cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementation of an expanded point-of-care site inspection checklist in an academic medical center: An eight year experience

Abstract Background We evaluated the effectiveness of an expanded point-of-care (POCT) site inspection checklist over an extended 8-y period. Methods A retrospective review of site inspection deficiency reports in a large academic medical center from 2010 to 2017 (year to date). Results There was a significant decrease in the number of cited deficiencies per site/inspection from 2010 (3.17) to 2017 (0.27) (p Conclusions Regular inspections of sites performing POCT are necessary to maintain regulatory compliance. Over time significant improvements in compliance are achievable.
More about differentiation

This chapter describes applications of the derivative to methods for finding extreme values of functions of several variables, and to methods for approximating functions of several variables by polynomials.
Asymptotic Behavior of Eigenvalues of Toeplitz Forms

Let F(λ)={Fik(λ); j, k = 1, …, s} be an s × s matrix-valued function of bounded variation on [—π, π]. By this we mean that every complex-valued element Fik(λ) is of bounded variation. Further, let every difference F(λ1) — F(λ2) be Hermitian. It will be convenient and in no way less general to take F(—π) = 0, the null matrix.
Evaluation of Viscoelastic and Fracture Properties of Asphalt Mixtures with Long-Term Laboratory Conditioning

Aging affects the properties of asphalt mixtures in different ways; increase of stiffness, decrease of relaxation capability, and the increase of brittleness, resulting in changes in cracking behav...
The Value of Neuropsychological Evaluation in Medical Practice

Physicians and other healthcare providers are often expected to provide guidance and treatment to patients who are concerned about memory, attention, language, and other aspects of cognitive functioning. Cognitive concerns may present as subjective complaints from the patient and/or family; through difficulty managing the cognitive demands of a previous level of functioning at work or school; as a change evident to a healthcare provider that has followed a patient over time; in the context of known neurological compromise (e.g., stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, etc.), known medical compromise (e.g., liver failure, human immunodeficiency virus, cardiovascular issues, sleep apnea, etc.), or known psychiatric compromise (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, posttraumatic stress disorder, etc.); and in the context of a number of other situations that may impact cognition (e.g., changes in medication, increased stress, alcohol or drug use, postsurgical compromise, toxic exposures, etc.). Because cognitive dysfunction may be symptomatic of multiple coexisting issues, cognitive assessment is a complex process that often requires the use of multiple diagnostic tools.
Modest Challenges for the Fields of Human Service Administration and Social Policy Research and Practice

Four “Modest Challenges” of importance to scholars and practitioners in human service administration and social policy research are identified and discussed. They are: (1) to more completely identi...
Bypass graft in the management of the complex aneurysms

Objective The purpose of this study was to use a high flow grafts bypass for giant and complex aneurysms. Method 39 patients with complex aneurysms were treated with use of graft bypass. 11 patients presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage referred to lower Hunt and Hess grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ , and 28 patients with unruptured aneurysms exhibited their headaches, symptom and signs of mass effect and neural compression, and cerebral ischemic deficits. 13 patients were bypassed with the radical arteries(RAG) ,10 patients were bypassed with the saphenous veins(SV) ,10 patients were interposed with superficial temporal arteries ( STA ) , and 6 patients were bypassed with the occipital arteries ( OA) . The graft vessel were anastomosed to the recipient of the middle cerebral artery ( MCA) in 24 cases, the PICA in 5 cases, the posterior cerebral artery in 4 cases, the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) in 2 cases, the vertebral artery ( V5) in 2 cases, the intracranial carotid arteries in 1 case, inferioanterior cerebellar artery in 1 case. The graft vessel were anastomosed with the donor external carotid arteries in 19 cases, the MCA in 8 cases, the ACA in 2 cases, vertebral artery(V3) in 2 cases, internal carotid arteries(C2) in 1 case, proximal A2 portion of the posterior communicating artery in 1 case, additional to 6 cases with the OA bypass without anastomosis of recipient vessel. The aneurysms were trapped after the graft had been completed in the series. Excision of aneurysm was carried out in 19 patients with mass effect and neural compression. Results 35 patients obtained back to their normal life, three patient needs to assist for his daily life and one death occurred related to the brain stem infarction. 35 patients were received the postoperative angiographies underwent,34 patients were confirmed with patency of the bypass graft and elimination of the aneurysms on angiographies, but one patient was unidentifiable with patency of the bypass graft on angiography. Conclusions Bypass graft should be an effective management for surgical treatment of giant or complicated aneurysms. Key words: Intracranial aneurysms; Cerebral revascularization
Reversible Actuation via Photoisomerization-Induced Melting of a Semicrystalline Poly(Azobenzene)

Photoisomerization of azobenzene in polymer matrices is a powerful method to convert photon energy into mechanical work. While most previous studies have focused on incorporating azobenzene within ...
Probing Electroweak Top Quark Couplings at Hadron and Lepton Colliders

We discuss possibilities to measure the ttγ and ttZ couplings at hadron and lepton colliders. We also briefly describe how these measurements can be used to constrain the parameter space of models of new physics, in particular Little Higgs models.
Determining Higgs boson width at electron-positron colliders

Abstract Probing Higgs width Γ h is critical to test the Higgs properties. In this work we propose to measure Γ h at the e + e − collider with a model-independent analysis under the Standard Model Effective Field Theory framework. We demonstrate that making use of the cross section measurements from e + e − → Z h , e + e − → ν e ν ¯ e h production and Higgs decay branching ratios h → W W ⁎ / Z Z ⁎ , one could determine Γ h at a percentage level with a center of mass energy s = 250 and 350 GeV and integrated luminosity 5 ab − 1 . This conclusion would not depend on the assumption of the fermion Yukawa interactions. We further apply this result to constrain the fermion Yukawa couplings and it shows that the couplings could be well constrained.
Rewarding morality: How corporate social responsibility shapes top management team compensation votes

Abstract In recent years, scholars have become increasingly interested in the effects of organizations’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts on observers’ perceptions and behaviors. We extend this literature by drawing from person perception theories and ethics research to propose that CSR impacts shareholders’ approval of TMT compensation packages. In contrast to the view that shareholders prefer organizations to avoid allocating resources to CSR, we argue that CSR increases shareholder perceptions of Top Management Team (TMT) members’ moral character, which in turn increase shareholder approval of TMT compensation. Furthermore, we hypothesize that CSR industry norms moderate these effects, such that the effects are strongest when a company’s CSR engagement exceeds its industry’s norm. We test our model by triangulating evidence from three distinct studies: an archival analysis of the S&P 1500, a decision-making experiment based on a sample of shareholders, and an online experiment using a more stringent manipulation of firms’ CSR stances. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Quantum Computing and Its Impact

Quantum technology is a rapidly advancing field which will revolutionize computing and communications networking. The use of quantum technology exploits the characteristics of quantum physics. In the quantum physics realm, subatomic particles don’t follow the same set of rules as the objects we can see and touch. These differences allow new paradigms to be developed for computing and communications. Quantum computers can be used to solve previously unsolvable problems on a much larger scale. The Quantum Internet can exchange large amounts of data using quantum physics properties thereby reducing traffic on traditional communication networks. This section will detail some of the unique aspects of quantum technology.
The Early «commedia dell'arte» 1550-1621: The Mannerist Context

This book establishes a Mannerist context for the early commedia dell'arte during its advent in the latter half of the sixteenth century and the beginning of the seventeenth century. The geographical area is based in Italy, with consideration of commedia dell'arte influences in other European countries. The commedia dell'arte is linked to maniera, the word from which Mannerism is etymologically based, and other concepts such as disegno interno, licenzia, and gusto. Utilizing a synchronic methodology, Castagno explores the link between the Mannerist pittore vago (wandering painters) and the itinerant performers of the commedia dell'arte. By way of conclusion, Castagno demonstrates how Mannerist terms can be applied to the salient performance features of the commedia dell'arte, establishing this theatrical form and practice within a Mannerist context.
Gender HCI issues in end-user software engineering

Despite the considerable HCI research relevant to end-user problem solving and end-user software engineering, researchers have not focused on potential gender HCI issues. In particular we focus on IT workers, a majority of whom do not have background in computer/information science. (In this document, we contrast these IT workers with females who are professional programmers, whom we term computer science females.) We believe that research on end-user problem-solving environments must delve into how these systems can support both genders for the following critical reasons: Women working in IT-dependent fields face a glass ceiling and ignorance of gender HCI issues is risky. If gender HCI issues in end-user software engineering continue to be neglected, software supporting the growing millions of end-user programmers may be making the same mistakes as did our academic ancestors: excluding women from full participation.
Simultaneous Exclusive Access to Multiple Resources

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction The Deadlock Problem Case Studies Heuristics More on Deadlock and Its Prevention Conclusion Exercises
Purification of Cathepsin D from Cartilage and Uterus and Its Action on the Protein-Polysaccharide Complex of Cartilage

Abstract Cathepsin D has been purified approximately 900-fold from two types of cartilage: elastic cartilage of young rabbit ears and hyaline cartilage from the legs of 12- to 13-day-old chick embryos. Cathepsin D accounts for most of the hemoglobin-digesting activity of chick cartilage; rabbit ear cartilage also contains a sulfhydryl-dependent acid cathepsin. The identification of the acid proteolytic activity of the cartilages as cathepsin D is based on the specificity of cleavage of the B chain of insulin. The molecular weight of the two enzymes, as estimated by molecular sieving, is about 40,000 to 43,000. The two cartilage enzymes and cathepsin D from bovine uterus all digested the protein-polysaccharide complex of bovine nasal cartilage at pH 5. The digestion could be followed viscosimetrically and it obeyed a second order kinetic expression. The protein-polysaccharide complex was completely degraded to fragments that were larger than single chains of chondroitin sulfate. Digestion at pH 5 was inhibited by e-aminocaproate and arginine (0.1 m), chloroquine and 3-indolepyruvate (0.02 m), and pepstatin (2 x 10-7 m). Activity curves were measured as a function of pH; all three preparations of cathepsin D digested protein-polysaccharide complex optimally at pH 4. On comparing one hemoglobin-digesting unit of each enzyme, it was found that the cathepsin D from bovine uterus digested protein-polysaccharide complex twice as rapidly as the rabbit ear enzyme and 5 times as rapidly as the chick cartilage enzyme. At pH 7.2 digestion of protein-polysaccharide complex was quite variable, the chick preparation was completely inactive, and the other preparations had variable activities that were not in proportion to their hemoglobin-digesting activity. It was finally shown that cathepsin D is completely inactive at pH 7.2 and that protein-polysaccharide complex digestion at this pH is due to the action of a contaminant neutral protease.
Restless Legs Syndrome and lateralized periodic movements due to a spinal schwannoma

We describe a case of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) associated to periodic limb movements (PLMs) in a woman with a cervical schwannoma. Neurological examination, laboratory tests, neurography and electromyography were unremarkable. Neuroimaging evidenced a schwannoma at C3 level that compressed the right ventral surface of the medulla. Somatosensory-evoked potentials showed absence of the N13 after right median nerve stimulation and reduction of amplitude of the same component after left nerve stimulation. A video-polysomnography documented PLMs with a marked prevalence of the right-sided movements. We believe that the cervical schwannoma played a role in the pathogenesis of RLS and of lateralized PLMs.
Laboratory method for fermentation of meat and poultry sausages in fibrous casings.

The construction and operation of a relatively inexpensive cabinet for sausage fermentation studies is described. Temperature can be controlled to ±1 C with a relative humidity of approximately 95%.
Performance modeling of asynchronous data transfer methods of IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol

To satisfy the needs of wireless data networking, study group 802.11 was formed under IEEE project 802 to recommend an international standard for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). A key part of standard are the Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol needed to support asynchronous and time bounded delivery of data frames. It has been proposed that unslotted Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) be the basis for the IEEE 802.11 WLAN MAC protocols. We conduct performance evaluation of the asynchronous data transfer protocols that are a part of the proposed IEEE 802.11 standard taking into account the decentralized nature of communication between stations, the possibility of “capture”, and presence of “hidden” stations. We compute system throughput and evaluate fairness properties of the proposed MAC protocols. Further, the impact of spatial characteristics on the performance of the system and that observed by individual stations is determined. A comprehensive comparison of the access methods provided by the 802.11 MAC protocol is done and observations are made as to when each should be employed. Extensive numerical and simulation results are presented to help understand the issues involved.
The phantom tollbooth: privacy-preserving electronic toll collection in the presence of driver collusion

In recent years, privacy-preserving toll collection has been proposed as a way to resolve the tension between the desire for sophisticated road pricing schemes and drivers' interest in maintaining the privacy of their driving patterns. Two recent systems in particular, VPriv (USENIX Security 2009) and PrETP (USENIX Security 2010), use modern cryptographic primitives to solve this problem. In order to keep drivers honest in paying for their usage of the roads, both systems rely on unpredictable spot checks (e.g., by hidden roadside cameras or roaming police vehicles) to catch potentially cheating drivers. In this paper we identify large-scale driver collusion as a threat to the necessary unpredictability of these spot checks. Most directly, the VPriv and PrETP audit protocols both reveal to drivers the locations of spot-check cameras--information that colluding drivers can then use to avoid paying road fees. We describe Milo, a new privacy-preserving toll collection system based on PrETP, whose audit protocol does not have this information leak, even when drivers misbehave and collude. We then evaluate the additional cost of Milo and find that, when compared to naive methods to protect against cheating drivers, Milo offers a significantly more cost-effective approach.
Interpreting Estimated Parameters and Measuring Individual Heterogeneity in Random Coefficient Models

Recent studies in econometrics and statistics include many applications of random parameter models. The underlying structural parameters in these models are often not directly informative about the statistical relationship of interest. As a result, standard significance tests of structural parameters in random parameter models do not necessarily indicate the presence or absence of a significant relationship among the model variables. This note offers a suggestion on how to examine the results of estimation of a general form of random parameter model. We also extend results on computing individual level parameters in a random parameters setting and show how simulation based estimates of parameters in conditional distributions can be used to examine the influence of model covariates (marginal effects) at an individual level
Association Between Appendectomy and Clostridium difficile Infection

Background: Recent theory proposes that the appendix functions as a reservoir for commensal bacteria, and serves to re-inoculate the colon with normal flora in the event of pathogen exposure or purging of intestinal flora. If true, we reasoned that flora from a nor mal appendix could provide protection against Clostridium difficile . We conducted this investigation to examine the protective effect of an intact appendix and test the hypothesis that prior appendectomy will be more common among patients with a positive test for C. difficile as compared with patients who test negative. Methods: We contacted patients who had undergone C. difficile testing and asked them whether or not they had a prior appendectomy. Using their responses and results from Toxin A & B EIA tests, we calculated the difference in appendectomy rates between those who tested positive for C. difficile , and those who tested negative. We considered a positive 15% absolute difference to represent a significant increase in appendectomy rate. Results: We enrolled 257 patients. Among the 136 who tested positive for C. difficile, 27 (19.9%) had prior appendectomies, while among 121 patients testing negative for C. difficile , 38 (31.4%) had prior appendectomies, yielding a difference in appendectomy rates of -11.6% (95% Confidence Interval: -21.6% to -0.9%). Conclusions: The rate of prior appendectomy was actually lower among patients with a positive C. difficile test as compared to those with a negative test. Conversely, patients who tested positive for C. difficile were more likely to have an intact appendix than those who tested negative. These results suggest that rather than being protective, an intact appendix appears to promote C. difficile acquisition, carriage, and disease.
Non-monotonic temperature dependence in molecular referenced pressure-sensitive paint (MR-PSP)

Abstract A molecular reference for PSP showed an unexpected temperature dependence. At atmospheric pressure the slope of the temperature dependence was ∼−0.2%/°C at all temperatures. However, at vacuum the temperature dependence had a negative slope at lower temperature (∼10°C) but a positive slope at higher temperature (∼40°C). We attribute this to delayed fluorescence. At higher temperature in the absence of oxygen, the excited singlet state can be thermally repopulated from the triplet state. This results in an increase in the apparent fluorescence as temperature rises. The fluorescence decay at vacuum and 50°C is composed of two parts: a short (∼10 ns) decay from the prompt fluorescence and a longer-lived (∼40 ms) decay from the delayed fluorescence, which reflects the triplet decay time. Delayed fluorescence is quenched at 2% atmospheric pressure, so it should not be a problem in wind-tunnel research, although it can cause confusion in calibration runs at vacuum.
Influence of annealing on the optical properties of reactively sputtered BCN thin films

Abstract Optical properties of the Boron Carbon Nitride (BCN) thin films deposited in a multi gun radio frequency (rf) magnetron sputtering system using a B 4 C target have been studied. Films of different compositions were deposited by varying the ratio of argon and nitrogen in the sputtering ambient. The films were annealed in dry oxygen ambient in the temperature range of 300 °C–700 °C. The effect of annealing on the optical properties of the films was investigated. It was found that the optical transmission of the films increased with nitrogen incorporation. Annealing at higher temperatures leads to considerable increase in optical transmission. Optical energy gaps (Tauc gap) calculated from the absorption data are influenced by annealing temperatures. Changes in optical properties were correlated to the chemical modifications in the films due to annealing through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Studies reveal that the carbon and nitrogen concentrations in the films are highly sensitive to temperature. Annealing at higher temperatures leads to broken C–N bonds which results in the loss of C and N in the films. This is believed to be the primary cause for variations in optical properties of the films.
Suppression of clinical weakness in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis associated with weight changes, and post-decapitation convulsions after intracisternal-ventricular administration of 6-hydroxydopamine.

Selective depletion of central nervous system norepinephrine (NE) by the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in rats subsequently inoculated with myelin basic protein (MBP) and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) produced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) without the usual expected degree of weakness. The preservation of strength occurred in spite of continued weight loss. Post-decapitation myoclonic convulsive kick latency and kick number, which are known to depend on spinal cord NE, agreed well with the degree of weakness through the clinical disease course. The only difference between EAE groups was that the stronger 6-OHDA pretreated EAE animals did not have an elevated pons-medulla NE compared to saline intracisternal-ventricular (i.c.v.) pretreated controls. We conclude that 6-OHDA can influence the clinical course of weakness by interfering with central noradrenergic activity independent of other features associated with disease in EAE. This effect of 6-OHDA may be exerted through alteration of the blood-spinal cord barrier function and/or central nervous system blood flow.
Colored monopoles, Cheshire color, and unconfined fractional electric charge.

Stable magnetic monopoles formed in phase transitions in the early Universe in general carry colored as well as ordinary (electromagnetic) magnetic charge. We argue that isolated quarks can induce a ``Cheshire'' color electric charge on such monopoles and form colorless finite energy quark-monopole bound states which will exhibit unconfined fractional electromagnetic electric charge.
Epidemiological, demographic, and economic analyses: measurement of the value of trichiasis surgery in The Gambia.

AIM. Untreated trichiasis can lead to corneal opacity. Surgery to prevent the eyelashes from rubbing against the cornea is available, but many individuals with trichiasis never undergo the operation. This study estimates the cost of illness of untreated trichiasis and the willingness to pay for surgery and compares them with the actual cost of providing surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The cost of illness estimate is based on trichiasis patient demographics. Data on the implicit price of obtaining surgery and surgical utilization in a matched pair randomized trial are used to infer individual willingness to pay for trichiasis surgery. Patients in the study paid nothing out-of-pocket for surgery; the price of obtaining surgery is the value of the individual¹s time needed for travel and surgery plus the price of public transportation. The cost of producing surgery was calculated from project records. RESULTS. All monetary figures are reported in 1998 US dollars. The average cost of untreated trichiasis, or t...
Progression elevated gene-3, PEG-3, induces genomic instability in rodent and human tumor cells.

Genomic instability is a fundamental component of cancer progression. Subtraction hybridization identified a novel rodent gene, progression elevated gene-3 (PEG-3) whose expression directly correlates with cancer aggressiveness and progression. Moreover, ectopic expression of PEG-3 in rodent or human tumor cells produces an aggressive transformed phenotype. We demonstrate that PEG-3 expression in rodent tumor cells correlates directly with genomic instability as characterized by alterations in chromosome composition and structure. Additionally, elevated endogenous or ectopic expression of PEG-3 in rodent and human tumor cells, respectively, enhances gene amplification, as monitored by resistance to methothrexate (MTX) and amplification of the dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) gene. Stable expression of PEG-3 in normal cloned rat embryo fibroblast (CREF) cells marginally elevates MTX resistance, but morphology remains unaltered and anchorage independence is not induced, suggesting that these phenotypes are separable in immortal cells and gene amplification may precede the acquisition of morphological and oncogenic transformation. The present studies document that stable, inducible, and transient expression of PEG-3 in cancer cells augments genomic instability. In these contexts, one mechanism by which PEG-3 influences cancer progression may be by preferentially facilitating the development of genomic changes in evolving cancer cells.
Dermatomyofibroma: report of two cases

Dermatomyofibroma is a recently described, benign acquired cutaneous proliferation of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. We report 2 additional cases, both in young women. The lesions measured 0.5 and 1.0 cm and were located on the breast and upper back. Follow-up at 8 months and 3 years revealed no evidence of recurrence. Both lesions exhibited a uniform population of spindle cells forming intersecting long fascicles with a tendency to horizontal orientation in the reticular dermis. Cytologic atypia was absent and mitotic figures were minimal or absent. Collagen was present as thin fibers separating individual cells and as thicker bundles between the fascicles. A fine reticulin network surrounded the spindle cells. Elastic fibers were mostly preserved and appeared thicker or even increased in number. The spindle cells were immunoreactive for vimentin and muscle actin and negative for desmin, S-100 protein, factor XIIIa, and CD34. Electron microscopic studies confirmed the presence of myofibroblasts. The differential diagnosis was made with cellular and fibrous dermatofibroma, piloleiomyoma, hypertrophic scar, and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, both classic and plaque type. The data presented supports the histologic distinction of dermatomyofibroma from other fibroblastic proliferations of the skin.
Disruption of the Mauna Loa magma system by the 1868 Hawaiian earthquake - Geochemical evidence

To test whether a catastrophic earthquake could affect an active magma system, mean abundances (adjusted for "olivine control") of titanium, potassium, phosphorus, strontium, zirconium, and niobium of historic lavas erupted from Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawaii, after 1868 were analyzed and were found to decrease sharply relative to lavas erupted before 1868. This abrupt change in lava chemistry, accompanied by a halved lava-production rate for Mauna Loa after 1877, is interpreted to reflect the disruptive effects of a magnitude 7.5 earthquake in 1868. This interpretation represents a documentable case of changes in magmatic chemical variations initiated or accelerated by a major tectonic event.
Prosthetics for Transtibial Amputees: A Literature Survey

Approximately 82 percent of all amputations performed in the United States are transtibial amputations, in which the leg is removed below the hiee. Because the knee joint is left intact the use of prosthetics is one of the most preferred methods for returning mobility to amputees. The improvement of prosthetics for transtibial amputees is currently an area of intense research. This paper summarizes the state of the art of prosthetics for transtibial amputees by focusing on the four major components associated with standard transtibial prosthetic. The socket transfers the forces between the residual limb and the prosthetic. A suspension system ensures that solid contact is maintained between the leg and the artificial limb. The prosthetic foot is attached to the socket by a pylon, which also accounts for length of limb lost during amputation. Prosthetic feet come in many forms ranging from little more than wooden blocks to carbon fiber sprinting feet. Two recent advances in transtibial prosthetics include the procedures of direct skeletal attachment, and distal tibiofibular bone bridging which increases the weight bearing capability of the residual limb.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
The dual functions of GPI-anchored PH-20: Hyaluronidase and intracellular signaling

The ovulated mammalian oocyte is surrounded by the "cumulus ECM", composed of cells embedded in an extracellular matrix that is rich in hyaluronic acid (HA). The cumulus ECM is a viscoelastic gel that sperm must traverse prior to fertilization. Mammalian sperm have a GPI-anchored hyaluronidase which is known as PH-20 and also as SPAM 1. PH-20 is located on the sperm surface, and in the lysosome-derived acrosome, where it is bound to the inner acrosomal membrane. PH-20 appears to be a multifunctional protein; it is a hyaluronidase, a receptor for HA-induced cell signaling, and a receptor for the zona pellucida surrounding the oocyte. The zona pellucida recognition function of PH-20 was discovered first. This function is ascribed to the inner acrosomal membrane PH-20, which appears to differ biochemically from the PH-20 on the sperm surface. Later, when bee venom hyaluronidase was cloned, a marked cDNA sequence homology with PH-20 was recognized, and it is now apparent that PH-20 is the hyaluronidase of mammalian sperm. PH-20 is unique among the hyaluronidases in that it has enzyme activity at both acid and neutral pH, and these activities appear to involve two different domains in the protein. The neutral enzyme activity of plasma membrane PH-20 is responsible for local degradation of the cumulus ECM during sperm penetration. Plasma membrane PH-20 mediates HA-induced sperm signaling via a HA binding domain that is separate from the hyaluronidase domains. This signaling is associated with an increase in intracellular calcium and as a consequence, the responsiveness of sperm to induction of the acrosome reaction by the zona pellucida is increased. There is extensive evidence that GPI-anchored proteins are involved in signal transduction initiated by a diverse group of cell surface receptors. GPI-anchored proteins involved in signaling are often associated with signaling proteins bound to the cytoplasmic leaflet of the plasma membrane, typically Src family, non-receptor protein tyrosine kinases. PH-20 appears to initiate intracellular signaling by aggregating in the plasma membrane, and a 92-kDa protein may be the cell signaling molecule linked to PH-20.
Sense and Sensibility of Insulin Pumps

It’s not closet monsters that haunt people with type 1 diabetes at night. It’s low blood glucose (hypoglycemia). This condition is a constant critical side effect of insulin therapy but is especially detrimental during the night, when a sleeping patient may not be aware of a dangerous decrease in blood glucose. Repeated episodes of hypoglycemia greatly impair a patient’s quality of life and can also be fatal—hypoglycemia accounts for 4 to 10% of deaths among type 1 diabetes patients. With the introduction of continuous glucose sensors, implanted insulin pumps can be programmed to cease drug delivery automatically for up to 2 hours when the sensor has indicated that glucose has fallen below a preset threshold. The ability of a continuous glucose sensor to detect hypoglycemia and suspend insulin delivery can potentially reduce the incidence of hypoglycemic events. Early reports have suggested that this technology is safe, but data from randomized clinical trials were lacking. Now, Ly et al . report the results of a recent randomized clinical trial that was conducted in Australia and involved 95 patients with type 1 diabetes. The trial compared the incidence of severe (seizure or coma) and moderate (an event requiring assistance for treatment) hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes patients who were treated with either a sensor-augmented pump with low-glucose delivery-suspension technology or a standard insulin pump. After 6 months of intervention, the adjusted hypoglycemia incidence rate per 100 patient-months was 34.2 [95% confidence interval (CI), 22.0 to 53.3] for the pump-only group as compared with only 9.5 (95% CI, 5.2 to 17.4) among participants with a low-glucose automatic pump suspension. This significant decrease in the incidence of nighttime hypoglycemia by automatic suspension of the insulin delivery was not associated with impaired metabolic control or with increased risk of ketoacidosis. These results suggest that the prevention of severe hypoglycemic episodes by the sensor technology will improve the safety and quality of life of type 1 diabetes patients, at least until a complete closed-loop artificial pancreas becomes available. T. T. Ly et al. , Effect of sensor-augmented insulin pump therapy and automated insulin suspension vs standard insulin pump therapy on hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA 310 , 1240–1247 (2013). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1741822
The association of maternal mental distress with television viewing in children under 3 years old.

Objective To test the hypothesis that maternal mental distress is associated with excessive television viewing by infants and toddlers. Methods We used data from maternal respondents to the National Survey of Early Childhood Health, a nationally representative cross-sectional study on the health of children aged 4–35 months. Our main outcome measure was television hours viewed per day. Our main predictor was the Mental Health Inventory 5, a short screening tool used in this study to identify mothers with mental distress. We used a previously validated cutoff score of 21. Multivariate negative binomial regression was used to determine the independent association between maternal mental distress and a child's television viewing per day. Results Data were available from 1793 mothers. A total of 21% of mothers were found to have mental distress. Children of mothers without mental distress watch significantly less TV (1.6 hours per day; 95% confidence interval, 1.5–1.7) than children of mothers with mental distress (2.1 hours per day; 95% confidence interval, 1.7–2.5) ( P = .02). In a multivariate regression model, children of mothers with mental distress watch 25% more television per day than children of mothers without mental distress (rate ratio 1.25 [1.03–1.51]). The numbers in the brackets refer to the 95% Confidence Interval. Conclusions For children younger than 3 years, having a mother with mental distress is associated with increased television viewing. The mental health of mothers should be considered in any intervention aimed at reducing television viewing time in this population.
Clinical, radiological and functional follow-up after surgical decompression of double aortic arch

Background. Double aortic arch (DAA) is a congenital vascular anomaly that causes tracheal and oesophageal compression. It requires surgical intervention in patients with severe symptoms.
Low and non-polarizing dielectric multilayer coatings for beamsplitters

ABSTRACT Dielectric multilayer stacks consisting of repeated pairs high and low index quarter- wave layers are often used for beamsplitters. At oblique angles of incidence, such coatings typically have a fairly high polarization ratio, i.e., different reflectance, transmittance and phase for the two orthogonal polarization planes s and p. We use a special refining computer program based on a damped least squares optimization technique to achieve very low polarization ratios with all-dielectric beamsplitter coatings. The average intensity varia­ tion is less than 0.5 % in the wavelength interval from 500 nm - 600 nm for all given design examples, for angles of incidence from 40 to 60 1 . INTRODUCTION The idea of employing frustrated total internal reflection originated at an earlier stage in the development of narrow-band optical filters. Light incident beyond the critical angle from one medium on a boundary to another medium of lower refractive index will be completely reflected. The incident light penetrates a short distance into the second medium, where its intensity decreases exponentially. If the thickness of the second medium is of the order of the wavelength of the incident light, then there is a certain probability for the electromagnetic wave to penetrate this finite potential barrier and part of the incident light will appear in the third medium adjacent to the other interface of the thin second medium. Adjusting the width of the barrier meets penetration requirements for certain wave­ lengths. Such narrow-band filters have a distinctive peak transmission at the desired wave­ lengths. However, they suffer very high angular sensitivity and large polarization splitting due to the large angle of incidence.If the spacer layer and frustrating layers are homogeneous, a possible theoretical treat­ ment of the problem is that of tunneling through a finite rectangular potential barrier. The solutions 6f the Schro'dinger equation for both s and p polarizations in the case of a rectangular barrier show a large polarization splitting of the reflected and transmitted light. Howevei4 , shapes different from a rectangular potential barrier have, to our know­ ledge, not been used in the design of narrow-band filters as of yet.The aim of this paper is to show that various index profiles of the spacer layer give excellent control of the polarization ratio. The result is a new technique for the design of s and p amplitude matched achromatic all-dielectric beamsplitters.2. BASIC PRINCIPLES The amplitude reflection of a multilayer stack is given byM12Us )uo + (M21 + M22Us )where u = (e/y) cos9 for s polarization, and u = (y/e) cosQ for p polarization. The subscripts "o" and "s" correspond to the incident and final media, respectively, and M. . are the elements of the characteristic matrix of the multilayer stack. The reflection R 6r the stack is given by :R = rr* (2)for each polarization. If the incident light is randomly polarized, then the overall reflection of the multilayer stack is arithmetic mean values for s and p components.
Sensory Systems and Environmental Change on Behavior during Social Interactions

The impact of environmental conditions for transmitting sensory cues and the ability of crayfish to utilize olfaction and vision were examined in regards to social interactive behavior. The duration and intensity of interactions were examined for conspecific crayfish with different sensory abilities. Normally, vision and chemosensory have roles in agonistic communication of Procambarus clarkii; however, for the blind cave crayfish (Orconectes australis packardi), that lack visual capabilities, olfaction is assumed to be the primary sensory modality. To test this, we paired conspecifics in water and out of water in the presence and absence of white light to examine interactive behaviors when these various sensory modalities are altered. For sighted crayfish, in white light, interactions occurred and escalated; however, when the water was removed, interactions and aggressiveness decreased, but, there was an increase in visual displays out of the water. The loss of olfaction abilities for blind cave and sighted crayfish produced fewer social interactions. The importance of environmental conditions is illustrated for social interactions among sighted and blind crayfish. Importantly, this study shows the relevance in the ecological arena in nature for species survival and how environmental changes disrupt innate behaviors.
The relationship between pulmonary arterial pressure and roentgenographic appearance in mitral stenosis.

Abstract 1.1. The prominence of the pulmonary arterial segment on the posteroanterior chest x-ray in a group of 56 patients with mitral stenosis was assessed by calculation of the "PA/chest ratio." The distance from the midline, as defined by the vertebral spines, to the left-most point of the pulmonary arterial segment on the cardiac silhouette is measured and divided by one half of the transthoracic diameter, as suggested by Ozawa. 6 2.2. A positive correlation between the "PA/chest ratio" and pulmonary arterial mean pressure was found. The correlation was exponential in character, resembling the shape of the pressure-volume curve. 3.3. The correlation between PA/chest ratio and pulmonary arterial mean pressure is poor in patients with left-to-right shunts and increased pulmonary blood flow. 4.4. In patients with mitral stenosis, in whom pulmonary blood flow varies over a relatively narrow range, the PA/chest ratio is a useful guide to the presence or absence of pulmonary vascular disease, facilitating preoperative evaluation of these patients without cardiac catheterization.
The vibrational structure of the NO2 cation

Abstract Zero kinetic energy photoelectron spectroscopy is combined with triple-resonant multiphoton absorption to obtain the first experimental measurement of the fundamental vibrational frequencies of isolated NO + 2 . Analysis of observed vibrational structure yields values for the quadratic force constants in both normal coordinate space as well as internal symmetry coordinates. Results are compared with recent ab initio calculations of Lee, with excellent agreement between the two. We obtain values for the fundamental frequencies of 1396.8 ± 1.0, 639.0 ± 1.0, and 2362.0 ± 1.0 cm −1 for the symmetric, bending, and asymmetric vibrations, respectively.
Transitioning Patients to Survivorship Care: A Systematic Review

UNLABELLED Problem Identification: In 2005, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a seminal report on cancer survivorship that discussed the goals and structure of cancer survivorship care with the recommendation to use a survivorship care plan (SCP). However, the manner in which these recommendations are operationalized and their relationship to patient outcomes are unknown. LITERATURE SEARCH A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL®, and the Cochrane Database. Articles were selected if they included a provider-mediated intervention and were published after 2005, for a total of nine articles.Data Evaluation: The studies were evaluated according to the purposes of survivorship care, the use of an SCP, and models of care recommended by the IOM. CONCLUSIONS The outcomes of the studies were not conclusive in supporting a specific model of survivorship care or the use of a SCP. Two of the nine studies adhered to the IOM goals of survivorship care and SCP recommendations in their interventions. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE The design and testing of nurse-led survivorship programs is imperative, as nurses may be effective in ensuring consistent, patient-centered education for cancer survivors.
Meeting multiple sustainability goals: non-motorized access and non-work trip usage on public transit

Transit designed to serve multiple trip types accessed without vehicles can meet social and environmental sustainability goals simultaneously. Seventeen representative U.S. cities are used to examine transit systems with high non-motorized access and use for non-work trips. Non-parametric tests are used to determine correlations with indicators of social and environmental sustainability. The median income of riders is significant and negative for both variables. Higher non-work usage and non-motorized access does not imply that social and environmental goals are met. Higher-income riders are needed to meet both goals, but having high-income riders does not ensure social goals are met.
Abdominal pain after colonoscopy: can it be acute cholecystitis?

Colonoscopy is a common procedure performed by gastroenterologists and general surgeons. Currently over 500,000 colonoscopies are performed each year in the United States. The incidence of complications of any nature varies from 0.1% to 1.9% [1]. Perforation and hemorrhage are the most common complications of this procedure. We describe our unique experience with two patients who developed acute cholecystitis 24–72 hr after colonoscopy. These two cases are presented and the relatively sparse medical literature on this subject is reviewed.
Resolution of an obstructive coronary lesion as demonstrated by selective angiography in a patient with transmural myocardial infarction

Abstract A 34 year old premenopausal woman without hypertension, diabetes mellitus, lipoprotein abnormality or family history of coronary disease, had an acute transmural anterior myocardial infarction. She had been taking oral contraceptive agents for 6 years. Coronary arteriograms and left ventriculography 7 months after infarction showed 50 percent obstruction of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery and hypokinesis of the anterolateral and apical portion of the left ventricle. Arteriograms obtained 38 months after infarction were normal, but the area of left ventricular hypokinesis was unchanged. In situ thrombosis or embolization with subsequent recanalization may explain these events. Although acute transmural myocardial infarction with normal coronary anteriograms has been described, this report demonstrates an obstructive coronary lesion early after the infarct and its subsequent resolution at repeat coronary arteriography. This finding suggests that transmural myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteriograms may be an artifact of the elapsed time between the infarction and arteriography.
Modified Faddeev Algorithm For Matrix Manipulation

An algorithm is described, based on that of Faddeev, which solves for Cx+D, given Ax=B. This algorithm provides a framework for systematic manipulations of matrices using a single systolic array and simple data flow. An example is given of its use in solving several least squares problems.
Coronary Artery Occlusion in the Conscious Dog Effects of Alterations in Arterial Pressure Produced by Nitroglycerin, Hemorrhage, and Alpha-Adrenergic Agonists on the Degree of Myocardial Ischemia

Nitroglycerin is generally believed to be contraindicated during acute myocardial infarction because the resultant decrease in coronary perfusion pressure and reflex tachycardia might extend the area of ischemia. To determine the effects of nitroglycerin and alterations in arterial pressure on the degree of myocardial ischemia, the left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded for repeated 15-min periods in closed-chest conscious dogs. The degree of myocardial ischemia was estimated by summating the S-T segment elevation (∑ST) recorded from 12 myocardial electrodes. Although heart rate increased and arterial pressure decreased, ∑ST after 15 min of coronary occlusion was 14 ± 3 mv (P < 0.02) less during nitroglycerin therapy than during control occlusions. When the same alteration in arterial pressure was produced by venous hemorrhage, ∑ST tended to be greater than during control occlusions (+14 ± 7 mv, ns); the difference between the nitroglycerin and hemorrhage interventions was highly significan...