cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Occupation density estimation for noisy high-frequency data

Abstract This paper studies the nonparametric estimation of occupation densities for semimartingale processes observed with noise. As leading examples we consider the stochastic volatility of a latent efficient price process, the volatility of the latent noise that separates the efficient price from the actually observed price, and nonlinear transformations of these processes. Our estimation methods are decidedly nonparametric and consist of two steps: the estimation of the spot price and noise volatility processes based on pre-averaging techniques and in-fill asymptotic arguments, followed by a kernel-type estimation of the occupation densities. Our spot volatility estimates attain the optimal rate of convergence, and are robust to leverage effects, price and volatility jumps, general forms of serial dependence in the noise, and random irregular sampling. The convergence rates of our occupation density estimates are directly related to that of the estimated spot volatilities and the smoothness of the true occupation densities. An empirical application involving high-frequency equity data illustrates the usefulness of the new methods in illuminating time-varying risks, market liquidity, and informational asymmetries across time and assets.
Assessing Dental Students’ HPV Health Literacy and Intention to Engage in HPV-Related Oropharyngeal Cancer Prevention

Oropharyngeal cancer has become the new face of HPV-related cancers, and this alarming growth highlights the pivotal role dentists can play in prevention. This study aims to identify current HPV-related curricula taught across US dental schools and evaluate HPV health literacy and intention to engage in HPV prevention among US dental students. The dental school curricula included responses from 40 Academic Deans (61% response rate). The 4-item survey focused on understanding HPV-related content in dental school curricula and was administered via Qualtrics. A 31-item paper survey was administered to dental students (N = 109) at a southeastern dental school assessing HPV health literacy, scope of practice, willingness to administer HPV vaccine, self-efficacy in HPV prevention, and basic demographics. Data were collected between February and May 2018. Over 40 courses were identified and included HPV-related content in multiple disciplines including oral and general pathology, immunology, oral medicine, microbiology, infectious diseases, public health, and oral health management among others. Among dental students, over half were female (61%), non-Hispanic White (61%), with a mean age of 26 and in their first (48%) or third year of dental school (52%). Results indicate some HPV knowledge gaps. Most dental students believe HPV prevention is within their scope of practice; however, 56% reported feeling somewhat/not at all confident in recommending the vaccine and performing oral cancer exams. Our data supports the timeliness and need to strengthen HPV-related content in dental school curricula to effectively train and engage future dental providers in HPV prevention.
The Mundane Dialectic of Enlightenment: Typification as Everyday Identity Thinking

To make Adorno’s difficult notion of “identity thinking” more amendable to sociological research, this project brings his Negative Dialectics into conversation with Schutz’s theory of typification. When revised with Adorno’s attention to political economy and the pathologies of reification, Schutz’s framework allows for an analysis of identity thinking in everyday life. Both theorists argue that categories of thought: (1) automatically subsume objects for pragmatic yet socially conditioned reasons, (2) are socially formed, transferred, and selected, and (3) suppress particularizing characteristics of objects. Their overlapping arguments are cross-fertilized to propose a critical approach to cognitive sociology that can engage in a form of ideology critique that illuminates forms of thinking that conceal social contradictions. This approach is useful for explaining the “mundane dialectic of enlightenment”: the daily reproduction of unreflective rationalization that breeds irrationality in the form of social domination and environmental harm, a contradiction which finds its ultimate expression in climate change inaction.
Influence of Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) on Idaho ‘Syrah’ grape composition

Abstract Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) infection was recently identified in an Idaho commercial vineyard. Fruit quality from healthy vines (no viruses detected), and GRBV positive (infected) vines was determined for ‘Syrah’ grapes from this vineyard. GRBV infected vines produced grapes with significantly lower total sugars (2.7 g/100 g difference) and lower total anthocyanins (34 mg/100 g difference). They were also lower in a single free amino acid (tryptophan, 0.4 mg of N/kg difference), yet higher in malic acid (0.13 g/100 g difference) compared to grapes from healthy vines. No significant differences were seen in total organic acids, yeast assimilable nitrogen content, total free amino acids, total phenolics, or total tannins between the grapes of healthy vines versus those of GRBV infected vines. Overall, GRBV negatively influenced grape quality by reducing total sugars and total anthocyanins, which may indicate GRBV infection delayed grape ripening and could adversely affect wine quality.
Death and Grief in Love Letters

In the love letters of 14 couples every couple communicated about issues of death and grief, which suggests that death and grief may often have a place in the development of couple relationships. F...
Differences in Utilization of Nonvideo Telemedicine Visits for Dermatologic Concerns in Underserved Populations During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Usage of telemedicine for virtual dermatology care during the COVID-19 pandemic on a national scale is poorly characterized, particularly for nonvideo encounters. Objective: We sought to compare utilization of telephone and asynchronous virtual care for dermatologic concerns 3 months before (December 2019-February 2020) and during the pandemic (March-May 2020) across patient populations. Methods: A retrospective study was performed using a national claims database with >280 million patients within the COVID-19 Research Database to identify monthly telephone and asynchronous virtual visits by diagnosis, age, income, and patient race/ethnicity. Results: Although overall visits for dermatologic concerns decreased by 27.2% during the pandemic, telephone and asynchronous visits increased significantly. Patients most likely to use telephone visits during the pandemic were of older age (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 1.043, p < 0.001), African American race (RRR = 2.03, p < 0.001), and household income <$29,000 (RRR = 1.51, p < 0.001). Limitations: Racial and ethnic data were available for 39.04% of patients and income data for 38.1% of patients. Conclusions: Underserved populations including African Americans, elderly, and low-income patients were more likely to utilize telephone formats during the pandemic. Further studies are needed to determine the reasons for these observed differences and whether there is differential quality between nonvideo and video telemedicine encounters to ensure that all patients are given equal access to the highest quality of virtual care.
Association between discontinuing chronic opioid therapy and newly diagnosed substance use disorders, accidents, self-inflicted injuries and drug overdoses within the prescribers' health care system: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM Prescribers are commonly confronted with discontinuing opioid therapy among patients prescribed chronic opioid therapy (COT). This study aimed to measure the association between discontinuing COT and diagnoses of substance use disorders (SUDs) and opioid-related adverse outcomes (AOs). DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING United States Veterans Healthcare Administration. PARTICIPANTS Veterans with chronic pain on COT who discontinued opioid therapy were compared with those continuing COT using data from fiscal years 2009 to 2015. MEASUREMENTS Newly diagnosed substance use disorders (SUD composite; individual types: opioid, non-opioid drug and alcohol use disorders) and opioid-related adverse outcomes (AO composite; individual types: accidents resulting in wounds/injuries, opioid-related accidents/overdoses, alcohol and non-opioid medication-related accidents/overdoses, self-inflicted injuries and violence-related injuries) were evaluated. Primary analyses were conducted using 1:1 matching of discontinuers with those continuing COT based on propensity score and index date (±180-day window). Sensitivity analyses were conducted using logistic regressions with stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (SIPTW) and instrumental variable (IV) models. FINDINGS A total of 15 695 (75.4%) and 17 337 (76.6%) discontinuers were matched with those continuing COT among the cohorts testing SUD and AO development respectively. In the primary propensity score matched analyses, the composite SUD outcome was not different between discontinuers and those continuing COT (OR = 0.932, 95% CI = 0.850, 1.022). The composite AO outcome was lower among discontinuers (OR = 0.660, 95% CI = 0.623, 0.699) compared with those continuing COT. SIPTW analyses found lower SUD (OR = 0.789, 95% CI = 0.743, 0.837), and AO (OR = 0.660, 95% CI = 0.623, 0.699) rates among discontinuers. IV models found mixed and sometimes contradictory results. CONCLUSIONS Discontinuing patients from chronic opioid therapy appears to be associated with decreased diagnoses for opioid-related adverse outcomes. The association with substance use disorders appears to be inconclusive.
Initial Clinical Experience With a Simple, Home System for Early Detection and Monitoring of Diabetic Foot Ulcers: The Foot Selfie

Background:Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a leading cause of disability and morbidity. There is an unmet need for a simple, practical, home method to detect DFUs early and remotely monitor their h...
The Foundation for Politization of the Police: Its Implications on the Watergate Scandal

Every component of the criminal justice system except the law enforcement component is able to protect itself from the scandalous taint of the Watergate affair. This is not to infer that the other components of the criminal justice system would necessarily be free of potential scandalous involvement, but it is meant to infer that structurally all other components of the criminal justice system are organized in such a manner as to minimize their vulnerability to such scandalous involvement. Moreover, their visibility in the areas of processing participants of such scandals is more legitimized in terms of discretionary decision making that must necessarily occur in such cases, both prior to and after adjudication. The law enforcement component, on the other hand, is severely handicapped by low visibility political pressures to influence the decision either to arrest, charge, or investigate. Aggravating this problem is the intense political nature of the police organization, with its politically appointed adminstrators; its historical involvement in political activities; and its vulnerability to the use of discretionary decision making.
Disruption of reconstituted nucleosomes. The effect of particle concentration, MgCl2 and KCl concentration, the histone tails, and temperature.

We find that reconstituted nucleosome cores containing specific DNA sequences dissociate on dilution. This disruption of histone-DNA contacts leading to the release of free DNA is facilitated by the presence of the core histone tails, MgCl2 (5 mM), KCl (60 mM), and temperatures above 0°C. Under reaction conditions that are commonly used to assess trans-acting factor access to nucleosomal DNA, histone-DNA contacts are on the threshold of instability. We demonstrate how dilution of reconstituted nucleosomes containing a TATA box can facilitate TBP access to DNA.
Coronary Artery Disease Progression: Insights from Cardiac CT

Coronary plaque progression is a multi-faceted process influenced by cardiovascular risk factors, as well as the presence, extent, stenosis, morphology, and vulnerability of plaque, which may ultimately result in myocardial infarction or death. Traditionally, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has been the primary modality to study atherosclerosis progression. However, it is invasive and impractical for screening or monitoring. While coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring has been widely studied as a non-invasive method to measure plaque progression, it is limited to visualization of stenosis and non-calcified plaque. Coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) allows for visualization of the severity of stenosis, plaque burden, plaque morphology, and ability to differentiate between plaque types. Furthermore, certain CCTA plaque features are useful in identifying vulnerable plaque including low attenuation plaque, positive remodeling, spotty calcification, and napkin-ring sign. This review covers multiple aspects of plaque progression—its pathophysiology, clinical implications, and use of novel non-invasive technology for the assessment of plaque progression over time.
Neurocognitive Mechanisms of Prejudice Formation The Role of Time-Dependent Memory Consolidation

Prejudice is generally thought to derive from learned, emotion-laden experiences. The mechanisms underlying the formation of prejudice over time, however, remain unknown. In the present research, we proposed and tested hypotheses regarding prejudice formation derived from research on memory consolidation and social perception. We hypothesized that time-dependent memory consolidation would produce better implicit memory for negative out-group information and positive in-group information, compared with negative in-group information and positive out-group information. Fifty undergraduates learned positive and negative information about racial in-group (Latino) and out-group (African American) targets. Participants returned after both a short time delay (2-6 hr after the learning session) and a long time delay (48 hr after the learning session) to complete a lexical decision task. Results demonstrated that participants responded to information consistent with an in-group bias faster after a long time delay than after a short time delay. Our findings have important implications for the study of social perception and memory consolidation.
Scientific Sovereignty: How International Drug Donation Programs Reshape Health, Disease, and the State

This essay sketches two international, pharmaceutical company–sponsored drug donation programs and assesses this novel integration of corporations into global health. Based on ethnographic interviews with retired and current pharmaceutical executives and scientists, international humanitarian workers, and volunteers and drug recipients in the Morogoro region of Tanzania, this essay develops a concept of “scientific sovereignty,” a process through which corporate and biomedical logics supplant the state in the exercise of biopower. I assess these interventions’ impact on a local health system and the theoretical implications of the global health orthodoxies on which they rely.
A new constrained joint-domain localized approach for airborne radars

Critical issues associated with the application of multi-dimensional adaptive filtering including space-time adaptive processing (STAP) to real-world radar systems are considered. In particular, the design of transform domain localized techniques are examined from the perspective of receiver beam position and Doppler filter selection relative to mainlobe clutter as well as target returns. In particular, asymmetry in the selection of auxiliary beams and the effects of spatial tapering are shown to offer dramatic improvements in signal to interference ratio for targets with low Doppler.
Streamer discharges for water purification

Summary form only given. Streamer discharges are considered to be an energy efficient alternative method for the biological and chemical decontamination of water. We have studied the generation of streamers in distilled and in tap water with a coaxial reactor of 50 mm diameter and 100 mm length. Voltage pulses of up to 100 kV amplitude and 500 ns duration have been applied. Electrical and optical diagnostics were used to investigate the spatial and temporal development of the streamers. With a straight wire of 75 /spl mu/m in diameter as the center electrode, an average of 3-4 streamers per cm wire length was observed. By enclosing the wire in a perforated insulating tube, a highly luminous plasma was generated in the pinhole perforations. The plasma spread along the outer surface of the tube, and served as a source of a multitude of secondary streamers. The high streamer density indicates a potential increase in bacterial and chemical decontamination efficiency over simple coaxial streamer reactors. The streamer density might be further enhanced by introducing dielectric pellets into the discharge volume. Experimental results on the bacterial decontamination effect of the various types of discharge will be presented.
Fallen Elites: The Military Other in Post-Unification Germany, by Andrew Bickford

Anthropologists have become increasingly concerned with ‘soldiering’ as an object of scholarly inquiry, providing us with valuable insights into what it means for those involved in the military to ...
Disparate learning styles of hospitality students, professors and managers

Abstract The communication gap between managers and management scientists persists. It has been suggested that a major factor contributing to this gap is the marked difference in the learning styles exhibited by these two constituencies. Management educators and managers should be keenly concerned about deriving means to bridge this communication gap in order to enhance synergy among managers, management scientists, management educators and students of management. Scores were obtained for a sample of hospitality students, professors and managers on the Kolb Learning Style Inventory. Differences among the three groups are analysed. Applications to the hospitality management classroom and to industry management training programmes are suggested.
The optimal inflation path in a Sidrauski-type model with uncertainty

Abstract In this paper it is shown that in a Sidrauski-type model with uncertainty, the Chicago Rule remains valid as a prescription for the average rate of inflation, although there is a systematic difference between the perfect-foresight and the uncertainty case. Quantitatively, however, the difference turns out to be very small. The paper shows how to calculate the optimal monetary policy as a function of the state variables using the method of parameterized expectations. In terms of expected utility, the optimal policy is as good as the simple policy that reduces the money supply at the rate of time preference.
Long‐range interactions between probes, particles, and surfaces

A brief review is given of some applications of a novel form of self-energy theory. These include the image force experienced by an electron near a metal, the van der Waals interaction between two molecules, and the polarization potential of atomic scattering theory.
Nonparametric analysis of stathmokinesis

Abstract The nonparametric analysis of the stathmokinetic experiment presented in this paper is an extension of procedures by Jagers and Staudte. The method allows one to estimate, under very general assumptions, the first two moments of the residence time in successive cell cycle phases. Approximate formulae for the mean square errors of the estimates are derived. Applications include experimental stathmokinetic data for various cell lines, both analyzed and not analyzed previously. Comparison proves that the nonparametric method is very accurate whenever it can be applied. Results of analysis of the stathmokinetic data are also discussed from the viewpoint of the variability of the cell cycle generation time.
THA--a review of the literature and its use in treatment of five overdose patients.

(1980). THA—A Review of the Literature and Its Use in Treatment of Five Overdose Patients. Clinical Toxicology: Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 269-281.
Reply to "Comment on 'Empirical-Stochastic Ground-Motion Prediction for Eastern North America' by Behrooz Tavakoli and Shahram Pezeshk" by Kenneth W. Campbell

The shape of earthquake source spectrum and how it is scaled with earthquake parameters (e.g., seismic moment, stress parameter, and rupture area) has been widely examined and used as a guide for the prediction of earthquake ground motion at a specific region. As we discussed in our 2005 article, the most commonly used earthquake source model is based on Brune’s spectrum (Brune, 1970, 1971) that has had remarkable success in predicting a variety of measures of strong ground motion over the magnitude range from 4 to about 7. The basic seismological model of a ground acceleration spectrum has a simple ω 2 shape (Brune, 1970, 1971). This model assumes that the earthquake source is modeled as a circular fault source and the ground acceleration spectrum from this simplified source has an inversely ω 2 decay for frequencies below a source-corner frequency and a flat level for frequencies greater than source-corner frequency and less than site-corner frequency. The amplitude spectrum level begins to drop faster at higher frequencies beyond the site-corner frequency. The choices of source- and site-corner frequencies depend mainly on the earthquake size given by the seismic moment and the site condition (e.g., κ ), respectively. The seismic moment defines the size of the earthquake based on the product of the rigidity modulus, the area of fault rupture, and the average slip along the fault rupture. For small earthquakes, both the length and width of the fault rupture must increase in the same quantity with increasing magnitude based on assuming a circular fault source model. In Brune’s source spectrum model, the measure of the stress parameter is used as a parameter controlling the level of the amplitude spectrum above the source-corner frequency. The value of the stress parameter can be derived by differences between evaluating Fourier spectra in …
Solar-stimulated inelastic light scattering in clear seawater

Solar Fraunhofer lines are used as indicators of the inelastic light scattering in the sea water. Data from both in-shore and off-shore are presented and compared with results of theoretical modeling. Very good agreement is found between the modeled and measured proportion of inelastic to elastically scattered and direct light at 589 nm when the Raman scattering coefficient of Marshall and Smith is used, as opposed to that of Slusher and Derr. At 656 nm the agreement is not as good, indicating possible interference from other sources such a Chlorophyll fluorescence. Recent work has extended the measurements of include smaller absorption lines, such as 689 nm, where significant filling has been measured at the surface due to the Chlorophyll fluorescence. This technique allows the natural fluorescence to be measured, even at the surface where there is still a significant amount of direct solar light.
Remote patient monitoring: what impact can data analytics have on cost?

While significant effort has been made on designing Remote Monitoring Systems (RMS), limited research has been conducted on the potential cost savings that these systems offer in terms of reduction in readmission costs, as well as the costs associated with human resources involved in the intervention process. This paper is particularly interested in exploring potential cost savings that an analytics engine can provide in presence of intelligent back-end data processing and machine learning algorithms against conventional RMS that operate based on simple thresholding approaches. Using physiological data collected from 486 heart failure patients through a clinical study in collaboration with the UCLA School of Medicine, we conduct a retrospective data analysis to estimate prediction accuracy as well as associated costs of the two remote monitoring approaches. Our results show that analytics-based RMS can reduce false negative rates by 61.4% while maintaining a false positive performance close to that of conventional RMS. Furthermore, the proposed analytics engine achieves 61.5% reduction in the overall readmission costs.
Multimodal revision techniques in webtexts

This article examines how an online scholarly journal, Kairos: Rhetoric, Technology, Pedagogy, mentors authors to revise their webtexts (interactive, digital media scholarship) for publication. Using an editorial pedagogy in which multimodal and rhetorical genre theories are merged with revision techniques found in process-based composition studies, the author describes how webtexts are collaboratively peer-reviewed in Kairos and authors are provided macro- and micro-level revision suggestions for their scholarly multimedia.
A novel role of protein tyrosine kinase2 in mediating chloride secretion in human airway epithelial cells.

Ca2+ activated Cl− channels (CaCC) are up-regulated in cystic fibrosis (CF) airway surface epithelia. The presence and functional properties of CaCC make it a possible therapeutic target to compensate for the deficiency of Cl− secretion in CF epithelia. CaCC is activated by an increase in cytosolic Ca2+, which not only activates epithelial CaCCs, but also inhibits epithelial Na+ hyperabsorption, which may also be beneficial in CF. Our previous study has shown that spiperone, a known antipsychotic drug, activates CaCCs and stimulates Cl− secretion in polarized human non-CF and CF airway epithelial cell monolayers in vitro, and in Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) knockout mice in vivo. Spiperone activates CaCC not by acting in its well-known role as an antagonist of either 5-HT2 or D2 receptors, but through a protein tyrosine kinase-coupled phospholipase C-dependent pathway. Moreover, spiperone independently activates CFTR through a novel mechanism. Herein, we performed a mass spectrometry analysis and identified the signaling molecule that mediates the spiperone effect in activating chloride secretion through CaCC and CFTR. Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2) is a non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase, which belongs to the focal adhesion kinase family. The inhibition of PYK2 notably reduced the ability of spiperone to increase intracellular Ca2+ and Cl− secretion. In conclusion, we have identified the tyrosine kinase, PYK2, as the modulator, which plays a crucial role in the activation of CaCC and CFTR by spiperone. The identification of this novel role of PYK2 reveals a new signaling pathway in human airway epithelial cells.
The effect of intraocular pressure on the vortex vein blood flow

Abstract The effect of intraocular pressure on the rate of blood flow in a cannulated vortex vein of an anaesthetized rabbit was measured using a modified flow meter. This system enabled direct measurements of blood flow to be made with minimal disturbance of the physiological circulation; the system also allowed continuous measurements for prolonged periods, and gave reproducible results. The results show that blood flow is relatively stable as the IOP increases from 10 to 20 mercury, and as the IOP is further raised, so the blood flow becomes progressively reduced.
Quantitative studies of free radicals in biology: Corrections to ESR saturation data

Abstract Nonuniformities of the modulation field and the radio frequency field alter the cw saturation behavior of inhomogeneously broadened ESR lines. The effects are considered both theoretically and experimentally for samples of different lengths for common microwave geometries. Depending on the combination of variables, P 1 2 the power at which the signal level is half as great as it would be had no saturation occurred, can be as much as 1.8 times higher than would be the case for homogeneous fields.
Application of h‐transformation for the solution of multicomponent adsorption in fixed bed

A procedure for the application of the so-called h-transformation in solving fixed-bed multicomponent adsorption problems is developed. In order to apply this procedure, it is necessary to select an appropriate value for the transition-motion factor ξ, and the criteria for making this selection are established in this work.
How effective is bisphosphonate treatment for preventing bone fractures after liver transplantation

How effective is bisphosphonate treatment for preventing bone fractures after liver transplantation?
VERTICAL EDDY TRANSFER OF HEAT AND WATER VAPOR IN STABLE AIR

Abstract Detailed soundings of temperature and humidity between the surface and 1000 ft in warm air moving over cooler water are studied to determine the vertical transfer of heat and water vapor due to turbulence. Under simplifying assumptions, values of the eddy diffusivity are determined from the data at several heights and distances from shore and under varying wind and stability conditions. A simple model, in which the eddy diffusivity increases linearly with height in the lowest meter or two and is independent of height at higher levels, is shown to be consistent with the observations.
A note on critical-set and lifted surrogate inequalities for cardinality-constrained linear programs

Generalize critical-set cuts for cardinality-constrained LP (CCLP) sets.Show how to derive lifted surrogate cuts for the CCLP polytope on-the-fly.Test the use of both cuts within branch-and-cut to solve CCLP.Analyze the results of the computational tests. We study the polyhedral approach to the cardinality-constrained linear programming problem (CCLP). First, we generalize Bienstock's critical-set inequalities. We find necessary and sufficient conditions for the generalized inequalities to define facets of the convex hull of CCLP's feasible set. Then, we show how to derive lifted surrogate cutting planes on-the-fly. We test the use of both families of inequalities on branch-and-cut to solve difficult instances of CCLP to proven optimality. Our computational results indicate that the use of the inequalities can reduce the time required to solve CCLP by branch-and-cut considerably.
A carrier state of X-linked juvenile retinoschisis

The carrier state of X-linked juvenile retinoschisis has not been known to be associated with any fundus abnormalities. We report a case where there are funduscopic changes and mild visual acuity changes in one eye of a carrier.
Sustained Slow Pathway Conduction: Superior to Dual Atrioventricular Node Physiology in Young Patients with Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry Tachycardia?

Background: Young patients with atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) frequently do not display discrete dual AV node physiology (DAVNP) as classically defined. The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence of sustained slow pathway conduction (SSPC; PR > RR during atrial pacing) in young patients with AVNRT and compare it to dual atrioventricular node physiology. Methods: The presence of SSPC and DAVNP was prospectively assessed before and after radiofrequency catheter ablation in 61 young patients (age 4–23 years) with typical AVNRT. Results: Prior to ablation, 32 (52%) displayed DAVNP, while 46 (75%) displayed SSPC; 7 patients (11%) had neither marker. Patients with DAVNP were older than those without (15 ± 3 vs 13 ± 4, P = 0.027) and the prevalence increased with age (38% 15, P = 0.041), while SSPC showed no age predilection. Patients under 13 years displayed SSPC more commonly than DAVNP (81% vs 38%, P = 0.004). DAVNP persisted after ablation in 10/32 (31%) patients, compared to 6/46 (13%) with persistent SSPC after ablation. The ability to use loss of the marker (present before, absent after ablation) as a surrogate for successful ablation was greater for SSPC than for DAVNP (66% vs 36%, P = 0.001). Conclusion: SSPC is more common than DAVNP in young patients with AVNRT. SSPC is eliminated more frequently than DAVNP after acutely successful ablation, and appears to be a better indicator of the substrate for AVNRT. Elimination of SSPC may serve as a useful surrogate endpoint for slow pathway ablation.
Discontinuity-Induced Bifurcations in Systems With Hysteretic Force Interactions

This paper presents the application of the discontinuity-mapping technique to the analysis of discontinuity-induced bifurcations of periodic trajectories in an example piecewise smooth system in which changes in the vector field associated with the crossing of a discontinuity-surface depend on the direction of crossing. The analysis is motivatived by a hysteretic model of the capillary force interactions between an atomic-force-microscope cantilever probe tip and a nanoscale sample surface in the presence of a thin liquid film on the tip and the surface and operating in intermittent-contact mode. The analysis predicts the sudden termination of branches of periodic system responses at parameter values corresponding to grazing contact with the onset of the hysteretic force interactions. It further establishes the increase beyond all bounds of the magnitude of one of the eigenvalues of the linearization of a suitably defined Poincare mapping indicating the destabilizing influence of near-grazing contact.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Development of Melittobia australica Girault and M. digitata Dahms (Parker) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) parasitizing Neobellieria bullata (Parker) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) puparia

The development of Melittobia australica Girault and M. digitata Dahms were studied parasitizing blow fly puparia Neobellieria (=Sarcophaga) bullata (Parker) using from one to five foundress females per host. Aspects of parasitoids biology such as number of descendents produced, longevity, and progeny body size can be affected as the number of foundress increases per host. The percentage of puparia parasitized was higher overall for M. digitata than for M. australica. Regardless of foundress numbers, the average total number of descendents produced was significantly higher for M. digitata (66.5 158.0) than for M. australica (10.9 55.5). The number of descendents produced per female was inversely proportional to the number of foundresses on a host for both species. Developmental time increased for M. australica and decreased for M. digitata, as the number of foundresses increased. Life spans of adult progeny of both species, deprived of host and food, were longer for progeny derived from fewer foundresses. Body size as measured by forewing and hind-tibia lengths of descendents showed significant reduction as number of foundresses increased for both species, except for the forewing of M. digitata. Changing foundress number did not affect offspring sex ratios (0.95 0.98 for M. australica, and 0.95 0.97 for M. digitata). These results indicated that M. digitata achieved better performance parasitizing N. bullata compared to M. australica, and both parasitoid species had their performance affected by increasing the parasitoid densities per host, suggesting that progeny competition occurred.
Roots of hydroponically grown Taxus plants as a source of taxol and related taxanes

Abstract Taxus x media Rehd. cultivars Brownii (TMB), Densiformis (TMD), Fieldii (TMF), Hicksii (TMH) and T. cuspidata Sieb. and Zucc. varities ‘improved’ (TC-Imp) and ‘special’ (TC-Sp) were grown hydroponically in Johnson's nutrient solution (JS) for 22 weeks, at which time they were harvested for analysis. One-tenth strength JS produced the highest biomass for all plants. Plants grown in either one-tenth or one-twentieth strength JS had significantly greater root growth, compared with shoot growth. The highest root to shoot ratio (1.9) was achieved by TC-Sp, followed by TC-Imp (1.8) and TMB (1.8). The concentrations of taxol and 10-deacetyltaxol in the roots of all plants were comparable with or greater than the amounts found in the ‘above-ground’ parts. TMB (212 ± 43 mg/kg), TMH (381 ± 25 mg/kg), and TC-Sp (317 ± 32 mg/kg) roots contained greater than 1.5-fold amounts of taxol, compared with their needles. However, there were no major differences between the needles and the roots with respect to both cephalomannine and 10-deacetyltaxol levels. The highest taxol concentration was observed in the root bark of TMH (619 ± 50 mg/kg taxol). Cumulative amounts of taxol, cephalomannine and 10-deacetyltaxol found in the root bark of TMH and TC-Imp totaled 1158 and 1159 mg/kg dry matter, respectively. The presence of taxol, cephalomanine and 10-deacetyltaxol was detected and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography, and the structure confirmed by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.
Good Influence: Teaching the Wisdom of Adulthood

Through reflections and analyses of his own experiences over many years in supporting young peoples’ adult development, Daniel R. Heischman provides insights into the dynamics of adult interactions and roles with young people and offers guidance to the significant adults in young peoples’ lives for assisting them to effectively influence young peoples’ search for meaning and purpose. He poses several fundamental questions: 1) What are the typical attitudes and expectations of adults and adulthood that young people are experiencing; and 2) What is the impact of today’s concepts of adulthood on young peoples’ own adult development?
Factors associated with stress and coping at 5 and 10 years after heart transplantation

Background Heart transplant-related stressors and coping are related to poor outcomes early after transplant. The purposes of our study were to (1) identify the most frequent and bothersome stressors and most used and effective coping strategies and (2) compare the most frequent and bothersome stresses and most used and effective coping styles between patients at 5 and 10 years after heart transplantation. We also examined differences in coping styles by patient characteristics and factors associated with frequency and intensity of stress at 5 and 10 years after heart transplantation. Methods This report is a secondary analysis of data from a prospective, multisite study of quality of life outcomes. Data are from separate cohorts of 199 patients at 5 years after transplant and 98 patients at 10 years. Patients completed the Heart Transplant Stressor Scale and Jalowiec Coping Scale. Statistical analyses included frequencies, measures of central tendency, t -tests, chi-square, and generalized linear models. Results At 5 and 10 years after heart transplantation, the most bothersome stressors were regarding work, school, and financial issues. Patients who were 10 years after transplant reported less stress, similar stress intensity, and less use and perceived effectiveness of negative coping than patients who were 5 years after transplant. Long-term after transplant, demographic characteristics, psychologic problems, negative coping, and clinical factors were related to stress frequency and/or intensity. Conclusions Heart transplant-related stress occurs long-term after surgery. Types of transplant-related stress and factors related to stress confirm the importance of ongoing psychologic and clinical support after heart transplantation.
Copper sulfate reference electrode

Abstract The goal of this experimental study was to accurately determine the potential of the copper sulfate electrode (CSE) for use in quantitative electrochemical analysis. The potential of the CSE at 25 °C was found to be 317 mV versus that of the normal hydrogen electrode (NHE), with a slope of 0.17 mV/°C over the range from 5 °C to 45 °C. The determination of the true equilibrium potential of the CSE versus the NHE from laboratory measurements included the estimation of the liquid junction potential (LJP) by means of an electrolyte property model. The value of the LJP was estimated to be −14 mV based on calculated CSE potentials. Direct calculation of the LJP, which should have produced a more accurate result than estimation, failed to do so because the standard assumption of linear concentration variation of all species across the liquid junction was shown to be invalid.
Ranks of elliptic curves

This paper gives a general survey of ranks of elliptic curves over the field of rational numbers. The rank is a measure of the size of the set of rational points. The paper includes discussions of the Birch and SwinnertonDyer Conjecture, the Parity Conjecture, ranks in families of quadratic twists, and ways to search for elliptic curves of large rank.
Live donor/split liver grafts for adult recipients: when should we use them?

Key Points 1Split liver transplantation for a child and an adult recipient is standard today. Living donor liver transplantation for small children should only be necessary in exceptional situations in a country with a well-organized organ donation program. 2True split liver transplantation for two adults is still not very common. In the United States between April 2000 and May 2001, 89 surgical teams transplanted only 15 left lobes and 13 right lobes. Especially left lobes from deceased donors have a poor outcome; in Europe the ELTR shows a 1-year graft survival of 47%. 3While in Asia left lobes, right lateral segments, and dual left lateral segments are more frequently used, living donor liver transplantation for adults in Europe and the United States is predominantly performed with right lobes.7, 8 This carries a significant morbidity and mortality risk for the donor. Outcome compared to deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLTx) is similar with a trend towards more short-term and long-term biliary complications. 4Living donor and split liver transplantation should be used mainly in an elective situation. Candidates are tumor patients, patients with cholestatic liver disease, and elective patients with bile disease. 5Urgent liver transplantation is not a good option for living donor and split liver transplantation. Hepatic assist devices may change the picture in the future. 6Living donor liver transplantation for metabolic disorders like Alpha-1-Antitrypsin deficiency, Hyperoxaluria, and others cannot be recommended at present since the genetically related donor and the patient may carry an unknown risk. (Liver Transpl 2005;11:S6–S9.)
Measurement of the temperature field induced by dynamic crack growth in Beta-C titanium

The temperature increase at the tip of a dynamically propagating crack may have a significant effect on a material's mechanical properties, and hence on its dynamic fracture toughness. In order to start to understand this phenomena, measurements of the temperature field at the tip of a dynamically growing crack in Beta-C titanium alloy were performed using a linear array of high speed infrared detectors. The results show that a maximum temperature of 450°C is reached at the crack tip. In addition, the dynamic fracture toughness was measured for crack speeds from 0 to 500 m/s. In this speed range, the toughness appears to be constant. Estimates of the crack tip energy release rate and plastic strain rate are made using analysis of the experimental data.
Determination of the conformations of 6-aroylbenzimidazo[2.1-b]quinazolin-12(6)-ones using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Abstract Proton H-7 in 6-aroylbenzimidazo[2.1-b]quinazolin-12(6 H )-ones gives rise to signals of very different chemical shift in chloroform and in trifluoroacetic acid, and this permits the assignment of conformation. In the acid medium H-7 is shielded by up to about 2 ppm by the aroyl benzene ring. These factors and a loose relationship between the chemical shift of H-7 and the intensity of UV absorption by the aroyl function are discussed.
A study of intrathecal, cerebrospinal fluid-to-brain exchange.

A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to brain exchange has been postulated for lipid-soluble and small molecular substances and has led to nearly 100 attempts per year to produce central effects via intrathecal injections. With few exceptions, however, modern neurological practice has avoided this approach because of its demonstrated ineffectiveness and dangers. The practicability of an intrathecal CSF to brain exchange was tested by cisternal infusions of mock CSF at different infusion pressures that might counteract central nervous system intoxications of systemic origin. Those efforts failed in different test situations with each of three barbiturates. Steady state doses at a selected level of barbiturate anesthesia were the same, whether induced by cisternal infusion or intravenously, and this was true for barbiturates of widely different lipid solubility. The cerebral response to pentylenetetrazol was delayed well beyond its rate of response when introduced intravenously. These results suggested that the bulk clearance rate and venous resorption of CSF were sufficient to prevent significant diffusion of the barbiturate or even mock CSF into the brain following intrathecal injection. Because central effects that follow venous resorption may be confused with direct central effects, many previous clinical reports are questioned. Apparent exceptions to the ineffectiveness of intrathecal therapy, such as spinal anesthesia, were discussed in terms of their special local effects. The relative effectiveness of intrathecal agents should be evaluated by comparing maintenance doses for a given central effect, when produced by both intrathecal and i.v. routes. Previous reports on rates of intrathecal infusion, intracranial pressure relationships, and the relative safety of such infusions were confirmed and extended.
Atrioventricular valve abnormalities in infancy: Two-dimensional echocardiographic and angiocardiographic comparison

The results of two-dimensional echocardiography and biplane angiocardiography from 47 infants with congenital atrioventricular (AV) valve abnormalities were compared. Eleven patients had atresia of the right AV valve, 10 had atresia of the left AV valve, 4 had hypoplasia of the right AV valve and 5 had hypoplasia of the left AV valve. Twelve patients had endocardial cushion defect, three had single ventricle and two had straddling of the left AV valve. There was agreement between the two techniques as to the number of AV valves present in each patient. The echocardiographic estimate of valve anular diameter was below normal in seven of the eight patients thought to have a hypoplastic anulus by angiocardiography. In 10 of the 12 patients with endocardial cushion defect, there was agreement between the two techniques as to the presence or absence of atrial and ventricular septal defect. The chordal attachments of straddling valves were better visualized by echocardiography; flow patterns and effective orifice size were better demonstrated by angiocardiography. The subcostal four chamber echocardiographic views and cranially angulated oblique angiocardiographic views were comparable and provided the best images for determination of the size and number of AV valves and their relation to the atrial and ventricular septa.
The immunological barrier to xenotransplantation.

The authors thank Rob Holzknecht for preparation of the figures and Bekka Pecka and Kim Barber for assistance in preparing the manuscript. Work in the laboratories of the authors on which this communication was in part based is supported by the National Institutes of Health.
Enriching Your Project Planning: Tying Risk Assessment to Resource Estimation

A five-step process for incorporating risk assessment and risk-derived resource allocation recommendations into project plan development can help organizations deal with real-life hazards and help ensure the project's successful completion. The project-planning process traditionally includes a development life cycle describing the stages of the work being planned. Many life-cycle models such as the spiral and various proto typing models allow for revisiting life-cycle stages (unlike the waterfall model, which views project activities unfolding in a strictly sequential. There is no one way to divide development into stages; rather, the principle is for planners to divide the development into some set of stages that makes sense.