cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
From the Green Mile to the Yellow Brick Road: Using a Practical Model to Fill in the Social Studies Content Gaps

Since the inception of mandated testing in reading and mathematics, social studies instruction has been marginalized in elementary and middle schools. After the genesis of several state-mandated testing programs and nearly a decade after the launch of the No Child Left Behind legislation, the effects of limited K–8 social studies instruction are being recognized at the high school level, specifically in high school test score data. This article reveals the obstacles generated by marginalizing social studies in the elementary and middle schools and offers a model for helping teachers understand their role in offsetting the problems associated with early social studies marginalization. The article also provides a way to help teachers collaboratively fill the social studies content gaps.
Characterization of the DNA damage in 6-thioguanine-treated cells.

Abstract 6-Thioguanine (TG) incorporation into DNA has been associated with cytotoxicity and DNA damage in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and murine leukemia L1210 cells. According to alkaline elution analysis, single-strand breaks (SSB) occur in both cell types. DNA-protein and interstrand crosslinks are prominent features of TG effects in L1210, CEM, and HL-60 but not CHO cells. To assess which DNA strand experiences SSB in CHO cells, the cells were synchronized by growth to confluence (late g 1 , S). The cells were then diluted into fresh medium so that they underwent a round of division during a subsequent 16-hr interval. They were treated with TG during this first cell cycle, and mitotic cells were harvested at the end of the first cycle using colcemid. SSB were determined in parental DNA (radiolabeled with thymidine during growth to confluence), TG-containing DNA (radiolabeled with [ 14 C]TG during drug exposure), and daughter DNA (labeled with thymidine during the second cell cycle). SSB occurred in TG-containing DNA late in the second cell cycle after drug exposure and in the DNA synthesized from a TG-DNA template (daughter DNA). This observation is consistent with the known delayed cytotoxicity and chromosomal aberrations seen in CHO cells. The SSB suggest relatively normal elongation of DNA containing TG but altered synthesis and/or ligation from a TG-DNA template. This premise was tested in synchronized CHO cells. The DNA strand incorporating TG elongated naturally; however, DNA elongation was impaired in the cell cycle following TG treatment. The results are consistent with SSB in daughter DNA synthesized from a TG-DNA template due to inability to elongate the newly-synthesized strand.
Chaı̂nes de Markov Triplet

Resume Les Chaines de Markov Cachees (CMC), qui permettent l'estimation des variables d'interet dans les cas des quantites importantes des donnees, sont largement utilisees dans les problemes le plus divers. Ces modeles ont ete recemment generalises aux Chaines de Markov Couple (CMCouple), qui permettent des modelisations plus completes des liens entre les processus cache et observe. Nous proposons dans cette Note de generaliser ces derniers aux modeles « Chaines de Markov Triplet » (CMT) dans lesquels la loi du couple (processus cache, processus observe) est la loi marginale d'un triplet Markovien. Nous montrons la calculabilite des estimations Bayesiennes du processus cache et presentons une CNS pour qu'une CMT soit une CMCouple, montrant en particulier que les modeles CMT sont strictement plus generaux que les modeles CMCouple. Nous precisons egalement un lien avec la fusion de Dempstert–Shafer. Pour citer cet article : W. Pieczynski, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 335 (2002) 275–278.
Impact of suburbanization on ground water quality and denitrification in coastal aquifer sediments

Abstract The South Carolina coastal plain is currently facing rapid population growth and suburbanization. Suburbanization brings the potential for surface- and ground water contamination from the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers, which can render water toxic to humans and fish, and lead to eutrophication. Additionally, nitrate is highly mobile in sediments and poses the potential for contamination of receiving waters, downstream areas, and ground water. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the differences in ground water quality and sediment denitrification rates at two sites, an undeveloped forested area (Oyster Creek, North Inlet, SC) and an area which has been developed for residential and commercial use (Dog Creek, Murrells Inlet, SC). Ground water monitoring wells were installed at the two sites at several sampling depths ranging from 0.6 m to 5 m. Ground water samples were collected every 4–8 weeks for 16 months, and analyzed in the field for pH, conductivity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen (DO), and in the laboratory for nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, phosphate and total organic carbon (TOC). Additionally, sediment samples were collected from two locations in both creek bottoms from approximately 1.0 m depth, and microbial denitrification was estimated using the acetylene block technique by measuring the accumulation of nitrous oxide (N2O). Ground water at both sites was microaerophilic, ranging from 0.4 to 1 mg O2/l. Ammonia and TOC concentrations were significantly higher at the forested site due to higher inputs of organic matter in the form of leafy vegetation, whereas nitrate concentrations were significantly higher at the suburban site. Sediments from both sites were able to rapidly convert NO3 to N2O with progressive depletion of NO3 in extracted sediments. Both the rate of N2O production and the conversion efficiencies were found to increase with increasing nitrate concentrations from 0.1 to 0.5 mg/g. The smallest nitrate concentration had the lowest N2O production and NO3 conversion efficiency. However, for the intermediate treatment (0.25 mg/g) conversion efficiencies were variable. In addition to potential increased NO3 inputs, increased drainage for development present at suburban sites may cause aeration of near channel soils and favor the oxidized, more mobile form of nitrogen. Because the suburban site has steeper hydraulic gradients, and nitrate is highly mobile, there is potential for both nitrate transport to the estuary and accumulation in the shallow water-table aquifer at the suburban site. However, it appears that the microbial communities from both sites were well adapted to denitrifying inputs of nitrate in the concentration ranges tested.
Toward semantic-based retrieval of visual information: a model-based approach

This paper center around the problem of automated visual content classification. To enable classification based image or visual object retrieval, we propose a new image representation scheme called visual context descriptor (VCD) that is a multidimensional vector in which each element represents the frequency of a unique visual property of an image or a region. VCD utilizes the predetermined quality dimensions (i.e., types of features and quantization level) and semantic model templates mined in priori. Not only observed visual cues, but also contextually relevant visual features are proportionally incorporated in VCD. Contextual relevance of a visual cue to a semantic class is determined by using correlation analysis of ground truth samples. Such co-occurrence analysis of visual cues requires transformation of a real-valued visual feature vector (e.g., color histogram, Gabor texture, etc.,) into a discrete event (e.g., terms in text). Good-feature to track, rule of thirds, iterative k-means clustering and TSVQ are involved in transformation of feature vectors into unified symbolic representations called visual terms. Similarity-based visual cue frequency estimation is also proposed and used for ensuring the correctness of model learning and matching since sparseness of sample data causes the unstable results of frequency estimation of visual cues. The proposed method naturally allows integration of heterogeneous visual or temporal or spatial cues in a single classification or matching framework, and can be easily integrated into a semantic knowledge base such as thesaurus, and ontology. Robust semantic visual model template creation and object based image retrieval are demonstrated based on the proposed content description scheme.
Minimum Acquisition Methods for Simultaneously Imaging T1, T2, and Proton Density with B1 Correction and No Spin-echoes

Abstract The spin lattice (T1) and spin–spin (T2) relaxation times, along with the proton density (PD) contain almost all of the information that 1H MRI routinely uses in clinical diagnosis and research, but are seldom imaged directly. Here, three methods for directly imaging T1, T2, and PD with the least possible number of acquisitions – three, are presented. All methods utilize long 0° self-refocusing adiabatic pre-pulses instead of spin-echoes to encode the T2 information prior to a conventional gradient-echo MRI sequence. T1 information is encoded by varying the flip-angle (FA) in the ‘Dual-τ Dual-FA’ and ‘Four-FA’ methods, or the sequence repetition period, TR, in the ‘Dual-τ Dual-TR’ method. Inhomogeneity in the FA distribution and slice-selection profile are recognized as the main error sources for T1 measurements. The former is remedied by integrating an extra FA-dependent acquisition into the ‘Four-FA’ method to provide self-corrected T1, T2, PD, and FA in just four acquisitions – again, the minimum possible. Slice profile errors – which manifest as differences between 2D and 3D T1 measurements, can be addressed by Bloch equation analysis and experimental calibration. All three methods are validated in phantom studies, and the ‘Dual-τ Dual-FA’ and ‘Four-FA’ methods are validated in human brain studies using standard partial saturation and spin-echo methods for reference. The new methods offer a minimum-acquisition option for imaging single-component T1, T2, and PD. ‘Four-FA’ performs best overall in accuracy, with high efficiency per unit accuracy vs. existing methods when B1-inhomogeneity is appropriately addressed.
Neuroaugmentation for chronic pain

The treatment of chronic pain has become an increasingly prominent part of medical care. Recognition of chronic pain as a disease state has led to more aggressive treatment, including invasive interventions targeted at the neural circuitry responsible for the perception of pain. Neurosurgeons long ago realized that altering pain transmission pathways can provide relief from pain, initially using this knowledge to design destructive procedures that sometimes provided short-term relief but frequently failed in the long term. As we have learned more about the mechanisms of chronic pain, there has been a shift away from destructive neurosurgical operations and toward augmentative procedures that alter the function of the nervous system by nondestructive electrical or chemical means. In the early part of the twenty-first century, neuroaugmentation has reached a stage of development at which sophisticated technology and refined techniques now offer relief to patients who otherwise would have no remaining treatment options. This issue of the Neurosurgery Clinics of North America attempts to outline the current state of the art in neuroaugmentation for chronic pain. Chronic pain is a complex, multidimensional disorder, encompassing not only nociception (the
SU-FF-T-289: Gamma Is a Necessary, But Not Sufficient Criteria for Comparing Dose Distributions

Purpose: To demonstrate via simple test cases that although percent pass gamma (γ 98% of points have γ<1 with respect to the reference field when 2D planar fluence/dose verification images are acquired, the resultant dose distributions are clinically unacceptable. Gamma criterion of 3%, 3 mm and 5%, 5mm are used. Reference test fields include a 10×10 cm2 open field with 5mm gap sweeping and two modified 10×10 cm2 fields. Deviations include shrinking the dose distribution by 3 mm, and introducing a non‐moving 5 mm wide MLC leaf in the interior of a field. Results: The two‐dimensional field that is narrower than the reference field can have 100% of the points with γ<1. A non‐moving 5 mm MLC leaf in a 10 ×10 cm2 sliding window can have 94.5% of the points passed 3%, 3mm gamma test and 97.8% of the points passed 5%, 5mm gamma test. Similarly, fields with dose peaks or valleys in them with dimensions up to two‐times the DTA criteria can have 100% of points with γ<1. Exchanging to roles of the reference and test images in the gamma evaluation can be distinguish some, but not all, of the clinically relevant errors. Conclusion: Evaluation of the fraction of points with γ<1 may be a necessary condition, but it is not sufficient to state a plan is dosimetically acceptable. Evaluation of additional dose metrics is required to show clinical acceptability. Conflict of Interest: Research supported in part by Varian Medical Systems and NIH P01 CA116602.
A Simplified Multivariant SMA Model Based on Invariant Plane Nature of Martensitic Transformation

The Multivariant model describing shape memory alloy (SMA) constitutive behavior is further developed in this paper for improved prediction of thermomechanical response. In the original formulation of the Multivariant model, an interaction energy, representative of the incompatibility of an inclusion to the matrix, was calculated by a micromechanics model in which every variant group (inclusion) was embedded in the austenite phase with numerous other inclusions. However, experiments show that martensite variants tend to form large plates most of which have an invariant plane interface with the austenite and reach the grain boundary. Hence, to better simulate material behavior, in the revised model the micromechanical interaction energy is replaced by a small, constant term. The predictions by the new model for different uniaxial tension directions on a single CuAlNi crystal have excellent agreement with the experimental results. Furthermore, the counterintuitive results for a polycrystal CuZnAl under triaxial loading are also well captured by the new model. As the revised model removes an iterative procedure for interaction energy, calculations are simplified, making the Multivariant model more suitable for larger scale computations.
Guidelines for Maintaining a Professional Compass in the Era of Social Networking

Objectives The use of social networking (SN) sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, has skyrocketed during the past 5 years, with more than 400 million current users. What was once isolated to high schools or college campuses has become increasingly ubiquitous in everyday life and across a multitude of industries. Medical centers and residency programs are not immune to this invasion. These sites present opportunities for the rapid dissemination of information from status updates, to tweets, to medical support groups, and even clinical communication between patients and providers. Although powerful, this technology also opens the door for misuse and policies for use will be necessary. We strive to begin a discourse in the surgical community in regard to maintaining professionalism while using SN sites. Results The use of SN sites among surgical house staff and faculty has not been addressed previously. To that end, we sought to ascertain the use of the SN site Facebook at our residency program. Of 88 residents and 127 faculty, 56 (64%) and 28 (22%), respectively, have pages on Facebook. Of these, 50% are publicly accessible. Thirty-one percent of the publicly accessible pages had work-related comments posted, and of these comments, 14% referenced specific patient situations or were related to patient care. Conclusions Given the widespread use of SN websites in our surgical community and in society as a whole, every effort should be made to guard against professional truancy. We offer a set of guidelines consistent with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the American College of Surgeons professionalism mandates in regard to usage of these websites. By acknowledging this need and by following these guidelines, surgeons will continue to define and uphold ethical boundaries and thus demonstrate a commitment to patient privacy and the highest levels of professionalism.
A PRIMITIVE PUEBLO CITY IN NEVADA

THE fact is well known that at an early period agricultural tribes of Indians, building rather primitive houses but manufacturing pottery of Pueblo types, were widely scattered over the Southwest. But it is also true that comparatively little attention has been paid to them hitherto, perhaps because the remains of their relatively humble habitations seem so insignificant when compared with the spectacular cliff-dwellings and with the huge stone and adobe buildings left by Pueblo peoples in much later, but still prehistoric, times. For this reason the work done during two seasons by the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, in cooperation with the State of Nevada, in the veritable city of adobe ruins and pit-dwellings near St. Thomas, Nevada, may prove of special interest; for it may shed some additional light on that remote period of Pueblo prehistory when the characteristic culture was just beginning to take form and Pueblo architecture was born. The group of ruins has been officially named "Pueblo Grande de Nevada," but the press and the public at large prefer to call it the "Lost City," and under this name it now appears on the Union Pacific railroad maps. The writer was in charge of this expedition, with Mr. C. O. Turbyfill, also of the Museum staff, as first assistant, and with Mr. Louis Schellbach, 3d., representing the State of Nevada. Among the others who rendered efficient service were Messrs. George and Willis Evans, father and son, from the Pit River tribe of northern California; Mr. Fay Perkins of Overton, Nevada, and Mr. Leslie Sanchee, a Zuni, Not only did Governor Scrugham and the State authorities in general exert themselves to assist us in every possible manner, but many of the neighboring ranchmen and other residents of the Moapa valley went out of their way to help us, and our thanks are due to all of them.
Stochastic modeling of regulation of gene expression by multiple small RNAs

Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) are known to play a central role in diverse cellular pathways that bring about global changes in gene expression (1). In several cases, such global changes are coordinated by a master regu- lator protein whose expression is controlled by multiple sRNAs (2, 3). Examples include regulation of the master regulator in bacterial quorum-sensing pathways by mul- tiple sRNAs (4) and regulation of the alternative sigma factors by four distinct sRNAs, each of which responds to different environmental stresses (2). Despite its impor- tance in coordinating cellular stress responses and related processes, the role of multiple sRNAs in regulating the expression of a single target gene is not yet well under- stood (3). In this work, we address this issue by analyzing a stochastic model that elucidates potential functional roles for this widely-occurring regulatory motif. Regulation of gene expression by sRNAs is a post- transcriptional process: sRNAs can bind to messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and control protein production by al- tering mRNA stability or by regulating translational ef- ficiency (1). The intrinsic stochasticity of the underlying biochemical reactions can produce significant variations ('noise') in gene expression among individual cells in iso- genic populations (5-9). Although noise in gene expres- sion can have deleterious effects in some cases and thus needs to be limited; in other cases such noise is utilized and indeed required by the cell e.g. for processes leading to cell-fate determination (10, 11). Furthermore, it has been argued that noise in gene expression could be advan- tageous under conditions of high stress, since variability in a population provides a bet-hedging strategy that can enable survival (12, 13). Regulation of the noise in gene expression is thus essential for the proper functioning of several cellular processes. Since sRNAs regulate critical cellular processes, understanding their role in fine-tuning the noise in gene expression is of fundamental importance
Metronidazole and clarithromycin resistance amongst Helicobacter pylori isolates from a large metropolitan hospital in the United States

Abstract Background: Metronidazole and clarithromycin-based therapies are among the most efficacious treatment regimens for H. pylori infection. Resistance to metronidazole or clarithromycin is associated with impaired therapy with these agents. We conducted a retrospective review of susceptibility data to determine the frequency of primary metronidazole and clarithromycin resistance among H. pylori isolates from a single metropolitan hospital in the United States. The database comprised 933 patients who presented at the Digestive Diseases Clinic at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston between September 1988 and January 1997 with complaints of dyspepsia, abdominal pain and peptic ulcer disease. One hundred and seventy-nine of these patients had both pharmaceutical records available for evaluation and culture and antimicrobial susceptibility data for analysis. The MICs were determined by both E-test and broth microdilution tests . The frequency of primary metronidazole resistance was 37.4% (67/179). The level of primary clarithromycin resistance was 6.1%. Dual metronidazole and clarithromycin resistance was present in approx. 3%. The high level of primary metronidazole and clarithromycin resistance in H. pylori isolates from this metropolitan hospital is such that antimicrobial susceptibility data should be available so that informed choice can be made for specific eradication therapies, especially in patients who fail treatment.
The Mg II and Lyα Lines of Nearby K Dwarfs: Interstellar Medium Components and Flux Measurements*

We analyze local interstellar medium (LISM) absorption observed in the Lya and Mg II h and k lines of six nearby K dwarf stars, using UV spectra of these stars obtained with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. For four of the six stars, we detect an absorption com- ponent with a velocity and column density consistent with the Local Interstellar Cloud (LIC). For HD 197890, there is no observed component at the expected LIC velocity or at the projected velocity of the G cloud, which is a nearby cloud in the general direction of the Galactic center. It also seems doubtful that either of the two components seen toward HD 82558 are LIC or G cloud absorption. The total H I column density toward HD 82558 (d \ 18.3 pc) is extremely high representing (log N H \ 19.05 ^ 0.15), the largest average H I density detected for any line of sight through the nearby LISM cm~3). (n H B 0.2 This is particularly remarkable considering that this star is only 39i from the ii interstellar tunnel ˇˇ toward v CMa, where column densities are an order of magnitude lower than this toward stars that are an order of magnitude farther away. Subject headings: ISM: atomsstars: chromospheresstars: late-typeultraviolet: ISM ¨ ultraviolet: stars
Unidirectional invisibility with 3D parity-time symmetric structures

Unidirectional invisibility in parity-time-symmetric systems has been so far predicted in one-dimensional (1D) structures, i.e., for planar slabs that are reflectionless when excited in one direction, while have strong reflections from the other direction. Here we generalize this concept to three-dimensional (3D) systems. Contrary to the 1D case, where only two directions are relevant, in the 3D case the full 4π solid angle needs to be considered, making this scenario much richer and with far more exciting possibilities. Interestingly enough, we prove that the unidirectional invisibility condition derived here for parity-time symmetric systems is also the optimal cloaking condition for incidence from a particular direction. Our analytical theory is developed for a sub-wavelength sphere uniformly surrounded by resonant plasmonic nanoparticles with gain and loss. A method for the realization of such nanoparticles using a core-shell geometry is also presented.
Frog killing (ranacide) in the male rat: Lack of effect of hormonal manipulations☆

Abstract Adult male albino rats were screened for frog-killing (ranacide) behavior on the basis of two 5 min testing sessions. Killers were defined as animals which killed within one min while nonkillers failed to kill during the entire 5 min test interval. Injections of either testosterone proprionate or sesame oil on alternate days for a month failed to induce ranacide in any of the nonkiller animals during three 5 min test sessions spaced 24 hr apart. One-half of the killers also received either testosterone proprionate or sesame oil while the remaining animals were either castrated or sham-castrated. Neither exogenous testosterone nor castration significantly altered the latency to kill when compared to their respective control groups. These results indicate that ranacide is a nonandrogen dependent aggressive behavior and provide additional evidence for the inclusion of this model in the predatory aggression classification.
Shifting dominance within a montane vegetation community: Results of a climate-warming experiment

In experimentally heated plots that each span a soil moisture gradient in a Rocky Mountain meadow, aboveground biomass of Artemisia tridentata (a sagebrush) increased in the drier habitat and that of Pentaphylloides floribunda (a shrub cinquefoil) increased in the wetter habitat relative to control plots. In contrast, aboveground forb biomass decreased in the wet and dry habitats of the heated plots. These results, combined with evidence for enhanced sagebrush seedling establishment rates in the heated plots, suggest that the increased warming expected under an atmosphere with a concentration of carbon dioxide twice that of pre-industrial levels could change the dominant vegetation of a widespread meadow habitat.
Dithiocarbamate-coated SERS substrates: sensitivity gain by partial surface passivation.

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity of nanoporous gold (NPG) can be boosted by controlled surface passivation. The SERS activities of unfunctionalized NPG were first optimized by etching substrates with NaI/I2 (triiodide) and using 2-mercaptopyridine (2-MP) as the probing analyte. Gains in analyte sensitivity were then achieved by passivating the superficial regions of the NPG substrates with dimethyldithiocarbamate (Me2DTC) while leaving the more recessed “hot spots” available for SERS detection. Partial surface passivation with DTCs increased the substrate sensitivity to chemisorptive analytes such as 2-MP by an order of magnitude, whereas surface saturation lowered the sensitivity by an order of magnitude. The partially passivated NPG films can also be functionalized with supramolecular receptors for chemoselective SERS. Installation of a DTC-anchored terpyridine enabled the detection of divalent metal ions at trace levels, as determined by the complexation-induced shift of a characte...
The use of optimization to construct critical accelerograms for given structures and sites

In this paper a methodology has been presented for constructing the most critical accelerogram from among a be class of candidate accelerograms for a given site and structure. This most critical accelerogram could be used to assess seismic resistance of a structure with a high level of confidence. Specifically, the method superimposes accelerograms recorded at similar sites to create the candidate accelerograms, then uses optimization and approximation techniques find the most critical accelerogram. The most critical accelerogram is defined as the one which maximizes damage is structure, as computed by non-linear dynamic structural analysis, as well as satisfies constraints on ground parameters to ensure credibility. The damage has been defined as cumulative inelastic energy dissipation or sure of interstorey drifts. The method is applied to ten examples in the paper.
Gentamicin Uptake in Wild-Type and Aminoglycoside-Resistant Small-Colony Mutants of Staphylococcus aureus

Gentamicin uptake and killing were studied in aminoglycoside-susceptible wild-type Staphylococcus aureus strains and aminoglycoside-resistant small-colony mutants selected by gentamicin from these strains. In wild-type S. aureus three phases of gentamicin accumulation were noted, and killing occurred during the last and most rapid phase of uptake. Uptake and killing were abolished by anaerobic growth and sodium azide, suggesting that energy-dependent active drug transport required respiration. Treatment of wild-type strains with the uncouplers N,N'-dicyclohexyl carbodiimide (DCCD) and carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenyl hydrazone showed disparate effects on gentamicin uptake, producing enhanced and diminished accumulations, respectively. Small-colony mutants demonstrated markedly deficient uptake compared with the wild-type strains and were not killed by gentamicin in concentrations up to 10 mug/ml. Several classes of aminoglycoside-resistant mutant strains are described. One mutant strain was a menadione auxotroph which, when grown in the presence of menadione, exhibited normal gentamicin uptake and killing. Gentamicin uptake and killing in this strain were abolished by KCN when the strain was grown in a medium supplemented with menadione. The membrane adenosine triphosphatase inhibitor DCCD was lethal for this mutant but not for other mutants or wild-type strains. Preincubation with menadione prevented the lethal effect of DCCD, and this strain demonstrated normal gentamicin accumulation when exposed to both DCCD and menadione. A second mutant strain demonstrated both gentamicin uptake and killing in the presence but not the absence of DCCD. Studies with small-colony mutants of S. aureus indicated that the defect in aminoglycoside uptake is very likely related to an inability to generate or maintain energized membranes from respiration. These studies suggest that the membrane energization associated with active aminoglycoside accumulation requires electron transport for the generation of a protonmotive force.
Flushing induction chambers used for rodent anesthesia to reduce waste anesthetic gas

Anesthetic induction chambers used for medical research are a substantial source of waste anesthetic gas (WAG). Ideally, any generated waste gas should be actively vented away from personnel operating the chamber by either a ventilated hood or snorkel. Unfortunately, the ideal environment for anesthetizing rodents is not always available. In an effort to create a safer environment, the authors designed a system to reduce WAG. This system is portable, can be adapted to different precision vaporizing anesthetic systems and fits in a variety of physical locations. The system flushes anesthetic gas out of an induction chamber before operators open the chamber. To ensure that the system was adequately flushing the anesthetic gas, the authors measured WAG concentration in the environment above the induction chamber and directly behind the vent of an activated charcoal filter. They also compared the efficiency of the filters in vertical and horizontal positions. Finally, they measured the recovery time for mice and rats after flushing the anesthetic gas from an induction chamber. The results show that flushing the induction chamber was an inexpensive and effective method for reducing WAG accumulation in the air surrounding the chamber.
Gender Differences in Outcomes in an HMO—Based Substance Abuse Treatment Program

This study examined gender differences in treatment outcomes and outcomes predictors among 155 men and 81 women attending a gender-sensitive substance abuse treatment program. Bivariate analyses indicated women improved more than men in social/family and daily functioning domains, but differences disappeared after controlling for baseline characteristics. Multivariate models predicting treatment outcomes revealed that, across Addiction Severity Index domains, outcomes for men were predicted primarily by mental health and medical conditions, severity of the substance abuse problem, and treatment com- pletion. For women, in addition to treatment completion, outcomes were more likely to be predicted by social, socio-demographic, and life-history characteristics. For abstinence outcomes, women who completed treatment were 9 times as likely to be abstinent at 7-month follow-up as other women; men who completed were 3 times more likely to be abstinent than other men. Women with more severe psychiatric status and those who felt their life was out of control were less likely to be abstinent, as were men who lived alone. Clinicians targeting such factors differentially for men and women may enhance the effectiveness of treatment.
Opportunistic application-level fault detection through adaptive redundant multithreading

As the scale and complexity of future High Performance Computing systems continues to grow, the rising frequency of faults and errors and their impact on HPC applications will make it increasingly difficult to accomplish useful computation. Traditional means of fault detection and correction are either hardware based or use software based redundancy. Redundancy based approaches usually entail complete replication of the program state or the computation and therefore incurs substantial overhead to application performance. Therefore, the wide-scale use of full redundancy in future exascale class systems is not a viable solution for error detection and correction. In this paper we present an application level fault detection approach that is based on adaptive redundant multithreading. Through a language level directive, the programmer can define structured code blocks. When these blocks are executed by multiple threads and their outputs compared, we can detect errors in specific parts of the program state that will ultimately determine the correctness of the application outcome. The compiler outlines such code blocks and a runtime system reasons whether their execution by redundant threads should enabled/disabled by continuously observing and learning about the fault tolerance state of the system. By providing flexible building blocks for application specific fault detection, our approach makes possible more reasonable performance overheads than full redundancy. Our results show that the overheads to application performance are in the range of 4% to 70% due to runtime system being continuously aware of the rate and source of system faults, rather than the usual overhead in the excess of 100% that is incurred by complete replication.
Implications of the minimally distinct border.

The minimally distinct border (MDB) method for comparing two fields of differing chromaticity was first reported by Boynton and Kaiser in 1968, and has been the subject of further experimental and theoretical investigation since that time. The evidence suggests that the MDB criterion is achieved when the two fields being compared produce equal effects upon the achromatic channels of the photopic visual system. The comparisons prove to be transitive and Abney’s law is strictly obeyed; spectral sensitivity evaluated by the MDB is very similar to that obtained by flicker photometry. An advantage of the MDB over flicker photometry is that the strength of the border at the MDB setting can be evaluated. This is done either by border matches with an achromatic comparison field, or with direct subjective estimates. At the MDB setting, the more saturated of two fields appears brighter than the other one. This implies that the chromatic channels of the visual system contribute to brightness as well as to chromaticness. The MDB criterion provides a new method for saturation scaling: Chromatic stimuli are juxtaposed in turn with white, and the strength of the border at the MDB setting is taken in each case as an index of saturation. More generally, any two fields can be compared by this method, as we have done with a matrix of 16 spectral stimuli plus white, employed in all possible combinations. Because the results can be accurately displayed in a two-dimensional euclidean space, the MDB method also shows potential as a new basis for color scaling.
Oral cholecystography in chronic renal insufficiency.

Thirty-two patients with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) had oral cholecystography. Eleven of 15 patients (73%) with moderately advanced renal impairment had diagnostically inadequate single-dose cholecystograms. In contrast, all 11 patients on chronic hemodialysis had diagnostically opacified gallbladders following a single dose of contrast. Six other patients had biliary disease, either calculi (5 patients) or neoplasia (1 patient). These data suggest that CRI diminishes the likelihood of diagnostic gallbladder opacification, even in the absence of gallbladder disease, and that if the metabolic consequences of CRI are controlled by dialysis, the chances of diagnostic opacification are significantly improved (P<0.005). As oral cholecystography may not only result in inadequate opacification, but also carry the potential of renal toxicity, abdominal ultrasound should prove a safer and possibly more effective alternative in such patients.
PELP1: A review of PELP1 interactions, signaling, and biology☆

Proline, glutamic acid, and leucine rich protein 1 (PELP1) is a large multi-domain protein that has been shown to modulate an increasing number of pathways and biological processes. The first reports describing the cloning and characterization of PELP1 showed that it was an estrogen receptor coactivator. PELP1 has now been shown to be a coregulator for a growing number of transcription factors. Furthermore, recent reports have shown that PELP1 is a member of chromatin remodeling complexes. In addition to PELP1 nuclear functions, it has been shown to have cytoplasmic signaling functions as well. In the cytoplasm PELP1 acts as a scaffold molecule and mediates rapid signaling from growth factor and hormone receptors. PELP1 signaling ultimately plays a role in cancer biology by increasing proliferation and metastasis, among other cellular processes. Here we will review (1) the cloning and characterization of PELP1 expression, (2) interacting proteins, (3) PELP1 signaling, and (4) PELP1-mediated biology.
Wi-Fi as a Commercial Service: New Technology and Policy Implications

While Wi-Fi has enjoyed explosive growth and deployment for use in residential homes, the rollout of commercial Wi-Fi service has been more limited. Part of the holdback on large-scale commercial deployment has been the strategic concern that the commons model to spectrum management lacks the incentives for service providers to invest due to the limited ability to manage interference in the unlicensed band. Today, however, this situation appears to have changed. To explain the new confidence by service providers in commercial Wi-Fi, we analyze the activities of the Wi-Fi Alliance and IEEE 802.11 standards body to show how these groups essentially replicate many, but not all, of the functions traditionally employed by an effective band manager that is optimizing efficiency on a licensed spectrum block more typically associated with the deployment of commercial services. Consequently, with the Wi-Fi ecosystem functioning as an effective spectrum manager, we conclude that the service provider investment in Public Wi-Fi networks is rational and the risk posed by saturation or overuse has been reduced to an acceptable level. We then examine the strategic implications of this finding on the Wi-Fi platform. We discuss how the requirements from service providers are already significantly influencing the evolution of the Wi-Fi standard, and attempt to address the risks and liabilities associated with the unlicensed spectrum management model. Thus, service providers increasingly need functionality in Wi-Fi technology to manage interference, and monitor and improve network performance. We discuss the current ideas under discussion for the next version of Wi-Fi to support both commercial Wi-Fi requirements, which address the interference concerns, but only up to a point as the unlicensed model intrinsically leaves some risk to participants of spectrum saturation through overuse.
On removal of projection operators from perturbation theory of single particle time correlation function

Abstract It is shown that in the recent Kim-Wilson perturbative approach for the calculation of single-particle time correlation functions using the Mori-Zwanzig projection operator method, the projection operator can be removed from the perturbative part of the calculation.
Molecular Characterization of the AL3 Protein Encoded by a Bipartite Geminivirus

Abstract The genome of tomato golden mosaic virus (TGMV) is composed of two circular, single-stranded DNA molecules that together contain 6 open reading frames (ORFs). Three of these ORFs (designated AL1, AL2, and AL3) overlap and are specified by multiple polycistronic mRNAs. No RNA specifying the AL3 ORF alone has been detected, suggesting that the AL3 gens product is translated from an internal ORF. A recombinant histidine-tagged-AL3 fusion protein was purified from Escherichia coli and used to raise a polyclonal antiserum. Analysis of protein extracts from healthy plants and plants infected with TGMV by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting showed that a protein corresponding to the predicted AL3 gene product is produced only in infected plants. This protein comprises ∼0.05% of the cellular proteins and is present in the soluble and organelle fractions. These results are discussed with respect to the expression and role of the AL3 protein in the viral life cycle.
Erosion Potential of a Torrertic Paleustoll after Converting Conservation Reserve Program Grassland to Cropland

Extensive cropland areas were covered by the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in the semiarid southern Great Plains. Because soils were highly erodible, would erosion again become a problem when CRP land was converted to cropland? The erosion potential due to tillage methods used to convert CRP grassland to cropland was determined on Pullman clay loam (Torrertic Paleustoll). Tillage methods were no-, sweep, disk, and moldboard + disk tillage with CRP grass retained or removed (mowing and baling), and grass burning followed by sweep or disk tillage. Wind erosion potential was based on percentage of >0.84-mm diam. and mean weight diameter (MWD) of dry aggregates at 2 to 3 yr after converting to cropland. Water erosion potential was based on MWD and percentage of 0.84-mm diam. and MWD was >10 mm with all tillage methods, indicating a low wind erosion potential. Wet aggregate stability and MWD values at some sampling times indicated water erosion could occur. Although erosion potential was low, continued use of residue-incorporating tillage could lead to greater potentials. Because of initially low potentials, CRP land on Pullman and similar soils could be converted to cropland by any tillage method. Then, a conservation tillage system (e.g., no-tillage) could be implemented before erosion by wind or water became a serious problem.
Spin coating thin films of plastic scintillator

Abstract Thin, uniform layers of plastic scintillator have been created on supporting aluminized Mylar by the use of the spin coating technique.
Managing Anti-Coagulation for Endoscopic Procedures

Objective To review the current data and societal guidelines assessing risks of anticoagulation, including antiplatelet agents, before endoscopic procedures. Methods The MEDLINE database was searched for pertinent randomized control trials, systematic reviews, observations studies, and current practice guidelines from major societies. Additional studies were identified from the reference lists of reviewed articles. Results The rate of postprocedure bleeding, with or without anticoagulation, is low. Most data were from small case series studying bleeding after colonoscopic polypectomy. Societal guidelines addressed postprocedure bleeding more broadly. The most complete guidelines are from the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. In standard dosing, aspirin has not been shown to increase the risk of postprocedural bleeding. There are limited safety data for newer antiplatelet agents, including clopidogrel, and recommendations regarding their use before endoscopy have not been made. Regarding warfarin, the guidelines define procedures such as diagnostic EGD and colonoscopy as low risk, and can be undertaken without stopping anticoagulation. High-risk procedures such as colonoscopic polypectomy and ERCP with sphincterotomy should be performed after discontinuing warfarin for 3 to 5 days. The recommendation for IV heparin or low-molecular weight heparin during warfarin withdrawal depends on the risk of a thromboembolic event of each individual patient. Conclusion Management of anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy before endoscopy depends on the patient’s risk of thromboembolism balanced with the bleeding risk of the procedure. Decisions should be individualized with consideration of the underlying medical condition requiring anticoagulation, the patient’s overall health status, and the procedure to be performed.
Using Markov models to estimate the reliability of RAID architectures

RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks. It is a storage technology that combines multiple disk drive components into a logical unit. RAID is now used as an umbrella term for computer data storage schemes that can divide and replicate data among multiple physical drives. Reliability and availability are big concerns for any data storage system, including RAID architectures. In this paper, an alternative method estimating the reliability of various RAID architectures is presented, using the Markov models approach. The reliability analysis of various RAID architectures is performed using CARE-Computer Aided Reliability Engineering, an industrial software tool. Estimating the reliability of RAID architectures and combining them with the reliabilities of other elements of the system, it allows estimating the overall reliability of the system. Evaluating reliability and performance of RAID enable enterprises to identify the appropriate disk configurations, as part of their overall IT strategies.
The management of labral tears and femoroacetabular impingement of the hip in the young, active patient.

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to determine (1) the quality of the literature assessing outcomes after surgical treatment of labral tears and femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), (2) patient satisfaction after open or arthroscopic intervention, and (3) differences in outcome with open or arthroscopic approaches. Methods: Computerized literature databases were searched to identify relevant articles from January 1980 to May 2008. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they had a level I, II, III, or IV study design and if the patient population had a labral tear and/or FAI as the major diagnosis. Patients with severe pre-existing osteoarthritis or acetabular dysplasia were excluded. Results: Of the 19 articles with reported outcomes after surgery, none used a prospective study design and only 1 met the criteria for level III basis of evidence. Open surgical dislocation with labral debridement and osteoplasty is successful, with a good correlation between patient satisfaction and favorable outcome scores. The studies reviewed support that 65% to 85% of patients will be satisfied with their outcome at a mean of 40 months after surgery. A common finding in all series, however, was an increased incidence of failure among patients with substantial pre-existing osteoarthritis. Arthroscopic treatment of labral tears is also effective, with 67% to 100% of patients being satisfied with their outcomes. Conclusions: The quality of literature reporting outcomes of surgical intervention for labral tears and FAI is limited. Although open surgical dislocation with osteoplasty is the historical gold standard, the scientific data do not show that open techniques have outcomes superior to arthroscopic techniques. Level of Evidence: Level IV, systematic review.