cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Cognitive Psychophysiological Model to Predict Functional Decline in Chronically Stressed Older Adults

The current study evaluated whether psychological distress (composite of depression, anxiety, vital exhaustion), inflammation (C-reactive protein, CRP) and cognitive function (Digit Symbol Test, DST) and their changes mediated the relationship between caregiver status and functional decline. Caregivers for spouses with Alzheimer’s disease were compared to demographically-similar non-caregiver spouses at study entry (T1), T2 (1 year later), and T3 (2 years after T1). Caregivers had greater functional impairment, higher distress scores, and poorer DST scores at all points of measurement and also showed functional decline. Non-caregivers did not demonstrate functional decline. Caregivers declined 85% faster than did non-caregivers. Regressions showed that after controlling for functional impairment at T1, illness, medication, and health behavior covariates, psychological distress at T1 and increases in CRP from T1 to T3 mediated the difference in functional decline. Moreover, after DST decline from T1 to T2 was entered in the model, caregiver status, psychological distress and increases in inflammation all showed reductions in their predictive importance. These findings suggest psychological distress and increases in inflammation may help explain why caregivers show greater functional decline than non-caregivers. However, the influences of these psychophysiological variables may be driven in part by cognitive decline prior to functional decline.
Frequency of acute coronary syndrome in patients with normal electrocardiogram performed during presence or absence of chest pain.

Objectives: The authors hypothesized that patients with active chest pain at the time of a normal electrocardiogram (ECG) have a lower frequency of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) than patients being evaluated for chest pain but with no active chest pain at the time of a normal ECG. The study objective was to describe the association between chest pain in patients with a normal ECG and the diagnosis of ACS. Methods: This was a prospective observational study of emergency department (ED) patients with a chief complaint of chest pain and an initial normal ECG admitted to the hospital for chest pain evaluation over a 1-year period. Two groups were identified: patients with chest pain during the ECG and patients without chest pain during the ECG. Normal ECG criteria were as follow: 1) normal sinus rhythm with heart rate of 55–105 beats/min, 2) normal QRS interval and ST segment, and 3) normal T-wave morphology or T-wave flattening. “Normal” excludes pathologic Q waves, left ventricular hypertrophy, nonspecific ST-T wave abnormalities, any ST depression, and discrepancies in the axis between the T wave and the QRS. Patients’ initial ED ECGs were interpreted as normal or abnormal by two emergency physicians (EPs); differences in interpretation were resolved by a cardiologist. ACS was defined as follows: 1) elevation and characteristic evolution of troponin I level, 2) coronary angiography demonstrating >70% stenosis in a major coronary artery, or 3) positive noninvasive cardiac stress test. Chi-square analysis was performed and odds ratios (ORs) are presented. Results: A total of 1,741 patients were admitted with cardiopulmonary symptoms; 387 met study criteria. The study group comprised 199 males (51%) and 188 females (49%), mean age was 56 years (range, 25–90 years), and 106 (27%) had known coronary artery disease (CAD). A total of 261 (67%) patients experienced chest pain during ECG; 126 (33%) patients experienced no chest pain during ECG. There was no difference between the two groups in age, sex, cardiac risk factors, or known CAD. The frequency of ACS for the total study group was 17% (67/387). There was no difference in prevalence of ACS based on the presence or absence of chest pain (16% or 42/261 vs. 20% or 25/126; OR = 0.77, 95% confidence interval = 0.45 to 1.33, p = 0.4). Conclusions: Contrary to our hypothesis concerning patients who presented to the ED with a chief complaint of chest pain, our study demonstrated no difference in the frequency of acute coronary syndrome between patients with chest pain at the time of acquisition of a normal electrocardiogram and those without chest pain during acquisition of a normal electrocardiogram.
V5+ degradation of sulfonated Radel membranes for vanadium redox flow batteries

Insight into the degradation mechanisms of aromatic proton conducting membrane separators for vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) is urgently needed for the development of long lifetime VRFBs. Other than in-cell observations of performance degradation, there is little fundamental evidence on the specific degradation pathways of aromatic ion exchange membranes for VRFBs. Herein we investigated a sulfonated Radel® membrane (S-Radel) as the degradation target to study the degradation mechanism of aromatic polymers by V(V) (or generally V5+) oxidation. It was found that the ductile S-Radel membrane, which has a similar aromatic backbone structure to the most-studied polyaromatic VRFB membranes that have shown high performance, became brittle and discolored after 3 days of immersion in 1.7 M V(V) + 3.3 M H2SO4 solution at 40 °C. The membrane's intrinsic viscosity was reduced to about half of its original value after this exposure to V(V) while the ion exchange capacity did not change. In addition to chain scission, it was found that –OH groups were introduced to the backbone of S-Radel as the major degradation product. Quinone groups were also observed at 1677 cm−1 in FTIR measurements. While the V(V) species in VRFBs is usually denoted as VO2+, V(V)O in VOCl3 was found to not have degradation activity for S-Radel. Therefore, we hypothesized that there were other reactive forms of V(V) species that first attacked the S-Radel by incorporating hydroxyl groups into the polymer's aromatic backbone, followed by the oxidation of these hydroxyl groups to quinone functionalities through a redox mechanism.
Interaction of α‐synuclein and tau genotypes in Parkinson's disease

To determine whether the microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) and α-synuclein (SNCA) genes interact to confer Parkinson's disease (PD) susceptibility, we conducted a study of 557 case–control pairs. There was an increased risk of PD for persons with either SNCA 261/261 or MAPT H1/H1 genotypes as compared with persons with neither (odds ratio, 1.96; 95% confidence interval, 1.34–2.86; p = 0.0003). However, the combined effect of the two genotypes was the same as for either of the genotypes alone (separate and equal). These findings are consistent with in vitro experiments that revealed tau-mediated fibrillization of α-synuclein protein at low concentrations (dose threshold effect). Ann Neurol 2005;57:439–443
Acute alterations of cyclo(His-Pro) levels after oral ingestion of glucose.

We analyzed the response of plasma cyclo(His-Pro) (CHP) (N = 14), insulin (N = 8), and glucose (N = 8) to oral ingestion of 75 grams of glucose in normal volunteers. Mean Fasting CHP levels prior to glucose were 614 ± 112 pg/ml (±SE). After glucose ingestion there occurred an acute rise of plasma CHP within 15 minutes (1214) followed by a fall in plasma concentrations to below baseline values (11 of 14). The mean of highest levels within the first 15 minutes after glucose ingestion was 1035 ± 300 pg/ml (±SE), significantly above baseline (p = 0.002). The mean of lowest values below baseline was 490 ± 94 pg/ml (±SE), p < 0.001. We conclude that levels of CHP are acutely and reversibly altered by the ingestion of glucose. The possible significance of these perturbations in CHP concentrations is discussed.
Effect of weight loss with reduction of intra-abdominal fat on lipid metabolism in older men.

How weight loss improves lipid levels is poorly understood. Cross-sectional studies have suggested that accumulation of fat in intraabdominal stores (IAF) may lead to abnormal lipid levels, increased hepatic lipase (HL) activity, and smaller low density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size. To determine what effect loss of IAF would have on lipid parameters, 21 healthy older men underwent diet-induced weight loss. During a period of weight stability before and after weight loss, subjects underwent studies of body composition, lipids, measurement of postheparin lipoprotein and HL lipase activities, cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity, and insulin sensitivity (Si). After an average weight loss of 10%, reductions in fat mass, IAF, and abdominal sc fat were seen, accompanied by reductions in levels of triglyceride, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and HL activity. High density lipoprotein-2 cholesterol and Si increased. In those subjects with pattern B LDL at baseline, LDL partic...
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma depletion stimulates Nox4 expression and human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation

Hypoxia stimulates pulmonary hypertension (PH) in part by increasing the proliferation of pulmonary vascular wall cells. Recent evidence suggests that signaling events involved in hypoxia-induced cell proliferation include sustained nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) activation, increased NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4) expression, and downregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) levels. To further understand the role of reduced PPARγ levels associated with PH pathobiology, siRNA was employed to reduce PPARγ levels in human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (HPASMC) in vitro under normoxic conditions. PPARγ protein levels were reduced to levels comparable to those observed under hypoxic conditions. Depletion of PPARγ for 24-72 h activated mitogen-activated protein kinase, ERK 1/2, and NF-κB. Inhibition of ERK 1/2 prevented NF-κB activation caused by PPARγ depletion, indicating that ERK 1/2 lies upstream of NF-κB activation. Depletion of PPARγ for 72 h increased NF-κB-dependent Nox4 expression and H2O2 production. Inhibition of NF-κB or Nox4 attenuated PPARγ depletion-induced HPASMC proliferation. Degradation of PPARγ depletion-induced H2O2 by PEG-catalase prevented HPASMC proliferation and also ERK 1/2 and NF-κB activation and Nox4 expression, indicating that H2O2 participates in feed-forward activation of the above signaling events. Contrary to the effects of PPARγ depletion, HPASMC PPARγ overexpression reduced ERK 1/2 and NF-κB activation, Nox4 expression, and cell proliferation. Taken together these findings provide novel evidence that PPARγ plays a central role in the regulation of the ERK1/2-NF-κB-Nox4-H2O2 signaling axis in HPASMC. These results indicate that reductions in PPARγ caused by pathophysiological stimuli such as prolonged hypoxia exposure are sufficient to promote the proliferation of pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells observed in PH pathobiology.
Future Application needs of carrier pilot relaying

IT IS EXPECTED that the number of carrier pilot relay installations will follow approximately the same geometric growth rate as that exhibited by the electrical industry as a whole, that is, doubling every 10 or 11 years. If space in the frequency spectrum is to be available for these additional channels, as well as for other carrier applications, steps must be taken to avoid serious frequency congestion problems, which even now are being experienced in certain areas.
Phorbol myristate acetate transactivates the avian β3 integrin gene and induces αvβ3 integrin expression

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3)transactivates the avian beta 3 integrin gene whose promoter contains at least two vitamin D response elements, one of which is in close proximity to a candidate AP1 site (TGACTCA). Since fos/jun and steroid hormones interact to regulate gene expression, we asked whether phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), which stimulates binding of fos/jun to AP1 sites, transactivates the avian beta 3 integrin gene and, if so, does the phorbol ester modulate 1,25(OH)2D3 induction of the gene. We find the candidate AP1 sequence comigrates with the consensus AP1 sequence on electromobility shift assay when incubated with recombinant c-jun protein. Furthermore, PMA prompts expression of beta 3 integrin mRNA in the avian monocytic line, HD11. The increase in message reflects transactivation of the beta 3 gene and is mirrored by plasma membrane appearance of the integrin heterodimer alpha v beta 3. Moreover, attesting to the functional significance of PMA-enhanced alpha v beta 3 expression, cells treated with concentrations of the phorbol ester that induce the beta 3 gene, spread extensively on plastic, an event blocked by an anti-alpha v antibody and a peptide mimetic known to inhibit alpha v beta 3-mediated cell attachment. Interestingly, co-addition of 1,25(OH)2D3 and PMA prompts greater expression of alpha v beta 3 than when the cells are exposed to either agent alone and PMA enhances 1,25(OH)2D3-induced beta 3 integrin mRNA expression. Thus, PMA and 1,25(OH)2D3 impact on the avian beta 3 integrin gene independently and in combination.
A self-propelled biohybrid swimmer at low Reynolds number

Self-propelled biological microswimmers in viscous fluids are common in nature, but their synthetic counterparts are not available to date. Williams et al. develop a hybrid swimmer to emulate flagellar propulsion, which provides a platform to add engineered functionality to complex motile devices.
Specific refractoriness of adenylate cyclase in skin to epinephrine, prostaglandin E, histamine and AMP.

Abstract The cyclic AMP level in pig skin (epidermis) increases markedly after incubation with epinephrine, prostaglandin E, histamine or adenosine 5′-monophosphate. This increase is transient and “spiking” is the consistent response to these four stimulators. The “spiking” is due to a non-responsiveness or refractoriness which develops within minutes and is specific to any one stimulating hormone but not to the others. The addition of inhibitors of protein syntheses did not prevent the development of the refractoriness. Adenylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase activities measured in skin homogenates prepared from skin samples taken before, during and after the “spiking” did not change significantly. The hormone-induced refractoriness in this skin system appears to be due to a specific, localized loss of function of the adenylate cyclase system.
Evolution of the vacuum Rabi peaks in a many-atom system

The two peaks of the vacuum Rabi splitting behave like simple harmonic oscillators for very weak excitation. The transmission spectrum of a cavity filled with two-level atoms shows this doublet at low values of the driving intensity, but only a single peak at high values. The evolution from a doublet to a singlet is governed by the anharmonic response of the system as the driving intensity increases. The anharmonicity can grow to a point where frequency hysteresis appears in the transmission spectrum. This work investigates theoretically with a semiclassical model the transition from the doublet into the singlet. The stability of the different solutions is analysed as the parameters of atomic and cavity detuning vary. The model is extended to include the experimentally relevant transverse profile of the cavity mode as well as the standing wave structure of the field.
The ascent of the abundant: how mutational networks constrain evolution.

Evolution by natural selection is fundamentally shaped by the fitness landscapes in which it occurs. Yet fitness landscapes are vast and complex, and thus we know relatively little about the long-range constraints they impose on evolutionary dynamics. Here, we exhaustively survey the structural landscapes of RNA molecules of lengths 12 to 18 nucleotides, and develop a network model to describe the relationship between sequence and structure. We find that phenotype abundance—the number of genotypes producing a particular phenotype—varies in a predictable manner and critically influences evolutionary dynamics. A study of naturally occurring functional RNA molecules using a new structural statistic suggests that these molecules are biased toward abundant phenotypes. This supports an “ascent of the abundant” hypothesis, in which evolution yields abundant phenotypes even when they are not the most fit.
Embryonic stem cells as a model for cardiogenesis.

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are derived from the inner cell mass of mouse blastocysts. These cells, when placed upon a suitable fibroblast feeder layer, continue to proliferate without overt differentiation and remain totipotent. Cells in this state are competent for gene targeting via homologous recombination. Hence, they hold the possibility of developing defined animal models of human cardiovascular disease. When removed from the feeder layer, ES cells undergo differentiation and development into large, multicellular structures, termed embryoid bodies (EBs). Morphologic, biochemical, and molecular genetic analyses indicate that during EB development some early aspects of cardiogenesis are recapitulated. Thus, EB development in culture is useful for studying certain early cardiogenic events.
An integrated approach for the estimation of spherical form tolerance

The functionality and interchangeability of a product are key concerns during quality inspection, necessitating research to improve accuracy of inspection while reducing time and costs. The computation of form tolerance invariably involves a discretization of the surface (form) and a subsequent comparison of deviations from an evaluated “best” fit. In this paper, the effects of and interactions between various factors involved in spherical form verification—fitting algorithms, sample sizes, and sampling strategies—are analyzed. The principal objective is to consider sampling and fitting in an integrated manner and make pilot conclusions that would serve as the basis for developing decision support for part inspection. Sample sizes of 16, 64, and 256 are chosen to include a low, medium, and large sample size, respectively. Sampling strategies investigated include a randomly generated sequence, a Hammersley sampling strategy, and the aligned systematic sampling scheme. The linear least-squares fitting algorithm and a linear and nonlinear optimization approach are considered. In addition, minimum zone sphericity is computed by taking advantage of the robust properties of support vector regression, and the method is evaluated against traditional algorithms. Subsequently, these various factors are incorporated into an experimental design model, and interactions and main effects are analyzed.
A theory of stabilization for nonlinear systems

We show that a theory of control and stabilization can be developed for nonlinear systems, using fraction representations and coprimeness as the basic mathematical notions. The theory bears striking resemblance to the transfer matrix theory of linear systems.
Tritiated porcine dynorphin (1–17): Synthesis and characterization

Abstract Tritiated porcine dynorphin (1–17) has been prepared from its corresponding iodinated analog. The iodinated analog (diiodotyrosine at position 1) was syntesized, along with its non-iodinated counterpart, by the solid-phase method. Catalytic exchange of this iodinated analog in the presence of tritium yielded tritiated porcine dynorphin having a specific activity of 42 Ci/mmole. Both the native, iodinated and tritiated dynorphin analogs were shown to be homogenous by chromatography on carboxymethylcellulose, paper chromatography, amino acid analysis, electrophoresis, high performance liquid chromatography and isoelectric focusing on polyacrylamide.
Helical Axis Errors Affect Computer-generated Occlusal Contacts

A helical axis describing mandibular motion can be calculated from two distinct positions of the mandible; however, as these positions come closer together, calculation errors increase. This study investigated the effects of errors in the calculated helical axis on simulated mandibular motion by the measurement of changes in occlusal contacts. A standard helical axis was calculated from a simulated lateral movement. A series of digital interocclusal records from centric to a 5° mandibular rotation about the standard helical axis was created. Digital dental cast models were aligned to the interocclusal records. Helical axis parameters and occlusal contacts calculated with the use of the aligned digital models were compared with those of the standard. Helical axes calculated from mandibular positions separated by 1.5° to 5.0° yielded equivalent occlusal contacts. Qualitatively, contacts for helical axes calculated from jaw rotations of 0.7° or larger were nearly identical to those of the standard.
Computer-aided detection of microcalcification clusters on full-field digital mammograms: multiscale pyramid enhancement and false positive reduction using an artificial neural network

We are developing a computer-aided detection (CAD) system to detect microcalcification clusters automatically on full field digital mammograms (FFDMs). The CAD system includes five stages: preprocessing, image enhancement and/or box-rim filtering, segmentation of microcalcification candidates, false positive (FP) reduction, and clustering. In this study, we investigated the performance of a nonlinear multiscale Laplacian pyramid enhancement method in comparison with a box-rim filter at the image enhancement stage and the use of a new error metric to improve the efficiency and robustness of the training of a convolution neural network (CNN) at the FP reduction stage of our CAD system. A data set of 96 cases with 200 images was collected at the University of Michigan. This data set contained 215 microcalcification clusters, of which 64 clusters were proven by biopsy to be malignant and 151 were proven to be benign. The data set was separated into two independent data sets. One data set was used to train and validate the CNN in our CAD system. The other data set was used to evaluate the detection performance. For this data set, Laplacian pyramid multiscale enhancement did not improve the performance of the microcalcification detection system in comparison with our box-rim filter previously optimized for digitized screen-film mammograms. With the new error metric, the training of CNN could be accelerated and the classification performance in validation was improved from an Az value of 0.94 to 0.97 on average. The CNN in combination with rule-based classifiers could reduce FPs with a small tradeoff in sensitivity. By using the free-response receiver operating characteristic (FROC) methodology, it was found that our CAD system can achieve a cluster-based sensitivity of 70%, 80%, and 88% at 0.23, 0.39, and 0.71 FP marks/image, respectively. For case-based performance evaluation, a sensitivity of 80%, 90%, and 98% can be achieved at 0.17, 0.27, and 0.51 FP marks/image, respectively.
An application of organizational input–output analysis to hospital management

Abstract The main components of an acute-care hospital and the relationships among them are used to construct an organizational input – output model similar to those based on the interdependence among industries in an economy. The basic model makes it possible to forecast the personnel needed by each component in order to provide the services expected from it by the external environment and by the other hospital departments. Extensions of the basic model can be applied to health care organizations in general, used to analyze the implications of different organizational reforms or extended to include physical, financial, and other resources. The methods presented and the results obtained are of particular interest to managers of health care organizations, managers in general, and researchers in the theory of organization.
Formation of Oligosaccharides During β-Galactosidase Action on Lactose

Abstract The formation of oligosaccharides or polysaccharides by transgalactosidation reactions during hydrolysis of lactose in acid whey by β -galactosidase from Aspergillus niger was studied. Five benzidine-positive carbohydrates, other than lactose, galactose, or glucose, were formed after β -galactosidase action on 4% lactose at pH 4.5. These compounds, tentatively identified as oligosaccharides, comprised 1 to 2% of the total lactose in acid whey. Oligosaccharides were influenced by substrate concentration and reaction time. At the initial stage, oligosaccharides with Rf values less than lactose attained maximum production in 18 to 25% lactose, whereas those with Rf values higher than lactose attained maximum production in 7 to 10% lactose in acid whey concentrates.
RELATIVISTIC EIKONAL APPROXIMATION AND LOW ENERGY NUCLEON--NUCLEON SCATTERING.

Abstract The need for proper asymptotic behavior of the Born amplitudes defining a non-relativistic potential is outlined. The relativistic eikonal approximation is reviewed and a generalized Born amplitude with contributions from crossed ladder diagrams as well as vertex corrections is constructed in the eikonal approximation. The connection between strong and electromagnetic interactions obtained through the eikonal approximation is used to constrain the parameters of nucleon-nucleon scattering. Phase shifts calculated with the generalized Born amplitude as the potential are compared with phase shifts calculated with a one-boson-exchange potential employing a phenomenological form factor.
Objective structured assessment of technical skills for episiotomy repair

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to estimate the reliability and validity of an objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) for midline episiotomy repair using a lifelike anatomic model. STUDY DESIGN: Eighteen residents were administered an episiotomy OSATS. Two evaluators independently completed an objective score sheet assessing six key components of the repair, seven global surgical skills, and a pass/fail score for each resident. Residents also completed an anonymous self-assessment. RESULTS: Reliability indices were 0.95 for the checklist and global surgical skills rating. Construct validity found significant differences on the checklist, global surgical skills, and pass/fail score sheets by residency level. Residents more often assessed their own global surgical skills performance lower than the independent evaluators. Surprisingly, 61% (11/18) of the residents failed the assessment, including all postgraduate year 1 and postgraduate year 2 residents. CONCLUSION: Episiotomy OSATS that used task-specific and global checklists provide a reliable and valid method of assessing resident skills in this anatomic model, and performance correlates with resident year level of training.
Temperature dependence of the water-ice spectrum between 1 and 4 microns - Application to Europa, Ganymede and Saturn's rings

Reflection spectra of water ice from 1 to 4 microns are presented as a function of temperature. It is found that a feature at 6056 reciprocal cm changes its intensity sufficiently so that it can be used as a spectroscopic measurement of the ice temperature. A temperature calibration curve of this feature down to 55 K is developed and used to determine ice temperatures for the Galilean satellites Europa (95 + or -10 K), Ganymede (103 + or -10 K), and the rings of Saturn (80 + or -5 K). The ice temperatures for the Galilean satellites are lower than their measured brightness temperatures, which can be explained by a higher albedo of the ice-covered regions relative to the rest of the satellite and possibly a concentration of the ice near the polar caps.
A dimer satellite sequence in bonnet monkey DNA consists of distinct monomer subunits.

Abstract A family of 342 nucleotide fragments was isolated from total bonnet monkey DNA by the restriction endonuclease HaeIII and its base sequence was determined. This family was found to consist of a dimer of two related but distinct nucleotide sequences. Both sequences are closely related to previously reported sequences from African green monkey and human DNA. The two bonnet monkey sequences are unequally divergent from the African green monkey sequence, and have fewer bases in common with each other than they do with African green monkey. Restriction of the dimer with other endonucleases confirms the inequality of the two monomers.
Nondeterministic Multiscale Modelling of Biomimetic Crack Self-Healing in Nanocrystalline Materials

A nondeterministic multiple scale approach based on numerical solution of the Monte-Carlo master equation coupled with a standard finite-element formulation of material mechanics is presented. The approach is illustrated in application to the processes of long-term self-diffusion, precipitation and crack/void healing in nanocrystalline bcc and fcc solids. Effect of static and dynamic loading patterns on the crack healing rates are investigated. The approach is widely applicable to the modeling and characterization of advanced functional materials with evolutionary internal structure.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Models of the structure of some rule-governed mathematical behaviors

Abstract This study investigated the extent to which various latent class models adequately described some elementary rule-governed mathematical behaviors. Two hundred and eighty-three children were given a fraction concepts test in which they identified fractional parts of sets of objects. Results supported the adoption of a set of three-class models including a mastery class, a nonmastery class, and a transitional class to describe the data.
Effect of grain size on ECM performance

Abstract The conditions at the gap in Electrochemical machining (ECM) process are complex and random in nature due to the transient effects of a large number of parameters and their interactions. Therefore, the problems related to work and tool shape prediction and the characterization of surfaces generated by ECM are not completely resolved. This paper examines two aspects of ECM performance. The reduction in the experimentally measured values of the final gap with the increase in work specimen grain size is used to develop a correction factor. The prediction of the anode profile based on the correction factor and the improved cosθ method compares well with the anode cavity profile measured with a specially designed and built instrument. The characterization of the ECM generated surface profiles by Data Dependent Systems (DDS) has led to the characteristic shape or Green's function and a component by component wavelength decomposition. The characteristic shape is correlated with the distribution of potential gradient or current in the gap. The percent contribution by the shorter wavelength to the total power or variance has been found to decrease with the increase in feed rate as well as in grain size.
A carbon dioxide monitor that does not show the waveform is worthless

The author suggests that the carbon dioxide waveform should be displayed, as are the electrocardiogram and arterial pressure waveforms. He argues that a carbon dioxide analyzer that does not provide a waveform is not of value, as subtle changes in the carbon dioxide waveform can reflect impending problems. Only when a plateau is present in the capnogram can one be certain that end-tidal gas is being measured, and the author asserts that the presence or absence of this plateau can be detected only by visually inspecting the waveform.
The isolation and tentative identification of diacylglyceryl ethers from the walker 256 carcinoma of the rat and a human lymphosarcoma

An unusual lipid was observed and subsequently isolated by thin-layer chromatography from the lipids of the Walker 256 carcinoma of the rat and a human lymphosarcoma. This lipid has been tentatively identified as a diacylgllyceryl ether by thinlayer chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography and infrared analysis.
Heyward, Carter. Keep your Courage: A Radical Christian Feminist Speaks

(2010). Heyward, Carter. Keep your Courage: A Radical Christian Feminist Speaks. Theology & Sexuality: Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 315-317.
LONG DIVISION FOR LAURENT SERIES MATRICES AND THE OPTIMAL ASSIGNMENT PROBLEM

Abstract We present a necessary and sufficient condition to represent a Laurent series matrix A(x) as a product U(x) A (x)V(x) where A (x) is a Laurent series matrix whose leading scalar matrix is nonsingular and U(x) and V(x) are diagonal matrices whose nonzero entries are powers of x. If A(x) can be written in this form, then the matrix equation A(x)Y(x) = B(x) can be solved by long division. Our result relies on a classical theorem on optimal assignments.
Wound-induced and developmental activation of a poplar tree chitinase gene promoter in transgenic tobacco.

Wounding hybrid poplar (Populus trichocarpa × P. deltoides) trees results in the expression of novel wound-inducible (win) mRNAs thought to encode proteins involved in defense against pests and pathogens. Members of thewin6 gene family encode acidic multi-domain chitinases, with combined structure and charge characteristics that differ from previously described chitinases.Win6 expression has been shown to occur in pooled unwounded leaves of a wounded (on multiple leaves) poplar plant. Here we demonstrate that wounding a single leaf induceswin6 expression locally, in the wounded leaf, and remotely, in specific unwounded leaves with strong vascular connections to the wounded leaf. We also demonstrate that awin6 promoter-β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene fusion (win6-GUS) responds to wounding locally and remotely in transgenic tobacco. These data indicate that the poplarwin6 promoter has regulatory elements that are responsive to ‘wound signals’ in the heterologous host. In addition,win6-GUS is developmentally activated in unwounded young leaves and floral tissues of transgenic tobacco. Similar developmental expression patterns are found to occur forwin6 in poplar trees, demonstrating that a herbaceous plant can serve as a host for woody tree transgene analysis and can accurately predict expression patterns in tree tissues (e.g. flowers) that would be difficult to study in free-living trees.
A survey of maintenance models: The control and surveillance of deteriorating systems

The literature on maintenance models is surveyed. The focus is on work appearing since the 1965 survey "Maintenance Policies for Stochastically Failing Equipment: A Survey" by John McCall and the 1965 book", "The Mathematical Theory of Reliability", by Richard Barlow and Frank Proschan. The survey includes models which involve an optimal decision to procure, inspect, and repair and/or replace a unit subject to deterioration in service.
The rate of WD-WD head-on collisions may be as high as the SNe Ia rate

We show that a White Dwarf-White Dwarf (WD-WD) binary with semi-major axis a=1-300 AU, which is orbited by a stellar mass outer perturber with a moderate pericenter r_{p, out} \sim 3-10 x a, has a few percent chance of experiencing a head-on collision within ~5 Gyr. Such a perturber is sufficiently distant to allow the triple system to remain intact for millions of orbits while efficiently exchanging angular momentum with the WD-WD binary. In ~ 5% of the initial orientations, the inner orbit efficiently scans the (equal energy) phase space in the region of zero angular momentum. In these systems, the binary experiences increasingly closer, stochastic, pericenter approaches r_p ~ a/2N with the increasing number (N) of orbits elapsed. Within N~10^5(a/30AU) orbits, a collision is likely to occur. This is shown by performing \simten thousand 3-body integrations and is explained by simple analytic arguments. The collisions are conservatively restricted to "clean" collisions in which all passages prior to the collision are greater than 4R_WD=4x10^9cm. In particular, within the last single orbit, the pericenter changes from r_p>4R_WD to a collision value of r_p 3000 km/s and the collision is likely to detonate the WDs leading to a type Ia SNe. If a significant fraction of WDs reside in such triples, the rate of such collisions is as high as the SNe Ia rate, and it is possible that some or all type Ia SNe occur in this way. Such SNe have a unique gravitational wave signature, which will allow a decisive identification in the future.
Signal-flowgraph analysis using only loops

A gain formula for signal flowgraphs is given. The calculation procedure does not require the introduction of concepts of input-to-output paths or subgraphs not touching them, and does not necessitate keeping track of any special edges.
Do Mutual Funds Marketed to African American Investors Extract Excess Rent

There is evidence that black investors prefer to invest in either black-owned or black-managed mutual funds as part of their portfolio. This study investigates the performance and the costs of mutual funds that that have been identified as being either African American-owned or managed. Using data from Morningstar Direct, we produce results revealing that black mutual funds, on average, have lower fees as compared with conventional funds. Additionally, we find that there is no statistical difference in the performance of black mutual funds compared with their conventional counterparts.
Hydrodeoxygenation of m-cresol over gallium-modified beta zeolite catalysts

Abstract Ga-modified H-Beta (Ga/HBEA) zeolites were evaluated and compared to other Ga-containing catalysts supported on SiO2 and ZSM-5 (MFI) for the hydrodeoxygenation of m-cresol, a model compound representative of lignin-derived phenolics. The products include toluene, benzene, xylene, light hydrocarbons, as well as phenol and other oxygenated compounds. The appearance of bicyclic compounds suggests that the formation of a “surface pool” of oxygenated intermediates may play a role in the reaction pathway. The yield of toluene, a desirable deoxygenated product, increases with reaction temperature, space time (W/F), Ga content, and H2 partial pressure and depends on the type of support used (Ga/HBEA > HMFI ≫ Ga/SiO2). The deoxygenation activity of these catalysts seems to depend on the ability of the zeolite to stabilize specific Ga species, for which HBEA is more effective than HMFI and much more than SiO2.
Peak selection from MALDI-TOF mass spectra using ant colony optimization

Motivation: Due to the large number of peaks in mass spectra of low-molecular-weight (LMW) enriched sera, a systematic method is needed to select a parsimonious set of peaks to facilitate biomarker identification. We present computational methods for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) spectral data preprocessing and peak selection. In particular, we propose a novel method that combines ant colony optimization (ACO) with support vector machines (SVM) to select a small set of useful peaks. Results: The proposed hybrid ACO-SVM algorithm selected a panel of eight peaks out of 228 candidate peaks from MALDI-TOF spectra of LMW enriched sera. An SVM classifier built with these peaks achieved 94% sensitivity and 100% specificity in distinguishing hepatocellular carcinoma from cirrhosis in a blind validation set of 69 samples. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.996. The classification capability of these peaks is compared with those selected by the SVM-recursive feature elimination method. Availability: Supplementary material and MATLAB scripts to implement the methods described in this article are available at http://microarray.georgetown.edu/web/files/bioinf.htm Contact: hwr@georgetown.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
One-year effects of vitamin D and calcium supplementation on chronic periodontitis.

Background: A previous study reported by this group found that patients in periodontal maintenance programs taking vitamin D and calcium supplementation had a trend for better periodontal health compared to patients not taking supplementation. The objective of the present study is to determine, for the same cohort of subjects, whether such differences persist over a 1-year period.Methods: Fifty-one patients enrolled in maintenance programs from two dental clinics were recruited. Of these, 23 were taking vitamin D (≥400 IU/day) and calcium (≥1,000 mg/day) supplementation, and 28 were not. All subjects had at least two interproximal sites with ≥3 mm clinical attachment loss. For mandibular-posterior teeth, gingival index, plaque index, probing depth, attachment loss, bleeding on probing, calculus index, and furcation involvement were evaluated. Photostimulable-phosphor, posterior bitewing radiographs were taken to assess alveolar bone. Daily vitamin D and calcium intakes were estimated by nutritional analys...
Lessons from early Medicaid expansions under health reform: interviews with Medicaid officials.

Background: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) dramatically expands Medicaid in 2014 in participating states. Meanwhile, six states have already expanded Medicaid since 2010 to some or all of the low-income adults targeted under health reform. We undertook an in-depth exploration of these six “early-expander” states—California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Washington— through interviews with high-ranking Medicaid officials. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 high-ranking Medicaid officials in six states and analyzed the interviews using qualitative methods. Interviews explored enrollment outreach, stakeholder involvement, impact on beneficiaries, utilization and costs, implementation challenges, and potential lessons for 2014. Two investigators independently analyzed interview transcripts and iteratively refined the codebook until reaching consensus. Results: We identified several themes. First, these expansions built upon pre-existing state-funded insurance programs for the poor. Second, predictions about costs and enrollment were challenging, indicating the uncertainty in projections for 2014. Other themes included greater than anticipated need for behavioral health services in the expansion population, administrative challenges of expansions, and persistent barriers to enrollment and access after expanding eligibility—though officials overall felt the expansions increased access for beneficiaries. Finally, political context—support or opposition from stakeholders and voters—plays a critical role in shaping the success of Medicaid expansions. Conclusions: Early Medicaid expansions under the ACA offer important lessons to federal and state policymakers as the 2014 expansions approach. While the context of each state’s expansion is unique, key shared experiences were significant implementation challenges and opportunities for expanding access to
Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition increases exercise tolerance and muscle blood flow in rats with peripheral arterial insufficiency.

To determine the effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition on exercise tolerance and muscle blood flow (BF) to ischemic limbs, both femoral arteries of male Sprague-Dawley rats (approximately 325 g) were surgically stenosed. Rats were either active (treadmill run, 20 m/min (a) 15% grade, 5 d/wk for 3 wk) or sedentary (limited to cage activity), and assigned to one of three doses of zabicipril at 0.0 (zero), 0.3 (low), and 3.0 (high) mg.kg-1.d-1 administered via food intake (N = 14-15/group). After 3 weeks, the left carotid and caudal arteries were catheterized under anesthesia for BF measurement later in the day. Muscle BF was determined during exercise at two treadmill speeds (20 and 30 m/min) with 85Sr and 141Ce labeled microspheres to ensure a peak BF. Plasma ACE was inhibited 31%, 65% in the low- and high-dose sedentary rats and 75%, 74% in the low- and high-dose active animals, respectively (P < 0.001). Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition improved exercise tolerance by 3 weeks, at a low speed (20 m/min) in the sedentary groups (P < 0.025) and in a dose-dependent manner at a higher speed (25 m/min) in the active groups (P < 0.001). Blood pressures and heart rates during running were not different among groups. However, total hindlimb BF, reduced to approximately 33% of normal by femoral stenosis, was increased by ACE inhibition and chronic activity in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.025). Blood flows to the plantar flexors were most improved (approximately 20-40%; to 124 mL.min-1 x 100 g-1) in the high-dose groups (P < 0.01). The higher run speed did not increase BF above the low speed. Training adaptation, indicated by an enhanced muscle mitochondrial content (P < 0.001), was similar for low- and high-dose active animals. Our results indicate that ACE inhibition improves BF to ischemic muscles and, together with chronic physical activity, improves exercise tolerance. The results from this study support those advocating ACE inhibition in managing appropriate patients with peripheral arterial insufficiency.
Hypertonic saline as a treatment for acute spinal cord injury: effects on somatic and autonomic outcomes as observed in a mouse model.

autonomic outcomes (bladder function) and somatic outcomes (Modified BBB, Basso Mouse Scale [BMS], and LE motion) compared with nontreated and equivalent-volume saline treatment. The somatic (BBB, BMS) scores were most improved in the 24-hour treatment group. The autonomic (bladder) outcomes were improved in all mice receiving treatment. Mice receiving HTS were more likely to recover bladder function compared with the control group. Administration of HTS did not consistently result in improved lower extremity function, but no mouse seemed to have fared worse than mice receiving no treatment.
Communication and Co-Simulation Infrastructure for Heterogeneous System Integration

With the increasing complexity and heterogeneity of embedded electronic systems, a unified design methodology at higher levels of abstraction becomes a necessity. Meanwhile, it is also important to incorporate the current design practice emphasizing IP reuse at various abstraction levels. However, the abstraction gap prohibits easy communication and synchronization in IP integration and co-simulation. In this paper, we present a communication infrastructure for an integrated design framework that enables co-design and co-simulation of heterogeneous design components specified at different abstraction levels and in different languages. The core of the approach is to abstract different communication interfaces or protocols to a common high level communication semantics. Designers only need to specify the interfaces of the design components using extended regular expressions; communication adapters can then be automatically generated for the co-simulation or other co-design and co-verification purposes.
Iteratively decodable codes on m flats for WDM high-speed long-haul transmission

In an earlier paper, we reported that the low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes from finite planes outperform any other known forward error-correction (FEC) scheme for optical communications. However, the number of different LDPC codes of code rate above 0.8 is rather small. As a natural extension of the prior work, in this paper, we consider LDPC codes on m flats derived from projective and affine geometries, which outperform codes from finite planes. The codes on m flats also provide a greater selection of structured LDPC codes of rate 0.8 or higher. The performance of the codes in a long-haul optical-communication system was assessed using an advanced simulator able to capture all important transmission impairments. Specifically, they achieve a coding gain of 10 dB at a bit error rate (BER) of 10/sup -9/, outperforming, therefore, the best turbo product codes proposed for optical communications. In addition, the simulator implements a fixed-point (FP) iterative decoder that allows control of the precision of the soft information used in the decoder. Such quantization is required to facilitate hardware implementations of the iterative decoder, and the high-speed operations for long-haul optical transmission systems. The loss in performance due to reduced precision of the soft information can be as low as 0.2 dB.