cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a bioartificial liver: Properties and function of a hollow-fiber module inoculated with liver cells

We have developed a bioartificial liver support system utilizing hollow-fiber bioreactor, plasmapheresis and microcarrier cell culture technologies. Liver cells were obtained through portal vein perfusion with ethylenediaminetetraacetate or ethylenediaminetetraacetate/collagenase. A mathematical model of mass transport in a hollow-fiber module, at various plasma flow velocities and system configurations, was developed. The bioartificial liver's ability to carry out specific differentiated metabolic liver functions was tested in vitro and in vivo. A reproducible large-animal model of acute ischemic liver failure was developed. Most major first-generation cyclosporine and 19-norterstosterone metabolites were isolated after substrate addition to the bioartificial liver in vitro. After bioartificial liver treatment for 6 hr (with dog or pig liver cells), dogs with acute liver failure had significantly lower serum ammonia and lactate levels and significantly higher serum glucose levels than did control animals treated with a bioartificial liver system inoculated with microcarriers alone. In addition, bioartificial liver–treated animals had significantly higher mean systolic blood pressures than did controls. Liver cell viability at the end of the 6-hr in vivo experiment was greater than 90%. (HEPATOLOGY 1993;17:258–265.)
The nature of suprasegmental influences on the late reflex activity in human forearm muscles.

Abstract The earliest component of the late EMG response (M2) to sudden strech of an isometrically contracting muscle is influenced by suprasegmental mechanism, but whether these are a tonic, phasic, or both, is uncertain. We have therefore investigated the nature of these mechanisms by varying the predictability of the direction of perturbation of forearm muscles held isometrically against a constant flexor or extensor force of 2.3 N. We found that the M2 response did not change appreciably regardless of whether the direction of pertubation was known in advance or which hand was used by the subject. These findings suggest that any tonic supraspinal influence on the M2 response is of little significance compared to the importance of phasic mechanisms and provide support for the existence of a cerebral are subserving this reflex component.
A survey of some finite element methods proposed for treating the dirichlet problem

Publisher Summary This chapter describes an analysis of some finite element methods proposed for treating the Dirichlet problem. It discusses the approximation of solutions to elliptic boundary value problems via finite element type methods. In case the ϕ have small support, this matrix will be sparse and hence, it may be feasible to consider in practice very large systems. This is a feature that has made finite difference methods attractive in practice and is to some extent retained by finite element methods.
Response to Optical Trapping by Red Blood Cells (RBCs) from a Transfused Sickle Cell Patient

The response of RBCs from a transfused sickle cell anemia (Hb S and Hb A) patient has been studied in comparison with RBCs from a healthy person (Hb AA) when directly trapped by a laser.
Enhanced Ligand Sampling for Relative Protein–Ligand Binding Free Energy Calculations

Free energy calculations are used to study how strongly potential drug molecules interact with their target receptors. The accuracy of these calculations depends on the accuracy of the molecular dynamics (MD) force field as well as proper sampling of the major conformations of each molecule. However, proper sampling of ligand conformations can be difficult when there are large barriers separating the major ligand conformations. An example of this is for ligands with an asymmetrically substituted phenyl ring, where the presence of protein loops hinders the proper sampling of the different ring conformations. These ring conformations become more difficult to sample when the size of the functional groups attached to the ring increases. The Adaptive Integration Method (AIM) has been developed, which adaptively changes the alchemical coupling parameter λ during the MD simulation so that conformations sampled at one λ can aid sampling at the other λ values. The Accelerated Adaptive Integration Method (AcclAIM) builds on AIM by lowering potential barriers for specific degrees of freedom at intermediate λ values. However, these methods may not work when there are very large barriers separating the major ligand conformations. In this work, we describe a modification to AIM that improves sampling of the different ring conformations, even when there is a very large barrier between them. This method combines AIM with conformational Monte Carlo sampling, giving improved convergence of ring populations and the resulting free energy. This method, called AIM/MC, is applied to study the relative binding free energy for a pair of ligands that bind to thrombin and a different pair of ligands that bind to aspartyl protease β-APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1). These protein-ligand binding free energy calculations illustrate the improvements in conformational sampling and the convergence of the free energy compared to both AIM and AcclAIM.
Fairness enhancement in IEEE 802.11s multi-hop wireless mesh networks

Wireless mesh network (WMN) is a practical and cost effective solution for home and business networks. However, in multi-hop wireless mesh networks, the throughput decays significantly with an increase in hop counts. This is primarily due to the increase in successive spatial contentions. As a result, flows with longer hops from the gateway suffer from bandwidth starvation and fair link access disparities. In this paper, we show that the packet size and the minimum contention window size (CW) play an essential role in improving fairness in multi-hop WMNs. Based on their location in the network and their traffic load; nodes may adapt different packet sizes and various CWs to improve their throughput. We present a Fair Share Algorithm (FSA) that assists each node in computing a fair packet size and a fair CW. We demonstrate that the FSA accomplishes considerably better fairness with minimal negative affect on the overall system throughput. The algorithm results are evaluated and compared with the performance of the default IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol used in wireless mesh networks.
SCHOOL-BASED PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN WITH EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE: A REVIEW OF TREATMENT COMPONENTS AND METHODOLOGY

Schoolpractitionersandeducatorsarefrequentlychallengedbythediverseandpervasiveacademic, social, and behavioral needs of children at risk for and with emotional disturbance. The present article examines the outcome literature on school-based prevention and intervention programs by systematically reviewing the key treatment interventions and methodology used. A total of 29 investigations including 1,405 children and adolescents were reviewed and coded on 41 variables across three dimensions (i.e., sample characteristics, treatment components, and methodology). Single subject and group design studies were included. Behavioral and/or cognitive behavioral treatment approaches were primary used. Deficit-based assessment and treatment approaches (i.e., problem behaviors) were predominately used in the outcome literature with few investigations incorporating strength-based outcome approaches. Findings are discussed in relation to previous research. C � 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Responses of bronchial C-fiber afferents of the rabbit to changes in lung compliance.

Abstract Rapidly adapting receptors (RAR) in the lung are stimulated when the lung compliance is reduced. The present investigation was undertaken to determine whether bronchial C-fibers are also activated when lung compliance is decreased since both RAR and bronchial C-fibers are influenced by extra-vascular fluid in the airways. Action potentials (AP) were recorded from bronchial C, pulmonary C, RAR and slowly adapting receptor (SAR) afferents in the cervical vagus in open chest New Zealand White rabbits ventilated at a constant rate and tidal volume. AP were recorded during (a) positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 2–3 cmH 2 O (control), (b) zero end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP), (c) negative end-expiratory pressure (NEEP) of −4 cmH 2 O, (d) restoration of PEEP and (e) final control after hyper-inflation. Both RAR and bronchial C-fiber activity increased significantly compared with control when lung compliance was decreased (bronchial C-fibers: 35±5 vs. 66±13 impulses per 30 sec and RAR: 3±1 vs. 94±14 impulses per 30 sec).
Maintenance of condenser-ion chamber calibration.

Readings made with condenser‐ionization chamber systems are frequently suspect because significant changes in calibration can occur without being evident in the normal use of the instruments. These changes can be traced to physical causes that alter the voltage sensitivity or electrical capacitance. Thus, measurement of these electrical parameters will indicate whether or not a change in calibration has occurred. Formulas are presented for calculating such changes and determining which parameter is responsible. Good agreement was obtained between the results of calculations with these formulas and the results of radiation measurements made with a Victoreen Condenser R‐Meter after several components had been deliberately maladjusted.
Release of Histanline During Hemolytic Reactions in the Blood of Rabbits

SummaryRabbits were sensitized by the repeated intravenous injection of washed sheep erythrocytes. After an appropriate period, addition of the washed sheep red cells to the rabbit blood in vitro produced prompt hemolysis. This in vitro hemolytic reaction in the rabbit blood was always accompanied by an increase in the histamine content of the plasma.
26 In vitro Cultured Allogeneic Cytotoxic T Cells Mediate GVL Without Systemic GVHD Despite Expression of Functional LPAM.

Background: Previous studies have shown that in vitro cultured alloreactive T cells had comparable GVL activity but decreased GVHD as compared to naive cells. It has been shown that expression of LPAM on CD8 T cells is important for gut homing specificity in GVHD. Our preliminary data showed that the expression of LPAM is decreased upon in vitro culture of CTLs. Recently, retinoic acid (RA) has been shown to up regulate LPAM expression on naive T cells. We hypothesize that in vitro cultured CTLs without retinoic acid lack the ability to cause GVHD in part due to deficient LPAM expression. Methods: B6PL spleen/lymph node cells were stimulated against DBA splenocytes with IL-2 & IL-7 ± 100 nm RA. Day 14 CTL & CTLRA were infused into allogeneic recipients c 17.3% vs. 4.6% (p d150 (=8; ALT 60 IU/L, clinical GVHD score of 2) despite ↑ migration of CTLRA cells to gut in contrast to CTL without RA (p<.01). Conclusions: We demonstrate that in vitro cultured alloreactive CTLs mediate a rapid GVL effect that was equivalent to the infusion of naive T cells but with attenuated sub clinical GVHD. We also showed that in vitro cultured CTLs have defective gut homing which could be corrected by up regulating LPAM expression with the addition of RA. Thus defective gut homing does not explain the lack of lethal GVHD seen with in vitro cultured CTL.
Molecular Mechanism of TRPV2 Trafficking in Sensory Neurons

Ca2+ is an important signaling mediator in neuronal guidance, outgrowth, and retraction. Amplitude, frequency and subcellular location of Ca2+ transients regulate development, function and survival of neurons. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 (TRPV2) is a nonselective Ca2+-permeable cation channel implicated in growth factor signaling and neuronal cell development. TRPV2 shows constitutive activity, suggesting that its subcellular location is important for its function; however, the molecular mechanisms by which TRPV2 trafficking is regulated are not well understood. We identified several TRPV2 binding partners from mouse brain implicated in neurite extension and nerve growth factor (NGF) signaling. In heterolgous expression systems, NGF signaling increased expression and changed the localization of TRPV2, while IGF-1 had little to no effect on TRPV2 localization. Studying endogenous TRPV2 has proven difficult since specific pharmacological modulators are unavailable and TRPV2 antibodies have not been extensively characterized and validated. Our laboratory has developed highly specific monoclonal TRPV2 antibodies by using full-length, tetrameric TRPV2 as an antigen. These antibodies have allowed us to identify endogenous expression, localization and the effects of growth factors on TRPV2 in neuronal cell lines and DRG neurons. These results will enhance our understanding of the key players in Ca2+ signaling during neuronal cell development.
Clinical neurology and brain histopathology in NZB/NZW F1 lupus mice

Active generalized systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), clinical neurological deficits and histological lesions in the brains were present in New Zealand Black/New Zealand White (NZB/W) F1 mice at 10 to 18 months of age. Clinical neurological abnormalities of the central nervous system (CNS) were detected with a standardized neurological examination and scoring procedure. Active generalized SLE was present in all mice of this group, as determined by elevated serum anti-DNA antibodies and by the presence of glomerulonephritis. High titres of serum anti-cardiolipin antibodies were present in almost all mice. On histopathological examination, most of the brains had prominent mononuclear cell infiltration around cerebral and hippocampal blood vessels and in the choroid plexus. A subgroup of these mice, having higher clinical neurological scores, had correspondingly higher brain histopathological scores. The neurological and histological abnormalities were compatible with a diagnosis of CNS SLE. In contrast, 2-month-old NZB/W, 5-month-old C57Bl/6 and 14-month-old C57Bl/6 mice had low neurological scores, low serum anti-DNA antibody titres, low or absent anti-cardiolipin antibodies and no evidence of brain or kidney pathological lesions.
Methylcholanthrene induced murine primitive neuroectodermal tumor: ultrastructure and nuclear RNA polymerase activity.

The histology, ultrastructure, and nuclear RNA polymerase activity are described in a murine primitive neuroectodermal tumor derived by serial transplantation from a tumor originally induced with methylcholanthrene and classified as an ependymoblastoma. The light microscope and ultrastructural studies show that this tumor does not contain the distinguishing morphological features of differentiated ependymal cells which are also commonly seen in human ependymomas. One outstanding feature is the size and number of the nucleoti. The mean number of nucleoli/nucleus is 4 which is two to four times that of the normal neuroglial cell. The nucleolar diameter is about twice that found in normal neuroglial cells. The nuclear RNA synthesizing activity is the highest of the chemically induced animal tumors we have studied. The alpha amanitin inhibition is the lowest seen in any of these tumors which suggests that the RNA polymerases inhibited by alpha amanitin contribute less to the total nuclear RNA synthesis. Adriamycin significantly inhibits the nuclear RNA polymerase activity of this tumor.
Elevated serum liver enzymes and fatty liver changes associated with long driving among taxi drivers.

Background Previous studies suggested increased morbidities and mortalities of liver diseases in drivers. Methods To examine whether driving (monthly driving distance; tenure) is associated with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), or chronic fatty liver (FL) changes, we performed a cross-sectional, secondary analysis of the Taxi Drivers' Health Study (n = 1,355), adjusting for clinical, demographic, and lifestyle factors. Results Prevalence of elevated ALT, elevated AST, and fatty liver changes were 22.0%, 5.1%, and 9.3%, respectively. Driving distance had a positive association with elevated ALT with a prevalence ratio of 1.35 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.89) comparing the highest versus lowest driving quartile. This association differed by alcohol use, with a corresponding prevalence ratio of 2.08 (95% CI: 1.30, 3.33) among “past/current” drinkers but no association among “never” drinkers. Similar patterns were found for AST, but estimates were less stable. We found a curvilinear response pattern for fatty liver changes; prevalence first increased with years as a taxi driver and then receded in the highest ranges of driving tenure, regardless of the alcohol history. Conclusions Our results provide evidence that long driving is associated with both short-term and chronic liver insults, although alcohol use appears to modify this putative effect. Am. J. Ind. Med. 54:618–627, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Consistency of the Pulsating Universe with Einstein's Field Equations.

It is shown that the pulsating model of the universe can be derived from Einstein’s field equations with the addition of a traceless, negative-energy source tensor. Bounds on the negative-energy density are given. Earlier works on negative-energy sources as well as prevention of singularities are discussed. The results support earlier findings that one can obtain a bounce without modifying Einstein’s field equations, but instead, by violating the Hawking-Penrose strong energy condition. The negative-energy tensor is interpreted as the partially uncompensated zero-point energy of a weakly interacting, neutral massless fermion (which may or may not be a massless neutrino). It is shown explicitly that the zero-point quadratic divergences, reported earlier by Ford for the photon and the massless fermion, do not cancel, in contrast to the quartic divergences. To eliminate both the quadratic as well as the quartic divergences, three auxiliary massless fermions and six conformai scalars are introduced. The resulting multiplet is analogous to that of a massless multiplet forN = 4 supersymmetry with comparable helicity states. The corresponding small Casimir energy is evaluated. Since the model predicts a cosmic background of weakly interacting negative-energy radiation, greater in intensity than the CMB radiation, it can be experimentally falsified. A subordinate idea of the model, that there was an astrophysical- rather than a Planckian-size bounce, can be falsified by suitable computer simulations.
Learning Balanced and Unbalanced Graphs via Low-Rank Coding

Graphs have been widely applied in modeling the relationships and structures in real-world applications. Graph construction is the most critical part in these models, while how to construct an effective graph is still an open problem. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to graph construction based on two observations. First, by virtue of recent advances in low-rank subspace recovery, the similarity between every two samples evaluated in the low-rank code space is more robust than that in the sample space. Second, a sparse and balanced graph can greatly increase the performance of learning tasks, such as label propagation in graph based semi-supervised learning. The $k$ -NN sparsification can provide fast solutions to constructing unbalanced sparse graphs, and $b$ -matching constraint is a necessary route for generating balanced graphs. These observations motivate us to jointly learn the low-rank codes and balanced (or unbalanced) graph simultaneously. In particular, two non-convex models are built by incorporating $k$ -NN constraint and $b$ -matching constraint into the low-rank representation model, respectively. We design a majorization-minimization augmented Lagrange multiplier (MM-ALM) algorithm to solve the proposed models. Extensive experimental results on four image databases demonstrate the superiority of our graphs over several state-of-the-art graphs in data clustering, transductive and inductive semi-supervised learning.
Astemizole-induced cardiac conduction disturbances in a child.

The newly available antihistamine astemizole (Hismanal) has been previously associated with hemodynamically significant cardiac tachydysrhythmias. We describe a 3-year-old girl who developed multiple different cardiac dysrhythmias after an astemizole overdose. No hemodynamic compromise occurred, and the electrocardiogram returned to normal without use of antiarrhythmic agents within 7 hours. (JAMA. 1991;266:2737-2740)
Assessment Framework for the Evaluation and Prioritization of University Inventions for Licensing and Commercialization

The rise in university technology transfer and licensing activities has overstretched the human and financial resources of the licensing and technology management offices of many U.S. universities. This research proposes a framework to properly predict and identify which of the university's intellectual properties, inventions, or technology discoveries have an above-average licensing and commercialization potential, so limited human and financial resources could be allocated for the pursuit of truly important breakthrough discoveries. This research will identify the determinants and decision factors that influence or impact the licensing and commercialization of university technologies, determine their relative importance, identify the most current and up-to-date technology selection criteria used by the most influential corporate technology licensing professionals, and develop a framework to assist in the assessment of the potential viability of the university's technologies for licensing and commercialization.
Relation Between the St. Louis Urban Precipitation Anomaly and Synoptic Weather Factors.

The summer (June--August) rainfall distribution on the METROMEX network was analyzed to determine the synoptic conditions during which the urban-industrial regions of St. Louis affect the precipitation process. The rainfall patterns were stratified by direction of movement of convective entities in storm systems, surface wind direction, and basic synoptic weather types. The results provide support for enhancement of rainfall downstorm from the urban-industrial region. Although only 23% of the 330 storms moved from the west-southwest, the storms produced 42% of the network rainfall and were strong contributors to the rainfall anomaly that maximizes 25--30 km northeast of St. Louis. Cold front conditions with the major convective entities moving from the southwest, and squall lines with any storm motion were associated with the most intense rainstorms over the raingage network, and these storms were also largely responsible for the rainfall anomaly. The rainfall pattern based on air mass storms did not indicate any The rainfall pattern based on air mass storms did not indicate any significant urban enhancement of rainfall and study of squall zone storms suggested possible reduction of rainfall in the urban region.
Species specificity among oriental fruit flies, melon flies, and Mediterranean fruit flies in susceptibility to insecticides at several loci.

DDT, methoxychlor, and malathion were applied topically in Honolulu in 1957 and again in 1967 to the thoracic mesonotum and mesosternum, the abdominal mid-dorsum and mid-venter, and the verto-occiputal and oral regions of adult oriental fruit flies, Dacus dorsalis Hendel; melon flies, D. cucurbitae Conquillett; and Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Species-specific differences in susceptibility to the same insecticides on identical loci were noted. The thoracic mesonotum of oriental and melon flies was the least susceptible of the 6 application regions to DDT or methoxychlor, while the thoracic mesonotum of Mediterranean fruit flies was the most susceptible. With melon flies, application of methoxychlor to the oral region was at least 200 limes more effective than application to the thoracic mesonotum. However, With Mediterranean fruit flies, application of methoxychlor to the oral region was 2 times less effective than application to the thoracic mesonotum. Locus-specific differences in susceptibility to different insecticides by the same species were noted also. DDT and methoxychlor were least effective when applied to the thoracic mesonotum of oriental and melon flies, as compared with the other 5 application regions. Malathion, however, was most effective when applied to the thoracic mesonotum of oriental or melon flies.
The impact of basal readers on the curriculum

Despite frequent criticisms of basal readers, most teachers use them as a basic instructional tool or as a springboard for other reading activities. Basals play an important role in translating research into practice. As our understanding of the reading process changes, so do the contents of basal readers. Used selectively and with judgment, basals can help teachers provide a research-based reading program for today’s children. Through understanding how teachers use these materials, publishers can design basals to meet their needs more effectively.
COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE OF OLDER WOMEN WHO HAVE SURVIVED CANCER

Based on anecdotal reports and a few empirical studies, there is concern about the cognitive effects of cancer and its treatment effects among adults. A cross-sectional comparison of the cognitive performance of 541 elderly women who reported at least one hospitalization for cancer and 3,123 who had no reported hospitalizations for cancer was conducted. The difference between cancer survivors and those with no history of cancer on a screening test of global cognitive functioning was not significant, nor were there differences on a subtest of the global test that assesses verbal memory. Older women who report being hospitalized for cancer as adults may perform similar to women with no history of cancer on rudimentary cognitive tasks.
Effects of neuromuscular lags on controlling contact transitions.

We present a numerical exploration of contact transitions with the fingertip. When picking up objects our fingertips must make contact at specific locations, and—upon contact—maintain posture while producing well-directed force vectors. However, the joint torques for moving the fingertip towards a surface (tm) are different from those for producing static force vectors (tf). We previously described the neural control of such abrupt transitions in humans, and found that unavoidable errors arise because sensorimotor time delays and lags prevent an instantaneous switch between different torques. Here, we use numerical optimization on a finger model to reveal physical bounds for controlling such rapid contact transitions. Resembling human data, it is necessary to anticipatorily switch joint torques to tf at about 30 ms before contact to minimize the initial misdirection of the fingertip force vector. This anticipatory strategy arises in our deterministic model from neuromuscular lags, and not from optimizing for robustness to noise/uncertainties. Importantly, the optimal solution also leads to a trade-off between the speed of force magnitude increase versus the accuracy of initial force direction. This is an alternative to prevailing theories that propose multiplicative noise in muscles as the driver of speed–accuracy trade-offs. We instead find that the speed–accuracy trade-off arises solely from neuromuscular lags. Finally, because our model intentionally uses idealized assumptions, its agreement with human data suggests that the biological system is controlled in a way that approaches the physical boundaries of performance.
Unusual distortions about Tl and Pb in PbTe:Tl

When the well know thermoelectric PbTe is doped with a few percent Tl, the figure of merit, ZT = S2 σ /κ, is dramatically improved (here S is the Seebeck coefficient, σ the electrical conductivity and κ the thermal conductivity). Tl is a valence skipper with valences of +1 and +3 and replaces Pb(+2) in PbTe. Further Tl(+1) has a lone electron pair; consequently, the atom is asymmetric and large local distortions are expected if Tl(+1) is present. Here we we present Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) data for 1% Tl doped PbTe at the Tl and Pb L3 edges and at the Te K edge, to probe the local structure about the dopant, and host atoms. At 10 K the local structure about Pb and Te is well ordered, although disorder of the Pb-Te (Te-Pb) pair distribution function (PDF) increases rapidly with increasing T. In contrast the environment around Tl is more disordered even at 10 K within the well ordered host material. This indicates a large variation of the Tl-Te bond lengths presumably as a result of the presence of some Tl(+1). This increased local disorder will result in additional electron and phonon scattering. We discuss possible models for the disorder about Tl and for PbTe at higher temperature for which neutron PDF measurements suggest Pb moves off-center (© 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Analysis of optical bus networks using doped-fiber amplifiers

The number of stations that can be supported in a unidirectional single-channel bus using amplifiers with identical directional-coupler taps is determined. Saturation and noise limits are considered together. Doped-fiber amplifiers with the optical pump power and fiber length optimized for a given value of unsaturated gain are considered. Perfect isolation, gain, and saturation uniform with wavelength and identical for signal and spontaneous emission are assumed. It is shown that a bus network with amplifiers can support thousands of stations with reasonable requirements on amplifier gain and saturation power. For example, over 5000 stations can be supported with 10-dB amplifiers between every two stations, even with a large combined loss of 4 dB station per and no spectral filtering. >
Ruelle's linear response formula, ensemble adjoint schemes and Lévy flights

A traditional subject in statistical physics is the linear response of a molecular dynamical system to changes in an external forcing agency, e.g. the Ohmic response of an electrical conductor to an applied electric field. For molecular systems the linear response matrices, such as the electrical conductivity, can be represented by Green–Kubo formulae as improper time-integrals of 2-time correlation functions in the system. Recently, Ruelle has extended the Green–Kubo formalism to describe the statistical, steady-state response of a 'sufficiently chaotic' nonlinear dynamical system to changes in its parameters. This formalism potentially has a number of important applications. For instance, in studies of global warming one wants to calculate the response of climate-mean temperature to a change in the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases. In general, a climate sensitivity is defined as the linear response of a long-time average to changes in external forces. We show that Ruelle's linear response formula can be computed by an ensemble adjoint technique and that this algorithm is equivalent to a more standard ensemble adjoint method proposed by Lea, Allen and Haine to calculate climate sensitivities.In a numerical implementation for the 3-variable, chaotic Lorenz model it is shown that the two methods perform very similarly. However, because of a power-law tail in the histogram of adjoint gradients their sum over ensemble members becomes a Levy flight, and the central limit theorem breaks down. The law of large numbers still holds and the ensemble-average converges to the desired sensitivity, but only very slowly, as the number of samples is increased. We discuss the implications of this example more generally for ensemble adjoint techniques and for the important practical issue of calculating climate sensitivities.
Suspected meningitis in the emergency department: diagnosis and management

Abstract Meningitis, while becoming more rare, remains a serious cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric emergency department. Presenting signs and symptoms range from being overt to very nonspecific. Therefore, a high degree of clinical suspicion must be maintained in either the febrile or the very ill patient. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis remain the most common etiologies, with Hemophilus influenzae now rare in the United States and Europe because of immunization. Testing of the cerebrospinal fluid is imperative, and the addition of newer molecular techniques continues to augment management of these patients. The increase in antibiotic resistance among common pathogens has made initial antibiotic selection more difficult, and the addition of vancomycin to a third-generation cephalosporin is often advocated. Because of the possibility of initially misleading laboratory data, narrowing of therapy in the emergency setting is not recommended. Adequate supportive care remains critical for these patients, with these initial efforts significantly affecting outcomes.
Low-frequency gain in MSM photodiodes due to charge accumulation and image force lowering

To understand the nature of low-frequency gain in MSM photodiodes, Schottky barrier height was measured for an MSM photodiode fabricated on GaAs-based layers. The Schottky barrier height showed a dependence on the light irradiation and bias. This can be explained by a lowering of the Schottky barrier due to charge accumulation at surface states and image-force lowering at the edges of metal electrodes where electric field is extremely high. Thermionic hole emission is proposed as a source of low-frequency gain of MSM photodiodes.
Vocabulary assessment: What we know and what we need to learn

The authors assert that, in order to teach vocabulary more effectively and better understand its relation to comprehension, we need first to address how vocabulary knowledge and growth are assessed. They argue that “vocabularly assessment is grossly undernourished, both in its theoretical and practical aspects—that it has been driven by tradition, convenience, psychometric standards, and a quest for economy of effort rather than a clear conceptualization of its nature and relation to other aspects of reading expertise, most notably comprehension.”
Anatomical Methods for Voxelation of the Mammalian Brain

Voxelation allows high-throughput acquisition of three-dimensional gene expression patterns in the brain through analysis of spatially registered voxels (cubes). The method results in multiple volumetric maps of gene expression analogous to the images reconstructed in biomedical imaging techniques. An important issue for voxelation is the development of approaches to anchor correctly harvested voxels to the underlying anatomy. Here, we describe experiments to identify fixation and cryopreservation protocols for improved registration of harvested voxels with neuroanatomical structures. Paraformaldehyde fixation greatly reduced RNA recovery as judged by ribosomal RNA abundance. However, gene expression signals from paraformaldehyde-fixed samples were not appreciably diminished as judged by average signal–noise ratios from microarrays, highlighting the difficulties of accurate quantitation of cross-linked RNA. Additional use of cryoprotection helped to improve further RNA recovery and signal from fixed tissue. It appears that the best protocol to provide the necessary resolution of neuroanatomical information in voxelation entails a controlled dose of fixation and thorough cryoprotection, complemented by histological staining.
TRADITIONS AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN FOLK GEOGRAPHY

The term “folk geography” is relatively new, although the study of folk culture has long been a part of the geographic discipline. With the growth of folklore as an academic discipline, geographers have the opportunity for greater interdisciplinary research, particularly in non-material culture. Music, oral histories, and folktales are neglected non-material components of folklife that represent fertile areas for research.
A modeling framework for IT adoption study

A modeling framework, based on analytical hierarchical processes (AHP), neural networks and fuzzy logic using a value-based approach, is proposed for information technology (IT) adoption studies. The design process is described with examples like the Internet and Unix. A comparative analysis among various models in the framework is one of the salient features of this framework.
Joint associations of objectively-measured sedentary behavior and physical activity with health-related quality of life.

No studies, to my knowledge, have examined the joint effects of physical activity and sedentary behavior on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), which was the purpose of this study. Data from the 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used (N = 5,536). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior were assessed using an ActiGraph 7164 accelerometer, with HRQOL assessed using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 4-item HRQOL index. MVPA (βadjusted = − 0.01; 95% CI: − 0.01 to − 0.004; P < 0.001), but not sedentary behavior (βadjusted = − 0.0003; 95% CI: − 0.001–0.0001; P = 0.37), was associated with HRQOL. MVPA was associated with HRQOL among those above the median (≥ 487.5 min/day) level of sedentary behavior (βadjusted = − 0.02; 95% CI: − 0.03 to − 0.01; P = 0.006; N = 2769). The results of this brief report do not demonstrate that sedentary behavior, independent of MVPA, is associated with HRQOL. The independent association of MVPA on HRQOL confirms previous work that used self-report measures of MVPA.
A Framework for Punishment: What Is the Insight of Hart’s ‘Prolegomenon’?

Nearly all of H. L. A. Hart’s philosophy of criminal law is helpfully contained in his 1968 collection Punishment and Responsibility. Clearly the most influential essay in this volume is the first, ‘Prolegomenon to the Principles of Punishment’, originally delivered as the presidential address to the Aristotelian Society in 1959. And the most important insight of this chapter is that oversimplification and distortion are best avoided if we realize that ‘different principles (each of which may in a sense be called a ‘justification’) are relevant at different points in any morally acceptable account of punishment. What we should look for are answers to a number of different questions’.1 In particular, Hart raised three (or perhaps four) separate questions about punishment and invoked distinct considerations about each: matters of definition, inquiries into the general justifyingaim, and disputes about distribution — the last of which he further subdivided into the issues of who should be punished and to what extent. Hart’s substantive views about these problems are celebrated. Even more influential, however, is the structure Hart brought to bear on the topic of how philosophical thought about punishment should proceed. The very first sentence in his ‘Prolegomenon’ indicates that the ‘main object of this paper is to provide a framework for the discussion of the mounting perplexities which now surround the institution of criminal punishment’.2
Mass and heat diffusion in ternary polymer solutions: A classical irreversible thermodynamics approach

Abstract Governing equations for evolution of concentration and temperature in three-component systems were derived in the framework of classical irreversible thermodynamics using Onsager’s variational principle and were presented for solvent/solvent/polymer and solvent/polymer/polymer systems. The derivation was developed from the Gibbs equation of equilibrium thermodynamics using the local equilibrium hypothesis, Onsager reciprocal relations and Prigogine’s theorem for systems in mechanical equilibrium. It was shown that the details of mass and heat diffusion phenomena in a ternary system are completely expressed by a 3 × 3 matrix whose entries are mass diffusion coefficients (4 entries), thermal diffusion coefficients (2 entries) and three entries that describe the evolution of heat in the system. The entries of the diffusion matrix are related to the elements of Onsager matrix that are bounded by some constraints to satisfy the positive definiteness of entropy production in the system. All the elements of diffusion matrix were expressed in terms of derivatives of exchange chemical potentials of the components with respect to concentration and temperature. The spinodal curves of ternary polymer solutions were derived from the governing equations and their correctness was checked by the Hessian of free energy density. Moreover, it was proved that setting cross-diffusion coefficients to zero results in a contradiction, and the governing equations without cross-diffusion coefficients do not express the actual phase behavior of the system.
Academic advising: the key to student success

Terry O’Banion’s (2013) premise that “academic advising is the second most important function in the community college” (p. 3) sets the tone for Academic advising: The key to student success. This ...
Price elasticity and medication use: cost sharing across multiple clinical conditions.

BACKGROUND: To address the impact that out-of-pocket prices may have on medication use, it is vital to understand how the demand for medications may be affected when patients are faced with changes in the price to acquire treatment and how price responsiveness differs across medication classes. OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of cost-sharing changes on the demand for 8 classes of prescription medications. METHODS: This was a retrospective database analysis of 11,550,363 commercially insured enrollees within the 2005-2009 MarketScan Database. Patient cost sharing, expressed as a price index for each medication class, was the main explanatory variable to examine the price elasticity of demand. Negative binomial fixed effect models were estimated to examine medication fills. The elasticity estimates reflect how use changes over time as a function of changes in copayments. RESULTS: Model estimates revealed that price elasticity of demand ranged from -0.015 to -0.157 within the 8 categories of medications (P ...
Small-Scale Crisis Events Impact on Price Discovery and Volatiliy Transmission Across Financial Markets: Evidence from Terror Attacks, Assassinations, North-Korean Saber-Rattling, and Natural Disasters

We examine the impact of 51 terrorist attacks, three wars, an assassination, and other national security-related shocks on stock markets located in nations proximate to the crises and on American Depository Receipts (ADRs) of firms headquartered in those same nations. ADRs are securities that trade on American markets that entitle investors to the cash flows (denominated in dollars) of foreign firms. We find that small-scale terrorist attacks that receive little media attention do not affect ADR returns. Large scale terrorist attacks, the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, highly provocative actions by North Korea, and small-scale wars affect ADR returns while natural disasters do not. The negative effect on ADRs is short lived. We also examine the volatility structures of two ADR indexes (Korea and India) and their underlying home market indexes. We find that there is bi-directional information flow between the ADR markets and the home market indexes. We find evidence that various shocks affect the volatility structures of these indexes, both ADR and home market indexes.
Analysis on the characteristics of blood serum Ab-IgG detective result of severe acute respiratory syndrome patients in Guangzhou, China.

Objective To probe blood serum Ab-IgG characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients in Guangzhou and investigate the related factors. Methods The serum of such population diagnosed as SARS convalescent patients, non-SARS patients, family consanguineous contraction persons, wild animal and vegetable salesman and community common people was collected. The lab detective method of ELISA was adopted for these serum samples. And the epidemic investigations for the SARS patients were also carried out. Results Of these populations, the detective rate of Ab-IgG for the clinic diagnosed SARS patients, which was 53.7%; That for the wild animal salesman and community common people were 16.7% and 0.9%, respectively. Among the clinic diagnosed SARS patients, the positive antibody detective rate was 90.4% for those which had specific contact history or infectivity, which was higher than that for other population. Among the specific contact history or infectivity cases, the antibody positive rate for the young and the old was lower than that for the adult. Meanwhile the difference did not exist among other cases. The antibody positive rate was identical between the male and the female. And the antibody detective rate was decreased by the month. Conclusion As a whole SARS-CoV Ab-IgG detective rate for the clinic diagnosed SARS patients was 53.7% only. The reasons for that mainly lie in the wrong clinic diagnosis besides these factors such as age, hormone use and reagent and so on. The combination of lab detection results and epidemic investigation was propitious to the diagnosis veracity. It was impossible for the sub-clinic infection of SARS-CoV virus. The importance in the virus transmitting course need to be further studied.
Special Forces Medical Sergeants (18 Delta) recertification.

Special Forces Medical Sergeants (18 Delta) in the U.S. Army play a key role in delivering medical care in both combat and civil affairs arenas. Given the breadth of skills required and potential decrement of skills with time, recertification is desirable and mandated. However, there are no formal courses for recertification of 75% of the tasks. A course to fill this need is being developed. A general outline of the course is set forth. To date, the course has recertified 18 Deltas in several areas, received favorable evaluations from the students, and been embraced by the Special Forces battalion leadership. Additional benefits include the instructional staff developing a deployment combat perspective for their area of instruction and better integration between active Army and reserves. Thus far, the course has been very successful.
A Molecular Technique Useful in the Detection of Occult Metastases in Patients with Melanoma

When cutaneous melanoma is confined to the skin, simple excision with adequate margins will usually cure the patient (1,2). Local recurrences do occur but reexcision still results in a very high cure rate. When cutaneous melanoma spreads beyond the primary site, the metastases are predominantly by way of the lymphatics. If in-transit disease or regional lymph node involvement is present, the 5-yr survival rate drops to approx 60% (1-3). Accurate staging of the locoregional lymphatic basin is thus extremely important. Pre- operative lymphoscintigraphy followed by selective lymphadenectomy has revolutionized the staging of cutaneous melanoma by delivering to the pathologist only those nodes that are most likely to contain metastatic cells (4). A close examination of these sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) by serial sectioning and immunohistochemical staining can detect very minute quantities of melanoma. This type of detailed examination is impossible in standard lymphadenectomy specimens that can contain 20-40 lymph nodes. The standard technique used to examine large numbers of lymph nodes is to examine only 1-5% of each node using hematoxylin and eosin staining. This can obviously miss micrometastatic disease and understage the patient.
Effects of Sample Size and Sample Acceptance Level on the Number of Aflatoxin-Contaminated Farmers’ Stock Lots Accepted and Rejected at the Buying Point

Sixteen different aflatoxin sampling plan designs were evaluated using the negative-binomial distribution. Evaluations were used to predict the effects of 4 different sample sizes and 4 different sample acceptance levels on the classification of farmers' stock lots according to the lot aflatoxin concentration. The 4 sample sizes evaluated were 2.27 kg (5 lb), 4.54 kg (10 lb), 9.08 kg (20 lb), and 18.16 kg (40 lb). The 4 sample acceptance levels evaluated were 5, 50, 100, and 180 ng/g. A decrease in the sample acceptance level from 180 to 5 ng/g decreased the number of lots accepted at all lot concentrations, increased the number of lots rejected at all lot concentrations, and decreased the average aflatoxin concentrations among all lots accepted