cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Bacterial Factor in Traumatic Shock

IN a standardized preparation of hemorrhagic shock we have repeatedly demonstrated that over 80 per cent of animals recover promptly and completely if the blood lost is returned after ninety minute...
Model Validation Metric and Model Bias Characterization for Dynamic System Responses Under Uncertainty

Quantification of the accuracy of analytical models (math or computer simulation models) and characterization of the model bias are two essential processes in model validation. Available model validation metrics, whether qualitative or quantitative, do not consider the influence of the number of experimental data for model accuracy check. In addition, quantitative measure from the validation metric does not directly reflect the level of model accuracy, i.e. from 0% to 100%, especially when there is a lack of experimental data. If the original model prediction does not satisfy accuracy criteria compared to the experimental data, instead of revising the model conceptually, characterization of the model bias may be a more practical approach to improve the model accuracy because there is probably no ideal model which can predict the actual physical system with no error. So far, there is a lack of effective approaches that can accurately characterize the model bias for multiple dynamic system responses. To overcome these limitations, the first objective of this study is to develop a model validation metric for model accuracy check considering different number of experimental data. Specifically, a validation metric using the Bhattacharya distance (B-distance) is proposed with three notable benefits. First of all, the metric directly compares the distributions of two set of uncertain system responses from model prediction and experiment rather than the distribution parameters (e.g. mean and variance). Second, the B-distance quantitatively measures the degree of accuracy from 0% to 100% between the distributions of the uncertain system responses. Third, reference accuracy metric with respect to different number of experimental data can be effectively obtained so that hypothesis test can be performed to identify whether the two distributions are identical or not in a probability manner. The second objective of this study is to propose an effective approach to accurately characterize the model bias for dynamic system responses. Specially, the model bias is represented by a generic random process, where realizations of the model bias at each time step could follow arbitrary distributions. Instead of using the traditional Bayesian or Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) approach, we propose a novel and efficient approach to identify the model bias using a generic random process modeling technique. A vehicle safety system with 11 dynamic system responses is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Linearized stability analysis and design of a flyback DC-DC boost regulator

Analytic expressions for the small-signal power-stage describing functions of a switched dc-dc boost regulator are derived from an approximate continuous circuit model which is developed by a time-averaging technique. Closed-loop stability is, attained through the design of frequency compensation of the loop gain. Open- and closed-loop regulator output impedances are derived from the linearized models for the given configuration. The analysis and design are compared with and confirmed by breadboard measurements.
Ruptured internal carotid aneurysm resulting from neurofibromatosis: treatment with intraluminal stent graft.

Abstract Purpose: This report shows a method of treatment for life-threatening hemorrhage due to rupture of an aneurysm in the cervical internal carotid artery caused by neurofibromatosis. Methods: Ten days after delivery of healthy twins, a 28-year-old woman with known neurofibromatosis had sudden massive swelling in the left neck. After initial tracheostomy, angiography confirmed rupture of the mid cervical internal carotid artery as well as contribution to the resultant pseudoaneurysm from external carotid branches. Treatment began with coil embolization of the external carotid branches. The internal carotid lesion, a defect approximately 1 cm in length, was then closed through use of two stent grafts, each made from Palmaz stents and 3-mm polytetrafluorethylene grafts predilated to 6 mm. The neck hematoma was then evacuated surgically. Results: Completion angiography and computed tomographic scanning confirmed control of the hemorrhage. The patient survived neurologically intact with the exception of cranial nerve deficits caused by the hemorrhage. The tracheostomy tube was removed 3 weeks postoperatively. Follow-up computed tomographic scanning showed a gradual decrease in the size of the cervical soft tissue and no recurrent aneurysm. Conclusion: Neurofibromatosis is a rare cause of aneurysmal degeneration of blood vessels. Repair of a ruptured cervical internal carotid artery aneurysm, though feasible, is difficult with stent grafts; however, this is a better option than surgical intervention in inaccessible vessels. (J Vasc Surg 2000;32:824-8.)
Spawning tactics of summer chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta in relation to channel complexity and hyporheic exchange

Vertical hydraulic gradient, channel hydraulic, and substratum data were collected at active chum salmon redds to evaluate their influence on redd site selection in the Kwethluk River, a wandering gravel-bedded tributary of Alaska’s Lower Kuskokwim River. Two distinct summer chum salmon spawning tacitcs: primary- and off-channel groups spawning in different hydraulic and thermal environments. Channel hydraulics, ground-surface water exchanges, and bed sediment data were collected throughout the range of topographic conditions at sites occupied and unoccupied by spawners. Analyses of these data showed that redd site selection was incoherent with channel hydraulics and substratum size, when all channel types were considered. Rather, spawning was associated with the exchange of river and groundwater at four spatial scales. In primary channels, chum salmon spawned only in reaches where the regional hydraulic gradient (regional scale) promoted the penetration of river water, or downwelling, into the bed sediments. Within these reaches, primary-channel spawning was influenced by bed topography (fluvial scale) that promoted strong localized downwelling; a logit model, fitted to constituent hydraulics, discriminated between selected and unselected sites with 89 % accuracy. In contrast, spawners in off-channel habitats (flood and spring channels) selected areas of upwelling groundwater, regardless of channel hydraulics and the regional hydraulic gradient. In parafluvial flood channels, spawners selected localized upwelling associated with short groundwater flow paths (parafluvial scale). In spring channels, within the floodplain’s forested riparia (orthofluvial scale), spawners eschewed areas of localized downwelling and uniformly selected upwelling zones feeding these channels. Thus, redd selectivity differentiated two spawning tactics (groups) in this complex channel network where ground and surface water exchange is an important predictor of spawning habitat.
Defining Shapeability in Eigenstate Specification for Linear Systems

This paper introduces a metric called degree of shapeability to determine whether or not it is possible to assign a set of desired eigenstates to a particular linear dynamic system. Specifying an eigenstate, which consists of an eigenvalue and its associated eigenvector, can be essential in designing certain vibrating structures and undulating mechanisms. In general it may be desirable to specify more than one eigenstate. The number of eigenstates that can be specified for a particular linear system is not always immediately evident, however, because of physical and kinematic constraints, as well as actuator placement. To quantify the potential for active feedback and/or passive parameter tuning to influence a system’s eigenstates, we identify a metric, the degree of shapeability, that relates the structure of the linear system to the number of eigenstates that a designer may fully define. We investigate the effect of system equality and inequality constraints on the ability to specify eigenstates for linear dynamic systems.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
A preliminary investigation into the prevalence and prediction of problematic cell phone use.

Abstract Background and aims Likening mobile phone use dependency to the classification of excessive behaviors may be necessarily equivalent in seriousness to previously established addictions such as problematic computing or excessive gambling. The aim of the study explores into the behavior of excessive use of mobile phones as a pathological behavior. Methods Two studies investigated criteria for problematic mobile phone usage by examining student (Study 1, N = 301) and nonstudent (Study 2, N = 362) responses to a set of adapted mobile phone addiction inventories. Study 1 investigated cell phone addiction inventories as constructs designed to measure problematic cell phone use. Additionally, Study 2 sought to predict age, depression, extraversion, emotional stability, impulse control, and self-esteem as independent variables that augment respondents' perceptions of problematic use. Results The results from Study 1 and Study 2 indicate that 10 to 25% of the participants tested exhibited problematic cell ...
Exchange rate exposure of the key financial institutions in the foreign exchange market

Abstract Exchange rate exposure is assessed for key individual financial institutions, country-specific portfolios, and global portfolios. The results show that the majority of the key individual institutions are significantly exposed. U.K., Swiss, and Japanese portfolios are found to be significantly exposed, whereas U.S. portfolios are not exposed. There is also some evidence that exchange rate exposure does not exist on a global level. To the extent that the vast majority of currency trading is conducted among the financial institutions included in the portfolio, exposure is expected to be insignificant as gains accrued by one institution would be offset by losses incurred by another institution.
Understanding the Affects of Audience on Mathemtaical Writing

This study formally explored how high school students addressed audience when they wrote mathematically. Student explicated the solving of a mathematics problem to their mathematics teacher and their English teacher. This study showed that students did change the style and language of their mathematical writing as their audience changed. It adds knowledge and support to current ideas of teacher presentation during routine daily instruction. Also included are implications this information may have on mathematics education.
Autoradiographic evidence of muscarinic cholinergic receptors in the corpora cavernosa penis of the rat

Abstract Recent studies have questioned the role of acetylcholine in the physiology of penile erectile tissue. The responsiveness of penile erectile tissue to acetylcholine would depend, in part, on the presence of cholinergic receptors on the smooth muscle, The specific binding of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) to cholinergic receptors in sections of penile crura of the rat was analyzed by in vitro neurotransmitter autoradiography. Silver grain density measurements indicated that muscarinic cholinergic receptor binding sites are located almost entirely over the corpora cavernosa penis. Virtually no specific [3H]QNB binding was present in the tunica albuginea or adjacent skeletal muscle tissue. Within the erectile tissue, specific binding occurred both over the columns of intrinsic smooth muscle which form the walls of the cavernous spaces and around the more distal branches of the penile arteries. The high concentration of muscarinic cholinergic receptors in the corpora cavernosa penis is consistent with the suggestion that acetylcholine has an important, albeit undefined role in the function of penile erectile tissue.
The Spectrum of Pulmonary Vascular Disease in Transposition of the Great Arteries

Obstructive pulmonary vascular disease (PVD) was evaluated in lung sections taken at autopsy in 53 patients with complete transposition of the great arteries. Twentythree had intact ventricular septa and 30 had ventricular septal defects. Children of similar age and associated defects had widely differing degrees of PVD and presented a spectrum of disease. In a small number of patients, the presence of pulmonic stenosis (congenital or acquired by pulmonary artery banding in infancy), a small ventricular septal defect, or a large atrial septal defect was not protective against the development of severe PVD. The findings of this study demonstrate the need for thorough hemodynamic evaluation of patients with complete transposition of the great arteries prior to repair by present technics. In addition, operation should probably be performed as soon as technically feasible.
Carotid angioplasty and stent-induced bradycardia and hypotension: Impact of prophylactic atropine administration and prior carotid endarterectomy

Objective We compared the physiologic effect of selective atropine administration for bradycardia with routine prophylactic administration, before balloon inflation, during carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS). We also compared the incidence of procedural bradycardia and hypotension for CAS in patients with primary stenosis vs those with prior ipsilateral carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Methods A total of 86 patients were treated with CAS at 3 institutions. Complete periprocedural information was available for 75 of these patients. The median degree of stenosis was 90% (range, 60%-99%). Indications for CAS were severe comorbidities (n = 49), prior CEA (n = 21), and prior neck radiation (n = 5). Twenty patients with primary lesions were treated selectively with atropine only if symptomatic bradycardia occurred (nonprophylactic group). Thirty-four patients with primary lesions received routine prophylactic atropine administration before balloon inflation or stent deployment (prophylactic group). The 21 patients with prior CEA received selective atropine treatment only if symptomatic bradycardia occurred (prior CEA group) and were analyzed separately. Mean age and cardiac comorbidities did not vary significantly either between the prophylactic and nonprophylactic atropine groups or between the primary and prior CEA patient groups. Outcome measures included bradycardia (decrease in heart rate >50% or absolute heart rate Results The overall incidence of hypotension and bradycardia in patients treated with CAS was 25 (33%) of 75. A decreased incidence of intraoperative bradycardia (9% vs 50%; P Conclusions The administration of prophylactic atropine before balloon inflation during CAS decreases the incidence of intraoperative bradycardia and cardiac morbidity in primary CAS patients. Periprocedural bradycardia, hypotension, and the need for vasopressors occur more frequently with primary CAS than with redo CAS procedures. On the basis of our data, we recommend that prophylactic atropine administration be considered in patients with primary carotid lesions undergoing CAS.
Chaos as a part of logical structure in neurodynamics

It is proposed that chaotic attractors incorporated in neural net models can represent classes of patterns in the same way in which a set of static attractors represent unrelated patterns. Therefore, chaotic states of neuron activity are associated with higher level cognitive processes such as generalization and abstraction.
Penetrating atherosclerotic aortic ulcers: the role of transesophageal echocardiography in diagnosis and clinical management.

Penetrating aortic ulceration is a disease of the descending thoracic aorta characterized by ulceration of an atheromatous plaque disrupting the internal elastic lamina. The ulcerated atheroma may extend into the media, resulting in intramural hematoma; it may penetrate the media; resulting in pseudoaneurysm formation; or it may perforate through the adventitia, resulting in transmural aortic rupture.l Penetrating aortic ulceration has similar chnical features to aortic dissection and rapid expansion or contained rupture of a thoracic aortic aneurysm.1-3 However, it represents a unique pathology with distinct radiographic and echocardiographic features. While aortography has been regarded as the gold standard in the diagnosis of penetrating aortic ulcers, computed tomography2 and mag-
Service-learning's impact on dental students' attitude towards community service

Background This study evaluated service-learning programme's impact on senior dental students' attitude towards community service at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Dentistry. Experience gained through service-learning in dental school may positively impact dental students' attitude towards community service that will eventually lead into providing care to the underserved. Materials and methods Two surveys (pre- and post-test) were administered to 105 senior dental students. For the first survey (post-test), seventy-six students of 105 responded and reported their attitude towards community service immediately after the service-learning programme completion. Three weeks later, 56 students of the 76 responded to the second survey (retrospective pre-test) and reported their recalled attitude prior to the programme retrospectively. Results A repeated-measure mixed-model analysis indicated that overall there was improvement between pre-test and post-test. Scales of connectedness, normative helping behaviour, benefits, career benefits and intention showed a significant pre-test and post-test difference. An association between attitude towards community service and student characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity and volunteer activity was also examined. Only ethnicity showed an overall significant difference. White dental students appear to have a differing perception of the costs of community service. Conclusions The service-learning programme at VCU School of Dentistry has positively impacted senior dental students' attitude towards community service.
A methodology and an evaluation of the SGI Origin2000

As hardware-coherent, distributed shared memory (DSM) multiprocessing becomes popular commercially, it is important to evaluate modern realizations to understand how they perform and scale for a range of interesting applications and to identify the nature of the key bottlenecks. This paper evaluates the SGI Origin2000---the machine that perhaps has the most aggressive communication architecture of the recent cache-coherent offerings---and, in doing so, articulates a sound methodology for evaluating real systems. We examine data access and synchronization microbenchmarks; speedups for different application classes, problem sizes and scaling models; detailed interactions and time breakdowns using performance tools; and the impact of special hardware support. We find that overall the Origin appears to deliver on the promise of cache-coherent shared address space multiprocessing, at least at the 32-processor scale we examine. The machine is quite easy to program for performance and has fewer organizational problems than previous systems we have examined. However, some important trouble spots are also identified, especially related to contention that is apparently caused by engineering decisions to share resources among processors.
Software infrastructure for the I-WAY high-performance distributed computing experiment

High speed wide area networks are expected to enable innovative applications that integrate geographically distributed, high performance computing, database, graphics, and networking resources. However, there is as yet little understanding of the higher level services required to support these applications, or of the techniques required to implement these services in a scalable, secure manner. We report on a large scale prototyping effort that has yielded some insights into these issues. Building on the hardware base provided by the I-WAY, a national scale asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, we developed an integrated management and application programming system, called I-Soft. This system was deployed at most of the 17 I-WAY sites and used by many of the 60 applications demonstrated on the I-WAY network. We describe the I-Soft design and report on lessons learned from application experiments.
Family Relationships and Parental Monitoring During Middle School as Predictors of Early Adolescent Problem Behavior

The middle school years are a period of increased risk for youths’ engagement in antisocial behaviors, substance use, and affiliation with deviant peers (Dishion & Patterson, 2006). This study examined the specific role of parental monitoring and of family relationships (mother, father, and sibling) that are all critical to the deterrence of problem behavior in early adolescence. The study sample comprised 179 ethnically diverse 6th-grade (46% female) students who were followed through 8th grade. Results indicated that parental monitoring and father–youth connectedness were associated with reductions in problem behavior over time, and conflict with siblings was linked with increases in problem behaviors. No associations were found for mother–youth connectedness. These findings did not differ for boys and for girls, or for families with resident or nonresident fathers.
INTERACTION OF RADIATION AND PHOTOPERIODISM IN XANTHIUM PENSYLVANICUM. EFFECTS OF RADIATION DURING THE LIGHT AND DARK PERIODS OF PHOTOINDUCTION.

Abstract Two groups of Xanthium pensylvanicum plants received a dose of 1927 rad 60 Co γ-radiation during either the dark or light period of short day photoinduction. Another group of plants was photoinduced but not irradiated. Vegetative growth was initially stimulated in both groups of irradiated plants, but later responses were not observed. Both pistillate and staminate flowering were inhibited in both groups of irradiated plants, but pistillate flowering was inhibited to a greater extent. Staminate and pistillate development were retarded in both groups of irradiated plants with the greatest inhibition occurring in plants irradiated during the light period. Results are interpreted as responses to radiation-induced changes in nucleic acid and growth hormone metabolism.
A mild mutator phenotype arises in a mouse model for malignancies associated with neurofibromatosis type 1

Defects in genes that control DNA repair, proliferation, and apoptosis can increase genomic instability, and thus promote malignant progression. Although most tumors that arise in humans with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are benign, these individuals are at increased risk for malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST). To characterize additional mutations required for the development of MPNST from benign plexiform neurofibromas, we generated a mouse model for these tumors by combining targeted null mutations in Nf1 and p53, in cis. CisNf1+/-; p53+/- mice spontaneously develop PNST, and these tumors exhibit loss-of-heterozygosity at both the Nf1 and p53 loci. Because p53 has well-characterized roles in the DNA damage response, DNA repair, and apoptosis, and because DNA repair genes have been proposed to act as modifiers in NF1, we used the cisNf1+/-; p53+/- mice to determine whether a mutator phenotype arises in NF1-associated malignancies. To quantitate spontaneous mutant frequencies (MF), we crossed the Big Blue mouse, which harbors a lacI transgene, to the cisNf1+/-; p53+/- mice, and isolated genomic DNA from both tumor and normal tissues in compound heterozygotes and wild-type siblings. Many of the PNST exhibited increased mutant frequencies (MF=4.70) when compared to normal peripheral nerve and brain (MF=2.09); mutations occurred throughout the entire lacI gene, and included base substitutions, insertions, and deletions. Moreover, the brains, spleens, and livers of these cisNf1+/-; p53+/- animals exhibited increased mutant frequencies when compared to tissues from wild-type littermates. We conclude that a mild mutator phenotype arises in the tumors and tissues of cisNf1+/-; p53+/- mice, and propose that genomic instability influences NF1 tumor progression and disease severity.
Asymptotic efficiency of rank tests of randomness against autocorrelation

This note is concerned with the problem of testing the hypothesisH of randomness against the alternative that the variables are auto-correlated. Two rank tests ofH are considered and their asymptotic efficiencies relative to the classical normal theory tests are obtained.
Anomaly in Conformal Quantum Mechanics: From Molecular Physics to Black Holes

A number of physical systems exhibit a particular form of asymptotic conformal invariance: within a particular domain of distances, they are characterized by a long-range conformal interaction (inverse square potential), the apparent absence of dimensional scales, and an SO(2,1) symmetry algebra. Examples from molecular physics to black holes are provided and discussed within a unified treatment. When such systems are physically realized in the appropriate strong-coupling regime, the occurrence of quantum symmetry breaking is possible. This anomaly is revealed by the failure of the symmetry generators to close the algebra in a manner shown to be independent of the renormalization procedure.
COMPETITION AND SALT-MARSH PLANT ZONATION: STRESS TOLERATORS MAY BE DOMINANT COMPETITORS

Although a great deal of research has focused on the effects of nutrient supply on plant competition, few studies have explored how these processes interact with non- resource factors to determine community-level patterns. This study examined how resource competition interacts with physical stress to structure salt-marsh plant communities across a natural gradient in tidal stress. First, nutrient additions at naturally occurring species borders at zonal and patch boundaries in two Rhode Island (USA) marshes revealed that competitive outcomes were typically reversed when nutrients were abundant. These results, which are consistent with earlier findings in a third southern New England marsh, suggest that a nutrient- dependent competitive hierarchy is a general characteristic of salt marshes in this region. To test whether these shifts in competitive outcomes occur only at naturally occurring species borders or can lead to more significant shifts in zonation patterns, lower marsh species were transplanted into the matrix of each zonal species at higher tidal elevations, and the outcomes of plant competition in fertilized plots and unfertilized plots were compared. Results of this experiment indicate that nutrient effects on the competitive relations of marsh plants were independent of where the interactions took place along the tidal gradient. The stress-tolerant species were consistently the best competitors in fertilized treatments, showing that an increase in nutrient availability can lead to drastic shifts in the distributions of plants across marshes. Finally, a third experiment examined the interaction between nutrient supply and the above- ground and belowground components of plant competition using a reciprocal transplant design coupled with nutrient-addition and neighbor-removal treatments. Results suggest that com- petition is primarily belowground under ambient marsh conditions but is aboveground at high nutrient levels. Thus the mechanism underlying the nutrient-dependent competitive hierarchy may be driven by a trade-off between belowground and aboveground competitive abilities, although the potential interaction between above- and belowground effects was not examined. Together, the results of these experiments suggest that nutrient supplies may significantly affect the competitive dynamics between salt-marsh perennials and their resultant zonation across an environmental gradient in tidal stress. The result that stress tolerators can be dominant competitors is not predicted by any current model of plant competition and must be considered in future empirical and theoretical studies.
The Bleak Implications of Moral Psychology

In this article, I focus on two claims made by Appiah in Experiments in Ethics: Doris’s and Harman’s criticism of virtue ethics fails, and moral psychology can be used to identify erroneous moral intuitions. I argue that both claims are erroneous.
Neural Activity During Health Messaging Predicts Reductions in Smoking Above and Beyond Self-Report

Objective:The current study tested whether neural activity in response to messages designed to help smokers quit could predict smoking reduction, above and beyond self-report.Design:Using neural activity in an a priori region of interest (a subregion of medial prefrontal cortex [MPFC]), in response to ads designed to help smokers quit smoking, we prospectively predicted reductions in smoking in a community sample of smokers (N!28) who were attempting to quit smoking. Smoking was assessed via expired carbon monoxide (CO; a biological measure of recent smoking) at baseline and 1 month following exposure to professionally developed quitting ads.Results:A positive relationship was observed between activity in the MPFC region of interest and successful quitting (increased activity in MPFC was associated with a greater decrease in expired CO). Theaddition of neural activity to a model predicting changes in CO from self-reported intentions, self-efficacy, and ability to relate to the messages significantly improved model fit, doubling the variance explained (R self-report !.15,R self-report "neural activity ! .35,R change !.20).Conclusion:Neural activity is a useful complement to existing self-report measures. In this investigation, we extend prior work predicting behavior change based on neural activity in response to persuasive media to an important health domain and discuss potential psychological interpretations of the brain‐behavior link. Our results support a novel use of neuroimaging technology for understanding the psychology of behavior change and facilitating health promotion.
Automotive signal fault diagnostics - part I: signal fault analysis, signal segmentation, feature extraction and quasi-optimal feature selection

The paper describes our research in vehicle signal fault diagnosis. A modern vehicle has embedded sensors, controllers and computer modules that collect a large number of different signals. These signals, ranging from simple binary modes to extremely complex spark timing signals, interact with each other either directly or indirectly. Modern vehicle fault diagnostics very much depend upon the input from vehicle signal diagnostics. Modeling vehicle engine diagnostics as a signal fault diagnostic problem requires a good understanding of signal behaviors relating to various vehicle faults. Two important tasks in vehicle signal diagnostics are to find what signal features are related to various vehicle faults, and how can these features be effectively extracted from signals. We present our research results in signal faulty behavior analysis, automatic signal segmentation, feature extraction and selection of important features. These research results have been incorporated in a novel vehicle fault diagnostic system, which is described in another paper (see Yi Lu Murphey et al., ibid., p.1076-98).
Universal electric and magnetic field analyzer system

Near-field probing is often used to determine the sources and coupling paths of an electromagnetic interference problem above a printed circuit board or integrated circuits chip. A wideband universal field analyzer was developed in order to measure circularly and linearly polarized magnetic fields and total electric field in a rapid sequence using a single probe design.
Dynamics of Structural Recovery and Mechanical Response of Polymeric Liquids Near to the Glass Transition

Results from the NIST torsional dilatometer have indicated that after a temperature step from equilibrium, the volume (structure) and mechanical response (physical aging) can evolve at different rates, depending on the temperature history. The torsional dilatometer results have been modeled in two ways. First, it was assumed that the volume and mechanical response are governed by different clocks, with the principle of time-aging time superposition employed to evaluate an aging time shift factor a tc from the torsional response, which was then compared to a structural shift factor a δ calculated from the evolution of the volume. These results were also investigated using a thermoviscoelastic model based on rational thermodynamics and configurational entropy; this model does not include an explicit assumption of separate time scales, but different time scales for the structure and mechanical properties appear to arise naturally from the formulation. The results from the thermoviscoelastic model show good qualitative agreement with the torsional dilatometer results, although more material data is needed to make an exact comparison.
DSM-5 personality traits and DSM-IV personality disorders

Two issues pertinent to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) proposal for personality pathology, the recovery of DSM-IV personality disorders (PDs) by proposed DSM-5 traits and the validity of the proposed DSM-5 hybrid model, which incorporates both personality pathology symptoms and maladaptive traits, were evaluated in a large undergraduate sample (N = 808). Proposed DSM-5 traits as assessed with the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 explained a substantial proportion of variance in DSM-IV PDs as assessed with the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4+, and trait indicators of the 6 proposed DSM-5 PDs were mostly specific to those disorders with some exceptions. Regression analyses support the DSM-5 hybrid model in that pathological traits, and an indicator of general personality pathology severity provided incremental information about PDs. Findings are discussed in the context of broader issues around the proposed DSM-5 model of personality disorders.
Toward a Multilevel Framework to Examine the Underrepresentation of Racial Minorities in Golf Within the United States

In the current U.S. economy, leaders in the golf business are increasingly concerned with the long-term growth potential for the game, particularly at the recreational level. Adding to that concern is the underrepresentation of Blacks and Hispanics who participate in golf at a time when the latter group is demonstrating exponential growth in the U.S. population. This article examines those and other factors that are contributing to the declining trend in golf participation by using a three-level analytic framework. Specific examples of factors at each level are discussed along with strategies for research and practice.
Taxation Policy in Virtual Worlds: Issues Raised by Second Life and Other Unstructured Games

Massively Multiplayer Online Economic Games involving the creation and trade of virtual goods are rapidly gaining in popularity. Although most individuals participate for their own social or entertainment purposes, a substantial number of participants rely on the sale of virtual goods as an important source of real wealth. To date, these economic returns have largely escaped taxation due to the lack of a well-developed body of tax law in this area. This paper examines whether and when taxes should be assessed on virtual world income. We conclude that an in-game sale of a virtual asset constitutes an income realization event for federal income tax purposes. In contrast to prior research, we also suggest that members be allowed to defer recognizing their virtual earnings until they are converted into real world currency.
Oncolytic measles viruses encoding interferon β and the thyroidal sodium iodide symporter gene for mesothelioma virotherapy

Mesothelioma usually leads to death within 8–14 months of diagnosis. To increase the potency of oncolytic measles viruses (MVs) for mesothelioma therapy, we inserted the interferon β (IFNβ) gene alone or with the human thyroidal sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene into attenuated MV of the Edmonston lineage. The corresponding mouse IFNβ (mIFNβ) viruses, MV-mIFNβ and MV-mIFNβ-NIS, successfully propagated in human mesothelioma cells, leading to intercellular fusion and cell death. High levels of mIFNβ were detected in the supernatants of the infected cells, and radioiodine uptake was substantial in the cells infected with MV-mIFNβ-NIS. MV with mIFNβ expression triggered CD68-positive immune cell infiltration 2–4 times higher than MV-GFP injected into the tumor site. The numbers of CD31-positive vascular endothelial cells within the tumor were decreased at day 7 after intratumoral injection of MV-mIFNβ or MV-mIFNβ-NIS, but not after MV-GFP and PBS administration. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that MV-mIFNβ changed the microenvironment of the mesothelioma by increasing innate immune cell infiltration and inhibiting tumor angiogenesis. Oncolytic MVs coding for IFNβ effectively retarded growth of human mesotheliomas and prolonged survival time in several mesothelioma tumor models. The results suggest that oncolytic MVs that code for IFNβ and NIS will be potent and versatile agents for the treatment of human mesothelioma.
Chemical Vapor Deposition of Strontium Ruthenate Thin Films from Bis(2, 4-Dimethylpentadienyl) Ruthenium and Bis(Tetramethylheptanedionato) Strontium

Adherent, polycrystalline films containing mixtures of SrRuO3, Sr2RuO4 and RuO2 were deposited on silicon and alumina substrates by hot wall chemical vapor deposition from bis(2, 4-dimethylpentadienyl) ruthenium and Sr(thd)2 between 650 and 700°C. The as-deposited mixed phase films, which contained polycrystalline phases of RuO2 and amorphous phases of the mixed oxide exhibited resistivities between 6.5 and 20 mΩcm. Films were annealed at 1000°C under oxygen/argon ambient. The annealed films exhibited higher resistivities than their as-deposited counterparts and a substrate dependence of phases present was observed. The decrease in conductivity upon annealing for films on both substrates is attributed to the formation of volatile ruthenium oxides. The higher conductivity of post-annealed samples on alumina (compared to samples prepared and annealed on Si) is attributed to Sr uptake by the substrate and thus a suppression of Sr2RuO4 formation.
Instantaneous Within-Patient Diversity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum-Sensing Populations from Cystic Fibrosis Lung Infections

In the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, acyl-homoserine lactone (acyl-HSL) quorum sensing (QS) regulates biofilm formation and expression of many extracellular virulence factors. Curiously, QS-deficient variants, often carrying mutations in the central QS regulator LasR, are frequently isolated from infections, particularly from cystic fibrosis (CF) lung infections. Very little is known about the proportion and diversity of these QS variants in individual infections. Such information is desirable to better understand the selective forces that drive the evolution of QS phenotypes, including social cheating and innate (nonsocial) benefits. To obtain insight into the instantaneous within-patient diversity of QS, we assayed a panel of 135 concurrent P. aeruginosa isolates from eight different adult CF patients (9 to 20 isolates per patient) for various QS-controlled phenotypes. Most patients contained complex mixtures of QS-proficient and -deficient isolates. Among all patients, deficiency in individual phenotypes ranged from 0 to about 90%. Acyl-HSL, sequencing, and complementation analyses of variants with global loss-of-function phenotypes revealed dependency upon the central QS circuitry genes lasR, lasI, and rhlI. Deficient and proficient isolates were clonally related, implying evolution from a common ancestor in vivo. Our results show that the diversity of QS types is high within and among patients, suggesting diverse selection pressures in the CF lung. A single selective mechanism, be it of a social or nonsocial nature, is unlikely to account for such heterogeneity. The observed diversity also shows that conclusions about the properties of P. aeruginosa QS populations in individual CF infections cannot be drawn from the characterization of one or a few selected isolates.
Network protocol design: Model relationships, heuristic feature specification and analytical extensions

Abstract This paper presents a brief description of the network protocol design problem, and a mathematical model which has been developed to assist in the specification of protocol features. Heuristic solutions to the feature specification problem are described in the context of a design process and computational results from such heuristics are presented. Finally, analytical issues appropriate to the feature specification model, and their utility, are identified.
Cerebral Ischemia in Gerbils: Differential Vulnerability of Protein, RNA, and Lipid Syntheses

In order to compare the difference in the vulnerability of macromolecular syntheses, protein, RNA, and lipid syntheses were studied with ischemic brain tissue three hours following unilateral carotid ligation in gerbils. Precursor incorporation was measured in various subcellular fractions following in vitro incorporation with brain slices. There was marked inhibition of protein synthesis, but RNA and phospholipid syntheses showed little or no change. On the basis of available information on rapid deterioration of polysomal system for polypeptide synthesis, a hypothesis was proposed that messenger ribonucleic acid (RNA) at the polysomal level is promptly affected in this pathophysiologic condition.
Limited joint mobility in adults with diabetes mellitus.

Limited joint mobility (LJM) has been identified as a manifestation of diabetes in some children; this study assessed whether LJM is a phenomenon that also affects persons with adult-onset diabetes mellitus (DM). For the purpose of this study, I defined LJM as limitation in at least two anatomical areas of the right upper extremity. I studied 19 right-handed men (10 without DM, 9 with adult-onset DM) aged 53 to 70 years. The right upper extremity active range of motion of eight motions was evaluated, as was the ability to flatten the hand fully. Intrarater reliability of the results of testing the ROM of six subjects on three occasions was calculated to have an average intraclass correlation coefficient of .98. Student's t -test results showed that the patients with DM had significantly less ( p < .05) ROM in their fingers and in shoulder abduction than the age-matched controls, suggesting that some adults with DM do have LJM. If the limitations are major, progressive, or symptomatic, physical therapy would be indicated to maintain ROM, to minimize pain, and to help the patient to be functionally independent. The results of this study suggest that physical therapists should be aware of the need to address LJM when treating patients with DM. For prophylactic treatment, patients with DM could be instructed routinely in ROM exercises.
Probabilistic segmentation of myocardial tissue by deterministic relaxation

A recently developed probabilistic model for automatically segmenting regions of interest in abdominal CT (computer tomography) scans has been adapted to the task of segmenting myocardial tissue in cine-CT scans. A system has been implemented on relatively low-cost hardware which performs such segmentations. Special techniques have been developed to improve consistency and accuracy. Early results of testing this new modality are encouraging and promising. Extending the training set (even to the inclusion of aneurysms and other abnormal pathologies) actually improves segmentation performance in terms of accuracy and the number of iterations, required, contrary to initial expectations. In addition, using an extensible training set provides the means for folding in new results so that the system can learn from the addition of automated, as well as manual, segmentations. On the basis of observations from experimentation, new directions for future work have been identified. >
Transcellular oxalate and Cl- absorption in mouse intestine is mediated by the DRA anion exchanger Slc26a3, and DRA deletion decreases urinary oxalate.

Active transcellular oxalate transport in the mammalian intestine contributes to the homeostasis of this important lithogenic anion. Several members of the Slc26a gene family of anion exchangers ha...
Novel strategy to reduce sudden-death risk in the healing phase after myocardial infarction.

For patients with reduced ejection fraction (EF), the risk of cardiac arrest is particularly high in the healing phase immediately after a myocardial infarction (MI). Estimates from recent clinical trials show an annualized sudden-death risk of 8% to 12% in the 3-month period after MI, even with optimal medical therapy including appropriate revascularization, β-adrenergic receptor blocker, aldosterone inhibitor, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker therapy.1 Article p 19 The recently initiated Vest Prevention of Early Sudden Death Trial/Prediction of ICD Therapies Study (VEST/PREDICTS) illustrates the gravity of this situation (clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT00628966). VEST/PREDICTS is randomizing acute MI patients with EF ≤35% to wear an external defibrillator, an apparatus that consists of a jacket containing electrodes to detect the cardiac rhythm, defibrillator patches with explosive gel packs that release conductive gel immediately before a shock is delivered, and an on-board computer to interpret and manage the rhythm.2 The device also contains 2 safety buttons that need to be pressed simultaneously to suppress a shock, in case the patient is still conscious when the tachycardia alarm goes off or in the event of a false alarm. Continued pressure on the buttons suppresses the shock, and release of the pressure allows the shock to proceed (assuming that the arrhythmia is still detected at that point). This suggests the unpleasant image of a patient squeezing the buttons with all available force in a panicked rush to the emergency room for less painful therapy, but, at the very least, the protection afforded by the vest should allow that patient to make it alive to the emergency room. Unfortunately, in 2008 this is the best we have to offer to reduce sudden-death mortality in the healing phase after MI. This is a sad state of affairs. In recent times, when we think of reducing …
Radar target discrimination by convolution of radar return with extinction-pulses and single-mode extraction signals

A new method of radar target discrimination and identification is presented. This new method is based on the natural frequencies of the target. It consists of synthesizing aspect-independent discriminant signals, called extinction-pulses (E-pulses) and single-mode extraction signals which, when convolved numerically with the late-time transient response of an expected target, lead to zero or single-mode responses. When the synthesized, discriminant signals for an expected target are convolved with the radar return from a different target, the resulting signal will be significantly different from the expected zero or single-mode responses, thus, the differing targets can be discriminated. Theoretical synthesis of discriminant signals from known target natural frequencies and experimental synthesis of them for a complex target from its measured pulse response are presented. The scheme has been tested with measured responses of various targets in the laboratory.
Eosinophilic Esophagitis: The New Kid on the Block

Management of esophageal dysfunction must be addressed in order to optimize swallow function and, often, patient perception of function. Increased presentation of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) has...