cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cultural Factors in Casework with Chinese-Americans:

Many Chinese-Americans are still influenced by the teachings of Confucius, Laotze, and Buddha. A worker's understanding of how these influences may affect a client's way of life, thinking, and communicative behavior is important to accurate assessment and effective treatment.
Why Do We Teach Mathematics

Our personal reasons are likely to be many. Some of us teach mathematics be cause we like to do mathematics, and teaching gives us an unparalleled op portunity to fulfill this desire. Others of us enjoy the successes that some of our students achieve when they become scien tists, engineers, aerospace experts, and the like. Many of us are mathematics teach ers because other preferred goals as phy sicists, chemists, actuaries, or engineers were not within our reach. Some of us enjoy the beauty of the structure of mathematics, and, like evangelists, we wish to excite others. Many of us savor those moments when we see the under standing of a concept we have tried so hard to develop dawn on some student or group of students, and we look forward to each day with the expectation of this. Whatever our personal reasons are for teaching mathematics, it is unfortunate that frequently they have little to do with the desire to meet the goals and needs of students. Why Do We Teach Mathematics? For too many teachers, mathematics instruction is a "show and tell" job. Since we have a reasonably good idea of the logical organization of mathematics, we try to develop that logical organization in students by essentially verbal methods. Mathematics becomes a game of proposi tion and symbol manipulation, with well defined rules and close officiating. In our concern with the details and rigor of the game, we too often forget the application and uses of mathematics. We may forget that man invented mathematics to help him solve problems, to help him under stand phenomena in the physical world, and to help him process information ob tained from physical, social, and cultural situations. When a person is allowed to learn mathematics, that is to abstract his own mathematical models from physical contexts, he develops concepts according to psychological principles, not according to logical rules. Inductive processes are used more frequently than deductive processes when discovering patterns in mathematics and forming mathematical concepts. Isn't it time we allowed more of our students the self-satisfaction and genuine thrill of putting together their own mathematical models in response to problems that are real to them?
Electrochemical properties and C–H bond oxidation activity of [Ru(tpy)(pyalk)Cl]+ and [Ru(tpy)(pyalk)(OH)]+

[Ru(tpy)(pyalk)Cl]Cl (pyalk = 2-(2′-pyridyl)-2-propanol) was synthesized and characterized crystallographically and electrochemically. Upon dissolution in water and acetonitrile, [Ru(tpy)(pyalk)Cl]Cl was found to form [Ru(tpy)(pyalk)Cl]+ and [Ru(tpy)(pyalk)(OH)]+, respectively. The Ru(II/III) couple of [Ru(tpy)(pyalk)Cl]+ was found to be relatively low compared to that of other Ru complexes in acetonitrile, but the Ru(III/IV) couple was not significantly different than other Ru complexes bearing anionic ligands. Pourbaix diagrams were generated for [Ru(tpy)(phpy)(OH2)]+ (phpy = 2-phenylpyridine) and [Ru(tpy)(pyalk)(OH)]+ in water, and it was found that [Ru(tpy)(pyalk)(OH)]+ has a lower Ru(II/III) potential than [Ru(tpy)(phpy)(OH2)]+ under neutral to alkaline pH. [Ru(tpy)(pyalk)(OH)]+ was found to catalyze C–H bond hydroxylation of secondary alkanes and epoxidation of alkenes using cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate as the primary oxidant.
TQM für den Erfolg im Wettbewerb: „Implementieren statt reden “

Uber den geschaftlichen Erfolg entscheiden die Kunden. Wer auf Dauer erfolgreich sein will, mus die Anforderungen und Erwartungen des Marktes nicht nur erfullen, sondern ubertreffen — und zwar fur jeden Kunden, fur jedes Produkt und fur jede Dienstleistung.
UV Photobiology: Postreplication Repair

We have discussed two repair modes: 1) photoreactivation, in which dimers are reversed in DNA; and 2) excision repair, in which lesions are removed from the DNA. What happens if it is time for the cell to synthesize a whole new copy of DNA before the lesions are reversed or removed? One might image a number of scenarios. 1) The DNA repair enzymes may stop at the damage and never start again. 2) The DNA repair enzymes might go on inserting a few bases, not necessarily the right ones, and then copy as usual. 3) Finally, the DNA repair enzymes might fall off the DNA and resume synthesis further downstream.
Cold storage of Trichogramma ostriniae reared on Sitotroga cerealella eggs

Efficient storage of the biological controlagent Trichogramma ostriniae couldimprove current parasitoid production methodsby making the system more flexible andefficient. Initial studies compared emergencerates of T. ostriniae reared onSitotroga cerealella eggs held at 6 °C, 9 °C, 12 °C,15 °C, and 24 °C for up to 8 weeks after parasitism.At 15 °C, emergence occurred in 80% for parasitized eggsstored at 9 °C and 12 °C for 4 and 6 weeksrespectively. Storage at 6 °C caused asignificant decline in emergence after 2 weeks. Subsequent trials focused on fitness of storedT. ostriniae. Percentage of emergedfemales parasitizing eggs, female longevity,and fecundity were quantified after storage.The percentage of females successfullyparasitizing O. nubilalis eggs wasgreatest for the 9 °C four-week treatment(100%). Compared to 24 °C controls, storage at12 °C for 6 weeks or at 9 °C for 8 weeks reduced thepercentage of females parasitizing. Longevityof females held in cold storage was generallyless than that of controls. Rates of parasitismby stored Trichogramma was generallysimilar to controls after 2 to 4 weeks' storageat 9 °C and 12 °C but declined with storage longerthan 4 weeks. Emergence of progeny of cold-storedfemales was lower than controls for alltreatments. The percentage of female progenyfrom cold stored females was comparable tocontrols up to 4 weeks of storage.
Priorities for the Use of Hepatitis B Vaccine

General recommendations for the use of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine in the United States have been formulated by the Public Health Service’s Immunization Practices Advisory Committee (the ACIP) (1). The recommendations are based on information about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and on epidemiologic data. The purpose of our presentation is to review the epidemiologic background of hepatitis, describe the existing ACIP recommendations and the issues they have raised, and assess the likely impact of the current approach in achieving control of HBV-related disease.
Multilevel Risk Factors Associated with Obesity in Older Latinos Ages 65 Years and Over

The purpose of this paper was to review multiple levels of risk factors related to obesity among older Latino adults aged 65 years and over. Obesity disproportionately affects Latino older adults. Multiple obesity-related risk factors among Latino older adults have been identified through qualitative and quantitative research. Risk factors at each of the levels of the socio-ecological model include biological predispositions, lifestyle and behaviors, social support from family members, access to recreational facilities, and public policies that support tailored and effective prevention and treatment programs. This review outlines several key obesity-related risk factors among Latino older adults which can be targeted for future research and for tailoring obesity prevention clinical practice.
The Packard Plant as a Testament to Automotive Heritage

This chapter provides a formal introduction to automotive plant closings using an iconic building and manufacturing facility, the Packard Plant in Detroit, as an example. Designed by the legendary industrial architect Albert Kahn, it was famous for being the first reinforced concrete automobile factory in the USA, well known for a number of other structural innovations, and widely considered a world-class facility in its time. The factory ceased production in 1958; now, only the shell of the building remains. Using the Packard Plant as an exemplary case study, we highlight the conditions that had been developing for some time that led to its obsolescence, and we examine struggles to develop a coherent plan for the reuse of this 3.5 million-square-foot complex sprawling across 40 acres. We close the chapter by describing the abiding interest in this site, analyzing architectural plans and models for the plant that have been generated by various architecture competitions.
Going to the source : AFDC recipients' perspectives on their unemployment

Abstract Interviews conducted with 500 AFDC-UP recipients in the rural San Joaquin Valley in California yielded information regarding the factors recipients believe are the most important impediments to finding work. Three primary factors were detected that included the lack of available work, physical disability, and the lack of adequate child care. Secondary factors are also discussed, as well as policy implications and recommendations for human service professionals.
Abstract 135: Sterol Efflux Function and HDL Associated APOF Levels Associate with Recovery from Stroke

Background: Prospective cohort studies and meta-analyses examining the relationship between HDL-cholesterol (C) and stroke risk are discordant and question the value of HDL-C as a marker for stroke...
Changes of fluorescence spectra and viability from aging aerosolized E. coli cells under various laboratory-controlled conditions in an advanced rotating drum

AbstractAn advanced rotating aerosol chamber was developed to study the changes of fluorescence spectral profile and intensity, the viability and the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) s...
Video Assessment: A High Tech Approach to Teaching Leadership Skills in Recreation

Gaining leadership skills is an important yet daunting challenge for undergraduates since many have not had the opportunity to either lead participants in activities or examine leadership methods i...
Current Perspectives of Prenatal Sonographic Diagnosis and Clinical Management Challenges of True Knot of the Umbilical Cord.

Umbilical cord accidents preceding labor are rare. Single and multiple nuchal cords, and true knot(s) of the umbilical cord, are often incidental findings noted at delivery of non-hypoxic non-acidotic newborns without any evidence of subsequent adverse neonatal outcome. In contrast to single nuchal cords, true knots of the umbilical cord, which occur in between 0.04% and 3% of all deliveries, have been associated with a reported 4 to 10 fold increased risk of stillbirth. First reported with real-time ultrasound, current widespread application of color Doppler, power Doppler and three-dimension sonography, has enabled increasingly more accurate prenatal sonographic diagnoses of true knot(s) of the umbilical cord. Reflecting the inability to visualize the entire umbilical cord at prenatal ultrasound assessment, despite detailed second and third-trimester scanning, many occurrences of incidental true knot of the umbilical cord remain undetected and are noted only at delivery. Although prenatal sonographic diagnostic accuracy is increasing, false positive sonographic diagnosis of true knot of the umbilical cord cannot be ruled out with certainty, and must continue to be considered clinically. Notwithstanding the inability to diagnose all true knots, currently there is a clear absence of clinical management guidelines by governing bodies regarding patients in whom prenatal sonographic diagnosis of true knot(s) of the umbilical cord is / are suspected. As a result, in many prenatal ultrasound units, suspected sonographic findings suggestive of or consistent with true knot of the umbilical cord are often disregarded, not documented, and patients are not uniformly informed of this potentially life-threatening condition, which carries an associated considerable risk of stillbirth. This commentary will address current perspectives of prenatal sonographic diagnostic and management challenges associated with true knot(s) of the umbilical cord in singleton pregnancies.
A heart failure themed escape room approach to enhance pharmacy student learning.

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to design, pilot, and evaluate the efficacy of an educational escape room to enhance second professional year doctor of pharmacy students' knowledge of heart failure medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and therapeutics in an integrated Modular Organ Systems Therapeutics (MOST) course and to assess students' perceptions of the game. Methods Heart failure pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacotherapeutics were taught in MOST prior to the escape room activity. Students were randomized into groups of approximately eight. At the completion of the activity, students were asked to fill out a perceptions survey. A follow up survey of their perceptions was again administered four weeks after the activity. Results One-hundred-ninety-three students participated in the escape room activity. Overall, performance indicated that the escape room satisfactorily reinforced students' learning of the course material. Students expressed satisfaction toward the escape room activity on both surveys, with response rates of 92.22% and 56.99% for the initial and follow up surveys, respectively. Findings revealed no statistically significant differences between the first and the second group of responses, confirming that positive attitudes toward the activity did not alter over time. Students' satisfaction levels were inversely related to their grade point average (r = −0.20, p = 0.05). Conclusions Positive student perceptions reported immediately after the completion of the escape room activity and measured in the follow-up survey demonstrated that the escape room is a satisfying learning activity that can engage all students.
Maldistribution and dynamic liquid holdup quantification of quadrilobe catalyst in a trickle bed reactor using gamma-ray computed tomography: Pseudo-3D modelling and empirical modelling using deep neural network

Abstract The dynamic liquid distribution and holdup in a TBR packed with porous quadrilobe catalyst were studied using advanced Gamma-ray Computed Tomography. A multi-compartment module is used to quantify the maldistribution factor which shows that there is a transition region from high maldistribution to relatively uniform distribution depending on the flowrates. The 3D maldistribution maps show that there is more dynamic liquid close to the column center at high bed height and there is no high correlation between the average dynamic liquid holdup and the bed height. If the gas flowrate increases while keeping the liquid flowrate fixed, the average dynamic liquid holdup decreases; however, if the gas flowrate is fixed, there is no dominant increasing or decreasing trend showing up. A Deep Neural Network model and a pseudo-3D model are developed showing high accuracy for predicting the local dynamic liquid holdup at different bed heights, radius, and flowrates.
Contemporary Confucian Political Thought

Political thought is one of the most vibrant sub-fields in contemporary Confucian philosophy, focusing largely on the question of democracy. Several Confucian societies (Korea, Japan, Taiwan) have become democracies, while of course China has not. New Confucians of the mid-twentieth century were largely defenders of democracy and were critical of both the Communist and Nationalist authoritarian governments. This chapter focuses on Mou Zongsan as a representative of this school of thought. More recently, around the turn of the century, some Confucians in China have rejected democracy as both flawed in practice and unfaithful to Confucian tradition. Jiang Qing and Bai Tongdong are two of these, and although they see a place for some popular representation in government, they are strongly opposed to making popular will the only source of political authority. In different ways, they argue for a model that gives more consideration to merit (variously defined) as a condition for political authority. Anglophone scholars, notably David Hall and Roger Ames, also react to perceived flaws with liberal democracy, which they trace primarily to a mistaken conception of the autonomous individual as the basic unit of personhood. Hall and Ames claim that the Confucian relational self demands a different conception of political community more akin to Dewey’s pragmatist democracy. This chapter examines these various perspectives on Confucian politics, along with consideration of future directions for Confucian political thought.
Chapter 44 Economic analysis of housing markets in developing and transition economies

Abstract The purpose of this chapter is to survey recent research on housing markets and policy in what used to be called the “second” and “third” worlds. We adopt the labels “transition” economies to refer to countries as disparate as Russia and Vietnam, and “developing” to refer to countries as disparate as Korea and Singapore (arguably now developed) and countries like Mozambique and Laos. It is therefore quite interesting that the bulk of the research surveyed finds that housing market behavior is remarkably similar from place to place. Institutions and constraints, particularly the amount of income available for housing and other goods and services certainly do vary dramatically from place to place. And the stakes of how well housing markets work vary from place to place. But these differences in institutions and constraints do not obscure regularities in behavior. The first major section, on housing markets (Section 2), examines property rights, supply, demand and tenure. Section 3 presents research on the related markets for land, finance and infrastructure. Housing policy is covered in Section 4, including housing subsidy systems, privatization, taxation and regulation. Section 5 concludes with a discussion of current issues and research.
Neonatal venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation cannulation technique.

Peripheral cannulation for initiation of neonatal venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is an essential technical skill in the armamentarium of every congenital cardiac surgeon and is necessary for the care of newborns with congenital heart disease and other conditions presenting with cardiopulmonary failure. With certain exceptions, it is usually performed via a right neck cut-down to expose the right internal jugular vein and common carotid artery. A strong understanding of the fundamental techniques, as well as strategies for avoiding common pitfalls, is critical to the success of cardiopulmonary rescue afforded by cannulation, especially considering the emergent conditions under which cannulation must usually be performed. We review here the operative approach and technique for neck cannulation for peripheral neonatal venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Annals On Call - COPD: What Clinicians Need to Know-Part 2.

In this episode of Annals On Call, Dr. Centor continues his discussion about the care of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with Dr. Anand S. Iyer.
MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL, WHO IS THE FITTEST OF THEM ALL: A NOVEL PREDICTION MODEL FOR POSTOPERATIVE HEPATIC DECOMPENSATION IN PATIENTS WITH CIRRHOSIS.

Patients with cirrhosis carry an increased risk for mortality and morbidity after surgery (Ann Surg 2021;274:e345-54). Assessing the surgical risks for these patients has been a challenging issue for providers, given the complicated pathophysiology and lack of large prospective trials. Several models have been used to estimate post-surgical mortality for patients with cirrhosis, including the Model End-stage Liver Disease (MELD), Mayo Risk Score (MRS), and Child Turcotte Pugh (CTP) score. Recently, Mahmud et al. published the Veterans Outcomes and Costs Associated with Liver Disease (VOCAL)-Penn postoperative mortality risk estimator based on a large database from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) (Hepatology 2021;73:204-18). Predictors of surgical mortality included age, body mass index (BMI), preoperative albumin, platelet count, bilirubin, surgery category, emergency indication, presence of fatty liver disease, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification (ASA), and obesity. The model performance was superior to MELD, CTP and MRS. However, all of these predictive models focused on mortality, and there was no prediction tool designed to predict risk of liver decompensation. In a study of 100 cirrhotic patients who underwent abdominal surgery at an institution specializing in liver medicine and transplant, the 30-day postoperative mortality rate was 7%, but the morbidity rate was 43%, highlighting the need for a better understanding of morbidity risk (Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2010; 8:451-7). In order to address this knowledge gap, Mahmud et al. developed the "VOCAL-Penn Refit," a model derived from the same database and predictors used for the VOCAL-Penn score, to predict the risk of postoperative hepatic decompensation and infection.
Electromagnetic articulography is feasible for assessment of speech motor skills in cochlear implant users

The present investigation tested whether there is cross-interference between current electromagnetic articulography (EMA) and cochlear implants (CIs). In an initial experiment, we calibrated EMA sensors with and without a CI present in the EMA field, and measured impedances of all CI electrodes when in and out of the EMA field. In a subsequent experiment, head reference sensor positions were recorded during a speaking task for a normal-hearing talker with and without a CI present in the EMA field. Results revealed minimal interference between the devices, suggesting that EMA is a promising method for assessing speech motor skills in CI users.
Teaching the History of Women in China and Japan: Challenges and Sources

Studying the history of Chinese and Japanese women provides American students with a thematic approach to Asian Studies.This paper reflects on the challenges I face in teaching women’s histories in China and Japan.It also discusses the pedagogy and sources I use in teaching the course.The paper argues that teaching the history of women in China and Japan will allow us to move beyond the conventionally regional or national focused approach to Asian Studies and enable us to re-imagine old narratives and to introduce students to new methods of understanding both the universality and diversity within Asian history.
Marital Functioning From Middle to Later Years: A Life Course–Stress Process Framework

Little research has examined continuity and change in marital functioning from the middle to later years. We draw on a life course perspective and examine the influences of cumulative life experiences, personal characteristics, genetic markers, and stressful life events during the mid-later transition on later-life marital functioning. Although this theoretical framework is applicable to other types of close relationships and stressful life events in various domains, as mediators of these influences, we examine retirement as one important stressful life events in the mid-later transition and marital functioning because of its centrality for most individuals. We review research supporting this theoretical framework and provide implications for future research on continuity and change in marital functioning over later adulthood.
CD40 deficiency mitigates Alzheimer's disease pathology in transgenic mouse models

We have previously shown that transgenic mice carrying a mutant human APP but deficient in CD40L, display a decrease in astrocytosis and microgliosis associated with a lower amount of deposited Aβ. Furthermore, an anti-CD40L treatment causes a diminution of Aβ pathology in the brain and an improved performance in several cognitive tasks in the double transgenic PSAPP mouse model. Although these data suggest a potential role for CD40L in Alzheimer's disease pathology in transgenic mice they do not cast light on whether this effect is due to inhibition of signaling via CD40 or whether it is due to the mitigation of some other unknown role of CD40L. In the present report we have generated APP and PSAPP mouse models with a disrupted CD40 gene and compared the pathological features (such as amyloid burden, astrocytosis and microgliosis that are typical of Alzheimer's disease-like pathology in these transgenic mouse strains) with appropriate controls. We find that all these features are reduced in mouse models deficient for CD40 compared with their littermates where CD40 is present. These data suggest that CD40 signaling is required to allow the full repertoire of AD-like pathology in these mice and that inhibition of the CD40 signaling pathway is a potential therapeutic strategy in Alzheimer's disease.
Emerging Standards and Organizational Patterns in Cloud Computing

This column reviews various methods for organizing standards development and gives current examples from recent developments in cloud computing.
Prevalência de diabetes e intolerância a glicose em pacientes com dor crônica

A diabetes e associada ao aumento de prevalencia de dor cronica, porem faltam estudos que associem dor cronica como um sintoma precoce de intolerância a glicose ou diabetes. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar na populacao adulta a prevalencia de diabetes e intolerância a glicose em pacientes com dor cronica comparado com pacientes sem dor cronica em um ambulatorio privado especializado em nutrologia. Metodo: Foram incluidos 60 pacientes, 30 pacientes com dor cronica com duracao de pelo menos 3 meses e 30 pacientes sem queixa de dor cronica. Todos os pacientes foram estudados prospectivamente para o diagnostico de diabetes ou intolerância a glicose por meio do teste de tolerância oral com medicao glico-insulinica basal a apos 2 horas, apos estimulo de 75 gramas de glicose. Resultados: Dos 30 individuos com dor cronica, 6 pacientes (20%) tinham diabetes, 3 pacientes (10%) tinham intolerância a glicose, totalizando 9 pacientes (30%) com alteracao dos niveis glicemicos (pre-diabetico ou diabetico). Dos 30 individuos sem dor cronica, 1 paciente (3,3%) foi diagnosticado como diabetico, 3 pacientes (10%) com intolerância a glicose, totalizando 4 pacientes (13,3%) com alteracao dos niveis glicemicos (pre-diabetico ou diabetico). Conclusao: Houve significância estatistica na prevalencia de alteracao do nivel glicemico em pacientes com dor cronica em comparacao com pacientes sem queixa de dor cronica.
Temporal analysis of lambda sigma activity systems

lambda sigma is a simulation language based on Whitehead's (1960) theory of reality and formalized in the typed lambda -calculus. lambda sigma entities are described as elements of a type and lambda sigma activities are subtypes. Type inference algorithms can be used to analyze and verify models in which the flow of entities is deterministic. In this paper, the authors describe the use of temporal logic to analyze and verify models in which entities move from one activity to another with a given probability. The approach is to apply the proof system for temporal logic with uncertainty of Lehmann and Shelah (1982). >
An Adapted Model for Small Business Innovation Networks: The Case of an Emergent Wine Region in Southern California

This research explores the interaction of firms and organizations within a successful small business innovation network, and how innovative business practices are developed. Innovation network theory was used as a lens to view the dynamics within an innovation network comprised entirely of small businesses and organizations. Results showed that a hub firm does not exist to orchestrate and manage the interactions within this network. An adapted model for small business innovation networks is proposed and the results from this qualitative case study are mapped using this adapted theory. The results show a constellation of firms and organizations at the core of network composition, undertaking deliberate and emergent strategies that affect the outcome and success of all network members. The research identified a significant sense of place embedded in the regional culture and the importance of effective regional planning in positively impacting the success of the small business innovation network.
Aqueous and vitreous penetration of linezolid (Zyvox) after oral administration.

Abstract Objective To investigate the penetration of linezolid, a synthetic oxazolidinone antibiotic, into the aqueous and vitreous humor after oral administration. Design Noncomparative interventional, prospective case series study, randomized into group 1 (dose, one 600-mg tablet) or group 2 (2 doses of 600 mg given 12 hours apart). Participants Patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy between March 2001 and August 2002 at the University of Illinois at Chicago Eye Center who had not had prior vitrectomy surgery. Methods Aqueous, vitreous, and plasma samples were obtained and analyzed from 29 patients after oral administration of 1 dose (group 1A, 13 patients [13 eyes] sampled less than 2 hours after administration; group 1B, 9 patients [9 eyes] sampled more than 2 hours after administration) or 2 doses 12 hours apart (group 2, 7 patients [7 eyes]) before surgery. Main outcome measures Aqueous, vitreous, and plasma concentrations of linezolid (micrograms per milliliter). Results Group 1A achieved mean aqueous, vitreous, and plasma levels of 0.77±0.6 μg/mL, 0.3±0.3 μg/mL, and 5.0±3.3 μg/mL, respectively. Group 1B achieved mean aqueous, vitreous, and plasma levels of 3.8±1.2 μg/mL, 2.3±1.4 μg/mL, and 7.6±2.7 μg/mL, respectively. Group 2 achieved mean aqueous, vitreous, and plasma levels of 6.6±2.7 μg/mL, 5.7±2.7 μg/mL, and 10.3±4.1 μg/mL, respectively. Conclusions Mean inhibitory aqueous and vitreous minimum inhibitory concentrations for 90% of isolates (MIC 90 ) were achieved against all gram-positive bacteria, including vancomycin-resistant enterococcus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus , and streptococcal species after 2 doses given 12 hours apart. Mean MIC 90 were achieved for many gram-positive pathogens after only one dose in many patients after approximately 4 hours.
Toward Greener Chemistry

Chemical manufacturing increasingly has to take environmental concerns into account, and chemical processes have to be designed accordingly. Baker and Tumas (page 1477) discuss recent developments in the area of homogeneous catalysis, where so-called biphasic catalysis is aiding separation of product and catalyst and facilitating catalyst recovery.
Cortical Map Plasticity as a Function of Vagus Nerve Stimulation Intensity.

Abstract Background Pairing sensory or motor events with vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) can reorganize sensory or motor cortex. Repeatedly pairing a tone with a brief period of VNS increases the proportion of primary auditory cortex (A1) responding to the frequency of the paired tone. However, the relationship between VNS intensity and cortical map plasticity is not known. Objective/hypothesis The primary goal of this study was to determine the range of VNS intensities that can be used to direct cortical map plasticity. Methods The rats were exposed to a 9 kHz tone paired with VNS at intensities of 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, or 1.6 mA. Results In rats that received moderate (0.4–0.8 mA) intensity VNS, 75% more cortical neurons were tuned to frequencies near the paired tone frequency. A two-fold effective range is broader than expected based on previous VNS studies. Rats that received high (1.2–1.6 mA) intensity VNS had significantly fewer neurons tuned to the same frequency range compared to the moderate intensity group. Conclusion This result is consistent with previous results documenting that VNS is memory enhancing as a non-monotonic relationship of VNS intensity.
A virion concentration method for detection of human enteric viruses in oysters by PCR and oligoprobe hybridization.

This article reports the development of a method to purify and concentrate intact virions from oyster extracts to volume and quality compatible with viral genomic nucleic acid amplification by reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) and confirmation by oligonucleotide probe hybridization. Fifty-gram oyster samples were processed by an adsorption-elution -precipitation method and then seeded with 10(1) to 10(5) PFU of poliovirus type 1 (PV1) or hepatitis A virus (HAV). Seeded viruses in oyster extracts were purified by fluorocarbon extraction and concentrated by polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation and elution. Virus recovery after elution of PEG precipitates was dependent upon PEG concentration and averaged 60% for PV1 and 40% for HAV. The next processing step used the protein-precipitating agent Pro-Cipitate (Affinity Technology, Inc., Brunswick, N.J.) in an adsorption-elution -precipitation scheme to further concentrate viruses and reduce sample volumes to 100 microliter. Oyster extracts processed by Pro-Cipitate adsorption-elution-precipitation were directly compatible with RT-PCR and yielded virus recoveries of > 80% for both PV1 and HAV. When extracts from 50-g oyster samples were seeded and processed by the combined concentration and purification scheme, direct RT-PCR detection of viral genomic RNA was possible at initial inoculum levels of 10 PFU for both PV1 and HAV and with low levels of Norwalk virus. Virus recoveries based on cell culture infectivity were 25 to 35% for PV1 and 5 to 10% for HAV. When tested on artificially contaminated raw oysters, the combined method successfully detected > or = 10(3) PFU of PV1 and HAV and 10(5) RT-PCR-amplifiable units of Norwalk virus. Virus detection by RT-PCR and cell culture infectivity was consistent and well correlated among replicate samples and at different virus titers. The procedure developed in this study is rapid, sensitive, and effective for the direct detection of enteric viruses in oysters by RT-PCR.
Predictors of Long-Term Nursing Home Placement Under Competing Risk: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study

Objectives: To examine predictors of long-term nursing home placement (LTNHP) while controlling for mortality as a competing risk event. Design: Longitudinal. Setting: Health and Retirement Study, 1998�2010. Participants: Nationally representative sample of community-living older adults (N = 10,385). Measurements: Longitudinal data were used with a maximum follow-up of 12 years. First, a traditional Cox proportional hazards model was estimated treating death as an uninformative censoring event. A joint cause-specific hazards model that accounts for the competing risk of mortality in estimating the risk of LTNHP was then estimated. Results: The effect of adjusting for competing risk of mortality is evident for nearly all predictors of LTNHP. Predictors were over- or underestimated in the traditional Cox model, and several predictors changed in the direction of the association, whereas others changed in magnitude. For example, after controlling for mortality, women aged 85 and older had more than twice the risk (hazard ratio = 7.23, 95% confidence interval = 5.18�10.10) of LTNHP than evidenced in the traditional Cox model. Conclusion: Whenever possible, the competing risk of mortality should be recognized and adjusted in developing screening tools and predictive risk models for LTNHP.
A comparative study of the thermal and radiative impacts of photovoltaic canopies on pavement surface temperatures

Abstract Rapid urbanization of the planet is occurring at an unprecedented pace, primarily in arid and semi-arid hot climates [Golden, J.S., 2004. The built environment induced urban heat island effect in rapidly urbanizing arid regions – a sustainable urban engineering complexity. Environ. Sci. J. Integr. Environ. Res. 1 (4), 321–349]. This growth has manifested itself as a cause of various impacts including elevated urban temperatures in comparison to rural sites known as the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect [Oke, T.R., 1982. The energetic basis of the urban heat island. Q. J. R. Meteor. Soc. 108, 1–24]. Related are the increased demands for electric power as a result of population growth and increased need for mechanical cooling due to the UHI. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency has developed a three-prong approach of (1) cool pavements, (2) urban forestry and (3) cool roofs to mitigate the UHI. Researchers undertook an examination of micro scale benefits of the utilization of photovoltaic panels to reduce the thermal impacts to surface temperatures of pavements in comparison to urban forestry. The results of the research indicate that photovoltaic panels provide a greater thermal reduction benefit during the diurnal cycle in comparison to urban forestry while also providing the additional benefits of supporting peak energy demand, conserving water resources and utilizing a renewable energy source.
Repeated load relaxations of type 316 austenitic stainless steel

Several experiments have shown that the shape of the load relaxation curve after reloading in a logarithmic stress vs. logarithmic strain rate plot may differ from that after the initial loading. In a recent study Korhonen and Li showed that the apparent kink in a log sigma versus log epsilon plot of the stress relaxation data, after mainly elastic and anelastic loading, is due to change of the deformation mode from an anelasticity dominated one to a plasticity dominated one. According to the state variable model by Hart, the relaxation curve in reloading should overlap with the original one after this transition in the absence of structural changes. Therefore, the crossing of stress relaxation curves after an initial plastic loading and subsequent elastic and anelastic reloadings in commercially pure aluminum at room temperature was accounted for by thermally induced effects. In the same study, consecutive stress relaxation runs were conducted on 316 SS, and no cross-over behavior was observed, which was associated with the lack of thermal effects in 316 SS at room temperature. The results demonstrate that strain aging has an effect on relaxation behavior even at room temperature, the effect being more pronounced at high strains. The phenomenamore » can be accounted for according to a state variable model by modifying the rate constant, which is affected by the amount of mobile dislocations as well as dislocation mobility.« less
Lower bound for the piezoelectric polaron

Using a modification of a technique that Lieb and Yamazaki applied to the optical polaron, we have found a lower bound to the energy of the piezoelectric polaron. We use this lower bound to investigate the energy-momentum relation for the piezoelectric polaron.
Bi-Articulate Approach to Addressing Shoulder Pain Issues in Manual Wheelchair Users

Pain throughout wheelchair (WC) propulsion is a very real fact of life for individuals who use a manual WC as their primary means of locomotion. A number of studies have reported the prevalence of shoulder pain in manual wheelchair users (MWU’s) ranging between 30–73% [1, 2]. Questions exist as to what may cause the extent of such shoulder pain. It is possible that a lack of education on proper propulsion techniques leads to poor propulsion habits that can be detrimental to overall shoulder health. It is also possible that such acquired techniques translate into shoulder joint forces whose repetition and magnitude may be so high that they are injurious to the user.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Airborne Subscale Transport Aircraft Research Testbed: Aircraft Model Development

The Airborne Subscale Transport Aircraft Research (AirSTAR) testbed being developed at NASA Langley Research Center is an experimental flight test capability for research experiments pertaining to dynamics modeling and control beyond the normal flight envelope. An integral part of that testbed is a 5.5% dynamically scaled, generic transport aircraft. This remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) is powered by twin turbine engines and includes a collection of sensors, actuators, navigation, and telemetry systems. The downlink for the plane includes over 70 data channels, plus video, at rates up to 250 Hz. Uplink commands for aircraft control include over 30 data channels. The dynamic scaling requirement, which includes dimensional, weight, inertial, actuator, and data rate scaling, presents distinctive challenges in both the mechanical and electrical design of the aircraft. Discussion of these requirements and their implications on the development of the aircraft along with risk mitigation strategies and training exercises are included here. Also described are the first training (non-research) flights of the airframe. Additional papers address the development of a mobile operations station and an emulation and integration laboratory.
Diagnosing joint infections: synovial fluid differential is more sensitive than white blood cell count

In order to identify the predictive value of synovial fluid white blood cell (WBC) count and differential white blood cell count in identifying nonprosthetic joint infection in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed populations, we retrospectively reviewed 96 adult patients who underwent hip or knee aspiration because of symptoms suggesting a possible nonprosthetic joint infection. Medical history, including immunosuppressive disease or drugs, was recorded, and synovial fluid cell count, differential, and culture results were compared. There were 44 patients with positive synovial cultures. Of 36 patients who had a synovial WBC ≥50,000/mm³, 89% had positive cultures. The sensitivity to synovial WBC ≥50,000/mm³ was 0.727 (95% CI 0.570-0.845), and specificity was 0.923 (95% CI 0.806-0.975). There were 12 patients with a synovial WBC <50,000/mm³ that had positive cultures. The sensitivity of percentage polymorphonuclear cells (%PMNs) to predict positive cultures when the %PMNs were at least 80, 85, and 90% was 0.932, 0.886, and 0.818, respectively. The specificity when the %PMNs was at least 80, 85, and 90% was 0.598, 0.577, and 0.673, respectively. Among the 29% of immunocompromised patients, the sensitivity to synovial WBC ≥50,000/mm³ was 0.714 (95% CI 0.420-0.904), and specificity was 1.000 (95% CI 0.732-1.000). Twenty-nine percent of patients with a synovial WBC <50,000/mm³ had positive cultures. The sensitivity of %PMNs to predict positive cultures when the %PMNs was at least 80, 85, and 90% was 1.000, 0.929, and 0.786, respectively. The specificity when the %PMNs were at least 80, 85, and 90% was 0.500, 0.643, and 0.714, respectively. We found that the synovial WBC differential (percentage synovial fluid PMNs) is a more sensitive predictor for nonprosthetic adult joint infection than the synovial absolute WBC count. This was true in both the general population and the immunosuppressed population.
Clonal and geographic distribution of a surface antigen of Tritrichomonas foetus.

. Geographically diverse strains and clones of Tritrichomonas foetus have been examined with respect to their expression of a major surface antigen of approximately 150,000 relative molecular weight (Mr), designated the 150 Ag. Radioiodination and 13S-methionine labeling of T. foetus followed by immunoprecipitation with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), separation of polypeptides by SDS-PAGE, and autoradiography or fluorography confirmed the parasite origin of the 150 Ag. The results of flow cytometry analysis employing a panel of MAbs against live T. foetus parasites revealed that from 5 to 84% of individuals in a given population of T. foetus expressed a particular epitope of the 150 Ag. All strains and clones were positive for surface expression of epitopes of this antigen. These results show that the 150 Ag is widely distributed in populations of T. foetus, confirm the surface location of this antigen, and suggest its importance as a target for protective immune responses.
Study of Typical Filter Material on Dust Cleaning

filter get peoples attention increasingly as it has become the core of dust bag. In this paper, cleaning process residual resistance and peel rate of dust cleaning cycle were studied. Experimental results show that the initial resistance of the filter were close to the filters, polyester dust filter has a high cleaning strip ratio and a larger interval.
The Vitamin K Content of Intravenous Lipid Emulsions

Commercially available intravenous lipid emulsions are largely derived from vegetable oils, a natural source of phylloquinone (vitamin K1). We therefore examined the concentration of vitamin K1 in two widely used intravenous lipid emulsions by using a previously validated high performance liquid chromatography technique. The vitamin K1 concentrations of 10% emulsions of Intralipid and Liposyn II were 30.8 and 13.2 micrograms/dL, respectively. The concentration of vitamin K1 in the 20% emulsions of these products was essentially double that in the 10% emulsions. The coefficients of variation between the vitamin K1 content in three different lots of each product were consistently less than 7.0%. The observed concentrations of the vitamin in these lipid emulsions paralleled the predicted content on the basis of the type of vegetable oil(s) used to make the product. The type of vegetable oil used for production therefore seems to be a major determinant of the final vitamin K1 content. The vitamin K1 contained in these intravenous lipid emulsions is substantial and may have great impact on the vitamin K status of the recipient.
Ocular silicon distribution and clearance following intravitreal injection of porous silicon microparticles.

Porous silicon (pSi) microparticles have been investigated for intravitreal drug delivery and demonstrated good biocompatibility. With the appropriate surface chemistry, pSi can reside in vitreous for months or longer. However, ocular distribution and clearance pathway of its degradation product, silicic acid, are not well understood. In the current study, rabbit ocular tissue was collected at different time point following fresh pSi (day 1, 5, 9, 16, and 21) or oxidized pSi (day 3, 7, 14, 21, and 35) intravitreal injection. In addition, dual-probe simultaneous microdialysis of aqueous and vitreous humor was performed following a bolus intravitreal injection of 0.25 mL silicic acid (150 μg/mL) and six consecutive microdialysates were collected every 20 min. Silicon was quantified from the samples using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. The study showed that following the intravitreal injection of oxidized pSi, free silicon was consistently higher in the aqueous than in the retina (8.1 ± 6.5 vs. 3.4 ± 3.9 μg/mL, p = 0.0031). The area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of the retina was only about 24% that of the aqueous. The mean residence time was 16 days for aqueous, 13 days for vitreous, 6 days for retina, and 18 days for plasma. Similarly, following intravitreal fresh pSi, free silicon was also found higher in aqueous than in retina (7 ± 4.7 vs. 3.4 ± 4.1 μg/mL, p = 0.014). The AUC for the retina was about 50% of the AUC for the aqueous. The microdialysis revealed the terminal half-life of free silicon in the aqueous was 30 min and 92 min in the vitreous; the AUC for aqueous accounted for 38% of the AUC for vitreous. Our studies indicate that aqueous humor is a significant pathway for silicon egress from the eye following intravitreal injection of pSi crystals.
A sex difference in the rat pituitary FSH response to unilateral gonadectomy as revealed in plasma radioimmunoassays.

Prepubertal and adult female and male rats were unilaterally gonadectomized and killed 6 days later to determine the degree of compensatory ovarian (COH) or testicular (CTH) hypertrophy. External jugular vein blood was drawn, under light ether anesthesia at different times after surgery, for radioimmunoassay of FSH and LEI. Unilateral orchidectomy was followed by a clear-cut CTH and by sharp increases in blood FSH concentration 2 days after the operation, values which remained at a high level in adults but continued to rise in immature animals. Blood LH levels in adult males did not change significantly. Testosterone propionate inhibited CTH and the rise in plasma FSH. In adult female rats unilateral ovariectomy on the first day of diestrus was followed by a transient sharp rise in blood FSH, values that returned to initial levels by 36 hr post-surgery and thereafter fluctuated about these levels. Estradiol berizoate treatment, starting after the rise in FSH, inhibited COH, but blood FSH and LH levels par...