cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quality of Care Among Medicare Patients Undergoing Pancreatic Surgery: Safety Grade, Magnet Recognition, and Leapfrog Minimum Volume Standards-Which Quality Benchmark Matters?

The association of national quality benchmarking metrics with postoperative outcomes following complex surgery remains unknown. We assessed the relationship between the “quality trifactor” of Leapfrog minimum volume standards, Hospital Safety Grade A, and Magnet Recognition with outcomes of Medicare patients undergoing pancreatectomy. The Standard Analytic Files (SAF) merged with Leapfrog Hospital Survey and Leapfrog Safety Scores Denominator Files were reviewed to identify Medicare patients who underwent pancreatic procedures between 2013 and 2015. Primary outcomes were overall and serious complications, as well as 30- and 90-day mortality. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate possible associations among hospitals meeting the quality trifactor and short-term outcomes. Among 4853 Medicare patients, 909 (18.7%) underwent pancreatectomy at hospitals meeting the quality trifactor. Among 260 hospitals, 7.3% (n = 19) met the quality trifactor. Safety Grade A (48.8%, n = 127) was the most commonly met criterion followed by Magnet Recognition (36.2%, n = 94); the Leapfrog minimum volume standards were achieved by 25% (n = 65) of hospitals. Patients undergoing surgery at hospitals that were only Safety Grade A and Magnet designated, but did not meet Leapfrog criteria, had higher odds of serious complications (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.00–2.51). In contrast, patients undergoing treatment at hospitals having all three designations (i.e., the quality trifactor) had 40% and 39% lower odds of both serious complications (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.37–0.97) and 90-day mortality (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.42–0.89), respectively. In turn, patients undergoing pancreatectomy at quality trifactor hospitals had higher odds of experiencing the composite quality measure textbook outcome (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.03–1.59) versus patients undergoing pancreatectomy at non-trifactor hospitals. While Safety Grade A and Magnet designation alone were not associated with higher odds of an optimal composite outcome following pancreatectomy, compliance with Leapfrog criteria to achieve the “quality trifactor” metric was associated with lower odds of serious complications and mortality.
Molecular, physiological and behavioral characterization of the heterozygous Df[h15q13]/+ mouse model associated with the human 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome

The human 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome (DS) is caused by a heterozygous microdeletion (MD) affecting six genes: FAN1; MTMR10; TRPM1; KLF13; OTUD7A; and CHRNA7. Carriers are at risk for intellectual disability, epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia. Here we used the Df[h15q13]/+ mouse model with an orthologous deletion to further characterize molecular, neurophysiological, and behavioral parameters that are relevant to the 15q13.3 DS. First, we verified the expression and distribution of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), a gene product of the CHRNA7, in cortical and subcortical areas. Results revealed similar mRNA distribution pattern in wildtype (WT) and heterozygous (Het) mice, with about half the number of α7 nAChR binding sites in mutants. Hippocampal recordings showed similar input/output responses of field excitatory post-synaptic potentials and theta-burst induced long-term potentiation in WT and Het mice. Het males exhibited impaired spatial learning acquisition in the Barnes Maze. Indicative of increased seizure susceptibility, Het mice developed secondary seizures after 6-Hz corneal stimulation, and had significantly increased sensitivity to the chemoconvulsant pentylenetetrazol resulting in increased spiking in hippocampal EEG recordings. Basal mRNA expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor and activity regulated immediate early genes (c-fos, Arc, Erg-1 and Npas4) during adolescence, a critical period of brain maturation, was unaffected by genotype. Thus, the MD did not show gross neuroanatomical, molecular, and neurophysiological abnormalities despite deficits in spatial learning and increased susceptibility to seizures. Altogether, our results verify the phenotypic profile of the heterozygous Df[h15q13]/+ mouse model and underscore its translational relevance for human 15q13.3 DS.
Data-Driven Ambiguity Sets for Linear Systems Under Disturbances and Noisy Observations

This paper studies the characterization of Wasserstein ambiguity sets for dynamic random variables when noisy partial observations are progressively collected from their evolving distribution. The ambiguity sets are accompanied by quantitative guarantees about the true distribution of the data, which renders them appropriate for the formulation of robust stochastic optimization problems. To describe the evolution of the variable, we consider a linear discrete-time dynamic model with random initial conditions, stochastic uncertainty in the dynamics, and partial noisy measurements. The probability distribution of all the involved random elements is supposed to be unknown. To make inferences about the distribution of the state vector, we collect several output samples from multiple realizations of the process. We use a classical Luenberger observer to obtain full-state estimators for the independent realizations and exploit these further to build the centers of the ambiguity sets.
The Banach-Tarski Paradox: Measures in Groups

In Part I we saw that the main idea in the construction of a paradoxical decomposition of a set was to first get such a decomposition in a group acting on the set, and then transfer it to the set. An almost identical theme pervades the construction of invariant measures on a set X acted upon by a group G . If there is a finitely additive, left-invariant measure defined on all subsets of G , then it can be used to produce a finitely additive, G -invariant measure defined on all subsets of X . Such measures on X yield that X (and certain subsets of X ) are not G -paradoxical. It was von Neumann [246] who realized that such a transference of measures was possible, and he began the job of classifying the groups that bear measures of this sort. In this chapter we first study some properties of the class of groups having measures and show that it is fairly extensive, containing all solvable groups. We then give the important application to the case of isometries acting on the line or plane, obtaining the nonexistence of Banach-Tarski-type paradoxes in these two dimensions. Definition 10.1. If, for a group G, µ is a finitely additive measure on P(G) such that µ(G) = 1 and µ is left-invariant (µ(gA) = µ(A) for g ∈ G, A ⊆ G), then µ will be called simply a measure on G .
A comorbid mental disorder paradox: Using causal diagrams to understand associations between posttraumatic stress disorder and suicide.

Objective Although some studies document that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases suicide risk, other studies have produced the paradoxical finding that PTSD decreases suicide risk. We sought to understand methodologic biases that may explain these paradoxical findings through the use of directed acyclic graphs (DAGs). Method DAGs are causal diagrams that visually encode a researcher's assumptions about data generating mechanisms and assumed causal relations among variables. DAGs can connect theories to data and guide statistical choices made in study design and analysis. In this article, we describe DAGs and explain how they can be used to identify biases that may arise from inappropriate analytic decisions and data limitations. Results We define a particular form of bias, collider bias, that is a likely explanation for why studies have found a supposedly protective association of PTSD with suicide. This protective association is interpreted by some researchers as evidence that PTSD reduces the risk of suicide. Collider bias may occur through inappropriate adjustment for a psychiatric comorbidity, such as adjustment for variables that are affected by PTSD and share common causes with suicide. Conclusions We recommend that researchers collect longitudinal measurements of psychiatric comorbidities, which would help establish the temporal ordering of variables and avoid the biases discussed in this article. Furthermore, researchers could use DAGs to explore how results may be impacted by design and analytic decisions prior to execution. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Record of Daily Knowledge and Collected Poems and Essays

Gu Yanwu pioneered the late-Ming and early Qing-era practice of Han Learning, or Evidential Learning, favoring practical over theoretical approaches to knowledge. He strongly encouraged scholars to...
Achievable error exponents for the two-way parallel DMC

We investigate error exponent regions for the parallel two-way DMC in which each terminal sends its own message and provides feedback to the other terminal. Various error exponents are presented in different rate-region regimes based on the relative rates and zero-error capacities of both directions. The schemes employed are extensions of error exponents for one-way DMCs with noiseless, rate-limited and noisy feedback1.
Utility of Viscoelastic Tests to Predict Flap Thrombosis: A Systematic Review.

Background Flap thrombosis is a rare but devastating complication in microsurgery. Preoperative identification of patients at increased risk for microvascular thrombosis remains challenging. Viscoelastic testing (VET) provides a comprehensive evaluation of the clotting process and can effectively identify hypercoagulability. However, the utility of VET in microvascular reconstruction remains unclear. Methods A systematic review of the association between VET and pedicle thrombosis and free flap loss was performed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines. Identified studies were reviewed independently by two authors for pertinent data. Results Six studies met inclusion criteria. Heterogenous study design and outcome reporting complicated direct comparisons and precluded a formal meta-analysis. Four studies found a statistically significant relationship between VET results and flap thrombosis or flap loss. The maximum clot strength and the fibrinogen-to-platelet ratio (FPR) were key viscoelastic parameters in these studies, both representing a measure of maximal clot strength. Specifically, an elevated FPR (>42%) generated a sensitivity and specificity for flap loss ranging from 57% to 75% and 60% to 82%, respectively. Notably, the negative predictive value for flap failure with a normal preoperative FPR was greater than 90% in all studies reporting a correlation. The remaining two studies reported no predictive value for VET with respect to flap failure or pedicle thrombosis. Conclusion The results of this review suggest that VET, particularly parameters relating to clot strength, may help clinicians identify patients at risk for flap thrombosis. However, uncontrolled and heterogenous reporting limit definitive conclusions, and high-quality diagnostic studies are needed to better determine the clinical utility of viscoelastic testing for free flap patients.
Scan path during change-detection visual search.

Abstract When observing a particular image or object, one's perception depends upon prior expectations, memory, and cognitive abilities. It is hypothesized that cognitive processing in the form of top-down or bottom-up processing could be determined via analysis of the eye fixation scan path. To assess the variations in scan paths, 7 subjects underwent 5 change-detection trials. During each trial, they were presented with a specific set of images via a MATLAB program, in which the original image alternated with a modified image consisting of a single change. An open-source program called GazeRecorder was used to track the subject's eye movements and to record the eye fixations. The scan path was then analyzed through the use of a 4 by 4 grid pattern superimposed on the image to determine the subject's eye fixation distribution pattern in terms of Boxes Viewed and Concentration within a single area. It was determined that higher Concentration was positively correlated with faster Detection Speed (R = 0.84), while higher number of Boxes Viewed was negatively correlated with Detection Speed (R = −0.71). Among the subjects, the more optimal scan paths were found in those with a balance between Concentration and Boxes Viewed, as subjects with a more balanced approach had the greatest Accuracy (p = 0.02). This indicates an optimal scan path involves both top-down and bottom-up processing to more efficiently identify a change. Moreover, the methodology developed in this study could be used in the home or clinic for quantitative assessment of improvement following therapy in patients with neurological deficits.
An Empirical Analysis of Student Perceptions of WebSite Components for Class Web-Sites

Technology has improved to the point where web-sites for every course taught by an instructor are possible. This has produced many instructional benefits; however, it has also created a new set of problems. The problem addressed by this paper is the question of which web-site components to include in the class web-site. This is important because different web components support different student learning styles. Because it is not feasible to include all known webcomponents, the instructor must select those components that are most useful and support the broadest group of students. To address this question, a survey instrument was developed and administered to 220 undergraduate business students. This questionnaire asked students for their perceptions of the usefulness of thirty-seven web components in four component categories. The results of this survey were analyzed and discussed. Several useful findings for the instructor were presented.
Chapter 12 Isolation of Extracellular Matrix Structures from Xenopus laevis Oocytes, Eggs, and Embryos

Publisher Summary The extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding amphibian eggs is composed of jelly coat layers, the egg envelope, and the fibrous elements of the perivitelline space. The oviposited egg envelope provides an initially penetrable structure to the sperm which is subsequently modified by products released in the cortical reaction to a sperm-impenetrable structure in the block to polyspermy reaction. At fertilization the egg envelope is chemically modified and its macromolecular permeability properties changed. This permeability change (hardening) results in an osmotically driven envelope elevation, owing to the influx of water into the perivitelline space. The jelly after fertilization functions as a “sticky substrate” for the adherence of the zygote to objects in its surroundings, protects the zygote against physical damage, and also provides a microbiological barrier (bacteria are rarely found within the jelly coat layers). Thus, after fertilization the ECM protects the developing embryo and functions as a barrier for the chemical and biological regulation of the embryo environment. This protective function of the ECM persists until the embryo develops into a free swimming tadpole and hatches from the ECM. Thus, the chapter briefly discusses isolation of ECM structures from Xenopus laevis oocytes, eggs, and embryos.
Chemical growth in man.

From midfetal life to the period of young adulthood, chemical growth, as regards Na, K and H2O, proceeds in a manner which conforms to the differential growth equation, y = bxk. Equations of this general form have been derived for each of the chemical constituents in question, from which mean total body content can be calculated for any normal subject of given body weight. Retentions of Na, K and H2O resulting from normal growth can be anticipated by means of these equations.
Security Analysis of an IP Phone: Cisco 7960G

IP phones are an essential component of any VoIP infrastructure. The hardware constraints and newness of these devices, as compared to mature desktop or server systems, lead to software development focused primarily on features and functionality rather than security and dependability. While several automated tools exist to test the security of IP phones, these tools have limitations and can not provide a strong guarantee that a particular IP phone is secure. Our work evaluates the attack resilience of a widely deployed IP phone, the Cisco 7960G, employing techniques such as: vulnerability scans, fuzz tests, and static binary analysis. While the first two techniques found no vulnerabilities, the static analysis of the firmware image revealed critical vulnerabilities and fundamental software design flaws. We conclude that security designs proven useful in desktop and server software architectures should similarly appear as part of the software design for devices such as IP phones.
Radio Recombination Lines from Stellar Envelopes: Planetary Nebulae

We think we understand that planetary nebulae are formed from the mass ejected by red giant stars when the central remnant star becomes hot enough to ionize the expanding circumstellar material. In recent years we have been trying to understand the evolutionary details and the various physical processes which take place during the formation of planetary nebulae. This has been an area of research rich in the interplay of observation and theory, and although we have made significant progress, we do not yet have a satisfactory detailed understanding of the entire evolutionary progression of the formation of planetary nebulae (see for example the most recent IAU Symposium Proceedings; Planetary Nebulae, 1989, ed. S. Torres-Peimbert).
Relationship between gain and noise figure of an optical analog link

Experimental confirmation is presented of the relationship between link gain and noise figure by varying the optical attenuation in an external modulation link. When we minimized the optical loss we achieved an amplifierless link gain of 31 dB and noise figure of 4.2 dB at 150 MHz.
Diabetes mellitus and pregnancy

Abstract Metabolism studies on three patients who suffered from diabetes during repeated and consecutive pregnancies, as well as on a mild diabetic patient in a single pregnancy, were conducted at regular intervals during the state of gravidity, as well as during the puerperium and later. In order to evaluate the severity of the diabetic complication, a complete diabetic chart, as used in this hospital and as shown in Table I, was carefully kept in each case. The main items of these charts, viz., the urine sugar, the blood sugar and the fatty acid to glucose ration (F.A./G.) are summarized for each patient in the several charts, which also contain the information as to the presence or absence of acetone and diacetic acid in the urine, and as to the patient's diet and treatment. The amount of sugar in the urine, the presence or absence of acetone and diacetic acid, the blood-sugar level and the F.A./G. ratio give us a fairly good index of the diabetic condition. Reference has been made to some of the important clinical and experimental findings reported by other workers.
Topical Referents for Individuals and Possibilities

In a classic paper Partee (1973) noted detailed referential and anaphoric parallels between tenses and pronouns in English. Since then these parallels have been successfully analyzed in terms of domain-neutral principles of discourse reference and anaphora — most fully developed in Kamp & Reyle (1993) — which apply uniformly to referents of various logical types. These include ordinary individuals (the kings and cabbages sort) as well as times, events and states. The referential parallel has long been known to extend even further, to the modal domain — a discovery due to Kaplan (1978). More recently, the anaphoric parallel has likewise been extended. At the intuitive level, there is now consensus that individuals and possibilities are on a par for the purposes of reference and anaphora. But it remains an open question whether the formal analogue of an individual in the modal domain — in intuitive terms, a possibility — is a possible world (as in Kaplan 1978, Schlenker 1999), a class of possible worlds (Stone 1997) or a dynamic update (e.g., Frank & Kamp 1997). Orthogonal to this issue, it has also been observed that in all semantic domains some referents are more central than others, in the sense of the centering theory of Grosz et al (1995). For example, Stone & Hardt (1997) show that ‘sloppy’ ellipsis in English generalizes across all semantic domains, and that it can be uniformly analyzed as strict discourse anaphora to center-sensitive referents, with the illusion of sloppiness due to center shift. In this paper I first present crosslinguistic evidence that the parallels between individuals and possibilities are indeed pervasive. Moreover, the centering parallels are even more detailed than has so far been recognized. These parallels favor the view that a possibility — the modal analogue of an individual — is best analyzed as a class of possible worlds, as in Stone (1997). Adopting this view, I then develop a semantic representation language, which I call Logic of Change with Centered Worlds, in which the observed cross-domain parallels can be formally explicated. This logic combines theoretical insights drawn from three sources: the Logic of Change of Muskens (1995), the extension to modal anaphora due to Stone (1997), and the related Logic of Change with Centering presented in Bittner (2001).
Operating Characteristics of the neurobehavioral cognitive Status Exam Using Neuropsychological Assessment as the Criterion

This study examined the performance characteristics of the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Exam (NCSE) using comprehensive neuropsychological assessment as the criterion. Sensitivity and specificity were assessed for the NCSE as a whole and for the individual subtests as measures of discrete cognitive abilities. The sample consisted of 50 consecutive outpatient referrals to the neuropsychological assessment service of a general medical hospital. Most of the patients in the sample had mild or moderate cognitive dysfunction.The sensitivity and specificity of the NCSE as a whole were .74 and .86, respectively. The sensitivity of the individual NCSE subtests was lower, ranging from .20 to .48. Specificity of subtests was high (.64 to .97). The results suggest that the operating characteristics of the NCSE depend significantly on the severity and nature of the sample assessed and the criterion used. They also indicate the need for caution in using NCSE subtest performance as a basis for concluding that specif...
Activation of muscle fibers in individual motor units revealed by 2- deoxyglucose-6-phosphate

Motor units of the cat tibialis posterior muscle were selectively activated by prolonged electrical stimulation of functionally isolated motor axons in situ. During the activation, the glucose analog 2- deoxyglucose (DG) was administered systemically. Single muscle fibers were subsequently examined for accumulation of the metabolite 2- deoxyglucose-6-phosphate (DG6P) by an analytical assay and for depletion of glycogen by a PAS glycogen-specific staining reaction (periodic acid Schiff; PAS). In general, levels of DG6P were 20 times greater in unstained (PAS-negative) fibers compared with stained (PAS- positive) fibers. However, some glycogen-depleted fibers, particularly in putative ischemic fascicles of the muscle, did not have elevated DG6P, suggesting that depletion of glycogen is not always a reliable indicator of fiber activation. Furthermore, the PAS-staining reaction was not necessarily indicative of quantitative glycogen levels in single fibers. Thus, this report shows that DG6P accumulation enhances the identification of motor-unit fibers selectively activated via their common motor-nerve axon. Evidence is also presented for differential glucose uptake in muscle fibers of different phenotype, thereby indicating that the DG6P measurement in muscle has broad applicability to the investigation of cellular glucose utilization.
Development of new anatomy reconstruction software to localize cardiac isochrones to the cardiac surface from the 12 lead ECG

Non-invasive electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) of the cardiac muscle can help the pre-procedure planning of the ablation of ventricular arrhythmias by reducing the time to localize the origin. Our non-invasive ECGI system, the cardiac isochrone positioning system (CIPS), requires non-intersecting meshes of the heart, lungs and torso. However, software to reconstruct the meshes of the heart, lungs and torso with the capability to check and prevent these intersections is currently lacking. Consequently the reconstruction of a patient specific model with realistic atrial and ventricular wall thickness and incorporating blood cavities, lungs and torso usually requires additional several days of manual work. Therefore new software was developed that checks and prevents any intersections, and thus enables the use of accurate reconstructed anatomical models within CIPS. In this preliminary study we investigated the accuracy of the created patient specific anatomical models from MRI or CT. During the manual segmentation of the MRI data the boundaries of the relevant tissues are determined. The resulting contour lines are used to automatically morph reference meshes of the heart, lungs or torso to match the boundaries of the morphed tissue. Five patients were included in the study; models of the heart, lungs and torso were reconstructed from standard cardiac MRI images. The accuracy was determined by computing the distance between the segmentation contours and the morphed meshes. The average accuracy of the reconstructed cardiac geometry was within 2mm with respect to the manual segmentation contours on the MRI images. Derived wall volumes and left ventricular wall thickness were within the range reported in literature. For each reconstructed heart model the anatomical heart axis was computed using the automatically determined anatomical landmarks of the left apex and the mitral valve. The accuracy of the reconstructed heart models was well within the accuracy of the used medical image data (pixel size <1.5mm). For the lungs and torso the number of triangles in the mesh was reduced, thus decreasing the accuracy of the reconstructed mesh. A novel software tool has been introduced, which is able to reconstruct accurate cardiac anatomical models from MRI or CT within only a few hours. This new anatomical reconstruction tool might reduce the modeling errors within the cardiac isochrone positioning system and thus enable the clinical application of CIPS to localize the PVC/VT focus to the ventricular myocardium from only the standard 12 lead ECG.
Analytic continuation considerations when using generalized formulations for scattering problems

A generalized operator equation has been developed for a simple scattering problem for which a closed-form solution exists. The operator equation has been solved numerically via the method of moments using spatially impulsive fictitious sources as expansion functions together with a simple point-matching testing procedure. The study focused on the convergence and accuracy of the solution and examined how they are dependent on the location and distance of the fictitious sources relative to the area containing the singularities of the actual field simulated by these sources. As expected, it was found that when the actual field simulated by the fictitious impulsive sources has singularities lying between the physical boundary and the closed surface over which the sources are placed, the impulsive expansion does not yield a uniformly convergent solution. In this case, instabilities are encountered as the number of sources increases, in the sense that a small improvement of the boundary error requires a considerable change in the currents. The moment matrix is then difficult to invert and easily susceptible to large round-off errors. Conversely, if the actual field has no singularities lying between the physical boundary and the closed surface over which the sources are placed, the impulsive expansion does yield a uniformly convergent solution to any degree of precision. >
Supergravity pp-wave solutions with 28 and 24 supercharges

We conduct an exhaustive search for solutions of IIA and IIB supergravity with augmented supersymmetry. We find a two-parameter family of IIB solutions preserving 28 supercharges, as well as several other IIA and IIB families of solutions with 24 supercharges. Given the simplicity of the pp-wave solution, the algorithm described here represents a systematic way of classifying all such solutions with augmented supersymmetry. By T-dualizing some of these solutions we obtain exact non-pp wave supergravity solutions (with 8 or 16 supercharges), which can be interpreted as perturbations of the AdS-CFT correspondence with irrelevant operators.
Transferring Effects of CSR Strategy on Consumer Responses: The Synergistic Model of Corporate Communication Strategy

This study proposes a synergistic model of corporate communication strategy (corporate ability strategy, corporate social responsibility strategy, and hybrid strategy) on consumer responses and tests the model using 2 Fortune 500 companies (Kellogg and Motorola). The study found that when a company is well-known to consumers as Motorola and Kellogg used in this study, a CSR strategy is more effective in influencing both consumer corporate ability (CAb) and CSR associations and in turn, company/product evaluations. Additionally, consumers tend to automatically assume a company is good at making reliable products when they associate the company with strong CSR, indicating transferring effects of CSR associations onto CAb associations, and onto company/product evaluations. The study results also suggest that the direct influences of CSR associations differ based on industry type. A company that produces high risk involved products such as Motorola, might not experience as strong CSR associations' effects on ...
Determination of aluminum in vanadium metal by atomic absorption spectrophotometry

Abstract The determination of aluminum in vanadium metal over the range 100 p.p.m. to 1% aluminum was investigated by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Commercially available equipment with a nitrous oxide-acetylene burner was used. High concentrations of vanadium were found to influence the aluminum absorption in a variable manner depending upon certain conditions. Reproducible results could be obtained only by carefully matching the matrix and acid concentrations in the standards to that in the actual sample.
HYDRIDE AND GOLD(TRIPHENYLPHOSPHINE) DERIVATIVES OF HEXARHENIUM CARBIDO OCTADECACARBONYL

Treatment of [NEt4]3[HRe6C(CO)18] in acetone with Au(PPh3)Cl (1 equiv) provides the gold-capped cluster [NEt4]2[HRe6C(CO)18(AuPPh3)] (1) (82%). Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with a = 16.519(4) A, b = 17.849(5) A, c = 21.540(5) A, β = 99.870(7)°, and Z = 4. The X-ray structure solution shows the cluster anion consists of an octahedral core of rhenium atoms centered on an interstitial carbide with one face capped by a triphenylphosphinegold moiety. Carbonyl ligand positions imply that the hydride ligand is bridging an edge of the Re3 face trans to the gold cap. Support for this structure is provided by the solution 13C NMR spectrum of 1 recorded at low temperature. The reaction of Au(PPh3)Cl (2 equiv) with either [NEt4]3[HRe6C(CO)18] or [NEt4]2[H2Re6C(CO)18] in acetone in the presence of the strong base DBU provides the digold cluster [NEt4]2[Re6C(CO)18(AuPPh3)2] (2) (85%). The X-ray crystal structure of 2 as an acetone solvate (monoclinic, P21/a, a = 19.956(4) A, b = 21.822(5)...
A user-friendly excel simulation for scheduling in primary care practices

The purpose of this study is to provide a user-friendly Excel simulation tool for primary care practices to manage appointment schedules which accommodate multiple patient types and stochastic service times for the nurse and provider steps in patient flow. The key features of the Excel tool are: a color-coded schedule of each provider; a Gantt chart as a visual aid for schedulers; dynamic tests of different patient mix, sequence and start time combinations; and performance measures that include average and key percentiles of wait time, idle time and session completion time. The Excel tool can be easily modified by practices to incorporate their own data and needs. In our case study, we quantify the impact of flexible nurses and/or providers to satisfy patient demands for multiple providers.
Relationships between speech recognition threshold, average hearing level, and speech importance noise detection threshold.

The aim of this study was to determine (a) if the speech importance noise detection threshold (SINDT) could be used as an accurate estimator of speech recognition threshold (SRT), and (b) whether t...
MicroRNA-101 Inhibits Growth of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer by Relieving Chromatin-Mediated Transcriptional Repression of p21 waf1/cip1

MicroRNA-101 (miR-101) expression is negatively associated with tumor growth and proliferation in several solid epithelial cancers. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EzH2) appears to be a functional target of miR-101. We explore the role of miR-101 and its interaction with EzH2 in epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC). In situ hybridization (ISH) for miR-101 was performed on EOC patient tissues and normal controls. EOC cell lines were transfected with miR-101 and subjected to growth analysis and clonogenic assays. Cell motility was assessed by Boyden chamber and wound-healing assays. P21waf1/cip1 and EzH2 interaction was assessed by Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay in MDAH-2774 cells. SCID mice were assessed for tumor burden after injection with miR-101 or control vector-treated MDAH-2774 cells. ISH analysis revealed a decrease in miR-101 expression in EOC compared with normal tissue. MiR-101 re-expression in EOC cell lines resulted in increased apoptosis, decreased cellular proliferation, invasiveness, and reduced growth of tumor xenografts. CHIP assays revealed that re-expression of miR-101 inhibited the interaction of EzH2 with p21waf1/cip1 promoter. MiR-101 re-expression appears to have antitumor effects, providing a better understanding of the role of miR-101 in EOC.
Sensitivity estimates based on one realization of a stochastic system

To estimate the performance sensitivity with respect to a parameter 0 using the Monte Carlo method usually requires two simulations, one for the system with parameter 0 and the other for that with 0 + ▵θ. In this paper, two estimates of the sensitivity based on only one simulation of the system with 0 are investigated. Their properties are compared. The basic results are illustrated through some simple examples.
The protective actions of some anticholinergic drugs in sarin poisoning

Summary 1 The central and peripheral anticholinergic activities of a series of drugs comprising atropine, hyoscine, caramiphen and one of its analogues, and three glycollic acid esters, have been measured. 2 The ability of the same drugs used alone, and in conjunction with N-methyl pyridinium-2-aldoxime methanesulphonate (P2S), to protect mice, rats and guinea-pigs from the lethal effects of sarin has been assessed. 3 No correlation was found to exist between central or peripheral anticholinergic activity and ability to protect from sarin. 4 On the indirectly stimulated isolated rat phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation all drugs with the exception of hyoscine caused potentiation of responses to low frequency stimulation but partial block of responses to high frequency stimulation. The drugs did not reverse the effects of sarin on the phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation. 6 It is concluded that a pharmacological action other than an anticholinergic one is involved, in part, in the protective actions against sarin of some of the drugs studied. Whether their effects on skeletal muscle are of any relevance in this respect is unresolved.
Pollen season severity and meteorologic parameters in central New Jersey

A systematic search is made for optimum parameters to be used in forecasting pollen season severity. All possible averaging periods for daily maximum temperature, minimum temperature, average temperature, and precipitation are tested. Useful positive correlations are found with spring and summer daily minimum temperatures and average temperatures, and with midspring precipitation amounts.
Stigmatization and the Development of Friendship and Romantic Relationships in Adolescent Victims of Sexual Abuse

This study examines same- and other-sex friendship networks and perceptions of peer competence as functions of stigmatization, defined as shame and a self-blame attributional style. Fifty-six sexually abused adolescents were seen at the time of abuse discovery and 1 year later. Higher self-blame attributional style for the abuse was related to more satisfaction with other-sex friends and less satisfaction with same-sex friends. More shame was related to less satisfaction with same-sex friends and to having a larger number of other-sex friends. Higher self-blame attributional style was related to perceptions of poorer peer acceptance and close friendship and to perceptions of poorer romantic appeal. More shame was related to lower perceptions of peer acceptance and close friendship. The results support the idea that abuse victims who experience higher levels of shame and self-blame attributional style feel less capable of forming satisfying relationships with peers, friends, and potential romantic partners.
The microstructural details of β-Sn precipitation in a 5Sn-95Pb solder alloy

Solders of Pb-rich compositions, such as 5Sn-95Pb, are commonly used in electronic packaging applications, and this demanding use necessitates that the microstructure-property-processing relationships of the solder be understood fully. In this study, the microstructure of 5Sn-95Pb solder was characterized using a variety of metallographic techniques. The effect of cooling rate on the precipitation of β-Sn from supersaturated α-Pb was determined. On slow cooling, β-Sn precipitates discontinuously with resultant β-Sn lamella alternating with the α-Pb. Upon rapid cooling, the β-Sn precipitates with a nominally homogeneous distribution. These discrete precipitates were found to have a platelike shape with a (111)Pb habit plane and an orientation relationship of (111)Pb‖(010)Sn and [011]Pb‖ [001]Sn. Regions of the β-Sn precipitates that curved away from this habit plane formed ledges. Upon heating, the precipitates were found to dissolvevia a ledge mechanism. Prolonged aging of both the fast and slow cooled 5Sn-95Pb resulted in a coarsening of the β-Sn precipitates with a resultant decrease in strength. Furthermore, the strength of the aged alloy was observed to be independent of cooling rate.
Palaeohurricane reconstructions from sedimentary archives along the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and western North Atlantic Ocean margins

Hurricanes annually threaten the Atlantic Ocean margins. Historical hurricane records are relatively short and palaeohurricane sedimentary archives provide a geological and climatic context that sheds light on future hurricane activity. Here we review palaeo-trends in hurricane activity elucidated from sedimentary archives. We discuss dating methods, site selection and stat- istics associated with previously published records. These archives have been useful for under- standing the long-term evolution of coastal systems and the response of intense hurricane activity to climatic changes. Regional shifts in hurricane overwash on centennial to millennial timescales have been linked to various climatic modes of variability, including El Nino/Southern Oscillation and the North Atlantic Oscillation, but could also reflect regional-scale controls on hurricane activity.
Antigenic variation during cellular aging in Paramecium tetraurelia

Abstract Clones of Paramecium tetraurelia undergoing cellular aging were exposed to two antisera, anti-32 and anti-25, raised against surface antigen isolated from cells grown at 32°C or 25°C. When young clones were exposed to the two antisera about 50% were immobilized by anti-32 while others were not immobilized by either antisera. These clones were grouped as group A or B depending upon their sensitivity or nonsensitivity to the two antisera. Young cells of group A were immobilized by anti-32 and during aging these cells either maintained the same antigenic type or transformed to another. Young group B clones were not immobilized by either antisera but gradually became sensitive to anti-32. Some clones from both groups showed sensitivity to both antisera. The possible mechanism of antigenic variation during fission age is discussed.
Paleoearthquakes on the Southern San Andreas Fault, Wrightwood, California, 3000 to 1500 b.c.: A New Method for Evaluating Paleoseismic Evidence and Earthquake Horizons

We present evidence of 11–14 earthquakes that occurred between 3000 and 1500 b.c. on the San Andreas fault at the Wrightwood paleoseismic site. Earthquake evidence is presented in a novel form in which we rank (high, moderate, poor, or low) the quality of all evidence of ground deformation, which are called “event indicators.” Event indicator quality reflects our confidence that the morphologic and sedimentologic evidence can be attributable to a ground-deforming earthquake and that the earthquake horizon is accurately identified by the morphology of the feature. In four vertical meters of section exposed in ten trenches, we document 316 event indicators attributable to 32 separate stratigraphic horizons. Each stratigraphic horizon is evaluated based on the sum of rank (Rs), maximum rank (Rm), average rank (Ra), number of observations (Obs), and sum of higher-quality event indicators (Rs >1 ). Of the 32 stratigraphic horizons, 14 contain 83% of the event indicators and are qualified based on the number and quality of event indicators; the remaining 18 do not have satisfactory evidence for further consideration. Eleven of the 14 stratigraphic horizons have sufficient number and quality of event indicators to be qualified as “probable” to “very likely” earthquakes; the remaining three stratigraphic horizons are associated with somewhat ambiguous features and are qualified as “possible” earthquakes. Although no single measurement defines an obvious threshold for designation as an earthquake horizon, Rs, Rm, and Rs >1 correlate best with the interpreted earthquake quality. Earthquake age distributions are determined from radiocarbon ages of peat samples using a Bayesian approach to layer dating. The average recurrence interval for the 10 consecutive and highest-quality earthquakes is 111 (93–131) years and individual intervals are ±50% of the average. With comparison with the previously published 14–15 earthquake record between a.d. 500 and present, we find no evidence to suggest significant variations in the average recurrence rate at Wrightwood during the past 5000 years.
A gravity model of the crust beneath the Tertiary Piemonte basin (northwestern Italy)

Abstract A gravity model of a crustal section crossing the Tertiary Piemonte basin from north to south is presented. It was constructed by combining geological data and the results of the application of several geophysical methods, with particular reference to the seismic findings. A model is proposed for the morphology of the deep crust (crust/mantle transition) identified by the wide angle reflection seismic data from the European Geotraverse (EGT) project and its geological consequences are discussed. The existence of substantial displacements at the crust/mantle boundary is stressed. They do not appear to be directly related to superficial structures but underscore the wedging of the Ligurian mantle on the Insubrian crust. Compared with the observed Bouguer gravity field, gravity modelling of the section has supplied a calculated anomaly with a persistent short wavelength negative residual anomaly curve in the area of the Asti basin. It is suggested that this anomaly is due to a wedge of sedimentary rocks within the crust. The wedge consists of both Apennine and Padane units and is located along a major structural boundary where metamorphic crust and Tertiary sediments belonging to the Alpine domain overthrust Apennine and Padane units during the Tertiary
Interaction of endogenous opioid peptides and other drugs with four kappa opioid binding sites in guinea pig brain.

Abstract Guinea pig brain membranes depleted of μ and δ receptors by pretreatment with the site-directed acylating agents, 2-(4-ethoxybenzyl)-1-diethylaminoethyl-5-isothiocyanatobenzimidazole·HCl (BIT) and N-phenyl-N-[1-(2-(4-isothiocyanato)phenethyl)-4-piperidinyl]-propanamide·HCl (FIT), were used in this study to test the hypothesis that guinea pig brain possesses subtypes of κ receptors. Pretreatment of membranes with either (−)-(1 S ,2 S )-U50,488 or the κ selective acylating agent, (1 S ,2 S )-trans-2-isothiocyanato-N-methyl-N-[2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexyl]benzeneacetamide, caused a wash-resistant inhibition of κ 1 binding sites labeled by [ 3 H]U69,593 binding, but not κ 2 binding sites labeled by [ 3 H]bremazocine. Binding surface analysis of [ 3 H]bremazocine binding resolved two binding sites, termed κ 2a and κ 2b , present at densities of 212 and 225 fmol/mg protein, which had low affinity for (−)-(1 S ,2 S )-U50,488 and U69,593. The κ 2b site had high affinity for β-endorphin(1–31) (K d =5.5 nM) and [D-Ala 2 ,D-Leu 5 ]enkephalin (K d =14 nM), and lower affinity for [D-Ala 2 -MePhe 4 ,Gly-ol 5 ]enkephalin (K d =147 nM) and [Leu 5 ]enkephalin (K d =46.0 nM). Binding surface analysis of [ 3 H]U69,593 binding also resolved two binding sites, termed κ 1a and κ 1b , present at densities of 6.0 and 40.0 fmol/mg protein. The κ 1a binding site was characterized by very high affinity for α-neoendorphin. Quantitative autoradiographic studies demonstrated that κ 2a and κ 2b binding sites are heterogeneously distributed in guinea pig brain, and that the anatomical distribution of κ 1 binding sites reported in the literature is different from that observed in this study for the κ 2 binding sites. Viewed collectively, these data provide evidence for four κ receptor subtypes in guinea pig brain.
Development of an instrument to measure disability in parenting activity among women with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective To develop a method of assessing and summarizing parenting function and disability, and to use that method to describe parenting disability among a group of women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods The study group comprised 231 women with RA who are members of the University of California, San Francisco RA Panel Study. Parenting disability scales were developed by first asking open-ended questions and then, based on the responses, constructing closed-ended questions. Separate sets of questions were asked concerning young (ages 0–5 years) and older (ages 6–18 years) children. Parenting disability indices (PDIs), scored in a manner similar to that for the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) (range 0–3), were developed (total, and for young and older children). Associations of PDIs with demographic, health, and symptom measures were assessed. Results Substantial proportions of women with RA experienced disability in parenting activities. Greater disability was reported for activities related to parenting young children. Doing less of parenting functions because of RA was commonly reported. The mean total PDI of women who currently had children under age 18 years, taking into account “doing less” of activities because of RA, was 0.76 (range 0–2.08). Greater parenting disability was associated with poorer general function (HAQ; P < 0.0001), more severe pain (P = 0.002), greater fatigue (P = 0.0005), greater parenting stress (P = 0.005), and greater psychological distress (depressive symptoms; P < 0.0001). Discussion The PDI appears to be valid. This method can provide the means of assessing parenting disability, its risk factors, and its effects, which may assist in identifying ways of helping individuals with RA cope more effectively with parenting.