cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
905-P: Is Continuous Glucose Monitoring Effective? Evidence from Real-World Data

Background: Numerous clinical trials have shown the effectiveness of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) on glycemic control in patients with diabetes; however, real-world evidence of application of CGM is largely lacking. This retrospective study aimed to examine the effects of application of CGM in clinical practice. Method: Electronic health record (EHR) data from an integrated academic health center’s ambulatory diabetes clinic between May 2014 and May 2019 were used to identify eligible patients diagnosed with diabetes and had used CGM. Diabetes was defined based on ICD-10 Diagnosis Codes. Linear mixed models were used for analysis. Results: The sample (n=60) was White (86.7%), female (51.7%), with a mean age of 46.9±15.6 years and mean duration of diabetes 19.8±12.4 years. A total of 66.7% of sample had type 1 and 30.0% had type 2 diabetes. The types of CGM were intermittently scanned (51.7%), real-time (36.7%), and passive (11.6%). The HbA1c (%) had a significant reduction after CGM use at 3 months (7.76±1.53) and 6 months (7.76±1.83) compared with 3 months (8.53±1.91) and 6 months (8.62±1.80) before CGM use (p=.002). There were no differences in HbA1c changes by types of CGM (p=.31). Conclusion: Using EHR data can provide real-world evidence of CGM’s positive impact on glycemic control and on sustained improvement at 6 months. Future research should examine CGM effect gathered from multiple clinics. Disclosure Y. Zheng: None. L.M. Siminerio: Research Support; Self; Becton, Dickinson and Company. B. Anton: None. J.T. Krall: Research Support; Self; Becton, Dickinson and Company. L.L. Bednarz: Other Relationship; Self; Medtronic, Tandem Diabetes Care. D. Li: None. J. Ng: None.
Patient-Reported Outcomes and Radiographic Assessment in Primary and Revision Stage II, III, and IV Progressive Collapsing Foot Deformity Surgery:

Background:Progressive collapsing foot deformity (PCFD) is a progressive hindfoot and midfoot deformity causing pain and disability. Although operative treatment is stage dependent, few studies hav...
Identifying factors that contribute to military veterans' post-military well-being.

Prior research has examined the independent effects of demographic and military characteristics, trauma history, and coping resources on military veterans' health. However, there is limited knowledge of how these factors intersect with one another and with veterans' health to impact their broader well-being as they readjust to civilian life. Data for this study were drawn from a longitudinal investigation of the health and broader well-being of U.S. veterans (N = 7150) who had recently left military service. Machine learning analyses (random forests of regression trees) were used to examine how factors assessed shortly after military separation were associated with veterans' well-being approximately a year later. Veterans who endorsed the combination of low depression, high social support, and high psychological resilience were most likely to report high well-being a year later. Neither demographic and military characteristics nor trauma history emerged as strong predictors of veterans' well-being when considered in the context of other factors. Although most predictors were similar for women and men, depression was a stronger predictor of women's well-being. Results highlight the importance of screening for and intervening with veterans who report high depression, low social support, and low psychological resilience when leaving military service. These findings can inform efforts to promote veterans' post-military well-being.
On the debt capacity of growth options

We relate the value of growth options in the firm's investment opportunity set to the level of debt in the firm's capital structure. Underinestment costs of debt increase and free cash flow benefits fall with additional growth options. Thus, if debt capacity is defined as the amount of debt the firm optimally adds for an incremental project, then the debt capacity of growth options is negative. This result implies that book leverage should fall with the addition of growth options. Our tests, using a large sample of industrial firms, confirm this prediction.
THE NEURAL ORGANIZATION OF THE VISUAL PATHWAYS IN THE CAT.

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the mammalian visual system and its central neural connections as well as considerable anatomical and physiological data derived from new, more refined experimental techniques. The chapter correlates these data with previous observations, and summarizes the results in a schema, which seems to represent best the presently recognized visual centers and their neural pathways. In the cat, the optic nerve is composed chiefly, and perhaps exclusively, of the axons of retinal ganglion cells. There is no agreement on the histological spectrum of optic nerve fibers. The complete origins of the supraoptic commissures are still largely unknown. The thalamic and midbrain connections of the two parts of the lateral geniculate nucleus are beginning to emerge, but these observations need confirmation and elaboration. The connections of the reticular formation with the visual system and the presence of centrifugal fibers to the retina in the cat remains equivocal and the efferent paths from the terminal nuclei of the accessory optic tract system are unknown.
A Review of “Interrogating Alterity: Alternative Economic and Political Spaces”

In Interrogating Alterity, editors Duncan Fuller, Andy E. G. Jonas, and Roger Lee draw the reader into a critical dialogue pertaining to alternative economic and political spaces, a burgeoning fiel...
Ocular Blood Flow Measurement Methodologies and Clinical Application

The sections in this article are Background and Significance Blood flow Methodologies Color Doppler Imaging Laser Doppler Flowmetry and Scanning Laser Flowmetry Retinal Vessel Analyzer Ocular Pulse Amplitude and Pulsatile Ocular Blood Flow Laser Speckle Method (Laser Speckle Flowgraphy) Digital Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope Angiography Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography Retinal Oximetry Newly Developed Techniques Relationship Between Blood Flow and Visual Function Relationship Between Blood Flow and Optic Nerve Structure Keywords: ocular blood flow measurement; open-angle glaucoma; visual function; optic nerve structure
The Method of Homogenization

It is common in engineering and scientific problems to have to deal with materials that are formed from multiple constituents. Some examples are shown in Fig. 5.1 and include laminated wood, a fluid-filled porous solid, an emulsion, and a fiber-reinforced composite. Solving a mathematical problem that includes such variations in the structure can be very difficult. It is therefore natural to try to find simpler equations that effectively smooth out whatever substructure variations there may be. An example of this situation occurs when describing the motion of a fluid or solid. One usually does not consider them as composites of discrete interacting molecules. Instead, one uses a continuum approximation that assumes the material to be continuously distributed. Using this approximation, material parameters, such as the mass density, are assumed to represent an average.
Activation of platelets by platelet activating factor (PAF) derived from IgE-sensitized basophils. IV. PAF does not activate platelet factor 3 (PF3).

SUMMARY Platelet activating factor (PAF) derived from antigen-stimulated, IgE-sensitized rabbit basophils acts on platelets to induce aggregation and secretion of their content of granule-bound vasoactive amines. Despite this, PAF did not activate platelet factor 3. In contrast, collagen induced aggregation, secretion and PF3 activation in the washed platelets. Other stimuli (ADP, C3b, thrombin) also initiated both secretion and PF3 activation. A wide dose range of PAF, including those giving maximal secretion and aggregation, were ineffective in making PF3 available and the possibility that PAF inhibited PF3, or its generation, was also excluded. It is concluded that PAF is a unique stimulus for platelets and that secretion and aggregation are not necessarily accompanied by PF3 generation.
Biochemical and Genetic Analysis of Isoleucine and Valine, Biosynthesis in Staphylococcus aureus

After a prototrophic strain of Staphylococcus aureus had been exposed to diethyl sulfate, 28 isoleucine- and isoleucine-valine-dependent mutants (ilv mutants) were isolated. On the basis of auxanography, their ability to accumulate intermediates of isoleucine and valine biosynthesis, and intergeneric syntrophism with ilv mutants of Salmonella typhimurium, all mutants were placed into four groups, each of which corresponded to a presumed enzymatic deficiency, as follows: group A, deficient in l-threonine deaminase; group B, deficient in the condensing enzyme; group C, deficient in reductoisomerase; group D, deficient in alpha-beta-dihydroxy acid dehydrase. No mutants blocked in the terminal (transaminase) reactions were isolated. Transduction analyses (best-fit, ratio, and complementation tests) with the use of phage 83 established that the linear arrangement of the structural genes is identical with the order of participation of their enzymes in isoleucine and valine biosynthesis, and that these genes comprise a single linkage group which can exist on a single donor fragment during transduction.
Preparation of porous resin loaded with crystalline hydrous zirconium oxide and its application to the removal of arsenic

Abstract A porous resin loaded with monoclinic or cubic hydrous zirconium oxide was prepared by incorporation of ZrOCl 2 ·8H 2 O into porous spherical polymer beads followed by hydrolysis and hydrothermal treatment of the zirconium salt. Hydrous zirconium oxide appeared to deposit inside the pores with relatively large diameter. The adsorption capacity and distribution coefficients for As(III) and As(V) were determined by batch procedures. The hydrous zirconium oxide-loaded resin (Zr resin) showed a strong adsorption for As(V) at slightly acidic to neutral pH region while As(III) was favorably adsorbed at pH around 9 to 10. The removal of low concentrations of arsenic from the model effluents to meet the demand of Japanese industrial effluent standard (0.1 ppm) was successfully achieved by the column operation packed with the Zr resin. The Zr resin was regenerated by treatment of the column with 1 M sodium hydroxide followed by conditioning with 0.2 M acetate buffer solution. The amount of zirconium leached out during the adsorption and regeneration cycles was negligibly small and the column can be used repeatedly.
Does ketorolac have a preemptive analgesic effect? A randomized, double-blind, control study.

Purpose To examine the effect of ketorolac used as preemptive analgesia on the intensity of pain and analgesic requirements in the postoperative period. Patients and Methods The present study was a randomized, double-blind, control study involving human subjects who underwent extraction of the mandibular third molars under intravenous anesthesia. The study group received 30 mg of intravenous ketorolac preoperatively, and the control group received a placebo. The pain intensity was measured using a visual analog scale. The decrease in postoperative pain was measured as the primary outcome variable. The interval to the first dose of analgesic, total analgesic requirements, and the global assessment were measured as secondary outcomes. The data were analyzed using the Student t test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and χ 2 test. Results A total of 85 adult subjects, American Society of Anesthesiologists class I and II, participated in the present study. Randomization was effective, as shown by the absence of differences in the study variables between the 2 groups. Of the 85 patients, 29 were men and 56 were women. The average patient age was 22.6 years in the study group and 24 years in the control group. Those in the ketorolac group recorded lower visual analog scale pain scores at all intervals. However, the difference was statistically significant at the 4-hour interval ( P = .01). The median interval to the use of rescue medication in the ketorolac group was 9.5 hours compared with 7 hours in the control group. However, no statistically significant difference was found in the interval to the rescue analgesic between the 2 groups ( P = .39). No statistically significant difference was noted in the total amount of postoperative analgesics required in the first 72 hours between the 2 groups ( P = .54). Also, no difference was seen in the global assessment between the 2 groups ( P = .22). Conclusions Those who received 30 mg of intravenous ketorolac preoperatively had less pain in the early (8-hour) postoperative period. The median interval to rescue medication was 2 hours longer in the ketorolac group. However, the difference in the total narcotic consumption was clinically and statistically insignificant between the ketorolac and control groups.
Analysis and design of pultruded FRP shapes under bending

Abstract A comprehensive approach for the analysis and design of pultruded FRP beams in bending is presented. It is shown that the material architecture of pultruded FRP shapes can be efficiently modeled as a layered system. Based on the information provided by the material producers, a detailed procedure is presented for the computation of fiber volume fraction (V f ) of the constituents, including fiber bundles or rovings, continuous strand mats, and cross-ply and angle-ply fabrics. Using the computed V f s, the ply stiffnesses are evaluated from selected micromechanics models. The wall or panel laminate engineering constants can be computed from the ply stiffnesses and macromechanics, and it is shown that the predictions correlate well with coupon test results. The bending response of various H and box sections is studied experimentally and analytically. The mechanics of laminated beams (MLB) model used in this study can accurately predict displacements and strains, and it can be used in engineering design and manufacturing optimization of cross-sectional shapes and lay-up configurations. The experimental results agree closely with the MLB predictions and finite element verifications.
Transcriptome Profiling of Selectively Bred Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas Families that Differ in Tolerance of Heat Shock

Sessile inhabitants of marine intertidal environments commonly face heat stress, an important component of summer mortality syndrome in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Marker-aided selection programs would be useful for developing oyster strains that resist summer mortality; however, there is currently a need to identify candidate genes associated with stress tolerance and to develop molecular markers associated with those genes. To identify candidate genes for further study, we used cDNA microarrays to test the hypothesis that oyster families that had high (>64%) or low (<29%) survival of heat shock (43°C, 1 h) differ in their transcriptional responses to stress. Based upon data generated by the microarray and by real-time quantitative PCR, we found that transcription after heat shock increased for genes putatively encoding heat shock proteins and genes for proteins that synthesize lipids, protect against bacterial infection, and regulate spawning, whereas transcription decreased for genes for proteins that mobilize lipids and detoxify reactive oxygen species. RNAs putatively identified as heat shock protein 27, collagen, peroxinectin, S-crystallin, and two genes with no match in Genbank had higher transcript concentrations in low-surviving families than in high-surviving families, whereas concentration of putative cystatin B mRNA was greater in high-surviving families. These ESTs should be studied further for use in marker-aided selection programs. Low survival of heat shock could result from a complex interaction of cell damage, opportunistic infection, and metabolic exhaustion.
High Survival of Darwin's Finch Hybrids: Effects of Beak Morphology and Diets

Three species of Darwin's finches (Geospiza fortis, G. scandens, and G. fuliginosa) hybridize rarely on the small Galdpagos island of Daphne Major. Following the exceptionally severe El Niiio event of 1982-1983, hybrids survived as well as, and in some cases better than, the parental species during dry seasons of potential food limitation. They also backcrossed to two of the parental species. This study was undertaken to compare the diets of hybrids with the diets of the parental species in order to assess possible reasons for the high hybrid survival. Diets of F1 hybrids and first generation backcrosses to G. fortis were intermediate between the diets of the respective parental species. Distinctiveness of the hybrid diets was most pronounced where the diets of the parental species differed most. A strong determinant was beak morphology; hybrids inherit beak traits from both parents, and, on average, have intermediate beak sizes. Among the combined groups of species and hybrids, and among the hybrids alone, dietary characteristics covaried with beak morphology. Hybrids that differ most from G. fortis in beak morphology, the G. fortis X G. scandens F, hybrids, experience a feeding efficiency advantage when feeding on Opuntia echios seeds, commonly consumed in the dry season. These findings are used to interpret the higher survival of hybrids after 1983 than beforehand. The El Ninio event that year led to an enduring (10-yr) change in the habitat and plant composition of the island. A decrease in absolute and relative abundance of large and hard seeds apparently caused relatively high mortality among G. scandens and the largest G. fortis individuals. Hybrids were favored by an abundance of small seeds. The high survival of G. fortis x G. scandens F1 hybrids may have been due, additionally, to a broad diet and to efficient exploitation of Opuntia seeds. The study demonstrates long-term ecological and evolutionary consequences of large-scale fluctuations in climate, and the role of ecological (food) factors in determining hybrid fitness.
Referencing The Cohesive Use of Pronouns in the Written Narrative of College Underprepared Writers, Nondisabled Writers, and Writers with Learning Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to explore whether college normally achieving writers (n=35), writers with learning disabilities (n=35), and underprepared writers (n=35) demonstrated any differences in their ability to utilize the semantic roles and syntactic rules needed to apply cohesive referencing in written text. Cohesive referencing (the ability to assign roles to the speaker and addressee in written communication) is a critical aspect of written language. In addition, the study explored the relation between referential cohesion and the quality and coherence of a written text.
Reverting Conservation Reserve Program Lands to Wheat and Livestock Production: Effects on Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Assemblages

Highly erodible lands enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program soon will revert to agricultural production. This study was designed to determine the effects of reversion of Conservation Reserve Program lands to wheat and livestock production on ground beetle assemblages. Reversion strategies included no reversion of Conservation Reserve Program grass (unmanaged bluestem), simulated grazing of Conservation Reserve Program grass (managed bluestem), minimum-tillage practices for wheat production, and no-tillage practices for wheat production. A randomized block experimental design was established with 4 replicates. More ground beetles were captured in pitfall traps in 1995 than in 1996, and abundances within years differed among reversion strategies. Of the 73 ground beetle species collected, 9 species accounted for 61.7% of total abundance. Abundances of these 9 species differed with respect to reversion strategy. Species diversity and evenness differed among the reversion strategies in 1995, but only evenness differed in 1996. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that annual and monthly variation were the predominant factors in separating ground beetle assemblages. Lack of rainfall may have accounted for a large portion of differences in abundances between years. A partial canonical correspondence analysis showed that simulated grazing and no-tillage wheat were the predominant reversion strategies in separating ground beetle assemblages. These treatments represent disturbance levels intermediate to unmanaged bluestem and minimum-tillage wheat.
Good Girls Play Sports: International inspiration and the construction of girlhood

In their bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) stated that, if selected, the committee would embrace an ambitious le...
Analysis of Steamflood Oil Recovery in a Light-Oil Naturally-Fractured Reservoir

The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of a steamflood in the Teapot Dome Field, Wyoming. This field has two features that are uncommon in steamflooding. First, the oil is significantly lighter than the oil usually steamflooded. Second, the reservoir is naturally fractured. In order to evaluate these features, black oil (set up as a dead oil) and compositional thermal models were built. The two models were compared to field data to determine which thermal simulation model best represents the reservoir behavior. Natural fractures were then added to both models. From the results of our study, the black oil model cannot adequately characterize the hydrocarbon phase behavior. We conclude that a fully compositional thermal model that includes non-interconnected fractures is required to model the phase behavior, heat transfer and effect of fractures in this light-oil naturally- fractured reservoir.
Kaizen Method for Esophagectomy Patients: Improved Quality Control, Outcomes, and Decreased Costs

Background The majority of costs associated with esophagectomy are related to the initial 3 days of hospital stay requiring intensive care unit stays, ventilator support, and intraoperative time. Additional costs arise from hospital-based services. The major cost increases are related to complications associated with the procedure. We attempted to define these costs and identify expense management by streamlining care through strict adherence to patient care maps, operative standardization, and rapid discharge planning to reduce variability. Methods Utilizing methods of Kaizen philosophy we evaluated all processes related to the entire experience of esophageal resection. This process has taken over 5 years to achieve, with quality and cost being tracked over this time period. Cost analysis included expenses related to intensive care unit, anesthesia, disposables, and hospital services. Quality improvement measures were related to intraoperative complications, in-hospital complications, and postoperative outcomes. The Institutional Review Board approved the use of anonymous data from standard clinical practice because no additional treatment was planned (observational study). Results Utilizing a continuous process improvement methodology, a 43% reduction in cost per case has been achieved with a significant increase in contribution margin for esophagectomy. The length of stay has been reduced from 14 days to 5. With intraoperative and postoperative standardization the leak rate has dropped from 12% to less than 3% to no leaks in our current Kaizen modification of care in our last 64 patients. Conclusions Utilizing lean manufacturing techniques and continuous process evaluation we have attempted to eliminate variability, standardized the phases of care resulting in improved outcomes, decreased length of stay, and improved contribution margins. These Kaizen improvements require continuous interventions, strict adherence to care maps, and input from all levels for quality improvements.
Cerebrospinal fluid oxytocin, life history of aggression, and personality disorder

Summary Background Data from animal studies have identified oxytocin as an important modulator of social aggression. We have previously reported on a relationship between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of vasopressin and life history of aggressive behavior, a finding that is consistent with animal data. We hypothesized that CSF Oxytocin levels would be inversely related to dimensional measures of lifetime aggression. Methods Lumbar CSF for morning basal levels of oxytocin was obtained from 58 consenting subjects with and without DSM-IV personality disorders. Aggression was assessed dimensionally using an interview instrument ( Life History of Aggression ( LHA )). The primary analysis was conducted using a linear regression model predicting variance in CSF Oxytocin concentration, including the predictors of LHA score, Sex , Height , and the presence or absence of personality disorder. Results The model predicting variance in CSF Oxytocin concentration including LHA score was statistically significant, after removal of a single multivariate outlier. Inclusion of the outlier resulted in a most likely spurious interaction between Sex and LHA score. Presence or absence of personality disorder was not associated with variance in CSF Oxytocin levels. Exploratory analyses revealed a possible inverse relationship between CSF Oxytocin level and history of suicidal behavior. Conclusions As hypothesized, CSF Oxytocin levels were inversely correlated with life history of aggression. This represents the first such report of a relationship between oxytocin levels and aggression. The correlational, cross-sectional study design precludes causal inferences, but the data are consistent with the known effects of oxytocin on aggressive behavior in animals.
Kinetic and dynamic models of diving gases in decompression sickness prevention.

Decompression sickness is a complex phenomenon involving gas exchange, bubble dynamics and tissue response. Relatively simple deterministic compartmental models using empirically derived parameters have been the mainstay of the practice for preventing decompression sickness since the early 1900s. Decades of research have improved our understanding of decompression physiology, and the insights incorporated in decompression models have allowed people to dive deeper into the ocean. However, these efforts have not yet, and are unlikely in the near future, to result in a ‘universal’ deterministic model that can predict when decompression sickness will occur. Divers using current recreational dive computers need to be aware of their limitations. Probabilistic models based on the estimation of parameters using modern statistical methods from large databases of dives offer a new approach and can provide a means of standardisation of deterministic models. Future improvements in decompression practice will depend on continued improvement in understanding the kinetics and dynamics of gas exchange, bubble evolution and tissue response, and the incorporation of this knowledge in risk models whose parameters can be estimated from large databases of human and animal data.
Post Oxidation Anneal and Re-Oxidation Effects in 5 nm SiO2 Films

Ultrathin silicon dioxide films, 5 nm thick, were grown in a double-walled furnace at 850°C in dry O2. A consistent improvement in the electrical properties is observed following the oxidation either with a Post-Oxidation Anneal (POA) at 1000°C in N2 or with the same POA followed by a short re-oxidation (Re-Ox) step in which 1 nm of additional oxide was grown. We attribute these results to the redistribution of hydrogen and water related groups as well as to a change in the concentration of sub-oxide charge states at the Si-SiO2 interface. A further improvement observed after the short re-oxidation step had been attributed to the filling of the oxygen vacancies produced during the POA. High resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy cross-sectional observations of the Si-iSO2 interface have evidenced an increase in the interface roughness after the thermal treatment at high temperature. These results are in agreement with recent XPS data.
The effect of group size on group information transmitted

Group information transmitted was computed for different size groups and it was found that as group size increased information transmitted decreased. The use of groups as a basis for computing uncertainty was discussed.
Qualitative evaluation of a colorectal cancer education CD-ROM for Community Health Aides/practitioners in Alaska.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is an important contributor to the cancer burden among Alaska Native people. CRC is the leading incident cancer and the second leading cause of cancer mortality among Alaska Native people. Completing recommended CRC screening procedures has the potential to reduce both CRC incidence and mortality. “Taking Action Colorectal Health,” a multidimensional audiovisual, interactive CD-ROM, incorporates adult education learning principles to provide Alaska's Community Health Aides/Practitioners with timely, medically accurate, and culturally relevant CRC place-based education. Providing this resource on CD-ROM empowers learning within communities and places where people live or choose to learn. The dynamic process of developing, implementing, and evaluating this CRC CD-ROM was informed by a sociocultural approach to share health messages. Within this approach, cultural values, beliefs, and behaviors are affirmed as a place of wisdom and resilience and built upon to provide context and meaning for health messaging. Alaska Native values that honor family, relationships, the land, storytelling, and humor were included in CD-ROM content. Between January and May 2012, 20 interviews were conducted with individuals who had used the CD-ROM. Four categorical themes emerged from analysis of interview transcripts: likeability, utilization, helpfulness, and behavior change. As a result of self-paced learning through stories, movies, and interactive games, respondents reported healthy behavior changes they were making for themselves, with their families and in their patient care practices. This CD-ROM is a culturally based practical course that increased knowledge and activities around colorectal cancer screening by Community Health Aides/Practitioners in Alaska.
Local union mergers: Frequency, forms, and national union policy

This paper presents the results of a survey on the characteristics of almost 1,900 union mergers. It was found that a large proportion of national unions had some local mergers, but a majority of cases occurred in a few very active unions. Most mergers were absorptions of smaller locals into larger ones. Formal requirements for local mergers, either through general policies or constitutional clauses, were infrequent, but national level governing bodies appear to have substantial control over the approval of mergers. Suggestions are made for the further study of local mergers in relation to bargaining structure, local autonomy, membership participation, and local effectiveness.
Prothrombin times and clottable fibrinogen determination on an automated coagulation laboratory (ACL-810)

Our laboratory evaluated an Automated Coagulation Laboratory (ACL-810) by Instrumentation Laboratory. Prothrombin times and fibrinogen levels from the ACL-810 were compared to results from a Fibrometer and another automated coagulation instrument - either the Coag-A-Mate (prothrombin times) or the Multistat III centrifugal analyzer (fibrinogen). The performance of different thromboplastins on the ACL-810 was also evaluated. Correlation studies revealed excellent performance characteristics and precisions for both the prothrombin time and fibrinogen not only with different instruments, but also with different thromboplastins on the ACL-810. Overall, we found the instrument to be quick, efficient, and easy to operate.
Interplay between Hole Instability and Nanoparticle Array Formation in Ultrathin Liquid Films

When dilute solutions of nearly monodisperse (3−5-nm diameter) passivated metal nanoparticles are evaporated on a solid substrate (a transmission electron microscopy grid), the resulting submonolayer structures are annular ringlike arrays. We describe here a theoretical mechanism whereby the growth of holesdry areas of the solid surface which is otherwise wet by solventis conjectured to be responsible for the formation of these novel close-packed two-dimensional (2D) arrays. Each annular ring is argued to arise from the pinning of the rim of an opening hole by a sufficient number of particles. Hole nucleation in this ultrathin-film system can occur due to two independent driving forces: evaporation (volatile hole nucleation) and disjoining pressure (nonvolatile hole nucleation). The cases are first presented separately, in an appropriate analytical theory, and are subsequently treated jointly in the context of a simulation. We investigate in particular the effect of competing time scales (for hole nuclea...
Processing vapour-deposited polyimide

Freestanding polyimide (PMDA-ODA) thin films (thickness = 1 to 30 µm) and spherical shells (diameter = 950 to 1100 µm, wall thickness = 0.7 to 11.0 µm) have been fabricated by vapour deposition polymerization (VDP). The deposition process was optimized to obtain smooth and uniform deposition composed of equal-molar PMDA and ODA. The tensile properties, including elastic modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break, were determined by buckling and bursting the shells and using a nanoindentation test on the films. The gas permeability was measured for He, H2, D2, O2 and N2. The VDP polyimide possessed distinct properties from solution-cast PMDA-ODA polyimide (Kapton®), including better tensile properties and lower permeability, and was insoluble in concentrated sulfuric acid. The differences in the properties were attributed to the presence of physical or chemical cross-linking in the VDP polyimide. The effects of thermal imidization conditions on the properties were studied, including different heating rates (0.1 to 1.0 °C min-1), atmospheres (air and N2), and imidization durations (1 to 6 h). Varying the imidization conditions effectively modified the tensile strength, elongation at break and permeability but had little effect on the elastic modulus. Infrared spectroscopy and solubility tests indicated that the changes in the properties resulted from changes in the molecular weight or degree of cross-linking.
Initial Validation of the Teacher/Coach Role Conflict Scale

The study of teacher/coach role conflict has a long history in the physical education literature. However, only a few studies have measured the construct using psychometric instrumentation. Ryan (2008) created one such instrument, but the survey was not validated prior to use. As such, the purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the factorial, convergent, and divergent validity of Ryan’s (2008) Teacher/Coach Role Conflict Scale. Participants included 194 teacher/coaches who taught a variety of academic subjects. Preliminary analyses indicated that there were no differences among participants with reference to gender, teaching affiliation, school context, or school level. Results from confirmatory factor analysis indicated that, after the specification of a correlated error, the hypothesized model was a good fit for the data, χ2(33) = 88.92, p < .001; CFI = .97; NNFI = .96; SRMR = .05; RMSEA = .09. Correlational analyses indicated that the instrument correlated positively with other measures of role ...
Screening Soils for Suppressiveness to Rhizoctonia solani and Pythium splendens

Growth of mycelia and germination of sporangia amended with root extract on soil surface were used to detect soils suppressive to Rhizoctonia solani and Pythium splendens, respectively. In tests with 30 soil samples collected from various locations in Hawaii, 5 inhibited growth of R. solani more than 50% and 8 inhibited sporangial germination of P. splendens more than 50% as compared with conducive soil. Three of the soils were suppressive to both R. solani and P. splendens. Steaming the soil for 10-15min at 97-98C eliminated suppressiveness as evidenced by no reduction of either mycelial growth of R. solani or sporangial germination of P. splendens. Steam treatment reduced populations of fungi, actinomycetes, and bacteria in suppressive soils to approximately 0.04%, 1% and 5%, respectively, of the original numbers. Propylene oxide treatment and autoclaving increased inhibition on some soils. Similar effects were not found on steam-treated soils. The results indicate that suppressive soils may exist in small islands in a field and that the degree of suppressivenss variees from location to location.
Self-organization of trajectory formation. II. Theoretical model.

Most studies of movement coordination deal with temporal patterns of synchronization between components, often without regard to the actual amplitudes the components make. When such a system is required to produce a composite action that is spatially constrained, coordination persists, but its stability is modulated by spatial requirements effected, we hypothesize, through the component amplitudes. As shown experimentally in part I, when a redundant three-joint system (wrist, elbow, and shoulder) is required to trace a specified arc in space, the joint angles may be frequency- and phased-locked even as the curvature of the trajectory is manipulated. Transitions between joint coordination patterns occur at a critical curvature, accompanied by a significant reduction in wrist amplitude. Such amplitude reduction is viewed as destabilizing the existing coordinative pattern under current task constraints, thereby forcing the joints into a more stable phase relationship. This paper presents a theoretical analysis of these multijoint patterns and proposes an amplitude mechanism for the transition process. Our model uses three linearly coupled, non-linear oscillators for the joint angles and reproduces both the observed interjoint coordination and component amplitude effects as well as the resulting trajectories of the end effector.
Interaction Between Donor and Recipient Age in Determining the Risk of Chronic Renal Allograft Failure

OBJECTIVES: Donor age is a known risk factor for chronic allograft failure (CAF) in renal transplant recipients. We have recently shown that advanced recipient age is also a risk factor for CAF. To investigate the interaction between donor and recipient age, we analyzed 40,289 primary solitary Caucasian adult renal transplants registered at the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) from 1988 to 1997. DESIGN: CAF was defined as allograft loss beyond 6 months posttransplantation, censored for death, recurrent disease, acute rejection, thrombosis, noncompliance, infection, or technical problems. Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate the risk of allograft loss secondary to CAF. All models were corrected for 15 covariates including donor and recipient demographics, ischemic time, and human leukocyte antigen match. Donor and recipient age were categorized, and relative risk for allograft loss of the interaction between the obtained categorical covariates was evaluated. SETTING: Retrospective data analysis using the USRDS. PARTICIPANTS: All primary Caucasian renal transplant recipients from 1988 to 1997. RESULTS: Patients aged 55 and older who received donor kidneys had a 110% increased risk of CAF (relative risk (RR) � 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) � 1.9‐2.3, P � .001) and recipients aged 65 and older had a 90% increased risk for CAF (RR � 1.9, 95% CI � 1.61‐2.1, P � .001), compared with the youngest reference groups. In addition, there was an additive and, in the long term, synergistic interaction between donor and recipient age in determining allograft loss. CONCLUSIONS: Donor and recipient age had an independent, equivalently detrimental effect on renal allograft survival. An overall additive and, in the long term (beyond 36 months posttransplant), synergistic deleterious effect on renal allograft survival was observed for the interaction of donor and recipient age. J Am Geriatr Soc 50: 14 ‐ 17 , 2002.
Intelligibility of time-expanded speech with normally hearing and elderly subjects

The effects of time-expanded monosyllabic words (NU-6) on the auditory discrimination performance of 15 young adults with normal hearing and 20 elderly subjects were studied. Three conditions of time expansion, 30, 60 and 100%, plus a 0% control condition, were presented at four sensation levels (8, 16, 24, and 32 dB). For the normally hearing subjects, auditory discrimination performance at all ratios of time expansion was equal to the 0% condition. Results for the elderly subjects indicated intelligibility was inversely related to time expansion at the 30 and 60% conditions. However, at the 100% condition, speech intelligibility improved over the 60% condition at 8 and 16 dB sensation level. At 24 and 32 dB sensation level, performance at 100% was equal to the 60% condition. With the normal and elderly subjects, ear and list effects were minimal. The results are discussed in terms of the clinical value of this procedure and in light of literature that reviews the performance of subjects on tests employi...
Fine structure of the lateral areas of the rhombencephalic tela of the bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana

The lateral areas of the rhombencephalic tela of the bullfrog contain long, irregular islands of ependymal cells that are similar in fine structure to the epithelium of the rhombencephalic choroid plexus. These cells are characterized by apical microvilli, numerous mitochondria and pinocytotic vesicles, and basal infoldings of the plasma membrane. Dorsally a basal lamina and varying amounts of collagen occur. The pia mater associated with this ependyma includes two cell types. Fibroblast-like, loosely arranged cells without organized junctions line the subarachnoid space. The most abundant cells of the pia in this area, however, contain numerous intermediate filaments and frequent desmosomes. Caveolae lie along their plasma membranes. Closely organized sheets of similar filament-containing cells are also seen in the arachnoid mater of this animal.
The relationship between glomerular filtration rate and survival in patients treated with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

Objectives We explored the association between renal insufficiency (RI) and mortality among patients treated with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Background Randomized trials have shown improvements in survival among select patients treated with an ICD. Renal insufficiency patients have a high risk of cardiac death; however, it is not clear whether the ICD has a positive effect on survival in this group of patients. Methods This was a retrospective review of a single-center experience of 346 patients treated with an ICD. Patients were stratified into 4 groups according to their glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; expressed as mL/min/ -1.73 m2) at implantation: group I, > 75.0; group II, − 60.0 to 74.9; group III, − 45.0 to 59.9; and group IV, − ≤ 45.0. All-cause mortality was the primary end point, with differences in survival times among the 4 groups of patients expressed in Kaplan-Meier curves. Results Mean follow-up was 3.5 y (range 0.1 to 12.9 y), during which 67 patients died (19%). Mortality in each eGFR group was: I − 6.8%, II − 13.8%, III − 11.5%, IV − 45.8% (p < 0.001). Survival times (mean, y) were I, 3.74; II, 3.66; III, 3.38, and IV, 2.82. The presence of diabetes was not a factor in the outcomes. Conclusions Patients treated with an ICD with an eGFR of ≤ 45.0 mL/min/1.73 m2 have a significantly shorter survival time than those patients with an eGFR > 45.0 mL/min/1.73 m2. Patients with an eGFR > 45.0mL/min/1.73m2 appear to have equally good outcomes when treated with an ICD. This may have implications for patient selection for ICD therapy. Copyright © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Full-Scale Field Testing of Micropiles in Stiff Clay Subjected to Combined Axial and Lateral Loads

AbstractA series of full-scale micropiles was installed at a site in mid-Missouri for a load-test program to study the effect of combined loading. The micropiles were installed with a 178-mm (7-in.) outer diameter steel casing to a depth of 4.6 m (15 ft) and a bond zone length of 3.0 m (10 ft). The surficial soils at the site consisted of stiff-to-hard clay underlain by weathered silty/sandy shale where the bond zone of the micropiles was located. The load-test program included axial, lateral, and combined-load tests. The ultimate axial and lateral capacity of the piles was initially determined. A series of combined-load tests was then performed by applying a static axial load and incrementally increasing the lateral load on the micropiles. The pile-head load-deformation response and distribution of load and bending moment with depth were measured with concrete-embedded strain gauges along the micropile length.
A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF THE CITY LIFE CYCLE IDEA

The idea that cities or their neighborhoods, like organisms, experience a life cycle was very popular in policy-oriented U.S. urban studies literature of the 1970s. This paper presents a critical evaluation of the city life cycle idea. A brief survey of the city life cycle idea in recent literature is followed by a "double-barrelled" critical evaluation. First, the idea is examined and evaluated in terms of its use in, and implications for, the practice of social science. Second, the idea is evaluated as it influenced public policy and served to reinforce the interests of particular groups. Two conclusions are presented (1) that the largely uncritical use of the city life cycle idea allowed the idea to slip from being an image to being a cause in accounts of urban decline and (2) that the city life cycle idea, albeit flawed, was accepted and persisted because it servedparticular interests. The adoption of the city life cycle idea has had consequences both for the social sciences based upon it and for the ...
Population movements in post‐Cold War Europe

This article is concerned with the implications for international migration in Europe of the end of the Cold War. It "will (i) briefly describe the evolution of population movements during the post-war period; (ii) analyse some of the forces which will shape population movements in the future; and (iii) underscore some of the questions which the European states and institutions may have to confront in the coming years. Tentative recommendations will focus on a European approach (within the EC [European Community] framework and within its sphere of competence by the Council of Europe) to these issues integrating the various types of economically and politically motivated migration." (EXCERPT)
COMPOSE: A Semisupervised Learning Framework for Initially Labeled Nonstationary Streaming Data

An increasing number of real-world applications are associated with streaming data drawn from drifting and nonstationary distributions that change over time. These applications demand new algorithms that can learn and adapt to such changes, also known as concept drift. Proper characterization of such data with existing approaches typically requires substantial amount of labeled instances, which may be difficult, expensive, or even impractical to obtain. In this paper, we introduce compacted object sample extraction (COMPOSE), a computational geometry-based framework to learn from nonstationary streaming data, where labels are unavailable (or presented very sporadically) after initialization. We introduce the algorithm in detail, and discuss its results and performances on several synthetic and real-world data sets, which demonstrate the ability of the algorithm to learn under several different scenarios of initially labeled streaming environments. On carefully designed synthetic data sets, we compare the performance of COMPOSE against the optimal Bayes classifier, as well as the arbitrary subpopulation tracker algorithm, which addresses a similar environment referred to as extreme verification latency. Furthermore, using the real-world National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather data set, we demonstrate that COMPOSE is competitive even with a well-established and fully supervised nonstationary learning algorithm that receives labeled data in every batch.