cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ADDRESSING MEMORY EFFECT FOR RAIL-TO-RAIL COMPARATOR WITH NEAR-THRESHOLD SUPPLY VOLTAGE

Ultra-low voltage comparators with rail-to-rail input ranges are critical components in the design of low-voltage low-power analog to digital converters (ADCs). This paper investigates the memory effect of a commonly used comparator when its power supply is scaled down to near transistor threshold voltage levels. It also studies when such memory effects are most likely to occur during the conversion sequences of successive approximation register (SAR) ADCs. Subsequently an improved comparator design is presented to overcome the memory effect with near-threshold voltage power supply. The impacts of the proposed design modification on comparator speed, offset voltage and power consumptions are discussed. Based on a 0.13 μm CMOS technology and with a 0.5 V power supply, the proposed comparator is compared with the original comparator in terms of memory effect, speed, power consumption and input offset voltage. The integral and differential nonlinearity (INL and DNL) of 10-bit SAR ADCs with using the proposed and original comparators are also compared.
Painlevé test, integrability, and exact solutions for density-dependent reaction–diffusion equations with polynomial reaction functions

Abstract A Painleve test is performed for a general density-dependent reaction–diffusion equation, where the reaction function takes the form of an N th order polynomial, in order to determine the member models of this class which are integrable. First, we determine the equilibrium behavior for the model. Then, truncated Laurent expansions, relevant to equations having movable branch points at leading order, are used to construct special solutions for the three integrable classes of reaction–diffusion equations which were found. An auto-Backlund transformation between two solutions is constructed for an equation having a pole at leading order, which can be used to find further solutions. Some of the solutions are new, and through certain simplifications we may recover old solutions as well.
The Dynamics of Popular Reactions to Democratization in Korea

The central argument of this paper is that, rather than simply absorbing democratic values diffusely, Koreans have acquired their support for democratization incrementally through experience with the consequences of regime change. In order to account for this pattern, we develop an empirical model that distinguishes between democracy as an ideal (desirability) and democracy understood as a viable political system (suitability). We draw on a survey of the Korean public to demonstrate that changes in these dimensions follow distinct trajectories, according to the recollections of our respondents, during the course of democratization. While beliefs about democracyin-principle appear to be fairly impervious to political events and socioeconomic conditions, attitudes toward democracy-in-practice reflect a learning curve as the transition unfolds. We estimate the relative impact of evaluations of the economy, of the quality of life, and of governmental performance and political experience on support for democracy in practice. On the whole, democratic commitment is 'earned' through increasingly favorable perceptions of improvements in the quality of life, in economic growth, and especially in the performance of successive democratic governments, as contrasted with the workings of the previous authoritarian regime.
Optimal prices for finite capacity queueing systems

We prove a lower bound on the optimal price for a fairly large class of blocking systems with general arrival and service processes, determine optimal price expressions for M/M/1/m and M/GI/s/s systems, and investigate how optimal prices change with changes in the size of the waiting room and service capacity.
Convexity subarachnoid hemorrhage in ischemic stroke.

Abstract Objective To report three cases of convexity subarachnoid hemorrhage (cSAH) after acute ischemic stroke and review the relevant literature. Background cSAH is an unusual presentation and the association with acute ischemic stroke has only infrequently been reported. Design and methods Case series with retrospective review of the clinical presentation and neuroimaging features of patients who presented with cSAH and acute ischemic stroke. Results We describe three cases of cSAH who presented with ipsilateral acute ischemic stroke. Two patients had ipsilateral ICA stenosis, with one patient developing cSAH after ICA stenting. The third patient developed cSAH in setting of small distal cortical ischemic lesions with normal cranial vasculature. None of these patients had evidence for cerebral amyloid angiopathy on magnetic resonanace imaging–gradient echo (MRI-GRE) sequence. All our patients remained clinically stable with limited neurological deficit at the time of discharge. Conclusion We report three more cases linking cSAH with ischemic strokes. All of our patients had good outcome with minimal neurological deficit. cSAH should remain in differential diagnosis and early complication of acute ischemic stroke.
Impact of patient age on family cancer history.

Abstract Purpose Younger individuals with relatives diagnosed with cancer are at greater risk for developing certain cancer when compared with older individuals with affected relatives. The purpose of this study was to calculate the age-specific proportion of individuals reporting positive family histories for colon, breast, and prostate cancer. Methods Family cancer history information was reviewed on 32,374 adults interviewed for the 2000 National Health Interview Survey. Family histories were categorized as high risk, with a relative diagnosed before 50 years of age or with multiple affected relatives, or moderate risk, with a single relative diagnosed at age 50 years or older. Results For individuals with a family history of colorectal cancer, the odds of having a high-risk pedigree decreased by 1% (95% confidence interval 0%–2%) for every year of age increase. For women reporting a family breast cancer history, the odds of reporting a pedigree with high-risk features decreased by 3% (95% confidence interval 2%–4%) for each year of age increase. Age was not associated with reporting a high-risk pedigree for prostate cancer. Conclusion For colorectal and breast cancers, younger individuals reporting a family history of these cancers were more likely to report a pedigree with high-risk features than older individuals.
Increased vancomycin MICs for Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates from a university hospital during a 5-year period.

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most commonly isolated organisms in nosocomial infections. While the prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) continues to increase worldwide, there is concern about an increase in vancomycin MICs among S. aureus strains. The prevalence of MRSA and vancomycin MIC trends in S. aureus from patients in a university hospital were analyzed. Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI, formerly NCCLS) reference broth microdilution MIC testing was performed on all clinically relevant S. aureus isolates from January 2000 through December 2004. A total of 6,003 S. aureus isolates were analyzed. No vancomycin-resistant S. aureus isolates were detected. One MRSA isolate had a vancomycin MIC of 8 μg/ml and was confirmed as vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus. Among the 6,002 remaining isolates, a shift in vancomycin MICs from ≤0.5 to 1.0 μg/ml was observed during the 5-year period. The percentage of S. aureus isolates with a vancomycin MIC of 1 μg/ml in 2004 was significantly higher than the percentage of isolates in 2000 (70.4% versus 19.9%; P < 0.01). This vancomycin MIC shift was more notable in methicillin-susceptible S. aureus. Our 5 years of routine testing of clinical isolates using the CLSI reference broth microdilution MIC method demonstrated a tendency toward decreasing susceptibility to vancomycin in S. aureus.
HIV, Embodied Secrets, and Intimate Labour in Northern Nigeria

ABSTRACTThis article explores how HIV-positive women manage secrets through the use of their bodies. Women conspicuously enhance their beauty in an attempt to defend themselves against the violence of social exclusion. Moreover, they do so in order to forge safe, loving, and prosperous relationships with their boyfriends, husbands, and families. My goal is to understand how intimacy, as a material, affective, psychological, and embodied state, characterises these women's corporeal and sartorial acts. Further, I question how these embodied practices become imbricated in exchange relations with family members, health workers, and the larger community. To describe these routinised toils and triumphs as women seek to care for themselves and others, I employ the term ‘intimate labour’. I demonstrate how women gain access to social and economic resources by attending to and capitalising on the sensual and bodily desires and needs of others.
Determinants and measures of quality in oral anticoagulation therapy

Background Anticoagulation management services or clinics have been recommended as the preferred method in the long-term management of oral anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists and have been shown to increase the time patients spend in the therapeutic range. This surrogate marker of the quality of anticoagulation control is a well accepted predictor of bleeding and thromboembolic events and is generally used as a quality measure. However, the method of calculating the time in the therapeutic range can give different results and there is no consensus on the methodology that should be used or the benchmark targets that should be aimed for. Additionally, the expected rates of bleeding and thromboembolic complications are dependent on the indications for anticoagulation in the patient population being evaluated. These issues need to be taken into account when setting quality standards for anticoagulation clinics. Methods An informal survey and group discussion with anticoagulation clinic personnel attending a workshop at the 9th National Conference on Anticoagulant Therapy was used to generate a list of pragmatic barriers to measuring these quality indicators and to share ideas on other quality markers. A narrative review of selected literature was used throughout the workshop to exemplify potential benchmark rates for therapeutic time in range, bleeding, and thromboembolic complication rates. Results Approximately 65% of the workshop attendees measure time in range in their anticoagulation clinics, however, only 15% used the linear interpolation method which has a quality measurement target of 65%. Less than half of the attendees measure bleeding or complication rates and very few adjust these rates based on the indication for anticoagulation. There was strong agreement regarding pragmatic barriers to collect this information and difficulties in extrapolating standards from the literature. Several clinics also measure the percent of extremely high International Normalized Ratios (INR) and also track late patients. Conclusions Using clinical trial bleeding and thromboembolic complication rates to set quality measurement targets for anticoagulation clinics may not be appropriate, given the inherent difference in these patient populations. Additionally, there are pragmatic issues affecting the completeness and accuracy of adverse event gathering outside of a trial scenario that could be misleading. The time in the therapeutic range, however, is relatively easy to calculate and is a well substantiated surrogate marker for complication rates and should be a standard quality indicator. Benchmark targets for time in range are dependent on the methodology used in the calculation and should be adjusted accordingly.
Endotoxin temporarily impairs canine jejunal absorption of water, electrolytes, and glucose

Enteral feeding during and after episodes of sepsis may be beneficial. The aim of our study was to determine the effects of a single sublethal dose of endotoxin on canine jejunal absorption. Following a 240 kcal liquid meal, absorption studies were performed in eight dogs with 75 cm jejunal Thiry-Vella fistulas. These fistulas were perfused with an isotonic solution containing polyethylene glycol to calculate absorption. Each dog was then given a single dose ofEscherichia coli lipopolysaccharide, 200 μg/kg intravenously, and the studies were repeated for the next 3 days. Following endotoxin bolus infusion, net absorption of water, electrolytes and glucose was decreased for 2 days and returned to baseline values on postendotoxin day 3. A single sublethal dose of endotoxin temporarily impairs canine jejunal absorption. Although enteral feeding may be advantageous, jejunal absorption may be temporarily impaired following an episode of endotoxemia.
The Mechanism of Dealloying of Copper Solid Solutions and Intermetallic Phases

Potentiostatic experiments in at show that the kinetics of dealloying of copper base binary alloys fall in the orderFor the solutes Al and Zn, the kinetics of dealloying may be expressed by the relationshipwhere is the excess solute dissolved and is the atom percent solute. is related qualitatively to the reversible potential of the solute element. It is shown that dealloying cannot propagate into the alloys by diffusion of solute from the bulk to the surface. Instead, dealloying is maintained by solution intrusion under conditions where continuous solute paths exist in the alloy and where solute removal results in atomic rearrangement of the depleted alloy.
A sensory role for neuronal growth cone filopodia

The dynamic nature of neuronal growth cone filopodia led to the suggestion that the primary function of filopodia is to sample their immediate environment, responding to and transducing environmental signals that affect growth cone behaviour and shape. Filopodia seem well suited to serve as antenna-like sensors, their broad span allows sampling of information over a greatly enhanced radius, and forward-projecting filopodia encounter potential cues in the molecular terrain long before the advancing growth cone itself. Filopodia in culture can serve structural roles, exert mechanical tension and selectively adhere to their surrounding. Whether or not filopodia have a general sensory role has not been tested directly, largely because of their small size, which limits an electrophysiological approach, and their integral relationship with the parent growth cone, which prevents resolution of their different functions. Here we use surgical procedures to isolate individual filopodia from their parent growth cone and, by monitoring their morphology and calcium second messenger systems, we show that neuronal growth cone filopodia contain signal transduction mechanisms that allow autonomous responses and the transmission of distant environmental information to their parent growth cone.
Allergic reactions to isosulfan blue in sentinel lymph node mapping.

: Background: Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is often used in the assessment of lymph node status in melanoma and early stage breast cancer. With the rapidly increasing use of the technique, we can now better characterize and assess the rate of adverse reactions to the dye. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients undergoing SLN mapping at the Columbia-Presbyterian Breast Center were identified from June 2000 to July 2002. All patients who experienced allergic reactions were documented and records examined. Results: In total, three out of 351 patients had allergic complications from the procedure. All three patients developed “blue hives” after injection with isosulfan blue. The incidence at our Breast Center was 0.9%. All were treated with intravenous corticosteroids and diphenhydramine and recovered within twenty-four hours. Conclusions: The increasing utilization of the sentinel lymph node technique will make these complications more common. A high index of suspicion and appropriate clinical management are recommended to minimize the potential morbidity of these reactions.
Studies on the anatomy of the respiratory system of Drosophila melanogaster

A description is given of the gross anatomy of the tracheal system of the larva of Drosophila melanogaster. Comparisons of findings are made with those of Lowne for Calliphora, Wahl for Eristalis, Simms for Hylemyia, Dufour for Sarcophaga, Wandolleck for Platycephala, Tragardh for Ephydra, and De Meijere for Lonchoptera.
Academic Tasks in a High School English Class.

ABSTRACTA framework for analyzing academic tasks is presented, based on task conceptions formulated in cognitive psychology and in research on classroom interaction, which distinguishes between teachers' and students' version of a task, and takes into account possible reinterpretations of tasks following evaluation. Using this framework, a detailed analysis of a single task in a high school English class is presented. The teacher's goals for the task, and the manner in which he turns these goals into a concrete work activity, are described first. The tasks actually performed by three students in response to this assignment are then analyzed and sources of disjunction are identified. Issues raised by the case study for the overall task framework are then addressed.
Introduction to the special section on cognitive plasticity in the aging mind.

Decades of cognitive aging research have led to a picture of the aging mind that is primarily characterized by gradual, though relatively broad, cognitive decline across the life span. Until recently, relatively little attention has been devoted to the question of whether there are ways to slow down, if not stop, this decline. With the special section on cognitive plasticity in the aging mind, we respond to what seems to be a beginning of the reversal of this trend (e.g., Kramer & Willis, 2002). In this short introduction, I will provide some context and a preview of the articles that appear in the special section. There have been prominent earlier attempts to assess the potential for positive change in cognitive functioning during the final decades of the life span. Perhaps, most notable in this regard is the work by P. Baltes, Kliegl, Willis, and colleagues with its emphasis on the range of plasticity rather than the assessment of current status (e.g., Baltes & Kliegl, 1992; Willis, Blieszner, & Baltes, 1982). We have learned from this work that older adults can improve their ability to solve certain reasoning or memory tasks through tailored strategy training, sometimes beyond the level of untrained young adults. However, along with this encouraging
Peanut consumption in adolescents is associated with improved weight status

Studies have shown an association between nut consumption and health benefits in adults such as lower lipid levels, lower body mass indices, and reduced risk of coronary artery disease. Few studies have demonstrated these health benefits in children. To determine the association between peanut consumption and weight, intake of nutrients of concern, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and cholesterol in Mexican American children, baseline data from 262 sixth-grade students (48% female) in a school-based weight management program were analyzed to compare differences between peanut and non-peanut eaters. It was hypothesized that Mexican American children who consume peanuts will be less overweight and have a better nutrient and lipid profile when compared to those who do not eat peanuts. Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire as a baseline dietary assessment before beginning the program. Children were identified as either a peanut consumer (n = 100) or non-peanut consumer (n = 162). Body mass index measurements were taken on all participants. A smaller sample of participants submitted blood for lipid analysis. Analyses revealed that children in the peanut consumer group were less likely to be overweight or obese than children in the non-peanut consumer group (χ(2) = 13.9, P = .001), had significantly higher intakes of several vitamins and micronutrients (i.e., magnesium, vitamin E), and had lower low-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol levels. These results illustrate that consumption of peanuts and/or peanut butter is associated with lower weight status, improved diet, and lipid levels among Mexican American children. Future research is needed to clarify the role of peanut consumption in children's overall health.
Left atrial appendage "stunning" after electrical cardioversion of atrial flutter: an attenuated response compared with atrial fibrillation as the mechanism for lower susceptibility to thromboembolic events.

Abstract Objectives. This study sought to determine whether left atrial appendage stunning occurs in patients with atrial flutter and to compare left atrial appendage function in the pericardioversion period with that in patients with atrial fibrillation. Background. Left atrial appendage stunning has recently been proposed as a key mechanistic phenomenon in the etiology of postcardioversion thromboembolic events in atrial fibrillation. Atrial flutter is thought to be associated with a negligible risk of thromboembolic events; therefore, anticoagulation is commonly withheld before and after cardioversion in these patients. Methods. Sixty-three patients with atrial flutter (n = 19) or atrial fibrillation (n = 44) underwent transesophageal echocardiography immediately before and after electrical cardioversion. In addition to assessing the presence of thrombus and spontaneous echo contrast, we measured left atrial appendage emptying velocity and calculated shear rates by pulsed wave Doppler and two-dimensional echocardiography. Results. Patients with atrial flutter exhibited greater left atrial appendage flow velocities before cardioversion than those with atrial fibrillation (42 ± 19 vs. 28 ± 15 cm/s [mean ± SD], p Conclusions. Left atrial appendage stunning also occurs in patients with atrial flutter, although to a lesser degree than in those with atrial fibrillation. These data suggest that patients with atrial flutter are at risk for thromboembolic events after cardioversion, although this risk is most likely lower than that in patients with atrial fibrillation because of better preserved left atrial appendage function. (J Am Coll Cardiol 1997;29:582–9)
Multiresolution analysis of vertex curves and watershed boundaries

ABSTRACT This paper presents two methods to identify and analyze geometric structures in greysca1e images: vertexcurves and watershed boundaries. Both of these geometric representations capture interesting properties of ridges and valleys in an image and are related to the intensity axis of symmetry (lAS) [1][2][3][4]. The multiresolutiOn behavior of these image shape descriptions can be used to impose a scale-based hierarchy onridges and valleys in the image. This hierarchy can be utilized in top-down or bottom-up analysis of imagestructure. Robust methods to calculate these geometric representations are also described. 1. INTRODUCTION In many computer vision applications we need to analyze higher order geometric structures than intensityextrema (bright and dark spots) and intensity discontinuities (edges). For example, images of fingerprints orblood vessels are best characterized by the behavior of the intensity ridges or valleys in the image. To performthis analysis, we need robust methods for finding and quantifying these image features. Methods based onmatched filters are inappropriate for this task because they only identify isolated points in the image whose
WE-G-134-08: Extracting Fractional Regional Ventilation in Mice

Purpose: Testing altered treatment paradigms, prospectively in cohorts of patients remains challenging due to the large variability in tumor characteristics and underlying comorbidities. Preclinical models of lung cancer can enable such studies in a controlled environment. In this work, we wanted to test the feasibility of extracting quantitative fraction regional ventilation (FRV) in small animals. Methods: Imaging was carried out using a dual source micro‐CT system developed to enable high‐resolution dynamic images. Mice were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated using a fixed volume (0.4 ml) ventilator. Images were acquired at two phases of ventilation: full inhale breath hold and end‐exhale breath hold. Images were spatially matched using deformable image registration from an Image Registration Toolkit. The spatially aligned bi‐phasic images (end‐inhale and end‐exhale) were used to extract FRV by applying a mass correction that is estimated using the ratio of the global inhale‐mass and end‐exhale mass. A distribution of the FRV values is used to estimate a global ratio of tidal volume (TV) to functional residual capacity (FRC). Results: Preliminary results indicate that it is feasible to extract fractional regional ventilation in small animals without the use of exogenous gases. Mice that were mechanically ventilated indicate a good correspondence between the mass‐corrected FRV based tidal volume (0.402 ml and 0.36 ml) and global ventilated tidal volume (0.4 ml). The mean of the distribution of FRV that is indicative of the global TV/FRC was ∼0.6 for both mice. Conclusion: Earlier studies in small animal imaging have focused on extracting whole lung volumes as a measure of ventilation using micro‐CT. This is the first study to test the feasibility of extracting fractional regional ventilation in mice using micro‐CT. Early results indicate a good correlation between inhaled tidal volume and tidal volume estimates from FRV. National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) as one of the national Biomedical Technology Resource Centers (P41 EB015897)
The late somatosensory evoked potential in premature and term infants. I. Principal component topography.

Abstract Very little is known about the topographic distribution of the cortical somatosensory evoked potential in premature infants. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the wave forms generated from right median nerve stimulu over a relatively long sweep (483 msec post stimulus) at 16 electrodes in 53 infants with postconceptual ages from 31 to 40 weeks, subdivided into 5 groups by 2 week increments. Factor scores were averaged across subjects, within groups and displayed as topographical maps. Four factors accounted for 71–76% of the variance in each of the 5 groups and the factors extracted from the PCA performed independently in each group were markedly consistent. The first factor (N1/P1) had a left posterior minimum and a left frontal-central maximum and probably represents a tangential dipole located in the post-central gyrus. The second factor (N2) was characterized by a consistent left central minimum with a systematic developmental change in the maximum that seemed to imply that its neural generator was changing in orientation as the infants matured. A third factor (N3) accounted for the most variance and appeared to represent the first evidence of activity in the ipsilateral cortex. Finally, a very late fourth factor appeared only in the more mature groups, with uncertain localization. The topographic maps of the factor scores for these 4 factors appear to account for independent generators in the SEP of the premature and term infant.
Racial Health Disparities in a Cohort of 5,135 Transgender Veterans

There are no large-scale studies of racial health disparities in transgender patients. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest health-care system in the United States and was an early adopter of electronic health records. We present new data on medical and mental health disparities in a large population of transgender veterans. Using four ICD-9-CM codes, we identified a cohort of transgender veterans who presented for VHA care from1996–2013. A total of 5,135 transgender veterans were identified, 387 were non-Hispanic Black and 4,120 were non-Hispanic White. These two groups were compared to determine if medical and/or mental health disparities existed. Black transgender veterans had increased odds to be diagnosed with alcohol abuse (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.86, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 1.50–2.31, p < 0.0001), benign prostatic hyperplasia (AOR = 1.36, CI = 1.01–1.84, p < 0.05), congestive heart failure (AOR = 1.51, CI = 1.04–2.19, p < 0.05), HIV/AIDS (AOR = 6.77, CI = 4.60–9.97, p < 0.0001), hypertension (AOR = 1.71, CI = 1.34–2.17, p < 0.0001), end-stage renal disease (AOR = 3.34, CI = 1.65–6.93, p < 0.001), serious mental illness (AOR = 1.35, CI = 1.09–1.68, p < 0.01), and tobacco use (AOR = 1.29, CI = 1.04–1.59, p < 0.05). However, the odds of Black transgender veterans to be diagnosed with the following conditions were reduced: depression (AOR = 0.73, CI = 0.58–0.93, p < 0.01), hypercholesterolemia (AOR = 0.71, CI = 0.57–0.89, p < 0.01), and obesity (AOR = 0.79, CI = 0.63–0.98, p < 0.05). Black transgender veterans’ odds of having a history of incarceration was nearly three times larger (AOR = 2.91, CI = 1.84–4.62, p < 0.0001) and their odds of experiencing homelessness was nearly two times larger (AOR = 1.85, CI = 1.49–2.31, p < 0.0001) than White transgender veterans. The odds of Black transgender veterans to live in a rural area was 65 % less than that of White transgender veterans (AOR = 0.35, CI = 0.27–0.46, p < 0.0001). This is the first study to examine a large cohort of transgender patients for the presence of racial disparities in psychiatric and medical health outcome disparities using retrospective medical chart data. Black transgender veterans were found to have a greater likelihood of social disadvantage and prevalence of several mental and medical conditions compared to White transgender veterans. Racial disparities occurred in a context of global health disparities in transgender veterans, as a group, compared to non-transgender veterans. These findings may have implications for policy, prevention strategies, and health-care delivery in VA and other health-care systems.
Mindfulness is associated with fewer PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, and alcohol problems in urban firefighters.

Objective This study investigated the association between mindfulness, other resilience resources, and several measures of health in 124 urban firefighters. Method Participants completed health measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, and alcohol problems and measures of resilience resources including mindfulness, optimism, personal mastery, and social support. The Mindful Awareness and Attention Scale (MAAS; Brown & Ryan, 2003) was used to assess mindfulness. Participants also completed measures of firefighter stress, number of calls, and years as a firefighter as control variables. Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted with the health measures as the dependent variables with 3 levels of independent variables: (a) demographic characteristics, (b) firefighter variables, and (c) resilience resources. Results The results showed that mindfulness was associated with fewer PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, and alcohol problems when controlling for the other study variables. Personal mastery and social support were also related to fewer depressive symptoms, firefighter stress was related to more PTSD symptoms and alcohol problems, and years as a firefighter were related to fewer alcohol problems. Conclusions Mindfulness may be important to consider and include in models of stress, coping, and resilience in firefighters. Future studies should examine the prospective relationship between mindfulness and health in firefighters and others in high-stress occupations.
Plasmid-chromosome shuffling for non-deletion alleles in yeast

Here we describe a facile plasmid-chromosome shuffling technique for generating and analyzing non-deletion alleles in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This technique takes advantage of an existing set of genome-wide haploid-convertible heterozygous diploid yeast knockout mutants. This simple method will facilitate characterization of essential gene functions and genome-wide investigation of protein structure-function relationships.
Sensorless, PWM-free starter/generator inverter topology for low inductance high speed PM machines

A low cost sensorless, PWM-free starter/generator inverter topology for high-speed low-inductance PM machine applications is presented. By taking advantage of the preheating resistive element typically found in most microturbine systems the new topology achieves a PWM-free starting current regulation. Also the proposed topology uses the preheating resistor element as a load dump to prevent any unacceptable over speed conditions due to loss of load. To achieve sensorless commutation during starting, the terminal voltages of the machine are sensed and processed. With PWM-free regulation, switching losses are reduced significantly, consequently lower rating power switching devices can be used. Also PWM-free regulation eliminates the need for any external inductors typically used to reduce the PM machine heating due to the high current ripple resulting from the switching and the machine low inductance. Finally, with PWM-free operation the cost and the weight of the EMI filter are drastically reduced. As a result more reliable, lower cost and higher power density electronic package is realized. The new topology was verified experimentally.
Obesity, central adiposity and cardiometabolic risk factors in children and adolescents: a family-based study.

Summary Objective The objective of this study was to assess genetic and phenotypic correlations of obesity-related cardiometabolic risk factors in a family-based cohort. Methods Anthropometric, body composition and biochemical measurements were collected on 999 members of 111 extended Midwestern US families of Northern European origin. Forward stepwise regression was used to identify which of Tanner stage, sex, Tanner stage by sex, body fat mass index, body fat percentage (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), visceral fat (VF)/subcutaneous fat (SubQF) (computed tomography scans for adults or magnetic resonance imaging for children), VF, SubQF, body mass index (BMI)% and waist to height ratio most influence homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), plasma triglycerides (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c). Results In children and adolescents, subcutaneous adiposity was the most significant covariate for HOMA (P < 0.001) and TG (P = 0.001), and BMI percentile for HDL-c (P = 0.002) and LDL-c (P < 0.001). In adults, waist–height ratio (P < 0.001), VF/SubQF ratio (P = 0.001) and BMI (P = 0.02) were most significant for HOMA; VF (P < 0.001) and BMI (P = 0.02) for TG and VF for LDL-c (P = 0.001). Conclusion Subcutaneous adiposity at the waist is a more significant predictor of metabolic syndrome traits in children and adolescents than it is in adults.
Radiation counter for beta particles

This conduction-type counter uses a cadmium-sulfate crystal mounted in a hypodermic needle; a probe preamplifier of low noise was designed to be used with it. An analysis of the geometry of the problem has been derived to yield the counting rate in terms of the crystal size, concentration of radioactive atoms, their mean life, and the end-point energy of the beta particles.
Effect of early outdoor experience on the activity of wild and semi-domestic deermice.

The gross activity of wild and semi-domestic strains of prairie deermice was measured in two kinds of novel test apparatus (tilt-cage and activity wheel). Differences in strain activity were not obtained in either apparatus. Activity was significantly decreased in both strains by early experience in the field and by rearing wild genotype subjects in large laboratory cages. It was suggested that differential early sensory experience associated with both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the early rearing environment may be responsible for the treatment effect. Whereas no daily changes in activity were noted in the tilt-cages, activity in the wheels was sipnificantly higher on day 1 for all groups. In contrast to recent literature, wheel running activity did not change with total water deprivation.
The output effect of gross foreign investment reversals

A large literature links currency crashes and reversals in a country’s net external borrowing to output losses. In this article, we find that contractions in the stock of gross foreign claims on a country—a phenomenon we call gross foreign investment reversals (GIRs)—are also associated with output declines. GIRs are specially harmful during currency, current account, and sudden stop crises in emerging markets. Instrumental variables estimation suggests that this relationship is causal, running from GIR to output. Meanwhile, financial development and stocks of foreign assets can buffer emerging markets against the negative output effects of GIR. Jointly these findings suggest that changes in the composition of the current account, and not just its level or rate of change, can have first-order output effects. Thus, it may be important for future research to identify the determinants of GIR, a subject we only briefly touch on.
THE MICRO AND MACRO IN BODY SIZE EVOLUTION.

The diversity of body sizes of organisms has traditionally been explained in terms of microevolutionary processes: natural selection owing to differential fitness of individual organisms, or to macroevolutionary processes: species selection owing to the differential proliferation of phy- logenetic lineages. Data for terrestrial mammals and birds indicate that even on a logarithmic scale frequency distributions of body mass among species are significantly skewed towards larger sizes. We used simulation models to evaluate the extent to which macro- and microevolutionary processes are sufficient to explain these distributions. Simulations of a purely cladogenetic process with no bias in extinction or speciation rates for different body sizes did not produce skewed log body mass distributions. Simulations that included size-biased extinction rates, especially those that incor- porated anagenetic size change within species between speciation and extinction events, regularly produced skewed distributions. We conclude that although cladogenetic processes probably play a significant role in body size evolution, there must also be a significant anagenetic component. The regular variation in the form of mammalian body size distributions among different-sized islands and continents suggests that environmental conditions, operating through both macro- and microevolutionary processes, determine to a large extent the diversification of body sizes within faunas. Macroevolution is not decoupled from microevolution.
Editorial commentary: Technical performance anxiety: utility of the technical performance scale in predicting later intervention after repair of tetralogy of Fallot.

Brief Summary: A technical performance scale (TPS)–based retrospectively on a predischarge echocardiogram is evaluated in its ability to predict the need for later reintervention after repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). This presents a challenging task, given the complexity of determining the components of an “optimal” result in this setting. Since Marc de Leval’s early work on human factors and quality in congenital heart surgery, several key analytic tools have evolved as aids to predict more broad surgical outcomes. Among these, the so-called TPS, developed at the Children’s Hospital in Boston, has emerged as a powerful instrument that may both aid us in understanding the overall impact of “less optimal” repairs on outcome and ultimately allow individual surgeons to assess their results in comparison with industry benchmarks. 1–5 While the initial
Endothelial MHC class II antigen expression and endarteritis associated with Marek's disease virus infection in chickens.

Experimental Marek's disease virus (MDV) infection in chickens was used to study the early pathogenesis of virus-induced atherosclerosis. Previous investigations using this model have reported the oc- currence of atherosclerotic lesions after approximately 7 months postinfection. In this study, a total of 75 susceptible Cornell P-line chickens were inoculated intraperitoneally with the CU-2 strain of MDV at 3 days of age and subsequently perfused for histologic examination. At 2, 4, 8, 13, and 20 weeks postinoculation, the ascending aorta and the brachiocephalic and coronary arteries were evaluated for early changes. Expression of class I1 major histocompatibility complex (Ia) antigen by the vascular endothelium was demonstrated by indirect immunodetection as early as 2 weeks after virus inoculation. This change was followed by significant thickening of the intimal layer associated with mononuclear cell infiltration. All the arteries examined from the MDV- infected chickens were affected. Preliminary immunohistochemical staining showed the presence of CD3 + CD4+, and CD8 + cells among the infiltrating cells. The results suggest that an immunopathologic mechanism may be involved in the early pathogenesis of MDV-induced atherosclerosis in chickens.
They Lift My Spirit Up: Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Support Teams for African Americans Facing Serious Illness

Background. Active social and spiritual support for persons with cancer and other serious illnesses has been shown to improve psychological adjustment to illness and quality of life. Objective. To evaluate a community-based support team intervention within the African American community using stakeholder interviews. Methods. Support team members were recruited from African American churches, community organizations, and the social network of individuals with serious illness. Support teams provided practical, emotional, and spiritual care for persons with cancer and other serious illness. The intervention was evaluated using semistructured interviews with 47 stakeholders including those with serious illness, support team volunteers, clergy, and medical providers. Results. Stakeholders report multiple benefits to participation in the support team; themes included provision of emotional and spiritual support, extension of support to patients’ family, and support complementary to medical care. Reported barrie...
People, process, and paradox: qualitative research as journey 1

Qualitative researchers have made some provocative assertions about ethnography: [a] in research on dynamic processes, questions change, and therefore research tools change; [b] in ethnography, the researcher is the instrument; and [c] ethographic research is characterized by researcher “self‐doubt.” This article reflects on the nature of ethnographic research in light of experiences I gained while investigating the role of literacy in the lives of Hmong refugees in Philadelphia. By discussing three people that I came to know, I explore each of the assertions and examine my own shifts in perspective during the research process. Finally, I reflect on the idea of self‐doubt and suggest that it may characterize not only the research process but also the lasting consequences of inquiry. The paper illustrates the paradox that the dangers and discomforts contribute to the power of the ethnographic enterprise. 1In research on dynamic processes, questions change, and investigative tools change; tools for collecti...
The Inodilators: An Expanding Role in the Perioperative Period

A NESTHESIOLOGISTS are seeing a changing patient population that is older and has more complex medical histories and multisystem diseases. Improvements in surgical techniques and medical management now allow high-risk cardiac patients to undergo procedures for which they would have been ineligible in the past. One of the major advances contributing to this change is the development of improved inotropic and vasodilator drugs. For many years, inotropes such as epinephrine have been used to improve contractility, but their use has been limited by side effects including increases in peripheral vascular resistance and myocardial oxygen demand. The addition of a vasodilator, such as nitroglycerin or nitroprusside, has allowed unloading of the right and left ventricles, resulting in further improvement in cardiac output (CO) and contractility. Though this combination therapy is useful, it is complicated and requires careful titration. A new category of drugs, the “inodilators,” has simplified the management of patients in severe heart failure or cardiogenic shock.’ Dopamine, dobutamine, and amrinone are mixed inotropicvasodilator drugs commonly used in the perioperative period.
Object-Oriented Classification of LIDAR-Fused Hyperspectral Imagery for Tree Species Identification in an Urban Environment

The objective of the current study was to develop a methodology for the identification of tree species in an urban environment by using Quickbird multispectral data, AISA hyperspectral data, AISA Eagle hyperspectral data and Leica ALS50 LiDAR data. For this research, object-oriented classification was performed using eCognition Professional. The classifications were performed on each of the images available with and without the aid of LiDAR. Elevation and intensity data was used to create images segments as well as user-defined class rules. Classes included honey locust, white pine, crab apple, sugar maple, white spruce, American basswood, pin oak and ash. Initial results indicate fusing LiDAR data with these imageries showed an increase in overall classification accuracy for all datasets. Increases in overall accuracy ranged from 12 to 24 percent over classifications based on spectral imagery alone. There were some more substantial increases in some individual species accuracies, particularly classes that consisted of smaller objects such as saplings or shrubbery.
Bacterial Flora of the Healthy Skin in Children

The normal bacterial flora of the skin of 100 healthy children was studied in a paediatric practice with regard to the germ spectrum and the resistance constellation, by means of abrasion skin samples taken from the upper part of the back. Staphylococcus albus was by far the most predominant bacteria, followed by Sarcina bacteria and Corynebacteria. The high degree of pervasion of this physiological cutaneous flora with antibiotic-resistant strains increases the suspicion that in the case of florid bacterial skin infections in children, subsequent to traumatic or inflammatory changes of the integument, the antibiotic resistance of the normal resident flora can be transferred to the pathogenic flora. In view of the endemic resistance of pathogenic and saprobic strains of bacteria against practically all antibiotics at present used in paediatric practice, it is to be urgently recommended that instead of antibiotics topical braod-spectrum antimicrobial agents (antiseptics), e.g. clioquinol, triclosan, etc., should preferably be used.
An Evaluation of Specific and Non‐Specific Inhibition of 2‐Dimensional Growth in Fern Gametophytes

Gametophytes of Onoclea sensibilis were grown under continuous white light of 90 lux. Filaments were produced having 4–6 cells before the initiation of 2-dimensional growth. There was a close correlation between the average cell number of a population of plants and the proportion of 2-dimensional forms. 8-Azaguanine produced a general inhibition of growth, and it was shown that the reduced proportion of 2-dimensional plants caused by 8-azaguanine was a secondary consequence of the general growth inhibition. IAA however gave a true specific inhibition of 2-dimensional growth. Based on these experiments the proper criteria for establishing a specific inhibition of 2-dimcnsional growth arc discussed. These criteria are applied in a critical review of previous papers on the inhibition of 2-dimensional growth. It is concluded that no firm evidence is available that inhibition of protein synthesis specifically blocks 2-dimensional growth.