cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metabolic response to starvation. II. Effects of sex steroid administration to pre- and postmenopausal women

Abstract Premenopausal women become more ketotic than do men during short term starvation. The possible influence of female sex steroids on ketosis during an 84-hr fast was studied in premenopausal women receiving combined oral contraceptive steroids. The results were compared to age and weight-matched women on no steroid birth control regimen. Although concentrations of several plasma substrates, insulin, and glucagon were measured throughout the fast, no differences between groups were observed with the exception of the 36-hr interval. At this time total plasma ketones and betahydroxybutyrate were significantly higher in women receiving oral contraceptives. In a second study six postmenopausal women were investigated in a similar fashion during a 36-hr fast. The procedure was repeated following a 5-day treatment regimen of oral estradiol and medroxyprogesterone acetate. After sex steroid treatment, total plasma ketones and betahydroxybutyrate concentrations exceeded control values significantly at 36 hr while plasma alanine and free fatty acid levels were significantly lower. The results suggest that oral estrogen-progestin combinations increase the ketogenic response of pre- and postmenopausal women during the early phases of total starvation. This hormonal effect may explain, in part, why women are more sensitive to fasting than are men.
Sharoes: A Data Sharing Platform for Outsourced Enterprise Storage Environments

With fast paced growth of digital data and exploding storage management costs, enterprises are looking for new ways to effectively manage their data. One such cost-effective paradigm is the storage-as-a-service model, in which enterprises outsource their storage to a storage service provider (SSP) by storing data at a remote SSP-managed site and accessing it over a high speed network. Often for a variety of reasons, enterprises find it unacceptable to fully trust the SSP and prefer to store data in an encrypted form. This typically limits collaboration and data sharing among enterprise users due to complex key management and access control challenges. In this paper, we propose a platform called SHAROES that provides data sharing capability over such outsourced storage environments. SHAROES provide rich *nix-like data sharing semantics over SSP stored data, without trusting the SSP for data confidentiality or access control. SHAROES is unique in its ability in reducing user involvement during setup and operation through the use of in-band key management and allows a near-seamless transition of existing storage environments to the new model. It is also superior in performance by minimizing the use of expensive public-key cryptography in metadata management. We present the architecture and implementation of various SHAROES components and our experiments demonstrate performance superior to other proposals by over 40% on a number of benchmarks.
Wanna know about vaping? Patterns of message exposure, seeking and sharing information about e-cigarettes across media platforms

Background Awareness and use of electronic cigarettes has rapidly grown in the USA recently, in step with increased product marketing. Using responses to a population survey of US adults, we analysed demographic patterns of exposure to, searching for and sharing of e-cigarette-related information across media platforms. Methods An online survey of 17 522 US adults was conducted in 2013. The nationally representative sample was drawn from GfK Group9s KnowledgePanel plus off-panel recruitment. Fixed effects logit models were applied to analyse relationships between exposure to, searching for and sharing of e-cigarette-related information and demographic characteristics, e-cigarette and tobacco use, and media behaviours. Results High levels of awareness about e-cigarettes were indicated (86% aware; 47% heard through media channels). Exposure to e-cigarette-related information was associated with tobacco use, age, gender, more education, social media use and time spent online. Although relatively small proportions of the sample had searched for (∼5%) or shared (∼2%) e-cigarette information, our analyses indicated demographic patterns to those behaviours. Gender, high income and using social media were associated with searching for e-cigarette information; lesbian, gay and bisexual and less education were associated with sharing. Current tobacco use, age, being Hispanic and time spent online were associated with both searching and sharing. Conclusions US adults are widely exposed to e-cigarette marketing through the media; such marketing may differentially target specific demographic groups. Further research should longitudinally examine how exposure to, searching for and sharing of e-cigarette information relate to subsequent use of e-cigarettes and/or combustible tobacco.
Conformational study of cyclo[Gln-Trp-Phe-Gly-Leu-Met] as NK-2 antagonist by NMR and molecular dynamics

Abstract Cyclo[Gln-Trp-Phe-Gly-Leu-Met] (1) is a selective peptide antagonist of NK-2 receptors. The conformational analysis of this peptide was conducted using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and molecular dynamics. This study improves understanding of the neurokinin ligand—receptor interactions. Two-dimensional Homonuclear Hartmann—Hahn (2D-HOHAHA) and rotating frame Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (2D-ROESY) were used to assign all the protons and to obtain through-space proton—proton interactions. ROE (rotating frame Overhauser enhancement) constraints molecular dynamics were done to find the conformation which is consistent with the NMR data. Two βI (or βV′) turns around Trp-2-Phe-3 and around Leu-5-Met-6 are found in this peptide which are represented by models. The conformation of this peptide is also compared with the non-peptide NK-2 antagonist SR-48968 (2).
Sparks from steam. The story of the Armstrong hydroelectric generator

The mysterious explosion of three large oil tankers in 1969 would not appear to have any connection with the pecullar happenings in an isolated Northumberland Colliery in 1840. However, there might have been no explosions had the dangers of the electrification of wet steam and high-pressure water been better appreciated by those responsible for the cleaning out of large oil tanks
The effects of small sample size and sample bias on threshold selection and accuracy assessment of species distribution models

Species distribution models are used for a range of ecological and evolutionary questions, but often are constructed from few and/or biased species occurrence records. Recent work has shown that the presence-only model Maxent performs well with small sample sizes. While the apparent accuracy of such models with small samples has been studied, less emphasis has been placed on the eff ect of small or biased species records on the secondary modeling steps, specifi cally accuracy assessment and threshold selection, particularly with profi le (presence-only) modeling techniques. When testing the eff ects of small sample sizes on distribution models, accuracy assessment has generally been conducted with complete species occurrence data, rather than similarly limited (e.g. few or biased) test data. Likewise, selection of a probability threshold – a selection of probability that classifi es a model into discrete areas of presences and absences – has also generally been conducted with complete data. In this study we subsampled distribution data for an endangered rodent across multiple years to assess the eff ects of diff erent sample sizes and types of bias on threshold selection, and examine the diff erences between apparent and actual accuracy of the models. Although some previously recommended threshold selection techniques showed little diff erence in threshold selection, the most commonly used methods performed poorly. Apparent model accuracy calculated from limited data was much higher than true model accuracy, but the true model accuracy was lower than it could have been with a more optimal threshold. Th at is, models with thresholds and accuracy calculated from biased and limited data had infl ated reported accuracy, but were less accurate than they could have been if better data on species distribution were available and an optimal threshold were used.
Racial attitudes, physician–patient talk time ratio, and adherence in racially discordant medical interactions

Physician racial bias and patient perceived discrimination have each been found to influence perceptions of and feelings about racially discordant medical interactions. However, to our knowledge, no studies have examined how they may simultaneously influence the dynamics of these interactions. This study examined how (a) non-Black primary care physicians' explicit and implicit racial bias and (b) Black patients' perceived past discrimination affected physician-patient talk time ratio (i.e., the ratio of physician to patient talk time) during medical interactions and the relationship between this ratio and patients' subsequent adherence. We conducted a secondary analysis of self-report and video-recorded data from a prior study of clinical interactions between 112 low-income, Black patients and their 14 non-Black physicians at a primary care clinic in the Midwestern United States between June, 2006 and February, 2008. Overall, physicians talked more than patients; however, both physician bias and patient perceived past discrimination affected physician-patient talk time ratio. Non-Black physicians with higher levels of implicit, but not explicit, racial bias had larger physician-patient talk time ratios than did physicians with lower levels of implicit bias, indicating that physicians with more negative implicit racial attitudes talked more than physicians with less negative racial attitudes. Additionally, Black patients with higher levels of perceived discrimination had smaller physician-patient talk time ratios, indicating that patients with more negative racial attitudes talked more than patients with less negative racial attitudes. Finally, smaller physician-patient talk time ratios were associated with less patient subsequent adherence, indicating that patients who talked more during the racially discordant medical interactions were less likely to adhere subsequently. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed in the context of factors that affect the dynamics of racially discordant medical interactions.
Teen Mothers Enrolled in an Alternative Parenting Program: A Comparison with Their Peers.

Day-care programs for infants and special programs for their mothers seem to have benefited the mothers, but not to have affected their babies.
Factorial validity of problematic Internet use scales

There exists a number of multidimensional measurement scales for problematic Internet use (PIU) with varying factor structures. This study reviews the factor analytic techniques used to develop these measures and discusses their implications for the factorial validity, particularly discriminant validity, of these PIU scales. To further illustrate these points, we reformulate the four-factor Online Cognition Scale into a more parsimonious two-factor measure (i.e., dependency and distraction) and demonstrate its factorial validity as well as robustness across student and working adult samples. Contributions of this research are discussed.
Kinetic aspects of the IV-II phase transformation in PTFE

Abstract Kinetic aspects of the transformation of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) from phase IV to phase II at 19°C and atmospheric pressure were studied using wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) following a rapid decrease in temperature from 24.7 to 14.5°C. Information relating to changes in molecular packing was obtained from the position of an equatorial peak. Changes in the amount of disorder present were characterized by measuring the integrated intensity of peaks on the second layer line. Within the limits of error, the molecular packing and disorder changes occurred simultaneously as the transformation occurred. The kinetics of the transformation were evaluated following the approach of Avrami. The results indicate one-dimensional crystal growth in agreement with theory. The results from this study are discussed with respect to implications for the transformation mechanisms and previous work in this area.
Exploration into the spatial and temporal mechanisms of bacterial polarity

The recognition of bacterial asymmetry is not new: the first high-resolution microscopy studies revealed that bacteria come in a multitude of shapes and sometimes carry asymmetrically localized external structures such as flagella on the cell surface. Even so, the idea that bacteria could have an inherent overall polarity, which affects not only their outer appearance but also many of their vital processes, has only recently been appreciated. In this review, we focus on recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the establishment of polarized functions and cell polarity in bacteria.
Is thyroidectomy in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis more risky

Abstract Background Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) is an organ-specific autoimmune disease characterized by the production of antibodies such as antithyroperoxidase, which leads to the destruction of the thyroid gland and a decrease in normal thyroid function. Thyroidectomy is performed when the patient presents with symptoms or potential neoplastic degeneration occurs; however, surgery can be difficult because of the dense inflammatory process around the thyroid gland. We hypothesized that patients with HT may have a higher rate of complications after thyroid surgery. Methods We identified 1791 consecutive patients who underwent thyroidectomy from May 1994 to December 2009. Patients with HT were compared with those without HT with regard to outcomes with analysis of variance and chi-square test (SPSS, Inc). Results Patients with HT were significantly younger and more likely to be female. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the rate of malignancy. However, patients undergoing thyroidectomy with HT had a significantly higher postoperative complication rate. Specifically, the rates of overall, transient, and permanent complications were all increased in HT patients. Conclusion Patients with HT had a higher rate of complications after thyroidectomy compared with those without HT. Therefore, careful consideration must be taken before pursuing operative treatment in patients with HT including providing adequate informed consent regarding the increased risks of surgery.
Structure and Absolute Configuration of Pyrethrosin

Abstract The single crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis and absolute configuration has been completed for pyrethrosin, C17H22O5. the compound crystallizes in the tetregonal space group, P43212 (or P41212) with Z=8. the experimental unit cell constants at room temperature are: a=b=8.0662(5), c=49.836(4)a, α=β=γ=90°, V=3242.5(4)a3. the final R value=0.0415.
Chartrian Influence and German Reception: Dating the Works of Chrétien de Troyes

By examining the triangular relationship between the works of Chretien de Troyes, Alain de Lille, and the German reception of French Romance, this essay argues for the acceptance of the dates proposed in Claude Luttrell's Creation of the First Arthurian Romance (1974) as the standard for the composition of Chretien's œuvre.
Replies to the critics

Menzel’s commentary is a tightly focused, extended argument and it may be summarized as follows: (a) though Zalta gathers a range of phenomena under a small set of concepts, unfortunately, the framework is a possibilist one; (b) Zalta justifies possibilism by arguing that it provides the simplest and most natural explanation and analysis of such phenomena as ordinary modal discourse; but (c) by taking the modal operator as primitive, Zalta doesn’t really offer any genuine analysis or explanation of modal discourse and so cannot establish the superiority of his possibilism. With respect to (a), Menzel correctly points out that the theory’s possibilism derives not from its commitment to abstract objects, but rather from its commitment to objects x that possibly exist but which don’t in fact exist (i.e., to objects that satisfy the condition: E!x& ¬E!x). The theory doesn’t explicitly assert that there are any of these objects, but when one adds ordinary modal intuitions such as ‘There might have been something which is F ’ (i.e., ∃xFx), the Barcan formula guarantees that there is something which might have been F (i.e., ∃x Fx). If F is an existence-entailing property such as being a million-carat diamond or a
Response of Two Quadratically-Coupled Oscillators to a Principal Parametric Excitation

The authors study the dynamics of two oscillators coupled with quadratic nonlinearities in the case of two-to-one internal resonance when the higher mode is subjected to a principal parametric excitation. They use the method of multiple scales to obtain an approximate solution to the equations of motion and investigate theoretically its stability. Then, they verify the analysis experimentally. The authors use a cantilever steel beam and an analog second-order circuit to represent the two oscillators. The interaction between the two systems is achieved by fitting the beam with piezoceramic actuators and a strain gage and coupling the beam with the circuit through electronically generated quadratic nonlinearities. They subject the first mode of the beam to a principal parametric excitation and tune the frequency of the circuit to approximately one-half the frequency of the first mode of the beam. The theoretical and experimental results indicate that the system exhibits complicated responses, such as jumps,...
Eosinophilic pancreatitis: A rare entity that can mimic a pancreatic neoplasm

Abstract Eosinophilic pancreatitis is a rare disorder that is frequently diagnosed only after pancreatic resection for suspected pancreatic tumor. It typically occurs in the setting of either eosinophilic gastroenteritis or the hypereosinophilic syndrome. Isolated eosinophilic infiltration of the pancreas is less common. We describe a case of a 36-year-old man who presented with the clinical symptoms of acute pancreatitis. Radiologic evaluation revealed an obstructive pancreatic lesion suspicious for carcinoma. Pathologic examination of the resection specimen revealed a dense infiltrate of eosinophils in the pancreas. Although an uncommon condition, eosinophilic pancreatitis is a syndrome lacking well-defined causes that can be associated with eosinophilic gastroenteritis, a treatable condition, or the potentially fatal hypereosinophilic syndrome. While the radiographic features of this condition can vary widely, eosinophilic infiltration of the pancreas with or without involvement of the gastrointestinal tract is the pathologic feature common to all of the previously reported cases. Ann Diagn Pathol 4:379-385, 2000.
Electromyography in pediatric neuromuscular disorders

A review of clinical electromyography is presented for the practicing pediatrician outlining the indications and limitations of this laboratory procedure. The electrical signals recorded from electrodes inserted in skeletal muscle have a characteristic pattern consisting of fibrillation and sharp wave potentials in diseases involving the lower motor neuron. As opposed to these neurogenic disorders myogenic diseases also may result in characteristic electrical alterations. The EMG findings in the more common pediatric neurologic disorders are reviewed. Recently facilities and equipment for the performance of peripheral nerve conduction studies have become more available to the pediatrician. Conduction rates are frequently prolonged in infectious and metabolic neuropathies.
Embracing Kant's Formalism

In response to critical discussions of my book, Moral Literacy, by Stephen Engstrom, Sally Sedgwick and Andrews Reath, I offer a defence of Kant's formalism that is not only friendly to my claims for the moral theory's sensitivity to a wide range of moral phenomena and practices at the ground level, but also consistent with Kant's high rationalist ambitions.
Outcome of a four-year randomized study of daily versus three times weekly somatropin treatment in prepubertal naive growth hormone-deficient children. Genentech Study Group.

A comparison was made of the growth responses of prepubertal naive GH-deficient children who were randomly assigned to receive 0.3 mg/kg.week recombinant human GH administered either daily (QD) or three times weekly (TIW) over 4 yr. The effects of the two regimens on annual growth velocity, change in height SD score, bone maturation, and age at onset of puberty are presented as the mean +/- SD. During each of the 4 yr, the annual growth velocity was significantly greater in the QD vs. TIW group. At 48 months, the mean total gain in height was 9.7 cm greater in the QD group (38.4 +/- 5.5) than that in the TIW group 28.7 +/- 3.2; P = 0.0002). The mean height SD score at the end of each year was significantly greater in the QD group. After 4 yr, the total gain in height SD score was 3.2 +/- 1.2 in the QD group compared to 1.5 +/- 0.5 in the TIW group (P = 0.0003). The height SD score at 4 yr was 0.2 in the QD group (pretreatment, -2.9) compared to -1.4 in the TIW group (pretreatment, -2.9). After 4 yr of rhG...
Parametric Augmentations and Error Structures under which Certain Simple Least Squares and Analysis of Variance Procedures are Also Best

Abstract Conditions are presented under which in all linear models with a common specified systematic part every linear simple least squares estimator is also best. The behaviour of mean squares and test ratios in ordinary analysis of variance tables under these and also less stringent conditions is discussed with illustrative examples given.
Comparison of pharmacological agents (aspartate vs. aminophosphonobutyric plus kynurenic acids) to block synaptic transmission from retinal photoreceptors in frog.

Abstract The combination of aminophosphonobutyric plus kynurenic acids ( APB Kyn ) was compared to aspartate with respect to its ability to block synaptic transmission from photoreceptors. Like aspartate, APB Kyn blocks photoreceptor synaptic transmission, as monitored by the b- and d-waves of the electroretinogram, by the proximal negative response and M-wave of the proximal retina, and by the light-evoked increase in extracellular K+ concentration in the inner plexiform layer. Unlike aspartate, APB Kyn has relatively minor effects on retinal resistance, light-evoked changes in K+ and Ca2+ concentrations in the subretinal space, light-evoked changes in subretinal space volume, resting extracellular concentrations of K+ and Ca2+ in the proximal and distal retina, and the c-wave. Effects of APB Kyn are generally more reversible than effects of Asp. A disadvantage of APB Kyn is that the a-wave usually becomes smaller and slower. Overall, APB Kyn disrupts the retina less than aspartate. Therefore, in some situations in which blockade of photoreceptor synaptic transmission is desired, the use of APB Kyn may be preferable to that of aspartate.
Biodegradation of coals

Abstract Selected strains of bacteria [from the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) collection], capable of degrading heavy crude oils, were used to treat bituminous and lignite coals. Products resulting from biochemical reactions among several microorganisms and different coals were examined by pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py. g.c.-m.s.), and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. The results indicated considerable variations in the organic sulfur as well as modifications in coal structure. Furthermore, biochemical reactions involved in the microbial interactions with coals appeared to be microbial species dependent.
Intensionality in the irrational beliefs-intellectual performance relationship.

This study tested the hypothesis that certain semantic processes may be responsible for the previously observed inverse relationship between the endorsement of Ellis's irrational beliefs and measures of intellectual performance. The IS of Identity Scale, a measure of intensional thinking, was administered to 134 male and female entering college freshmen, along with a list of Ellis's irrational beliefs, the Developmental Test of Reading Skills, and locally constructed tests of writing and mathematics. A multiple-regression analysis showed that irrationality uniquely accounted for 13% of reading variance (p less than .001) and none of the variance in the other variables. Intensionality was not associated uniquely with any of the variables and seemingly played no part in the irrationality-intellectual performance relationship.
Neural Dynamics of Motion Segmentation and Grouping

A neural network model of motion segmentation by visual cortex is described. The model clarifies how preprocessing of motion signals by a Motion Oriented Contrast Filter (MOC Filter) is joined to long-range cooperative motion mechanisms in a motion Cooperative Competitive Loop (CC Loop) to control phenomena such as as induced motion, motion capture, and motion aftereffects. The total model system is a motion Boundary Contour System (BCS) that is computed in parallel with a static BCS before both systems cooperate to generate a boundary representation for three dimensional visual form perception. The present investigations clarify how the static BCS can be modified for use in motion segmentation problems, notably for analyzing how ambiguous local movements (the aperture problem) on a complex moving shape are suppressed and actively reorganized into a coherent global motion signal.
Effects of ethyl formate on fruit quality and target pest mortality for harvested strawberries

Strawberry fruit, western flower thrips and two-spotted spider mites were exposed to a range of ethyl formate (EF) concentrations from 0.8 to 2.4%. Ethyl formate treatments included both single and multiple applications of EF, the multiple applications having a venting period between each application. Additionally, target pests were exposed to EF and elevated levels of CO2 from 5 to 95 kPa, balance air to total 101 kPa. Exposure to EF resulted in significant mortality for western flower thrips; however, complete control was achieved only in the treatments with the highest cumulative exposures, multiple applications of 0.8% or 2.4% EF. Two-spotted spider mites were less susceptible to EF with the most effective treatment, 2.4% EF, resulting in 66% mortality. Low levels of CO2 (5 kPa or 10 kPa) combined with 1.3% EF significantly increased two-spotted spider mite mortality, however, levels of CO2 ≥20 kPa significantly decreased mite mortality compared to treatments with EF in air. There was no significant difference in mortality for western flower thrips exposed to 0.8% EF in the presence of CO 2 at 5, 10, 20, and 40 kPa when compared to 0.8% EF in air. Treatment with 0.3% EF with≥40 kPa CO2 resulted in significantly decreased western flower thrips mortality compared with that of 0.3% EF in air. However, for 0.8% EF, western flower thrips mortality only declined in an atmosphere of ≥80 kPa CO2. There was no significant difference in strawberry condition between treated and untreated fruit, however increased levels of acetaldehyde, ethanol, ethyl acetate and EF were detected in fruit exposed to EF. In two separate experiments, strawberry fruit showed calyx damage in fruit exposed to concentrations of 0.8% or 1.6% EF, respectively. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Current Developments and Future Trends for the OAI Protocol for Metadata Harvesting

The Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) has been widely adopted since its initial release in 2001. Initially developed as a means to federate access to diverse e-print archives through metadata harvesting and aggregation, the protocol has demonstrated its potential usefulness to a broad range of communities. Two years out from the release of the stable production version of the protocol (2.0), there are many interesting developments within the OAI community. Communities of interest have begun to use the protocol to aggregate metadata relative to their needs. The development of a registry of OAI data providers with browsing and searching capabilities as well as accessibility to machine processing is helping to provide a scalable solution to the question of who is providing what via the OAI protocol. Work is progressing on the technical infrastructure for extending the OAI protocol beyond the traditional harvesting structure. However, serious challenges, particularly for service providers, still exist. This article provides an overview of the current OAI environment and speculates on future directions for the protocol and OAI community.
Family Legacies in Shaping Teen Mothers’ Caregiving Practices Over 12 Years:

In this article, the author focuses on the theme of family legacies. The research is based on a qualitative study of family caregiving practices in a cohort of teenage mothers and their families. Families were first interviewed in 1988-1989 and reinterviewed in 1993, 1997, and 2001. The author explored continuities and turning points in caregiving practices over the 12-year period. Eleven families participated at Time 4, including 9 mothers, 3 of their partners, 6 first-born children, and 9 grandparents of the children (N = 27). At each time period, family caregiving legacies emerged as a salient theme as the mothers and partners described their concerns, accomplishments, and the resources for or impediments to becoming the parents they wanted to be. Four cases are presented to highlight how family legacies were refined, rejected, or modified over time. The author also describes implications of the findings for clinical practice and future research.
Consultation with the Specialist: Nonrespiratory Cyanosis

1. Jon Tingelstad, MD* 1. 2. *Chairman, Department of Pediatrics, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, NC. Cyanosis is a physical finding of multiple etiologies that can occur at any age, but most often poses the greatest diagnostic and management challenges when it involves the neonate, especially the newborn infant. Nonrespiratory causes of cyanosis include congenital defects of the heart and great vessels, erythrocyte abnormalities, central nervous system disorders, hypoglycemia, and sepsis (Table⇓ ). Examples are: the 4-hour-old infant who is increasingly cyanotic but is breathing peacefully; the 6-hour-old infant who is increasingly cyanotic and has rapid and labored respirations; the meconium-stained newborn, who becomes increasingly cyanotic with labored respirations despite undergoing tracheal intubation and suctioning; and the mildly cyanotic, hypotonic 8-hour-old infant whose respirations are shallow and irregular and who has periods of apnea. Although the common feature in each of these patients is cyanosis, the etiologies differ. View this table: Table 1. TABLE. Nonrespiratory Causes of Cyanosis The recognition of cyanosis depends on a number of factors, including the amount of reduced hemoglobin in the circulation (about 0.78 mmol/L of [5 g/dL] of reduced hemoglobin must be present for cyanosis to be clinically evident). Oxidation of hemoglobin by exogenous chemicals and certain specific hemoglobin abnormalities result in methemoglobinemia in which the hemoglobin molecule is incapable of carrying oxygen. The total hemoglobin concentration is another significant factor in that the newborn who has polycythemia may appear cyanotic and the patient who has severe anemia may not have sufficient unsaturated hemoglobin to exhibit clinical cyanosis. Determining the cause of cyanosis in the newborn may be relatively simple or it may be the ultimate challenge to the physician’s knowledge, experience, and ingenuity. Acrocyanosis or cyanosis of the extremities is a relatively common finding in the newborn whose limbs are exposed or cold. Central cyanosis characteristically involves the lips, tongue, mucous membranes, and …
On the Unique Consistent Solution to the Likelihood Equations

Abstract Existence of a unique consistent solution to the likelihood equations is obtained as a consequence of the Inverse Function Theorem. The approach differs from those already in the literature by showing existence and uniqueness in one argument. The argument deals directly with the vector parameter case rather than with extending single parameter arguments.
Controlling cascade third-order and fifth-order nonlinear optical processes via atomic coherence

We experimentally investigate the effects of cascade third-order and fifth-order nonlinear optical processes in a four-level atomic system. The relative strengths of these high-order nonlinear optical processes can be manipulated by controlling the atomic coherence.
The ascent of man

Anyone who cares about the moral and social implications of genomics, genetic engineering and biotechnology should read Michael J. Sandel's article, 'The Case Against Perfection', in the April 2004 issue of The Atlantic Monthly.
Integrating Behavioral Trust in Web Service Compositions

Algorithms for composing Web services (WS) traditionally utilize the functional and quality-of-service parameters of candidate services to decide which services to include in the composition. Users often have differing experiences with a WS. While trust in a WS is multi-faceted and consists of security and behavioral aspects, our focus in this paper is on the latter. We adopt a formal model for trust in a WS, which meets many of our intuitions about trustworthy WSs. We hypothesize predictors of a positive experience with a WS and conduct a small pilot study to explore correlations between subjects' experiences with WSs in a composition and the predictor values for those WSs. Furthermore, we show how we may derive trust for compositions from trust models of individual services. We conclude by presenting and evaluating a novel framework, called Wisp, that utilizes the trust models and, in combination with any WS composition tool, chooses compositions to deploy that are deemed most trustworthy.
Control relevant identification for third-order Volterra systems: a polymerization case study

In this work the problem of identifying third-order Volterra models from input-output process data is addressed. The identification problem involves the rational design of input sequences that exploit the Volterra model structure. The criterion used to measure the model fitness is the minimization of the prediction error variance (PEV). Explicit estimators that utilize plant-friendly input sequences for the identification of bias, linear, nonlinear diagonal, and third-order sub-diagonal kernels are presented. As an application of this technique, an isothermal polymerization reactor case study is considered; it was found that the third-order Volterra model does an efficient job of capturing the nonlinear reactor behavior.
Ureteroscopic Treatment of Lower Pole Calculi: Comparison of Lithotripsy In Situ and After Displacement

Purpose: Ureteroscopic management is a viable option for lower pole calculi less than 2 cm. Recently a technique was described to displace the calculus into a more accessible calix using a nitinol basket or grasper before lithotripsy. We compared the efficacy and safety of this technique with in situ treatment of small and intermediate lower pole calculi.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 95 ureteroscopy cases performed at our institution from January 1997 through August 2001 for renal calculi located only in the lower pole. Preoperative patient characteristics, stone size, operative details, complications and outcomes were compared for calculi treated in situ and those displaced before treatment.Results: Adequate followup was available on 78 patients. Patients in the displacement group were statistically older, more often had a preoperative indwelling ureteral stent and had a mean operative time that was 16 minutes longer (p = 0.04). Average stone diameter in the in situ an...
Automated high precision variable aperture for spectrophotometer linearity testing

A new automated linearity tester with a single variable aperture has been designed and built. It uses piezoelectric motors to define precisely the apertures required for application of the double aperture method of light addition. This design avoids many of the inherent shortcomings of two fixed physically separated apertures, such as interference and coherence between two separated beams and the need for an averaging sphere to compensate for beam noncoincidence at the photoreceiver. It also permits the assessment of system nonlinearity for arbitrary flux levels over an ≈70:1 dynamic range without the use of a supplementary means of optical attenuation. The tester was specifically designed for use with the National Research Council of Canada Reference spectrophotometer, but it can be adapted for use with any instrument with a large stable measurement beam. The paper discusses the correct placement and operation of this device. The performance, as evaluated by nonlinearity measurements of a known highly linear silicon photodiode, shows a reliability of <1–3 parts in 104 over a 3400:1 dynamic range at a 97% confidence level. Several applications of this linearity tester to both photomultipliers and photodiodes are described. Transmittance results for several reference materials using these linearity corrected photodetectors are compared and show a typical agreement of better than 0.025% of the value.
CAD-guided manufacturing of nanostructures using nanoparticles

The development of nanomanufacturing technologies will lead to potential breakthroughs in manufacturing of new industrial products. Nanomanufacturing by manipulating nanoparticles using an atomic force microscope is desirable to manufacture asymmetric nanodevices and nanostructures. The complexity of nanomanufacturing requires positioning, manipulating and assembling nanoparticles. Typical manual nanomanipulation is time-consuming and inefficient. Automated path planning is desirable for nanomanufacturing, but does not receive much attention. In this paper, a general framework is developed to manufacture nanostructures and nanodevices. An automated tool path planning algorithm is presented. Simulations are performed to test the generated paths. The generated paths are also implemented to manipulate nanoparticles to manufacture nanostructures automatically. The simulation and experimental results are consistent. The general framework can also be extended to manipulate other nanoobjects.
Equine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells are heterogeneous in MHC class II expression and capable of inciting an immune response in vitro.

Introduction The horse is a valuable species to assess the effect of allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in regenerative treatments. No studies to date have examined recipient response to major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mismatched equine MSCs. The purposes of this study were to immunophenotype MSCs from horses of known MHC haplotype and to compare the immunogenicity of MSCs with differing MHC class II expression.
Elucidating the etiology of erectile dysfunction after definitive therapy for prostatic cancer.

Abstract Purpose: To determine the etiology of treatment-induced erectile dysfunction among patients who underwent surgery or radiotherapy for prostatic cancer. Methods and Materials: Ninety-eight patients were evaluated for erectile dysfunction after definitive therapy for prostate cancer with Duplex ultrasonography before and after intracorporal prostaglandin injection. Patients were classified as having arteriogenic, cavernosal, mixed (arteriogenic/cavernosal), or neurogenic impotence based upon the results of the Duplex studies. Results: Among patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP), 31 (52%) had cavernosal dysfunction, 19 (32%) had arteriogenic dysfunction, 3 (5%) were classified as mixed, and 7 (12%) as neurogenic dysfunction. Among patients treated with radiotherapy (RT), 24 (63%) had arteriogenic dysfunction, 12 (32%) had cavernosal dysfunction, 1 (2.5%) were classified as mixed, and 1 (2.5%) as neurogenic dysfunction. A multivariate analysis identified prior RT as the only predictor of an arteriogenic etiology ( p p p Conclusions: While the etiology of erectile dysfunction after definitive therapy for prostatic cancer is likely a multifactorial phenomenon, these data suggest that the predominant etiology among patients who undergo RT is arteriogenic and among patients who undergo RP is veno-occlussive/cavernosal pathology. This information may have implications for the design of more effective therapies to address erectile dysfunction in this patient population.
Pros and Cons of Patent Ductus Arteriosus Ligation: Hemodynamic Changes and Other Morbidities After Patent Ductus Arteriosus Ligation

Although surgical ligation of a persistent patent ductus arteriosus resolves the adverse hemodynamic consequences of the systemic-to-pulmonary shunt and may confer some long-term benefits, it is also associated with both immediate and long-term negative effects. The population that benefits from or is harmed by the procedure is not clearly defined. Although indiscriminate ligation of the patent ductus arteriosus in all patients is not supported by the available information, the recent suggestion declaring the ductus harmless is not supported either. As we await the results of appropriately designed randomized control studies to define the indications for ligation, we must use clinical and echocardiographic indicators of a hemodynamically significant ductus arteriosus and thoughtful assessment of each individual patient to help guide us in addressing this complex problem.
Optimal correspondence of string subsequences

The definition of optimal correspondent subsequence (OCS), which extends the finite alphabet editing error minimization matching to infinite alphabet penalty minimization matching, is given. The authors prove that the string distance derived from OCS is a metric. An algorithm to compute the string-to-string OCS is given. The computational complexity of OCS is analyzed. OCS is more efficient than relaxation and elastic matching for 1D problems. An algorithm combining syntactic information in template matching is given to show the ease of integrating regular grammar into the OCS technique. Since in different applications different penalty functions may be required, two of them are discussed: one pointwise and the other piecewise. The pointwise application consists of a stereo epipolar line matching problem solved by using string-to-string OCS. The feasibility of applying OCS to UPC bar-code recognition is investigated, showing the elegance of string-to-regular-expression OCS compared to the relaxation and elastic matching techniques. >
The effect of phase transformations at the inner core boundary on the Slichter modes

We analyze the effect of phase transformations at the inner core boundary on the period of Slichter modes. We show that the presence of phase transformations can lead to qualitatively new phenomena. In particular, the frequency is inversely proportional to the density contrast at the inner core boundary. We offer a thought experiment that demonstrates this effect. The complete analysis combines an instantaneous kinetics model for phase transformations with a simple planetary model: a rigid inner core, an inviscid, incompressible, constant density outer core, a stationary mantle. The reciprocal dependence on the density contrast leads to periods that are an order of magnitude shorter than those predicted by models that disallow phase transformations.
A new efficient algorithm for computing a few DFT points

The authors describe an efficient method for computing the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) when only a few output points are needed. The method is shown to be more efficient than either Goertzel's method or pruning, and it allows any band in the output to be computed. It is based on a novel factorization of the DFT, where one part is computed using standard power-of-two FFTs (fast Fourier transforms) and the other uses a technique similar to the Goertzel algorithm. >
CI Spider: a tool for competitive intelligence on the web

Competitive Intelligence (CI) aims to monitor a firm's external environment for information relevant to its decision-making process. As an excellent information source, the Internet provides significant opportunities for CI professionals as well as the problem of information overload. Internet search engines have been widely used to facilitate information search on the Internet. However, many problems hinder their effective use in CI research. In this paper, we introduce the Competitive Intelligence Spider, or CI Spider, designed to address some of the problems associated with using Internet search engines in the context of competitive intelligence. CI Spider performs real-time collection of Web pages from sites specified by the user and applies indexing and categorization analysis on the documents collected, thus providing the user with an up-to-date, comprehensive view of the Web sites of user interest. In this paper, we report on the design of the CI Spider system and on a user study of CI Spider, which compares CI Spider with two other alternative focused information gathering methods: Lycos search constrained by Internet domain, and manual within-site browsing and searching. Our study indicates that CI Spider has better precision and recall rate than Lycos. CI Spider also outperforms both Lycos and within-site browsing and searching with respect to ease of use. We conclude that there exists strong evidence in support of the potentially significant value of applying the CI Spider approach in CI applications.
Identification and characterization of an enhancer sequence in the promoter region of human 15-lipoxygenase (15-LO) gene.

Lipoxygenases are lipid-peroxidating enzymes that are implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of inflammatory disorders 1-3, membrane remodeling 4-6 and atheroma formation 7-9. Formation of 15-(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid [15-(S)-HETE] and lipoxin (LX) A4 in human leukocytes, mediated by 15-LO dependent catalysis of arachidonic acid, likely represents a component of endogenous pro- and anti-inflammatory influences that ultimately regulate the extent and severity of inflammatory reactions 1-4, 10.
Water Yields as Influenced by Watershed Management

Hydrologic studies on small brush-covered watersheds in California show that increases in runoff can result from replacement of brush by grass; water yield increases of as much as 10 in. have been measured under favorable conditions without serious acceleration of soil erosion; factors in precipitation disposal discussed in relation to influence of watershed vegetation on runoff.
Customizable sponge-based authenticated encryption using 16-bit S-boxes

Authenticated encryption (AE) is a symmetric key cryptographic scheme that aims to provide both confidentiality and data integrity. There are many AE algorithms in existence today. However, they are often far from ideal in terms of efficiency and ease of use. For this reason, there is ongoing effort to develop new AE algorithms that are secure, efficient, and easy to use.
Sleep in the Pediatric Population

This article provides an overview of common pediatric sleep disorders encountered in the neurology clinic, including restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy, parasomnias, sleep-related epilepsy, and sleep and headaches. An overview of each is provided, with an emphasis on accurate diagnosis and treatment. It is important in comprehensive neurologic care to also obtain a sleep history, because treating the underlying sleep condition may improve the neurologic disorder.