cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coadsorption of a Polyanion and an Azobenzene Dye in Self-Assembled and Spin-Assembled Polyelectrolyte Multilayers

We describe the integration of a photochromic azobenzene dye into electrostatically bound polyelectrolyte multilayers. Two different deposition techniques are compared: electrostatic self-assembly (ESA) and polyelectrolyte spin-assembly. The polyelectrolytes used were PEI (polyethylenimine) and PAZO (poly[1-[4-(3-carboxy-4-hydroxyphenylazo) benzenesulfonamido]-1,2-ethanediyl, sodium salt]). Successful incorporation of the azobenzene dye Direct red 80 (DR80) into ESA and spin-assembled multilayered films (PEI/DR80) is demonstrated. We find that coadsorption of DR80 and PAZO on a PEI surface occur in different proportions and packing densities, depending on the assembly technique selected. We find that using DR80 as a coadsorbing agent can dramatically enhance the rate of PAZO adsorption, and we observe different deposition rates for DR80 and PAZO when the two materials adsorb simultaneously from a common solution.
Effect of a Polymer Cushion on the Electrical Properties and Stability of Surface-Supported Lipid Bilayers

A robust biomimetic cell membrane platform is critical for mechanistic studies of membrane protein channels. While polymer cushions are believed to facilitate the incorporation of membrane proteins...
Some fundamental properties of governmental expenditure patterns — Theory and evidence based on military expenditures

This paper shows that governmental defense expenditure patterns can be accurately modeled by the use of graph curves. This modeling is applicable to both individual weapon systems and entire military treasury code cost categories. The application of this model to the complete Air Force expenditure process suggests a fundamental theory of expenditures which should allow the forecasting of aggregate military defense expenditures in the presence of very sparse data.
Short seeking by multirate digital controllers for computation saving with initial value adjustment

Multirate control has been proposed to reduce the real-time computation in hard disk drive (HDD) servo systems. It has been showed that computation can be saved greatly without performance degradation by using a multirate controller for track following. This paper proposes a novel method for short seeking control based on multirate track following control and initial value adjustment. This method, which uses the same multirate controller and the same servo structure as track following, adjusts the initial values of the track following controller for short seeking. Real-time computation is greatly saved in two aspects: 1) computation is saved by multirate scheme, and 2) initial value adjustment of the feedback controller makes the use of the feed-forward controller and reference trajectory unnecessary. Simulation and experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Brain stem auditory evoked potentials: The use of noise estimate

One of the main difficulties with the interpretation of evoked potential data is the question of how much noise is contained within the average. This question is crucial in deciding whether any particular peak component is a genuine signal, or whether it is a random occurrence due to noise. This is particularly crucial in abnormal cases, and with stimuli near sensory threshold. A simple method is described which allows on-line objective statistical determination of the presence of significant non-random peak components. It is shown that high signal-to-noise (S/N) estimates are seen with 'clean' and reproducible BAEPs and low S/N estimates are seen with poorly reproducible BAEPs. This provides an objective measure to judge the acceptability of any single BAEP, or to indicate that further averaging is required. The effect of noise on wave shape and peak latency is discussed. This can be quite marked, with gross distrotion of morphology and latency as a result. The technique lends itself to evoked response audiometry (ERA) and sensory threshold determination. Further, it can be applied to evoked potentials from other stimulus modalities.
Experimental case studies to engage higher cognitive skills

Instructors often find it difficult to write questions that are open ended in nature ([4][1]) and that engage students at higher levels of cognitive complexity, for example, Bloom's taxonomic levels of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation ([1][2]). As a consequence, typical pedagogical settings
Plasma Physics and Hypersonic Flight

W an object travels through air at altitudes below something like 200,000 ft and at Mach numbers greater than 12 to 15, the production of electrons in the shocked layer of air which surrounds the object has a significant effect on some of the properties of the shocked air. Above some altitude like 200,000 ft the influence of the electrons is felt at even lower Mach numbers, particularly in the ionosphere where the ambient electron density is no longer negligible. The influence of electrons is felt not only on aerodynamic quantities such as heat transfer, drag and flow field, but also on physical quantities such as transport properties, radiative emission and absorption, and electromagnetic signal interaction. The main thesis of the present paper is to show how, and under what conditions, the electrons produced by the passage of a high speed missile through the atmosphere significantly affect both aerodynamic and physical quantities. A plasma may be defined as a gas containing electrons in sufficient quantity to seriously affect the physical properties of the gas. Plasma physics then is simply the physics of such a gas. For example, the air in the shock layer surrounding a hypersonic missile may be in a plasma state if the missile is traveling at an extremely high velocity. We will first discuss in general terms the structure of a hypersonic axially symmetric flow field. This will be followed by a more detailed discussion of the shock front and boundary layer with emphasis on the electron distribution. We will then show an example of an analysis of the Boltzmann equation and the relationship of the electron scattering cross section and the electron velocity distribution function.
Abstract 3841: RBEL1A, a novel GTPase is an important regulator of cell growth and cell survival

We have recently reported the characterization of RBEL1 proteins, a novel subfamily of the Ras/Rab-like GTPases. Our studies demonstrate that RBEL1 proteins have Ras-like GTPase activity and differentially regulate the ERK signaling pathway. Our studies also demonstrate that RBEL1A is overexpressed in the majority of breast cancers and a large segment of colon cancers. Knockdown of RBEL1A negatively affects cell growth and induces apoptosis, suggesting that RBEL1A is critical for regulation of cell growth and survival. To investigate the molecular mechanisms by which RBEL1A mediates its function, we have studied a number of RBEL1A-interacting proteins. Our results indicate that RBEL1A interacts with p53 and negatively regulates p53 function via a proteasome-dependent pathway. We have also examined the molecular interactions between RBEL1A and p53 and our results demonstrate that RBEL1A is an important negative regulator of p53 that affects p53-mediated functions. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3841. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3841
Oil and Gas Developments in West Virginia in 1956

The total number of wells drilled in West Virginia in 1956 reported to January 28, 1957, was 809, an increase of 67, or 9.1%. Permits to drill or deepen totaled 792, a decrease of 21, or 2.6%. Abandoned during the year were 140 gas wells and 122 oil wells, or a total of 262 wells. These abandonments are all wells drilled before permits were required (May, 1929). No information about exact number of abandonments of wells drilled since May, 1929, is available as these wells are abandoned under original drilling permit numbers. Wells completed were: gas, 519; oil, 58; oil and gas, 63; storage, water-injection, brine, and pressure wells, 36; dry holes, 133; total, 809. Compared with 1955, gas wells increased 59, or 12.9%; oil wells increased 11, or 23.4%; oil and gas wells in reased 12, or 23.5%; storage and other wells increased 5, or 16.1%; dry holes decreased 11, or 7.1%. Depth of wells completed ranged from 110 to 8,030 ft., compared with 445 to 13,331 ft. in 1955. Total footage drilled (2,200,103) increased 273,727 ft., or 14.2% over 1955 (1,926,376 ft.). The average depth of wells (2,720 ft.) increased 88 ft. over the 1955 average (2,632 ft.), or 3.3%. The total initial daily open flow of the gas wells was 622,546 MCF, an increase of 232,304 MCF, or 59.5% over the 1955 total (390,242 MCF). The size of the gas wells ranged from 11 to 25,000 MCF, compared with 5 to 22,000 MCF in 1955. The total daily initial oil was 2,432½ bbls., an increase of 555½ bbls. over 1955 (1,877 bbls.), or 29.6%. The size of the oil wells ranged from ½ to 300 bbls daily, compared with 1 to 300 bbls. in 1955. The number of wells drilling or unreported if completed at the end of the year was 283, 34 less than in 1955, a decrease of 10.7%. Letters were sent to 187 operators regarding 407 wells not reported. Replies were received from 110 operators (58.8%) regarding 296 wells (72.7%), leaving 77 operators (41.2%) unheard from regarding 111 wells (27.3%). The average size of gas wells was 1,132 MCF, compared with 840 MCF in 1955, an increase of 292 MCF, or 34.75%. The average size of the oil wells was 27 bbls., compared with 24.5 bbls. in 1955, an increase of 2.5 bbls., or 10.2%. Preliminary estimates of production for 1956: gas, 210,000,000 MCF; compared with 192,000,000 MCF for 1955, or 18,000,000 MCF, an increase of 9.37%; oil, 2,200,000 bbls., a d crease of 100,000 bbls. under the 1955 estimate (2,300,000 bbls.), or 4.35%. The estimated number of producing wells at the end of 1956: gas, 14,520; oil, 12,773. The table of operations gives statistics by counties.
The distribution and relation of particulate organic material and primary productivity in the Georgia Bight, 1973–1974

Abstract The distribution and relation of particulate organic carbon, particulate nitrogen, chlorophyll a and primary productivity in continental shelf waters between Cape Romain, South Carolina and the St. John's River, Florida, were investigated in September and December (1973) and April and July (1974). Chlorophyll a concentrations were generally greater than 0·5 mg m−3 in water shallower than 20 m and between 0·1 and 0.5 mg m−3 in deeper waters. Annual phytoplankton productivity estimated from seasonal data was 285 g of C m−2 year−1 for waters of o to 20 m depth, 132 g of C m−2 year−1 for waters of 20 to 200 m depth, and an average 171 g C m−2 year−1 for the entire shelf. High chlorophyll a concentrations and rates of primary production suggested a shelf-wide bloom in December. Ratios of carbon to nitrogen and carbon to chlorophyll a, together with carbon isotopic ratios, indicated that most nearshore particulate organic material originated in situ rather than from the discharge of detritus from adjacent carbon-rich estuaries.
Increased Arterial Pulse Wave Reflections and Pulsatile Energy Loss in Acute Hypertension

Increased afterload is normally associated with hypertension.The work of the heart increases to overcome this load, but whether this is beneficial for pulse transmission has not been examined.Experimental measurements were obtained in induced acute hypertension in dogs.Results show that increased pulse wave reflections compound the increase in arterial blood pressure, and the increased work output by the left ventricle is compromised by the reduced efficiency of pulsatile energy transmission to organ vascular beds.
Clinical and biochemical aspects of depressive disorders: III. Treatment and controversies

The present document is the final of three parts of a review that focuses on recent data from clinical and animal research concerning the biochemical bases of depressive disorders, diagnosis, and treatment. Various treatments for depression, including psychotherapy, pharmacological, and somatic treatments, will be described in this third part. Also, some of the controversies in the field, as well as a summary of the most salient points of the review, will be discussed. Previous sections of this review dealt with the classification of depressive disorders and research techniques for studying the biochemical mechanisms of these disorders (Part I) and various transmitter/receptor theories of depressive disorder (Part II).
Clinical insights and basic science correlates in sarcoidosis.

ABSTRACT More than a century has elapsed since the initial description of sarcoidosis, but critical aspects of the disorder remain poorly understood. Information obtained from epidemiologic observations and basic laboratory research suggests that the disease may represent an immunologic response to an exogenous agent in a genetically susceptible individual. However, a definitive etiologic role for any specific exogenous agent has never been proved, and a “candidate gene” underlying a predisposition to sarcoidosis has not yet been identified. This review presents an historical framework for considering available evidence regarding a transmissible agent in sarcoidosis and host susceptibility to the disease.
Evolution of Silver Nanoparticles in the Rat Lung Investigated by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy

Following a 6-h inhalation exposure to aerosolized 20 and 110 nm diameter silver nanoparticles, lung tissues from rats were investigated with X-ray absorption spectroscopy, which can identify the chemical state of silver species. Lung tissues were processed immediately after sacrifice of the animals at 0, 1, 3, and 7 days post exposure and the samples were stored in an inert and low-temperature environment until measured. We found that it is critical to follow a proper processing, storage and measurement protocol; otherwise only silver oxides are detected after inhalation even for the larger nanoparticles. The results of X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements taken in air at 85 K suggest that the dominating silver species in all the postexposure lung tissues were metallic silver, not silver oxide, or solvated silver cations. The results further indicate that the silver nanoparticles in the tissues were transformed from the original nanoparticles to other forms of metallic silver nanomaterials and the ...
Usability evaluation: involving writers in the problem definition process

The mission of Microsoft's usability group is defined as working with writers (and designers and developers) to help produce intuitive easy-to-learn and easy-to-use products. It is emphasized that the usability process, particularly the problem definition process, can be an audience analysis tool for writers. During problem definition, writers can remember the general audience information they need to set reasonable usability test goals. This emphasizes the fact that a productive interaction between the writer and the usability specialist is crucial to the success of a usability test. >
Newspaper Advice Column Letters as Teaching Cases for Developmental Psychology.

We describe newspaper advice column letters as case problems in developmental psychology. Students wrote weekly papers and led class discussions based on them to (a) analyze and propose solutions to problems from letters they found and (b) connect problems to course concepts. Students reported that the assignments benefitted topical learning, professional development, and writing skills. Students enjoyed and learned from the assignments; those who had completed more course work tended to find more value in the assignments.
The impact of entrepreneurial personality traits on perception of new venture opportunity

This empirical study examined links between entrepreneurial personality traits and perception of new venture opportunity in a sample of 207 respondents. Four entrepreneurial personality traits were included to predict respondents℉ perception of new venture opportunity. They are (1) achievement motivation, (2) locus of control, (3) risk propensity, and (4) proactivity.The results of multiple regression analysis show that three of the four entrepreneurial personality traits‐locus of control, risk propensity, and proactivity‐related significantly to perception of new venture opportunity in expected directions. Among the three personality traits, proactivity was found to have the strongest influence over entrepreneurial perception. No significant relationship was found between achievement motivation and perception of new venture opportunity. Among six control variables, only work experience was found to influence perception of new venture opportunity. This study explored links between entrepreneurial personalities and cognition and its results suggest that a combination of trait and cognition approaches contributes to a better understanding of entrepreneurial decision-making process. Both theoretical and practical implications were discussed.
Automatic service availability management

A new kind of distributed system service called availability management service is introduced. It is responsible for ensuring that the critical services of a distributed system remain continuously available to users despite arbitrary numbers of concurrent node removals and node restarts caused by failures, maintenance, and growth. The description of many details involved in a realistic design is sacrificed to make the underlying concepts easily understandable. To this end, the availability management service is designed on top of an easy-to-understand synchronous communication environment, and only one kind of service availability policy is considered. It is indicated how the initial specification and design can be extended to deal with asynchronous systems subject to partitioning as well as with other kinds of service availability policies. >
A Flexible Seafloor Carpet for High-Performance Wave Energy Extraction

Similar to the mechanism by which a visco-elastic mud damps the energy of overpassing surface waves, if the near-s hore seafloor is carpeted by an elastic thin material attached to g enerators (i.e. dampers) a high fraction of surface wave energ y can be absorbed. Here we present analytical modeling of the flexible carpet wave energy converter and show that a high efficiency is achievable. Expressions for optimal damping and s tiffness coefficients are derived and different modes of oscilla tions are discussed. The presented wave energy conversion scheme is completely under the water surface hence imposes minimal da nger to boats and the sea life (i.e. no mammal entanglement). T carpet is survivable against high momentum of storm surges a nd
Determination of polymer branching with gel‐permeation chromatography. I. Theory

The effect of long-and short-chain branching in polymer molecules on gel-permeation chromatographic (GPC) separation is discussed. The calculation of calibration curves for branched polymers is developed from the universal calibration technique based on the hydrodynamic volume concept and previously established relationships for the effect of branching on molecular dimensions. Typical calibration curves are shown for different branching models and degrees of branching. As branching increases, the curves are shown to converge. Methods of characterizing branching and molecular weight distributions of franctions and whole polymers from GPC and intrinsic viscosity data are presented.
Magnitude of the Problem of Drinking Alcohol on College Campuses, Commentary on “Structuring a College Alcohol Prevention Program on the Low Level of Response to Alcohol Model: A Pilot Model”

BACKGROUND: The objective of this commentary is to discuss the significance of the study entitled, "Structuring a College Alcohol Prevention Program on the Low Level of Response to Alcohol Model: A Pilot Model" by Schuckit and colleagues (2012) published in this issue of the Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. The work by Schuckit and colleagues emphasizes the importance of personalizing an alcohol prevention program for college students. METHODS: This pilot model is the result of over 30 years of clinical translational research on an individual's level of response to alcohol. The prevention program is efficient, simple, safe, cost-effective and self-directed. RESULTS: The results indicate the computerized intervention was associated with decreases in drinking overall and students with a low level of response to alcohol showed greater decreases when the prevention program is personalized to focus on how level of response is affected by peer influence, alcohol expectancies, and stress management. It concludes that college students with a low level of response to alcohol will benefit from a prevention program that is personalized to this well documented endophenotype. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide the foundation for developing future longitudinal studies of the proposed prevention program with a larger sample size on diverse campuses. In addition, as mentioned in the Discussion section, future studies could also evaluate the effectiveness of other easily measured clinical endophenotypes known to be associated with alcohol use such as impulsivity, negative effect, and maximum number of drinks per occasion. Language: en
Comparing nonnested Cox models

SUMMARY We derive the limiting distribution of the partial likelihood ratio under general conditions. The multiplicative hazards models being fitted may be nonnested and misspecified. The true model is not assumed to contain either model under consideration. The null hypothesis is that the models are equidistant in Kullback-Leibler metric applied to the rank likelihood. The statistic is consistent for the model which is closer to the truth. Its distribution depends on the unknown data-generating mechanism. A sequential testing procedure is proposed for nonnested comparisons which is valid regardless of the true model. This involves a novel statistic for the equality of the fitted models which is separate from the partial likelihood. The methodology has important applications in model assessment. Simulations and a real example demonstrate its utility in selecting the functional forms of covariates and relative risks.
Formation of the Androgen Receptor Transcription Complex

Androgen receptor (AR) is required for sexual differentiation and is implicated in the development of prostate cancer. Here we describe distinct functions for cofactor proteins and gene regulatory elements in the assembly of AR-mediated transcription complexes. The formation of an activation complex involves AR, coactivators, and RNA polymerase II recruitment to both the enhancer and promoter, whereas the formation of a repression complex involves factors bound only at the promoter and not the enhancer. These results suggest a model for the functional coordination between the promoter and enhancer in which communication between these elements is established through shared coactivators in the AR transcription complex.
Lysophospholipid generation and phosphatidylglycerol depletion in phospholipase A2-mediated surfactant dysfunction

Pulmonary surfactant's complex mixture of phospholipids and proteins reduces the work of breathing by lowering alveolar surface tension during respiration. One mechanism of surfactant damage appear...
Complexity Scalable Hybrid End-to-End Distortion Estimation for Conversational Video Streaming

In conversational video streaming applications, periodic I-frame coding is not allowed due to strict low delay requirement. For this scenario, we propose a novel hybrid paradigm, which takes advantage of both accurate pixel-level estimation and efficient block-level estimation. Specifically, error propagated (EP) distortion from the last N coded frames are exactly calculated per pixel for high accuracy, while EP effect beyond the frame limit N are estimated per macroblock for low complexity. By varying the frame limit, flexible tradeoffs between complexity and performance can be achieved, rendering our scheme especially suitable for wireless video streaming, where stringent power resource is always a challenge. Simulation results justify the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid ED estimation scheme.
Development of an information system to assist management of critically ill patients

The development of a first-generation intensive care unit information system to provide access to recorded patient data is described. A set of integrated modules which process the data and support retrospective review of the data and derived summary information has been completed. This prototyping effort has identified the need for more complex data processing in the second-generation information system. Enhancements include development of computer-based methods to assist with therapy assessment and outcome prediction, and installation of data communication links between the ICU and other sites. >
Hypercalcemia-induced pancreatitis presenting with acute ST-elevations mimicking a myocardial infarction.

• Acute ST-segment elevations on an electrocardiogram may be associated with pathologies other than acute coronary syndrome.
Massive Stars in the Local Group: Implications for Stellar Evolution and Star Formation

▪ Abstract The galaxies of the Local Group serve as important laboratories for understanding the physics of massive stars. Here I discuss what is involved in identifying various kinds of massive stars in nearby galaxies: the hydrogen-burning O-type stars and their evolved He-burning evolutionary descendants, the luminous blue variables, red supergiants, and Wolf-Rayet stars. Primarily I review what our knowledge of the massive star population in nearby galaxies has taught us about stellar evolution and star formation. I show that the current generation of stellar evolutionary models do well at matching some of the observed features and provide a look at the sort of new observational data that will provide a benchmark against which new models can be evaluated.
Inclusion in Kansas Educational Experiences of Students with Learning Disabilities in one Elementary School

In Kansas, we used observations, interviews, and record reviews to describe the educational experiences of two students with learning disabilities (LD). One second grader and one fifth grader were observed during reading, mathematics, and science classes. The second-grade planning meeting was observed, also. Interviews were conducted with the principal, the model developer, three special education teachers, two general education teachers, one student, and one parent. Information from the students' records described achievement levels, referral decisions, and Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals. Data from all sources were integrated into descriptions of the context for inclusion, the model of inclusion, the role of special education teachers, and the educational experiences of the students with LD. CONTEXT FOR INCLUSION Knights Elementary School (see Note 1) was an urban school with an enrollment of about 315 students. One of 33 elementary schools in the district, it served a long, narrow catchment area in the Killington School District. Most of the students attending the school were transported by bus; some were transported by parents, but very few students walked to and from school. Catchment area lines were, however, not firmly defined or enforced, so that parents who wished to send their child to Knights School instead of to their assigned elementary school might do so, providing there was room. Knights Elementary School had three kindergartens, three first grades, three second grades, and two of each grade from third through fifth. Class sizes in the building ranged from 17 in first grade to 25 in fourth grade. Grades K-2 maintained a self-contained class organization, with the general education teacher responsible for all curricular areas except art, music, physical education, and library. In Grades 3 through 5, class instruction was departmentalized. In the spring of 1993, 45 students were labeled as students with either LD or EMH (educable mental handicap) who had IEPs; no distinction was made between these two groups of students in programming in this school. The principal aimed to maintain the number of students who had IEPs at about 45 by continuing the procedures in the building related to identification of students
Three‐dimensional gravity modelling and focusing inversion using rectangular meshes

Rectangular grid cells are commonly used for the geophysical modeling of gravity anomalies, owing to their flexibility in constructing complex models. The straightforward handling of cubic cells in gravity inversion algorithms allows for a flexible imposition of model regularization constraints, which are generally essential in the inversion of static potential field data. The first part of this paper provides a review of commonly used expressions for calculating the gravity of a right polygonal prism, both for gravity and gradiometry, where the formulas of Plouff and Forsberg are adapted. The formulas can be cast into general forms practical for implementation. In the second part, a weighting scheme for resolution enhancement at depth is presented. Modelling the earth using highly digitized meshes, depth weighting schemes are typically applied to the model objective functional, subject to minimizing the data misfit. The scheme proposed here involves a non-linear conjugate gradient inversion scheme with a weighting function applied to the non-linear conjugate gradient scheme's gradient vector of the objective functional. The low depth resolution due to the quick decay of the gravity kernel functions is counteracted by suppressing the search directions in the parameter space that would lead to near-surface concentrations of gravity anomalies. Further,more » a density parameter transformation function enabling the imposition of lower and upper bounding constraints is employed. Using synthetic data from models of varying complexity and a field data set, it is demonstrated that, given an adequate depth weighting function, the gravity inversion in the transform space can recover geologically meaningful models requiring a minimum of prior information and user interaction.« less
Comparison of gradient echo with spin echo magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography in the evaluation of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries

Abstract This study compared gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging, spin echo magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiography, and echocardiography with x-ray cineangiography in the evaluation of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries. Twelve patients (ages 9 months to 35 years, mean 11 ± 11 years) with known or suspected major aortopulmonary collateral arteries were studied. The aortic insertion and proximal course of 29 major aortopulmonary collateral arteries demonstrated by x-ray contrast angiography were shown in all 29 cases by gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging but in only 23 of the 29 cases by spin echo magnetic resonance imaging. Color Doppler echocardiography detected aortopulmonary collateral arteries in four patients but did not define the proximal course or distal anatomy. Gradient echo images of distal aortopulmonary collateral anatomy were qualitatively superior to spin echo images. The contrast-to-noise ratio between the vessel lumen and adjacent lung was greater for gradient echo (6.06 ± 2.91) than for spin echo (1.45 ± 1.13) ( p
National trends in emergency room diagnosis of pulmonary embolism, 2001–2010: a cross-sectional study

Little is known about the United States diagnosis and burden of pulmonary embolism (PE) in the emergency department (ED), and their evolution over the past decade. We examined nationally representative data to evaluate factors associated with and trends in ED diagnosis of PE. We conducted a cross-sectional study using National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) data from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2010. We identified all ED patient visits where PE was diagnosed and corresponding demographic, hemodynamic, testing and disposition data. Analyses were performed using descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression. During the study period 988,000 weighted patient visits with diagnosis of PE were identified. Among patients with an ED visit, the likelihood of having a diagnosis of PE per year increased significantly from 2001 to 2010 (odds ratio [OR] 1.091, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.034-1.152, P = 0.002 for trend) when adjusted for demographic and hospital information. In contrast, when further adjusted for the use of computed tomography (CT) among patients in the ED, the likelihood of having a diagnosis of PE per year did not change (OR 1.041, 95% CI 0.987-1.097, P = 0.14). Overall, 75.1% of patients seen with a diagnosis of PE were hemodynamically stable; 86% were admitted with an in-hospital death rate under 3%. The proportion of ED visits with a diagnosis of PE increased significantly from 2001 to 2010 and this rise can be attributed in large part to the increased availability and use of CT. Most of these patients were admitted with low in-hospital mortality.
Determining soil carbon stock changes: Simple bulk density corrections fail

Abstract Several methods are used to correct total soil carbon data in response to land use or management changes inherently coupled with concomitant alteration to bulk density (BD). However, a rigorous evaluation of correction methods has not been conducted. We compared original, maximum, and minimum equivalent soil mass (ESM) corrections to the fixed depth (FD) method and direct C concentrations. In a simulation exercise of a tillage event that decreased BD without change in total C concentration to a depth of 0.3 m, the original and maximum ESM methods estimated changes in total C storage of −0.34 to 0.54 Mg C ha −1 , well within the range of field soil C variability. In contrast, the minimum ESM method estimated changes ranging from −1.19 to 1.01 Mg C ha −1 . In a field experiment on reduced and intensive tillage, soil C changes (0–0.18 m) were measured from May to August 2006. The maximum ESM method generally overestimated soil C changes by −0.16 to 0.60 Mg C ha −1 and the minimum ESM method underestimated them by −2.67 to 0.23 Mg C ha −1 compared to the original ESM method. Field-scale soil C changes (0–0.15 m) were also measured from August 2003 to June 2005 and decreased by an unrealistic 6.64 Mg C ha −1 over the first 6 months after tillage when the FD method was used. In contrast, the effect of tillage on soil C could be reasonably estimated by directly comparing changes in C concentration. In a compacted agricultural soil, we found more errors in simulated C differences when using the maximum than the minimum ESM method. Regardless of the direction of BD changes, the minimum ESM method was a better choice than the maximum ESM method in native and restored grassland systems where soil C concentrations decreased through the soil profile. We conclude that (1) the FD method is often not suitable and might be less accurate than direct C concentration measurements, and (2) the maximum/minimum ESM method can be accurate depending on the conditions (e.g., increasing or decreasing BD, systems conversion type), but (3) that the original ESM method is optimal for detecting soil C changes due to land use changes or management effects.
MEM-DnP—A Novel Energy Efficient Approach for Memory Integrity Detection and Protection in Embedded Systems

The pervasiveness of modern day embedded systems has led to the storing of huge amounts of sensitive information in them. These embedded devices often have to operate under insecure environments and are hence susceptible to software and physical attacks. Thus, security has been and will remain one of the prime concerns in the embedded systems. Although a lot of hardware and software techniques have been proposed to provide high levels of security, they are hampered by the trade-offs created by the design constraints in embedded systems. This paper presents a novel energy efficient approach for MEMory integrity Detection and Protection (MEM-DnP). The key feature of the proposed MEM-DnP is that it can be adaptively tuned to a memory integrity verification module by using a sensor module. This significantly reduces the energy overheads imposed on an embedded system as compared to the conventional memory integrity verification mechanisms. The simulation results show that the average energy saved in the combined detection and protection mechanism ranges from 85.5 % to 99.998 %. This is substantially higher compared to the results achieved in basecase simulations with traditional memory integrity verification techniques.
Nasal Bone Osteotomies with Nonpowered Tools

Controlling the shape of the nasal bones has long been a frustrating problem. Conventional osteotomies are associated with bleeding, loss of reduction, inability to achieve the desired alignment, improperly placed osteotomy sites, and spicule formation. A nonpowered osteotomy method empirically provided the safest and most controlled technique to achieve the desired anatomic result. The nasal bones should be thought of as 2 thin nasal plates that can be released from their medial and lateral attachments to become mobile units that can affect the dorsal width and bony base independently. There is a learning curve to osteotomies.
Morphological disparity as a biodiversity metric in lower bathyal and abyssal gastropod assemblages

Studies of deep-sea biodiversity focus almost exclusively on geographic patterns of α-diversity. Few include the morphological or ecological properties of species that indicate their actual roles in community assembly. Here, we explore morphological disparity of shell architecture in gastropods from lower bathyal and abyssal environments of the western North Atlantic as a new dimension of deep-sea biodiversity. The lower bathyal-abyssal transition parallels a gradient of decreasing species diversity with depth and distance from land. Morphological disparity measures how the variety of body plans in a taxon fills a morphospace. We examine disparity in shell form by constructing both empirical (eigenshape analysis) and theoretical (Schindel's modification of Raup's model) morphospaces. The two approaches provide very consistent results. The centroids of lower bathyal and abyssal morphospaces are statistically indistinguishable. The absolute volumes of lower bathyal morphospaces exceed those of the abyss; however, when the volumes are standardized to a common number of species they are not significantly different. The abyssal morphospaces are simply more sparsely occupied. In terms of the variety of basic shell types, abyssal species show the same disparity values as random subsets of the lower bathyal fauna. Abyssal species possess no evident evolutionary innovation. There are, however, conspicuous changes in the relative abundance of shell forms between the two assemblages. The lower bathyal fauna contains a fairly equable mix of species abundances, trophic modes, and shell types. The abyssal group is numerically dominated by species that are deposit feeders with compact unsculptured shells.
Post a Message and Go to Jail: Criminalizing Internet Libel in Japan and the United States

In the United States, criminal libel is, to paraphrase Ross Perot, the "crazy aunt we keep in the basement". American law professors write about it to denounce the continued existence of rarely enforced criminal libel statutes. In Japan, however, criminal libel laws have become vital tools in policing injurious speech on the Internet. Defamatory posts lead to police intervention and even arrest. Because the United States is considering regulation of online speech, including, potentially, criminal penalties, we can learn from the experience of Japan. From a positive perspective, this Article explains why Japan would apply such laws to the Internet. From a normative perspective, the Article addresses why criminal libel is not a good choice for Japan. Finally, from a comparative law perspective, this Article also discusses why criminalizing online libel would be an even worse choice for the United States than Japan.
Biological impact of xeno-free chemically defined cryopreservation medium on amniotic epithelial cells

Amnion-derived stem cells have been proposed for cell replacement therapy and tissue regeneration. An easily accessible cell source, the placenta, allows us to potentially establish a bio-bank of cells for immunotype matched clinical applications. Several xeno-free (XF) cryopreservation media are currently available for pluripotent stem cells, however, these media have not yet been evaluated for the cryopreservation of amnion-derived stem cells. Human amniotic epithelial cells were collected using standard protocols, and stored at −160 °C in one of five commercially available media. Cells frozen in standard media containing fetal bovine serum served as controls. Cells were then thawed, and evaluated for viability, mitochondrial membrane stability, and senescence status. Quantitative real time PCR was utilized to assess for expression of stem cell genes, and flow cytometry was used to identify the stem cell surface markers. Cell recovery and repopulation assays indicated no significant difference between XF media versus standard cryopreservation medium. In addition, no impact was observed on the senescence status, the cytostructural or mitochondrial morphology between the tested cryopreservation media. Differences were observed on the expression of stem cell marker genes (OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG) and a cell surface marker (TRA1-60) following cryopreservation in different chemically defined XF media, however, these were not statistically significant. Xeno-free cryopreservation of human amnion-derived stem cells is feasible and can be standardized to establish a bio-bank with human amnion-derived stem cells for future clinical application. Optimization of this media may allow for improved preservation of stem cell-like characteristics.
SID-I is implicated in systemic gene silencing in the honey bee

SummaryRNA interference (RNAi) has become a powerful functional genomics tool that can be used to effectively silence gene expression. The implications for analysis of loss-of-function phenotypes through systemic or localized silencing are enormously significant in the application of this technology. The Sid-I gene was implicated in the cellular import of RNAi signal that enables passive uptake of dsRNA. Here we demonstrate that RNAi in the honey bee (Apis mellifera) is systemic and our data suggest that honey bee SID-I homologue, a putative transmembrane protein encoded by AmSid-I, is necessary for the uptake of systemically administered dsRNA and subsequent gene silencing.The honey bee SID-I homologue shares strong similarities with human (NP-060169; 44.3%), mouse (NM-198034; 43.9%), and Caenorhabditis elegans (Q9GZC8; 19%).AmSid-I was expressed in the entire set of honey bee tissues examined with the highest abundance in adult head followed by egg tissue. To test the role of AmSid-I in the systemic eff...
Quantitative SPECT imaging with Lu-177: A physical phantom evaluation

2407 Objectives 177Lu is a promising radionuclide for the treatment of the neuroendocirne tumors, bone pain from metastatic disease, and prostate cancer. Accurate estimation of the in vivo177Lu distribution is beneficial for tumor grading, dose estimation, and outcome prediction. In this work, we evaluated the accuracy of activity estimation with quantitative SPECT (QSPECT) reconstruction method that include compensations for attenuation, scatter, and full collimator-detector response. Methods Experimental projections were obtained using a GE Infinia-Hawkeye SPECT/CT system and a torso phantom. Known activities of 177Lu were placed in the lungs, liver, background, and two spherical compartments with inner diameters of 30 mm. Independent reconstructions of the 208 keV (11% abundance) and 113 keV (6.4% abundance) 20% window projections were compared to the reconstruction of the combined data using the QSPECT method. Organ regions of interest were manually defined on the high resolution CT images. Three reconstructions were evaluated in terms of the accuracy of the estimates of the total activity in each organ. Results The errors in activity estimates using the 208 keV peak were less than 3.2% for all organs, but were up to 40% if only the 113 keV peak was used. With the combined peaks, the errors were up to 14% representing deterioration of the data obtained with the higher energy peak alone. Conclusions QSPECT method with appropriate compensations provided accurate 177Lu organ activity estimates using the 208 keV projection. Because of the Bremsstrahlung photons generated from the beta decays of 177Lu, additional compensation is needed in order to achieve better quantification when using the 113 keV peak
Global Energy Governance, International Environmental Law and Regional Dimension

With the growing importance given to the climate change debate, energy has slowly come to attract the complete attention of the whole world. As a matter of fact, the main strategies identified by international bodies and institutions aimed at addressing the climatic issues faced by our planet always involve energy: in terms both of reducing the use of energy sources that increase emissions, and of using them more efficiently. The energy sector can be roughly divided into renewable energy, on the one hand, and fossil fuels, on the other. The former category is at the core of all the main international agreements regarding climate change and current environmental concerns: increasing the exploitation of renewable energy sources has become an urgent matter and a possible route to reach this goal is to facilitate trade and exchange in renewable energy goods, services, and technologies, through trade liberalization. Another possible route to achieve the global goal of reducing CO2 emissions and protect the environment requires reducing the use of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil. Global energy governance does, indeed, appear to be split into several initiatives, comprising a wide range of energy-related issues, such as trade and climate change, which are not coordinated with each other.
Immunity and mortality in chickens infected with Mycoplasma gallisepticum: influence of the bursa of Fabricius.

We report here studies of lymphoid-cellular (air-sac lesion) and humoral-immune (agglutinin) reactivities in young adult chickens bursectomized in ovo at two different ages and correlate the findings with their ability to resist challenge with a specific pathogen, Mycoplasma gallisepticum. We also present data on the immunization, with mammalian erythrocytes, of bursectomized and intact chickens against this pathogen.
The Influence of Surfaces and Deposition Processes on Pt Structure and Properties

Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), In-Zn-O (IZO) and Ga-Zn-O (GZO), on glass are used as model substrates to study the effect of surface treatments and deposition processes on Pt growth and nanostructure. The TCO type and surface treatments appear to affect Pt nucleation and growth. Ar and O2 plasma surface treatments significantly lowered the contact angle of water measured on TCOs compared to trimethylaluminum surface treatment and samples without surface treatment. Annealing TCO samples in oxygen resulted in lower IZO conductivity and higher contact angle; while annealing in vacuum or hydrogen resulted in increased carbon on the surface, which appears to be related to higher water contact angles and higher conductivity. Higher amounts of zinc and carbon (probably due to contamination from the annealing chamber) on the IZO surface seem to correlate with lower water contact angles and lower conductivity.