cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bilirubin inhibits calcium carbonate precipitation in gallbladder bile.

Background. Previous studies have shown that human bile contains one or more factors that inhibitthe precipitation of calcium carbonate from supersaturated solutions of calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate. Lower concentrations of this factor have been observed in the gallbladder bile of patients with calcified gallstones. We hypothesized that gallbladder bile contains factors that inhibit calcium carbonate and these factors are present in varying concentrations in normal persons and in patients with cholesterol gallstones with and without calcium carbonate. Methods. Gallbladder bile of patients without gallstones (n=8) and of patients with cholesterolgallstones containing either calcium carbonate (n=8) or other calcium salts (n=8) was assayed for calcium carbonate inhibition. Individual components of bile (bilirubin, phospholipid, bile salts, and albumin) were tested in different concentrations in the same assay system. In addition, samples of model bile were tested. Results. An inhibitory factor for calcium carbonate precipitation was present within all human gallbladder bile, irrespective of the absence, presence, or type of gallstones. The addition of a bilirubin-albumin solution to a supersaturated solution of calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate entirely blocked precipitation of calcium carbonate from solution. In addition, serial dilutions of bilirubin exhibited a linear response between bilirubin concentration and inhibitory effect. Model bile and phospholipid dissolved in sodium taurocholate also exhibited a modest inhibitory effect on calcium carbonate precipitation. Conclusion. We conclude that bilirubin, cholesterol, and phospholipids incrementally interfere withcalcium carbonate precipitation in supersaturated solutions through the preferential formation of a soluble calcium complex.
Comparison of σ o Obtained from the Conventional Definition with σ o Appearing in the Radar Equation for Randomly Rough Surfaces

A comparison is made of the radar cross section of rough surfaces calculated in one case from the conventional definition and obtained in the second case directly from the radar equation. The objective of the analysis is to determine how well the conventional definition represents the cross section appearing in the radar equation. The analysis is executed in the special case of perfectly conducting, randomly corrugated surfaces in the physical optics limit. The radar equation is obtained by solving for the radiation scattered from an arbitrary source back to a colocated antenna. The signal out of the receiving antenna is computed from this solution and the result put into a form recognizeable as the radar equation. The conventional definition is obtained by solving a similar problem but for backscatter from an incident plane wave. It is shown that these two forms for ?' are the same if the observer is far enough from the surface; However, the usual far-field criteria are not sufficient. For the two cross sections to be the same, the observer must be far from the surface compared to the radii of curvature of the surface at the reflection (specular) points. Numerical comparison of the two cross sections has been made for normally distributed surfaces and the difference can be significant.
Failure to Confirm a Prolongation of the Biological Half-life of 22Na in Hypertensive Patients

The biological half-life of 22Na was measured in 29 patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension and 15 patients with normal blood pressure. All were on a standard regimen with constant diet and known NaCl intake. The biological half-life of 22Na was found to be similar in those with and without hypertension. This larger series of observations failed to confirm an earlier study from our laboratory in which the biological half-life of 22Na was reported to be longer in individuals with hypertension. The most likely explanation for the difference is that with the small number of patients studied earlier, there was a fortuitous selection of normotensive subjects with a shorter biological half-life for 22Na.
"Skip" metastases in osteosarcoma.

Careful study of 40 cases of osteosarcoma without evidence of multifocal disease, pulmonary metastasis, or history of exposure to predisposing factors has given histologic evidence of microscopic foci of osteosarcoma separate from the primary focus of osteogenic sarcoma. These "skip" lesions are to all pathologic examination completely separate from the primary focus of osteogenic sarcoma. They are more often found proximal to the primary, both intraosseously and transarticularly. Histologically, these "skips" represent areas of osteosarcoma which in many cases are a less-differenitated form of the tumor. The natural history of such tumors with "skips" following ablative surgery is an increased incidence of local recurrence and subsequent pulmonary metastases.
Thermo-optically based interferometric determination of laser power

We describe here a new technique for measuring the power in a continuous-wave, principal-mode Gaussian beam. This new method is based on the thermal lensing of the beam by a sample of an absorptive liquid. Both this method and a previous method depend on self-phase modulation of the beam and determine the beam power by measuring some prominent feature of the Fraunhofer diffraction pattern. The power delivered by a continuous wave, principal-mode Gaussian laser beam may be determined from the diameter of the outermost ring in the Fraunhofer diffraction pattern arising from thermal lensing of the beam.
Development of a Testing Facility for Experimental Investigation of MEMS Dynamics

Dynamic characteristics of overhung and/or moving components play a pivotal role in determining the overall performance and reliability of microsystems (MEMS). In addition to the structural dynamics of the components, the response is very sensitive to multi-physics phenomena such as electrostatics, gas damping, and friction. Therefore, the ability to experimentally analyze linear and nonlinear dynamics of microsystems under varying environmental conditions is very important. This paper describes a facility for experimental investigation and validation of linear and nonlinear dynamic response of microsystems under varying environmental conditions. A detailed account of the facility components and software developed for excitation and data collection is given. Experimental results and discussion for various MEMS structures are included to illustrate the effectiveness of the experimental facility.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
A temperature independent pH (TIP) buffer for biomedical biophysical applications at low temperatures

A temperature independent pH buffer has been developed from a combination of buffers of opposite-sign temperature coefficients, and utility in low temperature spectroscopy and storage of pH sensitive compounds is demonstrated.
On the equations of non-linear vibrations

The purpose of this short paper is to show that equations of non-linear vibrations whose linear parts involve two coefficient matrices can be simplified so that the linear portions become uncoupled. Equivalence transformations are utilized in the simplification, which can substantially streamline any subsequent analysis.
Stereoselective hydrogen abstraction by galactose oxidase.

The fungal enzyme galactose oxidase is a radical copper oxidase that catalyzes the oxidation of a broad range of primary alcohols to aldehydes. Previous mechanistic studies have revealed a large substrate deuterium kinetic isotope effect on galactose oxidase turnover whose magnitude varies systematically over a series of substituted benzyl alcohols, reflecting a change in the character of the transition state for substrate oxidation. In this work, these detailed mechanistic studies have been extended using a series of stereospecifically monodeuterated substrates, including 1-O-methyl-α-d-galactose as well as unsubstituted benzyl alcohol and 3- and 4-methoxy and 4-nitrobenzyl derivatives. Synthesis of all of these substrates was based on oxidation of the α,α‘-dideuterated alcohol to the corresponding 2H-labeled aldehyde, followed by asymmetric hydroboration using α-pinene/9-BBN reagents to form the stereoisomeric alcohols. Products from enzymatic oxidation of each of these substrates were characterized by ...
A CRITERION FOR SELECTING RELEVANT INTRINSIC MODE FUNCTIONS IN EMPIRICAL MODE DECOMPOSITION

Information extraction from time series has traditionally been done with Fourier analysis, which use stationary sines and cosines as basis functions. However, data that come from most natural phenomena are mostly nonstationary. A totally adaptive alternative method has been developed called the Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT), which involves generating basis functions called the intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) via the empirical mode decomposition (EMD). The EMD is a numerical procedure that is prone to numerical errors that may persist in the decomposition as extra IMFs. In this study, results of numerical experiments are presented, which would establish a stringent threshold by which relevant IMFs are distinguished from IMFs that may have been generated by numerical errors. The threshold is dependent on the correlation coefficient between the IMFs and the original signal. Finally, the threshold is applied to IMFs of earthquake signals from five accelerometers located in a building.
The older smoker.

Smoking prevalence in the United States is lower among older adults (≥ 65 years of age; 8.3%) compared with younger adults (≤ 64 years; 22.2%); however, older adults are half as likely to try to quit as smokers aged 18 to 24 years (25.3% vs 53.1%)1. Smoking rates between 1965 and 1994 declined less for individuals 65 or older (5.9% reduction) than for younger adults (≤ 64 years; 18.4% reduction)2. Regardless of age, quitting smoking can increase life expectancy and improve health and quality of life3. Accordingly, the Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence highlights older smokers as a subpopulation for which treatments might require tailoring because of unique age-related characteristics4. Clinicians should consider that older smokers will be an increasing proportion of the patient population and that these smokers might require modification of treatment for smoking cessation.
An Ancient Transcription Factor Initiates the Burst of piRNA Production during Early Meiosis in Mouse Testes

Animal germ cells produce PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), small silencing RNAs that suppress transposons and enable gamete maturation. Mammalian transposon-silencing piRNAs accumulate early in spermatogenesis, whereas pachytene piRNAs are produced later during postnatal spermatogenesis and account for >95% of all piRNAs in the adult mouse testis. Mutants defective for pachytene piRNA pathway proteins fail to produce mature sperm, but neither the piRNA precursor transcripts nor the trigger for pachytene piRNA production is known. Here, we show that the transcription factor A-MYB initiates pachytene piRNA production. A-MYB drives transcription of both pachytene piRNA precursor RNAs and the mRNAs for core piRNA biogenesis factors including MIWI, the protein through which pachytene piRNAs function. A-MYB regulation of piRNA pathway proteins and piRNA genes creates a coherent feedforward loop that ensures the robust accumulation of pachytene piRNAs. This regulatory circuit, which can be detected in rooster testes, likely predates the divergence of birds and mammals.
Snow activities—National Park Service

The areas under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, lying as they do at the headwaters of the important streams as far as water-supply is concerned, are important from the viewpoint of snow-surveys. In California, Sequoia and General Grant National Parks, Yosemite National Park, and Lassen Volcanic National Park all lie at the headwaters of streams which are important for irrigation and water-storage purposes. Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, while not as important from an irrigation standpoint, nevertheless assumes increased importance on account of winter sports. Mt. Rainier National Park in Washington and Olympic National Park in the same State have no particular importance from an irrigation standpoint but are of extreme importance for power- and winter-sports reasons.
A family pediatrician program in the training of pediatric residents.

In order to better prepare resident physicians for the practice of pediatrics, a Family Pediatrician Program was established. The second-year residents who served as family pediatricians provided complete pediatric care for families of medical students and the hospital resident staff; they also participated in a series of conferences related to their patients. The organization of this program, its goals, is acceptability, and its accomplishments are discussed.
Current algebra, PCAC and the quark model

The theory and phenomenology of the current algebra-PACAC programme at the hadron level are reviewed in detail. This includes pure PCAC tests, pure current algebra tests, combined tests and hard-pion corrections for hadronic strong, electromagnetic and weak interactions. The programme appears consistent with data in all cases. The theory of chiral symmetry and spontaneous breakdown at the quark level is described and the interplay between the constituent and current-quark pictures is emphasised. The competing models of chiral symmetry breaking and quark masses are presented, compared with data and examined in the context of QCD. The origins of the Delta I=1/2 rule for non-leptonic hyperon and kaon decays are respectively discussed in the constituent and current-quark bases.
PROOF OF CONCEPT FOR A HUMAN RELIABILITY ANALYSIS METHOD FOR HEURISTIC USABILITY EVALUATION OF SOFTWARE

An ongoing issue within human-computer interaction (HCI) is the need for simplified or “discount” methods. The current economic slowdown has necessitated innovative methods that are results driven and cost effective. The myriad methods of design and usability are currently being cost-justified, and new techniques are actively being explored that meet current budgets and needs. Recent efforts in human reliability analysis (HRA) are highlighted by the ten-year development of the Standardized Plant Analysis Risk HRA (SPAR-H) method. The SPAR-H method has been used primarily for determining humancentered risk at nuclear power plants. The SPAR-H method, however, shares task analysis underpinnings with HCI. Despite this methodological overlap, there is currently no HRA approach deployed in heuristic usability evaluation. This paper presents an extension of the existing SPAR-H method to be used as part of heuristic usability evaluation in HCI.
Semiconduction and mixed ionic-electronic conduction in nonstoichiometric oxides: impact and control

Factors controlling electronic conduction in oxides are first discussed. Criteria for achieving predominant ionic conduction are then developed. The role of nonstoichiometry in influencing mixed ionic-electronic conductivity, MIEC, is then evaluated, followed by an examination of the impact of MIEC on electrochemical cell performance, oxygen permeation, and redox kinetics. Means for manipulation and control of MIEC are illustrated with examples drawn from the author's research on pyrochlore oxides.
Melt Viscosities and Mechanical Properties of PC/SAN Blends

Melt viscosities and mechanical properties of polycarbonate (PC), styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN), and their blends were studied. PC and SAN were melt blended at different compositions using a single screw extruder. Melt viscosities were measured with a capillary rheometer. The melt viscosity test showed that increasing the PC content increases the viscosity of the blends, and melt viscosities of blends are intermediate between the values of PC and SAN. Standard mechanical property tests were performed on injection molded ASTM test specimens. Tensile strength and modulus increase but elongation at break decreases when the SAN content increases. Notched Izod impact strength decreases rapidly with the addition of SAN into PC. Unnotched impact strength is higher than notched impact strength and is less sensitive to the addition of SAN.
Theory of Quantum-Mechanical Effects at the Liquid-Gas Critical Point

A theory is developed, with use of Feynman's effective-potential method, for the quantum-mechanical (QM) effects on the critical properties of Lennard-Jones fluids. The theory (i) provides a good description of the QM effects on the critical temperature, pressure, and volume; (ii) predicts no QM effects on critical exponents; (iii) correctly describes the QM corrections to critical amplitudes; and (iv) introduces QM corrections to the ''correction-to-scaling'' confluent singular terms obtained via classical renormalization-group theory.
Process evaluation of an educational intervention to improve end-of-life care: The Education for Physicians on End-of-Life Care (EPEC) Program

Despite the growing importance of end-of-life care and the need to improve it, physicians receive little formal training in palliative care. The Education for Physicians on End-of-life Care (EPEC) project, developed by the American Medical Association and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, tested a train-the-trainer educational intervention to address this deficiency. This paper presents data from a process evaluation of the initial rollout of EPEC. By all accounts, EPEC provided a state-of-the-art curriculum covering important and clinically relevant topics to the care of the dying patient. It was less clear, however, if EPEC adequately prepared trainees to teach these new skills to other practicing physicians. Factors that may advance efforts to generalize EPEC to other settings and improve future applications of the program are discussed.
Part Four: International health care planning from an ethnomedical perspective: Critique and recommendations for change

Abstract Recent developments in international health are used as a platform for criticizing the biomedical and social science models dominating contemporary international medicine from the standpoint of ethno‐medicine. This critique is advanced both on the grounds of theory and of practical issues in the organization and delivery of clinical and public health services. Implications for cross‐cultural research and for the planning of international health and health care programs are discussed around four specific subjects: consequences of complementing existing models of sickness as disease with models of sickness as semantic illness networks; the desirability of rationalizing and facilitating family‐based therapy; limitations in our knowledge of the productivity of indigenous healers and of their suitability for integration into orthodox health care systems; and the need to teach clinicians and public health planners in non‐Western societies (and when working with ethnic minorities in the West) applied et...
CUL-4 ubiquitin ligase maintains genome stability by restraining DNA-replication licensing.

To maintain genome stability, DNA replication is strictly regulated to occur only once per cell cycle. In eukaryotes, the presence of ‘licensing proteins’ at replication origins during the G1 cell-cycle phase allows the formation of the pre-replicative complex1. The removal of licensing proteins from chromatin during the S phase ensures that origins fire only once per cell cycle1. Here we show that the CUL-4 ubiquitin ligase temporally restricts DNA-replication licensing in Caenorhabditis elegans. Inactivation of CUL-4 causes massive DNA re-replication, producing cells with up to 100C DNA content. The C. elegans orthologue of the replication-licensing factor Cdt1 (refs 2, 3) is required for DNA replication. C. elegans CDT-1 is present in G1-phase nuclei but disappears as cells enter S phase. In cells lacking CUL-4, CDT-1 levels fail to decrease during S phase and instead remain constant in the re-replicating cells. Removal of one genomic copy of cdt-1 suppresses the cul-4 re-replication phenotype. We propose that CUL-4 prevents aberrant re-initiation of DNA replication, at least in part, by facilitating the degradation of CDT-1.
Rectifier Networks for Multiposition Switching

A multiposition switch utilizing crystal rectifiers is used in electronic digital computers requiring switch times of less than 1 microsecond and in other applications requiring extreme compactness. Several varieties of this switch are analyzed, and generalized equivalent circuits are derived. Applications and practical limitations are discussed for both low-speed and high-speed operation.
A prospective randomized trial comparing four biofeedback techniques for patients with faecal incontinence

Objective The aim of this study was to compare four methods of biofeedback therapy for patients with faecal incontinence (FI). Patients and methods All patients with FI who were ineligible for surgical management were prospectively randomized using a computer generated randomization method into one of four protocols: 1, out-patient intra-anal electromyographic biofeedback training (EMG); 2, EMG plus intrarectal balloon training (BT); 3, EMG plus a home trainer (HT); and 4, EMG, BT and HT. All patients received weekly, 1 h, out-patient biofeedback training. Success for patients with FI was measured by a reduction in incontinent episodes (days/week). In all instances, patients maintained a daily log in which documentation was recorded regarding each bowel evacuation. Results Forty patients were randomized into one of the four groups. Six patients withdrew after one session and were not included in the analysis. Therefore, 34 patients (23 female and 11 male) with a mean incontinence score of 12 (range 7–14) were randomized to one of the four groups (n=8, 8, 8, and 10, respectively). There was a statistically significant reduction in incontinent episodes for all groups. However, there were no significant differences in treatment outcome found in comparisons among the four groups. Conclusion Biofeedback therapy significantly improves FI. Moreover, EMG training was as effective alone as was the addition of HT, BT or both for the treatment of FI.
The role of acculturation in the mentoring-career satisfaction model for Asian/Pacific Islander American university faculty.

This study aimed to test the generalizability of the mentoring-career satisfaction relationship from European Americans to Asian/Pacific Islander American (APIA) faculty and to examine acculturation as a possible moderator. Faculty (N = 139) from four large public universities in California completed self-report surveys on mentoring, career satisfaction, and acculturation. Results suggest that the relationship generalizes to APIA faculty and that acculturation plays a role in the model, though not as hypothesized. Although acculturation did not moderate the relationship between mentoring and career satisfaction, it predicted mentoring (via an interaction) and career satisfaction (for participants born overseas) individually. Proteges using particular acculturation strategies reported a greater extent of mentoring from mentors of certain ethnic groups. In addition, participants who were born overseas and are more oriented to their API culture reported greater career satisfaction. Our results suggest that researchers should consider cultural variables, such as acculturation, when studying APIAs or when working with APIAs.
GEOMETRIES AND ENERGY SEPARATIONS OF ELECTRONIC STATES OF In3N, InN3, AND THEIR IONS

Spectroscopic properties of the low-lying electronic states of In3N, InN3, and their ions are computed by the complete active-space self-consistent field (CASSCF) followed by multireference singles + doubles configuration interaction (MRSDCI) calculations. Our results predict that the spectra of In3N/InN3 are substantially different from those of Ga3As/GaAs3 and Al3P/AlP3 tetramers. The ground state of In3N is a closed-shell 1A′1 state with a planar D3h symmetry, whereas the ground state of InN3 is a 1Σ+ state of linear In–N–N–N structure. The equilibrium geometries, vibrational frequencies, atomization energies, adiabatic ionization potentials, electron affinities, and other properties are discussed.
Raman-induced polarization-dependent gain in parametric amplifiers pumped with orthogonally polarized lasers

Fiber-optic parametric amplifiers are often pumped using two orthogonally polarized lasers. We show that, contrary to a common belief, such amplifiers exhibit polarization-dependent gain (PDG) because of the contribution of Raman scattering to the underlying four-wave mixing (FWM) process. Such PDG results not only from Raman gain/loss on the signal/idlers imposed by the pumps, but also from variations of FWM efficiency caused by Raman-induced refractive index changes.
Microwave frequency operation of the heterostructure hot-electron diode

The generation of microwave frequencies by the heterostructure hot-electron diode (H/sup 2/ED) is discussed. At 77 K, self-oscillation has been produced over a broad frequency range from direct current to 10.5 GHz, limited by the parasitic series resistance and capacitance. Considerations of the bias polarity required to produce oscillations and of their high-frequency response support a model of switching from tunneling to thermionic emission. >
Molecular Spreading of Pure and Binary Mixture PFPE Nano Films on Carbon-Overcoated Disks

Due to continuous increase in areal density, the head-media spacing combining head & media overcoat, lubricant film and fly height, is expected to be less than 6.5 nm for 1 Tbits/in2 hard disk drives (HDDs). The intermittent contacts between head and disk during operation are unavoidable and cause lubricant depletion in the film. Therefore, the nanoscale conformation and self-healing ability (i.e., spreading) of perfluoropolyether (PFPE) lubricant nano films is critically important in the head-disk interface to maintain long-term reliability of HDDs. In this paper, the spreading phenomena for pure and binary mixture PFPE lubricant nano films on the carbon-overcoated media were examined via molecular dynamics simulation.
A Middleware-based Telecom Service Architecture for Peer-to-peer Networks

The emergence of peer-to-peer (p2p) Internet telephony is now enabling telecom service architectures to adopt a p2p model. However, there are certain services that require explicit network support. In this paper, we propose and describe the design of a middleware based service architecture to enable the telecom services, including those requiring explicit network support, in p2p networks.
Fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1) deficiency sensitizes mice to the behavioral changes induced by lipopolysaccharide

Background Interactions between fractalkine (CX3CL1) and fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1) regulate microglial activation in the CNS. Recent findings indicate that age-associated impairments in CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 are directly associated with exaggerated microglial activation and an impaired recovery from sickness behavior after peripheral injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which an acute LPS injection causes amplified and prolonged microglial activation and behavioral deficits in CX3CR1-deficient mice (CX3CR1-/-).
Effective radius of cloud droplets by ground‐based remote sensing: Relationship to aerosol

[1] Enhancement of cloud droplet number concentration by anthropogenic aerosols has previously been demonstrated by in-situ measurements, but there remains large uncertainty in the resultant enhancement of cloud optical depth and reflectivity. Detection of this effect is made difficult by the large inherent variability in cloud liquid water path (LWP); the dominant influence of LWP on optical depth and albedo masks any aerosol influences. Here we use ground-based remote sensing of cloud optical depth (τc) by narrowband radiometry and LWP by microwave radiometry to determine the dependence of optical depth on LWP, thereby permitting examination of aerosol influence; the method is limited to complete overcast conditions with single layer clouds, as determined mainly by millimeter wave cloud radar. Measurements in north central Oklahoma on 13 different days in the year 2000 show wide variation in LWP and optical depth on any given day, but with near linear proportionality between the two quantities; variance in LWP accounts as much as 97% of the variance in optical depth on individual days and for about 63% of the variance in optical depth for the whole data set. The slope of optical depth vs. LWP is inversely proportional to the effective radius of cloud droplets (re); event-average cloud droplet effective radius ranged from 5.6 ± 0.1 to 12.3 ± 0.6 μm (average ± uncertainty in the mean). This effective radius is negatively correlated with aerosol light scattering coefficient at the surface as expected for the aerosol indirect effect; the weak correlation (R2 = 0.24) might be due in part to vertically decoupled structure of aerosol particle concentration and possible meteorological influence such as vertical wind shear. Cloud albedo and radiative forcing for a given LWP are highly sensitive to effective radius; for solar zenith angle 60° and typical LWP of 100 g m−2, as effective radius decreases from 10.2 to 5.8 μm determined on different days, the resultant decrease in calculated net shortwave irradiance at the top of the atmosphere (Twomey forcing) is about 50 W m−2.
Error Distribution and Diversity Performance of a Frequency-Differential PSK HF Modem

A 4800-bit/s digital data modem is operated over a simulated HF channel to determine the bit-error rate and error distributions of the received serial binary data stream. The measured error distributions for multipath-limited conditions are compared with back-to-back operation and theoretically determined random distributions, and are also used to evaluate forward acting error correction assuming half-rate random error-correcting block codes. This improvement in bit-error rate is compared with that measured by operating the modem at 2400 bit/s with dual in-band frequency diversity. The error distributions for back-to-back operation approach random except for small block lengths where the systematic error resulting from the frequency-differential PSK coding appears. The error distributions for multipath-limited operation deviate from random especially for small multipath delay spreads (low biterror rates) where the correlation bandwidth is large. Forward error correction produces larger improvement factors as the code block length is increased. However, the improvement factor barely exceeds two orders of magnitude for the largest block considered. In fact, the burst nature of the errors is such that improvement factors actually decrease in most cases for multipath-limited operation as the raw bit-error rate decreases. On the other hand, inband diversity is more effective for small multipath delay spreads than for large ones. However, forward error correction appears to offer more potential especially if the bit errors can be spread over a greater number of bits.
Vertically emitting, dye-doped polymer laser in the green (λ ∼ 536 nm) with a second order distributed feedback grating fabricated by replica molding

Abstract Lasing in the green from a distributed feedback (DFB) structure, based upon a second order grating fabricated by replica molding in a dye-doped UV curable polymer, has been demonstrated. For a Bragg grating having a periodicity and depth of 360 ± 2 nm and 78 ± 5 nm, respectively, a coumarin 540-polymer laser operates at 535.6 nm, which is in agreement with calculations of the photonic band diagram for the structure. The fabricated laser exhibits a linewidth of 0.15 nm, a threshold pump fluence of ∼0.7 mJ cm −2 at 355 nm, and a slope efficiency of ∼14%. Incorporation of the dye gain medium into a one- (or two-) dimensional photonic crystal and fabrication of the grating by replica molding at room temperature provides an inexpensive approach to fabricating polymer-based DFB lasers on flexible substrates of large area.
Progress in sexual counseling by cardiac nurses, 1994 to 2009

Objective To examine trends in the practice of sexual counseling by cardiac nurses. Methods A non-experimental descriptive design was used to analyze survey data collected at 2 time points: 1994 (n = 171) and 2009 (n = 288). Results Nurses in the 2009 sample reported more conservative values (P < .001) and greater sense of responsibility for providing sexual counseling (P < .0001) than those in the 1994 sample. Although sexual activities (cuddling, kissing, fondling, masturbation, oral sex) were discussed more frequently by nurses in the 1994 survey (P < .001), improvements in the specific discussion of myocardial infarction-related sexual activity and counseling were noted in the 2009 sample, including by patient age and gender (P < .0001). Conclusion Comparison of the 2 data samples suggests an improving trend in provision of sexual counseling by cardiac nurses, which can be reinforced by including sexual counseling information and role-play opportunities in continuing education courses.
Papular Acrodermatitis with Epstein-Barr Virus Infection

A case of papular acrodermatitis (PAC) associated with Epstein-Barr virus in fection occurred in a 9-month-old child. Current knowledge of the possible role of various viral antigens in PAC is discussed.
Facilitated loading of RecA protein is essential to recombination by RecBCD enzyme.

Although the RecB2109CD enzyme retains most of the biochemical functions associated with the wild-type RecBCD enzyme, it is completely defective for genetic recombination. Here, we demonstrate that the mutant enzyme exhibits an aberrant double-stranded DNA exonuclease activity, intrinsically producing a 3′-terminal single-stranded DNA overhang that is an ideal substrate for RecA protein-promoted strand invasion. Thus, the mutant enzyme constitutively processes double-stranded DNA in the same manner as the χ-modified wild-type RecBCD enzyme. However, we further show that the RecB2109CD enzyme is unable to coordinate the loading of RecA protein onto the single-stranded DNA produced, and we conclude that this inability results in the recombination-defective phenotype of the recB2109 allele. Our findings argue that the facilitated loading of RecA protein by the χ-activated RecBCD enzyme is essential for RecBCD-mediated homologous recombination in vivo.
Mitochondrial KATP channel inhibition blunts arrhythmia protection in ischemic exercised hearts

The mechanisms responsible for anti-arrhythmic protection during ischemia-reperfusion (IR) in exercised hearts are not fully understood. The purpose of this investigation was to examine whether the...
Analysis of human remains recovered from a shark

Trauma caused by marine scavengers and predators, especially sharks, is not well known. This paper describes the effect of shark attack on human remains. They were found in the stomach of a tiger shark caught by fishermen near Hollywood Beach, Florida. The remains belonged to a white male in his late twenties or early thirties with a stature of 175 cm. The damages to the skeleton and the association of these damages with the behaviours of tiger sharks is also analyzed. The trauma affecting long bones are circular punctures around the epiphyseal ends. Other changes include unique crescent shape grooves horizontal to the shaft of the bone. Although all of the bones are affected, none of them is fractured or crushed, suggesting that the body parts are first dismembered and then swallowed and digested.
An fMRI study of affective perspective taking in individuals with psychopathy: imagining another in pain does not evoke empathy.

While it is well established that individuals with psychopathy have a marked deficit in affective arousal, emotional empathy, and caring for the well-being of others, the extent to which perspective taking can elicit an emotional response has not yet been studied despite its potential application in rehabilitation. In healthy individuals, affective perspective taking has proven to be an effective means to elicit empathy and concern for others. To examine neural responses in individuals who vary in psychopathy during affective perspective taking, 121 incarcerated males, classified as high (n = 37; Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised, PCL-R ≥ 30), intermediate (n = 44; PCL-R between 21-29), and low (n = 40; PCL-R ≤ 20) psychopaths, were scanned while viewing stimuli depicting bodily injuries and adopting an imagine-self and an imagine-other perspective. During the imagine-self perspective, participants with high psychopathy showed a typical response within the network involved in empathy for pain, including the anterior insula, anterior midcingulate cortex, supplementary motor area, inferior frontal gyrus, somatosensory cortex, and right amygdala. Conversely, during the imagine-other perspective, psychopaths exhibited an atypical pattern of brain activation and effective connectivity seeded in the anterior insula and amygdala with the orbitofrontal cortex and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. The response in the amygdala and insula was inversely correlated with PCL-R factor 1 (interpersonal/affective) during the imagine-other perspective. In high psychopaths, scores on PCL-R Factor 1 predicted the neural response in ventral striatum when imagining others in pain. These patterns of brain activation and effective connectivity associated with differential perspective-taking provide a better understanding of empathy dysfunction in psychopathy, and have the potential to inform intervention programs for this complex clinical problem.
Characterizing Local Collagen Fiber Re-Alignment and Crimp Behavior Throughout Mechanical Testing in a Mature Mouse Supraspinatus Tendon Model

Abstract Background Collagen fiber re-alignment and uncrimping are two postulated mechanisms of tendon structural response to load. Recent studies have examined structural changes in response to mechanical testing in a postnatal development mouse supraspinatus tendon model (SST), however, those changes in the mature mouse have not been characterized. The objective of this study was to characterize collagen fiber re-alignment and crimp behavior throughout mechanical testing in a mature mouse SST. Method of approach A tensile mechanical testing set-up integrated with a polarized light system was utilized for alignment and mechanical analysis. Local collagen fiber crimp frequency was quantified immediately following the designated loading protocol using a traditional tensile set up and a flash-freezing method. The effect of number of preconditioning cycles on collagen fiber re-alignment, crimp frequency and mechanical properties in midsubstance and insertion site locations were examined. Results Decreases in collagen fiber crimp frequency were identified at the toe-region of the mechanical test at both locations. The insertion site re-aligned throughout the entire test, while the midsubstance re-aligned during preconditioning and the test's linear-region. The insertion site demonstrated a more disorganized collagen fiber distribution, lower mechanical properties and a higher cross-sectional area compared to the midsubstance location. Conclusions Local collagen fiber re-alignment, crimp behavior and mechanical properties were characterized in a mature mouse SST model. The insertion site and midsubstance respond differently to mechanical load and have different mechanisms of structural response. Additionally, results support that collagen fiber crimp is a physiologic phenomenon that may explain the mechanical test toe-region.
A new method of switching surface design for multivariable variable structure systems

In this paper, we discuss the problem of the switching surface for a multivariable variable structure system. We first propose a new switching surface by which robustness of the controlled system to disturbances is provided. Based on the switching surface, we develop control input to drive the system to track the desired trajectory. This control input does not produce the chattering that normally occurs when a conventional control input is used. We apply the proposed method to a multivariable linear system and discuss the simulation results to show the computational procedure and its effectiveness. >
Numerical Simulation of Lee Cyclogenesis in the Gulf of Genoa

Abstract A numerical model framed in isentropic coordinates is applied to the problem of predicting lee cyclogenesis south of the Alps. Since “Genoa cyclones” during their initial stage are mesoscale phenomena, while mid-tropospheric flow configurations conducive to Genoa cyclogenesis are not, a grid nesting approach is followed in the model to capture both large-scale and mesoscale aspects of the problem. The two grids differ in mesh aim by a factor of 4 and interact in a two-way mode. The model is dry and uses a highly simplified surface drag formulation. Twenty-four hour predictions carried out on three occasions of observed cyclogenesis show that the model is capable of simulating cyclonic development approximately in the correct location. However, by slightly underpredicting the development of a high-pressure ridge over the eastern Atlantic the model in two of the three cases fails to build up the lee cyclone to the observed strength.
Isolation and Characterization of Pneumolysin-Negative Mutants of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Pneumolysin-negative mutants of Streptococcus pneumoniae were isolated after mutagenesis with ethyl methane sulfonate. Though totally devoid of pneumolysin, these strains produced alpha hemolysis on blood agar when incubated aerobically. It is concluded that the alpha hemolysis typical of pneumococci is unrelated to their pneumolysin content.
JOURNAL CLUB: Evidence of Interstitial Lung Disease on Low-Dose Chest CT Images: Prevalence, Patterns, and Progression

OBJECTIVE. The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in a cohort undergoing low-dose CT screening for lung cancer, to identify the CT patterns of fibrosis, and to determine prognostic factors of disease progression. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study drew from a database of 951 participants in a lung cancer screening program between 2010 and 2014. Three thoracic radiologists reviewed CT scans to identify the ILD findings, defined as traction bronchiectasis, ground-glass opacities with traction bronchiectasis, reticulations with traction bronchiectasis, and honeycombing. Evidence of ILD was considered present if at least two of three reviewing radiologists agreed. Age, smoking history, and CT evidence of emphysema were also documented. RESULTS. Of the 951 participants, 63 (6.6%) had CT evidence of ILD, and 16 of the 63 (1.7% of the total cohort) had honeycombing. Significant univariate predictors of ILD were male sex (p = 0.003), older age (p < 0.0001), hi...
High-Cost Patients Had Substantial Rates Of Leaving Medicare Advantage And Joining Traditional Medicare

Medicare Advantage payment regulations include risk-adjusted capitated reimbursement, which was implemented to discourage favorable risk selection and encourage the retention of members who incur high costs. However, the extent to which risk-adjusted capitation has succeeded is not clear, especially for members using high-cost services not previously considered in assessments of risk selection. We examined the rates at which participants who used three high-cost services switched between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare. We found that the switching rate from 2010 to 2011 away from Medicare Advantage and to traditional Medicare exceeded the switching rate in the opposite direction for participants who used long-term nursing home care (17 percent versus 3 percent), short-term nursing home care (9 percent versus 4 percent), and home health care (8 percent versus 3 percent). These results were magnified among people who were enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid. Our findings raise questions about...
Natural Enemies of Some Lygus Bugs

Known parasites of lygus bugs include several species each of Mymaridae from eggs, Braconidae mainly from nymphs. and Tachinidae from adults. In California, eggs of Lygus Hesperus Knight in alfalfa are commonly attacked by Anaphes ovijentaus (Crosby and Leonard): 50 samples from 14 counties averaged a parasitization of 46.6%. Nymphs of L. Hesperus and L. elisus Van Duzee in parts of southern California and Arizona and of L. lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) in New Jersey are lightly parasitized by the braconid Euphoriana uniformis Gahan. Parasitization by E. uniformis in 10 local alfalfa fields increased From less than 1% in May to 5.7 and 11.0% in September or October, 1963-64. The related braconid Leiophron(=Euphorus) pallipes Curtis is a common parasite of Lygus spp. and other Miridae in Europe and North America, except in the Southwestern United States. L. pallipes also parasitized L. hesperus and L. elisus in the laboratory, and initial releases were made in several local alfalfa fields. Tachinid parasites were very scarce or absent in all areas studied. The common hemipterous predators Geocoris spp. and Nabis spp. are frequently parasitized by Tachinidae in southern California, the former by Hyalomya aldrichii Townsend, which also attacks Nysius raphanus Howard, and the latter by Leucostoma simplex (Fallen). Many Geocoris eggs were parasitized by Telenomus sp. near opacus (Howard). Laboratory studies showed that both eggs and nymphs of L. hesperus were readily attacked by Geocoris adults and the nymphs by Nabis adults and nymphs.
Initiation Difficulty and Apathy in Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Degeneration (PD7.001)

Objective: To investigate initiation difficulty in apathetic patients with behavioral variant Frontotemporal Degeneration (bvFTD). Background The syndrome of apathy, defined as a reduction in self-generated or voluntary behavior, is caused in part by disruption of a frontal-striatal initiation system. Apathy is prevalent in bvFTD and is the most disturbing behavioral feature for caregivers. Previous approaches measuring apathy have depended on caregiver surveys, but are confounded by caregiver stress. Here we describe an objective, quantitative assessment of apathy. Design/Methods: We assessed patients with mild bvFTD (mean MMSE=26.42; n=12) and demographically-matched controls (NC; n=10). We surveyed apathy with Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) apathy severity (FxS, worst possible score =12) and caregiver distress (worst possible score =5) scales. To quantify apathy objectively, we measured reaction time (RT) to hit a target key in response to a simple visual stimulus presented on a computer screen (24 trials). A trial began with the patient depressing a key on the computer keyboard. We examined both the RT to lift the finger from the start key in response to visual stimulus onset (initiation time), and to press a target key to complete a trial (overall time). Initiation RT was related to grey matter atrophy using voxel-based morphometry. Results: Mean NPI apathy FxS was 5.91; mean caregiver stress was 2.5. Apathy severity was correlated with caregiver distress (p=.054). Initiation RT and overall RT were significantly slower in bvFTD than NC (both p Conclusions: Patients with bvFTD have difficulty with initiation that contributes to apathy. This is related to atrophy in frontal regions important for goal-directed behavior. Apathy severity rating scales are confounded by caregiver stress and here we quantified apathy in bvFTD with an objective measure that is not confounded by proxy report. Supported by: The John A. Hartford Foundation9s Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity Award Program, US Public Health Service (AG17586, AG15116, AG10124, NS53488 and NS44266) and the Wyncote Foundation. Disclosure: Dr. Massimo has nothing to disclose. Dr. Morgan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chandrasekaren has nothing to disclose. Dr. Boller has nothing to disclose. Dr. Camp has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rascovsky has nothing to disclose. Dr. Grossman has nothing to disclose.