cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diversity and patient care in a shrinking world

The purpose of this article is to discuss current standards for preparing nurses to practice as culturally competent generalists in our rapidly shrinking world. Culturally competent care, transcultural nursing practice, and the nursing professions' standards of nursing care for diverse populations are applied to nursing education, renal nursing, and transplant nursing issues. Recommendations for breaking down health care gaps and barriers include ensuring, within the boundaries and control base of our own practice, that cultural, racial, economic, spiritual, and social diversity is respected and acknowledged.
Role of salivary epithelial toll-like receptors 2 and 4 in modulating innate immune responses in chronic periodontitis.

Background and Objective Chronic periodontitis is initiated by sequential colonization with a broad array of bacteria and is perpetuated by an immune-inflammatory response to the changing biofilm. Host recognition of microbes is largely mediated by toll-like receptors (TLRs), which interact with conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Based on ligand recognition, TLR-2 and TLR-4 interact with most periodontal pathogens. Extracrevicular bacterial reservoirs, such as the oral epithelial cells, contribute to the persistence of periodontitis. Human saliva is a rich source of oral epithelial cells that express functional TLRs. In this study we investigated the role of salivary epithelial cell (SEC) TLR-2 and TLR-4 in patients with generalized chronic periodontitis. Material and Methods Unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) was collected from patients with generalized chronic periodontitis and from healthy individuals after obtaining informed consent. Epithelial cells isolated from each UWS sample were assessed for TLR-2, TLR-4, peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP)-3 and PGRP-4 by quantitative real-time PCR. In addition, the SECs were stimulated in vitro with microbial products for up to 24 h. The culture supernatant was assessed for cytokines by ELISA. Results Stimulation with TLR-2- or TLR-4-specific ligands induced cytokine secretion with differential kinetics and up-regulated TLR2 and TLR4 mRNAs, respectively, in cultures of SECs from patients with periodontitis. In addition, the SECs from patients with periodontitis exhibited reduced PGRP3 and PGRP4 mRNAs, the TLR-responsive genes with antibacterial properties. Conclusion SECs derived from the UWS of patients with chronic periodontitis are phenotypically distinct and could represent potential resources for assessing the epithelial responses to periodontal pathogens in the course of disease progression and persistence.
Mechatronics: From The 20th to 21st Century

Abstract This paper presents a Year-2000 (Y2K) status report of mechatronics. The Y2K definition of mechatronics is: "the synergetic integration of physical systems with information technology and complexdecision making in the design, manufacture and operation of industrial products and processes." Mechatronics may be interpreted as the best practice for synthesis of engineering systems, and it covers a broad area and scope. Mechatronics research should be driven by target physical systems and not by methodologies. Vehicle lateral control for automated highway systems, hard disk drives and media handling mechanisms for printing engines are reviewed as examples of mechatronics research. Engineering students should be exposed to mechatronics and to the culture of working in teams.
Directional preferences in the rotational play behaviors of young children

In a day-care setting, 33 girls and 34 boys, ranging in age from 36 to 73 months, responded to 30 tasks to obtain conventional measures of laterality and to determine their directional preferences on behaviors requiring whole body movement in a circle (circling) or pivoting about the body's vertical axis. Significant counterclockwise preferences were found for both kinds of turning behaviors, and there were no gender differences in these preferences. Increasing age was weakly associated with stronger right-handedness and counterclockwise preference on the circling tasks. These results are consistent with those of other studies and suggest that humans exhibit a small left-turning population preference in rotational movements.
Interactive graphics in data processing: interactive aspects of crystal structure analysis

In demonstrating the advantageous use of graphics in a heuristic approach to problem solving, the deciphering of unknown crystal structures is used as an environment. The interactive graphic console lends concreteness to the crystallographer's abstract perception of three-dimensional structures. This paper describes how the crystallographer uses graphics in determining crystal structure by matching a known spatial molecular model with an experimental crystallographic model and by direct theoretical procedures when no model is available. Also presented are computer rendering techniques that make the man-machine relationship more productive. In conclusion, the author ponders the possibilities of more eficient and productive scientific research through the evolution of computer-aided data libraries.
Interleukin-7 is a direct inhibitor of in vitro osteoclastogenesis

We examined the direct effects of IL-7 on osteoclastogenesis in murine bone marrow cultures, using cells from wild-type and IL-7- and IL-7 receptor (IL-7R)-deficient mice. IL-7 inhibited osteoclast-like cells (OCL) formation in macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand (RANKL)-stimulated (both at 30 ng/ml) murine bone marrow cultures. Significant inhibitory effects were seen at 1 ng/ml (57%) and 10 ng/ml (86%). IL-7 also inhibited (P < 0.05) OCL formation in bone marrow cultures that were stimulated with vitamin D(3) (10(-8) M, 60%), bovine PTH (bPTH) (100 ng/ml, 54%), or RANKL alone (30 ng/ml, 50%). IL-7 (10 ng/ml) increased expression of the B lymphocyte marker B220 from 40-86% of total nonadherent cells in cultures treated with M-CSF and RANKL. Bone marrow cells from IL-7-deficient [IL-7 knockout (KO)] mice showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase in tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase(+) OCL numbers in cultures that were stimulated with vitamin D(3) (136 +/- 13.3%), bPTH (196 +/- 18.8%), or M-CSF and RANKL (160 +/- 7.2%). In contrast, in vitro osteoclast formation in bone marrow from IL-7R-deficient (IL-7R KO) mice showed a significant decrease in tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase(+) OCL numbers in cultures that were stimulated with vitamin D(3), PTH, RANKL, or M-CSF and RANKL. These results demonstrate that there are differences in the mechanisms regulating OCL formation between IL-7 KO and IL-7R KO cells. It seems that IL-7 is a direct inhibitor of OCL formation in vitro, based on results of adding IL-7 to wild-type cultures and the responses of IL-7 KO cells. It is unknown why IL-7R KO cells behave differently from IL-7 KO cells in vitro. However, it is possible that additional cytokines interact with IL-7R and that loss of these signals contributes to the responses of IL-7R KO cells. Alternatively, IL-7 may interact with multiple receptors.
Prevalence of Insufficient, Borderline, and Optimal Hours of Sleep Among High School Students - United States, 2007

We describe the prevalence of insufficient, borderline, and optimal sleep hours among U.S. high school students on an average school night. Most students (68.9%) reported insufficient sleep, whereas few (7.6%) reported optimal sleep. The prevalence of insufficient sleep was highest among female and black students, and students in grades 11 and 12.
Survival outcomes after radical and partial nephrectomy for clinical T2 renal tumours categorised by R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score.

Objective We evaluated survival outcomes of partial nephrectomy (PN) and radical nephrectomy (RN) for clinical T2 renal masses (cT2RM) controlling for R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score. Patients and Methods A two-centre study comprised of 202 patients with cT2RM who underwent RN (122) or PN (80) between July 2002 and June 2012 (median follow-up 41.5 months). Kaplan−Meier analysis compared overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and progression-free survival (PFS) among the entire cohort and within categories of R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score of ≥10 and <10. Association between procedure and PFS and OS was analysed using Cox-proportional hazard. Results There were no significant differences between PN and RN in clinical T stage and R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry scores. For RN and PN, the 5-year PFS was 69.8% and 79.9% (P = 0.115), CSS was 82.5% and 86.7% (P = 0.407), and OS was 80% and 83.3% (P = 0.291). Cox regression showed no association between RN vs PN and PFS; a R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score of ≥10 was associated with a shorter PFS (hazard ratio 6.69, P = 0.002). Kaplan–Meier analysis for RN vs PN showed no difference in PFS for entire cohort or within the R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score categories of ≥10 and <10. The PFS was better for those with R.E.N.A.L nephrometry scores of <10 vs ≥10 (P < 0.001) and for cT2a vs cT2b tumours (P = 0.012). OS was no different between cT2a and cT2b tumours; patients with R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry scores of ≥10 were more likely to die from disease (P < 0.001) or any cause (P < 0.001) vs those with R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry scores of <10. Conclusions PN may be oncologically effective for cT2RM. A R.E.N.A.L nephrometry score of ≥10 is negatively associated with OS among cT2RM compared with a score of <10 and provides additional risk assessment beyond clinical T stage. Further follow-up and prospective randomised investigation is requisite to confirm efficacy of PN for cT2RM.
A Bayesian Reliability Growth Model

A model is presented for the change (growth) in reliability of a system during a test program. Parameters of the model are assumed to be random variables with appropriate prior density functions. Expressions are then derived that enable estimates (in the form of expectations) and precision statements (in the form of variances) to be made of: 1) projected system reliability at time ? after the start of the test program, and 2) system reliability after the observation of failure data. Numerical examples are presented, and extension to multimode failures is indicated.
Interferon-α for prophylaxis of recurrent viral hepatitis C in liver transplant recipients : A prospective, randomized, controlled trial

BACKGROUND In a randomized, controlled trial, we sought to determine whether prophylaxis with interferon-alpha for 6 months had an impact on rate, severity, and timing of onset of recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) hepatitis in liver transplant recipients and to assess whether interferon use was associated with rejection in liver transplant recipients. METHODS Twenty-four consecutive liver transplant recipients with HCV were randomized after transplantation to receive either interferon-alpha (3 million U three times weekly) for 6 months or no prophylaxis; median follow-up was 874 days. RESULTS Recurrent HCV hepatitis (histopathologically proven) developed in 50% (6 of 12) of the interferon-alpha patients versus 42% (5 of 12) of the control patients (P=NS). Severity of recurrence (as assessed by Knodell score on liver biopsies) also did not differ between the two groups (mean 4.0 for interferon-alpha patients versus 3.5 for control patients, P=NS). Interferon-alpha, however, significantly delayed the timing of occurrence of HCV hepatitis; recurrent HCV hepatitis developed a median of 408 days after transplant in the interferon-alpha group versus 193 days in the control group (P=0.05). No difference in graft or patient survival was demonstrated in the two groups. Rejection episodes, treated with corticosteroids, occurred in 50% (6 of 12) of patients in the interferon-alpha group versus 42% (5 of 12) in the control group (P=NS). Corticosteroid resistant rejection (requiring OKT3) occurred in only one study patient (in the control group). CONCLUSIONS Interferon-alpha in liver transplant recipients for 6 months delayed the occurrence of HCV hepatitis, but did not decrease the incidence nor the severity of HCV hepatitis after transplantation. Interferon-alpha use was not associated with a higher incidence of rejection compared with the control patients.
The Effect of Feeding Cottonseed Meal as the Only Concentrate on Several Properties of Milk. IV. Fat Constants

Summary In general the feeding of cottonseed meal as the only concentrate as compared with feeding a normal grain mixture decreased the saponification number and increased the iodine number and the refractive index. The expected decrease in Eeichert-Meissl number did not become evident until after nine months of the feeding period had passed. In a similar comparison, the milk fat from the cottonseed meal group was less stable toward oxidation than that from the control group. No difference in acid degree of the two milk fats was detected.
Acquired immunological tolerance of male skin isografts in adult female mice injected with whole blood.

SummaryPermanent acquired immunological tolerance has been established in adult C57B1/1 female mice to isologous male skin graft using pooled whole blood obtained from C57B1/1 males as a pre-conditioning material. Tolerance using this technic is a dose related phenomenon. Doses of 0.25 cc of whole blood or greater produce a long lasting tolerance.
Brujería, intertextualidad creativa y discurso hispanoamericano en Historia de la Villa Imperial de Potosí

La bruja y su representacion es un tema recurrente en la literatura colonial hispanoamericana. Ser oprimido, chivo expiatorio de una sociedad que necesita de una explicacion para la maldad, ella en consecuencia se convierte en el objeto y sujeto de las perversiones que la sociedad no quiere confrontar. La bruja aparece en numerosos textos de la epoca: Naufragios (1542) de Cabeza de Vaca, Coloquios espirituales y sacramentales de Gonzalez de Eslava (1610), El Carnero (1636) de Rodriguez Freyle, para solo dar algunos ejemplos. Entre estas, Claudia, la hechicera que nos interesa, aparece en Historia de la Villa Imperial de Potosi (que se comenzo a escribir en 1705 sobre hechos acaecidos entre 1545 y 1736) de Bartolome Arzanz de Ursua (1676–1736).1 Su historia funciona como una historia intercalada (practica tambien comun a los primeros cronistas de Hispanoamerica como el Inca Garcilaso y Las Casas) junto al relato de las fiestas de la canonizacion de San Francisco de Borja, en el ano 1674, durante el gobiern...
Pseudomonas aeruginosa activates caspase 1 through Ipaf

The innate immune system encodes cytosolic Nod-like receptors (NLRs), several of which activate caspase 1 processing and IL-1β and IL-18 secretion. Macrophages respond to Salmonella typhimurium infection by activating caspase 1 through the NLR Ipaf. This activation is mediated by cytosolic flagellin through the activity of the virulence-associated type III secretion system (T3SS). We demonstrate here that Pseudomonas aeruginosa activates caspase 1 and induces IL-1β secretion in infected macrophages. While live, virulent P. aeruginosa activate IL-1β secretion through caspase 1 and Ipaf, strains that have mutations in the T3SS or in flagellin did not. Ipaf-dependent caspase 1 activation could be recapitulated by delivering P. aeruginosa flagellin to the macrophage cytosol. We examined the role of Naip5 in P. aeruginosa-induced caspase 1 activation by using A/J (Naip5-deficient) compared with C57BL/6 and BALB/c (Naip5-sufficient) macrophages and observed that A/J macrophages secrete IL-1β in response to P. aeruginosa, S. typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes infection, as well as in response to cytosolic flagellin, but at slightly reduced levels. Thus, Ipaf-dependent detection of cytosolic flagellin is a conserved mechanism by which macrophages detect the presence of pathogens that use T3SS.
In situ formation of composites of alumina with nickel and with nickel aluminide

Abstract Dense NiAl2O3 and NiAlAl2O3 composites were synthesized via displacement reactions between NiO and aluminum powders, which were hot pressed under argon in two stages (1100 then 1300°C). The resulting microstructures were interpenetrating, and the composites did not crack under indentation.
Students’ Global Awareness and Attitudes to Internationalism in a World of Cultural Convergence

This study is an investigation of the degree to which students possess the attitudes and beliefs for living in a world where national cultures are converging and civilization is becoming more international. It surveyed a sample of 701 college students to ascertain their global awareness and attitudes to internationalism. The research found that students had average levels of global awareness, and mixed beliefs about the United States’ involvement with other countries. The study postulated that international education will be the norm in the future.
Effective reduction of the interleukin-1β transcript in osteoarthritis-prone guinea pig chondrocytes via short hairpin RNA mediated RNA interference influences gene expression of mediators implicated in disease pathogenesis

Summary Objective To ascertain a viral vector-based short hairpin RNA (shRNA) capable of reducing the interleukin-1β (IL-1β) transcript in osteoarthritis (OA)-prone chondrocytes and detect corresponding changes in the expression patterns of several critical disease mediators. Methods Cultured chondrocytes from 2-month-old Hartley guinea pigs were screened for reduction of the IL-1β transcript following plasmid-based delivery of U6-driven shRNA sequences. A successful plasmid/shRNA knockdown combination was identified and used to construct an adeno-associated virus serotype 5 (AAV5) vector for further evaluation. Relative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to quantify in vitro transcript changes of IL-1β and an additional nine genes following transduction with this targeting knockdown vector. To validate in vitro findings, this AAV5 vector was injected into one knee, while either an equivalent volume of saline vehicle (three animals) or non-targeting control vector (three animals) were injected into opposite knees. Fold differences and subsequent percent gene expression levels relative to control groups were calculated using the comparative CT (2 −ΔΔCT ) method. Results Statistically significant decreases in IL-1β expression were achieved by the targeting knockdown vector relative to both the mock-transduced control and non-targeting vector control groups in vitro . Transcript levels of anabolic transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) were significantly increased by use of this targeting knockdown vector. Transduction with this targeting AAV5 vector also significantly decreased the transcript levels of key inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-2, IL-8, and IL-12] and catabolic agents [matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)13, MMP2, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and inducible nitrous oxide synthase (iNOS)] relative to both mock-transduced and non-targeting vector control groups. In vivo application of this targeting knockdown vector resulted in a >50% reduction ( P =0.0045) or >90% ( P =0.0001) of the IL-1β transcript relative to vehicle-only or non-targeting vector control exposed cartilage, respectively. Conclusions Successful reduction of the IL-1β transcript was achieved via RNA interference (RNAi) techniques. Importantly, this alteration significantly influenced the transcript levels of several major players involved in OA pathogenesis in the direction of disease modification. Investigations to characterize additional gene expression changes influenced by targeting knockdown AAV5 vector-based diminution of the IL-1β transcript in vivo are warranted.
Single-parameter power law psychophysics of auditory numerosity and the psychological moment hypothesis.

In the present study, numerosity estimation was investigated. A two-parameter Stevens power law analysis was performed on a total of944 subjects in six experiments. Two pulse ranges (2–17 or 17–253 pulses) and six pulse rates (either constant or randomly varied within trial blocks) were used, variously, in an unsuccessful attempt to find evidence for a psychological moment, under the supposition that the exponent (or, possibly, the measure constant) would become smaller as increasing numbers of pulses fell within the interval determined by each psychological moment. A single-parameter reanalysis of these six experiments under the initial value condition that a (standard) stimulus of one pulse be assigned a theoretical response (modulus) of one yielded single-parameter equations whose exponents were reliably less varied than those for conventional two-parameter equations in Experiments 1–4 (with randomly varying pulse rates from trial to trial) but not less varied in Experiments 5 and 6 (in which pulse rates were constant within trial blocks). It was concluded that the variable pulse rate condition, with its reduced exponent variability and presumed reduced temporal confounding, provides a more valid estimate of the single-parameter power law exponent for numerosity, which was found to be 0.80.
Functionalization of poly(styryl)lithium with thiiranes: Sulfur extrusion vs ring-opening mechanisms

Poly(styryl)lithiums (Mn = 1500−2200 g/mol) in benzene were reacted with propylene sulfide (1.3−3 equiv) to prepare the corresponding thiol chain-end-functionalized polymers. The resulting polymers were characterized by thin layer chromatography, elemental analysis, 1H, 13C, and DEPT NMR spectroscopy, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Analysis of the resulting polymers by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry indicates that reaction occurs by a ring-opening mechanism, in contrast to precedents showing that the reaction of organolithium compounds with propylene sulfide occurs by a sulfur extrusion mechanism. Poly(styryl)lithium was also reacted with 1.3 equiv of ethylene sulfide. The results from MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry show that the structure of the polymer corresponds to the product resulting from a ring-opening mechanism analogous to the reaction of propylene sulfide with poly(styryl)lithium. More oligomerization was observed for functionalizations with 1.3 equiv of ethylene sulfide (34.6%) compared to propyle...
Explosive phenomenon of AlCu/TiN and W-plugs multilevel interconnect system

The 'explosive phenomenon' of AlCu/TiN metal line (explosive defect) always be observed posterior to deposit oxide film by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) and their profile look like distorted bamboo structure. From the Tunneling Electronic Microscope (TEM) analysis result and the defect distribution on the wafer, the defects were enhanced by the compressive stress of oxide film. The tungsten (W) etch back process which will remain the impurities such as sulfur (S) and fluorine (F) from the etch gas during the over-etch period has been found to cause the damage of TiN barrier layer. The explosive defect also show the strong 'F' signal not only in the AlCu metal line but on the interface between AlCu and TiN barrier layer by the Energy-Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) analysis of TEM. In this study, the explosive defect was duplicated successfully by CF4/CHF3 chemical plasma treatment after Tungsten (W) etch back step. The more CF4/CHF3 chemical plasma treated, the more explosive defects were found. This treatment process shown that there were very strong correlation between explosive defect and fluoric impurity. Two effective methods have been demonstrated to reduce the explosive defect. The first one was Argon (Ar) plasma treatment after W etch back. This method could remove the impurity on the TiN surface. Another one was reduced the moisture on the TiN barrier metal surface. No explosive defect was observed after PECVD oxide deposited. The two methods had been proven to be useful methods to solve the explosive phenomenon on AlCu/TiN metal line without the concern of reliability.
Intra-hospital response to cardiac arrest in Rome area

The survival from cardiac arrest is strongly influenced by the delay and appropriateness of interventions as CPR and defibrillation. For intra-hospital cardiac arrests which occur in general wards, the ALS rescuers are usually non-readily available at bedside and rescue depends on an emergency team moving inside the hospital. We investigated how the response to cardiorespiratory emergency is organised inside the hospitals in Rome.
Arthroscopic contact Nd:YAG laser meniscectomy: basic science, surgical technique, and clinical follow up

Recent basic science studies (5) have provided a scientific foundation for the use of the Contact Nd:YAG Laser as an arthroscopic tool for xneniscal resection and acroxnioplasty of the shoulder in a saline medium. This study prospectively evaluates the results of a three stage laboratory investigation as well as the clinical results of arthroscopic xneniscal resection. Fifteen patients with meniscal tears underwent subtotal meniscectomies utilizing a Contact Nd:YAG Laser (Surgical Laser Technologies; Malvern, Pennsylvania) . This was done in a saline medium with an average laser wattage of 25 W, (range 20 W to 30 W). Patients were evaluated postoperatively with reference to subjective and objective parameters at one week and four weeks postoperatively. Patients were evaluated with regard to wound healing, intraarticular swelling and pain. Assessment of technical parameters such as ease of resection, time of resection and instrument access were compared to conventional instruments. All fifteen patients were rated as having clinically excellent results based on pain relief, wound healing and swelling. In addition, although there was increased time with setting up the laser and calibrating it, there was not an increase in time for meniscal resection. Little, or no, secondary "trimmuning" was necessary with the laser. Increased accessibility was noted due to the small size of the laser. Arthroscopic Contact Nd:YAG Laser surgery is a safe and effective tool for menisca]. resection and coagulation in arthroscopic acromioplasties. It provides significant advantages over conventional cutting instruments with regard to accessibility and reduced need for secondary instruments.
Brain metastases in patients with EGFR-mutated or ALK-rearranged non-small-cell lung cancers

Introduction Brain metastases (BM) are common in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the baseline incidence and evolution of BM over time in oncogene-driven NSCLCs are seldom reported. In this study, we evaluated the frequency of BM in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearranged NSCLC.
Synthesis of nitridoosmium(VI) dithiolene complexes

Abstract The reaction of [N(n-Bu) 4 ][Os(N)Cl 4 ] or [PPh 4 ][Ru(N)(OSiMe 3 ) 4 ] with benzenedithiolate produces the benzenedithiolate complexes [N(n-Bu) 4 ][Os(N)(bdt) 2 ] or [PPh 4 ][Ru(N)(bdt) 2 ]. A similar osmium(VI) complex of 1,3-dithiol-2-thione-4,5-dithiolate was also prepared by reaction of [N(n-Bu) 4 4 ] 2 [Zn(dmit) 2 ] with [N(n-Bu) 4 ][Os(N)Cl 4 ]. Organometallic complexes of benzenedithiolate [K][Os(N)(CH 2 SiMe 3 ) 2 (bdt)], and 1,3-dithiol-2-thione-4,5-dithiolate [N(n-Bu) 4 ][Os(N)(CH 2 SiMe 3 ) 2 (dmit)] were prepared from [Os(N)(CH 2 SiMe 3 ) 2 (NC 5 H 5 ) 2 ][BF 4 ] and dithiolate salts.
Predictors of sources of self-confidence in collegiate athletes

The present study examined the antecedents of athletes' reliance on Vealey's nine sources of confidence. Achievement goal-orientation, perfectionism, coach-induced motivational climates were examined as predictors. Sources of confidence were categorized into controllable (e.g. mastery) and uncontrollable (e.g. situational favorableness) sources of confidence. Past research indicated that controllable sources of confidence are critical for enduring levels of confidence. Participants in the present study included 206 intercollegiate athletes. Path analysis showed that adaptive perfectionism positively predicted both controllable and uncontrollable sources of confidence, whereas maladaptive perfectionism positively only predicted uncontrollable sources of confidence. Ego-goal orientation and ego-involving motivational climate were not significant predictors; however, task-goal orientation and task-involving motivational climate were positive predictors of both categories of sources. Results implicate that nu...
Tissue Doppler Imaging for the Assessment of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function

Introduction Echocardiography plays an essential role in the evaluation of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function. Over the past decade, the diagnostic armamentarium was fortified by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). The technique is based on recording the high amplitude, low frequency signals generated by tissue motion. Myocardial velocities can be measured in a longitudinal and a radial direction, and can be used to compute regional displacement and deformation. TDI has been successfully applied to study segmental LV systolic and diastolic function, since myocardial velocities are strongly related to interstitial fibrosis, beta-adrenergic receptor density, and regional cytokine expression. For examining global LV diastolic function, mitral annulus velocities are recorded by Pulsedwave Doppler and the velocities can be measured on line from the spectral display (Fig. 1).
High-SNR model order selection using exponentially embedded family and its applications to curve fitting and clustering

The exponentially embedded family (EEF) of probability density functions was originally proposed in [1] for model order selection. The performance of the original EEF deteriorates somewhat when nuisance parameters are present, especially in the case of high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Therefore, we propose a new EEF for model order selection in the case of high SNR. It is shown that without nuisance parameters, the new EEF is the same as the original EEF. However, with nuisance parameters, the new EEF takes a different form. The new EEF is applied to problems of polynomial curve fitting and clustering. Simulation results show that, with nuisance parameters, the new EEF outperforms the original EEF and Bayesian information criterion (BIC) at high SNR.
Vacuum-ultraviolet quantum efficiency of a phosphor-coated charge-coupled device

The absolute quantum efficiency (QE) of two 1024 × 1024 pixel phosphor-coated (lumigen) chargecoupled devices has been measured in the band from 1216 to 5200 A. It is found that the average QE is 17.7 ± 1.8% for the lot 1 detector and 18.1 ± 1.8% for the lot 2 detector in the band from 1600 to 3800 A. The sensitivity rises on the long-wavelength side of the measurement band to 32% at 5200 A and falls with the wavelength below 1600 A. The two detectors have different spatial uniformity characteristics; both have a very uniform response (±2%) to 5200-A flat-field illumination, although only one of the devices has a flat ultraviolet response. The read noise of these devices is 8 electrons (e(-)).
Gate currents in heterostructure field-effect transistors: contribution by warm' electrons

Abstract The two-dimensional electron gas in a geterostructure field-effect transistor is heated by the drain potential. The elevated electron temperature in turn causes an increased gate current. The highest electron temperature is reached at the drain. However, the gate-to-channel barrier is the highest at the drain, which decreases the electron transfer over the barrier. In this paper we investigate the dependence of the gate current on lattice temperature and drain bias, and show that at high drain and gate biases the largest contribution to the gate current comes from the region where the electron temperature, leading to the electron emission from the channel to the gate, is less than 100°C larger than the lattice temperature.
Cytoprotective influence of ZVAD-fmk and glycine on gel-entrapped rat hepatocytes in a bioartificial liver

Abstract Background: This study was designed to determine if an anti-necrotic compound, glycine, and/or an anti-apoptotic agent, ZVAD-fmk, improved the viability and function of hepatocytes in a bioartificial liver. Methods: Isolated rat hepatocytes were entrapped in collagen gel (1.0 –10.0 × 106 cells/mL) and cultured in serum-free medium (1:10 ratio of gel:media) supplemented with glycine alone, ZVAD-fmk alone, or glycine and ZVAD-fmk. The cytoprotective effects of glycine and ZVAD-fmk on gel-entrapped rat hepatocytes (GERH) were determined after anoxic exposure (0 – 20 hours). Cell functionality (measured by urea production), cell viability (quantitated by vital staining with fluorescein diacetate:ethidium bromide [FDA:EB]), and the mechanism of cell death (verified by electron microscopy and DNA fragmentation studies) were determined for each condition. Results: The viability of GERH declined gradually and then stabilized 12 hours after hepatocyte isolation. The rate of urea production by GERH was directly proportional to the number of viable hepatocytes. Apoptotic death predominated at low cell density, and necrotic cell death became significant at high cell density. Hepatocyte necrosis became more significant after exposure to longer periods of anoxia (4, 8, 12, and 20 hours). ZVAD-fmk provided dose-dependent cytoprotection to GERH with an optimum benefit at a concentration of 60 μmol/L. After anoxic exposure or under high cell density culture, glycine demonstrated a maximum benefit of inhibiting necrosis at a concentration of 3 mmol/L. The beneficial effects of glycine and ZVAD-fmk were additive. Conclusions: The metabolic activity of a hepatocyte bioartificial liver may benefit from the use of cytoprotective agents such as ZVAD-fmk and glycine. (Surgery 2000;127:447-55.)
pMATLAB: Parallel MATLAB Library for Signal Processing Applications

MATLAB® is one of the most commonly used languages for scientific computing with approximately one million users worldwide. At MIT Lincoln Laboratory, MATLAB is used by technical staff to develop sensor processing algorithms. MATLAB's popularity is based on availability of high-level abstractions leading to reduced code development time. Due to the compute intensive nature of scientific computing, these applications often require long running times and would benefit greatly from increased performance offered by parallel computing. pMatlab (www.ll.mit.edu/pMatlab) implements partitioned global address space (PGAS) support via standard operator overloading techniques. The core data structures in pMatlab are distributed arrays and maps, which simplify parallel programming by removing the need for explicit message passing. This paper presents the pMatlab design and results for the HPC Challenge benchmark suite. Additionally, two case studies of pMatlab use are described.
An analysis of Gray versus binary encoding in genetic search

This paper employs a Markov model to study the relative performance of binary and Gray coding in genetic algorithms. The results indicate that while there is not much difference between the two for all possible functions, Gray coding does not necessarily improve performance for functions which have fewer local optima in the Gray representation than in binary.
Analysis of time-domain back-projection for stripmap SAR

This article explores the SAR back-projection algorithm for stripmap image formation and its characteristics. The article provides a derivation of generalized time-domain back-projection from first principles. It shows that back-projection may be considered an ideal matched filter for SAR. The article presents an analysis of the sensitivity of back-projection to its geometric parameters as well as several performance considerations: azimuth beam width, residual phase error, digital elevation map accuracy, and antenna position estimation accuracy.
USING CASE-BASED INSTRUCTION TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE IN PSYCHOLOGY OF ADJUSTMENT

As a means of promoting critical thinking and connections between theoretical and applied knowledge, case-based instruction (CBI) has been shown to be an effective teaching strategy in psychology and other disciplines. In the present investigation, I build on my earlier, exploratory success with CBI in introductory psychology (Mayo, 2002) by implementing this approach in teaching psychology of adjustment, where actual case studies can be readily employed to illustrate how course content relates to real-life scenarios. Intact classes were randomly assigned to receive CBI involving a collaborative component or traditional instruction alone (control). The results of objective testing indicate that students exposed to CBI outperformed those in the control on comprehension and application of course principles. Engaging class discussions provided evidence of varied conceptual applications by students. Based on questionnaire findings, students viewed CRE as challenging, interesting, realistic, and helpful toward...
Diurnal variations in calcium and magnesium excretion in man

Abstract Diurnal variations in calcium and magnesium excretion have been demonstrated in patients in a metabolism ward whose meals were eaten between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. except for a light snack at 10 p.m. A reduction in the excretion of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and creatinine at night was observed, the decrease in calcium being proportionately greater than in other constituents. A diurnal rhythm in phosphaturia was variable being greater at night in some and less in others. Slight but consistent diurnal variations were observed in the blood serum concentrations of calcium and magnesium with lower values in the morning than in the evening. It is concluded that diet and physical activity play the dominant roles in this diurnal fluctuation, but it is suggested that there may possibly be a rhythmicity in parathyroid function as well.
SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND PROTONATION OF AN AMIDE-CONTAINING THIOLATE COMPLEX OF A RUTHENIUM NITROSYL PORPHYRIN

1-(Acetylamino)-2-methylpropane-2-thionitrite reacts with (OEP)Ru(CO) or [(OEP)Ru]2 at room temperature to give the nitrosyl thiolate derivative, namely (OEP)Ru(NO)(SC(Me)2CH2NHC(O)Me), in high yield. This nitrosyl thiolate complex is moderately air stable and has IR νNO and νCO bands at 1789 and 1673 cm-1, respectively. Protonation of this complex with tetrafluoroboric acid and subsequent workup result in the formation of the amide complex, [(OEP)Ru(NO)(OC(Me)NHCH2C(Me)2SH)]BF4, in 92% yield. The crystal structures of the neutral (OEP)Ru(NO)(SC(Me)2CH2NHC(O)Me) and cationic [(OEP)Ru(NO)(OC(Me)NHCH2C(Me)2SH)]BF4 complexes have been determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography.
Neutron scattering differential cross sections for 23Na from 1.5 to 4.5 MeV

Abstract Measurements of neutron elastic and inelastic scattering cross sections from 23Na have been performed for sixteen incident neutron energies between 1.5 and 4.5 MeV. These measurements were complemented by γ-ray excitation functions using the ( n , n ′ γ ) reaction to include excited levels not resolved in the neutron detection measurements. The time-of-flight (TOF) technique was employed for background reduction in both neutron and γ-ray measurements and for energy determination in neutron detection measurements. Previous reaction model evaluations relied primarily on neutron total cross sections and four (n, n0) and (n, n1) angular distributions in the 5 to 9 MeV range. The inclusion of more inelastic channels and measurements at lower incident neutron energies provide additional information on direct couplings between elastic and inelastic scattering as a function of angular momentum transfer. Reaction model calculations examining collective direct-coupling and compound absorption components were performed.
WHAT IS FRACTIONAL INTEGRATION

A simple construction that will be referred to as an error-duration model is shown to generate fractional integration and long memory. An error-duration representation also exists for many familiar ARMA models, making error duration an alternative to autoregression for explaining dynamic persistence in economic variables. The results lead to a straightforward procedure for simulating fractional integration and establish a connection between fractional integration and common notions of structural change. Two examples show how the error-duration model could account for fractional integration in aggregate employment and in asset price volatility.
The effect of age on acquiring laparoscopic skills.

Abstract Background and Purpose: Laparoscopic surgery is well known as having a long and variable learning curve. In fact, successive generations of surgeons were able to reduce their operative time and plateau their learning curves. This raises the question as to how early in medical education we can integrate laparoscopic skills. In this study, we are trying to demonstrate the effect of age on acquiring new laparoscopic skills. Methods: Thirty-two trainees at various educational levels and ages were recruited to our study. Trainees were divided into four age groups with eight persons in each group. Senior high school students, undergraduate college students, medical students, and junior surgery residents comprised the first, second, third, and the fourth groups, respectively. The trainees performed nine inanimate laparoscopic tasks in the laparoscopic training box and repeated each task five times. The time needed for each trial was recorded, and the results were statistically analyzed. Results: The you...
Resolving the controversies concerning thrombolysis in myocardial infarction

Summary In the first half of the decade of the 1990s, most of the confusion and uncertainties of the 1980s that surrounded the use of thrombolytic therapy found resolution. The chief accomplishment in this field over the past 2–3 years was the development of a refined mechanistic understanding, i.e. clarification of the basic inter-relationship between time to reperfusion after myocardial infarction, ventricular function preservation, and outcome mortality.
SIMULTANEOUS HEAT AND MOISTURE TRANSFER IN CHEDDAR CHEESE DURING COOLING. II. MRI TEMPERATURE MAPPING

ABSTRACT Non-destructive Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques were developed to monitor simultaneous heat and moisture transfer in cheese cooling. The FLASH imaging sequence was used to achieve fast data acquisition for temperature images. MRI results of temperature distributions in cheese blocks during cooing are very closed to those from numerical simulation.
Role of high-molecular weight tropomyosins in TGF-β-mediated control of cell motility

Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) suppresses tumor development at early stages of cancer, but enhances tumor invasion and formation of metastasis. TGF-beta1-mediated tumor invasion is associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and matrix proteolysis. The mechanisms of these TGF-beta1 responses in normal and tumor cells are not well understood. Recently, we have reported that TGF-beta1 increases expression of high-molecular weight tropomyosins (HMW-tropomyosins) and formation of actin stress fibers in normal epithelial cells. The present study investigated the role of tropomyosin in TGF-beta1-mediated cell motility and invasion. We found that TGF-beta1 restricts motility of normal epithelial cells although it promotes EMT and formation of actin stress fibers and focal adhesions. Cell motility was enhanced by siRNA-mediated suppression of HMW-tropomyosins. TGF-beta1 stimulated migration and matrix proteolysis in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells that express low levels of HMW-tropomyosins. Tet-Off-regulated expression of HMW-tropomyosin inhibited cell migration and matrix proteolysis without affecting expression of matrix metalloproteinases. Tropomyosin increased cell adhesion to matrix by enhancing actin fibers and focal adhesions. Finally, tropomyosin impaired the ability of tumor cells to form lung metastases in SCID mice. Thus, these results suggest that HMW-tropomyosins are important for TGF-beta-mediated control of cell motility and acquisition of the metastatic potential.
Bands and bypasses: 30-day morbidity and mortality of bariatric surgical procedures as assessed by prospective, multi-center, risk-adjusted ACS-NSQIP data

Previous multi-institution comparisons of open and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (ORYGB and LRYGB), and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) have been limited by the lack of unique current procedural terminology (CPT) codes. Specific codes have been available for LRYGB and LAGB since 2005 and 2006, respectively. We compare the short-term safety of these procedures, using risk-adjusted clinical data from a multi-institutional quality improvement program. The America College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) Participant Use File (PUF) was used to compare patients undergoing LRYGB with those undergoing ORYGB or LAGB. ORYGB versus LRYGB: The 2-year study period (2005–2006) included 5,777 patients (ORYGB = 1,146, LRYGB = 4,631). Patients undergoing ORYGB experienced a higher 30-day incidence of mortality (0.79% vs. 0.17%; p = 0.002), major complications rate (7.42% vs. 3.37%; p < 0.0001), any complication rate (13.18% vs. 6.69%; p < 0.0001), return visits to the OR (4.97% vs. 3.56%; p = 0.032), and longer postoperative length of stay (LOS) (median 3 vs. 2 days; p < 0.0001). After risk adjustment, ORYGB continued to demonstrate higher odds of major complication (OR = 2.04; [1.54, 2.69]). LAGB versus LRYGB: Analysis of 1 year of data from 2006 included 4,756 patients (LRYGB = 3,580, LAGB = 1,176). Those treated with LAGB experienced an equivalent 30-day mortality (0.09% vs. 0.14%; p = 1.0), and a lower rate of major complications (1.0% vs. 3.3%; p < 0.0001), any complication (2.6% vs. 6.7%; p < 0.0001), return visits to the OR (0.94% vs. 3.6%; p < 0.0001), and shorter postoperative LOS (median 1 vs. 2 days; p < 0.0001). Risk adjustment showed that LAGB was associated with a lower major complication odds (OR = 0.29; [0.16, 0.53]). Compared with LRYGB, ORYGB is associated with higher 30-day mortality and higher risk-adjusted major complication rate. While ORYGB may sometimes be indicated, a laparoscopic approach may be safer for RYGB when feasible. LAGB, compared with LRYGB, has a similarly low mortality rate and a small but statistically significant decrease in risk-adjusted 30-day complications. Clinical efficacy and long-term outcomes will need to be evaluated to determine superiority between these procedures.
Is the power spectrum of the QRS complex related to a fractal His-Purkinje system ?

Abstract Recently, considerable effort was focused on unifying various aspects of cardiac pathophysiology in terms of nonlinear dynamics, particularly through application of chaos theory and the concept of fractal geometry. 1–5 Goldberger et al 4–7 have suggested that the specialized cardiac conduction network, the His-Purkinje system, has a fractal geometry. Fractals, first described by Mandelbrot 8 and found ubiquitously in nature, are self-similar geometric structures composed of subunits that in turn are composed of smaller subunits in a cascade down to microscopic scales. Each subunit appears as a smaller but otherwise identical version of the super-structure. The normal QRS complex is a broad-band wave-form, 9,10 and its power spectrum has been shown to fall with frequency according to the following relation: P(f) = kf β (1) where k is a positive constant and β is a negative constant. 6 This type of frequency dependence is generally referred to as an inverse power law, or more simply, a power law. Goldberger et al 6 have provided a theoretical argument suggesting that the power-law nature of the QRS spectrum is a direct consequence of the proposed fractal geometry of the His-Purkinje system. We sought to test this hypothesis by studying the power spectra of QRS complexes from both normally and abnormally conducted beats. During a ventricular premature beat or an exogenously ventricular-paced beat, involvement of the His-Purkinje system in ventricular depolarization is reduced or absent. 11 Thus, comparing power spectra for these beat types with spectra for normally conducted beats provides a means for establishing the importance of the conduction system in determining QRS spectral morphology.