cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Minimal-cost-variance control of clock signals

The continuing promotion of statistical optimal controls is sought as an integral aspect of creating autonomous and robust remote timing systems that are capable of becoming master clock reference signals should the need arise. Achieving robust steering operations and reliability-by-design processes are intertwined and mutually reinforcing goals as being incorporated into the framework of minimal-cost-variance control theory. Yet it is hoped that these findings would lead to better understanding of clock steering in the application of robust remote backup timing systems.
Interpreting Outcomes: Cause and Effect and p-Values

The increasing complexity and volume of medical science have introduced the problem of knowing how to interpret results. The statistics that are commonly used in medicine and the interpretations that are inferred from studies are not absolutes, but rather statements of belief. Two important questions arise: can I actually make a statement of cause and effect, and what exactly does p < 0.05 mean. Directly consequent to these is the question of what does this mean for my patient. Clinicians and medical investigators need to develop a “critical eye” toward interpreting results. When derived from retrospective data, a study cannot make a statement of cause and effect, only an inference. And p < 0.05 is not a statement of reality, but rather a statement of belief. The thoughtful clinician or investigator should look skeptically and inquisitively at results and develop decisions and conclusions that are consonant with this questioning.
Polarity control at interfaces: Quantifying pseudo-solvent effects in nano-confined systems

Surface functionalization controls local environments and induces solvent-like effects at liquid–solid interfaces. We explored structure–property relationships between organic groups bound to pore surfaces of mesoporous silica nanoparticles and Stokes shifts of the adsorbed solvatochromic dye Prodan. Correlating shifts of the dye on the surfaces with its shifts in solvents resulted in a local polarity scale for functionalized pores. The scale was validated by studying the effects of pore polarity on quenching of Nile Red fluorescence and on the vibronic band structure of pyrene. Measurements were done in aqueous suspensions of porous particles, proving that the dielectric properties in the pores are different from the bulk solvent. The precise control of pore polarity was used to enhance the catalytic activity of TEMPO in the aerobic oxidation of furfuryl alcohol in water. Furthermore, an inverse relationship was found between pore polarity and activity of TEMPO in the pores, demonstrating that controlling the local polarity around an active site allows modulating the activity of nanoconfined catalysts.
Expressed sequence tags from a polyphenic Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) cDNA library

A Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) cDNA library was constructed using multiple castes, developmental stages, and workers exposed to different experimental conditions. Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) were obtained that verified the integrity of the library, and enabled us to begin to evaluate the composition of expressed genes in R. flavipes. Random positive clones (n = 96) were isolated from plated library replicates. EST sequences were successfully obtained for eighty-eight of these clones. The resulting pool of ESTs represented an approximate 1 : 1 ratio of mitochondrial to nuclear-encoded gene transcripts. Of the mitochondrial ESTs, five encoded various cytochrome oxidase I homologous sequences and thirty-four encoded four apparently different transcription variants of 16S rRNA. Twenty nuclear-encoded ESTs were identified that had putative identities based on highly significant BLAST search results. Fifteen additional ESTs were obtained that had either no identity to sequences that existed within sequence databases, or had identity to database sequences with no associated function / identity.
Effects of Empathy and Outgroup Perceptions on Moral Persuasion (WITHDRAWN)

The existing work on moral convictions suggests that deliberately changing another’s moral judgments may be difficult if not impossible. As a separate body of research, the persuasion literature ha...
Correlates of Injection Drug Use Among Rural Appalachian Women

Background Limited research has focused on correlates of injection drug use (IDU) among high-risk subgroups of drug users, particularly women, who may be at increased risk for transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C. The purpose of this study is to better understand the contextual and health correlates of IDU among women living in rural Appalachia by examining (1) differences between injectors and noninjectors, and (2) the unique correlates of recent IDU and past IDU. Methods This study involved random selection, screening, and face-to-face interviews with 400 rural Appalachian women from jails in one state. Analyses included descriptive statistics, multinomial logistic regression, and stepwise regression to identify significant correlates of recent IDU and past IDU compared to never injecting. Results Findings indicated that 75.3% of this randomly selected sample reported lifetime injection of drugs. Contextual factors including drug use severity (RRR = 8.66, P < .001), more male sex partners (RRR = 1.01, P < .05), and having injecting partners (RRR = 7.60, P < .001) were robust correlates of recent injection practices. Conclusions This study makes an important contribution to understanding factors associated with IDU among rural Appalachian women drug users, which are strongly associated with both relational and health factors. Study findings on the specific factors associated with IDU risk have important implications for tailoring and targeting interventions that should include a focus on the relationship context reducing high-risk injection practices.
Angular distribution of the longitudinal p-->p--> spin correlation parameter A zz at 197.4 MeV

A polarized proton beam with a large longitudinal polarization component of $0.545\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.005$ (96% of the total polarization) was prepared in a storage ring (IUCF--Cooler). This was achieved by means of spin precession solenoids in two of the six straight sections of the ring. A polarized hydrogen storage cell target internal to the ring was used to measure the longitudinal spin correlation coefficient ${A}_{\mathrm{zz}}$ in $\mathrm{pp}$ elastic scattering over the laboratory angular range $5.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$--$43.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} ({\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}=11.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$--$90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{})$ with statistical errors of typically 0.025. The absolute normalization was determined to an accuracy of 2.0% by use of the identity ${A}_{\mathrm{yy}}\ensuremath{-}{A}_{\mathrm{xx}}\ensuremath{-}{A}_{\mathrm{zz}}\ensuremath{\equiv}1$ at ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}=90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}.$ The identity also allows a reduction of the scale factor uncertainty of the previously published analyzing powers and spin correlation coefficients. The results are compared to recent $\mathrm{pp}$ partial wave analyses and $\mathrm{NN}$ potential models.
The Impact of Human Resource Information Systems: An Exploratory Study in the Public Sector

Various authors have advocated that the use of a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) should lead to valuable outcomes for the organization. Decreased costs, improved communication, and decreases in time spent on mundane activities should create an environment wherein the Human Resources (HR) department would play a more strategic role in the organization. This study is an initial attempt to determine whether HRIS has reached these potential benefits. Based on responses from a sample of HR directors of from public universities we found that, while valuable, HRIS has not yet reached its full potential in this environment.
Vitronectin from brain pericytes promotes adult forebrain neurogenesis by stimulating CNTF

Vitronectin (VTN) is a glycoprotein in the blood and affects hemostasis. VTN is also present in the extracellular matrix of various organs but little is known about its function in healthy adult tissues. We show, in adult mice, that VTN is uniquely expressed by approximately half of the pericytes of subventricular zone (SVZ) where neurogenesis continues throughout life. Intracerebral VTN antibody injection or VTN knockout reduced neurogenesis as well as expression of pro-neurogenic CNTF, and anti-neurogenic LIF and IL-6. Conversely, injections of VTN, or plasma from VTN+/+, but not VTN-/- mice, increased these cytokines. VTN promoted SVZ neurogenesis when LIF and IL-6 were suppressed by co-administration of a gp130 inhibitor. Unexpectedly, VTN inhibited FAK signaling and VTN-/- mice had increased FAK signaling in the SVZ. Further, an FAK inhibitor or VTN increased CNTF expression, but not in conditional astrocytic FAK knockout mice, suggesting that VTN increases CNTF through FAK inhibition in astrocytes. These results identify a novel role of pericyte-derived VTN in the brain, where it regulates SVZ neurogenesis through co-expression of CNTF, LIF and IL-6. VTN-integrin-FAK and gp130 signaling may provide novel targets to induce neurogenesis for cell replacement therapies.
Reproductive Health Outcomes in African Refugee Women: A Comparative Study.

Abstract Background: African refugee women in the United States are at risk of poor reproductive health outcomes; however, examination of reproductive health outcomes in this population remains ina...
Effect of Reduced Audibility on Mini-Mental State Examination Scores.

Background The interaction of audition and cognition has been of interest to researchers and clinicians, especially as the prevalence of hearing loss and cognitive decline increases with advancing age. Cognitive screening tests are commonly used to assess cognitive status in individuals reporting changes in memory or function or to monitor cognitive status over time. These assessments are administered verbally, so performance may be adversely affected by hearing loss. Previous research on the impact of reduced audibility on cognitive screening test scores has been limited to older adults with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) or young adults with normal hearing and simulated audibility loss. No comparisons have been conducted to determine whether age-related SNHL and its impact on cognitive screening tests is successfully modeled by audibility reduction. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of reduced audibility on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), a common bedside cognitive screening instrument, by comparing performance of cognitively normal older adults with SNHL and young adults with normal hearing. Design A 1:1 gender-matched case-control design was used for this study. Study sample Thirty older adults (60-80 years old) with mild to moderately severe SNHL (cases) and 30 young adults (18-35 years old) with normal hearing (controls) served as participants for this study. Participants in both groups were selected for inclusion if their cognitive status was within normal limits on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Data collection and analysis Case participants were administered a recorded version of the MMSE in background noise at a signal-to-noise ratio of +25-dB SNR. Control participants were administered a digitally filtered version of the MMSE that reflected the loss of audibility (i.e., threshold elevation) of the matched case participant at a signal-to-noise ratio of +25-dB SNR. Performance on the MMSE was scored using standard criteria. Results Between-group analyses revealed no significant difference in the MMSE score. However, within-group analyses showed that education was a significant effect modifier for the case participants. Conclusions Reduced audibility has a negative effect on MMSE score in cognitively intact participants, which contributes to and confirms the findings of earlier studies. The findings suggest that observed reductions in score on the MMSE were primarily due to loss of audibility of the test item. The negative effects of audibility loss may be greater in individuals who have lower levels of educational attainment. Higher levels of educational attainment may offset decreased performance on the MMSE because of reduced audibility. Failure to consider audibility and optimize communication when administering these assessments can lead to invalid results (e.g., false positives or missed information), misdiagnosis, and inappropriate recommendations for medication or intervention.
Use of Immunosuppressive therapy for management of myelodysplastic syndromes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Immunosuppressive therapy (IST) is one therapy option for treatment of patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). However, the use of several different immunosuppressive regimens, the lack of high-quality studies, and the absence of validated predictive biomarkers pose important challenges. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis according to the Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines and searched MEDLINE via PubMed, Ovid EMBASE, COCHRANE registry of clinical trials (CENTRAL), and the Web of Science without language restriction from inception through September 2018, as well as relevant conference proceedings and abstracts, for prospective cohort studies or clinical trials investigating IST in MDS. Fixed and Random-effects models were used to pool response rates. We identified nine prospective cohort studies and 13 clinical trials with a total of 570 patients. Overall response rate was 42.5% [95% confidence interval (CI): 36.1-49.2%] including a complete remission rate of 12.5% (95%CI: 9.3-16.6%) and red blood cell transfusion independence rate of 33.4% (95% CI: 25.1–42.9%). The most commonly used forms of IST were anti-thymocyte globulin alone or in combination with cyclosporin A with a trend towards higher response rates with combination therapy. Progression rate to acute myeloid leukemia was 8.6% per patient year (95%CI: 3.3-13.9%). Overall survival and adverse events were only inconsistently reported. We were unable to validate any biomarkers predictive of a therapeutic response to IST. IST for treatment of lower-risk MDS patients can be successful to alleviate transfusion burden and associated sequelae.
The effects of target location on musculoskeletal load, task performance, and subjective discomfort during virtual reality interactions.

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different target locations on musculoskeletal loading and task performance during virtual reality (VR) interactions. A repeated-measures laboratory study with 20 participants (24.2 ± 1.5 years; 10 males) was conducted to compare biomechanical exposures (joint angle, moment, and muscle activity in the neck and shoulder), subjective discomfort, and task performance (speed and accuracy) during two VR tasks (omni-directional pointing and painting tasks) among different vertical target locations (ranged from 15° above to 30° below eye height). The results showed that neck flexion/extension angle and moment, shoulder flexion angle and moment, shoulder abduction angle, muscle activities of neck and shoulder muscles, and subjective discomfort in the neck and shoulder significantly varied by target locations (p's
Acute Pancreatitis Complicated by Stress Cardiomyopathy With Persistent Apical Akinesis: A Case Report and Literature Review:

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy or stress cardiomyopathy is a transient reversible cardiomyopathy characterized by regional wall motion abnormalities that usually extend beyond a single epicardial vascular distribution. It is often precipitated by acute physical or emotional stressors. In this article, we present the case of a postmenopausal woman who was admitted for management of acute pancreatitis. On the second day of admission, she developed shortness of breath and electrocardiographic abnormalities. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed left ventricular systolic dysfunction and apical akinesis, and coronary angiography revealed normal coronary arteries. She was diagnosed with takotsubo cardiomyopathy triggered by acute pancreatitis and started on guideline-directed heart failure medications. A follow-up echocardiogram 4 months later revealed persistent systolic dysfunction and apical akinesis.
Machine Learning Algorithms for Automated NIF Capsule Mandrel Selection

Small shells, approximately 2 mm in diameter, made from Poly(α-methylstyrene) (PAMS) are used as mandrels in the production of glow discharge polymer capsules located at the center of inertial conf...
Platinum ω-Alkenyl Compounds as Chemical Vapor Deposition Precursors: Synthesis and Characterization of Pt[CH2CMe2CH2CH═CH2]2 and the Impact of Ligand Design on the Deposition Process

We describe the synthesis and characterization of three platinum(II) ω-alkenyl complexes of stoichiometry Pt[CH2CMe2(CH2)xCH═CH2]2 where x is 0, 1, or 2, as well as some related platinum(II) compou...
Gene Editing in Dimorphic Fungi Using CRISPR/Cas9

Dimorphic fungi in the genera Blastomyces, Histoplasma, Coccidioides, and Paracoccidioides are important human pathogens that affect human health in many countries throughout the world. Understanding the biology of these fungi is important for the development of effective treatments and vaccines. Gene editing is a critically important tool for research into these organisms. In recent years, gene targeting approaches employing RNA-guided DNA nucleases, such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (Cas9), have exploded in popularity. Here, we provide a detailed description of the steps involved in applying CRISPR/Cas9 technology to dimorphic fungi, with Blastomyces dermatitidis in particular as our model fungal pathogen. We discuss the design and construction of single guide RNA and Cas9-expressing targeting vectors (including multiplexed vectors) as well as introduction of these plasmids into Blastomyces using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Finally, we cover the outcomes that may be expected in terms of gene-editing efficiency and types of gene alterations produced. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Construction of CRISPR/Cas9 targeting vectors Support Protocol 1: Choosing protospacers in the target gene Basic Protocol 2: Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Blastomyces Support Protocol 2: Preparation of electrocompetent Agrobacterium Support Protocol 3: Preparation and recovery of Blastomyces frozen stocks.
Glucocorticoids and the brain after critical illness

Treatment for critical illness typically focuses on a patient's short-term physical recovery; however, recent work has broadened our understanding of the long-term implications of illness and treatment strategies. In particular, survivors of critical illness have significantly elevated risk of developing lasting cognitive impairment and psychiatric disorders. In this review, we examine the role of endogenous and exogenous glucocorticoids in neuropsychiatric outcomes following critical illness. Illness is marked by acute elevation of free cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) suppression, which typically normalize after recovery; however, prolonged dysregulation can sometimes occur. High glucocorticoid levels can cause lasting alterations to the plasticity and structural integrity of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, and this mechanism may plausibly contribute to impaired memory and cognition in critical illness survivors, though specific evidence is lacking. Glucocorticoids may also exacerbate inflammation-associated neural damage. Conversely, current evidence indicates that glucocorticoids during illness may protect against the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We propose future directions for research in this field, including determining the role of persistent glucocorticoid elevations after illness in neuropsychiatric outcomes, the role of systemic vs. neuroinflammation, and probing unexplored lines of investigation on the role of mineralocorticoid receptors and the gut-brain axis. Progress toward personalized medicine in this area has the potential to produce tangible improvements to the lives patients after a critical illness, including Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Monitoring and Improving the Metabolic Health of Dairy Cows during the Transition Period

The peripartum period of a dairy cow is characterized by several physiological and behavioral changes in response to a rapid increase in nutrient demands, to support the final stages of fetal growth and the production of colostrum and milk. Traditionally, the transition period is defined as the period 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after parturition. However, several researchers have argued that the transition period begins at the time of dry-off (~60–50 days prior to calving) and extends beyond the first month post-calving in high producing dairy cows. Independent of the definition used, adequate adaptation to the physiological demands of this period is paramount for a successful lactation. Nonetheless, not all cows are successful in transitioning from late gestation to early lactation, leading to approximately one third of dairy cows having at least one clinical disease (metabolic and/or infectious) and more than half of the cows having at least one subclinical case of disease within the first 90 days of lactation. Thus, monitoring dairy cows during this period is essential to detect early disease signs, diagnose clinical and subclinical diseases, and initiate targeted health management to avoid health and production impairment. In this review, we discuss different strategies to monitor dairy cows to detected unintended disruptions in performance and management strategies that can be implemented to improve the metabolic health and performance of dairy cows during the transition period.
A Method for Studying Differences in Segregation Across Time and Space

An important topic in the study of segregation are comparisons across space and time. This article extends current approaches in segregation measurement by presenting a five-term decomposition proc...
Cutaneous reactions with enfortumab vedotin: A case series and review of the literature

Author(s): Dobry, Allison S; Virgen, Cesar Antonio; Hosking, Anna-Marie; Mar, Nataliya; Doan, Linda; Lee, Bonnie; Smith, Janellen
Chemistry of Simple Organic Peroxy Radicals under Atmospheric through Combustion Conditions: Role of Temperature, Pressure, and NOx Level.

Organic peroxy radicals (RO2) are key intermediates in the oxidation of organic compounds in both combustion systems and the atmosphere. While many studies have focused on reactions of RO2 in specific applications, spanning a relatively limited range of reaction conditions, the generalized behavior of RO2 radicals across the full range of reaction conditions (temperatures, pressures, and NO levels) has, to our knowledge, never been explored. In this work, two simple model systems, n-propyl peroxy radical and γ-isobutanol peroxy radical, are used to evaluate RO2 fate using pressure-dependent kinetics. The fate of these radicals was modeled based on literature data over 250-1250 K, 0.01-100 bar, and 1 ppt to 100 ppm of NO, which spans the typical range of atmospheric and combustion conditions. Covering this entire range provides a broad overview of the reactivity of these species under both atmospheric and combustion conditions, as well as under conditions intermediate to the two. A particular focus is on the importance of reactions that were traditionally considered to occur in only one of the two sets of conditions: RO2 unimolecular isomerization reactions (long known to occur in combustion systems but only recently appreciated in atmospheric systems) and RO2 bimolecular reactions of RO2 with NO (thought to occur mainly in atmospheric systems and rarely considered in combustion chemistry).
Dynamics of Homogeneous Systems

In this chapter, we conjecture the “linear ansatz” equation of evolution of the order parameter, which is consistent with the laws of thermodynamics. We analyze solutions of this equation in different situations: close to the equilibrium state, far away from it, or when the evolution is taking place close to the spinodal point. Analyzing stability of homogeneous equilibrium states we find that the criteria of their dynamic and thermodynamic stability coincide. We also take a step beyond the linear ansatz and look at the order parameter evolution in systems with memory. One of the conclusions that we arrive at is that all of the above considered cases do not describe a phase transition completely because they cannot describe overcoming of a potential barrier by the system. Hence, other forces ought to be included into the complete theory.
Remaking the North American Food System: Strategies for Sustainability edited by C. Clare Hinrichs and Thomas A. Lyson

(2010). Remaking the North American Food System: Strategies for Sustainability edited by C. Clare Hinrichs and Thomas A. Lyson. Food, Culture & Society: Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 460-463.
Pathogenesis of acute pelvic inflammatory disease: Role of contraception and other risk factors

Abstract In a case-control study of matched pairs, the risk of acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) was 4.4 times higher in intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) users than in nonusers (p
Signal modeling enhancements for automatic speech recognition

Experiments in modeling speech signals for phoneme classification are described. Enhancements to standard speech processing methods include basis vector representations of dynamic feature trajectories, morphological smoothing (dilation) of spectral features, and the use of many closely spaced, short analysis windows. Results are reported from experiments using the TIMIT database of up to 71.0% correct classification of 16 presegmented vowels in a noise-free environment, and 54.5% correct classification in a 10 dB signal-to-noise ratio environment.
Src family kinases in tumor progression and metastasis

The Src family of non-receptor protein tyrosine kinases plays critical roles in a variety of cellular signal transduction pathways, regulating such diverse processes as cell division, motility, adhesion, angiogenesis, and survival. Constitutively activated variants of Src family kinases, including the viral oncoproteins v-Src and v-Yes, are capable of inducing malignant transformation of a variety of cell types. Src family kinases, most notably although not exclusively c-Src, are frequently overexpressed and/or aberrantly activated in a variety of epithelial and non-epithelial cancers. Activation is very common in colorectal and breast cancers, and somewhat less frequent in melanomas, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, head and neck cancers, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, brain cancers, and blood cancers. Further, the extent of increased Src family activity often correlates with malignant potential and patient survival. Activation of Src family kinases in human cancers may occur through a variety of mechanisms and is frequently a critical event in tumor progression. Exactly how Src family kinases contribute to individual tumors remains to be defined completely, however they appear to be important for multiple aspects of tumor progression, including proliferation, disruption of cell/cell contacts, migration, invasiveness, resistance to apoptosis, and angiogenesis. This review details the evidence for Src family activation in human tumors, and emphasizes possible consequences to tumor progression. Given the ability of Src and its family members to participate in so many aspects of tumor progression and metastasis, Src family kinases are attractive targets for future anti-cancer therapeutics.
Abstract 12637: Utility of the Wearable Cardioverter-Defibrillator for Patients With Newly Diagnosed Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy?

Introduction: The wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) is approved for prevention of sudden cardiac death in patients with newly diagnosed cardiomyopathy and LVEF < 35% who do not yet meet criteria for implantation of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). While there are some data supporting WCD use in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), data in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) are lacking. Methods: This was a retrospective review of outcomes for all NICM patients prescribed a WCD at a large tertiary academic center from 6/2004 - 1/2014 for a newly diagnosed cardiomyopathy and no prior sustained ventricular arrhythmia. During this time period, 454 patients were prescribed a WCD, of whom we excluded 161 patients with ICM. Results: The 183 (40%) patients with NICM consisted of 70% men, aged 57 +/- 15 years old, with mean EF 23% +/- 8% and LV end-diastolic dimension 4.5 +/- 2.8 cm. DM and HTN were prevalent (20% and 51%, respectively). At NICM diagnosis, 21% had LBBB and 36% had known history of AF. Patients wore the WCD for 13,124 patient-days, each averaging 72 +/- 55 days and with fairly high compliance (18.3 +/- 5.7 hours/day). Medication use consisted of 90% beta-blockers, 88% ACE inhibitors, 85% diuretics, 16% digoxin, and 17% anti-arrhythmic drugs. NSVT was documented in 42% of patients prior to WCD prescription. During follow-up, 60 (33%) patients improved LVEF to > 35%, obviating an indication for ICD implantation, whereas 79 (43%) patients received an ICD. The remainder died (n=17), were lost to follow-up (n=20), refused ICD implant (n=5), or are still wearing the WCD (n=2). No appropriate WCD shocks were delivered in any NICM patient, yet 3 inappropriate shocks were delivered (1.6%). Based on estimated rental costs provided by the manufacturer, the total cost of WCD use in this population was $1,449,360. Conclusions: In this large, tertiary care center registry of patients with newly recognized NICM, no patient received an appropriate shock from the WCD whereas several inappropriate shocks were delivered, despite nearly one-half of patients having documented significant ventricular ectopy. Given the significant expense and inconvenience of the WCD, its use in this population requires prospective study.
The impact of service-learning on cultural competence.

Abstract Service-learning provides an excellent pedagogy for introducing students to clients of different cultural backgrounds, helping students become aware of the issues these clients face related to culture and health care, and teaching culturally appropriate care. The Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool was used to evaluate self-perceived cultural competence in a convenience sample of 60 baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in a community health nursing course following the completion of service-learning projects with local and international communities. Pre- and posttests were analyzed based on total scores and subscale (cognitive, practical, and affective) scores. A paired-samples t test compared the mean pretest total score to the mean posttest total score, which demonstrated a significant increase. In addition, paired-samples t tests demonstrated a significant increase in each subscale.
An ensemble average approach to remove adverse effects on power spectral estimation due to sampling jitters

This paper examines the effects of random jitters in sampling locations upon power spectrum estimation. Random jitters in sampling locations introduce phase shifts in corresponding Fourier coefficients and lead to, among other distortions, attenuation in power spectral estimation. If the probability density function of random jitters is known, then the attenuation can be correctly delineated as a modulation curve which is more severe in higher frequencies. To alleviate attenuation, an ensemble average approach is suggested. It can accurately restore the power spectrum suffered from attenuation due to random jitters. In addition, it can also reliably compute useful statistical parameters of a given random jitter distribution when the statistics is only partially known. Simulation tests were conducted to illustrate the effects of sampling jitters and to demonstrate the effectiveness of this new ensemble average algorithm.
Serum osmoregulation in two species of estuarine blennioid fish, Anoplarchus purpurescens and Pholis ornata

Abstract 1. 1. Blood serum osmoregulatory capacities were assessed for two species of estuarine blennioid fish exposed to a range of environmental salinities. 2. 2. Exposure to a range of environmental osmolality of 1800 mOsm/l resulted in a 300 mOsm/l. change in blood serum. Both species were similar in ranges of osmoregulation. 3. 3. Both species showed partial recovery of normal serum osmolalities after three days exposure to 56 ppt and are considered most efficient osmoregulators. 4. 4. It was concluded that a greater tolerance to osmotic stress than that observed for open coast littoral species enables inhabitation of more dilute estuarine habitats by these two blennioids.
Representativeness of the Framingham risk model for coronary heart disease mortality: a comparison with a national cohort study.

The Framingham Heart Study has been the foundation upon which several national policies regarding risk factors for coronary heart disease mortality are based. The NHANES I Epidemiologic Followup Study is the first national cohort study based upon a comprehensive medical examination of a probability sample of United States adults. The average follow-up time was 10 years. This study afforded an opportunity to evaluate the generalizability of the Framingham risk model, using systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and cigarette smoking, to the U.S. population with respect to predicting death from coronary heart disease. The Framingham model predicts remarkably well for this national sample. The major risk factors for coronary heart disease mortality described in previous Framingham analyses are applicable to the United States white adult population.
Ten years after – The WOCE AMS radiocarbon program

The National Ocean Sciences Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (NOSAMS) Facility is measuring all of the samples collected as part of the US WOCE Program ‐ over 13,000 samples. We designed our extraction lines so that we also measure precise, oceanographically useful d 13 C-RCO2 values. We have completed the analysis of samples from the Pacific and Southern Oceans and are processing those from the Indian Ocean now. At present, this constitutes the world’s largest AMS data set. Reviews of the Pacific radiocarbon data are available and demonstrate the increased penetration of the ‘‘bomb signal’’ into the water column since the 1970s. Stable isotope data are being combined with those collected as part of NOAA’s Ocean-Atmosphere Carbon Exchange Study to study the ocean’s role in the anthropogenic CO2 cycle. The relationship of d 13 C to other chemical tracers, e.g., PO4 ,O 2 and chlorofluorocarbons, will further our understanding of basic oceanographic processes. We present preliminary results from these studies as well as investigate the relationship of 14 Ct o 13 C in the ocean. ” 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
High energy muon-nucleon inelastic scattering at lowq 2

The inelastic interactions of 150 GeV positive muons produced at Fermi Laboratory have been studied in nuclear emulsion. Secondary particles produced in these interactions have been identified, the energy spectra and angular distributions for pions and protons are given. The inclusive pionproduction reaction is studied and the relative shape ofpt2 distribution is discussed. The average charged multiplicity relations are determined as a function of different parameters and are compared with the multiplicities produced in pure hadronic interactions. The integral cross sections have been measured and are compared with the first and second powers of 1/(1+q2/mp2) forσexp(q2,v), the quantity commonly called the “virtualphoton-nucleon total cross section”. The values of the structure function νW2 are calculated for 0.02≤q2≤0.5. The present data are compared with other muon data at the same energy.
On Fault Isolation and Identification in t 1 /t 1 -Diagnosable Systems

Consider a classical PMC system composed of n units [1] where it is assumed that at most t1 of these units are faulty. Such a system is said to be t1/t1-diagnosable [3] if, given any complete collection of test results, the set of faulty units can be isolated to within a set of at most t1 units. This paper exposes some new, important properties of general t1/t1-diagnosable systems to present an O(n2.5) algorithm by which all the faulty units except at most one can be correctly identified and all the faulty units can be isolated to within a set of t1 or fewer units in which at most one can possibly be fault free.
772 ACOUSTIC OTOSCOPY (A.O.) COMPARED WITH TYM PANOMETRY AND MYRINGOTOMY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF MIDDLE EAR EFFUSION IN CHILDREN AND INFANTS

216 outpatients had 346 middle ear aspirates for either acute otitis media (#66) or insertion of pressure equalization tubes (#150). A.O. was available immediately prior to aspiration in 346 ears and both tympanometry and A.O. were available in 162 ears. The sensitivity of the A.O. was 85% with a specificity of 64% in the 346 ears aspirated. The sensitivity of tympanometry was 90% and specificity was 67% in the 162 ears for which both measurements were made. These sensitivities and specificities are not significantly different, but the specificities are better than the prediction of an experienced pediatrician using pneumatic otoscopy on the same patients.
Aeroelastic Stability and Control of an Oblique Wing: Wind Tunnel Experiments

Results are presented for wind tunnel tests of an elastic wing model to verify the theoretical predictions for the aeroelastic instability of an oblique wing. The model wing has an elliptic planform of 10 to 1 axis ratio and a symmetrical airfoil section of 7-1/2% thickness/chord ratio. The wing is of wood and as may be seen in the photographs presented, slack wires are used to limit the amplitude of unstable motions. The fuselage is mounted on bearings permitting freedom of roll, but provision is made to clamp the fuselage for some of the tests. It is found that freedom in roll increases the dynamic pressure at which aeroelastic instability first appears. With the model free in roll, the effectiveness of the ailerons in maintaining trim is not noticeably affected by passage through the speed at which the wing would become unstable if clamped.
Adrenal vein catecholamines and neuropeptides during splanchnic nerve stimulation in cats

Abstract Splanchnic nerve stimulation in bursts at low (5 Hz) and high (50 Hz) frequency (30 V, 1 msec; train duration 1 sec; train rate 0.5/second) was employed in 10 cats under halothane anesthesia, during 10-minute periods, while blood samples were concurrently collected from the adrenal vein and femoral artery for the measurement of norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (EPI), dopamine (DA), Met-enkephalin (ME), neuropeptide Y (NPY), peptide YY (PYY) and neurotensin (NT). In Group I ( n =5 ), splanchnic nerve stimulation was initially applied at 5 Hz followed after 20 min by a 50 Hz stimulus, while in Group II ( n =5 ) the stimulation sequence was reversed. Adrenal vein and femoral artery plasma levels of catecholamines and neuropeptides were not significantly affected by the stimulation sequence, while a significant decrease in blood pressure response was observed in Group II during the 5 Hz stimulation as compared to Group I, indicating desensitization. Splanchnic nerve stimulation at 5 Hz caused a preferential increase in adrenal vein NE (9-fold) versus EPI (7-fold) levels as compared to baseline, while 50 Hz stimulation led to further comparable increases in NE (5-fold) and EPI (6-fold) levels. Significant increases in adrenal vein DA and neuropeptide levels were only observed during 50 Hz stimulation, with DA showing a 5-fold, ME a 2.6-fold and NPY a 3-fold increase as compared to 5 Hz stimulation, and NT a 3.6-fold increase as compared to baseline. Present findings indicate different dynamics in the movement of catecholamines and neuropeptides from the adrenal.
Tubular Conical Columns for Offshore Structures

The authors examine submerged nonlinear tabular columns with slenderness ratios between 40 and 160 and ratios of diameter to thickness between 20 and 50. They demonstrate that the column's Euler buckling load can be increased nearly 30 percent by a volume preserving taper of only a few degrees. They determine the effect of hydrostatic pressure and self-weight on such conical columns and offer some preliminary remarks on the role played by model imperfections.
I/O streaming evaluation of batch queries for data-intensive computational turbulence

We describe a method for evaluating computational turbulence queries, including Lagrange Polynomial interpolation, based on partial sums that allows the underlying data to be accessed in any order and in parts. We exploit these properties to stream data from disk in a single pass and concurrently evaluate batch queries. The combination of sequential I/O and data sharing improves performance by an order of magnitude when compared with direct evaluation of each query. The technique also supports distributed evaluation of queries in a database cluster, assembling the partial sums from each node at the query mediator. Interpolation is fundamental to computational turbulence, over 95% of queries use these routines, and the partial sums method allows the JHU Turbulence Database Cluster to realize scale and throughput for our scientists' data-intensive workloads.
Leaf pubescence in buttonwood: Community variation in a putative defense against defoliation.

Abstract Plants have a variety of putative defenses against defoliation by herbivores, among which are pubescent leaves. Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus), a Caribbean tree, shows considerable between-individual variation in this trait, and pubescent leaves have less herbivore damage. Surveying 97 island communities, I documented three patterns expected were pubescent individuals more frequent where herbivory is great. (i) Larger islands have a higher percentage of pubescence (larger islands have more herbivores). (ii) Islands nearer to a mainland have a higher percentage of pubescence (nearer islands receive more herbivore immigrants). (iii) Islands having an extremely abundant predator on foliage arthropods, arboreal lizards, have a smaller percentage of pubescence than no-lizard islands. The third effect, though statistically significant, is weak relative to the direct effects of lizards on one category of their prey (spiders) measured in the same system.
Innovations in clinical practice through hospital-funded grants

Improving patient outcomes while controlling the costs of care requires a partnership between clinical researchers and hospital management. To this end, Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York, dedicated hospital operating funds to a program of small grants designed to align the patient care and academic interests of clinicians with the goals of efficient hospital management. The grants gave clinicians an opportunity to test the efficacy of specific patient care maneuvers. These studies resulted in improved guidelines for the use of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, new technology, and length of hospitalization. Annual marginal cost savings from implementing the first-year study results are projected to be $587,255, an 8 to 1 return on the first year's expenses. The authors conclude that a hospital-funded applied research program encourages those delivering patient care to identify inefficiencies and introduce change while ensuring quality patient care. This joint faculty-management effort can augment the hospital's quality-assurance, utilization management, and technology assessment programs while advancing the scholarship of faculty members.
Formation of Defect-Free Latex Films on Porous Fiber Supports

We present here the creation of a defect-free polyvinylidene chloride barrier layer on the lumen-side of a hollow fiber sorbent. Hollow fiber sorbents have previously been shown to be promising materials for enabling low-cost CO2 capture, provided a defect-free lumen-side barrier layer can be created. Film experiments examined the effect of drying rate, latex age, substrate porosity (porous vs nonporous), and substrate hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity. Film studies show that in ideal conditions (i.e., slow drying, fresh latex, and smooth nonporous substrate), a defect-free film can be formed, whereas the other permutations of the variables investigated led to defective films. These results were extended to hollow fiber sorbents, and despite using fresh latex and relatively slow drying conditions, a defective lumen-side layer resulted. XRD and DSC indicate that polyvinylidene chloride latex develops crystallinity over time, thereby inhibiting proper film formation as confirmed by SEM and gas permeation. This ...
Optimization of nonlinear wave function parameters

An energy-based optimization method is presented for our recently developed nonlinear wave function expansion form for electronic wave functions. This expansion form is based on spin eigenfunctions, using the graphical unitary group approach (GUGA). The wave function is expanded in a basis of product functions, allowing application to closed-shell and open-shell systems and to ground and excited electronic states. Each product basis function is itself a multiconfigurational function that depends on a relatively small number of nonlinear parameters called arc factors. The energy-based optimization is formulated in terms of analytic arc factor gradients and orbital-level Hamiltonian matrices that correspond to a specific kind of uncontraction of each of the product basis functions. These orbital-level Hamiltonian matrices give an intuitive representation of the energy in terms of disjoint subsets of the arc factors, they provide for an efficient computation of gradients of the energy with respect to the arc factors, and they allow optimal arc factors to be determined in closed form for subspaces of the full variation problem. Timings for energy and arc factor gradient computations involving expansion spaces of > 10{sup 24} configuration state functions are reported. Preliminary convergence studies and molecular dissociation curves are presented for some smallmore » molecules.« less
Isolation, Crystallization, and Partial Identification of Potato Factor II from Potato Tubers

The isolation, crystallization, and partial identification of potato factor II, a stimulator from the chemically neutral fraction of potato extract, is described. The compound was originally found to stimulate elongation of dwarf peas grown under red light, a gibberellin bioassay. It melts between 137° and 139°. In paper chromatography it migrates to RF 0.62 in isopropyl alcohol: ammonium hydroxide: H2O (10:1:1, v/v). Based on infrared and NMR data, it does not contain a lactone ring and possibly possesses an amide radical and an OH− group, as well as many methylene radicals. Potato factor II may be similar to certain of the fatty acid derivatives previously reported to stimulate growth of excised sections, but it is unique in that it stimulates growth of intact plants. This effect points to the need for completely separating neutral from acid gibberellin-like substances when the latter are assayed on dwarf peas.