cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is the mortality rate for septic shock really decreasing

Purpose of review To critically examine the mortality rates of septic shock over the last 25 years to determine if significant improvements have been accomplished. Recent findings A gradual and progressive improvement in mortality rates associated with septic shock has been realized over the few decades. These improvements in outcome are quantitatively small but significant and they primarily represent improvements in supportive care, and the recognition that well meaning and seemingly logical treatments have been overused and probably contributed to excess mortality rates in the past. Summary Survival rates for patients in septic shock have gradually improved in critical care units worldwide over the last 25 years. Further improvement will be predicated on the discovery of new therapies to disrupt the underlying pathophysiology of sepsis and the development of improved rapid, diagnostic testing and immune monitoring of individual patients.
Topical Aluminum Sulfate for Fire Ant Stings

: Topical aluminum sulfate was not effective in relieving pain and stinging from the imported fire ant, contrary to a previous uncontrolled study.
Support for Protest Methods and Political Strategies Among Peace Movement Activists: Comparing the United States, Great Britain and the Federal Republic of Germany:

Recent studies of public involvement in postindustrial democracies have suggested that a new style of politics has emerged over the last two decades (Dalton 1988). This new style of politics is characterized in major part by an expansion of the parameters of appropriate political action beyond reliance upon conventional political channels. Some commentators argue that support for new modes of participation arise out of sociopolitical changes occurring in the postwar period (Ciglar and Loomis 1983: chap 1; Inglehart 1977). Economic growth, prosperity and political stability arising from the absence of global warfare have given rise to new demands on government by an increasingly knowledgeable public. It has been further argued that contemporary citizen organizations and social movements are more likely than were those of older generations to engage in "elite challenging" political activities such as demonstrations and boycotts (Szabo 1983). Contemporary political conflicts arising over increasingly complex and technically sophisticated issues have generated the advent of many new interest groups (or the revival of extant groups) which draw a wide range of citizens into the politcal process via single issue concerns. One such policy area where this type of political conflict has arisen falls within the domain of nuclear deterrence (Dahl 1985). Traditionally, the politics of nuclear deterrence was largely insulated from
Chromosomal recombination between Rhizobium species

THE basis for the symbiotic specificity whereby legumes are nodulated only by rhizobia of the appropriate cross-inoculation group must reside in genetic determinants in both host and bacterium. To analyse the bacterial determinants, crosses between rhizobia of different cross-inoculation groups are necessary. We show here that the sex-factor R68.45 (ref. 1), which promotes chromosomal recombination in Rhizobium leguminosarum2 can also mediate gene transfer amongst strains of R. leguminosarum, R. trifolii and R. phaseoli. These species nodulate peas, clover and French beans respectively; thus there is the possibility of identifying bacterial genes involved in host specificity. The only previous report of interspecific conjugation in Rhizobium described the transfer of a plasmid that determined host specificity in R. trifolii and R. phaseoli3. There have also been reports of transformation of genes, including those determining specificity, between Rhizobium species4,5.
A reinvestigation of the chemical reactivity of N-perfluoroacylaziridines

It has been found that polymerization of perfluoroacylaziridine (1) occurs in the presence of acid. The polymers formed in the presence of acid have much higher uniformity of the unit structure and are of similar molecular weight to those obtained from anionic, or nucleophile-initiated, polymerization of aziridine (1). The polymers formed from polymerization of aziridine (1) in the presence of acid provide an accessible route to linear unbranched polyethylenimine.
Postdischarge Nausea and Vomiting Remains Frequent After Le Fort I Osteotomy Despite Implementation of a Multimodal Antiemetic Protocol Effective in Reducing Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting.

Purpose To assess the prevalence of postdischarge nausea and vomiting (PDNV) after Le Fort I osteotomy with and without the use of a multimodal antiemetic protocol shown to decrease postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Materials and Methods Consecutive patients undergoing Le Fort I osteotomy with or without additional procedures at a single academic institution formed the intervention cohort for an institutional review board–approved prospective clinical trial with a retrospective comparison group. The intervention cohort was managed with a multimodal antiemetic protocol. The comparison group consisted of consecutive patients who underwent similar surgical procedures at the same institution before protocol implementation. All patients were asked to complete a postdischarge diary documenting the occurrence of nausea and vomiting. Those who completed the diaries were included in this analysis. Data were analyzed with the Fisher exact test and the Wilcoxon rank sum test. A P value less than .05 was considered significant. Results Diaries were completed by 85% of patients in the intervention group (79 of 93) and 75% of patients in the comparison group (103 of 137). Patients in the intervention (n = 79) and comparison (n = 103) groups were similar in the proportion of patients with validated risk factors for PDNV, including female gender, history of PONV, age younger than 50 years, opioid use in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), and nausea in the PACU ( P = .37). The prevalence of PDNV was unaffected by the antiemetic protocol. After discharge, nausea was reported by 72% of patients in the intervention group and 60% of patients in the comparison group ( P = .13) and vomiting was reported by 22% of patients in the intervention group and 29% of patients in the comparison group ( P = .40). Conclusion Modalities that successfully address PONV after Le Fort I osteotomy might fail to affect PDNV, which is prevalent in this population. Future investigation will focus on methods to minimize PDNV.
Flow behavior of viscoelastic fluids in the inlet region of a channel

The behavior of viscoelastic fluids in the inlet region of a channel formed by two parallel flat plates has been analyzed with a Rivlin-Ericksen approximation to describe the fluid properties. It was found that viscoelasticity changed the entry length; both the magnitude and direction of this change predicted to depend upon the detailed fluid properties. These predictions of the change in the entry length were seen to find some qualitative support in available experimental evidence. The directions for further analysis, based primarily on the important observation that these materials may exhibit solidlike behavior in the immediate vicinity of the entrance, are indicated. This solidlike behavior is seen to be closely related to “melt fracture” and similar instability phenomena common to these materials; it serves to explain directly the otherwise perplexing observations concerning the similarity of such fluid fracture phenomena in materials as divergent in their properties as viscoelastic polymeric systems and inelastic dilatant slurries.
Surface area and pore development during lignite activation

Abstract Samples of five Louisiana lignites were steam activated for up to eight hours at atmospheric pressure over a temperature range of 750–900 °C. The products were characterized in terms of their structural properties — specific surface area, pore volume, and pore size distribution. Pore volume increased monotonically with increasing activation temperature and time. Specific surface area reached a maximum of approximately 460 m2/g at 850 °C and three hours activation; further activation reduced the surface area. The average pore radius of approximately 20 A was essentially independent of activation temperature or time. A separate pyrolysis step preceding activation slowed the rate of activation but did not change significantly the product structural properties when compared at equal burnoff values.
The Role of Vasopressin in the Genetic and Neural Regulation of Monogamy

Arginine vasopressin modulates pairbond formation in the monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster). Our laboratory has investigated the genetic and neural mechanisms by which vasopressin and its V1a receptor (V1aR) regulate social attachment between mates. Non-monogamous vole species show strikingly different distribution patterns of brain V1aR expression compared to monogamous species, and these patterns are thought to arise from species differences in the respective promoter sequences of the V1aR gene. Individual differences in prairie vole V1aR patterns may also reflect individual differences in promoter sequences. Pharmacological and genetic manipulation of the specific brain regions that express V1aR in the 'monogamous pattern' allows multilevel examination of the neural circuits that underlie pairbond formation in monogamous species. For example, V1aR are expressed in brain regions involved in reward circuitry in monogamous vole species and have been implicated in pairbonding. V1aR are also highly expressed in regions implicated in the olfactory processing of sociosexual behaviour. We hypothesize that both circuits of reward and olfactory memory underlie the cognitive mechanisms that control pairbonding. When used in conjuction, genetic and cellular analyses of a complex social behaviour can provide a coherent framework with which to examine the role of the vasopressin system in species evolution and neural control of behaviour.
The calculation of nuclear overhauser effects in coupled spin systems

Abstract A theory and computational method are described for the calculation of selective nuclear Overhauser effects for scalar coupled nuclear spins. Sample calculations are included for three spins (two protons and one heteronucleus). The effect of rf power levels is described. Conclusions regarding the utility of selective nuclear Overhauser effects in structural chemistry are drawn.
Effects of Hypophysectomy and TSH Replacement on the Ulitrastructural Localization of Thyroperoxidase

The effects of hypophysectomy from 24 hr to 8 weeks on the cytochemical distribution of rat: thyroperoxidase with or without subsequent TSH replacement for 1 to 3 days was examined. Peroxidase activity at the apical edge of rat thyroid follicular cells disappears within 48 hr after hypophysectomy. Subsequently apical vesicles decrease in number and become peroxidase-negative. Elements of both RER and Golgi atrophy and lose most of their peroxidase activity. Within 3 weeks only occasional elements of RER, rare cytoplasmic vesicles, and nuclear envelope retain peroxidase. Activity is more intense in follicular cells immediately adjacent to parafollicular cells. With the subcutaneous administration of TSH these changes are gradually reversed. Within 48 hr apical peroxidase reappears. At this time both RER cisternae and the Golgi apparatus show increased peroxidase as well. (Endocrinology 95: 421, 1974)
The development and analysis of a large variable acoustics space

A new, large-scale variable acoustics space has recently been added to the Audio Arts & Acoustics department at Columbia College Chicago. Built within the current Motion Capture studio, this facility will provide students and faculty the ability to perform tests in an acoustically controlled environment, without the influence of small-room effects. The construction involved the creation of nearly 300 2 in. x 2 in. reversible boxes: one side diffusive and the other absorptive. These line three full walls of the space at a height of 10 in., totaling ~1200 ft2 of acoustically adjustable surface area. This allows the room to convert from a very absorptive space, to one that is much more acoustically active. Multiple specular reflector panels are also available for the creation of “hot spots,” allowing for even more diverse applications. This study focused on the construction and initial testing of this innovative new space. To analyze the effectiveness of the additions, frequency, time, and reverberation responses for the entire room were sampled in a variety of configurations: fully absorptive, fully diffusive, empty, etc. These objective metrics were then analyzed against perceptual data to determine the correlation between what could be measured and what could be heard.
Landmark learning by juvenile salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum)

Learning to use a landmark as a beacon to locate resources is one of the simplest forms of spatial learning. We tested whether landmark learning occurs in a semifossorial salamander that migrates annually to breeding ponds as adults. Juvenile spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) were tested in square containers with a plastic feeding dish in each corner, and a piece of earthworm was placed in one randomly-chosen dish. For landmark-trained salamanders, a rock was placed beside the dish containing the prey. For control salamanders, the rock was placed beside a randomly selected feeding dish. Each salamander was trained once every 2 days for 30 days. Significantly more landmark-trained salamanders than control salamanders entered the landmark area first, and landmark-trained individuals had faster latencies to enter the landmark area and longer stay-times. These results suggest that spotted salamanders are able to locate resources by associating their positions with landmarks.
Assimilation and Individual Differences in Emotion: The Dynamics of Anger and Approach Motivation

Individuals who cross cultural boundaries face many challenges when trying to adapt to a receiving culture. Adaptation challenges such as learning to maneuver across societal domains may become increasingly complex if structural level factors such as discrimination are present. Researchers have conceptualized acculturation as a relatively autonomous decision indicating that four acculturation strategies exist: assimilation, separation, integration, and marginalization. Moreover, researchers have also long debated the link between acculturation strategy, adaptation hassles and negative health outcomes. However, models seeking to explain how individual difference and structural level variables may influence each other and subsequently influence acculturation and adaptation are needed. The purpose of this study is to lay the foundation for the conceptualization of such a model. We propose that temperamental predispositions to negative emotionality, anger, and impulsivity may highlight discrimination which in turn may lead to increases in acculturative stress and negative markers of psychosocial well-being. We used SEM to test our hypothesized model. Results supported a modified model. Implications for the measurement of adaptation and interventions are discussed.
Plasticity in the propagation of hippocampal stimulation-induced activity: a [14C]2-deoxyglucose mapping study.

Abstract Previous work has suggested that the rewarding effect of hippocampal stimulation develops only as a consequence of neuroplastic change resulting from repeated stimulation experience: naive rats will not initiate self-stimulation for several dats, but a prior program of hippocampal kindling greatly facilitates acquisition of self-stimulation. In the current study, the metabolic tracer [14C]2-deoxyglucose was used to measure functional activity during a session of repeated electrical stimulation of the hippocampus to determine whether the resulting activation propagates more widely in experienced hippocampal self-stimulators than in naive rats receiving the same programmed stimulation. a control group of naive unstimulated rats was also included. The results indicated that dorsal CA3 stimulation in naive rats failed to increase metabolic activity in the hippocampus, while in experienced rats, the stimulation produced significant bilateral activation of CA1, Ca3, and the ventral subiculum. These results provide support for the hypothesis that development of the rewarding effect of hippocampal stimulation is associated with more widespread propagation of stimulation-induced activity.
Variations in same-size endodontic files

Variations in same-size endodontic files (K-type, style B, stainless steel) were detected with a three-dimensional gauge. The variation between same-size files was within 3 mm. in most instances; however, variations from the smallest file in one size group to the largest file in the next size group was 5 mm. or more in many instances. Overall, about 74 percent of the variations came from the file itself. Suggestions concerning the use of the files are presented.
Effect of dilution on catalytic oxidation : model validation through experiments and predictions of operation regimes

The effect of dilution on H 2 /O 2 /N 2 oxidation over platinum is studied in a stagnation flow geometry. Experimental catalytic autotherms are compared to simulations, for model validation and to extract a realistic heat loss parameter. The comparison shows good agreement between theory and experiments regarding the autothermal temperatures, the occurrence and location of the surface stoichiometric point, and the upper flammability limit. Upon model validation, operation regimes for catalytic oxidation are predicted as a function of N 2 dilution. In particular, dilution is proposed as a strategy to control catalytic autothermal temperatures at fixed H 2 /O 2 ratios, and its effects on reactor safety such as reactor startup and flame flashback are discussed.
Identifying Labor Support Actions of Intrapartum Nurses

Objective To identify specific nursing actions that best characterize labor support from the nurse's perspective. Design A descriptive survey design using a three-round Delphi technique was used to explore the views of intrapartum nurses in the United States related to labor support. Participants Five hundred AWHONN members who identified themselves as intrapartum nurses were invited to participate in the survey. One hundred eighty-six nurses agreed to participate. Participants who submitted usable surveys in each round: round one, n=166; round two, n=115; and round three, n=117. Eighty-seven nurses participated in all three rounds of the survey. Results The participants identified 55 specific nursing actions as supportive care. These interventions ranged from psychosocial support such as remaining with the mother if she is fearful to physical support measures such as position changes. The nurses clearly distinguished between supportive nursing care and the assessment and technical aspects of their job. The nurses also identified the overall goals of intrapartum nursing were to assure a safe outcome for the newborn (82.8% of participants) and for the mother (75% of participants). Conclusions The supportive actions identified by this panel of intrapartum nurses were similar to ones identified by mothers in other studies. Nurses made a clear distinction between supportive nursing care and assessment skills or technical tasks.
The Dynamics of Material Artifacts in Collaborative Research Teams

Boundary objects are material artifacts that mediate the relationship between two or more disparate perspectives. The concept of boundary objects has been demonstrably useful in a variety of research areas; however, the meaning and function of boundary objects is contested. At issue is the relationship between boundary objects that negotiate between perspectives and those that specify across perspectives. In this study the changing nature of boundary objects in cooperative work is related to the dynamics of evolving problem conceptualization, system design, and enactment within cooperative work settings. Design based research on material artifacts produced by an incipient cross-disciplinary research team during their efforts towards negotiating integrated conceptualizations and specifying shared research agendas is used to generate a more comprehensive model of boundary objects through the life of a project.
The significance of DNA‐ploidy and S‐phase fraction in node‐positive (stage D1) prostate cancer treated with androgen ablation

BACKGROUND The prognostic significance of primary tumor DNA-ploidy and S-phase fraction (SPF) was evaluated in patients treated with androgen ablation for regionally localized node-positive prostate cancer. METHODS All patients were diagnosed with lymph node involvement by pelvic lymphadenectomy between 1984 and 1992 and were treated only with androgen ablation. Median follow-up was 45 months. Adequate material for DNA/nuclear protein flow cytometric analysis was available in 33 patients. RESULTS The tumors were classified as diploid in 11, near-diploid in 4, tetraploid in 10, and aneuploid in 8 cases. Grouping the patients by nonaneuploidy (diploid and near-diploid and tetraploid) and aneuploidy revealed actuarial 4-year disease progression rates of 14 and 48% (log-rank, P = 0.04), and overall survival rates of 100 and 61% (P= 0.008); however, biochemical progression (rising prostate-specific antigen profile) rates were similar at around 70%. In contrast, SPF was not significantly related to any of the endpoints tested. Several other potential prognostic factors were examined and none correlated significantly with disease progression or survival. CONCLUSIONS The biochemical progression rates for patients with nonaneuploid and aneuploid tumors were comparable and high, while the disease progression rates were higher and survival rates lower for those with aneuploid tumors. These data indicate that the lead time from biochemical to disease progression and death was shorter with aneuploidy. That these relationships were observed in such a small patient population attest to the strength of DNA-ploidy as a prognostic factor in this cohort. Prostate 31:21–28, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Customizing clinical narratives for the electronic medical record interface using cognitive methods

Summary Objective As healthcare practice transitions from paper-based to computer-based records, there is increasing need to determine an effective electronic format for clinical narratives. Our research focuses on utilizing a cognitive science methodology to guide the conversion of medical texts to a more structured, user-customized presentation in the electronic medical record (EMR). Design We studied the use of discharge summaries by psychiatrists with varying expertise—experts, intermediates, and novices. Experts were given two hypothetical emergency care scenarios with narrative discharge summaries and asked to verbalize their clinical assessment. Based on the results, the narratives were presented in a more structured form. Intermediate and novice subjects received a narrative and a structured discharge summary, and were asked to verbalize their assessments of each. Measurements A qualitative comparison of the interview transcripts of all subjects was done by analysis of recall and inference made with respect to level of expertise. Results For intermediate and novice subjects, recall was greater with the structured form than with the narrative. Novices were also able to make more inferences (not always accurate) from the structured form than with the narrative. Errors occurred in assessments using the narrative form but not the structured form. Conclusions Our cognitive methods to study discharge summary use enabled us to extract a conceptual representation of clinical narratives from end-users. This method allowed us to identify clinically relevant information that can be used to structure medical text for the EMR and potentially improve recall and reduce errors.
Forest conservation in the Philippines: A cost-effective approach to mitigating climate change?

Abstract Slowing tropical deforestation can reduce global carbon emissions and prevent climate change. This article estimates the costs of preserving the carbon sequestration and storage services of tropical forests in the Philippines, and compares the costs of this approach to mitigating climate change with the costs of alternative abatement options in the developed world. Unlike most previous studies, the analysis estimates costs based on opportunity costs and includes non-market activities such as subsistence agriculture. The analysis finds that while the opportunity costs for the Philippines are significant, countries like the U.S. may find paying the Philippines for forest conservation to be a cost-efficient alternative to reducing emissions within their own borders.
Inflammation, Functional Status, and Weight Loss During Recovery From Cardiac Surgery in Older Adults: A Pilot Study

Objective:To determine the nutritional, inflammatory, and functional aspects of unintentional weight loss after cardiac surgery that warrant further investigation.Research Methods and Procedures:Tw...
Effects of passivation layers on the inkjet printhead

The passivation layers in the thermal inkjet printhead are not only crucial for the life time, but also for thermal characteristics of the thermal printhead device. In this paper, therefore, the experimental and simulated results are presented to investigate the effects of the passivation layers on the bubble onset characteristics and temperature distribution. The experiments were carried out by use of the open pool test to measure the bubble onset voltage. The effects of the different passivation layer structures and the loop resistance on the bubble onset voltage are studied. Moreover, a one-dimensional heat transfer model is employed in this paper to understand the temperature distribution across the device structure.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Roman Mithraism and Christianity1

Les deux religions n'ont ete rivales qu'en un sens tres restreint| le mithraisme, religion astrale, n'etait que l'une des composantes du paganisme romain eclectique dont la substance etait la religion d'Etat. La lutte reelle eut lieu entre ce paganisme et le christianisme
A biogas meter with adjustable resolution and minimal back-pressure

A new biogas meter was developed to satisfy the need for an adjustable resolution meter that has minimal back-pressure and wide flow rate capability. The new meter had three main components; a timed bellows pump that delivered fixed volumes, a pressure sensor, and a data logger. The meter was built from off-the-shelf components and was thus easy to build and cost effective. The meter also proved to be accurate, precise, sensitive, and simple to calibrate.
Viruses and the physics of soft condensed matter.

Almost 50 years ago, Francis Crick and James Watson observed that “almost all small viruses are either spheres or rods” and put forth the hypothesis that such viruses were symmetrical arrays of subunits (1). In the following paper in that issue of Nature , Donald Caspar demonstrated that tomato bushy stunt virus had at least cubic symmetry and provided the first evidence for icosahedral symmetry in a biological molecule (2). About half of all virus families share icosahedral geometry, even though they may have nothing else in common. In this issue of PNAS, Zandi et al. (3) have investigated the physical basis for the prevalence of icosahedral symmetry by using a simplest case model: circular elements tiling the surface of a more or less spherical solid. The resulting model can produce the complex behavior observed in solution experiments. Their results strongly support a corollary implicit in Crick's hypothesis: the physical properties of icosahedra lead to their prevalence in biology. Here, I will briefly discuss the paper by Zandi et al. and compare it to some recent theoretical and biochemical studies of virus structure and assembly. To understand the nature and application of Zandi et al. 's argument, it is probably best to start with a description of icosahedral symmetry. An icosahedron is 20-sided solid, where each facet has threefold symmetry (Fig. 1 A ). To build an icosahedron out of protein, each face must be made of at least three proteins, because an individual protein cannot have intrinsic threefold symmetry. In an icosahedron, the proteins are related by exact two-, three-, and fivefold symmetry axes. It turns out that few spherical viruses are built of 60 subunits (3 × 20), but most …
Association of total and central adiposity measures with fasting insulin in a biracial population of young adults with normal glucose tolerance: the CARDIA study.

SIDNEY, STEPHEN, CORA E. LEWIS, JAMES O. HILL, CHARLES P. QUESENBERRY, JR, ELIZABETH R. STAMM, ANN SCHERZINGER, KIMBERLY TOLAN, AND BRUCE ETTINGER. Association of total and central adiposity measures with fasting insulin in a biracial population of young adults with normal glucose tolerance: the CARDIA study. Obes Res. Objective: To determine the association of computed tomography (CT)-measured visceral adipose tissue (AT) and other measures of adiposity with fasting insulin in a biracial (African American and Caucasian) study population of young adults. Research Methods and Procedures: The study population consisted of 251 young adults with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), ages 28–40 years, who were volunteers from the Birmingham, Alabama, and Oakland, California centers of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Results: In regression models with total adiposity measures (body mass index or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry-measured percent fat), visceral AT (measured as a cross-sectional area in cm2) was generally a stronger predictor of insulin than overall adiposity in all race/gender groups (partial correlation coefficients ranging from 0. 31 to 0. 47) except for black men, in whom the associations were nonsignificant. Partial correlation coefficients between waist circumference and insulin, controlling for percent fat, were nearly identical to those between visceral AT and insulin in women and in white men. Analyses performed on 2060 NGT CARDIA subjects who were not in this study of visceral AT showed significant correlations of waist circumference with insulin in all racelgender groups, including black men, and that black men in the visceral AT study group were significantly leaner than other black male CARDIA subjects. Discussion: We conclude that visceral AT was associated with fasting insulin in NGT participants in three of the four race/gender groups (black men excepted) and that waist circumference was a good surrogate for visceral AT in examining associations of central adiposity with fasting insulin.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Nucleic Acids with a Generalized Born Solvation Model

A generalized Born (GB) model has been applied to molecular dynamics simulations of the A- and B-forms of a duplex DNA d(CCAACGTTGG)2 and the corresponding duplex RNA r(CCAACGUUGG)2, resulting in good agreement with simulations using explicit water solvent in terms of both structure and energetics. In particular, the A → B energy differences derived from GB trajectories for both DNA and RNA closely match those obtained earlier using explicit water simulations and finite-difference Poisson−Boltzmann calculations. A GB simulation starting from A-form DNA converges to B-DNA within 20 ps, more than 20 times faster than the transition from A- to B-DNA in explicit solvent simulations. For B-form d(CCAACGTTGG)2, fluctuations about the mean are highly correlated between GB and explicit water simulations, being slightly larger in the former, and the essential subspaces found from principal component analysis overlap to a high degree. Hence, for many purposes this parametrization offers an alternative to more expen...
Ionization-based detectors for gas chromatography

The gas phase ionization detectors are the most widely used detectors for gas chromatography. The column and makeup gases commonly used in gas chromatography are near perfect insulators. This facilitates the detection of a minute number of charge carriers facilitating the use of ionization mechanisms of low efficiency while providing high sensitivity. The main ionization mechanism discussed in this report are combustion in a hydrogen diffusion flame (flame ionization detector), surface ionization in a plasma (thermionic ionization detector), photon ionization (photoionization detector and pulsed discharge helium ionization detector), attachment of thermal electrons (electron-capture detector), and ionization by collision with metastable helium species (helium ionization detector). The design, response characteristics, response mechanism, and suitability for fast gas chromatography are the main features summarized in this report. Mass spectrometric detection and atomic emission detection, which could be considered as ionization detectors of a more sophisticated and complex design, are not discussed in this report.
Tm and Rehabilitation Another View

The Abrams and Siegel ( 1978) evaluation of the Transcendental Meditation program at Folsom prison has been criticized harshly by Allen (1979). Abrams and Siegel's answer to Allen failed to address some of the issues. In a secondary analysis of their data, it is shown that the experimental group indeed fared better than the control groups, although the treatment explains only a small proportion of the variance. The unsolved issues concern mostly (1) the adequacy of the control group and (2) the adequacy of the underlying theory.
Acute and Chronic Vascular Responses to Experimental Focal Arterial Stroke in the Neonate Rat

The presence of active developmental angiogenesis and vascular outgrowth in the postnatal brain may differentially affect vascular responses to stroke in newborns and adults, but very little is known about the dynamics of vascular injury and re-growth after stroke during the neonatal period. In this study we used a clinically relevant animal model of ischemic arterial stroke in neonate rats, a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in postnatal day 7 (P7), to characterize the effects of injury on vascular density and angiogenesis from acute through the chronic phase. A marked vessel degeneration and suppressed endothelial cell proliferation occur in the ischemic regions early after neonatal stroke. In contrast to what has been described in adult animals, endothelial cell proliferation and vascular density are not increased in the peri-ischemic regions during the first week after MCAO in neonates. By two weeks after injury, endothelial cell proliferation is increased in the cortical peri-ischemic region but these changes are not accompanied by an increased vascular density. Suppressed angiogenesis in injured postnatal brain that we report may limit recovery after neonatal stroke. Thus, enhancement of angiogenesis after neonatal stroke may be a promising strategy for the long-term recovery of the affected newborns.
Self-monitoring as a viable fading option in check-in/check-out

This study systematically replaced the teacher completed Daily Behavior Report Card (DBRC) and feedback component of check-in/check-out (CICO) with self-monitoring for four elementary students referred for Tier 2 behavioral supports within School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS). An ABAB withdrawal design was used to test the effectiveness of CICO. Then, following the second B phase, teacher completion of the DBRC and corresponding feedback to students was replaced with self-monitoring. For all four participants, CICO was associated with increases in academic engagement and reductions in disruptive behavior. Moreover, students' behavioral gains were maintained when teacher completion of the DBRC was replaced with self-monitoring. Results are discussed in terms of CICO research and practice.
On the New Field Theory

The purpose of this paper is to derive the dynamical conditions governing the motion of point charges in the New Field Theory from the variation equation δ ∫ H√- g dx 1 dx 2 dx 3 dx 4 = 0, of Born and infeld, where the coordinates of the charges, as well as the field strengths, are varied; also to develop the theory along lines parallel to classical mechanics, with a view to generalization to the quantum theory in a later paper. It was clear from the start of the New Field Theory (although not fully appreciated in I and II) that the motion of the charges was not governed by the field equations alone, and that some further condition had to be added. It was also clear from physical considerations of conservation of energy and momentum what this condition had to be; namely, that the total force ( see § 5) on each charge must vanish. But hitherto this has not been derived from the more basic variation equation.
Unplanned Transfers from Hospital Wards to the Neurological Intensive Care Unit

The aim of this study is to evaluate the characteristics of unplanned transfers of adult patients from hospital wards to a neurological intensive care unit (NICU). We retrospectively reviewed consecutive unplanned transfers from hospital wards to the NICU at our institution over a 3-year period. In-hospital mortality rates were compared between patients readmitted to the NICU (“bounce-back transfers”) and patients admitted to hospital wards from sources other than the NICU who were then transferred to the NICU (“incident transfers”). We also measured clinical characteristics of transfers, including source of admission and indication for transfer. A total of 446 unplanned transfers from hospital wards to the NICU occurred, of which 39 % were bounce-back transfers. The in-hospital mortality rate associated with all unplanned transfers to the NICU was 17 % and did not differ significantly between bounce-back transfers and incident transfers. Transfers to the NICU within 24 h of admission to a floor service accounted for 32 % of all transfers and were significantly more common for incident transfers than bounce-back transfers (39 vs. 21 %, p = .0002). Of patients admitted via the emergency department who had subsequent incident transfers to the NICU, 50 % were transferred within 24 h of admission. Unplanned transfers to an NICU were common and were associated with a high in-hospital mortality rate. Quality improvement projects should target the triage process and transitions of care to the hospital wards in order to decrease unplanned transfers of high-risk patients to the NICU.
Modeling Greater Roadrunners' (Geococcyx californianus) Habitat Use in West Texas

Abstract We studied Greater Roadrunners' (Geococcyx californianus) habitat use during spring and summer of 2011 in the Red Rolling Plains of west Texas. We captured 10 roadrunners (one male and nine females) and fitted each with a 10-g backpack style radio-transmitter. Roadrunners were relocated 2–4 times per week from February–August. We used these data to build a logistic regression model to better understand the vegetative and topographic features important to roadrunners during the nesting season. The initial data set consisted of 30 random and 30 used locations. The best model showed both percent rock and percent litter to be higher at used locations and correctly classified 88% of the sites. Evaluation of the model with an additional 30 random and 30 used locations maintained significance of both the model and variables and correctly classified 83% of sites. Both variables were associated with the location's mesa ridge slopes. Litter dominated locations under shrubs on the ridge tops and slopes and ...
An emergency medical services simulation model for Baltimore city: an overview

Emergency medical services, particularly in urban areas, are hardpressed to respond to the physical and demographic changes observed in many cities. Spatial and temporal demand changes must inevitably alter the quality of service in urban areas unless there is an ongoing response to these changes. Municipalities face the complex task of making long-range location decisions coupled with shorter-term deployment and dispatching strategies to provide the best possible service. These decisions must be made under increasingly limited budgets. Simulation is a very useful methodology for assessing the performance of emergency systems under various scenarios of demand for and supply of services.
Static and dynamic light scattering studies of the crystallization of poly(ethylene oxide) from dilute solutions

Abstract We have monitored in situ the self-seeded crystallization of poly(ethylene oxide) from dilute toluene solutions by dynamic light scattering. In supercooled dilute solution, the radii (R) of the crystals grow linearly with time. the rate constant obtained from the slope of the plot Rversus time depends on the temperature and the molecular weight of the polymer, both of which determine the degree of the supercooling. The maximum crystal size obtained from solutions of fixed concentration also depends on the temperature and the polymer molecular weight. It appears that crystal growth is limited because of molecular weight fractionation. Static light scattering from suspensions of stable crystals provides information on the crystal morphology. A comparison of experimental and theoretical particle scattering functions suggests that the crystals form short cylinders and that the crystal growth from the seeds is primarily two-dimensional. Some comparisons to melt crystallization are possible. The preparation and use of tiny seed crystals is critical to the success of these studies.
Uremic vascular calcification.

Recent evidence suggests that uremic vascular calcification is an active, cell-mediated process resembling osteogenesis in bone rather than passive precipitation. We identified increased expression of bone-associated proteins (osteopontin, bone sialoprotein, alkaline phosphatase, type I collagen) and the bone-specific transcription factor core-binding factor α 1 (Cbfα 1 ) in histologic sections of inferior epigastric arteries obtained from patients with stage V chronic kidney disease or calcific uremic arteriolopathy. In in vitro experiments, the addition of uremic serum to cultured vascular smooth muscle cells up-regulated osteopontin and Cbfα 1 expression and accelerated mineralization. This implies that the uremic mileau may lead to dedifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells, with subsequent mineralization. However, a lack of inhibitors of calcification may also be important. Dialysis patients with low levels of serum fetuin A, a circulating inhibitor of mineralization, have increased coronary artery calcification, and fetuin A can inhibit mineralization of vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro. Further understanding of the pathophysiology of uremic vascular calcification is needed to design effective therapeutic strategies to intervene with this devastating condition in patients with stage V chronic kidney disease.
A method for collection, long-term storage, and bioassay of labile volatile chemosignals

A procedure for headspace sampling and long-term storage of organic volatiles coupled with gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analysis was used to study the volatile chemosignals in a biological secretion prior to bioassay. The approach involved collecting the volatiles in evacuated canisters from an apparatus in which 1 ml of secretion was dispersed for headspace sampling. These canisters, stainless steel, 850 ml, and 100% internally electropolished, have been demonstrated to store volatile compounds, in chemically stable form, for several weeks. The GC-MS analyses provided the quantitation and identification of compounds from C3 through C14 at concentrations as low as 0.10 parts per billion volume. The approach was used to study chemosignals of musth temporal gland secretions (TGS) from a male Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). Fresh TGS material loses its biological activity within 1 hr. TGS material stored at −20°C usually looses its activity within 30 days. The usefulness of this method for long-term storage of the volatile chemosignals was demonstrated by the retention of biologically active TGS headspace compounds, as determined through bioassays, stored in these canisters for one year.
Kosterlitz-Thouless roughening at the Ni(113) surface

We present evidence for a Kosterlitz-Thouless roughening transition on the Ni(113) surface. The equilibrium roughening occurs when the entropy term in the free energy becomes larger than the sum of the energy cost to form a kink-antikink pair on the (001) terrace edges and the energy associated with the step-step repulsion. Above the roughening temperature, TR, the free energy to form a kink is zero and the terrace edges meander with a fractal structure. We find TR to be 750±50 K for Ni(113) compared to TR=450±50 K for Ni(115). In addition, the dependence of the peak half width on the incident azimuth for the rough phase will be discussed in terms of current models for the pair-correlation function expected above TR.
Interference in electron-positron creation

We explore the mutual coherence properties of electrons that are created by a subcritical time-dependent force field. We compare the spatial evolution of the quantum field theoretical density with that of a relativistic classical mechanical ensemble. We find that portions of the electron cloud that were created sufficiently far from each other are not able to show interference patterns as they pass each other. The corresponding classical phase-space density reveals interesting spiral-shaped gaps, which have their manifestation in the corresponding quantum field theoretical data.
Toward improving the laplacian estimation with novel multipolar concentric ring electrodes

Conventional electroencephalography with disc electrodes has major drawbacks including poor spatial resolution, selectivity and low signal-to-noise ratio that are critically limiting its use. Concentric ring electrodes are a promising alternative with potential to improve all of the aforementioned aspects significantly. In our previous work, the tripolar concentric ring electrode was successfully used in a wide range of applications demonstrating its superiority to conventional disc electrode, in particular, in accuracy of Laplacian estimation. This paper takes the first fundamental step toward further improving the Laplacian estimation of the novel multipolar concentric ring electrodes by proposing a general approach to estimation of the Laplacian for an (n + 1)-polar electrode with n rings using the (4n + 1)-point method for n ≥ 2 that allows cancellation of all the truncation terms up to the order of 2n. Examples of using the proposed approach to estimate the Laplacian for the cases of tripolar and, for the first time, quadripolar concentric ring electrode are presented.
The Influence of Consumers’ Lay Theories on Approach/Avoidance Motivation:

Abstract This research suggests that consumers' approach/avoidance tendencies depend on their implicit theories about the world around them. Entity theorists believe in the immutability of the world, and thus they are not influenced by whether a persuasive message is framed in terms of approach or avoidance. In contrast, incremental theorists believe that the world is mutable, and thus they are influenced by the message frame. This proposition is supported in two studies that feature advertising messages. The mechanism underlying these effects differs as a function of implicit theory orientation. Entity theorists' focus on the outcome and incremental theorists' reliance on the process form the basis for the observed findings. A third study reveals that when a consumer's implicit theory is violated, these findings are reversed. The authors discuss theoretical and managerial implications.