cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intrathoracic Extramedullary Hematopoiesis Secondary to B12 and Folate Deficiency: Ct Appearance

Intrathoracic extramedullary hematopoiesis is an unusual condition, usually associated with congenital hemolytic anemias. We present a rare case due to vitamin B12 and folate deficiency diagnosed by CT-guided biopsy.
Partial liquid ventilation decreases albumin leak in the setting of acute lung injury

Purpose: This study evaluated the ability of partial liquid ventilation (PLV, gas ventilation of the perfluorocarbon-filled lungs) to reduce the amount of lung albumin leak present in the setting of acute lung injury. Materials and Methods: An experimental controlled, randomized design was used. All studies were performed in the liquid ventilation laboratories at the University of Michigan Medical Center. Twenty-five Sprague-Dawley male rats 500 ± 50 g were divided into five experimental groups: (1) CVF only (n = 5), animals were cobra venom factor (CVF) lung injured; (2) PLV-CVF (n = 5) animals received perflubron and PLV before CVF lung injury; (3) CVF-PLV (n = 5) animals received PLV after CVF lung injury; (4) PLV only (n = 5) animals underwent partial liquid ventilation without lung injury; and (5) Gas only (n = 5) animals underwent gas ventilation without lung injury. In all groups iodinated bovine serum albumin (125I-BSA) was delivered by intravenous injection along with CVF or a saline placebo. Results: When the CVF animals were compared with all other groups, a decrease in albumin leak was observed for all groups when compared with the CVF only controls (P < .001 by ANOVA; CVF only = 1.22 ± 0.12 versus PLV-CVF = 0.46 ± 0.08, P < .001; CVF-PLV = 0.70 ± 0.25, P < .001; PLV only = 0.22 ± 0.01, P < .001; Gas only = 0.17 ± 0.02, P < .001). Conclusions: These data suggest that intratracheal instillation of perfluorocarbon before or after induction of lung injury results in a reduction in pulmonary albumin leak.
Trends in Formic Acid Decomposition on Model Transition Metal Surfaces: A Density Functional Theory study

We present a first-principles, self-consistent periodic density functional theory (PW91-GGA) study of formic acid (HCOOH) decomposition on model (111) and (100) facets of eight fcc metals (Au, Ag, Cu, Pt, Pd, Ni, Ir, and Rh) and (0001) facets of four hcp (Co, Os, Ru, and Re) metals. The calculated binding energies of key formic acid decomposition intermediates including formate (HCOO), carboxyl (COOH), carbon monoxide (CO), water (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydroxyl (OH), carbon (C), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (H; H2) are presented. Using these energetics, we develop thermochemical potential energy diagrams for both the carboxyl-mediated and the formate-mediated dehydrogenation mechanisms on each surface. We evaluate the relative stability of COOH, HCOO, and other isomeric intermediates (i.e., CO + OH, CO2 + H, CO + O + H) on these surfaces. These results provide insights into formic acid decomposition selectivity (dehydrogenation versus dehydration), and in conjunction with calculated vibrational frequenc...
Compact polarization-insensitive InGaAsP-InP 2 × 2 optical switch

We demonstrate a simple, compact, high-contrast ratio, and low-loss polarization-insensitive InGaAsP-InP 2 /spl times/ 2 optical switch with an operational wavelength range from 1520 to 1580 nm. The switch is 1.3 mm long by 160 /spl mu/m wide. The on-off contrast ratio is within (21/spl plusmn/2) dB over the temperature range from 16/spl deg/C to 64/spl deg/C, the polarization sensitivity is <2 dB, and the propagation loss is (3/spl plusmn/2) dB in both the ON and OFF states, making it potentially useful for optical cross-connects, delay lines, and add-drop multiplexers.
Photonic applications of thin film GaAs grown on silicon and insulating substrates by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Thin film GaAs layers grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) on silicon, semi-insulating GaAs, and insulating substrates have been investigated for application to optoelectronic circuit technology. Photoconductivity measurements were conducted to characterize the electronic transport properties of the epitaxial layers in terms of carrier recombination lifetime and effective drift mobility. By varying the epitaxial growth parameters, it is possible to obtain various levels of material quality which are suitable for various components of optoelectronic integrated circuits. Results from photodetectors fabricated from GaAs grown on various layers will be presented. The fabrication of ridge waveguides from GaAs grown on silicon dioxide will also be described. Finally, a procedure for growing high quality GaAs for active devices in situ with layers for picosecond photoconductors will be discussed.
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE, PH AND TIME OF INCUBATION ON THE RADIOIODINE METABOLISM OF WHOLE RAT THYROID LOBES INCUBATED IN VITRO.

The rate of thyroidal uptake and organic binding of radioiodine was greatly depressed by incubation at 1 C but was only slightly lower at 24 C than at 37 C. Even at 1 C both MIT and DIT were formed within 30 min. Optimal pH for radioiodine accumulation and organic binding was approximately 7.4. Maximal intrathyroidal inorganic iodide accumulation when organic binding was permitted was at pH 5.5; iodide concentration fell progressively with increasing pH. After 6 hr of incubation at pH 7.4 the ability of the thyroid lobes to accumulate and bind radioiodine was rapidly lost. When radioiodine was present in the medium from the beginning of incubation, iodothyronines were first detectable at 6 hr and were maximal at 24 hr. Loss of organic radioiodinated material into the medium from the thyroid lobes was not apparent until 9 hr, and then increased progressively with time. Labeled MIT and DIT appeared in the medium only as peptidebound substances; no iodothyronines were detectable in the medium up to 24 hr. (E...
A modified maximum likelihood test

If the supremum in the definition of the maximum likelihood test is replaced by the essential supremum, conditions for asymptotic optimality can be relaxed.
Ultrasonic investigation of aqueous solutions of deoxyribose nucleic acid.

The ultrasonic absorption of aqueous solutions of salmon sperm deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA), molecular weight of the order of 106, was determined as a function of pH in the neutral and acidic regions over the frequency range 5–50 MHz at 25°C. The viscous relaxation frequencies appear to be well below 1 MHz. At neutral pH values, viscosity and molecular conformation appear to contribute little in determining the ultrasonic absorption spectrum. The DNA solution absorption spectrum appears to be similar to that of globular protein aqueous solutions implying that the mechanisms may be the same. The ultrasonic absorption acid titration curves for DNA exhibit maxima around pH 2.6 and 12 [J. Chim. Phys. 66, 81 (1969)] which can be attributed to either or both hydrogen bond transfer and proton transfer as the double helix DNA molecule denatures.
Static law and dynamic administration: Marshall dimock's assault on the legal profession

This article examines Marshall Dimock's thought on the relation between public administration and law. The examination revolves around his book, Law and Dynamic Administration,but also incorporates insights from his many other works. Dimock treated the idea of rule of law as an important source of authority and guiding principles for both the public administrative and legal professions. He criticized the legal profession harshly for its tendency in this century to disparage and reject law as such a source. Its treatment of law has led to many abuses that affect the legitimacy and efficacy of all who govern in our society. Dimock hoped to reunify the fields with a common jurisprudence that is mindful of public, institutional needs. In the process, he pressed the point that public administrators should be legal artisans in their own right, contributing confidently to the content and processes of the law for public benefit.
Previous Reproductive History and the Susceptibility to X-ray-induced Congenital Anomalies

THE suspicion that primiparous mice are more apt to produce anomalous offspring, following foetal X-irradiation, than are multiparous mice, has led to the necessity of determining the normal incidence of such anomalies among large numbers of control mice of both categories. This investigation deals with the normal primiparous and multiparous CF1 mice of exactly the same age (7–9 months) and the analysis of the condition of their offspring. In direct contrast with this is presented a parallel study of pregnant primiparous and multiparous CF1 mice X-irradiated at a specific time and to a specific dose to determine whether a single variable (primiparity or multiparity) might alter the incidence of anomalies induced by X-rays. This paper reports data from 225 litters (2,700 implantations).
Spin Stability of Undamped Flexible Structures Rotating About the Minor Axis

A method is presented for determining the nonlinear stability of undamped flexible structures spinning about the axis of minimum moment of inertia. Equations of motion are developed for structures that are free of applied forces and moments. The development makes use of a floating reference frame which follows the overall rigid body motion. Within this frame, elastic deformations are assumed to be given functions of n generalized coordinates. A transformation of variables is devised which shows the equivalence of the equations of motion to a Hamiltonian system with n+1 degrees of freedom. Using this equivalence, stability criteria are developed based on the normal form of the Hamiltonian. It is shown that a motion which is spin stable in the linear approximation may be unstable when nonlinear terms are included. A stability analysis of a simple flexible structure is provided to demonstrate the application of the stability criteria. Results from numerical integration of the equations of motion are shown to be consistent with the predictions of the stability analysis.
Exploring the connection between matroids and network coding theory

Matroids, which are mathematical structures describing a generalized notion of independence, have provided valuable insight toward network coding theory due to similarities between the two. This paper, which is aimed at those potentially unfamiliar with network coding theory or matroids, provides an expository summary of one construction method of an information network from a matroid along with new applications of this construction method. The matroids used in the construction provide examples that elucidate how the properties of a matroid dictate the behavior the information network. Using these examples, we characterize and discuss the implications of the connection between matroids and network coding theory using this construction method.
Total lung capacity. An insensitive measure of impairment in patients with asbestosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The total lung capacity (TLC) is frequently used as a measure of respiratory impairment in patients with asbestosis. Because asbestosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exert opposite effects on the TLC, it may be an insensitive measure of impairment in patients with both abnormalities. To assess this, we compared asbestos-exposed patients with functional evidence of COPD and radiographic evidence of interstitial fibrosis (group 1) to those with interstitial fibrosis alone (group 2). Despite the two groups being comparable in degree of radiographic "fibrosis," no case of restrictive impairment (reduced TLC) was identified among those with both interstitial fibrosis and COPD (group 1), compared to 33 percent of those with interstitial fibrosis alone (group 2). In addition, those patients with both interstitial fibrosis and COPD, compared to those with interstitial fibrosis alone, were found to have greater impairment as measured by alveolar-arterial oxygen difference and diffusing capacity. We conclude that the TLC is an insensitive measure of impairment due to asbestosis in patients with the common setting of coexistent asbestosis and COPD.
Posterior dislocation of the mandibular condyle into the external ear canal

Abstract A case of posterior dislocation of the mandibular condyle into the external ear canal has been presented. The anatomy of the area has been reviewed and the management of the condition has been discussed.
Electrical stimulation of rhesus monkey nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis

Saccade kinematics are altered by ongoing head movements. The hypothesis that a head movement command signal, proportional to head velocity, transiently reduces the gain of the saccadic burst generator (Freedman 2001, Biol Cybern 84:453–462) can account for this observation. Using electrical stimulation of the rhesus monkey nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis (NRG) to alter the head contribution to ongoing gaze shifts, two critical predictions of this gaze control hypothesis were tested. First, this hypothesis predicts that activation of the head command pathway will cause a transient reduction in the gain of the saccadic burst generator. This should alter saccade kinematics by initially reducing velocity without altering saccade amplitude. Second, because this hypothesis does not assume that gaze amplitude is controlled via feedback, the added head contribution (produced by NRG stimulation on the side ipsilateral to the direction of an ongoing gaze shift) should lead to hypermetric gaze shifts. At every stimulation site tested, saccade kinematics were systematically altered in a way that was consistent with transient reduction of the gain of the saccadic burst generator. In addition, gaze shifts produced during NRG stimulation were hypermetric compared with control movements. For example, when targets were briefly flashed 30° from an initial fixation location, gaze shifts during NRG stimulation were on average 140% larger than control movements. These data are consistent with the predictions of the tested hypothesis, and may be problematic for gaze control models that rely on feedback control of gaze amplitude, as well as for models that do not posit an interaction between head commands and the saccade burst generator.
Boosting multiple classifiers by hybrid discriminant analysis for face identification

Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) has been widely applied in the field of face identification because of its simplicity and efficiency in capturing the most discriminant features. However LDA often fails when facing the change in illumination, pose or small training size. To overcome those difficulties, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), which recover the most descriptive/informative features in the reduced dimension feature space, are often used in preprocessing stage. Although there is a trend of preferring LDA over PCA in classification, it has been found that PCA may perform better than LDA in some cases, especially when the size of the training set is small. To better combine the merits of PCA and LDA, some rule-based parametric combination of PCA and LDA methods have been proposed. However in those methods the optimal parameter setting is not guaranteed and can only be approximated by exhaustive search. In this paper we propose a learning-based framework that can unify PCA and LDA in adaptively finding both discriminant and descriptive feature. To eliminate the parameter selection, we incorporate a non-linear boosting process to enhance a pool of hybrid classifiers and combine them into a more accurate one. To evaluate the performance of our boosted hybrid method, we compare it to state-of-the-art LDA variants and traditional PCA-LDA technique on three widely used face image benchmark databases. The experiment results show that our novel boosted hybrid discriminant analysis outperforms the other techniques and the best single hybrid classifier.
Novel Weighted Averages versus Normalized Sums in Computing with Words

In this paper, some properties of Novel Weighted Averages that are related to the concepts of possibility theory are examined. It is shown that Novel Weighted Averages have certain interpretations in terms of addition of interactive interval or fuzzy constraints. To do this, alternative forms of Novel Weighted Averages are provided. In particular, an alternative form of Novel Weighted Averages represented by the Extension Principle is determined. It is shown that, when fuzzy set models of words are obtained by collecting data from subjects in a Computing with Words setting, interactive addition of fuzzy sets is not a well-defined method, and the optimization problems related to it may have no solutions, although interactive addition is recommended in the literature for solving multicriteria decision making problems and for dealing with uncertain probabilities. On the other hand, Novel Weighted Averages perform a specific normalization that guarantees that they always exist.
Plant-mediated interactions: Considerations for agent selection in weed biological control programs

Plant-mediated indirect interactions among herbivores (arthropods and pathogens) are common and extensively reported in the ecological literature. However, they are not well-documented with respect to weed biological control. Such interactions between biological control agents can have net positive or negative impacts on total weed suppression depending on the strength of the interaction(s), the relative importance of the agent indirectly impacted, and the combined weed suppression that results. A better understanding of plant-mediated interactions may improve decision-making about which agents to introduce in classical biological control programs for greatest impact on invasive weeds. This paper reviews the subject, including examples from the biological control literature; outlines the need for research on indirect effects of herbivores on other herbivores; discusses how such knowledge may strengthen classical biological control programs for invasive weeds; and provides recommendations for the kind of studies that should be done and how information about plant-mediated interactions could be integrated into agent evaluation protocols, to assist in decision-making about agents for importation and release.
Are object protocols burdensome?: an empirical study of developer forums

Object protocols are a commonly studied research problem, but there is little known about their usability in practice. In particular, there is little research to show that object protocols cause difficulty for developers. In this work, we use community forums to find empirical evidence that object protocols are burdensome for developers. We analyzed 427 threads from the Spring and ASP.NET forums and discovered that 69 were on a protocol violation. We found that violations of protocols result in unusual runtime behavior rather than exceptions in 45% of our threads, that questions took an average of 62 hours to resolve, and that even though 54% of questions were repeated violations of similar protocols, the manifestation of the violation at runtime was different enough that developers could not search for similar questions.
Test–retest reliability of Purdue Pegboard performance in thermoneutral and cold ambient conditions

In the cold, Purdue Pegboard (PP) performance declines. The purpose of this study was to determine if this cold-induced impairment is consistent across days (i.e. test–retest reliability) in 5°C. In thermoneutral air (25°C), 14 men were familiarised to the dominant hand (PPa) and bimanual (PPb) PP tasks. They then experienced two 90-min cold exposures (Day 1, Day 2) while wearing ∼1 clo. Bare hands were maintained throughout. Performance on both tasks showed high reliability from day to day (intraclass correlations >0.700) in both thermoneutral and cold conditions. However for both tasks, room temperature performance did not predict performance in the cold (intraclass correlations <0.450). When screening applicants for manual labour in the cold, one must consider that room temperature dexterity does not correlate with dexterity in the cold. It is recommended that a 60-min period of cold exposure be employed to assess manual dexterity in these workers. Statement of Relevance: This study shows that PP perfo...
Rectus sheath hematoma with low molecular weight heparin administration: a case series.

Background Rectus sheath hematoma is an uncommon but potentially serious bleeding complication that can occur spontaneously or as a result of anticoagulation administration.
On Stackelberg routing on parallel networks with horizontal queues

In order to address inefficiencies of Nash equilibria for congestion networks with horizontal queues, we study the Stackelberg routing game on parallel networks: assuming a coordinator has control over a fraction of the flow, and that the remaining players respond selfishly, what is an optimal Stackelberg strategy of the coordinator, i.e. a strategy that minimizes the cost of the induced equilibrium? We study Stackelberg routing for a new class of latency functions, which models congestion on horizontal queues. We introduce a candidate strategy, the non-compliant first strategy, and prove it to be optimal. Then we apply these results by modeling a transportation network in which a coordinator can choose the routes of a subset of the drivers, while the rest of the drivers choose their routes selfishly.
Jean-Charles Langlois's Panorama of Algiers (1833) and the Prospective Colonial Landscape

This article considers one of the first representations of colonial Algeria, Jean-Charles Langlois's Panorama of Algiers of 1833. It examines studies and sketches made by Langlois in Algiers, resulting from his participation in the conquest in 1830 and a later visit in 1832 in preparation for the now-destroyed panorama. Consideration of the responses of contemporary French writers illuminates their distinctions between paintings and panoramas. In arguing that the specific perceptual mechanism of the panorama assisted fantasies of domination that helped to shape France's colonial mission, this article argues that the relationship between viewer and spectacle posited by the Panorama of Algiers serves as a prototype for the representation of colonial landscape in nineteenth-century France.
Evaluation of a two-parameter nuclear density by means of pion-nuclear elastic scattering

Abstract A two-parameter nuclear density function proposed by Antonov, Garistov, and Petkov with parameters for 16 O and 40 Ca is compared to other shapes for these nuclei. The comparison is made by calculating pion-nuclear observables and comparing with experiment. The AGP shape, with the reported parameters, is less successful than the other shapes considered. The data fit for the AGP shape can be improved by varying the nuclear shape parameters.
13C Isotope Labeling Study of Propane Ammoxidation over M1 Phase Mo−V−Te−Nb−O Mixed Oxide Catalyst

Direct ammoxidation of propane to acrylonitrile has been investigated recently as an alternate method for the current process based on propene. The Mo−V−Te−Nb−O mixed oxide is the most promising catalyst at present for this reaction. The reaction mechanism of propane ammoxidation over this catalyst is still not investigated experimentally. In this work, we have tested the presence of C6 intermediates during the course of the reaction using 13C-labeled propane. The results show that a direct pathway for the ammoxidation of propane to acrylonitrile without skeletal rearrangement of the carbon backbone operates under realistic, steady-state conditions.
A comparison of problem-based learning and lecture-based learning in an adult health nursing course

Summary Purpose This study aimed to compare the effects of the problem-based learning (PBL) method with the traditional lecture method on learning in the cardiorespiratory nursing section of the Adult Health Nursing course. Method A pretest–posttest experimental design was used. A total of 71 second-year nursing students in a three-year nursing program in Korea participated: 35 students in the PBL group in the fall semester of 2002, and 36 students in the traditional lecture group in 2003. The seven PBL packages were developed by the authors, based on an analysis of relevant learning content and clinical scenarios. Results The level of knowledge in the PBL group was significantly higher than that of students in the lecture group ( t =2.007, p =.045). All PBL students with higher and lower grades showed a significant increase in the posttest score. But in the lecture group, only students with higher grades showed a notable increase. No statistically significant difference was found between the PBL and lecture groups in the level of attitude toward learning ( t =1.669, p =.100). Learning motivation was significantly higher in the PBL group ( t =2.608, p =.012). Conclusion Students in the PBL group gained more knowledge and had higher motivation toward learning compared to students in the lecture group.
The Power of Two ARGININE 51 AND ARGININE 239* FROM A NEIGHBORING SUBUNIT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR CATALYSIS IN α-AMINO-β-CARBOXYMUCONATE-ϵ-SEMIALDEHYDE DECARBOXYLASE

Although the crystal structure of α-amino-β-carboxymuconate-ϵ-semialdehyde decarboxylase from Pseudomonas fluorescens was solved as a dimer, this enzyme is a mixture of monomer, dimer, and higher order structures in solution. In this work, we found that the dimeric state, not the monomeric state, is the functionally active form. Two conserved arginine residues are present in the active site: Arg-51 and an intruding Arg-239* from the neighboring subunit. In this study, they were each mutated to alanine and lysine, and all four mutants were catalytically inactive. The mutants were also incapable of accommodating pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, a competitive inhibitor of the native enzyme, suggesting that the two Arg residues are involved in substrate binding. It was also observed that the decarboxylase activity was partially recovered in a heterodimer hybridization experiment when inactive R51(A/K) and R239(A/K) mutants were mixed together. Of the 20 crystal structures obtained from mixing inactive R51A and R239A homodimers that diffracted to a resolution lower than 3.00 Å, two structures are clearly R51A/R239A heterodimers and belong to the C2 space group. They were refined to 1.80 and 2.00 Å resolutions, respectively. Four of the remaining crystals are apparently single mutants and belong to the P42212 space group. In the heterodimer structures, one active site is shown to contain dual mutation of Ala-51 and Ala-239*, whereas the other contains the native Arg-51 and Arg-239* residues, identical to the wild-type structure. Thus, these observations provide the foundation for a molecular mechanism by which the oligomerization state of α-amino-β-carboxymuconate-ϵ-semialdehyde decarboxylase could regulate the enzyme activity.
Large telescope project dedicated to an origins survey

We describe an "Origins Survey" that will provide a comprehensive picture of the era of galaxy formation and assembly. The survey data will allow us to develop and test models of when and how the first condensed objects in the universe are formed. We propose to do this by accumulating enough redshifts to have 10,000 galaxies of each of 20 types (defined empirically by the real state of galaxies) in each of 10 time zones of duration 1.5 Gyr each. Discounting the first two such zones which will be covered by the SDSS, the 2DF, and other surveys, our plan is to obtain redshifts for a total of 2 million galaxies. The hardware design is driven by the requirement to see the earliest galaxies ( z ~ 10) and the capability to carry out this high z survey in an elapsed time of five years on a dedicated telescope. These considerations lead to a tentative design that uses a 20 - 40 meter diameter telescope with an Integral Field Unit (IFU) high-resolution spectrograph (R=6000 operating in the 1 - 2.5 micron spectral range. We require a 1 - 3 arc minute field of view with a modest adaptive-optics-corrected 0.2 arc-sec half power diameter point spread function (in the near-IR). Simultaneous, complementary observations will be made in the far-infrared/submm (350 - 850) microns to view the "hidden" starbursts known to exist from SCUBA data and the (non-CMB) infrared background. These observations require a low water vapor site. With appropriate instrumentation the same telescope can be used to study proto-planetary disks and star formation regions in the low z Universe. In this paper we present the scientific case for the survey, the basis for our requirements, and the results of our preliminary studies of how best to meet these goals.
Interpretation of the Atomic Surface Structure of Ag2O on (111) Au thin films

A high resolution electron microscope investigation of the residual oxidized silver of a few monolayers thickness on the surface of (111) Au films has shown that a reconstructed (2×1) surface structure occurs for (110) oriented Ag2O and can be observed at atomic resolution levels. Image enhancement via a digital frame store processor has revealed improved images which have then been compared to computer simulated diffraction patterns and images of the Ag2O surface. Several iterations of surface structure models and image simulations reveal that the (2×1) reconstruction is consistent with a missing row model. The atomic arrangements of these rows often undergo a translation along the direction of the row to produce cusp like image features. It has also been possible to observe the effect of contraction of the underlying layer which can produce diagonal contrast lines in the images. These features often vary rapidly over lateral distances of a few tens of angstroms and give an indication of the surface topography and the degree ordering of the surface.
The Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering: Designing, Implementing and Sustaining Interdisciplinary Solutions to Transform Healthcare Delivery Systems

With start-up funding provided by the Regenstrief Foundation, Purdue University has created the Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering (RCHE) to design, implement, and sustain interdisciplinary solutions to improve the safety, quality, efficiency and accessibility of healthcare delivery systems. RCHE's primary goal is to bring a systems- analysis approach to improving the processes of healthcare delivery, not to provide tools or techniques for medical research, diagnosis, or treatment. This article will describe RCHE's business model; that is, how RCHE 'engineers' interdisciplinary solutions, using the multiple perspectives of healthcare and multiple project time scales to organise and leverage healthcare delivery transformation. We then illustrate the model through the description of projects conducted with RCHE's 'partnerships' with various healthcare delivery organisations. We conclude with a discussion of future directions for RCHE.
Moderators of the Relationship Between Maternal Substance Abuse Symptoms and Preschool Children’s Behavioral Outcomes

While maternal substance use problems increase the likelihood of behavior problems in children, child outcomes are varied, leading to interest in understanding additional family factors that contribute to the development of behavior problems in children impacted by maternal substance abuse. The purpose of this study is to examine harsh parenting and family conflict as potential moderators of the relationship between symptoms of maternal substance use problems and child externalizing behavior problems. The non-clinical sample for this study included 250 low-income parents whose preschool age children were enrolled in Head Start programs in a Southern state. This study utilized data collected during two home visits, an average of 10 months apart, with data on family functioning and maternal symptoms of substance use problems collected at the first time point and child externalizing behavior collected at the second time point. Over one-third of the children (38.1 %) had clinically elevated externalizing behavior scores. We used regression analysis to examine whether harsh parenting or family conflict moderated the relationship between maternal substance use symptoms and child externalizing behavior. In this community sample, we found that in the absence of family risks related to harsh parenting and family conflict, maternal symptoms of substance use problems did not have a significant impact on child externalizing behavior in preschool children. However, when high levels of family conflict or harsh parenting were present, symptoms of maternal substance use problems increased the risk of externalizing behavior problems in children.
Baryon inhomogeneity from the cosmic quark-hadron phase transition

Abstract We discuss the generation of inhomogeneity in the baryon-number density during the cosmic quark-hadron phase transition. We use a simple model with thin-wall phase boundaries and ideal-gas equations of state. The nucleation of the phase transition introduces a new distance scale into the universe which will be the scale of the generated inhomogeneity. We review the estimate of this scale. During the transition baryon number is likely to collect onto a layer at the phase boundary. These layers may in the end be deposited as small regions of very high baryon density.
Auto-acetylation stabilizes p300 in cardiac myocytes during acute oxidative stress, promoting STAT3 accumulation and cell survival.

The nuclear acetyltransferase p300 is rapidly and stably induced in the heart during hemodynamic stress, but the mechanism of this induction is unknown. To determine the role of oxidative stress in p300 induction, we exposed neonatal rat cardiac myocytes to doxorubicin (DOX, 1 μM) or its vehicle, and monitored p300 protein content and stability for 24 h. Levels of p300 rose substantially within 1 h and remained elevated for at least 24 h, while p300 transcript levels declined. In the presence of cycloheximide, the estimated half-life of p300 in control cells was approximately 4.5 h, typical of an immediate-early response protein. DOX treatment prolonged p300 t1/2 to >24 h, indicating that the sharp rise in p300 levels was attributable to rapid protein stabilization. p300 stabilization was entirely due to an increase in acetylated p300 species with greatly enhanced resistance to proteasomal degradation. The half-life of p300 was dependent on its acetyltransferase activity, falling in the presence of p300 inhibitors curcumin and anacardic acid, and increasing with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition. At the same time, acetyl-STAT3, phospho-STAT3-(Tyr 705) and -(Ser 727) increased, together with a prolongation of STAT3 half-life. SiRNA-mediated p300 knockdown abrogated all of these effects, and strongly enhanced DOX-mediated myocyte apoptosis. We conclude that DOX induces an acute amplification of p300 levels through auto-acetylation and stabilization. In turn, elevated p300 provides a key defense against acute oxidative stress in cardiac myocytes by acetylation, activation, and stabilization of STAT3. Our results suggest that HDAC inhibitors could potentially reduce acute anthracycline-mediated cardiotoxicity by promoting p300 auto-acetylation.
A graphical approach to motor time response

IN the application of motors for specific duty cycles, driving an arbitrary time varying load, affected by nonlinear damping and dry friction, the time response is often quite difficult to determine analytically. In this paper a method is presented that yields a quick graphical answer which avoids all the difficulties that appear in the analytical treatment of the problem.
High performance GaN pin rectifiers grown on free-standing GaN substrates

Gallium nitride pin rectifiers grown on bulk GaN substrate have been fabricated and characterised. The device structures were grown by metal organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) on free-standing GaN substrates. The diode structure consisted of an n+-GaN layer, followed by a 2.5 µm unintentionally doped i-GaN layer, and a p-type GaN layer capped with a p++-GaN cap layer. The mesa-structure pin diodes exhibited a blocking voltage as large as Vr∼−540 V, and a reverse current density of Ir∼0.1 A/cm2 at Vr∼−500 V. The forward voltage drop is only 4.4 V at a forward current density of ∼100A/cm2, with an on-resistance of 3 mΩ · cm2 for a circular device with an 80 µm mesa diameter. The breakdown voltage and on-resistance are believed to be the best values reported for vertical mesa GaN pin rectifiers grown on bulk GaN substrates with comparable i-layer thickness.
Ediacaran life on land

A new interpretation of fossilized soils (palaeosols) suggests that at least some Ediacaran (625–542 million years ago) organisms lived on land; thus these Ediacaran fossils were not animals, but a fungus-dominated terrestrial biota that predated vascular plants by about 100 million years. Ediacaran fossils —542 to 635 million years old — occur worldwide in a variety of sedimentary deposits, generally interpreted as shallow to deep marine origin. They have been regarded as early animal ancestors of the Cambrian evolutionary explosion of marine invertebrate phyla, as giant marine protists and as lichenized fungi. Here, Gregory Retallack raises doubts over the assumption that Ediacaran organisms were marine: a new interpretation of fossilized soils ('palaeosols') from South Australia suggests that at least some lived on land. Retallack's suggestion that some Ediacaran fossils were large sessile organisms of cool, dry soils is compatible with observations that Ediacaran fossils are similar in appearance and preservation to lichens and other microbial colonies of biological soil crusts, rather than marine animals or protists. Ediacaran (635–542 million years ago) fossils have been regarded as early animal ancestors of the Cambrian evolutionary explosion of marine invertebrate phyla1, as giant marine protists2 and as lichenized fungi3. Recent documentation of palaeosols in the Ediacara Member of the Rawnsley Quartzite of South Australia4 confirms past interpretations of lagoonal–aeolian deposition based on synsedimentary ferruginization and loessic texture5,6. Further evidence for palaeosols comes from non-marine facies, dilation cracks, soil nodules, sand crystals, stable isotopic data and mass balance geochemistry4. Here I show that the uppermost surfaces of the palaeosols have a variety of fossils in growth position, including Charniodiscus, Dickinsonia, Hallidaya, Parvancorina, Phyllozoon, Praecambridium, Rugoconites, Tribrachidium and ‘old-elephant skin’ (ichnogenus Rivularites7). These fossils were preserved as ferruginous impressions, like plant fossils8, and biological soil crusts9,10 of Phanerozoic eon sandy palaeosols. Sand crystals after gypsum11 and nodules of carbonate12 are shallow within the palaeosols4, even after correcting for burial compaction13. Periglacial involutions and modest geochemical differentiation of the palaeosols are evidence of a dry, cold temperate Ediacaran palaeoclimate in South Australia4. This new interpretation of some Ediacaran fossils as large sessile organisms of cool, dry soils, is compatible with observations that Ediacaran fossils were similar in appearance and preservation to lichens and other microbial colonies of biological soil crusts3, rather than marine animals1, or protists2.
A new technique for the prediction of non-linear material behavior

Abstract A new methodology is developed for the prediction of material behavior, such as aging processes, by utilizing a combination of domain models and non-linear estimators including neural networks and nearest neighbor regressions. This methodology is applied to the problem of predicting embrittilement levels in light-water reactors by combining the existing models with the conventional non-linear estimators. The Power Reactor Embrittlement Database is used in this study. The results indicate that the combined embrittlement predictor achieved about 56.5% and 32.8% reductions in the uncertainties for General Electric Boiling Water Reactor plate and weld data compared to Regulatory Guide 1.99, Revision 2, respectively. The implications of irradiation temperature effect to the development of radiation embrittlement model are then discussed.
Conjugate duals for power functions

Power functions can represent a variety of financial and physical phenomena. For example, capital equipment costs are often represented by power functions. In this work, a duality theory for mathematical programs is developed, having power functions in both the objective function and constraints. This has computational significance. Applications are made to engineering design and inventory theory. Some analytic results are possible.
Aspects of woodpecker damage to cacao in the Dominican Republic

Abstract The Hispaniolan woodpecker, Melanerpes striatus damages cacao by piercing the pod and eating the pulp surrounding the developing seeds. Piercing of the pod permits invasion by insects and micro‐organisms. Pod damage was assessed at 3.7% in 1981 and 3.5% in 1982, close to the 4% estimate of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Dominican Republic. Although the Ministry established a bounty program in 1976, our study suggested this bounty should be discontinued. The program was found to be not cost effective, did not reduce damage, and had an adverse effect on other avifauna. Our preliminary attempts to protect cacao pods using chemical repellents and colour cues were inconclusive. None the less, additional crop protection work, as well as changes in agricultural production practices, may ultimately provide sufficient aid to offset losses.
Efficient, interactive, and three-dimensional segmentation of cell nuclei in thick tissue sections.

Segmentation of intact cell nuclei in three-dimensional (3D) images of thick tissue sections is an important basic capability necessary for many biological research studies. Because automatic algorithms do not correctly segment all nuclei in tissue sections, interactive algorithms may be preferable for some applications. Existing interactive segmentation algorithms require the analyst to draw a border around the nucleus under consideration in all successive two-dimensional (2D) planes of the 3D image. The present paper describes an algorithm with two main advantages over the existing method. First, the analyst draws borders only in 2D planes that cut approximately through the center of the nucleus under consideration so that the nuclear borders generally are most distinct. Second, the analyst draws only five borders around each nucleus, and then the algorithm interpolates the entire surface. The algorithm results in segmented objects that correspond to individual, visually identifiable nuclei. The segmented surfaces, however, may not exactly represent the true nuclear surface. An optional, automatic surface optimization algorithm can be applied to reduce this error. Cytometry 31:275–286, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Proton therapy: decisions, decisions.

Wearefacedwithmakingdecisionsallthetime.Ourlivesareﬁlled with them, be they personal, medical, professional orﬁnancial.Wehaveto maketrade-offsbetweenbeneﬁts, costs,preferences and predicted outcomes. We must also consideruncertaintiesinmajorparametersinﬂuencingourdecisions.Itdoesn’tsoundeasy.Somedecisionswemakeintheblinkofaneye, some take us longer as we need to ponder a bit before wedecide.Ifwemakeaconsciousdecisionwetypicallyweighupouroptions.Butlet’sbefrank,ourdecisionsareoftenstronglyinﬂuenced by our emotions and gut feeling rather than beingmadecompletelylogically,systematicallyorrationally.Someresearchevensuggests that the bestway to deal with complexdecisions is to not think about them at all—that unconsciousthought will help us make the best choices [1].Decision making may be deﬁned as ‘‘Choosing betweenalternative courses of action using cognitive processes suchas memory, thinking, evaluation, etc.’’ Normally, we assessthe pros and cons and aim for a decision where the beneﬁtsoutweigh the risks. That is, if we are rational. If we wouldall reason without bias and personal preference we wouldprobably all come up with the same rational decisions allthe time. How boring would that be? So personal prefer-ences and bias is what distinguishes us in our decisionmaking. But more importantly, our ability to evaluateprobabilities (which equates to assessing risk) also stronglyinﬂuences our decision making, with stock market lossesand gains being a prime example. In mathematical termswhat we do is to change the relative merit of the individualcriteria in order to select the decision we actually prefer.Even if the decision we prefer is of high risk for detrimentand low beneﬁt. The next question is whether we wouldreason in the same way on a different day, or in a differentsituation, in a different mood, or if we chose to consideradditional information? More information can of courseimpact our decisions and swing the pendulum to the otherside. That is why we inform ourselves about the factsbefore we make an important decision. In a classic paperby Miller [2] entitled ‘‘The magical number seven, plus orminus two: some limits on our capacity for processinginformation’’ we are presented with the fact that our abilityto deal with too much information is limited. When adecision is made in the medical context clinicians oftenhave to deal with input variables far beyond the magicalnumber and also have to select a treatment option underdiagnostic uncertainty. The human way to deal with that isto ﬁlter out the unimportant information and prioritize orweigh up the remaining input variables. Clinicians arepretty good at that but even within a hospital departmentclinicians can make different decisions depending on the
Patient perspectives on tobacco cessation services for persons living with HIV/AIDS

With the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy, the survival for HIV-infected individuals has increased, but other health-related behaviors have been largely unaddressed. Tobacco use is of primary concern, given its prevalence and the medical implications of smoking among these patients. Improving responsiveness to the needs, values, and preferences of patients (i.e., patient-centeredness) is a focus for increasing participation in systems of care. To assess the social, cultural, and educational barriers limiting use of smoking cessation services by HIV-positive individuals, two focus groups were conducted at a Louisiana HIV outpatient clinic. Questions addressed smoking history, knowledge of and access to cessation services, and knowledge of effects of smoking on disease progression and medication efficacy. Identified themes included a desire for increased and more specific information on the health effects of smoking as related to the patients’ HIV status, difficulty in quitting, motivation, an...
The Effects of Gender, Wrist and Forearm Position on Maximum Isometric Power Grasp Force, Wrist Force, and their Interactions:

The interaction of power grasp force and wrist force has not been previously examined. This research not only examined the effect of task (wrist force in flexion and extension with and without simultaneous power grasp force), but the effects of gender, wrist position, and forearm position on maximal static exertions. Gender, wrist position, and task were found to significantly affect both power grasp and wrist forces. Females averaged 59.5% of male power grasp force and 51% of male wrist force. Power grasp force was significantly greater in neutral and extended wrist positions than flexed wrist positions while a neutral wrist position generated significantly greater wrist forces than both extended and flexed wrist positions. Due to synergistic conflicts, grasp force during simultaneous wrist extension force was significantly less than grasp force during simultaneous wrist flexion force (60%) and grasp force only tasks (58%). Wrist extension forces were found to exceed flexion forces which contrasts with p...