cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Collaboration to improve community health: trends and alternative models.

Article-at-a-Glance Background Many health care organizations have begun to pursue collaborative approaches for addressing community-level health issues. To understand how these community health alliances develop and operate, a descriptive study was conducted within a nationally selected group of 60 local communities and supplemented by detailed case studies in 8 communities. Alliance models A broad array of organizations were found to participate in community health alliances. Moreover, alliances were found to vary considerably. Strategically, alliances focused on one of three primary objectives: acquiring needed organizational knowledge and skills; addressing common resource needs; and pursuing a shared organizational mission. Functionally, alliances were observed in the areas of service delivery, planning and policy development, surveillance and assessment, and education and outreach. Structurally, alliances were found to operate through one of four interorganizational arrangements: informal collaboration, contractual agreements, shared governance, and shared ownership. Alliance development Organizational characteristics such as ownership type, organizational proximity, and market share appear to be important in the development of community health alliances. Community and market characteristics-including health resource availability, HMO penetration, and market consolidation-also appear to be influential in alliance development. Longitudinal observations suggest that alliances evolve over time in response to changing community health needs and organizational objectives. Alliance management Several managerial tasks appear to be important to successful alliance operations, including developing a shared vision of collaboration; devising explicit strategies for addressing participation constraints; ensuring the compatibility of organizational incentives; managing communication and information flows across organizations; and developing appropriate processes for performance monitoring. Conclusions The observed variation in alliance structures and functions appears healthy rather than problematic, as organizations develop arrangements to fit community needs, organizational capacities, and market conditions.
Survivable Self-Organization for Prolonged Lifetime in Wireless Sensor Networks:

More often than not, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are deployed in adverse environments, where failures of sensor nodes and disruption of connectivity are regular phenomena. Therefore, the organization or clustering of WSNs needs to be survivable to the changing situations. On the other hand, energy efficiency in WSNs remains the main concern to achieve a longer network lifetime. In this work, we associate survivability and energy efficiency with the clustering of WSNs and show that such a proactive scheme can actually increase the lifetime. We present an easy-to-implement method named DED (distributed, energy-efficient, and dual-homed clustering) which provides robustness for WSNs without relying on the redundancy of dedicated sensors, that is, without depending on node density. DED uses the information already gathered during the clustering process to determine backup routes from sources to observers, thus incurring low message overhead. It does not make any assumptions about network dimension, node capacity, or location awareness and terminates in a constant number of iterations. The correctness of the algorithm is proved analytically. Simulation results comparing with contemporary approaches demonstrate that our approach is effective both in providing survivability and in prolonging the network lifetime.
Torsion of an Elastomeric Cylinder Undergoing Microstructural Changes

A constitutive theory which accounts for scission and cross linking processes in polymers during deformation is used to analyze the torsion of a circular bar. In each increment of deformation at a material element of the torsion bar, some volume fraction of material undergoes scission and then re-cross links to form a new network with a new reference state. The scission process reduces the ability of the material to transmit stress. The newly formed networks restore the ability of the material to transmit stress. The total stress is assumed to be the superposition of the stress in the remainder of the original material, determined by its deformation from its original configuration, and the stress in each newly formed network, determined by the deformation in that network from the configuration at which it formed. The interaction of this material response with the inhomogeneous deformation during torsion is studied. The analysis shows the evolution of regions of original and modified material, the softening effects associated with the process of scission and re-cross linking and the occurrence of residual stress and deformation on removal of load.
Real-time control of a segmented telescope test-bed

The control of large segmented telescopes is a challenging one due to the complexity and high order of the system. The high order dynamics lead to high order controllers that require more memory and faster computations for implementation. While this may not pose a serious problem for a small number of segments, as the number of segments increases the computational requirements are becoming enormous. A test-bed that simulates in real-time a large segmented telescope is used to test the performance and computational requirements of several control designs. Three decentralized control designs were selected for implementation. These include a decentralized state feedback proportional plus integral (DSFPI) controller, a decentralized output feedback proportional plus integral (DOPFI) controller, and a decentralized direct adaptive output feedback (DDAOF) controller. The DSFPI controller requires more memory space and computational power than the DOFPI and DDAOF controllers. The DOFPI requires less memory space and computational operations but it performs worst than the other two controllers. The DDAOF requires an acceptable amount of memory space and computational operations and has better performance than the other two controllers.
Natural variability of minimotifs in 1092 people indicates that minimotifs are targets of evolution

Since the function of a short contiguous peptide minimotif can be introduced or eliminated by a single point mutation, these functional elements may be a source of human variation and a target of selection. We analyzed the variability of ∼300 000 minimotifs in 1092 human genomes from the 1000 Genomes Project. Most minimotifs have been purified by selection, with a 94% invariance, which supports important functional roles for minimotifs. Minimotifs are generally under negative selection, possessing high genomic evolutionary rate profiling (GERP) and sitewise likelihood-ratio (SLR) scores. Some are subject to neutral drift or positive selection, similar to coding regions. Most SNPs in minimotif were common variants, but with minor allele frequencies generally <10%. This was supported by low substation rates and few newly derived minimotifs. Several minimotif alleles showed different intercontinental and regional geographic distributions, strongly suggesting a role for minimotifs in adaptive evolution. We also note that 4% of PTM minimotif sites in histone tails were common variants, which has the potential to differentially affect DNA packaging among individuals. In conclusion, minimotifs are a source of functional genetic variation in the human population; thus, they are likely to be an important target of selection and evolution.
Europe after Enlargement: Recovery Growth as a Stage of Post-Socialist Transition

The complexity of post-socialist transition was unprecedented. Initially, no one could accurately predict its pace or foresee how soon and to what extent it would be accomplished. For example, when Solidarity's victory in the 1989 elections opened the “window of opportunity” for Polish reformers, it was impossible to assess the extent of Poland's problems and foresee the difficulties that would arise as the society and the economy adapted to market conditions. But today the stage of transformational recession, as well as the discussion about its causes and consequences, belongs to the past. Although major difficulties still have to be overcome, the economies of post-socialist countries largely display stable GDP growth and effective market mechanisms. Transformational recession can be explained rather simply. The dismantling of the socialist economic structure revealed a sad circumstance: a substantial part of the economic activities carried out under socialism would never be needed in a market economy or democracy. The redistribution of resources concentrated in those activities cannot occur overnight. Processes that occurred at this stage of post-socialist recession were reminiscent of what Joseph Schumpeter (1950) described as “creative destruction,” but they occurred on a scale unprecedented for market economies. It is vital to understand that both post-socialist recession (the adaptive decrease in production) and the subsequent recovery are part and parcel of a single process, whose essence is the structural rebuilding of the economy.
Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (Lewandowsky-Lutz): the revived report of a case seen in 1944

A Japanese girl, born of a consanguineous marriage, believed to have epidermodysplasia verruciformis, lost all of her wart-like lesions within a week after one was biopsied, and was then considered to have actually just had warts. It was only in retrospect, years afterward, that it was realized that the truly wart-like nature of the lesions did not exclude epidermodysplasia verruciformis at all. The case is therefore being belatedly reported, as a reminiscence. Note: This case report, originally written in 1944, was never published because, at that time, the case was considered to be of no more interest than any case of extensive flat warts. In the light of increased knowledge, it seems that it was indeed a case of epidermodysplasia verruciformis; and so it is presented here as a curiosity, and because the seemingly spontaneous recovery within a week following biopsy is a matter of particular interest.
W. Charles Redding (1914–1994): The teacher‐scholar model of the Redding tradition

There are six qualities that distinguish the teacher‐scholar side of The Redding Tradition: eclectic approach; theoretical‐pragmatic content; optimism that organizational communication could alter the fundamental problems of organizational life; challenges to our pedagogy; respect for quality; and promotion of our field at every opportunity. These six aspects of the teacher‐scholar facet of The Redding Tradition guide our approach to our content, our attitude toward organizing processes, our careful assessment of our pedagogy, our work quality, and our belief that communication is the core of organizational life.
SU-GG-T-211: MapCHECK Patient Specific QA Cannot Suffice for MLC QA

Purpose: To demonstrate that MLC QA is an important aspect of an IMRT program, and cannot be substituted with patient specific QA using MapCHECK. Method and Materials: Two Elekta linacs in our clinic are currently being commissioned for IMRT from 3D conformal. Traditionally MLC QA involved testing the range of leaf position by forming diamond‐shaped and X‐shaped fields. Films were exposed to these fields and analyzed to have a 1mm correspondence between the light field and the planned position [Radiotherapy and Oncology, 38(1), 51–60 (1995)]. With the linacs being commissioned for IMRT, the QA for MLC requires to be more stringent as the leaf positional accuracy is of much greater importance. The validation process involved creating IMRT plans on head and neck and breast patients using the Pinnacle3 TPS. Planar doses on these plans for each field were computed and exported to the MapCHECK. All fields were irradiated and analyzed for passing criteria of 3%/3mm for absolute dose under gamma analysis specific to our clinic's passing guidelines as well as 4%/4mm specific to some other clinics. The leaf positions were analyzed by the MLC picket fence test. Results: The visual analysis of the picket fence film indicated significant errors with the MLCcalibration.Nevertheless, the MapCHECK analysis of all the patient plans at 4%/4mm had a pass percentage greater than 90%. Even at 3%/3mm, majority of the fields had a pass percentage greater than 85%. Conclusion: Although the picket fence test displayed remarkable inaccuracies with MLCcalibration, relying only on daily patient specific MapCHECK QA to conclude the MLC is properly calibrated can be misleading. Frequent MLC QA using a picket fence or similar techniques should be conducted to check the MLCcalibration accuracy.
Temporal changes in Holocene δ18O records from the northwest and central North Iceland Shelf

The region of north Iceland is highly sensitive climatically owing to its location with respect to atmospheric and oceanographic fronts. In this study we present total carbonate and δ18O records of benthic and planktic Foraminifera from nine sediment cores from the North Iceland Shelf. The results of this work indicate that the deglaciation of the Vestfirdir Peninsula was completed by 10 200 cal. yr BP. The 8200 cal. yr BP cold event is present only as a minor isotopic event, and seems not to have had much of a cooling effect on the bottom waters of the northwest Iceland shelf. The Holocene maximum warmth, attributed to a stronger North Icelandic Irminger Current, occurred between ca. 7800 and 6200 cal. yr BP. Over the past 4500 cal. yr BP a general cooling trend has occurred on the North Iceland Shelf, and superimposed on this overall cooling trend are a number of oscillations between periods when relatively warmer and cooler waters occupied the shelf. Relatively cooler waters were present at 4200–4000 cal. yr BP, 3200–2900 cal. yr BP, 2500–2350 cal. yr BP and 600–200 cal. yr BP, whereas relatively warmer waters were present on the shelf at 3750–3450 cal. yr BP, 2800–2600 cal. yr BP and 1700–1000 cal. yr BP. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mutation of a lipopolysaccharide synthesis gene results in increased biofilm ofStenotrophomonas maltophilia on plastic and glass surfaces

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a biofilm-forming opportunistic pathogen that is emerging worldwide and demonstrates increasing rates of antibiotic resistance and significant case fatality/ratios in immunocompromised or debilitated patients. This study tested the hypothesis that mutation of a lipopolysaccharide synthesis gene results in increased biofilm ofS. maltophilia. Transposon mutagenesis was used to disrupt genes ofS. maltophilia clinical isolate X26332 and generated the JB12-23 mutant that produced increased biofilm in comparison to the isogenic parental isolate. Southern hybridisation revealed a single transposon insertion in the JB12-23 mutant. Rescue-cloning and DNA sequencing revealed that the transposon had inserted into thespgM gene ofS. maltophilia mutant JB12-23. Biofilm assays revealed that the JB12-23 mutant produced more biofilm on polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene surfaces, and on borosilicate glass in comparison to the parental isolate. Lipopolysaccharide SDS-PAGE showed that the JB12-23 mutant lacked high molecular weight LPS in comparison to the parental isolate.
An integrated model for radiology education: development of a year-long curriculum in imaging with focus on ambulatory and multidisciplinary medicine.

Rationale and Objective In 2004, Harvard Medical School initiated a pilot program, the Cambridge Integrated Clerkship, in which students study the core third-year medical disciplines in a longitudinal yearlong experience. In this paper, the authors describe the design of the radiology portion of this program and compare outcomes to those of students in a traditional curriculum. Materials and Methods Students in the integrated curriculum were compared to students in traditional clerkships on the basis of Objective Structured Clinical Examination cases, final exams, fourth-year comprehensive exam scores, and choice of specialty. Results Scores on Objective Structured Clinical Examination cases and imaging final exams were not statistically different between the two groups, but Integrated Clerkship students had statistically lower scores on final exams. Integrated Clerkship students scored higher on the fourth-year radiology comprehensive exam than traditional students, but differences were not statistically significant. Choice of radiology as a specialty was not statistically different between the two groups. Conclusions Teaching radiology in an integrated yearlong curriculum is feasible, with a minimal drop in exam scores but no changes in other evaluative measures and no decrease in the choice of radiology as a specialty. The program may give students a better appreciation of the role of radiology in an ambulatory setting and in relationship to other specialties.
Assessing parenting capacity in a child welfare context

Abstract Child welfare decisions are frequently complicated by incomplete or disputed facts, time deadlines, and the unpredictability of future events. In response to such challenges, psychologists or other mental health professionals are often asked to provide clinical evaluations related to parenting capabilities. The current paper describes the background and components of a clinical practice model for mental health evaluations of parents in a child welfare context and provides two case examples of the model's use. The objectives of the paper are to (a) describe recommended ingredients of clinical evaluations of parents, (b) identify what the evaluations can and cannot do, and (c) illustrate how parent evaluations can enhance caseworkers' and attorneys' understanding of issues related to case planning and disposition.
Digging Deep for Justice: A Radical Re‐imagination of the Artisanal Gold Mining Sector in Ghana

Abstract: This article explores the concept of “contact zones” to counteract misrecognition and exclusion in the artisanal gold mining sector of Ghana. The large majority of the 300,000–500,000 Ghanaian artisanal miners work without an official license, illegally. Due to their encroachment on corporate concession lands, the use of toxic mercury in the gold extraction process, and the social disruption caused by their migratory activities, these miners are often marginalized and criminalized. Yet, devaluation and misrecognition hamper environmental stewardship and participation in political decision-making. Through parity-fostering participatory research, I propose a radical re-imagination of the sector that encourages agency and flourishing among these ostracized men and women diggers.
Bunk bed-related injuries among children and adolescents treated in emergency departments in the United States, 1990-2005.

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to comprehensively examine bunk bed-related injuries in the United States by using a nationally representative sample. METHODS: Using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database, cases of nonfatal bunk bed-related injuries treated in US emergency departments from 1990 through 2005 were selected by using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System bunk bed product code (0661). Cases concerning individuals Language: en
An initial look into party switching in Africa: Evidence from Malawi

What keeps politicians together in a political party? Shared ideologies and policy goals go far towards answering that question in established democracies, but in Africa political parties hardly di...
Hydrogen Generation Using the Modular Helium Reactor

Process heat from a high-temperature nuclear reactor can be used to drive a set of chemical reactions, with the net result of splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. For example, process heat at temperatures in the range 850°C to 950°C can drive the sulfur-iodine (SI) thermochemical process to produce hydrogen with high efficiency. Electricity can also be used to split water, using conventional, low-temperature electrolysis (LTE). An example of a hybrid process is high-temperature electrolysis (HTE), in which process heat is used to generate steam, which is then supplied to an electrolyzer to generate hydrogen. In this paper we investigate the coupling of the Modular Helium Reactor (MHR) to the SI process and HTE. These concepts are referred to as the H2-MHR. Optimization of the MHR core design to produce higher coolant outlet temperatures is also discussed.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Effect of soil salinity on entomopathogenic nematode survival and behaviour

Soil salinity, measured as electroconductivity (dS m–1), is a major problem in crop production, including areas where entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) are applied as biological control agents. EPN species, primarily Heterorhabditis, have been isolated from coastal areas and agricultural soils with high salinity (> 4.0 dS m–1). Given the aqueous nature of their environment, soil salinity may play an important role in EPN movement and host finding. We assessed the survival of Steinernema riobrave, S. glaseri, Heterorhabditis indica, H. sonorensis and H. bacteriophora exposed to saline soils within the range found in agricultural soils. Survival and infectivity were generally unaffected by salinities ranging from 0 to 50 dS m–1 (50 dS m–1 is similar to the salinity of seawater). Salinity had been shown to negatively impact foraging in S. riobrave so additional experiments analysing the behaviour and attraction to host cues by S. riobrave and H. indica were conducted. Agar-based behavioural assays revealed species-specific responses to salinity. At the higher salinity levels (30 and 50 dS m–1) movement of H. indica decreased, the path taken was more circuitous and individuals did not move toward a host. There was a strong antagonistic effect on H. indica motility and host-finding behaviour. No significant differences were observed for S. riobrave exposed to any of these salinity levels. However, under simulated field conditions, high saline conditions (30 and 50 dS m–1) reduced the distance both H. indica and S. riobrave travelled toward a host. Both species are used for biological control of weevil pests in orchards where salinities have been recorded up to 20 dS m–1. Field efficacy of EPN applied for biological control in saline soils may be improved by timing applications to avoid late season build-up of salts in irrigated crops and applying the appropriate EPN species.
Synthesis and secretion of phosphorylated growth hormone by rat pituitary glands in vitro.

Abstract Rat anterior pituitary glands were incubated in buffered medium, pH 7.4, containing 32Pi. After incubation the tissue and medium were separated and a post-mitochondrial supernate (PMS) of the tissue homogenate was prepared. Gel filtration of the PMS and medium resulted in a radioactive peak which coincided with the elution volume of authentic rat growth hormone (rGH). Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the radioactive peak under denaturing condition resulted in a protein-staining band having the same mobility as authentic rGH. Autoradiography of the gels revealed radioactivity precisely at the position of growth hormone as well as elsewhere. The specific radioactivity of the PMS [32P]GH was estimated to be 5 to 10 times greater than that of tissue [32P]GH. These results indicate that phosphorylated GH is synthesized and secreted by pituitary glands in vitro .
Role of metal oxide support in redox reactions of iron oxide for chemical looping applications: experiments and density functional theory calculations

Aided by an oxygen carrier such as iron oxide, the chemical looping process can convert carbonaceous fuels while effectively capturing CO2. Previous experimental studies indicate that adding TiO2 support to iron oxide can notably improve the reactivity of iron oxide over multiple redox cycles, making it more suitable for chemical looping applications. In this study, wustite (Fe1−xO) was used to represent pure iron(II) oxide and ilmenite (FeTiO3) was used to represent TiO2 supported iron(II) oxide. The underlying mechanisms for the improved iron oxide performance with TiO2 support are investigated through experiments and periodic Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. Both experimental and DFT studies indicate that TiO2 support is unlikely to reduce the activation energy for the reduction of iron(II) oxide. The support, however, can significantly lower the energy barrier for O2− migration within the dense solid phase, thereby enhancing the O2− diffusivity. The good agreements between experiments and DFT calculations confirm that the improved reactivity and recyclability of TiO2 supported iron oxide particles are likely to result from the significantly enhanced O2− diffusivity with the presence of support.
ATP analogs with non-transferable groups in the γ position as inhibitors of glycerol kinase

Abstract β,γ-Difluoromethyleneadenosine-5′-triphosphate (AMP-PCF2P, 3) and γ-arsono-β,γ-methylene-adenosine-5′-diphosphate (AMP-PCAs, 4) were synthesized and were found to be competitive inhibitors of glycerol kinase. Commercially available AMP-PCP and AMP-PNP also are competitive inhibitors. The structural similarities and differences of these ATP analogs and their effect on kinase inhibition are discussed.
Properties of T antigens induced by wild-type SV40 and tsA mutants in lytic infection

Abstract T antigen in extracts of cells infected with tsA mutants is 2 to 6 times more labile at 32°C or 41°C than the antigen in extracts of cells infected with wild-type SV40, as assayed by complement fixation. The stabilities of wild-type and mutant antigens are not altered by mixing the extracts, and thus the stability is an intrinsic property of each antigen and is not determined by another component of the extract. This observation indicates that T antigen is probably the virus-coded product of the A gene. In cells infected at the permissive temperature of 32°C with a high multiplicity of either wild-type or tsA mutant virus, the amounts of T antigen are approximately equivalent and increase logarithmically during the entire period of infection, up to 96 hr. Cells infected at 32°C for 96 hr with mixtures of wild-type and tsA virus produce T antigen with the stability of wild-type, even when the infection is carried out with up to a 5 fold excess of the mutant. The more stable wild-type antigen may repress, directly or indirectly, the synthesis of the more labile mutant antigen.
A correction note on "semiparametric transformation models and the missing information principle"

Abstract This note provides a corrected estimating function for the regression parameter in the linear transformation model with censored data, analyzed by Subramanian (J. Statist. Plann. Inference 115 (2003) 327).
Impact of Competition and Taxes on Responsibility Center Organization and Transfer Prices

We show that a firm can use its decentralized organizational structure and transfer price as commitment devices to obtain strategic advantage in the product market only when there are nonstrategic reasons to decentralize and to distort transfer prices away from marginal costs, such as the sales office's local knowledge about market conditions and the presence of tax rate differentials across the two tax jurisdictions. Surprisingly, an increase in the sales office's tax rates may help a firm increase overall profits. An increase in the sales office's tax rates causes the firm to increase its transfer price, which in turn dampens the sales office's competition and may more than offset the effect of increased tax rates on the firm's overall profits.
Wave runup, transmission, and reflection for structures armored with CORE-LOC®

Wave-induced runup and wave transmission due to overtopping are important variables in coastal structure design. Many studies have been performed on different types of armor layers, but there is no generalized design guidance available on CORE-LOC® armor layer performance with respect to wave runup and transmission. An experimental study was performed to investigate the runup and transmission response of a CORE-LOC® armor layer. Wave runup and transmitted wave heights were measured for a wide range of wave, water level, and structure conditions in order to develop predictive tools for CORE-LOC® layer response. A new empirical model to predict runup levels was developed based on an existing model for rock revetments. Further, an analysis of transmission data was conducted to give insight and guidance for design purposes. Reflection coefficients were also analyzed.
ASYMPTOTIC OPTIMALITY OF GENERALIZED SEQUENTIAL LIKELIHOOD RATIO TESTS IN SOME CLASSICAL SEQUENTIAL TESTING PROBLEMS

*Reprinted from Handbook of Sequential Analysis; Ghosh, B.K., Sen, P.K., Eds.; Marcel Dekker, Inc.: New York, 1991, 121–144.
Testing first: emphasizing testing in early programming courses

The complexity of languages like Java and C++ can make introductory programming classes in these languages extremely challenging for many students. Part of the complexity comes from the large number of concepts and language features that students are expected to learn while having little time for adequate practice or examples. A second source of difficulty is the emphasis that object-oriented programming places on abstraction. We believe that by placing a larger emphasis on testing in programming assignments in these introductory courses, students have an opportunity for extra practice with the language, and this affords them a gentler transition into the abstract thinking needed for programming. In this paper we describe how we emphasized testing in introductory programming assignments by requiring that students design and implement tests before starting on the program itself. We also provide some preliminary results and student reactions.
Identification of the products of bacteriophage P22 genes, including a new late gene.

Abstract We report the identification of the products of several bacteriophage P22 genes by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The products of P22 early genes int, erf, 17, 18, 12, and 23 are identified by their presence in radioactively labeled lysates of cells infected with P22 wild-type phage and absence in lysates of cells infected with phages carrying amber mutations in these genes. The products of the two P22 late genes essential for host cell lysis, genes 13 and 19, are also identified using amber mutants. We also report the isolation and characterization of amber mutants defining a previously unknown P22 late gene, gene 14, and identify the protein product of this new gene. P22 gene 14 amber mutants, like coliphage T4 gene 40 nonsense mutants, have the unusual property that they display a conditional-lethal phenotype only at high temperature. The apparent molecular weights of these and previously identified P22 gene products have been determined. The products of all known essential P22 genes, with the exception of gene 24, have now been identified by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
Cognitive components of troubleshooting strategies

This study investigated the kinds of knowledge necessary to learn an important troubleshooting strategy, elimination. A total of 50 college-level students searched for the source of failures in simple digital networks. Production system modelling suggested that students using a common but simpler backtracking strategy would learn the more advanced elimination strategy if they applied certain domain-specific knowledge and the general-purpose problem-solving strategy of reductio ad absurdum. In an experiment, students solved network troubleshooting problems after being trained with either the domain-specific knowledge, the reductio ad absurdum strategy, both types of knowledge, or neither. Students needed both the domain-specific and general knowledge identified by the models in order to significantly increase their elimination use.
Novel method for the in vivo detection of single leg separation failures in prosthetic heart valves

This paper presents a novel technique for the in vivo detection of single strut failures in Bjork-Shiley convexo-concave prosthetic heart valves. The method makes use of Lorentz forces to excite the resonant modes of the strut. The forces are generated by immersing the valve in a static magnetic field and inducing eddy currents in the valve using an auxiliary coil excited by a tone burst. The tone frequency is set at a value that is close to the resonant frequency of an Intact Outlet Strut. The state of the strut is assessed by measuring the acoustic field generated in response to the excitation, using a hydrophone placed on the chest of the patient. An intact outlet strut is indicated if the excitation is able to excite the resonant modes, which correspond to those of a healthy outlet strut. The paper describes work done in simulating the BSCC heart valve using finite element methods to estimate the modal frequencies. Simulation results together with experimental data supporting the predictions are presented. This work was supported by the Trustees of the Bowling-Pfizer Heart Valve Settlement Funds.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: Case Report and Literature Review

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is an unusual and uncommon form of dilated cardiomyopathy that is often fatal to young women. Fetal outcome, however, is quite good. The disease occurs in 250-1350 women each year in the United States. Myocarditis of viral, immunologic, or idiopathic etiology has been suggested. Diagnostic findings are consistent with congestive heart failure. Primary therapy consists of bed rest, sodium and fluid restriction, vasodilators, digoxin, and diuretics. Refractory cases can be treated with cardiac transplantation. Selected patients require anticoagulation. Prognosis depends on 6-month recovery of left ventricular function. It is important to emphasize that functional recovery does not denote total recovery of cardiac function; this is critical in terms of future pregnancies. This article presents the case of a young woman with peripartum cardiomyopathy and a review of the literature. (c)2001 by CHF, Inc.
Prostaglandin catabolic enzymes as tumor suppressors

15-Hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) is a key prostaglandin catabolic enzyme catalyzing the oxidation and inactivation of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) synthesized from the cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway. Accumulating evidence indicates that 15-PGDH may function as a tumor suppressor antagonizing the action of COX-2 oncogene. 15-PGDH has been found to be down-regulated contributing to elevated levels of PGE(2) in most tumors. The expression of 15-PGDH and COX-2 appears to be regulated reciprocally in cancer cells. Down-regulation of 15-PGDH in tumors is due, in part, to transcriptional repression and epigenetic silencing. Numerous agents have been found to up-regulate 15-PGDH by down-regulation of transcriptional repressors and by attenuation of the turnover of the enzyme. Up-regulation of 15-PGDH may provide a viable approach to cancer chemoprevention. Further catabolism of 15-keto-prostaglandin E(2) is catalyzed by 15-keto-prostaglandin-∆(13)-reductase (13-PGR), which also exhibits LTB(4)-12-hydroxydehydrogenase (LTB(4)-12-DH) activity. 13-PGR/LTB(4)-12-DH behaves as a tumor suppressor as well. This review summarizes current knowledge of the expression and function of 15-PGDH and 13-PGR/LTB(4)-12-DH in lung and other tissues during tumor progression. Future directions of research on these prostaglandin catabolic enzymes as tumor suppressors are also discussed.
Characterization of a region of the lutropin receptor extracellular domain near transmembrane helix 1 that is important in ligand-mediated signaling.

The lutropin receptor (LHR), a member of the G protein-coupled receptor family, contains a relatively large N-terminal extracellular domain, accounting for about half of the receptor and responsible for high affinity ligand binding, and a standard heptahelical portion with connecting loops and a C-terminal tail. LHR and the other two glycoprotein hormone receptors, i.e. the follitropin and TSH receptors, contain an invariant 10-amino acid residue sequence, FNPCEDIMGY (residues 328–337 in rat LHR), in the extracellular domain separated by only a few amino acid residues from the beginning of transmembrane helix 1. In view of the invariant nature of this region in the three glycoprotein hormone receptors and preliminary data in the literature on the importance of Glu332 and Asp333 in signal transduction, we undertook a systematic investigation of all 10 amino acid residues because this region may function as a switch or trigger for communicating ligand binding to the extracellular domain with a conformationa...
Differential Sensitivity of Using Simulators Versus Actual Aircraft to Evaluate the Effects of a Stimulant Medication on Aviator Performance

The comparability of simulator versus aircraft results was examined with a quasi-experimental approach. Flight data from 10 UH-60 pilots, who flew a helicopter simulator, and 10 pilots who flew an ...
Junction termination extension (JTE), A new technique for increasing avalanche breakdown voltage and controlling surface electric fields in P-N junctions

Extremely high breakdown voltages with very low leakage current have been achieved in plane and planar p-n junctions using an ion implanted junction extension for precise control of the depletion region charge in the junction termination. Theory is presented which shows a greatly improved control of both the peak surface and bulk electric fields in reverse biased p-n junctions. Experimental results show breakdown voltages better than 95% of the ideal and at lower leakage current than the corresponding unimplanted devices. For example, diodes with a normal breakdown voltage of 1050 volts with a .5ma leakage current become 1400 volt (1450 ideal) devices with a 5µa leakage current. Applications of the technique are feasible in MOS technology, as would be expected, but are even more attractive in power devices in which the dramatically reduced surface fields are just as important as the extremely high breakdown voltages since it means more flexibility in passivation techniques, two of which we have used to date. Our results have also shown that the implant can be at a variety of temperatures with a good degree of success, extra process flexibility being the goal of these tests.
Association of skull base and facial fractures.

A retrospective analysis of 268 trauma patients with facial fractures who received computed tomography of the head was undertaken to assess an association with skull base fractures. The incidence of skull base fracture was compared to facial fractures of various anatomic locations. Skull base fractures were significantly increased in orbital wall/rim fractures (36.0%, P = .0823). In contrast, skull base fractures related to orbital floor (27.3%, P = .6191) and maxillary/zygomatic (29.4%, P = .1148) fractures were not significantly greater and were infrequently seen with mandible (4.0%, P = .0454) and nasal (7.7%, P = .0345) fractures. The incidence of skull base fracture was directly associated with the number of facial fractures per patient; one facial fracture (21.0%), two facial fractures (30.4%), and three or more facial fractures (33.3%) (P < .05). The incidence of skull base fractures was related to the location of facial fractures and the number of facial fractures per patient. The results provide additional clinical information to facilitate the prompt detection and diagnoses of skull base fracture.
Granule cells in the cochlear nucleus sensitive to sound activation detected by Fos protein expression.

Abstract Granule cells are the smallest neuronal type in the cochlear nucleus (CN). Due to their small size, it is extremely difficult to record their sound-evoked activity with microelectrodes. Compared with large, non-granule cells, much less is known about their response properties to sound stimulation. Here, we use Fos, the nuclear regulatory protein, as a neuronal activity marker to determine the responsiveness of granule cells to sound in comparison to the larger neurons. The present study determined the threshold sensitivity and activation pattern of neurons in the three subdivisions of the CN with free-field sound stimulation in monaural, awake rats. Immunocytochemical localization of Fos was used as our metric for “sound activation.” Neuronal types upregulating Fos expression in response to sound stimulation were further identified with Nissl counterstaining. Our results show that most CN cell types can upregulate Fos expression when sound activated and the number of Fos-expressing neurons is directly related to sound intensity. The threshold for Fos activation in granule cells is lower than that for non-granule cells. The number of Fos activated granule cells saturates at high sound intensity, while the number of Fos activated non-granule cells is a monotonic function. By comparing the patterns of sound-induced Fos expression in different CN cell types, it may be possible to predict features of sound-evoked activity in granule cells.
Graph theoretic analysis of structural connectivity across the spectrum of Alzheimer's disease: The importance of graph creation methods.

Graph theory is increasingly being used to study brain connectivity across the spectrum of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but prior findings have been inconsistent, likely reflecting methodological differences. We systematically investigated how methods of graph creation (i.e., type of correlation matrix and edge weighting) affect structural network properties and group differences. We estimated the structural connectivity of brain networks based on correlation maps of cortical thickness obtained from MRI. Four groups were compared: 126 cognitively normal older adults, 103 individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) who retained MCI status for at least 3 years (stable MCI), 108 individuals with MCI who progressed to AD-dementia within 3 years (progressive MCI), and 105 individuals with AD-dementia. Small-world measures of connectivity (characteristic path length and clustering coefficient) differed across groups, consistent with prior studies. Groups were best discriminated by the Randic index, which measures the degree to which highly connected nodes connect to other highly connected nodes. The Randic index differentiated the stable and progressive MCI groups, suggesting that it might be useful for tracking and predicting the progression of AD. Notably, however, the magnitude and direction of group differences in all three measures were dependent on the method of graph creation, indicating that it is crucial to take into account how graphs are constructed when interpreting differences across diagnostic groups and studies. The algebraic connectivity measures showed few group differences, independent of the method of graph construction, suggesting that global connectivity as it relates to node degree is not altered in early AD.
A cautionary legal tale: the bose v. consumers union case

This article describes the facts of the Bose v. Consumer's Union of U.S., Inc. case, a precedent-setting libel case that involved a technical review of a product, which was litigated over a fifteen-year period, from District Court to the Supreme Court. The litigation centered on interpretation of technical phraseology. The basic facts of the case are described, central legal issues are identified and some speculation about the relevancy of the final decision to other similar future situations is suggested.
Why diagnose influenza infections in hospitalized pediatric patients

The advent of rapid diagnostic testing for respiratory syncytial virus facilitated decisions for isolation of infectious hospitalized patients. However, diagnosing other viruses by clinical examination such as influenza may be difficult. If patients with influenza are not diagnosed on hospital admission, nosocomial infections may occur. The purpose of our study was to identify patients with nosocomial influenza infections during one winter season in a large children's hospital, document the morbidity, identify potential index cases as roommate exposures who were not identified as having influenza at the time of admission and determine ways in which these cases could have been prevented. From December, 1989, to March, 1990, 74 patients were found to have positive influenza cultures; 11 (15%) were determined to be nosocomial in origin. Hospitalization was extended for 6 patients. Additional costs for these 11 patients resulting from influenza infection totaled +83,000. Six index cases were identified as potential exposures to 7 (67%) of those who acquired nosocomial infections. In none of these potential index cases had influenza been considered as an admission diagnosis. Rapid tests for influenza are necessary to identify patients with influenza at admission and to identify hospitalized patients with nosocomial infection to decrease the number of diagnostic tests and institute appropriate isolation procedures.
A Cyclic Carbamoyl Complex Is a Resting State in Allylic Aminations Catalyzed by [Cp*Fe(CO)2]2

The major iron-containing species present during and after the [Cp*Fe(CO)2]2-catalyzed allylic amination of olefins by nitrobenzene is a novel cyclic carbamoyl complex 2. Complex 2 is found to be a resting state in the catalytic reaction.
A Continuous Quality Improvement Approach to IL‐372 Documentation Compliance in an Academic Emergency Department, and Its Impact on Dictation Costs, Billing Practices, and Average Patient Length of Stay

Objective: To determine whether continuous quality improvement (CQI) methodology could improve and maintain IL-372 documentation compliance in an academic emergency department (ED). The impact on transcription costs, billing practices, and average patient length of stay was also analyzed. Methods: Baseline IL-372 compliance data were collected and shared with staff during a multidisciplinary educational session. Faculty dictation became mandatory. Pocket-sized dictation templates were provided. A Documentation Improvement Committee monitored outcomes. Each month of the study period, a compliance officer reviewed approximately 100 records. The following indicators were monitored: IL-372 compliance rates, dictation rates, transcription costs, down-coding rates, percentage of billable records, and average patient length of stay. Individualized results were provided to faculty. Results: During the ten-month study period, compliance rates increased from 60% to 100% (p-trend < 0.001), while dictation rates increased from 69% to 100% (p < 0.001). Rates of down-coding adjustments improved from 54% to 2% (p-trend < 0.001). The percentage of billable records increased from 65% to 100% (p-trend < 0.001). Transcription costs increased a modest 16%. The average patient length of stay remained unchanged. Conclusion: The application of CQI methodology, combined with the availability of dictation, resulted in sustained improvement in IL-372 compliance. This was associated with a parallel increase in dictation rates, although concurrent transcription costs increased only modestly. The percentage of billable records increased, while the number of charts requiring down-coding decreased, both beneficial outcomes. Average length of stay was not adversely impacted by this added documentation requirement.