cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Urine culture. Office technique.

Abstract A controlled study is presented which confirms the reliability of a dip-paddle office culture system for the detection of bacteriuria within twenty-four hours.
Interpersonal Gut Microbiome Variation Drives Susceptibility and Resistance to Cholera Infection

Summary The gut microbiome is the resident microbial community of the gastrointestinal tract. This community is highly diverse, but how microbial diversity confers resistance or susceptibility to intestinal pathogens is poorly understood. Using transplantation of human microbiomes into several animal models of infection, we show that key microbiome species shape the chemical environment of the gut through the activity of the enzyme bile salt hydrolase. The activity of this enzyme reduced colonization by the major human diarrheal pathogen Vibrio cholerae by degrading the bile salt taurocholate that activates the expression of virulence genes. The absence of these functions and species permits increased infection loads on a personal microbiome-specific basis. These findings suggest new targets for individualized preventative strategies of V. cholerae infection through modulating the structure and function of the gut microbiome.
Overall Interleaved Boost Converter Multiple-Objective Optimization Design

How to improve power converter efficiency and power density always being a hot research topic, multiple optimization has been applied to obtain better converter performance. This paper combines interleaved boost converter design and external inductor design to build a mathematical model of an overall system. The optimization variables are the inductor value, inductor dimension parameters, and switching frequency. The optimization objectives are to increase the overall system efficiency, to decrease the inductor volume, and to lower the current ripple. A multiple-objective optimization non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) has been applied to solve the proposed model problem. An experiment test bench has also been set up to verify the calculation results.
Exploiting multi-cycle false paths in the performance optimization of sequential circuits

A methodology for the redesign of sequential VLSI circuits to increase the circuit speed involves cascading the circuit over a plurality of time frames without the memory elements, identifying any long false paths in the cascaded circuit, reconfiguring the original circuit to eliminate the false paths while providing fanout to preserve functionality, and retiming the reconfigured circuit to reduce circuit delay.
Overtreatment and excessive cost associated with primary versus secondary PARP inhibitor (PARPi) maintenance therapy for ovarian/peritoneal/fallopian tube cancer (EOC)

Objectives: To determine the efficacy and cost of primary olaparib or niraparib maintenance versus secondary olaparib or niraparib maintenance in platinum sensitive EOC. Methods: An institutional review board (IRB) approved single institution retrospective cohort study was performed in women with EOC to determine the efficacy and cost of primary or secondary maintenance PARPi therapy. We determined the costs of olaparib and niraparib therapy based on previously published costs of therapy and duration of therapy based on the Solo 1/ Solo 2 and Prima and Nova trials, respectively. Results: Among 40 patients treated with PARPi after 1 or 2 platinum chemotherapy there was no difference in overall survival (p=0.97) Among 166 women with stage III/IV germ-line BRCA mutated EOC who were followed >3 years following chemotherapy without PARPi therapy, 28.8% were disease free for more than 3 years (18.6% never recurred and 10.2% recurred >3 years after chemotherapy). Among 193 patients without a BRCA mutation 20.2% did not recur and 12 (6.2%) recurred more than 3 years after their chemotherapy. Primary olaparib maintenance therapy was significantly more expensive than secondary olaparib maintenance therapy by 260%. Primary niraparib maintenance therapy was slightly more expensive than secondary niraparib maintenance therapy by 4%, 51%, and 15% for BRCA mutated, HR deficient, and HR proficient patients, respectively. Notably, by eliminating the overtreatment of patients with primary PARPi therapy, the cost of delayed maintenance treatment for 100 women with EOC with BRCA mutations would be associated with a cost savings of $37,335,360 for olaparib and $7,335,360 for niraparib. Download : Download high-res image (89KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions: In this retrospective cohort of women with EOC, up to 29% percent of BRCA mutated patients may be over treated with primary PARPi maintenance therapy with significantly increased treatment costs.
Principles of Micro X-ray Computed Tomography

Abstract Micro X-ray computed tomography, also known as micro-CT, is nowadays a commonly used, cost-effective, and noninvasive three-dimensional imaging modality applied in preclinical research. Micro-CT provides high-resolution anatomic information, and it is used either on its own or in conjunction with lower-resolution functional imaging modalities such as positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography. In this chapter, we review the basic physics of micro-CT systems and their components, image reconstruction algorithms, basic protocols, and some of the commonly used applications for this technology. New developments in spectral micro-CT imaging will further improve the usefulness of micro-CT in acquiring functional and molecular information. In the long term, preclinical micro-CT systems could serve for testing nanoparticles that show promise in the field of theragnostics (therapy and diagnostics).
Bayesian nonparametric quantile process regression and estimation of marginal quantile effects.

Flexible estimation of multiple conditional quantiles is of interest in numerous applications, such as studying the effect of pregnancy-related factors on low and high birth weight. We propose a Bayesian non-parametric method to simultaneously estimate non-crossing, non-linear quantile curves. We expand the conditional distribution function of the response in I-spline basis functions where the covariate-dependent coefficients are modeled using neural networks. By leveraging the approximation power of splines and neural networks, our model can approximate any continuous quantile function. Compared to existing models, our model estimates all rather than a finite subset of quantiles, scales well to high dimensions, and accounts for estimation uncertainty. While the model is arbitrarily flexible, interpretable marginal quantile effects are estimated using accumulative local effect plots and variable importance measures. A simulation study shows that our model can better recover quantiles of the response distribution when the data is sparse, and an analysis of birth weight data is presented.
Characteristics and Experiences of Women Physicians and Professionals in NAEMSP.

Introduction:One of the six guiding principles of the EMS Agenda 2050 is to foster a socially equitable care delivery system. A specific recommendation within this principle is that "local EMS leadership, educators and clinicians [should] reflect the diversity of their communities." Research has shown that women comprise a minority of emergency medicine services (EMS) field clinicians. In academic settings, women are represented at lower rates among experienced EMS faculty than within Emergency Medicine clinicians or faculty at large. The reasons for these differences are also unknown. Little data exist describing the number or experience of female physicians and professionals in EMS.Purpose:Our objective was to describe the composition and experiences of EMS physicians, researchers and professionals who participate in the Women in EMS group of the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP).Methods:We performed a cross-sectional, mixed-methods descriptive study of women belonging to the Women in EMS Committee of NAEMSP. A survey was sent to the 143 members of this group using a list-serve, and the data was collected in Redcap.Results:Seventy-four people completed the survey. Respondents were 96% female, 82% Caucasian, 11% underrepresented minorities (URM), and 7% LGBTQI. Of the 88% that are physicians, 78% are board certified in Emergency Medicine, compared to 55% in EMS.Forty-eight percent reported they received some form of mentorship. Among these respondents, a minority reported female mentorship, which was usually from a remote rather than local mentor (41% vs. 15%).Eighty-three percent of respondents had experienced some form of discrimination or harassment in their career, but only 68% reported their workplace culture discourages such behavior. Thirty-three percent of respondents report receiving unequal recognition because of gender.Thematic evaluation of the qualitative responses showed that respondents felt there were fewer barriers to mentorship and professional advancement opportunities in local work versus national engagement.Conclusions:In a survey evaluating representation of female professionals in EMS, participants reported on their career representations, and experiences of gender-based inequity within their EMS career settings. Several opportunities exist to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion for women in EMS based on our findings.
Re-conceptualizing accessibility to parks in multi-modal cities: A Variable-width Floating Catchment Area (VFCA) method

Abstract An increasing number of studies have sought to identify disparities or inequalities in the distribution of urban parks and green spaces. Results of these analyses have diverged considerably depending on the method used to assess accessibility. In this article, we revisit an increasingly popular technique, the two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method, and modify it to better align with the ways in which parks are planned and intended to be used. In this respect, we develop a Variable-width Floating Catchment Area (VFCA) method that models park attractiveness as a function of its size and number of amenities. We further compare accessibility according to four modes of transportation: bicycling, driving, public transit, and walking. A case study on access to public parks in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, the U.S. is performed. In general, walking access to parks is found to be low throughout the county, access to larger regional parks is greatest for outlying suburban areas, and center city residents have access to a greater number of park amenities. Study results are compared to those obtained when using the original 2SFCA and indicate important differences in spatial accessibility patterns. Consequently, caution must be adopted when choosing a spatial access model and interpreting the resulting spatial patterns of accessibility. The parameters of the VFCA can easily be set to different values, making it a tool for scenario analyses. This study further improves our understanding regarding accessibility to public parks, which can help develop effective planning strategies.
PRODUCTION AND BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EXTRACELLULAR NEUROTOXIN FROM MYCOPLASMA NEUROLYTICUM.

Tully, Joseph G. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Md.). Production and biological characteristics of an extracellular neurotoxin from Mycoplasma neurolyticum. J. Bacteriol. 88:381–388. 1964.—Toxigenic strains of Mycoplasma neurolyticum were found to produce a potent extracellular neurotoxin for mice under a variety of cultural conditions. The observed biological characteristics of this toxin were quite similar to those originally described by Sabin. The toxin was again found to be readily inactivated by prolonged incubation and, when separated from Mycoplasma cells by filtration, possessed a greater heat resistance than whole cells. Young mice and rats were generally susceptible to neurotoxin, whereas most other experimental animals were resistant. Filtration results confirmed a minimal reproductive unit of 125 to 200 mμ for two neurotoxic Mycoplasma strains, with both cell-free filtrates reproducing the rolling disease syndrome in mice. Twice-washed Mycoplasma cells were also observed to be as neurotoxic as filtrates. Plate counting results revealed an intravenous ld50 of approximately 3 × 108 washed cells for young mice.
Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer Disease: A Unique Resource to Study CSF Biomarker Changes in Preclinical AD

Our understanding of the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) has been greatly influenced by investigation of rare families with autosomal dominant mutations that cause early onset AD. Mutations in the genes coding for Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP), Presenilin 1 (PSEN-1) and Presenilin 2 (PSEN-2) cause over-production of the amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) leading to early deposition of Abeta in the brain, which in turn is hypothesized to initiate a cascade of processes resulting in neuronal death, cognitive decline and eventual dementia. Studies of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from individuals with the more common late-onset form of AD (LOAD) has revealed that low CSF Abeta42 and high CSF tau are associated with AD brain pathology. Herein we review the literature on CSF biomarkers in autosomal dominant AD (ADAD) which has contributed to a detailed road map of AD pathogenesis, especially during the preclinical period, prior to the appearance of any cognitive symptoms. Current drug trials are also taking advantage of the unique characteristics of ADAD and utilizing CSF biomarkers to accelerate development of effective therapies for AD.
The Corticospinal System: A Structural Framework for the Central Control of Movement

The sections in this article are: 1 Historical Overview 2 Current Viewpoint 3 Functional Anatomy 3.1 Primary Motor Cortex 3.2 Premotor Areas in the Frontal Lobe 3.3 Corticospinal Terminations 4 Inputs to the Cortical Motor Areas 4.1 Inputs to Primary Motor Cortex 4.2 Inputs to the Premolar Areas 5 Physiological Overview 5.1 Common Activation of the Motor Areas 5.2 Specialization of Motor Processing in the Motor Areas 6 Conclusion
THE INFLUENCE OF NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS AND PARENTING PRACTICES ON ACADEMIC PROBLEMS AND AGGRESSION OUTCOMES AMONG MODERATELY TO HIGHLY AGGRESSIVE CHILDREN

The current study utilized a longitudinal design to examine the effects of neighborhood and parenting on 120 at-risk children's academic and aggressive outcomes, concurrently and at two later timepoints during the transition to middle school. Random effects regression models were estimated to examine whether neighborhood characteristics and harsh parenting predicted change in these problems from 4th to 6th grade. Results indicated that academic problems decreased then increased after the middle school transition, whereas aggression decreased then leveled off. Both neighborhood problems and harsh parenting were associated with academic problems; neighborhood problems and poor support were related to aggression. A significant interaction in predicting aggression was found, indicating that children in more problematic neighborhoods and experiencing harsher parenting exhibited the highest levels of aggression. Findings highlight the relation of neighborhood problems to both academic problems outcomes and aggression in youth and underscore the importance of early prevention efforts.
Predicting Impacts of Future Climate Change on the Distribution of the Widespread Conifer Platycladus orientalis.

Chinese thuja (Platycladus orientalis) has a wide but fragmented distribution in China. It is an important conifer tree in reforestation and plays important roles in ecological restoration in the a ...
A Mimivirus Enzyme that Participates in Viral Entry

Mimivirus was initially identified as a bacterium because its dense, 125-nm-long fibers stained Gram-positively. These fibers probably play a role during the infection of some host cells. The normal hosts of Mimivirus are unknown, but in the laboratory Mimivirus is usually propagated in amoeba. The structure of R135, a major component of the fibrous outer layer of Mimivirus, has been determined to 2-A resolution. The protein's structure is similar to that of members of the glucose-methanol-choline oxidoreductase family, which have an N-terminal FAD binding domain and a C-terminal substrate recognition domain. The closest homolog to R135 is an aryl-alcohol oxidase that participates in lignin biodegradation of plant cell walls. Thus R135 might participate in the degradation of their normal hosts, including some lignin-containing algae.
Multi-step Simplified Optimal Trajectory Control (SOTC) for fast transient response of high frequency LLC converters

This paper proposes Multi-step Simplified Optimal Trajectory Control (SOTC) for the high frequency LLC converters. SOTC can improve the transient performance of the LLC converters by immediately changing the pulse width of the primary driving signal during the load transient. However, the implementation of SOTC requires high-performance digital controllers. The proposed Multi-step SOTC calculates the trajectory based on only the output voltage and the load current, and settles the resonant tank within multi steps. With the proposed Multi-step SOTC, low-cost controllers can be used to control the high frequency LLC converters with the state-trajectory control concept. The number of steps in multi-step SOTC is selected based on the speed of the controller and the switching frequency of the LLC converters. Experimental results are demonstrated on a 500kHz 1kW 400V/12V LLC converter.
Supercapacitor Behavior with KCl Electrolyte

Abstract Amorphous MnO2·nH2O in a mild 2 M KCl aqueous electrolyte proves to be an excellent electrode for a faradaic electrochemical capacitor cycled between −0.2 and +1.0 V versus SCE. In this potential range, it had ideal behavior with a specific capacitance ofca. 200 F/g, excellent cyclability at 2 mA/cm2over 100 cycles, and a short-circuit initial current density of 0.23 A/cm2with a total released charge of 3.8 C/cm2as compared to 0.32 A/cm2and 11.1 C/cm2for RuO·nH2O in 5.3 M H2SO4.
Myo1c is an unconventional myosin required for zebrafish glomerular development

The targeting and organization of podocyte slit diaphragm proteins nephrin and neph1 is critical for development and maintenance of a functional glomerular filtration barrier. Myo1c is a non-muscle myosin motor protein that interacts directly with nephrin and neph1, and mediates their intracellular transport to the podocyte intercellular junction. Here we investigated the necessity of Myo1c in podocyte development using zebrafish as a model system. Immunofluorescence microscopy and in situ RNA hybridization analysis of zebrafish embryos showed that Myo1c is widely expressed in various tissues including the zebrafish glomerulus. Knockdown of the Myo1c gene in zebrafish using antisense morpholino derivatives resulted in an abnormal developmental phenotype that included pericardial edema and dilated renal tubules. Ultrastructural analysis of the glomerulus in Myo1c-depleted zebrafish showed abnormal podocyte morphology and absence of the slit diaphragm. Consistent with these observations, the glomerular filter permeability appeared altered in zebrafish in which Myo1c expression was attenuated. The specificity of Myo1c knockdown was confirmed by a rescue experiment in which co-injection of Myo1c morpholino derivatives with orthologous Myo1c mRNA prepared from mouse cDNA lessened phenotypic abnormalities including edema in Myo1c morphants. Thus, our results demonstrate that Myo1c is necessary for podocyte morphogenesis.
The effect of an air polishing device on sealant bond strength.

n L/ental sealants are considered an important component for the prevention of occlusal caries. Although the occlusal surface accounts for only 12% of the tooth surface, occlusal caries now accounts for 50% to 54% of dental caries.’ Considerable progress has been made in sealant technique and materials since the inception of the acid-etch technique.* Retention of the adhesive material is the major factor in assessing the success of bonding procedures and sealants.2 Retention of bonded material is enhanced if a highenergy enamel surface is created by removing oral contaminants. Current technique for removal of these contaminants uses a pumice-water slurry, rubber cup or brush in a slow-speed rotary handpiece followed by acid etching. Occlusal anatomy is such that cleaning of the deeper pits and fissures is difficult and the effect is primarily limited to the inclined planes.3-6 Even though acid etching removes additional contaminants on the surface enamel, the effect is again primarily on the inclined planes. Successful retention of the sealant and protection of the pit or fissure seems to be dependent on bonding of the resin to the inclined planes, forming a bridge of resin over the pit or fissure.’ The air polishing device has shown encouraging results in stain and debris removal from occlusal surfaces.’ A surface free of stain and debris may allow a greater degree of surface contact with an acid-etching solution in and near the fissure and possibly also between the fissure and the resin material. This may enhance sealant retention and/or decrease dependence of bonding to inclined planes. Sealant retention potential in laboratory studies is assessed by using tensile bond strength tests and evaluation of tag formation. Studies by Brockmann and Scott* substituting air polishing for traditional pumice-water slurry cleaning showed higher bond strengths and greater numbers of tag formation although there was not a statistically significant difference between the means of the two groups. The studies did not include testing tensile bond strength after periods of water immersion. Additional testing after such immersion is a logical step
Percutaneous drainage of peridiverticular abscess followed by primary sigmoidectomy

This case report discusses the treatment of a large peridiverticular abscess by sonography-guided percutaneous catheter placement. Primary sigmoid resection was performed successfully at a later time.
Abstract 3: Induction of mitochondrial autophagy in leukemia by the Bcl-2 quadruplex-forming sequence

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Bcl-2 (B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2), a mitochondrial membrane oncoprotein functioning as an inhibitor of apoptosis, is commonly overexpressed in a variety of hematological malignancies promoting apoptotic resistance. Inhibition of Bcl-2 may result in sustained regression of leukemia/lymphoma. The promoters of several cancer-related oncogenes, including Bcl-2, contain sequences within nuclease hypersensitivity regions capable of forming quadruplex (four-stranded) DNA. The Bcl-2 quadruplex-forming sequence (Bcl-2 q, 23 bp) is located upstream of the P1 promoter of the Bcl-2 gene and is implicated in negative regulation of Bcl-2 transcription, however, the biological role of this sequence remains unclear. We hypothesize that treatment of leukemia cells with an oligonucleotide encoding Bcl-2 q induces cell death by inhibiting Bcl-2 gene expression. To determine the biological role of the Bcl-2 q on leukemic cell proliferation, U937 cells were treated with Bcl-2 q or the corresponding mutant sequence (MutBcl-2), which lacks runs of two or more guanines. Our results demonstrate that Bcl-2 q formed a stable parallel quadruplex structure and showed remarkable serum and intracellular stability. Treatment of leukemia cells with Bcl-2 q caused a significant dose and time-dependent decrease in cell proliferation after 3 and 6 days (IC50<5µM), which was not a result of cell cycle arrest. No change in growth of non-transformed stromal cells occurred in response to Bcl-2 q indicating the effect is specific for malignant cells. Confocal and flow cytometry analysis of cells treated with FITC-labeled Bcl-2 q or MutBcl-2 showed prominent uptake and nuclear localization of Bcl-2 q in contrast to MutBcl-2. Inhibition of cell proliferation corresponded with decreased Bcl-2 protein expression and increased expression of pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Bak. This resulted in decreased mitochondrial transmembrane potential and significant autophagic degradation of mitochondria, characteristic of mitophagy. Induction of mitophagy was associated with increased Beclin-1 and LC3B expression and disruption of Bcl-2/Beclin-1 interaction. These results demonstrate striking growth inhibition in response to Bcl-2 q related to inhibition of Bcl-2 expression and induction of mitochondrial autophagy and shows considerable therapeutic potential. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3
Acquisition Strategies in Language Death.

Nonsectarian Pennsylvania Germans who are the first generation in their families to learn English natively, often attempt to learn the Pennsylvania German that their families no longer regularly use. This study assesses the process of acquiring a dying language by investigating learners' use of the Pennsylvania German dative case. Learning strategies are remarkably free of reliance on English rules. Evidence indicates that speakers rely on what they have learned and seek analogies within Pennsylvania German, resorting to English only when other strategies fail. The search for near-congruity identified as operative across languages operates within the learner language as internal analogy. Learners also seek to maximize the distance between English and Pennsylvania German and emphasize the distinctiveness of each.
Rotational interactions in autoionizing Rydberg states of ammonia

Abstract Double-resonance ionization spectra via selected rotational levels of the C′ 1 A′ (0100) state of ammonia show direct evidence for rotational-electronic perturbations between Rydberg series converging to different rotational states of NH 3 + X 2 A 2 ″ (0100), and for rotational autoionization when it is energetically allowed. The simplicity of the double resonance spectra is quite striking, and rotational interactions with Δ N + =−1, Δ K + =0 are found to be most important. The results have implications for understanding intensities in rotationally resolved threshold photoelectron spectra and for extracting ionization onsets from photoionization mass spectra.
Modeling the Cancer Stem Cell Hypothesis

Solid tumors and hematological cancers contain small population of tumor cells that are believed to play a critical role in the development and progression of the disease. These cells, named Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs), have been found in leukemia, myeloma, breast, prostate, pancreas, colon, brain and lung cancers. It is also thought that CSCs drive the metastatic spread of cancer. The CSC compartment features a specific and phenotypically defined cell population characterized with self-renewal (through mutations), quiescence or slow cycling, overexpression of anti-apoptotic proteins, multidrug resistance and impaired differentiation. CSCs show resistance to a number of conventional therapies, and it is believed that this explains why it is difficult to completely eradicate the disease and why recurrence is an ever-present threat. A hierarchical phenomenological model is proposed based on eight compartments following the stem cell lineage at the normal and cancer cell levels. As an empirical test, the tumor grading and progression, typically collected in the pathologic lab, is used to correlate the outcome of this model with the tumor development stages. In addition, the model is able to quantitatively account for the temporal development of the population of observed cell types. Two types of therapeutic treatment models are considered, with dose-density chemotherapy (a pulsatile scenario) as well as continuous, metronomic delivery. The drug hit is considered at the stem cell progenitor and early differentiated specialized cell levels for both normal and cancer cells, while the quiescent stem cell and fully differentiated compartments are considered favorable outcome for cancer treatment. Circulating progenitors are neglected in this analysis. The model provides a number of experimentally testable predictions. The relative importance of the cell kill and survival is demonstrated through a deterministic parametric study. The significance of the stem cell compartment is underlined based on this simulation study. This predictive mathematical model for cancer stem cell hypothesis is used to understand tumor responses to chemotherapeutic agents and judge the efficacy.
Use of Bayesian data reduction for the fusion of legacy classifiers

Abstract For important classification tasks there may already be extant an arsenal of classification tools, these representing previous attempts and best efforts at a solution. Many times these are useful classifiers; and although the fact that all base their decisions on the same observations implies that their decisions are strongly dependent in a way that is difficult to model, there is often some benefit from fusing them to a better corporate decision. One can consider this fusion as of building a meta-classifier, based on data vectors whose elements are the individual legacy classifier (LC) decisions. The Bayesian data reduction algorithm imposes a uniform prior probability mass function on discrete symbol probabilities. It was developed previously, and in this paper is applied to the preceding decision-fusion problem, with favorable comparison to a number of other expert-mixing approaches. Parameters varied include the number of relevant LCs (some may have been poorly designed, and ought to be discounted/discarded automatically), the numbers of training data and classes, and the dependence between LCs––a fusion approach should reject redundant decisions.
Low bit rate transparent audio compression using a dynamic dictionary and optimized wavelets

The authors propose an audio synthesis/coding method which employs an optimized wavelet-transform (WT)-based adaptive transform coding to exploit perceptual masking. In addition, a dynamic dictionary is used to extract source redundancies. Experiments indicated that transparent coding of monophonic CD quality signals (sampled at 44.1 KHz) is possible at bit rates approaching 64 kbit/s when the WT-based method alone is used, and in the range of 48-64 kbit/s when the dynamic dictionary is also employed. >
Pulsed-laser photocatalytic isomerization and hydrogenation of olefins

Pulsed-laser irradiation of Fe(CO)/sub 5/ in hydrocarbon solutions of linear pentenes yields an equilibrated isomeric mixture. Laser pulse lengths are 6 to 12 ns, depending on the choice of wavelength. Pulse repetition rate and average laser power are variable. All experiments were conducted under nitrogen or argon atmospheres. Irradiated mixtures were analyzed by ir, optical spectroscopy, and gas chromatography. The reaction kinetics are discussed. 2 figures.
Myocardial scintigraphy by infarct-avid radiotracers

Abstract Specific radioindicators are sequestered by acute myocardial infarctions, and their uptake is detectable by external detection systems, such as the Anger scintillation camera. The resultant scintigraphic image may be used to estimate infarct size, although inferior and subendocardial infarcts may pose difficulties. Infarct localization as to anatomic area of the heart is also reasonably accurate. The majority of the clinical experience has been with technetium chelates, particularly 99m Tc-tetracycline and 99m Tc-pyrophosphate. Optimal imaging with 99m Tc-tetracycline is within the first 3 days after infarction, with gradual return to normal of the scintigraphic appearance after this time. While larger infarcts remain positive for longer periods of time, significant uptake or reappearance of uptake after the initial period may be helpful in the identification of reinfarction or extension after an initial infarct. Tetracycline appears to be sequestered only by acutely infarcted myocardium, and therefore is a sensitive agent for distinguishing normal, previously infarcted, and ischemic myocardium from acutely infarcted myocardium. The major clinical experience has been with 99m Tc-pyrophosphate, a bone-seeking radionuclide. The major advantage of 99m Tc-pyrophosphate over 99m Tc-tetracycline is the earlier imaging interval. Optimal scans are obtained at 1–2 days after infarction and only 90 min after the administration of 99m Tc-pyrophosphate (as opposed to 24 hr with 99m Tc-tetracycline). While 99m Tc-pyrophosphate is a quite sensitive indicator of infarction, there is suggestive evidence that ischemic as well as infarcted myocardium sequesters the agent. In addition, various other conditions, including cardioversion, rib fractures, left ventricular aneurysms, and breast tumors may cause uptake of 99m Tc-pyrophosphate and lead to false positive myocardial infarct scintigrams. Thus, while only a few patients with negative scans who have been imaged at the appropriate time will turn out to have clinically detectable infarcts, a somewhat larger number without infarction will have positive scans, particularly those patients with unstable angina pectoris but without clinical infarction. While the final role of acute myocardial scintigraphy remains to be determined, its contribution to the further understanding of the pathogenesis of ischemia and infarction, as well as its clinical utility, has been significant.
The Measurement of Attention Capacity through Concurrent Task Performance with Individual Difficulty Levels and Shifting Priorities

Some of the unsolved problems in the application of secondary task techniques include: (a) the evaluation of relative changes in performance in dual task situations; (b) the prediction of possible interactions between different tasks and their components; and (c) the extent of voluntary control of capacity allocation. The present paper describes a three-phase experiment in which an effort was made to attack these problems by a new methodological approach. The three successive phases included separate performance of the experimental tasks (one dimensional compensatory tracking and a digit processing, reaction time task) with adaptive adjustment of difficulty, simultaneous performance of the tasks with equal task priorities, and simultaneous performance with several manipulations of the two task priorities. The results have demonstrated the usefulness of the general methodological approach for the assessment of capacity limitations as well as for the evaluation of possible interactions between tasks. With r...
Disposition of fluid from Livestock Protection Collars following coyote attacks on collared goats

Abstract We estimated the amount of fluid from Livestock Protection Collars (LPCs) that was ingested by coyotes during attacks on domestic goats (Capra hircus). The minimum dose coyotes received from both small (30 ml ) and large (60 ml ) LPCs was 0.1 ml , although the average amount of fluid ingested by coyotes was 1.0 and 4.9 ml for the small and large LPCs, respectively. Secondarily, we also determined (1) that once an LPC bladder was punctured, 85–90% of the fluid was dispensed, and (2) the amount of LPC fluid retained on the skin and wool of the animal attacked, averaged 7.5 and 12.7 ml for small and large LPCs, respectively (range=3.9– 22.0 ml ) . On average, 56% of the LPC fluid dispensed during a coyote attack was not accounted for in these trials. Suggestions for enhancing the portion of LPC fluid ingested, and thereby reducing environmental risks and contamination, are presented.
Host precipitates for trace analysis of heavy metal ions by laser excited fluorescence

Abstract The spectroscopy of Pt, Ir, Ru, Pb, Bi, Sb, Se and Te ions doped in A 2 SnX 6 host lattices has been studied in order to determine the feasibility of extending selectively excited probe ion luminescence (SEPIL) methods for ultratrace analysis. Techniques were developed that could easily incorporate analyte ions present in a sample solution that was to be analyzed into A 2 SnX 6 (A = K, Rb, Cs; X = Cl, Br) host precipitates in a way that allowed routine chemical analysis at ultratrace levels. The results show that detection limits lower than part per billion are feasible for Pt, Ir and Pb but are probably not feasible for Ru, Bi, Sb, Se or Te. The spectra are broader than those obtained with other SEPIL methods and the selectivity of the analysis is expected to be poorer.
Late gadolinium-enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging and angiographic characteristics of patients referred for evaluation of new onset cardiomyopathy

Background Late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR) is an emerging non invasive tool for the assessment of etiology of new onset cardiomyopathy (CMP). Specific patterns of LGE-CMR have been shown to be accurate for distinguishing ischemic from nonischemic CMP. We evaluated imaging and angiographic characteristics for different types of CMP based on LGE-CMR. Methods Eighty nine consecutive patients were referred for evaluation of CMP by LGE-CMR. Patients were classified as ischemic CMP based on presence of subendocardial and/or transmural LGE in a coronary artery distribution pattern on CMR. Patients with none, midwall or subepicardial LGE pattern were classified as non ischemic CMP. Patients with mixed patterns of LGE (ie: subendocardial and midwall) were classified as mixed CMP. In the subset of 57 patients with recent angiography, the predictive value of CMR for diagnosing ischemic CMP (left main, proximal LAD, or 2 vessel disease) was assessed.
India, Pakistan and cooperation along the Indus River system

Despite receiving accolades for being the example of cooperation, India and Pakistan9s peaceful management of their Indus River system remains largely unexamined. Scholars that do consider this case classify it as passive cooperation. To support their classification, they point to the Indus Waters Treaty9s allocation of the river system between India and Pakistan and suggest that it severed the interdependent relationship and need to cooperate. Consequently, this paper seeks to demonstrate that India and Pakistan remain interdependent in managing their Indus River system and for over 40 years, they have sustained active cooperation. To account for the maintenance of this cooperation the paper argues that it is necessary to consider the design of the Permanent Indus Commission, an institution established to manage the Indus River. The ability of Indian and Pakistani commissioners to communicate directly and hold regular meetings permitted them to perform the necessary standard and operating procedures for the functioning of the institution. The commission9s ability to monitor development of the river system has enabled it to ease member states’ fear of cheating and confirm the accuracy of all exchanged data. Finally, its conflict resolution mechanisms have permitted it to negotiate settlements to disputes as they arise.
Rudolf Virchow: Cellular Pathologist

Rudolf Virchow (1821–1902) Rudolf Carl Virchow was born October 13, 1821, in the small town of Schivelbein, in Eastern Pomerania, now part of Poland. He was the only son of a farmer, who also held a position in local government. As a schoolboy, Virchow behaved poorly, but scholastically he was brilliant. He showed a talent for science, languages, and hard work. In 1839 he received a fellowship to study medicine in Berlin at the Friedrich-Wilhelms Institute, the Army Medical School, with the intention of pursuing a military career. There he met Johannes Mueller, a famous physiologist, anatomist, and pathologist who greatly influenced him. Upon graduating in 1843 he changed his mind about a military career and instead accepted an unpaid position as an assistant prosecutor with clinical duties at the Charite Hospital, the largest hospital in Berlin. In this position he had access to the laboratories of Mueller and no doubt learned from him correct experimental technique. Mueller and Virchow got along well; Mueller recognized Virchow’s limitless energy and sharp mind. Mueller encouraged Virchow to study the pathological changes in tissues removed at autopsy. In 1846 he received a permanent position at the Charite, and in 1847 became a member of the medical faculty. In this position, Virchow gave classes in pathological anatomy and opened up autopsies to medical students. Virchow’s forcible character was also very noticeable. He had an overwhelming confidence, an assertive manner, and was thought by some to be overly arrogant. In 1845 Virchow wrote the first of many scientific papers describing leukemia. A short while later he introduced the terms thrombosis and embolism in another paper. Irritated at the time it took to get articles published and …
Efficient query routing in distributed spatial databases

Spatial databases are prominently used in Geographic Information System (GIS) applications. However, many of the current architectures rely on a centralized data repository. The next evolution will be GIS applications that utilize and integrate a multitude of remotely accessible data sets, for example via Web services. Our involvement in a project where geotechnical borehole information is retrieved from a large number of repositories that are under different administrative control has motivated us to design an efficient distributed access structure and routing middleware for spatial queries. In this study we present our middleware design based on distributed R-tree and Quadtree index structures. Importantly, the framework supports both spatial range and k nearest neighbor queries. We have performed a theoretical analysis and simulations with synthetic and real data sets. The results show a large reduction in message traffic to a level only slightly above what is minimally necessary.
Detailed Analysis of Composited Digital Radar and Satellite Data

Abstract A technique is developed to digitally composite satellite and radar imagery in a common coordinate reference frame. Results obtained from using Geosynchronous Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) visible and infrared data, 5 cm radar data, and recording raingage data are presented. The composite displays are created on Colorado State University's All Digital Video Imaging System for Atmospheric Research (ADVISAR), an interactive image processing system that uses modern high fidelity digital video display technology. An efficient methodology based on analytic transforms for remapping dissimilar digital image formats into common map projections is discussed. Applications of multi-sensor composite images are demonstrated with the use of two case studies. The technique is shown to enhance our understanding of a) convective development, b) organization of mesoscale features as they relate to the synoptic scale, c) severe storm development, and d) precipitation mechanisms. Our final comments conc...
Identifying the Efficient Extreme-Points of the Three-Objective Linear Programming Problem

In this paper a new method for generating the set of efficient extreme-points for the three-objective linear programming problem is presented. This method successfully exploits the fact that vectors that are strictly efficient in associated multi-objective problems of lower dimensions are also efficient in the full multi-objective problem.
Oxidation of a Single Carbon Monoxide Molecule Manipulated and Induced with a Scanning Tunneling Microscope

A carbon monoxide molecule (CO) was positioned with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) at various distances from an oxygen atom (O) on the Ag(110) surface at 13 K. At the closest separation, carbon dioxide (CO(2)) production was induced by tunneling electrons. Direct reaction of a CO desorbed from the STM tip with an O atom on Ag(110) illustrates another catalytic oxidation mechanism. Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy with the STM was used to monitor the vibrations of CO in its different environment.
Determination of [3H]TdR-labelling indices of cultured cells grown on detachable chamber slides.

The in vitro effects of xenobiotic agents on the incorporation of DNA precursors was determined using a detachable chamber slide assembly. the technique presented allows for the comparative assessment of several agents, even when a limited number of cells is available. the use of a glass slide also potentiates the use of higher magnifications with a greater resultant resolution than that achievable with past methods.
Stable IP-Routing Link Restoration: GUNI Restoration for Data Link Failure Between Routers in a Nationwide Photonic Network

A GMPLS (Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching)-based link restoration scheme with IP-routing stability for data link failure between routers through a PXC (Photonic Cross-Connect) network was proposed and successfully demonstrated in a US nationwide photonic network for the first time.
Empirical Evaluation of Traditional vs. Hybrid Interaction Metaphors in a Multitask Healthcare Simulation

We present the results of a user study performed within a multitask healthcare simulation, where nurses are required to care for virtual patients within a 3D virtual environment while recording data in a 2D graphical user interface (GUI) based electronic health record system, presented in a dual display visual layout. We evaluated whether a traditional interaction metaphor of mouse and keyboard for both virtual and GUI sub-systems of our simulation was superior in terms of user preference and performance to a hybrid interaction metaphor of using touch screen for the virtual environment while using mouse and keyboard for the GUI. We investigated the hybrid interaction metaphor due to its potential to provide a natural touch-based engagement for our trainees with the virtual patient and the 3D environment, while maintaining a familiar interaction metaphor of a keyboard and mouse for user input in the electronic health record view of the simulation. User preference and performance both indicate that the traditional interaction metaphor was more usable than the hybrid interaction metaphor, although each interaction technique was sufficiently usable for accomplishing simulation goals.
Gastrointestinal Motility Online Educational Endeavor

Medical information has been traditionally maintained in books, journals, and specialty periodicals. A growing subset of patients and caregivers are now turning to diverse sources on the internet to retrieve healthcare related information. The next area of growth will be sites that serve specialty fields of medicine, characterized by high quality of data culled from scholarly publications and operated by eminent domain specialists. One such site being developed for the field of Gastrointestinal Motility provides authoritative and current information to a diverse user base that includes patients and student doctors. Gastrointestinal Motility Online leverages the strengths of online textbooks, which have a high degree of organization, in conjunction with the strengths of online journal collections, which are more comprehensive and focused. Gastrointestinal Motility Online also utilizes existing Web technologies such as Wiki-editing and Amazonstyle commenting, to automatically assemble information from heterogeneous data sources.
1:1 complexes of 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorobenzene-1,4-dicarbonitrile with pyrene and phenanthrene: pseudo-isomorphs.

2,3,5,6-Tetra­chloro­benzene-1,4-dicarbonitrile forms alternate π-stacked 1:1 complexes with pyrene, C8Cl4N2·C16H10, and phenanthrene, C8Cl4N2·C14H10. These complexes are pseudo-isomorphs. Phenanthrene, disordered about a centre of symmetry, takes the position of the pyrene, which sits exactly on this centre of inversion. The tetra­chloro­benzene­di­car­bo­nitrile mol­ecules in each complex also sit on centres of inversion and are in similar positions within the unit cells in the two structures, except that the orientation of the nitrile groups differs between the two.