cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of US travelers to Asia regarding seasonal influenza and H5N1 avian influenza prevention measures

Background. International travel is a potential risk factor for the spread of influenza. In the United States, approximately 5%–20% of the population develops an influenza-like illness annually. The purpose of this study was to describe the knowledge, attitude, and practices of US travelers to Asia regarding seasonal influenza and H5N1 avian influenza (AI) prevention measures. Methods. We surveyed travelers to Asia waiting at the departure lounges of 38 selected flights at four international airports in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Of the 1,301 travelers who completed the pre-travel survey, 337 also completed a post-travel survey. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to calculate prevalence odds ratios (with 95% CI) to compare foreign-born (FB) to US-born travelers for various levels of knowledge and behaviors. Results. Although the majority of participants were aware of influenza prevention measures, only 41% reported receiving the influenza vaccine during the previous season. Forty-three percent of participants reported seeking at least one type of pre-travel health advice, which was significantly higher among US-born, Caucasians, traveling for purposes other than visiting friends and relatives, travelers who received the influenza vaccine during the previous season, and those traveling with a companion. Our study also showed that Asians, FB travelers, and those working in occupations other than health care/animal care were less likely to recognize H5N1 AI transmission risk factors. Conclusion. The basic public health messages for preventing influenza appear to be well understood, but the uptake of influenza vaccine was low. Clinicians should ensure that all patients receive influenza vaccine prior to travel. Tailored communication messages should be developed to motivate Asians, FB travelers, those visiting friends and relatives, and those traveling alone to seek pre-travel health advice as well as to orient them with H5N1 AI risk factors.
Start-to-end simulation of self-amplified spontaneous emission free electron lasers from the gun through the undulator

Abstract It is widely appreciated that the performance of self-amplified spontaneous emission free-electron lasers (FELs) depends critically on the properties of the drive beam. In view of this, a multi-laboratory collaboration has explored methods and software tools for integrated simulation of the photoinjector, linear accelerator, bunch compressor, and FEL. Rather than create a single code to handle such a system, our goal has been a robust, generic solution wherein pre-existing simulation codes are used sequentially. We have standardized on the use of Argonne National Laboratory's Self-Describing Data Sets file protocol for transfer of data among codes. The simulation codes used are PARMELA, elegant , and GENESIS. We describe the software methodology and its advantages, then provide examples involving Argonne's Low-Energy Undulator Test Line and Stanford Linear Accelerator Center's Linac Coherent Light Source. We also indicate possible future direction of this work.
Acoustic emissions from polycrystalline ice

Abstract The acoustic emission response from fine-grained polycrystalline ice subjected to constant compressive loads was examined. A number of tests were conducted with the nominal stress ranging from 0.8 to 3.67 MPa at a temperature of −5°C. The acoustic emission response was recorded and the data are presented with respect to time and strain. The source of acoustic emissions in ice is considered in terms of the formation of both microfractures and visible fractures that develop without catastrophic failure of the ice. A model to describe the acoustic emission response is developed.
Nongray radiative transfer in a turbulent gas layer

Abstract The energy equation describing nongray radiation transfer and simultaneous turbulent diffusion in a layer of molecular gas enclosed by parallel black walls is developed into a linear integral equation with symmetric kernel. The solutions for temperature and convective and radiative heat flux profiles are strictly valid for constant volume heat source, but are good approximations to those for established turbulent flow. The results show the effect of self-absorption by cold gas in the vicinity of the wall and the coupling between nongray radiation and turbulent diffusion. A correlation of the results in general dimensionless form makes it possible to calculate readily the effects of turbulent boundary layer blockage of nongray gas radiation from any of a number of common gases.
Scanning electron microscopy of acellular glomeruli in human glomerulonephritis: application of a technique.

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been employed in studies of human and experimental glomerulonephritis (GN), a major contribution being the elucidation of podocyte morphology and the process of podocyte foot process retraction in proteinuric conditions. Application of SEM in GN has been limited however by an emphasis on cell surface alterations while the site of major disease processes, the glomeru-lar basement membrane, has remained hidden from view. A previously reported technique for the preparation of acellular glomeruli from fresh tissue has been adapted for use on frozen human renal biopsies. One case of minimal change disease (MCD) and one case of membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) have been studied. The acellular glomerular basement membrane of MCD has a lightly textured or granular surface whereas in MGN a striking reticular network of basement membrane has formed perpendicular to the native basement membrane. The immune complexes have been removed. This technique provides a graphic visual...
Population-based comparison of prognostic factors in invasive micropapillary and invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.

Population-based comparison of prognostic factors in invasive micropapillary and invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast
Adaptation of the postpartum support questionnaire for mothers with multiple sclerosis.

The purposes of this study were to determine the dimensionality of the Postpartum Support Questionnaire adapted for mothers with multiple sclerosis through factor-analytic techniques and to provide construct validity for the factored dimensions. One hundred and seventy-four mothers with multiple sclerosis comprised the sample. Using a priori criteria, a three-factor structure, resulting from principal components analysis with an orthogonal rotation consisting of 24 of the 28 items, was found to best represent the dimensionality of the instrument. The three support factors-emotional, instrumental, and informational-showed acceptable coefficient alpha reliabilities at the 1-, 3-, and 6-month administrations. Evidence of construct validity was shown in that, as hypothesized, (a) mothers with comparatively lower emotional distress reported higher levels of emotional and instrumental support, and (b) mothers with one child reported receiving more informational support during the 6-month postpartum period than did mothers with more than one child. The results support the use of the 24-item Postpartum Support Questionnaire in assessing the adequacy of these specific dimensions of social support needed by mothers with multiple sclerosis during the postpartum period.
Comparative efficacies of imipenem-cilastatin and vancomycin in experimental aortic valve endocarditis due to methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Activities of imipenem and vancomycin against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were compared in vitro and in a rabbit model of aortic valve endocarditis. Against 25 MRSA clinical isolates, imipenem was bacteriostatic (MIC90/MBC90, mg/l 8/32) in vitro while vancomycin was bactericidal (MIC90/MBC90, mg/l 2/4). Rabbit endocarditis was produced with a MRSA isolate against which both drugs were bactericidal. Imipenem-cilastatin had better efficacy than vancomycin by the following criteria, the number of survivors (9/13 vs 7/13), clearance of bacteraemia (9/9 vs 3/7; P = 0.019), sterility of cardiac vegetations (9/9 vs 1/7; P = 0.001) and sterility of distant organs (8/9 vs 2/7; P = 0.035). Thus, imipenem-cilastatin may be a potentially useful alternative agent to vancomycin in the therapy of MRSA endocarditis in the occasional situations when the drug demonstrates in-vitro bactericidal activity against the pathogen. Efficacy against MRSA strains with higher MBCs remains to be proved.
Development and validation of a finite element model of an apple fruit cell

Abstract A three-dimensional finite element model of an apple parenchyma cell was developed based on measured cell geometry. The cell wall was modelled using thin shell finite elements. Turgor pressure was represented by a distributed force on the cell wall internal surface, resulting in cell wall stresses prior to the application of external loads. Simulation results agreed closely with experimental measurement of volumetric elastic modulus and with results from geometrically simple analytical models. Because the model’s results agree with published data from multiple sources, we believe this validated model is a useful tool in the investigation of apple cell properties.
Methods and Software for Differential-Algebraic Systems

In recent years there has been a great deal of progress in the development of numerical methods and software for the solution of initial value problems in differential-algebraic equations (DAE’s). In this paper we review the current state of the development and analysis of numerical methods such as multistep and implicit Eunge-Kutta applied to classes of DAE’s occuring in applications. We describe some of the available software, giving in particular details on the implementation and use of DASSL and its extensions.
A semi-analytical solution method for linear partial differential equations

Abstract A semi-analytical solution technique is presented for solving linear partial differential equations. The technique is based on analytically solving the equations that result from discretizing the spatial coordinates of a partial differential equation. Two examples are presented to illustrate the proced and the savings in computation time relative to a method of lines numerical solution.
Transgenic overexpression of BMP4 increases astroglial and decreases oligodendroglial lineage commitment

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) promote astrocytic differentiation of cultured subventricular zone stem cells. To determine whether BMPs regulate the astrocytic lineage in vivo, transgenic mice were constructed that overexpress BMP4 under control of the neuron-specific enolase (NSE) promoter. Overexpression of BMP4 was first detectable by Western analysis on embryonic day 16 and persisted into the adult. The overexpression of BMP4 resulted in a remarkable 40% increase in the density of astrocytes in multiple brain regions accompanied by a decrease in the density of oligodendrocytes ranging between 11 and 26%, depending on the brain region and the developmental stage. No changes in neuron numbers or the pattern of myelination were detected, and there were no gross structural abnormalities. Similar phenotypes were observed in three independently derived transgenic lines. Coculture of transgenic neurons with neural progenitor cells significantly enhanced astrocytic lineage commitment by the progenitors; this effect was blocked by the BMP inhibitor Noggin, indicating that the stimulation of astrogliogenesis was due to BMP4 release by the transgenic neurons. These observations suggest that BMP4 directs progenitor cells in vivo to commit to the astrocytic rather than the oligodendroglial lineage. Further, differentiation of radial glial cells into astrocytes was accelerated, suggesting that radial glia were a source of at least some of the supernumerary astrocytes. Therefore, BMPs are likely important mediators of astrocyte development in vivo.
Direct numerical simulation of unsteady finite-span hydrofoil flow

The tip-vortex flow over a finite-span hydrofoil with laminar separation on the hydrofoil surface was numerically studied by computing the three-dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes equations. The computations were direct numerical simulations of all resolvable structures without adding a turbulence model. The topological structure of unsteady separated flow and the influence of the unsteady laminar separated flow on the tip vortex for both swept and unswept hydrofoils were qualitatively investigated. The secondary flow induced by the swept planform played an important role in the unsteadiness of the tip vortex. The interaction between the tip vortex and the unsteady laminar separated flow became stronger as the sweep angle was increased
Gaze direction effects on perceptions of upper limb kinesthetic coordinate system axes.

The effects of varying gaze direction on perceptions of the upper limb kinesthetic coordinate system axes and of the median plane location were studied in nine subjects with no history of neuromuscular disorders. In two experiments, six subjects aligned the unseen forearm to the trunk-fixed anterior-posterior (a/p) axis and earth-fixed vertical while gazing at different visual targets using either head or eye motion to vary gaze direction in different conditions. Effects of support of the upper limb on perceptual errors were also tested in different conditions. Absolute constant errors and variable errors associated with forearm alignment to the trunk-fixed a/p axis and earth-fixed vertical were similar for different gaze directions whether the head or eyes were moved to control gaze direction. Such errors were decreased by support of the upper limb when aligning to the vertical but not when aligning to the a/p axis. Regression analysis showed that single trial errors in individual subjects were poorly correlated with gaze direction, but showed a dependence on shoulder angles for alignment to both axes. Thus, changes in position of the head and eyes do not influence perceptions of upper limb kinesthetic coordinate system axes. However, dependence of the errors on arm configuration suggests that such perceptions are generated from sensations of shoulder and elbow joint angle information. In a third experiment, perceptions of median plane location were tested by instructing four subjects to place the unseen right index fingertip directly in front of the sternum either by motion of the straight arm at the shoulder or by elbow flexion/extension with shoulder angle varied. Gaze angles were varied to the right and left by 0.5 radians to determine effects of gaze direction on such perceptions. These tasks were also carried out with subjects blindfolded and head orientation varied to test for effects of head orientation on perceptions of median plane location. Constant and variable errors for fingertip placement relative to the sternum were not affected by variations in gaze direction or head orientation. Thus, the perceived position of the trunk-fixed median plane is not altered by varying gaze direction. The implications of these results for mechanisms underlying kinesthetic perceptions and their potential roles in programming of upper limb movements to visual targets are discussed.
A peak effect in critical current with respect to temperature and field in a type-II superconductor☆

Maxima in curves of critical current vs. temperature at fixed fields have been found to be associated with the peak effect in a 5Nb at. % Ti strip. The data are in qualitative accord with recent suggestions that a superconductor with ϖJc/ϖT·0 should show unusual stability. The ratio of the field at the peak to the upper critical field was found to be independent of temperature, having a value 0·84. There is an indication that the dependence of thermal conductivity on temperature is anomalous in the region of the maxima.
Empowering Domestic Discretionary Spending in Federal Budget Deliberations

Abstract Federal domestic discretionary spending (DDS) funds a large portion of human services in the American welfare state including mental health, child welfare, childcare, public health, job training, and education programs. Yet relatively little research has been conducted on this small but important part of the federal budget. This article examines a number of factors that have limited the size of DDS and that may imperil its existence in coming decades. The article suggests that policy theorists and researchers need to devote more attention to DDS and that policy advocates need to develop effective strategies for protecting DDS from unwarranted assaults in the budget-making process.
Teratogenicity of chlorambucil in rat embryos in vitro

Chlorambucil, a bifunctional alkylating agent and antitumor drug, is a potent teratogen in rodents and possibly teratogenic in humans. Unlike cyclophosphamide, a related bifunctional alkylating agent, chlorambucil is a direct-acting cytotoxic agent. However, several studies indicate that the cytotoxic potential of chlorambucil is enhanced by metabolism of the parent compound. Using day-10 rat embryos cultured in vitro, we have demonstrated that chlorambucil is a direct acting teratogen but that its teratogenicity can be enhanced by the addition of rat liver S-9 preparations to culture medium containing the drug. Our data also suggest that this enhancement is not related to cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases. This conclusion is based upon three lines of evidence. First, enhancement occurs under culture conditions which lack cofactors necessary for cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases. Second, metyrapone, a known inhibitor of cytochrome P-450, did not abolish the enhancement. Third, induction of cytochrome P-450 by two specific inducers of monoxygenase activity had no effect on the observed enhancement. We postulate that the observed enhancement of chlorambucil teratogenicity is related to the beta-oxidation of the butyric acid side chain of chlorambucil generating the more cytotoxic (teratogenic) metabolite, phenylacetic acid mustard. Finally, our data indicate that the teratogenic effects elicited by chlorambucil are indistinguishable from those elicited by cyclophosphamide.
Computed tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in pulmonary hypertension

Abstract Recent advances in imaging technology have allowed for better temporal and spatial resolution in cardiovascular imaging. The idea of a "one-stop shop" for anatomical and functional cardiopulmonary and vascular assessment in patients with pulmonary hypertension is very appealing since diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic response can be measured. Modalities, such as computed tomography (CT) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), are better suited to image the right heart and associated structures in multiple projections allowing for three-dimensional data sets and image reconstruction. This review will focus on the use of CT and CMR in the assessment of the right ventricle and pulmonary structures as they relate to pulmonary vascular disease.
The Role of Control in Attributing Intentional Agency to Inanimate Objects

Previous research into the perception of agency has found that objects in twodimensional displays that move along non-inertial-looking paths are frequently attributed intentional agency, including beliefs and desires. The present experiment re-addressed this finding using a tangible, interactive, electromagnetic puzzle. The experimental manipulation was whether or not participants controlled the electromagnet that moved the marbles along unexpected trajectories. Thirty-one college undergraduates participated. Participants who lacked control over the movement of the marbles were significantly more likely to attribute agency to the marbles. Participants in control of the display rarely attributed intentional agency to the marbles. Implications are discussed for the identification of agents in the real world.
Safety culture: a survey of the state-of-the-art

Abstract This paper discusses the evolution of the term ‘safety culture’ and the perceived relationship between safety culture and safety of operations in nuclear power generation and other hazardous technologies. There is a widespread belief that safety culture is an important contributor to safety of operations. Empirical evidence that safety culture and other management and organizational factors influence operational safety is more readily available for the chemical process industry than for nuclear power plant operations. The commonly accepted attributes of safety culture include good organizational communications, good organizational learning, and senior management commitment to safety. Safety culture may be particularly important in reducing latent errors in complex, well-defended systems. The role of regulatory bodies in fostering strong safety cultures remains unclear, and additional work is required to define the essential attributes of safety culture and to identify reliable performance indicators.
The poetics of “Sufi” practice: Drumming, dancing, and complex agency at Madho Lāl Husain (and beyond)

I develop an approach to the “poetics” of music and movement, vis-a-vis language, in the context of popular Sufism in South Asia. Bringing Michael Herzfeld's notion of “social poetics” into creative dialogue with Katherine Ewing's notion of the experiencing subject as a “bundle of agencies,” I attempt to cope with the problem of “meaning” in a highly heterogeneous event, the ‘urs in Lahore, Pakistan, commemorating the death of the Sufi saint Shah Husain. My pragmatic approach to navigating through an excess of meanings is to focus on what I call “common terms of understanding.” The analysis illuminates how Islam is popularly grounded in South Asia, more generally, and is suggestive of how music and movement might be construed as forms of religiopolitical “embodiment.”
Myometrial protein kinase: hormone-stimulated translocation and membrane binding of the soluble enzyme.

Abstract Treatment of ovariectomized rat myometrium with the β-adrenergic catecholamine agonist isoproterenol resulted in a dose-dependent loss of protein kinase activity from the cytosol. Enzyme activity was recovered from a smooth muscle particulate fraction which had Ca2+ transport activity usually associated with sarcolemmal or sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes. Hormone-induced translocation was associated with increased phosphorylation of membrane proteins. Membrane protein kinase activity was detergent-dependent and resistant to salt extraction. These properties suggested that soluble protein kinase became tightly bound to membranes as a result of translocation. Translocation was accomplished in vitro by mixing soluble protein kinase with membranes. Membrane binding was not affected by cAMP and was not reversible at elevated ionic strength. Comparison of soluble protein kinase binding by heart and myometrial particulate fractions in vitro suggested that translocation was a tissue-specific process. These results argue that translocation may be a physiologically important mechanism associated with hormonal regulation of uterine smooth muscle function.
Failure of chronic cigarette smoke exposure to alter plasma lipoproteins of stumptailed macaques (Macaca arctoides).

Abstract Twenty-one 8–14 kg adult male stumptailed macaques, Macaca arctoides , were fed a standard laboratory diet and divided into 3 groups. The high-dose group and low-dose group were exposed to cigarette smoke at the human equivalent of 3 packs and 1 pack per day, respectively, 7 days per week, for 3–5 years. Eight animals served as cage and sham controls. Peak blood carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels measured immediately after smoking showed levels of 0.5 ± 0.1%, 3.6 ± 1.0%, and 5.7 ± 2.8% for. sham controls, low, and high dose smokers, respectively. Hemoglobin and hematocrit values were 2–7% higher (N.S. to P
Molecular Genetics of Plant Responses to Low Temperatures

Living organisms are always interacting with their environments. Those that achieve successful adaptations to unfavorable environmental conditions will survive and prevail. During evolution, organisms have developed mechanisms to cope with unfavorable environments. Cold stress is one of the adverse environmental factors that determines ecological habitat of organisms. Being sessile, plants are greatly affected by low temperatures in their geographical distribution and productivity. Therefore, plants are not exempt from developing unique mechanisms to protect themselves from cold stress damage. Some moderately hardy woody plants use supercooling of water to avoid freezing damage. Without ice nucleation, pure water can be supercooled or remain unfrozen until a certain point below 0°C. However, this supercooling is effective only within a narrow temperature window (George et al., 1982). The most common cold stress adaptation is cold acclimation. That is, the process by which plants acquire freezing tolerance after being exposed to cold, but non-freezing temperatures (Guy, 1990). Due to cold acclimation, plants from temperate regions are able to survive winter after experiencing cold, but non-freezing temperatures of the fall. Cold acclimation is correlated with several changes in plants such as changes in leaf ultrastructure (Ristic and Ashworth, 1993), membrane lipid composition (Lynch and Steponkus, 1987 Miquel et al., 1993), enzyme activities, ion channel activities (Knight et al., 1996), levels of sugars and polyamines (Levitt, 1980 Strand et al., 1997) and gene expression (Thomashow, 1994). Attempts to understand cold tolerance mechanisms have long been made because of scientific interest as well as its economic importance in agriculture.
Influence of melt spinning variables on the tensile properties of high density polyethylene fibers

The tenacity and stiffness modulus of yarns melt-spun from high density polyethylene are functions of the sum of the logarithm of the take-up velocity in melt drawing and the true (logarithmic) deformation imparted in the cold-drawing process (i.e., stretching at a temperature below the polymer melting temperature). Thus, for the conditions investigated the effective melt drawing deformation is independent of the calculated velocity of the melt in the spinneret orifices. The maximum cold draw ratio is shown to be a function of the production rate, increasing to a maximum value and then decreasing as the production rate is increased. The maximum cold draw ratio at a given production rate is found to be a function of the yarn temperature and the deformation introduced in melt drawing. The tenacity and stiffness modulus of yarns melt-spun from polypropylene may also be expressed as functions of the summation of the logarithm of the take-up velocity of melt drawing and the true deformation imparted in cold drawing. The orientation, as measured by birefringence, of yarns spun from an experimental polyester are a function of the ratio of the take-up velocity and the orifice velocity, wheras the same measurement of the orientation of polyethylene is a function of the extrusion velocity alone. Equations of state for the tenacity and stiffness modulus of melt-spun polyethylene yarns were found to be of the same form as for a wet-spun madacrylic fiber.
Individual film coefficients of mass transfer in liquid‐liquid extraction

A study has been made of the individual film coefficients of mass transfer for two binary liquid-liquid systems of differing physical properties, namely methyl isobutyl carbinol-water and methylethyl ketone-water, in a 4-in. diam. extraction column operated as a spray column and with 1/2-in. Raschig ring packing. The value of Ht for the dispersed phase was found to be a constant, C1 for a given system in a given column. The Ht values for the continuous phase could be correlated by the equation, Values of the constants C1, C2, and n are tabulated along with the values found by earlier investigators for other systems and column packings. The Ht values have been reduced to area base coefficients by the expression for droplet surface area proposed by Gaylor and Pratt (3). Presaturation of either phase was found to have no effect on mass transfer rates. There appears to be relatively little difference in the efficiency of spray and packed columns for systems of low interfacial tension, but for high interfacial-tension systems packed columns are considerably more efficient than spray columns. While no definitive correlations for the effect of physical properties are proposed, there are some indications that n is a function of the viscosity ratio of the two liquid phases and that C2 is a function of the 1/4 power of the groups (dΔργ/μ2c)(μc/μa) and (NS c)c. No correlation was found for the effect of physical properties on (Ht)d.
Diversity of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella enterica Strains Associated with Cattle at Harvest in the United States

The prevalence and diversity of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella enterica strains associated with cattle at harvest in the United States were examined. Hides and carcasses of cattle were sampled at processing plants (n = 6) located in four geographically distant regions from July 2005 to April 2006. The mean prevalences of Salmonella on hides, preevisceration carcasses (immediately after hide removal), and postintervention carcasses (in the chiller and after the full complement of interventions) were 89.6%, 50.2%, and 0.8%, respectively. The values for MDR Salmonella enterica strains (defined as those resistant to two or more antimicrobials) as percentages of Salmonella prevalence were 16.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.3 to 25.1%; median percent prevalence, 6.9%), 11.7% (95% CI, 4.4 to 19.0%; median, 4.8%), and 0.33% (95% CI, -0.3 to 0.70%; median, 0%), respectively. In this study, 16,218 Salmonella hide and carcass isolates were screened for antimicrobial resistance. Of these, 978 (6.0%) unique MDR S. enterica isolates were identified and serotyped and their XbaI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles determined. The predominant MDR S. enterica serotypes observed were Newport (53.1%), Typhimurium (16.6%), and Uganda (10.9%). Differences in MDR S. enterica prevalence were detected, and PFGE analysis revealed both epidemic clusters (profiles found in plants in multiple regions/seasons) and endemic clusters (profiles observed in plants in limited regions/seasons) within several of the MDR serotypes examined. Despite these differences, multiple-hurdle processing interventions employed at all plants were found to be quite effective and decreased Salmonella carcass contamination by 98.4% (95% CI, 97.6 to 99.7%).
Economic analyses of stress urinary incontinence surgical procedures in women

Introduction To evaluate the quality of economic analysis (EA) of surgical procedures for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women. Methods A MEDLINE search on EA for SUI surgical procedures for the years 2000–2014 included the MeSH terms “tension-free vaginal tape,” “TVT,” “trans-obturator tape,” “TOT,” “Burch colposuspension” (BC), “stress urinary incontinence,” “economic analysis,” and “cost-effectiveness analysis.” Important criteria for evaluating articles were selected from panels that set out criteria to evaluate EA [Scales CD, Jr., Christopher SS, American Urological Association 32:121–128, 2013], [Hsieh MH, Maxwell MV, J Urol 178 1867–1874, 2007], [Wu JM, Catherine CM, Conover MM, et al., Obstet Gynecol 123 1201–1206, 2014]. Results Thirteen articles were identified: TVT compared to BC (6), to other surgical procedures for SUI (1), to TOT (3) and to the mini-sling (1); open BC compared to laparoscopic BC (1), and analysis of various slings and meshes for various types of incontinence (1). Articles originated from: United States (3), Europe (4), United Kingdom (4), and Canada (2). Eight described cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), two cost-utility analysis, and three cost comparison. Follow-up time for patients ranged from 6 to 24 months in eight articles, with four having a minimum of 24 months follow-up. Studies mostly adhered to the criteria, however indirect costs, sensitivity analysis, and efficacy parameters varied. Long-term synthetic sling-related complications were not included. Conclusion Although CEA for SUI surgery is a burgeoning field, study comparisons remain difficult due to some variability, including health care delivery systems. As women live longer, long-term data will become critical as complications and reoperations can affect the real cost of SUI corrective procedures. Neurourol. Urodynam. 9999:XX–XX, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Independent component analysis of polarimetric SAR data for separating ground and vegetation components

In this study, the use of independent component analysis (ICA) to separate the ground and vegetation scattering components from polarimetric, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data is presented. In vegetation covered terrain, the backscattered signal is a composite of both a ground scattering component and a vegetation scattering component. The FastICA algorithm is customized and applied to both simulated and field data. The improved customized algorithm is found to work better than the standard FastICA algorithm. It is also shown that noise and depolarization limit the ability of ICA to separate the different scattering components. The technique is applied to field data from the Glen Afric region in Scotland and produces results consistent with other radar metrics obtained from that region.
Lingual Vein Injection in the Rat

The difficulties encountered with repeated intravenous injections in rodents limit many experiments. A method is described which employs the lingual veins of anesthetized rats and which allows for repeated intravenous administration of fluids and cells in young rats and hamsters.
A Categorical Model for Discovering Latent Structure in Social Annotations

The advent of social tagging systems has enabled a new community-based view of the Web in which objects like images, videos, and Web pages are annotated by thousands of users. Understanding the emergent semantics inherent in the socially-generated collection of annotations has important research implications for information discovery and knowledge sharing. To this end, we propose a novel probabilistic generative model for discovering latent structure in large-scale social annotations. The generative model identifies latent community-based “categories” of interest that can be used to group semantically-related tags and to augment traditional content-based information search and discovery. We illustrate the proposed approach over large collections of Web objects annotated by the Flickr and Delicious communities. Additionally, we show how to integrate the annotation-based categorical model with traditional content-based approaches for the effective focused discovery and exploration of Web objects.
NMDA-based pattern discrimination in a modeled cortical neuron

Compartmental simulations of an anatomically characterized cortical pyramidal cell were carried out to study the integrative behavior of a complex dendritic tree. Previous theoretical (Feldman and Ballard 1982; Durbin and Rumelhart 1989; Mel 1990; Mel and Koch 1990; Poggio and Girosi 1990) and compartmental modeling (Koch et al. 1983; Shepherd et al. 1985; Koch and Poggio 1987; Rall and Segev 1987; Shepherd and Brayton 1987; Shepherd et al. 1989; Brown et al. 1991) work had suggested that multiplicative interactions among groups of neighboring synapses could greatly enhance the processing power of a neuron relative to a unit with only a single global firing threshold. This issue was investigated here, with a particular focus on the role of voltage-dependent N-methyl-D-asparate (NMDA) channels in the generation of cell responses. First, it was found that when a large proportion of the excitatory synaptic input to dendritic spines is carried by NMDA channels, the pyramidal cell responds preferentially to spatially clustered, rather than random, distributions of activated synapses. Second, based on this mechanism, the NMDA-rich neuron is shown to be capable of solving a nonlinear pattern discrimination task. We propose that manipulation of the spatial ordering of afferent synaptic connections onto the dendritic arbor is a possible biological strategy for pattern information storage during learning.
Software-based fault tolerance for the Maestro many-core processor

The current generation of radiation-hardened general-purpose processors, such as the RAD750, lag far behind their commercial counterparts in terms of performance. To combat this, a new many-core processor was designed that would allow space applications to leverage up to 49 general-purpose processing cores for high performance space applications. The Maestro processor, based on Tilera's TILE64 chip, is the result of this effort. Maestro is rad-hard by design, but there is still the possibility of both hardware and software errors.
Semantic Indexing using WordNet Senses

We describe in this paper a boolean Information Retrieval system that adds word semantics to the classic word based indexing. Two of the main tasks of our system, namely the indexing and retrieval components, are using a combined word-based and sense-based approach. The key to our system is a methodology for building semantic representations of open text, at word and collocation level. This new technique, called semantic indexing, shows improved effectiveness over the classic word based indexing techniques.
Simulation of high speed local area ring networks

The performance of local area ring networks (LANs) with a high-speed optical transmission medium is studied. In particular, the author evaluates the performance of three different service operations in a token-passing ring LAN, namely single-token, multiple-token and single-packet operation. Simulation is used for evaluating the performance of these service operations. The results are presented in terms of normalized average message delay. The delay is significantly different for different service operations. The simulation program is based upon the event-scheduling approach. The multiple-token operation gives the overall best performance. >
Morphology and Histology of the Alimentary Canal of Lygus hesperus (Heteroptera: Cimicomoropha: Miridae)

Abstract Microdissection and transverse semithin sections were used to perform a light microscopy survey of the gross morphology and cellular anatomy of the alimentary canal, respectively, of Lygus hesperus Knight, a key pest of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), and other crops. The gross morphology of the alimentary canal showed a relatively unadorned tube compared with other hemipterans, with variably shaped compartments and one small diverticulum. However, the epithelial cell anatomy of the gut was relatively complex, with the midgut having the most diverse structure and cell types. The midgut was typical of the “Lygus-type gut” seen in the older literature, i.e., it consisted of three major regions, the first (descending), second (ascending), and third (descending) ventriculi, with different variants of three major epithelial cell types in each region. Our light microscopy (LM) study suggests that the three cell types are nondifferentiated regenerative cells (which sparsely...
Advancing Women's Health Research: An Overview of U.S. Government Initiatives in the Past Three Decades

In 1985, a U.S. Public Health Service Task Force on Women’s Health Issues defined the criteria to differentiate a health condition, problem, or disease as a women’s issue. The criteria include diseases or conditions that are unique, more prevalent, or more serious among women or have risk factors or interventions that are different for women. The 1990s ushered in a proliferation of policies and resources directed toward the understanding of sex and gender issues across the spectrum of health, health policy, and research. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH), established in 1990, was the first public health service office dedicated to women’s health. In addition to supporting research on women’s health issues, the ORWH had a congressional mandate to develop opportunities and support for the advancement of women in biomedical careers and ensure the representation of women in biomedical and behavioral research studies. ORWH, through its Women’s Health Agenda for the 21 st Century, catapulted collaborative multidisciplinary research efforts across the NIH. A number of innovative career development and mentoring programs have been implemented to increase participation of women in interdisciplinary and clinical investigations. Other federal agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration, Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Women’s Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health, and Department of Defense, include gender and/or women-specific directives that are now codified into statute in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. The NIH is altering its research focus to reduce reliance on male-only models that have been typical in many research areas for decades. Studies that consider sex and gender differences are expected to bridge the divide between existing animal and human studies.
cDNA cloning and localization of a band 3-related protein from ileum

A Cl(-)-HCO3- exchanger in the brush-border membrane mediates active Cl- absorption and regulates intracellular pH in rabbit ileum. The molecular identity of the ileal Cl(-)-HCO3- exchanger has not been established. The best-characterized plasma membrane Cl(-)-HCO3- exchanger is erythroid band 3. Structurally related proteins in nonerythroid tissues comprise an anion exchanger (AE) family. We used the polymerase chain reaction to amplify and clone a cDNA encoding an ileal band 3-related protein (B3RP) from rabbit ileal enterocytes. The composite sequence is 3,909 bp and is predicted to encode a protein of 136 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence is 95% identical to murine renal AE2, indicating that ileal B3RP is rabbit AE2. Antisera generated against a cytoplasmic fragment of ileal B3RP recognized a 160- to 170-kDa polypeptide in the brush-border membrane, but not the basolateral membrane, of ileal crypt and villus enterocytes. This correlates with previous studies indicating that a Cl(-)-HCO3- exchange is present in brush-border but not basolateral membrane vesicles from rabbit ileal enterocytes. We conclude that ileal B3RP is a product of the AE gene family, and is present in the brush-border of ileal enterocytes, where it may mediate Cl(-)-HCO3- exchange.
Hydatid disease of the female pelvis

Abstract Hydatid disease or echinococcosis presents some bizarre and interesting signs and symptoms when it involves the female pelvic viscera. Experience with a few cases at the American University Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon, is herein reported. The life cycle of this tapeworm is reviewed and the epidemiologic vortices explored.
Impact of General Chemistry on Student Achievement and Progression to Subsequent Chemistry Courses: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis

General chemistry is a gateway course that impacts the STEM trajectory of tens of thousands of students each year, and its role in the introductory curriculum as well as its pedagogical design are the center of an ongoing debate. To investigate the role of general chemistry in the curriculum, we report the results of a posthoc analysis of 10 years of archived student data (ca. 12,000 students) aimed at discovering whether taking college-level general chemistry has an impact on student performance in and progression to subsequent chemistry courses. We introduce regression discontinuity; a quasi-experimental method that originated in educational psychology and can be used to estimate causal impacts of educational treatment when ex ante randomization is not feasible. Using regression discontinuity, we estimated a positive impact of prior general chemistry coursework of about one-fourth of a letter grade in two subsequent courses, Organic Chemistry I and a physical general chemistry course for nonmajors. We a...
Coronary CT Angiography Versus Standard Emergency Department Evaluation for Acute Chest Pain and Diabetic Patients: Is There Benefit With Early Coronary CT Angiography?: Results of the Randomized Comparative Effectiveness ROMICAT II Trial

Background Cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) reduces emergency department length of stay compared with standard evaluation in patients with low‐ and intermediate‐risk acute chest pain. Whether diabetic patients have similar benefits is unknown. Methods and Results In this prespecified analysis of the Rule Out Myocardial Ischemia/Infarction by Computer Assisted Tomography (ROMICAT II) multicenter trial, we randomized 1000 patients (17% diabetic) with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome to CCTA or standard evaluation. The rate of acute coronary syndrome was 8% in both diabetic and nondiabetic patients ( P =1.0). Length of stay was unaffected by the CCTA strategy for diabetic patients (23.9 versus 27.2 hours, P =0.86) but was reduced for nondiabetic patients compared with standard evaluation (8.4 versus 26.5 hours, P 50% stenosis had a high prevalence of acute coronary syndrome, invasive coronary angiography, and revascularization. Conclusions Knowledge of coronary anatomy with CCTA is beneficial for diabetic patients and can discriminate between lower risk patients with no or little coronary artery disease who can be discharged immediately and higher risk patients with moderate to severe disease who warrant further workup. Clinical Trial Registration URL: . Unique identifier: NCT01084239.
Flow cytometric indirect immunofluorescence assay with high sensitivity and specificity for detection of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

A flow cytometric immunofluorescence assay (FIFA) was developed to detect antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using live cell indirect immunofluorescence and analysis by flow cytometry. A panel of 107 sera, previously tested for anti-HIV antibody with the Abbott® Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay test and Western blot (WB), was rescreened by FIFA. Antibodies were tested on HIV-infected and uninfected H9 cells in the FIFA. Although ELISA results indicated seven false positive results by comparison with the WB, 46 of 46 FIFA positive results tested WB positive and 61 of 61 FIFA negative results were WB negative. The results of FIFA showed 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity compared with WB. This rapid, quantitative, relatively easy assay makes FIFA an alternate confirmatory test for the presence of HIV antibodies.