cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
National Incidence and Impact of Noninfectious Urethral Catheter Related Complications on the Surgical Care Improvement Project

Purpose: We defined the incidence and health outcomes related impact of noninfectious urethral catheter related complications for the 7 surgical procedures monitored by the Joint Commission as part of the Surgical Care Improvement Project.Materials and Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the 2007 National Inpatient Sample (a 20% stratified sampling of nonfederal United States hospitals) using ICD-9-CM procedure and diagnostic codes to identify the incidence of catheter related complications for coronary artery bypass graft, and noncoronary artery bypass graft cardiac surgery, hysterectomy, colon, hip, knee and major vascular surgery. Univariate and multivariate analysis (with a significance level of less than 0.05) was performed to determine if these complications were associated with length of stay, urinary tract infections and/or deaths.Results: A total of 1,420 cases of catheter related complications were identified nationally. The incidence of catheter related complications varied by s...
The Cultural Cold War in Korea, 1945-1950

By definition, the cold war was understood on both sides of the conflict to be a global struggle that stopped short of direct military engagement between the superpowers (the U.S. and the USSR). In Europe, the putative center ofthat struggle, the geopolitical battle lines were fixed after the early 1950s, or they at least could not be altered by normal military means without provoking World War III—which would result in mutual annihilation. Therefore, each side hoped to make gains over the other by using more subtle, political, and often clandestine methods, winning the “hearts and minds” of people in the other bloc (as well as maintaining potentially wayward support in one's own bloc), hoping to subvert the other side from within. The cold war was an enormous campaign of propaganda and psychological warfare on both sides. A vast range of cultural resources, from propaganda posters and radio broadcasts to sophisticated literary magazines, jazz bands, ballet troupes, and symphony orchestras, were weapons in what has recently come to be called the “Cultural Cold War” (Saunders 1999). Studies of the cultural cold war have proliferated since the late 1990s, most of which focus on U.S. cultural policy and are concerned with the European “theater” of this conflict (Hixson 1997; Fehrenbach and Poiger 2000; Poiger 2000; Berghahn 2001).
Cheaters “Real” Reality Television as Melodramatic Parody

This article explores the reality television show Cheaters as a parodic-pastiche genre featuring videotaped surveillance of the romantically unfaithful within a web of preexisting fictional and non...
Measuring Bulk-Specific Gravity of Fine Aggregates: Development of New Test Method:

Bulk specific gravity of the fine aggregate is used in hot-mix asphalt volumetric-mix design (including Superpave) to determine the amount of asphalt binder absorbed by the aggregate and the percentage of voids in the mineral aggregate. The current test method (AASHTO T84) uses a cone method to establish the saturated surface dry (SSD) condition of the sample, which is necessary to conduct the test. This method does not work satisfactorily for fine aggregates that are very angular and have rough surface texture and, therefore, do not slump readily when in SSD condition. A research project was undertaken to develop automated equipment and a method of establishing the SSD condition of the fine aggregate. The wet sample of the fine aggregate is placed in a rotating drum and subjected to a steady flow of warm air. The temperature gradient of the incoming and outgoing air and the relative humidity of the outgoing air are monitored to establish the SSD condition. Two prototype devices were constructed. The test...
How to manage your software product life cycle with MAUI

MAUI monitors multiple software engineering metrics and milestones to analyze a software product's development life cycle in real time.
STUDIES ON THE ANTIDIURETIC ACTION OF AMINOPYRINE.

Abstract Changes in urine flow, urine osmolality, and endogenous creatinine clearance were measured after the administration of aminopyrine to water-loaded, anesthetized dogs. A minimum dose of 200 mg./Kg. of aminopyrine was required to produce an antidiuresis with production of a hypertonic urine, when given intravenously. A dose of 2.5 mg./Kg. into the carotid artery was sufficient to produce a profound fall in urine flow and rise in urine osmolality. Some fall in creatinine clearance accompanied the antidiuresis produced by intravenous aminopyrine, but not intracarotid aminopyrine. It is concluded that aminopyrine acts directly on the hypothalamicopituitary axis to increase ADH activity.
Mechanical and helium cooling factors in dipole magnet training

An investigation of the roles of prestress, friction and cooling in the alleviation of the problem of training in superconducting dipole magnets is undertaken. An analysis of the Lorentz force and its influence on variously pre-stressed coils is presented. Mechanical tests have been made on typical coil materials. Material characteristics are used in the calculation of the coil pre-stress level attained in several magnets. The training behavior of these magnets is shown to depend on the coil pre-stress level attained, although the prediction is more pessimistic than the actual performance. Finally, the strongly beneficial influence of enhanced heat removal in superfuid helium-II is demonstrated.
Compressive behavior and domain-related shape memory effect in LaNbO4 ceramics

Abstract The yielding phenomenon of polycrystalline LaNbO 4 at room temperature under compression and the shape memory effect have been investigated, using an Instron 8530 material testing machine and a Nikon QM micro-hardness tester. The yielding phenomenon has been found, and explained in terms of the orientation state of grains with respect to the direction of the applied stresses. The shape memory effect behavior has been discovered instead of the rubber-like behavior in the monoclinic LaNbO 4 , which is related to the domain boundary motion and new domain formation in response to the applied stress. Based on the observation of domain formation in the vicinity of the indentation, the mechanism for the shape memory effect has been suggested.
Incontinence related to management of benign prostatic hypertrophy.

Abstract Background: The prevalence of incontinence ranges from 11% to 34% among community-dwelling men aged ≥65 years. Objective: The objective of this analysis was to determine the nature of incontinence diagnosed in men with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), focusing on its incidence, prevalence, diagnostic workup, and management. Methods: A cohort of patients with BPH was identified in the Integrated Healthcare Information Services National Managed Care Benchmark Database (1997-2003). Age and duration in the database after the first diagnosis of BPH were used as matching strata. Therapeutic subgroups consisted of watchful waiting, g-blockers, 5-α-reductase inhibitors (5ARIs), and BPH-related surgery. Results: A total of 411,658 males with BPH were identified from 12,298,027 males (3.3%). Of the BPH cohort, 2.7% (n = 11,172) were identified as having incontinence; of these, 57.8% of patients were ≥65 years of age. Alter applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, the final matched case-control sample included 6346 men as case subjects and 229,154 men as control subjects. The overall incidence of incontinence in this BPH sample was 1835/100,000/year, and the prevalence was 2713/100,000 men. In 48.5% of the incontinent men, the type of incontinence was not specified. Diagnostic testing was performed in 2.9% of men with incontinence. Conditional logistic regression analyses found that BPH-related surgery and g-blocker use increased the adjusted odds ratio for the risk of incontinence 3.1-fold, and 1.1- to 1.7-fold, respectively. The odds ratio of the risk of incontinence was not significantly increased with long-term 5ARI use. Condusions: Use of g-blockers, 5ARIs for the short term ( 1 year and watchful waiting were not. BPH-related incontinence may be related to progression of BPH or as a postsurgical complication. Patients with BPH should be asked specifically about incontinence, especially after BPH-related surgery, and undergo a full diagnostic workup for the diagnosis of urinary incontinence.
Overpressure and slope stability in prograding clinoforms: Implications for marine morphodynamics

[1] Rapid deposition of fine-grained sediments can lead to overpressure buildup along the fronts of prograding sedimentary bodies (clinoforms) ranging from deltas to continental margins. Overpressure reduces shear strength, which can lead to failure of submarine slopes, so that overpressure prediction is potentially of fundamental importance to marine morphodynamics. We generalize one-dimensional overpressure theory to migrating clinoforms where deposition is highly localized in space and time, and show that overpressure is characterized by a dimensionless loading intensity, the Gibson number (given by the product of sediment supply and slope, divided by sediment hydraulic diffusivity). Our results show that compared to terrestrial slopes, slope stability in overpressured clinoforms is especially sensitive to foreset steepness, which directly affects loading intensity. The utility of our theory is demonstrated by application to modern and ancient clinoforms with documented slope failures. This analysis suggests that (1) most muddy clinoforms will have significant overpressure, (2) many delta fronts and continental margins prograde at a limiting slope threshold for deep-seated landsliding, and (3) shallow overpressure and near-surface liquefaction may contribute to mobilization of fluid muds which actively prograde subaqueous deltas. We derive quantitative relationships between sediment supply and slope for clinoforms prograding at limiting equilibrium. Importantly, our results suggest that slope is an inverse function of sediment supply in these systems, implying that commonly used diffusive morphodynamics approaches may be inappropriate.
JOINING FORCES: TELEVISION AND READING

This article encourages the use of television to promote reading. Four types of television‐reading programs are described. These are: TV motivators for recreational reading, script reading projects, the use of teachers’ guides for classroom activities related to viewing, and commercially prepared instructional units. Evidence to support such practices is provided and suggested resources for classroom implementation are described. A reference list of available sources for classroom instructional materials is included.
Olig1 Function Is Required for Oligodendrocyte Differentiation in the Mouse Brain

Oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination are tightly regulated processes orchestrated by a complex transcriptional network. Two bHLH transcription factors in this network, Olig1 and Olig2, are expressed exclusively by oligodendrocytes after late embryonic development. Although the role of Olig2 in the lineage is well established, the role of Olig1 is still unclear. The current studies analyzed the function of Olig1 in oligodendrocyte differentiation and developmental myelination in brain. Both oligodendrocyte progenitor cell commitment and oligodendrocyte differentiation were impaired in the corpus callosum of Olig1-null mice, resulting in hypomyelination throughout adulthood in the brain. As seen in previous studies with this mouse line, although there was an early myelination deficit in the spinal cord, essentially full recovery with normal spinal cord myelination was seen. Intriguingly, this regional difference may be partially attributed to compensatory upregulation of Olig2 protein expression in the spinal cord after Olig1 deletion, which is not seen in brain. The current study demonstrates a unique role for Olig1 in promoting oligodendrocyte progenitor cell commitment, differentiation, and subsequent myelination primarily in brain, but not spinal cord.
17O ESEEM evidence for exchange of the axial oxo ligand in the molybdenum center of the high pH form of sulfite oxidase.

A 17O ESEEM investigation of the high pH form of chicken sulfite oxidase using hyperfine sublevel correlation (HYSCORE) spectroscopy at 29.25 GHz has revealed a new type of exchangeable 17O ligand that is characterized by a significantly smaller hyperfine interaction (∼5 MHz) than that previously detected by CW EPR. This new type of exchangeable oxygen ligand is assigned to the axial oxo group of the Mo(V) center.
Effect of gamma radiation and annealing on ultra‐oriented polyethylene

Filaments of ultra-oriented high density polyethylene were solid-state extruded at an extrusion (draw) ratio of 26 and subsequently irradiated under vacuum by a cobalt-60 source at doses of 10,15, 20, 40 and 60 megarads (MRad). Several identically prepared but unirradiated strands were also tested. One set of samples at each dose was immersed in a silicone oil bath for one half hour at 128°C and one set was given no post-irradiation thermal treatment. Characterization of the resultant morphologies included differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), birefringence, thermomechanical analysis (TMA), and tensile testing. Results from DSC measurements indicate that initial radiation crosslinking only slightly disrupts the crystal lattice, but on subsequent melting and re crystallization, the chains are unable to recrystallize effectively in their former habit. In all cases, melting point and crystallinity decrease with increasing radiation dose. Birefringence and TMA results indicate that orientation is not disrupted by irradiation. For unannealed samples, Young's modulus increases slightly then levels off while tensile strength and elongation at break increase initially, then drop, For annealed irradiated samples, Young's modulus rises at first, then levels off at higher doses. Tensile strength and elongation at break increase significantly with increasing radiation treatment, then essentially reach constant values at highest doses.
Applications of surface plasmon and phonon polaritons to developing left-handed materials and nano-lithography

Despite recent successes in making left-handed materials in the microwave frequency range, there has been little progress in achieving same for infrared frequencies. A novel approach to making a material with negative index of refraction using photonic crystals made of dielectric components with a small (of order minus one)negative dielectric permittivity has recently been proposed. Periodic structures with negative-epsilon dielectrics support surface waves which can have a negative group velocity.The nature of these surface waves depends on the dielectric components:they are surface plasmons for plasmonic materials (such as metals) or surface phonon polaritons for polar crystals (such as SiC,ZnSe,GaP) with the reststrahlen band.The advantages of using phononic materials (long phonon lifetime,scientifically important frequency range)will be illustrated. Depending on the photonic lattice (square or hexagonal), the resulting meta-material can be either isotropic,or strongly anisotropic. Another application of the negative-epsilon materials is nano-lithography.As was suggested earlier (Pendry 2000,Shen and Platzman 2002), any material with (formula available in paper) can be used to significantly enhance near-field imaging. It is shown that a thin slab of SiC is capable to focus the 10.55 micron radiation of a CO 2 laser to several hundred nanometers, thus paving the way for a new nano-lithographic technique: Phonon Enhanced Near Field Lithography in Infrared (PENFIL). Analytic calculations of the fields in the focus of such slab are presented, and parametric dependence on the slab width and phonon lifetime explored.
Cryosurgery of respiratory structures. II. Cryonecrosis of the lung.

This study was undertaken in dogs and monkeys to assess the sequelae of cryosurgery of the lung. In seven animals, a cryoprobe was repeatedly applied to the entire right middle lobe. In no instance was the probe inserted through the pleura into pulmonary parenchyma, but the pulmonary parenchyma was firmly compressed beneath the probe tip during freezing. This permitted through-and-through freezing of the entire right middle lobe and ensured complete cryonecrosis of the entire lobe. In three animals, a portion of the right lower lobe was also frozen by repeatedly applying the probe tip to the midportion of that lobe. All animals survived the procedures, and all resumed normal activity within 24 hours of operation. There were no pleural space complications except for the production of pleural adhesions. All lesions had the features of an acute hemorrhagic infarct, characterized by intense local hemorrhage and complete coagulation necrosis, typical of cryolesions. Subsequently, there was total collapse and fibrosis of underlying pulmonary tissue with areas of hemorrhagic necrosis, hemosiderin in macrocytes, focal calcification, and hyalinization. Serum lactic dehydrogenase values and leukocyte counts promptly increased after cryosurgery; however, all values returned to normal within 14 days, and no significant changes were noted thereafter. Thoracic roentgenograms showed changes consistent with consolidation of the right middle lobe, and by seven weeks, the only roentgeno-graphic evidence of the cryotreated middle lobe was a small density in the hilus. Histologically, this was a small mass of scarified tissue that sealed the bronchial stump and major vessels at the hilus and consisted of organized fibrosis.
Transient conduction in a cylinder in an infinite conductive medium with contact resistance

K Go r R t T Nomenclature = ratio of volumetric heat capacities = contact conductance, W/m-C = Bessel functions of the first kind = thermal conductivities of media 1 and 2, W/m-C --k{/k2 heat generation rate, W/m = distance from cylinder center, m = outside radius of cylinder, m -time, s = temperature, C = initial temperature of cylinder = initial temperature of the infinite medium = thermal diffusivities of media 1 and 2, m/s
Strain relaxation in SiGe due to process induced defects and their subsequent annealing behavior

Abstract Ion implantation and reactive ion etching are known to create defects in silicon which get cured during subsequent annealing operations. In this paper we have reported the annealing behavior of phosphorus implanted into strained SiGe layer at room temperature. The implantation was performed at 155 KeV with a dose of 1×10 14 /cm 2 . Post implantation annealing was performed at 600, 700, 800 and 900°C for 10 s in a rapid thermal process furnace. Annealing behavior of defects generated as a consequence of dry etching is also reported. RTP annealing on reactive ion etching (RIE) etched samples were performed at 650, 700, 750 and 800 °C. I–V, C–V and DLTS measurements hint towards the presence of permanent dislocation loops created as a consequence of RIE and implantation causing strain relaxation.
Genetic variation of phytate phosphorus utilization from hatch to three weeks of age in broiler chicken lines selected for incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia

Abstract Ability to utilize dietary phytate P was evaluated in 1,387 broiler chicks of 45 sire and 180 dam families, by feeding a corn-soybean base diet supplemented with no inorganic P and a low level of Ca. These chicks were the progeny of high and low incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) selected divergently for 11 generations and a nonselected control line. Chicks from the control line utilized phytate P better than those from the high or low lines in terms of livability, mortality, and growth performance. Chicks did not differ in mortality and body weight between the high and low lines. Variation in livability and mortality was greater among lines than among families, whereas families accounted for a greater part of variation than lines in body weight. Dams accounted for a slightly larger proportion of variation than sires in traits studied. Genetic selection for improved utilization of dietary phytate P could be effective.
EFFECTS OF A TAI CHI CHUAN PROGRAM ON HMONG AMERICAN OLDER ADULTS

The effects of Tai Chi Chuan on the health of Hmong American older adults were investigated. The Tai Chi Chuan Program Inventory was used as a pre‐test and post‐test. Significant improvements were found in Tai Chi Chuan knowledge, attitudes, and behavior, as well as in resting blood pressure, stress level, and shoulder and knee flexibility. These results provide further documentation of Tai Chi Chuan's beneficial health effects.
Enhancement in the performance of organic photovoltaic devices with pristine graphene

Abstract We investigate organic bulk heterojunction (BHJ) devices that employ graphene nanosheets in the active layer. Solar cells based on P3HT:PCBM:graphene show device physics significantly different from traditional BHJs, and display a monotonic increase in performance with graphene concentration. The efficiency increases threefold upon addition of graphene due to the higher photocurrent. External quantum efficiency measurements demonstrate significant changes in morphology for devices with graphene. Incorporating such high aspect ratio fillers enables an alternate paradigm for polymer-based solar cells, with much higher concentrations of conjugated polymer, thereby enhancing the capture of solar energy.
Continuous illumination from birth affects spine density of neurons in the visual cortex of the rat.

Abstract The effect of continuous exposure to light on the visual cortex of albino rats has been studied. Using the rapid Golgi technique, counts were made of dendritic spines along the apical, oblique, basal, and terminal parts of the dendritic field of pyramidal neurons. Spine density in these neurons is significantly increased in animals exposed to continuous illumination from birth to 35 days. This effect might reflect increased demand for processing of information in the brain.
The Task of the Historian

Book reviewed in this article: Gabrielle M. Spiegel, The past as Text: The Theory and Practice of Medieval Historiography
Simulating the river-basin response to atmospheric forcing by linking a mesoscale meteorological model and hydrologic model system

Abstract The purpose of this article is to test the ability of a distributed meteorological/hydrologic model to simulate the hydrologic response to three single-storm events passing over the Upper West Branch of the Susquehanna River Basin. The high-resolution precipitation fields for three storms are provided by observations and by the Penn State–NCAR Mesoscale Meteorological Model (MM5) with three nested domains. The MM5 simulation successfully captures the storm patterns over the study area, although some temporal and spatial discrepancies exist between observed and simulated precipitation fields. Observed and simulated precipitation data for those storms are used to drive the Hydrologic Model System (HMS). The output from HMS is compared to the measured hydrographic streamflow at the outlet of the Upper West Branch. The Curve Number and Green-Ampt methods of rainfall-runoff partitioning are used in HMS and evaluated for streamflow simulation. The results of the hydrologic simulation compare well with observed data when using the Curve Number partitioning, but underestimate observed data when using the Green-Ampt. The likely cause is the lack of heterogeneity in hydraulic parameters. The simulated streamflow with the MM5-simulated precipitation is lower than the simulated streamflow with observed precipitation. The experiments suggest that the subgrid-scale spatial variability in precipitation and hydraulic parameters should be included in future model development
Deficiency of Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase Increases Mortality and Cardiac Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction Role of Nitroso-Redox Equilibrium

Background— Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS1) plays key cardiac physiological roles, regulating excitation-contraction coupling and exerting an antioxidant effect that maintains tissue NO-redox equilibrium. After myocardial infarction (MI), NOS1 translocates from the sarcoplasmic reticulum to the cell membrane, where it inhibits β-adrenergic contractility, an effect previously predicted to have adverse consequences. Counter to this idea, we tested the hypothesis that NOS1 has a protective effect after MI. Methods and Results— We studied mortality, cardiac remodeling, and upregulation of oxidative stress pathways after MI in NOS1-deficient (NOS1−/−) and wild-type C57BL6 (WT) mice. Compared with WT, NOS1−/− mice had greater mortality (hazard ratio, 2.06; P=0.036), worse left ventricular (LV) fractional shortening (19.7±1.5% versus 27.2±1.5%, P<0.05), higher LV diastolic diameter (5.5±0.2 versus 4.9±0.1 mm, P<0.05), greater residual cellular width (14.9±0.5 versus 12.8±0.5 μm, P<0.01), and equivalent β-a...
Native iron: Greenland's natural blast furnaces

We live in an oxidized world: oxygen makes up 22 percent of the atmosphere and by reacting with organic matter produces most of our energy, including the energy our bodies use to function: breathe, think, move, etc. It has not always been thus. Originally the Earth, in common with most of the Solar System, was reduced. The oxidized outer layers of the Earth have formed by two processes. Firstly, water is decomposed to oxygen and hydrogen by solar radiation in the upper parts of the atmosphere, the light hydrogen diffusing to space, leaving oxygen behind. Secondly, plants, over the course of geological time have utilized solar energy in the process of photosynthesis to produce carbon-rich materials and release oxygen to the atmosphere. Of these, the second is by far the most important. It is a consequence of life and since about 2.4 billion years ago we have had an oxidizing atmosphere, a situation unique in the Solar System. In such a world, iron metal is unstable and, as we all know, oxidizes to the ferric iron compounds we call ‘rust’. If we require iron metal it must be produced at high temperatures by reacting iron ore, usually a mixture of ferrous (Fe2+) and ferric (Fe3+) oxides (Fe2O3, hematite, or FeO.Fe2O3, magnetite), with carbon in the form of coke. This is carried out in a blast furnace. Although the Earth's core consists of metallic iron, which may also be present in parts of the mantle, this is inaccessible to us, so we must make our own. In West Greenland, however, some almost unique examples of iron metal, otherwise called ‘native iron’ or ‘telluric iron’, occur naturally.
Presynaptically Silent Synapses Dormancy and Awakening of Presynaptic Vesicle Release

Synapses represent the main junctures of communication between neurons in the nervous system. In many neurotransmitter systems, a fraction of presynaptic terminals fails to release vesicles in response to action potential stimulation and strong calcium influx. These silent presynaptic terminals exhibit a reversible functional dormancy beyond low vesicle release probability, and dormancy status may have important implications in neural function. Recent advances have implicated presynaptic proteins interacting with vesicles downstream of cAMP and protein kinase A signaling cascades in modulating the number of these mute presynaptic terminals, and dormancy induction may represent a homeostatic neuroprotective mechanism active during pathological insults involving excitotoxicity. Interestingly, dormancy reversal may also be induced during Hebbian plasticity. Here, details of synaptic dormancy, recent insights into the molecular signaling cascades involved, and potential clinical and mechanistic implications of this form of synaptic plasticity are described.
A generalized model for the dynamic behavior of a distillation column

The generalized model accounts for the effects of channeling, transfer lag, mixing, and mass transfer that occur on each plate of a column in the process of separating a multi-component mixture at unsteady state operation. The equations required to describe the model were tested by solving a wide variety of numerical examples. Selected numerical results are presented to demonstrate certain characteristics and uses of the generalized model.
A comparative study of coronally advanced flaps with and without the addition of enamel matrix derivative in the treatment of marginal tissue recession.

Background: The primary aim of this randomized, controlled, clinical investigation was to evaluate the differences in clinical parameters of root coverage procedures utilizing coronally advanced flaps (CAF) with and without enamel matrix derivative (EMD). Another aim was to evaluate if EMD can influence keratinization of tissues utilizing these procedures. Methods: Fifty-eight contralateral sites in 17 patients with ≥2 mm of Miller Class I, II, and III buccal marginal tissue recession were treated. Test sites received CAF plus EMD while control sites were treated with CAF only, with each patient serving as his own control. Patients were followed for 3 and 6 months. All data were analyzed using the method of generalized estimating equations. A P value <0.05 was considered significant (α = 0.05). Results: There was a mean increase in keratinized tissue of 0.60 mm for test sites and a mean decrease of 0.05 mm for control sites. Test sites demonstrated significantly better root coverage (P <0.001), 89.7% and ...
Trials of mobile computing applications using circuit-switched cellular and cellular digital packet data (CDPD)

As the Department of Defense (DoD) lead agency for wireless systems/services, the Defense Information System Agency (DISA) has been involved in multiple wireless activities including trials of wireless commercial products and services. In support of the DoD wireless trials, the MITRE corporation was tasked to evaluate a number of wireless services and technologies for a wireless trial of mobile computing applications. This paper describes several demonstrations that we conducted including wireless e-mail using both circuit-switched cellular and cellular digital packet data (CDPD) and Internet access using CDPD. Many issues related to the integration of different hardware and software packages were resolved and several mobile computing applications were successfully demonstrated. This paper describes our trials in detail and documents the result and the lessons learned from this project.
Regression of Atherosclerosis Induced by Liver-Directed Gene Transfer of Apolipoprotein A-I in Mice

Background—The ability of apolipoprotein (apo)A-I to induce regression of preexisting atherosclerotic lesions has not been determined, and a mouse model of atherosclerosis regression has not yet been reported. Methods and Results—LDL receptor–deficient mice were fed a western-type diet for 5 weeks to induce atherosclerotic lesions. A second-generation recombinant adenovirus encoding human apoA-I or a control adenovirus were injected intravenously in order to express apoA-I in the liver. Three days after injection, total apoA-I levels in mice injected with the apoA-I–expressing adenovirus were 216±16.0 mg/dL, compared with 68.0±3.0 mg/dL in control virus–injected mice (P<0.001). HDL cholesterol levels in mice injected with the AdhapoA-I vector 7 days after injection were 189±21.0 mg/dL, compared with 123±8.0 mg/dL in control virus-injected mice (P<0.02). Total and non-HDL cholesterol levels did not differ between the 2 groups. Atherosclerotic lesion area was quantified by en face analysis of the aorta and ...
Hybrid Neural Network Technique to Estimate Rainfall from TRMM Measurements

Neural network is a nonparametric method to represent the relationship between radar measurements and rainfall rate. The relationship is derived directly from a dataset consisting of radar measurements and rain gauge measurements. Tropical Rainfall measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar (PR) is known to be the first observation platform for mapping precipitation over the tropics. TRMM measured rainfall is important in order to study the precipitation distribution all over the globe in the tropics. TRMM ground validation is a critical important component in TRMM system. However, the ground sensing systems have quite different characterizations from TRMM in terms of resolution, scale, viewing aspect, and uncertainties in the sensing environments. In this paper a novel hybrid Neural Network model is presented to train ground radars for rainfall estimation using rain gage data and subsequently using the trained ground radar rainfall estimation to train TRMM PR based Neural networks. One year of ground data from Melbourne Florida and Houston Texas are used to demonstrate this hybrid approach. The performance of the rainfall product estimated from TRMM PR is compared against TRMM standard products. A direct gage comparison study is done to demonstrate the improvement brought in by the neural networks.
A universal methodology for signal classification in non-Gaussian environments

The signal classification problem is posed as an M-ary hypothesis testing problem. We develop an asymptotically optimal universal classifier which does not depend on the true statistical model of the environment. We show that the relevant error probabilities decay at least exponentially in the length of the data vector. To support these results we present simulation results comparing the performance of the proposed universal detector with that of a matched filter receiver for finite test sequences. >
Magnitude problems in historical earthquake catalogues and their impact on seismic hazard assessment

SUMMARY Areliablehistoricalearthquakecatalogueisahighlycriticalcomponentinanyregionalseismic hazard analysis. Although many of the various catalogues used for constructing national or regional seismic hazard maps in Europe cover much of the same territory and use standardized parameters,somediscrepancieshavebeenrevealedbetweendifferentcatalogues.Switzerland’s ECOS catalogue, compiled by the Swiss Seismological Service (SED), and Italy’s CPTI04 catalogue, compiled by the CPTI Working Group, spatially overlap each other to a large extent and employ a uniform moment magnitude scale (Mw). However, a careful review of these two catalogues has revealed significant inconsistencies in the moment magnitude (Mw): (1) The moment magnitudes used for the same earthquakes were found to differ, which could potentially have a substantial impact on any regional seismic hazard assessment that is based on these catalogues. This type of inconsistency often arises when different regression relationships are used to convert other magnitude scales or event intensity into Mw, which can cause many of the event magnitudes in one catalogue to be systematically biased higher or lower with respect to those in another catalogue. In this case, the magnitudes of small to medium historical earthquakes in Italy’s CPTI04 catalogue are systematically higher than those in Switzerland’s ECOS catalogue. (2) An abnormally high frequency of large magnitude events was observed for some of the time periods, particularly if most of the available data was on intensity. This has been observed in both the CPTI04 and ECOS catalogues for the time period prior to 1975 and is possibly due to a bias during the intensity-to-magnitude conversion. (3) A systematic bias in magnitude resulted in biased estimations for the a and b values of the Gutenberg–Richter magnitude–frequency relationships. All of these issues can lead to skewed seismic hazard results, or inconsistencies in the seismic hazard from different studies. By constructing seismic hazard models based on the ECOS and CPTI04 catalogues, we can evaluate the impact of these inconsistencies on the regional seismic hazard. The results show that the seismic hazard from the two models can disagree by as much as a factor of three at some locations, which demonstrates the importance of developing consistent and unbiased earthquake catalogues across neighbouring countries.
Protein Phosphatase 4 Is a Positive Regulator of Hematopoietic Progenitor Kinase 1

Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is a hematopoietic specific mammalian Ste20-like protein kinase and has been implicated in many cellular signaling pathways including T cell receptor (TCR) signaling. However, little is known about the in vivo regulation of HPK1. We present evidence that HPK1 is positively regulated by protein phosphatase 4 (PP4; also called PPX and PPP4), a serine/threonine phosphatase. We found that PP4 interacted with HPK1 and that the proline-rich region of HPK1 was necessary and sufficient for this interaction. We also found that PP4 had phosphatase activity toward HPK1 in vivo and that co-transfection of PP4 with HPK1 resulted in specific kinase activation of HPK1. Moreover, we found that the PP4-induced HPK1 kinase activation was accompanied by an increase in protein expression of HPK1. Pulse-chase analysis showed that PP4 increased the half-life of HPK1. Further studies showed that HPK1 was subject to regulation by ubiquitination and ubiquitin-targeted degradation and that PP4 inhibited HPK1 ubiquitination. In addition, we found that TCR stimulation enhanced the PP4-HPK1 interaction and that wild-type PP4 enhanced, whereas a phosphatase-dead PP4 mutant inhibited, TCR-induced activation of HPK1 in Jurkat T cells. Combined with the observation that PP4 enhanced HPK1-induced JNK activation, our studies identify PP4 as a positive regulator for HPK1 and the HPK1-JNK signaling pathway.
Configuring systems from components: the EMS approach

Abstract EMS is an exercise in component technology. It offers rapid development of specialized data acquisition, visualization and analysis systems via assembly from vertical and horizontal components. The EMS architecture allows for agile development of systems and promotes reuse of software. The framework supports a visual builder that shows connections between components and lists component properties. The system offers both off-line setup of properties and run-time modifications. Multi-bus architecture allows for independent routing of data, controls, debugs, and exceptions. The architecture, configuration process, and control of applications through scripting are presented.
Self-gravitational Hydrodynamics with Three-dimensional Adaptive Mesh Refinement: Methodology and Applications to Molecular Cloud Collapse and Fragmentation

We describe a new code for numerical solution of three-dimensional self-gravitational hydrodynamics problems. This code utilizes the technique of local adaptive mesh refinement (AMR), employing multiple grids at multiple levels of resolution and automatically and dynamically adding and removing these grids as necessary to maintain adequate resolution. This technology allows solution of problems that would be prohibitively expensive with a code using fixed resolution, and it is more versatile and efficient than competing methods of achieving variable resolution. In particular, we apply this technique to simulate the collapse and fragmentation of a molecular cloud, a key step in star formation. The simulation involves many orders of magnitude of variation in length scale as fragments form at positions that are not a priori discernible from general initial conditions. In this paper, we describe the methodology behind this new code and present several illustrative applications. The criterion that guides the degree of adaptive mesh refinement is critical to the success of the scheme, and, for the isothermal problems considered here, we employ the Jeans condition for this purpose. By maintaining resolution finer than the local Jeans length, we set new benchmarks of accuracy by which to measure other codes on each problem we consider, including the uniform collapse of a finite pressured cloud. We find that the uniformly rotating, spherical clouds treated here first collapse to disks in the equatorial plane and then, in the presence of applied perturbations, form filamentary singularities that do not fragment while isothermal. Our results provide numerical confirmation of recent work by Inutsuka & Miyama on this scenario of isothermal filament formation.
Should Small Open Economies in East Asia Keep All Their Eggs in One Basket: The Role of Balance Sheet Effects *

Exchange rate fluctuations among the world’s major currencies increase macroeconomic instability in small open economies around the world. I investigate the choice of an optimal currency basket for these countries using a micro-founded, welfare-based approach. I build a sticky-price dynamic model of a small open economy whose foreign trade is priced in dollars and yen. First, I show the conditions under which it is optimal for this economy to peg to a trade-weighted basket of the two currencies. Then, I introduce net worth constraints and unhedged dollar borrowing which pull the optimal currency basket toward putting a much greater weight on the dollar. The model-generated optimal weights on the dollar for East Asian countries (like Korea and Thailand) are close to the empirical estimates for both the pre-1997 and post-1997 periods.
Evaluation of pulsed light and radiofrequency combined for the treatment of acne vulgaris with histologic analysis of facial skin biopsies.

Background. Light and radiofrequency (RF) devices have recently been used to treat acne in selected patients.Objective. To investigate the safety and efficacy of a combination of pulsed light and R...
Respiratory Care Year in Review 2012: Invasive Mechanical Ventilation, Noninvasive Ventilation, and Cystic Fibrosis

For the busy clinician, educator, or manager, it is becoming an increasing challenge to filter the literature to what is relevant to one's practice and then update one's practice based on the current evidence. The purpose of this paper is to review the recent literature related to invasive mechanical ventilation, noninvasive ventilation, and cystic fibrosis. These topics were chosen and reviewed in a manner that is most likely to have interest to the readers of Respiratory Care.
Transforming Growth Factor α (TGFα)-Stimulated Secretion of HSP90α: Using the Receptor LRP-1/CD91 To Promote Human Skin Cell Migration against a TGFβ-Rich Environment during Wound Healing

Jump-starting and subsequently maintaining epidermal and dermal cell migration are essential processes for skin wound healing. These events are often disrupted in nonhealing wounds, causing patient morbidity and even fatality. Currently available treatments are unsatisfactory. To identify novel wound-healing targets, we investigated secreted molecules from transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha)-stimulated human keratinoytes, which contained strong motogenic, but not mitogenic, activity. Protein purification allowed us to identify the heat shock protein 90alpha (hsp90alpha) as the factor fully responsible for the motogenic activity in keratinocyte secretion. TGFalpha causes rapid membrane translocation and subsequent secretion of hsp90alpha via the unconventional exosome pathway in the cells. Secreted hsp90alpha promotes both epidermal and dermal cell migration through the surface receptor LRP-1 (LDL receptor-related protein 1)/CD91. The promotility activity resides in the middle domain plus the charged sequence of hsp90alpha but is independent of the ATPase activity. Neutralizing the extracellular function of hsp90alpha blocks TGFalpha-induced keratinicyte migration. Most intriguingly, unlike the effects of canonical growth factors, the hsp90alpha signaling overrides the inhibition of TGFbeta, an abundant inhibitor of dermal cell migration in skin wounds. This finding provides a long-sought answer to the question of how dermal cells migrate into the wound environment to build new connective tissues and blood vessels. Thus, secreted hsp90alpha is potentially a new agent for wound healing.
Layer misregistration in PCB and its effects on signal propagation

Layer misregistration is one of the common issues in PCB manufacturing processes. In addition to physical limitations of manufacturability (large via pad/anti-pad), it may also have impact on the electrical performance of signal lines running through via fields with anti-pad openings. In order to quantify its effects on signal propagation, comprehensive test vehicles were designed, measured, and analyzed. Significant increases in layer-to-layer crosstalk and common-to-differential mode conversion were observed, when corresponding layers were misaligned. The results helped understand the mechanisms, validate modeling methodology, and define design rules.
Beyond cyclosporine A: conformation-dependent passive membrane permeabilities of cyclic peptide natural products

Many cyclic peptide natural products are larger and structurally more complex than conventional small molecule drugs. Although some molecules in this class are known to possess favorable pharmacokinetic properties, there have been few reports on the membrane permeabilities of cyclic peptide natural products. Here, we present the passive membrane permeabilities of 39 cyclic peptide natural products, and interpret the results using a computational permeability prediction algorithm based on their known or calculated 3D conformations. We found that the permeabilities of these compounds, measured in a parallel artificial membrane permeability assay, spanned a wide range and demonstrated the important influence of conformation on membrane permeability. These results will aid in the development of these compounds as a viable drug paradigm.
Maintenance of morphology and function of canine proximal colon smooth muscle in organ culture

We have determined that serum source plays a critical role in optimizing conditions for an organ culture model of canine proximal colon. Previous studies using equine serum in the medium have shown that some properties of canine colonic smooth muscle can be maintained in organ culture. However, many characteristics of the tissue were altered by the culture conditions. The aims of the present study were to determine whether serum isolated from canine blood would improve the preservation of physiological properties of canine proximal colon in organ culture. Strips of canine colonic smooth muscle were cultured in 10% canine serum medium, and electrical, mechanical, morphological, and molecular analyses were performed after 0, 3, and 6 days in culture. Unlike organ culture in equine serum, in which Na+-K+-adenosinetriphosphatase (Na+-K+-ATPase) expression declined, culture in canine serum maintained Na+-K+-ATPase expression, and resting membrane potential of smooth muscle cells along the submucosal surface of the circular muscle in cultured tissue remained unchanged during the culture period. Increased sensitivity in the contractile response to acetylcholine, previously observed with tissues cultured in equine serum, was not observed. However, the mechanical performance of the muscle (maximal contractile activity) declined over time in culture. Ultrastructural organization of cellular organelles and myofilaments remained intact in the majority of cells; however, some cells possessed regions devoid of contractile filaments. The results of these studies suggest that organ cultured strips of smooth muscle may provide a useful tool for evaluating electrical and mechanical events in conjunction with molecular analysis of functional components.
Control of the Pilocarpine Release Rate Through Hydrogels by Plasma Treatment

The rate of release of an aqueous solution of pilocarpine hydrochloride sequestered in hydrogel-type materials can be reduced by plasma treatment of the polymer surface. Two plasma techniques were used. The first involves exposure of the hydrogel to the effects of a glow discharge sustained in argon, a process known as CASING. (Crosslinking by Active Species of Inert Gases). The second technique involves the deposition of a thin film by plasma polymerization of organic gases. The gases used in this study were ethane, ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene. Hydrogels were prepared by photopolymerization of 2-hydroxymethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and copolymerization of HEMA with methyl acrylate. The CASING treatment was found to be least effective. The most successful method was the plasma polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene, which yielded an order of magnitude reduction in the flux rate of pilocarpine with a film thickness of 0.25μ;m. Polymerization conditions bringing about a crack-resistant film were critical ...