cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultralow-Power Reconfigurable Computing with Complementary Nano-Electromechanical Carbon Nanotube Switches

In recent years, several alternative devices have been proposed to deal with inherent limitation of conventional CMOS devices in terms of scalability at nanometer scale geometry. The fabrication and integration cost of these devices, however, have been prohibitive and/or the devices do not allow smooth transition from the conventional design paradigm. To address some of these limitations, we have developed a new family of devices called "complementary nano electro-mechanical switches" (CNEMS) using carbon nanotubes as active switching/latching elements. The basic structure of these devices consists of three coplanar carbon nanotubes arranged so that the central nanotube can touch the two side carbon nanotubes upon application of a voltage pulse between them. Owing to the unique properties of carbon nanotubes, these devices have very low leakage current, low operation voltages, and have built-in energy storage to reduce computation power, resulting in very low overall power dissipation. CNEMS have stable on-off state and latching mechanism for non-volatile memory-mode operation. Besides, the devices can be readily integrated in the same substrate as CMOS transistors with high integration densities - thus, allowing easy manufacturability and hybridization with conventional CMOS devices. In this paper, we present the properties of these devices and based on our analysis, we propose a reconfigurable computation framework using these devices. For the first time, we demonstrate that these devices are promising in dynamically reconfigurable instant-on system development with about 25times lower power dissipation.
A statistical analysis system (SAS) computer program for Markov chain analysis

A computer program for Markov chain analysis is presented and discussed. The program is written in the language of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) but detailed knowledge of SAS is not required for its use. The program tests hypotheses about the goodness of fit of first- and second-order Markov models. It also tests if transition probabilities are homogeneous between the first and the second half of each sequence.
Properties of Procoagulant Platelets Defining and Characterizing the Subpopulation Binding a Functional Prothrombinase

Objective— The goal of this study was to define and characterize the subpopulation of platelets capable of regulating the functional interactions of factors Va (FVa) and Xa (FXa) on the thrombin-activated platelet surface. Methods and Results— Flow cytometric analyses were used to define and characterize platelet subpopulations. At a concentration of thrombin known to elicit maximal platelet activation, platelet-derived FVa release, and prothrombinase assembly/function, only a subpopulation of platelets was positive for FVa and FXa binding. An additional subpopulation bound lower levels of FVa but little, if any, FXa. Fluorescence microscopy analyses confirmed these data. Phenotypically, platelets capable of binding FXa were more highly reticulated and demonstrated significantly increased expression of several key adhesion molecules, including P-selectin, glycoprotein Ibα, and integrins α IIb and β 3 . This platelet subpopulation was also defined by the expression of a nondissociable, membrane-bound pool of functional platelet-derived FVa, which made up ≈35% to 50% of the total membrane-bound cofactor. Conclusion— The ability of activated platelets to support thrombin generation is defined by a subpopulation of platelets expressing a nondissociable pool of platelet-derived FVa and increased adhesive receptor density. This subpopulation is hypothesized to play a significant role in regulating both normal hemostasis and pathological thrombus formation because the adherent properties of platelets and their ability to mount and sustain a procoagulant response are crucial steps in both of these processes.
Reversing gaussian semimartingales without gauss

Representation and time reversal results of Linquist and Picci on Gaussian semimartingales with stationary increments are shown to hold without the Gaussian and stationarity assumptions, the key pr...
Continuous, noninvasive monitoring of total hemoglobin concentration by an optoacoustic technique

Measurement of total hemoglobin concentration [Hgb] is a blood test that is widely used to evaluate outpatients, hospital inpatients, and surgical patients, especially those undergoing surgery associated with extensive blood loss, rapid fluid administration, and transfusion of packed red blood cells. Current techniques for measurement of [Hgb] are invasive (requiring blood sampling) and cannot provide real-time, continuous monitoring. We propose to use an optoacoustic technique for noninvasive and continuous monitoring of [Hgb]. The high resolution of the optoacoustic technique may provide accurate measurement of [Hgb] by detection and analysis of optoacoustic signals induced by short optical pulses in blood circulating in arteries or veins. We designed, built, and tested in vitro (in both tissue phantoms and in preliminary in vivo experiments) a portable optoacoustic system for the monitoring of [Hgb] in the radial artery. The system includes a nanosecond laser operating in the near-infrared spectral range and a sensitive optoacoustic probe designed to irradiate the radial artery through the skin and detect optoacoustic signals induced in blood. Results of our studies demonstrated that (1) the slope of optoacoustic waves induced in blood in the transmission mode is linearly dependent on [Hgb] in the range from 6.2 to 12.4 g/dl, (2) optoacoustic signals can be detected despite optical attenuation in turbid tissue phantoms with a thickness of 1 cm, and (3) the optoacoustic system detects signals induced in blood circulating in the radial artery. These data suggest that the optoacoustic system can be used for accurate, noninvasive, real-time, and continuous monitoring of [Hgb].
Structure and function of titin and nebulin

Recent investigations of titin anchorage and elasticity have been supplemented with in vitro expression studies on isolated domains of titin and nebulin. These have yielded new insights into the molecular basis of the functions of these proteins in muscle. The characterization of a cellular (non-muscle) isoform of titin has extended the functional relevance of this family of proteins beyond the realm of muscle.
Formation of NO(j' = 7.5) molecules with sub-kelvin translational energy via molecular beam collisions with argon using the technique of molecular cooling by inelastic collisional energy-transfer

We report the cooling of nitric oxide molecules in a single collision between an argon atom and an NO molecule at collision energies of $5.65\pm 0.36$ kJ/mol and $14.7\pm 0.9$ kJ/mol in a crossed molecular beam apparatus. We have produced in significant numbers (∼108 molecules cm-3 per quantum state) translationally cold NO( $^{2}{\rm\Pi}_{1/2}$ , v’ = 0, j’ = 7.5) molecules in a specific quantum state with an upper-limit laboratory-frame rms velocity of $14.8\pm 1.1$ m/s, corresponding to a temperature of $406\pm 28$ mK. The translational cooling results from the kinematic collapse of the velocity distribution of the NO molecules after collision. Increasing the collision energy by increasing the velocity of the argon atoms, as we do here, does shift the scattering angle at which the cold molecules appear, but does not result in an experimentally measurable change in the velocity spread of the cold NO. This is entirely consistent with our analysis of the kinematics of the scattering which predicts that the velocity spread will actually decrease with increasing argon atom velocity.
Effect of potassium chloride on plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone during sodium restriction in normal man

Effect of potassium chloride on plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone during sodium restriction in normal man. The present study was designed to evaluate the spectrum of responses of PRA and plasma aldosterone (P Aldo ) to a range of oral potassium intakes (0 to 300mEq of potassium chloride per day) in 20 normal human subjects receiving an electrolyte-free diet. Potassium exhibited a dose-dependent natriuretic effect. The results of the PRA studies indicate that normal dietary amounts (50 mEq/day) of potassium chloride do not prevent the increase in PRA with absolute sodium deprivation and that PRA is maximally stimulated on 150mEq of potassium chloride per day. The rise in PRA is directly correlated with serum potassium concentration. The results of the P Aldo studies indicate that potassium chloride deprivation attenuates P Aldo increases due to sodium deprivation and that P Aldo is maximally stimulated on 150mEq of potassium chloride per day. The rise in P Aldo is directly correlated with serum potassium concentration and with PRA. The administration of 300 mEq/day of potassium chloride caused significant hyperkalemia and blunted both PRA and P Aldo increases. Our results suggest that potassium chloride has an important role in the regulation of PRA and P Aldo , and that only following potassium chloride deprivation is the PRA/P Aldo response dissociated. Effet du chlorure de potassium sur l'activite renine et l'aldosterone plasmatiques au cours de la restriction de sodium chez l'homme normal. Ce travail a pour but d'evaluer l'etendue des responses de l'activite renine (PRA) et de l'aldosterone (P Aldo ) plasmatiques a un eventail d'apports de potassium (0 a 300mEq de chlorure de potassium par jour) chez 20 sujets normaux qui recoivent une alimentation depourvue d'electrolytes. L'administration de potassium determine une natriurese dose dependante. L'etude de PRA indique qu'un apport alimentaire normal de chlorure de potassium (50mEq/jour) n'empeche pas l'augmentation de PRA au cours de la restriction totale de sodium et que PRA est stimulee au maximum par un apport de 150mEq de potassium par jour. L'augmentation de PRA est directement correlee a la concentration plasmatique de potassium. Le resultat de l'etude de P Aldo indique que la restriction d'apport de chlorure de potassium attenue l'augmentation de P Aldo liee a la restriction de sodium et que P Aldo est stimulee de facon maximale par 150mEq de potassium quotidiens. L'augmentation de P Aldo est directement correlee avec la concentration plasmatique du potassium et avec PRA. L'administration de 300 mEq'jour de chlorure de potassium determine une hyperkaliemic significative et attenue les augmentations de PRA et de P Aldo . Nos resultats suggerent que le chlorure de potassium a un role important dans la regulation de PRA et de P Aldo et que la dissociation des reponses PRA et P Aldo n'est obtenue qu'au cours de la restriction en chlorure de potassium.
A comparison of human tactile stimulus velocity discrimination with the ability of S-I cortical neurons in awake rhesus monkeys to signal the same velocity differences before and after non-anesthetic doses of pentobarbital.

Abstract Using psychophysical techniques, the ability of human subjects to discriminate the velocity of brush movement across the glabrous skin of the hand was determined. The same stimulus was then used in a series of neurophysiological experiments designed to determine the ability of neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex (S-I) of awake rhesus monkeys to signal differences in the same velocities. Analysis of the data in signal detection theory terms revealed that humans could discriminate two velocities (132 and 182 mm/sec) much better than most of the cortical cells of the monkeys could signal the differences in those same velocities by changes in their stimulus induced mean firing frequency. However, 4 of the 37 cells studied signaled the difference as well as the human observers. Non-anesthetic doses of pentobarbital (1–20 mg/kg) caused a reduction in the firing frequency of the S-I neurons but at the same time enhanced the difference in firing frequency elicited by two different stimulus velocities. This enhancement in the difference between the firing frequencies was caused by a relatively greater suppression of neuronal activity elicited by the slower velocity. These results not only point out potential problems with the use of barbiturates in neurophysiological studies and by humans who require fine tactile acuity, but they also raise important questions about coding by S-I cells. The reduction in overall neuronal activity accompanied by the enhancement of the difference in firing frequency at the two velocities would suggest that, if firing frequency is coding for stimulus presence or velocity, at 8 mg/kg the monkeys may have a more difficult time detecting the stimulus but an easier time discriminating between different velocities of the stimulus.
Implementing undergraduate student learning in home care

in nature. Home care provides an excellent milieu for nursing education. Through home care, students learn basic concepts of case management in the community and how to mutually develop a plan of care with patients and their families of various economic and cultural backgrounds. 1 Students working in the home environment soon come to appreciate that "caring" in the home setting is holistic in nature, similar to public health nursing. 2,3 Moreover, wKig oF'n ~ they learn about community. From community health perspectives, students come to appreciate the environment, local government, and a variety of other community partnerships that affect the health of the homebound public. The purpose of this column is to discuss implementation of home care into undergraduate nursing curricula and offer tips for working with students and clinical agencies.
On the Nature of the Central Source in η Carinae

Long-slit spectroscopic observations of η Carinae and its Homunculus have recently been obtained using STIS on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). We have extracted the spectrum of the central source using a 01×013 aperture. As expected, the spectrum is very different from ground-based spectra obtained under normal seeing conditions (i.e., 1'')—the HST observed spectrum exhibits primarily broad permitted emission lines (v ≈ 500 km s-1), while ground-based spectra show strong narrow (v ≈ 40 km s-1) permitted and forbidden lines (primarily [Fe II], Fe II, and H I) superimposed on a broad emission-line spectrum. In the optical, the spectrum shows strong H I, He I, and Fe II emission lines, many exhibiting P Cygni absorption components. Emission features due to N I, Si II, Na I, Mg II, Ca II, and Al II can also be identified. Only a few weak broad lines of [Fe II] are seen. The spectrum is qualitatively similar to a much less luminous object, the extreme P Cygni star HDE 316285. We have performed a detailed analysis of the spectrum using the non-LTE line blanketed wind code of Hillier & Miller. Despite the complexity of η Carinae, we are able to obtain a good fit to the optical emission line spectrum using a model with a mass-loss rate of 10-3 M☉ yr-1 . The weakness of the electron-scattering wings indicates that the wind is clumped, with a volume filling factor of approximately 0.1. Because of the parameter range and the extremely dense wind associated with the central star, our best-fit model is not unique. As is the case for HDE 316285, there is a strong coupling between the derived mass-loss rate and the derived N(H)/N(He) abundance ratio. In addition, the wind is so dense that the star's surface cannot be observed. Consequently, the effective temperature of the underlying star is not well determined. Because of the rich emission-line spectrum we are able to place limits on many abundances: Mass fractions of species such as Fe and Mg (and perhaps Ca, Si, and Al) are solar to within a factor of 2. In accord with standard evolutionary scenarios, Na is slightly enhanced, the N mass fraction is at least a factor of 10 over solar, while C and O show substantial depletions. The adopted luminosity of 5 × 106 L☉ is based on the observed IR flux and an assumed distance of 2.3 kpc. Thus, based on the Eddington limit, the minimum mass of the system is approximately 120 (L/5 × 106 L☉) M☉ [for N(H)/N(He) = 5]. While η Carinae may be a binary, recent evidence suggests that the purported secondary star has a mass less than 30 M☉. Thus the primary star is currently more massive than 90 M☉, and the initial mass of the star should conservatively have been in excess of 150 (L/5 × 106) M☉.
Operative management and outcomes in 103 AAST-OIS grades IV and V complex hepatic injuries: trauma surgeons still need to operate, but angioembolization helps.

BACKGROUND American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) Organ Injury Scale (OIS) grades IV and V complex hepatic injuries are highly lethal. Our objectives were to review experience and identify predictors of outcome and to evaluate the role of angioembolization in decreasing mortality. METHODS This was a retrospective 8-year study of all patients sustaining AAST-OIS grades IV and V hepatic injuries managed operatively. Statistical analysis was performed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The main outcome measure was survival. RESULTS The study included 103 patients, with a mean Revised Trauma Score of 5.61 +/- 2.55 and a mean Injury Severity Score of 33 +/- 9.5. Mechanism of injury was penetrating in 80 (79%) and blunt in 23 (21%). Emergency department thoracotomy was performed in 21 (25%). AAST grade IV injuries occurred in 51 (47%) and grade V injuries occurred in 52 (53%). Mean estimated blood loss was 9,414 mL. Overall survival was 43%. Adjusted overall survival rate after emergency department thoracotomy patients were excluded was 58%. Results stratified to AAST-OIS injury grade were as follows: grade IV, 32 of 51 (63%); grade V, 12 of 52 (23%); grade IV versus grade V (p < 0.001) odds ratio, 2.06; 95% confidence interval, 2.72 (1.40-3.04). Logistic regression analysis identified as independent predictors of outcome Revised Trauma Score (adjusted p < 0.0002), angioembolization (adjusted p < 0.0177), direct approach to hepatic veins (adjusted p < 0.0096), and packing (adjusted p < 0.0013). CONCLUSION Improvements in mortality can be achieved with an appropriate operative approach. Angioembolization as an adjunct procedure decreases mortality in AAST-OIS grades IV and V hepatic injuries.
Regional Comparisons of Coastal Sediment Contamination Detected by a Biomarker (P450 HRGS; EPA Method 4425)

Pollution investigations by the Center for Coastal Assessment and Monitoring of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been conducted since 1984 and have incorporated extensive biological and chemical analyses. Since 1993, one of the suites of biological tests utilized in these studies has been the biomarker P450HRGS, which is more recently referred to as EPA Method 4425. Extracts of sediments are applied to a human cell line with a reporter gene at the CYP1A1 site. Light produced by the extracts is a function of the concentrations and potencies of those compounds with an affinity for Ah-receptor (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs], polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], dioxins/furans). These compounds are carcinogenic, can produce chronic toxicity, and those containing chlorine are persistent and bioaccumulated. Nineteen coastal regions and 1309 samples from the three U.S. coasts have been evaluated as part of the NOAA investigations. The stratified random sampling approach used by NOAA provides estimates of the areas (km2) of each region containing levels of the compounds above thresholds. From analysis of the data base, sediments with concentrations at or below 11 ?g benzo[a]pyrene equivalents (B[a]PEq)/g would not be expected to produce effects on the benthos. At 32 ?g B[a]PEq/g and above theremore » is the potential for impacts on the biota, and above 60 ?g/g, the degradation of the benthic community has been observed. Several of the regional surveys found no samples at or above 60 ?g B[a]PEq/g, but 60% of the samples from New York Harbor (280 km2) were above this level. Analyses of data from Puget Sound and Chesapeake Bay demonstrate an increase in samples above 32 ?g B[a]PEq/g in more populated and industrial regions. A targeted investigation of the distribution of the three important classes of compounds identified by Method 4425 would be more cost effective by first screening samples by this method before expending substantial funds in the detailed chemical analysis of all samples.« less
Skin-sparing mastectomy

Skin-sparing mastectomy has been adopted for patients with early breast cancer treated by total mastectomy and immediate reconstruction, but has received little attention in the general surgery literature. It removes the breast, the nipple-areola complex, previous biopsy incisions, and the skin overlying superficial tumors. Preservation of native skin and the inframammary fold facilitates breast reconstruction.
Uncertainties in using the hodograph method to retrieve gravity wave characteristics from individual soundings

reality, the radiosonde takes time to ascend and drifts horizontally as it ascends. The uncertainty associated with the finite ascent rate has been addressed in several previous studies [e.g., Guest et al., 2000] and will not be addressed further. [3] In this study, we will try to access potential uncertainties in using the hodograph method to retrieve gravity wave characteristics even if the wave packet can be reasonably approximated by linear analysis. These uncertainties may be due to: (1) the separation into a background flow and a perturbation, since there is unavoidably some arbitrariness in the choice of the filter or polynomial fit used for that purpose; (2) the geographical variation of the wave packet; and (3) the presence of multiple waves. We estimate the importance of these uncertainties in a case study, using high-resolution numerical simulations in which a coherent quasi-monochromatic low-frequency wave is present. The reference characteristics of the wave are obtained from the overall 4-dimensional (4D) output of the simulations. Characteristics retrieved from individual profiles of the simulated wind by the hodograph method are then compared with those from 4D output.
Pubertal Status in Early-Adolescent Girls: Relations to Moods, Energy, and Restlessness

This study examined perceived pubertal change in relation to characteristics of early-adolescent girls' moods; energy, and restlessness. Fifty-two girls aged 9.1 to 10.8 years reported their moods, energy, and restlessness on 12 days over the course of 1 month. Average levels, variability, and intensity of these constructs were calculated Measures of certainty about self and perceived pubertal status and timing were also obtained. Girls who felt they were experiencing pubertal changes reported more negative moods and nervousness, and more variable negative moods, nervousness, energy, and restlessness over the month than did prepubertal girls. They also experienced more intense negative moods, nervousness, and restlessness relative to the average levels of these constructs for the sample. The hypothesis that associations between pubertal status and moods were due to heightened feelings of uncertainty about self was not supported. Mechanisms by which pubertal development may be linked to moods and energy ar...
Images and Imagination in 20th-Century Environmentalism: From the Sierras to the Poles

Recent claims that the environmentalist thinking and politics that dominated the last years of the past century were based on outmoded, 'Modernist'categories jibe with academic criticism of dualistic thinking about 'culture' and 'nature', and with attempts to acknowledge the roles of nonhuman agency in the coconstruction of social worlds. While acknowledging the salience of these arguments, the author claims that examination of pictorial images that have shaped and promoted modern environmentalism complicate them. Pictorial images are less prone to dualistic interpretation than scientific and theoretical argument, and the affective responses they generate are complex. An examination of iconic images of key 20th-century environmental criseswilderness preservation, soil erosion, urban sprawl, nuclear testing, and global environmental changereveals both continu- ities in image making and presentation, and the evolving roles of physical nature itself in shaping their composition and meanings. Globalization of environmental concerns and images has shifted nature's icons from landscape towards living species, and from a temperate to a tropical and polar geography.
Balloon angioplasty in infants with aortic obstruction after the modified stage I Norwood procedure.

Abstract Background The incidence of coarctation after stage I Norwood procedure varies between 11% and 37%, and it contributes to late death after this operation. We describe the incidence and report the results of percutaneous balloon angioplasty of neoaortic arch obstruction in patients after the modified Norwood procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Methods During a period of 5 years, 136 patients (94 male, 42 female) underwent a first stage modified Norwood procedure for HLHS. All 95 survivors (69.8%) underwent cardiac catheterization before the second stage. Neoaortic arch obstruction was diagnosed on documentation of a peak systolic gradient of >10 mm Hg across the arch associated with angiographic evidence of localized narrowing of the aortic lumen. Results Twenty-one (22.1%) of the 95 survivors were documented to have neoaortic arch obstruction. Seventeen patients underwent percutaneous balloon angioplasty for the relief of the neoaortic arch obstruction. The predilatation peak gradient across the arch was reduced significantly by angioplasty from 28.6 ± 16.9 mm Hg (range 10 to 73 mm Hg) to 5.3 ± 5.2 mm Hg (range 0 to 19 mm Hg) ( P Conclusion The absence of serious sequelae after the procedure or need for reintervention, as shown by our study, makes balloon angioplasty an effective technique and the treatment of choice for the relief of recoarctation of the neoaortic arch in patients with staged palliation of HLHS. (Am Heart J 2000;140:227-31.)
Genetic Map of Bacteriophage φX174

Bacteriophage phiX174 temperature-sensitive and nonsense mutations in eight cistrons were mapped by using two-, three-, and four-factor genetic crosses. The genetic map is circular with a total length of 24 x 10(-4)wt recombinants per progeny phage. The cistron order is D-E-F-G-H-A-B-C. High negative interference is seen, consistent with a small closed circular deoxyribonucleic acid molecule as a genome.
Monitoring The Fetus In Labor: Evidence to Support the Methods

Electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) was implemented across the United States in the 1970s. By 1998, it was used in 84% of all U.S. births, regardless of whether the primary caregiver was a physician or a midwife. Numerous randomized trials have agreed that continuous EFM in labor increases the operative delivery rate, without clear benefit to the baby. Intermittent auscultation (IA) is safe and effective in low-risk pregnancies and may play a role in helping birth remain normal. Clinicians and educators are encouraged to reconsider the use of IA in the care of healthy childbearing women.
Ammonia Elimination from Protonated Nucleobases and Related Synthetic Substrates

The results are reported of mass-spectrometric studies of the nucleobases adenine 1h (1, R = H), guanine 2h, and cytosine 3h. The protonated nucleobases are generated by electrospray ionization of adenosine 1r (1, R = ribose), guanosine 2r, and deoxycytidine 3d (3, R = deoxyribose) and their fragmentations were studied with tandem mass spectrometry. In contrast to previous EI-MS studies of the nucleobases, NH3 elimination does present a major path for the fragmentations of the ions [1h + H]+, [2h + H]+, and [3h + H]+. The ion [2h + H − NH3]+ also was generated from the acyclic precursor 5-cyanoamino-4-oxomethylene-dihydroimidazole 13h and from the thioether derivative 14h of 2h (NH2 replaced by MeS). The analyses of the modes of initial fragmentation is supported by density functional theoretical studies. Conjugate acids 15–55 were studied to determine site preferences for the protonations of 1h, 2h, 3h, 13h, and 14h. The proton affinity of the amino group hardly ever is the substrate’s best protonation site, and possible mechanisms for NH3 elimination are discussed in which the amino group serves as the dissociative protonation site. The results provide semi-direct experimental evidence for the existence of the pyrimidine ring-opened cations that we had proposed on the basis of theoretical studies as intermediates in nitrosative nucleobase deamination.
Activation analysis on fMRI time series using stochastic context-free model

In this paper, a novel statistical tool, stochastic context-free models (SCFMs), is introduced to model and analyze brain voxel activation in fMRI time series. SCFMs characterize the dynamic process where Blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) responses are assumed to be driven by brain voxel activation in pre-designed experiments. Classical state space methods such as hidden Markov models(HMMs) make strong Markov assumptions on states behaviors. Whereas, in SCFMs, more powerful context-free grammar rules are used to model such behaviors in accordance to paradigm design. The methodologies of evaluation, inference, and decoding based on SCFMs are presented. Experimental results using both HMMs and SCFMs show that the later models can better capture the completeness of the target activation patterns, and encapsulate more hierarchical information in the resulting probabilistic parsing tree.
In vitro demonstration of specific triiodothyronine binding sites in rat liver nuclei.

ABSTRACT Limited-capacity, high-affinity binding of triiodothyronine (T3) by liver nuclei in vitro was demonstrated by incubating isolated nuclei with increasing amounts of T3. The mean apparent association constant was 6.1 × 108 M−1 Both the mean nuclear binding capacity, 1.7 pmoles T3 for nuclei derived from 1 g liver, and the stereochemical specificity of the nuclear sites as assessed by competition studies with T3 analogues were virtually identical to analogous measures previously reported using in vivo techniques. The data indicate that specific nuclear T3 binding in vitro occurs at the same site as in vivo.
Clinical Experience with Aminoglycosides in Dialysis-Dependent Patients: Risk Factors for Mortality and Reassessment of Current Dosing Practices

Background::A resurgence of aminoglycoside use has followed the recent increase of multidrug-resistant gram-negative pathogens and is often needed even in the treatment of dialysis-dependent patients; however, studies evaluating the treatment of gram-negative infections with aminoglycosides, including the optimal dose, in the setting of dialysis are limited.Objective:To evaluate the current patterns of aminoglycoside use, including microbiologic and clinical indications, and identify risk factors associated with mortality in dialysis-dependent patients receiving aminoglycosides.Methods:Utilization, clinical, and microbiologic data were collected retrospectively over a 2-year period (July 2008-June 2010) for adults with a diagnosis of renal failure requiring dialysis and aminoglycoside therapy. Binary logistic and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for alt-cause 30-day mortality.Results:Ninety-five consecutive aminoglycoside courses in 88 patients met inclusion criteri...
Surrogate variable analysis using partial least squares (SVA-PLS) in gene expression studies

Motivation: In a typical gene expression profiling study, our prime objective is to identify the genes that are differentially expressed between the samples from two different tissue types. Commonly, standard analysis of variance (ANOVA)/regression is implemented to identify the relative effects of these genes over the two types of samples from their respective arrays of expression levels. But, this technique becomes fundamentally flawed when there are unaccounted sources of variability in these arrays (latent variables attributable to different biological, environmental or other factors relevant in the context). These factors distort the true picture of differential gene expression between the two tissue types and introduce spurious signals of expression heterogeneity. As a result, many genes which are actually differentially expressed are not detected, whereas many others are falsely identified as positives. Moreover, these distortions can be different for different genes. Thus, it is also not possible to get rid of these variations by simple array normalizations. This both-way error can lead to a serious loss in sensitivity and specificity, thereby causing a severe inefficiency in the underlying multiple testing problem. In this work, we attempt to identify the hidden effects of the underlying latent factors in a gene expression profiling study by partial least squares (PLS) and apply ANCOVA technique with the PLS-identified signatures of these hidden effects as covariates, in order to identify the genes that are truly differentially expressed between the two concerned tissue types. Results: We compare the performance of our method SVA-PLS with standard ANOVA and a relatively recent technique of surrogate variable analysis (SVA), on a wide variety of simulation settings (incorporating different effects of the hidden variable, under situations with varying signal intensities and gene groupings). In all settings, our method yields the highest sensitivity while maintaining relatively reasonable values for the specificity, false discovery rate and false non-discovery rate. Application of our method to gene expression profiling for acute megakaryoblastic leukemia shows that our method detects an additional six genes, that are missed by both the standard ANOVA method as well as SVA, but may be relevant to this disease, as can be seen from mining the existing literature. Availability: The R code for our method, SVA-PLS, is freely available on the Supplementary website http://www.somnathdatta.org/Supp/SVPLS/ Contact:s0chak10@louisville.edu; susmita.datta@louisville.edu Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Seismic Response of a Composite Landfill Cover

The Olympic View Sanitary Landfill (OVSL) near Port Orchard, Washington, is a modern solid waste sanitary landfill covered, in part, by a composite cover system. The site was subjected to a free-field peak horizontal ground acceleration on the order of 0.16 g during the 28 February 2001 Moment Magnitude 6.8 Nisqually earthquake. To the knowledge of the writers, this is the first documented case history of a composite landfill cover shaken by strong ground motions. Postearthquake reconnaissance did not find any signs of earthquake-induced permanent displacement of the composite cover system. Accelerograms recorded within 1 km of the facility, the results of site-specific shear wave velocity measurements and laboratory interface shear testing, and these postearthquake observations provide a unique opportunity for a posteriori numerical analysis of this important case history. The seismic performance of the OVSL composite cover system was evaluated using four commonly used methods for seismic design of landfill cover systems. These methods include two simple screening procedures, a more rigorous screening procedure, and a decoupled equivalent-linear site response/Newmark-type permanent deformation analysis using the accelerograms recorded at the nearby strong motion station. The yield accelerations of the composite cover system, required for all four methods, were calculated using the results of construction quality assurance interface shear strength conformance testing. All four methods produce results consistent with the observed performance. However, the two simple screening procedures were significantly more conservative than the other two more rigorous methods.
Changes in the diversity structure of avian assemblages in North America

Aim To determine the major patterns of change in avian diversity structure over space and time at a local resolution and continental extent in non-urban areas in North America. Location The contiguous United States and southern Canada. Methods We used 1673 North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) routes containing 547 terrestrial and aquatic species to estimate four diversity components: species richness, individual abundance, taxonomic distinctness and species evenness. We implemented three levels of analysis to examine changes in diversity structure on a yearly basis from 1968 to 2003: (1) a canonical analysis of discriminance, (2) a univariate analysis across BBS routes, and (3) a univariate analysis at individual BBS routes. We estimated changes in similarity in species composition over time between 470,730 BBS route pairs. We also estimated the level of human activity at BBS routes using three spatial anthropogenic databases. Results BBS routes were located in non-urban areas in association with low nighttime light activity and moderately low human population densities. The analysis of diversity structure indicated the presence of two independent patterns: (1) a temporally consistent pattern defined by increasing species richness (12% increase from 1968 to 2003) associated with limited gains in taxonomic distinctness, and (2) an association between species abundance and evenness related to variability in abundance associated with the most abundant species. The similarity analysis indicated that BBS routes located closer to the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts of the United States experienced the strongest patterns of homogenization of species composition. Main conclusions Our results suggest that avian diversity structure has changed at the local scale in non-urban areas in North America. However, there was no evidence for a consistent continent-wide pattern. Instead, the evidence pointed to the presence of regional factors influencing diversity patterns. This study provides a foundation for more detailed investigations of the spatiotemporal and taxonomic details of these general patterns.
Molecular characterization of retinal stem cells and their niches in adult zebrafish.

The persistence in adult teleost fish of retinal stem cells that exhibit all of the features of true 'adult stem cells' – self-renewal, multipotency, and the capacity to respond to injury by mitotic activation with the ability to regenerate differentiated tissues – has been known for several decades. However, the specialized cellular and molecular characteristics of these adult retinal stem cells and the microenvironmental niches that support their maintenance in the differentiated retina and regulate their activity during growth and regeneration have not yet been elucidated. Our data show that the zebrafish retina has two kinds of specialized niches that sustain retinal stem cells: 1) a neuroepithelial germinal zone at the interface between neural retina and ciliary epithelium, called the ciliary marginal zone (CMZ), a continuous annulus around the retinal circumference, and 2) the microenvironment around some Muller glia in the differentiated retina. In the uninjured retina, scattered Muller glia (more frequently those in peripheral retina) are associated with clusters of proliferating retinal progenitors that are restricted to the rod photoreceptor lineage, but following injury, the Muller-associated retinal progenitors can function as multipotent retinal stem cells to regenerate other types of retinal neurons. The CMZ has several features in common with the neurogenic niches in the adult mammalian brain, including access to the apical epithelial surface and a close association with blood vessels. Muller glia in the teleost retina have a complex response to local injury that includes some features of reactive gliosis (up-regulation of glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP, and re-entry into the cell cycle) together with dedifferentiation and re-acquisition of phenotypic and molecular characteristics of multipotent retinal progenitors in the CMZ (diffuse distribution of N-cadherin, activation of Notch-Delta signaling, and expression of rx1, vsx2/Chx10, and pax6a) along with characteristics associated with radial glia (expression of brain lipid binding protein, BLBP). We also describe a novel specific marker for Muller glia, apoE. The stem cell niches that support multi-lineage retinal progenitors in the intact, growing and regenerating teleost retina have properties characteristic of neuroepithelia and neurogenic radial glia. The regenerative capacity of the adult zebrafish retina with its ability to replace lost retinal neurons provides an opportunity to discover the molecular regulators that lead to functional repair of damaged neural tissue.
Revisiting Plog's model of allocentricity and psychocentricity ... one more time.

Stanley Plog’s model of allocentricity and psychocentricity, a seminal tourism model, has been widely cited in the tourism literature and is included in virtually every hospitality and tourism text. At the same time, it has been scrutinized by a host of critics who questioned aspects of the model’s applicability and validity. This study of travelers’ vacation histories seeks to add to the research regarding this important model. The results present an interesting dichotomy, indicating that although the model does not really help to predict where travelers are likely to visit, it is highly effective in suggesting where they would ideally like to visit. These findings should be of significant value to tourism marketers and researchers attracted to Plog’s model.
International reggae, democratic socialism, and the secularization of the Rastafarian movement, 1972–1980

(1998). International reggae, democratic socialism, and the secularization of the Rastafarian movement, 1972–1980. Popular Music and Society: Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 39-60.
On the spectrum efficiency of a cellular system based on multi-receiver, multiple access (MRMA)

Considers a cellular system architecture based on Multi-Receiver Multiple Access (MRMA). The upper and lower bounds on the spectrum efficiency of this architecture are calculated and compared with the efficiency of existing cellular systems. In some cases, a MRMA-based system is shown to have a higher potential capacity, nearly double that of existing systems, but at the cost of higher complexity. Previous work has shown these systems to be well suited for data traffic and work is underway to determine the suitability of such systems for voice and integrated voice/data traffic. >
Picking the Pivot: Use and Consequences of the Budget Reconciliation Procedures in the United States Senate

Though involved in the passage of a range of important domestic policy initiatives over the past 30 years, the budget reconciliation procedures have been largely neglected as a specific focus of study by scholars of Congress. In this paper, I offer an overview of the procedures and an explanation of when and how they might be used to enhance the brand of the Senate’s majority party. I use a new dataset on mandatory federal programs from 1984 to 2011 to test a series of hypotheses about the frequency and content of reconciliation bills, finding evidence consistent with the notion that the procedures represent an important tool for the majority party to achieve partisan goals in the Senate, which is often thought to have weaker parties than the House of Representatives.
Neo-adjuvant Therapy of Soft Tissue Sarcomas of the Extremities with Intra-arterial Chemotherapy and Radiation

The optimal treatment for patients with soft tissue sarcomas of the extremities remains controversial. The relative rarity of the tumor has made it difficult to perform randomized clinical trials comparing one treatment with another in order to determine the best primary therapy. In addition, the tumors have numerous histological variants, vary considerably in size, making standardized surgical procedures difficult, and present in different anatomic sublocations within the extremity.
Adaptation to effects of an audience during acquisition of rotary pursuit skill.

This study investigated the anxiety effects of an evaluative audience on the acquisition of a simple motor skill. These effects, also known as "stage fright," can be a major moderator of performance, so a better understanding of these variables can lead to improvements in motor skill development. 60 students completed 15 trials on a pursuit rotor. Participants completed the trials either alone (control) or in front of an audience (treatment). To test for differences in acquisition due to the timing of the introduction of the audience, some subjects completed all trials with an audience present, while others were allowed to practice 4 or 9 trials before the introduction of the audience. The performance curves exhibited by each group reached asymptote at approximately the same time but at different performance levels. Analyses of covariance indicated that, while the final performance of the treatment groups was not different, each treatment group performed significantly more poorly than the control group. Participants attempting to acquire a skill before an audience might not be able to adapt to the effects of the audience regardless of the timing of the introduction of the audience. Language: en
Headed to College: The Effects of New York City's Small High Schools of Choice on Postsecondary Enrollment

Taking advantage of lottery-like features in New York City’s high school admissions process, previous MDRC reports have provided rigorous evidence that new small public high schools are narrowing the educational attainment gap and markedly improving high school graduation prospects, particularly for disadvantaged students. The new findings in this policy brief demonstrate that these schools are also having a sustained effect on students’ enrollment and persistence in postsecondary education, with positive impacts for many different subgroups, including male and female students of color, students who partially or fully met their eighth-grade proficiency standards in math or English, and students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. These gains involve postsecondary institutions representing a broad range of selectivity. Given available data, it is too early to determine the resulting effect on college degree attainment.
Reduction of Endotracheal Tube Connector Dead Space Improves Ventilation: A Bench Test on a Model Lung Simulating an Extremely Low Birth Weight Neonate

BACKGROUND: The reduction of instrumental dead space is a recognized approach to preventing ventilation-induced lung injury in premature infants. However, there are no published data regarding the effectiveness of instrumental dead-space reduction in endotracheal tube (ETT) connectors. We tested the impact of the Y-piece/ETT connector pairs with reduced instrumental dead space on CO2 elimination in a model of the premature neonate lung. METHODS: The standard ETT connector was compared with a low-dead-space ETT connector and with a standard connector equipped with an insert. We compared the setups by measuring the CO2 elimination rate in an artificial lung ventilated via the connectors. The lung was connected to a ventilator via a standard circuit, a 2.5-mm ETT, and one of the connectors under investigation. The ventilator was run in volume-controlled continuous mandatory ventilation mode. RESULTS: The low-dead-space ETT connector/Y-piece and insert-equipped standard connector/Y-piece pairs had instrumental dead space reduced by 36 and 67%, respectively. With set tidal volumes (VT) of 2.5, 5, and 10 mL, in comparison with the standard ETT connector, the low-dead-space connector reduced CO2 elimination time by 4.5% (P CONCLUSIONS: Both methods of instrumental dead-space reduction led to improvements in artificial lung ventilation. Negative effects on resistance and work of breathing appeared minimal. Further testing in vivo should be performed to confirm the lung model results and, if successful, translated into clinical practice.