cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Choosing between velocity-time-integral ratio and peak velocity ratio for calculation of the dimensionless index (or aortic valve area) in serial follow-up of aortic stenosis.

Abstract Background It remains unclear which echocardiographic measure is most suitable for serial measurement in real-world aortic stenosis (AS) follow-up. We determine whether the dimensionless index (DI) between aortic valve and left ventricular outflow tract velocities is measured more consistently using velocity-time-integral (VTI) or peak velocities (V peak ) in real life. Methods Serial echocardiograms acquired within 6months in subjects with AS were analysed with blinding, to compare the variability over time of DI calculated using V peak , with that of DI calculated using VTI. Results Paired echocardiograms, acquired on average 72days apart, were analysed from 70 patients with a range of severities of AS (59% severe). DI, calculated using either V peak or VTI, did not significantly change over this short time. Coefficient of variation was significantly better when DI was calculated using V peak than VTI (12.6 versus 25.4%, p 2 and left ventricular outflow tract VTI were no better: 26.9%, 19.1% and 22.1% respectively. Conclusions Serially-followed variables require minimal noise to maximise detection of genuine change. For AS surveillance, calculating DI – or effective orifice area – from the ratio of V peak rather than VTIs would reduce 95% confidence intervals from ±51% to a still-disappointing ±25%. Guidelines recommend noisy surveillance measures, causing conscientious echocardiographers to ‘peek' at previous values, and impairing clinicians' faith in echocardiographically-observed changes when making clinical decisions. For us in echocardiography to improve our ability to contribute to AS follow-up requires us to first acknowledge and discuss this honestly.
Control of trophoblast cell differentiation: Lessons from the genetics of early pregnancy loss and trophoblast neoplasia

Trophoblast cell differentiation is crucial to the morphogenesis of the placenta and thus the establishment of pregnancy and the growth and development of the embryo/fetus. In the present review, we discuss current evidence for the existence of regulatory genes crucial to trophoblast cell differentiation and placental morphogenesis. The elucidation of regulatory pathways controlling normal differentiation of trophoblast cells will facilitate the identification of sensitive junctures in the regulatory pathways leading to various developmental disorders, including those associated with the initiation of pregnancy, fetal growth retardation and gestational trophoblast disease.
Experimental verification of a model describing the intensity distribution from a single mode optical fiber

The intensity distribution of a transmission from a single mode optical fiber is often approximated using a Gaussian-shaped curve. While this approximation is useful for some applications such as fiber alignment, it does not accurately describe transmission behavior off the axis of propagation. In this paper, another model is presented, which describes the intensity distribution of the transmission from a single mode optical fiber. A simple experimental setup is used to verify the model's accuracy, and agreement between model and experiment is established both on and off the axis of propagation. Displacement sensor designs based on the extrinsic optical lever architecture are presented. The behavior of the transmission off the axis of propagation dictates the performance of sensor architectures where large lateral offsets (25-1500 μm) exist between transmitting and receiving fibers. The practical implications of modeling accuracy over this lateral offset region are discussed as they relate to the development of high-performance intensity modulated optical displacement sensors. In particular, the sensitivity, linearity, resolution, and displacement range of a sensor are functions of the relative positioning of the sensor's transmitting and receiving fibers. Sensor architectures with high combinations of sensitivity and displacement range are discussed. It is concluded that the utility of the accurate model is in its predicative capability and that this research could lead to an improved methodology for high-performance sensor design.
The role of the coronary collateral circulation in limiting myocardial ischemia and infarct size

The role of coronary collateral circulation in limiting ischemia and infarction has been studied prospectively. Transient occlusion of a coronary artery angioplasty has provided evidence that collateral circulation decreases wall motion abnormalities, ST segment changes, and lactate production. Patients who have collateral flow also have a better outcome after coronary artery dissection and acute closure than patients without collateral flow. Collateral circulation also limits infarct size during acute myocardial infarction with and without thrombolysis. Although collateral flow may decrease coronary artery bypass graft patency in certain subgroups of patients, the perioperative infarct rate and mortality is decreased. Growth factors have been identified that increase the development collateral circulation and may improve ventricular function in the setting of myocardial infarction.
Nanostraws: A Nanofabricated Platform for Delivery of Cell-Impermeable, Synthetic Biomolecules

Many active biomolecules are available to perturb cell function by direct addition to cell culture media, including receptor ligands and antibodies. As discovered many decades ago, if a mechanism is available to deliver active biomolecules directly into cells, exponentially more possibilities for cell perturbation exist, especially the option for effecting permanent change in cells by altering their genome, and the ability to directly perturb the central dogma by altering mRNA transcription and translation into protein. The majority of these active biomolecules have similar molecular structure, which led to the development of delivery vehicles specific for delivering DNA, peptides, and other classes of molecules. Recently, synthetic biomolecules have been developed which have hybrid characteristics, often due to the addition of functionality such as fluorescence or tailored binding sites. These synthetic functionalities could represent another exponential leap forward for studying cells in theory, but these molecules often lack an option for intracellular delivery due to their hybrid structure, limiting their practical use. Here we show the use of a microfabricated supported nanotube structure, called nanostraws, to deliver synthetic biomolecules into cells. We focus on two types of molecules: synthetic carbohydrates with click chemistry moieties that, when delivered into cells, can be used to track metabolic pathways, and modified peptides with active sites that can be used to track enzyme activity. The delivery of these disparate molecules using the same technique demonstrates the utility of nanostraws as a non-specific delivery mechanism, capable of delivering synthetic molecules of diverse structure.
Estimation of modeling error in computational mechanics

We review and extend the theory and methodology of a posteriori error estimation and adaptivity for modeling error for certain classes of problems in linear and nonlinear mechanics. The basic idea is that for a given collection of physical phenomena a rich class of mathematical models can be identified, including models that are sufficiently refined and validated that they satisfactorily capture the events of interest. These fine models may be intractable, too complex to solve by existing means. Coarser models are therefore used. Moreover, as is frequently the case in applications, there are specific quantities of interest that are sought which are functionals of the solution of the fine model. In this paper, techniques for estimating modeling errors in such quantities of interest are developed. Applications to solid and fluid mechanics are presented.
Wavelet-modulated pulse for compressive sensing in SAR

A new wavelet modulated pulse is proposed for synthetic aperture radar (SAR). Conventionally SAR image is constructed using chirp, i.e., FM in the range direction, and the Doppler effect in the azimuth direction. The proposed scheme is to physically modulate the amplitude of the radar pulse (AM) using wavelets. Such a radar pulse results in the shift of the wavelets in the temporal domain due to the range, while the Doppler effect causes variation of the scaling coefficient. In both directions, pulse compression can be achieved by taking advantage of the autocorrelation function of the compactly supported orthogonal wavelets and processing the echo signal in the two directions accordingly. Furthermore, by using wavelet modulated pulses, the echo signal is equivalent to the wavelet transform (WT) to the target area. Since WT has been proved more effective in image compression than conventional discrete cosine transform (DCT), wavelet-modulated pulse is equivalent to compression to the SAR image thus to achieve compressive sensing. Experiments have been performed using the latest embedded software defined radio (SDR) technology. Equipped with the most recent FPGA and digital signal processors along with high speed analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters, the SDR allows signal processing tasks commonly done by analog circuits to be performed digitally with high flexibility in algorithm design. Based on the developmental need of the user, the small form factor software defined radio (SFF SDR) can serve as a simple data collection device for waveform testing or it can be programmed into a real-time embedded radar system.
My Beliefs of My Peers’ Beliefs Exploring the Gendered Nature of Social Norms in Adolescent Romantic Relationships

Dating violence in adolescent relationships is a growing social problem in the United States. A majority of adolescents have dated by the time they finish high school and these experiences have an impact on their relationship trajectories as adults. Although more and more prevention efforts are aimed at reducing teen dating violence and/or teaching adolescents about healthy relationships, very few of these efforts investigate discrepancies in descriptive and injunctive norms associated with adolescent dating. This pilot study adds to the existing literature by investigating the dating norms of early and mid-adolescents to aid in tailoring prevention efforts among this population. One hundred eighty-seven middle and high school student leaders from public schools in the Midwest completed an annual relationship survey. Findings suggest that participants did not support unhealthy relationship norms overall. However, two patterns of discrepancies emerged: one between participant attitudes (descriptive norms) ...
A novel framework for faster-than-at-speed delay test considering IR-drop effects

Faster-than-at-speed test have been proposed to detect small delay defects. While these techniques increase the test frequency to reduce the positive slack of the path, they exacerbate the already well known issue of IR-drop during test. This may result in false identification of good chips to be faulty due to IR-drop rather than small delay defects. We present a case study of IR-drop effects due to faster-than-at-speed test. We propose a novel framework for pattern generation/application using any commercial no-timing ATPG tool, to screen small delay defects and a technique to determine the optimal test frequency considering both performance degradation due to IR-drop effects and positive slack.
Enzalutamide (Xtandi) for patients with metastatic, resistant prostate cancer.

Objective: To review the pharmacology and pharmacokinetics, and to evaluate the clinical efficacy, safety, and place in therapy of enzalutamide for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Data Sources: A literature search through PubMed (1984 to November 2013; English language) was performed using the following keywords: MDV3100, androgen deprivation therapy, enzalutamide, CRPC, and androgen receptor antagonist. Searches were limited to published studies in humans. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All articles in English identified from reviews, abstracts, presentations, and clinical trials of enzalutamide in humans were selected and included. Data Synthesis: Enzalutamide is an oral, nonsteroidal second-generation androgen receptor antagonist that is Food and Drug Administration–approved for the treatment of metastatic CRPC in men who were previously treated with docetaxel. Enzalutamide was superior to placebo for increasing median survival from 13.6 months to 18.4 months. Enzalu...
Embrittlement of Metal by Solute Segregation-Induced Amorphization

Impurities segregated to grain boundaries of a material essentially alter its fracture behavior. A prime example is sulfur segregation-induced embrittlement of nickel, where an observed relation between sulfur-induced amorphization of grain boundaries and embrittlement remains unexplained. Here, 48x10(6)-atom reactive-force-field molecular dynamics simulations provide the missing link. Namely, an order-of-magnitude reduction of grain-boundary shear strength due to amorphization, combined with tensile-strength reduction, allows the crack tip to always find an easy propagation path.
Acute arsenic toxication of a free-ranging white-tailed deer in New York.

An adult, female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) died due to acute arsenic intoxication in an intensively managed northern hardwood forest in northern New York. We hypothesize that the deer licked trees injected with Silvisar 550, which contains mono-sodium methanearsonate. We believe this is the first report of death of a free-ranging white-tailed deer, due to ingestion of monosodium methanearsonate.
Traffic load based reverse link power allocation for cellular packet data systems

Power control typically constitutes the adaptation of transmit power to fading. It is argued that in packet data systems, there is another important aspect of power control, and that is the adaptation of the transmit power to the traffic load. The traffic load is defined as the number of users who wish to transmit data to the base station, and this traffic load changes with time. Adaptation of the reverse link transmit power to the traffic load is shown to improve the power-delay tradeoff. The optimal power control policy is computed using dynamic programming, and is compared with some simple suboptimal power control schemes.
The opsX locus of Xanthomonas campestris affects host range and biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide and extracellular polysaccharide.

Xanthomonas campestris pv. citrumelo strain 3048 is the causal agent of citrus bacterial leaf spot disease and has a wide host range that includes rutaceous and leguminous plants. A spontaneous prototrophic mutant of strain 3048 (strain M28) that had lost virulence on citrus but retained virulence on bean plants was recovered. Growth studies in planta showed that M28 cells died rapidly in citrus leaves but grew normally in bean leaves. In addition to the loss of citrus-specific virulence, M28 displayed the following mutant phenotypes in culture: decreased growth rate, reduction of the amount of exopolysaccharide (to ca. 25% of the amount in 3048), loss of capsules, and significant alterations of the two 3048 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) bands visualized by silver stain on polyacrylamide gels, consistent with a defect(s) in LPS assembly. A 38-kb DNA fragment from a 3048 total DNA library that complemented the mutant phenotypes of M28 was identified. The 38-kb fragment did not hybridize to two similarly sized fragments carrying different hrp (hypersensitive response and pathogenicity) genes cloned from 3048. Subcloning, DNA sequence analyses, and gene disruption experiments were used to identify a single gene, opsX (for outer-membrane polysaccharide), responsible for the mutant phenotypes of M28. At least one other gene downstream from opsX also affected the same phenotypes and may be part of a gene cluster. We report here the DNA sequence and transcriptional start site of opsX. A search of protein sequence data bases with the predicted 31.3-kDa OpsX sequence found strong similarity to Lsi-1 of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and RfaQ of Escherichia coli (both are involved in LPS core assembly). The host-specific virulence function of opsX appears to involve biosynthesis of the extracellular polysaccharide and a complete LPS. Both may be needed in normal amounts for protection from citrus, but not bean, defense compounds. Images
Direct Measurement of Swimming Speeds and Depth of Blue Marlin

Acoustic telemetry was used to monitor the swimming speed, depth and water temperature of three blue marlin (60 kg, 70 kg, 125 kg) and 165 h of continuous swimming speed data containing both sustained and burst swimming events were collected. Measurements of swimming speed show that, while blue marlin are capable of high speeds, they spend most of their time swimming slowly. The fastest sustained swimming speeds (80–120 cms−1) occurred during a 4–6 h recovery period immediately after tagging when marlin consistently swim at depths greater than 50m. Short bursts of speeds up to 225 cms−1 were usually associated with changes in depth. Slower swimming (15–25 cms−1) occurred when fish were within 10 m of the surface. These velocities are similar to direct measurements of swimming speeds of free-swimming sharks, seals and sea lions, indicating that many large aquatic vertebrates swim slowly to minimize energetic costs of transport.
Creating enjoyable experiences: parents’ perspectives on venue and programming successes and failures

Family experiences have become more popular recently as many families are desiring to spend time together and more organisations are attempting to appeal to the family market. The family accessibility conceptual framework was developed by Agate et al. (2011) to help organisations meet families’ needs and facilitate enjoyable experiences for all family members in a variety of settings. The purpose of this study was to test that framework. Qualitative interviews were conducted with parents who had been to the organisations examined when the framework was developed (Disney, IKEA, and Max & Cheese). Results indicated that all three stages of the framework were important to family members’ enjoyment of experiences. The main themes that emerged from the data indicated certain aspects of the framework that were being ignored or should be emphasised to provide enjoyable experiences. This study has important implications for any organisation attempting to facilitate enjoyable family experiences.
A Combinatorial Algorithm Related to the Geometry of the Moduli Space of Pointed Curves

As pointed out in Arbarello and Cornalba (i>J. Alg. Geom. 5 (1996), 705–749), a theorem due to Di Francesco, Itzykson, and Zuber (see Di Francesco, Itzykson, and Zuber, i>Commun. Math. Phys. 151 (1993), 193–219) should yield new relations among cohomology classes of the moduli space of pointed curves. The coefficients appearing in these new relations can be determined by the algorithm we introduce in this paper.
Increased enhancement in surface enhanced raman scattering from Ag electrodes with the addition of pyridine to the electrolyte

Abstract The addition of pyridine to a 1 M KCl electrolyte before the oxidation—reduction cycle (ORC) of a Ag electrode significantly increases the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) intensities of the H 2 O and Ag 0 -Cl − stretching modes. The increase in the enhancement can be attributed to the fact that Ag 0 adatoms, formed during the ORC, are stabilized by adsorbed pyridine complexes. The addition of pyridine after the ORC does not affect the H 2 O and Ag 0 -Cl − SERS intensities.
Box and match techniques applied to soft-decision decoding

In this paper, we improve the ordered statistics decoding algorithm by using matching techniques. This allows us: to reduce the worst case complexity of decoding (the error performance being fixed) or to improve the error performance (for a same complexity); to reduce the ratio between average complexity and worst case complexity; to achieve practically optimal decoding of rate-1/2 codes of lengths up to 128 (rate-1/2 codes are a traditional benchmark, for coding rates different from 1/2, the decoding is easier); to achieve near-optimal decoding of a rate-1/2 code of length 192, which could never be performed before.
A Prospective Cohort Quality Improvement Study to Reduce the Time to Antibiotics for New Fever in Neutropenic Pediatric Oncology Inpatients

Background Fever and neutropenia (F&N) is a pediatric oncology emergency due to the risk of disseminated infection. Quality improvement (QI) efforts to improve time to antibiotics for F&N in the emergency department have been documented, but the issue has not been studied in the established inpatient setting. Procedure We undertook a prospective cohort QI study to decrease time to antibiotics for neutropenic pediatric oncology inpatients with new fever to <60 min. Our key intervention was discussion of a plan in case of new fever, including antibiotic(s) to be started, for each patient on rounds. Timing for each step in the process, from fever identification to antibiotic administration, was measured through the electronic medical record for each fever event. Results The median time to antibiotics during the 3-three month intervention study period was 76.0 min, although the distribution was skewed due to several long outliers (mean 142.5, interquartile range 51–206, range 47–593 min). Time to antibiotics was significantly shorter when a fever contingency plan was documented in the most recent note than not (mean 102 vs. 254 min, P = 0.039). Over the total 2.75 year data-collection period, the quarterly percentage of patients receiving antibiotics within 60 min has improved from 35 to 65, whereas quarterly mean time to antibiotics has improved from 99 to 50 min. Conclusions Daily discussion of a fever contingency plan appears effective in decreasing the time to antibiotics for neutropenic pediatric oncology inpatients with new fever, likely by circumventing the need for multi-level discussion of the antibiotic plan when fever is identified. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015; 9999:XX–XX © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Surface studies of the tungsten dispenser cathode

Abstract Synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy measurements have been performed on type “M” and “S” tungsten dispenser cathodes and on model surfaces consisting of barium and barium oxide on clean tungsten. All measurements were performed at room temperature using new cathodes. It was found that in the type S cathode BaO,Ba, and chemisorbed oxygen are present, while only metallic Ba and adsorbed oxygen are found on the type M cathode. The superior performance of the type M cathode implies that Ba, and not BaO, is the critical component of the cathode surface.
Memory for Hand-Use Depends on Consistency of Handedness

Individuals who do not consistently use the same hand to perform unimanual tasks (inconsistent-handed) outperform consistent right- and left-handed individuals on tests of episodic memory. We explored whether the inconsistent-hander memory advantage extends to memory for unimanual hand use itself. Are inconsistent-handers better able to remember which hand they used to perform actions? Opposing predictions are possible, stemming from the finding that some regions of the corpus callosum are larger in inconsistent-handers, especially those that connect motor areas. One hypothesis is that greater callosally-mediated interhemispheric interaction produces inconsistent-handers’ superior retrieval of episodic memories, and this may extend to episodic memories for hand use. Alternatively, we also hypothesized that greater interhemispheric interaction could produce more bilateral activation in motor areas during the performance and retrieval of unimanual actions. This could interfere with inconsistent-handers’ ability to remember which hand they used. To test these competing predictions in the current study, consistent- and inconsistent-handers performed unimanual actions, half of which required manipulating objects and half of which did not. Each action was performed 4 times in one of 5 conditions that differed in the ratio of left to right hand use: always left (4:0), usually left (3:1), equal (2:2), usually right (1:3), or always right (0:4). We compared consistent- and inconsistent-handers on recall of the left:right ratio for each action. Inconsistent-handers remembered how they performed actions better than consistent-handers, regardless of ratio. These findings provide another example of superior episodic retrieval in inconsistent-handers. We discuss how greater interaction might benefit memory for hand use.
The role of language in acquiring object kind concepts in infancy.

Abstract Four experiments investigated whether 9-month-old infants could use the presence of labels to help them establish a representation of two distinct objects in a complex object individuation task. We found that the presence of two distinct labels facilitated object individuation, but the presence of one label for both objects, two distinct tones, two distinct sounds, or two distinct emotional expressions did not. These findings suggest that language may play an important role in the acquisition of sortal/object kind concepts in infancy: words may serve as “essence placeholders”. Implications for the relationship between language and conceptual development are discussed.
An approach to improve Rayleigh-wave ellipticity estimates from seismic noise: application to the Los Angeles Basin

S U M M A R Y We present an approach for seismic noise which improves Rayleigh-wave ellipticity estimates by reducing the influences from body waves and Love waves. The method requires three-component seismographs and uses the phase-shift information between the vertical and horizontal components. We select data that show the phase-shift of about 90◦ in order to separate Rayleigh waves from body waves and Love waves. In comparison to the usual H/V approach, the estimates for Rayleigh-wave ellipticity are systematically different by about 20 per cent because the existence of S waves and Love waves systematically increases horizontal amplitudes. The differences in the inverted S-wave velocity structure reach up to about 20 per cent in the upper 20 km. The method is limited to a relatively low-frequency range, below 0.3 Hz, as the 90◦ phase-shift peaks become difficult to identify above 0.3 Hz. Despite this limitation in the frequency range, this approach can improve the S-wave velocity structure in the upper 5–10 km, which should lead to a better prediction of long-period ground motions for periods of about 5–10 s. An improved prediction of such long-period ground motion is important for hazard mitigation in the world’s metropolitan areas with high-rise buildings. This approach is applied to the structure in the broader Los Angeles basin in Southern California and improvement of the reference velocity structure in the upper 5–10 km is demonstrated.
Neuronal Signals in the Monkey Ventral Striatum Related to Progress through a Predictable Series of Trials

Single neurons in the ventral striatum of primates carry signals that are related to reward and motivation. When monkeys performed a task requiring one to three bar release trials to be completed successfully before a reward was given, they seemed more motivated as the rewarded trials approached; they responded more quickly and accurately. When the monkeys were cued as to the progress of the schedule, 89 out of 150 ventral striatal neurons responded in at least one part of the task: (1) at the onset of the visual cue, (2) near the time of bar release, and/or (3) near the time of reward delivery. When the cue signaled progress through the schedule, the neuronal activity was related to the progress through the schedule. For example, one large group of these neurons responded in the first trial of every schedule, another large group responded in trials other than the first of a schedule, and a third large group responded in the first trial of schedules longer than one. Thus, these neurons coded the state of the cue, i.e., the neurons carried the information about how the monkey was progressing through the task. The differential activity disappeared on the first trial after randomizing the relation of the cue to the schedule. Considering the anatomical loop structure that includes ventral striatum and prefrontal cortex, we suggest that the ventral striatum might be part of a circuit that supports keeping track of progress through learned behavioral sequences that, when successfully completed, lead to reward.
Using hexamers to predict cis-regulatory motifs in Drosophila

Background Cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) are short stretches of DNA that help regulate gene expression in higher eukaryotes. They have been found up to 1 megabase away from the genes they regulate and can be located upstream, downstream, and even within their target genes. Due to the difficulty of finding CRMs using biological and computational techniques, even well-studied regulatory systems may contain CRMs that have not yet been discovered.
Mooring Dynamics Of Offshore Vessels

Publisher Summary The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the basic concepts and tools needed to analyze and realistically predict the dynamic behavior of an offshore vessel subjected to environmental forces such as those from winds, waves and ocean currents and moored in open waters with a conventional anchoring system, which is typically a multi-leg combination of anchors, clumped weights, chains, and cables. For an analyst to assess the dynamic response of a moored vessel realistically, he or she must be able to represent the entire system by a proper mathematical model, obtain quantitative estimates of all the significant environmental loads acting on it, and determine and then include the stiffness characteristics of the anchoring system in the dynamic analysis of the vessel. Once the total excitation due to environmental loadings and mooting line-restoring forces is obtained as a function of time, the vessel equations of motion can be formulated and numerically solved to yield useful response information that can then be used to advantage in designing a mooting system. The behavior of a mooring line resembles that of a nonlinear spring with tension-displacement characteristics that depend on its length, weight, elastic properties, anchor holding capacities, and water depth. The chapter progresses to develop the mathematical model and the associated equations of motion of a moored offshore vessel subjected to time-varying forces. The chapter generates vessel motion and line tension time histories and compares them with and without the inclusion of the effect of the dynamics of the mooring cables. Finally, the chapter presents conclusions with respect to doing an offshore vessel dynamic analysis and designing an anchoring system based on the studies and results presented.
Willingness of Michigan landowners to sell fuelwood.

A postal survey was conducted in 1980 of 516 private forest owners in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, with a 75% rate of response. Approximately 20% of the owners holding 35% of the land were willing to sell fuelwood immediately at the market price. A further 25% were willing to sell at a higher price and 20% were willing to sell in the future. Owners of small holdings and absentee landowners were less willing to sell. Improvement of timber stands and wildlife habitat were important non-price incentives to sell fuelwood. 5 references.
Esquecimento proposital: coloração não-interrogada como lacuna moral

O artigo questiona a nao interrogacao quanto a cor como um esquecimento proposital que visa a manutencao do mito da brancura em sua ausencia de cor. Ao pergunta-se nao porque, mas como se constroi esse silencio, o artigo oferece uma estrutura metodologica para avaliar a forma pela qual a questao da cor permanece inadequadamente interrogada dentro dos discursos teologicos.
Dexmedetomidine Does Not Affect Evoked Potentials During Spine Surgery.

BACKGROUND:The effect of dexmedetomidine on evoked potentials (EPs) has not been elucidated. We aimed to investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine on somatosensory, motor, and visual EPs.METHODS:After IRB approval, 40 adult patients scheduled for elective spine surgery using total IV anesthesia with
Treatment of dried whey with various solvents; effects upon the growth of chicks.

SummaryDried whey treated with 70% methanol, 70% ethanol, 70% isopropanol or an equivalent amount of water improved the growth of chicks to which it was fed more than an equivalent amount of untreated dried whey.
Syntheses of Carbaporphyrinoid Systems Using a Carbatripyrrin Methodology

A carbatripyrrin intermediate was prepared from commercially available technical-grade indene and 2-pyrrolecarbaldehyde in three steps and 50% overall yield. This novel conjugated structure reacted with pyrroledialdehydes and 2,5-furandicarbaldehyde in the presence of TFA to give good yields of carbaporphyrins and an oxacarbaporphyrin, respectively, and unlike currently available methodologies, no oxidation step was required. The carbatripyrrin also condensed with heterocyclic dicarbinols in the presence of BF3·Et2O to give a series of heterocarbaporphyrins.
Tricuspid valve prosthetic replacement. Early and late results with the Starr-Edwards prosthesis.

The total experience (154 patients) with ball-valve (Starr-Edwards) replacement of the tricuspid valve, alone and in combination, through Dec. 31, 1971, at the Mayo Clinic is reviewed. The early mortality rate with isolated tricuspid replacement was twice that for tricuspid replacement combined with replacement of other valves. Among patients receiving three valves, those with “functional” tricuspid insufficiency and those who were in New York Heart Association (N.Y.H.A.) Class IV preoperatively had a higher early mortality rate. The early mortality rate for the total group was 28 per cent. Of those surviving tricuspid plus mitral valve replacement, 70 per cent were alive at 3 years; at latest follow-up, 94 per cent of those surviving were functionally improved. Of those surviving triple valve replacement, 56 per cent were alive at 3 years; at latest follow-up, 93 per cent of those surviving were functionally improved. Previous cardiac surgery with residual tricuspid valve dysfunction and severe disability, as judged by N.Y.H.A. class, influenced the outcome adversely. The experience reported here provides a standard against which newer prostheses can be compared.
Ultrasonographic guidance increased successful insertion of internal jugular vein catheter in the emergency department.

Source Citation Leung J, Duffy M, Finckh A. Real-time ultrasonographically-guided internal jugular vein catheterization in the emergency department increases success rates and reduces complications...
SU‐F‐P‐62: The Sensitivity of Routine IMRT QA Metrics to Monitor Unit Errors

Purpose: To assess the sensitivity of routine IMRT QA metrics in relative or absolute dose analysis modes to monitor unit (MU) errors. Methods: Monitor units for two IMRT plans were altered by scaling them uniformly as well as by introducing random errors. The uniformly scaled plans were created by increasing or decreasing the total MUs by 5, 10, or 20% and the random ones were created by modifying two fields’ MUs to varying degrees. The composite plans were delivered to a MatriXX ion chamber array and evaluated using OmniPro I'mRT software. The analysis was done both in relative and absolute dose modes. Isodose overlay, Gamma Index, percent difference, and X and Y profiles were evaluated. The Gamma Index pass criterion was 3%/3mm for 95% of the points and that of percent difference was ±3% for 90 or 95% of the points depending on plan type. Results: Analysis of the QA of the plans without and with induced errors indicates using one single metric, like Gamma, may not point to MU errors and often more than one analysis tool is needed to detect errors. In addition, analyzing the QA results in relative mode may not detect errors as well. Overall, the random MU errors were detected by analyzing X and Y profiles and the uniformly scaled ones were detected by a combination of metrics. Conclusion: Using a single IMRT QA metric such as Gamma analysis to analyze IMRT QA may not detect errors such as MU discrepancies due to data entry or transfer in cross vender treatment planning and record and verify system environments. Hence, a combination of analysis matrices should be used, preferably in absolute dose mode.
Where Does Noise Fall on People? Evidence from Atlanta

Spatial heterogeneity of the determinants of airport noise is explored using houses sold near the Atlanta airport. Ordered probit locally weighted regressions (OPLWR) produce results substantively different than those using standard ordered probit. We find notable differences in the signs and magnitudes of the parameter estimates for different individual observations using OPLWR. For example, using a standard ordered probit model, the coefficient estimate for the connection between the percentage of neighborhood households headed by a Hispanic and noise is double the average of the OPLWR estimates. Moreover, while the standard ordered probit point estimate is positive, 37 percent of the estimates using OPLWR are negative. Even in relatively small areas, the OPLWR results imply that the standard ordered probit model can generate biased estimates due to ignored heterogeneity among individual houses.
Critical data length for period estimation

We address the following question in this paper: Given that the period of a discrete time periodic signal belongs to a set Ρ = {Ρ1, Ρ2,…, Ρκ}, what is the minimum duration of the signal necessary to identify its period? It will be shown that the following number of samples is both necessary and sufficient: max Pi + Pj — gcd (Pi, Pj), where gcd is the greatest common divisor, and the maximization is over all pairs Pi, Pj e P. Sufficiency is shown via a constructive proof, leading to a new period estimation algorithm.1
Optimizing On-Chip Piezoelectric Energy Scavenging for Integration of Medical Sensors with Low-Power Wireless Networks

Vibrational energy scavenging using piezoelectric material is a viable method to provide sufficient energy for low-power wireless sensor networks. The applications for such devices in hospital settings as well as in vivo are abundant. Current devices are limited by both their design and material selection. This paper will address optimizing the design of microscale devices by showing how the device strains under input vibrations are directly proportional to its power output, and by proposing alternate designs which increase the strain distribution over more of the device volume. Finite element modeling (ANSYS®) was used to determine the strain distribution in a cantilever, modified cantilever, trapezoid, and spiral shaped piezoelectric microscale energy scavenging system. The increase in strain under uniform acceleration was determined to be 0, 29.2, 37.8, and 87.0%, respectively, over that of a simple cantilever.
Administration of Subcutaneous Injections

This article is the second in a series, Supporting Family Caregivers: No Longer Home Alone, published in collaboration with the AARP Public Policy Institute. Results of focus groups conducted as part of the AARP Public Policy Institute's No Longer Home Alone video project supported evidence that family caregivers aren't being given the information they need to manage the complex care regimens of their family members. This series of articles and accompanying videos aims to help nurses provide caregivers with the tools they need to manage their family member's medications. Each article explains the principles nurses should consider and reinforce with caregivers and is accompanied by a video for the caregiver to watch. The second video can be accessed at http://links.lww.com/AJN/A75.
Guardians of the Gut: Enteric Defensins

Enteric defensins likely play a key role in the management of the human microbiome throughout development. The functional and mechanistic diversity of defensins is much greater than was initially thought. Defensin expression and overall Paneth cell physiology likely plays a key role in the development of colitis and other inflammatory or dysbiotic diseases of the gut. As our understanding of enteric defensins grows, their potential as tools of clinical intervention becomes more apparent. In this review, we focus on the function and activity of Paneth Cell defensins and highlight their role in disease.
The primate median eminence. II. Correlative high-voltage transmission electron microscopy.

The ultrastructure of the normal median eminence of the male rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) is described using high-voltage electron microscopy. Surface specializations of ependymal cells lining the infundibular recess included cilia, apical extrusions, and microvilli. Supraependymal cells were predominantly macrophage-like, but examples of lymphocytic types were also seen. Tanycytes had long, branching, basal processes filled with numerous microtubules, some lipid droplets, and granules. The zona interna was composed of large unmyelinated neurosecretory fibers. A few myelinated fibers were also seen, but their character as neurosecretory fibers could not be established. The zona externa was composed of densely-packed profiles of neurosecretory fibers of small diameter, was well-vascularized and contained the terminations of tanycytes. Perivascular glial cells, vesiculated elements, pituicytes, and cellular elements common to connective tissue were observed. The intricate relationships between both the cellular and fibrous elements of the median eminence can be appreciated with the capability of high-voltage electron microscopy to discern ultrastructure in sections 10 times thicker than those used for low-voltage electron microscopy. The median eminence of this primate species has an ultrastructural organization similar to that described for most other species.
Some Ideas on Information Processing in the Cerebellum

Other papers presented at this conference tend to deal either with extremely formalised models of neural networks, or with peripheral processing. Therefore, it may be a useful reminder of how much further such studies have to go if we present here some ideas on information processing in the cerebellum, to emphasize how complicated real neuronic interactions can be, and to emphasize how ignorant we are of “the language of neurons” when we move away from the periphery. Here we attempt to formulate questions rather than provide answers — our hope being that we may remind the theorist of a vast range of exacting problems, and stimulate the biologist to learn new types of experimental questions. Our models are not yet in predictive form, not least because much crucial experimental data is lacking — we hope that experimentalists, reading between the lines, will be prompted to carry out new experiments, and then confront the theorists with the task of appropriately refining our approach. We clearly have a long way to go before we can be satisfied with any models of complex neural structures which are not located in the mainstream of the input and output systems.
George Fishman’s Professional Career

In this lead article for Advancing the Frontiers of Simulation: A Festschrift in Honor of George Samuel Fishman, we survey briefly George’s professional career, summarizing his most significant contributions to the disciplines of operations research and the management sciences. We give special emphasis to George’s remarkable accomplishments in helping to lay the foundation for the field of computer simulation and advancing that field over the past five decades.
Modeling of the adsorption behavior and the chromatographic band profiles of enantiomers : behavior of methyl mandelate on immobilized cellulose

Abstract The adsorption isotherms of (−)- and (+)-methyl mandelate from a hexane-isopropanol (90:10) solution were measured on a chromatographic column packed with 4-methylcellulose tribenzoate coated on silica. These isotherms are accounted for by a bi-Langmuir isotherm model, the two Langmuir terms having widely different initial slopes and saturation capacities, but each term having the same saturation capacity for the two enantiomers. The competitive isotherms were also measured. They are in excellent agreement with the prediction of a competitive bi-Langmuir model based on the single-component isotherms. The individual band profiles are in agreement with the profiles calculated from these isotherms. Thus, a simplified competitive isotherm can be used to model a separation on a chiral stationary phase the recognition mechanism of which is not well identified and the adsorption behavior of which is certainly not ideal.
Targeting of EWS/FLi-1 by siRNA inhibits survivin expression and sensitizes ESFT cells to TRAIL

522 Ewing′s sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) are characterized by the presence of the EWS/FLi-1 chimeric transcript which mediates survival of ESFT cells. Current treatment is curative only in half of ESFT patients. Treatment failures are due to persistence of drug-resistant disseminated tumor cells. It has been postulated that these cells do not proliferate and temporarily fail to express the EWS/FLi-1 transcript. In order to simulate the in vivo dormant cell status, we created stable EWS/FLi-1-silenced clones by transfecting EWS/FLi-1 fusion-specific siRNA into the TC71 ESFT cells. All clones showed significant G1/ G0 cell cycle arrest and became highly sensitive to TRAIL, in contrast to the parent TC71 cells. To investigate why TRAIL resistance was reversed in these clones, we searched for expression of antiapoptotic (survivin, bcl2, FLIP etc.) and proapoptic (caspases 8 and 3, TRAIL receptors etc.) proteins by Western blotting. We found that only survivin expression was decreased significantly in the EWS/FLi-1-silenced cells, suggesting an EWS/FLi-1 regulatory role in survivin expression. Luciferase reporter assays in both cycling and mimosine G1/ G0 arrested embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) showed that wild type EWS/FLi-1 induced 10~20 folds survivin promoter activity in a cell cycle independent manner, in contrast to DNA-binding deficient EWS/FLi-1 mutants, which did not. Also, reduced survivin promoter activity was observed in luciferase reporter assays of transient EWS/FLi-1 siRNA TC71 transfectants. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed no direct binding of EWS/FLi-1 to survivin promoter. Therefore, we hypothesized the involvement of an intermediatiary pathway, such as NF-kB, which has been implicated in the regulation of antiapoptotic proteins including survivin. Luciferase reporter assays in parent TC71 cells and in EWS/FLi-1-transfected HEK293 cells in the presence or absence of the NF-kB inhibitor BAY11-7082 showed that BAY11-7082 blocked efficiently EWS/FLi-1-induced survivin promoter activity. Our results indicate that downregulation of EWS/FLi-1 results in transcriptional downregulation of survivin, possibly through NF-kB and reverses TRAIL resistance. Therefore, ESFT patients with dormant drug-resistant cells, which do not express EWS/FLi-1, may benefit from TRAIL treatment.
HIGH-RISK GASTRIC PATHOLOGY AND PREVALENT AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES IN PATIENTS WITH PERNICIOUS ANEMIA.

ABSTRACT Objective: Pernicious anemia (PA) develops from atrophic gastritis due to autoimmune destruction of parietal cells and results in achlorhydria, vitamin B12 and iron deficiencies, anemia, n...