cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Basic science: Why do we do it?

A surgery resident working in the laboratory asked me, “Why do surgeons do research?” Having worked in labs since 1985, I thought that I knew the answer to that question. “It is important to learn the scientific method, it advances medicine and surgery, it improves the ability to critically think, it helps one become a better surgeon. . . .” Although those are important, I was somewhat dissatisfied with my answers. Moments later, I read Dr. Souba’s article “Academic Medicine’s Core Values: What Do They Mean?” where I think I found the right answer [1]. In reality, why should a card-carrying surgeon care about anything that is too small to hold a stitch, much less see? After we have stomped out the bleeding, we need to ask ourselves, did bad luck get us into this predicament or was natural history involved? As we repair, remove, or replace diseased organ after diseased organ, we are reminded of the conscientious surgeon standing beside the river who notices a body floating face down in the river. Undaunted, the surgeon dives into the river, drags the fellow out, and resuscitates him. A little while later, another body floats by and our surgeon rescues her in a similar fashion. Later, another body and then another. We, as surgeons, are socially responsible in direct relation to how soon we go up to the mouth of the river and say, “Hey, what’s going on here?” It is our social responsibility to do basic science research, to ask that question. To support patient after patient with MOF, to remove gall bladder after gall bladder, to plug in coronary after coronary, without going up river and saying, “Hey, what’s going on here?” is socially irresponsible. Asking that question
E.M.F. response of the iodide crystal membrane electrode in iodide solutions concentrated with NaCIO4, NaNO3, NaBr and NaSCN

An experimental study has been made of the e.m.f. response of the Orion iodide-selective electrode in iodide solutions to ascertain the effect of a broad range of accompanying NaClO4 (0.0625 to 5.0 mol/kg), and for comparison, NaNO3, NaBr and NaSCN. For each salt the three-parameter empirical equation of Stoughton et al. for calculation of the mean molal activity coefficient was combined with the Nicolsky equation to obtain estimates of an electrode selectivity ratio, K. Consideration of some of these results suggests the possibility of a slight NaClO4, NaNO3 interaction beyond the anticipated salt-induced alteration in the activity of solution iodide.
An Analysis of the Bankruptcy Reorganization Procedure in China

This paper analyzes the reorganization procedure introduced into the Chinese bankruptcy system in 2007. It shows that managers devote more effort during the reorganization than before the bankruptcy when the emergence value of the bankrupt firm is substantial. In addition, in the pre-bankruptcy period, managers were shown to input less effort under the new law than under the old law. Finally, the paper demonstrates that the market interest rate under the new bankruptcy law is not necessarily lower than that under the old law. These results call attention to the potential costs of the reorganization procedure.
SU‐GG‐T‐255: Development of a Computational Infrastructure for GPU‐Based Online Adaptive Radiation Therapy

Purpose: To develop a computational infrastructure to enable a streamlined clinical workflow for online adaptive radiation therapy (ART). Method and Materials: Our computational infrastructure consists of modules for deformable image registration based on the demons algorithm, and fluence map and direct aperture re‐optimization based on finite size pencil beam dose calculation. These modules have been implemented on a graphics processing unit (GPU) platform. Around these highly efficient implementations we have built modules for DICOM file handling, and graphical user interface based on the Qt framework. Furthermore, we have built a communication infrastructure for web‐based plan reviewing and approval using a PDA device such as the iPhone. Results: We measured a net re‐planning computation time of <10 seconds for a 9‐field prostate IMRT plan. A software infrastructure with a clean yet functional user interface has been built to seamlessly guide clinicians through the online re‐planning process. Conclusion: We integrated new computational tools into real clinical environment. We achieved this in two ways. First, by turning prototype high performance codes into a product‐alike software solution to be used by clinicians. Second, by developing a web‐based communication infrastructure to allow faster treatment plan review and approval by attending.
Stabilization of negative charge by the cobalticinium nucleus

Abstract The acidity of alkylcobalticinium salts is greatly enhanced and the basicity of aminocobalticinium salts is greatly reduced in comparison to alkyl- and amine-benzenes and -ferrocenes. The methyl hydrogens of 1,1′-dimethylcobalticinium ion exchange in 0.91 M NaOD in D20 with a rate constant of 1.40 x 10−2 min−1 at 70°C and an activation energy of 25.4 ± 1 kcal mol−1. The pKa of benzhydrylcobalticinium ion is 15–16 at 25°C, approximately 1011 times more acidic than triphenylmethane. The following basicities (PKb) were observed: aminocobalticinium, 15.6 ± 0.1, 1,1′-diaminocobalticinium, 13.5 ± 0.1 and 18.1 ± 0.1, 1-amino-1′-carboxycobalticinium, 18.06 ± 0.05. These values are interpreted in terms of strong electron-withdrawing field, inductive and resonance effects exerted by the cobalticinium moiety.
Integration of Two Models, or Dominance of One?:

Hobbis and Sutton attempted to integrate Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) with the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The possibility of such an integration portends exciting opportunities since behavioral interventions have had limited impact on behavior change. The integration, however, may more easily occur if Hobbis and Sutton had selected a formulation of the TPB that incorporated emotional variables, which is a primary focus of CBT. Furthermore, more work may be necessary to integrate the specific cognitive constructs between CBT and the TPB. Empirical research will be necessary to validate that the integration occurred in a meaningful way.
Regiospecificity in the Diels-Alder reactions of an enedione

Abstract The regiochemistry of cycloaddition of 1 with unsymmetrical dienes is explained by a preference for early rehybridization of the junction carbon.
Characterization of the fiber-matrix interphase and its influence on mechanical properties of unidirectional composites

The fiber-matrix interphase is commonly altered in graphite fiber rein-forced composites by changing the level of surface treatment imparted to the fibers and by using different fiber sizings. In this study, the influence of both surface treatment and fiber sizing on the mechanical properties of unidirectional composites was studied. Three material systems having the same high modulus Apollo carbon fibers (manufactured by Courtoulds Research) and HC 9106-3 toughened epoxy matrix, but with different fiber sizing and surface treatment, were used to study the effects of the interphase. For convenience, these are designated 810 A, 820 A and 8100 systems. The fibers used in the 810 A and 8100 systems received 100% industry standard surface treatment, while the fibers used in the 820 A system received 200% industry standard surface treatment. The "A" and "O" represent unreacted bisphenol-A epoxy and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) sizing respectively. The formation of distinctly different interphase in these three m...
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation interrupts phase synchronization during rhythmic motor entrainment

Rhythmic stimuli delivered through the auditory system can facilitate improved motor control following a motor impairment. The synchronization of movement to rhythmic auditory cues is characterized by quick, stable coupling of motor responses to rhythmic auditory cues. The exact neural sites responsible for this transformation of auditory input into timed rhythmic motor output are not clear. Neuroimaging studies have identified left ventral premotor cortex (vPMC) and left superior temporal–parietal (STP) activation during rhythmic auditory–motor synchronization. To investigate brain areas necessary for different types of rhythmic auditory–motor synchronization, we delivered repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to 15 healthy individuals prior to a rhythmic–auditory tapping task. Subthreshold rTMS was administered separately to the left vPMC and STP at a frequency of 0.9 Hz for 15 min. Phase synchronization error (difference between auditory stimulus and response onsets) significantly increased after rTMS to STP as compared to baseline. Synchronization error also increased after rTMS to vPMC as compared to baseline, but not significantly. Absolute period error, (absolute difference between metronome interval and response interval) was not affected by rTMS. The significant effect of rTMS at the STP expands upon previous imaging research, suggesting that this area is part of the network responsible for rhythmic auditory–motor synchronization. The effect of rTMS on phase synchronization, but not period synchronization suggests these are separate neural processes controlled by different neural networks.
Anderson localized modes in a disordered glass optical fiber

A beam of light can propagate in a time-invariant transversely disordered waveguide because of transverse Anderson localization. We developed a disordered glass optical ber from a porous artisan glass (satin quartz). The refractive index pro le of the disordered glass optical ber is composed of a non-uniform distribution of air voids which can be approximated as longitudinally invariant. The ll-fraction of air voids is higher at the regions closer to the boundary compared with the central regions. The experimental results show that the beam radius of a localized beam is smaller at the regions closer to the boundary than the one at the central regions. In order to understand the reason behind these observations, the fully vectorial modes of the disordered glass ber are calculated using the actual scanning electron microscope image of the ber tip. The numerical calculations show that the modes at regions closer to the boundary of the ber are more localized compared with the modes at the central regions. Coupling of an input beam to the less-localized modes with large tails at the central regions of the ber results in a large beam radius. In comparison, a beam of light launched at the regions close to the boundary couples to the highly compact modes of the ber and results in a small localized beam radius.
Seafloor changes above the Tohoku‐Oki earthquake rupture zone

After a subduction earthquake like the 11 March 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake, Earth's crust continues to deform. Scientists have been monitoring this deformation near the earthquake's rupture zone to estimate further seismic hazards.
Nicotinic acid—mannitol supplement in post-burn resuscitation: a double-blind study in sheep

Summary Cardiopulmonary, renal and haematological variables were measured on 14 adult range ewes which had previously been instrumented for study. They were then anaesthetized and subjected to a 40 per cent, full-thickness flame burn. As soon as the injury had been produced, the anaesthetic was discontinued and the animals were allowed to awaken. One hour following the burn a fluid resuscitation regimen was begun. The resuscitation consisted of a crystalloid-colloid combination administered in proportion to the body surface area of the animals (the Galveston formula, G). The cardiopulmonary and renal variables were again recorded at various intervals up to 94 h post burn. The animals were then sacrificed and a necropsy was performed. In paired experiments the resuscitation solution of one animal in each pair was supplemented with nicotinic acid and mannitol. This was accomplished in a double-blind fashion. Following the burn, the cardiac index of the animals in both groups gradually rose and their total peripheral resistance fell. The group receiving the nicotinic acid-mannitol supplement showed a tendency for a lower total peripheral resistance. The unsupplemented animals had pulmonary hypertension and a diminished P ao 2 . These lesions were almost completely prevented by treatment with the nicotinic acid-mannitol supplement. Although the glomerular filtration rate was relatively constant in both groups, in those with the supplement it gradually diminished. In both groups urine production was diminished during the first 24 h, but it then returned to normal in the animals not receiving the supplement while in the supplemented animals it continued to gradually decrease. Urinary concentration was evident during the first 24 h. Total serum protein gradually decreased in both groups. The group treated with the nicotinic acid-mannitol supplement showed a greater fall in this variable. At necropsy, interstitial oedema, especially in the lung, was present in the unsupplemented animals. This was not as remarkable in the animals which received the nicotinic acid-mannitol supplement; however, in the latter group fatty metamorphosis was found in the kidney and liver. It is concluded that in burned sheep supplementation of the resuscitation regimen with nicotinic acid and mannitol, although improving pulmonary function and reducing interstitial oedema, resulted in reduced renal function and definitive fatty metamorphosis of the liver and kidney.
The cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant attenuates the hypotensive effect of smoked marijuana in male smokers.

Background Animal studies suggest that cannabinoid CB1 receptors play a role in regulating blood pressure (BP). In human studies, activation of CB1 receptors by cannabis or its active ingredient, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), has modest and inconsistent effects on BP. Methods We evaluated this phenomenon in 63 male cannabis smokers (mean [SD] age 27.7 ± 5.4 years, 70% African American, 10.3 ± 5.9 years of lifetime cannabis use) by administering escalating oral doses (1, 3, 10, 30, 90 mg) of the selective CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant (or placebo) in a randomized, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled design. Subjects smoked an active (2.64% THC) or placebo marijuana cigarette 2 and 6 hours after rimonabant dosing. Blood pressure and symptoms were monitored for 90 minutes after smoking while subjects remained seated. Results Marijuana smoking alone (ie, after placebo rimonabant) had no consistent effect on BP, but 22% of subjects experienced symptomatic (dizziness, lightheadedness) hypotension, as did 20% to 33% of subjects who received pretreatment with rimonabant, 1, 3, or 10 mg. No subject receiving rimonabant, 30 or 90 mg, before marijuana smoking experienced symptomatic hypotension. The 7 subjects who experienced symptomatic hypotension had significantly higher mean (SD) peak plasma THC concentrations (181.6 ± 80.2) than did the 33 subjects who did not (109.0 ± 62.6). Rimonabant by itself had no effects on BP and did not alter THC pharmacokinetics. Conclusions These findings indicate that CB1 receptors play a role in mediating effects of cannabis smoking on BP in humans.
The role of vision in the orientation of the echolocating bat, Myotis lucifugus.

DAVIS & BARBOUR (1965) found that echolocating bats may utilize visual cues even when reliable, supra-threshold echolocation cues are available. The present experiment obtained a similar effect using a simultaneous discrimination paradigm. Ten Myotis lucifugus were rewarded with food for responding to a large-white triangle, but were not rewarded when they responded to a small-black triangle. The bats were given 20 trials each day until they achieved a criterion of 17 correct responses out of 20. They were then randomly divided into two groups and given 20 trials per day: 10 test trials to transfer test stimuli and 10 test trials to the original training stimuli. The transfer test stimuli for the "size" test group were a large-white triangle versus a small-white triangle, and for the "brightness" test group a large-white triangle versus a large-black triangle. On the transfer tests the bats in the "size" group did not run to either of the transfer test stimuli above chance, indicating a failure to discriminate size either visually or by echolocation. The bats in the "brightness" group, however, ran more frequently to the large-white stimulus than to the large-black stimulus, indicating a visual discrimination. During testing both groups indicated retention of the original training task. A blindfolded control group indicated that a size discrimination based on echolocation cues was possible. These results were interpreted as indicating that echolocation is not always the preferred modality for echolocating bats, and that under some conditions the bats may prefer to use visual cues.
In‐Ceram Failure Behavior and Core‐Veneer Interface Quality as Influenced by Residual Infiltration Glass

Purpose Crown and fixed partial denture fabrication using In-Ceram all-ceramic restorative material (Vita Zahnfabrik, Bad Sackingen, Germany) involves the veneering of a glass-infiltrated alumina core with porcelain. The manufacturer instructs that excess infiltration glass be removed from all core surfaces before porcelain application; however, meticulous removal may not be practical. This study evaluates the failure behavior of two different types of In-Ceram structures with or without thin layers of excess infiltration glass left on core surfaces. Materials and Methods Two groups of porcelain-veneered incisor crowns were fabricated having either (1) excess infiltration glass removed from the aluminous core (n = 10) or (2) a thin layer (0.1 to 0.3 mm) of excess glass remaining on the core (n = 10). Each crown was loaded on its incisal edge against a flat compression platen at 0.5 mm/min. Two groups of core disks (thickness, 1 mm; radius, 7.5 mm) underwent similar surface treatments; ie, group A as recommended (n = 15) and group B having excess glass (n = 15). Disks were veneered with porcelain, polished to 1.5 mm, and loaded in biaxial flexure at 0.5 mm/min. All fracture surfaces were analyzed using light microscopy and a select sample were examined using scanning electron microscopy. A simple two-dimensional finite-element model was used to evaluate the stress state at the core-veneer interface of bend samples. Results Failure loads were significantly higher for crowns having excess glass (Student's t test, P .8). Scanning electron microscopic analysis of disk samples revealed that failures originated either at core-veneer interfaces or at lower disk surfaces, consistent with the finite-element analysis. Conclusion Excess infiltration glass on the core surface will not degrade the strength of In-Ceram structures. Central incisor crowns (as tested) were strengthened by excess infiltration glass, but disk samples (stressed differently) were not. Finite-element results suggest that disk failure originates from three possible sources.
Residue threonine-149 of the Salmonella typhimurium CysB transcription activator: mutations causing constitutive expression of positively regulated genes of the cysteine regulon

In both Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli, CysB is a LysR family transcriptional activator, which regulates genes of the cysteine regulon. Transcription activation of cys genes also requires an inducer, N-acetyl-L-serine, and cysB mutants that do not require inducer are termed constitutive, i.e. cysBc. After finding that two independently isolated cysBc mutants are substituted at amino acid residue threonine-149 (T149), we isolated the other 17 single-amino-acid substitutions by site-directed mutagenesis. Of the 19 mutant alleles, 11 supported normal growth on sulphate, and nine of these were cysBc. Four other mutants were 'leaky' cysB+, and four were cysB-. Insertions of up to 14 amino acids were also tolerated at T149, and two of three such mutants were cysBc. An allele containing a TAG translation terminator at codon 149 had no detectable function in a delta cysB strain, but gave a constitutive phenotype when introduced into either wild-type S. typhimurium or the E. coli strain NK1, which contains a cysB- mutation in a predicted helix-turn-helix region that interferes with specific binding of CysB to DNA and with autoregulation of cysB. The peptide encoded by the T149ter allele is proposed to interact with the wild-type CysB peptide or with the NK1 mutant peptide to form hetero-oligomers that do not require N-acetyl-L-serine for cys gene activation.
Structural analysis of social behavior as a common metric for programmatic psychopathology and psychotherapy research.

This article describes the use of the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB; L. Benjamin, 1974) as applied to programmatic psychodynamic-interpersonal psychotherapy research. SASB fosters cumulative, theory-driven research by permitting problem-treatment-outcome (PTO) congruence-the conceptualization and measurement of patients' problems, treatment processes, and outcome in a common metric. In this explication of the principle of PTO congruence, the following are discussed: a general model of interpersonal psychopathology and etiology, SASB-based assessment devices for measuring early history and formulating presenting problems, empirical studies of interpersonal process in therapy, the relationship between manual-guided training and interpersonal process, and the assessment of outcome. A generic interpersonal model of psychotherapy is proposed that theoretically links all of these elements. Finally, the use of these SASB-based models for cross-theory integrative research from a common-factors approach is discussed.
Electrical resistometric detection of relaxation in an amorphous PdSiSb alloy

The effects of configurational relaxation on the electrical resistivity of a metallic glass, PdSiSb over the temperature range 30–400°C were studied. At low temperatures, the resistivity was representable as a quadratic form in the temperature. Define Δ\gr as the deviation of ρ from this formula (due to relaxation). As the temperature rises, Δ\gr drops, reaching a minimum, −0.80% of ρ(RT), then rises again, finally dropping due to crystallization. A fictive-temperature model, with relaxation rates given by free-volume theory, quantitatively explains the data.
Crashworthiness design optimization using successive response surface approximations

Finite Element (FE) method is among the most powerful tools for crash analysis and simulation. Crashworthiness design of structural members requires repetitive and iterative application of FE simulation. This paper presents a crashworthiness design optimization methodology based on efficient and effective integration of optimization methods, FE simulations, and approximation methods. Optimization methods, although effective in general in solving structural design problems, loose their power in crashworthiness design. Objective and constraint functions in crashworthiness optimization problems are often non-smooth and highly non-linear in terms of design variables and follow from a computationally costly (FE) simulation. In this paper, a sequential approximate optimization method is utilized to deal with both the high computational cost and the non-smooth character. Crashworthiness optimization problem is divided into a series of simpler sub-problems, which are generated using approximations of objective and constraint functions. Approximations are constructed by using statistical model building technique, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and a Genetic algorithm. The approximate optimization method is applied to solve crashworthiness design problems. These include a cylinder, a simplified vehicle and New Jersey concrete barrier optimization. The results demonstrate that the method is efficient and effective in solving crashworthiness design optimization problems.
Mechanics of Slope Formation

Any cursory inspection of the shape of the surface of the Earth shows that slopes are the basic constituents of many features of interest. We therefore start the main part of our treatise on theoretical geomorphology with a description of what is known regarding the theory of slope evolution.
On pseudo-clathrate hydrate structure in aqueous solutions of tetrahydrofuran

Dielectric relaxation in aqueous solutions of tetrahydrofuran is reported and the results interpreted in terms of the pseudo-clathrate hydrate model of the structure of the liquid state. The lifetime of any given pseudo-clathrate configuration is ≅10−11 sec.
Gate postdoping to decouple implant/anneal for gate, source/drain, and extension: maximizing polysilicon gate activation for 0.1 /spl mu/m CMOS technologies

We present a systematic study on maximizing polysilicon gate activation for aggressively scaled 0.1 /spl mu/m CMOS technologies. The fundamental limit of gate activation due to poly depletion effect was investigated in terms of gate implant/anneal condition and sequence, poly grain size, dopant penetration and activation. For the first time, we achieved significant improvement in CMOS performance by developing a novel process of "gate postdoping" to decouple implant and anneals for gate, source/drain, and extension. The method successfully reduces the poly depletion effect and thus the equivalent gate oxide thickness in inversion by up to /spl sim/2 /spl Aring/, improving CMOS on-currents by 9/spl sim/33% over a conventional process.
Management and leadership decisions in the information age

This paper suggests guidelines that are likely to significantly enhance a large proportion of those decisions that impact on the quality of management and leadership. Their use is illustrated with an analysis of a scenario that involves the development of a program for scanning data to reduce IT input costs. The case also raises an ethical issue. The guidelines are conceptually similar to the way the scientific and applied disciplines provide actionable foundations for theories. They can help those managers, who embrace them, acquire greater competence as managers and as leaders.
Thoracic outlet compression syndrome: a rare cause of upper extremity symptoms in children.

Children frequently complain of upper extremity pain often secondary to trauma, yet rarely do they suffer from thoracic outlet compression syndrome (TOCS). Through 1997 the literature contains only 6 reported cases: 4 in the United States, 1 in Turkey, and 1 in Italy.1-3 Although family physicians need to focus on the common causes of symptoms, we must consider the unexpected possibilities. Fortunately, we can use our knowledge of adult medicine to recognize unusual pediatric presentations.
Novel Distal eQTL Analysis Demonstrates Effect of Population Genetic Architecture on Detecting and Interpreting Associations

Mapping expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) has identified genetic variants associated with transcription rates and has provided insight into genotype-phenotype associations obtained from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Traditional eQTL mapping methods present significant challenges for the multiple-testing burden, resulting in a limited ability to detect eQTL that reside distal to the affected gene. To overcome this, we developed a novel eQTL testing approach, " NET: work-based, L: arge-scale I: dentification o F: dis T: al eQTL" (NetLIFT), which performs eQTL testing based on the pairwise conditional dependencies between genes' expression levels. When applied to existing data from yeast segregants, NetLIFT replicated most previously identified distal eQTL and identified 46% more genes with distal effects compared to local effects. In liver data from mouse lines derived through the Collaborative Cross project, NetLIFT detected 5744 genes with local eQTL while 3322 genes had distal eQTL. This analysis revealed founder-of-origin effects for a subset of local eQTL that may contribute to previously described phenotypic differences in metabolic traits. In human lymphoblastoid cell lines, NetLIFT was able to detect 1274 transcripts with distal eQTL that had not been reported in previous studies, while 2483 transcripts with local eQTL were identified. In all species, we found no enrichment for transcription factors facilitating eQTL associations; instead, we found that most trans-acting factors were annotated for metabolic function, suggesting that genetic variation may indirectly regulate multigene pathways by targeting key components of feedback processes within regulatory networks. Furthermore, the unique genetic history of each population appears to influence the detection of genes with local and distal eQTL.
Business Mobilization and Public Policy in the U.S. States

The goal of this study is to examine how the political mobilization of business interests influences aggregate public policy outputs in the states. We examine the relationship between business mobilization and general state policy liberalism, as well as policy that we term state “business policy climate.”We construct a measure of the“business policy climate” from a number of tax and regulatory indicators in the states and examine whether business influences it and policy liberalism using ordinary least squares regression..The analysis shows that business mobilization does not influence general policy liberalism but is a significant influence on a state's business policy climate. Specifically, the dominance of a state's campaign finance system by business interests makes policy more favorable toward business. The extent of business mobilization in a state is an important influence on public policy outputs but is constrained by the activities of other political actors such as unions.
Is Optimal Medical Therapy “Optimal Therapy” for Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease?: Optimal Management of Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease

When treating patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), clinicians consider whether management should be medical therapy (MT) alone or in addition to coronary revascularization. When revascularization is recommended, both coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are potential options. Typically, the treatment recommendation is based on clinical presentation, severity and magnitude of ischemia, extent and distribution of coronary anatomic disease, presence of other noncardiac medical conditions, and evidence of the effectiveness of each strategy. Article see p 949 Recognizing the substantial differences and implications between an invasive and noninvasive approach, clinical investigators have conducted large-scale clinical trials to assess and compare MT to revascularization and CABG to PCI. The clinical applicability of such studies, however, may be limited by several factors. Firstly, enrollment in “strategy trials” is typically difficult and prolonged, and initially declared sample target endpoints are rarely achieved. Secondly, given the slowly progressive course of stable CAD, outcomes need to be assessed over a long period, thus delaying the answers to the proposed research questions. In addition, as both revascularization approaches and medical therapies evolve and become more refined over time, it may often be difficult to interpret study findings in the context of these “moving therapeutic targets.” A third concern relates to the types of patients enrolled in these studies and whether participating patients are truly reflective of those theoretically eligible. For example, some believe that once coronary anatomy has been defined in a patient with CAD and a judgment is rendered as to the suitability and appropriateness of revascularization, a treatment bias may significantly affect the decision as to whether or not a patient will be enrolled in a trial where treatment will be determined by random assignment. Despite these limitations and concerns, clinicians greatly value evidence derived from clinical trials comparing …
An automated scanning ellipsometer

Abstract An ellipsometer with no moving parts has been designed with response only limited by the photo detectors and readout instrumentation. The simplicity of the design makes it conducive to miniaturization and its fast response for rapid scanning of surfaces for mapping purposes.
Tree mortality from an exceptional drought spanning mesic to semiarid ecoregions

Significant areas of the southern USA periodically experience intense drought that can lead to episodic tree mortality events. Because drought tolerance varies among species and size of trees, such events can alter the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystem in ways that are difficult to detect with local data sets or solely with remote-sensing platforms. We investigated a widespread tree mortality event that resulted from the worst 1-year drought on record for the state of Texas, USA. The drought affected ecoregions spanning mesic to semiarid climate zones and provided a unique opportunity to test hypotheses related to how trees of varying genus and size were affected. The study was based on an extensive set of 599 distributed plots, each 0.16 ha, surveyed in the summer following the drought. In each plot, dead trees larger than 12.7 cm in diameter were counted, sized, and identified to the genus level. Estimates of total mortality were obtained for each of 10 regions using a combination of design-based estimators and calibrated remote sensing using MODIS 1-yr change in normalized difference vegetation index products developed by the U.S. Forest Service. As compared with most of the publicized extreme die-off events, this study documents relatively low rates of mortality occurring over a very large area. However, statewide, regional tree mortality was massive, with an estimated 6.2% of the live trees perishing, nearly nine times greater than normal annual mortality. Dead tree diameters averaged larger than the live trees for most ecoregions, and this trend was most pronounced in the wetter climate zones, suggesting a potential re-ordering of species dominance and downward trend in tree size that was specific to climatic regions. The net effect on carbon storage was estimated to be a redistribution of 24-30 Tg C from the live tree to dead tree carbon pool. The dead tree survey documented drought mortality in more than 29 genera across all regions, and surprisingly, drought resistant and sensitive species fared similarly in some regions. Both angiosperms and gymnosperms were affected. These results highlight that drought-driven mortality alters forest structure differently across climatic regions and genera.
An online editor

An online, interactive system for text editing is described in detail, with remarks on the theoretical and experimental justification for its form. Emphasis throughout the system is on providing maximum convenience and power for the user. Notable features are its ability to handle any piece of text, the content-searching facility, and the character-by-character editing operations. The editor can be programmed to a limited extent.
Numerical Analysis of a Transmission Line EMP Simulator

A theoretical model is defined for an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) simulator for testing EMP effects on high altitude satellites. The simulator is composed of three flat-plate transmission line sections. The first and third sections are tapered to accommodate, respectively, a generator and a terminating resistor. This problem is analyzed in the frequency domain over those frequency components which are known to contribute most significantly to a typical EMP waveform. The analysis uses a numerical technique to solve the basic problem of an unknown current distribution on a curved, tapered strip, excited by a known electric field. The unknown current is solved by the method of moments, using triangular basis functions. As a check, input impedances are computed for the triangular dipole, showing good agreement with experimental results. For the transmission line simulator, computed input impedance, VSWR, power dissipated in the terminating resistor, and the power lost to radiation are presented as a function of frequency. The computed current distributions are used to calculate the electric fields between and immediately beyond the parallel plates. Although a considerable portion of power is converted to radiation at the higher frequencies, it is shown that at least within the working volume the electric field maintains a reasonably constant level.
Growth hormone hypersecretion in a girl with McCune-Albright syndrome: comparison with controls and response to a dose of long-acting somatostatin analog

GH every 20 min for 24 h, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), IGF-binding protein 3, and estradiol (E2) were measured in a 7.3-yr-old girl with precocious puberty due to McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) who developed stigmata of early acromegaly and in 9 other MAS patients who had no signs of acromegaly. To determine whether the MAS patients had subtle abnormalities in GH secretion, a computerized pulse analysis program was used to compare the MAS data with those from 27 control girls with central precocious puberty who had a similar rate of bone age advance, E2, and body mass index. We found no differences in mean GH, GH pulse frequency, pulse height, or pulse area between MAS patients and controls except in patient 1, who had an elevated mean +/- SD GH compared with controls (15.4 +/- 2 vs. 4.8 +/- 2.3 micrograms/L; P < 0.01) and an elevated IGF-I (908 micrograms/L) and IGF-binding protein 3 (5.6 mg/L). None of the GH parameters correlated with body mass index, age, bone age, or E2 levels in either group. The serum GH in patient 1 fell to near-undetectable levels from 60-180 min after a 100-micrograms sc dose of long-acting somatostatin, confirming that this form of therapy can be effective in cases of GH hypersecretion due to MAS.
Inventory Control in a Fluctuating Demand Environment

We present an inventory model, where the demand rate varies with an underlying state-of-the-world variable. This variable can represent economic fluctuations, or stages in the product life-cycle, for example. We derive some basic characteristics of optimal policies and develop algorithms for computing them. In addition, we show that certain monotonicity patterns in the problem data are reflected in the optimal policies.
Speculative register promotion using advanced load address table (ALAT)

The pervasive use of pointers with complicated patterns in C programs often constrains compiler alias analysis to yield conservative register allocation and promotion. Speculative register promotion with hardware support has the potential to more aggressively promote memory references into registers in the presence of aliases. This paper studies the use of the advanced load address table (ALAT), a data speculation feature defined in the IA-64 architecture, for speculative register promotion. An algorithm for speculative register promotion based on partial redundancy elimination is presented. The algorithm is implemented in Intel's open research compiler (ORC). Experiments on SPEC CPU2000 benchmark programs are conducted to show that speculative register promotion can improve performance of some benchmarks by 1% to 7%.
Water vapor permeability and solubility of zein/starch hydrophilic films prepared from dry milled corn extract

Abstract Zein films containing different levels of starch were prepared from extracts of dry milled com which had been previously rinsed in a hydrocyclone to improve the extractability of the zein as well as film formation. Zein was isolated from the rinsed dry milled corn by extraction with 70% (v/v) ethanol. Comparison of RP-HPLC profiles indicated the presence of β- and γ-zeins in the extracted isolate which were not found in commercial zein. Water vapor barrier properties of the glycerine-plasticized films prepared from extracted zein isolates, containing approximately 8% starch, were comparable to films prepared from commercial zein. Water resistance of zein isolate films decreased with increasing starch content.
An alarm management approach in the management of multi-layered networks

We consider large interconnected networks that operate under a user-provider paradigm (such as IP over SONET) where networks from different layers are in different administrative domains. In such a relationship, the overall network survivability can benefit from a limited sharing of network management data between networks of different layers. The paper proposes a multi-layered alarm management framework in such a setting. The alarm manager uses a finite state machine to represent an alarm instance with state transitions triggered as a result of the correlation of multiple alarms. We present a constructive argument to demonstrate the correctness of the finite state machine. Alarm correlation is handled by a rule-based reasoning engine. The set of correlation rules and corresponding actions depends on the definition of alarms that can enter the system. Therefore, based on the multi-layered paradigm and the inclusion of a performance management agent, three alarm categories are created: provider network alarms; user network alarms; predictive alarms.
Heterogeneity in Lineage Derivation of Philadelphia-positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Expressing p190BCR-ABL or p210BCR-ABL: Determination by Analysis of Individual Colonies with the Polymerase Chain Reaction

Abstract The molecular hallmark of Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the expression of 1 of 2 alternate forms of the aberrant BCR-ABL protein—p210 BCR-ABL or p190 BCR-ABL . The presence of BCR-ABL message provides a target for analyzing the lineage derivation of this disease. We, therefore, studied myeloid and erythroid progenitor involvement in Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL. Bone marrow low-density cells from Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL patients (5 with the p190 BCR-ABL and 2 with the p210 BCR-ABL anomaly) were cultured in the mixed colony culture assay. cDNA from individually plucked colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage and burst-forming unit-erythroid colonies was then analyzed using the hybridization protection assay in conjunction with the polymerase chain reaction to detect BCR-ABL molecular aberrations. Colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage and burst-forming unit-erythroid colonies from 1 of 5 p190 BCR-ABL -positive patients and 1 of 2 p210 BCR-ABL -positive patients expressed BCR-ABL transcripts, whereas colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage and burst-forming unit-erythroid colonies from the other patients did not. Our study suggests that the origin of both p190 BCR-ABL - and p210 BCR-ABL -positive ALL is heterogenous with involvement of either a pluripotent precursor or a lymphoid lineage-committed hematopoietic progenitor.
Dependence of phase-2 reentry and repolarization dispersion on epicardial and transmural ionic heterogeneity: a simulation study

Aims Phase-2 reentry (P2R) is a local arrhythmogenic phenomenon where electrotonic current propagates from a spike-and-dome action potential region to re-excite a loss-of-dome action potential region. While ionic heterogeneity has been shown to underlie P2R within the epicardium and has been hypothesized to occur transmurally, we are unaware of any study that has investigated the effects of combining these heterogeneities as they occur in the heart. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that P2R can result by either epicardial or transmural heterogeneity and that the realistic combination of the two would increase the likelihood of P2R. Methods and results We used computational ionic models of cardiac myocyte dynamics to investigate initiation and development of P2R in simulated tissues with different ionic heterogeneities. In one-dimensional transmural cable simulations, P2R occurred when the conductance of the transient outward current in the epicardial region was near the range for which epicardial action potentials switched intermittently between spike-and-dome and loss-of-dome morphologies. Phase-2 reentry was more likely in two-dimensional tissue simulations by both epicardial and transmural heterogeneity and could expand beyond its local initiation site to create a macroscopic reentry. Conclusion The characteristics and stability of action potential morphology in the epicardium are important determinants of the occurrence of both transmural and epicardial P2R and its associated arrhythmogenesis.
Industrial Museum, History and Education: Some Random Thoughts

The Museum profession is a small one, in which everybody seems to know everyone else. Owing to the relatively small number of staff at most museums, and the fact that many senior staff stay put for a good number of years, Museums do absorb some of the personality of their curators. Almost inevitably some of this is transmitted to the visitors : in most cases this is not at all a bad thing. Museums education is a much smaller , though growing, profession. Education Services, having even fewer staff than their parent museums, reflect the personalities of the people involved even more. Again, diversity of approach to a subject is no bad thing. Thus I feel no compunction in putting forward my own views on museum education, although my colleagues may well dissociate themselves wholly from those views!
Abstract 15671: Direct Thrombin Inhibition with Dabigatran Attenuates Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Fibrosis and Diastolic Dysfunction in Mice

Introduction: Thrombin, a multifunctional serine protease, exerts proinflammatory and profibrotic cellular effects that may contribute to cardiac remodeling and hypertrophy mediated by its high-affinity protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether direct thrombin inhibition with dabigatran attenuates myocardial injury in the setting of pressure overload-induced heart failure. Methods: Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery was performed in C57/BL6J male mice (10-12 weeks old) to generate pressure overload and cardiac hypertrophy. TAC or sham mice were randomly assigned receive chow supplemented with dabigatran etexilate (10 mg/gm) or placebo (TAC+dabigatran, TAC+placebo, sham+dabigatran, sham+placebo). Results: Dabigatran treatment significantly extend thrombin clotting time by 3.2 fold (p Conclusion: Our results indicate that dabigatran attenuated cardiac fibrosis in the setting of pressure overload and improved diastolic function by inhibiting thrombin activity and possibly through down-regulation of PAR-1 expression without effects on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.
Using fMRI to study reward processing in humans: past, present, and future

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a noninvasive tool used to probe cognitive and affective processes. Although fMRI provides indirect measures of neural activity, the advent of fMRI has allowed for1) the corroboration of significant animal findings in the human brain, and2) the expansion of models to include more common human attributes that inform behavior. In this review, we briefly consider the neural basis of the blood oxygenation level dependent signal to set up a discussion of how fMRI studies have applied it in examining cognitive models in humans and the promise of using fMRI to advance such models. Specifically, we illustrate the contribution that fMRI has made to the study of reward processing, focusing on the role of the striatum in encoding reward-related learning signals that drive anticipatory and consummatory behaviors. For instance, we discuss how fMRI can be used to link neural signals (e.g., striatal responses to rewards) to individual differences in behavior and traits. While this functional segregation approach has been constructive to our understanding of reward-related functions, many fMRI studies have also benefitted from a functional integration approach that takes into account how interconnected regions (e.g., corticostriatal circuits) contribute to reward processing. We contend that future work using fMRI will profit from using a multimodal approach, such as combining fMRI with noninvasive brain stimulation tools (e.g., transcranial electrical stimulation), that can identify causal mechanisms underlying reward processing. Consequently, advancements in implementing fMRI will promise new translational opportunities to inform our understanding of psychopathologies.