cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prostate cancer imaging with a new monoclonal antibody: A preliminary report

Background: Optimal treatment of prostate cancer depends on accurate staging. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging have severe limitations, and standard bone scanning can show only destructive osseous metastases. A radiolabeled antibody specific to prostatic adenocarcinoma could theoretically find evidence of soft-tissue metastases and lymph node involvement.
Characterization of hepatitis C virus structural proteins with a recombinant baculovirus expression system

We cloned and expressed the sequences encoding the structural proteins of the hepatitis C virus in a baculovirus eukaryotic expression system. Four recombinant constructs expressed sufficient hepatitis C virus–specific proteins in insect cell culture to allow analysis of protein cleavage, glycosylation and immunoreactivity. Using immunoblot analysis, we detected a 22-kD protein corresponding to the hepatitis C virus capsid protein cleaved from a larger precursor. Recombinant constructs encoding the presumptive envelope (E1) protein produced products ranging from 30 to 35 kD, whereas constructs encoding the presumptive E2/NS1 protein expressed products ranging in size from 68 to 73 kD. The recombinant envelope proteins were glycosylated, as shown by sensitivity to endoglycosidase F digestion, whereas the capsid was not. We examined the immunoreactivity of these recombinant proteins using sera from 50 patients chronically infected with HCV. Forty-seven of 50 of these sera contained antibodies against the capsid, 14 (28%) also had antibodies against E1 and at least 5 (10%) had antibody against E2/NS1. Forty-seven of 50 sera (94%) were viremic, as determined on hepatitis C virus polymerase chain reaction. The three sera that were hepatitis C virus polymerase chain reaction negative did not have envelope antibodies, whereas all sera that had envelope antibodies were also hepatitis C virus polymerase chain reaction positive. Thus antibodies to baculovirus-expressed hepatitis C virus structural proteins, including E1 and E2/NS1, are found in the presence of viremia. (HEPATOLOGY 1993;17:763–771.)
Page-queries as a tool for organizing secondary memory auxiliary databases II: optimal selection of SADB contents

Abstract In this paper, a specific aspect of a new approach to organizing secondary memory redundancy in centralized databases is investigated. The approach is based on optimal management of a special type of redundant temporaries, collectively called the auxiliary database. The specific aspect investigated is the problem of optimal selection of the contents of the auxilary database. The new approach is based on exploiting the irregularities in both the distribution of data values in the database and in its access patterns. In order to exploit the nonuniformity in the distribution of both queries and data, special atomic data constructs, called page-queries are used as the smallest indivisible information units in the auxiliary database. A page-query is roughly defined as the result of one query when it is processed against only one memory page. It is shown that use of these atomic data packets as the only building blocks in secondary memory auxilary databases allows us to realize optimization potential that could otherwise not be achieved. The problem of maintaining the auxiliary database in response to database evolution is approached in a self-adaptive fashion by periodically reorganizing its contents to suit the common usage and data distribution patterns. A mathematical programming formulation of the problem is given for which a fast solution algorithm is known. The approach taken to handle updates is to keep the main database always up to date and to adaptively select the contents of the temporaries based on their update history. Measurements obtained from a real implementation are presented and provide preliminary verification of the proposed approach.
Is cryopreservation of embryos a legitimate surrogate marker of embryo quality in studies of assisted reproductive technology conducted using national databases

Objective To investigate whether cryopreservation of supernumerary embryos is a good surrogate for embryo quality. Design Retrospective study of 6,859 assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles from women aged Setting National Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinic Outcome Reporting System data from 2006–2008. Patient(s) Women undergoing ART. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Embryo quality (good, fair, or poor), cell number, and live births were compared for cycles with and without cryopreservation, using χ 2 to evaluate statistical significance. The association of freezing with embryo quality was examined using multiple logistic regression after adjusting for confounders (patient age, oocyte yield, intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI], assisted hatching, male factor infertility). Result(s) Cycles with cryopreservation were more likely to have two embryos of good quality transferred (81.3% vs. 48.5%) and had more 8-cell embryos transferred (76.0% vs. 50.1%). Relative to cycles with two good embryos (good-good), the adjusted odds ratios (OR) for cryopreservation were: good-fair (OR = 0.301, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.257–0.354), fair-fair (OR = 0.308, 95% CI=0.258–0.367), and any poor (OR = 0.058, 95% CI=0.040–0.083). The live birth rate was 52.4% for cycles with freezing and 40.6% for cycles without. Conclusion(s) Embryo quality and cell number were both associated with embryo cryopreservation. However, although cryopreservation was a strong marker for good quality, not having cryopreservation did not reliably indicate poor quality, as almost half of those cycles had two good quality embryos.
Real-time detection of insulin-like growth factor-1 stimulation of the MAC-T bovine mammary epithelial cell line.

Binding of growth factors by cell-surface receptors is an essential means by which cell regulate normaltissue growth and differentiation. Exposure to growth factors is often transient, and our goal was to determine whether short-term exposure to insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) would lead to activation, assayed as cell proliferation, of mammary epithelial cells. The MAC-T cell line is an immortalized bovine mammary epithelial cell line, chosen as our model mammary cell line because of its known sensitivity to IGF-1. Using the Cytosensor Microphysiometer System, a biosensor capable of measuring extracellular acidification, we were able to measure activation of the cellsowing to IGF-1 addition in real time and found that peak acidification occurred in only 14 min. We show that this rapid response to IGF-1 is dose dependent and specific for IGF-1. A significant increase in [3H]thymidine incorporation by cells after a similar short-term exposure to IGF-1 suggests that the measured increase in extracellular acidification following IGF-1 addition is physiologically relevant. This technology offers a new, novel, and rapid means for the study of IGF-1 activity, as well as the screening of IGF-1 inhibitors, in mammary epithelial cells.
Radar attenuation in desert soil

Soil properties make a significant impact in the observed responses of various sensors for subsurface target detection. Ground penetrating radars (GPRs) have been extensively researched as a tool for subsurface target detection. A key soil parameter of interest for evaluating GPR performance is the soil attenuation rate. The information about the soil attenuation rate coupled with target properties (size, shape, material properties and depth of burial) can be used to estimate the effectiveness of radar sensors in a particular soil environment. Radar attenuation in desert soil is of interest in today's political and military climate. Laboratory measurements of desert soil attenuation were conducted using samples collected from a desert in Southwestern United States and in Iraq. These measurements were made in a coaxial waveguide over the frequency ranging from 250 MHz to 4 GHz. The soil grain size distribution, mineralogy, moisture and salinity were also measured. This report describes the experimental procedure and presents the radar attenuation rates observed in desert soils. The results show that the soluble salt content is an important parameter affecting the attenuation behavior of desert soils.
Epilogue: understanding children who have been affected by maltreatment and prenatal alcohol exposure: future directions.

This epilogue summarizes the six articles presented in the clinical forum focused on understanding children who have been affected by maltreatment and prenatal alcohol exposure. It presents common ...
EPR detected triplet formation in a single crystal of reaction center protein from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides R-26

Abstract Single crystals were obtained from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides R-26. At low temperatures these crystals are highly photoactive, as is demonstrated by the observation of the T0-populated donor triplet state. The angle dependence of the transitions of this triplet state showed that the space group of this crystal is orthorhombic. Bacterial photosynthesis Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides R-26EPRReaction center tripletProtein crystal
Siamese cat: altered connections of visual cortex

In siamese cats, each side of the brain receives a retinal input serving part of the ipsilateral visual field as well as the normal contralateral field representation. Both corticothalamic and cortico-cortical projections are systematically rearranged, but while one is retinotopically appropriate, the other fails to make a distinction between ipsilateral and contralateral fields. Different rules appear to govern the development of these two sets of connections.
The influence of functional social support on executive functioning in middle-aged African Americans

ABSTRACT Social support has a positive influence on cognitive functioning and buffers cognitive decline in older adults. This study examined the relations between social support and executive functioning in middle-aged adults. A community-based sample of African Americans completed the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List, a measure of functions of social support, and two measures of executive functioning, the Stroop Color and Word Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Hierarchical regression analyses were used to explore the hypothesis that different facets of perceived social support influence performance on measures of executive functioning. After controlling for age, gender, and education, social support facets including belonging support, selfesteem support, appraisal support, and tangible support were significant predictors of Stroop performance. In addition, tangible support significantly predicted WCST performance. These findings add to previous literature on social support and cogniti...
The Fate of Exogenous Surfactant in Neonates with Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in newborn neonates is characterised by deficient secretion of surfactant from type III alveolar cells. Administration of surfactant to airways acutely decreases the degree of respiratory failure and increases the survival rate in neonates with RDS. Clinically available surfactants are lipid extracts derived from animal lung lavage or from whole lung. Synthetic surfactants contain phospholipids or additional spreading agents. An optimal exogenous surfactant would be efficacious, nontoxic and nonimmunogenic, resistant to oxidants and proteolytic agents, widely available at reasonable cost and manufactured with little batch-to-batch variability. Surfactant has been instilled into the airways as a bolus infusion through the endotracheal tube. In addition, surfactant may be given by aerosolisation or continuous infusion into the airways. Suggested dosages range from 50 to 200 mg/kg. Exogenous surfactant is cleared from the epithelial lining fluid (ELF) mainly by alveolar epithelial cells, although alveolar macrophages and the central airways may also contribute to clearance of the drug. Only small quantities of surfactant actually enter the blood stream. A significant fraction of surfactant is taken up, processed, and secreted back into the alveolar space by type II alveolar cells. This process is termed recycling. Phosphatidylglycerol, given to small premature neonates as a component of exogenous human surfactant, has an apparent pulmonary half-life of 31 +/- 3 hours (n = 11). The apparent pulmonary half-life of the main surfactant component dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine is 45 hours (n = 3) and that of surfactant protein A is about 9 hours (n = 4). A relationship between the dose of exogenous surfactant and its concentration in the ELF has been demonstrated. Some neonates with RDS respond poorly to surfactant therapy. The reasons for this include insufficient levels of surfactant in the ELF, uneven distribution of exogenous surfactant, inability of exogenous surfactant to enter the metabolic pathways, inhibition of surface activity by plasma-derived proteins, or inactivation of surfactant as a result of proteases, phospholipases, or oxygen free radicals. In addition, surfactant therapy may be ineffective in neonates with respiratory failure caused by factors other than surfactant deficiency. The efficacy of exogenous surfactant can be improved by increasing the dosage of surfactant and by administration of surfactant very early in respiratory failure.
Bubble-induced circulation and associated boundary heat transfer

Abstract The mechanism of heat transfer from a bubbling liquid pool to an inclined side wall is considered. The process is relevant to the question of Mark-I liner melt-through due to contact with a high-temperature melt of reactor core materials, the bubbling being due to the decomposition of the concrete floor. We demonstrate experimentally that the recirculation caused by the two-phase lift creates a single-phase (liquid) boundary-layer flow along the inclined boundary which is responsible for heat transfer. An initial attempt to analytically quantify this process is also presented.
Executable Modeling for System of Systems Architecting: An Artificial Life Framework

There is a diversity of frameworks and methodologies for enabling architecture developments. Static representation frameworks provide a standardized way to communicate the architecture to stakeholders, but do not provide means to analyze the system states and system behavior. Therefore, there is a need to convert static representation frameworks to executable models. The aim of this paper is to present Artificial Life approaches as a methodology for understanding behavior of System of Systems. For this, an Artificial Life based framework for modeling System of Systems is presented. The framework comprises cognitive architectures embedded in multi-agent models. Financial markets are selected as an analysis domain to demonstrate the framework since they are a good example of self-organizing systems that are nonproprietary and exhibit emergence on a grand scale. From the Artificial Life Framework trader-based architectures are formulated as models to analyze system level behavior. The Artificial Life based framework provides a flexible way of modeling sub-systems of System of Systems and it captures the adaptive and emergent behavior of the system.
960 DEVELOPMENT OF IMMUNITY IN SEVERE PRIMARY T CELL DEFICIENCY FOLLOWING HAPLOIDENTICAL STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION

Haploidentical bone marrow depleted of post-thymic T cells by soy lectin and sheep RBC can correct lethal genetic defects of the immune system without graft-versua-host (GVH) disease. Remaining cells are immature, contain no detectable T or B lymphocytes and must, therefore, mature in the host microenvironment. We have monitored the developing immune function of 13 infants with severe T cell deficiency following such haploidentical transplants: 6 with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and normal adenosine deaminase (ADA); 3 SCID's with ADA deficiency; and 4 with Nezelof's syndrome (one with purine nucleoside phosphorylase deficiency). All hut one are alive at up to 2 1/2 years post-grafting; 6 have normal immune function, 4 are too recent for detection of engraftment, and 2 have failed to develop immune function (1 an ADA deficient SCID, the other a Nezelof). No patient experienced GVH. The time to appearance of mature functioning T cella in the haploidentical marrow recipients ranged from 75 to 300 days post-transplantation, with a majority appearing at 90-110 days. Increased T6+ cells were not seen, and natural killer cell phenotype appeared before T and B cells. Both T and B cell chimerism and antibody formation have been demonstrated. Thus, most infants with lethal primary immunodeficiency have the capacity to mature haploidentical stem cells to functioning T and B lymphocytes, and this process takes approximately 3 to 4 months.
Interactions among Poly(4-vinylpyridine) Gels, Quinone Derivatives, and Sulfhydryl Compounds

Competitive interactions of sulfhydryl compounds and quinone derivatives with poly(4-vinylpyridine) gels have been studied in organic solvents. 7,7,8,8-Tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) oxidizes a sulfhydryl compound to disulfide, while TCNQ is reduced to an anion radical that reacts with the gels. Adsorption of long-chain sulfhydryl compounds onto gels causes the gel swelling, whereas oxidation of the adsorbed sulfhydryl compound to disulfide by TCNQ, and therefore, its removal from the gel results in the gel shrinking. The larger the highest occupied molecular orbital energy of the sulfhydryl compound, the stronger its interaction with a quinone derivative and thus the faster the removal from the gels, as revealed by HPLC.
Imaging the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract in Unsedated Patients Using Tethered Capsule Endomicroscopy

Endoscopic examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract is costly, inconvenient, and typically requires that the patient be sedated.1 Standard video endoscopy only provides macroscopic information so small, focal biopsies are excised in order to obtain a microscopic tissue diagnosis. Because there are few reliable visible cues for Barrett’s esophagus and dysplasia, crucial diagnostic regions can be missed. In order to overcome these limitations of endoscopy, we have integrated a microscopic imaging technology into a tethered capsule that can be swallowed. This new method, which we term tethered capsule endomicroscopy, provides microscopic information from the entire esophagus as the pill passes through the GI tract.
Children with growth hormone deficiency and Chiari I malformation: a morphometric analysis of the posterior cranial fossa.

Objective: The posterior fossa (PF) has been found to be small in various forms of Chiari malformation. Explanations involving a connection between growth hormone deficiency (GHD) a
APL2 implementation of numerical asset pricing models

The practice of modern finance theory depends on an ability to generate accurate and timely forecasts of asset returns. In this field, considerable effort has been expended to base the generation of asset returns on a set of state variables driven by the dynamics of the environment.This requires the solution of a fundamental parabolic partial differential equation, often with variable coefficient, and with a wide range of specification of boundary and initial value conditions. A major drawback in financial management of large, real-time problems of this sort is that they require numerical intensive computing. Approximations or simplifications are used. The one state variable model of Black and Scholes [Bla73] leads to a closed form solution of the value of a call option, as explored in an APL solution by Bogart [Bog87].The two state variable model of Brennan and Schwartz [Bre79, Sch84] determines the value of an intermediate maturity bond whose value depends upon the dynamic evolution of: a short-term rate, such as the 3 month Treasury Bill rate, and a long term rate, such as the 30 year Treasury bond rate. This solution does not have a closed form and must be solved numerically or approximately.This paper describes a formulation of the Brennan and Schwartz model; develops a finite difference representation; describes the strategy for an APL2 implementation; and illustrates the results with the run of an application.
The Regulatory Role of the Antigen-Presenting Cell in the Development of Hepatic Immunopathology during Infection with Schistosoma mansoni

A recent meeting held in Berlin (2nd Teupitz Colloquium) focused on the striking ability of mononuclear phagocytes to either stimulate or inhibit a variety of immune and immunopathological responses,
Perceptual study of the speech of “successfully therapeutized” stutterers

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to determine if the fluent speech of “successfully therapeutized” stutterers and a group of partially treated stutterers was perceptually different from the fluent speech of normal speaking subjects. Tape recorded speech samples of treated stutterers were obtained from leading exponents of (1) Van Riperian, (2) metronome-conditioned speech retraining, (3) delayed auditory feedback, (4) operant conditioning, (5) precision fluency shaping, and (6) “holistic” therapy programs. All forms of disfluency were edited out of these tapes. The remaining samples were then paired with matched fluent samples of normal talkers and presented to a group of 20 sophisticated judges. The judges were instructed to select from each paired speech sample presented to them the one produced by the stuttering subject. The results of the analyses of variance for correct identification of the stutterers showed that the partially treated stutterers, as well as each group of therapeutized stutterers, were identified at levels significantly above chance. This meant that the fluent speech of the partially and successfully treated stutterers was perceptibly different from the utterances of the normal speakers sampled. In addition, the analyses of variance also revealed that all stuttering groups had a significant severity factor. This finding indicated there was a significant difference between the severity subgroup in all the samples investigated. These results were discussed in terms of their clinical implications.
Purine Nucleotide Restoration in HPRT- Cells

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is caused by a deficiency of the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) (1, 2). This enzyme catalyzes the conversion of the purine bases hypoxanthine and guanine to their respective 5′ribo-nucleotides. It is reasonable to assume that a deficiency of HPRT would cause a decrease in the cellular concentrations of purine nucleotides, although such a decrease has not been demonstrated in nucleated HPRT cells.
ALAN TURING AND THE CENTRAL LIMIT THEOREM

Because the English mathematician Alan Mathison Turing (1912–1954) is remembered today primarily for his work in mathematical logic (Turing machines and the “Entscheidungsproblem”), machine computation, and artificial intelligence (the “Turing test”), his name is not usually thought of in connection with either probability or statistics. One of the basic tools in both of these subjects is the use of the normal or Gaussian distribution as an approximation, one basic result being the Lindeberg-Feller central limit theorem taught in first-year graduate courses in mathematical probability. No-one associates Turing with the central limit theorem, but in 1934 Turing, while still an undergraduate, rediscovered a version of Lindeberg's 1922 theorem and much of the Feller-Levy converse to it (then unpublished). This paper discusses Turing's connection with the central limit theorem and its surprising aftermath: his use of statistical methods during World War II to break key German military codes. 1 Introduction Turing went up to Cambridge as an undergraduate in the Fall Term of 1931, having gained a scholarship to King's College. (Ironically, King's was his second choice; he had failed to gain a scholarship to Trinity.) Two years later, during the course of his studies, Turing attended a series of lectures on the Methodology of Science, given in the autumn of 1933 by the distinguished astrophysicist Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington. One topic Eddington discussed was the tendency of experimental measurements subject to errors of observation to often have an approximately normal or Gaussian distribution.
Variation-tolerant cache by two-layer error control codes

In this paper, we explore a two-layer error control codes (ECC), which combines rectangular and Hamming product codes in an efficient way to address process and supply voltage variation in cache. Two-layer ECC employs simple rectangular codes for each cache line to detect error, while loading extra Hamming product codes check bits in the case of error detection; thus enabling process and supply voltage variation-tolerant cache design. Our analysis and experimental results shows that compared to complex 4-way 4EC5ED, two-layer ECC can increase Mean-Error-To-Failure by more than 2×, improve reliability by two order of magnitude under process variation, and reduce residual failure rate by one order of magnitude under supply voltage variation. Compared to simple 8-way SECDED, two-layer ECC shows a 28x-133x improvement in METF, and residual failure rate are improved furthermore.
Does self-reported function correspond to objective measures of functional impairment?

Introduction The relationship between self-reported function and objective measures of physiological function among disabled older women was analyzed to determine the validity of self-reported function, and to identify the hierarchy of self-reported task difficulty most associated with loss of independence as a basis to inform treatment progress goals. Methods A randomly selected population of older women with moderate to high disability was selected from community-dwelling women 65 to 101 years old from the Women's Health and Aging Study I baseline evaluation (n = 987). Cross-sectional analyses evaluated the association of self-reported function with objective physiological impairment measures. Results The results indicated that (1) disabled older women self-reported a broad range of physical function levels; (2) self-reported function correlated closely with objective measures of physiological impairments; (3) "preclinical disability," as measured by self-reported modification of task performance in the absence of perceived difficulty, has validity even in a disabled population, and identifies a group intermediate between those who are high functioning in a task and those with difficulty; and (4) there is an apparent gradation in physiological impairment measures with reported loss of functional independence. Conclusion These findings suggest the validity of self-report functional disability measures and the potential to use these measures to identify already-disabled older adults at risk for further functional degradation and potential targets for intervention.
Potassium channels and vascular reactivity in genetically hypertensive rats

In hypertension, membrane potassium permeability and vascular reactivity are increased. This study characterizes a potassium-selective channel and contractions to barium, a potassium channel inhibitor, in vascular smooth muscle (tail artery) from spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rats (SHRSP) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Smooth muscle cells were isolated by enzymatic digestion, and potassium channel activity was characterized by using patch-clamp technique (inside-out configuration). Isometric contractile activity was evaluated in helically cut arterial strips by using standard muscle bath methodology. In membrane patches, a voltage-gated, calcium-insensitive, potassium-selective channel of large conductance (200 picosiemens) was observed. The channel did not conduct sodium or rubidium. Barium (10(-6) to 10(-4) M) produced a dose-dependent blockade of channel activity. These channel characteristics did not differ in SHRSP and WKY rat cells. After treatment with 35 mM KCl, barium (10(-5) to 10(-3) M) caused greater contractions in SHRSP arteries compared with arteries in WKY rats. The contractions to barium were markedly attenuated in calcium-free solution, and nifedipine and verapamil abolished contractions induced by barium in depolarizing solution. We conclude that increased vascular reactivity to barium in SHRSP arteries is not due to an alteration in the biophysical properties of the potassium channel studied.
Data Handling Limits of On-Chip Interconnects

With shrinking feature size and growing integration density in the deep sub-micrometer (DSM) technologies, the global buses are fast becoming the ldquoweakest-linksrdquo in VLSI design. They have large delays and are error-prone. Especially, in system-on-chip (SoC) designs, where parallel interconnects run over large distances, they pose difficult research and design problems. This paper presents a two-fold approach for evaluating the signal and data carrying capacity of on-chip interconnects. In the first approach, the wire is modeled as a linear time invariant (LTI) system and a frequency response is studied. The second approach addresses delay and reliability in interconnects from an information theoretic perspective. Simulation results for an 8-bit-wide bus in 0.1-mum technology are presented for both approaches. The results closely match to a similar optimal bus clock frequency that will result in the maximum data transfer rate. Moreover, this optimal frequency is higher than that achieved by present day designs which accommodate the worst case delays. The first approach achieves this higher transmission rate using ideal signal shapes, instead of square pulses, while the second approach uses coding techniques to eliminate high delay cases to generate a higher transmission rate. It is seen that the signal delay distribution has a long tail, meaning that most signals arrive at the output much faster than the worst case delay. Using communication theory, these ldquogoodrdquo signals arriving early can be used to predict/correct the ldquofewrdquo signals that arrive late.
Feasibility and outcomes of an early extubation policy after esophagectomy.

Background Although early extubation of esophagectomy patients has been found to be feasible, safe, and associated with low morbidity, there is no uniform standard of care among high volume centers. Our objective is to examine a contemporary series of esophagectomies and identify the feasibility and outcome of an early extubation policy. Methods This study is a retrospective review of all patients who underwent esophagectomy between January 2003 and December 2004 at the Massachusetts General Hospital. One hundred and two patients were analyzed from 129 consecutive patients who underwent esophagectomy and subsequently divided in two groups: The early extubation group was extubated in the operating room and the late extubation group was extubated in the intensive care unit (ICU). Results Ninety percent were extubated early. Although most patients underwent a transthoracic or thoracoabdominal esophagectomy, the operative approach did not influence failure to extubate. Neoadjuvant therapy was not predictive of extubation failure. Most patients age 70 or greater (86%) were extubated early. There were three nonelective reintubations in the early extubation group secondary to acute respiratory distress syndrome. The median length of stay was 11 days and median ICU stay was one day. The 30-day mortality was 1.9% and the median survival was 28 months. Conclusions Attention to restricted intraoperative fluid balance, limited blood loss, anesthetic technique, and epidural use permit most patients undergoing esophageal resection to be safely extubated immediately postresection in the operating room.
Quantification of surface water and groundwater flows to open‐ and closed‐basin lakes in a headwaters watershed using a descriptive oxygen stable isotope model

[1] Accurate quantification of hydrologic fluxes in lakes is important to resource management and for placing hydrologic solute flux in an appropriate biogeochemical context. Water stable isotopes can be used to describe water movements, but they are typically only effective in lakes with long water residence times. We developed a descriptive time series model of lake surface water oxygen-18 stable isotope signature (δL) that was equally useful in open- and closed-basin lakes with very different hydrologic residence times. The model was applied to six lakes, including two closed-basin lakes and four lakes arranged in a chain connected by a river, located in a headwaters watershed. Groundwater discharge was calculated by manual optimization, and other hydrologic flows were constrained by measured values including precipitation, evaporation, and streamflow at several stream gages. Modeled and observed δL were highly correlated in all lakes (r = 0.84–0.98), suggesting that the model adequately described δL in these lakes. Average modeled stream discharge at two points along the river, 16,000 and 11,800 m3 d−1, compares favorably with synoptic measurement of stream discharge at these sites, 17,600 and 13,700 m3 d−1, respectively. Water yields in this watershed were much higher, 0.23–0.45 m, than water yields calculated from gaged streamflow in regional rivers, approximately 0.10 m, suggesting that regional groundwater discharge supports water flux through these headwaters lakes. Sensitivity and robustness analyses also emphasized the importance of considering hydrologic residence time when designing a sampling protocol for stable isotope use in lake hydrology studies.
Aggregation properties of linearized two-time-scale power networks

In the slow coherency approach, the slow coherent areas of a power system are aggregated to form a slow subsystem to model the dynamics of the interchange between the areas. The aggregation process associated with the slow coherency approach that uses the singular perturbation technique to correct for the internal connections within the coherent areas to generate improved slow aggregates is discussed. Three aggregation properties are discussed: (1) the static load buses can be retained in the aggregation process; (2) the aggregation can be performed on a per-coherent-area basis; and (3) the aggregation process can be decomposed into a sequence of aggregating two coherent machines at each step. These properties allow practical algorithms to be designed for applying the slow coherency approach to large power systems. >
Properties of Bethe-Salpeter Wave Functions for Electromagnetically Interacting Charged Scalar Particles

The problem of the Bethe-Salpeter equation for two scalar mesons of equal mass, interacting electromagnetically, is considered in the Landau gauge. A spectral-function representation, depending on two variables, is introduced for the case of arbitrary angular momentum and coupling strength. In the limit of strong binding, a simple momentum-space form of the equations is derived, and the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions are obtained for $l=0, 1$.
Active Transcription of rRNA Operons Condenses the Nucleoid in Escherichia coli: Examining the Effect of Transcription on Nucleoid Structure in the Absence of Transertion

In Escherichia coli the genome must be compacted approximately 1,000-fold to be contained in a cellular structure termed the nucleoid. It is proposed that the structure of the nucleoid is determined by a balance of multiple compaction forces and one major expansion force. The latter is mediated by transertion, a coupling of transcription, translation, and translocation of nascent membrane proteins and/or exported proteins. In supporting this notion, it has been shown consistently that inhibition of transertion by the translation inhibitor chloramphenicol results in nucleoid condensation due to the compaction forces that remain active in the cell. Our previous study showed that during optimal growth, RNA polymerase is concentrated into transcription foci or "factories," analogous to the eukaryotic nucleolus, indicating that transcription and RNA polymerase distribution affect the nucleoid structure. However, the interpretation of the role of transcription in the structure of the nucleoid is complicated by the fact that transcription is implicated in both compacting forces and the expansion force. In this work, we used a new approach to further examine the effect of transcription, specifically from rRNA operons, on the structure of the nucleoid, when the major expansion force was eliminated. Our results showed that transcription is necessary for the chloramphenicol-induced nucleoid compaction. Further, an active transcription from multiple rRNA operons in chromosome is critical for the compaction of nucleoid induced by inhibition of translation. All together, our data demonstrated that transcription of rRNA operons is a key mechanism affecting genome compaction and nucleoid structure.
Integrated Ecological Modeling and Decision Analysis Within the Everglades Landscape

Planning for complex ecosystem restoration projects involves integrating ecological modeling with analysis of performance trade-offs among restoration alternatives. The authors used the Everglades Landscape Model and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis to explore the effect of simulated ecosystem performance, risk preferences, and criteria weights on the ranking of three alternatives to restoring overland sheet flow in the Everglades. The ecological model outputs included both hydrologic and water quality criteria. Results were scored in the decision analysis framework, highlighting the tradeoffs between hydrologic restoration and water quality constraints. Given equal weighting of performance measures, the alternative with more homogenous sheet flow was preferred over other alternatives, despite evidence of some localized eutrophication risk.
Hereditary vibratory angioedema: Confirmation of histamine release in a type of physical hypersensitivity

A new syndrome called hereditary vibratory angioedema (HVA), characterized by pyruritis and angioedema at the site of a vibratory stimulus, was recently reported as a model of nonimmunologic immediate hypersensitivity. The biochemical mediator of this syndrome was not defined initially. This study now demonstrates that in vivo histamine release occurs in conjunction with the local and systemic clinical manifestations following a controlled vibratory stimulus. Histamine is suggested as the major mediator in this inherited physical hypersensitivity state.
Engineering and the Architecture of Economic Recovery: TARP, the New Deal, and the Evolving Landscapes of Crisis

The New Deal represents a megaengineering project par excellence, which transformed the infrastructure, economy and landscape of the United States for generations. Few cities, towns or National Parks are unmarked by the infrastructural imprints of Great Depression-era construction projects. In this chapter, I reflect on the key features of the economic recovery plans instigated by Presidents Bush and Obama, with particular emphasis on their (dis)continuities with the engineering projects of the New Deal. I suggest that the change in focus from employment and infrastructure (via engineering) associated with the New Deal, to the architecture of financial markets can be understood with reference to the “financialization” of the global economy since the 1970s in ways that have fundamentally reformulated notions of economic crisis and, therefore, recovery. I proceed by suggesting how the engineering of economic recoveries relates to two other megaengineering tropes: the Pyramid (standing in for physically spectacular megaengineering projects) and the cloud (virtual engineering projects). I show that the articulation between the spaces of the plan and the spaces of the laborer are common dimensions of the megaengineering project in general. As with the megaengineering projects of the Pyramid and the cloud, those of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) enroll many millions of people in the processes of meaning making. These recovery plans, and recovery plans past, are busy producing and reproducing lasting imprints, and contested places, in the landscape and the collective imagination of the U.S.
Parallel processing in the networks of workstations

A model and statistical algorithms for utilizing networks of workstations as distributed parallel computing systems are described. Each workstation in this model consists of two processors: one for computation and one for communication. The advantages of this model are that the workstations can assign the intensive load balancing and the communication jobs to the communication processor and the code execution (including compiling and linking) jobs to the computation processor. The communication processor provides a quick response to the user and/or to the requests from the other nodes, and the computation processor provides a high throughput without interprocessor communication interrupt.
Genetic relationships of body composition, serum leptin, and age at puberty in gilts.

Leptin produced by adipocytes acts through leptin receptors in the hypothalamus to con- trol appetite and food intake and thus communicates information about degree of fatness. It is thought that a degree of body fat is required for initiation of pu- berty and maintenance of reproductive function in mammals. The objective of this study was to deter- mine whether polymorphisms in the leptin (LEP), lep- tin receptor (LEPR), paired box 5 (PAX5), aldo-keto reductase (AKR), and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) genes were associated with age, leptin concentration, backfat as an indicator of body condition, or BW at puberty in 3 lines of gilts and to characterize genetic relationships among these traits. The first 2 lines, born in 2001, were formed by crossing maternal White Cross (Yorkshire × Maternal Landrace) gilts to Duroc (n = 210) or (lean) Landrace (n = 207) boars. The remain- ing line (n = 507), born in 2002, was formed by crossing progeny of the Duroc- and Landrace-sired lines. At first estrus, age, BW (BWP), and backfat (BFP) at puberty were recorded and blood was collected for leptin as- says. Nine SNP were detected in candidate genes/re- gions: 1 in LEP, 3 in LEPR, 1 in PAX5, 2 in AKR, and 2 in POMC. Animals were genotyped for each of the SNP; genotypes were validated using GenoProb. The association model included fixed effects of farrowing group, covariates of SNP genotypic probabilities (from GenoProb), and random additive polygenic effects to account for genetic similarities between animals not explained by SNP. Variance components for polygenic effects and error were estimated using MTDFREML. Leptin concentrations were logarithmically transformed for data analysis. All 4 traits were moderately to highly heritable (0.38 to 0.48). Age and leptin at puberty had a significant (P < 0.01) genetic correlation at −0.63 ± 0.097, and the genetic correlation between BWP and age at puberty was 0.65 ± 0.083 (P < 0.01). Significant additive associations (a; P < 0.05) were detected at PAX5 for age at puberty (a = 3.2 d) and for BFP (a = 0.61 mm). One SNP in LEPR was associated with leptin concentration (a = 0.31 log units; P < 0.05). The associations from PAX5 correspond to a QTL peak for age at puberty detected on SSC1. Although not neces- sarily the causative mutation, this result implies that a QTL that can decrease age at puberty without increas- ing BFP and BWP at puberty may exist in this region in commercial pigs.
Industrially inspired just-in-time (JIT) teaching

This paper describes a curriculum that relies on leaving material for instruction flexible for as long as possible prior to class meetings, termed “just-in-time (JIT) teaching.” As such, we describe a project-oriented course sequence that integrates several related disciplines in microelectronic-system design with an industrial inspired teaching model. By keeping the material of the course updated JIT to be relevant to students' conceptual discoveries and roadblocks as well as changes in the technology and design tools the students receive a more “real” design experience. The industrial inspired organizational model supports these ideals. Our initial results show that the students gain faster insight and retention of material because they are focused on solving the problems rather than just completing the assignment to achieve a grade.
Basic science of lymphatic filariasis

Filarial disease, transmitted from person-to-person by mosquitoes, principally affects people in tropical and sub-tropical areas. One hundred and twenty million people in at least 80 nations of the world have lymphatic filariasis. One billion people are at risk of getting infected. Ninety percent of these infections are caused by Wuchereria bancrofti , and most of the remainder by Brugia malayi. For W. bancrofti , humans are the exclusive host. The major vectors for W. bancrofti are culicine mosquitoes in most urban and semiurban areas, anophelines in the more rural areas. Larvae in the blood of human hosts are ingested when the insect vectors feed. Within the vector, the microfilarias migrate to specific sites and develop from first-stage larvae into infective third-stage larvae. The vector transmits the infective larvae into a human host when feeding. Mosquitoes deposit the larvae on the host skin adjacent to the puncture site and the third stage larval (L3) parasites migrate through the venous system and lungs to eventually take up residence in the lymphatics. There they form nests occupied by male and female worms, and produce the first stage larvae or microfilariae by viviparous reproduction These larvae migrate from the lymphatics to the peripheral blood where mosquitoes ingest them. The filarial disease has protean manifestaions in the form of chronic, acute and 'asymptomatic' presentations as well as a number of syndromes associated with these infections that may or may or not be caused by the parasites.
Physicians’ Discussions About Body Weight, Healthy Diet, and Physical Activity With Overweight or Obese Elderly Patients

Objective: To investigate the correlates of physician–patient discussions about body weight, healthy diet, and physical activity. Method: Subjects were 635 adults (≥65 years; mean 72.8 years) who had an increased body mass index (BMI≥25kg/m2) and participated in a self-administered community survey. Logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: While approximately half of study participants reported having discussed healthy diets (51%) and physical activity (52%) with their physician, only 42% of those who were overweight or obese reported being recognized as such by their physician. Being moderately or severely obese, more chronic conditions, and more frequent physician visits increased the likelihood of being recognized as overweight or obese and reporting lifestyle discussions. Discussion: The health care provider is important in recognizing older patient’s weight problems and discussing practical lifestyle changes. Tools for more proactive screening and implementation of follow-up behavioral c...
Income Homogeneity and the Size of Suburban Government

In the contemporary political climate, there is widespread belief that government expenditures are too high and that government in general is too big. One productive line of research into the size of government has examined the role of conflicting interests as a force producing government expansion. A major conclusion of this research, derived mostly from the examination of national-level political phenomena, is that conflict and competition among different interests within the population lead to higher government expenditures. In this paper, the size of government at another level--suburban municipalities--is explored. Given the context in which decisions about suburban government service outputs are made, conflict may actually limit government expansion.