cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immediate evaluation of endomyocardial biopsies for clinically suspected rejection after heart transplantation.

BACKGROUNDAcute rejection may be suspected in heart transplant recipients in the setting of new onset of clinical symptoms or alterations in cardiac function. Immediate diagnosis may be obtained by performing a frozen section on endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) specimens. However, little is known about the indications for, and the diagnostic reliability of, this procedure.METHODS AND RESULTSEMBs with frozen section (n = 98) from 65 of 214 consecutive orthotopic heart transplant recipients were reviewed and divided into early ( 45 days; n = 51) posttransplant periods. Frozen section diagnoses (means = 1.5 EMB samples) were compared with corresponding permanent section diagnoses (means = 4.4 EMB samples), and clinical indications were analyzed. Comparison of frozen and permanent section interpretation revealed concordant pathological processes-rejection (n = 31) versus no rejection (n = 37) versus ischemic injury (n = 20)-in 88 of 98 (90%) cases. Discordant pathological process...
MArs Neutron Energy Spectrometer (MANES): an instrument for the Mars 2003 Lander.

We describe the instrument design and detector development for MANES which has been selected to fly on the Mars 2003 Lander. Section 1 explains the need for the spectrometer in determining the increased risk of carcinogenesis for astronauts. Section 2 presents the instrument design including an outline drawing, a cross-sectional view and a detailed block diagram. Sections 3 and 4 describe the low and high energy detector components of the spectrometer and present responses to monoenergetic neutron beams. Sections 5 and 6 explain the design approaches to charged particle discrimination and instrument transfer function modeling.
Improved apparatus for vertical gel electrophoresis.

Abstract An apparatus which allows vertical casting of acrylamide or starch gel slabs of different thicknesses and configurations is described. Among its advantages over existing apparatus are convenience, absence of leakage and of bubbles trapped in the gel, and the ability to produce density gradient slab gels.
Unitarity in Higher-Derivative Quantum Gravity

A Euclidean lattice formulation is presented of the general fourth-order gravitational action involving ${R}_{\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\nu}}^{2}$ terms. This lattice theory is bounded and reflection positive. The existence of a positive Hilbert space and Hamiltonian, and hence unitarity, follow then from the standard nonperturbative Osterwalder-Schrader construction.
Infection Control Practices in the NICU: What is Evidence-based?

Nosocomial infections cause significant morbidity and mortality in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients. Neonates, particularly those who are preterm and low birthweight, are at higher risk of acquiring infections compared with term and older infants. As a result, many interventions have been established in the NICU to attempt to decrease the infants’ risk of acquiring infection. Over time, various interventions have been adopted as “standard of care,” but other practices vary substantially from one unit to another. This review examines several infection prevention strategies used in the NICU and reviews the literature related to such practices. Evidence-based recommendations are made when supportive scientific evidence is available for this specific patient population.
Separation and isolation of subcellular-size particles by electrophoresis in polymer solution using the commercial scanning apparatus

Electrophoresis of fluorescently labeled rat liver microsomes and polystyrene carboxylates of 10 and 30 nm radius was conducted in buffered 10-15% polyvinylpyrrolidone (M(r) = 10(6) solutions, using a horizontal gel electrophoresis apparatus with intermittent scanning of fluorescence (HPGE-1000, LabIntelligence). Banding, constant migration rates and Ferguson plots were obtained in these polymer solutions. The major microsome band detected by the automated scan was located visually on the gel by means of its fluorescein label and was isolated by volumetric withdrawal, recovery was monitored by scanning and ascertained to be near quantitative after three consecutive steps, in each of which 30 microL were withdrawn. This preparative method promises to be generally applicable to particles that are too large to enter into gels.
Progress in the spectroscopy of rare earth and transition metal ions

Abstract Several areas in which there has been progress in spectroscopy of transition metal and rare earth ions of relevance to luminescence are reviewed. These are, structure of impurity centers in crystals, radiationless processes, molecular spectra, charge transfer spectra and high energy spectra. The aim of the reviews is not to be comprehensive, but is to note unusual things and to suggest directions where further progress would be most valuable.
Evidence for a single electron transfer mechanism in the reduction of benzophenone with lithium alkoxides

Abstract The reduction of benzophenone by lithium alkoxides gives rise to benzophenone ketyl which disappears in a first-order fashion and whose first-order rate constant is approximately equal to the pseudo-first-order rate constant for the formation of the product, benzhydrol.
Analysis of North American amber by carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy

Amber from the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods in North America is characterized for the first time by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Cretaceous samples from Cedar Lake in western Canada have nearly identical spectra to samples from New Jersey. There also are strong similarities between the spectra of these samples and those from Alaska and from the state of Washington. Tertiary samples from Arkansas, on the other hand, have quite distinct spectra. A common or similar paleobotanical origin is suggested for amber from diverse locations in North America, but amber also was produced from other, quite distinct trees as from Arkansas.
Implications of the changing face of Clostridium difficile disease for health care practitioners

Recent reported outbreaks of Clostridium difficile-associated disease in Canada have changed the profile of C difficile infections. Historically, C difficile disease was thought of mainly as a nosocomial disease associated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, and the disease was usually not life threatening. The emergence of an epidemic strain, BI/NAP1/027, which produces a binary toxin in addition to the 2 classic C difficile toxins A and B and is resistant to some fluoroquinolones, was associated with large numbers of cases with high rates of mortality. Recently, C difficile has been reported more frequently in nonhospital-based settings, such as community-acquired cases. The C difficile disease is also being reported in populations once considered of low risk (children and young healthy women). In addition, poor response to metronidazole treatment is increasing. Faced with an increasing incidence of C difficile infections and the changing profile of patients who become infected, this paper will reexamine the current concepts on the epidemiology and treatment of C difficile-associated disease, present new hypotheses for risk factors, examine the role of spores in the transmission of C difficile, and provide recommendations that may enhance infection control practices.
Phase II trial of oral etoposide plus cisplatin in extensive stage small cell carcinoma of the lung: an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group study

Abstract Based upon the schedule specificity of etoposide and the in vitro and clinical synergy sbserved with cisplatin, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group conducted a phase II trial of oral etoposide and cisplatin in newly diagnosed, untreated patients with extensive stage small cell carcinoma of the lung. 35 patients received 100 mg/m2 of cisplatin intravenously on day 1 and 50 mg/m2 of etoposide orally for 21 consecutive days. Cycles were repeated every 28 days. The most common toxicity observed was myelosuppression. Sixty-seven per cent of patients had grade 3 or 4 leukopenia and 34% had grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia during cycle one. Of 26 evaluable patients, 4 had a complete response (15%) and 17 had a partial response (65%). The median survival for the group as a whole was 8.5 months. We conclude that this regimen was associated with significant myelosuppression, and offered no therapeutic advantage to other commonly administered chemotherapeutic regimens for small cell carcinoma of the lung.
The increasing default risk of US Treasury securities due to the financial crisis

Abstract This paper examines the impact of the current financial crisis on long-term US Treasury yields by testing the impact of a series of events from December 2007 to March 2009 on the spread between 10-year USD LIBOR swap and 10-year US Treasury (constant maturity) rates to measure risk associated with Treasuries. Controlling for the liquidity of the two markets, the default risk of the swap, and the net foreign purchases of Treasury securities, we find that 13 of the tested 20 events have significantly negative coefficients. We conclude that the lower spread is consistent with greater default risk for US Treasury securities.
Far-infrared ordinary-ray optical constants of quartz

By using asymmetric Fourier-transform techniques, the room-temperature optical constants of z-cut quartz have been determined between 100 and 500 cm−1.
Size of home, homeownership, and the mortgage interest deduction

Abstract This paper offers an empirical test of the effect of the mortgage interest deduction (MID) on both the extensive (own vs. rent) and intensive (size of home) housing purchase margins. Using state level differences in MID availability to identify, I examine this relationship using standard ordinary least squares, instrumental variables, regression discontinuity, and sample selection estimation techniques. I find the MID to be responsible for a 10.9–18.4% increase in the size of home purchased, but that no relationship exists between the MID and home ownership. These results imply an elasticity of home size with respect to changes in user cost between −1 and −1.4.
GaAs IMPATT Sources

Amplifiers and oscillators, using one or more gallium arsenide (GaAs) double-drift IMPATT diodes have become one of the leading solid state contenders to replace electron tubes as power sources in millimeter wave systems. In this paper, we describe the state-of-the-art performance obtained on devices developed in our laboratory. Our approaches to diode modeling and circuit optimization are outlined.
Chemical Surface Passivation of Ge Nanowires

Surface oxidation and chemical passivation of single-crystal Ge nanowires with diameters ranging between 7 and 25 nm were studied. The surface chemistry differs significantly from that of well-studied monolithic atomically smooth single-crystal substrates. High-resolution Ge 3d XPS measurements reveal that Ge nanowires with chemically untreated surfaces exhibit greater susceptibility to oxidation than monolithic Ge substrates. Multiple solution-phase routes to Ge nanowire surface passivation were studied, including sulfidation, hydride and chloride termination, and organic monolayer passivation. Etching in HCl results in chloride-terminated surfaces, whereas HF etching leads to hydride termination with limited stability. Exposure to aqueous ammonium sulfide solutions leads to a thick glassy germanium sulfide layer. Thermally initiated hydrogermylation reactions with alkenes produce chemically stable, covalently bonded organic monolayer coatings that enable ohmic electrical contacts to be made to the nanow...
Market power in the United States red meatpacking industry

All agricultural production, processing, marketing, food retail, and agricultural input service sectors are becoming increasingly concentrated; that is, populated by fewer and larger firms. This appears to be a universal condition in the agriculture and food sectors of the United States economy. In fact, it is difficult to identify an agricultural industry or industry subsector where increasing concentration is not the case. The United States meatpacking industry, however, draws some of the most intense criticism with respect to this ubiquitous trend. Some of this criticism is deserved because the United States meatpacking industry is one of the most concentrated. Producers and policy makers are concerned that this economic environment results in the exercise of market power by firms to the detriment of producers and consumers. This article presents research evidence addressing this persistent and important question: Is there evidence that meatpacking firms exercise market power? To place the question in context, structural change in United States meatpacking is also discussed. (For more detailed information on structural change and its causes, see the article by MacDonald elsewhere in this issue.) Specifically, this article addresses the following questions: What evidence is there that economic behavior in the United States red meatpacking sector is noncompetitive? What evidence is there that structural changes and conduct have resulted in adverse economic performance? This article reviews a large portion of the research pertaining to these questions and provides some interpretive insights as to the answers. A number of studies that have been conducted over the past 20 years are reviewed. Although the studies use alternative approaches and varying data sources, the conclusion appears to be consistent.
Simultaneous radio and optical observations of auroral structures: Implications for AKR beaming

[1] Polar spacecraft observations of auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) spectra, combined with simultaneous optical images of the auroral oval at the source foot points, show a strong correlation with discrete auroral features. We discuss several examples of distinctive “V”-shaped profiles in time-frequency AKR spectra for which the time of nadir passage (bottom of V) coincides with the spacecraft crossing field lines connected to discrete auroral arcs. These results support models of AKR emission originating in density cavities with radiation initially confined to a “tangent plane” but strongly refracted upward in a frequency-dependent manner. The inferred spatial distributions of AKR sources are closely coincident with field lines connecting discrete auroral arcs, indicating that discrete arcs are highly correlated with robust AKR emission on the same field lines, as first suggested by Gurnett (1974) several decades ago.
Bidirectional responsiveness of the pituitary-adrenal system in old and young male and female rats.

Abstract Bidirectional responsiveness of the pituitary-adrenal system was examined in young adult (3–5 months) and old (24–26 months) male and female rats. In Experiment 1, an approach-avoidance conflict was created by exposing food- and water-deprived subjects to a flavored solution which had previously been paired with lithium chloride-induced illness in a conditioned taste aversion paradigm. Young and old males and young females elevated plasma corticosterone in response to deprivation; males showed a further elevation when reexposed to the solution, whereas young females did not. Old females did not exhibit a corticosterone elevation to deprivation or upon reexposure. In Experiment 2, water was restricted to a fixed period in the morning when corticosterone levels are typically low. Plasma corticosterone was measured before and after watering. Young and old males and young females reentrained their circadian corticosterone rhythm so that levels were elevated just prior to watering; consumption was followed by a drop in corticosterone. Old females failed to reentrain or to suppress corticosterone secretion upon drinking. These findings indicate that the lability of the pituitary-adrenal system is more markedly affected by senescence in females than in males.
A three dimensional numerical algorithm for predicting temperature rise in resist with arbitrary geometry of pattern during X-ray exposure

X-ray lithography is an important technique in micro fabrication used to obtain structures and devices with a high aspect ratio. The study of thermal effects, such as temperature rise and temperature distribution, induced in resists during X-ray exposure is important for the optimization of exposure conditions. In this study, we develop a three-dimensional numerical algorithm for obtaining the steady state temperature profiles in the multilayers (resist and substrate) with arbitrary geometry of pattern on the mask in an X-ray irradiation process. Temperature rise and temperature distributions in the resist and substrate with a micro-gear pattern on the mask are obtained.
Pharmacophores in Drug Design and Discovery

Abstract Compounds containing a specific pharmacophore - the minimum structural features necessary for enzyme binding - can be retrieved from a database such as the National Cancer Institute repository by means of three-dimensional (3D) searching, which allows the retrieval of all compounds possessing a specified set of atoms with a given 3D geometry. The ways in which pharmacophores can be found and characterized and the details of the 3D searching methods are described. Elaboration of compounds found in such searches and their subsequent development as lead drugs is also discussed.
Wilhelm Dilthey: Selected Works, Volume II: Understanding the Human World

The German philosopher Wilhelm Dilthey (1833–1911) is little recognized within the Anglo-Saxon world, though he exerted considerable influence on his more well-known successors Heidegger and Gadame...
Psychostimulant treatment for ADHD is modulated by prefrontal cortex manipulation

Abstract The psychostimulant amphetamine (Amph) is widely used treatments for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Chronic intermittent exposure to psychostimulants induces behavioral sensitization. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of prefrontal cortex (PFC) in the acute and chronic effect of Amph using the open-field assay. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were assigned randomly to three groups, (1) an intact control group (2) a PFC sham-operated group, and (3) a PFC lesion group. All the three groups showed increases in locomotor activity after acute amphetamine injection ( P P
A hybrid ontology approach for integration of obsolescence information

Information sharing among distributed obsolescence management systems is a challenge because of the heterogeneity of data (data with different forms and representations). Indeed, this is the main hurdle that exists for current tools managing product obsolescence. This paper presents a hybrid ontology approach for the integration of obsolescence information that combines a global ontology that provides a shared vocabulary for the specification of the semantics of obsolescence domain knowledge, along with local ontologies that describe structures of multiple data sources distributed in various obsolescence management tools. A procedure is provided for mapping local ontologies to the global ontology by quantifying relationships between classes and identifying groups of classes with a clustering method. Ontologies and rules of identifying relationships are realized with OWL (Web Ontology Language) and SWRL (Semantic Web Rule Language). With the application of the hybrid ontology approach, a unified view of data is provided to support decision making for efficient obsolescence management and a structure where new sources of information can be easily added with little modification in the future.
The metabolic fate of medroxyprogesterone acetate in the baboon.

Abstract The metabolic fate of medroxyprogesterone acetate (6α-methyl-17α-acetoxyprogesterone, MAP) was studied in intact baboons and in those with bile fistulas. The steroid moiety was labeled with 3 H at positions 1 and 2 and the 17α-acetate with 14 C, thus affording the opportunity to ascertain the loss of the 17-acetoxy group and the fate of both labels. Following the i.v. administration of labeled MAP only a small percentage (less than 15%) of the administered dose was recovered in the urine in 7 h in intact baboons, as well as in the urine of baboons with biliary fistulas. Higher amounts of radioactivity were excreted in the bile (approx. 25%), amounting to almost double the percentage excreted in the urine. The similarity in the urinary excretion of radioactivity in intact and biliary fistula animals indicates that, even though a substantial biliary excretion of the labeled MAP occurred, the amount involved in an enterohepatic circulation is probably small. Glucosiduronates were the predominent conjugates, both in the urine and bile. The loss of the 17α-acetate group appeared to be rather extensive, ranging from 30 to 70% among different conjugated and unconjugated metabolites of MAP. The degree of in vivo hydrolysis of the axial 17α-acetate of MAP, though extensive, appeared to be of a significantly lesser magnitude than that exhibited toward the equatorial 3β and 17β acetate groups of labeled ethynodiol diacetate injected into baboons. The deacetylation of the 17α-acetate m MAP was similar to that observed in humans given the drug. Oxygenation of MAP at positions 1 and/or 2 appeared to be rather minimal (
Metabolic Response to Growth Hormone Administration, with Particular Reference to the Occurrence of Hypercalcuria

Metabolic Response to Growth Hormone Administration, with Particular Reference to the Occurrence of Hypercalcuria
Mitochondrial-targeted fluorescent probes for reactive oxygen species

As the primary consumers of oxygen within all aerobic organisms, mitochondria are a major source of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) derived from the in vivo chemistry of oxygen metabolism. Mitochondrial ROS have been traditionally implicated in aging and in a variety of pathologies, including cancer, neurodegeneration, and diabetes, but recent studies also link controlled mitochondrial ROS fluxes to cell regulation and signaling events. Progress in the development of mitochondrial-targeted fluorescent small-molecule indicators that detect specific ROS with high selectivity offers a promising approach for interrogating mitochondrial ROS production, trafficking, and downstream biological effects.
Meta-Analysis of Scale Reliability Using Latent Variable Modeling

A latent variable modeling approach is outlined that can be used for meta-analysis of reliability coefficients of multicomponent measuring instruments. Important limitations of efforts to combine composite reliability findings across multiple studies are initially pointed out. A reliability synthesis procedure is discussed that is based on examination of measurement and reliability invariance, and proceeds with combining scale reliability coefficients across studies when these invariance conditions hold. Point and interval estimation of a common scale reliability coefficient if existing is then described, which is furnished as a by-product of the procedure. The proposed method is illustrated with a numerical example.
Modeling transition to turbulence in eccentric stenotic flows

Mean flow predictions obtained from a host of turbulence models were found to be in poor agreement with recent direct numerical simulation results for turbulent flow distal to an idealized eccentric stenosis. Many of the widely used turbulence models, including a large eddy simulation model, were unable to accurately capture the poststenotic transition to turbulence. The results suggest that efforts toward developing more accurate turbulence models for low-Reynolds number, separated transitional flows are necessary before such models can be used confidently under hemodynamic conditions where turbulence may develop.
Failure of a schedule-induction procedure to increase ethanol intake in an established limited-access self-administration condition

Determining mechanisms that can increase ethanol consumption during a single drinking bout is central to understanding alcohol abuse. When rodents are used as models to study excessive drinking, most often limited and transient increases in bout size are found with various manipulations. In a variety of studies, investigators have reported that schedule-induced drinking can result in excessive consumption of either water or alcohol (ethanol) during a single drinking period in food-restricted rats. The question examined in this experiment was, Could a schedule-induction paradigm increase bout size in nondeprived rats already self-administering ethanol? After the rats were trained to self-administer a 10% (volume/volume) ethanol solution in a fixed daily drinking session, non-response-contingent presentation of a 10% (weight/volume) sucrose solution, on a fixed-time, 120-s schedule, was used to determine whether additional ethanol consumption could be induced. This was followed by the use of a fixed-time, 300-s schedule and then, by using the fixed-time, 120-s schedule, with the presentation of a 2% (weight/volume) sucrose solution. None of these conditions induced an increase in ethanol self-administration. The results indicate that factors that control ethanol bout size in the nondeprived rat are such that the standard schedule-induction condition seems to be ineffective if an ethanol bout has occurred in the recent past.
Field chamber technique for measuring pendimethalin airborne loss from turfgrass.

Airborne loss represents an important pathway for the attenuation of foliar applied pesticides. The research reported here describes the application of a field chamber technique for measuring airborne loss of the dinitroaniline herbicide pendimethalin (N-(1-ethylpropyl)-3,4-dimethyl-2,6-dinitro-benzen- amine) following application to turfgrass. Sanders et al. (1985) demonstrated the utility of this technique for measuring airborne loss of the dinitroaniline anagtrifurain(aaa-trifur-26-dinitr-NN-diprpy-p-tuidene)frmwaste disposal sites. They compared results of field studies with laboratory studies employing a model soil and water disposal system (Sanders and Seiber, 1983). The purpose of the research reported here was to determine the applicability of this field chamber technique to the measurement of pendimethalin airborne loss from turfgrass. The validation of this technique was intended to support the development and implementation of field sampling methodology for the determination of pendimethalin airborne loss from turfgrass utilizing a replicated small plot design (Cooper et a1.,1990). In addition, to monitor foliar residues available for airborne loss a method for determining pendimethalin foliar dislodgeable residues was also developed. Foliar dislodgeable residues are thought to be those residues that are most easily dislodged from the foliar surface, as opposed to more tightly bound or penetrated residues. The measurement of foliar dislodgeable residues was originally designed to assess dermal exposure to workers reentering treated fields (Gunther et al., 1973). However, foliar dislodgeable residues may also be characterized as those residues that are most available for airborne loss, and movement to other parts of the canopy with infiltrating water or by dry deposition (Jenkins et al., 1983; Jenkins et al., 1990).
Innervation of the respiratory muscles of Gallus domesticus

A detailed gross anatomical study of the innervation of the respiratory muscles was made on twenty mature, male, Single Comb White Leghorn chickens. The aim was to demonstrate the general pattern and degree of terminal branching of the intercostal and lumbar nerves that innervate respiratory muscles. The point of entry for all nerves was on the medial face of the proximal third of the belly of the muscles, except for the transversus abdominis and costopulmonary muscles. The nerves were not always accompanied by blood vessels at the point of entry but both were invariably related at their terminal branches within the muscle belly and the tendon or aponeurosis. Within the muscle, primary, secondary, tertiary, and quarternary subdivisions of nerves coursed parallel to the muscle fibers, but some were tortuous. Plexus formation and/or segmental nerve anastomosis was most evident in strongly active expiratory and inspiratory muscles, i.e., all abdominal muscles and the m. costisternalis pars major. A craniocaudal gradient in the size and development of the contractile mass of the intercostal muscles was observed. The mm. intercostales interni increased in size in the caudal intercostal spaces, while the reverse was true for the mm. intercostales externi. Variable forms and sizes of lateroventral abdominal muscles were observed and the m. rectus abdominis was consistently present. The mm. intercostales interni and externi received branches from both the nn. intercostales interni and externi.
Carboxyl-terminal sequential degradation of peptides.

Abstract A method is presenting for degrading carboxyl-terminal peptide amides sequentially and in high yield. Combined with the procedure of the previous paper, these results constitute a sequential carboxyl-terminal peptide degradation.
Ventral hippocampal dopamine D1 and D2 systems and spatial working memory in rats

The hippocampus has long been known to be important for memory function. However, the involvement of hippocampal dopamine systems with memory has received little attention. In the current study, dopamine D1 and D2 hippocampal receptor system involvement with memory was assessed in female Sprague–Dawley rats by local infusion of D1 and D2 agonists and antagonists into the ventral hippocampus. Working memory performance was assessed on the radial-arm maze. Neither the D1 agonist dihydrexidine (1.1–10 μg/side) nor the D1 antagonist SCH 23390 (0.19–1.67 μg/side) was effective in significantly altering radial-arm maze choice accuracy. In contrast, there were significant and opposite effects of D2 agonist and antagonist treatments. The D2 agonist quinpirole caused a significant (P<0.05) dose-related improvement in choice accuracy over a dose range of 1.1–10 μg/side. In a complementary fashion, the D2 antagonist raclopride caused a significant (P<0.05) dose-related choice accuracy deficit over a range of 0.19–1.67 μg/side. This study provides clear evidence that hippocampal D2 activity is positively related to working memory performance, while evidence for D1 systems is less compelling. Dopamine D2 receptors in the ventral hippocampus were shown to have important influences on spatial working memory. In a consistent pattern of effects ventral hippocampal infusion of the D2 agonist quinpirole improved working memory performance in the radial-arm maze, while ventral hippocampal infusion of the D2 antagonist raclopride impaired performance.
Hospital volume and outcomes for laparoscopic gastric bypass and adjustable gastric banding in the modern era

Abstract Background Over the past decade, there has been a rapid decline in adverse events after bariatric surgery. As a result, it is possible that the influence of hospital volume on outcomes has attenuated over time. The objective of the present study was to examine whether the relationship between hospital volume and adverse events has persisted in the era of laparoscopic surgery. This study is based on analysis of State Inpatient Databases (SID) for 12 states from 2006 through 2011, which included 446,127 patients. Methods Using hospital discharge data, changes in serious complications, reoperations and mortality over time, and the impact of hospital volume on outcomes among patients undergoing laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) were studied. Hospitals were stratified by operative volume, and using multivariable logistic regression to adjust for patient characteristics and procedure-type, the relationships between hospital volume and outcomes during 3 2-year periods were examined: 2006–2007, 2008–2009, and 2010–2011. Results The rate of reoperations and mortality were low, and there were no significant differences between the highest (>125 cases/yr) and lowest ( Conclusions Outcomes improved over the study period at both high- and low-volume volume hospitals. There remain significant differences in serious complications between the highest and lowest volume hospitals for both stapled and nonstapled procedures.
At the Crossroads: Overcoming Concerns to Envision Possibilities for Toddlers in Inclusive Child Care.

Abstract This paper describes the experiences of three toddlers with developmental delays and their caregivers in an inclusive child care center. Case study methodology was used to synthesize data representing initial issues presented by parents, caregivers' reflections on their relationships with the toddlers, and interactions between toddlers with special needs, their caregivers, and their typical peers within the child care setting. Analyses of parent interviews, caregiver journals, and child observations yielded two overarching themes—concern and possibility. Both parents and caregivers expressed specific concerns about children's behavioral differences, and how they create challenges to inclusion, but they also envisioned the possibility of increased social opportunities in inclusive child care for children with disabilities. Caregivers found that working in an inclusive setting created the possibility for early childhood professionals to learn about and better understand developmental differences. I...
A new finite element formulation for computational fluid dynamics: I. Symmetric forms of the compressible Euler and Navier—Stokes equations and the second law of thermodynamics

Results of Harten and Tadmor are generalized to the compressible Navier-Stokes equations including heat conduction effects. A symmetric form of the equations is derived in terms of entropy variables. It is shown that finite element methods based upon this form automatically satisfy the second law of thermodynamics and that stability of the discrete solution is thereby guaranteed ab initio.
Situational influence on the use of remedial strategies in embarrassing predicaments

The present study investigated how the use of remedial strategies for coping with embarrassment is affected by various types of embarrassing predicaments. Respondents completed surveys in which they described a significant embarrassing event, what they did to reduce their felt embarrassment, and what other social actors present did to reduce the respondent's embarrassment. Log‐linear analysis of frequency distributions indicated that for embarrassed persons, excuses were more likely to be used in mistake situations and less likely in recipient situations, justification was more likely in a faux pas situation, humor and remediation were more likely in accident situations, and aggression was used exclusively in recipient situations.
Preferred Political, Social, and Technological Characteristics of Electronic Resources (ER) Librarians

SUMMARY The digital revolution has created a need for a new type of professional called the electronic resources (ER) librarian. This chapter traces the development of this new position in academic libraries, identifies preferred characteristics needed to succeed in this position, and provides a rationale for why some characteristics are essential while others are desirable. Using economic, political, social, and technological factors as determinants, the authors further the discussion and ask the question: has this position become a permanent fixture in the library culture or is it a passing trend?
Effectiveness of impersonal versus interpersonal methods to recruit employees into a worksite quit smoking program

One of the first salient issues a worksite quit smoking program must face is how to motivate employees to enroll and participate. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of impersonal versus interpersonal recruitment strategies used by an ongoing worksite quit smoking program. One hundred and nineteen smokers who stated on a questionnaire that they would be either "strongly yes" or "yes" interested in participating in a quit smoking program were randomized into two groups. One group was sent letters by employee mail from the director of the quit smoking program. This letter briefly described the program and invited employees to participate. The other group received a personal phone call from the staff health educator inviting them to participate. Results indicate that of the 46 individuals randomly assigned to Group 1 who were sent letters, none responded to the invitation; while 37 of the 44 employees who received a personal phone call, 19 scheduled an appointment, 7 kept their appointments. These results indicate the possible increased effectiveness of an impersonal versus interpersonal communications in recruiting full-time smoking employees.
Retailer entry conditions and wholesaler conduct: The theatrical distribution of motion pictures ☆

Abstract I add to the empirical literature on vertical contracting and wholesaler conduct by using retailer entry conditions to infer unobserved choice variables and equilibrium responses to prices and advertising. After estimating the US demand for theatrical motion pictures from 1990–96, I apply these techniques to compare observed outcomes to predictions under various distributor-conduct hypotheses. While several caveats apply, results indicate that the hypothesis of competition among distributors fails to describe advertising levels or aggregate payments of theaters to studios. The hypothesis of some collusion among distributors, however, matches the data fairly well.
Cardiac Fibrosis as a Cause of Diastolic Dysfunction

Diastolic dysfunction is increasingly recognized as a cause of symptomatic heart failure, including the clinical syndrome congestive heart failure (CHF). Metaanalyses of earlier studies of this disorder suggest 40–50% of patients with congestive heart failure have preserved left ventricular systolic function. Conditions associated with diastolic dysfunction are diverse and most commonly include ischemic cardiomyopathy with previous myocardial infarction(s) and hypertensive heart disease.
Antibodies to clathrin inhibit endocytosis but not recycling to the trans Golgi network in vitro

Mannose 6-phosphate receptors carry newly synthesized lysosomal enzymes from the trans Golgi network (TGN) to prelysosomes and then return to the TGN to carry out another round of lysosomal enzyme delivery. Although clathrin-coated vesicles mediate the export of mannose 6-phosphate receptors from the TGN, nothing is known about the transport vesicles used to carry these receptors back to the TGN. Two different in vitro assays used in this study show that an antibody that interferes with clathrin assembly blocks receptor-mediated endocytosis of transferrin, but has no effect on the recycling of the 300-kilodalton mannose 6-phosphate receptor from prelysosomes to the TGN. These results suggest that the transport of mannose 6-phosphate receptors from prelysosomes to the TGN does not involve clathrin.
Electron scattering by hot gas in QSOs

The H-alpha emission line of B340 has broad, shallow wings that appear to be a distinct and unusual component of the broad line profile. It is suggested that these wings may result from electron scattering in a hot (approximately 10 to the 7th K) gas that confines the clouds producing the broad line photons. Possible observational tests involve the polarization of the H-alpha wings, the soft X-ray emission from the hot gas, X-ray absorption by highly ionized iron, and either copious infrared emission or variability in the shape of the H-alpha wings.
A framework for developing epitope prediction tools

Several computational methods for identifying epitopes in antigenic sequences have been proposed in the last decade. Many of these methods have been made accessible via the Internet as online web servers. However, the majority of these servers are not periodically updated to accumulate newly reported experimental data or to support additional major histocompatibility complex (MHC) allele-specic predictors. Furthermore, performing large scale studies using these servers is limited by the amount of accepted query data (some servers restrict the user to submit one protein sequence at a time) and is also limited by the lack of a unified output format which complicates the process of combining the results of several servers in order to obtain consensus predictions. To address these issues, we propose Epitopes Toolkit (EpiT), a platform for developing epitope prediction tools. The software, documentation and other supporting materials are available at http://ailab.cs.iastate.edu/epit/.
The effect of experimental coronary artery ligation on the coenzyme I and cocarboxylase content of the myocardium of the dog

1. 1. Coenzyme I is destroyed to the extent of 70 to 83 per cent of normal in cardiac muscle rendered ischemic by coronary artery ligation. 2. 2. Nicotinamide, nicotinamide and riboflavin, and succinate, when administered intravenously before coronary ligation, protect to a great extent against such breakdown of coenzyme I. 3. 3. Nicotinamide and succinate are only fairly efficient in remedying this destruction when injected after the occlusion has been established. 4. 4. No significant change in tissue cocarboxylase occurs after coronary ligation.
Adaptive scheduling of streaming video over wireless networks

We consider the packet scheduling of video frames in the wireless last hop. At the time of network congestion and bad channel conditions, it is necessary to drop some (less important) frames in order to maintain the continuity of the video streaming. The decision on whether to drop and how many frames need to be dropped has to be based on the deadline, size, and importance/utility (in terms of the contribution to the video quality) of each frame. In this paper, we propose an adaptive scheduling algorithm that dynamically decides which frames need to be transmitted and which ones need to be dropped at any transmission opportunity based on the current channel conditions and on the characteristics of each video frame. Simulation results show our scheduling algorithm achieves near optimal performance compared to an optimal offline algorithm that knows the outcome of each transmission opportunity in the future.
Theory of the proximity effect in non-zero magnetic field I

Abstract The Proximity Effect phenomenon in non-zero parallel magnetic field can be well explained by solving the complete L-G equation, including the cubic term. The L-G equation becomes the equation of the one-dimensional harmonic-oscillator. The energy eigenvalue equation naturally produces an explicit functional relation between the upper critical magnetic field H and the transition temperature T over a wide range of T near Tc: T=T c {1− 4ed s ξ 2 s B C n [ (k y − 2ed s B n ) 2 + 2eB n +(k y − 2ed s B n )]} Where B=μoH, Tc = Ts for a single superconductor layer, Tc = Tcsn for a S-N lamina, Tc=Tcss for a S-S lamina, ky is the equivalent wave number, and C is a constant. The agreement between the theory and the experimental results is very good.
A Novel Measure of Conditional Value Premium

We propose a novel conditional value premium measure based on the present-value relation that market reaction to a firm’s public announcement reveals the firm’s discount rates. Specifically, because most splitting stocks are growth stocks on which, by construction, the value premium has strong influence, the average splitting stock announcement-day returns track closely conditional value premium. We find qualitatively similar results using announcements of divested asset acquisitions in which acquirers are usually growth firms. Consistent with risk-based explanations, our conditional value premium measures correlate positively with future GDP growth and help explain the cross-section of stock returns.
Microbial Diversity of Bovine Mastitic Milk as Described by Pyrosequencing of Metagenomic 16s rDNA

Dairy cow mastitis is an important disease in the dairy industry. Different microbial species have been identified as causative agents in mastitis, and are traditionally diagnosed by bacterial culture. The objective of this study was to use metagenomic pyrosequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes to investigate bacterial DNA diversity in milk samples of mastitic and healthy dairy cows and compare the results with those obtained by classical bacterial culture. One hundred and thirty-six milk samples were collected from cows showing signs of mastitis and used for microbiological culture. Additionally, 20 milk samples were collected from healthy quarters. Bacterial DNA was isolated from the same milk samples and the 16S rRNA genes were individually amplified and pyrosequenced. Discriminant analysis showed that the groups of samples that were most clearly different from the rest and thus easily discriminated were the normal milk samples from healthy cows and those characterised by culture as Trueperella pyogenes and Streptococcus spp. The mastitis pathogens identified by culture were generally among the most frequent organisms detected by pyrosequencing, and in some cases (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp. and Streptococcus uberis mastitis) the single most prevalent microorganism. Trueperella pyogenes sequences were the second most prevalent sequences in mastitis cases diagnosed as Trueperella pyogenes by culture, Streptococcus dysgalactiae sequences were the second most prevalent sequences in mastitis cases diagnosed as Streptococcus dysgalactiae by culture, and Staphyloccocus aureus sequences were the third most prevalent in mastitis cases diagnosed as Staphylococcus aureus by culture. In samples that were aerobic culture negative, pyrosequencing identified DNA of bacteria that are known to cause mastitis, DNA of bacteria that are known pathogens but have so far not been associated with mastitis, and DNA of bacteria that are currently not known to be pathogens. A possible role of anaerobic pathogens in bovine mastitis is also suggested.
Food Processor Price Behavior: Firm-Level Evidence of Sticky Prices

Firms in imperfectly competitive markets face direct and indirect costs when changing product prices. The latter costs reflect uncertain changes in revenue and market share resulting from the actions of rival firms. Rosett's friction model is applied to firm-level data to provide estimates of the indirect costs of changing prices for a major processor of frozen concentrated orange juice. Results indicate that indirect costs cause significant price rigidity. Additionally the hypothesis that prices are equally rigid for upward and downward changes could not be rejected.
Haemophilus influenzae acute endometritis with bacteremia: case report and literature review

Haemophilus influenzae rarely causes acute endometritis and the few published cases have always been associated with intrauterine devices (IUD). A 48-year-old female presented to the emergency department with a 3-day history of lower abdominal pain and fever. On physical examination she was tachycardic, hypotensive and had fundic tenderness to palpation. Imaging showed uterine leiomyomas and no IUD. Blood cultures grew a non-typable H. influenzae. Endometrial biopsy demonstrated acute endometritis. Tissue Gram stains and cervico-vaginal cultures were negative; however, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) determined presence of H. influenzae on the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue biopsy. Evidence of H. influenzae in the endometrium demonstrates that the uterus can be the nidus for sepsis when invasive H. influenzae is found with no distinct usual primary focus. This case underscores the importance pathologic diagnosis and molecular testing.