cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association between depression and anxiety on blood pressure dysregulation and pulse in the Health and Retirement Study.

Objective Extreme blood pressure (BP) values are associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression, but findings from studies are conflicting. The present study tested linear and curvilinear models of the association between anxiety and depression symptoms and BP in the Health and Retirement Study. The relationship between anxiety and depressive symptoms and pulse was also tested. Method Participants were aged 50 to 104 (N = 4179) and completed the Health and Retirement Study Psychosocial Questionnaire and Physical Measurements in 2006. BP and pulse were measured using an automated cuff. The means of three BP and pulse measurements taken 45 to 60 s apart were used. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured with brief forms of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and Beck Anxiety Inventory. Results Ordinal regression analyses examined the relationship between BP and anxiety and depressive symptoms. In models adjusted for medical illness and medications, anxiety was associated with systolic hypotension, and depression was associated with diastolic hypotension. Higher pulse was associated with depression but not anxiety. Conclusions Findings suggest that BP dysregulation, specifically hypotension, may be a useful indicator of anxiety and depression. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Universality of Serial Histograms

Many current relational database systems use some form of histograms to approximate the frequency distribution of values in the attributes of relations and based on them estimate query result sizes and access plan costs. The errors that exist in the histogram approximations directly or transitively affect many estimates derived by the database system. We identify the class of serial histograms and demonstrate that they are optimal for reducing the query result size error for several classes of queries when the actual query result size (and hence the value of that error) reaches some extreme. Specifically, serial histograms are shown to be optimal for arbitrary tree equality-join queries when the query result size is maximized, whether or not the attribute independence assumption holds, and when the query result size is minimized and the attribute independence assumption holds. We also show that the expected error for any such query is always zero under all histograms, and thus argue that histograms should be chosen based on the reduction of the extreme-cases error, since reduction of the expected error is meaningless. *Partially supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants IRI-9113736 and IRI-9157368 (PYI Award) and by grants from DEC, IBM, HP, and AT&T. Permission to copy without fee all or part of this material is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for direct commercial advantage, the VLDB copyright notice and the title of the publication and its date appear, and notice is given that copying is by permission of the Very Large Data Base Endowment. To copy otherwise, or to republish, requires a fee and/or special permission from
RESAMPL: A Region-Sensitive Adaptive Motion Planner

Automatic motion planning has applications ranging from traditional robotics to computer-aided design to computational biology and chemistry. While randomized planners, such as probabilistic roadmap methods (prms) or rapidly-exploring random trees (rrt), have been highly successful in solving many high degree of freedom problems, there are still many scenarios in which we need better methods, e.g., problems involving narrow passages or which contain multiple regions that are best suited to different planners.
The NASA systems autonomy program: applying AI in space

Summary form only given. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has initiated an aggressive program to develop, integrate, and implement autonomous systems technologies starting with knowledge-based (expert) systems and evolving towards 'autonomous', intelligent systems. Research thrusts to achieve these capabilities are centered around machine learning; coordinated real-time decision-making by multiple, cooperating intelligent agents; management, maintenance, and real-time control of distributed databases; software verification and validation; and fault-tolerant, multiprocessor architectures capable of operating in a heterogeneous environment. A summary of the research plans and the progress made in each of these areas is discussed. >
Hospital closure and insights into patient dispersion: the closure of Saint Vincent's Catholic Medical Center in New York City.

Background: Hospital closures are becoming increasingly common in the United States. Patients who received care at the closing hospitals must travel to different, often farther hospitals for care, and nearby remaining hospitals may have difficulty coping with a sudden influx of patients. Objectives: Our objectives are to analyze the dispersion patterns of patients from a closing hospital and to correlate that with distance from the closing hospital for three specific visit types: emergency, inpatient, and ambulatory. Methods: In this study, we used data from a health information exchange to track patients from Saint Vincent’s Medical Center, a hospital in New York City that closed in 2010, to determine where they received emergency, inpatient, and ambulatory care following the closure. Results: We found that patients went to the next nearest hospital for their emergency and inpatient care, but ambulatory encounters did not correlate with distance. Discussion: It is likely that patients followed their ambulatory providers as they transitioned to another hospital system. Additional work should be done to determine predictors of impact on nearby hospitals when another hospital in the community closes in order to better prepare for patient dispersion.
Dispelling the Alphabet Effect

Abstract: Canadian communication theory has accepted as one of its major tenets the superiority of Western civilization brought about by the phonetic alphabet. Challenges to the theory either have not been incorporated into the research literature or have been represented as working theories rather than conclusive evidence. This article seeks to help redress this imbalance by detailing the main claims of the alphabetic literacy arguments in the context of arguments advanced in several disciplines, suggesting that the alphabet effect theory should be dispelled. The article argues that a writing effect unites Western alphabetic and Eastern non-alphabetic cultures in a common heritage, and that historical periods of social advancement of the West and East have alternated in pendulum fashion. The article also introduces alternative views of the relationship between Eastern communication technologies, culture, and history to support the writing effect and pendulum model of the impact of communication technology in the East. Resume : La theorie canadienne de la communication a accepte comme un de ses principes majeurs que l’alphabet phonetique est a l’origine de la superiorite de la civilisation occidentale. Quant aux defis poses a ce principe, soit on ne les a pas inclus dans la litterature de recherche, soit on les a representes comme etant des theories de travail plutot que des arguments solides. Cet article cherche a etablir un equilibre en opposant les principaux arguments pour l’alphabetisation que l’alphabet phonetique a permis a des arguments souleves dans diverses disciplines ou l’on propose que cette theorie d’un effet alphabetique soit perimee. Cet article soutient qu’un effet d’ecriture unit la culture alphabetique occidentale et la culture non-alphabetique orientale au sein d’un patrimoine commun, et que les periodes historiques de progres social ont alterne comme une pendule entre l’Orient et l’Occident. L’article presente en outre des perspectives alternatives sur le rapport entre les technologies de communication, la culture et l’histoire orientales pour appuyer l’idee d’un effet d’ecriture et d’un modele de pendule decrivant l’impact des technologies de la communication en Orient.
Efficient data mappings for parity-declustered data layouts

The joint demands of high performance and fault tolerance in a large array of disks can be satisfied by a parity-declustered data layout. Such a data layout is generated by partitioning the data on the disks into stripes and choosing a part of each stripe to hold redundant information. Thus the data layout can be represented as a table of stripes. The data mapping problem is the problem of translating a data address into a disk identifier and an offset on that disk. Recent work has yielded mappings that compute disks and offsets directly from data addresses without the need to store tables. In this paper, we show that parity-declustered data layouts based on commutative rings yield mappings with improved computational efficiency and wider applicability.
Palliative care rounds: T12 epidural metastasis mimicks pelvic recurrence of cecal adenocarcinoma

Following resection of an adenocarcinoma of the cecum, a 59-yr-old patient developed pelvic pain. Imaging of the pelvis was unrevealing, but magnetic resonance imaging of the spine demonstrated a T12 epidural lesion. Pelvic pain may be due to an upper lumbar or lower thoracic radiculopathy. This referral pattern must be recognized when evaluating cancer patients with occult pelvic pain.
The toxic patient as a potential organ donor

The use of organs from poisoned victims for the purpose of transplantation has been poorly studied; criteria for organ donation is virtually non-existent in such cases. To further elucidate these indications, a retrospective review of all organ transplantation donated by poisoned victims in Northern and Central Illinois was undertaken. From January 1988 to December 1993, 17 poisoned victims were identified as having donated organs to 41 recipients. Eleven of the donors died as a direct result of drug toxicity, whereas six donors had drug-related deaths. The cases were reviewed for toxin involved, organ preoperative function and postoperative function (up to 1 year after transplant). Kidney transplants postoperative function was rated as good if creatinine was less than 1.9, fair if creatinine was 2 to 2.9, and poor if creatinine was 3. Donor age ranged from 2 years to 54 years. Toxins involved in donation included ethanol (n = 8), cocaine (n = 5), carbon monoxide (5), barbiturates (2) and lead (1), six patients had multiple drugs. Two of the nine recipients of livers died intraoperatively, both unrelated to organ function. Thirty-two kidneys were transplanted with 28 having good 10-day postoperative function, three having fair postoperative function, and one (cocaine donor) having poor postoperative function. One kidney transplanted from a cocaine donor had a thrombosed graft 5 days postoperatively. Deaths involving toxins in general does not seem to be a contraindication to donation of liver and kidney for transplantation.
Large-format quantum-well infrared photodetector arrays for astronomical instrumentation

Quantum Well IR Photodetectors (QWIPs) afford greater flexibility than the usual extrinsically doped semiconductor IR detectors. The wavelength of the peak response and cutoff can be continuously tailored over a range wide enough to enable light detection at any wavelength range between 6-20 micrometers . The spectral band width of these detectors can be tuned from narrow to wide allowing various applications. Also, QWIP device parameters can be optimized to achieve extremely high performance sat lower operating temperatures due to exponential suppression of dark current. Furthermore, QWIPs offer low cost per pixel and highly uniform large format focal plane arrays (FPAs) mainly due to mature GaAs/AlGaAs growth and processing technologies. The other advantages of GaAs/AlGaAs based QWIPs are higher yield, lower 1/f noise and radiation hardness. Recently, we operated an IR camera with a 256 by 256 QWIP array sensitive at 8.5 micrometers at the prime focus of the 5-m Hale telescope, obtaining the images. The remarkable noise stability - and low 1/f noise - of QWIP focal plane arrays enable camera to operate by modulating the optical signal with a nod period up to100 s. A 500 s observation on dark sky renders a flat image with little indication of the low spatial frequency structures associated with imperfect sky subtraction or detector drifts.
BORDERLINE PERSONALITY TRAITS IN PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENTS

While some believe the borderline personality disorder cuts across a variety of diagnoses, others feel it is a discrete clinical entity. The present study was designed to assess retrospectively the...
Noncontact Three-dimensional Flow Contrast Imaging of Deep Tissue Using Diffuse Correlation Tomography

We extended our noncontact diffuse correlation spectroscopy system to diffuse correlation tomography for three-dimensional blood flow contrast imaging. Validation of this novel system has been done using computer simulations and tissue-like phantoms
The genus argemone in South America and Hawaii

Argenztone is a papaveraceous genus whose species, with a single exception, are native to the Americas. One species, A. glauca, is restricted to the Hawaiiani Islands. Within the Americas there are basically two areas of dispersal, one in North Amiierica, the other in South America. The North American area of dispersal, broadly defined, extends from central Mexico to southwestern United States, tlhence eastward along the southern tier of states to Florida. There is within this large area no one geographical center in which large numbers of species are found in close contiguity. The natural distributional patterns of the Nortlh American species indicate that there was rarely, if ever, more than twro species found in close proximity in prehistorical times. This may be interpreted as evidence that the species of Argernone in North America and probably also those in South America differentiated primarily upon a geographical basis and secondarily upon an ecological one. Sterility barriers among the species examiined are often only partially formed.
SNR Estimation in Nakagami Fading Channels with Arbitrary Constellation

In this paper, a novel technique is proposed to estimate the average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for Nakagami-m fading channels with an arbitrary signal constellation. The Nakagami-m distribution is a good fit to empirical fading data obtained from radio communication channels. The proposed algorithm uses absolute second and fourth moments of the envelope of the received signal over a block of data as the sufficient statistics. The estimator is blind and no training sequence is used. It is also independent of signal constellation.
Effect of magnesium on radiostrontium excretion in man.

Abstract The effect of intravenously administered magnesium on radiostrontium excretion was studied under strictly controlled dietary conditions in man. The results were compared with those obtained with equimolar amounts of calcium in the same patients. A single tracer dose of Sr 85 Cl 2 was given intravenously in the control, the magnesium and the calcium studies. Infusions of magnesium sulfate or of calcium gluconate were given on the day of the intravenous injection of Sr 85 and on the subsequent two days. Both magnesium and calcium increased the urinary excretion of Sr 85 , but calcium was more effective than magnesium in most cases. The difference in effect appeared to be due to differences in urinary calcium excretion induced by intravenous calcium and magnesium, the infusions of calcium resulting in higher excretion of urinary calcium than the infusions of magnesium. There was no effect of either intravenous magnesium or intravenous calcium on fecal Sr 85 excretion.
Exact permutation inference for two sample repeated measures data

Experiments in which very few units are measured many times sometimes present particular difficulties. Interest often centers on simple location shifts between two treatment groups, but appropriate modeling of the error distribution can be challenging. For example, normality may be difficult to verify, or a single transformation stabilizing variance or improving normality for all units and all measurements may not exist. We propose an analysis of two sample repeated measures data based on the permutation distribution of units. This provides a distribution free alternative to standard analyses. The analysis includes testing, estimation and confidence intervals. By assuming a certain structure in the location shift model, the dimension of the problem is reduced by analyzing linear combinations of the marginal statistics. Recently proposed algorithms for computation of two sample permutation distributions, require only a few seconds for experiments having as many as 100 units and any number of repeated measu...
Lipid-drug association enhanced HIV-1 protease inhibitor indinavir localization in lymphoid tissues and viral load reduction: a proof of concept study in HIV-2287-infected macaques.

Analysis of indinavir levels in HIV-positive patients indicated that drug concentrations in lymph node mononuclear cells (LNMCs) were about 25-35% of mononuclear cells in blood. To enhance lymphatic delivery of anti-HIV drugs, a novel drug delivery strategy was designed consisting of lipid-associated indinavir (50-80 nm in diameter) complexes in suspension for subcutaneous (SC) injection. Due to the pH-dependent lipophilicity of indinavir, practically all the drug molecules are incorporated into lipid phase when formulated at pH 7.4 and 5:1 lipid-to-drug (m/m) ratio. At pH 5.5, about 20% of drugs were found in lipid-drug complexes. Effects of lipid association on the time course of plasma indinavir concentrations were determined in macaques (Macaca nemestrina) administered with either soluble or lipid-associated formulation of indinavir (10 mg/kg, SC). Results yielded about a 10-fold reduction in peak plasma concentration and a 6-fold enhancement in terminal half-life (t 1/2β = 12 vs. 2 hours). In addition, indinavir concentrations in both peripheral and visceral lymph nodes were 250-2270% higher than plasma (compared with <35% with soluble lipid-free drug administration in humans). Administration of lipid-associated indinavir (20 mg/kg daily) to HIV-2 287 -infected macaques (at 30-33 weeks after infection) resulted in significantly reduced viral RNA load and increased CD4 T cell number concentrations. Collectively, these data indicate that lipid association greatly enhances delivery of the anti-HIV drug indinavir to lymph nodes at levels that cannot be achieved with soluble drug, provides significant virus load reduction, and could potentially reverse CD4 T cell depletion due to HIV infection.
Possible dissociation of central dopamine receptor antagonism and cataleptic behavior.

Abstract A new chemical, 2-[4-[4-(7,9-dioxo-6-thia-8-azaspiro[4.4] nonan-8-yl)-butyl]-1-piperazinyl]pyridine-3-carbonitrile hydrochloride (MJ-13980-1), referred to in this report as MJ-13980, displaced in vitro [ 3 H]spiperone binding, elevated serum prolactin concentrations, and decreased apomorphine-induced stereotyped behavior in male rats. These actions indicated that MJ-13980 acts as a dopamine (DA) receptor antagonist. However, MJ-13980 (10 mg/kg) elicited only a very small amount of cataleptic behavior and antagonized that produced by haloperidol (HAL), a classical DA receptor blocker and potent inducer of cataleptic behavior. At a lower dose, MJ-13980 (1.0 mg/kg) produced no cataleptic behavior but again decreased that produced by HAL. These results suggest that the antagonistic interaction of MJ-13980 at central DA receptors is not associated with the production of cataleptic behavior.
Plastic yield and reverse yield waves generated by impulsive electromagnetic radiation

Abstract Absorption of radiation through a thin layer adjacent to an irradiated, stress free, surface causes rapid heating and the generation of stress waves. Temperature rises sufficient to cause plastic yielding in the initial stress jump and reverse yielding during the subsequent wave propagation are considered under the assumption of uni-axial strain. An elastic-plastic wave solution is constructed and compared with the purely elastic solution. In particular the reduced compressive and tensile stresses in the outgoing wave, and the pulse spread, are illustrated.
Clinical impact of endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration in the management of esophageal carcinoma

Clinical impact of endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration in the management of esophageal carcinoma
Development of the Healthy Pathways Child-Report Scales

The Child Health and Illness Profile (CHIP) has separate child (6–11 years) and adolescent (12–21 years) editions that measure youth’s self-assessed health, illness, and well-being. The purpose of this study was to revise the CHIP by combining the two editions to create the Healthy Pathways Child-Report Scales. We modified the original CHIP domains of Comfort, Risk Avoidance, Satisfaction, and Resilience to reflect advances in child health conceptualization. Classical test and item response theory psychometric analyses were conducted using data collected from 2,095 children (49% boys, 80% White, 17% African-American, 3% Hispanic, Age: M = 10.6, SD = 1.0) in grades 4–6 at 34 schools. After minor revisions, 16 of the 17 scales were found to measure unidimensional self-assessed health, illness, and well-being constructs comprehensively, but with a minimal number of items. Scales were unbiased by age, gender, survey modality, and geographic location. Construct validity was demonstrated by the instrument’s capacity to differentiate among children with and without chronic illnesses and to detect expected age and gender differences. The Healthy Pathways Child-Report Scales may be used to reliably and accurately assess unidimensional aspects of health, illness, and well-being in clinical and population-based research studies involving youth in transition from childhood to adolescence.
Bragg-diffraction imaging

This paper briefly reviews the field of Bragg-diffraction imaging starting with the history of the investigation of light-sound interaction which led up to the development of the Bragg-diffraction imaging systems. The operation of two different systems are described along with a discussion of their advantages and disadvantages. A rigorous analysis of the imaging principles is presented. The analysis uses a quantum-mechanical approach to illustrate the basic Bragg condition and frequency shift; wave theory based on Maxwell's equations to describe the three-dimensional light-sound interaction; and, ray theory, based on the Eikonal equations, to determine the actual position of the Bragg images and the aberrations present in the imaging process. The application of Bragg-diffraction imaging to medical diagnosis and nondestructive testing is discussed.
Risk Factors for Early Recurrence After Ischemic Stroke The Role of Stroke Syndrome and Subtype

Background and Purpose—Information regarding risk factors for early recurrence is limited. Our aim was to identify the clinical predictors of early recurrence after ischemic stroke. Methods—We prospectively examined 297 patients (mean age, 72.0±8.4 years) hospitalized with ischemic stroke to identify recurrent strokes occurring within 90 days of the index stroke. Survival free of recurrence was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis stratified by demographic variables; vascular risk factors; stroke syndrome, subtype, vascular territory, and severity; scores on the Barthel Index and Mini-Mental State Examination during hospitalization; blood pressure on admission; and selected laboratory data. We estimated the relative risk (RR) of early recurrence associated with those variables using proportional hazards analysis. Results—We identified 22 recurrent events in the first 90 days after the index stroke, resulting in an early stroke recurrence rate of 7.4%, and death occurred immediately after recurrence in 6 ...
Purification of rabbit muscle glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase by gel filtration chromatography.

Abstract A procedure is presented for the large-scale purification of rabbit muscle glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.12). Sephadex G-100 chromatography was more effective than repeated recrystallizations for removing heme impurities, hence these proteins appear to cocrystallize. The column purified enzyme has full enzymatic activity according to dehydrogenase, esterase, and acetyl phosphatase assays.
Entrepreneurial activity and economic growth

The purpose of this paper is to show the importance of entrepreneurial activity for economic growth. Entrepreneurs are individuals who perceive and exploit profit opportunities. Every time an entrepreneur fills an existing niche in the market, he mobilises resources. This produces the conditions for new markets to develop and, as a consequence, new entrepreneurial opportunities are created. Thus, I argue, entrepreneurs are catalysts of economic growth for the entire economy. If, as I claim, entrepreneurship creates a network externality that promotes the creation of new markets, then each individual entrepreneurial action has a more than proportional impact on economic growth.
Ontogeny of electroantennogram responses in the moth, Manduca sexta.

Abstract The antennae of the moth, Manduca sexta , and the sensilla and sensory neurons they contain, develop during metamorphosis from pupa to adult. To determine when, during their development, antennae become capable of generating electrical responses to various stimuli, we recorded the electroantennogram (EAG), believed to be the summed extracellular record of receptor potentials, from developing and mature antennae. Antennae from male and female moths are similarly responsive to trans -2-hexenal, while only males respond to Manduca sex pheromone; these two odorants presumably stimulate separate receptors. Mechanical stimulation also elicits and EAG response. EAG responses to olfactory and mechanical stimuli are detectable several days before eclosion but not until the neurons are morphologically and biochemically quite mature. Responses increase in magnitude until the end of metamorphosis and then change little during the first 3 days after emergence of the adult. Responses to different stimuli do not develop synchronously.
Geometrical Anisotropy in Biphase Particle Reinforced Composites

Particle shape plays a crucial role in the design of novel reinforced composites. We introduce the notion of a geometrical anisotropy index A to characterize the particle shape and establish its relationship with the effective elastic constants of biphase composite materials. Our analysis identifies three distinct regions of A: (i) By using ovoidal particles with small A, the effective stiffness scales linearly with A for a given volume fraction α; (ii) for intermediate values of A, the use of prolate particles yield better elastic properties; and (iii) for large A, the use of oblate particles result in higher effective stiffness. Interestingly, the transition from (ii) to (iii) occurs at a critical anisotropy A cr and is independent of α.
Lakes as laboratories of evolution; endemic fishes and environmental cyclicity

Lacustrine sedimentary sequences have tremendous potential for evolutionary studies because 1) the sedimentary record in lakes provides greater resolution than most other continental or marine sequences and 2) the lake environment seems conducive to speciation, as evidenced by the many examples of lacustrine species flocks. In this paper I present distributional data for 26 species of Semionotus in four temporally distinct lake deposits in the Newark Basin (Late Triassic-Early Jurassic). These data suggest that the effect of environmental cyclicity-the repeated cycles of formation and evaporation of lakes in the same basinis not to accumulate species diversity over the long term. Rather, the effect is to decrease diversity when lakes evaporate and, alternately, to provide ecological opportunity during lake expansion, thus allowing the proliferation of species.
Biosynthesis of heparan sulfate proteoglycans of developing chick breast skeletal muscle in vitro.

Abstract Previous studies have reported an increase in heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan (HSGAG) during skeletal muscle differentiation in culture. We have investigated this phenomenon further in relation to the heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) produced by myogenic cultures. Pulse-chase analysis indicated an approx. 3-fold increase in heparan sulfate synthesis in myotube cultures over that in proliferating or aligning myoblast cultures. Muscle fibroblast culture heparan sulfate synthesis was higher than that of myoblasts but was lower than myotubes. The turnover rates appeared to be the same for all stages of development, with a t 1 2 of approx. 5 h. Enrichment for heparan sulfate by Sepharose CL-4B and DEAE-Sephacel chromatography indicated an increase in the hydrodynamic size of the proteoglycan produced by myotubes over that from myoblasts, with a shift in Kav from 0.14–0.19 to 0.07. Fibroblasts synthesized the smallest proteoglycan, with a Kav of 0.22. All of the proteoglycans contained similar sized glycosaminoglycan chains with an estimated molecular weight of 30 000–40 000. Localization of the heparan sulfate proteoglycan in myotube cultures by trypsin sensitivity indicated much of the intact proteoglycan to be closely associated with the cell surface, while internalized material appeared in a degraded form.
Treatment Implications on Morbidity and Mortality in COPD

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) remain controversial in COPD, although recent clinical trials have consistently found that they reduce chronic respiratory symptoms and, in some population-based studies, improve survival. Their impact on the general COPD population depends on the variability in clinical response among individuals, the magnitude of treatment benefits, and the prevalence of adverse events in the population. The clinical benefits of ICSs in COPD are less obvious than in asthma; however, even patients with COPD without airway hyperresponsiveness experience significant improvement in baseline lung function and other outcomes after treatment with ICS. Population-based surveys suggest that a majority of patients with COPD have asthma or chronic bronchitis features and, therefore, are predisposed to a stronger treatment benefit from ICS. Clinical data support the use of ICS in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD, and suggest that they have impacts on morbidity and mortality that are as great or greater than those seen among commonly accepted treatments for other chronic diseases.
Safe electronic health record use requires a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework.

Recent passage of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) increases pressure on healthcare practitioners and organizations to implement currently available electronic health records (EHRs). Research and experience gained to date shows that such implementation efforts are difficult, costly, time-consuming, and fraught with many unintended consequences1. Evaluation of these systems after implementation suggests that they do not routinely meet safety standards of other safety-critical industries2. The aggressive timeline proposed in the ARRA bill means that a large number of practitioners and organizations will soon be attempting a monumental feat without the time or ability to customize these systems to their local workflows3. In a previous article, we proposed 8 dimensions or “rights” of EHR safety that addressed the complex social, technical, and personal issues associated with EHR use4. The goal of this article is to describe an approach for a comprehensive EHR monitoring and evaluation framework (i.e., the 8th dimension of EHR safety). Without such a comprehensive framework, safe and effective EHR use cannot be assured. This proposed framework has five essential components: 1) ability for practitioners and organizations to report patient safety events or potential hazards related to EHR use 5,6; 2) enhanced EHR certification that includes specific assurances that good software development procedures7 have been followed along with evidence that previously reported adverse events and hazards have been addressed; 3) self-assessment, attestation, testing, and reporting by both clinicians and healthcare organizations that all eight dimensions of safe EHR use have been addressed; 4) Local, state, and national oversight in the form of an on-site, in-person accreditation of EHRs as implemented and used by clinicians in the healthcare setting; 5) A national EHR-related adverse event investigation board that reviews incident reports and has the authority to investigate.
Surgical Anatomy for Desmotomy of the Accessory Ligament of the Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon (Proximal Check Ligament) in Horses

Dissections were performed to study the surgical anatomy for desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor tendon (proximal check ligament [PCL]). The surgical approach was initiated by incising the skin cranial to the cephalic vein and caudal to the distal radius. A palpable foramen in the antebrachial fascia that transmits a branch of the cephalic vein was used to advance deeper dissection. After the antebrachial fascia was incised, the fan-shaped PCL was exposed by retracting the en-sheathed tendon of the flexor carpi radialis muscle caudally. Desmotomy was performed gradually to avoid severing branches of the palmar carpal rete that pervade the ligament. Complete transection was evidenced by visualization of the membranous roof of the carpal canal distally, the muscle belly of the radial head of the deep digital flexor centrally, and loose areolar connective tissue along the caudal radius proximally. The vessels of the palmar carpal rete were visible coursing between the severed edges of the PCL. This report highlights relevant anatomic landmarks to facilitate an accurate desmotomy.
Geostatistical based monitoring of soil water NO3- -N: a potential nonpoint source of ground water contamination.

Soil water NO3 −-N concentrations were monitored for an alfalfa-oat-bean rotation and an alfalfa–bean–bean rotation in the Idaho Snake River Plain as part of the USEPA Section 319 National Monitoring Program. This monitoring study was conducted to evaluate potential beneficial impacts of a USDA recommended crop rotation on subsurface NO3 −-N concentrations at a 4.9 hectare (ha) farm test field. Soil water monitoring was conducted in cooperation with the USDA Snake River Plain Water Quality Demonstration Project. Geostatistical and statistical analyses of NO3 −-N data collected from a network of soil water solution samplers (lysimeters) coupled with hydrogeological characterization of the field indicated that alfalfa followed by oats reduced soil water NO3 −-N concentrations at least temporarily compared to alfalfa followed by beans which is the traditional practice in the area. Soil water NO3 −-N sample data showed a unimodal distribution, through the first two months of the split field rotations, that ch...
Pharmacokinetics and saturable renal tubular secretion of zidovudine in rats

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of dose on the pharmacokinetics of zidovudine (3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine; AZT) in rats. Zidovudine (AZT) was administered intravenously at doses of 10, 50, 100, and 250 mg/kg. Plasma and urine AZT concentrations were determined by HPLC. Plasma AZT concentrations declined rapidly with a terminal half-life ranging from 0.76 h at a dose of 10 mg/kg to 1.58 h at 250 mg/kg. Total clearance (CLT) was similar at the doses of 10 and 50 mg/kg, with values of 2.80 and 2.73 L/h/kg, respectively. However, there was a trend toward nonlinearity at the dose of 100 mg/kg (CLT = 2.13 L/h/kg) and a significant decrease in CLT (1.22 L/h/kg) at the dose of 250 mg/kg. Nonrenal clearance remained unaffected by dose with a mean value of 0.98 L/h/kg. Renal clearance (CLR) was similar at the doses of 10 and 50 mg/kg, with values of 1.89 and 1.37 L/h/kg, respectively. However, significant decreases in CLR were observed at the doses of 100 (CLR = 1.30 L/h/kg) and 250 mg/kg (CLR = 0.57 L/h/kg). The maximum transport capacity (Tmax) and the Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) for renal tubular secretion obtained after simultaneously fitting plasma concentration—time profiles at the four doses to a renal clearance model were 215.5 ± 82.1 mg/h and 119.3 ± 80.5 mg/L, respectively, thereby yielding an unbound secretory intrinsic clearance (CLus,int) of 1.81 L/h. The high Tmax and Km values account for the high CLR of AZT and explain the linearity of CLR over a wide range of AZT plasma concentrations. Active tubular secretion of AZT, however, is saturable at very high AZT concentrations, resulting in decreased CLR and, thus, CLT at higher doses. The steady-state volume of distribution (Vdss) was similar at the doses of 10 and 50 mg/kg (1.57 and 1.66 L/kg, respectively). There was a pattern towards decrease in Vdss at the dose of 100 mg/kg (Vdss = 1.17 L./kg) and a significant decrease at the dose of 250 mg/kg (Vdss = 0.81 L/kg) suggesting saturable tissue uptake or binding. Thus, the pharmacokinetics of AZT behaves linearly at low doses, but becomes dose dependent as the dose is further increased.
Spontaneous Hemorrhage in Acquired Renal Cystic Disease

Acquired renal cystic disease is a complication of end-stage renal disease and the prevalence of which is related to dialysis duration. The significance of this condition is its association with neoplasm and spontaneous hemorrhage. A 46-year-old uremic female was seen at the emergency room shortly after hemodialysis because of sudden onset of right upper quadrant pain. A computed tomography of the abdomen without contrast revealed a distinct subhepatic lesion resembling liver abscess. Sonography, however, favored a complex cystic lesion or a solid renal tumor with necrosis. Magnetic resonance imaging concurred with the above findings, yet going further to implicate the possibility of a hematoma. A fist-size hematoma was discovered in the multicystic right kidney during nephrectomy, and the pathologic report showed cystic atypia. Spontaneous hemorrhage in acquired renal cystic disease during long-term dialysis may often confuse the clinician who is unaware of such an entity.
Developing that voice: locating academic writing tuition in the mainstream of higher education

This paper argues that all students, whatever their linguistic identities, can benefit from an explicit and structured introduction to academic writing. It argues that this tuition should no longer be seen as support, and therefore marginalised, but as a transformative process of acculturation that needs to be located in the mainstream of the university. For illustration, it examines a course that does precisely this and which, in a radical departure from other practices, is embedded in the curriculum as a requirement. It discusses the theoretical contexts of the course and shows how the content and methodology is underpinned and informed by new understandings of the cultural, linguistic and epistemological aspects of acquiring academic literacies.
Contemporary management of femoral neck fractures: the young and the old

The optimal management strategy for femoral neck fractures remains highly debated. The femoral neck is intracapsular and the vascular supply is fragile. Furthermore, the curvature of the proximal femur results in high mechanical stresses through the femoral neck. Poor outcomes of nonunion and avascular necrosis (AVN) are common. This chapter reviews the current evidence with respect to the treatment principles of femoral neck fractures in two distinct patient populations: “young” and “old.” Contemporary controversies including surgical timing, choice of implant, arthroplasty options, nonoperative management, capsulotomy, and associated complications will be discussed.
Combined liver‐kidney transplantation in patients with cirrhosis and renal failure: Effect of a positive cross‐match and benefits of combined transplantation

Patients with renal failure after liver transplantation have a particularly poor prognosis. Therefore, in the setting of end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis or severe renal insufficiency that will not improve after liver replacement, combined liver-kidney transplantation (LKT) is the preferred approach. We have adopted a policy of LKT in patients with end-stage liver disease and renal insufficiency undergoing dialysis or with a creatinine clearance less than 35 mL/min and evidence of chronic renal dysfunction. Since 1991, we have performed 208 orthotopic liver transplantations. Fourteen patients (8%) have undergone combined LKT, including 6 patients undergoing hemodialysis. Cytotoxic cross-matches (modified Amos technique and antihuman globulin method) were performed on 13 of 14 patients and were positive in 3 patients. Two patients died less than 4 months after LKT and 12 patients are alive and well. Graft survival censored for patient death was 100% for liver allografts and 93% for renal allografts, with a mean follow-up of 39 +/- 24 months. The most recent serum creatinine level in the patients with the 11 functioning grafts was 1.1 +/- 0.6 mg/dL. Biopsy-proven acute rejection occurred in 50% of simultaneous liver allografts. By contrast, only a single episode (6%) of renal allograft dysfunction was attributable to acute rejection. All rejection episodes occurred in the first 90 days after transplantation and were steroid sensitive. Three of 14 combined procedures were performed in the setting of a positive cytotoxic cross-match. In 2 recent patients, the results were confirmed by positive cross-matches to the donor's T and B cells by flow cytometry. Flow cytometric cross-matches reverted to negative 1 hour after liver transplantation and several hours before the administration of antithymocyte globulin. The cross-matches remained negative on postoperative days 1 and 7. Presently, all 3 patients with a positive cross-match enjoy normal hepatic and renal function at 631, 706, and 2275 days follow-up. Renal scans were performed in 4 LKT recipients not previously undergoing hemodialysis and indicated varying and unpredictable degrees of function in the native and transplanted kidneys. In conclusion, combined LKT can be performed safely and is associated with a low rate of acute rejection, even in the setting of a positive cross-match. Predicting which patients with renal insufficiency will benefit from LKT remains challenging; however, these results suggest that LKT should be encouraged in patients with evidence of irreversible renal insufficiency who require liver transplantation.
Nucleotide diversity and minisatellite in chloroplast Asp(GUC)–Thr(GGU) region in Elymus trachycaulus complex, Elymus alaskanus and Elymus caninus

Abstract Nucleotide variation in chloroplast Asp(GUC)–Thr(GGU) intergenic region and genetic relationships among this group were examined among Elymus trachycaulus complex, Elymus alaskanus and Elymus caninus . The estimates of nucleotide diversity ( π ) ranged from 0.00111 for Elymus virescens to 0.03086 for E. caninus . Highest nucleotide diversity was found for E. caninus among the taxa analyzed here and followed by Elymus hyperarcticus . E. virescens accessions are genetically very uniform. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that E. caninus is paraphyletic. Elymus violaceus is genetically distinct from both E. alaskanus and E. trachycaulus . Our result indicates that Asp (GUC)–Thr (GGU) intergenic region has a high rate of evolutionary in Elymus species. Large indels detected in this region appear to have a highly rate of evolution and are thus more prone to homoplasy. We also first reported a minisatellite discovered in Asp (GUC)–Thr (GGU) region in Elymus species. The minisatellite identified here is an excellent candidate marker for studying population structures of Elymus species.
Providing Wireless Bandwidth for High-speed Rail Operations☆

Abstract American railroads are in the process of introducing a wireless network-based control system – commonly referred to as positive train control (PTC) – to share the railroad among multiple trains, worker vehicles, and other support entities. A major challenge with adopting a wireless based communication systems for high-speed rail (HSR) is the limited bandwidth availability in the USA. The objective of this paper is to analyze the sufficiency of the 220 MHz frequency range in supporting PTC-like operations for high-speed trains. The paper begins with a frequency analysis that shows the advantages of using different modulation schemes and channel bandwidths to gain data rates and supporting signaling and beacon networks that uses PTC packets formats. PTC places limitations on the wireless trains speeds with the number of packets required to establish a connection and a minimum distance between overlapping cells, using proposed packet formats. Additionally, using a guard band that can eliminate the Doppler effect caused by increasing train speeds. For example, using a guard band of 300 Hz can eliminate the Doppler shift at speeds less than 400mph.
THE SHAPING OF ACTIVIST RECRUITMENT AND PARTICIPATION A Study of Women in the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement

This article focuses on the ways gendered experiences varied by race with regard to women's recruitment and participation in the civil rights movement of Mississippi. The author analyzes 13 interviews with both African American and white women who were connected to the movement. By privileging the voices of movement actors, this study begins to illuminate the ways recruitment and participation varied by race. Three types of women's participation are distinguished: (1) high-risk activism, (2) low-risk institutional, and (3) activist mothering and “women's work.” Explanations for these different forms of participation are found in examining two primary patterns of recruitment.
Management of central giant cell granuloma with subcutaneous denosumab therapy.

Purpose In recent years, the treatment of central giant cell granuloma (CGCG) has become focused on the inhibition of osteoclast differentiation and proliferation. Medications that were developed for the treatment of giant cell tumor of bone and bone resorption from metastatic skeletal disease have shown some success in the treatment of CGCG. The present report describes 2 cases of CGCG of the mandible that were treated effectively with subcutaneous denosumab. Materials and Methods Two cases of histologically diagnosed CGCG of the mandible were treated with monthly subcutaneous injections of denosumab 120 mg primarily or after intralesional corticosteroid therapy. Clinical and radiographic follow-ups were recorded over a period of 24 months (case 1) and 15 months (case 2). Results In the 2 cases, progressive radiodensity and osseous regeneration were noted 4 to 6 months after denosumab therapy was initiated. A decrease in lesion size and improvement in bone contour and facial symmetry were seen in the 2 cases. Conclusion The major radiographic, clinical, and histologic responses seen in these 2 cases suggest that denosumab may represent a viable alternative or adjunctive procedure to eliminate or decrease the extent of surgical intervention and morbidity in the treatment of CGCG. Future prospective studies with a larger sample would provide more comprehensive information about the long-term effects and possible adverse side effects of treating CGCG of the jaws with denosumab.
Analysis of phosphate position in hexose monosaccharides using ion-molecule reactions and SORI-CID on an FT-ICR mass spectrometer.

Through the use of ion−molecule reactions and SORI-CID, the phosphate position in hexose phosphate monosaccharides has been determined in the negative ion mode. Trimethyl borate was used as a reagent gas and was found to react readily with the phosphorylated hexose monosaccharides. After reaction of the reagent gas with the hexose phosphate, ion activation of the precursor by SORI-CID yielded different MS/MS spectra. Different diagnostic ions were generated for the two isomers, thus enabling differentiation and linkage position determination of the phosphate moiety.