back to antiquity by both midwives and physicians there are still areas that need further research to define its role in induction of labor. A review of the literature reveals that amniotic membrane sweeping is a safe, effective, and inexpensive method of labor induction. It can be done in the outpatient setting with minimal risks so long as it is avoided in patients with contraindications. Amniotic membrane sweeping can be performed in Group B Streptococcus-positive women with studies showing no increase in untoward outcomes. However, there is no data in women infected with HIV or hepatitis.
The effect of a garlic preparation on plasma lipid levels in moderately hypercholesterolemic adults

Lipid management is well established as an effective preventive and management tool for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Health claims regarding the cholesterol lowering benefits of garlic are widespread. However, the clinical trial data are inconsistent. The effect of two doses of a commercial garlic preparation on plasma lipids were evaluated, compared to a placebo, in moderately hypercholesterolemic adults (baseline low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)=157. 4+/-18.7, mean+/-S.D.). Fifty-one adults, aged 51.8+/-8.3 years participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel treatment trial conducted in an outpatient research clinic. They were randomized to a placebo or a garlic botanical blend providing 500 or 1000 mg dehydrated garlic powder/day (three groups, 16-18 subjects per group). Plasma lipids were assessed every 2 weeks for 12 weeks. The study was designed with sufficient power to detect a 10% relative decline in LDL-C. The absolute mean changes in LDL-C over 12 weeks were 0.0+/-4.3, +1.4+/-4.8, and -10.1+/-6.8 mg/dl for the placebo, half-dose and full-dose, respectively. In the full-dose group, the LDL-C decrease of 6.1% was not significantly different from the other groups (P=0.5). No significant differences were observed for total- or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), or triacylglycerol levels. In conclusion, the garlic powder preparation used in this study among moderately hypercholesterolemic adults did not significantly effect plasma lipids levels. There was no indication of a graded affect by garlic dose over the range of 0, 500 and 1000 mg/day. A small (<10%) effect on LDL-C levels or a threshold effect requiring larger doses are not eliminated by this study.
Circulatory Responses to Electrical and Reflex Activation of the Nervous System after Cardiac Denervation

Rigorous testing procedures assessed the extent of extrinsic cardiac denervation in three groups of animals subjected to cardiac extirpation and reimplantation (ER in all eight, moderate to large cardio-accelerator responses were elicited from the distal vagosympathetic trunk after atropinization. There is little correlation between the over-all cardiac responses persisting in all operated animals and total cardiac catecholamine content, or between cardio-accelerator responses and right atrial catecholamine content.
The use of an ultrasonic bath to disrupt cells suspended in volumes of less than 100 μliters

Abstract A procedure is described for the efficient disruption of small (10–100 μl) volumes of algal and bacterial cell suspensions.
Applications of syndromic surveillance in resource poor settings

Purpose: The aim of this study is to demonstrate how syndromic surveillance systems are being used in low-resource settings, to identify key best practices and considerations, and to describe the use of syndromic surveillance as a feasible solution to meeting the disease surveillance requirements in the World Health Organization's International Health Regulations (2005). Methods: Information on established syndromic surveillance systems was collected from peer-reviewed articles, conference proceedings and searches through reference lists of papers, from the years 1998-2010. In addition, web pages of international health organizations, surveillance networks, and Ministries of Health were explored. After reviewing identified systems, eight were selected and examined in detail to extract transferable information. Results: The literature demonstrates the many successful syndromic surveillance efforts being implemented, and the variety of data sources, data transmission techniques, and analysis methodologies being instituted. Frequently, syndromic surveillance systems are a coordinated effort among several partners, supplement existing systems, incorporate both specific and non-specific disease detection, and are used in conjunction with laboratory-based surveillance. Conclusions: Though not without challenges, syndromic surveillance has the potential to serve as a valuable disease detection tool in resource-limited settings. Further examination and evaluation of these systems will benefit global disease surveillance capacity.
Design and control of miniature climbing robots with nonholonomic constraints

Presents a model of nonholonomic motion planning for mobile robots. In particular, we describe the problem of motion planning for biped miniature climbing robots. The main distinct characteristics of our model, compared to other existing models, are the existence of a non-singleton set of equations and its piecewise continuity. The biped structure used in our robot entails modeling the motion with a dual set of kinematic equations and non-holonomic constraints. The non-holonomy characterization of the constraints is also proved using one of corollaries of the Frobenius theorem and the controllability of our biped robots under these non-holonomic constraints is also verified using the control Lie algebra. The under-actuated design chosen for this robot also contributes to the non-holonomic nature of the mechanical structure. This design has proved to be effective in keeping the robot light-weight without sacrificing its maneuvering capability. However, motion planning for these robots is more difficult than that of fully-actuated robots.
Iterative gridding for automated microarray image analysis

High-throughput environments for DNA microarray analysis require automation in all aspects. While feature extraction from microarray images may utilize the knowledge of a pre-defined gene spot geometry of an array, automated grid generation presents a challenging task due to practical inaccuracies. Grid and meta grid parameters must be adjusted by correctly aligning superimposed grid templates to the corresponding gene spots. We introduce algorithmic methods to determine true gene spots, exclude artifacts and estimate optimal parameters for grid spacing and positioning. We propose iterative refinement of the results to allow for an accurate quantification in the subsequent analysis of DNA signals.
Structural Dynamics of the Human MRP1 Drug Transporter Revealed by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer

Multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1/ABCC1) effluxes a wide variety of drugs as well as conjugated and unconjugated organic anions across the plasma membrane. MRP1 has two nucleotide binding domains (NBDs) and three membrane spanning domains (MSDs). Substrate translocation through the MSDs is coupled to the catalytic activity at the cytoplasmic NBDs. In this study, we investigated the structural dynamics of the MRP1 transporter. A 2-color MRP1 construct was engineered by fusing GFP and tag-RFP at the C-terminal of NBD1 and NBD2 respectively. Immunoblot analysis showed an expected single band at ∼250 kDa size and the recombinant protein trafficked properly to the plasma membrane as determined by fluorescence microscopy. Cells expressing 2-color MRP1 showed no doxorubicin accumulation whereas untransfected cells retained high levels of this drug indicating that the MRP1 protein is functional. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleach (FRAP) we also demonstrated that the 2-color MRP1 is freely diffusible within the plasma membrane. 2-color MRP1 exhibited dynamic FRET changes in response to ATP and ATP + substrate but not by substrate alone. FRET changes were quantified as an index of MRP1 conformational changes. These FRET changes correlate well with the available crystal structures which show close interaction of NBDs in the presence of ATP. Furthermore, we showed that ATP increased FRET in a concentration dependent manner with an apparent affinity of 107 µM. The data suggested that the relative affinity of MRP1 for nucleotides was ATP > ADP >> AMP. Finally, interactions of ATP analogs (ATPγS, AMP-PNP, AMP-PCP) with MRP1 revealed their lower affinity compared to ATP, since much higher amounts were required to induce the NBD closure. Our results provide insight into the structural dynamics of the MRP1 tranporter.
Yields, Color, Moisture and Microbial Contents of Chicken Patties as Affected by Frying and Internal Temperatures

Frozen, raw, battered and breaded chicken patties were tempered to an internal temperature of 1.1 ± 0. 1°C. The patties were fried to three different internal temperatures (48.9°, 60.0° and 71.1°C) in each of three shortenings preheated to 168.3°, 179.4°, and 190.6°C. Yields and selected quality characteristics of the patties were measured. At the same internal cooking temperature, frying yield and moisture content of the patties were not different (P > 0.05). Higher frying temperature and longer frying time yielded lower Hunter “L” values and a tendency to produce higher Hunter “a” values. An interaction between frying temperature and internal temperature was significant for microbial counts. No difference (P > 0.05) in microbial count was observed when patties were fried to an internal temperature of 60.0° or 71.1°C.
Treatment of non-life-threatening methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections with alternative antimicrobial agents: a 2-year retrospective review

Abstract The emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections has created a need for additional antimicrobial options. Patients at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, who received alternative (nonvancomycin, nonlinezolid) therapy for MRSA infections from January 2004 to December 2005 were identified retrospectively, with sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, clindamycin, tetracyclines, and fluoroquinolones assessed as alternative agents. Medical records were reviewed to determine therapeutic outcome and drug tolerance. During 2004 to 2005, 87 subjects received alternative therapy for MRSA infections. Infections included skin/musculoskeletal ( n = 74 [85%]) and urinary tract infections ( n = 13 [15%]). Thirty-five (40%) subjects received vancomycin initially, and then an alternative agent, whereas 52 (60%) received only alternative therapy. Treatment succeeded clinically in 77 (89%; 95% confidence interval, 78–96%) subjects. Adverse events were uncommon (6 subjects) and minor, necessitating a change of therapy in only 4 subjects. Alternative agents can be used successfully to treat non–life-threatening MRSA infections in appropriate patients. Randomized comparative trials are needed.
Neural adaptations with sport-specific resistance training in highly skilled athletes.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of variations in the volume and intensity of resistance training in highly skilled athletes on neural adaptive mechanisms: the maximality and pattern...