cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential modulatory actions of the volatile convulsant flurothyl and its anesthetic isomer at inhibitory ligand-gated ion channels.

Abstract A challenge for theories of general anesthesia is the existence of compounds predicted to be anesthetics but which, instead, do not produce anesthesia and often elicit other behavioral effects such as convulsions. This study focused on flurothyl (bis[2,2,2-trifluoroethyl] ether), a potent volatile convulsant, and its anesthetic isomer, ‘iso-flurothyl’ (1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-methoxypropane). The effects of flurothyl and iso-flurothyl were studied using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique on agonist-activated chloride currents in human GABAA, glycine, and GABAC ρ1 receptors expressed in HEK 293 cells. GABAA and glycine receptors are promising molecular targets for the actions of inhaled ether general anesthetics. Flurothyl acted as a non-competitive antagonist at GABAA α2β1 and α2β1γ2s receptors, but had no effect at glycine α1 receptors. Flurothyl had biphasic actions on GABA responses at GABAC ρ1 receptors. In contrast, iso-flurothyl enhanced (‘potentiated’) submaximal agonist responses at GABAA and glycine receptors, but had no effect on GABA responses at GABAC ρ1 receptors. Point mutations in GABAA and glycine receptor subunits, which have been previously shown to abolish potentiation of agonist responses by the ether anesthetics enflurane and isoflurane, also ablated potentiation of agonist responses by iso-flurothyl. These same mutations in the GABAA receptor had only modest effects on the inhibitory actions of flurothyl. GABAA receptors with mutations conferring insensitivity to antagonism by picrotoxin were still inhibited by flurothyl, suggesting that picrotoxin and flurothyl antagonize GABA responses by distinct sites or mechanisms of action. In summary, antagonism of GABAA receptors is likely to account for the convulsant effects of flurothyl, while the general anesthetic actions of iso-flurothyl, like those of other ether anesthetics, may be related to positive modulation of GABAA and/or glycine receptors.
Filtration fronts in pressure compliant reservoirs

Hydrofracturing is believed to be the major mechanism responsible for the migration of crust fluids and for the transport of hydrocarbons from overpressured fluid compartments. In their analysis of the process of porosity reduction in the earth’s crust and crustal pore pressure generation, Walder and Nur (1984) point out that elevated pore pressure generated as a result of local porosity reduction may lead to brittle failure with partial relief of high pore pressure. Such episodic fracturing accompanied by crack healing, may be a common process throughout most of the crust. Hunt (1990) also speculates that the generation of oil and gas within the compartments plus the thermal expansion of pore fluids eventually causes fracturing of the top compartment seal during periods of basin sinking. Seal fracturing causes a pressure drop with compartment fluids rushing to the breakout point. Episodic cycles of resealing and breakout may occur in intervals of thousands of years in rapidly sinking basins such as the U...
Robust techniques for signal processing: A survey

In recent years there has been much interest in robustness issues in general and in robust signal processing schemes in particular. Robust schemes are useful in situations where imprecise a priori knowledge of input characteristics makes the sensitivity of performance to deviations from assumed conditions an important factor in the design of good signal processing schemes. In this survey we discuss the minimax approach for the design of robust methods for signal processing. This has proven to be a very useful approach because it leads to constructive procedures for designing robust schemes. Our emphasis is on the contributions which have been made in robust signal processing, although key results of other robust statistical procedures are also considered. Most of the results we survey have been obtained in the past fifteen years, although some interesting earlier ideas for minimax signal processing are also mentioned. This survey is organized into five main parts, which deal separately with robust linear filters for signal estimation, robust linear filters for signal detection and related applications, nonlinear methods for robust signal detection, nonlinear methods for robust estimation, and robust data quantization. The interrelationships among many of these results are also discussed in the survey.
MRI mediated, non-invasive tracking of intratumoral distribution of nanocarriers in rat glioma.

Nanocarrier mediated therapy of gliomas has shown promise. The success of systemic nanocarrier-based chemotherapy is critically dependent on the so-called leaky vasculature to permit drug extravasation across the blood–brain barrier. Yet, the extent of vascular permeability in individual tumors varies widely, resulting in a correspondingly wide range of responses to the therapy. However, there exist no tools currently for rationally determining whether tumor blood vessels are amenable to nanocarrier mediated therapy in an individualized, patient specific manner today. To address this need for brain tumor therapy, we have developed a multifunctional 100 nm scale liposomal agent encapsulating a gadolinium-based contrast agent for contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging with prolonged blood circulation. Using a 9.4 T MRI system, we were able to track the intratumoral distribution of the gadolinium-loaded nanocarrier in a rat glioma model for a period of three days due to improved magnetic properties of the contrast agent being packaged in a nanocarrier. Such a nanocarrier provides a tool for non-invasively assessing the suitability of tumors for nanocarrier mediated therapy and then optimizing the treatment protocol for each individual tumor. Additionally, the ability to image the tumor in high resolution can potentially constitute a surgical planning tool for tumor resection.
Time-domain measurement of broadband coherent Cherenkov radiation

We report on further analysis of coherent microwave Cherenkov impulses emitted via the Askaryan mechanism from high-energy electromagnetic showers produced at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). In this report, the time-domain based analysis of the measurements made with a broadband (nominally 1-18 GHz) log periodic dipole antenna (LPDA) is described. The theory of a transmit-receive antenna system based on time-dependent effective height operator is summarized and applied to fully characterize the measurement antenna system and to reconstruct the electric field induced via the Askaryan process. The observed radiation intensity and phase as functions of frequency were found to agree with expectations from 0.75-11.5 GHz within experimental errors on the normalized electric field magnitude and the relative phase; {sigma}{sub R|E|} = 0.039 {micro}V/MHz/TeV and {sigma}{sub {phi}} = 17{sup o}. This is the first time this agreement has been observed over such a broad bandwidth, and the first measurement of the relative phase variation of an Askaryan pulse. The importance of validation of the Askaryan mechanism is significant since it is viewed as the most promising way to detect cosmogenic neutrino fluxes at E{sub v} {ge} 10{sup 15} eV.
MSLT-defined sleepiness and neuropsychological test performance do not correlate in the elderly.

Abstract This study investigated whether a sensitive, physiological measure of alertness/sleepiness, the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), was related to neuropsychological test performance in elderly individuals. We hypothesized that the greater likelihood of falling asleep during the daytime on the MSLT would be related to relatively poorer performances on a variety of neuropsychological tests. Results from a homogeneous sample of 35 relatively well-educated, high functioning, elderly community volunteers confirmed the presence of characteristic levels of daytime alertness which were stable within individuals (r=.70 to .73) and showed large variation across individuals (coefficients of variation: 54–84%). Despite this wide intersubject variability, MSLT-defined alertness/sleepiness was unrelated to neuropsychological test results. We discuss these results in terms of the performance deficits known to accompany sleepiness in experimental studies of sleep deprivation and in terms of the behavioral slowing known to occur in normal aging.
Delay of ST Depression after Maximal Exercise by Walking for 2 Minutes

Maximal exercise testing of 241 healthy, highly selected, middle-aged American men in Taiwan and Hong Kong revealed a lower prevalence of ST-segment depression than among American men in Seattle. This difference was attributed to circumstances restricting availability of American men in Taiwan and Hong Kong with risk factors ordinarily associated with this response. ST depression, when present, was usually manifested after a delay of 4 to 5 min in the American men studied in the Orient, as previously noted, in healthy Chinese men. This delay is attributed to the circulatory effects of walking slowly for 2 min after maximal exercise which prevents venous pooling and a rapid decrease in cardiac output and coronary perfusion. Occurrence of ST depression in these selected American men in the Orient was more frequently associated with higher systolic pressure and minor ST-T abnormalities in the resting electrocardiogram than in American men in Seattle.
School Counselors' Perceptions of Career Counseling and Career Testing: Preferences, Priorities, and Predictors

Limited information on the actual and preferred career counseling and career testing activities of school counselors exists. An analysis of a statewide school counselors' survey revealed career counseling and testing preferences, priorities and predictors. Results revealed counselors preferred trait/factor approaches to career counseling, including Holland's RIASEC theory, Person-Environment-Correspondence theory and Cognitive Information Processing theory, respectively. With respect to career counseling and career testing priorities, means comparisons indicated that elementary, middle, and high school counselors' actual time performing career counseling duties is minimal; however, they desire to spend significantly more time on career counseling and testing. Multiple regressions revealed important predictor variables for actual and ideal time spent on career counseling and career testing. Limitations and recommendations for further research are discussed.
Characterization and application of femtosecond infrared stimulated parametric emission microscopy

A four-wave mixing (FWM) microscopy that is designed to probe third-order nonlinear susceptibilities, χ(3) of target materials with femtosecond light pulses has been constructed and investigated. Nondegenerate FWM signals (at 1500 and 639 nm) were produced in samples by a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser (790 nm) and a femtosecond optical parametric oscillator (1035 nm). While the effect of electronic and vibrational molecular resonances on the visible FWM signal has been extensively studied, little attention has been paid to the infrared (IR) signal. This IR signal should exhibit a different dependence on the spectrum of molecular electronic resonances, and thus potentially offers a new mechanism for image contrast in microscopy. We have therefore constructed a FWM microscope to characterize these signals in a focused geometry. In polymeric films and beads containing a solute with a resonant (or near-resonant) optical response, the nonresonant polymer background signal was effectively suppressed using polarization-sensitive detection. Longitudinal scans of the beam foci through films were used to determine relative nonlinear third-order susceptibilities and second hyperpolarizabilities of selected solvents and the Rhodamine 6G dye molecule, for both the visible and IR FWM wavelengths.
Synchronic and diachronic microvariation in English do

In this paper it is shown how an account of the English auxiliary system that has been independently proposed to deal with problems in standard analyses also provides a natural treatment of microvariation among varieties of English. The phenomenon is the use of non-emphatic periphrastic/dummy do in positive declaratives (Mary did visit her brother), here called spurious do, as found most famously in the English of the 1500s, but attested also in some modern dialects and registers and in child English, and closely related to the use of tun in colloquial German. The framework adopted dispenses with two standard but problematic claims about English INFL: the exceptional ability of be and have to raise to Tense, even across negation, and the existence of PF affix lowering. Instead it is claimed that English has overt verb raising and that finite be/have are base-generated in INFL, above negation; independent support for the latter is provided from VP ellipsis. The analysis of do is that it is an allomorph of the indicative value of the Mood head, whose other indicative allomorph is zero. Mood is above Tense and is where modals are base-generated. It is shown that this system cannot block the generation of spurious do, because this would require transderivational comparison. Thus, the narrow syntax makes spurious do freely available. Languages and dialects differ on the extent to which they make use of this option. All else equal, it should be dispreferred because it involves one more word than its counterpart without do, but numerous advantages, including processing and rhetorical benefits, can outweigh this. The conclusion is that do cannot be analyzed as a strictly last-resort device in the way proposed in Chomsky's classic analysis. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Femoropopliteal bypass with either adequate ipsilateral reversed saphenous vein or obligatory polytetrafluoroethylene.

The results are presented of a 10-year experience with 312 femoropopliteal bypasses performed in 285 patients using ipsilateral autologous reversed greater saphenous vein when available and adequate and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) when not. The indications for operation were severe claudication in 121 (39%), rest pain in 95 (30%), and minor tissue loss in 96 (31%) limbs. There were 235 (75%) saphenous vein bypasses, of which 157 were above and 78 below the knee, and 77 (25%) PTFE bypasses, 58 above and 19 below the knee. Of these, 232 (79%) saphenous vein and 62 (21%) PTFE bypasses were primary procedures. The 30-day mortality rate was 3% (7/285) and the 30-day amputation rate was 2% (6/312). Overall, 24 (10%) saphenous vein and 30 (39%) PTFE grafts ultimately failed. The cumulative primary patency of all bypasses was 77% ± 4% (mean ± 1 SE) (85% to 69%, 95% confidence interval) at 3 years and 75% ± 4% (86% to 64%) at 5 years. Saphenous vein primary patency was superior to that of PTFE at 3 years, 87% ± 4% (97% to 77%) vs. 54% ± 12% (65% to 41%), (p<0.01), and at 5 years, 81% ± 6% (96% to 67%) vs. 48% ± 16% (63% to 33%) (p<0.01). Above-knee saphenous vein bypass primary patency was slightly better than below-knee patency at 3 years, 89% ± 4% vs. 84% ± 6%, and at 5 years, 83% ± 7% vs. 80% ± 8%. This was superior to above-knee PTFE patency at 3 years, 54% ± 14%, and at 5 years, 34% ± 16% (p<0.01). The overall PTFE failure rate was three to four times that of the saphenous vein rate. These results strongly support the use of autologous greater saphenous vein for all femoropopliteal bypasses when it is available and of good quality. PTFE grafts are valuable secondary conduits when the vein is not available or is inadequate. This series was not randomized since PTFE was used only in patients with inadequate or unavailable ipsilateral greater saphenous veins. When this protocol was followed, the patency rate for greater saphenous vein was excellent and its use is recommended for femoropopliteal bypass when it is available and of good quality.
Symptomatology, attribution to medicines, and symptom reporting among Medicare enrollees

Abstract Background Adverse drug events (ADEs) are generally preceded by symptoms reported by patients, and understanding who reports symptoms is important in understanding ADEs. Objectives The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the prevalence of symptomatology experienced, recalled, and reported to physicians (2) quantify the extent of attribution of recalled symptoms to medicines, and (3) predict factors associated with the reporting of recalled symptoms. Methods This was an Internet-based survey administered by Harris Interactive ® . Data collected and included in the analysis were symptoms experienced, symptom attribution to medicines, number of medicines, concern and necessity beliefs in medicines, self-rated health, number of physician visits, hospitalizations and emergency room visits in the past 6 months, whether patients had to pay part of their prescription costs, number of pharmacies, self-reported medication adherence, and sociodemographics. A descriptive analysis of sociodemographic and clinical/behavioral characteristics was completed, the frequency distribution of symptoms and their attribution to medication was obtained, and independent factors that predicted who was likely to report symptoms to physicians, using a multiple logistic regression analysis, were identified. Results Sixty-two percent (n=751) reported having at least 1 of 10 symptoms in the past month. Of the 1220 Medicare enrollees, 6.0-31.1% experienced varied specific symptoms. Of those who recalled they had experienced a particular symptom, 11.7-48.8% thought the symptoms were related to the medicine they were taking. Reporting symptoms to physicians was positively related to concern beliefs, seeing physicians ≥ 2 times in the past 6 months, perceiving symptom experienced was due to medicines, using more than 3 pharmacies, and not having to pay part of prescription costs. Conclusions Assessing beliefs in medications may help to identify unreported symptoms and subsequent ADEs. In addition, symptom reporting to physicians and other health professionals should be encouraged so that preventable ADEs are detected.
Ethics and evolution: the biological basis of morality

L'A. presente les analyses de R. D. Alexander montrant dans quelle mesure la biologie et la theorie darwinienne de l'evolution peuvent nous eclairer sur la nature de la morale
Electromagnetic Interactions with an Arbitrary Loosely Bound System

We present an electromagnetic interaction Hamiltonian for an arbitrary $N$-particle system with any mass, charge, spin, and magnetic moment which is consistent with the low-energy theorem for Compton scattering and the Drell-Hearn-Gerasimov sum rule to order ${(\mathrm{mass})}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$. It is related to the sum of individual Foldy-Wouthuysen interactions by a unitary transformation.
Reasoning, learning, and action

This article presents a review of the book "Reasoning, Learning and Action," by Chris Argyris.
SurgiLight bent-tip optical fiber: preliminary dosimetry and canine studies

We report preliminary potato dosimetry and canine studies evaluating a new 1,000-(mu) optical fiber whose distal tip has been bent to 45 degree(s), allowing for endoscopic delivery of neodymium:YAG laser energy at an angle of 60 degree(s). Our results suggest that this fiber is comparable with other more complex angled delivery systems; has several advantages: it can deliver greater power over longer time intervals, producing larger volumes of coagulative necrosis, and it may be operated in a contact mode within a fluid medium without fiber `burnout.' This fiber should prove useful for transurethral laser ablation of the prostate.
Bubble formation from a sparger in polymer solutions—I. Stagnant liquid

Abstract Bubble formation from orifices submerged in a continuous phase of viscous, shear-thinning and viscoelastic liquids has been investigated. A high-speed photographic technique was used to determine the bubble profile and the final bubble size.The experimental part of the investigation has afforded an insight into the dynamics of gas—liquid motion during the formation period of the bubble and the detachment criteria in polymeric liquids. A theoretical analysis has been developed by combining dimensional analysis and a force balance and a rheological equation to determine the bubble growth rate and the final bubble size. The role of the pseudoplasticity of the continuous phase on the size and shape of the bubble has been evaluated.
Preparation of Nanoporous Carbon Particles and Their Cryogenic Hydrogen Storage Capacities

Spherical nanoporous carbon particles were synthesized from carbon precursor solutions of sucrose with either silica sols or colloidal silica particles, or both, in a direct one-step aerosol-assisted process followed by carbonization and then removal of the silica template. The resulting carbon particles show very high porosity with narrow pore size distributions, surface areas up to 2000 m2/g, and pore volumes up to 4.0 cm3/g. Three different kinds of spherical nanoporous carbon particles were prepared: (1) unimodal nanoporous particles using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the only silica source for the template, (2) bimodal nanoporous particles using both TEOS and colloidal silica nanoparticles as a composite template, and (3) foamlike highly porous particles using only colloidal silica for the template. The porosity and pore sizes for these carbon particles depend on the type and amount of silica template precursor added to the sucrose precursor solutions. These carbon particles were characterized...
The frequency of human papillomavirus detection in postmenopausal women on hormone replacement therapy

Postmenopausal women enrolled in the Iowa portion of the postmenopausal estrogen/progestin interventions randomized clinical trial (n = 105) during 1989-1991 were studied for (i) the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in this older age population (ages 45-64), and (ii) the association between hormone replacement therapies (HRTs) and changes in detection of HPV over a 2-year time period. HPV is causative in most cervical and some other genital cancers and in the presence of steroid hormones has been shown to increase neoplastic transformation by HPV in vitro. Using PCR to detect HPV DNA, the overall frequency of the virus regardless of time period was 50.3% (n = 53) with a baseline (BL) frequency of 38.1% and the second year follow-up (FU) of 22.9%. The oncogenic types HPV-16 (75.5%) and HPV-31 (20.8%) were the most commonly reported. All those with persistently detected infection (10.5%), defined as HPV+ at both BL and FU, were identified with HPV-16 or -18. Between these two time periods there were no significant differences in HPV frequency between the placebo and combined HRT groups (BL-/FU+, 21% vs 18%; BL+/FU-, 71% vs 80%). While the study is based on a small sample, the findings suggest that short-term use of HRTs is not associated with an increased risk of HPV detection, but assessment of effects from long-term use is needed. The data also indicate that the frequency of HPV found in older women is higher than previously suspected but that short-term changes in HPV detected in this age group are unrelated to the development of precancerous cervical lesions.
Cocaethylene is as cardiotoxic as cocaine but is less toxic than cocaine plus ethanol

Cocaethylene is a pharmacologically active cocaine metabolite that is produced in the liver by the transesterification of cocaine only in the presence of ethanol. The acute cardiovascular effects of cocaethylene are not known. We compared the acute cardiovascular effects of cocaethylene with cocaine and with cocaine plus ethanol in 18 dogs. We administered cocaethylene 7.5 mg/kg to 6 dogs, cocaine 7.5 mg/kg to 6 dogs, and cocaine 7.5 mg/kg plus ethanol 1 gm/kg to 6 dogs. The dose of each drug was chosen to produce in dogs the concentrations of cocaethylene or cocaine that have been measured in patients who have experienced cardiotoxic reactions to cocaine or cocaine plus ethanol. Arterial, left ventricular (LV), pulmonary artery wedge pressures (PAWP), the maximum rate of LV pressure rise [(dP/dt)max] and fall [(dP/dt)min], and heart rate (HR) were continuously measured. Stroke volume was determined 3 times during the first hour after drug administration then hourly for four hours. The concentrations of cocaethylene and cocaine peaked in the serum at 3717 +/- 651 ng/ml and 4140 +/- 459 ng/ml, respectively, two minutes after each bolus. The median half-life of cocaethylene was 144.3 minutes whereas the median half-life of cocaine was 96.7 minutes (p < 0.01). Cocaethylene maximally decreased (dP/dt)max by 44%, (dP/dt)min by 29%, and stroke volume by 28% (all p < 0.01) and increased the PAWP by 50% (p < 0.02) and the HR by 13% (p = NS) during the first hour. Cocaine maximally decreased (dP/dt)max by 40%, (dP/dt)min by 31%, and the stroke volume by 26% and increased the PAWP by 100% and the HR by 46% (all p < 0.01) during the first hour. Ethanol plus cocaine maximally decreased (dP/dt)max by 68%, (dP/dt)min by 78% and the stroke volume by 49% and increased the PAWP by 118% and the HR by 74% (all p < 0.01) during the first hour. In this last group, (dP/dt)max and stroke volume remained depressed by approximately 20% (p < 0.01) for five hours. We conclude that cocaethylene is as toxic as cocaine to the myocardium but is less toxic than ethanol plus cocaine.
NGF and Alzheimer's disease—Considerations and caveats

The proposed use of NGF in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease is based on recent experimental evidence suggesting that NGF is a neurotrophic factor for basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. Although potentially efficacious, the effects of NGF in the setting of Alzheimer's disease have not been determined. A cause for concern is the recently demonstrated effect of NGF on amyloid synthesis raising the possibility that NGF could exacerbate the underlying pathology. Several issues relevant to the design of a clinical trial for NGF in Alzheimer's disease are addressed.
Seat interface pressures of individuals with paraplegia: influence of dynamic wheelchair locomotion compared with static seated measurements

Abstract Objective: To provide a comparison of the seat interface pressures between static seating and dynamic seating during wheelchair locomotion of individuals with paraplegia. Design: Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) comparing two conditions: static seat and dynamic seat interface pressures. Setting: University campus and clinic. Participants: Fifteen participants, each of whom propelled a manual wheelchair for at least 5 hours per week over the previous 6 months and functioned with a spinal cord injury/ disability level of T1 or below. Main Outcome Measures: Peak pressure (PP) and pressure time integral (PTI) as measured by the Novel Pliance System™, which consists of a flexible 32 × 32 capacitive sensor mat (each sensor 1.5cm 2 ) interfaced with a PC, was sampled at 10Hz. The participants were measured in their own wheelchair with a new Jay Active seat cushion. Results: The repeated measures MANOVA showed a difference in the PP and PTI between the static and dynamic measurements (Wilk's = .00, p t tests yielded a difference in PP ( t = 5.40, p t = 1.45, p > 0.025). The PP during static seating (mean = 16.2 ± 5.0kPa [121 ± 37.5mmHg]) was less than during dynamic seat interface pressures during wheelchair locomotion (20.03 ± 6.6kPa [152.3 ± 49.5mmHg]). PP varied by up to 42% during the wheelchair locomotion cycle. The PTI was similar between static (30.1 ± 9.3kPa [225.75 ± 69mmHg]) and dynamic conditions (36.2 ± 18.1kPa [271 ± 135.7mmHg]). Conclusions: The results from this study are consistent with some of the previous work on the nondisabled and a single case study, but with greater external validity because of the nature of the sample chosen and the methodology employed. PPs were greater during dynamic wheelchair locomotion compared with static seating interface pressures, with the peak varying up to 42% during the wheelchair locomotion cycle. The PTI indicates that the cumulative effect of the loading was comparable between conditions. The question that remains is whether this dynamic loading, resulting in a change in PP throughout the cycle, has a significant effect on tissue health.
Preoperative blood volume deficit influences blood transfusion requirements in females and males undergoing coronary bypass graft surgery.

Abstract Study objective To evaluate whether preoperative blood volume and postoperative blood loss influence blood transfusion in females and males undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Design Prospective study. Setting Anesthesiology department of a teaching hospital. Patients 57 CABG patients (21 females and 36 males). Measurements Blood volume was determined using the radioactivity dilution method. Preoperatively, each patient received intravenous (IV) injection of 1 mL Albumin I 131 tracer having 25 microcuries of radioactivity. Five-milliliter blood samples were collected at different intervals. From these samples, hematocrit (Hct) value, preoperative total blood volume, red blood cell (RBC) volume, and plasma volume were determined. Postoperatively, some consenting patients received another 1 mL dose of the tracer, and the postoperative blood volumes were determined. If a patient received a blood transfusion, the units of packed red blood cells (PRBCs), platelets, or fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfused were recorded. For each patient we recorded the gender, age, weight, height, body surface area (BSA), preoperative Hct, duration of surgery, and discharge Hct. Results Preoperatively, the mean total blood volume, RBC volume, and plasma volume, respectively, were 2095 mL/m 2 , 631 mL/m 2 , and 1,465 mL/m 2 in females; and 2,580 mL/m 2 , 878 mL/m 2 , and 1,702 mL/m 2 in males. The preoperative blood volumes were significantly lower ( p p p p Conclusion The greater need for blood transfusion in females than in males during CABG is primarily attributable to significantly lower preoperative total blood volume and RBC volume in females.
Using half-plane solutions in the context of MM for analyzing large flat structures with or without resistive loadings

The size of the scatterers that can be analyzed using the conventional method of moments (MM) is limited to only a few wavelengths, due to large storage requirements in the computer. One way to circumvent this problem is to use techniques that temper the growth in the size of the impedance matrix to a reasonable level even as the scatterer becomes large in terms of the wavelength. It is shown that this can be done by choosing an appropriate set of entire or semi-entire domain basis functions that incorporate the actual physics of the scattering phenomenon. The functional forms of the basis functions are obtained either from an exact or an asymptotic solution to certain canonical problems. As an example, the problems of scattering from perfectly conducting or resistively loaded flat strips and plates are solved by utilizing the exact or asymptotic solutions to half-plane problems as basis functions. >
Eczema Prevalence in the United States: Data from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health

Using the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health sponsored by the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau, we calculated prevalence estimates of eczema nationally and for each state among a nationally representative sample of 102,353 children 17 years of age and under. Our objective was to determine the national prevalence of eczema/atopic dermatitis in the US pediatric population and to further examine geographic and demographic associations previously reported in other countries. Overall, 10.7% of children were reported to have a diagnosis of eczema in the past 12 months. Prevalence ranged from 8.7 to 18.1% between states and districts, with the highest prevalence reported in many of the East Coast states, as well as in Nevada, Utah, and Idaho. After adjusting for confounders, metropolitan living was found to be a significant factor in predicting a higher disease prevalence with an odds ratio of 1.67 (95% confidence interval of 1.19-2.35, P=0.008). Black race (odds ratio 1.70, P=0.005) and education level in the household greater than high school (odds ratio 1.61, P=0.004) were also significantly associated with a higher prevalence of eczema. The wide range of prevalence suggests that social or environmental factors may influence disease expression.
Efficiency and sideband observations of a Raman FEL oscillator with a tapered undulator

Power and spectral measurements are reported from the Columbia Raman free-electron laser (FEL) oscillator experiment. High-power radiation pulses ( approximately 12 MW, 100 ns) are generated at a wavelength of approximately 2.5 mm, using a 750-kV electron beam injected into a helical undulator. The undulator is made up of a 40-cm long constant-period (1.45 cm) section followed by an equal length of tapered undulator. The period is decreased by 7.6% in such a way that the on-axis field remains constant. It is reported that the taper allows an increase in total power efficiency from approximately 4 to approximately 12%. Most noteworthy is that the tapered undulator reduces the sideband radiation compared with a constant-period undulator FEL which is studied in the same configuration. The power was measured calorimetrically and compared with the results of a 1-D Raman code. The reduction of sideband power observed in the experiment was consistent with computational results obtained with a 2-D sideband code. >
Transvection in 2012: site-specific transgenes reveal a plethora of trans-regulatory effects.

> In this commentary, Judith Kassis discusses [Bateman et al.][1], “Comparing Enhancer Action in cis and in trans” and [Mellert and Truman][2] “Transvection is Common Throughout the Drosophila Genome”, which are published in this issue of GENETICS . IN Drosophila , homologous chromosomes
Glycosaminoglycan content of human bladders ☆ ☆☆: a method of analysis using cold-cup biopsies

A glycocalyx layer composed of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and other molecules lines the transitional epithelium of the urinary bladder. This layer forms a barrier between the transitional cells and urinary bladder environment and is believed to help prevent the adherence of bacteria, minerals and carcinogens. Investigators postulate that quantitative and/or qualitative defects in the GAG component may be responsible for a spectrum of acute and chronic disease processes ranging from urinary tract infections to cancer. While the presence of epithelium GAGs has been confirmed biochemically and histochemically, few rigorous characterizations have been performed. This study establishes the methodology and feasibility of using routine cold-cup biopsies from cadaveric human bladders for GAG analysis and establishes baseline contents of the sulfated and non-sulfated GAGs in the urinary bladder glycocalyx. Using detergent extraction, the GAGs from cold-cup biopsies (n = 34) from four cadaveric bladders were isolated. The isolates were subjected to two colorimetric assays to quantify both sulfated and non-sulfated GAGs. The nonsulfated GAG content of the bladder epithelium ranged from 2.15 x 10(-4) to 5.50 x 10(-4) mmol/kg of dry, defatted bladder. The sulfated GAG content ranged from 2.00 x 10(-1) to 7.40 x 10(-1) mmol/kg of dry, defatted bladder. These values are consistent with reports found in the literature using electrophoresis on full-thickness human bladder specimens. The GAG content of human bladder epithelium can be readily and accurately characterized from cold-cup biopsy samples. Our future plans involve using this routinely used technique to analyze samples from live control and disease-state bladders thereby demonstrating any quantitative and/or qualitative differences in GAG constituents.
Case study of software complexity and error detection simulation

The history of developing and using a simulation model for the study of software error processes, complexity and structure is traced. Strong and weak points of simulation as they relate to model validity, accuracy and cost of implementation and use are discussed. The simulation model is compared to a similar analytic model. The history of an experiment in soft ware complexity and error analysis is used to show the correspondence between empirical and model results. Empirical methods are contrasted with the use of models in terms of validity, accuracy, generality and cost. An assessment is made of the applicability of the techniques, based on these experiences.
Dynamically reconfigurable monitoring in large scale real-time embedded systems

This paper presents a tool that enables dynamic reconfigurable monitoring and control in large scale realtime embedded systems and thus fulfils the demands of the users for evolving user interfaces. This is achieved through model based user interfaces. The model based approach provides higher level abstractions, thus allowing the users to configure new user interfaces dynamically without knowing the underlying implementation details. Prototype implementations of software generators have been implemented to directly transform models into target user interfaces. These user interfaces execute under the Matlab runtime environment. This tool, along with other modeling tools developed, provides a framework for achieving fault-tolerance in large-scale distributed real-time embedded systems.
In vivo volumetric analysis of coronary stent using optical coherence tomography with a novel balloon occlusion-flushing catheter: A comparison with intravascular ultrasound

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is limited as an intravascular imaging tool because of interference with blood. This study tested a new balloon occlusion-flushing catheter for OCT scanning of stented coronary arteries and compared stent measurements between OCT and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Motorized pullback with OCT and IVUS was examined in coronary stents deployed in swine. Quantitative measurements were obtained and compared between both groups. In addition, stent strut thickness was compared among OCT, IVUS and actual measurement. The occlusion catheter successfully provided motorized pullback OCT images in the stented coronary arteries without any complications. There were no differences in calculated lumen volume. However, stent volumes were significantly smaller with OCT than with IVUS (p < 0.05). OCT significantly underestimated the stent strut thickness compared with the actual measurement. Although OCT underestimates the stent strut thickness, motorized pullback OCT imaging with the occlusion catheter can provide appropriate in-stent images in the porcine coronary arteries.
Reperfusion-Activated Akt Kinase Prevents Apoptosis in Transgenic Mouse Hearts Overexpressing Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1

Abstract —Hearts of wild-type and insulin-like growth factor-1 overexpressing (Igf-1 +/− ) transgenic mice were subjected to Langendorff perfusions and progressive periods of ischemia followed by reperfusion. Apoptosis was measured by DNA nucleosomal cleavage and a hairpin probe labeling assay to detect single-base overhang. Transgenic hearts subjected to 20 minutes of ischemia and 4 hours of reperfusion (I/R) sustained a rate of apoptosis of 1.8±0.3% compared with 4.6±1.1% for wild-type controls (n=4; P
Improving Performance Of Small On-chip Instruction Caches

Most current single-chip processors employ an on-chip instruction cache to improve performance. A miss in this instruction cache will cause an external memory reference which must compete with data references for access to the external memory, thus affecting the overall performance of the processor. One common way to reduce the number of off-chip instruction requests is to increase the size of the on-chip cache. An alternative approach is presented in this paper, in which a combination of an instruction cache, instruction queue and instruction queue buffer is used to achieve the same effect with a much smaller instruction cache size. Such an approach is significant for emerging technologies where high circuit densities are initially difficult to achieve yet a high level of performance is desired, or for more mature technologies where chip area can be used to provide more functionality. The viability of this approach is demonstrated by its implementation in an existing single-chip processor.
Pharmacists' Recommendations to Improve Care Transitions

BACKGROUND:Increasingly, hospitals are implementing multifaceted programs to improve medication reconciliation and transitions of care, often involving pharmacists.OBJECTIVE:To assess pharmacists' views on their roles in hospital-based medication reconciliation and discharge counseling and provide their recommendations for improving care transitions.METHODS:Eleven study pharmacists at 2 hospitals participated in the Pharmacist Intervention for Low Literacy in Cardiovascular Disease (PILL-CVD) study and completed semistructured one-on-one interviews, which were coded systematically in NVivo. Pharmacists provided their perspectives on admission and discharge medication reconciliation, in-hospital patient counseling, provision of simple medication adherence aids (eg, pill box, illustrated daily medication schedule), and telephone follow-up.RESULTS:Pharmacists indicated that they considered medication reconciliation, although time consuming, to be their most important role in improving care transitions, parti...
A sperm-supplied factor required for embryogenesis in C. elegans

The paternal-effect embryonic-lethal gene, spe-11, is required for normal development of early C. elegans embryos. Spe-11 embryos fail to complete meiosis, form a weak eggshell, fail to orient properly the first mitotic spindle, and fail to undergo cytokinesis. Here we report cloning and sequencing of the spe-11 gene, which encodes a novel protein. As predicted by the paternal-effect mutant phenotype, the gene is expressed during spermatogenesis but is not detectable in females undergoing oogenesis, and the protein is present in mature sperm. To investigate whether SPE-11's essential function is during spermatogenesis or whether sperm-delivered SPE-11 functions in the newly fertilized embryo, we engineered animals to supply SPE-11 to the embryo through the oocyte rather than through the sperm. We found that maternal expression is sufficient for embryonic viability. This result demonstrates that SPE-11 is not required during spermatogenesis, and suggests that SPE-11 is a sperm-supplied factor that participates directly in development of the early embryo. In contrast to the many known maternal factors required for embryogenesis, SPE-11 is the first paternally contributed factor to be genetically identified and molecularly characterized.
Fluorescent analogs of toxins.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the different aspects of fluorescent analogs of toxins. The isolation, chemical characterization, and use of toxins in cell biology have increased significantly. Pharmacological dissection of the ionic currents responsible for the action potential showed several classes of toxins that act specifically on sodium channels. Fluorescent derivatives of these sodium channel toxins have been prepared to map the molecular structure, the cellular topography, and lateral mobility of sodium channels on nerve and muscle cell surfaces. The labeling of sodium channels on cultured neurons by several fluorescent toxin analogs has shown that, on cultured neurons, voltage-dependent sodium channels are localized to morphologically distinct regions of these cells. The P-scorpion toxins, or toxins from North American scorpions, elicit their action by modifying the activation kinetics of channel opening, inducing repetitive firing due to abnormal activation but have no effects on the activation kinetics. Each class of scorpion toxins binds to the channel at different sites. These reagents that elicit distinct pharmacological modifications of sodium channels have been extremely useful in the elucidation of the molecular structure, biochemistry, development, and cellular dynamics of the voltage-dependent Na + channel.
National Health Spending up 8.7 Percent Between 2000-2001; Spending for Health Care Will Continue to Grow

This paper discusses national health expenditures for the period of 1970-2001. The PDF for the above title, published in the June 2003 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the fulltext of another June 2003 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: "Income of the Elderly Population: 2001."
Parametric Modeling of Welding Processes Using Numerical-Analytical Basis Functions and Equivalent Source Distributions

A general methodology for inverse thermal analysis of steady-state energy deposition in plate structures, typically welds, is extended with respect to its formulation. This methodology is in terms of numerical-analytical basis functions, which provide parametric representations of weld-temperature histories that can be adopted as input data to various types of computational procedures, such as those for prediction of solid-state phase transformations and mechanical response. The extension of the methodology presented here concerns construction of numerical-analytical basis functions and their associated parameterizations, which permit optimal and convenient parameter optimization with respect to different types of weld-workpiece boundary conditions, energy source characteristics, and experimental measurements adoptable as weld-temperature history constraints. Prototype inverse thermal analyses of a steel weld are presented that provide proof of concept for inverse thermal analysis using these basis functions.
Congenital indifference to pain. Report of a case.

1. A case of congenital indifference to pain in a boy aged fifteen years is described. The boy's sister was similarly affected.2. Clinical features and treatment are described, and the features are compared with those in previously reported cases.3. Causation is discussed in the light of the negative findings at necropsy on the patient's sister.
Vertical Specialization of Production: Critical Review and Empirical Evidence for the Mexican Manufacturing Industries 1994-2014

This paper surveys Vertical Specialization (VS) from different empirical approaches, including the various conceptualizations of VS, the problems with its quantification, and a case study. The empirical estimation of this paper refers to the Mexican manufacturing industry and the in-bond industry (also known as maquiladora). The purpose of this paper is to compare VS, through the application of the Vertical Intra-Industry Trade (VIIT) indexes, for maquiladora and non-maquiladora industries and to contrast the degree to which the maquiladora industry is integrated with the global value chain relative to the non-maquiladora activities for the 1994-2006 period. Furthermore, this paper quantifies VIIT for the post-maquiladora period (2007-2014) in order to discuss if there have been changes in the VIIT since the conclusion of the maquiladora program in 2006. In particular, this paper tests if the quality ladder hypothesis applies to Mexico for its bilateral trade with the United States and Canada. The empirical estimations show the remarkable differences between maquiladora and non-maquiladora VS and the impacts that changes in the NAFTA tariff schedule for the automotive industry have had on the bilateral trade pattern.
A hybrid vortex method for parachute aerodynamic predictions

__ The unsteady aerodynamics of constant geometry axisymmetric perachutrs has been simulated by using a hyhrid vortex method. This hybrid mcthud comhines a vortex panel method that models the flow a l o n ~ the parachute surface and a cloud-in-cell method that transports vorticity through the flow field. Asymptotic d u t i m s have been derived that eliminate the singirlarities associated with near-field problems such as the vorter panel selfinduced velocity. The basic transport equations are stated in the theoretical background. The vortex panel and cloud-in-cell methods are discused as well as the boundary conditions for mutual implementation. Some of the steps taken to verify the performance of the code arc presented. The unsteady flow around P rihhon parachute is then simulated using this hybrid method.