cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Calculation of the electron affinities of the second row atoms: Al–Cl

The electron affinities (EAs) of aluminum through chlorine have been calculated with multireference single and double excitation configuration interaction calculations (MRSD‐CI) with the augmented correlation consistent basis sets of Woon and Dunning [J. Chem. Phys. 98, 1358 (1993)]. The orbital space for the complete active space (CAS) wave functions is systematically expanded beyond the Hartree–Fock wave function by inclusion of additional s, p, and d orbitals. This approach provides a well balanced treatment of the neutral and ionic charge states and led to accurate EAs for hydrogen and the first row atoms [R. A. Kendall, T. H. Dunning, Jr., and R. J. Harrison, J. Chem. Phys. 96, 6796 (1992)]. The best MRSD‐CI values for the EAs (in eV) of the second row atoms are Al, 0.440; Si, 1.413; P, 0.689; S, 2.023; and Cl, 3.606. Inclusion of spin–orbit effects in the calculated EAs yields (experimental values in parentheses): Al, 0.437 (0.441); Si, 1.395 (1.385); P, 0.700 (0.746); S, 2.019 (2.077); and Cl, 3.570 (3.613). The amenability of the correlation consistent basis sets for extrapolating to the complete basis set limit has also been exploited in this work. The neutral and anion energies are extrapolated separately in order to account for the different convergence rates in the energies of the two species. The extrapolated values of the EAs, including an empirical spin–orbit correction, are Al, 0.438; Si, 1.395; P, 0.713; S, 2.047; and Cl, 3.596. Additional calculations suggest that the remaining error is a measure of the residual imbalance in the MRSD‐CI treatments of the neutral and anion. Extrapolated EAs for the first row atoms are also reported.
Optimal study design for pioglitazone in septic pediatric patients.

The objective was to demonstrate the methodology and process of optimal sparse sampling pharmacokinetics (PK). This utilized a single daily dose of pioglitazone for pediatric patients with severe sepsis and septic shock based upon adult and minimal adolescent data. Pioglitazone pharmacokinetics were modeled using non-compartment analysis WinNonlin Pro (version 5.1) and population kinetics using NONMEM (version 7.1) with first order conditional estimation method (FOCE) with interaction. The initial model was generated from single- and multiple-dose pioglitazone PK data (15 mg, 30 mg, and 45 mg) in 36 adolescents with diabetes. PK models were simulated and overlaid upon original data to provide a comparison best described by a single compartment, first order model. The optimal design was based on the simulated oral administration of pioglitazone to three groups of pediatric patients, age 3.8 (2–6 years), weight 14.4 (7–28 kg); age 9.6 (6.1–11.9 years), weight 36.5 (28.1–48 kg) and age 15.5 (12–17 years,) weight 61.6 (48.1–80 kg). PFIM (version 3.2) was used to evaluate sample study size. Datasets were compiled using simulation for each dose (15, 30 and 45 mg) for the potential age/weight groups. A target dose of 15 mg daily in the youngest and middle groups was considered appropriate with area under the curve exposure levels (AUC) comparable to studies in adolescents. The final optimal design suggested time points of 0.5, 2, 6 and 21 h for 24 h dosing. This methodology provides a robust method of utilizing adult and limited adolescent data to simulate allometrically scaled, pediatric data sets that allow the optimal design of a pediatric trial. The pharmacokinetics of pioglitazone were described adequately and simulated data estimates were comparable to literature values. The optimal design provided clinically attainable sample times and windows.
Customer Service Behavior in Retail Settings: A Study of the Effect of Service Provider Personality

Researchers have suggested that service orientation is an aspect of personality that affects service performance. Four studies were done to explore the effect of personality on customer service behavior among frontline sales personnel in a fast-food convenience store chain. An exploratory qualitative study with customers, store managers, and salespeople showed that there was consistency in the trait descriptors used to describe superior service providers. Another study validated scales that measure the personality constructs (extroversion, adjustment, and agreeableness) underlying trait descriptors noted in the exploratory study. Finally, the results of two studies showed that personality does influence customer service and that superior service providers tend to be higher in extroversion and agreeableness. The magnitude of the effect of personality in services and recommendations for future research concerning personality and performance in service roles are discussed.
T‐cell fate

Recent studies suggest that lineage commitment steps, which occur during T-cell differentiation, follow principles in common with fate specification in simple invertebrates. Here we review T-cell development from the perspective of developmental biology. We present models for alpha beta vs gamma delta and CD4 vs CD8 lineage commitment that are consistent with previously published and newly presented experiments.
Scannerless range imaging with a square wave

Scannerless range imaging (SRI) is a unique approach to three dimensional imaging without scanners. SRI does, however, allow a more powerful light source to be used as compared to conventional Laser Radar (LADAR) systems due to the speed of operation associated with this staring system. As a result, a more efficient method of operation was investigated. As originally conceived, SRI transmits a continuous intensity modulated sinusoidal signal; however, a square wave driver is more energy efficient than a sinusoidal driver. In order to take advantage of this efficiency, a square wave operational methodology was investigated. As a result, four image frames are required for the extraction of range using a square wave to unambiguously resolve all time delays within one time period compared to a minimum of three frames for the sinusoidal wave.
MO-EE-A1-04: A Comparison Study of a New Optimal Field Splitting Algorithm in IMRT

Introduction In IMRTtreatment planning, multi‐leaf collimator(MLC) with a maximum leaf spread constraint is used to deliver the prescribed intensity maps (IMs). However, the maximum leaf spread of an MLC may require splitting a large IM into several overlapping sub‐IMs that are each delivered separately. Existing approaches usually require fixed sizes of sub‐IMs. We developed a method producing sub‐IMs of flexible sizes subject to the maximum leaf spread, which may improve the delivery efficiency. In this work, we propose to optimally split an IM into sub‐IMs while minimizing the total complexity of the sub‐IMs. Method and Material The complexity measure of an intensity map we use is the total sum of positive gradients of all rows. We solve the optimal field splitting problem using dynamic programming. Our algorithm also balances minimum beam‐on times of the resulting sub‐IMs. We evaluated the performance of our algorithm by implementing it on clinical IMs obtained from the Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Iowa and comparing it to ommercial software derived solutions. 14 IMs from pelvic treatment plans on 2 patients were used for splitting resulting in 3 sub‐IMs (3‐splitting) algorithm experiments and 20 IMs from head & neck treatment plans from 3 patients were used for 2‐splitting algorithm experiments. We replaced the field splitting method in Pinnacle with our method and the results were compared. Results For 3‐splitting cases, the number of segments was reduced by 12.5%, and the number of MU's was improved by 30.0%, along with 144‐sec reduction of beam delivery time per fraction. For 2‐splitting, the number of segments was reduced by 5.3%, and the number of MU's was improved by 27.6%. The performance for 3‐splitting cases was better than for 2‐splitting. Conclusion We have developed an optimal field splitting method which appears to outperform the commercial software Pinnacle.
High-field superconductor technology

The past two years have seen the acceptance of superconducting magnets for engineering installations, the development of more advanced and robust engineering materials than the earlier conductors, and the wider application of high-field superconducting magnets in development programs for high-energy physics and thermonuclear fusion research. Their principal advantage is the great saving in operating cost when used in large-volume magnets up to 3 teslas. At higher fields a further advantage is their lower capital cost as compared with that of conventional electromagnets. They also have the potential, not as yet realized, of being more compact than a conventional electromagnet of identical performance.
Structural Correlation Study of Pulsed Plasma-Polymerized Fluorocarbon Solids by Two-Dimensional Wide-Line Separation NMR Spectroscopy

Two-dimensional wide-line separation (WISE) NMR spectroscopy has been applied to obtain structural correlation in fluorocarbon films deposited via a pulsed plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition...
Use of high dose naloxone in acute stroke: possible side-effects.

The effects of high dose naloxone in humans have not been studied extensively. We treated 36 patients who had acute ischemic cerebral infarction with high doses of naloxone to evaluate potential efficacy and toxicity. All patients were treated with a 160-mg/m2 (4-mg/kg) loading dose followed by 80 mg/m2.h (2 mg/kg.h) x 24 h. There were no statistically significant changes in group mean arterial pressure, respiratory rate, or heart rate in response to the loading dose or infusion, although clinically significant changes did occur in four patients. Twenty-three patients had adverse reactions possibly related to naloxone, the most common of which were nausea (n = 20), bradycardia and/or hypotension (n = 3), myoclonus (n = 1), and hypertension (n = 1). Seven patients had naloxone discontinued for possible adverse reactions. All adverse reactions abated with discontinuation of naloxone and/or pharmacologic therapy when indicated. No deaths were attributable to naloxone treatment. High dose naloxone appears to be well tolerated in the majority of elderly patients with acute cerebral infarction.
Transcriptional effects of inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor in keratinocytes

Abstract Background Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation is important in human epithelial malignancies, including cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, lung, colon, pancreatic, and other cancers. Therapies targeting EGFR are currently used to treat such cancers, but one significant drawback to EGFR inhibitor therapies is the associated skin toxicity. This toxicity usually presents as papular or pustular folliculitis, dry skin with pruritus and hair and nail abnormalities. The side effects often limit the usefulness of EGFR inhibitors in cancer treatment. The transcriptional changes caused by EGFR inhibition in epidermal keratinocytes have not been extensively explored. Methods To define the transcriptional changes caused by inhibition of EGFR in primary human epidermal keratinocytes, these cells were treated with Tyrphostin AG1478 and treated and control cultures were compared in parallel, using Affymetrix microarrays. Using meta-analysis approaches, the observed changes were integrated with a large set of already existing data on transcriptional profiling in epidermal keratinocytes. Results We found that at the early time points, 1 hour and 4 hours after addition, AG1478 suppresses expression of genes associated with keratinocyte proliferation, attachment and motility. Apoptosis is facilitated by both induction of proapoptotic and suppression of antiapoptotic genes. Angiogenesis signals are suppressed as well. At late time points, 24 hours and 48 hours, EGFR inhibition induces mitochondrial activity and suppresses splicing and protein trafficking. Certain transcriptional effects of EGFR inhibition go against the transcriptional effects of retinoids. Surprisingly, at 48 hours, EGFR inhibition induces expression of markers of epidermal differentiation. Conclusion Our results define the role of EGF receptor in human keratinocytes and the consequences of its inhibition.
Restoration of color images by multichannel Kalman filtering

A Kalman filter for optimal restoration of multichannel images is presented. This filter is derived using a multichannel semicausal image model that includes between-channel degradation. Both stationary and nonstationary image models are developed. This filter is implemented in the Fourier domain and computation is reduced from O( Lambda /sup 3/N/sup 3/M/sup 4/) to O( Lambda /sup 3/N/sup 3/M/sup 2/) for an M*M N-channel image with degradation length Lambda . Color (red, green, and blue (RGB)) images are used as examples of multichannel images, and restoration in the RGB and YIQ domains is investigated. Simulations are presented in which the effectiveness of this filter is tested for different types of degradation and different image model estimates. >
Pretreatment evaluation of partially edentulous patients

Abstract Many aids to good diagnosis are available to the dentist and should be used. An accurate diagnosis is necessary if the amount of treatment time is to be estimated accurately. An exhaustive investigation must be made of the extent of damage by caries and periodontoclasia in the pretreatment planning for partially edentulous patients. An appraisal must be made of the degree of response generated in the tissues toward repair of the damage done by these diseases. Interruptions to proper functional movements must be appraised and any indication of permanent, irreparable damage to good function noted. Plans must be made for the removal of inhibitions to proper function and for protection of the remaining teeth against further attack by disease. The fixed or removable partial denture in this method of treatment becomes merely one of the means of good therapy rather than an end in itself.
Trans fatty acids, cardiovascular health, and policy implications

Consumption of industrially produced trans-fatty acids (TFA) is associated with substantial risk of coronary heart disease, and possibly diabetes and sudden cardiac death. TFA intake has adverse effects on multiple lipid and nonlipid risk pathways (Fig. 1), with an overall constellation of effects that is unique among dietary fats (Fig. 2). Both individual-level and policy-level initiatives to reduce the global consumption of industrial TFA intake should be a priority (Table 1).
A Diis Electa: a Chapter in the Religious History of the Third Century

The excavation of a site commonly gives us a neat and definite stratification of successive periods. Although the religious history of the Empire is less fortunate, nevertheless it has turning points and we can remark certain features as characteristic of particular periods. It is not that the phenomena in question are confined to these periods, but that they appear in them with special emphasis. The purpose of this paper is to consider a group of inscriptions which throw some light on the religious atmosphere of Rome in the middle of the third century of our era.
Hospitality Instructors’ Preference for Blended Teaching: A Bridge to Full Online Course Delivery?

A substantial body of empirical research exists on the topic of online teaching and learning; however, few qualitative studies have been conducted examining the deeper reasons for teaching online and no studies of this type have been performed in the hospitality discipline. This research sought to understand the subjective norms influencing hospitality faculty to teach online. Data were coded according to TAM2 constructs and sub-coded revealing emergent themes. Findings demonstrated hospitality faculty’s propensity for blended learning as well as other strategies for improved online instruction.
The structure of an epidermal cell during the development of the protein epicuticle and the uptake of molting fluid in an insect

A structure for a generalized insect epidermal cell during the formation of the epicuticle is proposed, based on studies of several different epidermal cell types. The protein epicuticle is defined as the dense homogeneous layer below the cuticulin. The formation of the protein epicuticle involves secretory vesicles arising in Golgi complexes, and marks an interlude in the involvement in cuticle formation of plasma membrane plaques. The plaques are concerned in cuticulin formation before and in fibrous cuticle formation after the deposition of the protein epicuticle. The epidermis is characterized by the possession of a cytoskeleton of microtubules and a matrix of microfibers. In the elongated cells forming bristles and spines, the microfibers are often oriented in bundles with an axial banding which repeats every 120 A. The microtubules are also arranged in columns with a trigonal packing and center to center spacing of about 800 A. These cytoskeletal structures separate the other organelles into channels which may restrict the pathways open for the movement of secretory and pinocytotic vesicles. The protein epicuticle arises from the secretory vesicles which discharge at the apical surface. The contents disperse and reaggregate below the cuticulin. The Golgi complexes in the basal and central regions have many secretory vesicles and a small saccular component, differing from those nearer the apex which are smaller and have fenestrated saccules. The small coated vesicles (800 A in diameter) associated with both sorts of complex, probably move to the apical and basal faces of the cell where they may give rise to the large coated vesicles (2000 A in diameter) inserted in the plasma membrane. Pinocytosis occurs from both apical and basal faces but most lytic activity is in the apical region. Plant peroxidase injected into the haemocoel is taken up basally and transported to the apical MVBs. The large coated vesicles on the apical face may be concerned in the control of the extracellular subcuticular environment. They appear to fill up and detach, fusing to become the apical MVBs.
Working Women or Women Workers? The Women's Trade Union League and the Transformation of the American Constitutional Order

Labor, gender and, class have each been identified as important reconstructive forces of the American constitutional order, but rarely has a single organization provided an opportunity to directly study the interrelationship of all these forces during a critical period of constitutional change. This article examines one such organization during the years leading up to the New Deal: The Women's Trade Union League. The WTUL, which uniquely mixed middle-class and working-class membership, was founded in 1903 to facilitate trade union organizing by women. Its labor approach, however, would ultimately fail, pushing the league to more fully embrace its connections to the middle-class leadership of the women's movement, thereby transforming its strategic approach and constitutional outlook away from the anti-statist voluntarism of the labor movement to the pragmatic and statist maternalism of the women's movement. The WTUL would subsequently become an important contributor to the legislative program of progressive reformers flourishing during this period under the gendered exception to free contract liberty won in Muller v. Oregon in 1908. This strategic organizational transformation would create tensions within the league and between the league and women workers, as well as invite constitutional consequences for women workers that would resonate for years, long past the constitutional revolution of 1937 and the apparent constitutional reintegration of male and female labor. This case study, therefore, provides a unique lens through which to view not only the constitutional tradeoffs of the adoption of the gendered Constitution as an alternative to the labor Constitution, but also the impact of the resource-conscious decision making of social-movement actors that is often overlooked by constitutional scholars preoccupied with judicial decision making.
Output Feedback Design of Singularly Perturbed Discrete-Time Systems

The output feedback regulator design for linear shift-invariant discrete-time systems possessing the two-time-scale property is considered. An approximating quadratic performance index is derived, reflecting a two-time-scale decomposition of the system dynamics.
Comparison of mode estimation methods and application in molecular clock analysis

Distributions of time estimates in molecular clock studies are sometimes skewed or contain outliers. In those cases, the mode is a better estimator of the overall time of divergence than the mean or median. However, different methods are available for estimating the mode. We compared these methods in simulations to determine their strengths and weaknesses and further assessed their performance when applied to real data sets from a molecular clock study. We found that the half-range mode and robust parametric mode methods have a lower bias than other mode methods under a diversity of conditions. However, the half-range mode suffers from a relatively high variance and the robust parametric mode is more susceptible to bias by outliers. We determined that bootstrapping reduces the variance of both mode estimators. Application of the different methods to real data sets yielded results that were concordant with the simulations. Because the half-range mode is a simple and fast method, and produced less bias overall in our simulations, we recommend the bootstrapped version of it as a general-purpose mode estimator and suggest a bootstrap method for obtaining the standard error and 95% confidence interval of the mode.
On Deaf Ears: The Limits of the Bully Pulpit

On Deaf Ears: The Limits of the Bully Pulpit. By George C. Edwards, III. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003. 320p. $35.00.The funeral of Ronald Reagan marked a celebration not only of the president's political accomplishments but also of the idea that the core of presidential leadership is mastery of the bully pulpit. Published shortly after Reagan was laid to rest, Bill Clinton's autobiography also reflects our modern preoccupation with rhetorical leadership. Clinton credits many of his political victories—most notably fending off an impeachment charge—to the power of rhetorical appeals. He also attributes many of his failures to an inability to communicate effectively. George Edwards thinks that Reagan, Clinton, and the conventional wisdom they exemplify are just plain wrong. In a thorough and forcefully articulated study, Edwards argues that public opinion is never altered by presidential speech. Efforts to advance a president's political agenda through rhetorical appeals over the heads of Congress to the people are futile wastes of time and energy.
Microtubule-interacting drugs for cancer treatment.

Abstract Microtubule-interacting drugs are important agents in cancer chemotherapy. Some of these drugs alter microtubule dynamics and engage the cell cycle surveillance mechanisms to arrest cell division in mitosis. Many cancer cells possess genetic lesions in components of this pathway and thus fail to arrest in mitosis. Therefore, by targeting the spindle microtubules, chemotherapeutic agents can efficiently block cell cycle progression in normal cells with intact surveillance mechanisms while initiating programmed cell death in certain tumours and inhibit their aggressive growth. Although anti-microtubule drugs such as the vinca alkaloids and taxanes have been used successfully for cancer treatment in humans, many cancers have become resistant to these drugs over time. Several new compounds with anti-mitotic properties are effective chemotherapeutic agents in drug-resistant cell lines, and thus the search for new tubulin-binding drugs is both important and promising for the therapeutic options for the management of cancer.
Understanding Sample Size Determination in Nursing Research

Sample size determination is a natural consideration in the planning stages of most research studies. The purpose of this work is to provide an overview of modern methods of sample size determination and describe some of the challenges to be aware of and pitfalls to avoid in applying these various methods. Although sample size can be determined in many ways, the most commonly used approach has relied on classical hypothesis-based methods of power analysis. Several challenges often arise with traditional power analysis. For example, the statistical methods used in a power analysis may not adequately address the complexities of the data collected in a research study. The American Psychological Association currently accepts and endorses the use of two methods, power analysis and precision estimation, for sample size determination. Precision estimation is a viable alternative to the traditional power analysis approach. Recommendations for deciding on an approach are provided.
Connecting cortical and behavioral dynamics: bimanual coordination

For the paradigmatic case of bimanual coordination, we review levels of organization of behavioral dynamics and present a description in terms of modes of behavior. We briefly review a recently developed model of spatiotemporal brain activity that is based on short- and long-range connectivity of neural ensembles. This model is specified for the case of motor and sensorimotor units embedded in the neural sheet. Focusing on the cortical left-right symmetry, we derive a bimodal description of the brain activity that is connected to behavioral dynamics. We make predictions of global features of brain dynamics during coordination tasks and test these against experimental magnetoencephalogram (MEG) results. A key feature of our approach is that phenomenological laws at the behavioral level can be connected to a field-theoretical description of cortical dynamics.
Strategy Improvement for Concurrent Reachability Games

A concurrent reachability game is a two-player game played on a graph: at each state, the players simultaneously and independently select moves; the two moves determine jointly a probability distribution over the successor states. The objective for player 1 consists in reaching a set of target states; the objective for player 2 is to prevent this, so that the game is zero-sum. Our contributions are two-fold. First, we present a simple proof of the fact that in concurrent reachability games, for all epsi > 0 memoryless epsi-optimal strategies exist. A memoryless strategy is independent of the history of plays, and an epsi-optimal strategy achieves the objective with probability within epsi of the value of the game. In contrast to previous proofs of this fact, which rely on the limit behavior of discounted games using advanced Puisieux series analysis, our proof is elementary and combinatorial. Second, we present a strategy-improvement (a.k.a. policy-iteration) algorithm for concurrent games with reachability objectives
Influences of related retroviruses on lymphocyte functions.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) is known to be profoundly immunosuppressive [Spickett and Dalgleish (1988) Clin. Exp. Immunol. 71, 1]. In this communication, we have studied the influences of HIV-1 (BH10), HIV-2 (LAV-2) and STLV-3 on B and T cells from healthy volunteers. B lymphocytes were found to differentiate into immunoglobulin secreting cells in response to stimulation by proteins of HIV-1 and LAV-2, but not by STLV-3. This response was obtained at protein concentrations of 0.05-0.005 μg/ml and was T cell dependent. IgM secretion was induced only by HIV-1 in the EBV-transformed B cell line SKW 6.4. At higher concentrations all three retroviral preparations had inhibitory influences on functions of B as well as T lymphocytes. B cell differentiation was maximally inhibited by HIV-1 and LAV-2 when these proteins were added concurrently to cultures with the polyclonal B cell activators pokeweed mitogen or Epstein-Barr virus. Tetanus antigen-specific T cell lymphoproliferation was inhibited by all retroviral proteins. These findings suggest that related retroviruses differ in their capacity to influence normal immune responses.
Prevalence of Obesity Among Children and/or Grandchildren of Adult Bariatric Surgery Patients

Clinical experience suggests that some adults who undergo bariatric surgery have children who are obese. Childhood obesity is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in later life. This study examined the prevalence of obesity among children and grandchildren (≤12 years of age) of adult bariatric surgery patients. Patients in a prospective database of morbidly obese patients who underwent bariatric surgery between January 2004 and May 2007 were recruited by phone and in clinic. Patient demographics, body mass index (BMI) at surgery, and survey data were collected. The survey included questions regarding their child/grandchild's body habitus, weight, and height. Child obesity was defined as BMI percentile ≥95. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. One hundred twenty-two patients were enrolled in this study (77% women, mean BMI 49 kg/m2). One hundred thirty-four out of 233 children/grandchildren identified had complete data; 41% had a BMI percentile ≥95. Only 29% of these obese children were so identified by the adult respondents. Significantly more biological children/grandchildren were obese than nonbiological (p = 0.013), and significantly more biological children were obese than biological grandchildren (p = 0.027). This sample of bariatric surgery patients had a high proportion of obese preteen children/grandchildren. Obesity was most prevalent among biological children (vs. biological grandchildren and nonbiological children). Patients often did not recognize the degree of overweight in their children/grandchildren. Because families of bariatric surgery patients often include obese children, interventions aimed at all family members merit consideration.
Systematic and nonrandom sampling in the presence of polynomial trends

In the case of finite populations with low-order polynomial trends present, the use of the least squares regression estimator of the mean is discussed. A sampling scheme, which optimizes the efficiency of the regression estimator over a particular class of schemes, is presented.
A Cold-Atom Superradiant Laser with <1 Intracavity Photon

We demonstrate a laser that operates with <1 intracavity photon, such that the laser-cooled gain medium act as the primary flywheel for the oscillator’s phase. Prospects for ultranarrow and novel passive/active oscillators are also considered.
Anabolic effects of basic fibroblast growth factor in the tibial diaphysis of ovariectomized rats.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on cortical bone in ovariectomized (ovx) rats. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to sham surgery or ovariectomy at 3 months of age and maintained untreated for 2 months after surgery. Polyurethane catheters were then inserted in the jugular veins of all rats for daily intravenous treatments with vehicle or bFGF at doses of 100 or 200 μg/kg for 7 or 14 days. Other groups of ovx rats were killed at 7 or 14 days after withdrawal of treatment with the higher dose of bFGF. Quantitative bone histomorphometry was performed in undecalcified cross sections of the tibial diaphysis. Cortical bone area was nearly the same in vehicle-treated control and ovx rats, but a small, statistically significant increase in this structural variable was observed in ovx rats treated with both doses of bFGF. This small increase in cortical bone area was maintained at 7 days after withdrawal of bFGF treatment. Fluorochrome-based analyses of periosteal and endocortical bone formation were inconclusive due to an inhibitory effect of bFGF on bone mineralization. However, a marked increase in fluorescent bone area was observed within the marrow cavity of bFGF-treated OVX rats during the withdrawal period. The results indicate that treatment of OVX rats with bFGF for only 7 to 14 days augments cortical bone mass and induces formation of bone spicules within the marrow cavity of the tibial diaphysis. These bone anabolic effects of the growth factor support its consideration as a potential osteoporosis therapy.
Ammonite habitat revealed via isotopic composition and comparisons with co-occurring benthic and planktonic organisms

Ammonites are among the best-known fossils of the Phanerozoic, yet their habitat is poorly understood. Three common ammonite families (Baculitidae, Scaphitidae, and Sphenodiscidae) co-occur with well-preserved planktonic and benthic organisms at the type locality of the upper Maastrichtian Owl Creek Formation, offering an excellent opportunity to constrain their depth habitats through isotopic comparisons among taxa. Based on sedimentary evidence and the micro- and macrofauna at this site, we infer that the 9-m-thick sequence was deposited at a paleodepth of 70–150 m. Taxa present throughout the sequence include a diverse assemblage of ammonites, bivalves, and gastropods, abundant benthic foraminifera, and rare planktonic foraminifera. No stratigraphic trends are observed in the isotopic data of any taxon, and thus all of the data from each taxon are considered as replicates. Oxygen isotope-based temperature estimates from the baculites and scaphites overlap with those of the benthos and are distinct from those of the plankton. In contrast, sphenodiscid temperature estimates span a range that includes estimates of the planktonic foraminifera and of the warmer half of the benthic values. These results suggest baculites and scaphites lived close to the seafloor, whereas sphenodiscids sometimes inhabited the upper water column and/or lived closer to shore. In fact, the rarity and poorer preservation of the sphenodiscids relative to the baculites and scaphites suggests that the sphenodiscid shells may have only reached the Owl Creek locality by drifting seaward after death.
Volume-activated trimethylamine oxide efflux in red blood cells of spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias)

The aims of this study were to determine the pathway of swelling-activated trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) efflux and its regulation in spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) red blood cells and compare the...
Understanding the Relationship Between Incentive Design and Participation in U.S. Workplace Wellness Programs

Abstract Purpose. We aimed to understand how employer characteristics relate to the use of incentives to promote participation in wellness programs and to explore the relationship between incentive type and participation rates. Design. A cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative survey data combined with an administrative business database was employed. Settings/Subjects. Random sampling of U.S. companies within strata based on industry and number of employees was used to determine a final sample of 3000 companies. Of these, 19% returned completed surveys. Measures. The survey asked about employee participation rate, incentive type, and gender composition of employees. Incentive types included any incentives, high-value rewards, and rewards plus penalties. Analysis. Logistic regressions of incentive type on employer characteristics were used to determine what types of employers are more likely to offer which type of incentives. A generalized linear model of participation rate was used to deter...
Formation, Migration, and Reactivity of Au CO Complexes on Gold Surfaces

We report experimental as well as theoretical evidence that suggests Au–CO complex formation upon the exposure of CO to active sites (step edges and threading dislocations) on a Au(111) surface. Room-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission infrared spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations point to Au–CO complex formation and migration. Room-temperature STM of the Au(111) surface at CO pressures in the range from 10–8 to 10–4 Torr (dosage up to 106 langmuir) indicates Au atom extraction from dislocation sites of the herringbone reconstruction, mobile Au–CO complex formation and diffusion, and Au adatom cluster formation on both elbows and step edges on the Au surface. The formation and mobility of the Au–CO complex result from the reduced Au–Au bonding at elbows and step edges leading to stronger Au–CO bonding and to the formation of a more positively charged CO (COδ+) on Au. Our studies indicate that the mobile Au–CO complex is involv...
Evaluation of emergency pediatric tracheal intubation by pediatric anesthesiologists on inpatient units and the emergency department.

Summary Background and Objectives There are limited data on pediatric emergency tracheal intubation on inpatient units and in the emergency department by anesthesiologists. This retrospective cohort study was designed to describe the frequency of difficult intubation and adverse events associated with emergency tracheal intubation performed by pediatric anesthesiologists in a large children's hospital. Methods All emergency tracheal intubation on inpatient units and the emergency department performed by pediatric anesthesiologists over a 7-year period in children <18 years were identified by querying our perioperative clinical information system. Medical records were comprehensively reviewed to describe the emergency intubation process and outcomes. Results One hundred and thirty-two intubations from 120 children (median age 3.3 years) were eligible. The majority of emergency tracheal intubations were successful with 1–2 laryngoscopy attempts, while 14 (10.6%) were difficult. Despite grade 3 view in 3/14 cases, the airway was secured after multiple direct laryngoscopy attempts. Eleven required use of an alternative airway device to secure the airway. A preexisting airway abnormality or craniofacial abnormality was present in 57% of cases with difficult intubation including half with micrognathia or retrognathia. Major intubation-related adverse events such as aspiration, occurred in 5 (3.8%) emergency tracheal intubations. Mild-to-moderate intubation-related adverse events occurred in 23 (17.4%) emergency tracheal intubations including mainstem bronchus intubation (13.6%). Conclusion A significant rate of difficult intubation and mild-to-moderate intubation-related adverse events were found in emergency tracheal intubations on inpatient units and the emergency department in children performed by a pediatric anesthesiology emergency airway team. Difficult intubation was observed frequently in children with preexisting airway and craniofacial abnormalities and often required the use of an alternative airway device to successfully secure the airway.
Report on National Survey of Student Recreation in Colleges and Universities

(1940). Report on National Survey of Student Recreation in Colleges and Universities. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 38-54.
HEI-OC1 cells as a model for investigating drug cytotoxicity.

The House Ear Institute-Organ of Corti 1 (HEI-OC1) is one of the few, and arguable the most used, mouse auditory cell line available for research purposes. Originally proposed as an in vitro system for screening of ototoxic drugs, it has been used to investigate, among other topics, apoptotic pathways, autophagy and senescence, mechanism of cell protection, inflammatory responses, cell differentiation, effects of hypoxia, oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress, and expression of molecular channels and receptors. However, the use of different techniques with different goals resulted in apparent contradictions on the actual response of these cells to some specific treatments. We have now performed studies to characterize the actual response of HEI-OC1 cells to a battery of commonly used pharmacological drugs. We evaluated cell toxicity, apoptosis, viability, proliferation, senescence and autophagy in response to APAP (acetaminophen), cisplatin, dexamethasone, gentamicin, penicillin, neomycin, streptomycin, and tobramycin, at five different doses and two time-points (24 and 48 h), by flow cytometry techniques and caspase 3/7, MTT, Cytotoxicity, BrdU, Beclin1, LC3 and SA-β-galactosidase assays. We also used HEK-293 and HeLa cells to compare some of the responses of these cells to those of HEI-OC1. Our results indicate that every cell line responds to the each drug in a different way, with HEI-OC1 cells showing a distinctive sensitivity to at least one of the mechanisms under study. Altogether, our results suggest that the HEI-OC1 might be a useful model to investigate biological responses associated with auditory cells, including auditory sensory cells, but a careful approach would be necessary at the time of evaluating drug effects.
Guillain-Barré syndrome: giving the patient control.

The patient with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) presents a complex clinical picture. Depending on the degree of paralysis, problems with communication can be significant. The patient's inability to express fears, needs and frustrations coupled with the lengthy recovery process makes GBS one of the most difficult diseases for nurses to manage. Nursing interventions, based on Orem's self-care theory, can ease the frustration and feelings of powerlessness a patient with GBS experiences.
Disposable patient-mounted geared robot for image-guided needle insertion

Patient-mounted robotic needle guidance is an emerging method of needle insertion in percutaneous ablation therapies. During needle insertion, patient-mounted robots can account for patient body movement, unlike gantry or floor mounted devices, and still increase the accuracy and precision of needle placement. Patient-mounted robots, however, require repeated sterilisation, which is often a difficult process with complex devices; overcoming this challenge is therefore key to the success of a patient mounted robot. To eliminate the need for repeated sterilization, we have developed a disposable patient-mounted robot with two rings as a kinematic structure: an angled upper ring both rotates and revolves about the lower ring. Using this structure, the robot has a clinically suitable range of needle insertion angles with a remote center of motion. To achieve disposability, our structure applies a disposable gear transmission component which detachably interfaces with non-disposable driving motors. With a manually driven prototype of the gear trains, we assessed whether the kinematic structure of the two rings can be operated only by using input pinions locating at outside of the kinematic structure. Our tests confirmed that the input pinions were able to rotate both upper and lower rings independently. We also determined a linear relationship of rotation transmission with the gear trains and determined that the rotation transmission between the pinions and the two rings were within 3 % of error from the designed value. Our robot introduces a novel approach to patient-mounted robots, and has potential to enable sterile and accurate needle guidance in percutaneous ablation therapies.
Solar Energy Storage Methods

Solar energy can provide an abundant source of renewable energy (electrical and thermal). However, because of its unsteady nature, the storage of solar energy will become critical when a significan...
Comparative Advantages of Small- and Large-Dose Metrizamide Myelography

A series of myelographies performed with a smaller than customary dose (3.75 g) of metrizamide was compared with a series using the larger customary dose. While little decrease in the incidence of headache and vomiting resulted from the decreased dose, there was a heartening drop in the incidence of psychoneurologic side effects. Little difference in diagnostic quality between the two series resulted when the contrast agent was injected close to the site of main interest, but total spinal canal myelography performed with the low dose is often inadequate.
Calcium channel blockers for heart rate control in atrial fibrillation complicated by congestive heart failure.

Objectives To review the safety and efficacy of verapamil and diltiazem with respect to ventricular response in atrial fibrillation (AF) in the setting of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction. Data sources Pertinent articles were identified through a MEDLINE search of the English language literature from 1984 to 1993, followed by a manual search of the bibliographies of pertinent articles. Study selection Studies selected were case reports, controlled trials, review articles and editorials. Data extraction Effects of verapamil and diltiazem on hemodynamics, ventricular response in AF, clinical parameters and mortality were reviewed. Data synthesis There are limited data about the effects of verapamil and diltiazem on ventricular function in patients with congestive heart failure. In vitro diltiazem has fewer negative inotropic effects than verapamil. Clinically there are some reports of hemodynamic and clinical deterioration in patients with significant LV dysfunction given verapamil although most patients improve with verapamil. There are more data concerning diltiazem in the setting of AF complicated by congestive heart failure. The drug does not appear to exacerbate heart failure, although hypotension can result. In chronic AF complicated by heart failure, there is concern that diltiazem may increase mortality. Options for therapy are digoxin, beta-blockers and atrioventricular node ablation. Conclusions Calcium channel blockers may have a role in the acute reduction of ventricular response in patients with AF complicated by congestive heart failure; however, their safety in chronic heart rate control remains to be proven.
Response of rat heart and skeletal muscle protein in vivo to insulin and amino acid infusion.

Whether insulin, at physiological concentrations, stimulates net muscle protein synthesis in vivo remains unresolved. To examine this, we infused either saline, insulin (2.8 mU.kg-1.min-1, euglycem...
Distinguishing between Abstract Art by Artists vs. Children and Animals: Comparison between Human and Machine Perception

Abstract expressionism is a school of art characterized by nonrepresentational paintings where color, composition, and brush strokes are used to express emotion. These works are often misunderstood by the public who see them as requiring no skill and as images that even a child could have created. However, a recent series of studies has shown that ordinary adults untrained in art or art history, as well as young children, can differentiate paintings by abstract expressionists and superficially similar works by preschool children and even animals (monkeys, apes, elephants). Adults perform this distinction with an accuracy rate of ∼64p, significantly higher than chance. Here we ask whether machine perception can do as well. Using the same paintings, we show that in ∼68p of the cases the computer algorithm can discriminate between abstract paintings and the work of children and animals. We also applied a method that computes the correlation between the degree of artisticity deduced from human perception of the paintings and the visual content of the images, and we show significant correlation between perceived artisticity and visual content. The image content descriptor that was the strongest predictor of correct identification was the fractality of the painting. We also show that the computer algorithm predicts the perceived intentionality of the paintings by humans. These results confirm perceptible differences between works by abstract expressionists and superficially similar ones by the untrained and show that people see more than they think they see when looking at abstract expressionism.