cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Breathe Your Best for School Success: evaluation of an initiative to enhance asthma action plans in the school setting.

Breathe Your Best for School Success (BYB) was a feasibility program of Asthma 411, an initiative developed to improve asthma management in the school setting as part of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cooperative agreement awarded to the St. Louis Regional Asthma Consortium (SLRAC). The objective of BYB was to increase the number of current provider-written asthma action plans (AAPs) submitted to the school nurse at the beginning of the school year. The Saint Louis University Institutional Review Board approved implementation and evaluation of Asthma 411 interventions. BYB was a collaborative project among the school districts and SLRAC. BYB utilized a “passport” which described the three steps to “breathe your best”: (1) obtain an AAP from a health care provider (HCP), (2) fill prescriptions at a pharmacy, and (3) give appropriate medications and the AAP to the school nurse at the beginning of the school year. The passports were designed to be attractive to students and were inserted into plastic cases attached to lanyards for easy transport by students and families. The passport included information describing the importance of each step and included space for signatures from the HCP, pharmacist, and school nurse to verify completion of each step. Incentives were offered to promote participation. To assess reasons for participation or nonparticipation in the BYB program, randomized telephone surveys with parents or guardians of children with asthma were conducted in the fall of 2007.
Multiple forms of statherin in human salivary secretions.

Abstract Sequential chromatography of hydroxyapatite-adsorbed salivary proteins from submandibular/sublingual secretions on Sephadex G-50 and reversed-phase HPLC resulted in the purification of statherin and several statherin variants. Amino acid analysis, Edman degradation and carboxypeptidase digestion of the obtained protein fractions led to the determination of the complete primary structures of statherin SV1, statherin SV2, and statherin SV3. SV1 is identical to statherin but lacks the carboxyl-terminal phenylalanine residue. SV2, lacking residues 6–15, is otherwise identical to statherin. SV3 is identical to SV2 but lacks the carboxyl-terminal phenylalanine. These results provide the first evidence for multiple forms of statherin which are probably derived both by post-translational modification and alternative splicing of the statherin gene.
Development of an info-gap-based path planner to enable nondeterministic low-observability mobile sensor nodes

Mobile sensor nodes are an ideal solution for efficiently collecting measurements for a variety of applications. Mobile sensor nodes offer a particular advantage when measurements must be made in hazardous and/or adversarial environments. When mobile sensor nodes must operate in hostile environments, it would be advantageous for them to be able to avoid undesired interactions with hostile elements. It is also of interest for the mobile sensor node to maintain low-observability in order to avoid detection by hostile elements. Conventional path-planning strategies typically attempt to plan a path by optimizing some performance metric. The problem with this approach in an adversarial environment is that it may be relatively simple for a hostile element to anticipate the mobile sensor node's actions (i.e. optimal paths are also often predictable paths). Such information could then be leveraged to exploit the mobile sensor node. Furthermore, dynamic adversarial environments are typically characterized by high-uncertainty and highcomplexity that can make synthesizing paths featuring adequate performance very difficult. The goal of this work is to develop a path-planner anchored in info-gap decision theory, capable of generating non-deterministic paths that satisfy predetermined performance requirements in the face of uncertainty surrounding the actions of the hostile element(s) and/or the environment. This type of path-planner will inherently make use of the time-tested security technique of varying paths and changing routines while taking into account the current state estimate of the environment and the uncertainties associated with it.
Technique for preparation of TEM foils from two-phase uranium silicide

Abstract Thinning of U 3 Si containing a second phase of U 3 Si 2 for TEM is difficult because the precipitates are preferentially attacked by most electrolytes. The resulting foil contains several holes surrounded by inadequate thin areas. A solution has been developed which minimizes this problem and produces usable specimens.
The clinical use of nuclear exercise tests.

In the mid-1970s, after decades of clinical use, the utility of electrocardiographic exercise testing for the evaluation of patients with suspected ischemic heart disease was critically examined and questioned. Concurrent with this critique, two sophisticated, more expensive and powerful “nuclear” exercise tests were introduced sequentially for clinical use: myocardial perfusion imaging with thallium-201 and radionuclide ventriculography with technetium 99m. The published indications for the two tests are similar, and both have been shown to offer advantages over ECG stress testing in selected populations. However, few data are available regarding the comparative utility of thallium versus ventriculographic imaging. As part of a prospective study to assess the efficacy of cardiovascular nuclear medicine studies, we undertook the present analysis to assess the clinical evolution of these tests and to elucidate factors responsible for clinicians' choice for the often competing examinations. The study examined 213 consecutive patient referrals for thallium scintigraphy and 183 referrals for ventriculography, ranging from patients with no symptoms or highly non-specific chest pain syndromes (21% of referrals) to patients with proven coronary disease (28% of the referrals). Twenty-one percent of patients were referred to confirm the clinical impression that the patient did not have coronary disease, 40% to confirm its presence, and 37% to determine its severity. Analyses were undertaken to determine the factors that dictated a preference for thallium scintigraphy rather than ventriculography; only the physician's intent in testing and level of training were significant predictors for a particular nuclear test.
Biodegradation of α-, β-, and γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane by Arthrobacter fluorescens and Arthrobacter giacomelloi

The organochlorine pesticide γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH, lindane) and its non-insecticidal isomers α-, β-, and δ- continue to pose serious environmental and health concerns, although their use has been restricted or completely banned for decades. The present study reports the first results on the ability of two Arthrobacter strains, not directly isolated from a HCH-polluted site, to grow in a mineral salt medium containing α-, β-, or γ-HCH (100 mgl(-1)) as sole source of carbon. Growth of cultures and HCHs degradation by Arthrobacter fluorescens and Arthrobacter giacomelloi were investigated after 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 days of incubation by enumerating colony forming units and GC with ECD detection, respectively. Both bacteria are able to metabolize the HCHs: A. giacomelloi is the most effective one, as after 72 h of incubation it produces 88 % degradation of α-, 60 % of β-, and 56 % of γ-HCH. The formation of possible persistent compounds was studied by GC/MS and by HPLC analysis. Pentachlorocyclohexenes and tetrachlorocyclohexenes have been detected as metabolites, which are almost completely eliminated after 72 h of incubation, while no phenolic compounds were found.
Analysis of soil moisture patterns in forested and suburban catchments in Baltimore, Maryland, using high-resolution photogrammetric and LIDAR digital elevation datasets

Field observations of near-surface soil moisture, collected over several seasons in a watershed in suburban Maryland, are compared with values of the topographic soil moisture index generated using digital elevation models (DEMs) at a range of grid cell sizes from photogrammetric and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data sources. A companion set of near-surface soil moisture observations, DEMs and topographic index values are also presented for a nearby forested catchment. The degree to which topographic index values are an effective indicator of near-surface soil moisture conditions varies in the two environments. The urbanizing environment requires topographic index values from a DEM with a much finer grid cell resolution than the LIDAR data can provide, and the relationship is stronger in wetter conditions. In the forested environment, the DEM resolution required is considerably lower and adequately supported by the photogrammetric data, and the relationship is strong under all moisture conditions. These results provide some insights into the length scales of near-surface hydrological processes in the urbanizing environment, and the resolution of terrain data required to model those processes. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mass transfer terms in porous layers and particles

Abstract Mobile phase mass transfer terms are derived or rederived for various geometries of porous material in which the mobile phase is stagnant. The results are tabulated and compared with those of other workers in Table I. A new, simpler and more rigorous equation is given for plate height in a porous layer open tubular column. Stationary phase mass transfer terms are increased by a factor, f , when the stationary phase must be reached through stagnant fluid. In these circumstances the mobile phase mass transfer term for the moving stream of mobile phase is also changed so that where the relative sample velocity R occurs in such terms it must be replaced by φ R or, equivalently, the column capacity ratio k must be replaced by G olay's “virtual k ”, k v given by k v = (1 + k −φ)/φ.
An initial value problem in the theory of baroclinic instability

A discussion of the initial value problem for the baroclinic model of Eady is presented. The completeness of the eigen-solutions is discussed. It is shown that a continuous spectrum of waves is required to supplement the normal mode solutions in order to represent the evolution of an arbitrary disturbance, but that the stability properties of the flow are properly described by the normal mode solutions. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1964.tb00137.x
Party and Incumbency in Postwar Senate Elections: Trends, Patterns, and Models

Senators who seek re-election usually achieve it. Yet it is not clear whether they tend to win mainly because they are incumbents or because their party is strong in their states. Thus, the two principal questions motivating this study are the following: (1) What is the relative importance of party and of incumbency in influencing the outcomes of Senate elections? (2) How has their relative importance changed over the last quarter-century? To answer these questions, a theory is developed accounting for the outcomes of Senate elections in terms of the major potential sources of electoral support given to the candidates, namely, party loyalty, incumbency, “national tides,” and idiosyncratic factors (e.g., issues, personality, local conditions). The theory is then represented in a formal model for which are generated multiple regression estimates of the respective roles of party and incumbency in all postwar Senate contests. The major finding is that the relative importance of party and incumbency has changed dramatically over the last quarter-century. Party has undergone an overall decline in influence, while incumbency has experienced a roughly proportionate increase. At the same time, the importance of idiosyncratic factors has grown. The implications of these results for broader theories of American politics, including the argument that the United States has been experiencing a “critical realignment,” are noted.
Evaluation and Treatment of Gastric Stimulator Failure in Patients With Gastroparesis

Objective. This study evaluates treatment of gastroparesis patients refractory to gastric electrical stimulation (GES) therapy with surgical replacement of the entire GES system. Summary Background...
Mammalian evolution: A beast of the southern wild

A newly discovered skull from the Cretaceous period belongs to a mammal that was big, strange and fast-moving. The fossil solves a long-standing mystery, and helps to resolve a controversy about mammalian evolution. See Article p.512 The gondwanatheres were mammals that lived the southern continents alongside the dinosaurs during the Late Cretaceous and early Paleocene. Known only from a few teeth and some jaw fragments, their appearance and evolutionary relationships remained obscure. The entire skull of a bizarre and badger-sized fossil mammal from the Cretaceous of Madagascar changes all that. Although almost certainly highly derived — as one would expect from a member of the unique endemic island fauna of Madagascar at that time — Vintana is clearly a gondwanathere. The anatomy of the herbivorous, large-eyed and agile creature shows that gondwanatheres were related to the better-known multituberculates, a long-lived and successful group of (now also extinct) rodent-like mammals.
Concepts of resource sharing in agroforestry systems

Although there are very few specific data on management techniques for agroforestry systems, there are important concepts to consider for the design of effective management. One of these is the sharing of resource pools (e.g., light, water, nutrients) between and among the different crop components. With this knowledge, and with the spatial and temporal coordination of growth responses of the crops, effective management for agroforestry systems can be developed.
Behavior of Integral Abutments Supported by Steel H-Piles:

A summary of already-reported results of earlier tests on integral abutments supported by steel H-piles is provided, and a detailed description of further testing is given. The additional tests were performed on an abutment that was consistent with what was still in use by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and was 20% wider than the abutments in the earlier tests. The tests consisted of pulling horizontally a simulated abutment supported by a steel H-pile and restrained against free rotation at the top. Test results clearly showed that the wider abutment was capable of withstanding larger horizontal displacements than the abutments in the earlier tests, although the former performed adequately to satisfy TDOT criteria. In the tests reported here with the currently used abutment width, the abutment-pile was capable of withstanding horizontal displacements at the ground surface well beyond the 1-in. (25.4-mm) maximum displacement permitted by TDOT criteria.
DNA damage during mitosis in human cells delays the metaphase/anaphase transition via the spindle-assembly checkpoint.

Abstract Background: DNA damage during mitosis triggers an ATM kinase-mediated cell cycle checkpoint pathway in yeast and fly embryos that delays progression through division. Recent data suggest that this is also true for mammals. Here we used laser microsurgery and inhibitors of topoisomerase IIα to break DNA in various mammalian cells after they became committed to mitosis. We then followed the fate of these cells and emphasized the timing of mitotic progression, spindle structure, and chromosome behavior. Results: We find that DNA breaks generated during late prophase do not impede entry into prometaphase. If the damage is minor, cells complete mitosis on time. However, more significant damage substantially delays exit from mitosis in many cell types. In human (HeLa, CFPAC-1, and hTERT-RPE) cells, this delay occurs during metaphase, after the formation of a bipolar spindle and the destruction of cyclin A, and it is not dependent on a functional p53 pathway. Pretreating cells with ATM kinase inhibitors does not abrogate the metaphase delay due to chromosome damage. Immunofluorescence studies reveal that cells blocked in metaphase by chromosome damage contain one or more Mad2-positive kinetochores, and the block is rapidly overridden when the cells are microinjected with a dominant-negative construct of Mad2 (Mad2ΔC). Conclusions: We conclude that the delay in mitosis induced by DNA damage is not due to an ATM-mediated DNA damage checkpoint pathway. Rather, the damage leads to defects in kinetochore attachment and function that, in turn, maintain the intrinsic Mad-2-based spindle assembly checkpoint.
Highstand fans in the California borderland: The overlooked deep-water depositional systems

Contrary to widely used sequence-stratigraphic models, lowstand fans are only part of the turbidite depositional record; our analysis reveals that a comparable volume of coarse-grained sediment has been deposited in California borderland deep-water basins regardless of sea level. Sedimentation rates and periods of active sediment transport have been determined for deep-water canyon-channel systems contributing to the southeastern Gulf of Santa Catalina and San Diego Trough since 40 ka using an extensive grid of high-resolution and deep-penetration seismic-reflection data. A regional seismic-reflection horizon (40 ka) has been correlated across the study area using radiocarbon age dates from the Mohole borehole and U.S. Geological Survey piston cores. This study focused on the submarine fans fed by the Oceanside, Carlsbad, and La Jolla Canyons, all of which head within the length of the Ocean-side littoral cell. The Oceanside Canyon–channel system was active from 45 to 13 ka, and the Carlsbad system was active from 50 (or earlier) to 10 ka. The La Jolla system was active over two periods, from 50 (or earlier) to 40 ka, and from 13 ka to the present. One or more of these canyon-channel systems have been active regardless of sea level. During sea-level fluctuation, shelf width between the canyon head and the littoral zone is the primary control on canyon-channel system activity. Highstand fan deposition occurs when a majority of the sediment within the Oceanside littoral cell is intercepted by one of the canyon heads, currently La Jolla Canyon. Since 40 ka, the sedimentation rate on the La Jolla highstand fan has been >2 times the combined rates on the Oceanside and Carlsbad lowstand fans.
Technique for determining the volatilization coefficients of priority pollutants in streams

Abstract The volatilization coefficients of benzene, chloroform, methylene chloride, and toluene were measured in the laboratory over a range of mixing conditions concurrently with the measurement of the oxygen absorption coefficient. Application of the constancy of the ratios between the organic solute and oxygen coefficients to the modified tracer technique for the measurement of stream reaeration coefficients permits the determination of the volatilization coefficients of these solutes for any stream or river without direct introduction of these substances into the natural waters. Volatilization coefficients expressed as the liquid-film coefficients are presented for these solutes for a number of streams and rivers of the United States.
Bandwidth reservation with selectable bit-rate streams

Video and audio compression techniques allow continuous media streams to be transmitted at bit rates that are a function of the delivered quality of service. Digital networks will be increasingly used for the transmission of such continuous media streams. This paper describes an admission control policy in which the quality of service is negotiated at stream initiation, and is a function of both the desired quality of service and the available bandwidth resources. The advantage of this approach is the ability to robustly service large numbers of users, while providing increased quality of service during low usage periods. Several simple algorithms for implementing this policy are described and evaluated via simulation for a video-on-demand scenario.
A framework for opportunistic scheduling in wireless networks

Abstract We present a method, called opportunistic scheduling, for exploiting the time-varying nature of the radio environment to increase the overall performance of the system under certain quality of service/fairness requirements of users. We first introduce a general framework for opportunistic scheduling, and then identify three general categories of scheduling problems under this framework. We provide optimal solutions for each of these scheduling problems. All the proposed scheduling policies are implementable online; we provide parameter estimation algorithms and implementation procedures for them. We also show how previous work by us and others directly fits into or is related to this framework. We demonstrate via simulation that opportunistic scheduling schemes result in significant performance improvement compared with non-opportunistic alternatives.
THE SCIENCE QUESTION IN POSTCOLONIAL FEMINISM

Arguinig agaitnst the tendency of somtte post-colontialfeinitists to decry Descartes and through himn, the entire legacy? of the Enliglhtennmenit and the Scientijic Revolutiotn as western and 'patriarchal', this article suggests that scienitfic rationality cant serve to generate a critical stance toward the cultural discourses that constitute the self-identities oJ'vvofoen livinig under tracditionial patriarchal arrangemiienits in post-colonial societies.
Additive Effect of 1% Apraclonidine Hydrochloride to Nonselective β-Blockers

Abstract The short-term additive effect and side effects of adding 1% apraclonidine hydrochloride to nonselective #-blockers were investigated in 21 patients with ocular hypertension or early primary open-angle glaucoma. After a unilateral single dose application of topical 1 % apraclonidine hydrochloride, intraocular pressure (IOP), heart rate, and interpalpebral distance were measured. The mean IOP of treated eyes showed a decline from a baseline of 20.0 ± 3.0 mmHg to 18.1 ± 3.2 mmHg at 1 hour ( P P P = 0.2). No statistically significant change in the heart rate was seen. The interpalpebral distance of the treated eyes showed a significant increase ( P P = 0.17). The authors conclude that 1 % apraclonidine hydrochloride provides an additive pressure-lowering effect to nonselective ablockers for at least 12 hours after a single application, and shows promise as a useful adjunctive agent for short-term use in glaucoma therapy.
Dynamic energy absorption characteristics of sandwich shells

Abstract The energy absorption capabilities of sandwich plates with honeycomb cores and uniformly thick facings under conditions of nonperforating impact by a massive striker were studied experimentally. This complements similar and analytical/numerical investigations of the behavior of similarly loaded sandwich plates, that were either fully or simply-supported. Six combinations of halves of hollow cylindrical targets were employed involving facings made of either ABS or two gauges of aluminum, while the cores consisted of several meshes of aluminum or Nomex HRH-10 honeycomb; the overall thickness was constrained to less than 1 in. The striker consisted of a 0.7045 kg aluminum hollow cylinder with a slightly curved steel impact surface with a diameter of 76.2 mm and a length of 108 mm. This projectile was fired pneumatically at speeds ranging from 16.5 to 19.05 m s−1 against targets either fully supported or supported at the edges with a constraint to sideways motion. The initial velocity, the force exerted and the motion of the striker were monitored, leading to the construction of force—deformation curves for each test. Conditions were designed so as to just avoid punch-through of the upper face plate, not considered an effective absorption characteristic. The experimental results, peak force and energy absorbed were compared with corresponding information for sandwich plates loaded in a similar manner; it was found that there was a divergence in the deformation mechanism. The data obtained are also intended to serve as the basis for an analytical/numerical model; however, its development in the near future is not expected due to the difficulties of quantifying the complex phenomena extant. The most efficient energy-absorbing combination was found to be those samples featuring an aluminum core and thin face plates, while thicker facings with the HRH-10 core absorbed the least amount of energy. The magnitude of the force transmitted was critically dependent on the manner of support.
The role of free fatty acids on antioxidant effectiveness in unsaturated oils

a) In purified, unsaturated esters and triglycerides NDGA is a superior antioxidant to EMQ at all levels of unsaturation. b) In long-chain unsaturated fatty acids EMQ is a superior antioxidant to NDGA. c) The addition of free fatty acids to triglycerides, even in amounts as small as 0.05%, modifies the comparative effectiveness of antioxidants. The effect on the antioxidant activity of NDGA is more marked than is that on the activity of EMQ. d) The effect of free fatty acid on relative antioxidant activity is demonstrable with long- and shortchain, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. e) Comparisons are given of the effect of the addition of free fatty acids on various antioxidants in various substrates. f) The effectiveness of tocopherols in triglycerides is decreased by the addition of free fatty acid. Similarly the induction period of several vegetable oils is reduced when free fatty acids are added.
Zooplankton population and community responses to the pesticide azinphos‐methyl in freshwater littoral enclosures

We tested the effects of four concentrations (0.2, 1.0, 4.0, and 20.0 μg/L) of the organophosphorus insecticide azinphosmethyl on natural zooplankton communities using littoral ecosystem enclosures. Individual taxa and major zooplankton groups (cladocerans, copepods, and rotifers) exhibited concentration-dependent responses, with most of the significant effects at the two highest concentrations. Analyses of population abundance were more sensitive to the effects of azinphos-methyl than were analyses of major zooplankton groups. Principal component analysis of communities differentiated the contributions of cladocerans, copepods, and rotifers to total community variance. The highest principal components were associated with cladocerans, the group also identified by univariate statistics to be most sensitive to azinphos-methyl. Ordination using the first two principal components depicted the multivariate status of the zooplankton communities through time and showed concentration-dependent effects and recovery from the pesticide at the community level. Principal component ordination was a more sensitive metric of community-level effects than was taxon richness. Communities in the highest treatment concentration had not fully recovered by the last sampling date, 78 d after treatment.
Tandem AGV systems: A partitioning algorithm and performance comparison with conventional AGV systems *

In an earlier paper, Bozer and Srinivasan introduced the tandem concept for automated guided vehicle (AGV) systems and presented an analytical model to evaluate the throughput performance of a basic component of the system; namely, a single vehicle serving a set of workstations under the First-Encountered-First-Served rule. In this study, using the above analytical model and certain column generation techniques, we present a heuristic partitioning scheme to configure tandem AGV systems. The partitioning scheme is based on a variation of the well-known set partitioning problem. It is aimed at evenly distributing the workload among all the AGVs in the system. We demonstrate the procedure with two numerical examples. Using simulation, the performance of the tandem configuration obtained for each example is compared to that of the corresponding conventional AGV system.
TRANSIENTS IN MAGNETO-IONIC MEDIA AND INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN ORDINARY AND EXTRAORDINARY WAVE REPRESENTATIONS.

Abstract : For a time harmonic case, ordinary and extraordinary waves are independent modes in magneto-ionic media. However, for a transient, an inverse Laplace transform of the time harmonic solution of each mode does not yield a real function of time, and a special care, which is unnecessary for isotropic media, must be taken for magneto-ionic media. This paper discusses this aspect of the transient and shows a general form of the representations of the transient which clarifies the interrelations between ordinary and extraordinary wave representation. (Author)
Somatic Cells Count and Its Genetic Association with Milk Yield in Dairy Cattle Raised under Thai Tropical Environmental Conditions

Somatic cells count (SCC), milk yield (MY) and pedigree information of 2,791 first lactation cows that calved between 1990 and 2010 on 259 Thai farms were used to estimate genetic parameters and trends for SCC and its genetic association with MY. The SCC were log-transformed (lnSCC) to make them normally distributed. An average information-restricted maximum likelihood procedure was used to estimate variance components. A bivariate animal model that considered herd-yr-season, calving age, and regression additive genetic group as fixed effects, and animal and residual as random effects was used for genetic evaluation. Heritability estimates were 0.12 (SE = 0.19) for lnSCC, and 0.31 (SE = 0.06) for MY. The genetic correlation estimate between lnSCC and MY was 0.26 (SE = 0.59). Mean yearly estimated breeding values during the last 20 years increased for SCC (49.02 cells/ml/yr, SE = 26.81 cells/ml/yr; p = 0.08), but not for MY (0.37 kg/yr, SE = 0.87 kg/yr; p = 0.68). Sire average breeding values for SCC and MY were higher than those of cows and dams (p<0.01). Heritability estimates for lnSCC and MY and their low but positive genetic correlation suggested that selection for low SCC may be feasible in this population as it is in other populations of dairy cows. Thus, selection for high MY and low SCC should be encouraged in Thai dairy improvement programs to increase profitability by improving both cow health and milk yield. (Key Words: Dairy Cattle, Milk Yield, Selection, Somatic Cell Count, Tropics)
Impact of combination evidence-based medical therapy on mortality in patients with acute coronary syndromes

Background— Several individual pharmacological agents, such as antiplatelet drugs, β-blockers, ACE inhibitors, and lipid-lowering agents, have proven efficacy in reducing mortality in patients with...
41 The Effects of Moderate Strength Pre-Transplant Circulating Antibodies on Outcome after Heart Transplantation

Purpose: Growing evidence suggests worse cardiac allograft vasculopathy and mortality in heart transplant recipients with asymptomatic antibodymediated rejection (AMR). It is being debated whether therapeutic intervention is warranted to avoid adverse outcomes. In this study we examine the course of individual episodes of untreated asymptomatic AMR on next follow-up endomyocardial biopsy (EMB). Methods and Materials: The UTAH Cardiac Transplant Program database was queried for recipients who survived beyond one year posttransplant and experienced at least one episode of lone AMR with a follow-up EMB. All EMBs were screened for AMR by immunofluorescence and graded for severity (V1, no AMR; V2, borderline; V3, mild; V4, moderate; V5, severe AMR). Asymptomatic AMR was uniformly left untreated. Data were analyzed based on time from transplant (early, 12 months; late, 12 months). Results: 999 heart transplant recipients with a total of 15,448 biopsies between 1985-2009 qualified for the study. Average age at time of transplant was 46.7 years, 13% were female. Outcomes are shown in the table below. Furthermore, after an episode of AMR had resolved, the recurrence rate at 3, 6, and 12 months was 44%, 50.1%, and 56.2% respectively.
Computer control system for a metal cutting machine

Abstract This paper reviews the work carried out by the Industrial Research Laboratory in cooperation with the Machine Tool Laboratory at the University of Florida to design and build a Supervision System for Machining Centers. The objective of the Supervision System is to perform three main functions: Chatter Detection and Control, Cutter Breakage Detection, and Adaptive Feed Control [1], [2]. Our contribution to this project consists of providing low-level intelligence to the machine tool controller and high-level user-friendly operator interface (monitoring screen), so that the machine tool, as a unit will be more robust and efficient, thus more economical to operate. A simple PC based embedded control system for chatter and tool breakage detection as well as a user-friendly operator interface unit will be discussed.
Wetlands as barriers: effects of vegetated waterways on downstream dispersal of zebra mussels

1. Stream flow is a major vector for zebra mussel spread among inland lakes. Veligers have been found tens to hundreds of km from upstream source lakes in unvegetated stream and river systems. It has been suggested, however, that the downstream transport of zebra mussels is restricted by wetland ecosystems. We hypothesized that vegetated waterways, (i.e. wetland streams) would hinder the downstream dispersal of zebra mussels in connected inland lake systems. 2. Veliger abundance, recruitment and adult mussels were surveyed in four lake-wetland systems in southeastern Michigan, U.S.A. from May to August 2006. Sampling was conducted downstream of the lakes invaded by zebra mussels, beginning at the upstream edge of aquatic vegetation and continuing downstream through the wetland streams. 3. Veliger abundance decreased rapidly in vegetated waterways compared to previously reported rates of decrease in non-vegetated streams. Veligers were rarely found more than 1 km downstream from where vegetation began. Newly recruited individuals and adults were extremely rare beyond open water in the wetland systems. 4. Densely vegetated aquatic ecosystems limit the dispersal of zebra mussels downstream from invaded sources. Natural, remediated and constructed wetlands may therefore serve as a protective barrier to help prevent the spread of zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species to other lakes and ecosystems.
Information Systems Academic Program Assessment: A Comparison Of Objective And Subjective Approaches

Developing program assessment instruments and methodologies is a common problem in higher edu-cation. This paper reports on a study that compared an objective instrument against a subjective in-strument for measuring program learning objectives. The results indicate that at least four of the sev-en learning objectives apparently are being measured by the objective instrument.
Statistics, Law, and Expert Testimony

The preceding two chapters reveal tensions between law and statistics that pose special problems for the judicial system and for those who must integrate statistical learning into the legal process. While neither statistics nor law assumes that decisions must rest on absolute certainty, we saw that courts seek certainty, not so much in their formal decision rules, as in the way they actually reach decisions in practice. In part this may be because our own system evolved from earlier forms that were premised on “certainty.” Most conspicuously, trial by ordeal suggested that divine intervention would guarantee a correct answer to the factual question involved. This attitude was linked to notions of certainty shared by both science and the legal system, captured in the common use of the term law to describe both observed invariance and prescribed injunctions for behavior. Both science and law have undergone enormous changes in perception, moving toward more complex and conjectural understandings in both fields. But they have not moved in tandem. They operate sometimes in agreement and sometimes with different aims of prediction and control.
Visual Diagnosis: New Lung Nodules in a 3-year-old Girl with Wilms Tumor

The most significant oncologic concern with finding new pulmonary nodules on imaging in a pediatric patient who has anaplastic Wilms tumor is progressive disease with new pulmonary metastases. This case emphasizes the importance of employing a creative clinical differential diagnosis, even for patients with known underlying oncologic disease.
Duct leakage repeatability testing

The purpose of this report is to evaluate the repeatability of the three most significant measurement techniques for duct leakage using data from the literature and recently obtained field data. We will also briefly discuss the first two factors. The main question to be answered by this study is to determine if differences in the repeatability of these tests methods is sufficient to indicate that any of these methods is so poor that it should be excluded from consideration as an allowed procedure in codes and standards. The three duct leak measurement methods assessed in this report are the two duct pressurization methods that are commonly used by many practitioners and the DeltaQ technique. These are methods B, C and A, respectively of the ASTM E1554 standard. Although it would be useful to evaluate other duct leak test methods, this study focused on those test methods that are commonly used and are required in various test standards, such as BPI (2010), RESNET (2014), ASHRAE 62.2 (2013), California Title 24 (CEC 2012), DOE Weatherization and many other energy efficiency programs.
Accelerated removal of platelets during perfusion of isolated lungs with perfluoro erythrocyte substitute.

SummaryAn emulsion of a fluorochemi-cal (FC-80), which has been shown to function as a substitute for the erythrocyte in the transport of O2 and CO2, has been found to cause lung damage when infused intravenously in intact animals. Addition of this emulsion to the fluid perfusing rat and guinea pig isolated lung preparations caused no significant changes in the pressures required for ventilation and perfusion of the lungs at constant flow rates, or in the weight of the lungs. Addition of this emulsion after prior addition of human blood platelets, caused a large increase in the rate of removal of platelets from the perfusion fluid. These results indicate that the fluorochemical emulsion does not have a direct deleterious effect on the lungs but that an interaction between fluorochemical particles, blood platelets, and the lung occurs, which might lead to lung damage.
On-demand Pipelined MAC for Multi-hop Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks

Recently, Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) have attracted increasing attentions from the public as it enables a wide range of underwater applications. However, the long propagation delay and high error probability in UWSNs pose grand challenges for efficient and reliable protocol designs in time critical applications such as underwater pollution detection. In this paper, we propose a new medium access control (MAC) protocol, named On-demand Pipelined MAC (OPMAC), for time critical applications in UWSNs. The basic idea of this protocol is to establish an on-demand pipeline so that data could be transmitted from the source to the destination over multiple hops in a short time. A special acknowledgement mechanism is also designed to guarantee the reliability of the communication with low overheads. Analytical results show that OPMAC significantly reduces end-to-end delay and improves energy efficiency.
Contributions of diffusion jet flow and cardiac activity to regional ventilation in CFV.

The magnitude and regional distribution of local gas transport during constant-flow ventilation (CFV) were quantified by imaging the washout of nitrogen 13 (13NN) from anesthetized and paralyzed mongrel dogs with positron emission tomography. Equal jet flows, through two 2-mm-ID bronchial catheters 1 cm distal to the carina, were adjusted to provide eucapnic CFV (total flow = 57.6 ml.s-1.kg-1). Basal, midheart, and apical transverse sections were studied in supine and prone anesthetized dogs. The ventilation per unit volume (sV) of selected areas was computed from local 13NN concentration vs. time curves during washout. To separate the regional contributions of CFV and cardiogenic oscillation to enhanced molecular diffusion, additional supine dogs were also studied during unilateral CFV. In this protocol the CFV jet flow was delivered to a single lung while the contralateral lung was left apneic. For each lung, washout data were obtained under CFV and apnea both living and postmortem animals. The local contributions of diffusion, CFV jet effects, and cardiac activity to gas transport were evaluated and tested for additive and multiplicative synergistic interactions. The regional distribution of gas transport during CFV was found to be highly nonuniform and characterized by higher ventilation to regions located close to the main bronchi and those located in the direction in which the CFV jet pointed. No major differences were observed between supine and prone positions. This regional pattern of ventilation distribution was found to be the result of complementary and nearly multiplicative interaction between the regional effects of the CFV jet, concentrated in the central airways, and the preferential cardiogenic gas transport enhancement in ventral regions close to the heart. The data were also analyzed with a model that divides the regional diffusive gas transport resistance into a central component, affected by the CFV jet, and a peripheral component, affected only by cardiac activity. This analysis showed substantial regional heterogeneities in the effects of the different gas transport mechanisms, which are consistent with the geometry of the bronchial tree and the location of the heart in the dog. The results indicate that regional nonuniformities must be considered when modeling gas transport in CFV.
Conventional radiation therapy for skull base tumors: An overview

Radiation therapy is an important treatment option for patients with skull base tumors. It has been proven to be effective as primary or adjunctive therapy. Results with conventional radiation treatments have been good to excellent, with limited morbidity. Despite recent advances in neurosurgery and radiation oncology, conventional radiation therapy continues to play a role for some patients. The use of newer technologies such as radiosurgery, three-dimensional conformal therapy, and intensity-modulated radiation therapy should provide equal or better tumor control with decreased morbidity. Future studies should determine the roles of conventional and more innovative radiation approaches.
Teaching Family Therapy to Psychiatric Residents and Child Psychiatry Fellows: A Department Chairman’s Point of View

Ten years ago we might have debated whether family therapy should be part of the core training in adult psychiatry or child psychiatry. Today we discuss how to do it rather than whether to do it. Family therapy is now considered a required topic in the accreditation of both adult and child psychiatry. The skills related to family evaluation and treatment as well as knowledge about family psychology are no longer novelties. In a recent survey of 300 teachers of psychiatry as well as a random sample of 200 practitioners, 72% of the group felt that knowledge about basic concepts of family organization definitely should be included in the repertoire of the specialists in psychiatry and 28% felt that such knowledge should probably be included. In terms of clinical skills, the same group felt that a specialist in psychiatry should definitely be able to conduct a family interview (81%) and another 16% felt that this skill should probably be included. These attitudes about family therapy come from broad advances in the field and from wide clinical experience which has demonstrated the usefulness of family evaluation and family therapy to the psychiatrist. During the past quarter century, we have come to recognize that family psychology may be an organizing principle for teaching about normal and abnormal behavior of individual and groups.
Endoplasmic Reticulum Biogenesis

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) adopts a number of structural forms that correlate with distinct functions. The differentiation, maintenance, and proliferation of these forms are only beginning to be understood. Differentiation and proliferation can be induced in the normal course of cell differentiation and by cellular stresses. Recent studies suggest that ER forms arise by a combination of self-organization and highly interconnected signaling and synthetic pathways. This review describes a number of ER ultrastructure forms, associated functions, and some of the potential mechanisms of their biogenesis.
On the role of precursor powder composition in controlling microstructure, flux pinning, and the critical current density of Ag/Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox conductors

Precursor powder composition is known to strongly affect the critical current density (J c) of Ag/Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox (Bi-2212) wires. However, reasons for such J c dependence have not yet been fully understood, compromising our ability to achieve further optimization. We systematically examined superconducting properties, microstructural evolution and phase transformation, and grain boundaries of Bi-2212 conductors fabricated from precursor powders with a range of compositions using a combination of transport-current measurements, a quench technique to freeze microstructures at high temperatures during heat treatment, and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Samples include both dip-coated tapes and round wires, among which a commercial round wire carries a high J c of 7600 A mm−2 at 4.2 K, self-field and 2600 A mm−2 at 4.2 K, 20 T, respectively. In the melt, this high-J c conductor, made using a composition of Bi2.17Sr1.94Ca0.89Cu2Ox, contains a uniform dispersion of fine alkaline-earth cuprate (AEC) and copper-free solid phases, whereas several low-J c conductors contain large AEC particles. Such significant differences in the phase morphologies in the melt are accompanied by a drastic difference in the formation kinetics of Bi-2212 during recrystallization cooling. STEM studies show that Bi-2212 grain colonies in the high-J c conductors have a high density of Bi2Sr2CuO y (Bi-2201) intergrowths, whereas a low-J c conductor, made using Bi2.14Sr1.66Ca1.24Cu1.96O x , is nearly free of them. STEM investigation shows grain boundaries in low-J c conductors are often insulated with a Bi-rich amorphous phase. High-J c conductors also show higher flux-pinning strength, which we ascribe to their higher Bi-2201 intergrowth density.
Tracking the Energy Flow on Nanoscale via Sample-Transmitted Excitation Photoluminescence Spectroscopy

Tracking the energy flow in nanoscale materials is an important yet challenging goal. Experimental methods for probing the intermolecular energy transfer (ET) are often burdened by the spectral crosstalk between donor and acceptor species, which complicates unraveling their individual contributions. This issue is particularly prominent in inorganic nanoparticles and biological macromolecules featuring broad absorbing profiles. Here, we demonstrate a general spectroscopic strategy for measuring the ET efficiency between nanostructured or molecular dyes exhibiting a significant donor–acceptor spectral overlap. The reported approach is enabled through spectral shaping of the broadband excitation light with solutions of donor molecules, which inhibits the excitation of respective donor species in the sample. The resulting changes in the acceptor emission induced by the spectral modulation of the excitation beam are then used to determine the quantum efficiency and the rate of ET processes between arbitrary fl...
VEGF-B: friend or foe to the heart in times of nutrient excess?

diabetes mellitus is among the strongest cardiovascular disease risk factors, increasing all cause cardiovascular mortality, particularly ischemic heart disease ([3][1], [18][2], [29][3]). However, independent of ischemic episodes, diabetes mellitus results in a remodeling of the myocardium, leading