cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surgical Management of Pulmonary Atresia With Ventricular Septal Defect and Major Aortopulmonary Collateral Arteries: Part I—Anatomy, Physiology, and Palliative Procedures

Pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (PA/VSD/MAPCAs) is a relatively rare and extremely heterogeneous form of congenital heart disease. Despite vast improvements in the surgical management of this disease, there is still an ongoing controversy regarding the optimal treatment. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the surgical algorithm and experience at Stanford University. We have an experience with more than 300 patients undergoing primary surgical treatment of PA/VSD/MAPCAs. Part I will focus on the anatomy, physiology, and the circumstances in which we utilize palliative procedures for the treatment of PA/VSD/MAPCAs. An aortopulmonary window was utilized in 15% of the patients. Indications for an aortopulmonary window at our center are patients with normally arborizing central pulmonary arteries with dual supply MAPCAs in the presence of cyanosis. Five percent of patients had palliative procedures related to the treatment of a ductus or hemitruncus to one lung and unilateral MAPCAs to the contralateral lung. The combined results achieved for these 2 groups demonstrate an eventual complete repair of 78% and midterm survival of 85%. The surgical treatment of PA/VSD/MAPCAs is made more complicated due to heterogeneity of MAPCA and pulmonary artery anatomy. Using the Stanford algorithm, 20% of patients undergo an initial palliative procedure. The results demonstrate that more than 3-quarters of the patients eventually achieve complete repair.
No Disrespect: A Womanist Critique of Respectability Discourses in Extracurricular Programming for Black Girls:

This article explores how extracurricular programs designed as interventions in the criminalization of Black girls may constrict their identities. Through a womanist theoretical framework, authors ...
Labor Unions and Non-member Political Protest Mobilization in the United States:

While political protest and labor unions are seen as important elements in democratic societies, systematic research on the relationship between the two is scarce. Past research finds that union me...
Persistent mitral regurgitation after left ventricular assist device: a clinical conundrum.

Aims Persistent mitral valve regurgitation (MR) after continuous flow left ventricular assist device implantation (cfLVAD) is associated with pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure with variable effects on survival across published studies. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence and predictors of persistent MR at 6-month follow-up after cfLVAD implantation and its impact on survival, haemodynamics, right ventricular function, and morbidity. Methods and results We performed a retrospective review of all adult cfLVAD recipients from January 2012 to June 2017 at a single tertiary university hospital with follow-up until April 2019. Primary outcome was to compare survival between patients with no-to-mild compared with persistent moderate-to-severe MR at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included right heart failure (RHF), length of stay, re-hospitalizations, and composite of death, transplant, and pump exchange during the length of follow-up. Final analytic sample was 111 patients. The incidence of persistent moderate or severe MR at 6 months was 26%. Significant predictors of persistent MR at 6 months were left atrium dimension and volume. The group with persistent moderate-to-severe MR at 6 months had higher incidence of RHF at 6 months (45% vs. 25%, P = 0.04). There was no difference in survival at 1 year between the groups (no-to-mild MR 85.5%, moderate-to-severe MR 87.9%, Wilcoxon P-value = 0.63). There was no difference in re-hospitalizations, length of stay, composite of death, transplant, or pump exchange during the length of follow-up between the comparison groups. Conclusions Persistent moderate-to-severe MR after cfLVAD implantation is present in one fourth of patients and is associated with increased incidence of RHF, higher mean pulmonary pressure, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure with no effect on 1 year survival. Increased left atrium size was associated with persistent moderate-to-severe MR at 6 months.
Estimating the Impacts of Radiation Belt Electrons on Atmospheric Chemistry Using FIREBIRD II and Van Allen Probes Observations

This study considers the impact of electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts on atmospheric composition using observations from the NASA Van Allen Probes and NSF Focused Investigations of Relativistic Electron Burst Intensity, Range, and Dynamics (FIREBIRD II) CubeSats. Ratios of electron flux between the Van Allen Probes (in near-equatorial orbit in the radiation belts) and FIREBIRD II (in polar low Earth orbit) during spacecraft conjunctions (2015–2017) allow an estimate of precipitation into the atmosphere. Total Radiation Belt Electron Content, calculated from Van Allen Probes RBSP-ECT MagEIS data, identifies a sustained 10-day electron loss event in March 2013 that serves as an initial case study. Atmospheric ionization profiles, calculated by integrating monoenergetic ionization rates across the precipitating electron flux spectrum, provide input to the NCAR Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model in order to quantify enhancements of atmospheric HOx and NOx and subsequent destruction of O3 in the middle atmosphere. Results suggest that current APEEP parameterizations of radiation belt electrons used in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project may underestimate the duration of events as well as higher energy electron contributions to atmospheric ionization and modeled NOx concentrations in the mesosphere and upper stratosphere.
Manual Reading of Sensititre™ Broth Microdilution System Panels Improves Accuracy of Susceptibility Reporting for Polymyxin Antibiotics.

Accurate and reproducible antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of polymyxin antibiotics is critical, as these drugs are last-line therapeutic options for the treatment of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections. However, polymyxin AST in the routine laboratory remains challenging. In this study, we evaluated the performance of an automated broth microdilution (BMD) system (Sensititre™, ThermoFisher) compared to agar dilution (AD) for colistin and polymyxin B AST of 129 Enterobacterales, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii complex clinical isolates. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) derived from the Sensititre™ instrument based on two operator comparisons demonstrated overall categorical agreement (CA) of 86% and 89% compared to AD for colistin and 89% and 92% compared to AD for polymyxin B. However, error rates were higher than recommended by CLSI. Manual inspection of microdilution wells revealed microbial growth and skip wells which were erroneously interpreted by the Aris™2X instrument. Using manually interpreted BMD MICs read by two operators increased the overall categorical agreements to 88% and 95% compared to AD for colistin and 92% and 96% compared to AD for polymyxin B. Laboratories choosing to use the Sensititre™ platform for polymyxin AST should consider manual evaluation of wells as part of their algorithm.
The Association of Chronic Kidney Disease With Outcomes Following Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Closure

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) with in-hospital and short-term outcomes using a large national database representative of contemporary clinical practice. Background CKD and ESRD are associated with increased risk for stroke and bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation on oral anticoagulation. Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) may provide a reasonable alternative for these patients; however, the impact of CKD and ESRD on in-hospital and short-term outcomes following LAAC remain largely unknown. Methods The Nationwide Readmissions Database was used to identify LAAC procedures from 2016 to 2017 in patients with no CKD, CKD (stages I-V), and ESRD. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess in-hospital and short-term outcomes. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Results Of 21,274 patients who underwent LAAC during the study period, 3,954 (18.6%) had CKD and 571 (2.7%) had ESRD. ESRD was associated with increased risk for in-hospital mortality compared with no CKD (3.3% vs 0.4%; adjusted odds ratio: 6.48; 95% confidence interval: 3.35-12.50; P Conclusions ESRD is associated with higher in-hospital mortality, and CKD is associated with higher rates of stroke or transient ischemic attack in patients undergoing LAAC. Further research is needed to assess the impact of CKD and ESRD on long-term outcomes in these patients.
Use of molecular homology model to identify inhibitors of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius sortase A

Abstract Conventional antibiotic-based therapies for the treatment of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius infections have become less reliable in recent years due to the increased prevalence of methicillin resistance and multidrug resistance. Therefore, development of alternate therapeutic strategies is a high priority. Treatments based on sortase inhibition hold potential to address this shortcoming. Sortase A (SrtA) is a transpeptidase, commonly produced by Gram positive bacteria, that interacts with proteins baring a C-terminal Leu-Pro-X-Thr-Gly (LPXTG) motif, anchoring them on the peptidoglycan cell wall. SrtA substrates include numerous virulence factors that may overcome the host immune response including protein A, fibrinogen binding proteins and fibronectin binding proteins. In the present study, the srtA gene from S. pseudintermedius was identified and its conservation and level of transcription determined in isolates representing major clonal complexes. The gene was synthesized and then expressed in Escherichia coli and the recombinant enzyme’s activity measured using a synthetic substrate. A three dimensional homology model of SrtA was generated and used in virtual screening libraries of chemicals for potential inhibitors. Four compounds that showed 50% or greater inhibition of SrtA activity were identified. A thermal shift assay confirmed binding of one inhibitor to the active site of SrtA. SrtA inhibitor was active in preventing protein A anchoring in bacterial cultures. The results confirm the function of the srtA encoded protein and indicate that SrtA inhibition has potential for treatment of S. pseudintermedius infections.
Correlation of continuous cardiac output measured by a pulmonary artery catheter versus impedance cardiography in ventilated patients

Cardiac output can be measured continuously by an invasive pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) or by noninvasive impedance cardiography. The purpose of this study is to determine how well the two methods correlate in ventilated patients.
The art and science of job satisfaction: Much of it comes down to decent management practice

Purpose – This paper aims to review current information and research concerning job satisfaction in the workplace. It also provides a brief overview of what is generally and currently known about job satisfaction, personality and job satisfaction and workplace influences on job satisfaction and offers suggestions for practitioners. Design/methodology/approach – It examines a large sample of research and opinion from the past several years. Findings – It reveals that there is much empirical research about individual job satisfaction, a considerable amount of which is situation-specific. Generalizations concerning research findings are difficult. There is, however, much reported data and statistics that give indications of why employees find satisfaction with work, colleagues and the organization. This information may provide some practical guidance for practitioners. Practical implications – It gives a broad overview and summary of recent research and opinion on job satisfaction that is not readily available in other sources. Social implications – It advises that, other things being equal, organizations should aim to recruit employees who are somewhat extraverted, conscientious, expressive of a belief in their skills and who demonstrate a positive disposition. Originality/value – It provides current information that may guide practice and policy development.
Computed Simulations of Ciliary and Flagellar Motility Using the Geometric Clutch Model can Replicate a Wide Variety of Experimental Conditions

The Geometric Clutch hypothesis proposes that the strain that develops between the outer doublets of the flagellar/ciliary axoneme acts as the principal control to regulate the function of the dynein motor proteins. In this hypothetical scheme, the forces that develop transverse to the axis of the doublets (t-forces) act as a clutch to engage or disengage the dynein arms from their binding sites on adjacent doublets. These forces can be easily computed from the longitudinal tension, or compression, on a doublet and the local curvature. A computer model has been developed based on the Geometric Clutch principle. When the model is scaled as closely as possible to the physical dimensions and mechanical properties that have been measured in real cilia and flagella, the computed simulations successfully replicate the basic patterns of motility of the biological systems. Observed phenomena, such as the effective and recovery stroke of cilia, can be readily reproduced; and mechanical-sensitivity, a known property of cilia and flagella, is intrinsic to the computer simulation. Recently, the model has been further tested by comparing computed behavior and real behavior of bull sperm under identical conditions of mechanical restraint and dissection. The results of the real and computed experiments are in good agreement. The simulation accurately predicts the observed changes in the beating pattern, and the conditions that cause the beat to arrest.
The Strecker synthesis from interstellar precursors as a source of amino acids in carbonaceous chondrites: Deuterium retention during synthesis

Amino acids in the Murchison carbonaceous chondrite are anomalously enriched in deuterium. Synthesis in Strecker reactions from D-enriched interstellar precursors during low temperature aqueous alteration of the parent body has been proposed by Cronin et al. (1988) to account for the isotopic observations. To test this hypothesis, we have measured the retention of deuterium in the glycine, alanine, and alpha-amino isobutyric acid produced, respectively, by reactions of formaldehyde-D2, acetaldehyde-D4, and acetone-D6 with HCN and NH3 in water.
Dependence of Ca2+ and K+ current development on RNA and protein synthesis in muscle-lineage cells of the ascidian Boltenia villosa.

The early development of excitability of muscle-lineage cells of the ascidian Boltenia villosa is characterized by the appearance, just after gastrulation, of a Ca2+ current and a delayed outward K+ current, while an inwardly rectifying K+ current, present since fertilization, disappears. The muscle-lineage cells are the first cells in which we detect tissue-specific electrical properties after gastrulation. Here, we show that the development of electrical properties in these cells involves RNA and protein synthesis. If transcription or translation is blocked, the Ca2+ and outward K+ currents fail to appear, whereas the inward K+ current disappears normally. For the Ca2+ current, the sensitive period for transcription extends until just before gastrulation, while the sensitive period for translation extends until after gastrulation. The oocyte has a Ca2+ current present at about 5– 10% the density of that in the muscle-lineage cells; this current disappears by gastrulation. A comparison of the oocyte and muscle Ca2+ currents indicates that they are similar in voltage dependence and inactivation mechanism. A small difference in permeability sequence can be attributed to different surface charge properties at the two stages of development.
Analytical solutions for efficient interpretation of single‐well push‐pull tracer tests

[1] Single-well push-pull tracer tests have been used to characterize the extent, fate, and transport of subsurface contamination. Analytical solutions provide one alternative for interpreting test results. In this work, an exact analytical solution to two-dimensional equations describing the governing processes acting on a dissolved compound during a modified push-pull test (advection, longitudinal and transverse dispersion, first-order decay, and rate-limited sorption/partitioning in steady, divergent, and convergent flow fields) is developed. The coupling of this solution with inverse modeling to estimate aquifer parameters provides an efficient methodology for subsurface characterization. Synthetic data for single-well push-pull tests are employed to demonstrate the utility of the solution for determining (1) estimates of aquifer longitudinal and transverse dispersivities, (2) sorption distribution coefficients and rate constants, and (3) non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) saturations. Employment of the solution to estimate NAPL saturations based on partitioning and non-partitioning tracers is designed to overcome limitations of previous efforts by including rate-limited mass transfer. This solution provides a new tool for use by practitioners when interpreting single-well push-pull test results.
Beyond nation: Caribbean poetics in Pedro Pietri's "Puerto Rican Obituary" and Kamau Brathwaite's "Islands and Exiles"

Formato ISO 690-2 (Articulos de revistas electronicas) Yun Alvarado, Li, BEYOND NATION: CARIBBEAN POETICS IN PEDRO PIETRI'S "PUERTO RICAN OBITUARY" AND KAMAU BRATHWAITE'S "ISLANDS AND EXILES"Centro Journal [en linea] 2010, XXII (Sin mes) : [Fecha de consulta: 11 de diciembre de 2017] Disponible en: ISSN 1538-6279
Green-Ampt infiltration model for sloping surfaces

[1] This work quantifies and explains the direct physical effects of slope angle on infiltration and runoff generation by extending the Green-Ampt equation onto sloping surfaces. A new extended solution using identical precipitation hydrographs was compared to the original formulation and then used to calculate the infiltration and runoff generation for different slope angles but for identical horizontal projection lengths. Homogeneous and isotropic soil is assumed, and two different boundary conditions for vertical rainfall are studied: ponded infiltration and infiltration under steady rainfall. Infiltration under unsteady rainfall was found to be similar to cases with steady rainfall. Both theoretical and numerical results show that infiltration increases with increasing slope angle. For cases with ponded infiltration the slope effect was generally not significant for mild to moderate slopes, but the slope effect became more important for low-intensity and short-duration rainfall events, especially as it delayed the time for ponding. It was also found that the cumulative vertical infiltration depth (Ihp) at ponding (or the initial loss) increases with increasing slope angle. The model was compared to Richards' equation on horizontal and sloping surfaces and found to perform well. The model's applicability for nonuniform slopes was discussed, and it was found that the model is generally applicable for isotropic and mildly anisotropic soils except for some small-scale topographic elements. Finally, the occurrence of nonvertical rainfall could increase runoff with increasing slope angle when rainfall deflects a large angle to upslope.
Parabolic Potential Theory (Continued)

If \( \dot{D} \) is a nonempty open subset of \( {{\dot{\mathbb{R}}}^{N}} \) and if Г is a class of functions on \( \dot{D} \), the greatest subparabolic minorant [least superparabolic majorant] of Г, if there is one, is denoted by \( \dot{G}{{M}_{{\dot{D}}}}\Gamma \left[ {\dot{L}{{M}_{{\dot{D}}}}\Gamma } \right] \). For example, if Г is a class of superparabolic functions and if Г has a subparabolic minorant then \( \dot{G}{{M}_{{\dot{D}}}}\Gamma \) exists and is parabolic. The proof is a translation of that of Theorem III.2. The corresponding notation in the coparabolic context is \( \mathop{{\text{G}}}\limits^{*} {{{\text{M}}}_{{\dot{D}}}}\Gamma \) and \( \mathop{{\text{L}}}\limits^{*} {{{\text{M}}}_{{\dot{D}}}}\Gamma \).
International Evidence on Food Consumption Patterns: An Update Using 2005 International Comparison Program Data

In a 2003 report, International Evidence on Food Consumption Patterns, ERS economists estimated income and price elasticities of demand for broad consumption categories and food categories across 114 countries using 1996 International Comparison Program (ICP) data. This report updates that analysis with an estimated two-stage demand system across 144 countries using 2005 ICP data. Advances in ICP data collection since 1996 led to better results and more accurate income and price elasticity estimates. Low-income countries spend a greater portion of their budget on necessities, such as food, while richer countries spend a greater proportion of their income on luxuries, such as recreation. Low-value staples, such as cereals, account for a larger share of the food budget in poorer countries, while high-value food items are a larger share of the food budget in richer countries. Overall, low-income countries are more responsive to changes in income and food prices and, therefore, make larger adjustments to their food consumption pattern when incomes and prices change. However, adjustments to price and income changes are not uniform across all food categories. Staple food consumption changes the least, while consumption of higher-value food items changes the most.
Enhanced Transformability with Heterospecific Deoxyribonucleic Acid upon Removal of Nascent Ribonucleic Acid from the Streptococcus sanguis Genome

Treatment of Streptococcus sanguis recipient cells with rifampin (RIF) at the time of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) addition was an effective means of reducing discrimination, that is, of causing an increase in the number of transformants induced by irreversibly bound heterospecific DNA without significantly changing the number induced by bound homospecific DNA. RIF was unable to reduce discrimination when the recipient cells were RIF resistant due to an altered ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase. When recipient cells were treated at the time of DNA addition with concentrations of streptolydigin (STG) as inhibitory of RNA synthesis as RIF, discrimination was not reduced. The kinetics of RNA synthesis inhibition with these inhibitors indicated that, as reported for other bacterial species, RIF inhibited the initiation of transcription by RNA polymerase, whereas STG inhibited the progression of RNA polymerase at any point. Pulse-labeling of RNA immediately before STG addition showed that, if cells were incubated under STG inhibition for 10 to 15 min, their nascent RNA was degraded. Genome-bound RNA polymerase was not released under these conditions. When recipient cells were incubated with STG until nascent RNA was degraded and then exposed to transforming DNA, STG was as effective as RIF in reducing discrimination. The presence of nascent RNA was thereby implicated in the transforming inefficiency of incompletely homologous DNA.
Sleep apnea and hypertension: pathophysiologic mechanisms.

This article reviews the pathophysiology of hypertension (HTN) in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The article is divided into 3 sections. The first section describes epidemiologic studies of the relationship of sleep-related breathing disorders, including OSA, to HTN and argues that OSA contributes to the genesis of HTN. The second section describes the known immediate physiologic consequences of 3 components of OSA that may contribute to the genesis of persistent systemic HTN. The 3 components are (1) the large negative intrathoracic pressure changes associated with OSA, (2) intermittent hypoxemia, and (3) arousal from sleep. The last section reviews current physiologic models of essential HTN genesis and attempts to integrate them with the suspected HTN-generating aspects of OSA. In its summary, the authors conclude that OSA contributes to the genesis of HTN and advise physicians not to ignore the contribution of frequently comorbid non-OSA factors, such as obesity, to the genesis of OSA-related HTN.
PKQuest: capillary permeability limitation and plasma protein binding – application to human inulin, dicloxacillin and ceftriaxone pharmacokinetics

It is generally assumed that the tissue exchange of antibiotics is flow limited (complete equilibration between the capillary and the tissue water). This assumption may not be valid if there is a large amount of plasma protein binding because the effective capillary permeability depends on the product of the intrinsic capillary permeability (PS) and the fraction of solute that is free in the blood (fwB). PKQuest, a new generic physiologically based pharmacokinetic software routine (PBPK), provides a novel approach to modeling capillary permeability in which the only adjustable parameter is the PS of muscle. All the results were obtained by applying PKQuest to previously published human pharmacokinetic data. The PKQuest analysis suggests that the highly protein bound antibiotics dicloxacillin and ceftriaxone have a significant capillary permeability limitation. The human muscle capillary PS of inulin, dicloxacillin and ceftriaxone was 0.6, 13 and 6 ml/min/100 gm, respectively. The ceftriaxone protein binding is non-linear, saturating at high plasma concentrations. The experimental ceftriaxone data over a wide range of intravenous inputs (0.15 to 3 gms) was well described by PKQuest. PKQuest is the first PBPK that includes both permeability limitation and non-linear binding. Because of their high degree of plasma protein binding, dicloxacillin and ceftriaxone appear to have a diffusion limited exchange rate between the blood and tissue and are not flow limited as had been previously assumed. PKQuest and all the examples are freely available at http://www.pkquest.com .
Osmotic stress inhibits thymidine incorporation into soybean protoplast DNA

DNA synthesis in protoplasts isolated from soybean cell suspension cultures has been investigated by [(3)H] thymidine uptake and incorporation kinetics. Initial rates of incorporation in exponential and 5-fluorodeoxyuridine synchronized protoplasts are inhibited by increased osmolarities of the medium. The inhibition was not readily reversible during 3 h culture in low osmotic medium. Velocity sedimentation analyses of replicating DNA from such protoplasts shows a complex pattern of inhibition. The inhibition probably effects replicon initiation as well as strand elongation and ligation of replication intermediates.
Astroparticle physics: A multi-messenger story

The IceCube detector is a super-sensitive tool with which astronomers hope to find the elusive neutrinos from cosmic γ-ray bursts. A search that, surprisingly, has come up empty handed prompts a rethink of the underlying theory.
Melco Crown Entertainment, Macao, China: the ERP Supply Chain Case of a Post-Implementation Process

Melco Crown Entertainment® (MCE), developer and owner of the casino gaming resort facilities of Altira Macau®, City of Dreams® and Mocha Clubs®, decided to centralize a number of operations in these three properties through a centralized ERP in April 2010. The Supply Chain (SC) department was the first target. Yet, a number of difficulties occurred due to organizational changes under this post-implementation phase. This current research paper aims to determine what issues, complications and challenges occurred after its implementation. In order to establish the level of agreement by the three staff levels, a questionnaire was developed regarding the major drawbacks of the project. As a result, some recommendations are given to MCE to achieve a smooth operational change in the near future.
Decision Level Fusion of Wavelet Features for Ocean Turbine State Detection

Data fusion is the process of combining data from multiple sources, allowing for a more complete and accurate assessment of a system or an environment than could have been otherwise provided by a single source. This paper considers and empirically evaluates a decision-level data fusion method for enabling reliable ocean turbine state detection based on data from multiple sensors. This method involves first generating a classification model from the data from individual sensor channels. For each new incoming instance, the probability that this new instance belongs to each of the possible system states is then computed individually based on observations made by each source. These probabilities are averaged and the system state with the highest probability is selected as the fused output. In a case study presented in this paper, six accelerometers mounted at different positions along a dynamometer test bed for an ocean turbine measure the vibration of various components while the machine is in operation. Each sensor gives unique information about the dynamometer thus ignoring data from one or more sources (or sensors) means possibly discarding useful information. We apply the decision-level fusion method to combine the decisions made from the individual channels and allow for more informed state detection which considers all sources together. Five popular machine learning algorithms are used to generate the classification models from the individual sensor data to see how the performances of each algorithm is affected by fusion and to determine whether this decision level fusion approach can lead to optimal behavior for an ocean turbine state detection module. All five learners are found to benefit from such an approach. Of all the learners, the k-Nearest Neighbors algorithm produces the best results after fusion.
On 3-connected graphs with contractible edge covers of size k

Abstract We consider 3-connected graphs whose contractible edges can be covered by k vertices and show that they can be divided into finitely many infinite classes of graphs.
Experimental studies of an all-silicon carbide hybrid wireless-wired optics temperature sensor for extreme environments in turbines

Shown for the first time is the fabricated all-Single crystal Silicon Carbide (SiC) temperature probe and interface assembly designed for extreme environment temperature sensing in a gas turbine test rig. Preliminary probe test results are described regarding SiC chip temporal response, optical beam stability, and near vacuum sealing.
Concentration measurement and counting efficiency for the aerodynamic particle sizer 3320

Abstract The aerodynamic particle sizer (APS, Model 3320, TSI Inc., St. Paul, MN) is an instrument that counts and sizes particles by time-of-flight, an aerodynamic property, and/or by light-scattering intensity, an optical property. If the counting efficiency of the APS 3320, defined as the number of particles counted divided by the number sampled is not 1.0 for particles of all sizes, then the reported size distributions and particle concentrations will be biased. A laboratory aerosol was sampled with two APS 3320s alternating between collecting only time-of-flight data in summing mode and collecting simultaneous time-of-flight and light-scattering intensity data in correlated mode. Collecting data in correlated mode resulted in errors in the reported aerodynamic size distributions and concentrations. The magnitude of the concentration error was an inverse function of concentration, ranging from approximately 10% at 500 particles / cm 3 to 45% at 50 particles / cm 3 . Experiments were also conducted to determine the counting efficiency of the APS 3320 in summing mode by comparing size distributions obtained with the analyzer to those obtained with a cascade impactor. Counting efficiency increased from 30% for 0.5 μm particles to 100% for 0.9 μm particles, then decreased to 60% for 5 μm particles. For particles larger than about 5 μm , the size distribution reported by the APS 3320 was distorted by artificial particle counts. To determine accurate particle size distributions and concentrations, the values reported by this instrument must be adjusted for counting efficiency.
Binding of transfer factor II to ribosomal RNA and inhibition of the binding by guanosine nucleotides

Abstract Transfer factor II (peptidyl-tRNA translocation factor) from rabbit reticulocytes has been shown to bind strongly to the 18S and 28S species of ribosomal RNA from reticulocytes. The NAD-dependent adenosine diphosphate ribosylation of the transfer factor by diphtheria toxin has been used to assay for the factor. Binding of the factor to ribosomal RNA is strongly inhibited by GDP or GTP, but not by other nucleotides tested. Ribosomal RNA has been shown to inhibit the ADP-ribosylation of the transfer factor, and the inhibition is blocked by GDP or GTP.
Donor and recipient size mismatch in adolescents undergoing living-donor renal transplantation affect long-term graft survival.

BACKGROUND Controversies exist in the adult literature regarding the use of kidneys from small donors into larger recipients. Little is known regarding this issue in pediatric kidney transplantation. To assess the impact of donor/recipient size mismatch on long-term renal graft survival in pediatric patients undergoing living-donor renal transplantation. METHODS We reviewed the United Network for Organ Sharing database from 1987 to 2010 for adolescent (11-18 years old) patients who underwent primary living-donor renal transplantation. According to donor/recipient body surface area (BSA) ratio, patients were stratified into two categories: BSA ratio <0.9 and ≥0.9. Graft survival rates were compared between these two groups using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS Of the 1880 patients identified, 116 (6.2%) had a donor/recipient BSA ratio <0.9 and 1764 (93.8%) had a donor/recipient BSA ratio ≥0.9 group. BSA ratio <0.9 conferred an increased risk of graft loss (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-2.27; P=0.008). Patients with a donor/recipient BSA ratio ≥0.9 group had a significantly longer graft survival compared with those with a donor/recipient BSA ratio <0.9 after adjustment for donor age and gender, recipient age, gender, ethnicity, cause of renal failure, as well as clinical factors, such as cold and warm ischemia time and HLA mismatch. CONCLUSION We conclude that low donor/recipient BSA ratio was associated with an increased risk of graft loss. Appropriate size matching conferred better long-term graft survival in adolescents receiving live-donor kidney transplants.
Application of osteopathy in the cranial field to treat left superior homonymous hemianopsia

Abstract This case involves a patient seen in the Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Clinic with sudden, painless onset of loss of visual field five weeks following craniotomy for meningioma removal. Homonymous hemianopsia and the epidemiology of meningioma are briefly reviewed. The patient's loss of visual field resolved completely immediately following the application of osteopathy in the cranial field. While the synchronicity may suggest that the two events are causally linked, further clinical evidence is required before such an effect can be attributed to osteopathic intervention.
Illusion decrement in wings-in and wings-out Müller-Lyer figures

Illusion decrement with inspection was assessed separately for wings-in and wings-out Muller-Lyer figures. Subjects reproduced the central extent in Muller-Lyer figures under three conditions: the subjects in Experiment 1 made responses at 1-min intervals during a 5-min inspection period, the subjects in Experiment 2 made responses at 1-min intervals without inspection between judgments, and Experiment 3 provided the subjects with implicit feedback during inspection. Separate inspection of wings-in and wings-out figures produced similar decrement effects. Illusion decrement was observed in Experiment 1, but the decrement was comparable to the control condition of repeated judgments without intervening inspection (Experiment 2). When provided with implicit feedback during inspection (Experiment 3), pronounced illusion decrement was obtained, but not for all subjects. The variability associated with responses in all experiments was high, and a large percentage of subjects did not show illusion decrement after 5 min of inspection. Thus, general and firm conclusions concerning reliable illusion decrement are unwarranted.
Decentralized control of interconnected physical systems

The decentralized control problem is considered in the context of interconnected physical systems. The system is assumed to be made up of subsystems modelled by second-order differential equations. Conditions for the non-existence of decen tralized fixed modes and the existence of a solution to the decentralized servo- mechanism problem are given. An example from a planar robotic manipulator illustrates the results.
In vitro growth of Carica papaya L. cotyledons

Abstract Lamina and midrib explants taken from cotyledons of axenically-grown Carica papaya L. seedlings were cultured on modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium containing half-strength major salts and chelated iron, 30 g l −1 sucrose, 8 g l −1 Difco Bacto agar and all possible combinations of benzylaminopurine (BA) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), each of which was used at 13 concentrations between 0.0 and 15.0 mg l −1 . Optimum growth regulator concentrations for callus induction and maintenance from midrib (0.3–2.0 mg l −1 BA with 0.5–3.0 mg l −1 NAA) and lamina (0.6–3.0 mg l −1 BA with 1.2–5.0 mg l −1 NAA) explants were determined from a prediction model. The medium and environmental factors for adventitious root and shoot formation on these explants were also determined.
Zebrafish as a model system for drug target screening and validation

Abstract The zebrafish is becoming an increasingly popular model organism to study human diseases. Novel assays have been and continue to be developed to study human diseases in this model. Methods to identify novel drug targets using zebrafish include chemical mutagenesis, insertional mutagenesis and small-molecule screens. Methods to validate potential drug targets include morpholino antisense knockdown technology and target-selected mutagenesis approaches. Here we review advances in these and related technologies.
On the convergence of simulation-based iterative methods for solving singular linear systems

We consider the simulation-based solution of linear systems of equations, Ax = b, of various types frequently arising in large-scale applications, where A is singular. We show that the convergence properties of iterative solution methods are frequently lost when they are implemented with simulation (e.g., using sample average approximation), as is often done in important classes of large-scale problems. We focus on special cases of algorithms for singular systems, including some arising in least squares problems and approximate dynamic programming, where convergence of the residual sequence {Axk − b} may be obtained, while the sequence of iterates {xk} may diverge. For some of these special cases, under additional assumptions, we show that the iterate sequence is guaranteed to converge. For situations where the iterates diverge but the residuals converge to zero, we propose schemes for extracting from the divergent sequence another sequence that converges to a solution of Ax = b.
Freestream Velocity Corrections for Two-Dimensional Testing with Splitter Plates

The velocity correction method for two-dimensional wind-tunnel testing is expanded for the case of testing airfoils between splitter plates. Despite the common nse of splitter plates, the peculiar effects of this testing arrangement on the velocity correction are not well documented. The use of splitter plates in the test section has several advantages, but there are unfortunate consequences (such as spillage, entrainment, and blockage to varying degrees) that require the freestream velocity to be measured directly between the splitter plates with the airfoil in the test section. In this case, the standard velocity correction for wall interference is not sufficient. An additional correction must be made to account for the change in velocity ahead of the airfoil model caused by the circulation about the airfoil. The results reveal that failing to correct for the circulation effect can yield significant errors in the aerodynamic coefficients. The proposed velocity measurement and correction method provides results that are in agreement with data obtained in the NASA Langley Research Center low-turbulence pressure tunnel facility. The method can be readily implemented in the data acquisition and reduction process.
Mutagenicity and clastogenicity of adriamycin in L5178Y/TK+/−-3.7.2C mouse lymphoma cells

Adriamycin was found to be both mutagenic and clastogenic to L5178Y/TK+/−-3.7.2C mouse lymphoma cells. A dose of only 5 ng/ml (survival = 62% or 67%) gave an induced TK mutant frequency of 307 or 296 per 106 survivors in two separate experiments. This dose was also clastogenic, inducing 20 chromosome aberrations/100 cells analyzed. The majority of the mutants were small-colony mutants, indicating that adriamycin likely acts primarily by a clastogenic mechanism.
Processing domain, encoding elaboration, and memory trace strength

Trace strength was examined as a function of single and spaced-multiple encodings within and across the orthographic, acoustic, and semantic domains. Incidental memory performance (recall and recognition) replicated effects obtained by Craik and Tulving (1975) and was used to predict performance in multiple encoding conditions. The recall results revealed that multiple encodings yielded additive or greater than additive retention effects while the recognition accuracy results revealed additive or less than additive effects. In addition, recognition latency was systematically related to initial processing conditions and accuracy. The accuracy data suggest that processing domains are qualitatively different and independent. The recognition latency data suggest a model which assumes parallel processing and pattern matching within each of these domains.
WORKLOAD, ERROR DETECTION, AND EXPERIENCED STRESS IN A SIMULATED PHARMACY VERIFICATION TASK

The relationships among workload, stress, and performance efficiency are topics of applied interest and theoretical importance to researchers concerned with human performance. Such interest extends...
Semiempirical Two-dimensional Magnetohydrodynamic Model of the Solar Corona and Interplanetary Medium

We have developed a two-dimensional semiempirical MHD model of the solar corona and solar wind. The model uses empirically derived electron density profiles from white-light coronagraph data measured during the Skylub period and an empirically derived model of the magnetic field which is fitted to observed streamer topologies, which also come from the white-light coronagraph data The electron density model comes from that developed by Guhathakurta and coworkers. The electron density model is extended into interplanetary space by using electron densities derived from the Ulysses plasma instrument. The model also requires an estimate of the solar wind velocity as a function of heliographic latitude and radial component of the magnetic field at 1 AU, both of which can be provided by the Ulysses spacecraft. The model makes estimates as a function of radial distance and latitude of various fluid parameters of the plasma such as flow velocity V, effective temperature T(sub eff), and effective heat flux q(sub eff), which are derived from the equations of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy, respectively. The term effective indicates that wave contributions could be present. The model naturally provides the spiral pattern of the magnetic field far from the Sun and an estimate of the large-scale surface magnetic field at the Sun, which we estimate to be approx. 12 - 15 G. The magnetic field model shows that the large-scale surface magnetic field is dominated by an octupole term. The model is a steady state calculation which makes the assumption of azimuthal symmetry and solves the various conservation equations in the rotating frame of the Sun. The conservation equations are integrated along the magnetic field direction in the rotating frame of the Sun, thus providing a nearly self-consistent calculation of the fluid parameters. The model makes a minimum number of assumptions about the physics of the solar corona and solar wind and should provide a very accurate empirical description of the solar corona and solar wind Once estimates of mass density rho, flow velocity V, effective temperature T(sub eff), effective heat flux q(sub eff), and magnetic field B are computed from the model and waves are assumed unimportant, all other plasma parameters such as Mach number, Alfven speed, gyrofrequency, etc. can be derived as a function of radial distance and latitude from the Sun. The model can be used as a planning tool for such missions as Slar Probe and provide an empirical framework for theoretical models of the solar corona and solar wind The model will be used to construct a semiempirical MHD description of the steady state solar corona and solar wind using the SOHO Large Angle Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) polarized brightness white-light coronagraph data, SOHO Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope data, and Ulysses plasma data.
Madagascar's lemurs.

These primates can tell us a great deal about our own evolutionary past. But many species are already extinct, and the habitats of those that remain are shrinking fast.
Classification of neuropsychiatric medications by principal mechanism of action: a meaningful way to anticipate pharmacodynamically mediated drug interactions (part II).

This article, the conclusion of a two-part series (see September 2003 for Part I 1), presents a table summarizing the effects of neuropsychiatric medications based on their mechanism(s) of action and by extension their potential to interact pharmacodynamically. This two-part series further develops
Mechanisms for managing partial reload in a high performance memory-resident database system

Abstract Upon a system failure, a memory-resident database system will lose the portion of its database that resides in a volatile memory . In the paper, it is not assumed that the main memory is large enough to store the entire database. Instead, only a major portion of the database fits into main memory. An efficient partial reload scheme is needed to restore the lost portion of the database quickly without degrading the overall system performance upon a system crash. Page faults may be incurred during the reload process. A partial reload scheme should be capable of handling these page faults as well as database reload. The paper presents three different partial reload algorithms and page replacement schemes that aim at fast transaction response time and high system throughput.
Heat conduction in a packed bed with wall effects

Abstract The nonuniform porosity effect (wall effect) on steady one-dimensional heat conduction in a packed bed between parallel plates, concentric cylinders and concentric spheres at different temperatures is considered in this paper. The heat conduction characteristics in the bed is shown to be a function of γ (the ratio of particle diameter to the characteristic length of the geometry) and λ (the ratio of the thermal conductivity of the fluid phase to that of the solid phase). Dimensionless temperature distributions at different values of γ are obtained for fluid-saturated porous media composed of water/glass-beads, silicon oil/glass-beads, air/glass-beads and water/steel-balls.
Harvey Cushing as clinical investigator and laboratory worker.

This essay is not a history of the pituitary gland, or an abbreviated life of dishing, or a comprehensive review of hypophysial endocrinology. What is attempted is a short evaluation of this medical “classic” as a contribution to the history of ideas about the function of the anterior pituitary and about clinical disorders of the gland.