cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrity Study of ACSR and ACSS Two Stage Splice Connectors at High Operation Temperatures

Due to material discontinuity and inherited forming mechanism, the conductor-connector system of a crimped-type splice connector is highly sensitive to aging of system components, especially during high-temperature operations. Furthermore, due to the increase in power demand and limited investment in new infrastructure, existing overhead power transmission lines often need to operate at temperatures higher than the original designed values. This has led to the accelerated aging and degradation of conductor-connector systems. The implications of connector aging are two-fold: (1) significant increase in electric resistivity of the splice connector and (2) significant reduction in the connector clamping strength. Therefore, splice connectors are one of the weakest links in the electric power transmission infrastructure. The integrity of crimped-type splice connectors is one major concern in the efficiency and reliability of power transmission system. In this paper we present results from high temperature integrity studies of two-stage splice connector systems used for both ACSR and ACSS transmission conductors. The forming process and thermal cycling degradation behaviour are simulated using finite element modeling, which shows good agreement with degradation trends obtained from experimental data. A numerical simulation protocol has been developed to provide guidance in predicting the effective lifetime of ACSR and ACSS splice connector systems.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Interacting quantum wires: A possible explanation for the 0.7 anomalous conductance

Abstract We investigate an effective one-dimensional conducting channel considering both the contact umklapp and the Coulomb electron–electron interaction. We show that, at low electronic density, the proximity to the Wigner crystal reproduces the anomaly in conductance at 0.7 G 0 . The crucial ingredient of our theory is the fact that the gate voltage acts as a bias controlling the intensity of the umklapp term. At large gate voltages, the umklapp vanishes and we obtain a conducting quantum wire with a perfect conductance. At low gate voltages, the Wigner crystal is pinned by the umklapp term, giving rise to an insulating behavior with vanishing conductance. This crossover pattern has a transition point which can be identified with the anomalous conductance around 0.7 G 0 . This picture is obtained within the framework of a renormalization group calculation. The conductance static regime is achieved by taking first the limit of finite length and then the limit of zero frequency.
A HISTORY OF ANALYTIC FEEDBACK SYSTEM DESIGN

Abstract In this paper the history of analytic, or synthesis, methods for linear feedback system design will be reviewed. The term analytic design is used to define design methods where an existence theorem is available, and when a solution is known to exist, a computable algorithm for computing a solution is available. Examples of analytic design discussed in this paper include, pole-placement, linear-quadratic control, mean-square control, Youla parameterization, gain and phase-margin optimization, and robust stabilization.
Limitations of myocardial revascularization in restoration of regional contraction abnormalities produced by coronary occlusion

Abstract The effect of reperfusion instituted from 30 minutes to 3 hours after coronary occlusion on the contractile characteristics of the ischemic zone, border zone and nonischemic myocardium was studied in 29 dogs using Walton-Brodle strain gauge arches and mercury-in-Silastic ® tubing segment length gauges. After 30 and 45 minutes of coronary occlusion, reperfusion resulted in an immediate reversal of abnormalities in segment length and tension of the ischemic zone to near normal. Preejection tension Increased from 32.3 ± 5.1 to 95.2 ± 4.7 percent of control level, ejection tension from zero to 71.7 ± 7.0 percent, total tension from 27.5 ± 2.5 to 87.1 ± 6.2 percent and dT dt from 42.1 ± 4.1 to 100.0 ± 4.5 percent. Phasic segment length decreased from 150.2 ± 5.1 percent to 100.0 ± 5.0 percent of control value. Aneurysmal bulging disappeared completely. However, after 1 hour of coronary occlusion, reperfusion resulted In a significant ( P decrease in all contraction variables In the ischemic zone. Preejection tension decreased from 58.7 ± 7.9 to 31.2 ± 5.5 percent, ejection tension decreased initially but recovered to prereperfusion levels, total tension decreased from 48.5 ± 5.9 to 24.0 ± 4.0 percent and dT dt declined from 60.7 ± 7.2 to 30.9 ± 5.7 percent of control levels. Phasic segment length gradually decreased from 162.5 ± 6.0 to 137.5 ± 12.5 percent of control value. The border zone exhibited similar decreases in function In four studies, and improved in two. After 2 and 3 hours of coronary occlusion, reperfusion was uniformly followed by further decreases In function of both ischemic and border zones. In conclusion, contraction abnormalities produced by 45 minutes of coronary occlusion are reversible with reperfusion. However, when reperfusion is instituted after 1 hour of occlusion, the abnormalities are often accentuated and this becomes invariable after 2 hours of occlusion. Thus, the myocardial impairment appears to be functionally irreversible after this time period.
1554 efficacy of theophylline for prevention of post-extubation respiratory failure in INFANTS LESS THAN 1250 GRAMS

Because methylxanthines modulate apnea and enhance intercostal and diaphragmatic contractility, we hypothesized that administration of theophylline to infants < 1250 gm on low ventilatory settings would facilitate extubation and prevent post-extubation respiratory failure. A prospective, randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial was performed. Twenty-five infants [11 placebo (P), 14 treated (T)] who were < 1250 grams on assisted ventilation with FiO2 ≤ .30, PIP ≤ 20, IMV ≤ 10 were enrolled. Electrolyte abnormalities and anemia were corrected before entry and absence or stability of IVH was confirmed by cranial sonography. Prior to extubation, T infants received 6 mg/kg theophylline loading dose IV or PO and then a maintenance dose 2 mg/kg q 12h for 5 doses. Control infants received equal volumes of normal saline. No significant differences existed between groups for birthweight, GA, duration of ventilation, and peak FiO2. Nine of 14 T infants and only 1 of 11 P infants were successfully extubated for at least 5 days (p=0.01). Of 5 T infant failures, 2 had congestive heart failure with patent ductus arteriosus and 3 had severe apnea. Of 10 P infant failures, 8 had recurrent apnea and 2 failed to wean from the respirator during the study period. Seven of 9 P infants were later successfully extubated with theophylline. We conclude that theophylline therapy prior to extubation of infants < 1250 gms is effective in preventing post-extubation respiratory failure.
Density-modulus relationship in graphite fibers made from acrylic yarns.

Three types of polyacrylonitrile yarn were converted to graphite fibers. There was a linear relation between density and Young9s modulus of the graphite fibers, the ranges observed being 1.58 to 2.18 grams per cubic centimeter and 25 to 112 x 10 6 pounds per square inch.
A comparison of lattice decoding algorithms in hardware implementation

Multiple-input multiple-output wireless systems use multiple antennas in both transmitter and receiver. The huge capacity of this multi-environment system has attracted intensive interests in recent years. Hardware implementation of MIMO lattice decoder becomes a challenging task because of the complexity of the lattice decoding algorithms. This paper compares two typical lattice decoding algorithms in hardware implementations. The data dependency among the iterative closest lattice point search procedure is examined and the possibilities of parallel implementation are explored. Parallel architectures are designed for each algorithm and are prototyped on two different hardware platforms: FPGA and DSP. Decoding rate and bit error rate are compared between the two algorithms. The performance of different hardware platforms is investigated as well. The experimental results show that the FPGA-based AV algorithm decoder supports 17.6Mbit/s decoding rate when mapped on a Xilinx Virtex2 1000 FPGA, and is more than 7 times faster than the VB algorithm decoder on the same hardware. To achieve the compatible bit error rate performance, FPGA based lattice decoder provides an order of magnitude faster decoding rate than the DSP decoder using the same algorithm.
Patient satisfaction with the prenatal care provider and the risk of cesarean delivery.

Objectives This study was undertaken to assess the relationship between patient satisfaction with the prenatal care provider and a gravid woman's risk of cesarean delivery. Study design Medical records of 586 consecutive deliveries in a single obstetrics department were reviewed. The delivery mode was correlated to the providers' overall patient satisfaction score as measured by an ongoing mail survey. Mann-Whitney U tests and 2-tailed t tests were used. Results On the basis of the prenatal provider, not the delivering physician, the cesarean section delivery rates fell into 3 groups: low rate, average rate, and high rate. There is a significant difference in both the cesarean delivery rate and the patient satisfaction survey scores between the prenatal providers in the high- and low-rate groups. Conclusion Higher patient satisfaction scores is correlated with a lower cesarean delivery rate.
Paleoclimate, proxies, paradoxes, and predictions

The author looks in a broad way at the issues studied by paleoclimatology, and discusses some of the observational evidence which is inducing much interest today with concerns about global climate, and global warming. He discusses how the science has evolved, and the application of diverse skills to the problem of interpreting, and explaining the observational evidence. This is a broad general interest type of article.
Phenotypic Consequences of Aneuploidy in Arabidopsis thaliana

Aneuploid cells are characterized by incomplete chromosome sets. The resulting imbalance in gene dosage has phenotypic consequences that are specific to each karyotype. Even in the case of Down syndrome, the most viable and studied form of human aneuploidy, the mechanisms underlying the connected phenotypes remain mostly unclear. Because of their tolerance to aneuploidy, plants provide a powerful system for a genome-wide investigation of aneuploid syndromes, an approach that is not feasible in animal systems. Indeed, in many plant species, populations of aneuploid individuals can be easily obtained from triploid individuals. We phenotyped a population of Arabidopsis thaliana aneuploid individuals containing 25 different karyotypes. Even in this highly heterogeneous population, we demonstrate that certain traits are strongly associated with the dosage of specific chromosome types and that chromosomal effects can be additive. Further, we identified subtle developmental phenotypes expressed in the diploid progeny of aneuploid parent(s) but not in euploid controls from diploid lineages. These results indicate long-term phenotypic consequences of aneuploidy that can persist after chromosomal balance has been restored. We verified the diploid nature of these individuals by whole-genome sequencing and discuss the possibility that trans-generational phenotypic effects stem from epigenetic modifications passed from aneuploid parents to their diploid progeny.
Excitation spectrum of neutral molecules adsorbed on metal surfaces

We have investigated the excitation spectrum of neutral atoms adsorbed on metal surfaces. The excitation spectrum is found to consist of two symmetric and two anti-symmetric energy modes whose spectral functions are described by asymmetric lorentzian lines. Detailed expressions are derived for the energies of excitation and the corresponding spectral widths. Numerical results are obtained for rare-gas atoms adsorbed on metal surfaces.
Prognostic significance of immunophenotypic and karyotypic features of Philadelphia positive B‐lymphoblastic leukemia in the era of tyrosine kinase inhibitors

BACKGROUND: Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive B-lymphoblastic leukemia exhibits immunophenotypic, karyotypic, and molecular genetic heterogeneity. The prognostic significance of these parameters was assessed in the context of intensive tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-based chemotherapy. METHODS: The authors studied 65 adult patients with Ph-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who received treatment with TKI-based therapy, correlated their clinicopathologic heterogeneity with patient outcome, and compared the findings with those from 60 adult patients with diploid B-cell ALL who received similar chemotherapy without a TKI. RESULTS: Ph-positive ALL was associated with older age (P = .01), the common-B immunophenotype characterized by a greater frequency of CD13 (alanine aminopeptidase) coexpression (P = .004), CD66c (carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 3) expression (P = .007), and CD25 (interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain) expression (P < .001) and with a lower frequency of CD15 (3-fucosyl-N-acetyl-lactosamine) expression (P < .001). Conventional karyotypic analyses indicated that the Ph chromosome was the sole abnormality in 19 patients (30%), was present with other aberrancies in 43 patients (65%), and was absent (detectable only by fluorescence in situ hybridization [FISH] or quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] analysis) in 3 patients (5%). The presence of the breakpoint cluster region–v-Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene homolog fusion gene (BCR-ABL) was confirmed in all patients by FISH or RT-PCR (the 190-kDa protein [p190] construct was present in 49 patients [77%], and the p210 fusion transcript construct was present in 15 patients [23%]). The presence of a supernumerary Ph chromosome was correlated with a higher incidence of CD20 (B-lymphocyte antigen, nonglycosylated phosphoprotein) expression (P < .001), whereas the p210 construct was correlated with aberrant CD25 expression (P = .05). Outcomes were not influenced by the degree of karyotypic complexity (including the presence or absence of a supernumerary Ph chromosome), CD20 expression, or myeloid antigen expression (CD13, CD33 [myeloid lineage transmembrane receptor], CD66c). CD25 expression was associated with inferior survival in univariate analysis (P = .051) but not in multivariate analysis (P = .092). CONCLUSIONS: In the context of intensive, TKI-based chemotherapy, the immunophenotypic, karyotypic, and molecular heterogeneity of Ph-positive ALL no longer influences outcome. Cancer 2011. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
The long-term health consequences of relationship violence in adulthood: an examination of low-income women from Boston, Chicago, and San Antonio.

Objectives. We examined the long-term health consequences of relationship violence in adulthood.Methods. Using data from the Welfare, Children, and Families project (1999 and 2001), a probability sample of 2402 low-income women with children living in disadvantaged neighborhoods in Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; and San Antonio, Texas, we predicted changes in the frequency of intoxication, psychological distress, and self-rated health over 2 years with baseline measures of relationship violence and a host of relevant background variables.Results. Our analyses showed that psychological aggression predicted increases in psychological distress, whereas minor physical assault and sexual coercion predicted increases in the frequency of intoxication. There was no evidence to suggest that relationship violence in adulthood predicted changes in self-rated health.Conclusions. Experiences with relationship violence beyond the formative and developmental years of childhood and adolescence can have far-rea...
Does the broad categories for the diagnosis of eating disorders (BCD-ED) scheme reduce the frequency of eating disorder not otherwise specified?

A major problem with the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV; 1) categories for eating disorders is that a large fraction of treatment-seeking patients are grouped into a residual category of eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). Different options have been suggested to reduce the number of individuals classified with an EDNOS in the next version of the DSM, including: (1) changes in wording to the existing diagnostic criteria (e.g., 2); (2) modest changes such as deleting the amenorrhea criterion for anorexia nervosa (AN; 3) and changing the required frequency of binge eating for bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED) from twice weekly to once weekly episodes (4); (3) major changes such as including BED as a formal diagnosis (5) or eliminating the requirement of “large amount” during episodes of binge eating (6); and (4) adopting a revised conceptual scheme such as the Broad Categories for the Diagnosis of Eating Disorders (BCD-ED) proposal (7). The BCD-ED proposal was designed to improve the existing diagnostic classification scheme by significantly reducing the number of individuals who would receive an EDNOS diagnosis, while preserving a three-category system resembling that of DSM-IV (7). In the BCD-ED scheme, there are three broadly defined disorders: AN and Behaviorally Similar Disorders (AN-BSD), BN and Behaviorally Similar Disorders (BN-BSD), and BED and Behaviorally Similar Disorders (BED-BSD); like DSM-IV and DSM-5, BCD-ED also includes a residual EDNOS category. Each broad category includes a “prototypical” case and sub-groups, which could be used to describe less typical clinical presentations (7). However, there are a number of concerns about adopting this system. For example, while existing studies suggest that the BCD-ED scheme would reduce cases of EDNOS (7), the broad categories have not yet been applied prospectively to assess patients with eating disorders to evaluate the effect on the prevalence of EDNOS. Further, it is possible that a more inclusive system for diagnosis like BCD-ED could result in overdiagnosis; that is, an eating disorder diagnosis might be given when it is not warranted. The purpose of the current study was two-fold. First, to evaluate individuals with an eating disorder to determine the proportion with a DSM-IV EDNOS diagnosis that would be reclassified into a broad category using BCD-ED or the proposed DSM-5 criteria (www.dsm5.org). Second, to evaluate whether the BCD-ED scheme would “overdiagnose” eating disorders among overweight individuals, we assessed adolescents enrolled in a bariatric surgery program using the BCD-ED criteria. We hypothesized that, as intended by the BCD-ED scheme, the application of the broad categories would reduce the prevalence of DSM-IV EDNOS, and that the proportion of overweight adolescents diagnosed with an eating disorder would not increase substantially under the BCD-ED scheme.
Role of TRPV1 in inflammation-induced airway hypersensitivity

Airway hypersensitivity is a common pathophysiological feature in various airway inflammatory diseases. Increasing evidence suggests that activation of the transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 receptor (TRPV1) plays an important part in the manifestation of various symptoms of airway hypersensitivity. This mini-review focuses on recent studies that have revealed several potential contributing factors to the increase in TRPV1 sensitivity in pulmonary sensory neurons during airway inflammatory reaction. In addition, chronic allergic airway inflammation induces a pronounced overexpression of TRPV1 in neurofilament-positive pulmonary sensory neurons in nodose ganglia. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the increase in sensitivity and/or expression of TRPV1 during acute and chronic airway inflammation should generate the necessary information for developing effective therapeutic interventions to alleviate airway hypersensitivity.
Crystallographic analysis of murine constitutive androstane receptor ligand-binding domain complexed with 5α-androst-16-en-3α-ol

The constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. In contrast to classical nuclear receptors, which possess small-molecule ligand-inducible activity, CAR exhibits constitutive transcriptional activity in the apparent absence of ligand. CAR is among the most important transcription factors; it coordinately regulates the expression of microsomal cytochrome P450 genes and other drug-metabolizing enzymes. The murine CAR ligand-binding domain (LBD) was coexpressed with the steroid receptor coactivator protein (SRC-1) receptor-interacting domain (RID) in Escherichia coli. The mCAR LBD subunit was purified away from SRC-1 by affinity, anion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography, crystallized with androstenol and the structure of the complex determined by molecular replacement.
Paradox lost: answers and questions about walking on water

The mechanism by which surface tension allows water striders (members of the genus Gerris) to stand on the surface of a pond or stream is a classic example for introductory classes in animal mechanics. Until recently, however, the question of how these insects propelled themselves remained open. One plausible mechanism-creating momentum in the water via the production of capillary waves-led to a paradox: juvenile water striders move their limbs too slowly to produce waves, but nonetheless travel across the water's surface. Two recent papers demonstrate that both water striders and water-walking spiders circumvent this paradox by foregoing any reliance on waves to gain purchase on the water. Instead they use their legs as oars, and the capillary 'dimple' formed by each leg acts as the oar's blade. The resulting hydrodynamic drag produces vortices in the water, and the motion of these vortices imparts the necessary fluid momentum. These studies pave the way for a more thorough understanding of the complex mechanics of walking on water, and an exploration of how this intriguing form of locomotion scales with the size of the organism.
An integrated framework for interactive simulations

The paper describes the design of an integrated framework for interactive, parallel and distributed scientific simulations. The framework is driven by a unified computational engine that can "seamlessly" integrate parallel/distributed computing, interactive visualization, and scientific databases. The fundamental innovation is a unifying data representation and an associated semantically specialized distributed virtual shared memory that can simultaneously support dynamic computations, visualization, and interaction operations. We believe that such a unified framework will enable realistic simulations, offering the prospect of dramatic insights into complex phenomena.
Cross-Layer Hop-by-Hop Congestion Control in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

The poor performance of TCP in wireless networks is further diminished in IEEE 802.11-based ad hoc networks networks due to the unnecessary actions of on-demand routing protocols when interference-induced packet drops happen at the medium access control (MAC) layer. In this paper, we present a cross-layer hop-by-hop congestion control scheme designed to improve TCP performance in multihop wireless networks. The proposed scheme, which we will refer to as CHCC, attempts to determine the actual cause of a MAC-layer packet loss and then coordinates the congestion-control response among the MAC, network, and transport protocols. The congestion control efforts are invoked at all intermediate and source nodes along the upstream paths directed from the wireless link experiencing the congestion-induced packet drop. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme achieves up to 70% higher throughput than TCP-Reno. The CHCC approach is interoperable with standard TCP and can be used transparently when using transport protocols (e.g., UDP) that do not implement congestion control.
A Retrospective Evaluation of Radiographic Outcomes in Immature Teeth With Necrotic Root Canal Systems Treated With Regenerative Endodontic Procedures

Introduction: Several case reports on endodontic regeneration involving immature permanent teeth have recently been published. These case series have used varying treatments to achieve endodontic regeneration including triple antibiotic paste, Ca(OH)2, and formocresol. However, nostudyhas analyzed the overall results. Methods: In this retrospective study, we collected radiographs from 54 published and unpublished endodontic regenerative cases and 40 control cases (20 apexification and 20 nonsurgical root canal treatments) and used a geometrical imaging program, NIH ImageJ with TurboReg plug-in, to minimize potential differences in angulations between the preoperative and recall images and to calculate continued development of root length and dentin wall thickness. Results: The comparison to the 2 control groups provided a validation test for this method. Forty-eight of the 54 regenerative cases (89%) had radiographs of sufficiently similar orientation to permit analysis. The results showed regenerative endodontic treatment with triple antibiotic paste (P < .001) and Ca(OH)2 (P < .001) produced significantly greater increases in root length than either the MTA apexification or NSRCT control groups. The triple antibiotic paste produced significantly greater differences in root wall thickness than either the Ca(OH)2 or formocresol groups (P < .05 for both). The position of Ca(OH)2 also influenced the outcome. When Ca(OH)2 was radiographically restricted to the coronal half of the root canal system, it produced better results than when it was placed beyond the coronal half. Conclusions: Ca(OH)2 and triple antibiotic paste when used as an intracanal medicament in immature necrotic teeth canhelppromote further development ofthe pulpdentin complex. (J Endod 2009;35:1343‐1349)
Ecdysone regulation of cuticle protein gene expression in Drosophila

The deposition and apolysis of insect cuticles have long been known to be regulated by ecdysone. Unsclerotized, chitin-containing procuticles contain evolutionarily conserved, hydrophobic proteins that are soluble in solutions of denaturing agents. The pupal procuticle of Drosophila is deposited by larval and imaginal epidermis starting 9 h after puparium formation when the ecdysone titer is low. Initially, a set of low molecular weight proteins (less than 25,000 daltons; low molecular weight pupal cuticle proteins = S-PCPs) is synthesized. However, about the time of pupation, synthesis of S-PCPs ceases, and high molecular weight proteins (greater than 50,000 daltons; H-PCPs) are synthesized. In vitro experiments indicate that the initial formation of the procuticle with synthesis of the S-PCPs requires a pulse of hormone followed by withdrawal (6 h with 20-hydroxyecdysone, 1 μg/ml). The switch from synthesis of S-PCPs to H-PCPs is facilitated by a second, short pulse of 20-hydroxyecdysone (0.1 μg/ml, 3 h). Ultrastructural localization demonstrates that the S-PCPs are located only in the external lamellae of the procuticle, while the H-PCPs are present only in internal lamellae. Developmental analyses with cloned genes indicate that cuticle protein genes are expressed during only one stage of Drosophila development. Some of the genes encoding S-PCPs are limited in their expression to larval (posterior) or imaginal (anterior) epidermis. Preliminary molecular analyses of the larval and pupal cuticle protein genes indicate that they are organized in different ways. For example, four larval genes exist in a cluster with divergent transcription, and one PCP gene, PCP-GART, is located within an intron of a “housekeeping” gene.
Measuring and using admixture to study the genetics of complex diseases

Admixture is an important evolutionary force that can and should be used in efforts to apply genomic data and technology to the study of complex disease genetics. Admixture linkage disequilibrium (ALD) is created by the process of admixture and, in recently admixed populations, extends for substantial distances (of the order of 10 to 20 cM). The amount of ALD generated depends on the level of admixture, ancestry information content of markers and the admixture dynamics of the population, and thus influences admixture mapping (AM). The authors discuss different models of admixture and how these can have an impact on the success of AM studies. Selection of markers is important, since markers informative for parental population ancestry are required and these are uncommon. Rarely does the process of admixture result in a population that is uniform for individual admixture levels, but instead there is substantial population stratification. This stratification can be understood as variation in individual admixtures and can be both a source of statistical power for ancestry-phenotype correlation studies as well as a confounder in causing false-positives in gene association studies. Methods to detect and control for stratification in case/control and AM studies are reviewed, along with recent studies showing individual ancestry-phenotype correlations. Using skin pigmentation as a model phenotype, implications of AM in complex disease gene mapping studies are discussed. Finally, the article discusses some limitations of this approach that should be considered when designing an effective AM study.
Patients with workers' compensation claims have worse outcomes after rotator cuff repair.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated varying correlations between Workers' Compensation status and the outcome of rotator cuff repair. However, none of those studies have formally accounted for potential confounding factors with multivariable analysis. We hypothesized that patients with Workers' Compensation claims who undergo rotator cuff repair have worse outcomes, even after controlling for confounding factors. Methods: One hundred and twenty-five patients (including thirty-nine with Workers' Compensation claims) who underwent unilateral primary repair of a chronic rotator cuff tear by a single surgeon were studied prospectively and were evaluated one year postoperatively, prior to the settlement of any claims. Outcomes were assessed with the Simple Shoulder Test (SST); the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) index; three visual analog scales (shoulder pain, shoulder function, and quality of life); and the Short Form-36 (SF-36). Results: Patients in the Workers' Compensation group were significantly younger, had greater work demands, and had lower marital rates, education levels, and preoperative expectations for the outcome of treatment as compared with those in the non-Workers' Compensation group (p = 0.001 to 0.016). Preoperatively, patients in the Workers' Compensation group had significantly lower scores on the SST, the SF-36 Physical Function scale, and the SF-36 Social Function scale (p = 0.01 to 0.038). One year postoperatively, those patients reported worse performance on the SST, the DASH, all three visual analog scales, and the SF-36 (p = 0.0007 to 0.05) and had worse improvement on the DASH, the visual analog scales for shoulder pain and function, and the SF-36 Bodily Pain and Role Emotional scales (p = 0.0028 to 0.038). Multivariable analysis controlling for age, sex, comorbidities, smoking, marital status, education, duration of symptoms, work demands, expectations, and tear size confirmed that Workers' Compensation status was an independent predictor of worse DASH scores. Conclusions: Patients with Workers' Compensation claims report worse outcomes, even after controlling for confounding factors. The present study provides further evidence that the existence of a Workers' Compensation claim portends a less robust outcome following rotator cuff repair. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level I. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Radioimmunoassay for 3,5-diiodothyronine and evidence for dependence on conversion from 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine

The present report describes a RIA for 3,5-diiodothyronine (3,5T2) which uses inner ring-labeled 3,5-′l25I]T2 as the ligand and has a lower limit of detectability of 0.5 ng/dl. Cross-reaction was 0.14% with T3 less than 0.001% with T4, 1.2% with 3,3′,5-triiodothyroacetic acid, and 6.1% with 3,5-diiodothyroacetic acid. Cross-reaction with T3 began when T3 levels were elevated to 500 ng/dl. No cross-reaction was detectable for iodothyronines within their physiological ranges. Intraassay variation ranged from 2.2–7.8%, and interassay variation ranged from 12.7–14%. The mean (±SE) serum 3,5T2 concentration in 70 normal subjects was 4.3 ± 0.2 ng/dl. The mean (±SE) 3,5T2 in 14 hyperthyroid patients was increased to 18.4 ± 2.3 ng/dl (P < 0.001), and all but 1 patient had an elevated level. In 10 hypothyroid patients the mean (±SE) 3,5T2 level was decreased to 1.4 ± 0.3 ng/dl (P < 0.001). In 4 patients, levels overlapped with the normal range. In 4 hypothyroid subjects treated with L-T4, 3,5T2 levels were normal,...
Science motivation questionnaire II: Validation with science majors and nonscience majors

From the perspective of social cognitive theory, the motivation of students to learn science in college courses was examined. The students—367 science majors and 313 nonscience majors—responded to the Science Motivation Questionnaire II, which assessed five motivation compo- nents: intrinsic motivation, self-determination, self-efficacy, career motivation, and grade motivation. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses provided evidence of questionnaire construct validity. The motivation components, especially self-efficacy, were related to the students' college science grade point averages. The science majors scored higher than the nonscience majors on all of the motivation components. Among both science majors and nonscience majors, men had higher self-efficacy than women, and women had higher self-determination than men. The findings suggest that the questionnaire is a valid and efficient tool for assessing components of students' motivation to learn science in college courses, and that the components play a role in students' science achievement. 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 48: 1159-1176, 2011 ey
Critical comparison of GaAs and InGaAs THz photoconductors

Ultrafast photoconductors have been an enabling device technology in the THz field during the past decade. And their implementation is now worldwide in time- and frequency-domains systems of various types. While the technological push is towards InGaAs or similar photoconductors operating at 1550 nm, the GaAs-based devices operating around 800 nm still provide superior performance and robustness in most cases. This paper contrasts the GaAs and 1550-nm devices in terms of materials design and solid-state metrics such as electron-hole lifetime, carrier mobility, and resistivity. It also summarizes the main materials developed over the past 20 years.
High speed 3D overhauser-enhanced MRI using combined b-SSFP and compressed sensing.

Purpose Overhauser-enhanced MRI is a promising technique for imaging the distribution and dynamics of free radicals. A key challenge for Overhauser-enhanced MRI is attaining high spatial and temporal resolution while simultaneously limiting resonator and sample heating due to the long, high power radio-frequency pulses needed to saturate the electron resonance. Methods The approach presented here embeds EPR pulses within a balanced steady state free precession sequence. Unlike other Overhauser-enhanced MRI methods, no separate Overhauser prepolarization step is required. This steady-state approach also eliminates the problem of time-varying Overhauser-enhanced signal and provides constant polarization in the sample during the acquisition. A further increase in temporal resolution was achieved by incorporating undersampled k-space strategies and compressed sensing reconstruction. Results We demonstrate 1 × 2 × 3.5 mm3 resolution at 6.5 mT across a 54 × 54 × 110 mm3 sample in 33 s while sampling 30% of k-space. Conclusion The work presented here overcomes the main limitations of Overhauser enhanced MRI as previously described in the literature, drastically improving speed and resolution, and enabling new opportunities for the measurement of free radicals in living organisms, and for the study of dynamic processes such as metabolism and flow. Magn Reson Med 71:735–745, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Unified Model of War Onset and Outcome

Recent work regarding what influences the chances that states either win or lose wars focuses on two primary explanations. The first suggests that states win or lose largely on the merits of their war-fighting strategies and capabilities. The second explanation asserts that successful states simply choose their fights more carefully, thus selecting opponents they are more likely to defeat. Although these approaches are often perceived as contending theories, they actually are complementary in that both contribute to a unified explanation of why states win wars. This article provides a theoretical explanation of success in war by joining these two approaches and arguing that because the explanations are complementary, analyses ignoring one or the other are incomplete. We report a series of censored probit models that unify these explanations. The results of the unified model support the argument that the theories should be considered complementary. Our conclusions point to the importance of conceiving of i...
A graphical exploration of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

This paper investigates some of the immediate impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 on the environment using graphical means. The exploration focuses on the effects of the oil discharge on wildlife, the chemical pollution in the area following the spill, and salinity levels in the aftermath of the spill. Thousands of animals including birds, turtles, dolphins, and whales were found dead along the beaches and in the Gulf of Mexico in the months after the oil discharge. Levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were found to be at dangerous levels along the coast line, making conditions for wildlife highly unfavorable. Salinity measurements, which can be used to determine currents and oil movement, are examined over time as well as geographically.
Instructor‐Specific Grade Inflation: Incentives, Gender, and Ethnicity*

Objectives. This study attempts to isolate instructor-specific measures that may be sources of grade inflation and to measure their relative importance. Methods. We estimate a fixed-effects model, using by far the most extensive data set related to grade inflation ever assembled. Our data comprise 48,038 courses taught by 1,871 distinctinstructorsatalargepublicuniversityoveratwo-decadeperiod. Results. Our results suggest that female faculty members are the most likely to inflate grades, while ethnicity has a lesser effect. Conclusions. Characteristics of instructors, in particular gender, affect the degree of observed grade inflation, controlling for student- and department-specific effects. Over the past several decades, grades at American colleges and universities have shown a general upward trend. Stuart Rojstaczer (formerly of Duke University)hascompiledwhatareperhapsthemostcompletedatainthisarea. Usinginformationfrom29schools,heshowsthatgradepointaverages(GPAs) haveincreasedapproximately0.15pointsontheusual4-pointscaleperdecade sincethelate1960s,withgradeinflationatprivateschoolsproceedingatamore rapid pace than at public institutions. 1 Numerous other studies, including Farley (1995), Cluskey, Griffin, and Ehlen (1997), Grove and Wasserman (2004), Bello and Valientes (2006), and Jewell and McPherson (2009) have found evidence of rising grades in a variety of colleges and universities. The increase in grades without a concomitant increase in student quality has become known as grade inflation, and researchers from various disciplines have speculated about its causes. 2 A long list of researchers, including Nelson and Lynch (1984), Zangenehzadeh (1988), Isely and Singh (2005), Germain and Scandura (2005), McPherson (2006), and McPherson, Jewell, and Kim (2009)havearguedthatfacultymembersareinflatinggradesinresponsetothe
Measuring the impact of apnea and obesity on circadian activity patterns using functional linear modeling of actigraphy data

Actigraphy provides a way to objectively measure activity in human subjects. This paper describes a novel family of statistical methods that can be used to analyze this data in a more comprehensive way. A statistical method for testing differences in activity patterns measured by actigraphy across subgroups using functional data analysis is described. For illustration this method is used to statistically assess the impact of apnea-hypopnea index (apnea) and body mass index (BMI) on circadian activity patterns measured using actigraphy in 395 participants from 18 to 80 years old, referred to the Washington University Sleep Medicine Center for general sleep medicine care. Mathematical descriptions of the methods and results from their application to real data are presented. Activity patterns were recorded by an Actical device (Philips Respironics Inc.) every minute for at least seven days. Functional linear modeling was used to detect the association between circadian activity patterns and apnea and BMI. Results indicate that participants in high apnea group have statistically lower activity during the day, and that BMI in our study population does not significantly impact circadian patterns. Compared with analysis using summary measures (e.g., average activity over 24 hours, total sleep time), Functional Data Analysis (FDA) is a novel statistical framework that more efficiently analyzes information from actigraphy data. FDA has the potential to reposition the focus of actigraphy data from general sleep assessment to rigorous analyses of circadian activity rhythms.
Culture of the upper littoral zone marine alga Pseudendoclonium submarinum induces pathogenic interaction with the fungus Cladosporium cladosporioides

COOLEY D.R., MULLINS R.F., BRADLEY P.M. AND WILCE R.T. 2011. Culturing the upper littoral zone marine alga Pseudendoclonium submarinum induces pathogenic interaction with the fungus Cladosporium cladosporioides. Phycologia 50: XX–XX. DOI: 10.2216/10-84.1 The ; green marine alga Pseudendoclonium submarinum (Willie 1901) occurs on hard substratum in the upper littoral in the North Atlantic Ocean. In recent field and laboratory studies, Pseudendoclonium submarinum grew normally in situ but declined in vitro. Microscopic examination showed the alga inoculum to be associated with a filamentous fungus, where the fungus grew in close association with the alga. Pseudendoclonium samples collected from Ipswich, MA during a two-year period were consistently associated with the fungus. In cultures with the fungus present, algal thalli declined and became necrotic, while the fungus produced hyphae and conidia. The fungus failed to grow in sterile algal medium in the absence of Pseudendoclonium but could be isolated and grown on standard mycological culture media. Light and scanning electron microscopy showed fungal hyphae infiltrated intercellular areas of the algal filaments but did not penetrate algal cell walls. Pathogenicity is apparently a result of the in vitro environment, and it is hypothesized that the fungus produces one or more secondary metabolites, which accumulate in culture. These metabolites produced by the fungus eventually killed algal cells. Fungal ribosomal DNA sequences were compared to Cladosporium sp. in GenBank, indicating that the fungus is Cladosporium cladosporioides (Fresenius) de Vries. Widely distributed, Cladosporium cladosporioides has been shown to be a facultative parasite, endophyte and saprophyte on terrestrial plants and some algae. The fungus has not been described in association with an ulvophyte, a green marine alga.
Effect on Survival of Estrogen Replacement Therapy After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Abstract We examined the relation between postmenopausal estrogen placement therapy (ERT) and survival in 1,098 women who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Patients were selected for the study if their age was ≥55 years at the time of preoperative coronary angiography or if they had previously undergone bilateral oophorectomy. Life-table analysis was used to compare survival after surgery in 92 women who received ERT and 1,006 women who did not. Five-year survival was 98.8% in the estrogen users and 82.3% in the nonusers. Ten-year survival was 81.4% in the users and 65.1% in the nonusers (p = 0.0001 by Lee Desu test). The women who did not take estrogen were significantly older (p The relationship between postmenopausal estrogen use and survival was examined in 1,098 women who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. A Cox proportional-hazards model selected the number of vessels diseased, estrogen use, left main coronary stenosis, and diabetes mellitus as the significant independent predictors of survival.
In silico approaches to explore toxicity end points: issues and concerns for estimating human health effects.

The European Chemicals Bureau and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development are currently compiling a sanctioned list of quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) risk assessment models and data sets to predict the physiological properties, environmental fate, ecological effects and human health effects of new and existing chemicals in commerce in the European Union. This action implements the technical requirements of the European Commission’s Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals legislation. The goal is to identify a battery of QSARs that can furnish rapid, reliable and cost-effective decision support information for regulatory decisions that can substitute for results from animal studies. This report discusses issues and concerns that need to be addressed when selecting QSARs to predict human health effect end points.
Using exposure windows to explore an elusive biomarker: blood manganese.

We sought to understand the time course between exposure to manganese (Mn) and uptake into the blood, to allow a more meaningful interpretation of exposure biomarker data, and to determine the utility of blood as a biomarker of Mn exposure. Welder trainees were monitored over the course of a five-quarter training program. Each quarter, trainees gave eight blood samples and had personal air monitoring four times. A mixed model was fit to obtain estimates of airborne exposure by welding type (fixed effect), adjusted for subject (random effect). Considering weekends and days absent as zero exposure, estimated exposures were summed over various exposure windows and related to measured blood manganese (MnB) using a mixed model. A relationship consistent with zero was found between MnB and modeled 1 or 7 days of exposure. After 30 days of preceding exposure, a 1 mg-days/m3 increase in air Mn is associated with a 0.57 ng/mL increase in MnB (95 % CI −0.04, 1.19). Considering a 90-day exposure window and a cumulative exposure window, a 1 mg-days/m3 increase in air Mn is associated with a 0.26 (95 % CI 0.005, 0.51) and 0.09 (95 % CI 0.006, 0.17) ng/mL increase in MnB, respectively. From this analysis, MnB may begin to act as a biomarker of Mn exposure over longer time periods, or at higher levels of exposure. This novel study design allowed investigation of how MnB relates to different time windows of exposure, representing the most robust Mn exposure assessment in the biomarker literature.