cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultrascalable Fourier transfroms in three dimensions

Fourier and related types of transforms are widely used in scientific community. Three-dimensional Fast Fourier Transforms (3D FFT), for example, are used in many areas such as DNS turbulence, astrophysics, material science, chemistry, oceanography and X-ray crystallography. In many cases this is a very compute-intensive operation. Lately there has been a need for implementations of scalable 3D FFT and related algorithms on Petascale parallel machines [1-8]. Most existing implementations of 3D FFT use one-dimensional task decomposition, and therefore are subject to scaling limitation when the number of cores reaches domain size. P3DFFT library overcomes this limitation. It is an open-source, easy-to-use software package [9] providing general solution for 3D FFT based on two-dimensional decomposition. In this way it is different from majority of other libraries such as FFTW, PESSL, MKL and ACML. P3DFFT is written in Fortran90 and MPI, with C interface available. It uses FFTW as an underlying library for FFT computation in one dimension. P3DFFT has been demonstrated to scale quite well up to tens of thousands cores on several platforms, including Kraken at NICS/ORNL. Theoretically it is scalable up to N-squared cores, provided suitable hardware support, where N is the domain size. In practice all-to-all communication inherent in the algorithm is often the performance bottleneck at large core counts. This type of communication stresses bisection bandwidth of the interconnect and is a challenging operation for most High Performance Computing (HPC) systems. (In fact one of the three NSF Track 1 system application procurement requirements involves 3D FFT as a crucial software component.) As a consequence, communication time is typically a high fraction of overall time for the algorithm (80% is not uncommon). In spite of this, P3DFFT scales quite well since with the increase of core counts the volume of data to be exchanged decreases proportionately. A test benchmark P3DFFT program has shown about 50% efficiency in strong scaling from 4k to 64k cores on Cray XT5 (see Figure 1). This is consistent with the expectation of a power law scaling of an all-to-all exchange on a 3D torus (where bisection bandwidth scales as P2/3). Some performance tuning is recommended to get the maximum benefit, and it is carried out by simply varying the aspect ratio of the two-dimensional processor grid. More details will be included in presentation.
Incidence of sedation-related complications with propofol use during advanced endoscopic procedures.

Background & Aims Propofol is an effective sedative in advanced endoscopy. However, the incidence of sedation-related complications is unclear. We sought to define the frequency of sedation-related adverse events, particularly the rate of airway modifications (AMs), with propofol use during advanced endoscopy. We also evaluated independent predictors of AMs. Methods Patients undergoing sedation with propofol for advanced endoscopic procedures, including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic ultrasound, and small-bowel enteroscopy, were studied prospectively. Sedative dosing was determined by a certified registered nurse anesthetist with the goal of achieving deep sedation. Sedation-related complications included AMs, hypoxemia (pulse oximetry [SpO 2 ] Results A total of 799 patients were enrolled over 7 months. Procedures included endoscopic ultrasound (423), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (336), and small-bowel enteroscopy (40). A total of 87.2% of patients showed no response to endoscopic intubation. Hypoxemia occurred in 12.8%, hypotension in 0.5%, and premature termination in 0.6% of the patients. No patients required bag-mask ventilation or endotracheal intubation. There were 154 AMs performed in 115 (14.4%) patients, including chin lift (12.1%), modified face mask ventilation (3.6%), and nasal airway (3.5%). Body mass index, male sex, and American Society of Anesthesiologists class of 3 or higher were independent predictors of AMs. Conclusions Propofol can be used safely for advanced endoscopic procedures when administered by a trained professional. Independent predictors of AMs included male sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists class of 3 or higher, and increased body mass index.
Common Molecular Determinants of Flecainide and Lidocaine Block of Heart Na+ Channels: Evidence from Experiments with Neutral and Quaternary Flecainide Analogues

Flecainide (pKa 9.3, 99% charged at pH 7.4) and lidocaine (pKa 7.6–8.0, ∼50% neutral at pH 7.4) have similar structures but markedly different effects on Na+ channel activity. Both drugs cause well-characterized use-dependent block (UDB) of Na+ channels due to stabilization of the inactivated state, but flecainide requires that channels first open before block develops, whereas lidocaine is believed to bind directly to the inactivated state. To test whether the charge on flecainide might determine its state specificity of Na+ channel blockade, we developed two flecainide analogues, NU-FL (pKa 6.4), that is 90% neutral at pH 7.4, and a quaternary flecainide analogue, QX-FL, that is fully charged at physiological pH. We examined the effects of flecainide, NU-FL, QX-FL, and lidocaine on human cardiac Na+ channels expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells. At physiological pH, NU-FL, like lidocaine but not flecainide, interacts preferentially with inactivated channels without prerequisite channel opening, and causes minimal UDB. We find that UDB develops predominantly by the charged form of flecainide as evidenced by investigation of QX-FL at physiological pH and NU-FL investigated over a more acidic pH range where its charged fraction is increased. QX-FL is a potent blocker of channels when applied from inside the cell, but acts very weakly with external application. UDB by QX-FL, like flecainide, develops only after channels open. Once blocked, channels recover very slowly from QX-FL block, apparently without requisite channel opening. Our data strongly suggest that it is the difference in degree of ionization (pKa) between lidocaine and flecainide, rather than gross structural features, that determines distinction in block of cardiac Na+ channels. The data also suggest that the two drugs share a common receptor but, consistent with the modulated receptor hypothesis, reach this receptor by distinct routes dictated by the degree of ionization of the drug molecules.
Carotid stenting and "extarterectomy" in the management of head and neck cancer involving the internal carotid artery: technical case report.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Head and neck cancer that invades the internal carotid artery (ICA) represents a significant management challenge. We describe a novel technique that allows for aggressive tumor removal without disrupting blood flow through the affected ICA. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 62-year-old man was referred to our institution for management of a neck malignancy involving the ICA. Cerebral angiography suggested that there was good collateral flow from the opposite hemisphere, but the patient reported visual loss in the ipsilateral eye during balloon test occlusion of the ICA. INTERVENTION: A self-expanding stent was deployed in the ICA; it spanned the entire length of the artery involved by tumor. One month later, the patient underwent tumor resection. During surgery, a long ICA arteriotomy was performed directly down to the mesh of the stent. A neoendothelium had formed within the stent, which prevented arterial bleeding. The carotid wall was dissected from the stent without difficulty and removed en bloc with the surrounding tumor. The exposed stent was wrapped circumferentially with a synthetic patch material. The patient tolerated the procedure well, and postoperative angiography demonstrated normal filling of the ICA. CONCLUSION: We describe a novel approach to a patient with head and neck cancer involving the cervical ICA. Preliminary stenting, which allows time for endothelialization before surgery, may permit aggressive tumor resection without interrupting flow through the ICA. This technique obviates the need for complicated carotid reconstruction procedures and avoids the risk of delayed ischemia from carotid sacrifice.
Adrenergic and cholinergic stimulation of arachidonate and phosphatidate metabolism in cultured astroglial cells.

Primary cultures of neonatal rat brain polygonal astroglia, or cells of the C62B glioma line, were incubated with [1-14C]arachidonic acid (AA) in culture for 18 hr. In both culture systems, more than 80% of the added [1-14C]AA was taken up into cellular glycerolipids; less than 1% of the radioactivity in the cells was present in an unesterified form. When prelabeled C62B cells were stimulated with acetylcholine (ACh), there was a rapid accumulation of arachidonyl-phosphatidic acid (PA) accompanied by a liberation of [1-14C]AA. A variety of other neurotransmitters failed to activate this response in C62B glioma cells, primary astroglia generated PA and liberated [1-14C]AA in response to several neurotransmitters (i.e., ACh, norepinephrine, glutamate, and histamine) Treatment of astroglia with a combination of norephrine, ACh, and histamine resulted in a greater production of PA and free [1-14C]AA than did treatment with any one of these neurotransmitters alone. The results suggest that cultures of astroglia can respond to several different neurotransmitters with specific changes in AA and PA metabolism. Thus, a variety of neurotransmitters initiate cascades of lipid metabolism which may be of physiological significance in glial function.
Adenine Nucleotide Translocator 1 Deficiency Increases Resistance of Mouse Brain and Neurons to Excitotoxic Insults

The mitochondrial adenine nucleotide translocators (Ant) are bi-functional proteins that transport ADP and ATP across the mitochondrial inner membrane, and regulate the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mtPTP) which initiates apoptosis. The mouse has three Ant isoforms: Ant1 expressed in heart, muscle, and brain; Ant2 expressed in all tissues but muscle; and Ant4 expressed primarily in testis. Ant1-deficient mice manifest muscle and heart but not brain pathology. Brain Ant1 is induced by stress, while Ant2 is not. Ant1-deficient mice are resistant to death induced by systemic exposure to the brain excitotoxin, kainic acid (KA), and their hippocampal and cortical neurons are significantly more resistant to neuronal death induced by glutamate, KA, and etoposide. The mitochondrial membrane potential of Ant1-deficient brain mitochondria is increased and the mtPTP is more resistance to Ca(++) induced permeability transition. Hence, Ant1-deficiency may protect the brain from excitotoxicity by desensitizing the mtPTP and by blocking the pro-apoptotic induction of Ant1 by stress.
Methodological urban legends: The misuse of statistical control variables

The automatic or blind inclusion of control variables in multiple regression and other analyses, intended to purify observed relationships among variables of interest, is widespread and can be cons...
Determination of thiomersal by flow injection coupled with microwave-assisted photochemical online oxidative decomposition of organic mercury and cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy.

Abstract We developed a flow injection (FI) method for the determination of thiomersal (sodium ethylmercurithiosalicylate, C9H9HgNaO2S) based on the UV/microwave (MW) photochemical, online oxidation of organic mercury, followed by cold vapor generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (CVG-AFS) detection. Thiomersal was quantitatively converted in the MW/UV process to Hg(II), with a yield of 97 ± 3%. This reaction was followed by the reduction of Hg(II) to Hg(0) performed in a knotted reaction coil with NaBH4 solution, and AFS detection in an Ar/H2 miniaturized flame. The method was linear in the 0.01–2 μg mL−1 range, with a LOD of 0.003 μg mL−1. This method has been applied to the determination of thiomersal in ophthalmic solutions, with recoveries ranging between 97% and 101%. We found a mercury concentration in commercial ophthalmic solutions ranging between 7.5 and 59.0 μg mL−1.
Activity-based costing via an information system: an application created for a breast imaging center.

Activity-based costing (ABC) is a process that enables the estimation of the cost of producing a product or service. More accurate than traditional charge-based approaches, it emphasizes analysis of processes, and more specific identification of both direct and indirect costs. This accuracy is essential in today’s healthcare environment, in which managed care organizations necessitate responsible and accountable costing. However, to be successfully utilized, it requires time, effort, expertise, and support. Data collection can be tedious and expensive. By integrating ABC with information management (IM) and systems (IS), organizations can take advantage of the process orientation of both, extend and improve ABC, and decrease resource utilization for ABC projects. In our case study, we have examined the process of a multidisciplinary breast center. We have mapped the constituent activities and established cost drivers. This information has been structured and included in our information system database for subsequent analysis.
Healthcare informatics and telecommunications: Opportunities for international coordinated action

The interest in international cooperation in the applications of telecommunications technologies to healthcare is growing. This paper gives an overview of current worldwide activities and suggests opportunities for the future.
Uniform persistence in multispecies population models

Abstract Uniform persistence for dissipative Kolmogorov type multispecies population models is obtained by constructing Lyapunov-like persistence functions. Applications to food chain models in particular are given.
Electric circuit model for electrical field flow fractionation.

In electrical field flow fractionation (EFFF or ElFFF), an electric potential is applied across a narrow gap filled with a weak electrolyte fluid. Charge buildup at the two poles (electrodes) and the formation of an electric double layer shields the channel, making the effective field in the bulk fluid very weak. Recent computational research suggests that pulsed field protocols, however, should improve retention and may enhance separation in EFFF through systematic disruptions of the double layer resulting in a stronger effective field in the bulk fluid. Improved retention has already been demonstrated experimentally. Accurate modeling and subsequent device optimization and design, however, depends, in part, on formulating a suitable model for the capacitative response of the channel and double layer at the electrode surfaces. Early models do not correctly describe experimentally observed current−time response and are not physically meaningful even when accurate mathematical fits of the data are realized...
The Royal Society Catalogue as an Index to Nineteenth Century American Science.

The Royal Society Catalogue of Scientific Papers is investigated in terms of its coverage of American science journals and American scientists. The journals indexed by the Catalogue are compared to other standard lists of journals from the nineteenth century. A list of scientists with three or more articles in American journals indexed in the Catalogue is compared to standard lists of scientists based on other criteria. The Catalogue is found to be, in most cases, an excellent index to the contents of American periodical literature, but for complete coverage some supplementary work would be necessary. The study also concludes that, if the number of articles written is not considered, the Royal Society index can be used to compile a near-universal list of American “scientists.” This leads to the conclusion that in the period 1800 to 1863 (the years covered by this study), journal article writing of some variety and extent already characterized a man of science.
Fundamentals-based quality prediction: Texture development during drying and related processes

Abstract Using Young's modulus as a measure for texture, a framework for predicting the effective modulus of a solid food material is developed and extended to four moisture removal processes–frying, drying, microwave heating and baking. The effective modulus is predicted using mechanical analysis from local modulus values that depend on transient moisture and temperature. For two different processes of drying and frying, the development of modulus can be predicted from the same dependence of moisture and temperature. These predictions compared well with experimentally measured modulus. The prediction framework is then extended to the processes of baking and microwave heating. The moisture and temperature information needed for prediction of modulus is in turn obtained from multiphase porous media based models of the processes, thus making physics-based texture prediction possible from process and product parameters. Texture development during the four moisture removal processes are compared with each other and the effect of oven temperature and sample size is discussed.
De Novo Design of Antimicrobial Polymers, Foldamers, and Small Molecules: From Discovery to Practical Applications

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) provide protection against a variety of pathogenic bacteria and are, therefore, an important part of the innate immune system. Over the past decade, there has been considerable interest in developing AMPs as intravenously administered antibiotics. However, despite extensive efforts in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, it has proven difficult to achieve this goal. While researchers have solved some relatively simple problems such as susceptibility to proteolysis, more severe problems have included the expense of the materials, toxicity, poor efficacy, and limited tissue distribution. In this Account, we describe our efforts to design and synthesize “foldamers”-- short sequence-specific oligomers based on arylamide and β-amino acid backbones, which fold into well-defined secondary structures-- that could act as antimicrobial agents. We reasoned that small “foldamers” would be less expensive to produce than peptides, and might have better tissue distribution. It sho...
Plasma spray synthesis of nanomaterial powders and deposits

Abstract Conventional plasma spraying was used to process atomized liquid droplets of precursor solutions to produce alumina, zirconia and yttria stabilized zirconia nanoparticles and deposits. An electrostatic precipitator collected the plasma synthesized ceramic particles at a rate of ~0.2 mg s −1 , with ~5–20% collection efficiency. Spray processing produced 1–50 nm size ceramic particles. The size, shape and phase composition of the nanomaterials depend on the spray feedstock. Organo-metallic precursors gave rise to a narrow range of fine-grained material, while aqueous solutions produced wider distributions of larger size grains. Spray processing of liquid feedstock produced nanodeposits with a powdery morphology. Plasma spraying of liquid precursors is a viable technique to produce nanoparticles and deposits.
Food provisioning strategies, food insecurity, and stress in an economically vulnerable community: the Northern Cheyenne case

Living in poverty is associated with high levels of protracted stress associated with health problems. Economic and food insecurity are particularly poignant aspects of poverty and condition the work of securing basic daily needs of families. Recent studies suggest that levels of stress increase as family food needs rise. This paper presents new findings which clarify the relationship of food provisioning to stress levels, by examining actual food provisioning strategies and food insecurity among the Northern Cheyenne Indians of southeastern Montana. Results clearly show that stress varies by types of food acquisition strategies. Contrary to our expectations, more complex strategies, including relatively unpredictable and cumbersome food provisioning activities, are not linked to higher stress levels in our analysis. Controlling for food security levels, households using a combination of local programs and informal subsistence sources are the least stressed, despite the demands of managing a large number of food sources. Households primarily using Food Stamps are the most likely to experience high levels of stress. Interviews with Food Stamp recipients show that potential sources of stress include inadequate allocations of Food Stamps, difficulty achieving and maintaining eligibility, challenges to complying with paperwork and appointment requirements, as well as personal obstacles and community barriers to making food stamps last. Analyses indicate that contradictions between local cultural norms for food provisioning and the realities of food insecurity in this context promote strategies emphasizing greater independence from federal food programs.
Culture and Personality Revisited

Recently, attempts have been made to employ American trait psychology across cultures. From the perspective of contemporary psychological anthropology, these efforts appear likely to repeat certain fallacies of the culture and personality approach of the 1930s, such as the reification of concepts into causal entities and the use of mean scores to characterize and compare populations (and even nations). These dangers are noted, and some recent developments in psychological anthropology are briefly discussed.
Stationary Phase Theory and Passage through Resonance

Abstract A uniformly valid asymptotic expansion for a class of Fourier integrals is established. The result is used in a rigorous analysis of the differential equation for a forced harmonic oscillator with a slowly varying natural frequency. Specific attention is given to the problem of passage through resonance.
Sowing Doubt Optimally in Two-Person Repeated Games

Abstract Consider a two-person repeated game, where one of the players, P1, can sow doubt, in the mind of his opponent, as to what P1's payoffs are. This results in a two-person repeated game with incomplete information. By sowing doubt, P1 can sometimes increase his minimal equilibrium payoff in the original game. We prove that this minimum is maximal when only one payoff matrix, the negative of the payoff matrix of the opponent, is added (the opponent thus believes that he might play a zero-sum game). We obtain two formulas for calculating this maximal minimum payoff. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C7, D8.
Comparison of Laboratory Wheel-Tracking Test Results with Wes Track Performance

In 1990, members of FHWA participated with other industry and highway agencies in a European asphalt study tour to examine pavement technology. One of the technologies brought back from this tour was laboratory wheel-tracking devices. However, the ability of these devices to predict or rank field performance has been questioned. Wes Track provides a unique opportunity for comparing accelerated laboratory wheeltracking devices with full-scale pavement performance under controlled conditions. The three devices examined here are the asphalt pavement analyzer (APA), the French pavement rutting tester (FPRT), and the Hamburg wheel-tracking device (HWTD). Wes Track is a 2.9-km oval test track with each tangent consisting of 13- to 70-m sections. Samples for laboratory evaluation using three wheel-tracking devices were taken from the 5-m sampling segments of the rehabilitated sections: 10 sections placed in the summer of 1997. Based on the data and analyses in this study, the three laboratory devices examined sa...
Velocity inversion and the shallow seismic refraction method

Abstract Velocity inversion in the subsurface is one of the most serious limitations of the shallow seismic refraction method. Inversion can occur whenever a geological layer has a lower velocity than that of the overlying layer and is more common than generally believed. Unrecognised inversion layers can create considerable errors in depth interpretation. The magnitude of these errors is examined and theoretical equations for a single velocity inversion in a multilayered earth are presented. In certain situations inversion layers can be identified and incorporated in a modified interpretational procedure using these equations. The methods for recognising velocity inversions are reviewed. A field example from a high-way investigation in Australia is also discussed. It is concluded that a combination of drilling and seismic refraction using both shallow shots and shots within the low velocity layer can, to some extent, reduce errors associated with velocity inversions. If conventional seismic refraction alone is used to solve the shallow velocity inversion problem then more sophisticated field and processing procedures are required to assist reliable identification of later events on refraction records.
Baroreceptor Activity in Normotensive and Hypertensive Uremic Patients

Baroreceptor activity and postural blood volume changes were evaluated in four normotensive and nine hypertensive uremic patients before and after bilateral nephrectomy. Baroreceptor activity, reflected by the slope of linear regression of R-R interval with drug-induced systolic blood pressure elevation, was significantly lower in hypertensive than in normotensive patients. Six of nine patients had normal blood pressure following bilateral nephrectomy; however, the mean slopes of all nine patients, irrespective of postnephrectomy blood pressure, approached that of normotensive uremic patients. The slopes of both normotensive and hypertensive patients, before and after bilateral nephrectomy, were significantly less than normal controls. Similar results were found in lowering blood pressure with amyl nitrite. Depressed baroreceptor activity is suggested to be secondary to neuropathy of the autonomic nervous system, chronic hypertension, heart disease, and anemia. It is speculated that this reduced baroreceptor sensitivity may accentuate the postural symptoms primarly induced by volume reduction on hemodialysis. There is no evidence in this study that depressed baroreceptor activity, as opposed to a reset baroreceptor, is a cause of hypertension in patients with chronic renal failure.
Biomechanical analysis of a novel locking plate with smooth pegs versus a conventional locking plate with threaded screws for proximal humerus fractures.

Background Repair of proximal humeral fractures with locking plates has greatly improved outcomes. However, an alarming rate of complications including screw cutout and impingement under the acromion has recently been reported. A novel locking plate with smooth pegs was developed to reduce these risks. The purpose of this study was to compare these 2 fixation methods with a cadaveric biomechanical study. Materials and methods Fourteen pairs of cadaveric proximal humeri (mean age, 77 years) were harvested, and bone density was measured. Osteosynthesis was performed on each pair using either a locking plate with threaded screws (TS group) or smooth pegs (SP group) on the contralateral side. Seven pairs of humeri were tested for cyclic bending, and 7 pairs for cyclic torsional evaluation: TS bending, SP bending, TS torsion, and SP torsion. The bending protocol consisted of cyclically loading to a maximum of 7.5 Nm bending moment for 10,000 cycles. The torsion protocol consisted of ±2 Nm of axial torque for 10,000 cycles. Surgical neck fractures were simulated by excising a 10-mm wedge of bone. Results No implant failure or screw cutout was observed in any of the groups tested. Under bending loads, mean displacement of the distal fragment was significantly less for the SP group than that for the TS group over 5,000 cycles. In torsion tests, no significant differences were observed between the 2 fixation methods. Discussion The SP group demonstrated superior biomechanical characteristics to the TS group in regards to cyclic bending.
The complete basis set and gaussian ab initio computational investigation mono-, di- and tri-protonated borane and mono-, di-, tri-, and tetra-protonated diborane structures and energies

Abstract High levels of computational study was performed with the target being to determine geometries and energies of multiprotonated borane and diborane. The enthalpies of protonation and molecular association reactions for these compounds were computed. Their stabilities and possibilities to be obtained experimentally were discussed.
Diffuse optical imaging and spectroscopy, in vivo

Abstract Based on photon migration the new goal of diffuse optical imaging is to reveal optical contrasts in the depth of biological tissues. We discuss first the origin of contrast mechanism (absorption, fluorescence and scattering) used on diffuse optical imaging and spectroscopy. Then, various experimental approaches are described based on CW, pulsed and modulated light excitation and detection. Theoretical models which provide solutions for direct and inverse problems are presented using random walk theory. Finally two studies on breast imaging and on the use of fluorescence exogeneous markers are discussed in detail.
Effects of an Abdominal Left Ventricular Assist Device on Myocardial Oxygen Supply/Demand Ratios in Normally Perfused and Ischemic Bovine Myocardium

Abstract The effects of an abdominal left ventricular assist device (ALVAD) on subendocardial oxygen supply/demand ratios as reflected by diastolic pressure-time index/tension-time index (DPTI/TTI) were investigated in calves. Control DPTI/TTI ratios were 1.09 ± 0.12 (mean ± SD). With ALVAD actuation the ratios increased to 5.73 ± 3.2. Following circumflex coronary artery occlusion, control ratios decreased to 0.04 ± 0.05 in the ischemic area and 0.97 ± 0.20 in the nonischemic areas. With ALVAD actuation in the presence of circumflex occlusion, the depressed ratios were increased to 1.37 ± 0.39 in the ischemic zone and 9.71 ± 2.5 in the nonoccluded segments. Subendocardial oxygen supply/demand ratios were significantly improved by ALVAD assistance following induced subendocardial ischemia.
Drugs That Induce Repolarization Abnormalities Cause Bradycardia in Zebrafish

Background— Drug-induced QT prolongation and torsades de pointes remain significant and often unpredictable clinical problems. Current in vitro preclinical assays are limited by biological simplicity, and in vivo models suffer from expense and low throughput. Methods and Results— During a screen for the effects of 100 small molecules on the heart rate of the zebrafish, Danio rerio, we found that drugs that cause QT prolongation in humans consistently caused bradycardia and AV block in the zebrafish. Of 23 such drugs tested, 18 were positive in this initial screen. Poor absorption explained 4 of 5 false-negative results, as demonstrated by microinjection. Overall, 22 of 23 compounds that cause repolarization abnormalities were positive in this assay. Antisense “knockdown” of the zebrafish KCNH2 ortholog yielded bradycardia in a dose dependent manner confirming the effects of reduction of repolarizing potassium current in this model. Classical drug-drug interactions between erythromycin and cisapride, as we...
Static and dynamic traversable wormhole geometries satisfying the Ford-Roman constraints

It was shown by Ford and Roman in 1996 that quantum field theory severely constrains wormhole geometries on a macroscopic scale. The first part of this paper discusses a wide class of wormhole solutions that meet these constraints. The type of shape function used is essentially generic. The constraints are then discussed in conjunction with various redshift functions. Violations of the weak energy condition and traversability criteria are also considered. The second part of the paper analyzes analogous time-dependent (dynamic) wormholes with the aid of differential forms. It is shown that a violation of the weak energy condition is not likely to be avoidable even temporarily.
Coherent Population Trapping in Laser Spectroscopy

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the coherent population trapping in laser spectroscopy. Coherent population trapping may be also described as the pumping of the atomic system in a particular state, the coherent superposition of the atomic states, which is a nonabsorbing state. The exciting radiation creates an atomic coherence, such that the atom's evolution is prepared exactly out of phase with the incoming radiation and no absorption takes place. The chapter discusses the basic properties of an atomic system prepared with the coherent population-trapping superposition of states and outlines experimental observations concerned with the establishment of coherent trapping in different discrete systems. The chapter also discusses the theoretical and experimental aspects of trapping that involve states of the continuum and reviews the theoretical and experimental features associated with coherent population trapping in laser cooling, adiabatic transfer, lasing without inversion, pulse matching, and photon statistics. The theoretical aspect of coherent population trapping created by spontaneous emission is also discussed in the chapter.
The sequelae of hospitalization for congestive heart failure among older adults

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the independent effect of hospitalization for congestive heart failure (CHF) on subsequent mortality, readmission for CHF, hospitalization for any reason, and change in functional status. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of the nationally representative Longitudinal Study on Aging. Baseline (1984) interview data are linked to Medicare hospitalization and death records for 1984–1991 and to functional status reports at three biennial follow-ups. SETTING: In-home and telephone interviews. PARTICIPANTS: a total of 7527 noninstitutionalized older adults aged 70 years or older at baseline. MEASUREMENTS: Hospitalization for CHF was defined as having one or more episodes with primary or secondary discharge ICD9-CM codes of 428. Multivariable proportional hazards, logistic and linear regression, as well as multiple classification analysis, were used to estimate the independent effects of having been hospitalized for CHF. RESULTS: The adjusted risk ratios for having a primary or secondary hospital discharge diagnosis of CHF on mortality (compared with not having any CHF hospital discharge diagnoses) were 1.58 (CI95% = 1.40 to 1.78) and 1.29 (CI95% = 1.15 to 1.45), respectively (P < .001). CHF readmission and rehospitalization rates were substantial, ranging from 16.0 to 47.5% at 1 year, depending on the criteria employed. The adjusted odds ratios for having any subsequent hospitalizations associated with having a primary or secondary hospital discharge diagnosis of CHF (compared with not having any CHF hospital discharge diagnoses) were 7.70 (CI95% = 6.20 to 9.57) and 2.99 (CI95% = 2.51 to 3.56), respectively (P < .001). The percent increases in the number of hospital episodes, total charges, and total length of stay attributable to having been hospitalized for CHF were significant (P < .001) and ranged from 15.5 to 66.7%. Having been hospitalized for CHF was also related significantly to greater increases in the mean number of functional limitations at follow-up. CONCLUSION: Hospitalization for CHF among older adults increases substantially the risk of subsequent mortality, readmission for CHF, rehospitalization for any reason, and greater functional decline. Therefore, greater attention to the prevention and management of CHF is needed.
Social Effects and Limitations of Development Planning: The Case of Indonesia and Singapore

This paper examines some of the limitations and effects of agricultural and industrial development programs in Indonesia and Singapore. Attempts to modernize Indonesia's population through increased rice production are shown to be frustrated by the constrictions of a dual economy coupled with the traditional handicaps of administering programs through the existing village system. The inherent frustrations of developing rural areas while increasing the mobility of the population into overcrowded cities by improving infrastructure are an added limitation to economic development.Singapore's relatively successful program of industrialization has been accompanied by authoritarian political control over labor unions, the political party system, and the socialization of youth. Programs for increasing technical training in high schools are accompanied by strong opposition to Western-style hippie culture. The homogenization of the population is emphasized in a program for rehousing up to 80% of the population in h...
Efficacy and tolerability of memantine in the treatment of dementia

Abstract Background: Until recently, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors were the only approved agents for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). These medications have also been used in the treatment of vascular dementia (VD). Memantine, the first N-methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA)—receptor antagonist to be well tolerated, has been approved for the treatment of moderate to severe AD. Objective: The aim of this study was to review the current literature on the efficacy and tolerability of memantine in the treatment of AD and VD. Methods: A MEDLINE search of the English-language literature from January 1970 to March 2004 was conducted to identify randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trials in which memantine was administered to patients with VD or AD. The search terms were memantine, NMDA inhibitor, and NMDA antagonist. Results: Excessive glutamate, the brain's major excitatory neurotransmitter, can cause excitotoxicity by allowing too much calcium to enter neuronal cells. Moderate-affinity NMDA-receptor antagonists such as memantine block pathologic activity of glutamate while allowing physiologic activity. Use of memantine has been associated with significant improvements in measures of cognition, function, and behavior in both VD and AD. Adverse events associated with memantine have been comparable to those with placebo, with the exception of an increased incidence of dizziness, constipation, cataracts, nausea, dyspnea, confusion, headache, and urinary incontinence. Conclusions: Memantine seems to be promising and well tolerated in the treatment of moderate to severe VD or AD, either as monotherapy or in combination with donepezil. It appears to be particularly effective in improving cognitive, functional, and global outcomes in moderate to severe AD and in improving cognitive end points in mild to moderate VD. More research is needed on important clinical questions, including whether memantine can prolong patients' ability to provide self-care and delay institutional placement.
EFFECT OF SODIUM LOADING ON RENAL FUNCTION IN RATS WITH CONGENITAL UNILATERAL HYDRONEPHROSIS

The mechanism(s) responsible for impaired renal function in chronic renal obstruction is unclear. A colony of Wistar rats with congenital unilateral hydronephrosis was studied before and after an acute sodium load. The Control observations were made while rats were mildly hydropenic. 5mEq/Kg BW NaCl was infused intravenously over sixty minutes and the observations repeated (After Na+). Renal function, urinary sodium and volume were measured in the right hydronephrotic (Hydro K) and left normal kidney (Nor K) of the same rat. These results indicate that the renal functional changes are reversible by acute sodium loading. Since acute sodium loading is known to alter blood levels of renin, angiotensin and prostaglandins, the reduction in renal function in the hydronephrotic kidneys may be due to an imbalance in renal vasoactive peptides produced within the hydronephrotic kidney.
Urticaria pigmentosa responsive to nifedipine

A patient with symptomatic urticaria pigmentosa who responded to nifedipine therapy is reported. Relief from cold-induced urtication and flushing was obtained with 10 mg taken orally three times daily. Calcium influx is an early step in the degranulation of mast cells. We hypothesize that the beneficial effect of nifedipine was due to calcium-channel blockade causing elevation of the mast cell threshold for degranulation.
Psychological success: When the career is a calling

This article has the dual purpose of expanding an understanding of the relationship between subjective and objective careers, and describing one condition under which the subjective career takes on particular salience: when the person feels a sense of calling in his or her career (that is, a sense of purpose, that this is the work one was meant to do.) This sense of calling does not necessarily have to be connected to a set of religious beliefs. We present a model of psychological success based on the career as a calling in order to clarify relationships between the subjective and objective career, and we offer propositions related to the model. Further, we offer a case study to illustrate the notion of the career as a calling, as proposed in the model. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Increased glutamine catabolism mediates bone anabolism in response to WNT signaling

WNT signaling stimulates bone formation by increasing both the number of osteoblasts and their protein-synthesis activity. It is not clear how WNT augments the capacity of osteoblast progenitors to meet the increased energetic and synthetic needs associated with mature osteoblasts. Here, in cultured osteoblast progenitors, we determined that WNT stimulates glutamine catabolism through the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and consequently lowers intracellular glutamine levels. The WNT-induced reduction of glutamine concentration triggered a general control nonderepressible 2–mediated (GCN2-mediated) integrated stress response (ISR) that stimulated expression of genes responsible for amino acid supply, transfer RNA (tRNA) aminoacylation, and protein folding. WNT-induced glutamine catabolism and ISR were β-catenin independent, but required mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) activation. In a hyperactive WNT signaling mouse model of human osteosclerosis, inhibition of glutamine catabolism or Gcn2 deletion suppressed excessive bone formation. Together, our data indicate that glutamine is both an energy source and a protein-translation rheostat that is responsive to WNT and suggest that manipulation of the glutamine/GCN2 signaling axis may provide a valuable approach for normalizing deranged protein anabolism associated with human diseases.
Mixed-income developments and low rates of return: insights from relocated public housing residents in Chicago

In the largest poverty deconcentration effort in any city in the US, all high-rise public housing family developments in Chicago have been demolished and are being replaced by mixed-income developments. Advocates for public housing residents have worked hard to negotiate a “right to return” to the new mixed-income developments. Yet, as in other cities across the country, the rates of return to the new developments have been very low. Little is understood about residents' perceptions of their options or the factors that drive their relocation decisions. This article examines relocation decisions using data from in-depth interviews with a panel of relocating residents and a sample of “returners” at three mixed-income developments in Chicago. Our findings about relocation decisions include the relevance of attachment to people and place, challenges to the notion of resident “choice,” conceptions about the anticipated benefits of mixed-income communities that refute popular theories about the value of higher-...
The Challenges in Delivering the Value Chain

medicine, such reports will be mined for data to identify subpopulations of patients with similar imaging findings that can be used to improve diagnoses and treatments. As a response to these articles, however, a number of radiologists are asking how better value can be delivered in actual practice, as it has neither a clear definition nor a roadmap for its successful delivery. Thus, early feedback suggests that even progressive practices are confronted with numerous challenges as they attempt to move from a volume to a value mind-set and delivery model. A desire has therefore surfaced for more meaningful direction, and better insight into what challenges radiologists may confront for themselves, their group, and their organization, as they move into this value paradigm. In this second set of 6 articles, we therefore set forth with a goal of addressing the challenges facing radiologists and their organizations as they attempt to re-engineer the imaging workflow based on the principles already highlighted. In the process, we hope to offer tactics as to how to effectively overcome some of these obstacles. This first article outlines the general challenges facing radiologists, and subsequent articles offer management and leadership insight as to how these obstacles
Minocycline inhibits apoptosis and inflammation in a rat model of ischemic renal injury

Tetracyclines exhibit significant anti-inflammatory properties in a variety of rheumatologic and dermatologic conditions. They have also been shown to inhibit apoptosis in certain neurodegenerative disorders. Because ischemic renal injury is characterized by both apoptosis and inflammation, we investigated the therapeutic potential of tetracyclines in a rat model of renal ischemia-reperfusion. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent bilateral renal artery clamp for 30 min followed by reperfusion and received either minocycline or saline for 36 h before ischemia. Minocycline reduced tubular cell apoptosis 24 h after ischemia as determined by terminal transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling staining and nuclear morphology. It also decreased cytochrome c release into the cytoplasm and reduced upregulation of p53 and Bax after ischemia. The minocycline-treated group showed a significant reduction in tubular injury and cast formation. In addition, minocycline reduced the number of infiltrating leukocytes, decreased leukocyte chemotaxis both in vitro and ex vivo, and downregulated the expression of ICAM-1. Serum creatinine 24-h postischemia was significantly reduced in the minocycline-treated group. We conclude that minocycline has potent antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties and protects renal function in this model of ischemia-reperfusion. Tetracyclines are among the safest and best-studied antibiotics. They are thus attractive candidates for the therapy of human ischemic acute renal failure.
Using an object oriented model for resolving representational differences between heterogeneous systems

One of the major concerns in the study of software interoperability is the inconsistent representation of the same real world entity in various legacy software products. This paper proposes an object-oriented model to provide the architecture to consolidate two legacy schemas in order that corresponding systems may share attributes and methods through use of an automated translator. A Federation Interoperability Object Model (FIOM) is built to capture the information and operations shared between different systems. An automatic wrapper-based translator is discussed that utilizes the model to bridge data representation and operation implementation differences between heterogeneous distributed systems.
New simplified models and formulations for turbulent flow and convection

Expression of the time-averaged equations for the conservation of momentum and energy in terms of the fractions of the local shear stress and heat flux density, respectively, due to turbulence is shown to result in greatly simplified representations for fully developed flow and convection in round tubes and parallel-plate channels as compared to those in terms of the eddy viscosity, eddy conductivity, or mixing length. On the other hand, the turbulent Prandtl number is shown to be a fundamental characteristic of flow and convection rather than simply an artifact of the eddy diffusional model. The new simplified representations provide the basis for improved predictions of the velocity distribution, the friction factor, the temperature distribution, and the Nusselt number. The adaption of these new representations for other geometries and for developing convection is discussed briefly.