cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serum urea nitrogen, creatinine, and estimators of renal function: Mortality in older patients with cardiovascular disease

Background Renal dysfunction predicts increased mortality in cardiovascular patients, but the best renal estimator for quantifying risks is uncertain. We compared admission serum urea nitrogen (SUN) level, creatinine level, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) rate, and Mayo estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) for predicting mortality. Methods In a retrospective cohort of Medicare patients (aged ≥65 years) hospitalized for myocardial infarction (n = 44 437) and heart failure (n = 56 652), renal estimators were compared for linearity with 1-year mortality risk, magnitude of risk, and relative importance for predicting risk (percentage variance explained) in proportional hazards models. Results The SUN level, creatinine level, and Mayo eGFR had linear associations with mortality. These measures predicted steadily increased risk in patients who experienced a myocardial infarction with a SUN level greater than 17 mg/dL (>6.1 mmol/L), a creatinine level greater than 1.0 mg/dL (>88.4 μmol/L), and a Mayo eGFR of less than 100 mL/min per 1.73 m 2 ; and in patients who experienced heart failure with a SUN level greater than 16 mg/dL (>5.7 mmol/L), a creatinine level greater than 1.1 mg/dL (>97.2 μmol/L), and a Mayo eGFR of 90 mL/min per 1.73 m 2 or less. In contrast, the MDRD eGFR had a J-shaped association and failed to identify increased risks in 50.0% of patients who experienced a myocardial infarction (with an MDRD eGFR >55 mL/min per 1.73 m 2 ) and 60.0% of patients who experienced heart failure (with an MDRD eGFR >44 mL/min per 1.73 m 2 ). The SUN level and Mayo eGFR had the greatest magnitude of risks. In myocardial infarction and heart failure patients, adjusted mortality increased by 3% and 7%, respectively, per 5-U increase in SUN, and by 3% and 9%, respectively, per 10-U decrease in Mayo eGFR ( P Conclusions In older cardiovascular patients, SUN- and creatinine-based measures were powerful predictors of postdischarge mortality. Only MDRD eGFR was less adequate in quantifying risks for patients with mild impairment. Novel estimators, such as the Mayo eGFR, may play an important role in outcomes' prognostication for these patients.
New Coke, Mixture Perception, and the Flavor Balance Hypothesis

Abstract The Coca-Cola Company’s 1985 decision to change the formula of Coca-Cola is examined in the context of “mixture perception”—that domain of psychophysics, which deals with the taste of substances in mixtures. The decision-making process at Coca-Cola is discussed, and the presence of an alternative strategy that was rejected is revealed—a “gradualist approach,” which would have changed the formula in a series of small steps, without announcing the change. A working hypothesis that was invoked (but never tested) to reject the gradualist approach is also revealed—the flavor balance hypothesis (FBH). The FBH asserted that, due to mixture perception, one of the physically small changes of the gradualist approach would be perceptually large and detectable. A test of the FBH using new Coke (aka Coke II) and the original formula (Coke classic) is reported. The results suggest that the FBH was invalid for Coke versus new Coke, and that The Coca-Cola Company could have successfully used the gradualist approach, unannounced. The strategic product management implications of the FBH versus the gradualist approach are discussed for other cases of successful and unsuccessful formula changes.
Picomolar mercury measurements in seawater and other materials using stannous chloride reduction and two-stage gold amalgamation with gas phase detection

Abstract Sampling and analytical methodologies were developed and tested which are non-contaminating, accurate, and sensitive, permitting the reliable determination of picomolar levels of Hg in natural waters. Mercury was isolated from solution using SnCl2 reduction and gas phase stripping with collection and concentration onto Au utilizing Class 100 clean laboratory conditions and practices. Mercury detection was conducted using a two-stage Au amalgamation gas train to introduce elemental Hg0 vapor into the gas cell of a flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometer. By carefully controlling and precisely estimating the procedural blank, a detection limit of 0.21 pM was achieved using a 2-1 sample volume for analysis. An analytical precision of about 10% was obtained for solutions with Hg contents between 2 and 20 pM using 500-ml aliquots for sample analysis. Verification of the analytical accuracy and precision of the method was demonstrated using aqueous laboratory and NBS standard reference materials spiked into acidified natural water samples at picomolar levels. Sample exposure to laboratory air containing elevated Hg was identified as a potentially serious source of Hg contamination to acidified natural water collections containing picomolar levels of Hg. Additional studies revealed that the bulk of Hg in open ocean and coastal seawater (≥88%) consists of labile species which are immediately reactive to SnCl2 reduction under acidic conditions.
Industrial Real Estate Mortgage Default Experience of the New York State Job Development Authority Second Loan Program: A Preliminary Investigation

This paper explores the loan loss experience of a public industrial lending authority, employing contemporaneous borrower net equity as a link to mortgage loan default. The relationship between default, net equity and bankruptcy is tested on a small longitudinal data set of loans using nonparametric statistics and a proportional hazard model. Results show that negative net equity and firm bankruptcy are strongly associated with default among the study population. Further, the borrowers studied did not exercise the put option promptly, suggesting potential benefits from monitoring net equity one year or more prior to default.
Are texts recognizably gendered? An experiment and analysis

Abstract This paper describes an experiment testing the extent to which subjects can determine an author's gender when passages of prose fiction are presented anonymously. Forty 100 word passages, 20 each by male and female authors, were presented to 47 subjects. Overall, subjects identified gender correctly 61% of the time, indicating that writing may be, to some degree, recognizably gendered. Female subjects, because of a bias to select “male” as the author's gender, identified male writers correctly more often than male subjects did. Certain significant differences were found between the male and female subjects in the cues they claimed to use for their decisions. Less experienced readers were found to be as successful as or more successful than more experienced readers in identifying the author's gender.
A stochastic model for PSA levels: behavior of solutions and population statistics

This paper investigates the partial differential equation for the evolving distribution of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels following radiotherapy. We also present results on the behavior of moments for the evolving distribution of PSA levels and estimate the probability of long-term treatment success and failure related to values of treatment and disease parameters. Results apply to a much wider range of parameter values than was considered in earlier studies, including parameter combinations that are patient specific.
Lightweight automated detection of unsafe information leakage via exceptions

Unintended information leakage is one of the most common and severe problems facing modern applications. To help developers detect information leaks before they can be leveraged by attackers, we present a new static analysis-based technique for detecting a specific type of information leak: information leaks via exceptions. Because it focuses on a specific type of leak, the technique is able to be efficient, effective, and easy to use, qualities that are often lacking in more general techniques. We implemented our technique in a prototype tool, UDLD, and performed an extensive empirical evaluation using 19 real web applications. The results of the evaluation show that UDLD is both efficient and effective at detecting unsafe information leaks via exceptions; for the subjects that we considered, UDLD is the fastest among several alternative tools. Moreover, it reported more true leaks than existing state-of-the-art tools with no known false negatives and no false positives.
Near-field diffraction by a slit: implications for superresolution microscopy.

The transmission of light through an infinite slit in a thick perfectly conducting screen is investigated. The spatial distribution of the near-field energy flux is determined through the formulation of four coupled integral equations, which are solved numerically. Transmission coefficients calculated by this method are in agreement with those determined by an alternative formulation. The results theoretically demonstrate the feasibility of near-field superresolution microscopy, in which the collimated radiation passed by an aperture is used to circumvent the diffraction limit of conventional optics, and further suggest the feasibility of near-field superresolution acoustic imaging.
Immunologic differences in murine glial cells and their association with susceptibility to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

We tested the hypothesis that glial cells from mice resistant or susceptible to the autoimmune disease experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) may differ in their abilities either to express Ia antigens and/or stimulate anti-class II (Ia)-specific T-cells. Ia antigens were induced on glial cells from EAE-susceptible (SJL/J) and -resistant (B10.S and DBA/2) strains of mice by culture with lymphokines from activated T-cells (2 degrees SN). Ia antigen expression was quantified with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in which glia were exposed to monoclonal anti-Ia antibodies and alkaline phosphatase-labeled anti-mouse Ig antibodies. The ability of glial cells to stimulate anti-Ia T-cells was quantified by culturing irradiated glial cells with anti-Ia-specific T-cell lines and measuring the amounts of [3H]thymidine incorporated by these lines. Glial cells from all strains of mice could be induced to express Ia antigens and upon exposure to high concentrations of lymphokines, amounts of expressed Ia antigen were equivalent. However, at limiting lymphokine concentrations, glia from the EAE-resistant strain B10.S expressed greater amounts of Ia antigen than did glia from SJL/J mice (p less than 0.05), suggesting that B10.S glia were more sensitive to the Ia-inducing effects of T cell lymphokines. In contrast to the above results, glia from EAE-susceptible SJL mice consistently demonstrated an increased ability to induce T-cell proliferation in lines specific for Ias antigen, compared to glia from EAE-resistant mice, even those of the same Ia haplotype (i.e. B10.S). Spleen cells from resistant strains had equivalent and frequently greater ability to induce anti-Ia-specific T-cell proliferation than did SJL spleen cells. These data suggest (a) that there are differences in the sensitivity of glia from different strains of mice to the Ia antigen-inducing effects of T-cell lymphokines, (b) that expression of Ia antigen does not necessarily correlate with the ability to stimulate Ia-specific T-cells, (c) that there are organ-specific differences in the ability to stimulate Ia antigen-specific T-cells, and (d) that an additional variable involved in determining resistance or susceptibility to an organ-specific autoimmune disease may be the ability of the target organ to stimulate anti-Ia-specific T-cells.
Positional candidate gene approach and functional genomics strategy in atopy gene discovery.

As part of our effort in searching for genetic factors contributing to the susceptibility to atopy and asthma, we have focused on a 'positional candidate' approach in identifying CC chemokine gene polymorphisms and their functional correlates. To date, a single-nucleotide polymorphism was found in the RANTES proximal promoter region, and a high degree of sequence variation was identified in the 3'-untranslated region -of the eotaxin gene. Also, we are pursuing a series of functional genomics' studies designed to identify differentially expressed genes in a panel of allergen-specific human Th2 cells and in antigen-induced hyperreactive murine airways. This is performed using a combination of protocols including suppression-subtractive hybridization and cDNA array hybridizations with 18,363 nonredundant sequences. A data base is being generated from a list of subtracted cDNA sequences and array-positive clones to categorize differentially expressed genes. Sequences are being placed in biologically relevant categories on the basis of function (i.e., receptor, signal transduction pathways, transcription, and translation). With the increasing amount of sequence information compiled by the Human Genome Project, it will be particularly challenging to integrate functional gene-mapping efforts to define and compare aberrant genotypes/phenotypes in atopic diseases.
A Comparison of Ventricular Function During High Right Ventricular Septal and Apical Pacing after His‐Bundle Ablation for Refractory Atrial Fibrillation

This study compares LV performance during high right ventricular septal (RVS) and apical (RVA) pacing in patients with LV dysfunction who underwent His-bundle ablation for chronic AF. We inserted a passive fixation pacing electrode into the RVA and an active fixation electrode in the RVS. A dual chamber, rate responsive pulse generator stimulated the RVA through the ventricular port and the RVS via the atrial port. Patients were randomized to initial RVA (VVIR) or RVS (AAIR) pacing for 2 months. The pacing site was reversed during the next 2 months. At the 2 and 4 month follow-up visit, each patient underwent a transthoracic echocardiographical study and a rest/exercise first pass radionuclide ventriculogram. We studied nine men and three women (mean age of 68 +/- 7 years) with congestive heart failure functional Class (NYHA Classification): I (3 patients), II (7 patients), and III (2 patients). The QRS duration was shorter during RVS stimulation (158 +/- 10 vs 170 +/- 11 ms, P < 0.001). Chronic capture threshold and lead impedance did not significantly differ. LV fractional shortening improved during RVS pacing (0.31 +/- 0.05 vs 0.26 +/- 0.07, P < 0.01). RVS activation increased the resting first pass LV ejection fraction (0.51 +/- 0.14 vs 0.43 +/- 0.10, P < 0.01). No significant difference was observed during RVS and RVA pacing in the exercise time (5.6 +/- 3.2 vs 5.4 +/- 3.1, P = 0.6) or the exercise first pass LV ejection fraction (0.58 +/- 0.15 vs 0.55 +/- 0.16, P = 0.2). The relative changes in QRS duration and LV ejection fraction at both pacing sites showed a significant correlation (P < 0.01). We conclude that RVS pacing produces shorter QRS duration and better chronic LV function than RVA pacing in patients with mild to moderate LV dysfunction and chronic AF after His-bundle ablation.
Platinum and palladium as substrates for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Abstract Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been observed from the electrogenerated I 2 and I - 3 coadsorbed on Pt and Pd electrodes. Theoretical models on the SERS process that emphasize the important role of the optical properties of the metal substrate cannot be used to explain this observation. The electronic interaction between the adsorbate and the substrate is believed to be the most important mechanism for the observed SERS.
Motif-based fold assignment.

Conventional fold recognition techniques rely mainly on the analysis of the entire sequence of a protein. We present an MBA method to improve performance of any conventional sequence-based fold assignment. The method uses sequence motifs, such as those defined in the Prosite database, and the SwissProt annotation of the fold library. When combined with a simple SDP method, the coverage of MBA is comparable to the results obtained with PSI-BLAST. However, the set of the MBA predictions is significantly different from that of PSI-BLAST, leading to a 40% increase of the coverage for the combined MBA/PSI-BLAST method. The MBA approach can be easily adopted to include the results of sequence-independent function prediction methods and alternative motif and annotation databases. The method is available through the web server localized at http://www.doe-mbi.ucla.edu/mba.
The depletion of germanium solute around vacancy sinks in aluminum

Abstract During the precipitation of a supersaturated solution of vacancies, vacancy currents were observed to cause a depletion of germanium solute around vacancy condensation pits in aluminum. The depletion of germanium solute around these vacancy sinks was directly measured with an electron microprobe. From the values of the vacancy and germanium impurity currents determined in the experiment, a minimum value of the ratio of the vacancy jumping frequency away from a germanium impurity atom and the vacancy jumping frequency around a germanium impurity atom is calculated. This ratio suggests that the binding energy of germanium-vacancy pairs in aluminum is small.
T‐schema deflationism versus Gödel’s first incompleteness theorem

where an instance is the result of writing some sentence of our language in place of 'p' in both places. Call this T-schema deflationism. An immediate objection to T-schema deflationism, as here defined, is that many of the sentences we put in place of 'p' in (T) may be neither true nor false apart from some context of utterance, so that (T) just cannot be the correct scheme for the articulation of the truth conditions of sentences. Still, I think it is worthwhile to consider whether there is any other objection to T-schema deflationism. Let us imagine that our language is one in which every sentence is either true or false or neither absolutely. If Tschema deflationism is objectionable even for such a language, then we may find that any more realistic form of deflationism is objectionable in the same way. T-scheme deflationism, as here defined, is an explicitly vague idea, since it says only that certain instances of (T) comprise a theory of truth for our language and does not say exactly which instances comprise the theory. It is clear that a theory of truth for our language cannot contain all instances of (T), because many instances are liable to be plainly untrue. For instance, suppose our language contains the following sentence:
Electron-capturing compounds and selected elements in paper.

Many novel solutions to the nationwide problem of solid waste disposal have been proposed. A recent one which has been studied is the feeding of paper products to farm animais such as dairy cattle as a source of cellulose (MERTENS et ai. 1971a). Cattle will consume rations containing up to 20 weight % paper and assimilate up to 90% of the dry matter of certain of them such as brown cardboard (MERTENS et ai. 1971b). Office paper has also been advantageously incorporated in sheep rations (NISHIMUTA et,ai. 1969). It is known that compounds such as the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) are used as dye carriers in specialt'y printing inks. High concentrations of PCB's have been reported as present in carbonless copying paper (MASUDA et al. 1972). It is possible that these compounds may survive when specialty paper products are regenerated for use in other paper products such as cardboard. Paperboard has been reported to contain PCB-type compounds (ANONYMOUS 1972). These compounds could be transferred to cows' milk or meat as residues. Contamination of food by contact is possible if the paper material becomes part of a food container. Electron capturing peaks in extracts of cereal grains have been traced to the presence of corresponding compounds in cloth bags (LEVl and NOWICKI 1972). Certain metals may also be present in paper as constituents of the ink or as a result of the printing process. Furthermore deep rooted trees may absorb unusual elem~Its from lower soil horizons (ROBINSON et ai. 1958) which may then be present in paper. In the work reported a survey of about i00 papers and paper products has been made for the presence of chlorinated organic compounds using gas chromatography with electron affinity and electrolytic conductivity detectors and the combination gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Metals and other elements in paper were also determined by spark source mass spectrometry. Experimental
Micronucleus incidence and hematological effects in bullfrog tadpoles (Rana catesbeiana) exposed to 2-acetylaminofluorene and 2-aminofluorene

The micronucleus technique used withRana catesbeiana tadpoles is useful for the evaluation of aromatic amine toxicity. When exposed to increasing concentrations of the aromatic amine 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF 1 × 10−8 M to 5 × 10−5 M),R. catesbeiana tadpoles responded with an increasing frequency of micronuclei (MN) in the peripheral blood. Micronuclei increased fourfold with the 5 × 10−5 M 2-AAF exposure. Micronuclei frequency significantly increased with concentrations as low as 5 × 10−8 M. The time from initial mutagen exposure to the time of maximum number of MN present in the peripheral blood occurred at two separate times: 2 d and 14 d after exposure. The occurrence of two MN frequency peaks may be due to the presence of two erythrocyte populations from two hemopoietic sources (liver and kidneys) in young tadpoles. The occurrence of immature erythrocytes, as well as general degenerative changes [such as fragmentation (schistocytosis)] in the erythocytes and vacuolated cytoplasms suggested 2-AAF may contribute to hemolytic anemia effects. 2-AAF also increased the frequency of rubricytes found in the peripheral blood, but had no significant effect on the hematocrit values of animals exposed to concentrations up to 1 × 10−5 M. The tadpoles may have been producing rubricytes to replace the damaged red blood cells (RBCs). The direct-acting mutagen 2-aminofluorene (2-AF) was considerably more toxic to peripheral RBCs than the indirect-acting 2-AAF. Hematocrit values of the 2-AF (1 × 10−5 M)-exposed tadpoles declined severely (from 22 to 10%) because of a significant increase in osmotic fragility of erythrocytes, resulting in cell lysis. The general nature of these stress responses indicates that measurement of tadpole blood characteristics, including erythrocyte morphology, may provide a sensitive means of early warning for some water quality changes adverse to aquatic life.
Modification by N-acetyltransferase 1 genotype on the association between dietary heterocyclic amines and colon cancer in a multiethnic study

Abstract Objective Colorectal cancer incidence is greater among African Americans, compared to whites in the U.S., and may be due in part to differences in diet, genetic variation at metabolic loci, and/or the joint effect of diet and genetic susceptibility. We examined whether our previously reported associations between meat-derived heterocyclic amine (HCA) intake and colon cancer were modified by N -acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) or 2 (NAT2) genotypes and whether there were differences by race. Methods In a population-based, case-control study of colon cancer, exposure to HCAs was assessed using a food-frequency questionnaire with a meat-cooking and doneness module, among African Americans (217 cases and 315 controls) and whites (290 cases and 534 controls). Results There was no association with NAT1*10 versus NAT1-non*10 genotypes for colon cancer. Among whites, there was a positive association for NAT2-“rapid/intermediate” genotype [odds ratio (OR) = 1.4; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.0, 1.8], compared to the NAT2-“slow” that was not observed among African Americans. Colon cancer associations with HCA intake were modified by NAT1, but not NAT2, regardless of race. However, the “at-risk” NAT1 genotype differed by race. For example, among African Americans, the positive association with 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenyl-imidazo[4,5- b ]pyridine (PhIP) was confined to those with NAT1*10 genotype (OR = 1.8; 95% CI = 1.0, 3.3; P for interaction = 0.02, comparing highest to lowest intake), but among whites, an association with 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5- f ]quinoxaline (MeIQx) was confined to those with NAT1-non*10 genotype (OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.1, 3.1; P for interaction = 0.03). Conclusions Our data indicate modification by NAT1 for HCA and colon cancer associations, regardless of race. Although the at-risk NAT1 genotype differs by race, the magnitude of the individual HCA-related associations in both race groups are similar. Therefore, our data do not support the hypothesis that NAT1 by HCA interactions contribute to differences in colorectal cancer incidence between African Americans and whites.
A novel endoscopic full-thickness plicator for the treatment of GERD: A pilot study.

Abstract Background The novel full-thickness plication described in this study was designed to inhibit gastroesophageal reflux by placement of a transmural plication near the gastroesophageal junction under direct endoscopic visualization. The resulting serosa-to-serosa tissue union is thought to accentuate and restore the valvular mechanism of the gastroesophageal junction. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and feasibility of endoscopic full-thickness plication for the treatment of patients with GERD symptoms. Methods A pilot study was performed in patients with chronic heartburn and pathologic reflux requiring maintenance antisecretory therapy. A single full-thickness plication was placed in the gastric cardia within 1 to 2 cm of the gastroesophageal junction. The primary end points of the study were procedure safety and feasibility, as well as long-term durability of the full-thickness tissue fixation. Secondary end points included medication use and the GERD-Health Related Quality of Life questionnaire and Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale. Results Full-thickness plication was performed successfully in 6 of 7 patients, with one procedure aborted because of difficulty in sedating the patient. Mean procedure time was 21 minutes. Mild epigastric pain was reported by two patients and difficulty with eructation by one patient; all symptoms resolved spontaneously within 7 days of the procedure. Endoscopy at 6 months revealed an intact plication in all patients. At 1 year after the procedure, patients reported sustained reduction in heartburn scores. One patient, who did not experience significant relief of symptoms, ultimately underwent successful laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication at 6 months after the procedure. At 1 year after the procedure, 3 of 5 patients were not taking anti-GERD medications. Conclusions Endoscopic full-thickness plication is feasible, safe and, in this pilot study, appeared to reduce symptoms and medication use associated with GERD.
Framework for Aircraft Conceptual Design and Environmental Performance Studies

Although civil aircraft environmental performance has been important since the beginnings of commercial aviation, continuously increasing air traffic and a rise in public awareness have made aircraft noise and emissions two of the most pressing issues hampering commercial aviation growth today. This, in turn, has created the demand for an understanding of the impact of noise and emissions requirements on the design of the aircraft. In response, the purpose of this research is to explore the feasibility of integrating noise and emissions as optimization objectives at the aircraft conceptual design stage, thereby allowing a quantitative analysis of the tradeoffs between environmental performance and operating cost. A preliminary design tool that uses a multiobjective genetic algorithm to determine optimal aircraft configurations and to estimate the sensitivities between the conflicting objectives of low noise, low emissions, and operating costs was developed. Beyond evaluating the ability of a design to meet regulations and establishing environmental performance trades, the multidisciplinary design tool allows the generation of conventional but extremely low-noise and low-emissions designs that could, in the future, dramatically decrease the environmental impact of commercial aviation, albeit at the expense of increased operating cost. The tool incorporates ANOPP, a noise prediction code developed at NASA Langley Research Center, NASA Glenn Research Center's Engine Performance Program engine simulator, and aircraft design, analysis, and optimization modules developed at Stanford University. The trend that emerges from this research among the seemingly conflicting objectives of noise, fuel consumption, and NO x emissions is the opportunity for significant reductions in environmental impact by designing the aircraft to fly slower and at lower altitude.
MRI in cardiac electrophysiology: the emerging role of delayed-enhancement MRI in atrial fibrillation ablation

Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation has emerged as a viable therapeutic option for those patients who have failed conventional medical therapy. This treatment strategy has been introduced in the past decade following the discovery of ectopic foci in the pulmonary veins capable of initiating this arrhythmia. The basis of current ablation techniques relies on inducing myocardial necrosis at distinct anatomical landmarks in order to electrically isolate these ectopic foci and to disrupt pulmonary vein and left atrial conduction pathways. The recent introduction of a delayed-enhancement cardiac MRI sequence now allows for the noninvasive assessment of the location and extent of left atrial scarring following the ablation procedure. In this review, we describe this novel scan sequence and its current and potential role in catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.
Managing contested greenspace: neighborhood commons and the rise of dog parks

Dog parks present an emerging class or urban environmental amenities. In order to develop a better understanding of dog parks, this article applies existing literature regarding urban parks and common pool resource (CPR) management to off-leash recreation areas. We develop a typology dog-park management and build upon a survey of 298 dog park users of a major dog park. We test the relationship between the perception of the park as a successfully governed CPR, and behaviour which contributes to collective action, such as contributing time, money, or to the upkeep of the park and developing a sense of community. We see strong relationships between these indicators of overcoming collective action problems and the four variables corresponding to design principles. Across all models, feeling involved in rule-making positively and significantly predicts more collective action or stronger sense of community.
Hyperglycemia inhibits mechanoreceptor-mediated gastrocolonic responses and colonic peristaltic reflexes in healthy humans.

Abstract Background/Aims: The effects of hyperglycemia on colonic motor function are unknown. Therefore, colonic neuromuscular function was tested in normal volunteers as a model for constipation in diabetes. Methods: Extended (gastrocolonic response) and local (peristaltic reflex) neural responses and colonic muscle contractility were tested under control, hyperglycemic clamp, and euglycemic, hyperinsulinemic clamp conditions with placement of barostat-regulated balloons in the descending colon to measure changes in tone as differences in balloon volume. Results: Hyperglycemic clamping to 274 ± 3 mg/dL blunted increases in colon tone evoked by gastric distention (gastrocolonic response) (100–300 mL) but did not affect gastric tone. Three descending colonic balloons in series assessed the peristaltic reflex. Inflation of the middle stimulus balloon increased proximal tone, an increase that was blunted by hyperglycemia, but produced distal relaxation followed by increases in tone that were unaffected by hyperglycemia. Euglycemic, hyperinsulinemic clamping had no effect on the gastrocolonic response or peristaltic reflex. Tonic increases evoked by bethanechol (5 mg administered subcutaneously) were unaffected by hyperglycemic clamping. Conclusions: Hyperglycemia blunts mechanoreceptor-mediated gastrocolonic responses and ascending contractions but not descending components of the peristaltic reflex in humans, effects not caused by hyperinsulinemia or direct muscle actions. These inhibitory effects on long and short neural reflexes that modulate colonic motility may contribute to constipation in diabetes.
A Transmural Gradient in Angiotensin II Concentration in the Canine Ventricle

Transmural differences in the heart have long been known and their importance in normal heart function emphasized. Angiotensin II is a potent effector that is regularly targeted in heart failure treatments. We used the whole-cell patch clamp to investigate the effects of angiotensin II on NaK-ATPase activity in the canine left ventricle and we show that transmural gradients in NaK-ATPase activity and contractile force are established by a corresponding gradient in angiotensin II concentration.
Modulating phagocyte activation: the pros and cons of Helicobacter pylori virulence factors.

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is a highly successful human pathogen that has colonized the gastric mucosa of approximately half of the world's population. Infection with this gram-negative bacterium induces a state of chronic inflammation that does not resolve the underlying infection and often leads to
Performance evaluation: Experimental computer science at its best

What is experimental computer science? This question has been widely discussed ever since the Feldman Report was published (1979 [18]). Many computer scientists believe that survival of their discipline is intimately linked to their ability to rejuvenate experimentation. The National Science Foundation instituted the Coordinated Experimental Research Program (CERP) in 1979 to help universities set up facilities capable of supporting experimental research. Other agencies of government are considering similar programs. Some industrial firms are offering similar help through modest cash grants and equipment discounts.What is experimental computer science? Surprisingly, computer scientists disagree on the answer. A few believe that computer science is in flux—making a transition from theoretical to experimental science—and, hence, no operational definition is yet available. Some believe that it is all the non-theoretical activities of computer science, especially those conferring “hands-on” experience. Quite a few believe that it is large system development projects—i.e., computer and software engineering—and they cite MIT's Multics, Berkeley's version of Bell Labs' UNIX, the ARPAnet, IBM's database System R, and Xerox's Ethernet-based personal computer network as examples.These beliefs are wrong. There are well-established standards for experimental science. The field of performance evaluation meets these standards and provides examples of experimental science for the rest of the computing field.
Reversible watermarking by prediction-error expansion

We propose a new reversible (lossless) watermarking algorithm for digital images. Being reversible, the algorithm enables the recovery of the original host information upon the extraction of the embedded information. The proposed technique exploits the inherent correlation among the adjacent pixels in an image region using a predictor. The information bits are embedded into the prediction errors, which enables us to embed a large payload while keeping the distortion low. A histogram shift at the encoder enables the decoder to identify the embedded location.
The Vitamin D Epidemic and its Health Consequences

Vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as an epidemic in the United States. The major source of vitamin D for both children and adults is from sensible sun exposure. In the absence of sun exposure 1000 IU of cholecalciferol is required daily for both children and adults. Vitamin D deficiency causes poor mineralization of the collagen matrix in young children's bones leading to growth retardation and bone deformities known as rickets. In adults, vitamin D deficiency induces secondary hyperparathyroidism, which causes a loss of matrix and minerals, thus increasing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. In addition, the poor mineralization of newly laid down bone matrix in adult bone results in the painful bone disease of osteomalacia. Vitamin D deficiency causes muscle weakness, increasing the risk of falling and fractures. Vitamin D deficiency also has other serious consequences on overall health and well-being. There is mounting scientific evidence that implicates vitamin D deficiency with an increased risk of type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, cardiovascular heart disease, and many common deadly cancers. Vigilance of one's vitamin D status by the yearly measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D should be part of an annual physical examination.
Rate-compatible puncturing of low-density parity-check codes

In this correspondence, we consider puncturing of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes for additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels. We show that good puncturing patterns exist and that the puncturing can be performed in a rate-compatible fashion. Furthermore, rate-compatible puncturing results in a small loss of performance with respect to threshold, namely, the punctured code is good (in terms of threshold) across a range of rates when compared with the optimal codes for each rate. This allows one to implement a single "mother" encoder and decoder that is good across a wide range of rates.
Particulate mass and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure from secondhand smoke in the back seat of a vehicle

Context Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) has been reduced in the USA by banning smoking in public places. These restrictions have not had the same effect on children9s exposure to SHS as adults suggesting that children are exposed to SHS in locations not covered by bans, such as private homes and cars. Objectives Assess exposure to SHS in the backseat of a stationary vehicle where a child would sit, quantify exposures to fine particulates (PM2.5), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), carbon monoxide (CO) and nicotine. Estimate the impact on a child9s mean daily exposure to PM2.5. Methods SHS exposures in stationary vehicles with two different window configurations were monitored. A volunteer smoked three cigarettes in a one-hour period for twenty-two experiments. PM2.5, CO, nicotine and PAH where measured in the backseat of the vehicle. 16 PAH compounds were measured for in gas and particle phases as well as real-time particle phase concentrations. Results The mean PAH concentration, 1325.1 ng/m 3 , was larger than concentrations measured in bars and restaurants were smoking is banned in many countries. We estimate that a child spending only ten minutes in the car with a smoker at the mean PM2.5 concentration measured in the first window configuration −1697 mg/m 3 – will cause a 30% increase to the daily mean PM2.5 personal average of a child. Conclusions Estimates made using the measured data and previously reported PM2.5 daily mean concentrations for children in California showing that even short exposure periods are capable of creating large exposure to smoke.
Tuning In, Tuning Out: The Strange Disappearance of Social Capital in America

It is a daunting honor to deliver the inaugural Pool Lecture. Ithiel de Sola Pool was a brilliant, broad-gauged scholar whose interests ranged from the Nazi elite to direct satellite broadcasting, from the first rigorous computer simulation of electoral behavior to the development of network theory, from which he invented "small world" research. He helped found the field of political communications. A graduate of the University of Chicago's political science department during its classic golden age, and first chair of the MIT political science department, Pool must also have been a remarkable teacher, for his students continue to contribute to our understanding of technology, communications, and political behavior. When I accepted this honor, I did not guess how close my own inquiry would lead me to Pool's own professional turf. I shall return to the contemporary relevance of Pool's insights at the conclusion of this talk.
A study of the effects of compiler-controlled speculation on instruction and data caches

Compiler-controlled speculation has been shown to be effective in increasing instruction level parallelism (ILP) found in non-numeric programs. However, it is not clear the extent to which speculatively scheduled code may affect the instruction and data caches. In particular, the amount of time spent resolving cache misses may be significant enough to prevent the more aggressive speculation models from attaining their best potential performance results. The objective of this paper is to quantify these effects using aggressive speculation models. >
Winn and the Inadvisability of Constitutionalizing Tax Expenditure Analysis

Tax expenditure analysis, despite its contribution to tax policy debate, is ill-suited as a tool of constitutional decisionmaking. Sometimes tax provisions are, for constitutional purposes, equivalent to direct monetary outlays; sometimes they are not. That equivalence can only be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, considering the nature of the specific tax provision and the particular constitutional clause at issue. Contrary to the approach of the Winn dissent, the Court is ill-advised to invoke tax expenditure analysis as a tool of constitutional decisionmaking. At the end of the day, we do not know what a tax expenditure is.
Crises in Sickle Cell Disease

In spite of significant strides in the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD), SCD crises are still responsible for high morbidity and early mortality. While most patients initially seek care in the acute setting for a seemingly uncomplicated pain episode (pain crisis or vaso-occlusive crisis), this initial event is the primary risk factor for potentially life-threatening complications. The pathophysiological basis of these illnesses is end-organ ischemia and infarction combined with the downstream effects of hemolysis that results from red blood cell sickling. These pathological changes can occur acutely and lead to a dramatic clinical presentation, but are frequently superimposed over a milieu of chronic vasculopathy, immune dysregulation, and decreased functional reserve. In the lungs, acute chest syndrome is a particularly ominous lung injury syndrome with a complex pathogenesis and potentially devastating sequelae, but all organ systems can be affected. It is, therefore, critical to understand the SCD patients' susceptibility to acute complications and their risk factors so that they can be recognized promptly and managed effectively. Blood transfusions remain the mainstay of therapy for all severe acute crises. Recommendations and indications for the safest and most efficient implementation of transfusion strategies in the critical care setting are therefore presented and discussed, together with their pitfalls and potential future therapeutic alternatives. In particular, the importance of extended phenotypic red blood cell matching cannot be overemphasized, due to the high prevalence of severe complications from red cell alloimmunization in SCD.
Singular Perturbation in the Physical Sciences

* What is a singular perturbation?* Asymptotic expansions* Matched asymptotic expansions* Matched asymptotic expansions in PDE* Prandtl boundary layer theory* Modulated oscillations* Modulation theory by transforming variables* Nonlinear resonance* Bibliography* Index
Defect Creation by Forward Bias in Amorphous Silicon P-I-N Diodes

Metastable defects are induced in a-Si:H p-i-n devices by a forward bias current. The defect density increases approximately as the square root of time, reaching saturation at long inducing times, and with a weak temperature dependence. Current-induced defect annihilation is observed, in which the current causes a reduction in the previously induced defect density. Calculations of the changes in the forward bias current for different bulk defect densities are able to account for the measured results.
Textural and structural modification history in the Red Hill layered syenitic complex, New Hampshire

Textures and structures present in magmatic rocks represent the additive results of continuous activity from crystallization through post-solidification. Layered syenitic rocks from the Red Hill intrusive complex show deformed cumulate textures and structures that are used to determine the relative time sequence of their formation and development. Texture and structure formations are related to five phases of crystal-magma evolution: primary crystallization, early accumulation, intermediate accumulation, late accumulation, and post-solidification. Individual features are related to one of the phases and to the processes that were operating during the phase. By assembling all of the textures and structures into a relative order of appearance, it is possible to identify major whole-rock textural transformations. These grade from early-formed cumulate texture through tightly packed laminate, to hypidiomorphic-inequigranular, allotriomorphic-granular, and finally, recrystallized mosaic texture.
An Aristotelian approach to animal behavior

Depuis l'Antiquite grecque, les philosophes ont tente de distinguer la vie humaine de celle d'autres organismes en indiquant certains traits mentaux qui sont supposes etre specifiques aux humains. Aristote a distingue trois types de desir : les deux formes superieures de desir etant caracteristiques de la cognition humaine, et la forme inferieure du desir s'appliquant de maniere egale aux etres humains et aux animaux non humains. Dans cet article, l'A. explore la conception du desir animal par Aristote et tente de determiner dans quelle mesure les animaux sont capables de percevoir et de desirer. Il montre ainsi comment la biosemiotique permet de resoudre ce probleme en retournant a une approche des organismes vivants qui inclut un lien intentionnel entre deux parties en interaction constante : une partie fonctionnant comme un signe auquel l'autre partie attribue une signification hautement specifique
Precise Microscale Polymeric Networks through Piezoelectronic Inkjet Printing

Microsized particles are versatile drug delivery systems with applications as inhalants, implants, and vaccines. An ideal fabrication technique is envisioned to provide particles with controlled size dimensions and is facile, without excessive loss of drug during incorporation, modulated morphologies and release kinetics. In this work, we report on the utilization of a set of polymeric building blocks such as allyl- functionalized polycarbonates, semibranched poly(glycidol allylglycidyl ether)s, and dithiol-PEG cross-linkers to form microsized networks in controlled size dimensions of 18–12 μm, 12–8 μm, and 1–2 μm with modulated morphologies and hydrophilicity based on the ratio of the polycarbonate or polyglycidol building blocks. Piezoelectric ink jet printing allows for the direct printing of these polymeric structures onto substrates, after which the printed droplet is cross-linked via UV light using thiol–ene click reactions. By varying the ratio of the allyl-functionalized building block droplets fr...