cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical supervision in a standards-based environment : Opportunities and challenges

Current education reform stresses systemic change to achieve large-scale and long-term results. However, education in the United States has long been characterized by loose coupling, manifested in the relationship between administration and instruction, between universities and schools, and between preservice and in-service expectations. The result is an endemic inconsistency in achievement among different classrooms and schools, an inadequate preparation of teachers for classroom reality, and beginning teachers’ being left to survive with limited available support. The standards movement seeks to reduce loose coupling by bridging the gap between universities and schools and smoothing the transition from novice teacher to professional. Yet, the imposition of standards and close monitoring of learning outcomes potentially violates the affective bond between student and teacher and the teacher’s commitment to the calling. Resolving the tension between externally imposed outcomes and the teacher’s emotional ...
Central connections of aortic depressor and carotid sinus nerves

Abstract Medullary vasomotor regions of the cat were explored for units responding with changes in discharge frequency to stimulation of the carotid sinus nerve or aortic depressor nerve. Neurons excited after a short ( 10 msec) excitatory responses and complex excitatory-inhibitory patterns were evoked in neurons of the medial, paramedian and lateral ventral reticular areas by stimulation of the carotid sinus nerve and aortic depressor nerve. Most of these neurons also were influenced orthodromically by vagal nerve and dorsolateral column stimulation. A frequently occurring pattern in response to stimulation of all sites was excitation followed by a long period (> 100 msec) of inhibition of spontaneous discharge. Of the neurons in the lateral ventral reticular region, over half were fired antidromically from the ipsilateral dorsolateral columns. The responses of these neurons to stimulation at all sites resembled the responses to the same inputs previously recorded from sympathetic preganglionic and postganglionic nerves. Thus, it was tentatively concluded that this group of lateral ventral reticular neurons is the final common pathway to preganglionic sympathetic neurons in the intermediolateral columns of the spinal cord. Of the few cardio-synchronous neurons encountered, some had discharge patterns similar (in timing) to those seen in the carotid sinus nerve or aortic depressor nerve but others displayed the inverse of this pattern. This observation, together with the protracted postexcitatory inhibition commonly seen in many of the neurons in the vasomotor regions, could account for considerable modification of the primary afferent signal and may help to explain why cardio-synchronous neurons are so rarely found in the medulla.
An efficient parallel termination detection algorithm

In this paper, we present a new, easy to implement algorithm for detecting the termination of a parallel asynchronous computation on distributed-memory MIMD computers. We demonstrate that it operates concurrently with the main computation, adding minimal overhead, and we prove that it correctly detects termination when it occurs. Experimental results confirm that the termination detection routine imposes an overhead smaller than the experimental uncertainty.
A front-tracking method with projected interface conditions for compressible multi-fluid flows

A front-tracking method for compressible multi-fluid flows is presented, where marker points are used both for tracking fluid interfaces and also for constructing the Riemann problem on the interfaces. The Riemann problem between the two fluid phases (defined in the interface normal direction) is solved using the exact Riemann solver on the marker points. The solutions are projected onto fixed grid points and then extrapolated into the corresponding ghost-fluid regions, to be used as boundary conditions. Each fluid phase is solved separately as in the ghost-fluid method. The proposed procedures, especially the projection of the exact Riemann solutions onto the fluid grids, are designed to be simple and consistent in any spatial dimensions. Several multi-fluid problems, including the breakup of a water cylinder induced by the passage of a shock wave were computed in order to demonstrate the capability of the proposed method.
Dispelling misconceptions and providing guidelines for leader reward and punishment behavior

Abstract One unfortunate consequence of the focus on “charismatic,” “transformational,” and “visionary” leader behaviors during the past few decades has been the tendency to diminish the importance that transactional leadership behaviors have on leadership effectiveness. We say that this is unfortunate because recent research has shown that transactional leadership, in the form of contingent reward and punishment behaviors, can have substantial effects on a variety of important employee attitudes, perceptions, and measures of job performance. Therefore, in this article we discuss some possible reasons why transactional leadership has been relegated to a lesser role than transformational leadership, summarize the research that indicates the importance of leader contingent reward and punishment behavior to leadership effectiveness, and identify some of the mechanisms that these forms of leadership behavior work through to influence employee attitudes and behaviors. Following this, we address ten misconceptions managers often have regarding the administration of rewards and punishments, and provide some recommendations about how leaders can improve their effectiveness in administering recognition and discipline in organizational settings.
Dynamics of the Southern Hemisphere Spiral Jet

Abstract The formation of the Southern Hemisphere spiral jet is investigated using observations over a 40-yr period. It is found that between late March and early April, the upper-tropospheric westerly jet in the Southern Hemisphere undergoes a transition from an annular structure in midlatitudes to a spiral structure that extends from 20° to 55°S. The transition to the spiral structure is initiated by the formation of a subtropical jet, localized in the central Pacific. The inception of the jet spiral is completed with the formation of a band of northwest-to-southeast-oriented zonal winds, which is connected to both the subtropical and the polar-front jets. This band, referred to as the tilting branch, arises from momentum flux convergence associated with breaking Rossby waves. As such, the direction of the wave breaking determines the direction of the jet spiral; an anticyclonic wave breaking, associated with equatorward wave dispersion, establishes a jet spiral that turns cyclonically toward the pole. ...
Remarks on an asymptotic method in combinatorics

Abstract The numerical problems involved in estimating the coefficients of a generating function w(z) which satisfies a functional equation F(z, w) = 0 are discussed. Particular attention is paid to algebraic functions.
Identification of ubiquitin-modified lysine residues and novel phosphorylation sites on eukaryotic initiation factor 2B epsilon

Abstract Eukaryotic initiation factor 2Be (eIF2Be) plays a critical role in the initiation of mRNA translation and its expression and guanine nucleotide exchange activity are major determinants of the rate of protein synthesis. In this work we provide evidence that the catalytic epsilon subunit of eIF2B is subject to ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation. Lysates of C2C12 myoblasts treated with proteasome inhibitor were subjected to sequential immunoprecipitations for eIF2Be followed by ubiquitin. Tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) analysis of immunoprecipitated proteins resulted in the identification of five peptides containing ubiquitin (diglycine) modifications on eIF2Be. The specific lysine residues containing the ubiquitin modifications were localized as Lys-56, Lys-98, Lys-136, Lys-212 and Lys-500 (corresponding to the rat protein sequence). In addition three novel phosphorylation sites were identified including Ser-22, Ser-125, and Thr-317. Moreover, peptides corresponding to the amino acid sequence of the E3 ligase NEDD4 were also detected in the LC–MS/MS analysis, and an interaction between endogenous eIF2Be with NEDD4 was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation.
Boundary layer flow of a micropolar fluid in the vicinity of an axisymmetric stagnation point on a cylinder

Abstract An analysis is presented for the steady state boundary layer flow of a micropolar fluid in the vicinity of an axisymmetric stagnation point on a cylinder using the theory of micropolar fluids formulated by Eringen. The governing momentum and angular momentum equations have been solved numerically. Missing values of the velocity and microrotation functions are tabulated for a range of values of the material parameters and Reynolds number. It is observed that micropolar fluids display drag reduction when compared to Newtonian fluids.
Cutaneous barrier repair and pathophysiology following barrier disruption in IL‐1 and TNF type I receptor deficient mice

Disruption of the permeability barrier elicits a homeostatic repair response which rapidly restores barrier function while repeated barrier perturbation results in cutaneous pathology. In response to barrier disruption there is a marked increase in epidermal TNF-α and IL-1 production. To determine the potential role of TNF and IL-1 in mediating the cutaneous changes that occur following barrier disruption we compared the kinetics of barrier recovery and the degree of epidermal hyperplasia and cutaneous inflammation in TNF type I (p55) receptor and IL-1 receptor type I (p80) deficient mice. No abnormalities in epidermal morphology were observed with light or electron microscopy in receptor deficient mice. Under baseline conditions epidermal barrier function was unchanged in receptor deficient mice. Following barrier disruption the kinetics of barrier recovery were similar in control vs TNF receptor deficient mice regardless if the barrier was disrupted by acetone treatment, SDS treatment, or tape stripping. In contrast, barrier recovery was slightly but significantly accelerated regardless of the method of barrier disruption in IL-1 receptor deficient mice. The degree of epidermal hyperplasia and cutaneous inflammation following repeated barrier disruption was similar in control, TNF receptor, and IL-1 receptor deficient mice. The present study demonstrates that barrier recovery is not delayed and the degree of epidermal hyperplasia and inflammation are not altered in either TNF receptor or IL-1 receptor deficient mice, indicating that neither TNF nor IL-1 alone are essential for either barrier repair or the cutaneous pathology induced by barrier perturbation. Whereas the increase in IL-1 following barrier disruption may delay components of th repair response, whether either TNF-a or IL-1 regulate aspects of the homeostatic response remains unresolved.
Enhancing Sub-Saharan Africa's Export Performance: Challenges, Opportunities, and Implications

Abstract This paper extends the discussion of intra- and ex-tra-sub-Saharan Africa's export performance. It starts with commodity-wise and destination-wise analyses and explores the public policy challenges and opportunities. In the spirit of stimulating further discussion, specific public policy suggestions are offered to improve sub-Saha-ran Africa's overall export performance. The paper concludes with some remarks and implications about the region's export performance and directions for future research.
Comparison of structurally connected and separated spacecraft architectures for the Terrestrial Planet Finder

A major design trade for the Terrestrial Planet Finder is the choice between a structurally connected and a separated spacecraft interferometer architecture. Three metrics are applied to the comparison and serve to show which aspects of each architecture drive their design. The primary metric is the wet mass for which reference designs are discussed and the relevant mass drivers are examined. Capability and adaptability metrics are used to include more qualitative design comparisons, with the result being a more complete understanding of the trade-offs involved.
Verrucous carcinoma of the bladder

Verrucous carcinoma is a rare squamous cell variant that may arise in the bladder. We present a case of verrucous carcinoma of the bladder with radiologic-pathologic correlations that demonstrate the characteristic frond-like growth pattern. Verrucous carcinoma is an invasive but not a metastizing lesion, and therefore recognizing this lesion may have prognostic and therapeutic implications.
THE GENERAL APPROACH TO THE DIFFICULT PATIENT

Difficult patients are familiar to emergency physicians. This article explores characteristics of the difficult patient, recognized emergency department processes, and physician characteristics that can contribute to difficulties. These difficulties can be minimized by caregivers who are skilled in managing the therapeutic relationship. This relationship is characterized by firm boundaries, good communication, patient trust, wisdom, and an effective system that supports both patients and caregivers.
A case of fever following antiepileptic treatment

A 23-year-old female patient treated with 900 mg oxcarbazepine for complex partial seizures is presented. Good seizure control and slight fever were noted a few weeks after drug administration. Reduction of oxcarbazepine and replacement with valproate resulted in a transient normothermia. Because of fever reappearance, vigabatrin was added and valproate was gradually reduced. Seizures reappeared, but the body temperature fell below 37 degrees C. Substitution of valproate for lamotrigine resulted in seizure control but abnormal body temperature (37- 37.6 degrees C) was noted again. Repeated hospital admission for clinical and laboratory investigation before any change of treatment revealed no other abnormal findings. The patient's abnormal temperature possibly reflects a derangement of high-level temperature control.
Novel bioactive and stable neurotensin peptide analogues capable of delivering radiopharmaceuticals and molecular beacons to tumors.

The prevalence of neurotensin receptor (NTR) in several human tumors makes it an attractive target for the delivery of cytotoxic drugs and imaging agents. Native neurotensin (NT) is a tridecapeptide that binds to NTR and induces tumor growth. Unfortunately, NT has a short plasma half-life, which hinders its use for in vivo biomedical applications. Numerous reports suggest that Arg(8)-Arg(9) and Tyr(11)-Ile(12) amide bonds are particularly susceptible to degradation by proteolytic enzymes. Predicated on this observation, we substituted Arg(8), Arg(9), and Ile(12) amino acids with the corresponding commercially available mimics. These surrogate amino acids are amenable to standard Fmoc peptide synthesis strategy, and the resulting compounds are stable in biological media for >4 h and bind to NTR with high affinity. Furthermore, conjugating DTPA to the new peptides and subsequent labeling with 111In−DTPA for nuclear imaging or fluorescein for optical imaging did not diminish the NTR binding affinities of the...
Operational outlier detection

In most physical sciences, vast amounts of data are collected which must be edited for erroneous data points (or outliers) before they can be analyzed. The nature of the data is such that standard data-editing procedures are not applicable, for the data typically have a varying mean and covariance structure. Furthermore, data sets must be analyzed in real-time. In this paper we propose a data adaptive approach and present two methods which address these conditions and perform operational data editing. The first method divides the data into small segments to fit low order polynomials and splines. The second procedure is based on a technique which, in the Electrical Engineering literature, is known as Linear Adaptive Prediction (LAP). This method treats each data value as it becomes available to decide whether or not it is an outlier.
Palaeomagnetism, Potassium-argon ages and petrology of some volcanic rocks

Geological evidence obtained from samples of rocks from Cocos Island, Costa Rica, seems to agree with the idea that this island could have been a stepping stone for organisms migrating to the Galapagos Islands.
A community of education: Nepalese children living and learning religious ritual

This paper expands and extends the existing qualitative literature on the relationship between children and the social environment. With reference to a group of Nepalese children I highlight how children learn about religious ritual, and specific rituals in which they engage during their childhood years. I also explore the differences and similarities of children's religious ritual experiences between religious affiliation, castes and gender. Analyses of ethnographic and interview data revealed four important points. First, the children equated religious ritual learning in the forms of daily puja and the coming‐of‐age ceremonies. Second, both Hindu and Buddhist children engaged in these rituals and did not differentiate how Hindu worship differed from Buddhist worship. Third, the children identified their social world—their immediate and extended family and friends—as the primary place where they learned about religious rituals. Finally, children from the low castes, when socialised with children from hig...
Vittorio Alfieri's Natural Sublime: The Physiology of Poetic Inspiration

This essay examines Vittorio Alfieri's representation of the natural sublime in his autobiography, Vita scritta da esso (1804), and situates it in the context of the eighteenth-century philosophical discourse on the aesthetics of the sublime. A comparative analysis of its relation to Burke's physiological sublime, as opposed to Kant's rationalistic model, shows how Alfieri's description of the sublime is in line with the body-centered Burkean system. In fact, Alfieri's natural sublime is a corporeal experience that stresses the primacy of the senses at the expense of reason. Following Longinus, however, Alfieri poses the question of the sublime in terms of poetic inspiration and describes a physiology of creativity that involves both the bodily passions and the imagination. By situating Alfieri's sublime in a wider European context, the essay provides a conceptual framework to comprehend more fully Alfieri's ideas about the psychology of literary inspiration and the creative process. Finally, Alfieri's tr...
Atypical facial pain: a reappraisal.

SYNOPSIS Atypical facial pain is a syndrome of chronic facial pain affecting mainly young women who are often emotionally disturbed. Current opinion favors a psychogenic cause for it, but no causal relationship has been established: not all those affected are emotionally disturbed and no single psychiatric disorder predominates among those who are. Early reports of the syndrome in fact described a migraine-like disorder in which either episodic facial pain or episodic exacerbations of chronic pain were associated with arterial tenderness, a variety of autonomic symptoms and signs and sometimes a response to treatment with vasoconstrictors. Painful dilation of craniofacial arteries may cause atypical facial pain.
Real-Time Polychromatic Signal Detection Using A Color Liquid Crystal Television

A novel low-cost color liquid crystal television is applied in a real-time color pattern recognition system. In this system, a target is identified on the basis of both shape and spectral content. A multiple matched filtering technique is also proposed to improve the detected correlation signal. Experimental results of the bichromatic signal detection are presented.
Identification of differentially expressed genes associated with semigamy in Pima cotton ( Gossypium barbadense L.) through comparative microarray analysis

Semigamy in cotton is a type of facultative apomixis controlled by an incompletely dominant autosomal gene (Se). During semigamy, the sperm and egg cells undergo cellular fusion, but the sperm and egg nucleus fail to fuse in the embryo sac, giving rise to diploid, haploid, or chimeric embryos composed of sectors of paternal and maternal origin. In this study we sought to identify differentially expressed genes related to the semigamy genotype by implementing a comparative microarray analysis of anthers and ovules between a non-semigametic Pima S-1 cotton and its doubled haploid natural isogenic mutant semigametic 57-4. Selected differentially expressed genes identified by the microarray results were then confirmed using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). The comparative analysis between isogenic 57-4 and Pima S-1 identified 284 genes in anthers and 1,864 genes in ovules as being differentially expressed in the semigametic genotype 57-4. Based on gene functions, 127 differentially expressed genes were common to both semigametic anthers and ovules, with 115 being consistently differentially expressed in both tissues. Nine of those genes were selected for qRT-PCR analysis, seven of which were confirmed. Furthermore, several well characterized metabolic pathways including glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis, and the biosynthesis of and response to plant hormones were shown to be affected by differentially expressed genes in the semigametic tissues. As the first report using microarray analysis, several important metabolic pathways affected by differentially expressed genes in the semigametic cotton genotype have been identified and described in detail. While these genes are unlikely to be the semigamy gene itself, the effects associated with expression changes in those genes do mimic phenotypic traits observed in semigametic plants. A more in-depth analysis of semigamy is necessary to understand its expression and regulation at the genetic and molecular level.
Application of egg white and plasma powders as muscle food binding agents

Abstract A Warner–Bratzler shear device was modified to hold samples and measure binding strength between two muscle chunks. Desugared egg white powder, non-desugared egg white powder, raw egg white, egg powder, bovine, porcine, lamb, and broiler plasma powders, broiler breast meat powder (55°C dried), broiler breast meat powder (freeze dried), gelatine, wheat gluten, isolated soy protein, and sodium alginate + calcium carbonate (6:1) were used for tensile strength evaluations. Results indicated that the desugared egg white and egg white powders were superior (P Binding abilities of desugared egg white powder and plasma powder between muscle to muscle, muscle to fat, and fat to fat were also evaluated. At 20 mg/cm2, desugared egg white powder had the strongest tensile strength (P
PRELIMINARY X-RAY DIFFRACTION STUDIES OF CRYSTAL FORMS OF FREE AND INHIBITED CHYMOTRYPSIN.

Abstract 1. 1. Crystals of α- and γ-chymotrypsin (EC 3.4.4.5) have been prepared, and also the monoclinic and tetragonal forms of the diisopropylphosphorofluoridate-inhibited enzyme. Crystals of a new trigonal form of diisopropylphosphorochymotrypsin have also been obtained. The unit cells and space groups of all of these crystal forms have been determined from X-ray diffraction data. 2. 2. The X-ray diffraction patterns of monoclinic and tetragonal diisopropylphosphorochymotrypsin are almost identical with those of α- and γ-chymotrypsin, respectively. The interconversion of these forms of diisopropylphosphorochymotrypsin previously described has been confirmed. In addition, the corresponding interconversion of α- and γ-chymotrypsin has been carried out at room temperature by proper control of the pH of the crystallizing solution, and the identity of the crystal forms has been established by their X-ray diffraction patterns.
Effects of cuing on cross-modal congruity

Abstract The present study uses a cuing paradigm to evaluate effects of dimensional congruity among temporally separated pairs of cross-modal attributes. Pairs comprise attributes from the dimensions vertical position and auditory pitch (Experiments 1a and 1b), color and pitch (Experiment 2), words and pitch (Experiments 3a and 3b), and words and position (Experiments 4 and 5). The temporally-prior attribute (cue) precedes the target attribute by either 0 ms, 50 ms, 100 ms, 350 ms, 500 ms, or 1000 ms; the cue correctly predicts the target's identity on either 80%, 50%, or 20% of trials. Substantial effects of dimensional congruity (i.e., subjects respond fastest to congruent attributes) are obtained with all dimensions and under all conditions. Congruity effects are shown to be the combined effect of facilitation from matching attributes and interference from mismatching attributes. Neither length of preview nor overall probability relations interact systematically with the magnitude of the congruity effects, suggesting that these factors are independent and additive. These results with cross-modal dimensions are contrasted with results obtained when letters are used as cues and targets (Experiment 6). Collectively, the results demonstrate that performance in the cuing paradigm depend largely on the level of crosstalk between interacting dimensions.
Cloning the argF gene from Escherichia coli K-12 with simian virus 40.

Abstract We have inserted a gene coding for ornithine transcarbamylase (OTCase) from Escherichia coli K-12 into the late gene region of simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA and propagated the hybrid molecules as free episomes or by co-infection with an SV40 tsA helper virus. In the first case, the E. coli argF gene was inserted via the EcoRI and BamHI termini in the late gene region of SV40 and the recombinant molecules were used to transfect monkey kidney cells. The hybrid DNA, which was too large to be encapsidated, was replicated for a short time (14 days) but was eventually lost from the surviving cells. In order to allow the argF gene to be packaged into virions, we purified two SV40 vectors containing large deletions of late gene region sequences. One was a 3325 base pair segment from a HaeII + BamHI digest of SV40 DNA and the other a 2900 base pair segment from a HpaII + BamHI digest. The argF gene was joined to both vectors at the BamHI site and these linear molecules were used to transfect monkey cells in the presence of SV40 tsA58 DNA as helper. These hybrid DNAs were replicated and packaged into virions. Late in the lytic infection of monkey cells, polyadenylated, cytoplasmic argF transcripts were detected, but significant translation of these transcripts was not observed.
Head and neck blocks in children

Purpose of reviewThe present article will review the current technology and available literature regarding regional anesthesia in infants and children undergoing head and neck surgery.Recent findingsRegional anesthesia can be utilized in a variety of surgical procedures on the head and neck. The rep
Single-phase transport processes in the open thermosyphon

Abstract The results of two experimental studies with flow visualization and heat-transfer measurements are presented for ordinary liquids under vertical and inclined conditions. The mid-tube exchange process, at the confluence of the rising boundary layer from the heated end and the falling boundary layer from the cooled end, was found to be basically convective in nature with conduction and mixing playing important secondary roles. The effect of increasing the overall temperature difference or decreasing the Prandtl number was to increase the importance of mixing until it predominated. Under conditions for which impeded flow in an open thermosyphon would be obtained, it was found that boundary-layer flow is maintained in the closed thermosyphon thus allowing the overall efficiency of the closed thermosyphon to approach that of the open thermosyphon. The effect of inclination was found to enhance the convective exchange mode, with complete loop circulation at moderate angles, thereby causing increased heat transfer. Accurate prediction methods for vertical behavior and trends for inclined behavior are givea The semi-closed system, used recently (by Ogale, Delft) in a rotating turbine blade model, is reviewed.
Cost of production: a defensible basis for agricultural price supports?

Price supports have been used to increase the price of various agricultural commodities in the United States since the 1930s. Although price supports were conceived as a way of increasing farm income relative to nonfarm income, the level at which prices should be supported has been a key issue. Various farm organizations, economists, and politicians have maintained since the early 1920s that prices of farm commodities should be maintained at levels sufficient to cover production costs (Luttrell). The parity price concept was, in itself, an attempt to relate the support price to production costs through the prices-paid index. The shortcom
Basal gene expression by lung CD4+ T cells in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease identifies independent molecular correlates of airflow obstruction and emphysema extent.

Lung CD4+ T cells accumulate as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) progresses, but their role in pathogenesis remains controversial. To address this controversy, we studied lung tissue from 53 subjects undergoing clinically-indicated resections, lung volume reduction, or transplant. Viable single-cell suspensions were analyzed by flow cytometry or underwent CD4+ T cell isolation, followed either by stimulation with anti-CD3 and cytokine/chemokine measurement, or by real-time PCR analysis. In lung CD4+ T cells of most COPD subjects, relative to lung CD4+ T cells in smokers with normal spirometry: (a) stimulation induced minimal IFN-c or other inflammatory mediators, but many subjects produced more CCL2; (b) the T effector memory subset was less uniformly predominant, without correlation with decreased IFN-c production. Analysis of unstimulated lung CD4+ T cells of all subjects identified a molecular phenotype, mainly in COPD, characterized by markedly reduced mRNA transcripts for the transcription factors controlling TH1, TH2, TH17 and FOXP3+ T regulatory subsets and their signature cytokines. This mRNA-defined CD4+ T cell phenotype did not result from global inability to elaborate mRNA; increased transcripts for inhibitory CD28 family members or markers of anergy; or reduced telomerase length. As a group, these subjects had significantly worse spirometry, but not DLCO, relative to subjects whose lung CD4+ T cells expressed a variety of transcripts. Analysis of mRNA transcripts of unstimulated lung CD4+ T cell among all subjects identified two distinct molecular correlates of classical COPD clinical phenotypes: basal IL-10 transcripts correlated independently and inversely with emphysema extent (but not spirometry); by contrast, unstimulated IFN-c transcripts correlated independently and inversely with reduced spirometry (but not reduced DLCO or emphysema extent). Aberrant lung CD4+ T cells polarization appears to be common in advanced COPD, but also exists in some smokers with normal spirometry, and may contribute to development and progression of specific COPD phenotypes. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT00281229
A Rare Case of ARDS From Human Anaplasmosis

Human granulocytic anaplasmosis is a tick-borne bacterial disease caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum. ARDS is a very rare presentation of human anaplasmosis. Early suspicion and empiric antibiotics usually prevent rapid progression of the disease. In our case, despite early initiation of empiric antibiotics, the clinical course of our patient continued to deteriorate but responded dramatically upon addition of steroids. Clinicians should be vigilant about the presentation, diagnostic workup, and treatment of human granulocytic anaplasmosis.
Final mass and spin of black-hole mergers

We consider black holes resulting from binary black-hole mergers. By fitting to numerical results we construct analytic formulas that predict the mass and spin of the final black hole. Our formulas are valid for arbitrary initial spins and mass ratios and agree well with available numerical simulations. We use our spin formula in the context of two common merger scenarios for supermassive galactic black holes. We consider the case of isotropically distributed initial spin orientations (when no surrounding matter is present) and also the case when matter closely aligns the spins with the orbital angular momentum. The spin magnitude of black holes resulting from successive generations of mergers (with symmetric mass ratio $\ensuremath{\eta}$) has a mean of $1.73\ensuremath{\eta}+0.28$ in the isotropic case and 0.94 for the closely aligned case.
Dependency of planned dose perturbation (PDP) on the spatial resolution of MapCHECK 2 detectors.

The purpose of this study is to determine the dependency of the planned dose perturbation (PDP) algorithm (used in Sun Nuclear 3DVH software) on spatial resolution of the MapCHECK 2 detectors. In this study, ten brain (small target), ten brain (large target), ten prostate, and ten head-and-neck (HN SR) and a doubled detector density (high resolution; HR) by merging regular with shifted measurements. SR and HR measurements were fed into the 3DVH software and ROI (region of interest), planning target volume (PTV), and organ at risk (OAR)) dose statistics (D95, Dmean, and Dmax) were determined for each. Differences of the dose statistics normalized to prescription dose for ROIs between original planning and PDP-perturbed planning were calculated for SR (ΔDSR) and HR (ΔDHR), and difference between ΔDSR and ΔDHR (ΔDSR-HR = ΔDSR - ΔDHR) was also calculated. In addition, 2D and 3D γ passing rates (GPRs) were determined for both resolutions, and a correlation between GPRs and ΔDSR or ΔDHR for PTV dose metrics was determined. No considerably high mean differences between ΔDSR and ΔDHR were found for almost all ROIs and plans (< 2%); however, |ΔDSR|, |ΔDHR|, and |ΔDSR-HR| for PTV were found to significantly increase as the PTV size decreased (e.g., PTV size < 5 cc). And statistically significant differences between SR and HR were observed for OARs proximal to targets in large brain target and HN however, the modulation complexity did not make any noticeable distinctions in the DVH statistics of PTV between SR and HR, excluding the small brain cases whose PTVs were extremely small (PTV = 11.0 ± 10.1 cc). Moderate to strong negative correlations (-1 < r < -0.3) between GPRs and PTV dose metrics indicated that small clinical errors for PTV occur at the higher GPRs. In conclusion, doubling the detector density of the MapCHECK 2 device is recommended for small targets (i.e., PTV < 5 cc) and multiple targets with complex geometry with minimum setup error in the DVH-based plan evaluation.
Improving quality of care through improved audit and feedback

Background The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has led the industry in measuring facility performance as a critical element in improving quality of care, investing substantial resources to develop and maintain valid and cost-effective measures. The External Peer Review Program (EPRP) of the VA is the official data source for monitoring facility performance, used to prioritize the quality areas needing most attention. Facility performance measurement has significantly improved preventive and chronic care, as well as overall quality; however, much variability still exists in levels of performance across measures and facilities. Audit and feedback (A&F), an important component of effective performance measurement, can help reduce this variability and improve overall performance. Previous research suggests that VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) with high EPRP performance scores tend to use EPRP data as a feedback source. However, the manner in which EPRP data are used as a feedback source by individual providers as well as service line, facility, and network leadership is not well understood. An in-depth understanding of mental models, strategies, and specific feedback process characteristics adopted by high-performing facilities is thus urgently needed. This research compares how leaders of high, low, and moderately performing VAMCs use clinical performance data from the EPRP as a feedback tool to maintain and improve quality of care.
Geometric Categories, O-Minimal Structures and Control

The theory of subanalytic sets is an excellent tool in various analytic-geometric contexts, including geometric control theory. (See [1], for example.)
Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication

Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication has emerged as the most common operative approach to gastroesophageal reflux disease. This chapter details the standard procedure, pitfalls, and complications.
Genetic basis for reproductive diapause is correlated with life history traits within the Culex pipiens complex.

The evolution of late season reproductive arrest (diapause) among female Culex pipiens mosquitoes allows them to overwinter in temperate climates, while females of the sibling species Culex quinquefasciatus do not exhibit the diapause phenotype. We present results for quantitative trait loci (QTL) analyses of two independent segregating populations derived from crosses between C. pipiens and C. quinquefasciatus . QTL for diapause and three life history traits were identified and compared for genome positions and gene effects. Using a combination of composite interval mapping, single-marker analysis and all possible subsets regression, we identified multiple QTL for each trait, totalling 14 and 17 QTL for each population, respectively. Individual QTL across traits often mapped to similar genome locations, suggesting these traits may be controlled in part by genes with pleiotropic effects or multiple tightly linked genes. The majority of QTL were intermediate in magnitude in that they explained 10‐25% of the phenotypic variation. The majority of QTL showed overdominance effects. We suggest that this could impact natural populations, as increased heterosis across hybrid zones may allow populations to adapt to environmental conditions via stabilizing selection, and yet maintain species identity outside these regions because of strong morphological integration, wherein related traits evolve as an integrated unit.
Deficits in Complex Visual Perception Following Unilateral Temporal Lobectomy

Although human temporal cortex is known to be important for short- and long-term memory, its role in visual perception is not well understood. In this study, we compared the performance of three patients with unilateral temporal lobectomies to that of normal controls on both "simple" and "complex" visual discriminations that did not involve explicit memory components. Two types of complex tasks were tested that involved discriminations secondary to texture segmentation. These were contrasted with simple discriminations using luminance-defined stimuli. Patients showed impaired thresholds only on tasks involving texture segmentation, performing as well as controls when the targets were defined by luminance rather than texture. The minimum stimulus presentation times for threshold performance were also measured for all tasks and found to be elevated in temporal lobectomy patients relative to controls. Although the magnitude of the deficits observed was substantial, loss was equivalent in ipsi- and contra-lesional regions of the visual field. Additional control experiments showed that the patients' perceptual deficits were not due, even in part, to disturbances of basic visual capacities such as acuity and contrast sensitivity. Our results indicate that temporal lobe damage disrupts complex, but not simple, visual discriminations throughout the visual field.
Decrease in fluorescence and phosphorescence intensity of nylon 66 impurities by exposure to ultraviolet radiation

The effects of exposure to ultraviolet radiation on the fluorescence and phosphorescence intensity of impurities in nylon 66, sometimes called gel, were measured using color image processing. The fluorescence intensity of the gel particles and of the polymer showed an approximately exponential decay with the time of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, with decay constants in the range 0.5 to 1.0 h−1. Analysis of images that were acquired over several hours also indicated a decrease in the phosphorescence intensity of the gel particles. Image processing provides a simpler and less expensive method of luminescence analysis than the spectroscopic techniques used previously to examine the effects of exposure to ultraviolet radiation on the phosphorescence properties of nylon 66 impurities. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Bem Sex-Role Inventory Reexamined

533 women and 361 men undergraduates were administered the 20-item masculine and the 20-item feminine scales of the Bern Sex-role Inventory. Factor analyses of the 40 items produced for both men and women 6 interpretable factors: nurturance, dominance, autonomy, bipolar M-F, competition, and leadership. Thus the inventory appears to be very complex. Nevertheless, multiple correlations (R) of the 40 items with the total masculinity and femininity scores separately produced an R = .75 for the masculinity scale and R = .86 for the femininity scale. Most of the items with significant contributions to each of the scales were consistent with the original scoring used by Bem.
Conservative treatment of plantar fasciitis. A prospective study

A randomized, prospective study was conducted to compare the individual effectiveness of three types of conservative therapy in the treatment of plantar fasciitis. One hundred three subjects were randomly assigned to one of three treatment categories: anti-inflammatory, accommodative, or mechanical. Subjects were treated for 3 months, with follow-up visits at 2, 4, 6, and 12 weeks. For the 85 patients who completed the study, a statistically significant difference was noted between groups, with mechanical treatment with taping and orthoses proving to be more effective than either anti-inflammatory or accommodative modalities.
Some micromagnetic corrections to numerical coercivity calculations

Previous numerical coercivity calculations used models that were essentially at the domain level in resolution. This paper attempts to assess some of the errors in such calculations without a full scale micromagnetic calculation, since such a calculation is at present prohibitively expensive. Errors as large as an order of magnitude have been calculated by analyzing the nature of the breakdown that occurs when the equilibrium is exceeded. The interaction between an inclusion, much smaller than the thickness of a domain wall, and the wall can also yield large errors, especially when a graded mesh is used to study the details of the interaction.
Microwave cloaking by all-dielectric metamaterials

We present a cylindrical electromagnetic cloak composed of identical ceramic dielectric resonators for operation in the microwave range. The performance of the cloak has been verified by full-wave simulations of the true multi-resonator cloak structure and by the measurements of the integral transmission through the fabricated prototype. It is demonstrated that due to inter-resonator coupling the resonance mode of the resonators comprising the cloak is split and the cloaking effect could be only observed at specific frequencies within the resonance band.
Challenges and strategies of dyad research: cardiovascular examples.

This article highlights challenges in recruitment, retention, attrition, data collection, and analysis when studying dyads in cardiovascular research. Including family members in studies is particularly important because family members often have a major role in treatment of patients with cardiovascular illness. The partnership of a patient–family member is referred to as a dyad and may include the cardiovascular patient and another relative, such as an adult child, sibling, spouse, son-in-law or daughter-in-law, or unmarried partner. Insights gained from previous research may facilitate and improve rigor when reviewing and conducting studies involving dyads with cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. Including patients and partners in descriptive and intervention studies will allow researchers to more fully explore family factors that may be salient in health outcomes.
CD28 Inhibits T Cell Adhesion by Recruiting CAPRI to the Plasma Membrane

CD28 is a coreceptor expressed on T lymphocytes. Signaling downstream of CD28 promotes multiple T cell functions such as proliferation, survival, and cytokine secretion. Adhesion to APCs is another function of T cells; however, little is known with regard to the role of CD28 in this process. Our previous studies have shown that CD28 inhibits T cell adhesion, but the underlying mechanism that mediates this process remains unknown. In the present study we discovered that signaling downstream of CD28 resulted in inhibition of Rap1 activity and decreased LFA-1–mediated adhesion. We showed that this was regulated by the recruitment of calcium-promoted Ras inactivator (CAPRI), a GTPase-activating protein, to the plasma membrane downstream of CD28 signaling. CAPRI trafficking to the plasma membrane was secondary to calcium influx and was mediated by its C2A and C2B domains. We conclude that CD28 inhibits Rap1-mediated adhesion by recruiting the protein CAPRI to the plasma membrane.
Metabolic and cardiovascular traits: an abundance of recently identified common genetic variants

Genome-wide association studies are providing new insights into the genetic basis of metabolic and cardiovascular traits. In the past 3 years, common variants in approximately 50 loci have been strongly associated with metabolic and cardiovascular traits. Several of these loci have implicated genes without a previously known connection with metabolism. Further studies will be required to characterize the full impact of these loci on metabolism. Many of the identified loci include multiple independent variants that influence the same metabolic or cardiovascular trait and a few loci harbor independent variants that each influence distinct traits. The total proportion of trait heritability explained by variants identified so far is still modest (typically <10%). Future studies will build on these successes by identifying additional common and rare variants and by determining the functional impact of the underlying alleles and genes.
Visual similarity of pen gestures

Pen-based user interfaces are becoming ever more popular. Gestures (i.e., marks made with a pen to invoke a command) are a valuable aspect of pen-based UIs, but they also have drawbacks. The challenge in designing good gestures is to make them easy for people to learn and remember. With the goal of better gesture design, we performed a pair of experiments to determine why users find gestures similar. From these experiments, we have derived a computational model for predicting perceived gesture similarity that correlates 0.56 with observation. We will incorporate the results of these experiments into a gesture design tool, which will aid the pen-based UI designer in creating gesture sets that are easier to learn and more memorable.
Quantifying Modes of 3D Cell Migration

Although it is widely appreciated that cells migrate in a variety of diverse environments in vivo, we are only now beginning to use experimental workflows that yield images with sufficient spatiotemporal resolution to study the molecular processes governing cell migration in 3D environments. Since cell migration is a dynamic process, it is usually studied via microscopy, but 3D movies of 3D processes are difficult to interpret by visual inspection. In this review, we discuss the technologies required to study the diversity of 3D cell migration modes with a focus on the visualization and computational analysis tools needed to study cell migration quantitatively at a level comparable to the analyses performed today on cells crawling on flat substrates.
Role of α-SNAP in Promoting Efficient Neurotransmission at the Crayfish Neuromuscular Junction

In this manuscript, we address the role of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein (α-SNAP) in synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction of the crayfish opener mu...