cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Availability and Quality of Online Information on Sub-Internships in U.S. Orthopaedic Residency Programs.

Author(s): Rai, Rahul; Sabharwal, Sanjeev | Abstract: BackgroundThe purpose of the present study was to assess the availability and quality of online information regarding sub-internships in orthopaedics among U.S. orthopaedic residency programs.MethodsEach U.S. orthopaedic surgery residency program web site was assessed for the following 4 criteria: any mention of a sub-internship offered by that program, contact information regarding the sub-internship, a list of learning objectives to be met by the rotating student during the sub-internship, and presence of a web page dedicated solely to the orthopaedic sub-internship. Each web site was given a sub-internship score (SI score) from 0 to 4 based on how many of the above criteria were met.ResultsFrom the 151 analyzed U.S. orthopaedic surgery residency program web sites, 69 (46%) did not have any mention of a sub-internship and thus received a score of 0, 4 (3%) received a score of 1, 18 (12%) received a score of 2, 20 (13%) received a score of 3, and 40 (26%) received a score of 4. The average SI score was 1.05 for the community-based orthopaedic residency programs, compared with 1.98 for the university-based orthopaedic programs (p = 0.003). Subgroup analysis based on SI scores (0 vs. 1 to 4) revealed that the higher-score group (1 to 4) had a higher percentage of university-based programs than the lower-score (0) group (80% vs. 62%; p = 0.003) and was associated with a greater number of residents per program than the lower-score group (mean, 26.4 vs. 21.0; p = 0.04). There was a weak association between the SI score and the number of residents in a given program (R2 = 0.074, p = 0.0004).ConclusionsThe availability and quality of online information regarding sub-internships offered at orthopaedic residency programs in the U.S. are variable. Nearly half of the programs did not have any available online information on their web sites regarding orthopaedic surgery sub-internships. Larger and university-based orthopaedic programs have more robust information regarding sub-internships than smaller and community-based programs.Clinical relevanceThere needs to be greater awareness and more uniformly accessible online information regarding orthopaedic surgery sub-internships for senior medical students seeking elective orthopaedic rotations prior to applying for residency training.
Effect of Oxygen Plasma on Growth, Structure and Ferroelectric Properties of SrBi2Ta2O9 Thin Films Formed by Pulsed Laser Ablation Technique

Growth of SrBi2Ta2O9 (SBT) thin films has been carried out in the presence of O2-plasma created by applying a potential at an auxiliary ring electrode placed near the substrate. Effect of plasma excitation potential and polarity, especially negative polarity, on the formation of a proper SBT phase at 700°C and in modifying crystallite orientation and microstructure of SBT films over (1 1 1) oriented Pt film coated over TiO2/SiO2/Si(1 0 0) substrates has been demonstrated. Preferred c-axis orientation of SBT films changes to (a–b) orientation with decrease in plasma excitation potential from −700 to −350 V and eliminates secondary Bi2Pt phase formation even at 600°C Microstructural study show a 2-dimensional large flat c-oriented crystallites formed at −700 V change to small crystallites in conformity with the changed aspect ratio for crystallites in (a–b) plane parallel to film plane. Spectroscopic ellipsometric results are in agreement with the microstructural data. These affects are attributed to O2-ion bombardment during film growth which reduces nucleation barrier for growth of crystallites in (a–b) plane. O2-plasma sustains the cationic species formed by laser ablation, which along with O 2 + ions, provide necessary activation energy and enhance the oxidation rates required for SBT phase formation even at 700°C. SBT films grown in O2-plasma show enhancement in remnant polarization value from 1.2 to 6.6 μC/cm2 and display ferroelectric properties superior to those formed without plasma. Further O2-plasma eliminates post deposition annealing step for observance of enhanced polarization values. This study shows O2-plasma excitation potential could be exploited as a new process parameter in laser ablation growth of ferroelectric oxide thin films.
Deletion of 9q Causes Chronic BCR-ABL Negative BenignNeutrophilia

Leukocytosis is defined as an elevation in the WBC count that is inappropriate for the patient’s age. WBC counts of 30 X 109 /L may be seen normally in infants but is abnormal in an adult
High rate of renal recovery in survivors of COVID-19 associated acute renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy.

Introduction A large proportion of patients with COVID-19 develop acute kidney injury (AKI). While the most severe of these cases require renal replacement therapy (RRT), little is known about their clinical course. Methods We describe the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients in the ICU with AKI requiring RRT at an academic medical center in New York City and followed patients for outcomes of death and renal recovery using time-to-event analyses. Results Our cohort of 115 patients represented 23% of all ICU admissions at our center, with a peak prevalence of 29%. Patients were followed for a median of 29 days (2542 total patient-RRT-days; median 54 days for survivors). Mechanical ventilation and vasopressor use were common (99% and 84%, respectively), and the median Sequential Organ Function Assessment (SOFA) score was 14. By the end of follow-up 51% died, 41% recovered kidney function (84% of survivors), and 8% still needed RRT (survival probability at 60 days: 0.46 [95% CI: 0.36-0.56])). In an adjusted Cox model, coronary artery disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were associated with increased mortality (HRs: 3.99 [95% CI 1.46-10.90] and 3.10 [95% CI 1.25-7.66]) as were angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (HR 2.33 [95% CI 1.21-4.47]) and a SOFA score >15 (HR 3.46 [95% CI 1.65-7.25). Conclusions and relevance Our analysis demonstrates the high prevalence of AKI requiring RRT among critically ill patients with COVID-19 and is associated with a high mortality, however, the rate of renal recovery is high among survivors and should inform shared-decision making.
Measuring Impoverishment: An Overlooked Dimension of Fiscal Incidence

The effect of taxes and benefits on the poor is usually measured using standard poverty and inequality indicators, stochastic dominance tests, and measures of progressivity and horizontal inequity. However, these measures can fail to capture an important aspect: that some of the poor are made poorer (or some of the non-poor made poor) by the tax-benefit system. We call this impoverishment and formally establish the relationships between impoverishment, stochastic dominance tests, horizontal inequity, and progressivity measures. The directional mobility literature provides a useful framework to measure impoverishment. We propose using a transition matrix and income loss matrix, and establish a mobility dominance criterion to compare alternate tax-benefit systems. We illustrate with data from Brazil.
SOX9 keeps growth plates and articular cartilage healthy by inhibiting chondrocyte dedifferentiation/osteoblastic redifferentiation

Cartilage is essential throughout vertebrate life. It starts developing in embryos when osteochondroprogenitor cells commit to chondrogenesis, activate a pancartilaginous program to form cartilaginous skeletal primordia, and also embrace a growth-plate program to drive skeletal growth or an articular program to build permanent joint cartilage. Various forms of cartilage malformation and degeneration diseases afflict humans, but underlying mechanisms are still incompletely understood and treatment options suboptimal. The transcription factor SOX9 is required for embryonic chondrogenesis, but its postnatal roles remain unclear, despite evidence that it is down-regulated in osteoarthritis and heterozygously inactivated in campomelic dysplasia, a severe skeletal dysplasia characterized postnatally by small stature and kyphoscoliosis. Using conditional knockout mice and high-throughput sequencing assays, we show here that SOX9 is required postnatally to prevent growth-plate closure and preosteoarthritic deterioration of articular cartilage. Its deficiency prompts growth-plate chondrocytes at all stages to swiftly reach a terminal/dedifferentiated stage marked by expression of chondrocyte-specific (Mgp) and progenitor-specific (Nt5e and Sox4) genes. Up-regulation of osteogenic genes (Runx2, Sp7, and Postn) and overt osteoblastogenesis quickly ensue. SOX9 deficiency does not perturb the articular program, except in load-bearing regions, where it also provokes chondrocyte-to-osteoblast conversion via a progenitor stage. Pathway analyses support roles for SOX9 in controlling TGFβ and BMP signaling activities during this cell lineage transition. Altogether, these findings deepen our current understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that specifically ensure lifelong growth-plate and articular cartilage vigor by identifying osteogenic plasticity of growth-plate and articular chondrocytes and a SOX9-countered chondrocyte dedifferentiation/osteoblast redifferentiation process.
Injuries and illnesses to children in commercial fishing in Alaska: A brief report.

BACKGROUND Commercial fishing is the most hazardous occupation in the United States. While the epidemiology of adult injuries and fatalities are well documented, injuries to children (<18 years old) are not described. The purpose of this report was to describe the characteristics of nonfatal injuries to children involved in commercial fishing. METHODS Nonfatal commercial fishing injuries to children were identified in the Alaska Fishermen's Fund. The Alaska Fishermen's Fund is an emergency fund payor of last resort. Data on nonfatal injuries to victims aged 17 or younger were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize demographics and injury characteristics. RESULTS Forty-four nonfatal child injury claims were made between 2012 and 2016. The mean age at the time of claim was 15.6 years (SD = 1.8) and 84% were male. The most common types of injuries among children were sprains and strains and the most commonly injured body parts were upper extremities and the trunk. Most injuries occurred in salmon fisheries. CONCLUSIONS Children are participating in commercial fishing. Based on the results of this analysis, children are also experiencing occupational injuries. The results of this analysis underscore the need for additional safety and health information, guidance for supervisors, and intervention to prevent injuries to children participating in commercial fishing.
Color-Coded Algebra

In a typical first physics class, homework consists of problems in which numerical values for physical quantities are given and the desired answer is a number with appropriate units. In contrast, most calculations in upper-division undergraduate physics are entirely symbolic. Despite the need to learn symbolic manipulation, students are often resistant to performing symbolic calculations in their introductory classes. As instructors, we face a choice between encouraging students to use symbolic calculations, including helping them learn the necessary skills to do so, or allowing students to default to numerical calculations, which does not adequately prepare them for their future courses. In this paper, I will describe a color-coded algebra scheme, which helps lower the barriers to symbolic calculations for students.
Severe or Pervasive: An Analysis of Who, What, and Where Matters When Determining Sexual Harassment

This Note empirical analyzes the 1994 MSPB sexual harassment survey, specifically respondents' beliefs as to what conduct constitutes sexual harassment, in order to inform the "severe or pervasive" standard that harassment victims must meet when proving hostile work environment harassment. First, the empirical results show that women are much more likely than men to believe certain unwanted conduct constitutes sexual harassment, suggesting that courts should adopt a reasonable woman standard when determining whether unwanted conduct is severe. Second, the results show that individuals are much more likely to believe certain conduct constitutes harassment when a supervisor is the harasser, supporting consideration of the supervisor status of the harasser when determining what conduct constitutes actionable harassment. And finally, the results show that women are more likely to experience sexual harassment in male-dominated industries, supporting the argument that hostile work environment standards should depend on the sex-integration of the workplace.
Comparison of wide-band vibrotactile and friction modulation surface gratings.

This study seeks to understand conditions under which virtual gratings produced via vibrotaction and friction modulation are perceived as similar and to find physical origins in the results. To accomplish this, we developed two single-axis devices, one based on electroadhesion and one based on out-of-plane vibration. The two devices had identical touch surfaces, and the vibrotactile device used a novel closed-loop controller to achieve precise control of out-of-plane plate displacement under varying load conditions across a wide range of frequencies. A first study measured the perceptual intensity equivalence curve of gratings generated under electroadhesion and vibrotaction across the 20-400Hz frequency range. A second study assessed the perceptual similarity between two forms of skin excitation given the same driving frequency and same perceived intensity. Our results indicate that it is largely the out-of-plane velocity that predicts vibrotactile intensity relative to shear forces generated by friction modulation. A high degree of perceptual similarity between gratings generated through friction modulation and through vibrotaction is apparent and tends to scale with actuation frequency suggesting perceptual indifference to the manner of fingerpad actuation in the upper frequency range.
Evaluation Techniques for the Beneficial Use of Dredged Sediment Placed in the Nearshore

Abstract Maintaining navigable waterways through dredging is vital to society and the economy, especially as global transport and cargo loads increase. Decision makers require rapid techniques to e...
Deficiency in ST2 signaling ameliorates RSV-associated pulmonary hypertension

We report that the pathogenic role of ST2-mediated type 2 immunity and mechanisms contribute to RSV-associated pulmonary hypertension. Inhibiting ST2 signaling may be a novel therapeutic target for...
A Rare Skin Disorder with Bacteremia in a Neonate.

A full-term male neonate presents with multiple bullous and erythematous skin lesions at birth (Figs 1–4). Figure 1. Tense intact bulla on palmar aspect of left thumb extending to dorsal wrist. ### Prenatal and Birth Histories ### Presentation (Newborn Day) Following birth, bacterial and fungal skin and blood cultures as well as serum and wound herpes simplex virus (HSV) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were performed. Empiric intravenous ampicillin, gentamicin, and acyclovir were started and the infant was transferred to our tertiary-care NICU for further evaluation and management of the skin lesions. ### Vital Signs ### Physical Examination (Newborn Day)
Craniovertebral junction abnormalities with hindbrain herniation and syringomyelia: regression of syringomyelia after removal of ventral craniovertebral junction compression

The hindbrain herniation syndrome occurs frequently with craniovertebral junction (CVJ) abnormalities that reduce posterior fossa volume. Syringohydromyelia (SHM) is often present. Posterior fossa dorsal decompression (PFD) is customary, but has an adverse outcome when ventral bony abnormality exists in these circumstances. The results of a prospective study on CVJ abnormalities with Chiari malformation I (CM1) and SHM are presented. Between 1984 and 1999 (MRI era), 428 patients aged 6–68 years underwent operation for CM1; 154 had ventral CV abnormalities; 44 had associated SHM. Twelve had bone softening states with secondary basilar impression (6 previous PFD and 6 fusions); 26 had primary basilar invagination (10 had PFD, 9 previous syrinx-subarachnoid shunts and syrinx to peritoneal shunts). Symptoms reflected brainstem and high cervical myelopathy and cranial nerve deficits. Neurodiagnostic imaging included CT and MRI in dynamic modes and cine flow studies. All 44 patients had irreducible ventral CVJ bony invagination and underwent transpalatopharyngeal decompression of the cervicomedullary junction and dorsal occipitocervical fusion. Cervicothoracic SHM was present in 30, thoracic in 6, and holocord in 6. Brainstem symptoms regressed in 36 of the 44 patients; myelopathy regressed in 38 of 44 patients; and SHM showed MRI resolution in 34 of 44. Neurological improvement and SHM resolution can occur with ventral cervicomedullary junction decompression in patients with basilar invagination and basilar impression, likely because of relief of the neural encroachment and reestablishment of CSF pathways.
RADIATION DOSIMETRY AT THE BNL HIGH FLUX BEAM REACTOR AND MEDICAL RESEARCH REACTOR.

RADIATION DOSIMETRY MEASUREMENTS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED OVER A PERIOD OF MANY YEARS AT THE HIGH FLUX BEAM REACTOR (HFBR) AND THE MEDICAL RESEARCH REACTOR (BMRR) AT BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE ENERGY DISTRIBUTION OF THE NEUTRON FLUX, NEUTRON DOSE RATES, GAMMA-RAY FLUXES AND GAMMA-RAY DOSE RATES. THE MCNP PARTICLE TRANSPORT CODE PROVIDED MONTE CARLO RESULTS TO COMPARE WITH VARIOUS DOSIMETRY MEASUREMENTS PERFORMED AT THE EXPERIMENTAL PORTS, AT THE TREATMENT ROOMS AND IN THE THIMBLES AT BOTH HFBR AND BMRR.
Religious Liberty, Conscience, and the Affordable Care Act

Broadly applicable legal requirements often come into conflict with moral or religious standards that individuals and organizations feel more strongly compelled to obey. Making room for such moral and religious standards in secular society is important, but can be difficult, since any exemptions or accommodations cannot be allowed frustrate the purpose of the general law, and must also be fair to those who remain subject to it without any special arrangements. This essay briefly surveys the ways in which the Affordable Care Act might come into conflict with moral and religious beliefs held by both individuals and institutions, and describes the government accommodations that have been offered or considered to date. In particular, it focuses on the requirement that employers offer insurance coverage for free contraceptives and the requirement that individuals purchase insurance coverage that may include services they find objectionable. In both cases, I conclude that the proffered accommodations should be altered to enhance fairness as between objectors and non-objectors.
The story engine concept in CS education

The concept of a "game engine" ' is well-known, and a number of such sophisticated collections of tools exist. Student interest in learning about game development is high, but the level of complexity of a game engine is perhaps too high to reasonably be approached in an undergraduate program with a large number of other curricular constraints. One way to maintain student enthusiasm while vastly simplifying the problem is to develop tools within a so-called "story engine" framework. The story engine concept provides a natural simplification of a game engine, while retaining many of the features that are attractive to students and pedagogically valuable. A number of approaches to using the story engine concept in a computer science program are suggested, and a proposed design for a story engine community is described.
Laboratory Batching Procedure Corrected for Fines and Moisture

A key step in mix design is the selection of an appropriate aggregate structure since this affects mix performance and the amount of asphalt in the mix. This paper explores the effects that fines adhered to larger particles have on the batch gradation and the resulting optimum binder content and dust proportion. It shows that conventional batching procedures can produce gradations with a substantially larger percent passing the sieve No. 200 relative to the target gradation. A batching procedure that corrects for fines adhered to larger particles and trapped moisture is proposed and shown to replicate the target gradation. Asphalt content was determined using the superpave method for both a gradation batched conventionally and a gradation batched with the corrected procedure. It is shown that the asphalt content and volumetrics obtained in both cases are substantially different. To obtain more-representative batch gradations, the corrected procedure is recommended for routine batching of specimens. Further research is recommended to assess potential changes in mix design criteria and effects on performance tests.
Interspecific crossing barriers in Lycopersicon and their relationship to self-incompatibility

Fertilization in plants is the culmination of a complex set of processes beginning with the initiation of pollen germination, involving the development of the pollen tube and its interactions with the female sporophyte or gametophyte, and resulting in the production of viable seed. Several mechanisms limit successful fertilization within and between species. The intraspecific mechanisms encourage outcrossing within species, and the interspecific mechanisms affect speciation and limit the exchange of genes between species.
Effect of estrogens on the uterine blood flow of oophorectomized ewes

Abstract Quantitative information about dilatation of uterine blood vessels after administration of estrogens is needed, e.g., the dose response of uterine blood flow to estrogens, whether different estrogens are equipotent in inducing vasodilation, the maximum obtainable blood flow to the nonpregnant uterus under maximum estrogen stimulation, and the related chain of biochemical events. The type of biological preparation developed and the results obtained thus far form the substance of this report.
Cocopeat for wastewater treatment in the developing world. II: Field evaluation of constructed wetlands packed with cocopeat for wastewater treatment in Can Tho, Vietnam

AbstractCocopeat, a byproduct of coconut processing, was evaluated as a packing medium in vertical flow constructed wetlands for the treatment of septic tank effluent in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Vertical flow constructed wetlands are typically packed with gravel and then planted with ornamental plants. For this study, varying percentages of cocopeat were added to the gravel and the systems assessed for supplemental treatment efficiency. A secondary treatment step of gravel planters with ornamental plants was assessed for supplemental treatment efficiency. Removal efficiencies of nitrogen, phosphorus, coliform, and biological oxygen demand were measured. Microbial community samples were collected periodically in order to chronologically analyze community shifts within and between different wetland cells. Ammonium transformation and removal was greater than 95% in each wetland containing cocopeat throughout the course of the study. Ammonium concentrations were significantly higher in the effluent of the...
Is overweight at 12 months associated with differences in eating behaviour or dietary intake among children selected for inappropriate bottle use

Bottle feeding beyond the recommended weaning age of 12 months is a risk factor for childhood obesity. This paper describes a sample of toddlers at high risk for obesity: prolonged bottle users from a low-income multi-ethnic community. We report here baseline mealtime and feeding behaviour, 24 h dietary recall and bottle intake data for Feeding Young Children Study (FYCS) participants, by overweight (≥85% weight-for-length) status. FYCS enrolled 12-13-month-olds from urban nutrition programmes for low-income families in the United States who were consuming ≥2 bottles per day. Our sample was predominately Hispanic (62%), 44% of mothers were born outside of the United States and 48% were male. Overall, 35% were overweight. Overweight status was not associated with mealtime/feeding behaviours, bottle use or dietary intake. Most (90%) children ate enough, were easily satisfied and did not exhibit negative (e.g. crying, screaming) mealtime behaviours, per parent report. The sample's median consumption of 4 bottles per day accounted for 50% of their total calories; each bottle averaged 7 ounces and contained 120 calories. Mean daily energy intake, 1098.3 kcal day(-1) (standard deviation = 346.1), did not differ by weight status, nor did intake of fat, saturated fat, protein or carbohydrates. Whole milk intake, primarily consumed via bottles, did not differ by weight status. Thus, overweight 12-13-month-olds in FYCS were remarkably similar to their non-overweight peers in terms of several obesity risk factors. Findings lend support to the set-point theory and prior work finding that weight and intake patterns in the first year of life alter subsequent obesity risk.
Collection Development for the Former Yugoslavia at the University of Pittsburgh

ABSTRACT The wars of Yugoslav succession seriously impaired U.S. research libraries' collection intensity for that region during the early 1990s. Logistical and market obstacles to obtaining material from the former Yugoslavia began to be surmounted only later in the decade. Shrinking budgets and shifts in geopolitics have increased the challenges Slavic bibliographers face in their efforts to continue to develop collections in this world area. Fortunately, the book trade and institutional exchanges in the Yugoslav successor states have recovered, making the substantial procurement of material possible again. These realities collectively have forced the University of Pittsburgh, like other academic research libraries with major Slavic collections, to be more judicious in the selection of material based on its specific curricular needs. Faculty and student teaching and research will remain the paramount consideration on which selection decisions will be made for the foreseeable future.
Empirical comparison of subjective probability elicitation methods

. The direct magnitude and bisection subjective probability elicitation methods are compared based on the environmental (relative frequency) accuracy of the resulting probabilities and the acceptability of the elicitation methods. Each subject utilized, and provided acceptability indications for, both methods. Interactive elicitation software, including histogram-like graphical displays of the probabilities for both elicitation methods, were provided to aid the subjects and provide for a more refined comparison of the methods. Second-year graduate business students, knowledgeable about both the task context and subjective probabilities, completed the experiment. Direct elicitation of probabilities provided significantly more accurate subjective probabilities than did the bisection method and the former method also was significantly more acceptable to the subjects.
Microelectronic neurosensor arrays: Towards implantable brain communication interfaces

We overview approaches to and current status of development of device technology for interfacing the brain via implantable microelectronic sensors for neuroengineering applications. A major direction aims to restore movement to disabled persons, whose healthy brain is envisioned to send direct commands e.g. to real or artificial limbs via application specific electronic communication links.
Ecology of the invasive New Zealand mud snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Hydrobiidae), in a mediterranean-climate stream system

The New Zealand mud snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, is a widely distributed non-native species of management concern on four continents. In a southern California stream, P. antipodarum abundance, which ranged from ca. <10 to nearly 150,000 snails m−2, was related to discharge and temperature patterns. Laboratory experiments indicated that P. antipodarum (1) survivorship decreased from 13 to 27°C, but its growth rate was higher at 13 and 20°C than 27°C; (2) grazing rates were similar to those of native algivores in short-term trials; (3) grazing impact was greater than that of a native hydrobiid snail in longer-term trials; (4) ingested different diatom sizes than some other grazers; (5) reduced the abundances of medium-sized and large diatoms, and several filamentous cyanobacteria and chlorophytes, while increasing the relative abundances of tough filamentous chlorophytes (e.g., Cladophora); (6) impact on other grazing invertebrates was species specific, ranging from competition to facilitation; (7) reduced the survivorship of Anaxyrus boreas tadpoles; and (8) was consumed by non-native Procambarus clarkii and naiads of Aeshna and Argia. Ecological effects of introduced P.antipodarum are subtle, occurring primarily at transitory high densities, but flow regulation may enhance their effects by eliminating high flows that reduce their population sizes.
Tumor-related thrombotic pulmonary microangiopathy: review of pathologic findings and pathophysiologic mechanisms.

Abstract We report a middle-aged woman who died 2 days after presenting with dyspnea and severe pulmonary hypertension of unknown etiology. Her symptoms were highly suggestive of pulmonary embolism, but clinical evaluations for that disease yielded negative results. Autopsy revealed a Krukenberg tumor of the left ovary, representing metastatic gastric carcinoma from an occult primary lesion. Although the lungs exhibited no gross evidence of pulmonary emboli or neoplasia, microscopic examination revealed diffuse microscopic metastases in the pulmonary arterial vasculature. The pulmonary arteries exhibited fibrocellular intimal proliferation with smooth muscle colonization of the luminal neoplastic lesions and associated microthrombi. This disease entity, known as tumor-related thrombotic pulmonary microangiopathy, results in generalized microvascular obliteration and subsequent pulmonary hypertension. It is a rare condition that is distinct from ordinary pulmonary thromboembolism and primary pulmonary hypertension. Tumor related thrombotic pulmonary microangiopathy should be considered diagnostically by the autopsy pathologist in cases of rapidly evolving pulmonary hypertension in a middle-aged or elderly individual, or respiratory failure of unknown cause, especially if there is a history of a visceral malignancy.
Discrete-time certainty equivalence output feedback: allowing discontinuous control laws including those from model predictive control

We present certainty equivalence output feedback results for discrete-time nonlinear systems that employ possibly discontinuous control laws in the feedback loop. Coupling assumptions of nominal robustness with uniform observability or detectability assumptions, we assert nominally robust stability for output feedback closed loops. We further show that model predictive control (MPC) can be used to generate a feedback control law that is robustly globally asymptotically stabilizing when used in a certainty equivalence output feedback closed loop. Allowing for discontinuous feedback control laws is important for systems employing MPC, since the method can, and sometimes necessarily does, result in discontinuous control laws.
Use of high-resolution multispectral imagery from an unmanned aerial vehicle in precision agriculture

Precision agriculture requires high spatial management of the inputs to agricultural production. This requires that actionable information about crop and field status be acquired at the same high spatial resolution and at a temporal frequency appropriate for timely responses. This paper presents some results from an on-going project to explore the use of imagery collected from the use of a small unmanned aerial vehicle, called AggieAir, to estimate plant nitrogen and chlorophyll at approximately 13-cm resolution for a field of oats served by a center pivot sprinkler system. When combined with appropriate analytic tools, the AggieAir imagery can be successfully used to estimate plant nitrogen and chlorophyll levels at much finer than 1-m resolution.
Self-administered Expanded Disability Status Scale with functional system scores correlates well with a physician-administered test.

Background: Patient-administered measures are needed to assess disability cost-effectively in large epidemiological studies. Setting: An outpatient clinic in a large multiple sclerosis center. Meth...
Low cost medium formulation using cow dung ash for the cultivation ofCyanobacterium: Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis -

Spirulina (Arthroapira) characterized by helical/spiral shape in open left hand helix is a multicellular, free floating cyanobacterium or blue green alga. Its trichomes are cylindrical arranged in unbranched form and the width ranges from 6 to 12 µm. The basic helical feature of its filaments is unique and can be found only in liquid culture medium. Spirulina has been so popular in the world due to its high nutritional contents. It has been used as protein and vitamin supplement to the health food industry, in aquaculture diets and fisheries. Cyanobacterium Spirulina is capable to grow in various kinds of culture media. Furthermore, decomposed organic and inorganic nutrients media have been proven to be good source of culture medium for Spirulina cultivation by many researchers. Among many strains, Spirulina platensis has been cultured in various waste organic matters to evaluate its growth and biochemical components under similar controlled culture conditions. The present investigation was carried out to formulate a low cost medium using cow dung ash for the biomass production of S. platensis. Different concentration gradients of cow dung ash medium i.e. 10-60% with standard medium were analyzed for Spirulina growth at pH 9.5 ± 2, temperature 28°C ± 2 and light intensity 3 Klux. Success of the experiment was found in 20% concentration level (1.212 g/l dry biomass) having 20% cow dung ash supplemented with 80% prescribed medium i.e. CFTRI medium. The maximum removal efficiency of 20% CDAM at the end of experiment was measured at 98.06%, 51%, 83.64% and 51.01% for TSS, TDS, COD and conductivity respectively. These results indicate the potentiality of cow dung ash to provide the nutrients to the culture medium that reduces its valuable cost and make it a cheaper and economic culture for S. platensis. The nutritional status of S. platensis cultured in 20% CDAM suggested that the biomass of Spirulina is nutritionally rich as per standard.
Effects of intraocular mescaline and LSD on visual-evoked responses in the rat.

Abstract The effects of mescaline and LSD on the flash-evoked cortical potential (FEP) were determined in unrestrained rats with chronically-implanted electrodes. Systemic administration of mescaline or LSD significantly attenuated the primary component of the FEP at three stimulus intensities with the greatest effect observed 60–90 minutes following drug administration. The magnitude and specificity of the effects of these agents on the primary response suggest that they produce deficits in conduction through the retino-geniculato-cortical system. The serotonin receptor antagonists, cyproheptadine and methysergide, antagonized the mescaline-induced depression of the FEP in accordance with neurochemical and behavioral evidence the mescaline acts as a partial agonist on serotonin receptors. Topical or intraocular administration of atropine antagonized the actions of systemically-administered mescaline. In addition, intraocular administration of mescaline or LSD attenuated the FEP indicative of an action of these hallucinogens on visual processing in the retina which is modulated by muscarinic receptor activity.
A multiwavelength investigation of the ring effect in the day sky spectrum

Ring effect refers to the ‘filling-in‧ of the Fraunhofer absorption lines in the day sky spectrum as compared to the solar spectrum. Rotational Raman scattering is believed to be the main cause for this excess in the sky spectrum. Earlier measurements showed contradictory behavior of this effect with solar zenith angle and wavelength. It is important to take proper account of this effect as it otherwise results in overestimating the dayglow emission intensities and underestimating the number densities of atmospheric trace gases. The present study details the results obtained from a simultaneous 11-wavelength investigation carried out using a newly built daytime spectrograph. This data demonstrates that the absorption line strength (normalized depth × half width) has a major control on the Ring effect contribution irrespective of the solar zenith angle and the wavelength.
Sinus surgery in cystic fibrosis patients: comparison of sinus and lower airway cultures.

Summary Objective The aim of this study is to determine whether cross-infection occurs between infections in the sinuses and lower airways in Cystic Fibrosis patients, and to determine whether the infections begin in the sinuses before spreading to the lungs. Methods Retrospective study of pediatric Cystic Fibrosis patients who underwent simultaneous sinus surgery and bronchial washings. The results of the cultures were reviewed to determine if the same organisms colonized both the sinuses and lower airways. Results Staphylococcus aureus (Staph. Aureus) was found in 40.7% of the sinuses but only 33.3% of the lower airways. One patient had Staph. Aureus in the lower airway but not the sinuses. Pseudomonas, Hemophilus Influenza, and Moraxella showed similar patterns: multiple instances of positive sinus cultures and negative bronchial cultures, but only a small number of cases with positive lower airway cultures and negative sinus cultures. Conclusion The data showed that as patients age, they are more likely to have infections in both upper and lower airways, but infections start in the upper airways at a younger age. In many cases, organisms were cultured from sinuses in patients who had negative lower airway cultures. In only a few instances, organisms grew in the lower airways and not the sinuses. In most cases, the bacteria that caused sinus infections at a young age caused the lung infections in older patients. This is the paper to show that bacteria spread from the sinuses to the lungs to cause infections in Cystic Fibrosis patients, and not vice-versa.
Mother-child talk about past emotions: Relations of maternal language and child gender over time

Abstract Emotional understanding and expression is largely constructed in sociocul-tural contexts; thus examination of the ways in which parents talk about emotions with their young children is critical for understanding emotional socialisation. In this longitudinal research, 18 white, middle-class mothers and their preschool children discussed salient past events when the children were 40, 58, and 70 months of age. Analyses revealed that mothers talked more about emotions and talked about a greater variety of emotions with daughters than with sons. Mothers also focused more on negative emotions with daughters than with sons. Although there were no gender differences between girls and boys at the beginning of the study, by the last phase, girls talked more about emotion and about a greater variety of emotion than did boys and also initiated more emotion-related discussions than did boys. Results are discussed in relation to a growing body of evidence on gender and emotion across the life span.
A comparison of wind speed shears for frontal and undisturbed synoptic conditions

Wind speed shear parameters derived from data collected at a 481-m TV tower are computed for disturbed conditions (cold frontal passage), all undisturbed winds, undisturbed high winds, and undisturbed low winds. The exponential values of the wind speed power law for the case of disturbed conditions are found to be smaller than those for the case of all undisturbed winds, for practically all atmospheric stabilities; the largest exponential value (0.45) appears in the undisturbed low wind case at Richardson numbers near 0.25. The largest mean and standard deviations of the wind shear at the lowest layer (7–26 m) are 0.129 and 0.066 s -1, respectively, which occur for the high wind case at near-neutral stability. The most significant differences between the cases of disturbed and all undisturbed winds are that the former has much larger wind speeds and wind shear standard deviations in atmospherically-stable conditions.
Potassium dependent regulation of astrocyte water permeability is mediated by cAMP signaling.

Astrocytes express potassium and water channels to support dynamic regulation of potassium homeostasis. Potassium kinetics can be modulated by aquaporin-4 (AQP4), the essential water channel for astrocyte water permeability regulation. We investigated whether extracellular potassium ([K+]o) can regulate astrocyte water permeability and the mechanisms of such an effect. Studies were performed on rat primary astrocytes and a rat astrocyte cell line transfected with AQP4. We found that 10mM [K+]o caused an immediate, more than 40%, increase in astrocyte water permeability which was sustained in 5min. The water channel AQP4 was a target for this regulation. Potassium induced a significant increase in intracellular cAMP as measured with a FRET based method and with enzyme immunoassay. We found that protein kinase A (PKA) could phosphorylate AQP4 in vitro. Further elevation of [K+]o to 35mM induced a global intracellular calcium response and a transient water permeability increase that was abolished in 5min. When inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir)-channels were blocked, 10mM [K+]o also induced a calcium increase and the water permeability increase no longer persisted. In conclusion, we find that elevation of extracellular potassium regulates AQP4 and astrocyte water permeability via intracellular signaling involving cAMP. A prolonged increase of astrocyte water permeability is Kir-channel dependent and this response can be impeded by intracellular calcium signaling. Our results support the concept of coupling between AQP4 and potassium handling in astrocytes.
Functional status and quality of life in patients with heart failure undergoing coronary bypass surgery after assessment of myocardial viability

Abstract OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate whether preoperative clinical and test data could be used to predict the effects of myocardial revascularization on functional status and quality of life in patients with heart failure and ischemic LV dysfunction. BACKGROUND Revascularization of viable myocardial segments has been shown to improve regional and global LV function. The effects of revascularization on exercise capacity and quality of life (QOL) are not well defined. METHODS Sixty three patients (51 men, age 66 ± 9 years) with moderate or worse LV dysfunction (LVEF 0.28 ± 0.07) and symptomatic heart failure were studied before and after coronary artery bypass surgery. All patients underwent preoperative positron emission tomography (PET) using FDG and Rb-82 before and after dipyridamole stress; the extent of viable myocardium by PET was defined by the number of segments with metabolism-perfusion mismatch or ischemia. Dobutamine echocardiography (DbE) was performed in 47 patients; viability was defined by augmentation at low dose or the development of new or worsening wall motion abnormalities. Functional class, exercise testing and a QOL score (Nottingham Health Profile) were obtained at baseline and follow-up. RESULTS Patients had wall motion abnormalities in 83 ± 18% of LV segments. A mismatch pattern was identified in 12 ± 15% of LV segments, and PET evidence of viability was detected in 30 ± 21% of the LV. Viability was reported in 43 ± 18% of the LV by DbE. The difference between pre- and postoperative exercise capacity ranged from a reduction of 2.8 to an augmentation of 5.2 METS. The degree of improvement of exercise capacity correlated with the extent of viability by PET (r = 0.54, p = 0.0001) but not the extent of viable myocardium by DbE (r = 0.02, p = 0.92). The area under the ROC curve for PET (0.76) exceeded that for DbE (0.66). In a multiple linear regression, the extent of viability by PET and nitrate use were the only independent predictors of improvement of exercise capacity (model r = 0.63, p = 0.0001). Change in Functional Class correlated weakly with the change in exercise capacity (r = 0.25), extent of viable myocardium by PET (r = 0.23) and extent of viability by DbE (r = 0.31). Four components of the quality of life score (energy, pain, emotion and mobility status) significantly improved over follow-up, but no correlations could be identified between quality of life scores and the results of preoperative testing or changes in exercise capacity. CONCLUSIONS In patients with LV dysfunction, improvement of exercise capacity correlates with the extent of viable myocardium. Quality of life improves in most patients undergoing revascularization. However, its measurement by this index does not correlate with changes in other parameters nor is it readily predictable.
Temperature dependence of disorder accumulation and amorphization in Au-ion-irradiated 6H-SiC

Disorder accumulation and amorphization in $6H\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{Si}\mathrm{C}$ single crystals irradiated with $2.0\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MeV}$ ${\mathrm{Au}}^{2+}$ ions at temperatures ranging from $150\phantom{\rule{0.5em}{0ex}}\text{to}\phantom{\rule{0.5em}{0ex}}550\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ have been investigated systematically based on $0.94\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MeV}$ ${D}^{+}$ channeling analyses along the ⟨0001⟩ axis. Physical models have been applied to fit the experimental data and to interpret the temperature dependence of the disordering processes. Results show that defect-stimulated amorphization in ${\mathrm{Au}}^{2+}$-irradiated $6H\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{Si}\mathrm{C}$ dominates the disordering processes at temperatures below $500\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$, while formation of clusters becomes predominant above $500\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$. Two distinctive dynamic recovery stages are observed over the temperature range from $150\phantom{\rule{0.5em}{0ex}}\text{to}\phantom{\rule{0.5em}{0ex}}550\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$, resulting from the coupled processes of close-pair recombination and interstitial migration and annihilation on both sublattices. These two stages overlap very well with the previously observed thermal recovery stages. Based on the model fits, the critical temperature for amorphization in $6H\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{Si}\mathrm{C}$ under the ${\mathrm{Au}}^{2+}$ ion irradiation conditions corresponds to $501\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$.
The battery of asthma illness behavior, I: independence from age of asthma onset.

The Battery of Asthma Illness Behavior was developed to assess the potential for psychomaintenance in chronic bronchial asthma. The present study demonstrates that the BAIB's success in predicting the perpetuation, exacerbation, and maintenance of asthma cannot be attributed to its merely reflecting one objective parameter of illness, i.e., age of asthma onset.
The (3He, n) reaction on tellurium isotopes

Abstract The 122, 124, 125, 126, 128, 130Te(3He, n) reactions have been studied at an incident energy of 25.4 MeV using the University of Colorado 9 m neutron time-of-flight facility. Angular distributions of neutrons have been measured for all targets over the angular range 0°–22°. In addition to the ground state transitions relatively strong L = 0 transitions to excited levels in the region of 2.0 MeV are observed in all residual nuclei. The experimental results are compared to zero-range DWBA predictions. Pairing model calculations are able to account for the strongly excited low-lying Jπ = 0+ states observed.