cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analyzing time-resolved spectroscopic data from an azimuthally symmetric, aluminum-wire array, z-pinch implosion

A 90-wire, aluminum, $z$-pinch experiment was conducted on the Saturn accelerator at the Sandia National Laboratories that exhibited azimuthally symmetric implosions and two x-ray bursts, a main burst and a subsidiary one. These bursts correlated with two consecutive radial implosions and are consistent with predicted magnetohydrodynamics behavior. A variety of time-resolved, accurately timed, spectroscopic measurements were made in this experiment and are described in this paper. These measurements include (1) the pinch implosion time, (2) time-resolved pinhole pictures that give sizes of the $K$-shell emission region, (3) time-resolved $K$-series spectra that give the relative amounts of hydrogenlike to heliumlike to continuum emission, (4) the total and the $K$-shell x-ray power outputs, and (5) time-resolved photoconducting diode measurements from which continuum slopes and time-resolved electron temperatures can be inferred. Time-resolved Ly-\ensuremath{\alpha} and Ly-\ensuremath{\beta} linewidths are obtained from the spectra and inferences about time-resolved ion temperatures are also made. All of these data correlate well with one another. A method is then presented of analyzing this data that relies on the complete set of time-resolved measurements. This analysis utilizes one-dimensional radiative magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the experiments, which drive $z$-pinch implosions using the measured Saturn circuit parameters. These simulations are used to calculate the same x-ray quantities as were measured. Then, comparisons of the measured and calculated data are shown to define a process by which different dynamical assumptions can be invoked or rejected in an attempt to reproduce the ensemble of data. This process depends on the full data set and provides insight into the structure of the radial temperature and density gradients of the on-axis pinch. It implies that the first implosion is composed of a hot plasma core, from which the kilovolt emissions emanate, surrounded by a cooler, denser shell, and it provides details about the structure of the temperature and density gradients between the core and shell regions. These results are found to be broadly consistent with an earlier, less detailed, data analysis in which plasma gradients are ignored. However, the ability to reproduce the full spectroscopic data in the present analysis is found to be sensitively dependent on the radial gradients that are calculated.
Arterial Extracellular Matrix: A Mechanobiological Study of the Contributions and Interactions of Elastin and Collagen

The complex network structure of elastin and collagen extracellular matrix (ECM) forms the primary load bearing components in the arterial wall. The structural and mechanobiological interactions between elastin and collagen are important for properly functioning arteries. Here, we examined the elastin and collagen organization, realignment, and recruitment by coupling mechanical loading and multiphoton imaging. Two-photon excitation fluorescence and second harmonic generation methods were performed with a multiphoton video-rate microscope to capture real time changes to the elastin and collagen structure during biaxial deformation. Enzymatic removal of elastin was performed to assess the structural changes of the remaining collagen structure. Quantitative analysis of the structural changes to elastin and collagen was made using a combination of two-dimensional fast Fourier transform and fractal analysis, which allows for a more complete understanding of structural changes. Our study provides new quantitative evidence, to our knowledge on the sequential engagement of different arterial ECM components in response to mechanical loading. The adventitial collagen exists as large wavy bundles of fibers that exhibit fiber engagement after 20% strain. The medial collagen is engaged throughout the stretching process, and prominent elastic fiber engagement is observed up to 20% strain after which the engagement plateaus. The fiber orientation distribution functions show remarkably different changes in the ECM structure in response to mechanical loading. The medial collagen shows an evident preferred circumferential distribution, however the fiber families of adventitial collagen are obscured by their waviness at no or low mechanical strains. Collagen fibers in both layers exhibit significant realignment in response to unequal biaxial loading. The elastic fibers are much more uniformly distributed and remained relatively unchanged due to loading. Removal of elastin produces similar structural changes in collagen as mechanical loading. Our study suggests that the elastic fibers are under tension and impart an intrinsic compressive stress on the collagen.
SPECTRAL-FUNCTION SUM RULES AND MESON MASS SPLITTING.

Spectral-function sum rules and the algebra of currents are used to relate symmetry-breaking effects in the pseudoscalar and vector-meson multiplets.
An Empirical Study of College of Education Faculty’s Perceptions, Beliefs, and Commitment to the Teaching of Diversity in Teacher Education Programs at Four Urban Universities

This study used empirical data to investigate College of Education faculty’s perceptions, beliefs, and commitment to diversity. A 44-item survey composed of Likert scale-type questions about characteristics, experiences, perspectives, and personal commitments to addressing diversity issues together with demographic questions, was administered to 116 COE faculty from four urban universities. A MANOVA where the independent variables were the demographic data and the dependent variables were five subscales (importance of diversity, training for pre-service teachers, college support, teaching diversity in courses, and issues of racial sensitivity) identified four statistically significant factors in faculty’s beliefs regarding the importance of diversity. The study found no support for a relationship between the faculty’s beliefs about the importance of teaching diversity and their teaching practices.
Parental involvement and family-centered care in the diagnostic and treatment phases of childhood cancer: results from a qualitative study.

Few research studies have addressed the ways parents participate in their childs medical care, particularly in relation to the cancer experience. The purpose of this study was to explore parents descriptions of their participation in medical care for their children with cancer. For this study, seven focus groups were conducted with 45 parents of 26 children who had completed cancer treatment at least one year prior, and who were still alive. Data were coded using thematic analysis procedures. It was found that parents emphasized their role as advocates during the diagnosis and treatment phases, by informing themselves about their childrens medical conditions, making medical care decisions, limiting the actions of medical professionals, and affirming and supporting medical professionals. These results emphasize the need to employ a family-centered approach in cancer care medical settings, by fostering and supporting the active inclusion of parents in their child’s treatment and management.
Improved Mechanical Properties and Early-Age Shrinkage Resistance of Recycled Aggregate Concrete with Atomic Polymer Technology

To overcome some inferior physical and mechanical properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), an enhancing technique is presented in this paper to improve the performance of RAC by adding a promising chemical admixture, an atomic polymer technology (APT) in the form of a mesoporous inorganic polymer (MIP). The RAC samples with different added amounts of MIP were prepared, and their mechanical and physical properties were measured. Various basic material and durability properties, such as stiffness, strength, and early-age shrinkage, were evaluated. The smart piezoelectric cement modules as either sensors or actuators were fabricated, and they were embedded in concrete beams to monitor the early-age stiffness-gaining process of the RAC samples during its curing stage. The corresponding monitoring techniques based on wave propagation were developed and implemented, through which the gradually improved performance of RAC with increasingly added amounts of MIP was evaluated and the early-age condition of RAC during its curing period were monitored in situ. The findings on the improved mechanical properties of RAC with atomic polymer technology and condition assessment from an early age with smart piezoelectric cement modules will potentially promote widespread application of recycled concrete in engineering, improve the sus- tainability of RAC structures, and provide viable health-monitoring techniques for RAC structures. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533 .0000759. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Recycling; Aggregates; Concrete; Shrinkage; Polymer; Concrete admixtures; Wave propagation; Mechanical properties.
UPLIFT OF RIGID VERTICAL PILES IN FROZEN SAND

ABSTRACT Using a simple displacement field the vertical uplift behaviour of a single rigid pile (or pier) embedded in a frozen sandy soil is analyzed. Results of the analysis are represented by curves from which the magnitude of the butt movement can be estimated for given uplift forces. The procedure outlined in the paper is directly applicable to piles embedded in moderately to heavily overconsolidated clay deposits.
A chimeric tetravalent dengue DNA vaccine elicits neutralizing antibody to all four virus serotypes in rhesus macaques

DNA shuffling and screening technologies were used to produce chimeric DNA constructs expressing antigens that shared epitopes from all four dengue serotypes. Three shuffled constructs (sA, sB and sC) were evaluated in the rhesus macaque model. Constructs sA and sC expressed pre-membrane and envelope genes, whereas construct sB expressed only the ectodomain of envelope protein. Five of six, and four of six animals vaccinated with sA and sC, respectively, developed antibodies that neutralized all 4 dengue serotypes in vitro. Four of six animals vaccinated with construct sB developed neutralizing antibodies against 3 serotypes (den-1, -2 and -3). When challenged with live dengue-1 or dengue-2 virus, partial protection against dengue-1 was observed. These results demonstrate the utility of DNA shuffling as an attractive tool to create tetravalent chimeric dengue DNA vaccine constructs, as well as a need to find ways to improve the immune responses elicited by DNA vaccines in general.
High-Dose Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

The role of high-dose chemotherapy in the management of women with breast cancer remains one of the most controversial issues in oncology. During the past decade, numerous pilot studies have shown ...
Cyclic nucleotides modulate lipoxygenase activity and reproduction in oomycetes

Abstract Previous studies in our laboratory demonstrated that epoxy alcohols produced from C20 fatty acids by lipoxygenase activity are associated with maintaining vegetative growth. We have also shown the specific down-regulation of lipoxygenase activity in reproductively competent oomycetes in response to cues which trigger reproduction. Other workers have suggested that cyclic nucleotides may also play a role in the switch between vegetative and reproductive growth of fungi. Reproductive activity was assayed in Achlya americana. Oogonium production was eliminated or reduced in the presence of cAMP, dibutyryl cAMP (0.5 mM), or the phosphodiesterase inhibitors caffeine (0.1, 1 mM) and theophylline (1 mM) and increased by 0.5 mM cGMP. Levels of cAMP were significantly higher in vegetative mycelium and were increased fourfold by exposure to 0.1 mM caffeine. These data suggest that an accumulation of cAMP inhibits reproductive activity while cGMP promotes it. Lipoxygenase activity was determined in the presence of cAMP, cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitors, and cGMP to determine the interaction between cyclic nucleotides and lipoxygenase activity. Lipoxygenase activity in reproductive mycelium of A. americana or Saprolegnia ferax was reduced compared to vegetative mycelium. Lipoxygenase activity of cultures grown and starved in the presence of cAMP (0.5 mM) or caffeine (0.1 mM) showed significant increases over the comparably treated reproductive controls. Exposure to cGMP had no affect on lipoxygenase activity in A. americana. These data suggest that cAMP may maintain vegetative growth by maintaining relatively high lipoxygenase activity levels while the reproduction promoting effect of cGMP is not via lipoxygenase activity down-regulation. Adenylate cyclase activity was significantly higher in vegetative, compared to reproductive, mycelium of both A. americana and S. ferax. Elevated adenylate cyclase activity in vegetative mycelium supports the hypothesis that cAMP maintains vegetative growth by maintaining high lipoxygenase activity.
Beauveria bassianaand Sawdust Bedding for the Management of the House Fly,Musca domestica(Diptera: Muscidae) in Calf Hutches

Abstract Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin was used concurrently with sawdust bedding to manage the house fly, Musca domestica L., in calf hutches on New York dairy farms. Sawdust bedding was compared with straw bedding for larval development. The number of fly larvae recovered from bedding samples was lower in hutches bedded with sawdust (53/liter) than in straw bedding (131/liter). B. bassiana formulated in water and a surfactant (Tween 80) was evaluated for the control of house fly adults. The prevalence of B. bassiana in the adult fly population was significantly greater in hutches sprayed with conidia than in untreated control hutches. Maximum weekly recovery of B. bassiana was 43 and 47% of the collected fly populations at two treatment farms. A second mycosis caused by Entomophthora muscae (Cohn) Fresenius developed to an epizootic in untreated and treated fly populations. Combined mycoses from B. bassiana and E. muscae reached 60 and 54% of the fly population on two of the treatment farms. The prevalence of E. muscae reached 70% in the fly population on the control farm.
Bourdieu's Game of Life: Using Simulation to Facilitate Understanding of Complex Theories.

Undergraduate students often struggle with understanding the theories of Bourdieu, but they are essential for understanding how power and privilege are reproduced in society. Revealing students’ complicity in this system is a powerful teaching moment, but it is often difficult to make the lesson and advanced theory accessible without triggering students’ defense mechanisms. Discussions of oppression often generate reactions of resistance, paralysis, and rage. This article describes a simulation designed to thwart student passivity while also being cognizant of pushing students too far emotionally. By having students adopt an identity during play and then analyze the results of their simulation, students were able to identify with structural oppression and learn Bourdieu's principles of cultural capital and reproduction.
Prevalence of Positive Tuberculin Skin Reactions in a Two-Step Testing Program at a Tertiary-Care Center in Eastern North Carolina

The results of performing two-step tuberculin skin testing of healthcare workers at a hospital in eastern North Carolina in 1997 and 1998 were reviewed. Of 1,248 new employees, approximately 500 required two-step testing, which identified only 5 new employees who might have been falsely labeled as converters during the subsequent year's surveillance testing.
Reply to comment on “Progressive abandonment and planform changes of the central Platte River in Nebraska, central USA, over historical timeframes”

Abstract We offer a response to the commentary by Farnsworth et al. regarding the construction of Fig. 7, and our interpretation of contraction in channels and channel belt intra-annual aerial imagery of the Platte River.
Design of a low-turbulence facility for micro-scale aerodynamics

A novel wind-tunnel facility has been designed for measurement of lift and drag on micromachined airfoils. Due to the structural and geometric constraints of the airfoils being tested, the wind tunnel has a 1-centimeter cross-section. This small size allows the use of a 100-1 contraction area, and extremely fine turbulence screens, creating an ultra-low turbulence facility. Preliminary velocity data obtained with a hot-wire probe indicate a successful design, with uniform flow, and turbulence intensities below 1%.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Spiritual Versus Religious Identity: A Necessary Distinction in Understanding Clinicians’ Behavior and Attitudes Toward Clinical Practice and Medical Student Teaching in This Realm

Social sciences view spirituality and religion separately; medicine views them together. We identified distinctions regarding clinical practice and teaching among clinician educators based on their self-identified spirituality versus religiosity. We emailed a 24-item survey on spiritual/religious (S/R) issues to clinician educators (n = 1,067) at our institution. Three summary scales were created. Responses to statements, ‘I consider myself to be spiritual’ and ‘I consider myself to be religious’ generated four comparison groups: ‘spiritual only,’ ‘religious only,’ ‘both spiritual and religious’ and ‘neither.’ Analyses employed ANOVA and T tests. A total of 633 (59 %) surveys were completed. Four percentage self-identified as ‘religious only’; remaining respondents divided evenly, about 30 % into each of the other categories. Groups differed from one another on all summary scales (p < .0001). Using T tests, the ‘spiritual only’ group differed from the ‘religious only’ group regarding teaching. The ‘spiritual and religious’ group had the highest mean ratings for all summary scales. The ‘neither’ and ‘religious only’ group had the lowest mean ratings. Clinicians’ spiritual versus religious identity is associated with differences in behavior/attitudes regarding S/R toward clinical practice and medical student teaching. These findings elucidate opportunities for faculty development to explore effects of beliefs on behavior and attitudes within this realm.
Analyzing the spread of active worms over VANET

This paper investigates the parameters governing the spread of active worms over VANET. To this end, we first define the average degree of a VANET node using freeway traffic parameters. The spread of a worm in congested and low-density traffic scenarios is modeled using a stochastic model of infectious disease. Analysis is provided for preemptive and interactive patching scenarios.
Direct electrophilic iodination of 2-thiouracil using Iodo-Gen.

Abstract 5-Iodo-2-thiouracil (ITU) is of interest due to its ability to bind specifically to the pigment melanin during melanogenesis and is of potential value in the diagnosis and treatment of malignant melanoma. Radioiodinated ITU was prepared directly from 2-thiouracil in a two-phase reaction using Iodo-Gen™ in 0.05 M phosphate buffer pH 7.0. The identity radiochemical purity and stability of the product were checked by reversed-phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). ITU labeled with 123 I, 125 I or 131 I has been produced in millicurie amounts and isolated on a semi-preparative reversed-phase HPLC column. Production time was 2–3 h, overall radiochemical yields averaged 80%; the radiochemical purity was greater than 98%. Specific activities on the order of 20 Ci/mmol have been obtained.
Death Anxiety, Death Depression, Death Distress, and Death Discomfort Differential: Adolescent-Parental Correlations in Filipino and American Populations

In both an American and Filipino population considerable family resemblance in death anxiety, death depression, and death distress was found. In both populations the death attitude measures of adolescents correlated with those of their parents, but the correlations were higher between the mothers and fathers. Most of the correlations were higher for the Filipino than for the American participants, and it was suggested that this is a function of closer family life in the Philippines. Although family resemblance on the Death Anxiety Scale was first reported by Templer, Ruff, and Franks [1] and confirmed by subsequent authors, the present study was the first study that addressed family resemblance on the more recently constructed Death Depression Scale or death distress (the sum of the z scores of Death Anxiety Scale and Death Depression Scale). In the American population, Catholics had significantly higher death anxiety and death depression and death distress scores than Protestants, and Hispanics had signi...
Parameter estimation and blind channel identification in impulsive signal environments

New methods for parameter estimation and blind channel identification in impulsive signal environments are presented, where the signals/noise are modeled as symmetric /spl alpha/-stable (S/spl alpha/S) processes. First, we present methods for estimating the parameters (characteristic exponent /spl alpha/ and dispersion /spl gamma/) of a S/spl alpha/S distribution from a time series. The fractional lower order moments, with both positive and negative orders, and their applications to signal processing are introduced. Then we present a new algorithm for blind channel identification using the output fractional lower order moments, and the /spl alpha/-Spectrum, a new spectral representation for impulsive signals, is introduced. From the /spl alpha/-Spectrum, we establish the blind identifiability conditions of any FIR channel (mixed-phase, unknown order) with i.i.d. S/spl alpha/S (/spl alpha/>1) input. As a byproduct, a simple algorithm for recovering the phase of any type of a signal from the magnitude of its z-transform is presented. The novelty of our paper is in parameter estimation and blind identification of the FIR channel based on fractional lower order moments of its output data. Monte Carlo simulations clearly demonstrate the performance of the new methods.
Comparison of fallow tillage methods in the intermediate rainfall inland Pacific Northwest.

Winterwheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is usually grown in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) intermediate rainfall zone following tilled or chemical summer fallow. Studies were conducted near Davenport, WA and Helix, OR over two fallow-winter wheat cycles to evaluate the efficacy of reduced or no-tillage fallow compared to conventional fallow and compare the efficacy of herbicides applied using a light-activated sensor-controlled (LASC) applicator to broadcast applications. Six treatments included conventional primary tillage followed by rodweeding; sweep-tillage followed by rodweeding, broadcast, or LASC herbicide application; and no-tillage followed by broadcast or LASC herbicide application. Broadcast and LASC herbicide applications controlled weeds similarly in no-tillage treatments. However, LASC applications used from 45 to 70% less herbicide than broadcast applications to attain similar weed control. No-tillage or sweep-tillage systems with herbicide application had from 15 to 30% greater surface residue cover than the conventional tillage system. Available soil moisture in both the root-zone and seed-zone soil profiles at time of planting was similar among tillage systems. There were no differences in wheat quality parameters across treatments. The conventional tillage system had similar wheat grain yield as sweep-tillage systems followed by rodweed or broadcast herbicide application, but yields were up to 21% greater than sweep-tillage with LASC applied herbicides and no-tillage systems. Reduced tillage systems using sweep-tillage and broadcast herbicide application could potentially replace more tillage intensive fallow systems in the PNW.
Discreet Charm of the GABAergic Bourgeoisie: Superconnected Cells Conduct Developmental Symphonies

In an exciting study in the December 4 th issue of Science , Bonifazi and colleagues demonstrated the existence and importance of exceedingly rare but unusually richly connected cells in the developing hippocampus. Manipulating the activity of single GABAergic hub cells modulated network activity patterns, demonstrating their importance for coordinating synchronous activity.
From Arrow to cycles, instability, and chaos by untying alternatives

From remarkably general assumptions, Arrow's Theorem concludes that a social intransitivity must afflict some profile of transitive individual preferences. It need not be a cycle, but all others have ties. If we add a modest tie-limit, we get a chaotic cycle, one comprising all alternatives, and a tight one to boot: a short path connects any two alternatives. For this we need naught but (1) linear preference orderings devoid of infinite ascent, (2) profiles that unanimously order a set of all but two alternatives, and with a slightly fortified tie-limit, (3) profiles that deviate ever so little from singlepeakedness. With a weaker tie-limit but not (2) or (3), we still get a chaotic cycle, not necessarily tight. With an even weaker one, we still get a dominant cycle, not necessarily chaotic (every member beats every outside alternative), and with it global instability (every alternative beaten). That tie-limit is necessary for a cycle of any sort, and for global instability too (which does not require a cycle unless alternatives are finite in number). Earlier Arrovian cycle theorems are quite limited by comparison with these.
Serial changes of the plasma prostanoids during myocardial ischemia - reperfusion in swine. Effects of magnesium, diltiazem, and a novel Mac-1 inhibitor

Abstract The key role of prostanoids has been recognized in patients with ischemic heart disease. However, serial changes of thromboxane and prostacyclin during both brief and prolonged ischemia-reperfusion are poorly known. These plasma prostanoids were measured during myocardial stunning (MS) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The effects of magnesium (Mg), diltiazem, and a Mac-1 inhibitor on the level of the stable metabolites of thromboxane (TXB 2 ) and prostacyclin (6-keto-PGF 1α ) were elucidated. Forty-nine swine underwent brief (8 min) or prolonged (50 min) coronary artery occlusion followed by reperfusion. The occlusion phase was associated with a decline of plasma prostanoids, followed by a significant increase during reperfusion. Mg and diltiazem similarly affected plasma prostanoids by reducing TXB 2 release at 1 h of reperfusion. There was, however, no effect on plasma 6-keto-PGF 1α . The Mac-1 inhibition was associated with stabilization of both antagonistic prostanoids as well. Ability of Mg, diltiazem, and leumedins to favorably modulate plasma prostanoid levels have direct clinical implications for the use of these agents in patients with coronary artery disease.
Colloid-like Behavior and Topological Phase Transitions in Space Plasmas: Intermittent Low Frequency Turbulence in the Auroral Zone

We describe a theory of topological phase transitions for dynamical space plasma systems far from equilibrium. The theory is based on the concepts of resonances and coherent structures. When conditions are favorable, the coherent structures may merge, interact and evolve into forced and/or self-organized critical topological states [FSOC]. First and second order phase changes may set in as the dynamical system evolves from one critical state to another, or from a critical state to a non-critical state, or when dynamical instabilities develop. The phenomenon resembles that of the behavior of stirred colloidal suspensions. These ideas are applied to the explanation of the development of broad-band power-law electric field spectral densities of the intermittent low-frequency fluctuations commonly observed in the auroral zone.
Bone cell function, regulation, and communication: a role for nitric oxide

A large array of factors serve as vital communication links between cells and the characterization, regulation, and mechanisms of action of such factors are topics of intense research efforts. Most intercellular messenger molecules which have been described over the years are represented by proteins, small peptides, amino acids or their derivatives, ions, lipid metabolites, or steroids. However, a small uncharged free radical, nitric oxide, has recently garnered much attention as a potent multifunctional signal molecule with widespread actions within and between diverse tissues. Biochemical, molecular, and regulatory studies of the family of enzymes responsible for nitric oxide synthesis, nitric oxide synthases, have established that there are at least three distinct isoforms of this enzyme which are differentially expressed and regulated in various cells or tissues. Modulation of these isoenzyme levels or activities by diverse signals is mediated via transcriptional, translational, and/or post-translational mechanisms, and consequently, alterations in such control may influence normal or pathological processes. Nitric oxide appears to exert pronounced effects on skeletal physiology and its production by various bone cells, elicited target cell responses, modulation by other signalling molecules (e.g., cytokines, hormones, fatty acid derivatives), and chemical interactions with other free radicals (e.g., superoxide anions, hydroxyl radicals) may form one important facet of the many complicated communication pathways controlling bone cell physiology and remodeling. Further cell and molecular studies are needed to address the precise roles that nitric oxide plays in bone development and in the formation and degradation of bone during ordinary bone metabolism. In addition, alterations in the regulation and action of the bone nitric oxide system as a function of certain bone disorders may be manifested by perturbations in bone integrity or mineral homeostasis. In this article, we review the current evidence implicating nitric oxide as an important messenger molecule in bone intercellular communication, speculate on potential roles for this radical in bone biology, and discuss possible future directions for advanced research into the function of nitric oxide in skeletal physiology.
Cholesterol oxidation in heated lard enriched with two levels of cholesterol

Cholesterol oxidation in lard containing two levels of added cholesterol was monitored using capillary gaschromatography. Loss of cholesterol and formation of cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) were measured. Lard samples with 10 times (Test I) and 2 times (Test II) the amount of cholesterol originally found in each batch of lard were heated at 180°C for 10 hr a day for 240 and 160 hr, respectively. Cholesterol steadily decreased throughout the heating period in both tests. Cholesterol loss followed a first-order reaction rate, with a rate constant (k) of −1.18×10−3 h−1 for Test I and −9.45×10−3 h−1 for Test II. The COPs accumulated during both heating tests. But the amount of COPs formed did not total the amount of cholesterol lost. During heating, thermal degradation of cholesterol likely occurred, and those products were not detected. During cooling, hydroperoxides formed, which further oxidized into the COPs that were detected. The 7-ketocholesterol and 5α,6α-epoxycholesterol were the predominant COPs formed. The isomeric 7α-and 7β-hydroxycholesterols also accumulated in the heating tests. The 3β,5α,6β-cholestantriol was found in very small amounts and the 25-hydroxycholesterol was not detected.
Prevention and future control of hospital-associated infections commonly caused by gram-negative bacteria

Abstract Nosocomial infections are a distinct reality for many hospitalized patients. However, it is possible with presently available measures to substantially reduce the threat of such infection for patients in whom some physical barrier of normal immunity has been bypassed. For these patients, conscientious attention by health care personnel to such things as careful insertion and aseptic care of urinary catheters and intravenous cannulae, and cleanliness of ventilatory equipment and other mechanical devices used in intensive care units is needed. In contrast, the potential risk of actual hospital-acquired infection in patients with impaired cellular or humoral immunity is very great. No easy solutions to prevention and effective treatment of infection in these immunosuppressed patients are available. The general approach of protection from harmful bacteria, judicious use of antibiotics when infection occurs, and immunologic reconstitution of the deficient host with specific antibodies and competent phagocytic cells seems encouraging.
Endocytosis and interaction of poly (amidoamine) dendrimers with Caco-2 cells.

Purpose To investigate the internalization and subcellular trafficking of fluorescently labeled poly (amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers in intestinal cell monolayers.
A historical perspective for teaching

A historical perspective in a computer science or mathematics course can help to make the class more interesting as well as help to provide an understanding of the evolution of the subject. Several anecdotes that can be used in teaching such courses will be covered in this paper.
Conversion in laparoscopic surgery: does intraoperative complication influence outcome?

Conversion from laparoscopy to laparotomy can be expected in a variable percentage of surgeries. Patients who experience conversion to a laparotomy may have a worse outcome than those who have a successfully completed laparoscopic procedure. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of converted cases based on whether the case was a reactive conversion (RC, due to an intraoperative complication such as bleeding or bowel injury) or a preemptive conversion (PC, due to a lack of progression or unclear anatomy). All laparoscopic colorectal procedures converted to a laparotomy were retrospectively reviewed from data prospectively entered into an institutional review board–approved database. Patients who underwent an RC were matched with patients who underwent a PC according to age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and diagnosis. Patients who underwent a laparoscopic colorectal resection (LCR) were taken as the control group. The incidence and nature of postoperative complications, the time to liquid or regular diet, and the length of hospital stay were recorded. Of 962 laparoscopic procedures performed between 2000 and 2007, 222 (23.1%) converted to a laparotomy were identified. The 30 patients who had undergone an RC were matched with 60 patients who had undergone a PC and 60 patients who had undergone an LCR. The reasons for RC were bleeding in 14 cases, bowel injury in 6 cases, ureteric damage in 3 cases, splenic injury in 3 cases, and other complications in 4 cases. The patients who had undergone RC were more likely to have experienced a postoperative complication (50% vs 27%; p = 0.028), required longer time to toleration of a regular diet (6 vs 5 days; p = 0.03), and stayed longer in the hospital (8.1 vs 7.1 days; p = 0.080). Preemptive conversion is associated with a better outcome than reactive conversion. Based on this finding, it appears preferable for the surgeon to have a low threshold for performing PC rather than awaiting the need for an RC.
Realization of fictitious gain in human: Experimental verification on an elbow joint

Augmentation of human power is an important problem in the design of human assist devices such as an exoskeleton system. The overall system consisting of a human and an assistive device is a parallel control system that includes two controllers: the human brain and the assistive device controller. It has been postulated in a previous work that the motion control system of a human is regarded as a feedback control loop that consists of the brain, muscles, and the dynamics of the extended human body, and that the brain function is modeled as a control algorithm amplified by a fictitious gain. The fictitious gain compensates for characteristic changes in the muscle and dynamics. If the human is physically impaired or subjected to demanding work, the fictitious gain is increased to assist the human. The assistive device is controlled to augment human power, the amount of which is equivalent to the one attained by the fictitious gain. This paper presents the design and verification of an assistive device for elbow joint and the controller for the device based on the fictitious gain concept.
Correlation Resonance Generated by Coupled Enzymatic Processing

A major challenge for systems biology is to deduce the molecular interactions that underlie correlations observed between concentrations of different intracellular molecules. Although direct explanations such as coupled transcription or direct protein-protein interactions are often considered, potential indirect sources of coupling have received much less attention. Here we show how correlations can arise generically from a posttranslational coupling mechanism involving the processing of multiple protein species by a common enzyme. By observing a connection between a stochastic model and a multiclass queue, we obtain a closed form expression for the steady-state distribution of the numbers of molecules of each protein species. Upon deriving explicit analytic expressions for moments and correlations associated with this distribution, we discover a striking phenomenon that we call correlation resonance: for small dilution rate, correlations peak near the balance-point where the total rate of influx of proteins into the system is equal to the maximum processing capacity of the enzyme. Given the limited number of many important catalytic molecules, our results may lead to new insights into the origin of correlated behavior on a global scale.
Exploiting model independence for parallel PCS network simulation

In this paper, we present a parallel simulator (SWiMNet) for PCS networks using a combination of optimistic and conservative paradigms. The proposed methodology exploits event precomputation permitted by model independence within the PCS components. The low percentage of blocked calls is exploited in the channel allocation simulation of precomputed events by means of an optimistic approach. %To illustrate and verify the developed approach, Experiments were conducted with various call arrival rates and mobile host densities on a cluster of Pentium workstations. Performance results indicate that the SWiMNet achieves a speedup of 6 employing 8 workstations, and a speedup of 12 with 16 workstations.
Management of tricuspid regurgitation in congenital heart disease: is survival better with valve repair?

Objective Tricuspid valve (TV) regurgitation in congenital heart disease includes a heterogeneous group of lesions, and few series have documented the outcomes. Methods We reviewed the records of 553 patients with congenital heart disease who had undergone TV surgery for tricuspid regurgitation from January 1993 to December 2010. Patients with Ebstein malformation were excluded. Their mean age was 32 ± 21 years, and 300 were female (54%). The most common diagnoses were conotruncal anomaly in 216 patients (39%), previous ventricular septal defect closure in 83 (15%), atrioventricular septal defect in 77 (14%), and pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum in 11 (2%). Preoperative right-sided heart failure was present in 124 patients (22%), and 55 patients (10%) had pulmonary hypertension. Results TV repair was performed in 442 (80%) and TV replacement in 111 (20%) patients. Repeat sternotomy was performed in 415 patients (75%). Previous TV repair was present in 44 patients (8%); of these, 17 (38.6%) underwent repeat TV repair. The overall early mortality was 3.1% (17 patients) and was 2.5% for TV repair and 5.4% for TV replacement ( P = .001). The mean follow-up period was 4.5 ± 4.1 years (maximum, 18). The overall survival at 1, 5, and 10 years was 97%, 93%, and 85%, respectively. Survival was better for patients with repair than with replacement. TV repair was an independent predictor of better survival ( P = .001). Conclusions Important tricuspid regurgitation can occur with a variety of congenital diagnoses. Early mortality is low and late survival is superior with tricuspid repair than with valve replacement. Surgical treatment of tricuspid regurgitation in congenital heart disease should be performed before the onset of heart failure.
QUANTITATIVE INVESTIGATIONS OF IDIOTYPIC ANTIBODIES V. FACTORS AFFECTING THE PERSISTENCE AND REPLACEMENT OF CLONES OF ANTIBODY-PRODUCING CELLS

The effect of challenge by antigen on persistence of clones of antibody-producing cells and on the induction of new clones was investigated through quantitative measurements of idiotypic specificities. In each of nine rabbits idiotypic specificities present in the earliest bleedings were completely replaced after a few months; subsequent changes occurred much more slowly. On a quantitative basis the population of molecules used as immunogen always reacted most effectively with the homologous anti-idiotypic antiserum. Little effect of increased antigen dose on the rate of change of idiotype was observed. Even large amounts of antigen administered every 2 wk caused only gradual changes in idiotypic specificities. This was attributed either to more effective capture of antigen by memory cells, as compared to precursor cells, or to the induction of tolerance in those clones that were not expressed. In two of three rabbits on a monthly injection schedule, the idiotypic specificities identified underwent very slow changes over a period as long as 17 months. Changes occurred more rapidly when antigen was administered every 2 wk. In each of four rabbits investigated, all idiotypic specificities identified before a 5 month rest period were still present afterwards, indicating the survival of essentially all clones of antibody-producing cells during that interval. Quantitative inhibition data indicated that some new clones of cells were initiated.
Self-Acceptance and Its Role in Women's Recovery from Addiction

This article seeks to explore a new concept, passionate self-acceptance, as a factor in women's recovery from addiction. This author contends that what may appear to be defiance and noncompliance may in fact be evidence of a passionate devotion to one's own truth that should be nurtured rather than neutralized. Passionate self-acceptance is the term the author chose to call this devotion and it is defined as an intrinsic quality characterized by the devoted courage to transcend negative messages while focusing on positive relationships, to enable knowing and embracing all-of-self. Story Theory (Liehr & Smith, 2008) provided the framework for the 10-step process of concept development. The process utilized in developing this concept is described. A practice story is provided to demonstrate the concept. Implications for nursing practice are discussed.
Absolute quantum efficiency of an organic wavelength shifter using a pulsed ultraviolet source and temporal analysis

A novel technique for measuring an organic fluor quantum efficiency has been developed. The measurement involves evaluating the change in the luminescence temporal distribution as a function of solute concentration. The solute was excited by pulsed deep ultraviolet (UV) emissions and luminescence time spectra were measured by a time correlated signal photon counting technique. As the solute concentration is increased, the luminescence spectra have a decreased contribution from transmitted UV light and an increased contribution of solute fluorescence. The quantum efficiency of the solute is determined using these data along with a correction for the differences in the detection efficiency of the primary and secondary light. The correction was determined by an optical transport code, DETECT, and the measured photomultiplier tube spectral response. This paper demonstrates the technique with BaF/sub 2/ as the pulsed UV source resulting in the quantum efficiency of 9,10 diphenylanthracene in cyclohexane, weighted by the fast UV emissions of BaF/sub 2/, to be calculated as 0.76. >
Low-noise SiGe pMODFETs on sapphire with 116 GHz f/sub max/

Recent advances in SiGe MODFET technology indicate that these devices may have promise for future high-speed analog communications applications (Adesida et al, 1997; Konig et al, 1998). However, losses and isolation problems due to the conducting Si substrate represent a serious disadvantage compared to III-V devices that utilize semi-insulating substrates. The use of insulating substrates such as sapphire is a potential solution to this problem, and previous results on Si and pseudomorphic SiGe-channel MOSFETs fabricated on silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) wafers have been encouraging (Johnson et al, 1998; Mathew et al, 1999). However, SiGe MODFETs require relaxed SiGe buffer layers, and the growth of high-quality relaxed SiGe on sapphire or SOS substrates has not previously been demonstrated. In this paper, we present the results of 0.1 /spl mu/m gate length pMODFETs fabricated on high-mobility Si/sub 0.2/Ge/sub 0.8/-Si/sub 0.7/Ge/sub 0.3/ quantum wells grown on SOS wafers. These devices displayed a power gain cut-off frequency (f/sub max/) of 116 GHz, and minimum noise figure (F/sub mm/) of 2.5 dB at 20 GHz. To our knowledge, these values are the best reported to date for pFETs in any material system.
Angle and polarization estimation using ESPRIT with a polarization sensitive array

It is shown how estimation of signal parameters via rotational invariance techniques (ESPRIT) may be used to estimate both the arrival directions and the polarizations of incoming plane waves with a uniform linear array of crossed dipoles. The ESPRIT algorithm exploits the invariance properties of such an array so that both angle and polarization estimates may be computed. Some typical examples showing the use of this method are presented. >
Performance of TCP over ABR on ATM backbone and with various VBR background traffic patterns

We extend our earlier studies of buffer requirements of TCP over ABR in two directions. First, we study the performance of TCP over ABR in an ATM backbone. We find that the TCP queues are at the edge router and not inside the ATM network. The edge router requires buffering equal to the sum of the receiver window sizes of the participating TCP connections. Second, we study the performance when ABR capacity is variable due to the effect of various patterns of VBR background traffic. The key factors in this study are the VBR traffic pattern, ABR feedback delays and the sensitivity of the ABR switch scheme to variance. We present our experiences in refining the ERICA+ switch scheme to handle these conditions.
Protein synthesis in visual cells of Limulus.

— The incorporation of l-[4,5-3H]leucine into the primary visual cells of lateral eyes of Xiphusura polyphemus (Limulus) was followed by electron microscopic radio-autography, while protein synthesis in the tissue surrounding the primary cells was measured by scintillation counting of the extracted protein. In the primary cells, the incorporation of radioactivity during 24 h into the rhabdomal membranes was 10–20 times greater in dark than in light, and was especially high in eyes that had been exposed to light before a period of incorporation in the dark. In tissue adjacent to the primary cells, protein synthesis was about 50 per cent greater in eyes exposed to light. These results are interpreted in terms of the photochemistry of Limulus rhodopsin and the competition for ATP between sodium-pump and protein-synthetic mechanisms.
A community hospital's response to the Joint Commission's "Agenda for Change".

Abstract With the development of the Joint Commission's “Agenda for Change,” traditional surveillance techniques must be modified. Our response as a community, not-for-profit hospital has been to discontinue total housewide surveillance and move toward focused reviews of five hospital-specific indicators. The development process, the indicators, and the schedule of activities are outlined, along with a few of the limitations.