cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Your Path to Transplant: A randomized controlled trial of a tailored computer education intervention to increase living donor kidney transplant

Because of the deceased donor organ shortage, more kidney patients are considering whether to receive kidneys from family and friends, a process called living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT). Although Blacks and Hispanics are 3.4 and 1.5 times more likely, respectively, to develop end stage renal disease (ESRD) than Whites, they are less likely to receive LDKTs. To address this disparity, a new randomized controlled trial (RCT) will assess whether Black, Hispanic, and White transplant patients’ knowledge, readiness to pursue LDKT, and receipt of LDKTs can be increased when they participate in the Your Path to Transplant (YPT) computer-tailored intervention. Nine hundred Black, Hispanic, and White ESRD patients presenting for transplant evaluation at University of California, Los Angeles Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program (UCLA-KPTP) will be randomly assigned to one of two education conditions, YPT or Usual Care Control Education (UC). As they undergo transplant evaluation, patients in the YPT condition will receive individually-tailored telephonic coaching sessions, feedback reports, video and print transplant education resources, and assistance with reducing any known socioeconomic barriers to LDKT. Patients receiving UC will only receive transplant education provided by UCLA-KPTP. Changes in transplant knowledge, readiness, pros and cons, and self-efficacy to pursue LDKT will be assessed prior to presenting at the transplant center (baseline), during transplant evaluation, and 4- and 8-months post-baseline, while completion of transplant evaluation and receipt of LDKTs will be assessed at 18-months post-baseline. The RCT will determine, compared to UC, whether Black, Hispanic, and White patients receiving YPT increase in their readiness to pursue LDKT and transplant knowledge, and become more likely to complete transplant medical evaluation and pursue LDKT. It will also examine how known patient, family, and healthcare system barriers to LDKT act alone and in combination with YPT to affect patients’ transplant decision-making and behavior. Statistical analyses will be performed under an intent-to-treat approach. At the conclusion of the study, we will have assessed the effectiveness of an innovative and cost-effective YPT intervention that could be utilized to tailor LDKT discussion and education based on the needs of individual patients of different races in many healthcare settings. ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02181114 .
An acoustic experimental and theoretical investigation of single disc propellers

An experimental study of the acoustic field associated with two, three, and four blade propeller configurations with a blade root angle of 50 deg was performed in the Texas A&M University 5 ft. x 6 ft. acoustically-insulated subsonic wind tunnel. A waveform analysis package was utilized to obtain experimental acoustic time histories, frequency spectra, and overall sound pressure level (OASPL) and served as a basis for comparison to the theoretical acoustic compact source theory of Succi (1979). Valid for subsonic tip speeds, the acoustic analysis replaced each blade by an array of spiraling point sources which exhibited a unique force vector and volume. The computer analysis of Succi was modified to include a propeller performance strip analysis which used a NACA 4-digit series airfoil data bank to calculate lift and drag for each blade segment given the geometry and motion of the propeller. Theoretical OASPL predictions were found to moderately overpredict experimental values for all operating conditions and propeller configurations studied.
Collisional decay and revival of the grating stimulated echo.

A theory is presented that describes collision-induced modifications of the grating stimulated echo (GSE) signal. In the GSE [B. Dubetsky, P. R. Berman, and T. Sleator, Phys. Rev. A 46, 2213 (1992)], a spatially modulated atomic population is created which undergoes Doppler dephasing and rephasing as a result of the interaction of the atoms with a number of input pulses. At low pressures, there is a rapid decay of the GSE signal owing to a collisional breaking of the dephasing-rephasing process. At high perturber pressures, however, there can be a revival of the GSE signal owing to a collisional inhibition of the Doppler dephasing. These collisional processes are described in detail, with a special emphasis given to the distinction between ``open'' and ``closed'' atom-field systems. The manner in which the GSE can be used to determine collision kernels and diffusion coefficients is also discussed.
Equalization of Runout Times

The Equalization of Runout Times ERT rule has been suggested as a heuristic for allocating production capacity across a group of items with a common set up cost. A natural interpretation of this rule is given by showing that for a single allocation under certain conditions it maximizes the time at which the group will next be scheduled. An equivalent interpretation is that the rule minimizes remnant stocks. The case of multiple allocations is studied next and it is shown that applying the ERT rule myopically, minimizes the sum of discounted setup costs.
Tolerability of clonazepam in demented and non-demented geropsychiatric patients.

Objective. The tolerability of clonazepam in geropsychiatric inpatients was examined in patients with and without a diagnosis of dementia. Design. Forward-looking retrospective study comprising consecutive patients placed on clonazepam. Setting. A geropsychiatry unit of a large Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Patients. All geropsychiatry inpatients placed on clonazepam over a 21-month period of time. Measure. Mini-Mental State Examination, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory and the Rating Scale for Side Effects were performed at admission and discharge as part of an ongoing database. Results. Twenty-four geropsychiatric inpatients were treated with clonazepam (mean dose of 1.2 mg for a minimum of 2 weeks) during the 21 months studied. About one half of the patients had a primary diagnosis of dementia and the remainder had a diagnosis of an affective or psychotic disorder. Two of these patients were discontinued because they had responded to the acute need for clonazepam and a third patient was discontinued because of the development of sedation and confusion. For the remaining 21 patients, scores improved significantly on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (p=0.017), the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (p=0.011), the Rating Scale for Side Effects (0.004) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (p=0.000), with no differences in amount of improvement between demented and non-demented patient groups. Scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination remained unchanged. Conclusion. Clonazepam shows promise as a benzodiazepine with good tolerability in the elderly. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A semiclassical calculation of the temperature dependence of inelastic phonon transitions in gas-surface scattering: He/Si(100)-(2 × 1)

Abstract Inelastic atom-surface phonon scattering for a model He/Si(100)-(2 × 1) system is investigated by the classical trajectory quantum-forced oscillator DECENT method. All one- and two-phonon creation and annihilation intensities are presented for surface temperatures of 100, 300 and 600 K and the time-of-flight spectra are simulated for these three temperatures. The contribution of one-, two- and multi-phonon events to the total energy transfer between 0 and 600 K is also given.
Indirect readout of DNA sequence at the primary-kink site in the CAP-DNA complex: alteration of DNA binding specificity through alteration of DNA kinking.

Abstract The catabolite activator protein (CAP) sharply bends DNA in the CAP-DNA complex, introducing a DNA kink, with a roll angle of ∼40° and a twist angle of ∼20°, between positions 6 and 7 of the DNA half-site, 5′-A 1 A 2 A 3 T 4 G 5 T 6 G 7 A 8 T 9 C 10 T 11 -3′ (“primary kink”). CAP recognizes the base-pair immediately 5′ to the primary-kink site, T:A 6 , through an “indirect-readout” mechanism involving sequence effects on the energetics of primary-kink formation. CAP recognizes the base-pair immediately 3′ to the primary-kink site, G:C 7 , through a “direct-readout” mechanism involving formation of a hydrogen bond between Glu181 of CAP and G:C 7 . Here, we report that substitution of the carboxylate side-chain of Glu181 of CAP by the one-methylene-group-shorter carboxylate side-chain of Asp changes DNA binding specificity at position 6 of the DNA half site, changing specificity for T:A 6 to specificity for C:G 6 , and we report a crystallographic analysis defining the structural basis of the change in specificity. The Glu181→Asp substitution eliminates the primary kink and thus eliminates indirect-readout-based specificity for T:A 6 . The Glu181→Asp substitution does not eliminate hydrogen-bond formation with G:C 7 , and thus does not eliminate direct-readout-based specificity for G:C 7 .
Bessel Wavelets and the Galerkin Analysis of the Bessel Operator

Abstract We construct a complete orthonormal system {ψj, k}j ∈ Z , k ∈ N for L2( R + , dx) such that each Bessel wavelet ψj, k has a compactly supported Hankel transform. We apply this system in the Galerkin solution of the differential equation Lu = f on R + , where L is the Bessel operator. The associated linear system can be preconditioned using a simple diagonal preconditioning matrix to give a system which is sparse and has condition number which is bounded independent of the Galerkin subspace. Thus we obtain the same advantages for the singular operator L that have been obtained for uniformly elliptic operators using standard wavelets. The main step is a characterization of the Bessel–Sobolev norm of a function in terms of its Bessel wavelet coefficients. We also present numerical work which shows that the condition numbers are small enough for this method to be practical.
Comparison Geometry with Integral Curvature Bounds

In this paper we shall generalize a formula of Heintze and Karcher for the volume of normal tubes around geodesics to a situation where one has integral bounds for the sectional curvature. This formula leads to a generalization of Cheeger's lemma for the length of the shortest closed geodesic and to a generalization of the Grove-Petersen finiteness result to a situation where one has integral curvature bounds.
Effect of para-aminohippurate on the efflux of valproic acid from the central nervous system of the rabbit

Recently we investigated the mechanisms mediating the transport of valproic acid (VPA) between blood and brain. In one study efflux of valproic acid (VPA) from rabbit brain was inhibited by probenecid. Efflux of VPA decreased when probenecid was given intravenously but not when probenecid was given by ventriculocisternal (VC) perfusion indicating that the major site of probenecid-sensitive transport was at the brain capillary endothelium and not at the choroid plexus. In another study VPA transport into rat brain was inhibited by para-aminohippurate (PAH). The purpose of the present study were to determine (a) if the efflux of VPA from rabbit brain was also inhibited by PAH, and (b) whether efflux of VPA could occur at the choroid plexus via an PAH-selective transport system. Six control rabbits received VPA by intravenous infusion and tracer concentrations of [3H]VPA and [14C]PAH by VC perfusion. Rabbits in the PAH group (n = 6) received identical treatment with VPA, tracer concentrations of [3H]VPA and [14C]PAH and, in addition, received 20 mM PAH by VC perfusion. PAH had no effect on the VC extraction ratio of [3H]VPA or the steady-state brain concentration of intravenously administered VPA. It is concluded that the efflux of VPA at the rabbit blood-brain barrier is mediated by a transporter different from the PAH-like transporter responsible for the uptake of VPA into rat brain. In addition, the finding that VC perfusion with PAH had no effect on the VC extraction of [3H]VPA provides further evidence that the choroid plexus plays a negligible role in removal of VPA from the CNS.
OTC product: Loratadine for urticaria.

Claritin Non-Drowsy Hives Relief (ScheringPlough HealthCare Products, Inc.) Active Ingredient: Loratadine 10 mg Indication: Relief of itching due to hives (urticaria) Availability: Bottles of 10 or 30 tablets Discussion: Urticaria (hives) are raised, pruritic lesions on the skin caused by triggering factors such as insect stings, poison ivy, foods, medications, stress, or extremes of temperature.1–3 They may persist for several weeks, causing intense itching. One fourth of the U.S. population will suffer from them at least once during their lifetimes.4 No nonprescription product was approved as safe and effective for hives until the introduction of Claritin Non-Drowsy Hives Relief in 2004. Patient Information/ Instructions5: ■ This product is for treatment; it will not prevent hives or allergic skin reactions. ■ Severe Allergy Warning: Get emergency help immediately if you have hives along with any of the following: trouble swallowing, swelling of tongue, trouble speaking, wheezing or problems breathing, dizziness or loss of consciousness, swelling in or around mouth, drooling. These symptoms may be signs of anaphylactic shock. This condition can be life-threatening if not treated by a health professional immediately. Symptoms of anaphylactic shock may occur when hives first appear or up to a few hours later. ■ This product is not a substitute for epinephrine. If your doctor has prescribed an epinephrine injector for anaphylaxis or severe allergy symptoms that could occur with your hives, never use this product as a substitute for the epinephrine injector. If you have been prescribed an epinephrine injector, you should carry it with you at all times. ■ Do not use to prevent hives from any known cause such as foods, medicines, insect stings, or latex or rubber gloves, as this product will not stop hives from occurring. Avoiding the cause of your hives is the only way to prevent them. Hives can sometimes be serious. If you do not know the cause of your hives, see your doctor for OTC Product: Loratadine for Urticaria
A meta-analysis of the clinical manifestations of older-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with onset in later life has been reported to have a clinical presentation different from that in younger individuals; however, the disease manifestations typical of older-onset SLE patients are known to vary widely among published studies. Meta-analysis is a statistical process capable of quantitatively combining the results of these reports. This meta-analysis examines the methodologic features of studies investigating age-associated manifestations of SLE, and pools estimates of association between clinical features of SLE and age across these studies. Serositis, interstitial pulmonary disease, anti-La antibodies, and Sjogren's syndrome were most strongly and consistently associated with older-onset SLE, while alopecia, Raynaud's phenomenon, fever, lymphadenopathy, hypocomplementemia, and neuropsychiatric illness were present less frequently in this group. The extent to which information bias, selection bias, and uncontrolled confounding effects potentially influence these results is discussed. The available information in the literature does not describe the spectrum of clinical manifestations of SLE in the elderly sufficiently to allow its categorization as a distinct entity.
Successful Pregnancy Following Partial Pancreatectomy After Complications From a Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding

Each year, increasing numbers of bariatric surgeries are being performed to reduce health risks related to obesity. The improvement in health for these patients has promoted an increase in the possibility of pregnancy for some woman. Because there are lifelong adjustments and the possibility of unique complications from bariatric surgery, pregnancy presents special nursing concerns. Very few cases have been identified in nursing literature discussing pregnancy after complications following a bariatric surgery. This article presents a successful pregnancy after a partial pancreatectomy was performed secondary to acute pancreatitis and ischemic enterocolitis as a complication of laparoscopic gastric banding.
Pre‐Cambrian and Paleozoic vulcanism of interior Alaska

The history of vulcanism in Alaska is a topic of great universal interest, but one which has had no adequate treatment. For some years the writer has been accumulating comparative data on this subject, and it is hoped that this information may some time be sufficiently amplified and coordinated to justify a general description of the sequential igneous history of Alaska. The scope of such an undertaking, however, can well be appreciated from the statement that Alaska is nearly a fifth the size of the United States, and that geologic studies have shown that igneous rocks have originated in Alaska in every geologic period, excepting perhaps the Cambrian and the Silurian. Therefore, in the present paper, it has seemed best to present only a part of this interesting record, and perhaps in subsequent papers to expand the areal and geologic limits of discussion.
Compliance and Side Effects of Weight Regulation Groups

Data on compliance to instructions to self-monitor food intake, a common component of self-control weight programs, and the side effects of weight loss in terms of both changes in frequency of soci...
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction to Determine the Prevalence and Copy Number of Epstein-Barr Virus and Cytomegalovirus DNA in Subgingival Plaque at Individual Healthy and Periodontal Disease Sites

Background: Detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in plaque from patients with periodontal disease provides support for the theory that these viruses play a role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. This study sought to further define this relationship by determining the prevalence of these viruses at individual disease and healthy sites of patients with periodontal disease and to determine whether the presence and amount of viral DNA correlate with disease severity.Methods: Subgingival plaque from three healthy and three disease sites of 65 patients who had chronic periodontitis were evaluated for the presence and amount of EBV, CMV, and Fusobacterium nucleatum DNA using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Patient serum was evaluated for antibodies against EBV and CMV using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.Results: EBV DNA was detected in 18.5% of subgingival plaque samples (72/390) and in at least one of the six plaque samples in 44.6% (29/65) of the patients. CMV DNA was d...
Anatomy of Autonomy: Assessing the Organizational Capacity and External Environment of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

Decentralization and autonomy can potentially increase public sector efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability, as well as fulfill a conflict-mitigating role. There is no guarantee, however, that decentralization, once implemented, would automatically produce the expected benefits. Using the case of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in the Philippines, this article explores the importance of organizational capacity and the cultural, political, and social conditions in the region to explain the performance of the autonomous government. The article concludes that for autonomy to work, the administrative and institutional capacity of the regional government should be revitalized and the current politico-administrative structure redesigned to accommodate local customs and practices and facilitate a consultative and collegial local governance arrangement.
The generation of independent Rayleigh faders

The simulation of wireless communication channels often requires the generation of multiple complex waveforms satisfying the following conditions. (1) The real and imaginary parts are independent zero-mean random Gaussian processes with identical auto-correlation functions. (2) The complex waveforms are independent so that the cross-correlation function between any two waveforms is zero. We first analyze previously proposed methods based on Jakes fading model to demonstrate that the above two conditions have not been satisfied. We then propose a novel method for the generation of multiple Rayleigh faders, which uses improved arrival angle patterns and incident wave phases. The auto-correlation and cross-correlation functions are derived to prove theoretically that the above two conditions are satisfied. Finally the statistical properties are verified by numerical results.
Apparent competition with an invasive plant hastens the extinction of an endangered lupine

Invasive plants may compete with native plants by increasing the pressure of native consumers, a mechanism known as ''apparent competition.'' Apparent competition can be as strong as or stronger than direct competition, but the role of apparent competition has rarely been examined in biological invasions. We used four years of demographic data and seed-removal experiments to determine if introduced grasses caused elevated levels of seed consumption on native plant species in a coastal dune system in California, USA. We show that the endangered, coastal dune plant Lupinus tidestromii experiences high levels of pre- dispersal seed consumption by the native rodent Peromyscus maniculatus due to its proximity to the invasive grass, Ammophila arenaria. We use stage-structured, stochastic population models to project that two of three study populations will decline toward extinction under ambient levels of consumption. For one of these declining populations, a relatively small decrease in consumption pressure should allow for persistence. We show that apparent competition with an invasive species significantly decreases the population growth rate and persistence of a native species. We expect that apparent competition is an important mechanism in other ecosystems because invasive plants often change habitat structure and plant-consumer interactions. Possible implications of the apparent-competition mechanism include selective extinction of species preferred by seed consumers in the presence of an invasive species and biological homogenization of communities toward non-preferred native plant species.
Longer Operative Time During Benign Laparoscopic and Robotic Hysterectomy Is Associated With Increased 30-Day Perioperative Complications.

Abstract Study Objective The relationship between operative time and perioperative morbidity has not been fully characterized in gynecology. We aimed to determine the impact of operative time on 30-day perioperative complications after laparoscopic and robotic hysterectomy. Design Patients undergoing laparoscopic and robotic hysterectomy for benign disease from 2006 to 2011 within the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database were identified by Current Procedural Terminology code. Operative times were stratified into 60-minute intervals and complication rates analyzed. Primary outcomes included 30-day overall, medical, and surgical complications. Bivariate analyses using χ 2 , Fisher's exact, and one-way analysis of variance tests were performed to compare clinical and procedural characteristics associated with longer operative time and complications. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were then performed to determine the independent association between operative time and perioperative complications. Design Classification Canadian Task Force classification II-2 (Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control studies preferably from more than 1 center or research group). Setting American College of Surgeons NSQIP. Patients Patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic hysterectomy for benign disease from 2006 to 2011 at any institution participating in NSQIP. Interventions None, retrospective database study. Measurements and Main Results Of the 7630 laparoscopic and robotic hysterectomies identified, 399 patients (5.2%) experienced complications, most commonly urinary tract infection (UTI; 2.1%), superficial surgical site infection (1.0%), and blood transfusion (1.0%). Return to the operating room was required in 97 patients (1.3%), and there were 4 deaths, for a mortality rate of .05%. Complications increased steadily with longer operative time. Operative time ≥ 240 minutes was associated with increased overall complications (13.8% vs 4.6%, p Conclusion We demonstrated a direct, independent association between operative time and 30-day complications after laparoscopic and robotic hysterectomy. Future research should aim to further delineate risk factors for prolonged operative time and morbidity in laparoscopic hysterectomy to allow surgeons to maximize preoperative planning and optimize patient selection for minimally invasive hysterectomy.
Effects of the protonophore carbonyl-cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone on intracytoplasmic membrane assembly in Rhodobacter sphaeroides

The effect of carbonyl-cyanide m-chlorophenyl-hydrazone (CCCP) on intracytoplasmic membrane (ICM) assembly was examined in the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. CCCP blocks generation of the electrochemical proton gradient required for integral membrane protein insertion. ICM formation was induced for 8h, followed by a 4-h exposure to CCCP. Measurements of fluorescence induction/relaxation kinetics showed that CCCP caused a diminished quantum yield, a cessation in expansion of the functional absorption cross-section and a 4- to 10-fold slowing in the electron transfer turnover rate. ICM vesicles (chromatophores) and an upper-pigmented band (UPB) containing ICM growth initiation sites, were isolated and subjected to clear-native electrophoresis. Proteomic analysis of the chromatophore gel bands indicated that CCCP produced a 2.7-fold reduction in spectral counts in the preferentially assembled light-harvesting 2 (LH2) antenna, while the RC-LH1 complex, F1FO-ATPase and pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase decreased by 1.7-1.9-fold. For 35 soluble enzymes, the ratio of 0.99 for treated/control proteins demonstrated that protein synthesis was unaffected by CCCP, suggesting that the membrane complex decline arose from the turnover of unassembled apoproteins. In the UPB fraction, an ~2-fold accumulation was observed for the preprotein translocase SecY, the SecA translocation ATPase, SecD and SecF insertion components, and chaperonins DnaJ and DnaK, consistent with the possibility that these factors, which act early in the assembly process, have accumulated in association with nascent polypeptides as stabilized assembly intermediates.
Comparison of the scaling characteristics of nanoscale silicon N-channel multiple-gate MOSFETs

This paper compares the scaling characteristics of the three leading multi-gate MOSFET designs, namely the finFET, trigate and omega-gate. A commercial numerical device simulator is employed using a common set of material parameters, device physics models and performance metrics. Examined initially are the short channel effects including the subthreshold slope S and drain induced barrier lowering DIBL as the gate length is scaled down to 20 nm. Subsequently investigated and compared are the effects of scaling of the fin body's width and height, the oxide thickness and the channel doping. The results suggest that the omega-gate MOSFET shows the best device scaling characteristics
Port address translation based route optimization for mobile IP

The current mobility management protocol mobile IP (MIP) specifies the use of a home agent (HA) in forwarding datagrams to/from the mobile node (MN). This often leads to the usage of either triangular routing or reverse tunneling. Both these modes of communication introduce additional delay in data transmission between a corresponding node (CN) and a MN, in addition to the wastage of network resources. IETF has proposed certain extensions to MIP to support route optimization. A drawback of the proposed route optimization extensions to MIP is the requirement for the CN to be mobility aware. In this paper, the authors propose a port address translation based route optimization scheme. The proposed route optimization scheme attempts to reduce the overhead and delay involved with traditional mobile communication by means of using port address translation (PAT) and routing the packet using an optimal path. Preliminary analysis carried out by the authors indicates a significant performance improvement compared to that of normal MIP and other route optimization techniques.
Cholera in the United States, 2001-2011: a reflection of patterns of global epidemiology and travel.

US cholera surveillance offers insight into global and domestic trends. Between 2001 and 2011, 111 cases were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cholera was associated with international travel in 90 (81%) patients and was domestically acquired in 20 (18%) patients; for one patient, information was not available. From January 2001 to October 2010, the 42 (47%) travel-associated cases were associated with travel to Asia. In October 2010, a cholera epidemic started in Haiti, soon spreading to the Dominican Republic (Hispaniola). From then to December 2011, 40 (83%) of the 48 travel-associated cases were associated with travel to Hispaniola. Of 20 patients who acquired cholera domestically, 17 (85%) reported seafood consumption; 10 (59%) ate seafood from the US Gulf Coast. In summary, an increase in travel-associated US cholera cases was associated with epidemic cholera in Hispaniola in 2010–2011. Travel to Asia and consumption of Gulf Coast seafood remained important sources of US cholera cases.
Methods for Calculating Energy Requirements for Processes in Which a Reactant Is Also a Fuel: Need for Standardization

When a process involves both endothermic chemical reactions and heat generation from the combustion of fuels, the choice of endothermic reactions to include in computing the “energy requirement” for the overall process is arbitrary and can be a source of confusion. It is shown that the essential question becomes whether the heat of combustion of a reactant, which can be used as a fuel, should be included in the energy requirement value. It is noted that the choice is a matter of convention, but it is important to clearly state what convention is followed in presenting the results of energy calculations. There is a need to select a standard approach because the presented value of “energy requirement” of a process depends on the choice. This problem is illustrated using the example of ironmaking by different processes including a novel flash ironmaking process under development at the University of Utah. The authors advocate using just the “process energy requirement” as the standard value of the energy requirement for a process in which a reactant is also a fuel.
The Structure of Emotion Evidence From Neuroimaging Studies

One common point of debate in the study of emotion is whether the basic, irreducible elements of emotional life are discrete emotion categories, such as anger, fear, sadness, and so on, or dimensions such as approach and avoidance. Resolving this debate will identify the basic building blocks of emotional life that are the most appropriate targets of scientific inquiry. In this paper, we briefly review meta-analytic work on the neuroimaging of emotion and examine its potential for identifying “natural kinds” of emotion in the brain. We outline criteria for identifying such natural kinds, summarize the evidence to date on category and dimensional approaches, and suggest ways in which neuroimaging studies could more directly address fundamental questions about the nature of emotion.
Measuring the Success of Wildlife Community Restoration

It is difficult to measure the success of wildlife community restoration when the restoration goal concerns a relatively broad geographic area, rather than a particular piece of land, since many restored sites need to be compared to many reference sites simultaneously. A review of the methods used to measure success in previous restoration efforts indicated the potential value of multimetric methods to make the comparison. We designed a new method that retains some of the advantages of multimetric methods but also removes some of the associated problems. The new method was applied to data from 30 restored sites (phosphate-mined land) and 30 reference sites in central Florida (USA), and it showed the difference in wildlife composition between restored and reference sites to be large, relative to the maximum possible difference. Alternative methods were applied to the same data. Multivariate methods were unable to measure success adequately. Percentage similarity analysis yielded results seemingly comparabl...
Beware of Small States: Lebanon, Battleground of the Middle East – By David Hirst

Titled after a comment by the Russian anarchist Mikhail Bakunin in 1870, Beware of Small States traces the history of Lebanon from the nineteenth century, with an emphasis on the period from 1982 t...
Estimation of the parameter covariance matrix for a one-compartment cardiac perfusion model estimated from a dynamic sequence reconstructed using MAP iterative reconstruction algorithms

In dynamic cardiac SPECT estimates of kinetic parameters of a one-compartment perfusion model are usually obtained in a two step process: 1) first a MAP iterative algorithm, which properly models the Poisson statistics and the physics of the data acquisition, reconstructs a sequence of dynamic reconstructions, 2) then kinetic parameters are estimated from time activity curves generated from the dynamic reconstructions. This paper provides a method for calculating the covariance matrix of the kinetic parameters, which are determined using weighted least squares fitting that incorporates the estimated variance and covariance of the dynamic reconstructions. Sequential tomographic projections are reconstructed into a sequence of transaxial reconstructions for each transaxial slice using for each reconstruction in the time sequence the fixed-point solution to the MAP reconstruction. Time-activity curves for a sum of activity in a blood region inside the left ventricle and a sum in a cardiac tissue region, for the variance of the two estimates of the sum, and for the covariance between the two ROI estimates are generated at convergence. A one-compartment model is fit to the tissue activity curves assuming a noisy blood input function to give weighted least squares estimates of blood volume fraction, wash-in and wash-out rate constants specifying the kinetics for the left ventricular myocardium. Numerical methods are used to calculate the second derivative of the chi-square criterion to obtain estimates of the covariance matrix for the weighted least square parameter estimates. Even though the method requires one matrix inverse for each time interval of tomographic acquisition, efficient estimates of the tissue kinetic parameters in a dynamic cardiac SPECT study can be obtained with present day desk-top computers.
Simulation-based multiobjective optimization of bridge construction processes using parallel computing

Conventionally, efforts are made to optimize the performance of simulation models by examining several possible resource combinations. However, the number of possible resource assignments increases exponentially with the increase of the range of available resources. Many researchers combined Genetic Algorithms (GAs) and other optimization techniques with simulation models to reach the Pareto solutions. However, due to the large number of resources required in complex and large-scale construction projects, which results in a very large search space, and the limittion of the GA capability in fast convergence to the optimum results, parallel computing is required to reduce the computational time. This paper proposes the usage of Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) as the optimization engine integrated with Discrete Event Simulation (DES) to model the bridge construction processes. The parallel computing platform is applied to reduce the computation time necessary to deal with multiple objective functions and the large search space.
Warfarin for Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis After Elective Hip or Knee Arthroplasty: Exploring the Evidence, Guidelines, and Challenges Remaining

BACKGROUND:Guidelines for the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) after elective total hip or knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) have been developed separately by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP). Differences exist in approaches to preventing postoperative VTE through prophylaxis.OBJECTIVE:To compare trials using vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and differences in guidelines to determine the benefits and drawbacks of warfarin for VTE prophylaxis following THA/TKA.DATA SOURCES:Guidelines from the AAOS published in 2009 and revised in 2011 and from the ACCP published in 2008 were compared for recommendations on the use of VKAs. A MEDLINE search from 1960 to November 2009 was conducted to identify pertinent articles on the use of warfarin or VKAs for VTE prophylaxis following THA/TKA. Search terms included warfarin, vitamin K antagonist, total hip or total knee replacement, and total hip or total knee arthroplasty.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXT...
Risk-adjusted survival after coronary artery bypass grafting: implications for quality improvement

Mortality represents an important outcome measure following coronary artery bypass grafting. Shorter survival times may reflect poor surgical quality and an increased number of costly postoperative complications. Quality control efforts aimed at increasing survival times may be misleading if not properly adjusted for case-mix severity. This paper demonstrates how to construct and cross-validate efficiency-outcome plots for a specified time (e.g., 6-month and 1-year survival) after coronary artery bypass grafting, accounting for baseline cardiovascular risk factors. The application of this approach to regional centers allows for the localization of risk stratification rather than applying overly broad and non-specific models to their patient populations.
High‐Throughput RT‐PCR for Small‐Molecule Screening Assays

Quantitative measurement of the levels of mRNA expression via real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has long been used for analyzing expression differences in tissue or cell lines of interest. This method has been used somewhat less frequently to measure the changes in gene expression due to perturbagens such as small molecules or siRNA. The availability of new instrumentation for liquid handling and real-time PCR analysis, as well as the commercial availability of start-to-finish kits for RT-PCR, has enabled the use of this method for high-throughput small-molecule screening on a scale comparable to traditional high-throughput screening (HTS) assays. This protocol focuses on the special considerations necessary for using quantitative RT-PCR as a primary small-molecule screening assay, including the different methods available for mRNA isolation and analysis.Curr. Protoc. Chem. Biol. 4:49-63 © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: real-time PCR; high-throughput screening; phenotypic screening; qRT-PCR; gene expression
Mental Control of Trauma Related Intrusions

This article reviews the current literature on mental control of trauma-related intrusions. First, the characteristics of intrusions and related phenomena, such as appraisals of the trauma and maladaptive thought control strategies are reviewed. Secondly, the relationship of intrusions and distress is explored. This is followed by a discussion of mental control and persistence of trauma-related intrusions. The treatment of unwanted intrusions is also included. Finally, future directions of research are discussed. It is suggested that future research more clearly define intrusions and associated characteristics. In addition it is recommended that treatment outcome studies report their results for specific symptoms, including intrusions, to help in further refining treatments.
A contrast echocardiography image analysis workstation used to quantify myocardial blood flow using left atrial injection of contrast

A contrast echocardiography workstation was developed and used to determine whether the myocardial transit rate of microbubbles injected into the left atrium would also correlate with regional myocardial blood flow (RMBF). End diastolic images were analyzed and time intensity plots are automatically derived from the anterior myocardium. It has been found that there is a close linear correlation between myocardial microbubble transit rate and RMBF in the 7 dogs tested (r=0.83, SEE=0.14, p >
Introducing the Institutional (D)Evolution Framework to Examine Policies and Practices Regarding Sexual Orientation

(2013). Introducing the Institutional (D)Evolution Framework to Examine Policies and Practices Regarding Sexual Orientation. Administrative Theory & Praxis: Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 441-447.
Towards A Reflexive Ethnography: (Re-) Inserting the Producer and Process into the Research Equation

The individualistic orientation of life histories has long been hailed as an antidote to the generalizing tendencies of ethnographic research. However, the life history method is not without problems of its own, as I explain by referencing some of the most well celebrated life histories and so-called “autobiographies” in the anthropological corpus. The traditional method of composing the life history as a flowing narrative is not only morally dishonest but also intellectually inadequate because it conveys the false impression of a chronologically timeless and uninterrupted soliloquy. By focusing only on the final product, life histories ignore the other two components in the communicative process. In this essay, I emphasize the need to (re-)insert the producer and process into the research equation.
Organizations, Labor Markets, and Gender Integration in Academic Sociology

This paper examines several facets of gender integration within academic sociology: total segregation, as in all-male faculties; appointments of women in token or solo positions; variations in the departmental faculty sex ratio; and the “ghettoization” of women in lower academic ranks and positions with heavy committee assignments. These outcomes are analyzed at the organizational level as the product of the operation of internal and external labor markets in academia. Drawing on a representative 1984 national survey of sociology departments (N = 230), multivariate analyses indicate that a large proportion of the variation in gender integration from one department to the next can be predicted from the organizational context. Several organizational factors appear to militate against total segregation (all-male faculties) while promoting balance in the faculty sex ratio and in the distribution of academic rank. These include demand for labor in the form of job opportunities, especially those created through...
De Novo Structure-Based Design of Ion-Pair Triple-Stranded Helicates

We present a generalized approach toward the design of ion-pair ML3A helicates assembled by coordination of metal cations (M) and anions (A) by ditopic chelating ligands (L). This computational approach, based on de novo structure-based design principles implemented in the HostDesigner software, led to identification of synthetically accessible ditopic ligands that are structurally encoded to form charge-neutral ion-pair helicates with FeSO4 or LnPO4.
I-athlon: Towards A Multidimensional Turing Test

While the Turing test is a well-known method for evaluating machine intelligence, it has a number of drawbacks that make it problematic as a rigorous and practical test for assessing progress in general-purpose AI. For example, the Turing test is deception based, subjectively evaluated, and narrowly focused on language use. We suggest that a test would benefit from including the following requirements: focus on rational behavior, test several dimensions of intelligence, automate as much as possible, score as objectively as possible, and allow incremental progress to be measured. In this article we propose a methodology for designing a test that consists of a series of events, analogous to the Olympic Decathlon, which complies with these requirements. The approach, which we call the I-athlon, is intended to ultimately enable the community to evaluate progress towards machine intelligence in a practical and repeatable way.
Toward a Linguistically Responsive Teacher Identity: An Empirical Review of the Literature

ABSTRACTDespite current demographic imperatives, little is known about how teachers understand, construct, and enact their professional identities in relation to teaching English learners (ELs). This article, an empirical review of the literature on teacher identity and ELs, examines how teacher identity has been investigated among educators working in English-dominant teaching contexts. Findings suggest that the literature has largely focused on three main facets of teacher identity: characteristics of teacher identity, factors contributing to teacher identity development, and contextual influences on teacher identity. Implications for promoting the development of a linguistically responsive teacher identity in education include the diversification of the teacher workforce, the incorporation of reflective practice among education practitioners, and fostering professional identity development for teachers of ELs.
Pharmacotherapy during pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a review

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Pediatric critical illness and associated alterations in organ function can change drug pharmacokinetics (PK). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a life-saving therapy for severe cardiac and/or respiratory failure, causes additional PK alterations that affect drug disposition.Areas covered: The purposes of this review are to discuss the PK changes that occur during ECMO, the associated therapeutic implications, and to review PK literature relevant to pediatric ECMO. We discuss various classes of drugs commonly used for pediatric patients on ECMO, including sedatives, analgesics, antimicrobials and cardiovascular drugs. Finally, we discuss future areas of research and recommend strategies for future pediatric ECMO pharmacologic investigations.Expert opinion: Clinicians caring for pediatric patients treated with ECMO must have an understanding of PK alterations that could lead to either therapeutic failures or increased drug toxicity during this life-saving therapy. Limited da...
Inflammatory Demyelinating Diseases

Abstract The spinal cord is commonly affected in inflammatory demyelinating diseases (IDD) of the central nervous system. In the most common IDD, multiple sclerosis (MS), the importance of spinal cord involvement is highlighted by the inclusion of characteristic cord lesions in its current diagnostic criteria. In neuromyelitis optica, longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesions over three or more segments are considered almost pathognomonic for the disease. In general, spinal cord lesion load shows a strong correlation with disability, and spinal cord-derived magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures are some of the strongest biomarkers of a disabling disease course. In progressive forms of MS, the clinical phenotype is consistent with a progressive myelopathy in most cases. These forms of MS, especially primary progressive MS, represent a major challenge for disease activity monitoring. Novel quantitative MRI metrics characterizing spinal cord involvement in MS are expected to find their way into routine clinical monitoring as they provide unique insight into tissue abnormalities, allowing for monitoring of disease progression and assessment of response to treatment. These techniques include magnetization transfer MRI, diffusion-weighted imaging, atrophy measurement techniques, T1 and T2 relaxometry, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy.