cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modal analysis of one-dimensional Electromagnetic Metamaterial grounded slab

Electromagnetic Metamaterials (MTMs) are artificial materials with novel electromagnetic properties not available in nature. MTMs have the potential to facilitate significant improvement on performance of low-profile (i.e. microstrip) and conformal antennas, including reduction of antenna size and antenna coupling. In this paper, we develop analytic expressions and corresponding tractable approximations for impedance and dispersion relations for one-dimensional MTMs applicable to a wide frequency range. Our technique obtains properties relevant for the application of MTMs to antennas without the need to derive the effective medium parameters first. We apply this technique to investigate surface wave modes supported by a single-layer and double-layer one-dimensional electromagnetic crystal on a ground plane. We use modal analysis for one-dimensional stratified periodic MTM media. The modal formalism is directly applicable to the surface wave problem and bypasses difficulties associated with defining average constitutive parameters that are valid only in the quasi-static region. We use transmission-line theory to solve the propagation problem in one direction, while modal functions are determined for the transverse plane. The stratified material is decomposed into unit cells. We apply Floquet's theorem and the chain matrix method to determine the characteristic impedance and the dispersion relation. We develop algebraic approximations to trigonometric functions in order to obtain approximate expressions in various frequency regimes. These approximations can be used to determine reactive impedance (stopgap) regions, surface-wave modes Greens functions (Antenna patterns), and resonance conditions for microstrip and conformal antennas. We apply this technique to the open slab configuration using transverse resonance. This work is an initial stage in CERDEC's effort to develop an approach to tailor MTM properties to meet military application-driven antenna requirements.
Influence of polar stratospheric clouds on the depletion of Antarctic ozone

Precipitation of nitrate in polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) can provide a significant sink for Antarctic stratospheric odd nitrogen. It is argued that the depth of the Ozone Hole is sensitive to the occurrence of temperatures below about 196 K. An increase in the prevalence of temperatures below 196 K would enhance ozone loss by increasing the spatial extent and persistence of PSCs, and by decreasing the level of HNO3 that remains following PSC evaporation. Concentrations of halogen gases in the 1960s and earlier were insufficient to support major ozone loss, even if thermal conditions were favorable.
Carrier-mediated uptake of rhodamine 123: implications on its use for MDR research.

We have examined the effects of verapamil and PSC 833 on cellular uptake and release of rhodamine 123 (R123) in two human cancer cell lines. Both verapamil and PSC 833 were able to increase R123 accumulation in the multidrug resistant (MDR) MV522/Q6 and KB-8-5 lines in the release study. However, the effects of these drugs on R123 accumulation during accumulation study were quite different. Incubation with PSC 833 increased R123 accumulation in both MDR lines. By contrast, incubation with verapamil only increased R123 accumulation in the KB-8-5 line. The failure of verapamil to increase R123 accumulation in the MV522/Q6 cells can be attributed to the presence of a carrier system in the parent MV522 cells that recognizes both R123 and verapamil, but not PSC 833, as substrates. These results imply that performing R123 accumulation study without first ascertaining possible role of a carrier system for cellular uptake of R123 and putative P-gp modulators might inadvertently lead one to draw improper conclusions on P-gp activity.
High transfusion ratios are not associated with increased complication rates in patients with severe extremity injuries.

Abstract : Background: High transfusion ratios of plasma to packed red blood cells (greater than 1:2) have been associated with increased survival and increased complications in patients receiving massive transfusion (MT). We hypothesized that high ratio transfusion would be associated with no survival benefit and increased complications in combat victims with compressible hemorrhage. Methods: A retrospective analysis of soldiers injured in the current conflict during 5 years (n = 2,105) who received blood was performed on those with isolated extremity (abbreviated injury scale extremity score 3 and abbreviated injury scale score 0 -2 in all other regions) injury comparing those who received a MT with those who did not. Transfusion ratios in the first 24 hours were correlated with outcomes. Results: Injury severity score (14.6 vs. 12.1; p less than 0.05), international normalized ratio (1.65 vs. 1.28; p less than 0.05), and base deficit (8.0 vs. 3.7; p less than 0.05) were higher in the MT group. High transfusion ratios were associated with a trend toward decreased mortality (17.2% vs. 6.9%; p = 0.07) in MT patients and no increased complications (20.7% vs. 26.4%; p greater than 0.05). In those receiving a non-MT, high ratios were associated with similar mortality (4.8% vs. 3.9%; p greater than 0.05) and complications (12.4% vs. 9.2%; p greater than 0.05). Conclusions: Extremity injured patients receiving MT may benefit from high transfusion ratios and do not experience increased complications. No change in mortality or complications was observed in non-MT patients across transfusions ratios.
The Molecular Basis for Load-Induced Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy

In a mature (weight neutral) animal, an increase in muscle mass only occurs when the muscle is loaded sufficiently to cause an increase in myofibrillar protein balance. A tight relationship between muscle hypertrophy, acute increases in protein balance, and the activity of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) was demonstrated 15 years ago. Since then, our understanding of the signals that regulate load-induced hypertrophy has evolved considerably. For example, we now know that mechanical load activates mTORC1 in the same way as growth factors, by moving TSC2 (a primary inhibitor of mTORC1) away from its target (the mTORC activator) Rheb. However, the kinase that phosphorylates and moves TSC2 is different in the two processes. Similarly, we have learned that a distinct pathway exists whereby amino acids activate mTORC1 by moving it to Rheb. While mTORC1 remains at the forefront of load-induced hypertrophy, the importance of other pathways that regulate muscle mass are becoming clearer. Myostatin, is best known for its control of developmental muscle size. However, new mechanisms to explain how loading regulates this process are suggesting that it could play an important role in hypertrophic muscle growth as well. Last, new mechanisms are highlighted for how β2 receptor agonists could be involved in load-induced muscle growth and why these agents are being developed as non-exercise-based therapies for muscle atrophy. Overall, the results highlight how studying the mechanism of load-induced skeletal muscle mass is leading the development of pharmaceutical interventions to promote muscle growth in those unwilling or unable to perform resistance exercise.
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE AND THE ROLE OF INTERNAL NOISE IN SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION EFFICIENCY OF CRAYFISH MECHANORECEPTORS

A simple phenomenon called stochastic resonance (SR), well known in nonlinear statistical physics, offers an explanation of how random fluctuations can enhance the detectability and/or the coherence of a weak signal in certain nonlinear dynamical systems. It is interesting to speculate that SR may play a role in the remarkable sensitivity exhibited by numerous biological sensory systems: systems which are themselves often inherently noisy and which, moreover, must usually operate in a noisy environment. A distinction is thus drawn between the external, or environmental, noise and the internal noise inherent in the sensory neurons themselves and distinguished by the randomness in time intervals between action potential spikes. We report the results of experiments with the internal noise, the intensity of which is varied by controlling the temperature of the preparation during the experiment. The useful range of temperatures could be extended by acclimating individual crayfish to a low or high temperature environment for many weeks prior to the experiment. Our results indicate that noise plays a significant role in signal transduction efficiency, increasing the signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio exponentially with noise intensity up to a maximum. Increasing the temperature beyond this maximum results in reduced SNRs and sharply reduced internal noise levels. The results of shifts in the data due to acclimation temperature can be removed by plotting the data versus the noise level, indicating that the noise may be a universal quantity in the dynamics of biological neurons.
Initiation and Development of Asexual Embryos of Theobroma cacao L. in vitro

Summary Zygotic embryos of Theobroma cacao «Amelonado» from 2.5 to 28.0 mm in length were cultured on a basal medium consisting of MURASHIGE and SKOOG salts, vitamins, glycine, casein hydrolysate, and sucrose. Asexual embryogenesis occurred only from immature white (2.5 to 10.0 mm in length) and white/pink (10.5 to 18.0 mm in length) zygotic embryos, with the highest number of asexual embryos arising from the white embryos. Although embryogenesis occurred at low frequency on basal medium alone, the combination of auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, α-naphthaleneacetic acid, or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) and coconut water greatly stimulated embryogenesis; the addition of each separately had little effect on the embryogenic process. A higher incidence of embryogenesis was observed with liquid than with semisolid medium. Enhanced growth of zygotic embryos was also observed in liquid medium. Microscopic examination revealed two distinct patterns of asexual embryo initiation: 1) a «budding» process in which embryos arose from glandular hair-like structures; and 2) a «nonbudding» process with differentiation from internal cotyledonary meristematic tissues. Tissues from embryogenic cultures transferred to basal medium without auxin and coconut water continued to initiate asexual embryos.
Efferent projections of the paraventricular thalamic nucleus in the rat

The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) receives input from all major components of the circadian timing system, including the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the intergeniculate leaflet and the retina. For a better understanding of the role of this nucleus in circadian timing, we examined the distribution of its efferent projections using the anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L). The efferent projections of the PVT are loosely organized along its dorsal-ventral and anterior-posterior axes. The anterior PVT sends projections to the SCN; the dorsomedial and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei; the lateral septum; the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis; the central and basomedial amygdaloid nuclei; the anterior olfactory nucleus; the olfactory tubercle; the nucleus accumbens; the infralimbic, piriform, and perirhinal cortices; the ventral subiculum; and the endopiriform nucleus. A small PHA-L injection, restricted to the ventral portion of the anterior PVT, produces a similar pattern of labeling, except for a marked decrease in the number of labeled fibers in the hypothalamus, cortex, and lateral septum and an increase in labeling in the endopiriform nucleus and basolateral amygdaloid nucleus. The posterior PVT has a more limited efferent distribution than the anterior PVT, terminating in the anterior olfactory nucleus; the olfactory tubercle; the nucleus accumbens; and the central, basolateral, and basomedial nuclei of the amygdala. Our results show that the anterior PVT is ideally situated to relay circadian timing information from the SCN to brain areas involved in visceral and motivational aspects of behavior and to provide feedback regulation of the SCN.
Crystallographic analysis of superstructure modulation in the organic conductor (TTF)7I5

Abstract The approximate supercell has P21/a symmetry with Z = 12(TTF)7I5 and contains 21 C-centered TTF subcells and 30 A-centered iodine subcells. A complete x-ray structure analysis, followed by Fourier analyses of the rigid motion displacements from the mean sublattice sites, yielded a 3-dimensional modulation wave spectrum. The major comcomponents of the TTF modulation spectrum are directly related to the iodine sublattice periodicity and the major components of the iodine modulation spectrum are related to the TTF sublattice periodicity. These dual sublattice perturbation harmonics apparently arise from the strictly geometrical aspects of the dual sublattice system. The results at 300 K do not require a charge density wave explanation.
Isolated fetal hydronephrosis : beware the effect of bladder filling

The aim was to assess the role that fetal bladder size has in the determination of fetal hydronephrosis. Forty-three fetuses were evaluated for fetal hydronephrosis in the second trimester of pregnancy. Anteroposterior measurements of the renal pelvis were obtained with a full bladder and again when the bladder emptied in each fetus. Statistical analysis was performed using the Spearman rank order correlation coefficient to assess the relationship between bladder status and renal dilation. The anteroposterior size of the fetal renal pelvis diminished from 6.8 ± 1.8 mm on a full bladder scan to 4.5 ± 1.6 mm when the bladder was emptied (P<0.001). Fifty-three per cent of the fetuses whose renal pelvic measurements were 5 mm or more on a full bladder scan had normal-appearing renal pelvises when their bladders emptied. The status of the fetal bladder should be considered when evaluating fetal hydronephrosis.
Temporal changes in steroids, prolactin and growth hormone in pregnant and pseudopregnant gilts during mammogenesis and lactogenesis

Abstract Estrogen, progesterone and prolactin are involved in control of mammary growth in all species studied to date. The primary hormonal change temporally related to mammary development in swine is the estrogen rise which begins on day 60 of pregnancy. However, hormonal regulation of mammary development in swine is poorly understood. Plasma was obtained at 15-day intervals (days 15–112) throughout pregnancy, day of parturition and day 4 of lactation to determine relationships between hormonal profiles and mammary development in swine. Fetal plasma was also obtained from day 60 until parturition. Additional gilts were made pseudopregnant and sampled on days 60, 90 and 112. Plasma samples were assayed for estrogens, progesterone, prolactin and growth hormone. Maternal profiles of estrone- and estradiol-sulfate, increased to 2.6 and 0.6 ng/ml, repectively on day 30 of pregnancy, with return to basal concentrations by day 45. Periparturient concentrations of estrone and estradiol did reach 13 and 2.6 ng/ml, respectively. Free estrogen concentrations (estrone and estradiol) did not change significantly at day 30, but were elevated to 6 and 0.7 pg/ml at parturition. Progesterone concentration fluctuated only slightly from a mean concentration of 25 ng/ml until the preparturient decline, resulting in concentrations of 150 ng/ml). With the exception of estrone, hormonal concentrations in estrogen-treated pseudopregnant gilts did not differ from pregnant counterparts, demonstrating that pseudopregnant gilts are an excellent in vivo model to study estrogen effects on mammary development in swine.
PHYLOGENETIC EVIDENCE FOR THE CRYPTOPHYTE ORIGIN OF THE PLASTID OF DINOPHYSIS (DINOPHYSIALES, DINOPHYCEAE)1

Photosynthetic members of the genus Dinophysis Ehrenberg contain a plastid of uncertain origin. Ultrastructure and pigment analyses suggest that the twomembrane-bound plastid of Dinophysis spp. has been acquired through endosymbiosis from a cryptophyte. However, these organisms do not survive in culture, raising the possibility that Dinophysis spp. have a transient kleptoplast. To test the origin and permanence of the plastid of Dinophysis , we sequenced plastidencoded psb A and small subunit rDNA from singlecell isolates of D. acuminata Claparede et Lachman, D. acuta Ehrenberg, and D. norvegica Claparede et Lachman. Phylogenetic analyses confirm the cryptophyte origin of the plastid. Plastid sequences from different populations isolated at different times are monophyletic with robust support and show limited polymorphism. DNA sequencing also revealed plastid sequences of florideophyte origin, indicating that Dinophysis may be feeding on red algae.
Asymptotically Optimal Importance Sampling and Stratification for Pricing Path‐Dependent Options

This paper develops a variance reduction technique for Monte Carlo simulations of path-dependent options driven by high-dimensional Gaussian vectors. The method combines importance sampling based on a change of drift with stratified sampling along a small number of key dimensions. The change of drift is selected through a large deviations analysis and is shown to be optimal in an asymptotic sense. The drift selected has an interpretation as the path of the underlying state variables which maximizes the product of probability and payoff—the most important path. The directions used for stratified sampling are optimal for a quadratic approximation to the integrand or payoff function. Indeed, under differentiability assumptions our importance sampling method eliminates variability due to the linear part of the payoff function, and stratification eliminates much of the variability due to the quadratic part of the payoff. The two parts of the method are linked because the asymptotically optimal drift vector frequently provides a particularly effective direction for stratification. We illustrate the use of the method with path-dependent options, a stochastic volatility model, and interest rate derivatives. The method reveals novel features of the structure of their payoffs.
Onset of Material Alterations Due to Laser-Induced Plasma Exposure in Nanofilms Deposited on Photomasks

Damage-free removal of sub-100 nm particles from photomasks with deposited nanofilms is a challenge in lithography. Laser-induced plasma (LIP) is an emerging noncontact, chemical-free, dry, and selective nanoparticle removal technique. Investigation of the onset of material alterations on bonded nanofilms for optimizing LIP particle removal process is the objective of this paper. Shockwave thermomechanical excitation and radiation heating from the plasma core are major potential sources of damage. Computational analyses reported here indicate radiation heating as the chief damage source. Damage thresholds for the critical nanofilm surface temperature rise and radial stress component have been identified for a given nanosecond pulsed laser.
Choice of Holland's Social Type College Majors for U.S. Racial/Ethnic Groups

We used national data to study the longitudinal effects of several variables on choice of Holland (1997) social type college majors versus other majors. We examined these effects for four of the five major U.S. racial/ethnic groups, Asian/Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, Blacks, and Whites. Effects of mathematics scores and gender on choice of social majors were fairly consistent across racial/ethnic groups, whereas effects of reading scores and SES differed across racial/ethnic groups. Results for Whites were most consistent with Holland's theoretical formulations regarding the effects of variables on choice of social-type educational/occupational environments.
The effects of calcitriol on falls and fractures and physical performance tests

There is an increase in the incidence of falls with aging and about 10% of falls lead to fractures. Nearly all hip fractures are due to falls and hip fractures are the most severe of the osteoporotic fractures because they lead to a 20% mortality rate and a loss of independent living in 50% of cases. Although there are multiple factors associated with falls, our interest is the role that vitamin D metabolism plays in the pathogenesis of falls. Recent clinical trials show that both vitamin D and the metabolite calcitriol reduce the number of falls by 30-40% in elderly subjects. This should also reduce the number of fractures. In European studies, the decrease in falls could be attributed to an improvement in the muscle weakness that often accompanies vitamin D deficiency. However, in the studies using calcitriol there was no vitamin D deficiency, so the mechanism of its efficacy is less clear. It could be due to increased muscle strength, an improvement in the neurological control of balance or both. Understanding these mechanisms would allow us to search for analogs of vitamin D that act more selectively on muscle and on the central nervous system.
Lethargy and Seizures in a 52-Year-Old Male

Patient: 52-year-old Caucasian male. Chief Complaint: Increasing fatigue and weakness. History of Present Illness: Our patient presented for evaluation of an acute worsening of progressive weakness over the past month. He felt so weak that he almost “passed out.” He also reported an increased fluid intake and an increase in urinary output. There was no pain on urination or history of urinary tract infection. He denied chest pain, vision problems, nausea, diarrhea, and syncope. Family members were concerned that the patient was “wobbly” when he walked. While waiting in the emergency room, the patient experienced 2 tonic-clonic seizures. Past Medical History: Nephrolithiasis, hypertension, benign prostatic hypertrophy. Medication History: Lisinopril, potassium, Allopurinol, Flexeril. Social History: Denies alcohol and tobacco use. Physical Exam Findings: Blood pressure, 71/36 mm Hg; pulse, 115; respiratory rate, 22; and temperature, 36.9°C. The patient was awake and responsive but not oriented. The skin was dry and turgor was poor. The oral mucosa was also dry. The abdominal exam revealed mid-epigastric tenderness. Neurologic exam was nonfocal. Lung and cardiac exams were normal. Principal Laboratory Findings: Tables 1, 2, 3, 4 , and 5 . 1. What are this patient’s most striking clinical and laboratory test findings? 2. How do you explain these findings? 3. What is your differential diagnosis? 4. What additional laboratory test would be useful in confirming the diagnosis of this patient’s condition? 5. What laboratory tests might explain the precipitating event which caused this patient’s condition? 6. What is the most likely diagnosis? 7. What is the treatment and management of this disorder? 1. This patient has several important critical signs and symptoms that include seizure, lethargy, polydipsia, polyuria, hypotension, epigastric pain, and tachycardia. The …
Human cytochrome P450 2E1 structures with fatty acid analogs reveal a previously unobserved binding mode.

Human microsomal cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2E1 is widely known for its ability to oxidize >70 different, mostly compact, low molecular weight drugs and other xenobiotic compounds. In addition CYP2E1 oxidizes much larger C9–C20 fatty acids that can serve as endogenous signaling molecules. Previously structures of CYP2E1 with small molecules revealed a small, compact CYP2E1 active site, which would be insufficient to accommodate medium and long chain fatty acids without conformational changes in the protein. In the current work we have determined how CYP2E1 can accommodate a series of fatty acid analogs by cocrystallizing CYP2E1 with ω-imidazolyl-octanoic fatty acid, ω-imidazolyl-decanoic fatty acid, and ω-imidazolyl-dodecanoic fatty acid. In each structure direct coordination of the imidazole nitrogen to the heme iron mimics the position required for native fatty acid substrates to yield the ω-1 hydroxylated metabolites that predominate experimentally. In each case rotation of a single Phe298 side chain merges the active site with an adjacent void, significantly altering the active site size and topology to accommodate fatty acids. The binding of these fatty acid ligands is directly opposite the channel to the protein surface and the binding observed for fatty acids in the bacterial cytochrome P450 BM3 (CYP102A1) from Bacillus megaterium. Instead of the BM3-like binding mode in the CYP2E1 channel, these structures reveal interactions between the fatty acid carboxylates and several residues in the F, G, and B′ helices at successive distances from the active site.
General considerations for research with vulnerable populations: Ten lessons for success

This paper offers practical insights for researchers who conduct studies with vulnerable populations, including those using secondary data sources from government entities. The paper is based on the approval process to secure secondary government data from a Midwestern county juvenile probation department and the state courts for the author’s dissertation study. This paper proposes general considerations and ten lessons learned to successfully conduct research with vulnerable populations and/or their information.
The CU ground MAX-DOAS instrument: characterization of RMS noise limitations and first measurements near Pensacola, FL of BrO, IO, and CHOCHO

Abstract. We designed and assembled the University of Colorado Ground Multi AXis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (CU GMAX-DOAS) instrument to retrieve bromine oxide (BrO), iodine oxide (IO), formaldehyde (HCHO), glyoxal (CHOCHO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and the oxygen dimer (O4) in the coastal atmosphere of the Gulf of Mexico. The detection sensitivity of DOAS measurements is proportional to the root mean square (RMS) of the residual spectrum that remains after all absorbers have been subtracted. Here we describe the CU GMAX-DOAS instrument and demonstrate that the hardware is capable of attaining RMS of ∼6 × 10−6 from solar stray light noise tests using high photon count spectra (compatible within a factor of two with photon shot noise). Laboratory tests revealed two critical instrument properties that, in practice, can limit the RMS: (1) detector non-linearity noise, RMSNLin, and (2) temperature fluctuations that cause variations in optical resolution (full width at half the maximum, FWHM, of atomic emission lines) and give rise to optical resolution noise, RMSFWHM. The non-linearity of our detector is low (∼10−2) yet – unless actively controlled – is sufficiently large to create RMSNLin of up to 2 × 10−4. The optical resolution is sensitive to temperature changes (0.03 detector pixels °C−1 at 334 nm), and temperature variations of 0.1°C can cause RMSFWHM of ~1 × 10−4. Both factors were actively addressed in the design of the CU GMAX-DOAS instrument. With an integration time of 60 s the instrument can reach RMS noise of 3 × 10−5, and typical RMS in field measurements ranged from 6 × 10−5 to 1.4 × 10−4. The CU GMAX-DOAS was set up at a coastal site near Pensacola, Florida, where we detected BrO, IO and CHOCHO in the marine boundary layer (MBL), with daytime average tropospheric vertical column densities (average of data above the detection limit), VCDs, of ∼2 × 1013 molec cm−2, 8 × 1012 molec cm−2 and 4 × 1014 molec cm−2, respectively. HCHO and NO2 were also detected with typical MBL VCDs of 1 × 1016 and 3 × 1015 molec cm−2. These are the first measurements of BrO, IO and CHOCHO over the Gulf of Mexico. The atmospheric implications of these observations for elevated mercury wet deposition rates in this area are briefly discussed. The CU GMAX-DOAS has great potential to investigate RMS-limited problems, like the abundance and variability of trace gases in the MBL and possibly the free troposphere (FT).
Infant Gasps 8 Minutes After Birth

Please read the following vignette and watch the video clip (Fig 1). Figure 1. A 32 2/7-weeks’-gestation male is born by emergent cesarean delivery secondary to suspected abruption. The infant is lifeless, without respirations or detectable heart rate, after birth. The Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) is initiated and followed according to the algorithm. The infant is successfully intubated at 60 seconds after birth; chest compressions are initiated after establishing effective ventilation; an umbilical venous catheter is placed and 0.01 mg/kg of epinephrine is administered via the umbilical venous catheter; 10 mL/kg of normal saline is then infused over 5 minutes. The infant remains lifeless without a heartbeat. A second dose of UV epinephrine is administered 3 minutes after the first dose. The infant gasps for the first time 8 minutes after birth (depicted in video); the heart rate returns, but remains less than 60 beats per minute. The correct intervention at this time is which of the following? 1. Administer sodium bicarbonate 2 mEq/kg intravenously. 2. Continue positive pressure ventilation. 3. Extubate the infant. 4. Discontinue chest compressions. 5. Provide continuous positive airway pressure via the endotracheal tube. Correct Response B. Continue positive …
Bandwidth and rise time calculations for digital multimode fiber-optic data links

The use of multimode fiber in digital fiber-optic data links requires simple and accurate procedures for the calculation of data line component bandwidth and rise time responses. The author investigates source/fiber/detector interactions, to develop a simple model for multimode fiber system information capacity. Simplified expressions for the baseband impulse and frequency responses of each component are given along with relationships between the theoretical impulse response root mean square (RMS) width and the component rise time or bandwidth. The application of the central limit theorem to the system yields expressions for the composite system rise time and bandwidth which contain correction factors to those that would be obtained using the normal Gaussian assumptions. >
An integrated electrochemical capillary liquid chromatography-dual microelectrode system for bromine based reaction detection.

Amperometric reaction detection of model peptides containing either a thiol or disulfide was successfully achieved with a novel coupled capillary liquid chromatography–dual microelectrode system. Detection is facilitated via dual platinum wire electrodes fabricated directly on a liquid chromatography capillary column. The detection strategy is based on the electrogeneration of bromine at the upstream working electrode followed by reduction of the bromine to bromide at the downstream working electrode. When bromine reacts with analyte eluting from the capillary column, the amount of bromine that reaches the downstream electrode decreases. As a result, the current at the downstream electrode will decrease in proportion to the amount of analyte eluting from the capillary column. Glutathione, glutathione disulfide, α-TGF and oxytocin were used to characterize the system and to determine system parameters. The feasibility of the determination of disulfide containing peptides is demonstrated with glutathione disulfide, α-TGF and oxytocin.
Mesenchymal stem cell-derived IL-10 and recovery from infarction: a third pitch for the chord.

See related article, pages 203–211 Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells found in several adult tissues that are capable of differentiating into a number of different mesenchymal tissues, including muscle, bone, adipose tissue, cardiac myocytes, and neural precursors. When transplanted into allogeneic tissues, these cells may persist for long periods of time, suggesting that they can evade immune surveillance and contribute to the repair of damaged tissues. Unfractionated or minimally refined bone marrow cell preparations, which probably contain a mixture of hematopoeitic, mesenchymal, and endothelial precursor cells in addition to dendritic cells, can reduce myocardial infarct size and improve performance after infarction, both in rodent models and in human clinical trials, although the exact extent to which these cells form new cardiac myocytes and promote long-term improvement in functional capacity is still hotly debated. One of the undisputed features of MSCs is their ability to produce a variety of trophic and immunomodulatory factors that can directly promote cell survival and reduce inflammation. A number of groups have explored the possibility that such MSC-derived factors may account for much or all of their therapeutic properties in vivo. Whether or not MSC-dependent myocardial salvage involves cardiomyogenic differentiation or long-term persistence of the cells,1–3 factors secreted by MSCs appear to contribute importantly to the outcome.4 Genetic or preconditioning-mediated enhancement of such factors has been shown to improve the therapeutic properties of MSCs.2,4 Obviously identification of the factors responsible for these beneficial effects would have both scientific and practical impact. However, the factors produced by native MSCs have yet to be fully elucidated. In particular, the immunomodulatory …
A matter of classes: stratifying health care populations to produce better estimates of inpatient costs

Traditional models of health care utilization, such as ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models and the two-part model, restrict the effect of predictive covariates to be equal for all patients in the data. This may be unrealistic as the effects of predictive variables such as gender, age, or diagnosis may differ substantially between patients, particularly between groups of patients with different levels of illness. Sicker patients may be more difficult to care for than healthier patients even for routine medical care. For example, performing a routine physical for a child with autism may be more time consuming and therefore more costly than performing the same physical on a nondisabled child. However, traditional models rarely offer a methodological means to adjust the predictive covariates by patient characteristics. This paper uses a finite mixture model to identify classes or bundles of patients that consume health care resources in a similar fashion. It builds from the simple premise that health care patients can be separated into different classes based on the severity of their health care needs and that the way in which patients consume health care differs based on these classes. Because patients are likely to differ in their use of services across classes, models such as this one that allow the effects of predictor variables to also differ across classes are likely to result in more accurate estimates. More accurate predictions of utilization can inform decisions regarding risk sharing within a number of reimbursement environments. The idea that patient populations are comprised of subclasses with varying degrees of health and illness is not new either conceptually (McPherson et al. 1998) or methodologically (Deb and Trivedi 1997). However, conceptual work has struggled to find a quantitative tool to define classes, and methodological work has struggled to develop tools that are flexible and accessible enough to meet the demands of applied policy makers. This paper demonstrates a straightforward application of a quantitative categorization system, finite mixture modeling, to define different severity classes in a health care population. It then uses these newly defined classes to improve the power of the classic two-part risk-adjustment model in predicting inpatient expenditures. Inpatient expenditures were chosen as the illustrative example because they are particularly costly, and the use of inpatient services has a large probabilistic component; only 13 percent of patients in this example utilize any care at all. However, the same model has been used to predict outpatient and prescription drug services using the same population data, resulting in the same conceptual results (Rein 2003).
Multi-tier mobile ad hoc routing

We present a new approach for routing in multi-tier heterogeneous wireless mobile ad hoc networks. This protocol, namely multi-virtual backbone protocol (MVP), naturally addresses key challenges arising from multi-tier wireless networks such as the coverage asymmetry and node heterogeneity. It also supports various QoS needs by constructing and maintaining QoS-specific virtual backbone infrastructure. A detailed algorithm is presented and preliminary simulation results are discussed.
Logics in Action Managing Institutional Complexity in a Drug Court

Drawing on a 15-month ethnographic study of a drug court, we investigate how actors from different institutional and professional backgrounds employ logical frameworks in their micro-level interact...
Low-dose recombinant factor VIIa for trauma patients with coagulopathy.

Introduction Coagulopathy in injured patients is common and is generally treated with fresh frozen plasma (FFP). Response can be variable, thus complete correction may take hours and require large volumes of fluids. High-dose recombinant factor VIIa (FVIIa, Novoseven, Novo Nordisk, Bagsvaerd, Denmark) has been used off-label to treat severe coagulopathy following trauma. Expense has limited use. Recently, we began administering low dose FVIIa (1.2 mg) to patients with mild to moderate coagulopathy after trauma, hypothesising that it would be effective and safe. Patients and methods We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients who received a low dose of 1.2 mg of FVIIa over a 2-year period. Factor VIIa is administered after approval by a gatekeeper at the discretion of the treating physician. Demographics, injury and laboratory data were abstracted as were indications for use, source of coagulopathy, effectiveness, and complications. A two-tailed paired t-test was used to determine significant changes in coagulation parameters and blood product utilisation. Results Eighty-one patients received 84 low doses of FVIIa. The mean age of the patients was 51 (±22) with a mean ISS of 29 (±11). Seventy-three per cent were male and 67% had a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as their primary injury. The aetiology of the coagulopathy in the study population included; TBI (40%), warfarin use (22%), and cirrhosis (13%). Mean prothrombin time (PT) fell from 17.0 s (±3.2) to 10.6 s (±1.4) (p < 0.0001). All patients had a good clinical response with no bleeding complications. Utilisation of packed red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma were significantly less in the 24 h after FVIIa administration as compared to the 24 h prior. Subsequent thromboembolic events were observed in 12 of the 81 patients (15%) and included; cerebrovascular accident (CVA) (6), mesenteric thrombosis (2), myocardial infarction (MI) (1), pulmonary embolism/deep venous thrombosis (PE/DVT) (2), and atrial thrombus (1). Only four of these events were thought to be related to the FVIIa administration, with two of the four contributing to a lethal outcome. Conclusions Low dose FVIIa rapidly and effectively treats mild to moderate coagulopathy following injury. This low dose (1.2 mg) FVIIa is the smallest available unit dose. It costs approximately the same as 8 units of plasma and may be cost-effective in patients who require high volume factor administration. Low dose FVIIa may be effective in coagulopathic trauma patients who are not in shock but require rapid normalisation of clotting function.
Epithelial Polarity: Interactions Between Junctions and Apical–Basal Machinery

Epithelial polarity is established and maintained by competition between determinants that define the apical and basolateral domains. Cell–cell adhesion complexes, or adherens junctions, form at the interface of these regions. Mutations in adhesion components as well as apical determinants normally lead to an expansion of the basolateral domain. Here we investigate the genetic relationship between the polarity determinants and adhesion and show that the levels of the adhesion protein Armadillo affect competition. We find that in arm mutants, even a modest reduction in the basolateral component lgl leads to a full apical domain expansion or lgl phenotype. By using an allelic series of Armadillo mutations, we show that there is a threshold at which basolateral expansion can be reversed. Further, in embryos lacking the Wingless signaling component zw3, the same full apical expansion occurs again with only a reduction in lgl. We propose a model where zw3 regulates protein levels of apical and adhesion components and suggest that a reciprocal interaction between junctions and polarity modules functions to maintain stable apical and basolateral domains.
ABC Transporter Genes and Methotrexate Response in Rheumatoid Arthritis

To the Editor: In a recent issue, de Rotte, et al 1 reported that 3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in 3 key methotrexate (MTX) transporter genes were determinants of response to MTX in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). These investigators are to be commended for their efforts in a field, juvenile arthritis, where there is a relative scarcity of data on MTX pharmacogenetics, compared to adult rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Their study examined the association between 21 SNP in 13 genes involved in MTX cellular transport and … E-mail: prangana{at}dom.wustl.edu
Photography as Ethnographic Passport

This article explores photography as both social and cultural passport into the image-based world of competitive ballroom dance. First differentiating between the social and cultural accesses facilitated by my photography, I then use specific images to explore the utility of photography in accessing, understanding, and representing the activity-based globalization of ballroom’s aesthetic standards and practices across time, place, and context. [Key words: ballroom/ dancesport, ethnographic access, globalization, image-based culture, photography]
Symbolic accretion and commemoration

Controversy has erupted in Selma, Alabama, over recent efforts to commemorate the career of Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate cavalry officer and founding member of the original Ku Klux Klan. More generally, the controversy in Selma is emblematic of an enduring regional pattern in which contests over the future are couched in terms of the past. Relative to other media, monuments appear to be trustworthy and lasting. Despite this appearance of historical consensus and stability, the city's public spaces are the product of and conduit for ongoing politics. The current conflict pits memorial activists associated with the Civil Rights Movement against neo‐Confederates. Interpreted in the context of Selma's increasing promotion of Civil Rights heritage and the recent election of the city's first African American mayor, the Forrest affair highlights the utility of the concept of symbolic accretion for understanding the complexities of commemorating antagonistic histories in the same place. Symbolic accretio...
Particle exhaust schemes in the DIII-D advanced divertor configuration

For density control in long-pulse operation, the open divertor on the DIII-D tokamak will be equipped with a baffled chamber and a pumping system. The throat of the baffle chamber is sized to provide optimal pumping for the typical plasma equilibrium configuration. Severe limitations on the toroidal conductance of this baffle chamber require the use of in-vessel pumping to achieve the desired particle exhaust of about 25 torr-1/s. Two separate pumping schemes are considered: an array of titanium getter modules based on the design developed by the Tore Supra team, and a cryocondensation pump. The merits and demerits of each scheme are analyzed, and the design considerations introduced by the tokamak environment are highlighted. >
Ewing's sarcoma.

Patients with Ewing's sarcoma should be transferred to a comprehensive cancer center for evaluation and management when the diagnosis is suspected. Proper biopsy technique is essential to preserve all therapeutic options, including limb preservation surgery. In addition to conventional histologic examination, biopsy tissue must be obtained for molecular biology studies. Demonstration of the consistent chromosomal translocation associated with Ewing's sarcoma is essential for diagnosis, and the specific type of fusion transcript has prognostic implications. Treatment must be intimately coordinated among oncologist, surgeon, and radiation oncologist. Successful treatment requires systemic, multi-agent chemotherapy and local control. The primary tumor can be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, or a combination of the two. The choice of modality should be dictated by the age of the patient, location of the primary tumor, functional consequences of the intervention, and concern about late effects, especially secondary malignancy. Treatment of the patient who presents with clinically detectable metastatic disease or who relapses after initial therapy remains unsatisfactory and controversial.
Captopril-stimulated renography versus renal vein renins in two-kidney, two-clip hypertension.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition with captopril upon renal function, renal vein renins and renography using 99m T-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid and 131 I-orthoiodohypurate in a canine model of two-kidney two-clip hypertension
Intrathecal blockade of both NMDA and non-NMDA receptors attenuates the exercise pressor reflex in cats

In decerebrate unanesthetized cats we tested the hypothesis that glutamatergic-receptor blockade in the lumbosacral spinal cord attenuated the reflex increases in mean arterial pressure, inspired minute ventilation, and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) evoked by static contraction of the triceps surae muscles. Blockade of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors by intrathecal injection of DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid had no effect on the initial phase of the pressor, ventilatory, and RSNA responses to contraction but did attenuate the secondary phase of these responses. Subsequent blockade of non-NMDA receptors in the lumbosacral spinal cord by intrathecal injection of 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione attenuated both the initial phase of the pressor, RSNA, and ventilatory responses to contraction and the secondary phase of these responses. In addition, NMDA-receptor blockade had no effect on the pressor or RSNA responses to tendon stretch, whereas non-NMDA-receptor blockade abolished these responses. We confirmed that our results were not related to the order of the antagonists injected by performing a series of experiments in which a non-NMDA-receptor antagonist was injected first. Our findings suggest that non-NMDA receptors mediate the spinal transmission of the initial and secondary phases of the pressor, RSNA, and ventilatory responses to contraction and tendon stretch. Therefore, non-NMDA receptors in the dorsal horn appear to be involved in the spinal processing of input from mechanoreceptors and metaboreceptors. Our findings also suggest that NMDA receptors mediate the spinal transmission of the secondary phase of the pressor, RSNA, and ventilatory responses to contraction but do not mediate the spinal transmission of the responses to tendon stretch. Therefore, NMDA receptors in the dorsal horn appear to be involved in the spinal processing of input from metaboreceptors.
Discovering Opportunities in Necessity: The Inverse Creative Destruction Effect

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the changes in perceptions and actions taken on post-disaster entrepreneurial opportunities. Design/methodology/approach – Utilizing worldwide data on natural disasters (EMDAT) and entrepreneurial perceptions (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM)), the authors apply analysis of covariance to compare entrepreneurial opportunity perceptions and actions before and after a disaster took place. Findings – The study found that natural disasters have a significant and positive impact on entrepreneurial opportunity perceptions and actions but not on perceptions of self-efficacy, fear of failure and entrepreneurial intentions. Research limitations implications – One limitation of the study is the use of the secondary data. While the GEM data as well as the EMDAT data are country specific, disasters usually have a direct impact on a region of a country rather than affecting the whole country’s behavior. Practical implications – The results hold important policy...