cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biphasic anaphylaxis: A review of the literature and implications for emergency management.

Abstract Background The biphasic reaction is a feared complication of anaphylaxis management in the emergency department (ED). The traditional recommended ED observation time is 4–6 h after complete resolution of symptoms for every anaphylaxis patient. However, there has been great controversy regarding whether this standard of care is evidence-based. Methods Articles were selected using a PubMed, MEDLINE search for the keywords “biphasic anaphylaxis”, yielding 155 articles. Articles were filtered by English language, and the keyword biphasic in the title. Case reports and case series were excluded, narrowing to 33 articles. Then, articles were filtered by relevance to the ED setting, and studies conducted in outpatient clinic settings were excluded, narrowing the search to 16 articles. All remaining articles were reviewed and findings were discussed. Results The reported mean time to onset between the resolution of initial anaphylaxis and biphasic reaction ranges widely by study from 1 to 72 h with the majority of studies reporting the mean time to onset >8 h. A delay between anaphylaxis symptom onset and administration of epinephrine of 60–190 min was reported to correlate with biphasic anaphylaxis in three studies. Anaphylaxis requiring >1 dose of epinephrine to achieve symptom resolution was also reported to correlate with biphasic reactions in two studies. No definitive conclusions about the role of corticosteroids in preventing biphasic reactions can be made at this time however; a couple small studies have shown that they may decrease the incidence of biphasic reactions. Additional risk factors correlated with biphasic reaction vary widely between studies and the generalizability of these risk factors is questionable. Conclusions There is a need for further research to identify true risk factors associated with biphasic anaphylaxis and to clearly define the role of corticosteroids in biphasic reactions. However, given the low incidence and rare mortality of biphasic reactions, patients who receive epinephrine within one hour of symptom onset and who respond to epinephrine with rapid and complete symptom resolution can probably be discharged from the ED with careful return precautions and education without the need for prolonged observation.
Scenarios in Gestalt Psychology and Genetic Epistemology

USING AS RESEARCH TOOLS Gestalt psychology and Jean Piaget’s genetic epistemology, and the results of previous chapters as data, we examine Albert Einstein’s thinking that led to the relativity of simultaneity (i.e., creative thinking in the individual), and the genesis of quantum theory during the period 1913–1927 (i.e., the growth of a theory among several scientists). The scenarios of these two episodes in the history of science are developed here in conformity to the guidelines of Gestalt psychology and genetic epistemology, while striving for the historical accuracy in Chapters 1–4. Chapter 5 introduced the portions of Gestalt psychology that will be used here. Regarding genetic epistemology, the direction of the investigation in this chapter is best set by Piaget himself in the epigraph to this chapter.
Performance of Examinees from Foreign Schools on the Clinical Science Component of the United States Medical Licensing Examination

In 1993, the successful completion of Steps 1 and 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) became the sole examination route for students in or graduates of foreign medical schools (FMGs) to gain entry into graduate training in the United States. This paper reports on selected demographic characteristics of the 48,858 FMGs sitting for USMLE Step 2 during the 1994 and 1995 academic years and presents the results of descriptive analyses of the relationship between these characteristics and examination performance. The Step 2 pass rate for the FMGs was 41% in the total group and 48% for first time takers. Nearly 57% of examinees sat for Step 2 at US test sites, 80% sat for the exam one or more years after graduation, 57% were 30 years of age or older, 65% were men, and 11% were native English speakers. In terms of performance, firsttakers, younger examinees, recent graduates, and native English speakers tended to perform better overall than their counter parts. As a group, FMGs tended to score highest on topics in surgery and lowest in preventive medicine and psychiatry. Because there is little information about which FMGs decide to sit for Step 2, inferences are limited and performance differences cannot be interpreted as an indicator of the quality of medical education or care provided in a given country.
Applications of Area and Solid-Angle Functions in Acoustics

It is known that in the far-field regime the pulse-echo (PE) scattering of acoustical waves from a weak, internally-uniform inhomogeneity can be represented in terms of the planar area function (PArF) of the scatterer domain. The nature of PArF is explained in explicit mathematical terms by the fact that the impulse response function (IRF) is proportional to the second time-derivative of the PArF. The latter quantity is obtained by moving a cutting plane, oriented parallel to the incident wavefront, through the scatterer domain and recording the areas of the sequence of cross-sections as a function of distance, which in the scattering application is expressed in terms of the round-trip time of flight. In this paper we discuss the extension of this result to the case in which the far-field constraint is removed, a generalization that involves the spherical area function (SArF) and the solid-angle function (SAnF) in central roles. We also discuss the broadening of the areas of application, i.e., the application of PArF’s to PE scattering of acoustical waves from hard objects in the far-field case and the application of PArF’s to certain kinds of source problems such as weak explosions.
Clinical Aspects and Diagnostic Criteria of Sporadic CAA-Related Hemorrhage

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a major cause of hemorrhagic stroke in the elderly, including hemorrhages that occur with anticoagulant treatment. Though fundamentally a neuropathologic diagnosis, CAA can be identified with good reliability during life by the presence on gradient-echo MRI of multiple, strictly lobar hemorrhages without other definite cause. The relatively good recovery from a first CAA-related hemorrhage is counterbalanced by the tendency for these hemorrhages to recur at approximately 10% per year. Higher rates of recurrence are predicted by a history of previous hemorrhage and the presence of the apolipoprotein E ɛ2 and ɛ4 alleles. Improving tools for the diagnosis and staging of CAA, together with an emerging understanding of β-amyloid deposition and toxicity, form a strong foundation for future trials aimed at prevention of hemorrhage recurrence.
Repair and mutagenesis in Drosophila: a summary and perspective.

The contributions of genetic experiments with Drosophila melanogaster to the relationship between chromosome breakage and mutagenesis antedate the demonstration of DNA as the genetic material. One of the earliest observations was that the spontaneous rate of mutations in females is no greater than that of males. The fact that meiotic crossing over, a chromosome breakage and rejoining process, occurs in females and not in males implied that the “repair” of the broken chromatids involved in crossing over must occur with such precision as to preclude the generation of new mutations. Subsequently, the genetic versatility of ID. melanogaster was exploited to demonstrate first that x-rays and later that mustard gas and other chemicals can be powerful mutagenic agents. The post Watson-Crick era and the dominance of microorganisms in genetic research deferred, for obvious reasons, research on DNA repair and mutagenesis in eukaryotes. From the series of reports that are included here, it is eminently clear that much progress has been made in our understanding the process of repair in eukaryote DNA and its relationship to mutagenesis. It is also evident from the research results presented that experimentation with D. melanogaster will further our understanding on DNA repair and mutagenesis.
Model Approximation in Multiparametric Optimization and Control – A Computational Study

Abstract Incorporating a high fidelity model that accurately describes a dynamical system in an optimization and control study may often lead to an intractable formulation, hence the use of model approximation is required. This computational study closely examines various approximation techniques in the context of multiparametric optimization and control with the use of key error metrics including: (i) open loop comparison of the high fidelity and approximate model, (ii) verification of step response profiles, and (iii) comparison of key features of the feasible space and objective function in the optimization formulation. Two systems are used as a basis for this study: a tank system utilized to highlight the main principles of this approach, and a Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) where the reaction mechanisms are manipulated to increase the model complexity.
Designing the ideal perioperative pain management plan starts with multimodal analgesia

Multimodal analgesia is defined as the use of more than one pharmacological class of analgesic medication targeting different receptors along the pain pathway with the goal of improving analgesia while reducing individual class-related side effects. Evidence today supports the routine use of multimodal analgesia in the perioperative period to eliminate the over-reliance on opioids for pain control and to reduce opioid-related adverse events. A multimodal analgesic protocol should be surgery-specific, functioning more like a checklist than a recipe, with options to tailor to the individual patient. Elements of this protocol may include opioids, non-opioid systemic analgesics like acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, gabapentinoids, ketamine, and local anesthetics administered by infiltration, regional block, or the intravenous route. While implementation of multimodal analgesic protocols perioperatively is recommended as an intervention to decrease the prevalence of long-term opioid use following surgery, the concurrent crisis of drug shortages presents an additional challenge. Anesthesiologists and acute pain medicine specialists will need to advocate locally and nationally to ensure a steady supply of analgesic medications and in-class alternatives for their patients' perioperative pain management.
The discriminative stimulus effects of nicotine & ethanol with two distinct olfactory contexts in male and female rats.

Abstract Odor cues and interoceptive cues can combine in promoting drug seeking behavior. Drug discrimination methodology was combined with odor-context conditioning in 8 male and 8 female rats. One drug (nicotine or EtOH) plus odorant (peppermint or anise) compound functioned as setting the occasion for sessions of food-reinforced nose poke responses (i.e., the SD) that were maintained on a variable interval 30 s schedule (VI-30), whereas the opposite drug (EtOH or nicotine) plus odorant (anise or peppermint) compound predicted intermixed sessions of non-reinforcement of nose poking (i.e., the SΔ). During brief non-reinforcement tests conducted with each condition there was significantly greater responding under the SD drug plus odor compound compared to the SΔ drug plus odor compound. Discriminative control was evident and there was a sex by stimulus role interaction with greater SΔ responding in females. The odor contexts and drug contexts alone also sustained strong stimulus control but to a lesser extent compared to the full drug-odor compounds. These data suggest configural learning among drug and odor cues.
The CDK4/6 inhibitor G1T28 to protect immune cells and fibroblasts from chemotherapy and radiation-induced toxicity in vitro and to maintain efficacy of chemotherapy in SCLC Rb-deficient cells.

e20099Background: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive form of lung cancer characterized by loss of the tumor suppressor Rb. Chemotherapy and radiation remain the standard of care for SCL...
Spectrum and time course of epilepsy and the associated cognitive decline in MECP2 duplication syndrome.

Objective We characterized the epilepsy features and contribution to cognitive regression in 47 patients with MECP2 duplication syndrome (MDS) and reviewed these characteristics in over 280 MDS published cases. Methods The institutional review board approved this retrospective review of medical records and case histories of patients with MDS. Results The average age at enrollment was 10 ± 7 years. Patients with epilepsy were older (13 ± 7 years vs 8 ± 5 years, p = 0.004) and followed for a longer time (11.8 ± 6.5 years vs 6.3 ± 4.2 years, p = 0.003) than patients without a seizure disorder. Epilepsy affected 22/47 (47%) patients with MDS. It was treatment-refractory and consistent with epileptic encephalopathy in 18/22 (82%) cases. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) was present in 12/22 (55%) patients and manifested between late childhood and adulthood in 83% of cases. The emergence of neurologic regression coincided with the onset of epilepsy. The MECP2 duplication size and gene content did not correlate with epilepsy presence, type, age at onset, or treatment responsiveness. Conclusion Epilepsy in MDS is common, often severe, and medically refractory. LGS occurs frequently and may have a late onset. Developmental regression often follows the onset of epilepsy. The MECP2 duplication extent and gene content do not discriminate between patients with or without epilepsy. Our findings inform clinical care and family counseling with respect to early epilepsy recognition, diagnosis, specialty referral, and implementation of aggressive seizure therapy to minimize detrimental effect of uncontrolled seizures on cognitive functions or preexisting neurologic deficits.
Red-emitting distributed feedback laser at room temperature from mixed-halide perovskite thin films (Conference Presentation)

Extensive research has established organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites as a promising material for optoelectronic device applications. Especially for lasers, many optically driven amplified spontaneous emission and lasing reports have been demonstrated across the near infrared to the green in various configurations (distributed feedback (DFB), distributed Bragg reflectors, photonic crystals, etc) and pumping regimes (from pulsed to continuous-wave excitation) at low threshold, allowed by the tunable bandgap energy by controlling halide stoichiometry or material dimensionality. However, most reports lack red-emitting lasing action at room temperature due to undesirable halide phase separation that produces iodide-rich and bromide-rich domains in mixed-halide perovskites under intense illumination, resulting in a ‘red gap’ problem where bandgap becomes pinned to the lower iodide-rich phase. Here we demonstrate a red-emitting 2nd-order DFB laser operating at room temperature from solution-processed organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite thin films for the first time. Ultra-flat mixed-halide perovskite layers were prepared on a quartz grating to achieve single-mode surface-emitting laser emission for at least a few tens of minutes (~ 10^6 pulses) with a threshold of 85 µJ/cm^6 and full-width-half-maximum of less than 1.5 nm under picosecond-pulsed optical excitation. We effectively suppress phase separation by properly choosing self-assembled long-chain organic ammonium halide additives to enable stable lasing action over a wide range of wavelengths near the red. Our results provide a significant step towards full-color visible laser device applications from cost-effective halide perovskite material systems.
The Effect of an Educational Video on Device-Related Concerns in a Single-Center Left Ventricular Assist Device Population

Introduction Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantations are increasing across the country as a treatment modality for patients with end-stage heart failure. With the increasing prevalence of patients with these devices, there is an urgent need for improved education addressing lifestyle considerations and concerns. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of various concerns among patients with an LVAD and evaluate the effect of a short educational video intervention on reducing those concerns in a single-center adult LVAD population. Hypothesis We hypothesize that through the implementation of a short, educational video focused on specific device-related concerns, patients will report lower levels of these device-related concerns. Methods A 15-point LVAD Concerns Scale was created to evaluate the prevalence of specific device-related concerns. An educational video was created to address the concerns presented in the LVAD Concerns Scale. Data collection took place from November 2018 to February 2019. A cross-sectional, pre-test post-test study design was used to both identify various device-related concerns that exist among patients with an LVAD and examine the effectiveness of an educational intervention on reducing patients’ device-related concerns. Results Of the available patients with an LVAD who met inclusion criteria, 30 were enrolled to participate. The highest concerns were related to the LVAD abruptly malfunctioning, being a burden to their partner or family, and having no warning the device may malfunction. The average total score pre-video was 22 ± 14, and post-video the mean total score was 17 ± 13 (p-value = 0.002). Six individual questions saw statistically significant reductions in scores post-video. Conclusions Implementation of an educational intervention tailored to address patients’ specific LVAD related concerns resulted in a statistically significant decrease in those concerns. With the disparity between the number of patients awaiting heart transplantation and the number of available donor hearts, LVADs are being used with increased frequency to treat advanced heart failure. Use of the educational intervention we developed may improve important patient outcomes.
Can and should neurologists screen their patients for depression? Yes, and….

The boundary between neurology and psychiatry is often an artificial one. Sharing an organ system, neurologists refer to diseases of the brain and nervous system, whereas psychiatrists diagnose and treat disorders of the mind. The distinction is one more of perspective than the actual state of our respective patients. The elegant approach of neuroanatomical localization does not neatly accommodate mood and thought disorders, whereas focal neurologic diseases are considered outside the spectrum of psychiatric disease. However, the prevalence of psychiatric disease in the neurologic population is considerable. Patients suffering from epilepsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), and stroke are all at much greater risk than the population at large for anxiety and depression.1 Whether these comorbid conditions are, in truth, features of the underlying neurologic disorder is a matter of debate. Still, as neurologists, we ignore them at our peril.
Una merienda global: The Americas and China at the Early Modern Spanish Table

Antonio Pereda y Salgado’s Still Life with an Ebony Chest (c.1652) presents the viewer with the makings of a luxurious Spanish merienda, or light afternoon meal: sausage, biscuits, chocolate, and a...
Robust continuous linear programs

Continuous linear programs (CLPs) arise in applications such as production/economic planning, continuous-time network flow problems, fluid relaxations of multiclass queueing networks, and control. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper proposes the first robust optimization framework for CLPs. The main result of the paper is that the robust counterpart of a CLP is also a CLP. Thus, any computational method for the original problem can be applied to the robust problem. For instance, a recent polynomial-time approximation algorithm applies. Further, if the original problem possesses a so-called separable structure, then the robust problem is also separable. Then existing Simplex-type and other discretization-based solution methods can be applied to the robust problem. The paper also provides a bound on the probability that an optimal solution to the robust counterpart violates a constraint in the original problem. Qualitative properties of this bound are discussed and compared with similar bounds for robust finite-dimensional linear programs.
Long-Term Impact of Vascular Surgery Stress on Frail Older Patients.

Background Frailty is a syndrome where the ability to cope with acute physiological stress is compromised, although it is unclear what impact this stress has on long-term outcomes. Vascular-Physiological and Operative Severity Score for enumeration of Mortality and Morbidity is a validated method for calculating levels of stress associated with vascular procedures. We designed this study to evaluate the long-term impact of different levels of surgical stress among frail older patients undergoing vascular surgery procedures. Methods We identified all independently living patients who underwent prospective frailty assessment followed by an elective vascular surgery procedure captured in the Vascular Quality Initiative registry (endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm [AAA] repair, thoracic endovascular aortic repair, suprainguinal and infrainguinal bypass, peripheral vascular intervention, carotid endarterectomy, and open AAA) at an academic institution between January 2016 and July 2018. Patient- and procedure-level data were obtained from our institutional data warehouse and Vascular Quality Initiative database, and used to calculate Vascular-Physiological and Operative Severity Score for enumeration of Mortality and Morbidity scores. The association between frailty and composite outcome of any major complications (surgical site infection; graft thrombectomy; major amputation; adverse cardiac, pulmonary, or neurologic event; acute renal insufficiency; and/or reoperation related to the index procedure), nonhome living status, or death within 1 year after low-, medium-, and high-stress vascular procedures was evaluated using bivariate and logistic regression models. Results A total of 163 patients were identified (70% male, mean age 67.8 years) who underwent open AAA repair (6%), endovascular AAA repair (21%), thoracic endovascular aortic repair (7%), suprainguinal bypass (5%), infrainguinal bypass (18%), carotid endarterectomy (18%), or peripheral vascular interventions (25%), which included 44 (27%) patients diagnosed with frailty before surgery. Overall, frail patients had significantly higher rates of the 1-year composite outcome (48% frail versus 27% nonfrail; P = 0.012) when compared with nonfrail patients, with a significant dose-dependent effect as the level of stress increased. In comparison, increasing levels of surgical stress had a negligible effect on long-term outcomes among nonfrail patients. The interaction between frailty and high surgical stress was found in adjusted regression models to be a significant predictor of adverse outcomes within 1 year after vascular surgery (odds ratio, 3.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.3–8.6; P Conclusions Frail patients who undergo high-stress vascular procedures have a significantly higher rate of complications leading to loss of functional independence and mortality within the year after their surgery. These data suggest that estimates of surgical stress should be incorporated into clinical decision making for frail older patients before and after surgery.
On vibrational stabilizability of nonlinear systems

Conditions of vibrational stabilizability for trivial solutions of nonlinear systems are derived. Several examples based on the classical equations of the theory of oscillations are given.
Huawei Versus the United States? The Geopolitics of Exterritorial Internet Infrastructure

The U.S. government’s recent indictment on Huawei—the Chinese telecom giant—can be used as a case study to unpack the increasing complexity in global Internet governance. By delineating the history of Huawei’s development and encounters in the United States, this article addresses the questions: In what ways and to what extent is the U.S. government using trade sanctions over a Chinese corporation to shape the future of 5G technology? The nature of this case is not much about bilateral trade disputes but, rather, the intensification of the geopolitics surrounding exterritorial Internet infrastructure. Connecting the Huawei case to the historical struggles in global communication order, the study explores implications for the debates in Internet governance concerning the “multistakeholderism” and the role of nation-states.
A Structured Approach to Routing in the Internet

Advent of new content delivery models and proliferation of applications such as IoT, machine-to-machine communications and industry automation are placing new demands on the Internet for improved service-specific support. This calls for change in either the Internet routing or addressing schemes or both. Given the wide deployment of the Internet protocol (IP) and its routing protocols, such as the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), modifying and/or substituting these protocols would face severe challenges. We decided instead, to investigate an IP-agnostic solution called the Expedited Internet Bypass Protocol (EIBP) to work in parallel with IP while operating entirely independent of Layer 3 protocols. EIBP uses network structures (physical or virtual) to automate assigning of routable addresses to Internet routers and thus voids the need for a routing protocol; this applies to both inter and intra-AS routing. EIBP can be used to expedite specific traffic flows as we bypasses all traffic in Layer 3. EIBP was coded and prototype tested on routers from the Global Environment for Network Innovation (GENI) testbed for intra-AS routing. In this article, we highlight the significant performance improvements achieved with EIBP compared to IP with OSPF or BGP. We describe one approach to extend EIBP for inter-AS routing and highlight the benefits. EIBP can also support virtual mobility domains to handle mobile users.
Data and Parameter Scaling Laws for Neural Machine Translation

We observe that the development cross-entropy loss of supervised neural machine translation models scales like a power law with the amount of training data and the number of non-embedding parameters in the model. We discuss some practical implications of these results, such as predicting BLEU achieved by large scale models and predicting the ROI of labeling data in low-resource language pairs.
Incidence and Transition of Acute Kidney Injury, Acute Kidney Disease to Chronic Kidney Disease after Acute Type A Aortic Dissection Surgery.

Acute kidney disease (AKD) is the persistence of renal injury between days 8 and 90 after an initial acute kidney injury (AKI). In this study, we aimed to explore the incidence of AKD, the association between AKD, and patient outcomes after acute type A aortic dissection (type A AAD) surgery. We identified 696 participants who underwent type A AAD surgery. Patients were categorized into stages 1 to 3 or 0 (non-AKD) AKD groups. Outcomes included major adverse kidney events (MAKEs), respiratory failure, all-cause readmission, and ischemic stroke from day 91 after operation. A total of 376 (54%) participants developed AKI, and 135/376 (35.9%) developed AKD. Moreover, 34/320 (10.6%) patients without AKI still developed AKD. Overall, 169/696 (24.3%) participants developed AKD. Patients with stages 2 and 3 AKD are associated with persisted declined renal function within 1 year. AKD was associated with a higher risk of MAKEs (hazard ratio (HR): 2.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.90–3.33) and all-cause readmission (HR: 2.86, 95% CI: 2.10–3.89). Development of AKD with or without AKI is associated with a higher risk of MAKEs and hospitalization after acute aortic dissection surgery. Higher-stage AKD is associated with a trend of persistent decline in kidney function.
Zoom-In Feature for Storage-Based Logic Built-In Self-Test

Storage-based logic built-in self-test (LBI ST) does not require a tester, and enhances the security of a chip. By storing deterministic test data on-chip, it allows a special type of random tests to be applied, where random combinations of deterministic test data are used to form tests. Such tests are more suitable for complex fault models than tests where all the bits are determined randomly. In this context, the paper suggests a zoom-in feature where subsets of the stored test data are used for forming tests. With tests that combine test data from a limited subset, the tests are more focused on detecting target faults. Experimental results for single-cycle gate-exhaustive faults in benchmark circuits demonstrate the effectiveness of the zoom-in feature.
Renewable energy and energy storage to offset diesel generators at expeditionary contingency bases

Expeditionary contingency bases (non-permanent, rapidly built, and often remote outposts) for military and non-military applications represent a unique opportunity for renewable energy. Conventiona...
Abstract Space: Beneath the Media Surface

Introduction 1. Architecture and Abstraction: Topologies of New Media 2. Architectural Modes of Seeing: Visual Theory and Cognition 3. Formulating Abstraction: Conceptual Art and the Architectural Object 4. Mapping Absence: Architectural Contingencies 5. Generative Systems: Evolving Computational Strategies 6. Formal Matters: The Virtual as a Generative Concept 7. The Status of the Architectural Image
Nonparametric estimation of multiple structures with outliers

Common problem encountered in the analysis of dynamic scene is the problem of simultaneous estimation of the number of models and their parameters. This problem becomes difficult as the measurement noise in the data increases and the data are further corrupted by outliers. This is especially the case in a variety of motion estimation problems, where the displacement between the views is large and the process of establishing correspondences is difficult. In this paper we propose a novel nonparametric sampling based method for estimating the number of models and their parameters. The main novelty of the proposed method lies in the analysis of the distribution of residuals of individual data points with respect to the set of hypotheses, generated by a RANSAC-like sampling process. We will show that the modes of the residual distributions directly reveal the presence of multiple models and facilitate the recovery of the individual models, without making any assumptions about the distribution of the outliers or the noise process. The proposed approach is capable of handling data with a large fraction of outliers. Experiments with both synthetic data and image pairs related by different motion models are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Learning to Think Like Martians

Recent observations by the Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey spacecraft are providing a clearer understanding of polar processes on Mars. In her Perspective, Zuber reports from a recent conference where high spatial resolution visible and near-infrared images were presented. The images have revealed spectacular geological features formed in association with carbon dioxide (CO) that as yet defy explanation. Monitoring of the atmosphere and surface over a Mars year has revealed that previous understanding of martian polar processes was greatly oversimplified. Substantial progress is being made on characterizing the content of water ice in the shallow subsurface and in estimating the seasonal exchange of CObetween the surface and atmosphere.
Flow rate and trajectory of water spray produced by an aircraft tire

One of the risks associated with wet runway aircraft operation is the ingestion of water spray produced by an aircraft's tires into its engines. This problem can be especially dangerous at or near rotation speed on the takeoff roll. An experimental investigation was conducted in the NASA Langley Research Center Hydrodynamics Research Facility to measure the flow rate and trajectory of water spray produced by an aircraft nose tire operating on a flooded runway. The effects of various parameters on the spray patterns including distance aft of nosewheel, speed, load, and water depth were evaluated. Variations in the spray pattern caused by the airflow about primary structure such as the fuselage and wing are discussed. A discussion of events in and near the tire footprint concerning spray generation is included.
A GTO speed-up inverter for fast-scan magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines require unique high-power electronic systems for the generation of pulsed B gradient fields, especially for echo planar MRI, where images are taken in 25-30 ms instead of minutes. The speedup inverter described has been implemented with gate turn-off thyristors (GTOs). A novel nonresonant circuit combines the advantages of high-efficiency switch-mode power conversion techniques for the generation of megawatt pulses. An order-of-magnitude increase in available gradient power has been achieved with excellent fidelity and stability. >
U.S. Troops and Economic Growth

In the midst of a major U.S. military effort in Iraq and the Middle East, economists should be able to assess the relationship between U.S. troops and growth. The necessity of military force in providing security for nation-building is a common assumption among policymakers and international affairs experts, but there has never been an econometric analysis of the impact of troops on growth. We use a newly constructed disaggregated dataset on the deployment of U.S. troops over the years 1950-2000, and discover a positive relationship with host country economic growth, robust to multiple control variables.
Interactive electroacoustic performance transactional composition

Abstract This paper describes the hardware and software components and strategies for a composing environment that has been tentatively called “TransActional Composition” (TAC). The environment requires a Buchla Thunder, a Korg Wavestation A/D, a Roland CP 40, and a Macintosh computer running MAX and Voice Navigator. The paper details the background leading up to TAC and the TAC systems' architecture. A video presentation was appended to demonstrate some of the systems' capabilities.
Decreased expression of the ligand for CD40 in newborn lymphocytes

Immune responses in newborn lymphocytes show a defect in isotype switching from IgM to IgG and IgA. Immunoglobulin isotype switching in B lymphocytes requires a contact-dependent signal from T lymphocytes which is delivered by the ligand for the B cell surface antigen CD40. We investigated the capacity of newborn lymphocytes to express the CD40 ligand and to undergo CD40 ligand-dependent immunoglobulin isotype switching. After stimulation by phorbol ester and ionomycin, newborn lymphocytes expressed markedly decreased amounts of CD40 ligand on their surface compared to normal adult lymphocytes. Northern blot analysis of mRNA derived from activated cord blood lymphocytes also revealed markedly decreased amounts of CD40 ligand mRNA. Decreased expression of CD40 ligand in newborn lymphocytes was associated with a severely decreased ability to undergo T cell-dependent immunoglobulin isotype switching. Newborn lymphocytes synthesized little or no detectable IgE in response to T cell-dependent stimulation by interleukin-4 but synthesized IgE in response to T cell-independent stimulation by CD40 monoclonal antibody and interleukin-4. These results indicate that decreased expression of CD40 ligand in newborn lymphocytes may be the underlying cause of deficient immunoglobulin isotype switching in newborns.
Innovation and entrepreneurship

Purpose – This article aims to discuss the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship in today's economic environment and why such activities should be part of leadership. Design/methodology/approach – The article references journals and conference activity that have demonstrated successful innovation activities. Findings – References and additional reading provide case studies and examples of successful innovative ideas. It is noted that more innovation and resulting entrepreneurial activities will be needed as libraries redefine themselves. Practical implications – Innovation can work but needs the culture in which to operate. Social implications – Collaboration with the broader community is not only beneficial but necessary in a global society. Originality/value – The article references both an active journal and conference cycle for persons interested in more information.
Decoy mRNAs reduce β-amyloid precursor protein mRNA in neuronal cells

Overproduction of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and beta-amyloid likely contribute to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In an effort to understand neuronal APP gene regulation, we identified a 52 base element (52sce) immediately downstream from the stop codon that stabilizes APP mRNA. Deletion of this domain drastically destabilized APP mRNAs and reduced APP synthesis in vitro. Chimeric globin-APP mRNAs containing the globin coding sequence fused to the entire APP 3'-UTR, showed regulation similar to full-length APP mRNA. A variety of cytoplasmic lysates contain 52sce RNA binding activity, suggesting cis-trans interactions regulate the element's functionality. Finally, the overexpression of chimeric mRNAs, containing the GFP coding sequence and APP 3'-UTR, dramatically reduced endogenous APP steady-state levels in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and suggests a novel approach to reduce the amyloid burden in AD patients.
INVESTIGATION OF THERMAL RESPONSE CAUSED BY PULSE LASER HEATING

This article identifies models that are suitable for describing thermal transport in metal materials heated by a short-pulse laser. Three two-temperature models (dual-hyperbolic, hyperbolic, and parabolic), two one-temperature models (thermal wave and Fourier conduction), and one ultrafast thermomechanical model are investigated. A finite-difference method is used for solving the heat conduction equations, and a combined finite-difference/finite-element method is developed for solving the coupled thermomechanical equations. The numerical results, performed for gold films, suggest that for pure metals the hyperbolic two-temperature model be used for short-pulse ( 1-ns) laser heating. For alloys, the dual-hyperbolic two-temperature model is suggested for short-pulse (<10-ns) laser heating. Due to the high strain rate caused by nanosecond- and shorter-pulse lasers, a coupled thermomechanical model should be considered for more accurately predi...
Perturbed breakup of gas bubbles in water: Memory, gas flow, and coalescence

The pinch-off of an air bubble from an underwater nozzle ends in a singularity with a remarkable sensitivity to a variety of perturbations. I report on experiments that break both the axial (i.e., vertical) and azimuthal symmetry of the singularity formation. The density of the inner gas influences the axial asymmetry of the neck near pinch-off. For denser gases, flow through the neck late in collapse changes the pinch-off dynamics. Gas density is also implicated in the formation of satellite bubbles. The azimuthal shape oscillations described by Schmidt et al. can be initiated by anisotropic boundary conditions in the liquid as well as with an asymmetric nozzle shape. I measure the $n=3$ oscillatory mode and observe the nonlinear, highly three-dimensional outcomes of pinch-off with large azimuthal perturbations. These are consistent with prior theory.
Synthesis and optimization of waste treatment flowsheets

Abstract This paper proposes pharmaceutical waste management through computer-aided synthesis of treatment policies composed of reuse, recycle and recovery options for valuable raw materials and chemically reactive methods for the destruction of offending species. Synthesis of a comprehensive superstructure, which embeds all feasible treatment alternatives, will be demonstrated as a linear planning problem. Combinatorial complexity is tackled by means of an operation representation that features both logical as well as non-linear functional transition models. In step two, rigorous optimization reveals the optimal treatment policy. Plant-wide optimal policies reach regulatory compliance at minimal cost and satisfy site-specific constraints such as limited availability of treatment processes, bounded yearly emission thresholds, or desired level of material recovery. Computer-aided waste management also provides assessment of costs and benefits associated with pollution prevention efforts. The proposed hybrid methodology may be used for conceptual screening of technologies in situations where size and complexity of the problem space escapes purely rigorous methods.
Urologist practice patterns in the management of premature ejaculation: a nationwide survey.

ABSTRACT Introduction Contemporary U.S. urologist's “real world” practice patterns in treating premature ejaculation (PE) are unknown. Aim To ascertain contemporary urologist practice patterns in the management of PE. Method A randomly generated mailing list of 1,009 practicing urologists was generated from the American Urologic Association (AUA) member directory. A custom-designed survey was mailed to these urologists with a cover letter and a return-address envelope. Responses were compared with the AUA 2004 guidelines for the treatment of PE. Main Outcome Measures The survey assessed several practice-related factors and asked questions of how the subject would handle various presentations of PE in their practice. Results Responses from practicing urologists totaled 207 (21%). Eighty-four percent of the respondents were in private practice and 11% were in academics. Most urologists (73%) saw less than one PE patient per week. On-demand selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) therapy was the most commonly selected first line treatment (26%), with daily dosing a close second (22%). Combination SSRI therapy, the “stop/start” technique, the “squeeze” technique, and topical anesthetics were favored by 13, 18, 18, and 11% of the respondents, respectively. If primary treatment failed, changing dosing of SSRIs, topical anesthetics, and referral to psychiatry were increasingly popular options. Ten percent of urologists would treat PE before erectile dysfunction (ED) in a patient with both conditions, with the remainder of the respondents treating ED first, typically with a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (78% of total). Fifty-one percent of urologists report that they would inquire about the sexual partner, but only 8, 7, and 4% would evaluate, refer, or treat the partner, respectively. Conclusions The majority of our respondents diagnose PE by patient complaint, and treat ED before PE, as per the 2004 PE guidelines. Very few urologists offer referral or treatment to sexual partners of men suffering from PE. Additional randomized studies in the treatment of PE are needed. Shindel A, Nelson C, and Brandes S. Urologist practice patterns in the management of premature ejaculation: A nationwide survey.
Studies on the characterization of the Rho(D) antigen

Abstract The Rh o (D) antigen of red cell membranes was solubilized using ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and 2-mercaptoethanol. The solubilized antigen was partially separated from other solubilized membrane components using molecular filtration. The antigen was treated with various enzymes to learn some of the chemical characteristics. It was found that the activity of the antigen, as measured by hemagglutination inhibition, was not affected by bee venom phospholipase A, Clostridium welchii phospholipase C, calf-intestinal alkaline phosphatase, Vibrio cholerae neuraminidase, pig kidney leucine aminopeptidase, bovine pancreatic carboxypeptidase A, a pig pancreatic carboxypeptidase B. However, the proteolytic enzymes, pronase, trypsin, chymotrypsin and papain, did destroy Rh o (D) activity as measured by hemagglutination inhibition. These results indicate that protein is an important part of the active determinant of the Rh o (D) antigen. The experiments by other investigators have shown that lipid is important to maintain the Rh o (D) activity in the intact membrane; lipid probably helps to maintain the structural conformation of the Rh o (D) molecule in its natural environment. The solubilized Rh o (D) molecules are apparently not dependent on lipid for their Rh o (D) activity.
Altered Immunologic Function and Nitrogen Metabolism associated with Depression of Plasma Growth Hormone

The specific role of endogenous growth hormone in regulating nitrogen metabolism during surgical stress and infection remains unclear. We have studied splanchnic amio acid uptake and plasma concentrations in patient groups exhibiting growth hormone hypersecretion or relative growth hormone depression in response to stress. Splanchnic amino acid uptake was similar in both groups although plasma levels were significantly higher in the presence of depressed growth hormone production suggesting increased net peripheral proteolysis. In association with this latter observation, T lymphocyte subset analysis revealed a greater incidence of depressed helper to suppressor cell ratios in the presensce of depressed growth hormone suggesting a greater impairment of cellular immunity. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 8:690-694, 1984)
Statistical characteristics of thin, wavy films III. Structure of the large waves and their resistance to gas flow

Two classes of random waves exist on falling films at flow rates of practical interest; large waves which carry the bulk of the liquid and small waves which cover the substrate. In this paper statistics of the large waves are presented and compared with existing theory. These waves are bimodal in character at ReL > 700. The form drag of the large waves is shown to contribute negligibly the observed pressure drop in the gas phase. It is thus concluded that the small wave structure controls the fluid resistance and transfer processes in the gas while the large waves control these same processes in the liquid film.
The mRNA Binding Proteins HuR and Tristetraprolin Regulate Cyclooxygenase 2 Expression During Colon Carcinogenesis

Background & Aims During tumorigenesis, loss of rapid messenger RNA (mRNA) decay allows for overexpression of cancer-associated genes. The RNA-binding proteins Hu antigen R (HuR) and tristetraprolin (TTP) bind AU-rich elements in the 3′ untranslated region of many cancer-associated mRNAs and target them for stabilization or rapid decay, respectively. We examined the functions of HuR and TTP during colon tumorigenesis and their ability to regulate cyclooxygenase (COX-2), a mediator of prostaglandin synthesis that increases in the colon tumor microenvironment. Methods We evaluated expression of HuR and TTP during colorectal tumorigenesis and in colon cancer cells and associated them with COX-2 expression. HuR and TTP-inducible cells were created to investigate HuR- and TTP-mediated regulation of COX-2. Results In normal colon tissues, low levels of nuclear HuR and higher levels of TTP were observed. By contrast, increased HuR expression and cytoplasmic localization were observed in 76% of adenomas and 94% of adenocarcinomas, and TTP expression was lost in >75% of adenomas and adenocarcinomas. Similar results were obtained for HuR and TTP mRNA levels in normal and staged tumor samples. In both adenomas and adenocarcinomas, COX-2 overexpression was associated with increased HuR and decreased TTP ( P Conclusions Increased expression of the mRNA stability factor HuR and loss of the decay factor TTP occurs during early stages of colorectal tumorigenesis. These changes promote COX-2 overexpression and could contribute to colon tumorigenesis.