cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of algorithms developed for adaptive grid air quality modeling using surface elevation data

Abstract An adaptive grid model is being developed to reduce the resolution-related uncertainty in air quality predictions. By clustering the grid nodes in regions where errors in pollutant concentrations would potentially be large, the model is expected to generate much more accurate results than its fixed, uniform grid counterparts. The repositioning of grid nodes is performed automatically using a weight function that assumes large values when the curvature (change of slope) of the pollutant fields is large. Despite the movement of the nodes, the structure of the grid does not change: each node retains its connectivity to the same neighboring nodes. Since there is no a priori knowledge of the grid movement, the input data must be re-gridded after each adaptation step, throughout the simulation. Emissions are one of the major inputs and mapping them to the adapted grid is a computationally intensive task. Efficient intersection algorithms are being developed that take advantage of the unchanging grid structure. Here, the grid node repositioning and intersection algorithms are evaluated using surface elevation data. Two elevation data sets are reduced to one-fourth of their sizes using uniform as well as adaptive grids. The first data set contains important terrain features near the boundaries while the second has all of its features far away from the boundaries. The compression of the first data set using grid node repositioning results in a maximum error that is 25% smaller compared to a uniform grid with the same number of nodes. The maximum error associated with the adaptive grid compression of the second data set is 60% smaller compared to the uniform grid compression. These results show that the adaptive grid algorithm has the potential of significantly improving the accuracy of air quality predictions, especially when the regions of changing slope are far away from the boundaries. Indeed, in a preliminary air quality application, the adaptive grid displayed superior performance in capturing the details of plumes from a large number of emission sources. The algorithms are computationally efficient and the overhead involved in repositioning the grid nodes and intersecting the grid cells with emission sources is not limiting in air quality simulations.
Ideals in the Integral Octaves

Abstract We study the nonassociative ring of integral octaves (or Cayley numbers or octonions) discovered independently by Dickson and Coxeter. We prove that every one-sided ideal is in fact two-sided, principal, and generated by a rational integer.
Of Cultural Tools and Kinds of Knowledge Investigating Field Trip-Based Learning about Art, Culture, and the Environment

Abstract This paper focuses on field trip-based experiences across the disciplines of art, culture, and science. The author addresses gaps in the learning sciences' research about children learning both art and cultural content as well as how they learn cross-disciplinary practices. She offers one strategy, video-based interpretive case studies (VICS). By using a VICS approach, museum educators have a means of understanding their own actions as facilitators and of learning from visitors' interactions across subjects. The paper discusses two findings. Field trip-based talk and use of cultural tools mimics those found in traditional school classrooms. Students are introduced to syntactic knowledge in art via discussion and use of narrative and authentic art-making related practices.
Elevating Nursing Leadership at the Bedside

Abstract If we are to achieve healthy work environments that produce competent nurse leaders at the unit level, care must be taken now to ensure a talent pool of nurse leaders for the future. When nurses at the bedside share in the decision-making authority in their work environments, front-line leadership emerges. Growing talent from within at organizational, microsystem, and corporate strategy levels is important for succession. By investing in our front-line nurses, we can enhance leadership at all levels within the healthcare system and enable nurses to be well-positioned in effecting transformational change.
APHTHOUS ULCERS A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON ETIOLOGY, PATHOGENESIS, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Treatment of aphthous stomatitis remains a clinical problem for most dentists. This review is intended to reacquaint and update practitioners on the suspected etiology, pathogenesis, and modalities of treatment of aphthous stomatitis.
Hadronic matter current distribution inside a polarized nucleus and a polarized hadron

Abstract The concept of nucleonic current density (or velocity profile) inside a polarized nucleus and the concept of hadronic matter current density inside a polarized hadron are introduced. Utilizing the increasing opaqueness of hadrons relative to each other at increasing relative velocities, these current densities can be obtained from a measurement of the R(t) parameter in elastic hadron-nucleus and elastic hadron-hadron scattering. For very high energies, the spin dependence in elastic hadron-hadron scattering will be solely due to this non-vanishing R(t) parameter. Measurements of R(t) and therefore the nucleonic current or hadronic matter current thus provide powerful probes for the structure of polarized nuclei and hadrons. The results can be used to check nuclear theory and models of hadron structure. Estimates of the magnitude of R are given by assuming the proportionality between the hadronic matter density-current distribution and the electric charge-current distribution. This proportionality hypothesis which is heuristic is shown to be dependent on the concept of homogenization and the principle of minimum electromagnetic interactions for the basic constituents of hadrons. In the appendix it is shown that the spin of a Dirac particle does involve motion (currents).
Prediction of air bubble dispersion in a viscous fluid in a twin-screw continuous mixer using FEM simulations of dispersive mixing

Abstract Bubble break-up was studied during mixing of a viscous Newtonian fluid in a co-rotating twin screw continuous mixer using experimental observations and finite element method (FEM) simulation of dispersive mixing. Bubble break-up was greatest with two paddle element configurations that had no stagger and a reverse stagger respectively while a third configuration with a forward element stagger showed the least break-up. The decrease in bubble break-up was found to be due to the decrease in the elongation flow density and an increase in local forward flow in the forward angle stagger configuration. Maximum stable bubble diameters and effective shear rate for break-up calculated at different locations in the mixer using the fundamental capillary number theory for drop and bubble break-up correlated well with the measured local mean bubble sizes and the mean local shear rates calculated using FEM simulations of the flow.
Using Space D* for Crowded Real Robots Environments

This paper describes a new method of path planning for multiple robots in unknown environments and its validation in real robots context. The method, called Space D*, is based on two algorithms: the D*, which is an incremental graph search algorithm, and the Space Colonization algorithm, previously used to simulate crowd behaviours. The path planning is achieved through the exchange of information between the robots. So decentralized, each robot performs its path planning, which provide a obstacle-free path with the least number of robots around. The major contribution of the proposed method is that it generates paths in spacious environments facilitating the control of robots, and thus presenting itself in a viable way for using in areas populated with multiple robots. The results obtained validate the approach and show the advantages in comparison to use only D* method.
Conjugated Plasma Bilirubin in Jaundice caused by Pigment Overload

WITH overproduction of bilirubin due to haemolytic anaemia, a minor though significant fraction of the plasma bilirubin may exhibit a direct diazo reaction in the absence of detectable liver dysfunction1. If the direct-reacting material is in fact conjugated bilirubin2, this would support the concept3 that the secretion of conjugated pigment from the hepatic cell into the bile is a rate limiting step in bilirubin transport across the liver. Chemical identification of this direct-reacting pigment fraction as conjugated bilirubin is difficult, however, because the amounts available for analysis are very small, the extraction procedures are semi-quantitative4,5 and part of the unconjugated pigment may react directly with the diazo reagent1,6.
Weight loss, cognitive-behavioral, and desipramine treatments in binge eating disorder. An additive design

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of weight loss treatment, cognitive-behavioral treatment, and desipramine on binge eating and weight in a three group additive design involving 108 overweight participants with binge eating disorder. Subjects were allocated at random to either 9-months weight-loss-only treatment; 3-months of cognitive-behavioral treatment followed by weight loss treatment for 6-months; or the combination treatment with desipramine added for the last 6-months. After 3-months of treatment, those receiving cognitive-behavioral therapy had reduced binge eating significantly more than participants receiving weight loss therapy only, and the weight loss only group had lost significantly more weight than those in the cognitive-behavioral groups. The addition of medication did not lead to greater reductions in the frequency of binge eating. Hence, there was no evidence that either cognitive-behavioral therapy or desipramine added to the effectiveness of weight loss therapy. However, those receiving medication lost significantly more weight than the comparable group without medication at follow-up. Abstinence from binge eating was associated with significantly greater weight losses. Overall, however, the achieved weight losses were small and the abstinence rates low. Moreover, there were no differences between the three groups either at the end of treatment or at follow-up. Suggestions for further research aimed at improving the therapeutic results for this difficult clinical problem are discussed.
Spaced-Retrieval with Probable Alzheimer's

Abstract Four older adults with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) were trained to recall everyday objects using the spaced-retrieval technique. Two persons who had participated in a previous spaced-retrieval training program were retested here to provide new evidence on the long-term effectiveness of the training. Two others who had not been tested previously served as controls. Spaced-retrieval training consisted of six-hour-long sessions given on alternate days over a two-week period. On each trial, participants selected a designated object from an array of items at increasingly longer retention intervals. All participants showed positive effects of spaced-retrieval training across sessions, as reflected in fewer errors per trial and longer retention duration across sessions. There was little evidence of long-term effects of spaced-retrieval training in that the original and control participants performed comparably. Implications of these results for the long-term maintenance of memory training programs...
Offenders, Judges, and Officers Rate the Relative Severity of Alternative Sanctions Compared to Prison

ABSTRACT Recent work suggests that offenders rate several alternatives as more severe than imprisonment. We build on this literature by comparing punishment exchange rates generated by criminal court judges with rates generated by offenders and their supervising officers. Findings reveal that none of the three groups rates prison as the most severe sanction and judges and officers rate alternatives as significantly less severe than offenders. Offenders are generally willing to serve less of each alternative to avoid imprisonment than judges or officers. Serving correctional sanctions thus appears to reduce the perceived severity of imprisonment and increase the perceived severity of alternatives.
A Termination Detection Protocol for Use in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

As devices become smaller and wireless networking technologies improve, the popularity of mobile computing continues to rise. In today's world, many consider devices such as cell phones, PDAs, and laptops as essential tools. As these and other devices become increasingly independent of the wired infrastructure, new kinds of applications that assume an ad hoc network infrastructure are being deployed. Their development forces software engineers to revisit well understood problems in a setting in which existing solutions are no longer working. This paper illustrates one such attempt by focusing on an important problem in distributed computing, termination detection in diffusing computations, in an ad hoc network environment. We formulate an algorithmic solution amenable to usage in mobile ad hoc networks. Along the way, we highlight several important software engineering concerns one must address and design strategies one might employ in a mobile setting.
Thoracoscopic neodymium: yttrium-aluminum garnet laser-assisted pulmonary resection.

Abstract The recent explosion of interest in surgical endoscopic techniques has revived the application of an old thoracic surgical procedure—thoracoscopy. We report a case of a transthoracoscopic neodymium: yttrium-aluminum garnet laser resection of a limited-stage peripheral adenocarcinoma of the lung accomplished in an elderly man with serious chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
First record and characterization of a powdery mildew on a member of the Juncaginaceae: Leveillula taurica on Triglochin maritima

The powdery mildew fungus Leveillula taurica (Erysiphales) is reported for the first time from the monocot Triglochin maritima (Juncaginaceae), a widespread salt marsh plant that causes economic losses because of its high toxicity to young livestock. This is the first report of an erysiphaceous fungus on a member of the Juncaginaceae. Morphological data, obtained by light and scanning electron microscopy, and ITS sequence data provided evidence that this fungus is referable to L. taurica. The ITS sequence for this fungus was identical with those reported for L. taurica hosted by Capsicum annuum in Australia and Elaeagnus angustifolia in Iran. This is the third host species and second monocot, in addition to Allium cepa and Solanum tuberosum, reported for L. taurica from Washington State, where the fungus was unreported before 2004.
The neurobiology of slow synaptic transmission.

Nerve cells communicate with each other through two mechanisms, referred to as fast and slow synaptic transmission. Fast-acting neurotransmitters, e.g., glutamate (excitatory) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (inhibitory), achieve effects on their target cells within one millisecond by virtue of opening ligand-operated ion channels. In contrast, all of the effects of the biogenic amine and peptide neurotransmitters, as well as many of the effects of glutamate and GABA, are achieved over hundreds of milliseconds to minutes by slow synaptic transmission. This latter process is mediated through an enormously more complicated sequence of biochemical steps, involving second messengers, protein kinases, and protein phosphatases. Slow-acting neurotransmitters control the efficacy of fast synaptic transmission by regulating the efficiency of neurotransmitter release from presynaptic terminals and by regulating the efficiency with which fast-acting neurotransmitters produce their effects on postsynaptic receptors.
Cytoplasmic viscosity near the cell plasma membrane: translational diffusion of a small fluorescent solute measured by total internal reflection-fluorescence photobleaching recovery

Total internal reflection-fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (TIR-FRAP) was applied to measure solute translational diffusion in the aqueous phase of membrane-adjacent cytoplasm. TIR fluorescence excitation in aqueous solutions and fluorescently labeled cells was produced by laser illumination at a subcritical angle utilizing a quartz prism; microsecond-resolution FRAP was accomplished by acousto-optic modulators and electronic photomultiplier gating. A mathematical model was developed to determine solute diffusion coefficient from the time course of photobleaching recovery, bleach time, bleach intensity, and evanescent field penetration depth; the model included irreversible and reversible photobleaching processes, with triplet state diffusion. The validity and accuracy of TIR-FRAP measurements were first examined in aqueous fluorophore solutions. Diffusion coefficients for fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextrans (10–2000 kDa) determined by TIR-FRAP (recovery t1/2 0.5–2.2 ms) agreed with values measured by conventional spot photobleaching. Model predictions for the dependence of recovery curve shape on solution viscosity, bleach time, and bleach depth were validated experimentally using aqueous fluorescein solutions. To study solute diffusion in cytosol, MDCK epithelial cells were fluorescently labeled with the small solute 2',7'-bis-2-carboxyethyl-5-carboxyfluorescein-acetoxymethyl-ester (BCECF). A reversible photobleaching process (t1/2 approximately 0.5 ms) was identified that involved triplet-state relaxation and could be eliminated by triplet-state quenching with 100% oxygen. TIR-FRAP t1/2 values for irreversible BCECF bleaching, representing BCECF translational diffusion in the evanescent field, were in the range 2.2–4.8 ms (0.2–1 ms bleach times), yielding a BCECF diffusion coefficient 6–10-fold less than that in water. These results establish the theory and the first experimental application of TIR-FRAP to measure aqueous-phase solute diffusion, and indicate slowed translational diffusion of a small solute in membrane-adjacent cytosol.
Vertex corrections for impurity scattering at a ferromagnetic quantum critical point

We study the renormalization of a nonmagnetic impurity's scattering potential due to the presence of a massless collective spin mode at a ferromagnetic quantum critical point. To this end, we compute the lowest-order vertex corrections in two- and three-dimensional systems for arbitrary scattering angle and frequency of the scattered fermions, as well as band curvature. We show that only for backward scattering in $D=2$ does the lowest-order vertex correction diverge logarithmically in the zero-frequency limit. In all other cases, the vertex corrections approach a finite (albeit possibly large) value for $\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$. We demonstrate that vertex corrections are strongly suppressed with increasing curvature of the fermionic bands. Moreover, we show how the frequency dependence of vertex corrections varies with the scattering angle. We also discuss the form of higher order ladder vertex corrections and show that they can be classified according to the zero-frequency limit of the lowest-order vertex correction. Finally, we suggest that the combined frequency and angular dependence of vertex corrections might be experimentally observable via a combination of frequency dependent and local measurements, such as scanning tunneling spectroscopy on ordered impurity structures, or measurements of the frequency-dependent optical conductivity.
Testosterone regulation of renal cystathionine β-synthase: implications for sex-dependent differences in plasma homocysteine levels

Elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) is an independent risk factor for ischemic heart disease and stroke. Epidemiological studies reveal that men have higher tHcy levels than women, but the mechanism underlying this sex-dependent difference is unknown. One route for intracellular disposal of homocysteine is catalyzed by cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS). Renal function is known to be an important determinant of tHcy, and, in this study, we demonstrate that renal CBS expression and activity in mice diminished approximately twofold after castration, whereas ovariectomization was without effect. The higher renal CBS activity in males (22.7 +/- 3.1 mmol cystathionine.h(-1).kg kidney(-1)) vs. females (8.4 +/- 3.4 mmol cystathionine.h(-1).kg kidney(-1), P < or = 10(-6)) in C57Bl/6J mice was associated with lower plasma tHcy levels in males vs. females, and this difference was exacerbated in Cbs+/- mice (7.7 +/- 1.9 micromol/l in males vs. 13.8 +/- 6.4 micromol/l in females, P = 0.005). Surprisingly, mammals exhibit a diversity of regulatory patterns for kidney CBS, with females exhibiting lower CBS activity in mice, higher in rats and humans, and being indistinguishable from males in rabbit, hamster, and guinea pig. Our data suggest that testosterone-dependent regulation of human CBS in kidney may contribute to sex-dependent differences in homocysteine transsulfuration.
Response: Cys186-Cys209 disulfide–mutated tissue factor does not equal cryptic tissue factor: no impairment in decryption of disulfide mutated tissue factor

The primary focus of our recent report[1][1] is to examine whether Cys186-Cys209 disulfide–mutated tissue factor (TF) mimics cryptic TF and the importance of Cys186-Cys209 disulfide bond formation in TF decryption, 2 key issues that were not examined earlier.[2][2] In our view, one should be
Monoclonal antibodies against neuroblastoma. Production and preliminary characterization of their specificity

Abstract Neuroblastoma (NB) is a common childhood tumor that originates from neuroblasts of the neural crest. In this paper we will describe the production of murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to human NB cell lines. The hybridomas were selected by ELISA and immunofluorescence for antibody binding to multiple human neuroblastoma cultured cell lines, but not to hematopoettic cells and leukemic cells. The mAbs were characterized in terms of their ability to bind to human cell lines and tissues. The IgG2a and IgG2b mAbs may prove useful in the diagnosis or therapy of neuroblastoma.
Effects of ball milling on microstructures and thermoelectric properties of higher manganese silicides

Abstract Bulk nanostructured higher manganese silicide (HMS) samples with different grain size are prepared by melting, subsequent ball milling (BM), and followed by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The effects of BM time on the microstructures and thermoelectric properties of these samples are investigated. It is found that BM effectively reduces the grain size to about 90 nm in the sample after SPS, which leads to a decrease in both the thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity. By prolonging the BM time, MnSi and tungsten/carbon-rich impurity phases are formed due to the impact-induced decomposition of HMS and contamination from the tungsten carbide jar and balls during the BM, respectively. These impurities result in a reduced Seebeck coefficient and increased thermal conductivity above room temperature. The measured size-dependent lattice thermal conductivities agree qualitatively with the reported calculation results based on a combined phonon and diffuson model. The size effects are found to be increasingly significant as temperature decreases. Because of the formation of the impurity phases and a relatively large grain size, the ZT values are not improved in the ball-milled HMS samples. These findings suggest the need of alternative approaches for the synthesis of pure HMS with further reduced grain size and controlled impurity doping in order to enhance the thermoelectric figure-of-merit of HMS via nanostructuring.
Duration of patients’ visits to the hospital emergency department

Length of stay is an important indicator of quality of care in Emergency Departments (ED). This study explores the duration of patients’ visits to the ED for which they are treated and released (T&R). Retrospective data analysis and multivariate regression analysis were conducted to investigate the duration of T&R ED visits. Duration for each visit was computed by taking the difference between admission and discharge times. The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) for 2008 were used in the analysis. The mean duration of T&R ED visit was 195.7 minutes. The average duration of ED visits increased from 8 a.m. until noon, then decreased until midnight at which we observed an approximately 70-minute spike in average duration. We found a substantial difference in mean duration of ED visits (over 90 minutes) between Mondays and other weekdays during the transition time from the evening of the day before to the early morning hours. Black / African American patients had a 21.4-minute longer mean duration of visits compared to white patients. The mean duration of visits at teaching hospitals was substantially longer than at non-teaching hospitals (243.8 versus 175.6 minutes). Hospitals with large bed size were associated with longer duration of visits (222.2 minutes) when compared to hospitals with small bed size (172.4 minutes) or those with medium bed size (166.5 minutes). The risk-adjusted results show that mean duration of visits on Mondays are longer by about 4 and 9 percents when compared to mean duration of visits on non-Monday workdays and weekends, respectively. The duration of T&R ED visits varied significantly by admission hour, day of the week, patient volume, patient characteristics, hospital characteristics and area characteristics.
Karyotype analysis utilizing differentially stained constitutive heterochromatin of human and murine chromosomes.

Constitutive heterochromatin of chromosomes can be visualized utilizing a new differential staining technique which was originally developed by Gall and Pardue (1971). The method facilitates the more certain identification of specific chromosomes within and between cell populations of different origins. Marker chromosomes can be identified in established cell lines over many months of serial passage. Chromosomes of similar morphology within karyotypes of man and mouse can be distinguished in a number of instances. For example, the Y chromosomes of both mouse and man can now be easily detected. The hetero-chromatic staining method also permits discrimination between mouse and human chromosomes in somatic cell hybrids, thus facilitating the assignment of gene markers to chromosomes in somatic cell genetics systems. Instances of translocation of centric heterochromatin to other parts of chromosomes in established tissue culture cell lines are described. An instance of the inheritance of a polymorphic variation in autosomal heterochromatin in man is reported. It is postulated that polymorphisms in the centric heterochromatin may account largely for small heritable chromosome length variations previously described in human populations and termed minor chromosome variants.
Time-Lapse Seismic for Optimal Reservoir Management - A Global Perspective

Time-lapse or 4D seismic data has proven value in reservoir management, increasing reserves and recovery by locating bypassed and undrained hydrocarbons and optimizing infill well locations and flood patterns. 4D seismic can also decrease operating costs by reducing uncertainty in the reservoir models, optimizing completions, and minimizing the number of dry holes. ExxonMobil’s 4D experience demonstrates this added value to reservoir management over a wide range of geographical areas, geological settings, and production scenarios. This paper describes three 4D case studies; from the Norwegian North Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and West Africa. In each case, the interpretation of 4D seismic data adds value to the field in ways that are not always anticipated beforehand. Most 4D seismic surveys contain at least one surprise. The value of that information can be significant.
Depression, coronary artery disease, and physical activity: how much exercise is enough?

Abstract Purpose The mechanisms by which depressive symptoms negatively affect clinical outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) remain poorly understood. Previous interventions that have attempted to treat depressive symptoms in patients with CAD to improve their clinical outcomes have been disappointing. Our objectives were, among a cohort of CAD patients, to evaluate the impact of depressive symptoms over time, controlling for comorbidity, in determining both successful long-term lifestyle change (ie, increased physical activity), and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality outcomes. In addition, we examined the impact of physical activity changes over time on 2 known mediators of cardiovascular morbidity: parasympathetic tone and inflammation. Methods Clinical data were previously collected (2004–2006) from 242 elective/urgent coronary angioplasty patients who participated in a prospective randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of a behavioral intervention versus an educational control to motivate physical activity over 12 months. Exclusion criteria included: (1) inability to walk; (2) enrollment in other risk-reduction trials; (3) non-English speaking; and (4) lack of cardiologist’s permission to increase physical activity. Participants were assessed every 2 months for interval clinical events and physical activity. In addition, biomarkers were collected at baseline and at 12 months in a subset of 54 participants; these biomarkers included low-frequency heart rate variability (lfHRV), high-frequency heart rate variability (hfHRV), serum C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and salivary cortisol. Findings The mean age of participants was 63 years and 30% were female. Overall, 37% had high depressive symptoms at baseline. Patients with high depressive symptoms who achieved an increase in physical activity of ≥336 kilocalories(kcal)/week by 12 months had significantly lower rates of cardiovascular morbidity/mortality (5.1% vs. 21.3%; odds ratio [OR], 0.20, [95% CI, 0.04–0.98]; P = 0.03). In a multivariate model examining cardiovascular morbidity/mortality in patients with high depressive symptoms, an increase in physical activity of ≥336 kcal/week reduced the risk of new cardiovascular morbidity/mortality (OR, 0.11 [95% CI, 0.02–0.81]; P P = 0.002). In a generalized structural equation model, increasing physical activity by ≥336 kcal/week decreased the risk of complications, and comorbidity increased the risk. Furthermore, increasing physical activity (≥336 kcal/week) predicted an increase in hfHRV, a marker of parasympathetic tone, and the increase in hfHRV predicted a reduction in the proinflammatory mediators interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein. Implications This study found a threshold in physical activity in CAD patients with depressive symptoms that is associated with a decrease in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Exercise maintenance at this level may improve clinical outcomes via enhanced parasympathetic tone and decreased inflammation. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00248846.
Factors influencing cure in the radiotherapy of post cricoid carcinoma

One hundred and three cases of post-cricoid carcinoma were treated at Sheffield, England between 1950 and 1961. Eight patients survived over 5 years. The prognosis was better after radical treatment for lesions under 5 cm. long. Most survivors received a tumour dose between 5000 and 5500 r in five weeks. Two patients developed a complicating radiation myelitis.
Two coding change mutations in the HIS2(2) allele characterize the salivary histatin 3-2 protein variant.

The decoded amino acid sequence of a salivary protein variant, histatin 3-2 (formerly termed Pb c), that is found primarily and in high frequency in Black populations was determined by genomic PCR and direct sequencing of the HIS22 allele. Two different mutations that cause coding changes were found in exon 5. The first mutation is a single nucleotide (T → A) substitution that causes a TAT (Tyr) → TAA (Stop) change at residue 28. This premature stop mutation results in a 27 amino acid histatin 3-2 protein, which is 5 amino acids smaller than the common histatin 3-1 allelic protein (a product of the HIS21 allele). The second mutation, a single nucleotide (G → A) substitution (located only 19 nucleotides upstream of the first mutation) causes a CGA (Arg) → CAA (Gin) change at residue 22, which eliminates a proteolytic cleavage site. These two mutations explain the differences in electrophoretic patterns of HIS21 versus HIS22 coded histatin peptides and may have functional significance. Each mutation alters a different DNA restriction site, and this provides a DNA-based test for the mutations. This test should greatly simplify population and family studies of this protein polymorphism, since the saliva-based test is considerably more problematic. Elucidation here of the derived protein sequence of the variant histatin 3-2 protein may also facilitate functional studies. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Patients' experience with a diabetes support programme based on an interactive electronic medical record: qualitative study

Abstract Objective To describe the experiences of patients with type 2 diabetes in a web based disease management programme based on an interactive electronic medical record. Design Qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews with patients enrolled in a diabetes care module that included access to their electronic medical record, secure email, ability to upload blood glucose readings, an education site with endorsed content, and an interactive online diary for entering exercise, diet, and medication. Setting Patients9 homes in Washington state, United States. Participants Nine participants aged 45-65 completed interviews before and after they used the programme. Results Six themes emerged: feeling that non-acute concerns are uniquely valued; enhanced sense of security about health and health care; frustration with unmet expectations; feeling more able to manage; valuing feedback; and difficulty fitting the programme into activities of daily life. Three themes—valuing non-acute concerns, feeling secure, and unmet expectations—have particular relevance to the design and use of web based tools for care of patients with diabetes and chronic medical conditions. Conclusion Participants9 experiences support further study of open access to the electronic medical record and online communication between patients and their care providers. The development of web based disease management programmes should take into account the specific needs and expectations of patients, and patients and providers should have candid discussions about what web based care can and cannot provide.
Closure of palatal fistula with a local mucoperiosteal flap lined with buccal mucosal graft.

Abstract Objective: Oro-nasal fistula is a common complication of palatoplasty. Current methods for fistula repair utilize mucoperiosteal flaps or pedicled flaps. These procedures are often cumbersome and leave a raw nasal surface, which may increase the incidence of postoperative risks and problems. In addition, the recurrence rate of the fistula is as high as 34%. We propose a simple two-layer method of fistula repair to avoid recurrences. Design: A standard mucoperiosteal flap is raised on the oral side. A buccal mucosal graft is harvested from the cheeks and sutured to the nasal side of the flap that is then inset into the fistula. Setting: Patients were either referred to the senior author's private practice (four patients) or were patients who had previously been operated on by the senior author himself (three patients). Subjects: Study subjects consisted of seven patients, four males and three females, ages 14 months to 8 years. All patients had previously undergone cleft palate repair, complicated...
The European Monetary Union Needs a Government Banker

Many economists contend that the European Monetary Union is in serious danger. This economist argues that it needs a fiscal authority to issue Europewide bonds that the European Central Bank can trade so that the bank can lower country funding costs and counter bond market speculation.
Guanine aminohydrolase in rat and mouse red cells: a potent inhibitor of guanylation of tRNA.

Abstract 1. 1.|The red blood cells of mice and rats contained guanine aminohydrolase (EC 3.5.4.3). This enzyme was not present in rabbit, sheep or human red blood cells. 2. 2.|The enzyme from rat blood cells was separated into two activities by column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. Both isozymes were labile but it was possible to show that the more abundant enzyme followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics, had an apparent K m of 4.0·10−6 M and was not activated by GTP nor inhibited by allantoin. 3. 3.|We believe, therefore, that guanine aminohydrolase was the protein in rat and mouse red blood cells that inhibited the enzyme (in rabbit reticulocytes) responsible for guanylation of tRNA.
Anatomic evidence of nociceptive inputs to primary somatosensory cortex: relationship between spinothalamic terminals and thalamocortical cells in squirrel monkeys.

This study examined anatomic pathways that are likely to transmit noxious and thermal cutaneous information to the primary somatosensory cortex. Anterograde and retrograde labeling techniques were combined to investigate the relationship between spinothalamic (STT) projections and thalamocortical neurons in the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus). Large injections of diamidino yellow (DY) were placed in the physiologically defined hand region of primary somatosensory cortex (hSI), and wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) was injected in the contralateral cervical enlargement (C5T1). Both DY-labeled neuronal cell bodies and HRP-labeled STT terminal-like structures were visualized within single thalamic sections in each animal. Quantitative analysis of the positions and numbers of retrogradely labeled neurons and anterogradely labeled terminal fields reveal that: (1) ventral posterior lateral (VPL), ventral posterior inferior (VPI), and central lateral (CL), combined, receive 87% of spinothalamic inputs originating from the cervical enlargement; (2) these three nuclei contain over 91% of all thalamocortical neurons projecting to hSI that are likely to receive STT input; and (3) these putatively contacted neurons account for less than 24% of all thalamic projections to hSI. These results suggest that three distinct spinothalamocortical pathways are capable of relaying nociceptive information to the hand somatosensory cortex. Moreover, only a small portion of thalamocortical neurons are capable of relaying STT-derived nociceptive and thermal information to the primary somatosensory cortex.
Swelling and release characteristics of poly(sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium-co-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) gels

Abstract A new polyelectrolyte gel consisting of sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate has been synthesized and characterized in terms of swelling and drug release. The swelling of the drug-free gel is influenced by the salt concentration, ranging from a swelling ratio of 44.0 in the absence of NaCl to 3.6 in 2 M NaCl. The degree of swelling does not fluctuate significantly in a variation of swelling ratios from 23.4 to 26.4 with the pH of the swelling medium ranging from 3.0 to 9.8 in 0.01 M NaCl. Even at pH 1.2 the swelling ratio is 10.7 in 0.01 M NaCl. The release of oxprenolol HC1 and diphenhydramine HCl, highly water-soluble drugs, are independent of both buffer concentration (0.01 to 0.1 M) and the pH (1.4 to 7.4) of the dissolution medium. However, the release of less water-soluble drugs, such as propranolol HCl and labetalol HCl, slows down as the pH decreases.
Severe mitral stenosis secondary to massive calcification of the mitral annulus with unusual echocardiographic manifestations

In mitral annular calcifications, hemodynamic documentation of a significant diastolic gradient across the mitral valve has been rarely demonstrated, and then only with the associated finding of a small left ventricular cavity with hypertrophic left ventricular wall. We present a patient with severe mitral annular calcification, with a significant diastolic gradient and unusual echocardiographic manifestations which include a densely calcified mitral valve annulus with anterior mitral valve leaflets consistent with what is seen in patients with mitral stenosis. When recordings were made immediately below the mitral valve annulus at the free edge of the mitral valve, its leaflets were seen departing in opposite directions, certainly not suggestive of outflow obstruction of the left atrium. Although in previous studies it has been suggested that mitral stenosis does not exist in the presence of mitral annulus calcification, our present report indicates that significant diastolic gradients can be found in patients with mitral annular calcifications. Because of the predominance of this condition in the elderly population, it is suggested that a more aggressive approach be taken in those patients in whom it is warranted by clinical circumstance.
Structure preserving reduced-order modeling of linear periodic time-varying systems

Many subsystems encountered in communication systems can be modeled as linear periodic time-varyiing (LPTV) systems. In this paper, we present a novel structure preserving reduced-order modeling algorithm for LPTV systems. A key advance of our approach is that it preserves the periodic time-varying structure during the reduction process, thus resulting in reduced LPTV systems. Unlike prior LPTV model order reduction (MOR) techniques which recast the LPTV systems to artificial linear time-invariant (LTI) systems and apply LTI MOR techniques for reduction, our structure preserving algorithm uses a time-varying projection directly on the original LPTV systems. Our approach always produces a smaller system than the original system, which was not valid for previous LPTV MOR techniques. We validate the proposed technique with several circuit examples, demonstrating significant size reductions and excellent accuracy.
A pageable, defect-tolerant nanoscale memory system

As we scale down to the nanoscale regime, manufacturing defects will increase significantly. With expected bit error rates as high as 2-10 %, the reliability of a contiguous 4 K-byte memory page falls off to zero. We propose a powerful combination of static and dynamic techniques to tackle this problem. Using a combination of defect mapping, error correction, and sparing, we can achieve approximately 46.5%, 26.1% and 13.2% storage efficiency in contiguous 4 K-byte pages, given bit error rates of 2%, 5% and 10%, respectively. This result allows us to use standard virtual memory to map a contiguous virtual address space onto a nanoscale memory system with some bad physical pages, giving us a more usable system than previous approaches.
Holistic Nurses’ Stories of Healing of Another

The purpose of this study was to uncover the essence and meaning of healing through narrative accounts of holistic nurses, using a qualitative, descriptive design integrating narrative and story inquiry. Twenty-five stories were collected. Seven stories revealed personal healing and have been published in a prior article. Eighteen stories, the focus of this analysis, revealed healing of another. A hybrid method blending narrative and story guided the overall process for the study. Nine themes emerged describing healing of another within three story segments: The Call to Healing, The Experience of Healing, and Insights. The theme within The Call to the Healing Encounter was Drawn by Compassion to the Vulnerability and/or Suffering of Another. Five themes describe the Experience of Healing: Connection: Cocreating Relationships; Taking Risks and Dealing With Skeptical Colleagues; Use of Modalities and Actions as Tools in Developing Self as an Instrument of Healing; Profound, Ineffable Events; and Using Metaphor and Rituals to Describe Healing. Three themes describe Insights: Mutual Transformation, Change, and Reciprocity; Gratitude for the Healing Encounter; and Leaving a Legacy. The metastory, a reconstructed story created by the researchers, was the final phase of research synthesizing and demonstrating themes of healing of another. Results were compared to existing healing literature.
Designs of metamaterials that enable electromagnetic cloaks for dual-frequency application

We have developed a dual-frequency electromagnetic cloak based on LC circuits. The limitations imposed by the extremely small values of the permittivity / permeability required for cloaking applications are relaxed by the proposed LC-circuit with multiple resonances. Full-wave simulations are then carried out to verify the design concept, where a cylindrical cloak working at 3 and 5 GHz is designed and simulated. The simulation results show the desired dual-frequency operations of the cloak. Based on the same concept, it is possible to design cloaking structures having multiple-frequency operation.
Do single point condition measurements predict fitness in female pronghorn (Antilocapra americana)

Condition is frequently used in evolutionary studies as an estimator of fitness. Broad theoretical interpretations of condition include many different attributes that can influence fitness, but in ...
A secure java TM virtual machine

The JavaTM Virtual Machine is viewed by many as inherently insecure despite all the efforts to improve its security. In this paper we take a different approach to Java security and describe the design and implementation of a system that provides operating system style protection for Java code. We use hardware protection domains to separate Java classes, provide access control on cross domain method invocations, efficient data sharing between protection domains, and memory and CPU resource control. These security measures, when they do not violate the policy, are all transparent to the Java programs, even when a subclass is in one domain and its superclass is in another. To reduce the performance impact we group classes and share them between protection domains and map data on demand as it is being shared.
In Vitro Repair of Gaps in Bacteriophage T7 DNA

An in vitro system based upon extracts of Escherichia coli infected with bacteriophage T7 was used to study the mechanism of double-strand break repair. Double-strand breaks were placed in T7 genomes by cutting with a restriction endonuclease which recognizes a unique site in the T7 genome. These molecules were allowed to repair under conditions where the double-strand break could be healed by (i) direct joining of the two partial genomes resulting from the break, (ii) annealing of complementary versions of 17-bp sequences repeated on either side of the break, or (iii) recombination with intact T7 DNA molecules. The data show that while direct joining and single-strand annealing contributed to repair of double-strand breaks, these mechanisms made only minor contributions. The efficiency of repair was greatly enhanced when DNA molecules that bridge the region of the double-strand break (referred to as donor DNA) were provided in the reaction mixtures. Moreover, in the presence of the donor DNA most of the repaired molecules acquired genetic markers from the donor DNA, implying that recombination between the DNA molecules was instrumental in repairing the break. Double-strand break repair in this system is highly efficient, with more than 50% of the broken molecules being repaired within 30 min under some experimental conditions. Gaps of 1,600 nucleotides were repaired nearly as well as simple double-strand breaks. Perfect homology between the DNA sequence near the break site and the donor DNA resulted in minor (twofold) improvement in the efficiency of repair. However, double-strand break repair was still highly efficient when there were inhomogeneities between the ends created by the double-strand break and the T7 genome or between the ends of the donor DNA molecules and the genome. The distance between the double-strand break and the ends of the donor DNA molecule was critical to the repair efficiency. The data argue that ends of DNA molecules formed by double-strand breaks are typically digested by between 150 and 500 nucleotides to form a gap that is subsequently repaired by recombination with other DNA molecules present in the same reaction mixture or infected cell.