cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical modem technology for seafloor observatories

Regional cabled observatories will bring broadband Internet to the seafloor around areas that include hydrothermal vent sites and other scientifically interesting features. The ideal platform for exploring these sites in response to episodic events is a remotely-piloted, autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that is capable of sending back high-quality video or other high-rate sensor data. The combined requirement of remote command/control and high data rates argues for a bi-directional optical communications link capable of streaming data at 1-10 Mbit per second rates. In this paper, we present a preliminary design for an optical modem system based on an omnidirectional source and receiver. The functional requirements and system constraints driven by use case scenarios are first reviewed. This is followed by a discussion of the optical transmission properties of seawater and the resulting impact on detection in high-rate communications, including coding considerations. A link budget and the data rate versus range relationship are developed. Validation results in a test tank and in the ocean will then be reviewed.
Plant Moisture Stress: Evaluation by Pressure Bomb

The recently developed technique for determining the water stress of a plant by measuring the pressure necessary to force water back to the cut surface of a severed twig is adaptable to both field and laboratory experiments. We have designed and operated an efficient portable system weighing less than 18 kilograms. Sampling variation within and among Douglas fir trees varies from less than ± I atmosphere under low stress conditions to ± 10 atmospheres under high stress conditions. In the measurement of plants of comparable height and similar exposure, the variation is reduced to a minimum. Values in internal water stress of Douglas fir vary from 3 to more than 40 atmospheres. Both duration and magnitude of stress are important ecologically. Pressure-bomb measurements are used to demonstrate a relation between plant distribution and internal water stress.
Description of the localized scleroderma subgroup of CARRAnet

Results Data were available on 44 children. 81.8% were female and 88.6% were Caucasian, of which 13.6% were Latino. Mean age at onset was 8.2 years (± 4.0), yet first evaluation by a pediatric rheumatologist was 9.9 years (± 4.2). Reported subtypes were: 34 linear scleroderma (LiScl: 25 trunk/limbs, 9 face/neck), 7 with circumscribed morphea (CM: 5 deep, 2 superficial), 6 with generalized morphea (GenM), 3 with eosinophilic fasciitis (EF), and 1 with pansclerotic morphea. There were 5 cases of mixed morphea (2 CM and LiScl, 1 with facial LiScl and GM, 2 with EF and linear lesions). Eight subjects had new lesions at time of enrollment. Features of active lesions included extension of existing lesions (13), warmth (13), erythematous/violacious color (13), and skin induration at lesion perimeter (10). Damage included subcutaneous atrophy (36), hyperpigmentation (35), dermal atrophy (31), hypopigmentation (19), hair loss (17), muscle atrophy (13), joint contracture (10), limb shortening (5), and hemifacial atrophy(1). Only three patients had extracutaneous manifestations, including two with arthritis. ANA positivity was found in 45% of tested patients, otherwise there were no consistent laboratory or imaging abnormalities. Table 1. Mean physician global assessment was 1.61 (range 08) and mean CHAQ score was 0.19 (0-1.13). On a visual analog scale (0-10), mean parent/subject score of overall well-being was 1.80 (± 1.66) and pain was 1.41 (±2.03). Health related quality of life was reported as excellent in 13, very good in 22, good in 7, and poor in 2 subjects. A worst ever and current ACR functional class > I was reported in 33% and 20.5%, respectively. Medications used are listed in table 2.
A mathematical model of indicator extraction by the pulmonary endothelium via saturation kinetics

Abstract When a bolus containing a nonpermeating indicator and an indicator which permeates the endothelial cell membrane by a saturable process is injected into the blood flowing into the lung, the instantaneous extraction ratio curves measured in the pulmonary venous outflow are asymmetric with respect to the nonpermeating indicator curve. If the bolus contains a sufficient quantity of the permeating indicator that the capillary concentration begins to saturate the transfort mechanism, the extraction ratio curves are concave upward as well. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a mathematical model which represents endothelial extraction by Michaelis-Menten kinetics could explain the time variation in the instantaneous extraction ratio curves. The venous concentration curves were assumed to be the result of the endothelial transfort and distributed capillary input and transit times. In addition, we evaluated a method for estimating the kinetic parameters ( K m and V max ) of the saturable transfort process in such an organ. The results of simulations indicate that the important features of the data can be reproduced by the model, and that useful estimates of the kinetic parameters will be obtained from linear multiple regression analysis of the venous concentration curves if the standard deviation of the capillary input time distribution is not less than that of the capillary transit time distribution.
Increased percentage of mast cells within sinonasal mucosa of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyp patients independent of atopy

Background: Initial attention on the pathophysiology of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has focused on eosinophils. Other immune cells such as mast cells (MCs) have been identified and appear to be elevated in CRS with nasal polyp (NP) patients. MCs are commonly linked to immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated inflammatory changes characterized by elevated T helper 2 cytokines. Although atopy is a common comorbid condition with CRS, the objective of this study was to determine if elevated MCs are linked primarily to atopic status in CRS patients and to understand the significance of MCs in the pathophysiology of CRS. Methods: Ethmoid sinonasal mucosa from patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery was harvested from 3 groups: healthy control (HC), CRS without NP (CRSsNP), and CRS with NP (CRSwNP) and analyzed by flow cytometry to quantify CD117+/CD203c+ MCs and CRTH2+ CD4+ T cells. Relative expression of prostaglandin D2 synthase in ethmoid mucosa was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: MCs were significantly elevated in CRSwNP patients as compared to CRSsNP patients and HCs. This elevation was not solely dependent on the presence of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity. Relative expression of prostaglandin D2 synthase was also increased in CRSwNP patients along with an associated presence of a CRTH2+ memory CD4+ T cell population. Conclusion: Elevated percentages of MCs are found in the sinonasal mucosa of CRSwNP patients, regardless of atopic status. Secreted by MCs, elevated prostaglandin D2 may play a role in the recruitment of CRTH2+ cells to the inflamed mucosa of CRSwNP patients © 2012 ARS-AAOA, LLC.
The influence of 25-hydroxycholesterol on phosphatidylinositol content in cultured smooth muscle cells.

AbstractThe effect of 25-hydroxycholesterol on phosphatidylinositol content was studied in subconfluent human arterial smooth muscle cells exposed to myo-[2-3H]inositol for 90 min and then to 25-hydroxycholesterol at different concentrations or for different incubating periods. Ethanol at a concentration of 0.05% in culture medium was used as control. The results demonstrate that an increased incubation time or an increase in the concentration of 25-hydroxycholesterol produced an increase in phosphatidylinositol and its degraded products. The ratio of precursor to product at each stage of phosphatidylinositol turnover in 25-hydroxycholesterol-treated cells, however, was not different from that in control cells. The data indicate that the presence of 25-hydroxycholesterol in the media induced general activation of phosphatidyl-inositol synthesis and turnover.
Cell interaction with graphene microsheets: near-orthogonal cutting versus parallel attachment

Recent experiments indicate that graphene microsheets can either undergo a near-orthogonal cutting or a parallel attachment mode of interaction with cell membranes. Here we perform a theoretical analysis to characterize the deformed membrane microstructure and investigate how these two interaction modes are influenced by the splay, tilt, compression, tension, bending and adhesion energies of the membrane. Our analysis indicates that, driven by the membrane splay and tension energies, a two-dimensional microsheet such as graphene would adopt a near-perpendicular configuration with respect to the membrane in the transmembrane penetration mode, whereas the membrane bending and tension energies would lead to parallel attachment in the absence of cross membrane penetration. These interaction modes may have broad implications in applications involving drug delivery, cell encapsulation and protection, and the measurement of the dynamic cell response.
Fast Money: Investment Literacy for Tomorrow's Wall Street Traders.

The author describes how investment research workshops were used to prepare students at Texas A&M University (TAMU) to compete in the 2008 Equitrader Collegiate Challenge. The Equitrader Collegiate Challenge is a simulated equity trading competition that enables students to match wits against the market and other contestants. This paper describes an interactive approach to investment literacy, which guided students through a logical process of utilizing professional-level investment resources, such as Morningstar and Thomson One Banker, to conduct investment research and analysis for stock selection.
EFFECT OF CARNITINE SUPPLY ON INTESTINAL CARNITINE TRANSPORT IN PARENTERALLY ALIMENTED PIGLETS. † 1433

EFFECT OF CARNITINE SUPPLY ON INTESTINAL CARNITINE TRANSPORT IN PARENTERALLY ALIMENTED PIGLETS. † 1433
Reflections on mind and nature

Gregory Bateson. Mind and Nature: A Necessary Unity. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1979. 238 pp., $12.95.
The Cube Law Revisited

The cube law, which has a history of several decades,1 may be stated as follows. Consider a two-party system and suppose that the representatives of the two parties are elected according to a single-member district system. Then the ratio of the numbers of representatives elected is approximately equal to the third power of the ratio of the national votes obtained by the two parties. The objective of this note is to provide a theoretical argument which predicts the mathematical form of this relationship.
Does noninvasive positive pressure ventilation have a role in managing hypercapnic respiratory failure due to an acute exacerbation of COPD

Yes. In selected patients, this therapy reduces the need for endotracheal intubation, the hospital length of stay, and the risk of death.
Dust deposition at the Mars Pathfinder landing site: observations and modeling of visible/near-infrared spectra

Abstract Temporal variations in the visible/near-infrared reflectance spectra of the radiometric calibration targets on the Mars Pathfinder (MPF) lander obtained by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) camera reveal the effects of aeolian dust deposition at the MPF site throughout the mission. Sky brightness models in combination with two-layer radiative transfer models were used with these data to track changes in dust opacity on the radiometric calibration targets (RCTs) to constrain the dust deposition rate and the spectral properties of the deposited dust. Two-layer models were run assuming both linear and nonlinear dust accumulation rates, and suggest that RCT dust optical depth at the end of the 83-sol mission was 0.08 to 0.16, or on the order of 5- to 10-μm thickness for plausible values for dust porosity and grain size. These values correspond to dust fall rates of about 20–45 μm per Earth year, consistent with previous studies of dust deposition on Mars. The single scattering albedos of the dust derived from the models fall between those previously determined for atmospheric dust and bright soils. Comparisons of relative reflectance spectra calibrated using observed RCT radiances from late in the mission versus using radiances from modeled (dust-free) RCTs also reveal distinct spectral differences consistent with dust on the RCTs. Temporal variations in RCT dust opacity are not clearly linked to known passages of vortices at the MPF site, but overall suggest that deposition of dust onto the targets by local dust devils may be favored over erosion. Analyses of temporal changes in visible/near-infrared spectra will provide valuable information for future missions by constraining how dust deposition affects landed spacecraft operability (e.g., solar power availability), instrument calibration, and interpretations of surface mineralogy and composition.
Systems Analysis, TMDLs and Watershed Approach

Systems analysis or the ‘‘systems approach’’ has been with us in one form or another since the 1940s. It has never been welldefined, but its main features were best described by Churchman ~1968!. He defined a system as a ‘‘set of parts coordinated to accomplish a set of goals’’ and further identified the following factors that must be considered when the systems approach is applied to a problem: 1. Objectives, or performance measures; 2. System environment or fixed constraints, 3. System resources, 4. Components, and 5. Management.
Microbial community dynamics and evaluation of bioremediation strategies in oil-impacted salt marsh sediment microcosms.

Microbial community dynamics in wetlands microcosms emended with commercial products (surfactant, a biological agent, and nutrients) designed to enhance bioremediation was followed for 3 months. The effectiveness of enhanced degradation was assessed by determining residual concentrations of individual petroleum hydrocarbons by GC/MS. The size and composition of the sediment microbial community was assessed using a variety of indices, including bacterial plate counts, MPNs, and DNA hybridizations with domain- and group-specific oligonucleotide probes. The addition of inorganic nutrients was the most effective treatment for the enhancement of oil degradation, resulting in marked degradation of petroleum alkanes and a lesser extent of degradation of aromatic oil constituents. The enhanced degradation was associated with increases in the amount of extractable microbial DNA and Streptomyces in the sediment, although not with increased viable counts (plate counts, MPN). Bacteria introduced with one of the proprietary products were still detected in the microcosms after 3 months, but were not a major quantitative constituent of the community. The biological product enhanced oil degradation relative to the control, but to a lesser extent than the nutrient additions alone. In contrast, application of the surfactant to the oil-impacted sediment decreased oil degradation. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2001) 27, 72–79.
Inhibins, activins and follistatins☆

Inhibins are proteins consisting of two subunits, 18 K alpha- and 14 K beta-subunits, linked by disulfide bonds. Two forms of inhibins A and B consisting of a common alpha-subunit and a similar but distinguishable beta-subunit specifically suppress the secretion and cell content of FSH in a delayed action. The production of inhibin is regulated mainly by FSH; therefore, a reciprocal relation between FSH and inhibin is established. Each subunit (alpha-, beta A- or beta B-) is encoded by a different mRNA species. Inhibin secreted in response to FSH from the pituitary originates primarily in the granulosa cells of the ovary and the Sertoli cells or testes. Two beta-subunits, beta A beta A, beta A beta B, or beta B beta B form a new molecule, activin, that has opposite endocrine function to inhibin, but in the presence of inhibin, the activity of inhibin overrode that of activin. Follistatin, a single-chain polypeptide with no structurally similarity to inhibin, also specifically inhibits the release of FSH, approximately one third potency of inhibin. This probably is due to the fact that inhibin suppresses both FSH secretion and cell content of FSH whereas follistatin primarily inhibits the release of FSH. In addition to the endocrine function, these gonadal proteins also exert paracrine function on gonadotropin-mediated steroidogenesis. Outside the reproductive system, inhibin and activin also play a role in hemoglobin production, erythroid cell differentiation; all three proteins, together with TGF beta, are involved in immunosuppresion.
A dynamical model of ommatidial crystal formation

The crystalline photoreceptor lattice in the Drosophila eye is a paradigm for pattern formation during development. During eye development, activation of proneural genes at a moving front adds new columns to a regular lattice of R8 photoreceptors. We present a mathematical model of the governing activator–inhibitor system, which indicates that the dynamics of positive induction play a central role in the selection of certain cells as R8s. The “switch and template” patterning mechanism we observe is mathematically very different from the well-known Turing instability. Unlike a standard lateral inhibition model, our picture implies that R8s are defined before the appearance of the complete group of proneural cells. The model reproduces the full time course of proneural gene expression and accounts for specific features of the refinement of proneural groups that had resisted explanation. It moreover predicts that perturbing the normal template can lead to eyes containing stripes of R8 cells. We observed these stripes experimentally after manipulation of the Notch and scabrous genes. Our results suggest an alternative to the generally assumed mode of operation for lateral inhibition during development; more generally, they hint at a broader role for bistable switches in the initial establishment of patterns as well as in their maintenance.
The influence of momentum advections on a well-mixed layer

This study examines the influence of weak horizontal advections of momentum on a well-mixed planetary boundary layer. In the simple flow system examined, the direction and magnitude of flow modifications depend on the Rossby number, the nondimensional surface drag coefficient and the orientation of the geostrophic wind gradient field. It is found that advective modification of the boundary layer vertical motion field involves dependencies on the square of the local vorticity and dependencies on vorticity gradients. The mixed-layer assumptions are relaxed for a special flow case to show that these results do not depend crucially on the mixed-layer condition.
Constructal tree-shaped paths for conduction and convection

This lecture reviews a series of recent results based on the geometric minimization of the resistance to flow between one point (source, sink) and a volume or an area (an infinity of points). Optimization is achieved by varying the geometric features of the flow path subject to volume constraints. The method is outlined by using the problem of steady volume-point conduction. Optimized first is the smallest elemental volume, which is characterized by volumetric heat generation in a low-conductivity medium, and one-dimensional conduction through a high-conductivity ‘channel’. Progressively larger volumes are covered by assemblies of previously optimized constructs. Tree-shaped flow structures spring out of this objective and constraints principle. Analogous problems of fluid flow, and combined heat and fluid flow (convection, trees of fins) are also discussed. The occurrence of similar tree structures in nature may be reasoned based on the same principle (constructal theory) (Bejan, 2000). Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Correlation of Ion and Beam Current Densities in Kaufman Thrusters

In the absence of direct impingement erosion, electrostatic thruster accelerator grid lifetime is defined by the charge exchange erosion that occurs at peak values of the ion beam current density. In order to maximize the thrust from an engine with a specified grid lifetime, the ion beam current density profile should therefore be as flat as possible. Knauer (1970) has suggested this can be achieved by establishing a radial plasma uniformity within the thruster discharge chamber; his tests with the radial field thruster provide an example of uniform plasma properties within the chamber and a flat ion beam profile occurring together. It is shown that, in particular, the ion density profile within the chamber determines the beam current density profile, and that a uniform ion density profile at the screen grid end of the discharge chamber should lead to a flat beam current density profile.
Quantum periodicity in the transition temperature of a rotating bose-einstein gas

It is shown that if Bose-Einstein condensation is an essential feature of the No measurable -transition in liquid helium, then the temperature at which this transition occurs must be a periodic function of the angular momentum per particle for a rotating cylindrical sample. The magnitude of the excursions of the temperature of the No measurable -point are shown to be of such a size as to be measurable and relatively insensitive to interactions and scattering. (C.E.S.)
Should the Arts Support Themselves

In an earlier article in Economic Affairs, Professor E. G. West called for arts vouchers to consumers to replace subsidies direct to producers. Professor William Grampp, of the University of Illinois, contends that there is no economic rationale behind arts subsidies in any form and calls for their abolition, Professor West responds that there may be a combination of public approval and external benefits that can justify continued subvention.
CHRONIC ILLNESS AND AGING: A PERSONAL‐CONTEXTUAL MODEL OF AGE‐RELATED CHANGES IN HEALTH STATUS

Age‐related changes in health status, including the impact of chronic illness and disability on personal autonomy and lifestyle, represent a significant challenge for older people and health care professionals. As quality‐of‐life considerations assume an increasing role in older persons’ health care decisions, a multidimensional approach is required for the management of chronic illness. The characteristics of specific chronic conditions, the ways older people perceive aging and illness, their expectations about the potential efficacy of treatment, and the capacity of individuals to deal with age‐related changes in functional health are all part of the experience of chronic illness in late life. A personal‐contextual framework is presented in this article as a basis for understanding the interaction of various factors on health status and for developing effective education and intervention strategies.
Lipid-based blood-pool CT imaging of the liver

Rationale and Objectives. We have recently developed an iodinated lipid-based contrast agent capable of residing in the blood pool for extended periods of time relative to conventional water-soluble contrast agents. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of combining this new blood-pool agent (ITG-PEG) with a hepatocyte-selective agent (ITG-LE, Molecular Biosystems) for accurate CT detection of small ( Materials and Methods. Preliminary pharmacokinetic analyses were conducted in SD rats (12) by injection of either I-125-labeled ITG-PEG or I-125-labeled ITG-LE followed by subsequent blood collection and quantification of radioactivity. Preliminary CT studies were conducted in both normal (3) and tumor-bearing NZW rabbits (2). Tumor-bearing rabbits were laparotomized and VX2 cells injected directly into the hepatic parenchyma to produce a total of eight focal lesions (2–10 mm diameter). Animals underwent CT scanning 10 days later with multiple techniques including noncontrast and helical IV enhanced (600 mg I/kg iohexol), and then 24 hours later using both ITG-PEG and ITG-LE (200 mg I/kg). Tissue density measurements (HU) of liver, tumor, and blood (descending aorta) were acquired in each case for comparison. Tumor morphology was verified by gross pathologic inspection. Results. Pharmacokinetic analysis in rats as well as CT studies in normal rabbits revealed that ITG-PEG remains in the blood-pool phase for more than 2 hours following IV administration. In fact, blood density in normal rabbit obtained with ITG-PEG was 95.1 HU ± 5.8 at 120 minutes compared to 90.7 HU ± 6.1 immediately after injection. Although liver enhancement was greater with iohexol (67 HU within 1 minute of injection), than for ITG-PEG/ITG-LE (32 HU, 60 minutes postinjection), liver to lesion ratios favored ITG-PEG/ITG-LE due to significant enhancement of tumor itself with iohexol (+40 HU). Tumor enhancement was minimal with ITG-PEG/ITG-LE. Lesions were subjectively much better defined with ITG-PEG/ITG-LE with sharper edge definition. Conclusion. In these animal models, a new iodinated lipid-based contrast agent composed of both blood pool and hepatocyte-selective components afforded favorable CT imaging results compared to a conventional urographic agent, albeit at one-third the total iodine dose.
Single-component layer-by-layer weak polyelectrolyte films and capsules: Loading and release of functional molecules

Poly(carboxylic acid) hydrogel films and hollow capsules undergo reversible size changes in response to variations in pH and/or ionic strength. The films and capsules were obtained from hydrogenbonded poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone/poly(carboxylic acid) layer-by-layer films by chemical crosslinking of the polyacid, followed by pH-induced removal of poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone. Surface-attached hydrogel films present attractive matrices for reversible pH-stimulated loading and/or controlled release of large amounts of synthetic or natural macromolecules including proteins. By varying acidity of poly(carboxylic acids), the hydrogel swelling and the corresponding values of pH for encapsulation/release of functional molecules could be tuned in a wide range from pH 5 to 10. In addition, the capsules are capable of entrapping macromolecules by “locking” the capsule wall with an electrostatically associating polycation, followed by the release of the encapsulated macromolecules at high salt concentrations.
Treatments for persistent HIV infection: the road ahead

Effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppresses viremia and allows immunological recovery, but the intrinsic features of retroviral biology allow HIV infection to persist despite ART. Persistent infection is primarily characterized by the twin phenomenon of latent infection of long-lived cells of the immune system, and continued virus release from undefined cellular sources. Of late has there been a reawakening of interest in strategies to purge these latent reservoirs of HIV with the goals of a drug-free remission of viremia and, ultimately, virus eradication. To achieve this, therapeutics that target host restrictions to proviral expression that exemplify latent infection, such as epigenetic modifications of chromatin about the HIV promoter, or deficiencies of key host transcription factors within resting CD4 T cells, have been explored in laboratory models of latency, and emerging humanized mouse and non-human primate model systems. Most clinical studies of ART intensification have thus far shown little effect on persistent infection or persistent viremia, but plans for further human studies are underway. However, as multiple molecular mechanisms appear to underlie the establishment and maintenance of persistent, latent HIV infection, combined approaches may ultimately be necessary to effectively purge residual HIV genomes. Beyond these near-term efforts, renewed translational efforts seek to re-examine the possibility of transplanting HIV-infected patients with cells resistant to virus infection, alongside expanding laboratory studies to directly excise, damage, or silence proviral genomes. It is clear that to control the HIV pandemic, the scientific, medical, and pharmaceutical communities must marshal new technological and logistical approaches to sustain innovative efforts to prevent and treat HIV, and to work towards a cure for HIV infection.
Morphological and Mutational Analysis of Mating in Ustilago hordei

Abstract Martinez-Espinoza, A. D., Gerhardt, S. A., and Sherwood, J. E. 1993. Morphological and mutational analysis of mating in Ustilago hordei. Experimental Mycology 17, 200-214. Ustilago hordei is a basidiomycete that causes covered smut on barley. Mating in U. hordei , which is controlled by a single locus with two alleles, results in the conversion of haploid, nonpathogenic yeast-like sporidia to dikaryotic, pathogenic mycelia. When sporidia of the opposite mating type were mixed and placed on water agar, both cell types produced conjugation tubes within 2 h at 21°C. Growth of conjugation tubes was directed toward the tip of tubes arising from cells of the opposite mating type. These tubes fused and the dikaryotic mycelium emerged from the conjugation bridge. Sporidia separated by a dialysis membrane were still capable of inducing conjugation tube formation by cells of the opposite mating type, indicating the involvement of diffusible small-molecular-weight mating factors (pheromones). Numerous nutritional and environmental variables were examined in order to optimize conjugation tube induction. Twenty-six mutants that fail to form dikaryotic mycelium have been isolated and characterized. These mutants were arranged into classes based on their ability to form conjugation tubes, the ability to induce conjugation tube formation by opposite mating-type cells, and cell morphology. These mutants provide an indication of the genetic complexity involved in this critical phase of the U. hordei life cycle.
Robustness of ℒ 1 adaptive controllers in the gap metric in the presence of nonzero initialization

This paper derives the robust stability margin of ℒ 1 adaptive controller in the gap metric for the case of nonzero initialization. We use the notion of biased-gain stability to obtain a computable robust stability margin of ℒ 1 adaptive controller in gap metric.
Competency Beliefs and Occupational Role Behavior Among Adolescents: Explication of the Personal Causation Construct

According to the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO), beliefs regarding competency can influence whether a person's occupational role behavior is adaptive or maladaptive. Such beliefs are considered to be part of a person's sense of "personal causation." This article reviews some of the theoretical underpinnings of the personal causation construct. Issues addressed are the distinction between competency beliefs and locus of control (another aspect of personal causation according to the MOHO); the domain-specific nature of competency beliefs; and, in particular, the evidence for a relationship between competency beliefs and actual behavior. The article focuses on competency beliefs and their relationship to three domains of occupational behavior that have relevance for adolescents: academic ability, social competence, and physical competence. Implications for clinical practice with adolescents with psychiatric disorders are addressed.
Electronic effects in the reaction of 1,3-diaryl-1,3-diketones with hydrazinopyridines

Abstract The regioselectivity of the condensation of electronically unsymmetrical 1,3-diaryl-1,3-diketones with 2-hydrazinopyridine and 2,6-bis-hydrazinopyridine to form N -(2-pyridyl)-3,5-diarylpyrazoles was studied. Significant electronic effects on regioselectivities were observed, and regioselectivities were opposite to those exhibited by perfluoroalkyl/alkyl 1,3-diketones. The electronic effects correlate well to the difference between the Hammett σ + coefficients of the para substituents on the aryl rings.
Is the Silver Screen the Key to Successful Public Outreach in Solar and Space Physics

In this time of continuing fiscal stress and economic meltdown, it is especially difficult to obtain support for the disciplines of Earth and space science. For example, my field of solar and space physics desperately needs a way to attract new attention to its important work. History shows that even in the direst economic times, people still flock to motion pictures. Thus, new hope lies in us remaking classic films with a space physics twist. Here I present an illustrative set of such classic film remakes. Each film would be remade from a Space Physics and Aeronomy (SPA) point of view with leaders of SPA in starring roles.
Provocative challenge with local anesthetics in patients with a prior history of reaction.

Abstract Possible allergic sensitivity to local anesthetic agents remains problematic for some patients who could benefit from their use. We retrospectively reviewed all our consultations for evaluation of local anesthetic allergy from 1965 to 1985 to assess the safety and efficacy of skin testing and provocative test dosing with a variety of local anesthetic agents. Fifty-nine patients reported 70 reactions from the administration of six different local anesthetics. Fifty-four patients could name one or more local anesthetic agents they believed were responsible, and five patients named only "caine" drugs. Multiple reactions of the same type to the same agent were considered as one reaction. On the basis of their history of reaction, the patients were categorized as follows: anaphylactoid reactions (urticaria, angioedema, wheezing, or hypotension within 1 to 2 hours of exposure), possible anaphylactoid reactions (tachycardia, dizziness, syncope, breathlessness, or pruritus occurring within 1 to 2 hours of exposure), contact dermatitis (a typical eczematous skin eruption after appropriate cutaneous sensitization), and other reactions (nonanaphylactoid reactions other than those already described or those occurring more than 2 hours after exposure). Fifty-nine patients were administered local anesthetics after skin testing and provocative test dosing, including two patients who required intravenous lidocaine (Xylocaine; Astra Pharmaceutical Products, Inc., Westboro, Mass.) acutely to control cardiac arrhythmias. These two patients had reported anaphylactoid reactions to oral antiarrhythmic drugs of the local anesthetic class. Despite the history of previous reactions, there were no positive skin tests or positive provocative drug challenges in any patients. We conclude that local anesthetics can be safely and effectively used despite the history of previous reactions if skin tests are negative and if incremental challenge is used. Patients reporting immediate reactions to oral and parenteral antiarrhythmic local anesthetics may be skin tested and cautiously challenged with these drugs. A protocol for performing these tests is suggested.
LTD Induction in Adult Visual Cortex: Role of Stimulus Timing and Inhibition

One Hertz stimulation of afferents for 15 min with constant interstimulus intervals (regular stimulation) can induce long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic strength in the neocortex. However, it is unknown whether natural patterns of low-frequency afferent spike activity induce LTD. Although neurons in the neocortex can fire at overall rates as low as 1 Hz, the intervals between spikes are irregular. This irregular spike activity (and thus, presumably, irregular activation of the synapses of that neuron onto postsynaptic targets) can be approximated by stimulation with Poisson-distributed interstimulus intervals (Poisson stimulation). Therefore, if low-frequency presynaptic spike activity in the intact neocortex is sufficient to induce a generalized LTD of synaptic transmission, then Poisson stimulation, which mimics this spike activity, should induce LTD in slices. We tested this hypothesis by comparing changes in the strength of synapses onto layer 2/3 pyramidal cells induced by regular and Poisson stimulation in slices from adult visual cortex. We find that regular stimulation induces LTD of excitatory synaptic transmission as assessed by field potentials and intracellular postsynaptic potentials (PSPs) with inhibition absent. However, Poisson stimulation does not induce a net LTD of excitatory synaptic transmission. When the PSP contained an inhibitory component, neither Poisson nor regular stimulation induced LTD. We propose that the short bursts of synaptic activity that occur during a Poisson train have potentiating effects that offset the induction of LTD that is favored with regular stimulation. Thus, natural (i.e., irregular) low-frequency activity in the adult neocortex in vivo should not consistently induce LTD.
LPS and LAM activation of the U373 astrocytoma cell line: Differential requirement for CD14:

CD14 is a membrane protein (mCD14) found on monocytes and neutrophils that is required for the innate immune response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and lipoarabinomannan (LAM). CD14 can also be found in serum as soluble CD14 (sCD14) that when bound to bacterial products, enables many non-CD14 bearing cells to be activated. Lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) is a plasma protein that disaggregates and catalytically transfers LPS to CD14. To examine the role of CD14 and LBP in LAM-dependent activation, we used the U373 astrocyte cell line to stably express membrane-bound CD14 (U373-CD14). In serum-free conditions, U373-CD14 cells could respond to LAM stimulation as measured by expression of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Vector control cells (U373-RSV) could not respond to LAM or LPS; but, upon the addition of serum as a source of soluble CD14, control U373-RSV cells could respond to LPS, but not LAM. Therefore, LAM can activate U373 cells only through membrane CD14 and not soluble CD14. We also demonstrate that this membrane CD14-dependent LAM response is greatly facilitated by the addition of LBP.
The effect of Keyes' method of oral hygiene on the subgingival microflora compared to the effect of scaling and/or surgery

The present study was conducted on 18 individuals to determine if Keyes' method of oral hygiene would present an alternative to traditional periodontal therapy in terms of establishing a subgingival microflora compatible with periodontal health. Oral hygiene, gingival conditions and subgingival microbial proportions assessed by dark field microscopy were measured at baseline, then once every 2 weeks for the remainder of this 8-week study. In addition, probing depths and bleeding on probing were evaluated. Group I (9 patients) was treated non-surgically, while Group II (9 patients) had received surgical therapy within the last 4 years. Both groups received routine scaling and root planing (Sc/RP) on one arch at time 0, and both were instructed to use Keyes' method of oral hygiene on one side of the mouth while the other side served as a control. This yielded a split-plot experimental design which permitted examination of the effects of Keyes' method of oral hygiene, Sc/RP and surgery. The results revealed no statistically significant differences between Keyes' method of oral hygiene and conventional oral hygiene in patients treated with a single session of Sc/RP. When scaling was not employed, Keyes' method was more effective than conventional oral hygiene. Surgical status was found to be the most significant factor in reducing clinical indicator values and establishing control of the subgingival microflora. In summary, oral hygiene alone had only minimal effects on subgingival microbial proportions. The primary antimicrobial effect observed, as evidenced by shifts in subgingival morphotype proportions, was produced by the Sc/RP procedure. This effect was enhanced by improved access (surgical status).
Spontaneous Subcapsular Splenic Hematoma Associated with Filgrastim in a Patient Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

OBJECTIVETo report the development of a spontaneous subcapsular splenic hematoma following filgrastim administration in a patient undergoing an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant.CASE SUMMARYA 60-year-old female with myelodysplastic syndrome was admitted for a reduced-intensity allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant from an unrelated donor. She received filgrastim 5 μg/kg starting on day 1 to accelerate neutrophil recovery. On day 5, she began reporting severe left chest-wall pain. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen/pelvis revealed a spontaneous subcapsular splenic hematoma. Upon discontinuation of filgrastim, the pain fully resolved. The patient was subsequently rechallenged with filgrastim, which led to recurrence of the left-sided chest-wall pain. Filgrastim was discontinued and the patient reported resolution of the pain.DISCUSSIONFilgrastim has been associated with splenic hematoma and splenic rupture, predominantly in healthy donors undergoing mobilization of peri...
Maximum likelihood coordinate registration for over-the-horizon radar

Over-the-horizon radar exploits the refractive and multipath nature of high-frequency propagation through the ionosphere to achieve wide-area surveillance. The coordinate registration process converts the group delays and azimuths (i.e., slant coordinates) from a set of multipath target returns to an estimate of its location (i.e., ground coordinates). This is performed by associating the target returns with ray modes determined using a computational electromagnetic propagation model. Not surprisingly, errors in the estimates of down-range ionosphere parameters can seriously degrade the accuracy of the target location estimate. The coordinate registration method presented is designed to achieve improved accuracy by employing a statistical model for uncertainties in the ionosphere. Modeling down-range ionospheric parameters as random variables with known statistics facilitates maximum likelihood (ML) target location estimation, which is more robust to errors in the measured ionospheric conditions. The statistics of down-range ionospheric parameters can be determined using current and historical soundings of the ionosphere. ML target localization consists of determining the most likely target ground coordinates over an ensemble of ionospheric conditions consistent with the data. For greater computational efficiency, the likelihood function is approximated by a hidden Markov model (HMM) for the probability of a sequence of observed slant coordinates given a hypothesized target location. The parameters of the HMM are determined via Monte Carlo execution of a ray tracing propagation model for random realizations of the ionosphere. A simulation study performed using a random ionospheric model derived from ionogram measurements made at Wallops Island suggests that the ML method can potentially achieve average absolute miss distances as much as five times better than a conventional coordinate registration technique.
Anticoagulation strategies for primary percutaneous coronary intervention: current controversies and recommendations.

Mortality rates for acute ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) have improved dramatically over the past 3 decades: effective reperfusion therapy has been the cornerstone of this improvement, with recent trends showing growth in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).1 Although mortality rates for routine risk STEMI patients are now ≈5%,2,3 process and procedure challenges remain prevalent. A key area of persistent controversy is optimal anticoagulation during the primary PCI procedure.4–8 Four anticoagulant options are available for primary PCI: heparin, enoxaparin, fondaparinux, and bivalirudin. Clinical practice is heterogeneous in terms of anticoagulant choices, timing, and context of delivery. In a recent study of primary PCI for STEMI performed between 2007 and 2010, US practice reflected this heterogeneity—among over 66 000 primary PCI patients included in the Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network (ACTION) registry, 80% received unfractionated heparin, 11% received low–molecular weight heparin, 23% received bivalirudin, and none received fondaparinux.9 Although glycoprotein inhibitors (GPI) are not anticoagulants, it is not possible to discuss primary PCI anticoagulant strategies without mentioning these potent antiplatelet agents—of note, the ACTION registry confirms the relevancy of this drug class, demonstrating that 79% of primary PCI patients in the United States received GPI agents in the first 24 hours of their hospitalization.9 This review will address the issues and controversy of anticoagulation for primary PCI in 4 sections: (1) thrombin generation during primary PCI and the individual characteristics of each anticoagulant, (2) the changing context of primary PCI anticoagulants with respect to other interventional approaches and therapies, (3) an overview of recent controversial trials, and (4) recommended anticoagulation for the clinical practice of primary PCI. ### Pathophysiology Anticoagulation for primary PCI addresses 2 pathophysiologic processes: initial thrombin generation caused by spontaneous coronary plaque rupture and secondary thrombin generation caused by iatrogenic introduction …
Some results on adaptive statistics estimation for the reversible compression of sequences

Extended summary form only given. This paper is concerned with statistics estimation methods and how they influence model performance. For simplicity, a memoryless model is assumed with a single context and binary alphabet. Nonadaptive estimation uses the relative frequency counts of the letters (0 and 1) in the entire sequence. Depletive adaptive estimation uses the relative frequency counts of the letters in the part of the sequence yet to be scanned. Cumulative adaptive estimation uses the relative frequency counts in the part of the sequence already scanned. >
The Tangibility of Issues and Global Conflict: A Test of Rosenau's Issue Area Typology

While the concept of issue area in foreign policy has received wide theoretical attention, there has been little empirical research on it. This analysis tests five propositions derived from Rosenau's pre-theory in order to assess the role of issues in foreign policy cooperation-conflict. The findings show that the tangibility of issues is a potent variable in analyzing cooperation-conflict when combined with other intervening variables such as the number of actors, the costliness of employed resources, the frequency of contention, persistence, and linkages to other issues. The findings are then used to reformulate Rosenau's analysis into five new propositions which stipulate the conditions under which the tangibility of issues will lead to cooperation-conflict and the kinds of behavior associated with each of Rosenau's four issue areas.
Synergy and transitivity in constraint dominance methods: Demonstration with linear motor design problem

Reasoning about relationships among design constraints can facilitate objective and effective decision making at various stages of engineering design. Exploiting dominance among constraints is one particularly strong approach to simplifying design problems and to focusing designers' attention on critical design issues. Three distinct approaches to constraint dominance identification have been reported in the literature. We lay down the basic principles of these approaches with simple examples, and we apply these methods to a practical linear electric actuator design problem. With the help of the design problem we demonstrate strategies to synergistically employ the dominance identification methods. Specifically, we present an approach that utilizes the transitive nature of the dominance relation. The identification of dominance provides insight into the design of linear actuators, which leads to effective decisions at the conceptual stage of the design. We show that the dominance determination methods can be synergistically employed with other constraint reasoning methods such as interval propagation methods and monotonicity analysis to achieve an optimal solution for a particular design configuration of the linear actuator. The dominance determination methods and strategies for their employment are amenable for automation and can be part of a suite of tools available to assist the designer in detailed as well as conceptual design.