cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gas Exchange and Lung Mechanics during Percutaneous Transtracheal Ventilation in an Unparalyzed Canine Model

Objective: To compare the efficacy of percutaneous transtracheal ventilation (PTV) in the unparalyzed state with that in the paralyzed state using a sedated nonobstructed canine model. Methods: Eight mongrel dogs (16.8–32 kg) were anesthetized, instrumented, and placed in a volume ple-thysmograph. Anesthesia was achieved with pentobarbital sodium (up to 30 mg/kg). The spontaneous respiratory drive was kept intact. PTV was performed using a 13-ga transtracheal catheter and compressed air at 45 psi at an I:E ratio of 1:3 (15 breaths/min). Each dog was sequentially ventilated in both the paralyzed and unparalyzed states. The paralyzed/unparalyzed sequence was alternated among the animals to avoid sequence bias. Paralysis was achieved with succinylcholine (0.1 mg/kg bolus and 0.01 mg/kg/min drip). Reversal of paralysis was achieved by discontinuing the succinylcholine infusion. Key variables, including arterial blood gas, tidal volume, and pulmonary mechanics, were measured and compared for the paralyzed and unparalyzed states. Results: Gas exchanges and lung mechanics were similar between the unparalyzed and paralyzed states. There was no significant difference in mean pH, pCO2, pO2, tidal volume, or peak inspiratory transpulmonary pressure. There was also no significant difference in pulmonary resistance or pulmonary compliance. Conclusion: In a sedated nonobstructed canine model, PTV is as efficacious in the unparalyzed state as it is in the paralyzed state. The lung mechanics are also similar in the 2 states. These data suggest that it may be unnecessary to induce paralysis when using PTV for emergency ventilation in the heavily sedated state.
History matching by jointly perturbing local facies proportions and their spatial distribution: Application to a North Sea reservoir

Abstract Reservoir modeling and flow simulation are used to improve the understanding of complex flow behaviors in a reservoir and to predict future reservoir performance. History matching is an integral part of any reservoir modeling study when the reservoir has produced for some time. History matching is the process where properties in the reservoir model are changed until the production data from the model matches the field data. The multi-parameter probability perturbation method is a robust history matching technique that was developed to allow large-scales properties to be efficiently perturbed. Perturbing probabilities rather than actual petrophysical properties guarantee that the conceptual geologic model is maintained and that any history matching related artifacts are avoided. Creating reservoir models that match all types of data are likely to have more prediction power than methods where some data are not honored. Previous work with the probability perturbation method however, has been limited to only the location of geologic bodies. The current work describes a new technique that also accounts for the proportion of bodies. The proportion of geologic bodies often varies significantly throughout the reservoir, and it is a parameter that is rarely known with any certainty. The current method couples the perturbation of the location and proportion of bodies so as to improve the efficiency of the method while continuing to honor the geologic information known about the reservoir. The method is first demonstrated on a synthetic example where facies locations and proportions are simultaneously perturbed. Perturbing both of these properties results in significantly faster history matched models than perturbing facies alone. This technique is further demonstrated on a North Sea hydrocarbon reservoir. In the reservoir, a number of lenticular calcite bodies with very low permeability significantly affect fluid flow; however, the location and proportion of the bodies are generally unknown. The local proportions and positions are stochastically modeled and perturbed to match 5 1/2 yr of historical flow rate data and RFT pressure data. The history matched reservoir models more accurately reproduce the field production data, and the reservoir description of the simulation model is more realistic.
Examining Ni-laterite leach mineralogy & chemistry – a holistic multi-scale approach

Abstract Ambient acid leach extraction of Ni-laterites is being heralded as a breakthrough in environmentally conscious mining, however to be successfully exploited they require comprehensive characterisation of their mineralogy and chemistry. This industry-academia collaborative research uses XRD, EPMA and ICPAES techniques to examine the acid leaching characteristics of Turkish Caldag ore. Mineral scale and small column scale leach experiments were carried out with material examined over various lengths of time at ambient conditions. The characterised residues and solution leach inter-relationships and selectivities are compared to bottle roll and heap leach results, demonstrating where true correlations exist and where differences exist as a result of the experimental scale limitations.
How integrated are the exchange markets of the Baltic Sea Region? An examination of market pressure and its contagion

AbstractIn the two decades since independence, the Baltic nations’ re-integration with Western Europe has resulted in close linkages to the Euro. While only Estonia has as of yet joined the common currency, Latvia and Lithuania maintain currency pegs in preparation for membership. But although the Eurozone’s pull is unmistakable, it is possible that the Nordic countries on the Baltic Sea—with which the Baltics have enjoyed economic ties for centuries—might also have an important influence on the region’s exchange markets. In particular, currency crises might more easily spread through the Baltic Sea region than to and from the Eurozone. This study investigates this relationship by generating indices of Exchange Market Pressure (EMP) for the three Baltic countries, Denmark, Sweden, and the Eurozone, before testing for contagion using Vector Autoregressive (VAR) methods. Granger causality tests and impulse-response functions show that pressure on the Scandinavian currency markets, as well as stock price dec...
A Nomogram for Predicting the Likelihood of Additional Nodal Metastases in Breast Cancer Patients With a Positive Sentinel Node Biopsy

Background:The standard of care for breast cancer patients with sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastases includes complete axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). However, many question the need for complete ALND in every patient with detectable SLN metastases, particularly those perceived to have a low risk of non-SLN metastases. Accurate estimates of the likelihood of additional disease in the axilla could assist greatly in decision-making regarding further treatment.
Fractal dimensions for volume and surface of interaggregate pores — scale effects

Geometrical attributes of pore systems in soil have shown fractal scaling. Scaling in natural materials is inherently statistical, i.e., fractal dimensions may change with scale. While fractal dimensions characterizing pore surface roughness, Ds, or scaling of pore sizes, Dv, have been reported, seldom are both measurements made at more than one scale. We examine a scale effect on Dv and Ds values, and relationships between fractal dimensions of both properties. Natural and artificial types of soil structure were studied in a Normania soil. Natural soil structure was sampled from experiments involving: (l) three primary tillage tools, sampled immediately after tillage; and (2) three tillage systems, sampled after consolidation. Artificial soil structure was formed in columns packed with aggregate assemblies that included two single aggregate-size fractions, and two mixtures of six aggregate-size fractions (each covering two ranges) made to obtain fractal aggregate-size distributions. Block-like samples from all sources were resin-impregnated in situ and a face was cut and polished. Images of UV-illuminated faces were obtained at three magnifications and then pooled into two groups. A box-counting technique was applied to area and outline of pores to obtain Dv-box, and Ds-box, respectively; Ds was also calculated from area-perimeter relations (Ds-AP). Box-count data showed two segments; Dv-box and Ds-box were evaluated in relation to each segment and to Ds-AP. Coefficients of determination in the relation Ds-AP vs Ds-box were relatively low, indicating discrepancies between the two methods. Fractal dimensions were not scale-invariant. Values of Ds-box for aggregate assemblies decreased with resolution, especially for single aggregate-size fractions. Values of Dv-box were more influenced by aggregate size than resolution. Both Ds-box and Dv-box varied with resolution for freshly tilled soil. For somewhat consolidated soil, variations in values of both fractal dimensions were related to tillage systems. Values of Ds-box and Dv-box were highly correlated, with linear relations depending on magnification and type of soil structure.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-dependent Activation of a RelA Homodimer in Astrocytes INCREASED PHOSPHORYLATION OF RelA AND MAD-3 PRECEDE ACTIVATION OF RelA

Rel proteins are important intracellular mediators of cytokine-induced signal transduction. To understand how cytokines affect different cell populations in the brain, we have characterized Rel activation in astrocytes. A RelA homodimer is uniquely activated in cytokine-stimulated astrocytes. Cytokine-dependent phosphorylation of the RelA inhibitor MAD-3 occurred on discrete peptides prior to its dissociation from RelA. A transient hyperphosphorylation of RelA was also induced. Antioxidant treatment inhibited both RelA activation and phosphorylation of the RelA.MAD-3 complex. These results demonstrate that cytokine-dependent activation of the RelA homodimer involves phosphorylation of both RelA and its associated inhibitor. The sole activation of a RelA homodimer suggests that cytokines will activate a unique set of Rel-regulated genes in astrocytes.
From determining capacity to facilitating competencies: A new mediation framework

Some in the mediation field suggest that mediators should determine whether or not a participant has the capacity to mediate. This article asserts that determining capacity limits parties' access to the mediation process, abridges civil rights, reduces mediator effectiveness, and erodes fundamental principles of mediation. It proposes a framework that centers not on legal or clinical practice, but on the theory and practice of mediation as a distinct field.
Progenitor sum-rules in nuclear physics

Abstract The classic method for generating relations like the Thomas-Reiche-Kuhn dipole sum rule or the f-sum rule used in many-body theory is generalized. By considering the double commutators of various current-density operators, Ja(q) with the nuclear Hamiltonian, (i.e., [Ja(−q′), [H, Jb(q)]]) and concentrating on those which have simple forms, we establish a more general class of sum-rules than any previously applied to nuclear physics. These so-called “progenitor” sumrules act as generating functions for all the previously known sum rules. With the hypothesis that certain “giant” states saturate the sum rules, we can derive approximate dynamical relations between various form-factors. Several examples are given by way of illustration, and some further applications are suggested.
2-Aminopurine electronic structure and fluorescence properties in DNA.

2-Aminopurine (2AP) fluorescence intensity and decay lifetimes have been used as indicators of nucleic acid geometry and dynamics. To characterize 2AP photophysics in the context of a DNA strand, time-dependent density functional theory is applied to 2AP stacked with two flanking nucleobases. Calculations show that 2AP in the trimers suffers a reduction in the oscillator strength of its low-lying π−π* 2AP-like allowed transition, manifested in a reduction of its radiative rate. Trimers also exhibit two or three lower-energy excited states (charge transfer states) that are predicted to facilitate nonradiative transitions from the fluorescent excited state.
Appearance of metastable B2 phase during solidification of Ni50Zr50 alloy: electrostatic levitation and molecular dynamics simulation studies.

High-energy x-ray diffraction measurements of undercooled, electrostatically levitated Ni50Zr50 liquid droplets were performed. The observed solidification pathway proceeded through the nucleation and growth of the metastable B2 phase, which persisted for several seconds before the rapid appearance of the stable B33 phase. This sequence is shown to be consistent with predictions from classical nucleation theory using data obtained from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. A plausible mechanism for the B2–B33 transformation is proposed and investigated through further MD simulations.
A combined vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy study of sphingomyelin-cholesterol monolayers.

A combination of vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy is used to study the changes in morphology and conformational order in monolayers prepared from three natural sphingomyelin (SM) mixtures as a function of surface pressure and cholesterol concentration. The most homogeneous SM gave monolayers with well-ordered acyl chains and few gauche defects with relatively small effects of either increasing surface pressure or cholesterol addition. Heterogeneous SM mixtures with a mixture of acyl chain lengths or with significant fractions of unsaturated acyl chains had much larger contributions from gauche defects at low surface pressure and gave increasingly well-ordered monolayers as the surface pressure increased. They also showed substantial increases in lipid chain order after cholesterol addition. Overall, these results are consistent with the strong hydrogen bonding capacity of SM leading to well-ordered monolayers over a range of surface pressures. The changes in acyl chain order for natural SMs as a function of cholesterol are relevant to formation of sphingolipid−cholesterol enriched domains in cell membranes.
Cumulative effect of family environment on psychiatric symptomatology among multiethnic adolescents.

Abstract Purpose: To examine the influence of family adversity and support on levels of psychiatric symptomatology in Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian adolescents. Method: More than 4000 students from five high schools in Hawaii completed a survey during the 1992–1993 school year about their family environment and mental health. The response rate was approximately 60%. Logistic regression analyses were performed and responses for Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians were compared. Results: Hawaiian adolescents experienced significantly more adversity than their non-Hawaiian counterparts. The cumulative effect of family adversity had a greater effect on psychiatric symptomatology than any single indicator. Family support reduced the risk for internalizing symptoms, particularly for Hawaiian adolescents. The influence of family support was less clear for externalizing symptoms, increasing the risk for some adolescents and decreasing the risk for others. Conclusion: We identified strong associations between family adversity and levels of psychiatric symptomatology. We found that Hawaiian adolescents are at increased risk for psychiatric symptomatology, given the presence of family adversity and the effect of reduced family support. However, risk was also substantial for non-Hawaiians. Clinicians need to assess the family environment routinely and implement family-oriented interventions.
PITTCULT: trust-based cultural event recommender

Typical collaborative filtering recommenders (CF) do not provide any chance for users to choose or evaluate the bases for recommendation. Once the system evaluates a group of users as being similar to a target user, her information is tailored by unknown people's taste. As a cultural event recommender, PITTCULT provides a way for users to rate the trustworthiness of other users; then, according to those ratings, a recommendation is generated. This paper explains why trust-based recommendation is necessary, and how studies using PITTCULT cope with the problems of the existing CF.
Alternative use of chromosome fragmentation sites in the ciliated protozoan Oxytricha nova

During its life cycle, the hypotrichous ciliated protozoan Oxytricha nova transforms a copy of its micronucleus, which contains chromosome-sized DNA, into a macronucleus containing linear, gene-sized DNA molecules. A region of the micronuclear genome has been defined that gives rise to two distinct macronuclear DNA molecules during development. Through analysis of recombinant macronuclear and micronuclear clones, the generation of the two macronuclear DNA molecules was shown to be the result of alternative use of chromosome fragmentation sites. In addition, evidence was obtained that adjacent micronuclear precursors of macronuclear DNA molecules can overlap by a few base pairs. The significance of these findings in relation to developmental chromosome fragmentation is discussed.
Residency-trained preceptors and the effect on community Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience activities

Abstract Objective Evaluate differences in pharmacy-related activities and student independence in community advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) that were precepted by residency (RTPS)- versus non-residency-trained preceptors (NRTPS) using an electronic portfolio database. Methods P4 students in the class of 2013 were grouped based on their community APPE at either a RTPS or an NRTPS. Students were required to document activities in an electronic portfolio. Documentation included the type of activity, who identified the need for the activity, and the perceived level of independence the student had in completing the activity. The types of activities were categorized as education, physical assessment, medication intervention, or medication clarification. The person identifying the need was categorized as student alone, student and preceptor, or preceptor alone. The level of independence was reported on a 4-point scale: 1—student required much help and 4—student completed independently. Results Students reported an overall difference in types of activities at RTPS and NRTPS. The median level of independence was three at RTPS and four at NRTPS ( p Conclusion Students may be exposed to different activities at community APPEs based on the residency training of preceptors. Experiential Directors should consider this when selecting sites to offer APPE to students.
The role of spatial analysis and geographic data in the detection of disease causation

Spatial analyses of disease patterns have been used by investigators as one tool with which to address problems of disease causation. However, while the results of spatial studies may be suggestive, they have been definitive only rarely. This is because there are numerous epistemological, logical and methodological problems which are encountered in spatial analysis. It is important to address these problems as one step in answering the basic issues concerning the role of spatial analysis in the detection of disease causation.
“To Protect and to Serve?”: An Exploration of Police Conduct in Relation to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Community

While there are studies that focus specifically on hate crimes, especially anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender motivated violence, little research has been done to examine the role that law enforcement officials play in responding to crimes related to the Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender (GLBT) community. This study, therefore, attempts to do just that. Using traditional content-analysis techniques, we examine 1,896 incident reports that were collected by a GLBT advocacy group in Minnesota, between 1990 and 2000, to begin to understand the range of police responses in relation to the GLBT community. Results indicate that while police conduct improved, negative responses and behaviors on the part of law enforcement officials outnumbered positive responses. The most common complaint by Helpline callers was inadequate response by the police; there were also numerous callers indicating that they were further victimized at the hands of the law enforcement officials. The data suggest a continued need for the education of law enforcement officials regarding issues facing the GLBT community, advocacy for victims of crime who are many times reluctant to report an incident to the police and increased attention to issues of oversight and accountability for officers who are responding to calls for help from the GLBT community.
COMPLEX-TEMPERATURE SINGULARITIES IN THE D=2 ISING MODEL : TRIANGULAR AND HONEYCOMB LATTICES

We study complex-temperature singularities of the Ising model on the triangular and honeycomb lattices. We first discuss the complex- T phases and their boundaries. From exact results, we determine the complex-T singularities in the specific heat and magnetization. For the triangular lattice we discuss the implications of the divergence of the magnetization at the point u D 1 (where u D z 2 D e 4K ) and extend a previous study by Guttmann of the susceptibility at this point with the use of differential approximants. For the honeycomb lattice, from an analysis of low-temperature series expansions, we have found evidence that the uniform and staggered susceptibilities N and N.a/ both have divergent singularities at z D 1 z ', and our numerical values for the exponents are consistent with the hypothesis that the exact values are 0 ' D 0 ';a D 5 2 . The critical amplitudes at this singularity were calculated. Using our exact results for 0 and together with numerical values for 0 from series analyses, we find that the exponent relation 0 C 2 C 0 D 2 is violated at z D 1 on the honeycomb lattice; the right-hand side is consistent with being equal to 4 rather than 2. The connections of the critical exponents at these two singularities on the triangular and honeycomb lattice are discussed.
Valvular Heart Diseases

Patients who have valvular heart disease coming for surgery presentmany challenges to the anesthesiologist. Over the past three decades therehas been a persistent improvement in our understanding of the pathophys-iology of valvular heart disease and in the surgical techniques for correctingit. With the development of eﬃcient and safe noninvasive monitoring of car-diac function, new surgical techniques, better designs of prosthetic valves,and with the development of useful guidelines for choosing the proper tim-ing of surgical intervention, patients who have valvular disease with varyingphysiology can be encountered in the perioperative period. The periopera-tive physician has to be aware of the varying eﬀects of hemodynamic vari-ables on this subpopulation of patients. In general, the goal in stenoticlesions is to enhance forward ﬂow, whereas in regurgitant lesions the goalis to decrease regurgitant ﬂow. The timing for surgery has also undergonesigniﬁcant changes. Now it is no longer necessary or even advisable to delaysurgery until advanced symptoms are present; thus surgery is timed earliertoday than it was even a decade ago. On the other hand, many, but notall patients who have advanced disease, once considered inoperable, arenow often helped substantially by valve surgery [1]. According to the Amer-ican College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA)guidelines, severe valvular disease is considered a major clinical predictorof cardiac risk, and should lead to consideration of delay or cancellationof elective noncardiac surgery and consideration of echocardiography,cardiac catheterization, or possible valve surgery [2]. The ﬁve variables indealing with valvular heart diseases are: (1) preload, (2) afterload, (3)myocardial contractility, (4) heart rate, and (5) rhythm. The goals of anes-thesia for each valvular disease are described below in terms of these ﬁvevariables. The monitoring for patients who have any of the valvular
Polarization dependent terahertz spectroscopy of a single subwavelength hole in thin metallic film

We theoretically and experimentally investigate the optical properties of a subwavelength hole in a thin metallic film. The microscopic origin of the hole plasmon resonance is a collective state formed by propagating thin film surface plasmons of wavelengths equal to integer fractions of the hole diameter. We show that the plasmon resonance depend strongly on the polarization of the incident light. We also, using time-domain terahertz spectroscopy, demonstrate the first experimental observation of the optical coupling between antibonding film plasmon modes and perpendicularly polarized light to the film surface.
Inverse design approach to hole doping in ternary oxides: Enhancing p-type conductivity in cobalt oxide spinels

Holes can be readily doped into small-gap semiconductors such as Si or GaAs, but corresponding $p$-type doping in wide-gap insulators, while maintaining transparency, has proven difficult. Here, by utilizing design principles distilled from theory with systematic measurements in the prototype ${A}_{2}B$O${}_{4}$ spinel Co${}_{2}$ZnO${}_{4}$, we formulate and test practical design rules for effective hole doping. Using these, we demonstrate a 20-fold increase in the hole density in Co${}_{2}$ZnO${}_{4}$ due to extrinsic (Mg) doping and, ultimately, a factor of 10${}^{4}$ increase for the inverse spinel Co${}_{2}$NiO${}_{4}$, the $x$ $=$ 1 end point of Ni-doped Co${}_{2}$Zn${}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$Ni${}_{x}$O${}_{4}$.
Computations of turbulent flow beyond backward-facing steps using Reynolds-stress closure

A numerical study is reported on the flow over a backward-facing step. The turbulence model employed is a hybrid model of Boussinesq viscosity and Reynolds-stress turbulence closure in which all of the terms are computed by using the Reynolds-stress closure except the diffusion ternis of momentum, k, and e equations. The computations are made for two different step ratios, Y0/H= 2 arid 3, and the results are compared with the k-e model and an algebraic stress model, as well as the experimental data. As a consequence, it is concluded that the present model produces better results in the flow redeveloping region; however, the model still needs some modification for the computation in the recirculating regions.
Vertical-horizontal illusion: One eye is better than two

The vertical-horizontal illusion is the tendency for observers to overestimate the length of a vertical line relative to a horizontal line that has the same length. One explanation of this illusion is that the visual field is elongated in the horizontal direction, and that the vertical-horizontal illusion is a kind of framing effect (Kunnapas, 1957a, 1957b, 1957c). Since the monocular visual field is less asymmetric than the combined visual field, this theory predicts that the illusion should be reduced with monocular presentation. This prediction was tested in five experiments, in which the vertical-horizontal illusion was examined in a variety of situations--including observers seated upright versus reclined 90 degrees, monocular presentation with the dominant versus the nondominant eye, viewing in the dark versus in the light, and viewing with asymmetrical frames of reference. The illusion was reliably reduced with monocular presentation under conditions that affected the asymmetry of the phenomenal visual field.
Rod-cone independence in dark adaptation

Abstract The afterimages visible after cones have recovered in dark adaptation fade against any steady background, but may be revived by a sudden change in the intensity or wavelength of the background. However, when a change of background wavelength is not detectable by rods, it does not revive such an afterimage, showing that sensitivity to cone stimuli has not been affected by bleaching the rods. To revive a rod afterimage, an increase of background intensity must exceed the increment threshold of the rods. To examine the effects of cone bleaching upon rod sensitivity, dark adaptation curves following red and green bleaching exposures equal for rods are compared. The curves are indistinguishable.
Relapse of Hodgkin disease after extended-field radiotherapy.

Thirteen relapses occurred among 51 consecutive surgically staged patients with I, IIA, and IIIA Hodgkin disease who achieved complete remission following extended-field radiotherapy. The median disease-free interval was 14 months, but three disseminated relapses occurred at 36, 36, and 39 months. In 6 of the 13 cases, relapses occurred within treated fields. Relapse frequency was greater with advancing stage, but was not related to histology. In 9 of 12 evaluable cases the patients achieved complete remission with MOPP1 combination chemotherapy. All responders continue in complete remission a median time of 23 months after completing MOPP. This report emphasizes the need for sustained, close follow-up after radical radiotherapy and the excellent response rate of relapsed patients to MOPP combination chemotherapy.
SU-E-T-419: MU Verification for Small Lesions in Lung SBRT

Purpose: To determine if a secondary MU calculation can validate the treatment planning system MU calculation for objects less than 4cm in diameter in small field lungSBRT. To determine the small object modifier to better predict the correct MU. Methods: Four polystyrene spheres were embedded into lung mimicking material. The sphere diameters are 4cm, 3cm, 2cm, and 1.2cm. The spheres are made up of two dome TLD‐100 chip holders. Each TLD holder holds two 0.125′ square × 0.035′ TLDs. The output (cGy/MU) was measured at the center of each sphere for three depth and effective depth combinations. The depth, effective depth, field size, and energy were kept constant. The effective depth was kept constant by adding tissue equivalent water to the top of the phantom as the sphere diameter got smaller. The three depths were 5cm, 10cm, and 15cm, with an effective depth of 5cm, 6cm, and 7cm, respectively. The collimatorfield size and the effective field size was 3cm × 3cm. The energy was 6MV. The measured results were compared with the output predicted by our treatment planning system. Results: Dose measurements were made with both TLD and film and the results were averaged. The secondary MU calculation predicted that the output would be the same for each sphere. However, the measured output dropped as the sphere diameter got smaller, especially for the 1.2cm diameter sphere. The output dropped by 5% at a 10cm depth and by 9% at a depth of 15cm. Conclusions: Secondary MU calculations cannot reliably predict the MU's for small objects less than 3cm in diameter without modifiers. A modifier of 3% is needed for a 2cm sphere and 7% for a 1.2cm diameter sphere.
Nasal continuous positive airway pressure in decompensated hypercapnic respiratory failure as a complication of sleep apnea.

Cardiopulmonary failure resulting from progression of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is treated with endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. This study was conducted to determine whether the use of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) would rapidly reverse changes in mental status and hypercapnic acidosis in such patients with decompensated hypercapnic respiratory failure resulting from OSA. Six morbidly obese patients (mean weight, 159±19 kg) were treated with nasal CPAP and supplemental oxygen. Within 24 h of this treatment, there was a significant increase in pH, from a baseline mean of 7.23 ±0.03 to 7.35 ±0.01 (p 2 fell from 80±4 mm Hg to 64 ±4 mm Hg (p
Spanning tree method for link state aggregation in large communication networks

We consider a communication network in which dynamic routing is used for establishing connections that support information transfer between end-users. Link state information is exchanged and maintained up-to-date among network nodes for path computation and network resource allocation. When the population of users is large, the amount of link state information can be overwhelming. A common solution is to use a hierarchical structure. In this paper, we present a method for aggregating link state information in a hierarchical network. We assume that each link state parameter associated with a link is symmetrical in both directions of the link. The key idea for the method is to first reduce the original subnetwork topology to a full-mesh representation that consists of a logical link for each pair of border nodes in the subnetwork, and then encode the link state information associated with the full-mesh representation with an appropriate spanning tree.
Health-Related Quality of Life in Middle-Aged African Americans

OBJECTIVES In this article we explore the measurement properties of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) in 49- to 65-year-old African Americans, compare their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with that of the nation, and evaluate the association of selected covariates with HRQoL. METHODS A probability sample of 998 African Americans in St. Louis received comprehensive in-home assessments. We used an item analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and internal consistency reliability to evaluate the measurement properties of the eight SF-36 scales and their interrelationships. We used a multiple linear regression analysis to characterize the effects of the demographic, socioeconomic status, psychosocial attributes, and biomedical markers. RESULTS Assessments averaged 2.5 hr. Each SF-36 scale was unidimensional, all items had robust factor loadings, and all but one scale achieved excellent (alpha > or = .80) internal consistency reliability levels. The overall factor structure of the SF-36 scales was generally consistent with national norms. Substantial variance was explained by the covariates, mostly attributable to socioeconomic status and the biomedical markers. CONCLUSIONS The SF-36 is a reliable and valid measure of HRQoL for use with African Americans. In this sample, the HRQoL was below national averages. Future social epidemiologic studies should include grip strength, vision, and hearing assessments, which had substantial and consistent associations with the SF-36 scale scores.
Nutritional Importance of Animal Source Foods

Animal source foods can provide a variety of micronutrients that are difficult to obtain in adequate quantities from plant source foods alone. In the 1980s, the Nutrition Collaborative Research Support Program identified six micronutrients that were particularly low in the primarily vegetarian diets of schoolchildren in rural Egypt, Kenya and Mexico: vitamin A, vitamin B-12, riboflavin, calcium, iron and zinc. Negative health outcomes associated with inadequate intake of these nutrients include anemia, poor growth, rickets, impaired cognitive performance, blindness, neuromuscular deficits and eventually, death. Animal source foods are particularly rich sources of all six of these nutrients, and relatively small amounts of these foods, added to a vegetarian diet, can substantially increase nutrient adequacy. Snacks designed for Kenyan schoolchildren provided more nutrients when animal and plant foods were combined. A snack that provided only 20% of a child's energy requirement could provide 38% of the calcium, 83% of the vitamin B-12 and 82% of the riboflavin requirements if milk was included. A similar snack that included ground beef rather than milk provided 86% of the zinc and 106% of the vitamin B-12 requirements, as well as 26% of the iron requirement. Food guides usually recommend several daily servings from animal source food groups (dairy products and meat or meat alternatives). An index that estimates nutrient adequacy based on adherence to such food guide recommendations may provide a useful method of quickly evaluating dietary quality in both developing and developed countries.
A stable and efficient numerical algorithm for unconfined aquifer analysis.

The nonlinearity of equations governing flow in unconfined aquifers poses challenges for numerical models, particularly in field-scale applications. Existing methods are often unstable, do not converge, or require extremely fine grids and small time steps. Standard modeling procedures such as automated model calibration and Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis typically require thousands of model runs. Stable and efficient model performance is essential to these analyses. We propose a new method that offers improvements in stability and efficiency and is relatively tolerant of coarse grids. It applies a strategy similar to that in the MODFLOW code to the solution of Richard’s equation with a grid-dependent pressure/saturation relationship. The method imposes a contrast between horizontal and vertical permeability in gridblocks containing the water table, does not require ‘‘dry’’ cells to convert to inactive cells, and allows recharge to flow through relatively dry cells to the water table. We establish the accuracy of the method by comparison to an analytical solution for radial flow to a well in an unconfined aquifer with delayed yield. Using a suite of test problems, we demonstrate the efficiencies gained in speed and accuracy over two-phase simulations, and improved stability when compared to MODFLOW. The advantages for applications to transient unconfined aquifer analysis are clearly demonstrated by our examples. We also demonstrate applicability to mixed vadose zone/saturated zone applications, including transport, and find that the method shows great promise for these types of problem as well.
Association of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Obesity in a Nationally Representative Sample

Recent studies suggest a possible link between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obesity risk, which would have implications for the development of obesity-related diseases in this population. The present study examined the association between PTSD and obesity and whether this association differed by sex in a representative sample of the US population. A secondary objective was to determine whether the association between PTSD and obesity was mediated by binge eating disorder (BED). Data were from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES), which comprises three nationally representative cross-sectional surveys that were conducted between 2001 and 2003. Logistic regression analyses weighted to represent the general US adult population were performed. In the total sample of 20,013 participants, rates of obesity were 24.1% for persons without a lifetime history of PTSD and 32.6% among persons with PTSD in the past year. Adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, depression, substance and alcohol abuse/dependence, and psychotropic medication status, past year PTSD was associated with greater likelihood of obesity (odds ratio (OR) = 1.51; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.18, 1.95), with no differences by gender. BED did not statistically mediate the relationship between PTSD and obesity. The present study provides support for a link between PTSD and obesity. Findings further existing literature by indicating that the association is consistent across sexes and is not statistically mediated by BED.
High speed on-line backup when using logical log operations

Media recovery protects a database from failures of the stable medium by maintaining an extra copy of the database, called the backup, and a media recovery log. When a failure occurs, the database is “restored” from the backup, and the media recovery log is used to roll forward the database to the desired time, usually the current time. Backup must be both fast and “on-line”, i.e. concurrent with on-going update activity. Conventional online backup sequentially copies from the stable database, almost independent of the database cache manager, but requires page-oriented log operations. But results of logical operations must be flushed to a stable database (a backup is a stable database) in a constrained order to guarantee recovery. This order is not naturally achieved for the backup by a cache manager concerned only with crash recovery. We describe a “full speed” backup, only loosely coupled to the cache manager, and hence similar to current online backups, but effective for general logical log operations. This requires additional logging of cached objects to guarantee media recoverability. We then show how logging can be greatly reduced when log operations have a constrained form which nonetheless provides very useful additional logging efficiency for database systems.
The mitochondrial pathway is involved in American ginseng-induced apoptosis of SW-480 colon cancer cells.

Numerous effective anticancer drugs have been developed from botanical sources, and there remains a significant untapped resource in herbal medicines. In this study, we evaluated the chemical composition of extracts from American ginseng after steaming, the antiproliferative effects of the ginsenosides in the extracts on SW-480 human colorectal cancer cells, and their apoptotic mechanisms. American ginseng roots were steamed at 120°C for 2 or 4 h. Representative ginsenosides in the unsteamed and steamed extracts were determined using HPLC. The antiproliferative effects of the ginsenosides Rb1, Rg3 and Rh2 on SW-480 cells were determined by the MTS method. The effect of extract steamed for 4 h on apoptosis of SW-480 cell was assayed by flow cytometry after staining with annexin V/PI. The expression of 84 apoptotic-related genes, including TNF, mitochondria and p53 pathways, was determined using real-time quantitative PCR array analysis. The mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) was analyzed after staining with FC-1. Steaming of American ginseng increased Rg3 and Rh2 content and antiproliferative activity significantly. The quantitative PCR array data demonstrated that multiple genes in mitochondrial pathway are involved in American ginseng-induced apoptosis of SW-480 cells and the expression profiling was validated by the cellular functional assay. The mitochondrial pathway may play a key role in American ginseng-mediated cancer cell apoptosis.
Income distribution, consumer debt, and keeping up with the Joneses: a Kaldor-Minsky-Veblen model

We extend Kaldor’s theory of income distribution to include workers’ debt accumulation and their motive to emulate rentiers’ consumption. Our results show that (i) the interaction between income distribution and emulation can produce instability, (ii) instability is more likely when the workers’ emulation motive is strong and bankers’ lending decisions are highly accommodating, and (iii) a plausible assumption on the nonlinearity of emulation behavior can generate a limit cycle by way of the PoincareBendixson theorem. Our analysis provides an alternative perspective on the secular
Human Rights as International Constitutional Rights

The Universal Declaration was, of course, the fi rst of the three global international human rights instruments which have collectively come to be known as the International Bill of Rights. Very often, however, this latter term appears within quotation marks or is prefaced by the qualifying phrase, ' so-called ' , signalling that there are serious, although mostly unex- plored, questions about the validity of the implied comparison with domestic bills of rights. In this article, I treat the anniversary as an occasion to take stock by exploring these ques- tions and making the comparison express. I do so by considering the two parts of the term separately. First, regarding ' bill of rights ' , what are the similarities and differences between the UDHR, ICCPR, and ICESCR on the one hand and domestic bills of rights on the other? In particular, to what extent or in what sense, if any, has international human rights law become constitutionalized and, thereby, similar and closer to most domestic bills of rights? Secondly, regarding ' international ' , do the major international human rights instruments simply duplicate domestic bills of rights or provide a generally inferior substitute for them where unavailable - as a certain strand of human rights scepticism suggests? Or do they per- form any distinctive functions over and above domestic bills of rights that make a novel and unique contribution to the development of constitutionalism?
Late-glacial and Holocene vegetational history from two sites in the western Cordillera of southwestern Ecuador

The deciphering of the late-glacial and Holocene vegetation, glacial-geological, and climatic history of Cajas National Park in southwestern Ecuador is undertaken focusing on close-interval sampling of sediment cores from two high elevations lakes, Lagunas Chorreras (3700 m) and Pallcacocha (4060 m). This study involves extensive dating (both accelerator mass spectrometry and tephra), palynological, and sediment analyses of lakes and bogs. Basal dates for the two cores analyzed for pollen range from about 17 000 to about 15 500 cal. yr BP. Vegetation surveys and surface sample pollen and spore analyses were accomplished for two transects in the western Cordillera. One began east of the main divide near Cuenca, Ecuador and the other began at the crest of the western Cordillera, descending towards the Pacific Ocean. These vegetation surveys coupled with pollen analyses of surface samples were used to establish pollen analogues to help in the interpretation of the fossil pollen records. The results of the pollen analyses from the two lake cores indicate two major climatic periods. (1) The late-glacial pollen record, beginning about 17 000 yr BP and ending near 11 000, is characterized by an herb paramo dominated by pteridophytes (primarily Huperzia spp.) with Asteraceae (assumed to be woody species) and Puya spp. The climate inferred from these pollen records was cooler and moister than today. The sediments for this time period are characterized by low loss-on-ignition percentages, and high magnetic susceptibility values (with secondary peaks between 12 000 and 13 000 yr BP). Low concentrations of charcoal fragments indicate a low incidence of fire, and several pronounced fluctuations in pollen assemblages could be interpreted as changes in the prevailing wind direction and/or climate. (2) The beginning of the Holocene, as represented in the pollen record, is characterized by the disappearance of Puya pollen, vastly diminished Huperzia representation, high charcoal concentrations, and the expansion of moist montane forest pollen. Asteraceae (possibly Gynoxys) are replaced as dominant timberline taxa by Polylepis-dominated timberline forest. The charcoal record suggests that fires were much more prevalent during the early to middle Holocene than during the late-glacial. Changes in Isoe «tes concentrations and trends in upland vegetation may be related to fluctuations in lake levels and precipitation.
Nurturing nature: social experiences and the brain.

Summary How does ‘nurture’ change the brain? Recent evidence suggests that maternal care may shape the infant brain by turning genes ‘on’ or ‘off’ during development. Some of the genes affected are important for maternal and social behaviour leading to long-term changes in the nurturing behaviour of offspring. These studies provide new insights into the inheritance of behaviour and the interactions between genes and the social environment across the lifespan.