cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Energy expenditure of the diaphragm or "he thinks the diaphragm is the heart".

Am J Respir Crit Care Med Vol 164. pp 2145–2146, 2001 DOI: 10.1164/rccm2109050 Internet address: www.atsjournals.org *In 1976, after Dr. Ed Hook interviewed me for a position as Head, Division of Pulmonary Medicine at the University of Virginia, he told his division heads “He thinks the diaphragm’s the heart.” † Barzun published his thirteenth book at age 92: From Dawn to Decadence, 1500 to the Present, 500 Years of Western Cultural Life (HarperCollins, New York, 2000). The chapters “The Invisible College” and “The Encyclopedic Century” may be of particular interest to scientists.
The Failure of Certain Dietary Ingredients to Affect the Incidence of Blood Spots in Chicken Eggs

Abstract BLOOD SPOTS in chicken eggs have always represented a substantial economic loss to poultrymen in the United States and with the advent of improved blood spot detecting machines, this loss may be even greater. Nalbandov and Card (1944) reported that blood spots were the result of intrafollicular hemorrhaging. Stiles et al. (1958) estimated that the formation of blood spots occurred within a nine-hour period prior to ovulation. The possible effect of nutrition upon the incidence of blood spots has been investigated by a number of workers. Bearse et al. (1960) stated that low levels of vitamin A caused an increase in blood spot incidence while the vitamin A level recommended by the National Research Council for layers resulted in a minimum number of blood spots. Excessively high levels of vitamin A brought about no further reduction in blood spot incidence. Pope et al. (1961) found no influence on blood spot…
Development, fecundity, and longevity of Leschenaultia adusta, a Tachinid parasite of the salt-marsh caterpillar.

The tachinid parasite Leschenaultia adusta (Loew) developed from egg to adult in the salt-marsh caterpillar, Estigmene acrea (Drury) in a maximum of 89.5±2.8 days at 15°C and a minimum of 17.6±0.8 days at 30°C. Parasitized larvae did not survive at 35°C. One female produced 4572 eggs, whereas the mean was 1939±1365 for al females tested. At 26.7±1.1°C, the mean preoviposition period was 7.6±1.0 days, the mean days of oviposition 9.1±6.5, and the mean longevity 17.0±6.8 days.
Development of computational methodologies for the prediction and analysis of solid-state terahertz spectra

The analytical applications of terahertz (THz) spectroscopy for the characterization of molecular solids have been limited by the lack of information concerning the assignment of observed spectral features to specific internal (intramolecular) and external (intermolecular) atomic motions. Computational methodologies addressing the assignment of spectral data are the enabling technology for moving THz spectroscopy to the forefront of available detection methods for both imaging and spectroscopic applications. Solid-state density functional theory (DFT) studies have been performed on the high explosives cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX) and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) in order to address the dependencies of the predictions of solid-state vibrations in the terahertz (3 to 120 cm−1) region on the choice of basis set and integration grid size, building on previous work that examined this dependency on the choice of density functional. DFT THz simulations reveal that both the choice of basis set and grid size have important influences on the reproduction of spectral features. The sensitivity to basis set choice is most pronounced in the calculation of vibrational intensities, where it is found that THz absorption intensities are most accurately reproduced when derived from basis set-sensitive Mulliken atomic charges as opposed to basis set-insensitive atomic charges generated by the Hirshfeld partitioning method.
Flashbulb memories are special after all; in phenomenology, not accuracy

Consistency of flashbulb memories (FBMs) of the 11th September terrorist attacks and of everyday memories (EDMs) of the preceding weekend do not differ, in both cases declining over the following year for a group of Duke University undergraduates. However, ratings of recollection, vividness and other phenomenological properties were consistently higher for FBMs than for EDMs across time. Belief in the accuracy of memory was initially high for both memories, but declined over time only for EDMs. These findings confirm that FBMs are not extraordinarily accurate, but they may systematically differ from EDMs in other meaningful ways. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Future Directions for U. S. Trade

HE United States now faces a clear choice between alternative trade policies. On the one hand, the AFL-CIO and some others actively support unilateral U. S. imposition of a new regime of comprehensive import quotas. If erected in the form which these groups presently propose, the Burke-Hartke bill, the new regime would reduce U. S. imports by at least $11 billion from the 1971 level and limit their growth to a fixed share of U. S. consumption thereafter.' Any such cutback in U. S. imports would cut back U. S. exports by at least a like amount, in view of foreign income effects, overt retaliation, and emulation by other countries of the U. S. moves. Thus the decline in world trade would be roughly double the size of the U. S. action-about 8 percent of world trade in 1971.2 The Burke-Hartke bill is highly unlikely to become law in its present extreme form. But a new "orderly marketing" regime, which would limit future import growth to some given share of the U. S. market, implemented either by the U. S. or through the favored new technique of "voluntary export restraints" by foreign suppliers, is a distinct possibility.3 Indeed, the U. S. has been applying such restraints in several key industries over the past decade (cotton textiles, meat, steel, synthetic and woolen textiles, stainless steel flatware, etc.), and such a generalized approach would in one sense represent a culmination of present trends. On the other hand, the U. S. Administration and numerous private groups have been actively calling for new international negotiations to resume the earlier postwar effort to reduce national barriers to world trade, and to devise new international rules and mechanisms to
Site-specific reactivity of oxygen at Cu(110) step defects : an STM study of ammonia dehydrogenation

Defects on surfaces, such as steps, are known to influence catalytic activity considerably, but few microscopic observations have been made of such site-specific reactivity. Using atomic-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), we have observed the reactivity of oxygen adsorbed in the (2 × 1) structure at step sites on the Cu(110) surface with ammonia. It is found that the reactivity is high at both the top and bottom of a [11¯0] step and at the bottom of a [001] step, whereas almost no reaction occurs at the sites bordering the top of a [001] step. Reaction at the bottom of [001] steps appears to lead to deposition of copper atoms at the step edge.
Affordable Universal Solar Tracker

With the global growth of solar technologies, the general public is beginning to utilize these efficient power sources in their everyday lives. In response, the NMSU Solar team is developing a product to help the enthusiasts and businesses that fuel this green movement. The NMSU Solar team is developing an affordable, standalone digital solar tracker that can be mounted to any device (e.g. solar panels, parabolic dish, etc.). The digital solar tracker is being designed to fit the needs of price conscious businesses and the abilities of hobbyists wanting to build their own personal tracker. The device utilizes a digital clock chip for the date and time, a simple magnetometer as a digital compass, and an accelerometer to detect the acceleration of gravity to locate the sun by its geographical location. Once the system has its target face within a few degrees of being normal to the sun, it employs a quadrant-photo-diode to precisely calculate the sun’s direction. By coupling the system with two multiplexers, an Arduino board, and an X-Bee chip, the system can be remotely controlled and monitored from a single command post up to a mile away. The use of the Arduino’s 10 bit resolution analog-to-digital converter allows the unit to have a remote DAQ system capable of reading temperatures, pressures, and power from the solar device. The results can be sent back to a computer for data logging or monitoring. Because these components are in water resistant housing with a small battery and a 10 watt solar panel, the system can give years of service. This basic design is an effective tool for large businesses or a “must have” upgrade for the enthusiast looking to gain every ounce of power from existing solar panels. By releasing the code and design to the public after its final development, the NMSU Solar team hopes to aid in the sustainability of a power hungry world.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
A core curriculum for entering graduate medical education trainees

The Graduate Medical Dental Education Consortium of Buffalo—consisting of the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, the School of Dental Medicine, and eight affiliated hospitals of the University at Buffalo—developed a core curriculum of topics of multidisciplinary importance for the orientation of all first‐year residents who will receive their graduate medical education (GME) training in the participating hospitals. More than 120 faculty members representing diverse fields and medical specialties cover topics including medicolegal issues, teaching skills, and advanced cardiac life support. The faculty and residents cooperated in the revision and refinement of the program. This is the first identifiable report of such a comprehensive educational program serving the needs of a diverse audience. It provides a model which demonstrates how a consortium can nurture close working relationships and deliver cost‐effective educational innovations in GME.
Tropolone, a ligand for a lipophilic chelate with technetium-99m

A lipophilic chelate formed from tropolone and99mTc is described. Radiochemical yields of the chelate were 90–95%. The radiochemical purity of neutral chelate as determined by HPLC was greater than 95%. The octanol/water partition coefficient of the chelate was 3.2 Whole-body distribution studies of the labeled chelate were carried out in rats.
Cystovirus Maturation at Atomic Resolution

Cystoviruses are dsRNA viruses that infect bacteria and include bacteriophages Φ8 and Φ6. In this issue of Structure, El Omari and colleagues and Nemecek and colleagues report crystal structures of capsid protein P1 pentamers found in procapsid cores of Φ8 and Φ6. The two structures show a striking resemblance in the absence of sequence similarity and offer new mechanistic and evolutionary insights.
Statistical properties of an algorithm used for illicit substance detection by fast-neutron transmission

A least-squares algorithm developed for analysis of fast-neutron transmission data resulting from non-destructive interrogation of sealed luggage and containers is subjected to a probabilistic interpretation. The approach is to convert knowledge of uncertainties in the derived areal elemental densities, as provided by this algorithm, into probability information that can be used to judge whether an interrogated object is either benign or potentially contains an illicit substance that should be investigated further. Two approaches are considered in this paper. One involves integration of a normalized probability density function associated with the least-squares solution. The other tests this solution against a hypothesis that the interrogated object indeed contains illicit material. This is accomplished by an application of the F-distribution from statistics. These two methods of data interpretation are applied to specific sets of neutron transmission results produced by Monte Carlo simulation.
The Yuan Tomorrow? Evaluating China's Currency Internationalisation Strategy

‘Stop spend borrowed money! US dollar, here today … Yuan tomorrow.’ Sign on a bank in Franklin, North Carolina, July 2011 After long hesitation, China has begun a determined campaign to promote the...
Temporal Variability in the Concentration and Stable Carbon Isotope Composition of Dissolved Inorganic and Organic Carbon in Two Montana, USA Rivers

Here we report diel (24 h) and seasonal differences in the concentration and stable carbon isotope composition of dissolved inorganic (DIC) and organic carbon (DOC) in the Clark Fork (CFR) and Big Hole (BHR) Rivers of southwestern Montana, USA. In the CFR, DIC concentration decreased during the daytime and increased at night while DOC showed an inverse temporal relationship; increasing in the daytime most likely due to release of organic photosynthates and decreasing overnight due to heterotrophic consumption. The stable isotope composition of DIC (δ13C-DIC) became enriched during the day and depleted over night and the δ13C-DOC displayed the inverse temporal pattern. Additionally, the night time molar rate of decrease in the concentration of DOC was up to two orders of magnitude smaller than the rate of increase in the concentration of DIC indicating that oxidation of DOC was responsible for only a small part of the increase in inorganic carbon. In the BHR, in two successive years (late summer 2006 & 2007), the DIC displayed little diel concentration change, however, the δ13C-DIC did show a more typical diel pattern characteristic of the influences of photosynthesis and respiration indicating that the isotopic composition of DIC can change while the concentration stays relatively constant. During 2006, a sharp night time increase in DOC was measured; opposite to the result observed in the CFR and may be related to the night time increase in flow and pH also observed in that year. This night time increase in DOC, flow, and pH was not observed 1 year later at approximately the same time of year. An in-stream mesocosm chamber used during 2006 showed that the night time increase in pH and DOC did not occur in water that was isolated from upstream or hyporheic contributions. This result suggests that a “pulse” of high DOC and pH water was advected to the sampling site in the BHR in 2006 and a model is proposed to explain this temporal pattern.
Relative efficiency of HgBr(B-X) formation due to collisions of N2+/CO+ ions and HgBr2

Abstract Emission spectra of the HgBr(B 2 Σ-X 2 Σ) band system and atomic mercury lines have been observed and cross sections for excitation of the strongest band of the HgBr(B 2 Σ, ν=0→X 2 Σ, ν=22) transition have been measured during collisions of HgBr 2 and N 2 + or CO + ions at different laboratory kinetic energies.
Determination of the Concentrations of Metal Cations in Aqueous Solutions Using Proton NMR Spectral Area Integration of the EDTA Complexes

This paper introduces an alternative method to determine the concentrations of metal cations in aqueous solutions, using area integration of proton NMR spectra of EDTA (the disodium salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) metal complexes. Using this method, a certain volume of unknown metal cation solution is added to an excess amount of standard EDTA solution, and the ratio of the remaining free EDTA and the EDTA–metal complex in the solution can be calculated from the integration areas of the proton NMR spectra. Unlike the conventional complexometric titration, where indicators need to be used to determine the endpoint, this NMR method aims to provide a simple method to eliminate the need for using indicators. This method, when EDTA is used as the standard, is valid for determining the concentrations of nonparamagnetic transition and rare earth metal cations, and for the concentrations of group IIIA and IVA metal cations.
Experimental Results On Relativistic Gyrodevices

Experimental work at the Naval Research Laboratory has proceeded on three different relativistic gyrodevices, the cyclotron autoresonance maser (CARM), the three cavity phase-locked gyrotron oscillator, and the high power free running gyrotron oscillator. Experimental results relating to these projects will be presented.
Many pictures of the superparticle

Abstract The covariant quantization of the improved supersymmetric particle action is performed and its BRST-cohomology group is calculated. It is shown that there are many different pictures of the theory corresponding to different vacua in the spinorial ghost sector.
GovBenefits.gov: an electronic government case study

GovBenefits.gov, launched in 2002, illustrates success factors outlined in previous research. A case study approach is used in this paper to explore how GovBenefits.gov resolved challenges since its inception. Especially important to GovBenefits.gov was the ability to collaborate with US federal agencies in a formal governance structure; to develop, maintain and expand technology solutions as the site evolved and to measure and report value to citizens and funding partners. The GovBenefits.gov story provides insights into how to evaluate other electronic government initiatives and the US Executive Branch's progress in meeting its electronic government goals.
Geometrical and positional isomerization of alkenyl acetates produced by hydrogenation of alkynyl acetates over palladium metal catalysts

Alkenyl acetates containing both geometrical isomers can be produced by a single controlled catalytic hydrogenation of the corresponding alkynyl acetate. The hydrogenation is capable of yielding formulations containing up to 60% trans isomer; the reduction is attended by positional isomerization in both geometrical isomers.
Proton and 45Sc nuclear-magnetic-resonance study of hydrogen diffusive hopping in hcp scandium.

The activation energy ${E}_{a}$ (0.54\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01 eV) and attempt frequency ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{0}$ (1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{14}$Hz\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}50%) of hydrogen diffusive hopping in dilute solid solution in hcp Sc metal (\ensuremath{\alpha}-${\mathrm{ScH}}_{\mathrm{x}}$) have been determined from NMR measurements of the temperature dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation rates of both proton and $^{45}\mathrm{Sc}$. For low hydrogen concentrations (x\ensuremath{\le}0.11), the results are in excellent agreement with expectations based on inelastic neutron scattering measurements on the closely similar Y-H system. The absence of a prefactor anomaly, in particular in the proton results, is consistent with repulsive particle-particle interactions at the saddle point being responsible for such anomalies.
Training Set Compression by Incremental Clustering

Abstract Compression of training sets is a technique for reducing training set size without degrading classiﬁ-cation accuracy. By reducing the size of a training set, training will be more efﬁcient in addition tosaving storage space. In this paper, an incremental clustering algorithm, the Leader algorithm, is usedto reduce the size of a training set by effectively subsampling the training set. Experiments on sev-eral standard data sets using SVM and KNN as classiﬁers indic ate that the proposed method is moreefﬁcient than CONDENSE in reducing the size of training set w ithout degrading the classiﬁcationaccuracy. While the compression ratio for the CONDENSE method is ﬁxed, the proposed methodoffers variable compression ratio through the cluster threshold value.Keywords: Clustering, Support vector machine, KNN, Pattern recognition, CONDENSE. 1. Introduction The training and/or testing complexity of a classiﬁer usual ly depends on the size of the trainingset, e.g. the nearest neighbor (NN) classiﬁer [1]. Nearest n eighbor and its generalized form, theK-nearest neighbor (KNN) classiﬁer, are among the most popular non-parametric classiﬁers. Themembership of an unknown sample is classiﬁed based on the maj ority vote of the K nearest neigh-bors. There is no explicit learning from the training set. The entire training set itself deﬁnes thedecision boundaries. It is conceptually simple and shows good performance in many applications,e.g. it was used in face recognition for visitor identiﬁcati on [2] and it was shown that it outper-formed more sophisticated algorithms that use Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and neuralnetworks. Unfortunately, when the size of the training set is high, it requires a lot of memory tostore the entire training set and it also takes longer to search for the nearest neighbors of a given testpattern to make a single membership classiﬁcation. Obvious ly, reducing the size of a training setcan improve the space and time efﬁciency of KNN. There has bee n considerable interest in reducingthe training set size by editing, especially in the context of NN. Different proximity graphs (such asDelaunay triangulation) may be used for editing NN rules [3,4]. Complexities of such approachesare prohibitively high. For example, the Voronoi diagram has worst case complexity ofΘ(n
Restraining orders among victims of intimate partner homicide

Background: Most intimate partner homicides (IPHs) follow a long history of violence and occur while the victim is ending the relationship. Restraining orders are a common legal recourse by which to seek protection from an abusive partner. This study expands on prior research by examining the restraining order history of IPH victims by characteristics of the victim, assailant, and homicide. Methods: State-wide databases containing information about restraining orders and homicides were linked, and bivariate and multivariate statistics were then calculated to identify differences between IPH victims who had and had not been issued a restraining order. Results: About 11% of 231 women killed by male intimates had been issued a restraining order. About one-fifth of the female IPH victims who had a restraining order were killed within 2 days of the order being issued; about one-third were killed within a month. Nearly half of those with a restraining order had been protected by multiple orders. Victims killed in a shared residence (versus elsewhere) had lower odds of having a restraining order, whereas victims from rural (versus urban) counties, married (versus dating) victims, and Latino (versus non-Latino) victim–offender dyads had higher odds of having a restraining order. The type of weapon used was not associated with whether the victim had been under the protection of a restraining order. Conclusions: Most female IPH victims did not have a restraining order when they were killed. Further research is needed to determine whether restraining orders protect against IPH and, if they do, on how to increase their utilization.
Effects of Extended Work Shifts and Shift Work on Patient Safety, Productivity, and Employee Health

It is estimated 1.3 million health care errors occur each year and of those errors 48,000 to 98,000 result in the deaths of patients (Barger et al., 2006). Errors occur for a variety of reasons, including the effects of extended work hours and shift work. The need for around-the-clock staff coverage has resulted in creative ways to maintain quality patient care, keep health care errors or adverse events to a minimum, and still meet the needs of the organization. One way organizations have attempted to alleviate staff shortages is to create extended work shifts. Instead of the standard 8-hour shift, workers are now working 10, 12, 16, or more hours to provide continuous patient care. Although literature does support these staffing patterns, it cannot be denied that shifts beyond the traditional 8 hours increase staff fatigue, health care errors, and adverse events and outcomes and decrease alertness and productivity. This article includes a review of current literature on shift work, the definition of shift work, error rates and adverse outcomes related to shift work, health effects on shift workers, shift work effects on older workers, recommended optimal shift length, positive and negative effects of shift work on the shift worker, hazards associated with driving after extended shifts, and implications for occupational health nurses.
Application of heavy-ion RBS to compositional analysis of thin films

Abstract A 8 MeV multicharged carbon or oxygen beam was used for Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) compositional analysis. Thin films of Co, Cu, Si, and NiCr of a few nm thickness were deposited on carbon substrates by vacuum evaporation or Ar sputtering. The measured results demonstrate that the mass resolution is much better for the heavy-ion RBS than for the He-RBS analysis. For the compositional analysis, a fitting function formula is proposed based on a simple model in which the thin film consists of many islands. The calculated results agree with the measured spectra, which show asymmetry of the peaks. Numerical analyses using the fitting function give reasonable agreement between the expected and measured ratios of mass elements in the films.
Why Cultural Anthropology Needs the Psychiatrist.

(1938). Why Cultural Anthropology Needs the Psychiatrist. Psychiatry: Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 7-12.
Optimal Management of Molds in Stored Corn

Abstract Long term storage of corn is becoming more common due to the recent increase in the demand for corn by ethanol plants. Infection of maize kernels by toxigenic fungi remains a challenging storage problem despite decades of research. Experts in storage management propose the use of a combination of preventive and monitoring-based responsive strategies in response to mold risks. In this paper, a stochastic dynamic programming model is solved to determine the expected profitability and optimal combination, timing, and intensity of the proposed mold management strategies using farmers’ existing infrastructure. The results show that even with relatively high monitoring costs, maintaining high quality grain using a monitoring-based optimal mold management strategy costs less than the benefit it fetches. The current typical practice by Indiana farmers of aerating the grain until the end of December and doing nothing thereafter bears a high risk of economic losses if grain is to be stored until later during the summer. Generally, the optimal mold management strategy depends on monitoring the biophysical conditions of the grain and the time period under consideration. If the in-bin temperature is high and less than 5% of kernels are mold damaged, then aerating when the outside temperature is at least 3 °C less than the in-bin temperature and continuing to store the grain is the optimal strategy.
Behavior, Analysis, and Design of an Instrumented Link Slab Bridge

Presented in this paper are the results of a research project on the monitoring and assessment of the first link slab jointless bridge in the state of North Carolina. The structure was instrumented with a remote data acquisition system and monitored for over a year. In addition, a controlled load test was conducted in an effort to determine the demand on the link slab under known loads. A procedure for the limit-states design of a link slab system is also presented. Results indicate that while the crack size in the link slab exceeded the design level, the link slab fulfilled its function. Furthermore, the rotational demand from the large controlled loads as well as the traffic loads was similar in magnitude to the thermal induced rotations due to the difference in temperature between the top and bottom of the bridge.
ElrA binding to the 3′UTR of cyclin E1 mRNA requires polyadenylation elements

The early cell divisions of Xenopus laevis and other metazoan embryos occur in the presence of constitutively high levels of the cell cycle regulator cyclin E1. Upon completion of the 12th cell division, a time at which many maternal proteins are downregulated by deadenylation and destabilization of their encoding mRNAs, maternal cyclin E1 protein is downregulated while its mRNA is polyadenylated and stable. We report here that stable polyadenylation of cyclin E1 mRNA requires three cis-acting elements in the 3' untranslated region; the nuclear polyadenylation sequence, a contiguous cytoplasmic polyadenylation element and an upstream AU-rich element. ElrA, the Xenopus homolog of HuR and a member of the ELAV gene family binds the cyclin E1 3'UTR with high affinity. Deletion of these elements dramatically reduces the affinity of ElrA for the cyclin E1 3'UTR, abolishes polyadenylation and destabilizes the mRNA. Together, these findings provide compelling evidence that ElrA functions in polyadenylation and stabilization of cyclin E1 mRNA via binding these elements.
There’s Node Place Like Home

Restoring organ function—and thus avoiding the hopelessly long transplant list—is a goal of regenerative medicine. To provide engineered tissues and organs, many approaches have focused on rebuilding the organ at its normal location in the body. Now, Komori and co-workers suggest a new “home
The Pediatrician's Approach to the Preschool Child with Language Delay:

A systematic approach to the child with suspected language disorder includes screening of expressive language, receptive language, general development, and hearing. Various screening approaches and tools are discussed. Diagnostic categories and associated referral patterns are recommended.
AM-FM Demodulation Methods for Reconstruction, Analysis and Motion Estimation in Video signals

In this paper, we present new 3D Amplitude-Modulation Frequency Modulation (AM-FM) methods for video image analysis. We develop a framework that allows us to reconstruct the input video using AM-FM representations and also provide motion estimates that correspond to these AM-FM representations. The proposed motion estimation method provides three motion estimation equations per channel filter (AM, FM motion equations and a continuity equation). The methods are implemented using efficient, separable ID filterbanks. We demonstrate the method in motion tracking, trajectory estimation and video signal reconstruction.
Quantifying 'problematic' DIF within an IRT framework: application to a cancer stigma index

Purpose DIF detection within an IRT framework is highly powerful, often identifying significant DIF that is of little clinical importance. This paper introduces two metrics for IRT DIF evaluation that can discern potentially problematic DIF among items flagged with statistically significant DIF.
Social relationships and their biological correlates: Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study.

Abstract Objective Analyses test the hypothesis that aspects of social relationships (quantity of ties, social support and social strain) are associated with differences in levels of biological risk across multiple major physiological regulatory systems and consequently overall multi-systems risk (i.e., allostatic load [AL]). Methods Data are from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study – a bi-ethnic, prospective, multi-center epidemiological study, initiated in 1985–1986 to track the development of cardiovascular risk in young adulthood (N = 5115). At the year 15 follow-up when participants were between 32 and 45 years of age, additional social and biological data were collected; biological data used to assess AL were collected at the Oakland, CA and Chicago, IL sites (N = 844). Results Social strains were most strongly and positively related to overall AL (Cohen's d = .79 for highest vs. lowest quartile), and to each of its component biological subsystems, independent of social ties and support as well as sociodemographics and health behaviors. Social ties and emotional support were also negatively related to AL (Cohen's d = .33 and d = .44 for lowest vs. highest quartiles of ties and support, respectively) though controls for social strains reduced these associations to non-significance. Social support and social strain were more strongly related to overall AL than to any of its component subscales while social ties were less strongly related to AL and to its component subscales. There was no evidence that effects differed by sex, age or ethnicity. Conclusions Findings focus attention on the particularly strong relationship between social strains and profiles of biological risk and support the cumulative impact of social factors on biological risks, showing larger effects for cumulative AL than for any of the individual biological systems.
Spontaneous fluctuation indices of the cardiovagal baroreflex accurately measure the baroreflex sensitivity at the operating point during upright tilt

Spontaneous fluctuation indices of cardiovagal baroreflex have been suggested to be inaccurate measures of baroreflex function during orthostatic stress compared with alternate open-loop methods (e.g. neck pressure/suction, modified Oxford method). We therefore tested the hypothesis that spontaneous fluctuation measurements accurately reflect local baroreflex gain (slope) at the operating point measured by the modified Oxford method, and that apparent differences between these two techniques during orthostasis can be explained by a resetting of the baroreflex function curve. We computed the sigmoidal baroreflex function curves supine and during 70° tilt in 12 young, healthy individuals. With the use of the modified Oxford method, slopes (gains) of supine and upright curves were computed at their maxima (Gmax) and operating points. These were compared with measurements of spontaneous indices in both positions. Supine spontaneous analyses of operating point slope were similar to calculated Gmax of the modified Oxford curve. In contrast, upright operating point was distant from the centering point of the reset curve and fell on the nonlinear portion of the curve. Whereas spontaneous fluctuation measurements were commensurate with the calculated slope of the upright modified Oxford curve at the operating point, they were significantly lower than Gmax. In conclusion, spontaneous measurements of cardiovagal baroreflex function accurately estimate the slope near operating points in both supine and upright position.
A miniaturized antenna for surface‐to‐surface and surface‐to‐orbiter applications

A folded Hilbert curve fractal antenna (fHCFA) which produces end-fire radiation at the S-band and broadside radiation at the Ku-band without switches is presented. The measured gains/bandwidths were 1.2 dBi/10 MHz and 5.4 dBi/500 MHz at 2.3 GHz (S-band) and 16.8 GHz (Ku-band), respectively. This work offers a compact antenna design as a candidate for robotic applications in future NASA planetary exploration missions. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 859–862, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21499
The nature of verbal memory impairment in multiple sclerosis: a list-learning and meta-analytic study.

The primary purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have impaired acquisition rather than a retrieval deficit. Verbal memory impairment in MS was examined in 53 relapsing-remitting MS patients and 31 healthy controls (HC), and in a meta-analysis of studies that examined memory functioning in MS with list-learning tasks. The MS group demonstrated significantly lower acquisition and delayed recall performance than the HC group, and the meta-analysis revealed that the largest effect sizes were obtained for acquisition measures relative to delayed recall and recognition. Our data argue against a retrieval deficit as the sole explanation for verbal memory impairment in MS, and make a consistent case for the position that deficient acquisition contributes to the memory dysfunction of MS patients. Deficient acquisition may result from demyelination in relevant white matter tracts that reduces encoding efficiency as a result of impaired speed of information processing. (JINS, 2013, 19, 995–1008)
Micromechanics of deformation of metallic-glass-matrix composites from in situ synchrotron strain measurements and finite element modeling

We have used in situ X-ray scattering and finite element modeling (FEM) to examine the micromechanics of deformation of in situ formed metallic-glass-matrix composites consisting of Ta-rich particles dispersed in an amorphous matrix. The strain measurements show that under uniaxial compression the second-phase particles yield at an applied stress of similar to 325 MPa. After yielding, the particles do not strain hardon significantly; we show that this is due to an increasingly hydrostatic stress state arising from the lateral constraint on deformation of the particles imposed by the elastic matrix. Shear band initiation in the matrix is not due to the difference in elastic properties between the matrix and the particles. Rather, the development of a plastic misfit strain causes stress concentrations around the particles, resulting in localized yielding of the matrix by shear band formation at an applied stress of similar to 1450 MPa, considerably lower than the macroscopic yield stress of the composite (similar to 1725 MPa). Shear bands do not propagate at the lower stress because the yield criterion of the matrix is only satisfied in the region immediately around the particles. At the higher stresses, the yield criterion is satisfied in large regions of the matrix, allowing extensive shear band propagation and significant macroscopic plastic deformation. However, the presence of the particles makes the stress state highly inhomogeneous, which may partially explain why fracture is suppressed in the composite, allowing the development of large plastic strains. (c) 2005 Acta Materialia, Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Older Adult Perceptions of Smart Home Technologies: Implications for Research, Policy & Market Innovations in Healthcare

Advances in information communications technology and related computational power are providing a wide array of systems and related services that form the basis of smart home technologies to support the health, safety and independence of older adults. While these technologies offer significant benefits to older people and their families, they are also transforming older adults into lead adopters of a new 24/7 lifestyle of being monitored, managed, and, at times, motivated, to maintain their health and wellness. To better understand older adult perceptions of smart home technologies and to inform future research a workshop and focus group was conducted with 30 leaders in aging advocacy and aging services from 10 northeastern states. Participants expressed support of technological advance along with a variety of concerns that included usability, reliability, trust, privacy, stigma, accessibility and affordability. Participants also observed that there is a virtual absence of a comprehensive market and policy environment to support either the consumer or the diffusion of these technologies. Implications for research, policy and market innovation are discussed.
Scalable cluster administration - Chiba City I approach and lessons learned

Systems administrators of large clusters often need to perform the same administrative task hundreds or thousands of times. Administrators have traditionally performed some time-consuming tasks, such as operating system installation, configuration, and maintenance, manually. By combining network services such as DHCP, TFTP, FTP, HTTP, and NFS with remote hardware control and scripted installation, configuration, and maintenance techniques, cluster administrators can automate these administrative tasks. Scalable cluster administration addresses this challenge: What hardware and software design techniques can cluster builders use to automate cluster administration on very large clusters? We describe the approach used in the Mathematics and Computer Science Division of Argonne National Laboratory on Chiba City I, a 314-node Linux cluster; and we analyze the scalability, flexibility, performance and reliability benefits and limitations from that approach.
Effect of Alcohol Intoxication on the Diagnosis and Apparent Severity of Brain Injury

Because alcohol intoxication is common among brain-injured patients, we performed this study to determine the extent to which alcohol alters the initial assessment of brain injury severity in these patients by depressing the level of consciousness. The Glasgow coma scale was used to measure the level of consciousness of 257 brain-injured adults admitted to the University of Virginia Hospital, both on arrival in the emergency room and 6 to 10 hours later. Improvement in the level of consciousness between the first and second measurements was significantly related to the blood alcohol concentration on admission. Patients with the highest blood alcohol concentrations showed the greatest improvement. Most of this effect occurred in patients with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.20% or higher. Alcohol intoxication is a potential source of bias in the clinical classification of brain injuries according to severity.
Properties-based retrieval and user decision states: user control and behavior modeling

As retrieval set size in information retrieval (IR) becomes larger, users may need greater interactive opportunities to determine for themselves potential relevance of the resources offered by a given collection. A parts-of-document approach, coupled with an interactive graphic interface and control panel, permits end users to tailor the information seeking (IS) session. Applying the model described by the author in a previous paper in this journal, this paper explores two issues: whether a group of information seekers in the same research domain will want to use this type of IR interaction, and whether such interaction is more successful than relevancy ranked lists, based on the general vector model. In addition, the paper proposes the use of gradient space as a means of capturing end users' cognitive states -- decision-making points -- during a parts-of-document-based IR session. It concludes that, for a group of biomedical researchers, a parts-of-document approach is preferred for certain IR situations and that gradient space provides designers of systems with empirical evidence suited for systems analysis.
Outcome of elective endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in octogenarians and nonagenarians.

Objective Compared to open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is associated with decreased perioperative morbidity and mortality. This study sought to examine the outcomes of EVAR in patients ≥80 years of age. Methods This was a retrospective review from a prospectively maintained computerized database. A total of 322 patients aged ≥80 underwent elective EVAR from January 1997 to November 2007. Mean age was 84 years ± 3.4 years (range, 80-95 years), and 78.5% were male. Mean aneurysm size was 62 mm ± 12 mm (range, 39-110 mm). Results Mean procedural blood loss was 350 mL (range, 50-2700 mL), and 13.9% required intraoperative transfusion. Mean length of postoperative stay was 2.46 days (median, 1 day; range, 1-42 days), with 54.3% of patients discharged on the first postoperative day. There were 25 (7.8%) perioperative major adverse events. The most common were categorized as device-related (6), cardiac (4), gastrointestinal (4), and bleeding/hematoma (3). The perioperative 30-day mortality rate was 3.1% (10 of 322). Mean follow-up was 25.7 months (range, 1-110 months). Overall, 47 patients (14.6%) required secondary intervention, 7 patients (2.2%) underwent conversion to open repair, and 4 patients (1.2%) died from AAA rupture. Endoleaks occurred in 95 patients (29.4%), with 20 type I, 48 type II, and 27 of indeterminate type; of these, 10 patients with type I endoleaks underwent secondary intervention. Freedom from all-cause mortality at 1 year was 84.3% and at 5 years was 27.4%. Freedom from aneurysm-related mortality at 5 years was 92.9%. Conclusion EVAR in octogenarians is associated with high procedural success and low perioperative morbidity and mortality. The midterm results of this study support the use of EVAR in this patient population. Further studies are needed to predict short-term and long-term mortality risk, and treatment for other causes of death.
Modeling and simulation of shipboard power system protection schemes using coordination of overcurrent relay

Combining the modeling and simulation of power systems and control systems is a challenge. Several packages allow the optimization of either the power system functionality or the control system functionality. Research efforts are underway at Mississippi State University to model the protection functionality of microprocessor controlled relays to allow the integration of the protection system and power system models for advanced optimization and simulation analysis related to shipboard power systems (SPS). This paper presents a detailed overview of the overcurrent relay model and procedures used to conduct closed loop coordination testing of relays using a real time digital simulator (RTDS). The coordination of a relay is a useful concept, which is used widely in the protection of a power system. This paper mainly focuses on the coordination of overcurrent relays in order to protect the SPS after severe disturbances.
Chlamydia trachomatis Transports NAD via the Npt1 ATP/ADP Translocase

Obligate intracellular bacteria comprising the order Chlamydiales lack the ability to synthesize nucleotides de novo and must acquire these essential compounds from the cytosol of the host cell. The environmental protozoan endosymbiont Protochlamydia amoebophila UWE25 encodes five nucleotide transporters with specificities for different nucleotide substrates, including ATP, GTP, CTP, UTP, and NAD. In contrast, the human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis encodes only two nucleotide transporters, the ATP/ADP translocase C. trachomatis Npt1 (Npt1(Ct)) and the nucleotide uniporter Npt2(Ct), which transports GTP, UTP, CTP, and ATP. The notable absence of a NAD transporter, coupled with the lack of alternative nucleotide transporters on the basis of bioinformatic analysis of multiple C. trachomatis genomes, led us to re-evaluate the previously characterized transport properties of Npt1(Ct). Using [adenylate-(32)P]NAD, we demonstrate that Npt1(Ct) expressed in Escherichia coli enables the transport of NAD with an apparent K(m) and V(max) of 1.7 μM and 5.8 nM mg(-1) h(-1), respectively. The K(m) for NAD transport is comparable to the K(m) for ATP transport of 2.2 μM, as evaluated in this study. Efflux and substrate competition assays demonstrate that NAD is a preferred substrate of Npt1(Ct) compared to ATP. These results suggest that during reductive evolution, the pathogenic chlamydiae lost individual nucleotide transporters, in contrast to their environmental endosymbiont relatives, without compromising their ability to obtain nucleotides from the host cytosol through relaxation of transport specificity. The novel properties of Npt1Ct and its conservation in chlamydiae make it a potential target for the development of antimicrobial compounds and a model for studying the evolution of transport specificity.
Polycystic Ovaries and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Epilepsy: Evidence for Neurogonadal Disease

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a mysterious reproductive disorder that results in subfertility. The underlying causes are not known, and even the definition is a moving target. Women with epilepsy have features of PCOS at a higher than expected rate, and polycystic ovaries (PCO) also are present at high rates in this population. Valproate is associated with weight gain and increased androgen levels, two features of PCOS. This review proposes that epilepsy, with its known adverse effects on luteinizing hormone pulsatility, could be a cause of PCOS and that valproate could be an imitator, if not also a cause of the syndrome.