cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determinants of circulatory response to intravenous hydralazine in congestive heart failure

To determine whether the circulatory response to hydralazine in heart failure is influenced by initial hemodynamic status or left ventricular (LV) chamber size, 28 patients with chronic LV dysfunction were studied. Hemodynamic measurements and echocardiographic LV end-diastolic dimension were correlated with the response to 20 mg of intravenous hydralazine and to a dose titrated in each patient to reduce systemic resistance by greater than or equal to 20%. Hydralazine, 20 mg, decreased systemic resistance from 23 +/- 8 to 18 +/- 8 U (p less than 0.01) and increased the cardiac index from 2.0 +/- 0.5 to 2.5 +/- 0.6 liters/min/m2 (p less than 0.01) and the stroke work index from 21 +/- 11 to 24 +/- 9 g . m/m2 (p less than 0.05). Titrating the dose to decrease systemic resistance by greater than or equal to 20% increased the cardiac index further to 2.7 +/- 0.6 liters/min/m2 and the stroke work index to 32 +/- 9 g . m/m2. The change in systemic resistance produced by 20 mg of hydralazine correlated only with initial systemic resistance (r = 0.53), suggesting that vascular response to hydralazine is a direct function of initial vascular resistance. The percentage change in stroke work index produced by 20 mg of hydralazine correlated directly with indexes of LV preload-end-diastolic wall stress (r = 0.69) and pulmonary wedge pressure (r = 0.43) and inversely with stroke work index (r = -0.49), an index of ventricular work. Similar but less close correlations were observed when the dose of hydralazine was titrated. The hemodynamic response to hydralazine did not correlate with LV end-diastolic dimension or right atrial pressure. Thus, vascular response to moderate doses of hydralazine is related to initial systemic vascular resistance. LV pump response is related to the level of initial LV pump dysfunction but not to LV chamber size or right atrial pressure.
Somatomotor inhibition and excitation by forebrain stimulation during sleep and wakefulness: orbital cortex.

Abstract Somatomotor suppression and excitation were simultaneously induced by stimulation of the orbital gyrus in unanesthetized freely-moving cats. Varitions in the effectiveness of orbital cortical stimulation in the suppression of an evoked masseteric reflex (Mass. R.) and the induction of contraction of the digastric muscle were examined during sleep and waking states. Orbital cortical stimulation was most effective in producing Mass. R. suppression and digastric muscle contraction during the alert state. There was a gradual reduction in the effectiveness of cortical stimulation as the animal passed from the alert state into quiet sleep. During active sleep the effectiveness of cortical stimulation was further reduced so that Mass. R. suppression and contraction of the digastric muscle were almost totally absent. Thus, the effectiveness of stimulation of the orbital cortex in the induction of either somatomotor suppression or excitation was reduced during sleep states, as compared with wakefulness, and reached minimal levels during active sleep.
Duration of lactation and incidence of myocardial infarction in middle-to-late adulthood

Objective We assessed the relation between duration of lactation and maternal incident myocardial infarction. Study Design This was a prospective cohort study of 89,326 parous women in the Nurses' Health Study. Results During 1,350,965 person-years of follow-up, 2540 cases of coronary heart disease were diagnosed. Compared with parous women who had never breastfed, women who had breastfed for a lifetime total of 2 years or longer had 37% lower risk of coronary heart disease (95% confidence interval, 23-49%; P for trend P for trend=.02) than women who had never breastfed. Conclusion In a large, prospective cohort, long duration of lactation was associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.
A laboratory investigation of surface runoff

Abstract A laboratory study of a kinematic wave model and Nash model is presented for a converging surface. The interdependent behavior of kinematic wave parameters is shown and based on this observation an experimental justification is given for retaining only one parameter in the kinematic wave model. It is observed that an objective function based on minimizing the sum of squares of hydrograph peak deviations is sufficiently adequate for fitting the entire hydrograph. An objective comparison of the two models demonstrates that the kinematic wave model is uniformly better than Nash model in performing hydrograph predictions on the laboratory watershed.
Minimizing selective availability error on satellite and ground global positioning system measurements

Consider the NASA Deep Space Network DSS-13 antenna rate loop model (see Fig. 2; for details of the model see Ref. 2). It consists of the antenna structural model and models of elevation and azimuth drives. The 35-state rate loop model has three poles at zero and is reduced while using balanced antigrammians; their singular values are shown in Fig. 3. By deleting the states with the largest singular values, the model has shrunk from 90 states to 27 states. The reduced model preserves the full-model properties, as illustrated by the frequency-response plots in Fig. 4.
Complexities of the Dynamical Progression of 4:1 Atrioventricular Block in Atrial Flutter

No previous studies have dealt with the dynamics of progression of 4: 1 atrioventricular block (AVB). In order to do this, we analyzed Holter recordings of 6 patients (receiving digoxin and beta blockers or calcium channel blockers) in whom atrial flutter with ‘stable’ (≥5 min) 4: 1 AVB increased to higher degrees of AVB. The ratios (ra) in each episode (ep) were expressed numerically as well as M (number of atrial deflections): N (number of ventricular complexes). In stage 1, 324 ep of 4: 1 AVB progressed (with letter representation in parentheses) to one (4N + 2:N) or several cycles of 6: 1 AVB and to one (4N + 4:N) or several cycles of 8: 1 AVB with subsequent regression to 4:1 AVB. In these ep, the ra between adjacent M:N and M’:N’ ra could be expressed as M + M’:N + N’ in the direct 4:1 to 6:1 or 4:1 to 8:1 steps of the so called devil's staircase. In the 398 ep of stage 2, these progressions of 4: 1 AVB also coexisted with increases to: a) 5: 1 to 6: 1: b) 5: 1 to ≥8:1; and c) 5:1 to 6:1 to 8: 1 AVB. The higher degrees of AVB did not regress to short cycles of 4:1 AVB for several, seconds. In summary: 1) 4: 1 AVB in atrial flutter could progress directly to 6: 1 and 8: 1 AVB, bypassing intermediate steps of the devil's staircase, and 2) 8: 1 AVB could also emerge directly from 5:1 and 6:1, but apparently not from 7: 1 AVB
Lead poisoning and other mortality factors in trumpeter swans

Lead poisoning and other causes of mortality of trumpeter swans were investigated. Necropsies or Pb concentrations in livers were available for 72 trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator) found dead in seven western states from 1976 to 1987; data from other published and unpublished sources (1925 to 1987) also are summarized. Ingestion of lead artifacts (shotgun pellets or fishing sinkers) accounted for about 20% of the known mortality of trumpeter swans in the tri-state area of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, where the population has been declining for several decades. In western Washington, the incidence of lead-induced mortality was higher and accounted for nearly 50% of the known mortalities. Maximum Pb concentrations (wet weight) in the livers of birds found dead and in whole blood from captured swans were 37 and 0.71 μg/g, respectively. Other elements, including Cd, Cu and Zn, were generally not elevated in blood and tissue samples. It is not certain that lead toxicosis is related to the decline of the tri-state swan population. Other causes of mortality in swans include gunshot, disease and traumatic injuries (impact).
Influence of doping concentration on valence states of europium in SrAl2O4:Eu phosphors

Abstract SrAl2O4:Eu phosphors with various doping concentrations were synthesized via a urea assisted solution-combustion method in a reducing atmosphere without any post-annealing process. The phosphors were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence (PL), X-ray excited luminescence (XEL), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XRD results show that the samples exhibit a monoclinic phase in crystal structure. The PL measurements show that the intensity of luminescence emission from divalent Eu2+ ions is increased with increasing europium concentration up to a maximum of 2.5 mol%, then decreases at higher concentration due to the concentration quenching effect. The emission from trivalent Eu3+ ions occurs when the doping concentration is higher than 12.5 mol%. The XPS measurements also confirm the trends of Eu2+ and Eu3+ with changes in concentration. The results indicate that the luminescence color components of the phosphors can be adjusted by the doping concentration; this is a very important result for practical applications.
Metallic glass substrates for thin film solar cells

Abstract For thin film solar cells, the substrate material and properties of the substrate are an integral part of the device. We propose using metallic glass as a new substrate material. A unique property of this substrate is its amorphousness and electrical conductivity, a combination not obtainable in the materials presently used as substrates.
Shade material evaluation using a cattle response model and meteorological instrumentation

Shade structures are often considered as one method of reducing stress in feedlot cattle. Selection of a suitable shade material can be difficult without data that quantify material effectiveness for stress reduction. A summer study was conducted during 2007 using instrumented shade structures in conjunction with meteorological measurements to estimate relative effectiveness of various shade materials. Shade structures were 3.6 m by 6.0 m by 3.0 m high at the peak and 2.0 m high at the sides. Polyethylene shade cloth was used in three of the comparisons and consisted of effective coverings of 100%, 60% with a silver reflective coating, and 60% black material with no reflective coating. Additionally, one of the structures was fitted with a poly snow fence with an effective shade of about 30%. Each shade structure contained a solar radiation meter and a black globe thermometer to measure radiant energy received under the shade material. Additionally, meteorological data were collected as a non-shaded treatment and included temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation. Data analyses was conducted using a physiological model based on temperature, humidity, solar radiation and wind speed; a second model using black globe temperatures, relative humidity, and wind speed was used as well. Analyses of the data revealed that time spent in the highest stress category was reduced by all shade materials. Moreover, significant differences (P < 0.05) existed between all shade materials (compared to no-shade) for hourly summaries during peak daylight hours and for ‘full sun’ days.
Intermediate restorative material: a clean and simple mixing technique with predictable results.

The most consistent difficulty encountered by the assistant when intermediate restorative material (L. D. Caulk Co., Milford, Del.) is mixed has been to achieve a sufficiently firm yet workable mass. Mixing on a pad with a spatula can be messy, time consuming, fatiguing, and often times unpredictable. For use as a temporary filling material, the ideal mix should be firm yet doughy and should not appreciably adhere to the condensing instrument. Because they are spread over a large surface area, the powder and liquid components may not be well contained in a pad mix. Under such circumstances a certain amount of powder is invariably lost, resulting in a mass that is too sticky. Such a mix is both difficult to work and requires more time to reach the final set.
Importance of correlation effects on magnetic anisotropy in Fe and Ni

We calculate magnetic anisotropy energy of Fe and Ni by taking into account the effects of strong electronic correlations, spin-orbit coupling, and noncollinearity of intra-atomic magnetization. The LDA+U method is used and its equivalence to dynamical mean-field theory in the static limit is emphasized. Both experimental magnitude of magnetic anisotropy energy and direction of magnetization are predicted correctly near U = 1.9 eV, J = 1.2 eV for Ni and U = 1.2 eV, J = 0.8 eV for Fe. Correlations modify the one-electron spectra which are now in better agreement with experiments.
A digital nuclear reactor control system

THE GREAT EXPANSION in the nuclear reactor field places increased emphasis on the problem of reactor control. The complexity of a nuclear reactor installation suggests the use of digital computation in the over-all power-plant control system. The chief advantages to be gained from the use of a digital system would be a sizable increase in the flexibility of the programing of the control system and an increase in the accuracy of the computations.
Developing a Monitoring System for Indicators in Middle Childhood: Identifying Measures

This paper builds on an initial paper (Moore and Theokas, Child Indicators Research, 2008 DOI 10.1007/s12187-008-9011-9 ) that conceptualizes elements of well-being relevant for the middle childhood period, identifies potential constructs and develops criteria for indicators. Here, we follow up by identifying a set of 20 indicator constructs, half positive and half negative. Of these 20, half measure child well-being and half measure contexts that affect child development. For each construct, we discuss evidence of importance and provide, where possible, examples of measures from US surveys.
The effect of the 3′,5′ thiophosphoryl linkage on the exonuclease activities of T4 polymerase and the Klenow fragment

Abstract The 3'----5' exonuclease activities of T4 DNA polymerase and the Klenow fragment of Polymerase I towards the phosphoryl and thiophosphoryl 3',5' linkage were examined under comparable conditions of idling-turnover, duplex hydrolysis and turnover during polymerization. With the T4 enzyme there is a negligible effect of thiosubstitution on these activities; with the Klenow fragment there is a greater than one hundred-fold reduction in rate with the thiolinkage for the exonuclease but not polymerization activities. This inability to hydrolyze rapidly the thiophosphoryl linkage extends to the hydrolytic activity of Exonuclease III. The quantitation of the exonuclease activities of these three proteins under various conditions should aid in the successful employment of thiophosphoryl nucleoside triphosphates for their incorporation into DNA.
Application of Hybrid Algorithm to Real-Time Face Recognition

This paper proposed the principal component analysis (PCA) and support vector machine-genetic algorithm (SVM-GA) to the real-time face recognition. The integrated scheme aims to apply the SVM-GA method to improve the validity of PCA based real-time recognition systems. Experimental results show that the proposed method simplifies features effectively and obtains a higher classification accuracy.
A Latent Class Analysis of Weight-Related Health Behaviors Among 2- and 4-Year College Students and Associated Risk of Obesity:

Little is known about the complex patterning of weight-related health behaviors in 2- and 4-year college students. The objective of this study was to identify and describe unique classes of weight-related health behaviors among college students. Latent class analysis was used to identify homogenous, mutually exclusive classes of nine health behaviors that represent multiple theoretically/clinically relevant dimensions of obesity risk among 2- versus 4-year college students using cross-sectional statewide surveillance data (N = 17,584). Additionally, differences in class membership on selected sociodemographic characteristics were examined using a model-based approach. Analysis was conducted separately for both college groups, and five and four classes were identified for 2- and 4-year college students, respectively. Four classes were similar across 2- and 4-year college groups and were characterized as "mostly healthy dietary habits, active"; "moderately high screen time, active"; "moderately healthy dietary habits, inactive"; and "moderately high screen time, inactive." "Moderately healthy dietary habits, high screen time" was the additional class unique to 2-year college students. These classes differed on a number of sociodemographic characteristics, including the proportion in each class who were classified as obese. Implications for prevention scientists and future intervention programs are considered.
Synthesis of Poly(3-alkylthienylene ketone)s by the Pd-Catalyzed Copolymerization of Carbon Monoxide with Thienyl Mercuric Chlorides

Poly(thienylene ketone)s are formed by the copolymerization of bis(chloromercuri)thiophenes with carbon monoxide. The reaction is carried out in hot pyridine with a Pd catalyst under 500 psi of CO. The polymers, poly(3-methylthienylene ketone), poly(3-butylthienylene ketone), and poly(3-(carboethoxymethyl)thienylene ketone), with molecular weights, Mn, ranging from 1600 to 2700, were produced. The polymers have UV−vis absorption maxima near 360 nm, assigned to π−π* transitions, and are reduced irreversibly near −1.0 V vs SCE.
ATTENUATED TOTAL REFLECTANCE SPECTRA OF GLYCYL-L-ALANINE IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS.

IN a recent report1 the spectra of various dipeptides in the isoionic, basic, and acidic states in water were examined by transmission techniques with ‘Irtran-2’ cells, and the use of such spectra for structural and identification purposes was discussed. A drawback of the method used is that no information can be obtained in areas where water absorbs very strongly. This is particularly true around 6µ (∼ 1,660 cm−1), where amino-acids and peptides should show characteristic bands. The principle of attenuated total reflectance2 has enabled the examination of even comparatively weak absorption bands and has permitted spectra to be obtained on difficult samples. Spectra of sucrose in water and of whole blood have been shown by manufacturers of infra-red equipment.
Left and right preconditioning for electrical impedance tomography with structural information

A common problem in computational inverse problems is to find an efficient way of solving linear or nonlinear least-squares problems. For large-scale problems, iterative solvers are the method of choice for solving the associated linear systems, and for nonlinear problems, an additional effective local linearization method is required. In this paper, we discuss an efficient preconditioning scheme for Krylov subspace methods, based on the Bayesian analysis of the inverse problem. The model problem to which we apply this methodology is electrical impedance tomography (EIT) augmented with prior information coming from a complementary modality, such as x-ray imaging. The particular geometry considered here models the x-ray-guided EIT for breast imaging. The interest in applying EIT concurrently with x-ray breast imaging arises from the experimental observation that the impedivity spectra of certain types of malignant and benign tissues differ significantly from each other, thus offering a possibility of diagnosis without more invasive tissue sampling. After setting up the EIT inverse problem within a Bayesian framework, we present an inner and outer iteration scheme for computing a maximum a posteriori estimate. The prior covariance provides a right preconditioner and the modeling error covariance provides a left preconditioner for the iterative method used to solve the linear least-squares problem at each outer iteration of the optimization problem. Moreover, the stopping criterion for the inner iterations is coupled with the progress of the solution of the outer iteration. Besides the preconditioning scheme, the computational efficiency relies on a very efficient method to compute the Jacobian, obtained by carefully organizing the forward computation. Computed examples illustrate the robustness and computational efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
An estimate of anisotropic poroelastic constants of an osteon.

The anisotropic poroelastic constants of an osteon are estimated by micromechanical analysis. Two extreme cases are examined, the drained and the undrained elastic constants. The drained elastic constants are the porous medium’s effective elastic constants when the fluid in the pores easily escapes and the pore fluid can sustain no pore pressure. The undrained elastic constants are the porous medium’s effective elastic constants when the medium is fully saturated with pore fluid and the fluid cannot escape. The drained and undrained elastic constants at the lacunar and canalicular porosity tissue levels are estimated by using an effective moduli model consisting of the periodic distribution of ellipsoidal cavities. These estimated anisotropic poroelastic constants provide a database for the development of an accurate anisotropic poroelastic model of an osteon.
Metal−Metal Bonding in Rh2(O2CCF3)4: Extensive Metal−Ligand Orbital Mixing Promoted by Filled Fluorine Orbitals

He I and He II gas-phase photoelectron spectra of Rh2(O2CCF3)4 are reported. The electron configuration of the metal−metal bond of Rh2(O2CCF3)4 is determined to be σ2 π4 δ2 δ*2 π*4 with an ionization energy order of σ ≈ π > δ > δ* ≈ π*. The δ* and π* ionization energies are similar within the range of vibrational energy separations. Assignment of the Rh−Rh δ ionization is assisted by previous observations that ionizations from δ orbitals in M2(O2CCF3)4 (M = Mo, W) and Mo2(O2CH)4 show enhanced intensity over ionizations from the σ and π orbitals with He II excitation. Changes in ionization energies from the dimolybdenum molecule to the dirhodium molecule and changes in ionization intensities from He I to He II excitation indicate greater metal−ligand mixing in these molecules than observed in other dimetal tetracarboxylates. Amsterdam density functional calculations agree with the observation that the Rh−Rh δ* and π* energies are similar. The calculations also indicate substantial ligand mixing into the me...
Channel-hopping multiple access

The medium-access control (MAC) protocols for wireless networks proposed or implemented to date based on collision-avoidance handshakes between the sender and receiver either require carrier sensing or the assignment of unique codes to nodes to ensure that intended receivers hear data packets without interference from hidden sources. We present and analyze a protocol that we call channel-hopping multiple access (CHMA) for multi-channel, ad-hoc networks which does not require carrier sensing or the assignment of unique codes to nodes to ensure collision-free reception of data at the intended receivers in the presence of hidden terminals. We compare CHMA against MACA-CT and show considerable improvement in the performance achieved. The correct avoidance of collisions in CHMA protocols is verified, and their throughput and delay characteristics is studied analytically. CHMA protocols are applicable to ad-hoc networks based on commercial off-the shelf spread spectrum radios operating in unlicensed frequency bands.
Kinematics of redundantly actuated closed chains

The instantaneous kinematics of a hybrid manipulation system, which combines the traditional serial chain geometry with parallelism in actuation, and the problem of coordination is discussed. The indeterminacy and singularities in the inverse kinematics and statics equations and measures of kinematic performance are analyzed. Finally, coordination algorithms that maintain an optimal force distribution between the actuators while avoiding or exploiting singularities are presented. >
Profile-guided optimization of critical medical imaging algorithms

Given the rapid growth in computational requirements for medical image analysis, Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) have begun to be utilized to address these demands. But even though GPUs are well-suited to the underlying processing associated with medical image reconstruction, extracting the full benefits of moving to GPU platforms requires significant programming effort, and presents a fundamental barrier for more general adoption of GPU acceleration in a wider range of medical imaging applications. In this paper we describe our experience in accelerating a number of challenging medical imaging applications, and discuss how we utilize profile-guided analysis to reap the full benefits available on GPU platforms. Our work considers different GPU architectures, as well as how to fully exploit the benefits of using multiple GPUs.
CD137 Signal in the Regulation of Innate Immunity

In contrast to our ever increasing knowledge regarding the role of CD137 signaling in the induction and development of adaptive immunity, our understanding with regard to the effect of CD137 in innate immunity is still in it’s earliest stages. Experimental evidence supports that CD137 engagement is capable of triggering activity of natural killer (NK) cells, macrophages, dendritic cells (DC), and granulocytes. The majority of results, however, are obtained in cell culture systems which raise the questions regarding their roles in ongoing immune responses in vivo and in human diseases. The hypothesis that is presently being pushed forward is that the CD137 pathway plays a critical role in the regulation of innate immunity and may bridge innate and adaptive immunity. This chapter will assemble available data with an attempt to delineate the functions of CD137 in individual components of innate immunity.
Quantitative radionuclide angiocardiography: detection and quantitation of left to right shunts.

Abstract In 105 patients detection and quantitation of left to right shunts was performed using quantitative radionuclide angiocardiography. The radionuclide angiocardiograms were acquired and analyzed by a gamma camera interfaced to a digital computer system. Pulmonary to systemic flow ( Qp Qs ) ratios were calculated by analysis of pulmonary time-activity histograms using a gamma variate model. All patients were studied with cardiac catheterization, left ventricular angiocardiography and radionuclide angiocardiography. The radionuclide method allowed precise detection and quantitation of left to right shunts with a Qp Qs ratio of 1.2 to 3.0. There was good agreement between the Qp Qs ratio calculated by oximetry at cardiac catheterization and radionuclide angiocardiography ( r = 0.94). The information gathered with this nontraumatic method appears sufficiently reliable to be used in the management of patients.
Page Digest for large-scale Web services

We introduce Page Digest, a mechanism for efficient storage and processing of Web documents. The Page Digest design encourages a clean separation of the structural elements of Web documents from their content. Its encoding transformation produces many of the advantages of traditional string digest schemes yet remains invertible without introducing significant additional cost or complexity. Using the Page Digest encoding can provide at least an order of magnitude speedup when traversing a Web document as compared to using a standard document object model implementation. Our experiments show that change detection using Page Digest operates in linear time, offering 75% improvement in execution performance compared with existing systems. In addition, the Page Digest encoding can reduce the tag name redundancy found in Web documents, allowing 30% to 50% reduction in document size.
Helicobacter mesocricetorum sp. nov., a Novel Helicobacter Isolated from the Feces of Syrian Hamsters

ABSTRACT A spiral-shaped bacterium with bipolar, single, nonsheathed flagella was isolated from the feces of Syrian hamsters. The bacterium grew as a thin spreading film at 37°C under microaerobic conditions, did not hydrolyze urea, was positive for catalase and alkaline phosphatase, reduced nitrate to nitrite, did not hydrolyze hippurate, and was sensitive to nalidixic acid but resistant to cephalothin. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and biochemical and phenotypic criteria indicate that the novel bacterium is a helicobacter. The novel bacterium is most closely related to the recently described mouse enteric helicobacter, Helicobacter rodentium. This is the first urease-negative Helicobacter species with nonsheathed flagella isolated from feces of asymptomatic Syrian hamsters. We propose to name this novel helicobacter Helicobacter mesocricetorum. The type strain is MU 97-1514 (GenBank accession number AF072471 ).
Preliminary investigation of KTP/532 laser light in the treatment of hemangiomas and tattoos

Preliminary investigation of a frequency-doubled YAG laser (KTP 532 nm) manufactured by Laserscope of Santa Clara was undertaken. Twenty-five patients with either port wine hemangiomas or decorative tattoos were treated with a 532-nm light and the results compared to argon laser at identical power settings. Clinical and histological results were identical between the two lasers.
Beyond two-level games: domestic–international interaction in the intermediate-range nuclear forces negotiations

The currently popular concept of two-level games suffers from certain shortcomings as an approach to studying the interaction between domestic- and international-level variables. In the two-level game approach, different types of domestic-international interaction are insufficiently distinguished, and special dynamics of cases involving third parties like military allies are not adequately recognized. This article modifies the two-level game concept by specifying three forms of domestic-international interaction and adding a third level to the framework. The utility of this new “three-and-three” approach is illustrated through analysis of the U.S.-Soviet negotiations on intermediaterange nuclear forces in the 1980s. This analysis generates new hypotheses suggesting that domestic actors can shape the agenda for international negotiations and that certain forms of domestic-international interaction tend to bring about large changes in the positions of the principal parties to a negotiation.
Stopover Ecology and Habitat Use of Migratory Wilson's Warblers

The conservation of long-distance migratory songbirds is complicated by their life-history characteristics and the spatial scales that they traverse. Events during mi- gratory stopovers may have significant consequences in determining the population status of migratory songbirds. Using Wilson's Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla) as a focal species, we in- vestigated effects of age and sex on stopover parameters during spring and fall migration. Variation in stopover patterns was predominantly sex related in spring and age related in fall. In spring, males appeared at study sites earlier than females, and they carried higher fat stores and had lower recapture rates and higher rates of mass gain. In fall, migratory passage overlapped temporally among age and sex classes, but young birds had lower fat stores, higher recapture rates, and longer stopovers than adults. Habitat use differed be- tween spring and fall migration and was affected by the combination of age and sex. Wilson's Warblers appeared to prefer native willow habitat during spring migration. Agriculture field/edge habitats may have represented "sink habitats" because birds in these habitats tended to be immatures and had a lower rate of fat deposition and longer stopovers. The data suggest that immatures were particularly vulnerable to habitat disturbances at stopover sites during fall migration, probably because of their lower social status and inexperience with long-distance migration. We conclude that knowledge of intraspecific variation in mi- gration strategies is important for effective management of stopover habitats for migratory
Nurses' use of an integrated electronic health record: results of a case site analysis

Purpose: To explore how nurses use an integrated Electronic Health Record (EHR) in practice.Methods: A multi-site case study across two hospitals in Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Non-participant observation was used to explore nurses' use of the EHR, while semi-structured interviews with nurses and managers explored their perceptions of the EHR and how it affected their practice. Data were analyzed thematically using codes derived deductively from the literature and inductively from the data.Results: Key themes arising from the analysis suggest that the EHR changed various elements of the way nurses practiced. Introducing the EHR was thought to have improved communication, ease of access to information and the safety of medication administration processes. At an organizational level, there was variability in how the EHR was used to support care documentation and initiatives to improve the quality of care provided by nurses.Conclusion: The EHR was perceived to improve efficiency, safety and commun...
Development of a Biodegradable Regenerative Implant for the Treatment of Long Bone Comminuted Fractures

There were approximately 1,620,000 surgical bone graft procedures in the United States in 2005 and 672,000 fracture reductions in 20061. The estimated economic costs for orthopedic injuries to upper and lower extremities collectively account for 17% ($68 billion) of total lifetime costs that originated in 20001. Over the past 15 years, significant efforts have focused on the development of bioactive, load-bearing polymeric materials designed to restore function within critical-sized bone defects. Traditional reconstructive approaches use autografting of the defects, but these approaches have significant limitations2. As a result, transfer of grafts greater than 2 cm are associated with an unacceptably high complication rate. Thus, the optimal skeletal extremity reconstruction would be one in which the reconstruction is performed with material that may be taken “off the shelf” to eliminate donor site morbidity, but is degradable and resorbable affording incorporation into the host.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Compliance and Practices in Transition Planning A Review of Individualized Education Program Documents

This study examined the extent to which transition components of students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) were compliant with IDEIA 2004; the extent to which transition components provided evidence of best practices; the association among disability, ethnicity, compliance, and practices; and the relationship between compliance and best practices. The sample included African American, European American, and Hispanic students with developmental, emotional, and learning disabilities. Low levels of full compliance were found in these IEPs. Approximately half of the substantiated transition practices were found in the IEPs. Disability and ethnicity were associated with the probability of an IEP being compliant and/or having evidence of best practices. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between compliance and practices.
Domestic violence and alcohol: what is known and what do we need to know to encourage environmental interventions?

This paper reviews evidence regarding alcohol and domestic violence, including cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys, experimental studies of aggression and marital conflict, event-based research, and intervention studies with alcoholics. Based on this review, it is concluded that alcohol is a contributing cause in domestic violence, but neither a necessary nor sufficient cause. In addition, the evidence suggests that intoxication in the perpetrator of violence does not appear to excuse his aggression, but that intoxication in the victim is often viewed as an excuse for the perpetrator's behavior. Based on this review, several tentative policy implications are discussed. In general, policies that reduce drinking, aggressive tendencies and conflict should have beneficial effects. Alcohol intervention/prevention should focus on men in the early stages of aggressive behavior and should include goals of reduced intoxication and management of anger/conflict. For more severe populations, alcohol intervention...
Precoded random spreading multiple access system in AWGN channels

In this paper, we compare the asymptotic performance of the decorrelator approaches to multiuser detection in code-division multiple-access (CDMA). Precoding is the decorrelation which is performed at a common transmitter such as the base station or satellite that allows single-user detection at the handset receiver. Receiver-based decorrelator decorrelates multiple user signals at the receiver side. We analyze the performance of the aforementioned decorrelation approaches with time-varying random spreading sequences in additive white Gaussian noise channels. The results demonstrate that the performance of precoding and that of receiver-based decorrelator are asymptotically equivalent.
Integrated magnetics for interleaved DC-DC boost converter for fuel cell powered vehicles

The conception, analysis and experimental demonstration of an integrated magnetics (IM) core structure for a 3-phase interleaved DC-DC boost converter for fuel cell powered vehicles are presented in this paper. The benefits of current interleaving in reducing inductor current switching ripple at low switching frequency and with low inductance are well known. The IM core structure enables volume and weight reduction of the magnetics over a discrete implementation while providing further ripple reduction of inductor currents and improved efficiency. The effect of magnetic coupling between the interleaving phases in the IM core is described. A novel composite IM core structure, which minimizes inductor current ripple, is introduced. Comparative analysis with a discrete implementation is presented. The advantages of matched duty cycles in reducing resistive power loss and simplifying the converter transfer functions are presented. The impact of parameter variation on the performance capabilities of the converter is described. Average and small signal models of the converter with the IM core are derived. Experimental results are presented to validate the operation and performance advantages of the proposed core structure.
Juvenile hormone is a marker of the onset of reproductive canalization in lubber grasshoppers.

To meet the challenge of unpredictable environments, many animals are initially developmentally flexible (plastic) but then may become inflexible (canalized) at major developmental events. The control of reproductive output can undergo a switch from flexible to inflexible (Moehrlin, G.S., Juliano, S.A., 1998. Plasticity of insect reproduction: testing models of flexible and fixed development in response to different growth rates. Oecologia 115, 492‐500), and juvenile hormone (JH) may control this switch. By manipulating food availability, we tested the hypothesis that JH is involved in the reproductive canalization that appears during oogenesis in lubber grasshoppers. We used four food treatments: (1) high (H); (2) high switched to low (HL); (3) low switched to high (LH); and (4) low (L). We collected hemolymph samples approximately every 4 days and measured the ages at which maximum JH level (JHmax) and oviposition occurred. Diet significantly affected both age at JHmax and age at oviposition. In contrast, diet had no significant effect on the time from JH max to oviposition nor on the maximum JH level observed. Our data demonstrate that, after JHmax is reached, the time to oviposition in our grasshoppers was unresponsive to food availability. Hence, reproductive timing appears to be canalized after the JHmax. This is the first demonstration in a phytophagous insect that a particular factor (in this case, JH) can be used to mark the switch from reproductive plasticity to reproductive canalization. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Odako growth of dense arrays of single-walled carbon nanotubes attached to carbon surfaces

A novel process is demonstrated whereby dense arrays of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) are grown directly at the interface of a carbon material or carbon fiber. This growth process combines the concepts of SWNT tip growth and alumina-supported SWNT base growth to yield what we refer to as “odako” growth. In odako growth, an alumina flake detaches from the carbon surface and supports catalytic growth of dense SWNT arrays at the tip, leaving a direct interface between the carbon surface and the dense SWNT arrays. In addition to being a new and novel form of SWNT array growth, this technique provides a route toward future development of many important applications for dense aligned SWNT arrays.
Image reconstruction of the flagellar basal body of Salmonella typhimurium.

Abstract The basal body is thought to be a part of the rotary motor of the bacterial flagellum. It consists of a central rod coaxial with a set of four rings, which are associated with the cell envelope. We used single-particle averaging methods to analyze images of negatively stained basal bodies of Salmonella typhimurium. Several averages were computed, so that the reliability of features could be assessed. We carried out the same analysis on electron micrographs of isolated, negatively stained LP rings. In order to interpret the averages in terms of a three-dimensional structure, we carried out image reconstruction on them. The resulting three-dimensional map corresponds to the cylindrically averaged structure of the basal body. To show that the reconstruction procedure is legitimate, we demonstrate it on model data. The results of the modelling show that features very near to the axis of the reconstruction are not reliable but that broader, off-axis features are represented faithfully. The L ring is L-shaped, with the long arm of the L parallel to the axis of the rod, and the short arm pointing away from the rod. The P ring, on the other hand, appears to be a ring or disk. The position of the LP ring complex on the rod seems to vary somewhat, consistent with its putative role as a bushing. The cross-sectional shape of the S ring is that of a frustum rather than a disk. The M ring, which is oval in cross section, sits atop the S ring, making contact with it at an outer radius. The S ring appears to make contact with the rod, whereas the M ring does not. This situation, if true, is difficult to reconcile with the common notion that the S ring is stationary and the M ring rotates. It seems more likely that the S ring and rod rotate as a unit.
Water table depth affects productivity, water use, and the response to nitrogen addition in a savanna system

We investigated annual aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and transpiration (E) of the dominant plant life forms, longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) trees and wiregrass (Aristida strict...
Evaluating satellite-based cloud persistence and displacement nowcasting techniques over complex terrain

AbstractThe Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor aboard the Terra and Aqua satellites allows roughly for the same region of Earth to be sampled twice in a nowcasting time frame. Using the MODIS cloud mask at 5-km resolution and radiosonde data, cloud nowcasting methods were evaluated from December 2008 through November 2009 over Utah and southwestern Wyoming (207 cases), a region with a variety of terrain. The hypothesis that a combination of persistence and displacement techniques (i.e., a hybrid technique) in regions of complex terrain should yield a better forecast than either method alone is tested; clouds forced by complex terrain often appear to persist along topographic barriers. A new forecast skill evaluation method is introduced, designed to equate correct cloudy and correct clear areas. The persistence nowcasting method demonstrated the highest skill [as much as 10% critical success index improvement (CSI) over other methods]. However, all nowcasting techniques performed...
The geography of mammalian speciation: mixed signals from phylogenies and range maps.

The importance of geographic isolation in speciation has been debated since the 19th century. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the consensus has been that most speciation involves divergence in allopatry. This consensus was based largely on decades of observations by naturalists and verbal arguments against speciation without isolation. Recent attempts to quantify the importance of allopatric versus sympatric speciation using comparative methods called ''age-range correlation'' (ARC) suggest that allopatric speciation is more common than sympatric speciation. However, very few taxa have been studied and there are concerns about the adequacy of the methods. We propose methodological improvements including changes in the way overlap between clades is quantified and Monte Carlo methods to test the null hypothesis of no relationship between phylogenetic relatedness and geographic range overlap. We analyze 14 clades of mammals, chosen because of the availability of data and the consensus among mammalogists that speciation is routinely allopatric. Although data from a few clades clearly indicate allopatric speciation, divergence with gene flow is plausible in others and many results are inconclusive. The relative rarity of significant correlations between phylogenetic distance and range overlap may have three distinct causes: (1) post- speciation range changes, (2) relative rarity of range overlap, and (3) a mixture of geographic modes of speciation. Our results support skepticism about ARC's power for inferring the biogeography of speciation. Yet, even if few clades provide clear signals, meta-analytic approaches such as ARC may set bounds on the prevalence of alternative modes of speciation.
Condition for perfect resonant antireflection in solar cells

Antireflection coatings are necessary components in solar cells. It has recently been experimentally demonstrated that a periodic array of resonant subwavelength objects placed at an air-dielectric interface can significantly reduce reflection. We introduce the theoretical condition for complete reflection cancellation in this resonant antireflection scheme. First, the periodicity of the array needs to be smaller than the free-space wavelength of the incident light for normal incidence; second, the resonances in the subwavelength objects need to radiate into air and the dielectric in a balanced fashion. We use both intuitive arguments and the temporal coupled-mode theory, validated by full-field electromagnetic simulations.
Fidelity of Precipitation Extremes in High Resolution Global Climate Simulations

Abstract Precipitation extremes have tangible societal impacts. Here, we assess if current state of the art global climate model simulations at high spatial resolutions (0.35° × 0.35°) capture the observed behavior of precipitation extremes in the past few decades over the continental US. We design a correlation-based regionalization framework to quantify precipitation extremes, where samples of extreme events for a grid box may also be drawn from neighboring grid boxes with statistically equal means and statistically significant temporal correlations. We model precipitation extremes with the Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distribution fits to time series of annual maximum precipitation. Non-stationarity of extremes is captured by including a time- dependent parameter in the GEV distribution. Our analysis reveals that the high-resolution model substantially improves the simulation of stationary precipitation extreme statistics particularly over the Northwest Pacific coastal region and the Southeast US. Observational data exhibits significant non-stationary behavior of extremes only over some parts of the Western US, with declining trends in the extremes. While the high resolution simulations improve upon the low resolution model in simulating this non-stationary behavior, the trends are statistically significant only over some of those regions.