cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Mechanical Properties and Failure Mode of the Equine (Pony) Cranial Cruciate Ligament

In vitro failure modes and mechanical properties of the equine cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) were evaluated in 15 stifle joints from 10 ponies. Ponies were from 3 to 25 years of age and weighed from 122 to 208 kg. Femur-CCL-tibia specimens were mounted in 48 degrees of flexion, distracted until a 500-g tensile preload was achieved, and then tested by tensile loading to failure. Specimens failed by complete midsubstance CCL rupture (n = 9), combined tibial insertion avulsion fracture and midsubstance CCL rupture (n = 4), and combined femoral origin avulsion fracture and midsubstance CCL rupture (n = 2). No significant differences were found between CCL mechanical properties and failure mode or body weight. Femur-CCL-tibia maximum tensile loads ranged from 1,945 to 4,326 N (median, 2,914 N). Mean maximum tensile load (N) per kilogram of body weight was 17.98 N/kg (median, 17.55 N/kg). These pony specimens had stiffer cranial cruciate ligaments (median, 320.2 N/mm) with a higher elastic modulus (median, 321.7 MPa) than has been reported for other species. Significant decreases in linear tensile load (P = .0292), maximum tensile load (P = .0493), and increases in strain to maximum load (P = .0463) were found in the specimens from 20- to 25-year-old ponies when compared with those from 3- to 10-year-old ponies.
Freezing temperature in disordered ferroelectrics

Abstract At low temperatures disordered ferroelectrics condense in mesoscopic structures, intermediate between dipole glass and regular ferroelectrics. We propose an approach for the evaluation of the freezing temperature of such mesoscopic structures based on the random local field theory (which partially takes into account the correlation effects) and the computer simulations. The problem reduces to the diagonalization of random matrix whose elements depends on the interaction and temperature. We identify the onset of freezing with the temperature at which the maximum eigenvalue of the matrix is equal to one. The corresponding eigenvector reproduces the low temperature structure.
Dimensions of vulnerability in emergency nurses' narratives

Two notions of vulnerability dominate in the nursing literature. In one model, vulnerability is equated with susceptibility to particular harmful agents, conditions, or events at particular times and is considered something to be avoided or resisted. Another view regards vulnerability as the ever-present, common condition of all sentient beings and a condition of nurses' access to understanding patients' experiences. This article uses data from an ethnographic study conducted in two hospital emergency departments to illustrate tensions between these two stances toward vulnerability as they are reflected in emergency nurses' narratives.
1,3-Oxidative rearrangements of dienols

Abstract Oxidation of 1-vinyl-2-cycloalken-1-ols with PDC regiospecifically affords conjugated dienones in moderate to good yields.
Effects of a reduced subsampling protocol on calculation of growth and body condition indices

The impact of a reduced subsampling protocol on growth and body condition calculations was examined for bluegill, white, and black crappie. A maximum of 5 fish per 10-mm length group were randomly subsampled from 9 years of survey data collected under a maximum of 10 fish per 10-mm length group subsampling protocol (referred to as P10). The new protocol (referred to as P5) reduced age and growth subsample size by an average of 26, 23, and 21 fish for bluegill, white, and black crappie surveys, respectively. Significant relationships were observed between P5 and P10 results for mean length-at-age (MLA), coefficients of variation associated with MLA (CV), Von Bertlanffy growth constants (K), mean relative weight for stock-length and greater fish (Wr-S), and CV values associated with Wr-S. Estimates of MLA were statistically different between P5 and P10 designs for all species, however, the differences were 3 mm or less in 90% or more of the time. Based on the results of this study, reducing the stratified subsampling protocol from a maximum of 10 fish to a maximum of 5 fish per 10-mm length group would have minimal effect on fishery management decisions based on standard growth and body condition parameters for these three species in Nebraska.
Policy Design for Sustainable Energy Systems Considering Multiple Objectives and Incomplete Preferences

The focus of this paper is on policy design problems related to large scale complex systems such as the decentralized energy infrastructure. In such systems, the policy affects the technical decisions made by stakeholders (e.g., energy producers), and the stakeholders are coordinated by market mechanisms. The decentralized decisions of the stakeholders affect the sustainability of the overall system. Hence, appropriate design of policies is an important aspect of achieving sustainability. The state-of-the-art computational approach to policy design problem is to model them as bilevel programs, specifically mathematical programs with equilibrium constraints. However, this approach is limited to single-objective policy design problems and is based on the assumption that the policy designer has complete information of the stakeholders’ preferences. In this paper, we take a step towards addressing these two limitations. We present a formulation based on the integration of multi-objective mathematical programs with equilibrium constraints with games with vector payoffs, and Nash equilibra of games with incomplete preferences. The formulation, along with a simple solution approach, is presented using an illustrative example from the design of feed-in-tariff (FIT) policy with two stakeholders. The contributions of this paper include a mathematical formulation of the FIT policy, the extension of computational policy design problems to multiple objectives, and the consideration of incomplete preferences of stakeholders.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Deconstructing wireless errors: collision or 'bad' channel?

Last few years have seen a tremendous growth of WiFi devices, and with the introduction of smart devices like Zune, iPhone etc., which offer a variety of WiFi-based Internet applications, this trend is only going to accelerate. However, the current throughput/delay characteristics of 802.11 systems are not sufficient to support applications like high definition video streaming, VoIP, online gaming etc. Although, 802.11 theoretically supports data rates up to 54 Mbps, its performance is well below claims.
Associations of Participation in Service Activities with Academic, Behavioral, and Civic Outcomes of Adolescents at Varying Risk Levels

Youth who participate in service activities differ from those who do not on a number of key demographic characteristics like socio-economic status and other indicators of risk; and most studies demonstrating positive outcomes among service participants employ small non-representative samples. Thus, there is little evidence as to whether the outcomes associated with service participation are similar among students with varying levels of risk. The National Household Education Survey of 1999, a large nationally representative cross-sectional data set that focused on community service, was analyzed to investigate associations between the risk status of 4,306 adolescent students (50.2% female; 63.3% European American, M age = 15.9), their participation in community service, and their academic adjustment, behavioral problems, and civic knowledge. Because adolescents who participate in service differ from those who do not with respect to demographic characteristics, propensity score analyses were used to correct for potential selection bias in the examination of these relationships. Analyses tested competing theoretical models of service—protective versus compensatory—among students at varying levels of risk, and suggested that service acts as a compensatory factor with respect to academic, behavioral, and civic outcomes. Propensity score analyses revealed patterns suggesting that, in some cases, students with certain demographic profiles that are themselves related to the likelihood of service participation may benefit from service participation more than others. Findings are discussed in terms of their significance for adolescent development, for planning service programs, and for educational policy.
Extremely low drift of resistance and threshold voltage in amorphous phase change nanowire devices

Time-dependent drift of resistance and threshold voltage in phase change memory (PCM) devices is of concern as it leads to data loss. Electrical drift in amorphous chalcogenides has been argued to be either due to electronic or stress relaxation mechanisms. Here we show that drift in amorphized Ge2Sb2Te5 nanowires with exposed surfaces is extremely low in comparison to thin-film devices. However, drift in stressed nanowires embedded under dielectric films is comparable to thin-films. Our results shows that drift in PCM is due to stress relaxation and will help in understanding and controlling drift in PCM devices.
Supraadditive apoptotic response of R3327-G rat prostate tumors to androgen ablation and radiation.

Abstract Purpose : Androgen ablation is often combined with radiation in the treatment of patients with prostate cancer, yet, the optimal sequencing and the mechanisms governing the interaction are not understood. The objectives were to determine if cell killing via apoptosis is enhanced when the combined treatment is administered and to defined the relationship of changes in this form of cell killing to tumor volume growth delay. Methods and Materials : Dunning R3327-G rat prostate tumors, grown inthe flanks of Copenhagen rats, were used at a volume of approximately 1 cc. Androgen ablation was initiated by castration, and androgen restoration was achived with 0.5 cm silastic tube implants containing testosterone. 60 Co was used for irradiation. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TUNEL) histochemical assay was used to quantify apoptosis. Results : Tumors from intact and castrate unirradiated control rats had average apoptotic indices (percent of apoptotic cells) of 0.4 and 1.0%, respectively. The apoptotic index varied only slightly over time (3 h to 28 days) after castration (range 0.75-1.43%). Irradiation of intact rats to 7 Gy resulted in a peak apoptotic response at 6 h of 2.3%. A supradditive apoptotic response was seen when castration was initiated 3 days prior to 7 Gy radiation, with peak levels of about 10.1%. When the radiation was administered at increasing times beyond 3 dats after castration, the apoptotic response gradually diminished and was back to levels seenin intact rats by 28 days after castration. Tumor volume growth delay studies were consistent with, but not conclusive proof of, a supraadditive effect when the combination was used. Discussion : A supraaddtive apoptotic response was seen when androgen ablation and radiation were used to treat androgen sensitive R3327-G rat prostate tumors. This supraadditive effect was dependent on the timing of the two treatments. Further studies are required to more fully define the optimal timing and administration of androgen ablation and radiation.
Driving assessment with computer-video scenarios: More is sometimes better

Several factors are critical in designing effective simulator systems for driving research and driver assessment. First, there is cost, in terms of which, less is better. Costly systems are sometimes fine for specific research purposes, but they are impractical for most other purposes. Second, there is realism; in this case, more may be better, but we don’t know how much realism is really necessary for good prediction of actual driving behaviors. Recent evidence suggests that real-world clutter may enhance prediction, but it also makes interpreting research more difficult. More realism may increase cost, but this is not necessarily the case. Third, there is user-friendliness, in terms of which, again, more is better. Systems that are easier to operate require less-highly trained personnel; hence, increasing user-friendliness also decreases cost, especially for assessment. We demonstrated a highly user-friendly, low-cost, moderately realistic, and partly interactive computer-video driving research and assessment system. In recent research, we obtained multipleR values ofA7 for older drivers with only three to four scenarios predicting a real-world crash index.
Universal wire detector CAMAC scanner.

Abstract The scanning system described provides for the complete digital readout of wire spark chambers of the “Shift Register” capacity readout type, the magnetostrictive types, and the MWPC's with shift register data output. The scanner is a self contained CAMAC module with its own 64 word by 16 bit buffer memory. Two test modes are incorporated for automatic checking. For the complete checkout of the over 1000 bits of memory in the scanner, a CAMAC Test module serves as a memory exerciser and tester. Cabling to the wire chambers is very simple, merely a single cable, making the data retrieval from arrays of many chambers a straight-forward task.
Significance of downstaging in muscle-invasive bladder cancer treated with preoperative radiotherapy

Abstract Purpose : The relationship between clinical-to-pathologic downstaging and patient outcome following preoperative radiotherapy was examined, focusing on the mechanism (selection vs. treatment effect) responsible for the benefit seen from such downstaging. Methods and Materials : Three hundred and one patients were treated with preoperative radiotherapy plus cystectomy (PREOP) to a median dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions between 1960–1983. These patients were compared to 225 patients treated with radical cystectomy, with or without chemotherapy (CYST), between 1984–1990. Multiagent chemotherapy was given to 68% of those in the CYST group and was not given to any in the PREOP group. Lymph node involvement was not formally evaluated in the PREOP group, while 20% had pathologic involvement in the CYST group. Results : Clinical-to-pathologic downstaging (P T 2 T 3 a patients were independent of treatment (PREOP vs. CYST), while distant metastasis rates were significantly greater for those in the PREOP group. In contrast, P Conclusions : Significantly higher P T 2 T 3 a and T3b patients were divergent and supported treatment effect, rather than selection, as the mechanism consistent with the patient outcomes observed.
Distinguishability of Sets of Distributions

Suppose it is desired to make one of two decisions, d 1 and d 2, on the basis of independent observations on a chance variable whose distribution F is known to belong to a set F. There are given two subsets G and H of F such that decision d 1(d 2) is strongly preferred if F is in G (H). Then it is reasonable to look for a test (decision rule) which makes the probability of an erroneous decision small when F belongs to G or H, and at the same time exercises some control over the number of observations required to reach a decision when F is in F (not only in G or H).
Multi-channel mac for ad hoc networks: handling multi-channel hidden terminals using a single transceiver

This paper proposes a medium access control (MAC) protocol for ad hoc wireless networks that utilizes multiple channels dynamically to improve performance. The IEEE 802.11 standard allows for the use of multiple channels available at the physical layer, but its MAC protocol is designed only for a single channel. A single-channel MAC protocol does not work well in a multi-channel environment, because of the multi-channel hidden terminal problem . Our proposed protocol enables hosts to utilize multiple channels by switching hannels dynamically, thus increasing network throughput. The protocol requires only one transceiver per host, but solves the multi-channel hidden terminal problem using temporal synchronization. Our scheme improves network throughput signifiantly, especially when the network is highly congested. The simulation results show that our protocol successfully exploits multiple hannels to achieve higher throughput than IEEE 802.11. Also, the performance of our protocol is comparable to another multi-hannel MAC protocol that requires multiple transceivers per host. Since our protocol requires only one transceiver per host, it an be implemented with a hardware complexity comparable to IEEE 802.11.
Recent advances in AlGaN-based deep-UV LEDs

We will overview the challenges and performance of AlGaN-based multi-quantum well LEDs in the 275-290 nm range. Recent progress in materials and device development has enabled output powers of > 1 mW at 290 nm
Novel, non-solanaceous hostplant record for Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) in the Southwestern United States.

Abstract Field observations in the Tucson, AZ, basin reveal that Manduca sexta (L.) has been incorrectly described in the past as a specialist herbivore that oviposits and feeds exclusively on plants in the family Solanaceae. We present evidence that previously unreported, non–solanaceous hostplants are routinely used by M. sexta females for oviposition. These plants permit successful larval development, through to emergence of the next generation of adults. The novel hostplants, 2 species of the genus Proboscidea, belong to the Martyniaceae, a family taxonomically distant from the Solanaceae. Our observations on oviposition and larval feeding were conducted during 2 consecutive field seasons. During the 2nd field season, we counted M. sexta eggs on native hostplants, both solanaceous (Datura wrightii, Regel) and non–solanaceous (2 Proboscidea species), and found higher abundance of eggs on the Proboscidea spp., in approximately a 3:1 ratio. Our results challenge the commonly held view that M. sexta is a ...
The Idea of a Logic of Discovery

Is there such a thing as a ‘Logic of Discovery’? Do we even have a consistent idea of such a thing? The approved answer to this seems to be “No”. Thus Popper argues (The Logic of Scientific Discovery) “The initial stage, the act of conceiving or inventing a theory, seems to me neither to call for logical analysis nor to be susceptible of it”, (p. 31.) Again, “… there is no such thing as a logical method of having new ideas, or a logical reconstruction of this process”, (p. 32.) Reichenbach writes that philosophy of science “… cannot be concerned with [reasons for suggesting hypotheses], but only with [reasons for accepting hypotheses]”. (Experience and Prediction, p. 382.) Braithwaite elaborates: “The solution of these historical problems involves the individual psychology of thinking and the sociology of thought. None of these questions are our business here.” (Scientific Explanation, pp. 20, 21.)
Cell detection and counting through cell lysate impedance spectroscopy in microfluidic devices

Cell-based microfluidic devices have attracted interest for a wide range of applications. While optical cell counting and flow cytometry-type devices have been reported extensively, sensitive and efficient non-optical methods to detect and quantify cells attached over large surface areas within microdevices are generally lacking. We describe an electrical method for counting cells based on the measurement of changes in conductivity of the surrounding medium due to ions released from surface-immobilized cells within a microfluidic channel. Immobilized cells are lysed using a low conductivity, hypotonic media and the resulting change in impedance is measured using surface patterned electrodes to detect and quantify the number of cells. We found that the bulk solution conductance increases linearly with the number of isolated cells contributing to solution ion concentration. The method of cell lysate impedance spectroscopy is sensitive enough to detect 20 cells µL–1, and offers a simple and efficient method for detecting and enumerating cells within microfluidic devices for many applications including measurement of CD4 cell counts in HIV patients in resource-limited settings. To our knowledge, this is the most sensitive approach using non-optical setups to enumerate immobilized cells. The microfluidic device, capable of isolating specific cell types from a complex bio-fluidic and quantifying cell number, can serve as a single use cartridge for a hand-held instrument to provide simple, fast and affordable cell counting in point-of-care settings.
Association between community garden participation and fruit and vegetable consumption in rural Missouri

Fruit and vegetable consumption reduces chronic disease risk, yet the majority of Americans consume fewer than recommended. Inadequate access to fruits and vegetables is increasingly recognized as a significant contributor to low consumption of healthy foods. Emerging evidence shows the effectiveness of community gardens in increasing access to, and consumption of, fruits and vegetables. Two complementary studies explored the association of community garden participation and fruit and vegetable consumption in rural communities in Missouri. The first was with a convenience sample of participants in a rural community garden intervention who completed self-administered surveys. The second was a population-based survey conducted with a random sample of 1,000 residents in the intervention catchment area. Participation in a community garden was associated with higher fruit and vegetable consumption. The first study found that individuals who worked in a community garden at least once a week were more likely to report eating fruits and vegetables because of their community garden work (X2 (125) = 7.78, p = .0088). Population-based survey results show that 5% of rural residents reported participating in a community garden. Those who reported community garden participation were more likely to report eating fruits 2 or more times per day and vegetables 3 or more times per day than those who did not report community garden participation, even after adjusting for covariates (Odds Ratio [OR] = 2.76, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.35 to 5.65). These complementary studies provide evidence that community gardens are a promising strategy for promoting fruit and vegetable consumption in rural communities.
Overcoming obstacles to implementing a primary care research framework

Background Primary care research has recently garnered greater attention at the national level. Yet, primary care (i.e., family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics and gynecology) departments within academic institutions struggle to develop and sustain strong research frameworks.
Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement versus aortic valve replacement through full sternotomy: the Brigham and Women's Hospital experience.

Background: Minimally invasive aortic valve surgery (mini AVR) is a safe and effective treatment option at many hospital centers, but there has not been widespread adoption of the procedure. Critics of mini AVR have called for additional evidence with direct comparison to aortic valve replacement (AVR) via full sternotomy (FS). Methods: Our mini AVR approach is through a hemi-sternotomy (HS). We performed a propensity-score matched analysis of all patients undergoing isolated AVR via FS or HS at our institution since 2002, resulting in 552 matched pairs. Baseline characteristics were similar. Operative characteristics, transfusion rates, in-hospital outcomes as well as short and long term survival were compared between groups. Results: Median cardiopulmonary bypass and cross clamp times were shorter in the HS group: 106 minutes [inter-quartile ranges (IQR) 87-135] vs . 124 minutes (IQR 90-169), P≤0.001, and 76 minutes (IQR 63-97) vs . 80 minutes (IQR 62-114), P≤0.005, respectively. HS patients had shorter ventilation times (median 5.7 hours, IQR 3.5-10.3 vs . 6.3 hours, IQR 3.9-11.2, P≤0.022), shorter intensive care unit stay (median 42 hours, IQR 24-71 vs . 45 hours, IQR 24-87, P≤0.039), and shorter hospital length of stay (median 6 days, IQR 5-8 vs . 7 days, IQR 5-10, P≤0.001) compared with the FS group. Intraoperative transfusions were more common in FS group: 27.9% vs . 20.0%, P≤0.003. No differences were seen in short or long term survival, or time to aortic valve re-intervention. Conclusions: Our study confirms the clinical benefits of minimally invasive AVR via HS, which includes decreased transfusion requirements, ventilation times, intensive care unit and hospital length of stay without compromising short and long term survival compared to conventional AVR via FS.
Efficient implementation of undecimated directional filter banks

In this paper, an efficient method to implement undecimated directional filter banks (UDFBs) is proposed. The method is based on an observation that many non-separable two-dimensional two-channel FBs can be efficiently implemented by a separable structure if their polyphase components are separable. Therefore, with appropriate delay and advance blocks, undecimated non-separable FBs can be computed with a comparable computational complexity to the separable case. Structures for 2-, 4- and 8-channel UDFBs are presented to illustrate the idea.
Neuraminidase Activity of Pasteurella haemolytica Isolates

Neuraminidase activities of Pasteurella haemolytica cell suspensions were measured. Type isolates of the 12 established serotypes and bovine and ovine field isolates were included in the study. Neuraminidase activities ranged from 0 to 0.87 U per mg (dry weight) of P. haemolytica. Activity levels among the isolates studied were serotype associated.
Cross layer dynamic resource allocation with targeted throughput for WCDMA data

We consider resource allocation for elastic wireless applications that measure utility by target connection average throughput and achieved throughput. We construct a framework for connection access control and rate scheduling that supports this class of applications by maximizing long term average utility. We present a decomposition of the problem into connection access control and rate scheduling layers. The connection access control layer considers current commitments and decides whether to admit new sessions. For admitted users, the layer sets a target throughput to be achieved of the lifetime of the session. The rate scheduling layer adjusts the instantaneous rates of each connection on the basis of how well it is achieving each performance goal and on the relative strength of each connectionpsilas current channel. We illustrate how commonly used connection access control and rate scheduling techniques can be applied to design these two layers using an exchange of information regarding future target throughputs and achieved throughputs. Through numerical analysis, we show how wireless channel time diversity and multi-user diversity can be exploited to construct a rate scheduling algorithm that is superior to proportional fairness. Finally, this utility-based framework is compared to a method that does not use utility.
Properties and regional distribution of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase in rat brain.

: A method is described to measure directly in rat brain the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDHa kinase; EC 2.7.1.99), which catalyzes the inactivation of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC, EC 1.2.4.1, EC 2.3.1.12, and EC 1.6.4.3). The activity showed the expected dependence on added ATP and divalent cation, and the expected inhibition by dichloroacetate, pyruvate, and thiamin pyrophosphate. These results, and the properties of pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphate phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.43), indicate that the mechanisms of control of phosphorylation of PDHC seem qualitatively similar in brain to those in other tissues. Regionally, PDHa kinase is more active in cerebral cortex and hippocampus, and less active in hypothalamus, pons and medulla, and olfactory bulbs. Indeed, the PDHa kinase activity in olfactory bulbs is uniquely low, and is more sensitive to inhibition by pyruvate and dichloroacetate than that in the cerebral cortex. Thus, there are significant quantitative differences in the enzymatic apparatus for controlling PDHC activity in different parts of the brain.
Transcriptional and Metabolic Analysis of Senescence Induced by Preventing Pollination in Maize

Transcriptional and metabolic changes were evaluated during senescence induced by preventing pollination in the B73 genotype of maize (Zea mays). Accumulation of free glucose and starch and loss of chlorophyll in leaf was manifested early at 12 d after anthesis (DAA), while global transcriptional and phenotypic changes were evident only at 24 DAA. Internodes exhibited major transcriptomic changes only at 30 DAA. Overlaying expression data onto metabolic pathways revealed involvement of many novel pathways, including those involved in cell wall biosynthesis. To investigate the overlap between induced and natural senescence, transcriptional data from induced senescence in maize was compared with that reported for Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) undergoing natural and sugar-induced senescence. Notable similarities with natural senescence in Arabidopsis included up-regulation of senescence-associated genes (SAGs), ethylene and jasmonic acid biosynthetic genes, APETALA2, ethylene-responsive element binding protein, and no apical meristem transcription factors. However, differences from natural senescence were highlighted by unaltered expression of a subset of the SAGs, and cytokinin, abscisic acid, and salicylic acid biosynthesis genes. Key genes up-regulated during sugar-induced senescence in Arabidopsis, including a cysteine protease (SAG12) and three flavonoid biosynthesis genes (PRODUCTION OF ANTHOCYANIN PIGMENT1 (PAP1), PAP2, and LEUCOANTHOCYANIDIN DIOXYGENASE), were also induced, suggesting similarities in senescence induced by pollination prevention and sugar application. Coexpression analysis revealed networks involving known senescence-related genes and novel candidates; 82 of these were shared between leaf and internode networks, highlighting similarities in induced senescence in these tissues. Insights from this study will be valuable in systems biology of senescence in maize and other grasses.
Violence exposure, a chronic psychosocial stressor, and childhood lung function.

Objective: Chronic psychosocial stressors, including violence, and neuropsychological and behavioral development in children as well as physiologic alterations that may lead to broader health effects. Methods: We studied the relationship between violence and childhood lung function in a prospective birth cohort of 313 urban children (age range = 6-7 years). Mothers reported on their child's lifetime exposure to community violence (ETV) and interparental conflict in the home (Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS)) within 1 year of the lung function assessment. Results: In linear regression analyses, adjusting for maternal education, child's age, race, birthweight, tobacco smoke exposure, and medical history, girls in the highest CTS verbal aggression tertile had a 5.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) = -9.6, -1.5) decrease in percent predicted forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and a 5.4% (95% CI = -9.7, -1.1) decrease in forced vital capacity (FVC) compared with girls in the lowest tertile. The CTS verbal aggression subscale was associated with lung function among boys in the same direction, albeit this was not statistically significant. Boys in the highest ETV tertile had a 3.4% (95% CI = -8.0, 1.1) lower FEV1 and 5.3% lower FVC (95% CI = -10.2, -0.4) compared with boys in the lowest tertile. The ETV score was not a significant predictor of girls' lung function. Conclusions: Interparental conflict, specifically verbal aggression, and ETV were associated with decreased childhood lung function independent of socioeconomic status, tobacco smoke exposure, birthweight, and respiratory illness history. Gender differences were noted based on the type of violence exposure, which may warrant further exploration. Language: en
An efficient and accurate algorithm for assigning nuclear overhauser effect restraints using a rotamer library ensemble and residual dipolar couplings

Nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) distance restraints are the main experimental data from protein nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for computing a complete three dimensional solution structure including sidechain conformations. In general NOE restraints must be assigned before they can be used in a structure determination program. NOE assignment is very time-consuming to do manually, challenging to fully automate, and has become a key bottleneck for high-throughput NMR structure determination. The difficulty in automated NOE assignment is ambiguity: there can be tens of possible different assignments for an NOE peak based solely on its chemical shifts. Previous automated NOE assignment approaches rely on an ensemble of structures, computed from a subset of all the NOEs, to iteratively filter ambiguous assignments. These algorithms are heuristic in nature, provide no guarantees on solution quality or running time, and are slow in practice. In this paper we present an accurate, efficient NOE assignment algorithm. The algorithm first invokes the algorithm in (L. Wang, et. al., 2004) to compute an accurate backbone structure using only two backbone residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) per residue. The algorithm then filters ambiguous NOE assignments by merging an ensemble of intra-residue vectors from a protein rotamer database, together with internuclear vectors from the computed backbone structure. The protein rotamer database was built from ultra-high resolution structures (<1.0 /spl Aring/) in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). The algorithm has been successfully applied to assign more than 1,700 NOE distance restraints with better than 90% accuracy on the protein human ubiquitin using real experimentally-recorded NMR data. The algorithm assigns these NOE restraints in less than one second on a single-processor workstation.
Consistent and efficient reconstruction of latent tree models

We study the problem of learning a latent tree graphical model where samples are available only from a subset of variables. We propose two consistent and computationally efficient algorithms for learning minimal latent trees, that is, trees without any redundant hidden nodes. Our first algorithm, recursive grouping, builds the latent tree recursively by identifying sibling groups. Our second and main algorithm, CLGrouping, starts with a pre-processing procedure in which a tree over the observed variables is constructed. This global step guides subsequent recursive grouping (or other latent-tree learning procedures) on much smaller subsets of variables. This results in more accurate and efficient learning of latent trees. We compare the proposed algorithms to other methods by performing extensive numerical experiments on various latent tree graphical models such as hidden Markov models and star graphs.
The Popularity of Picture Books with Television Tie-in Contents in the Public Library

This study analyzes circulation statistics of television tie-in picture books from the Wake County Public Library System in North Carolina to determine their popularity among patrons. Caldecott winning picture books were used as a point of comparison. This study also examined OPAC holdings from North Carolina public libraries to determine television tie-in picture book popularity among collection builders. The findings of the study show that television tie-in picture books are found to some degree in the vast majority of North Carolina public libraries, and are more popular than award winners in the Wake County system.
Process scheduling under uncertainty using multiparametric programming

In this article, the problem of process scheduling under uncertainty was studied using multiparametric programming method. Based on the uncertainty type (prices, demands, and processing times), the scheduling formulation results in different parametric problems including multiparametric mixed integer linear (mpMILP), quadratic (mpMIQP), and general nonlinear programming (mpMINLP) problem. This article analyzes the solution characteristics and proposes a novel solution framework for specific mpMILP/mpMIQP problems addressing a wide variety of scheduling problems under different types of uncertainty, which are modeled as coefficient in objective function, as coefficient of integer variable and right hand side vector of the constraints. The main idea of the proposed framework is to decompose the problem into a series of smaller subproblems, each of them producing the parametric information around a given parameter value. The parametric solution of every subproblem is retrieved by solving a series of multiparametric linear programming (mpLP) and mixed integer linear/nonlinear programming problems (MILP/MINLP). Several examples were solved to analyze the complexity and the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Progress and Challenges of Islamic Banking

Three decades have passed since the first Islamic bank began its operations in Mit Ghamr, Egypt, and more than a decade has passed since the Islamic Republics of Iran and Pakistan adopted a non-interest-based financial system.1 The growth of financial institutions, instruments, and transactions operating without interest has been impressive, from assets totaling a meager $5 billion in 1985 to a current level of approximately $100 billion. Today, Islamic banking is spreading and gaining acceptance in non-Muslim countries as well as Muslim ones. Equally important has been the growth of scholarly interest in the subject. The viability and feasibility of noninterest-based financial transactions, instruments, institutions and systems as well as the legitimacy of academic research in this area are no longer questioned. The objectives of this article are to (i) review the progress of Islamic banking and Islamic financial markets; (ii) present the fundamental principles of an Islamic financial system in light of developments in modern financial theory; and (iii) identify the challenges ahead for the development and further growth of a non-interest based financial system. The article is organized into six sections. Section I discusses the progress of Islamic banks and financial markets. Section II and III summarize developments in Islamic economic and financial theory respectively. Section IV discusses the relevance of Islamic financial principles to modern financial theory. Section V addresses the issues and challenges facing Islamic finance, and finally Section VI concludes the discussion. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Hexavalent Chromium Reduction in Soils Contaminated with Chromated Copper Arsenate Preservative

The toxicity and mobility of chromium in the environment greatly depends upon its speciation. The reduction of hexavalent chromium to trivalent chromium in a soil environment was examined by spiking three soil types (sandy, clayey, and organic soils) with a common wood preservative solution known as chromated copper arsenate (CCA). Chromium in the CCA preservative solution exists in the hexavalent form. The total and hexavalent chromium concentrations (mg/kg) were measured over a period of 11 months. Leachable chromium concentrations (mg/L) were assessed using the synthetic precipitation leaching procedure (SPLP). The degree and rate of hexavalent chromium reduction were similar for the sand and clayey soil, but much greater for the organic soil. Most of the chromium reduction occurred within the first month of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, approximately 50% of the hexavalent chromium was converted to the trivalent form in the sand and clayey soils. Hexavalent chromium concentrations were ...
Breaking the silence: the need for counselling of HIV/AIDS patients.

Since individuals with AIDS are likely to be cared for at home following their release from hospital care the care and management of persons with HIV infection and AIDS seriously challenge families abilities to cope. Relatives and families must be able to provide emotional psychological and socioeconomic support if effective care is going to be provided. The capacity of families to cope may be significant factor in whether or not the individual with AIDS is accepted or rejected. This study was therefore conducted to identify possible factors which will influence the capacity of relatives and family to cope with patients needs in an urban Zambian community. Interviews were conducted with 50 patients with HIV-related diseases or AIDS and their relatives at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka Zambia. Interviews explored the medical social and psychological needs of the patients; patients assessments and feelings about fitting into society and living with the family once discharged; how their needs are met in the hospital and are discharged; relatives capacity to cope with patients needs and determinants influencing this capacity; and relatives level of knowledge about patients illness. Patients cited access to medical care availability of medicaments without charge continued employment of the financial supporter of the family and a favorable economic environment as important factors in determining whether or not they would be rejected by the family. Loss of employment high dependency and occupancy rates and limited finances reduced the ability of families to cope with HIV/AIDS patients. Psychological concerns including knowledge about patients illness can be tolerated.
Synthesis of a far-red fluorophore and its use as an esterase probe in living cells

We report the synthesis of a new far-red fluorophore, 1,3-dichloro-7-hydroxy-2H-spiro[acridine-9,1′-cyclohexane]-2′,5′-diene-2,4′-dione (DSACO), which was modified to make two esterase probes: DSACO-2-AME and DSACO-7-AME. Both probes act as “turn-on” substrates for esterases and lipases. DSACO-2-AME exhibited efficient esterase-activated fluorescence inside living cells and is a stable, far-red alternative for the widely-used fluorescein diacetate.
Orthopedic Surgery and Post-Operative Cognitive Decline in Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease: Considerations from a Pilot Study

Background Post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) demarks cognitive decline after major surgery but has been studied to date in "healthy" adults. Although individuals with neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD) commonly undergo elective surgery, these individuals have yet to be prospectively followed despite hypotheses of increased POCD risk. Objective To conduct a pilot study examining cognitive change pre-post elective orthopedic surgery for PD relative to surgery and non-surgery peers. Methods A prospective one-year longitudinal design. No-dementia idiopathic PD individuals were actively recruited along with non-PD "healthy" controls (HC) undergoing knee replacement surgery. Non-surgical PD and HC controls were also recruited. Attention/processing speed, inhibitory function, memory recall, animal (semantic) fluency, and motor speed were assessed at baseline (pre-surgery), 3 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year post- orthopedic surgery. Reliable change methods examined individual changes for PD individuals relative to control surgery and control non-surgery peers. Results Over two years we screened 152 older adult surgery or non-surgery candidates with 19 of these individuals having a diagnosis of PD. Final participants included 8 PD (5 surgery, 3 non-surgery), 47 Control Surgery, and 21 Control Non-Surgery. Eighty percent (4 of the 5) PD surgery declined greater than 1.645 standard deviations from their baseline performance on measures assessing processing speed and inhibitory function. This was not observed for the non-surgery PD individuals. Conclusion This prospective pilot study demonstrated rationale and feasibility for examining cognitive decline in at-risk neurodegenerative populations. We discuss recruitment and design challenges for examining post-operative cognitive decline in neurodegenerative samples.
DIFPLL: Distributed drone flight path builder system

Drones have become ubiquitous in performing risky and labor intensive areal tasks cheaply and safely. To allow them to be autonomous, their flight plan needs to be pre-built for them. Existing works do not precalcu-late flight paths but instead focus on navigation through camera based image processing techniques, genetic or geometric algorithms to guide the drone during flight. That makes flight navigation complex and risky. In this paper we present automated flight plan builder DIFPL which pre-builds flight plans for drones to survey a large area. The flight plans are built for subregions and fed into drones which allow them to navigate autonomously. DIFPL employs distributed paradigm on Hadoop MapReduce framework. Distribution is achieved by processing sections or subregions in parallel. Experiments performed with network and elevation datasets validate the efficiency of DIFPL in building optimal flight plans.
Geochemical investigation of Gabbroic Xenoliths from Hualalai Volcano: Implications for lower oceanic crust accretion and Hualalai Volcano magma storage system

The patterns of axial hydrothermal circulation at mid-ocean ridges both affect and are influenced by the styles of magma plumbing. Therefore, the intensity and distribution of hydrothermal alteration in the lower oceanic crust (LOC) can provide constraints on LOC accretion models (e.g., “gabbro glacier” vs. “multiple sills”). Gabbroic xenoliths from Hualalai Volcano, Hawaii include rare fragments of in situ Pacific lower oceanic crust. Oxygen and strontium isotope compositions of 16 LOC-derived Hualalai gabbros are primarily within the range of fresh MORB, indicating minimal hydrothermal alteration of the in situ Pacific LOC, in contrast to pervasive alteration recorded in LOC xenoliths from the Canary Islands. This difference may reflect less hydrothermal alteration of LOC formed at fast ridges than at slow ridges. Mid-ocean ridge magmas from slow ridges also pond on average at greater and more variable depths and undergo less homogenization than those from fast ridges. These features are consistent with LOC accretion resembling the “multiple sills” model at slow ridges. In contrast, shallow magma ponding and limited hydrothermal alteration in LOC at fast ridges are consistent with the presence of a long-lived shallow magma lens, which limits the penetration of hydrothermal circulation into the LOC. Most Hualalai gabbros have geochemical and petrologic characteristics indicating derivation from Hualalai shield-stage and post-shield-stage cumulates. These xenoliths provide information on the evolution of Hawaiian magmas and magma storage systems. MELTS modeling and equilibration temperatures constrain the crystallization pressures of 7 Hualalai shield-stage-related gabbros to be ∼2.5–5 kbar, generally consistent with inferred local LOC depth. Therefore a deep magma reservoir existed within or at the base of the LOC during the shield stage of Hualalai Volcano. Melt–crust interaction between Hawaiian melts and in situ Pacific crust during magma storage partially overprinted clinopyroxene Sr and Nd isotope compositions of LOC-derived gabbros. Although minor assimilation of Pacific crust by Hawaiian melts cannot be excluded, the range of oxygen isotope compositions recorded in Hawaiian lavas and cumulates cannot be generated by assimilation of the in situ LOC gabbros, which have relatively uniform and MORB-like δ18O values. To first order, the isotopic heterogeneity observed in Hawaiian melts appears to derive from the heterogeneous plume source(s), rather than assimilation of local oceanic crust.
THE SOVIET OIL INDUSTRY IN THE TWELFTH FIVE-YEAR PLAN

The article briefly considers the question of conservation and oil displacement in recent years. It then focuses on the problem of petroleum supplies, on the factors affecting their expansion, and on Soviet efforts and plans in the field. Investment growth in the oil industry and its regional allocation in the 1980s and beyond are examined. The nature and thrust of the exploratory effort, its relationship to the new reserve classifications, and to prospects for the Soviet oil industry are analyzed. Finally, the causes of the current rebound in output and Soviet plans for field development are assessed.