cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biomarkers for Heart Failure in Asia

Contributions from the Asian biomedical community to knowledge of biomarkers in heart failure have grown rapidly since 2000. Japan has made world-leading contributions in the discovery and application of cardiac natriuretic peptides as biomarkers in heart failure, but there has been rapid growth in reports from China. Contributions also come from Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Centers in Asia have established clinical cohorts providing powerful platforms for the discovery and validation of biomarkers in heart failure. This century, Asian enquiry into biomarkers in heart failure will include peptides, cytokines, metabolites, nucleic acids, and other analytes.
On Being Inside Social Morality and Seeing It

Eric Mack’s “Inside Public Reason” is thorough and fair-minded review of The Order of Public Reason. My deep thanks to him for his insights, as well as his judiciousness. In these remarks I cannot take up all the important matters he raises; in particular I put aside two important issues—the analysis of the political and discussion of how contingent social processes play a fundamental role in public justification (Fred D’Agostino focuses on this second feature of The Order of Public Reason in his “The Orders of Public Reason,” Analytical Philosophy, forthcoming.). I plan to take up the latter on another occasion.
LINEAR LOW-ENERGY POSITRON DIFFRACTION (LLEPD) FOR THE Si(111)-(2×1) π-CHAIN MODEL

We have applied the linear method to low-energy positron diffraction and low-energy electron diffraction. The linear method searches for the global minimum in a structural analysis by carrying out full dynamical calculations at atomic positions which scale linearly as the number of independent structural parameters and variations in each parameter. For the Si(111)-(2×1) π-chain system, linear low-energy electron diffraction (LLEED) is found to work adequately. However, in other systems tested, LLEED breaks down when atoms in the first and second layers are lined up along the incident-beam direction. On the other hand, the method of linear low-energy positron diffraction (LLEPD) is found to work extremely well in all systems tested. This is due to the absence of forward focusing in low-energy positron diffraction. Thus, LLEPD should be an excellent tool for locating the global minimum in complex surface-structural searches.
Trait Stress Resistance and Dynamic Stress Dissipation on Health and Well-Being: The Reservoir Model.

Daily data from the NDHWB (n = 783; age range 37–90) were analyzed to produce ‘dynamic characteristic’ estimates of stress input and dissipation. These were used in multi-level modeling (with age and trait stress resistance) to predict depression and health trajectories. Main effects suggest that dissipation and stress resistance predict lower depression and better health, but lower stress input was only related to lower depression. Interactions revealed that subjects with above average stress resistance had lower depression irrespective of their ability to dissipate stress, but for individuals low in trait resistance those with better stress dissipation show lower depression and better health.
The Responsibility of the Engineering School in the Continuing Education of the Engineer

Engineering schools have a responsibility to provide a science background upon which graduates may build to solve the across-the-discipline challenges of tomorrow. They cannot and should not train for solutions to today's problems. Schools must insure that their faculty continues its education beyond the Doctor's degree by means of workshops, professional meetings, and involvement in investigation and research. Individuals must, however, retain primary responsibility for investment of time, energy, and effort necessary to remain a productive member of the profession for their career.
Feminism, the false consciousness of neoliberal capitalism? Informalization, fundamentalism, and women in an Indian city

Neoliberal globalization produces complex terrains of gender exploitation, with – some feminists argue – contradictory impacts on women. On the one hand, it subjects more women to increasing domination and devalorization by capital; on the other hand, women often ‘work’ globalization in ‘enabling’ ways. Informal jobs are often preferred sites for crafting economic emancipation and breaking away from patriarchy at home. Another body of literature argues that the feminization of informalization does not dismantle androcentric, neoliberal capitalism; moreover, reading these moments as women ‘working’ globalization represents a co-optation of women. Using examples of the feminization of informalization and ethno-religious gender violence in Ahmedabad city, India, this article critiques the concept of co-optation and argues that ‘actually existing women’ forge complex negotiations in the context of diverse exploitation, which can be conceptualized better with Marxian and Gramscian notions of false consciousnes...
Assessing the desktop manager

Purpose – This paper aims to present the results of an empirical study identifying desktop managers who spend all of their time engaged with the computer and the effects this has on organizations.Design/methodology/approach – A survey was administered to 30 organizations in a southwestern US state to determine the presence of desktop managers.Findings – The paper finds that desktop managers in an organization negatively impacted job satisfaction, organizational commitment, organizational citizenship, and the zest and vitality of subordinates.Research limitations/implications – Only employees from 30 organizations were surveyed, and all were located in a specific geographic area of the USA.Practical implications – The negative impact of desktop managers on organizational members points to a disturbing trend, that knowledge workers are not having their interactive communication needs with managers met.Originality/value – The original scale developed for the study shows promise in identifying the presence of...
ANTIBODIES TO RECOVERIN INDUCE APOPTOSIS OF PHOTORECEPTOR AND BIPOLAR CELLS IN VIVO

Abstract Autoantibodies against recoverin are found in the sera of patients with cancer-associated retinopathy (CAR) syndrome. In these studies we examined the effect of anti-recoverin antibodies from the sera of patients with CAR and rat monoclonal antibody on the retinas of Lewis rats. Anti-recoverin autoanti-bodies penetrated into the photoreceptor and bipolar cell layers following intravitreal injection. Their presence in the retina could be detected by immunofluorescence 24 h after injection. At the same time, individual cells undergoing apoptosis were identified throughout photoreceptor and bipolar cell layers using terminal transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) and electron microscopy. Normal antibodies used in control experiments did not produce TUNEL labeling. At 24 h, DNA fragmentation was confirmed by DNA ladder electrophoresis. At the electron microscopic level, there was clear evidence of cells undergoing apoptotic cell death in the retinas treated with anti-recoverin antibodies. At 24 and 96 h, nuclear chromatin condensation and increased vacuolization of photoreceptor outer segments were observed. An examination of retinas from animals receiving anti-retinal antibodies revealed a loss of 1–2 rows of nuclei in the outer and inner nuclear layers whereas all controls (sham, normal IgG, phosphate buffered saline) showed an unchanged number of nuclei rows. In addition, there was an increase in spacing between the rows of nuclei of the outer nuclear layer in retinas treated with anti- recoverin antibodies, indicating additional cell loss. These studies provide clear evidence that anti-recoverin antibodies are capable of penetrating photoreceptor and bipolar cells, the normal site of recoverin expression in the retina, and that anti-recoverin antibodies produce apoptotic cell death. A similar mechanism may occur in patients with CAR, which may lead to visual loss and blindness.
Seasonal changes in hydrocortisone secretion rate of reindeer, Rangifer tarandus☆

Abstract 1. 1. Hydrocortisone secretion rate (HSR) was estimated in reindeer during different climatic seasons in the Arctic. 2. 2. The HSR was calculated as the product of (a) the concentration of plasma hydrocortisone (PH), (b) the disappearance rate k) of labeled hydrocortisone and (c) the volume of distribution of hydrocortisone (HDS). 3. 3. These indices of adrenocortical activity (HSR, PH and k) indicate that winter induces hyperactivity of adrenocortical function as compared with summer. 4. 4. It is concluded that winter acclimatization is accompanied by increased adrenocortical activity; in contrast cold acclimation does not appear to involve the adrenal cortex.
What Brains Won’t Tell Us About the Mind: A Critique of the Neurobiological Argument Against Representational Nativism

In their recent and influential book Rethinking Innateness, Jeffrey Elman and his co-authors argue that evidence from neurobiology provides us with grounds to reject representational nativism (RN). I argue that Elman et al.'s argument fails because it makes a series of unwarranted assumptions about RN and about the extent to which neurobiological data constrain claims about the innateness of mental rep- resentations. Moreover, I briefly discuss how we ought to understand RN and argue that on two prima facie plausible approaches, far from refuting nativism, the evidence from neurobiology may not even be relevant to the question of whether or not RN is true.
Collective behavior of feedback networks with distributed dynamics

We analyze the collective behavior of feedback neural networks with discrete-time dynamics in which groups of one or more neurons may change their state simultaneously. Such partially parallel updating rules generalize beyond the one-at-a-time dynamics of the Hopfield model and the fully synchronous dynamics of the Little model. We derive sufficient conditions under which this type of distributed network dynamics leads to fixed point attractors only and report quantitative results on the emergent network properties.
Lateral Drilled Shaft Response from Dilatometer Tests

The procedures used for a successful Class "A" prediction are documented for the lateral load-displacement response of four drilled shafts (d = 0.914 m and L = 11 m) constructed in Piedmont residual sandy silts at the National Geotechnical Experimentation Site (NGES) near Opelika, Alabama. The approach was based on the results of flat plate dilatometer tests (DMT) to evaluate the lateral soil resistance (pu = p 0) for determining the static capacity (Hu) and equivalent soil modulus (Es = E D) to represent stiffness within the context of elastic continuum solutions. A more generalized Class "C" approach is discussed using an approximate closed- form expression and data obtained from seismic dilatometer tests (SDMT), since the shear wave velocity provides a fundamental initial stiffness of the ground in terms of the small- strain shear modulus (Gmax).
Tax Policy: Implications for Producers and the Agricultural Sector

Taxes and tax management appear to play a significant role in the choice among various production, marketing, and financial strategies by farmers. Researchers often discover that they can better explain or predict agricultural producers' actions using after-tax rather than before-tax net income. Furthermore, policy makers clearly perceive that changes in tax rules will significantly alter savings and investment behavior as evidenced by the major changes in the U.S. tax code with passage of the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981. The purpose of this discussion is to evaluate the impact of tax policy on farm firm decision making, aggregate investment behavior, and supply and prices of agricultural commodities. The discussion will review empirical and numerical studies of changes in tax laws to determine the expected impact of tax policy and the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 in particular on farmers and the agricultural sector.
Methodology of using vaccinia virus to express foreign genes in tissue culture

A basic technique is described for inserting any foreign gene into poxvirus by in vitro recombination. Also described is a method for identifying and plaque-purifying recombinant poxvirus containing the foreign gene using nitrocellulose filters and DNA hybridization. Immunologic techniques are presented for analyzing expression of the foreign gene, either on the surface membrane or inside infected cells.
A theoretical study of a nano-opto-mechanical sensor using a photonic crystal-cantilever cavity

In this simulation study, integration of a nanocantilever inside a two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystal (PC) cavity resulted in a unique photonic crystal-cantilever cavity (PC3), where the cantilever served as a tunable mechanical defect of the PC slab. Strong nano-opto-mechanical interactions between the cantilever and the defect-mode field inside the PC3 gave rise to a high sensitivity of the resonance wavelength to surface stress-induced cantilever deflection. Mechanical and optical responses of the PC3 to surface stress changes on the cantilever surface were studied by using a finite-element method (FEM) and a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, respectively. Theoretical analysis revealed that the devised PC3 sensor could resolve a conservative minimum surface stress at the level of ~0.8 mN m−1, representing state-of-the-art cantilever sensor performance. Also, the PC3 sensor design used an ultracompact structure with an on-chip optical length of only several microns, while a conventional reflected laser beam detection scheme requires a ~1 m long free-space optical path.
Optimization of ordered distance sampling

SUMMARY Ordered distance sampling is a point-to-object sampling method that can be labor-efficient for demanding field situations. An extensive simulation study was conducted to find the optimum number, g, of population members to be encountered from each random starting point in ordered distance sampling. Monte Carlo simulations covered 64 combinations of four spatial patterns, four densities and four sample sizes. Values of g from 1 to 10 were considered for each case. Relative root mean squared error (RRMSE) and relative bias were calculated for each level of g, with RRMSE used as the primary assessment criterion for finding the optimum level of g. A nonparametric confidence interval was derived for the density estimate, and this was included in the simulations to gauge its performance. Superior estimation properties were found for g > 3, but diminishing returns, relative to the potential for increased effort in the field, were found forg > 5. The simulations showed noticeable diminishing returns for more than 20 sampled points. The non-parametric confidence interval performed well for populations with random, aggregate or double-clumped spatial patterns, but rarely came close to target coverage for populations that were regularly distributed. The non-parametric confidence interval presented here is recommended for general use. Published in 2004 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Computer glasses: a compact, lightweight, and cost-effective display for monocular and tiled wide field-of-view systems

With the advent of small format LCD display panels, a new level of performance and miniaturization is now possible for head mounted displays used in virtual reality systems. Recent work at the University of North Carolina has led to a rugged, compact and light weight display system well suited for glasses mounted, moderate field of view monocular displays (30 degree(s) H MUL 21 degree(s) V) as well as tiled wide field of view display systems. The optical design uses a plastic broadband polarizing beam splitter coupled with quarter wave plates and mirrors to extend the optical path length between the LCD panel and the imaging lens. This not only relaxes the performance requirements on the imaging lens but also reduces the overall depth to equal the smallest dimension of the LCD display. The cost engineered optical system is expected to weight <EQ 5 g and cost approximately $DOL15 to produce. A description of the optical design, including photographs of a plastic broadband polarizing beam splitter, is presented along with performance results of the product prototype.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Successful Aging Among Older Veterans in the United States

Objective To develop a unidimensional latent model of successful aging and to evaluate sociodemographic, medical, psychiatric, and psychosocial correlates of this construct in a nationally representative sample of older veterans in the United States. Methods Data were analyzed from a cross-sectional web survey of 2,025 U.S. veterans aged 60 to 96 years who participated in the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Self-report measures of sociodemographics; subjective physical, mental, and cognitive functioning; and psychosocial characteristics were used. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to construct a unidimensional latent factor of successful aging. Correlates of scores on this factor were then evaluated. Results Most older veterans (82.1%) rated themselves as aging successfully. A unidimensional latent factor composed of seven measures of self-rated successful aging, quality of life, and physical, mental, cognitive, and social functioning provided a good fit to the data. Physical health difficulties (β = −0.39) and current psychological distress (β = −0.33) were most strongly negatively related to scores on this latent factor of successful aging, while protective psychosocial characteristics (β = 0.22), most notably resilience, gratitude, and purpose in life, were most strongly positively related to these scores. Additional positive predictors of successful aging included White, non-Hispanic race, being married or living with partner, perceiving a positive effect of the military on one's life, active lifestyle, positive expectations regarding aging, and conscientiousness; additional negative predictors included substance abuse history. Conclusion Results of this study provide a dimensional approach to characterizing components and correlates of successful aging in older veterans. Interventions and policy initiatives designed to mitigate physical health difficulties and psychological distress and to enhance protective psychosocial characteristics such as resilience, gratitude, and purpose in life may help promote successful aging in this population.
Metabolites in safety testing

Traditionally, only circulating concentrations of parent drug have been measured in the rodent and nonrodent test species used for drug safety assessments and served as an index of systemic exposure for comparisons to human exposures. Circulating concentrations of metabolites have generally only been measured in specialized circumstances (e.g., parent compound was extensively metabolized). Measurement of only the parent compound is usually sufficient when the metabolite profile in humans is similar to that in at least one of the animal species used in the nonclinical safety assessment. However, it is possible that metabolites formed in humans might not be present in the rodent and nonrodent test species used for drug safety assessments or the metabolites are formed at disproportionately higher concentrations in humans than in the animal test species. Generally, metabolites identified only in human plasma or metabolites present at disproportionately higher concentrations in humans than in any of the animal test species should be considered for safety assessment. The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) published a Guidance for Industry on Safety Testing of Drug Metabolites that provides current thinking within CDER on the nonclinical safety assessment of human drug metabolites derived from drug products. The CDER guidance defines human metabolites that can raise a safety concern as those formed at greater than 10% of parent drug systemic exposure at a steady state. By contrast, the more recent International Conference on Harmonization: Guideline on Nonclinical Safety Studies for the Conduct of Human Clinical Trials and Marketing Authorization for Pharmaceuticals (ICH M3[R2]) describes the threshold as 10% of total drug-related exposure. Where they differ, the ICH guidance supersedes the CDER Guidance. The purpose of this article is to provide a perspective on the important details of these guidances from a regulatory review standpoint, as well as discuss some concerns that have arisen from the regulated industry regarding the CDER guidance. Such issues include parent drug that is extensively metabolized, metabolism by intestinal bacteria and metabolites formed by nonclinical test species but not humans.
The Social Construction of Marriage and a Narrative Approach to Treatment of Intra-Relationship Diversity

Simultaneously with societal policies and values, marital arrangements have changed in terms of intrarelationship diversity and longevity. This occurrence leads to the ability to conceptualize marriage as a socially constructed entity. Cultural identification influences the expectations surrounding marriage, encompassing multiple dimensions: collectivism/individualism, race, gender, and religion, among others. Many relationship conflicts are related to an individual's dreams, which are likely to be influenced by internalized expectations stemming from one's cultural upbringing. The authors propose a narrative treatment model for a couple, which includes a variation of a cultural genogram, and utilizesexternalizing conversations, re-authoring conversations, and re-membering conversations.
Phenology, Monitoring, and Control Decision Components of the Grape Berry Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Risk Assessment Program in New York

The average date and degree-day accumulation of peak egg deposition for each generation of grape berry moth, Endopiza viteana Clemens, during 1987 and 1988 are presented. Three generations were observed in 1987 but only two generations were observed in 1988. Egg deposition in 1988 was delayed on both a calendar and degree-day basis. Pheromone trap catch was an effective predictor of the temporal occurrence of grape berry moth egg deposition but was a poor indicator of the level or spatial distribution of larval damage. Action thresholds for initiating insecticide treatments of second-generation grape berry moth based on estimating population density during the 3rd wk in July were 17 and 3% damaged clusters for early- and late-harvested varieties, respectively. The operating characteristics of the currently recommended sampling procedure, consisting of two vineyard sites and 50 grape clusters inspected per site, was compared with a calculated optimal procedure. The optimal procedure required the same amount of sampling time as the currently recommended procedure and consisted of sampling five sites and 15 clusters per site. The optimal procedure performed better, but the difference between the two procedures was small. The results are discussed in the context of a risk-assessment approach for the management of the grape berry moth in New York State.
A spectral domain approach to electromagnetic coupling through apertures in planar conducting surfaces

A spectral domain approach to solving planar aperture type problems is described. The method is first formulated for an arbitrary aperture in a conducting plane separating two half-spaces, then applied to the case of a fin-line structure. The formulation is carried out in the spectral domain in terms of the aperture electric field instead of the electric current density on the plane. The TE-TM decomposition of the fields in the spectral domain is used in conjunction with the transmission-line equivalent model to construct the Green's functions associated with the problem.
Measuring Interactivity in Video Games

Video games are a popular form of new media, and their use is impacting multiple fields of study within the communication discipline. For instance, research programs in mass communication, health, instructional, feminist/gender, interpersonal, and intercultural communication have all examined video games. Interactivity is the hallmark of video games and consequently is a common concept in the video game literature. While video game interactivity (VGI) is still an under-specified concept, previous research suggests that interactivity has the potential to moderate both positive and negative effects of video games, and therefore it is crucial for understanding general video game effects. We developed a theoretical model of video game interactivity and tested a multidimensional scale to assess video game interactivity across five studies using six independent samples. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses as well as item analyses revealed a reliable and valid metric consisting of six dimensions of vide...
A decrease from 8 to 6 weeks in obstetrics and gynecology clerkship: effect on medical students' cognitive knowledge.

We undertook this study to determine whether a decrease in the amount of time a third-year medical student spent in an obstetrics and gynecology clerkship would cause a decrease in the knowledge of the subject. We compared National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) obstetrics and gynecology subject examination scores of 168 students at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston completing an 8-week obstetrics and gynecology rotation for the 1989–1990 academic year to scores of 187 University of Texas Medical Branch students completing a 6-week rotation during 1990–1991. No significant change in the total mean NBME subject examination score in obstetrics and gynecology was noted after the decrease in rotation length. Passing scores were those greater than 445 points. The failure rate for those students who completed the 8-week rotation was consistent throughout the 1989–1990 academic year. In contrast, those students who rotated through obstetrics and gynecology during the 6-week clerkship in the first half of the academic year had a failure rate that was statistically higher than those taking the clerkship in the last half of the year. The length of the obstetrics and gynecology clerkship was shortened to 6 weeks without significantly affecting students' overall performance on the NBME obstetrics and gynecology subject examination. However, a greater percentage of students who completed the rotation during the first half of the year scored low on the NBME obstetrics and gynecology subject examination than did those taking the rotation and thus the NBME subject examination in the second half of the year.
Nonpreemptive Priorities in Machine Interference

A model of machine interference is studied in which one repairman is assigned to maintain several batteries of machines with a finite number of machines in each battery. The model, which assumes nonpreemptive priorities, random breakdowns, and general repair time distributions, is closely analogous to the classical priority queuing model of Kesten and Runnenburg. A system of equations, for the multivariate binomial moments of the number of machines working in each battery immediately after a repair is completed, is established and solved.
Stereoselective cyclopropanations with vinylcarbenoids

Abstract Rhodium(II) acetate catalyzed decomposition of vinyldiazomethanes in the presence of alkenes results in cyclopropanation with a high degree of stereoselectivity.
Vibrotactile sensitivity and the frequency response of the Pacinian corpuscle

Threshold responses to vibratory stimuli are compared for psychophysical and electrophysiological experiments. There is a striking similarity between the two sets of data. The hypothesis that a duplex mechanism for taction is supported and there is compelling evidence that the Pacinian corpuscle is the neural transducer of vibratory stimuli.
Reconstructing the Paradigm of Learning Disabilities: A Holistic/Constructivist Interpretation:

The paradigm for defining learning disabilities has evolved in relation to information-processing constructs of learning and intelligence. Assumptions regarding the nature of knowledge acquisition as well as assessment and remedial techniques that are derived from such a paradigm are currently being challenged. This article argues that learning differences can be best understood, and attended to, in relation to the holistic/constructivist theory of knowledge construction and the reciprocal evolution of cognitive structures. Knowledge is conceived of as being embedded in, and subordinated to, a spiral of mental structuring activity that guides relational thinking or logic. Symbols (i.e., language, numbers, and images) are tools that exercise mental structuring activity for the purpose of transforming and enriching individual learning spirals by coordinating and integrating its energy form. Reciprocally, greater depth and flexibility in knowledge bases evolve, which serve to transform persons and their cult...
On the characterization of porosity in PTFE‐carbon composite implant materials by mercury porosimetry

Questions have been raised about the use of mercury intrusion porosimetry to measure interconnecting pore sizes and void volumes in relatively soft and flexible materials such as porous implant composites of PTFE and carbon fibers. We have studied the effect of precompression of one such commercial composite on the mercury intrusion curves which cover all pore diameters greater than about 16 microns, the range of interest for tissue ingrowth applications. Prior compression by a pressure 20% greater than that encountered by the material during a mercury intrusion experiment did not change the ensuing pore size distribution curve, as compared with a noncompressed sample. Deformation of the material at higher pressures sufficient to decrease the sample volume inelastically by 17, 33, and 67% changed the shape of the mercury intrusion curves significantly, indicating that this technique can be used to detect prior deformation of an "unknown" sample. In the undeformed material, less than 15% of the total void as measured by mercury porosimetry consists of interconnecting pores greater than 100 microns in diameter and more than 50% of the void volume is composed of pores less than 40 microns in diameter.
Blind justice: Fairness to groups and the do‐no‐harm principle

People are reluctant to harm some people in order to help others, even when the harm is less than the forgone help (the harm resulting from not acting). The present studies use hypothetical scenarios to argue that these judgments go against what the subjects themselves would take to be the best overall outcome. When the outcomes in question are income gains and losses for two groups of farmers, subjects judge the harm they would not impose through their action to be smaller than the harm they would impose through inaction. Some subjects refuse to reduce cure rates for one group of AIDS patients in order to increase cure rates more for another group, even when group membership was unknowable to anyone, so that, from each patient's point of view, the change would increase the probability of cure. Likewise, they resisted a vaccine that reduced overall mortality in one group but increased deaths from side effects in another group, even when, again, group membership was unknowable. Some people apply a do-no-harm principle to groups without apparent understanding of how such a principle might be justified in terms of its consequences. The capacity for such judgments makes them vulnerable to learning principles that have no justification at all.
Explicit expressions for the extremal excedance set statistics

The excedance set of a permutation @[email protected]"[email protected]"[email protected]"k is the set of indices i for which @p"i>i. We give explicit formulas for the number of permutations whose excedance set is the initial segment {1,2,...,m} and also of the form {1,2,...,m,m+2}. We provide two proofs. The first is an explicit combinatorial argument using rook placements. The second uses the chromatic polynomial and two variable exponential generating functions. We then recast these explicit formulas as LDU-decompositions of associated matrices and show that these matrices are totally non-negative.
Structural Dynamic Imaging Through Interfaces Using Piezoelectric Actuation and Laser Vibrometry for Diagnosing the Mechanical Properties of Composite Materials

In many engineering applications, diagnostic techniques are needed to characterize the mechanical properties of internal components that are not readily visible at the surface of an object, as in the use of nondestructive testing to detect sub-surface damage in composite materials. Understanding the role of structural interfaces between two bodies is a key factor in developing these diagnostic techniques because the mechanical and geometric properties of the interface determine the degree to which measurements on the surface can be used to interrogate sub-surface components. In this paper, vibration measurements on a polycarbonate material, henceforth referred to as the buffer, are used to characterize the mechanical properties of a polymer particulate composite, henceforth referred to as the target, which is located beneath the buffer. To this end, a three-dimensional laser Doppler vibrometer and piezoelectric inertial actuator are used to measure the broadband response of the two-body structural dynamic system. Because of the importance of the actuator dynamics to the diagnostic measurements, a descriptive model is developed to better understand these dynamics and interpret the results. The longitudinal dynamics of the two-body system are shown to involve stronger coupling between the target and buffer materials as compared to the transverse dynamics. A Complex Mode Indicator Function is then used to extract the modal deflection shapes, and it is shown that the interface between the bodies introduces complexity in the dynamic response. Changes in the surface velocity of the buffer material are also studied as a function of a key mechanical property — the volume fraction of crystals in the target composite material. It is demonstrated that both the linear and nonlinear vibration characteristics of the buffer material change as a function of the composition of the target material, suggesting that a compositional diagnostic procedure is possible using surface vibration measurements.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Hubbard–Thomas–Fermi theory of transition metal oxide heterostructures

Abstract We demonstrate that the charge distributions in Hubbard-model representations of transition metal oxide heterojunctions can be described by a Thomas–Fermi theory in which the energy is approximated as the sum of the electrostatic energy and the uniform three-dimensional Hubbard model energy per site at the local density equals to a constant. When charged atomic layers in the oxides are approximated as two-dimensional sheets with uniform charge density, the electrostatic energy is simply evaluated. We find that this Thomas–Fermi theory can reproduce results obtained from full Hartree–Fock theory for various different heterostructures. We also show explicitly how Thomas–Fermi theory can be used to estimate some key properties qualitatively.
Catecholamines and morphogenesis of the chick neural tube and notochord

Catecholamines in the early chick embryo (days 2–3) were studied using the Falck-Hillarp technique. After treating specimens with nor-epinephrine, specific catecholamine fluorescence was localized in the early neural tube of the youngest embryos (stages 7–9). In older embryos (stages 10–12) exposed to exogenous norepinephrine the fluorescence was seen in both the neural tube and notochord and by stage 13 fluorescence was brighter in the notochord than neural tube. Endogenous notochord catecholamine fluorescence was demonstrable in stages 13 through 17 without exposure to exogenous amines although treatment with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (nialamide) or norepinephrine intensified the fluorescence. Treatment of embryos with nialamide or an inhibitor of catecholamine synthesis (α-Methyltyrosine) caused numerous archencephalic anomalies, ventral flexure of the head without lateral rotation, and spina bifida. The results suggest that catecholamines in the early neural tube and notochord may provide the motive force for morphogenetic movements, including closure of the neural folds and torsion of the embryo.
Material removal rate in flat lapping

Abstract Lapping is a critical technology in a number of precision manufacturing applications. Previous research has focused primarily on mechanisms of material removal and the effects of input variables on material removal rate (MRR). The behavior of MRR in lapping processes when the standard input variables-workpiece pressure, relative velocity of workpiece and lap, and relative material and abrasive hardness-are carefully controlled has not been extensively explored. Exploration of this controlled-condition situation is important because of its prevalence in production environments. Experimental data presented here show that the MRR for lapping is not constant, but instead it varies with time and can be described as a random variable. In general, mean MRR decreases with time. A preliminary description is presented that shows the behavior of MRR with time. The removal of waste slurry from the lapping plate is shown to be a critical issue for the design of the lapping plate and the lapping procedure.
The Effects of US Hospital Consolidations on Hospital Quality: A Comment

There are three primary and interrelated dimensions through which hospital mergers can affect societal welfare: price, cost, and quality of care. Our understanding of the impact of hospital mergers...
HYDROGEN ISOTOPE FRACTIONATION BETWEEN ICE AND WATER

Abstract The equilibrium constant for the exchange of deuterium between ice and water is calculated from available thermodynamic data. At 0°C. ice is enriched in deuterium by 1.92 per cent compared to the water with which it is in equilibrium. The effect of dissolved salts is estimated to be only a lowering of the freezing-point. The application to some natural processes is considered.
Amino Acid Residues Responsible for the Recognition of Dichloroacetate by Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase 2

Dichloroacetate (DCA) is a promising anticancer and antidiabetic compound targeting the mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDHK). This study was undertaken in order to map the DCA-binding site of PDHK2. Here, we present evidence that R114, S83, I157 and, to some extent, H115 are essential for DCA binding. We also show that Y80 and D117 are required for the communication between the DCA-binding site and active site of PDHK2. These observations provide important insights into the mechanism of DCA action that may be useful for the design of new, more potent therapeutic compounds.
Selectivity of 4‐Methoxyphenethylamine Derivatives as Inhibitors of Monoamine Oxidase

It has been established that the oxidative deamination of tyramine by monoamine oxidase is inhibited by (±)‐4‐methoxy‐β‐hydroxyphenethylamine and its N‐methylated derivatives. This particular series of compounds does not inhibit the action of monoamine oxidase when tryptamine is used as the substrate. In contrast, 4‐methoxyphenethylamine and its N‐methylated homologs inhibit the monoamine oxidase‐catalyzed deamination of both tyramine and tryptamine.
Assay in the Human Female of Synthetic Estrogen, 118B

It is becoming increasingly well-known that the potency of estrogens, expressed in terms of biologic units as assayed in the laboratory, cannot be assumed to indicate the potency of estrogens in the human female. To avoid the confusion arising from the comparison of the activity of estrogens when determined by different laboratories and in different animals it has been suggested that therapeutic standards of estrogens be determined by assays in the human female (I). Several assays have been proposed using various criteria. One of us (2) has recently reported a technic for assay in women which uses the subjective relief of symptoms in menopausal patients as the indicator of estrogenic potency. In this method three dosage levels of estrogen are used, thus COP responding to the manner in which laboratory animals are assayed. The non-Specific factors which inter fere with the testing of menopausal patients are eliminated as much as possible by the proper selection of patients, using only those who have modera...
Anthropometrically estimated total body water volumes are larger than modeled urea volume in chronic hemodialysis patients: Effects of age, race, and gender

Anthropometrically estimated total body water volumes are larger than modeled urea volume in chronic hemodialysis patients: Effects of age, race, and gender. Background The modeled volume of urea distribution (Vm) in intermittently hemodialyzed patients is often compared with total body water (TBW) volume predicted from population studies of patient anthropometrics (Vant). Methods Using data from the HEMO Study, we compared Vm determined by both blood-side and dialysate-side urea kinetic models with Vant as calculated by the Watson, Hume-Weyers, and Chertow anthropometric equations. Results Median levels of dialysate-based Vm and blood-based Vm agreed (43% and 44% of body weight, respectively). These volumes were lower than anthropometric estimates of TBW, which had median values of 52% to 55% of body weight for the three formulas evaluated. The difference between the Watson equation for TBW and modeled urea volume was greater in Caucasians (19%) than in African Americans (13%). Correlations between Vm and Vant determined by each of the three anthropometric estimation equations were similar; but Vant derived from the Watson formula had a slightly higher correlation with Vm. The difference between Vm and the anthropometric formulas was greatest with the Chertow equation, less with the Hume-Weyers formula, and least with the Watson estimate. The age term in the Watson equation for men that adjusts Vant downward with increasing age reduced an age effect on the difference between Vant and Vm in men. Conclusion The findings show that kinetically derived values for V from blood-side and dialysate-side modeling are similar, and that these modeled urea volumes are lower by a substantial amount than anthropometric estimates of TBW. The higher values for anthropometry-derived TBW in hemodialyzed patients could be due to measurement errors. However, the possibility exists that TBW space is contracted in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or that the TBW space and the urea distribution space are not identical.
Antibodies reactive with Leptotrichia buccalis in human serum from infancy to adulthood.

Abstract Serum from 90 dentulous adults, 5 edentulous adults, newborns and children of various ages were screened for precipitating antibodies to soluble antigens of human plaque bacteria. The bacterial strains of human orgin used included 2 strains of Leptotrichia buccalis , 3 of Bacteroides melaninogenicus , 2 of Vibrio species, and 7 strains identified as fusobacteria. Two-thirds of the adult sera gave bands of precipitate with antigens of Lept. buccalis , and of these about one-fourth also reacted with Bact. melaninogenicus . Few precipitation reactions were noted with the other bacterial strains tested. Gel-diffusion tests showed that at least one of the antigens of Lept. buccalis to which man has antibodies is also produced by Bact. melaninogenicus . Indirect immunofluorescent antibody titrations using conjugates directed to human IgG, IgM and IgA were carried out on representative sera. Titres of IgG and IgM antibodies to Lept. buccalis increased with age. Only IgG antibodies were found in cord sera and serum from infants one month of age, suggesting that these were derived by placental transmission. The widespread occurrence of serum antibodies reactive with Lept. buccalis , their increase in titre with age, and persistence after extraction of the teeth suggests that these are “natural” or “normal” antibodies which may arise by hetero-immunization. Antibodies to commensal organisms may play a role in the host's response to plaque antigens during the course of periodontal disease.
Casein kinase II contributes to the synergistic effects of BMP7 and BDNF on Smad 1/5/8 phosphorylation in septal neurons under hypoglycemic stress

The combination of bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) and neurotrophins (e.g. brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF) protects septal neurons during hypoglycemic stress. We investigated the signaling mechanisms underlying this synergistic protection. BMP7 (5 nM) increased phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of BMP-responsive Smads 1/5/8 within 30 min in cultures of rat embryonic septal neurons. BDNF (100 ng/ml) enhanced the BMP7-induced increase in phospho-Smad levels in both nucleus and cytoplasm; this effect was more pronounced after a hypoglycemic stress. BDNF increased both Akt and Erk phosphorylation, but pharmacological blockade of these kinase pathways (with wortmannin and U0126, respectively) did not reduce the Smad phosphorylation produced by the BMP7+BDNF combination. Inhibitors of casein kinase II (CK2) activity reduced the (BMP7 + BDNF)-induced Smad phosphorylation, and this trophic factor combination increased CK2 activity in hypoglycemic cultures. These findings suggest that BDNF can increase BMP-dependent Smad phosphorylation via a mechanism requiring CK2.
A stable discretization of the lattice Boltzmann equation for simulation of incompressible two-phase flows at high density ratio

A stable discretization of the lattice Boltzmann equation (LBE) for non-ideal gases is presented for simulation of incompressible two-phase flows having high density and viscosity ratios. The stiffness of the discretized forcing terms in LBE for non-ideal gases is known to trigger severe numerical instability and restrict practical application of the LBE method. Use of a proper pressure updating scheme is also crucial to the stability of the LBE method because of non-negligible pressure variation across the phase interface. To deal with these issues, we propose a stable discretization scheme, which assumes the low Mach number approximation, and utilizes the stress and potential forms of the surface tension force, the incompressible transformation, and the consistent discretization of the intermolecular forcing terms. The proposed stable discretization scheme is applied to simulate 1-D advection equation with a source term, a stationary droplet, droplet oscillation and droplet splashing and deposition on a thin film at a density ratio of 1000 with varying Reynolds numbers. The numerical solutions of stationary and oscillatory droplets agree well with analytic solutions including the Laplace's law. The time history of the spread factor of the liquid sheet emitted after the droplet impact also follows the known spreading power law.
Intestinal strictures can impede wireless capsule enteroscopy

Wireless capsule enteroscopy is a novel technique for investigation of GI bleeding of obscure origin. The capsule “endoscope” consists of an 11 mm × 26mm capsule that contains a miniature video camera, light source, batteries, and a radio transmitter.1,2 It is swallowed by the patient, and video images are transmitted by telemetry to a sensor array taped to the body. Images are captured and subsequently examined with dedicated computer software.1,3 In preliminary studies, patients found the capsule easy to swallow and the procedure painless and preferable to conventional endoscopy.2 In small series, wireless capsule enteroscopy of the small bowel has successfully identified pathologic lesions.2 Because the procedure is relatively new, its potential has not been fully investigated, and data on contraindications and limitations are sparse. Experience with wireless capsule enteroscopy in 3 patients subsequently found to have intestinal strictures is described.