cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Peripheral Nerve Catheters in Buprenorphine/Naloxone Management in Elective Orthopedic Surgery: A Case Report:

Buprenorphine/naloxone (sold as Suboxone, among other brands) is a highly effective treatment for opioid dependence [8]. As interventions to curb the opioid crisis become more prevalent, we anticipate the number of patients on buprenorphine/naloxone presenting for elective surgery to rise. Buprenorphine/naloxone therapy requires special consideration in the peri-operative period. Balancing the risks of withdrawal and relapse with the need for analgesia is crucial to good outcomes after a painful procedure. There are two main strategies for acute pain management in patients on buprenorphine/naloxone [1–3, 6, 12, 13, 15]. One option is to stop therapy temporarily approximately 72 h prior to surgery to allow drug elimination and facilitate post-operative opioid efficacy. A second option is to continue buprenorphine/naloxone therapy throughout the episode of surgical care and to use short-acting opioid receptor agonists to treat acute pain. Unfortunately, each strategy has significant disadvantages. Discontinuing buprenorphine/naloxone therapy before surgery confers a high risk of opioid withdrawal and relapse [6, 12]. Additionally, stopping therapy with the goal of treating acute pain is not always associated with better pain control [5]. Conversely, patients who continue on buprenorphine/naloxone often require higher-than-usual doses of opioids to control acute pain [4, 5, 15]. In addition to suboptimal analgesia, the high opioid requirement increases the risk of opioid-related adverse effects, particularly respiratory depression. Indeed, recommendations for extended monitoring have been made on the basis of patient safety (up to 72 h in one case report) [6]. To date, there are no reports demonstrating whether and how buprenorphine/naloxone can be continued through the peri-operative period, while achieving optimal analgesia and minimizing patient risk. Clinical and institutional guidelines for surgical patients on buprenorphine/naloxone typically include a recommendation to maximize regional anesthesia and analgesia [6, 9, 13]. Despite this, no publications have described the role of peripheral nerve block (PNB) or peripheral nerve catheter (PNC) in surgical patients maintained on buprenorphine/naloxone therapy. Here, we report the first such case. We made use of a PNC and provided multidisciplinary care to allow uninterrupted buprenorphine/naloxone therapy in a patient undergoing a painful orthopedic procedure: arthroscopic repair of a large rotator cuff tear.
Immigration policy and belonging in the Argentine ‘racial state’

From its very formation, the Argentine state sought to become a beacon of white, European civilization, understanding migration to be a central means toward achieving this aspirational racial proje...
114 Features of fibromyalgia in lupus nephritis

Background Patients with SLE have poor health related quality of life (HRQoL), however the predominant causes for decreased HRQoL in different subgroups of SLE are not well understood. Features of fibromyalgia, including fatigue, widespread pain, depression, sleep and cognitive dysfunction, are prevalent in SLE affecting 20%–65% of patients and often contribute to disability and poor health related quality of life (HRQoL). These aspects of fibromyalgia have not been well described in lupus nephritis (LN). We evaluated self-reported symptoms of fibromyalgia and mood disorders in patients with and without lupus nephritis Methods This was a cross sectional study of SLE patients (ACR 1997 or SLICC 2012 criteria) from July to November 2018. All patients completed Systemic Lupus Activity Questionnaire (SLAQ), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9), and 2016 ACR Fibromyalgia criteria. Active nephritis was defined as UPC>500 mg and/or active urinary sediment excluding other causes. Fibromyalgia was defined as 7 areas of pain with 5 symptoms severity score (SSS) or 4 areas of pain with 9 SSS. Differences across groups were analyzed by Fishers exact test and ANOVA. Results 205 patients completed patient reported outcome measures (92% female, mean age 45.1 years). In our cohort 17% had active nephritis, 16% were in nephritis remission and 67% had no history of nephritis. Of patients with nephritis, 28% had membranous class V, 27% had proliferative or proliferative/mixed LN, 3% class I/II, 0.5% post-transplant, 0.5% ESRD on dialysis, and class was unknown in 32%. The prevalence of fibromyalgia was 10.5% in those with nephritis compared to 23% of patients without nephritis (p=0.04). Patients with LN had statistically significantly lower fibromyalgia severity scores, symptom severity scores, areas of pain, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, sleep disturbance, forgetfulness, muscle pain, and numbness. Patient-reported disease activity was significantly lower in patients with LN remission. Depression and anxiety were not significantly different between groups. Conclusions Patients with both active and inactive lupus nephritis have lower rates of fibromyalgia, fatigue, sleep and cognitive dysfunction compared to non-nephritis lupus patients. Depression and anxiety were pervasive among all lupus groups and persisted even after achieving lower disease activity. The drivers of low HRQoL may be distinct across SLE subgroups. Lupus nephritis patients have high rates of disability and poor HRQoL, however the mechanism underlying these outcomes in nephritis is less likely related to features of fibromyalgia Funding Source(s): None
PWM Strategy for MW-Scale “SiC+Si” ANPC Converter in Aircraft Propulsion Applications

In this article, an improved pulsewidth modulation (PWM) strategy is introduced for three-level active neutral point clamped converters based on a hybrid configuration of silicon carbide (SiC) mosfets and silicon (Si) insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBTs). Compared with the conventional PWM strategies in the literature, this proposed PWM strategy enables the SiC switches only to interface with small commutation loops, thus the turn- off voltage overshoots caused by the parasitic loop inductance and high $\boldsymbol{di}/\boldsymbol{dt}$ are much lower. Soft switching is achieved across all the IGBTs, and the switching losses of the converter only dissipate from the SiC mosfets , leading to high efficiency of the converter. Also, with this improved PWM strategy, the conduction loss at zero voltage output of this converter is reduced due to the turn- on of two parallel conduction paths. Furthermore, this proposed PWM strategy can protect the body diodes of the SiC mosfets from conducting large load current. All these advantages with the proposed PWM strategy are experimentally verified in a megawatt-scale three-phase three-level “SiC+Si” hybrid active neutral point clamped inverter developed for electric aircraft propulsion applications.
A comparison of medication counseling evaluation tools utilized in colleges of pharmacy to three recognized guidance documents

Abstract Introduction A universal tool to assess proficiency in patient counseling has not been developed. The objectives of this project were to assess current practices in evaluating patient counseling at colleges of pharmacy and compare the results with three nationally recognized reference standards: the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists National Patient Counseling Competition Evaluation Form, and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Guidelines on Pharmacist Conducted Patient Education and Counseling. Methods A cover letter and questionnaire were sent to all members of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Laboratory Instructors Special Interest Group with an invitation to submit an evaluation tool. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the questionnaire items. An inductive approach was used to analyze the evaluation tools, which was completed independently by two members and then compared to build consensus to establish common content categories. Results Five major categories emerged with variability in content. More than 75% of tools included an introduction, almost 59% included collecting information, most included drug information (94%) and counseling points (88%), and most included verification of understanding (94%) and communication skills (94%). Conclusion Although there was variability, most evaluation tools incorporated aspects of all three guidance documents. A limitation of this study was that data may be subject to non-response bias, as the response rate was limited to 17.8%. Future work should focus on creating and validating a standardized evaluation tool to ultimately promote consistency among student pharmacists.
Intersectionality and Gendered Racism in the United States: A New Theoretical Framework:

I introduce a new theoretical framework to explain intersectionality and economic disparities by gender and race in the United States. I examine patterns of economic outcomes by race and gender, re...
Primary Mediastinal Nodal and Extranodal Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas: Current Concepts, Historical Evolution, and Useful Diagnostic Approach: Part 1

Primary mediastinal non-Hodgkin lymphomas (PM-NHLs) represent ~5% of all NHLs and comprise lymphomas of B-cell and T-cell origin. PM-NHLs are defined as involvement of mediastinal lymph nodes, thymus, and/or mediastinal organs (heart, lung, pleura, pericardium) by NHL without evidence of systemic di
Listening to Our Students while Teaching Composition in the Community College

We, as community college English teachers, have the opportunity to empower students who have been subjected to years of top-down, teacher-directed education. We have the obligation to make them cri...
Will COVID-19 Accelerate Implementation of ICT in Courts?

The COVID-19 pandemic with the need to keep physical distance has suddenly increased the use of digital tools in all business areas and social activities, including the judiciary, demonstrating the need to accelerate the digitalisation of the handling of cases, access to justice, and audio-video communications. The outbreak has clearly displayed the problems that affects the general functioning of the various justice systems, and the limited, and often not very effective, use of information and communication technologies. The challenge now is to keep and further develop what has been useful and abandon what has been shown to be too problematic, or maybe just too premature for the time being. This paper tries to answer the question: “Will COVID-19 accelerate implementation of ICT in courts?” © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
COVID-19 Transmission during Transportation of 1st to 12th Grade Students: Experience of an Independent School in Virginia.

BACKGROUND: In-school transmission of COVID-19 among K-12 students is low when mitigation layers are used, but the risk of acquiring COVID-19 during school bus transportation is not well defined. Given the operational limitations of many school districts, more data is needed to determine what mitigation is required to keep COVID-19 transmission low during bus transport. METHODS: An independent school in Virginia monitored 1154 students in grades 1 to 12 with asymptomatic PCR testing every 2 weeks from August 24, 2020 to March 19, 2021, during the highest community transmission. Fifteen buses served 462 students while operating at near capacity of 2 students in every seat, using a physical distancing minimum of 2.5 ft, universal masking, and simple ventilation techniques. RESULTS: A total of 39 individuals were present on buses during their COVID-19 infectious period, which resulted in the quarantine of 52 students. Universal testing and contact tracing revealed no transmission linked to bus transportation. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates a model for the safe operation of school buses while near capacity. COVID-19 transmission can be low during student transport when employing mitigation including simple ventilation, and universal masking, at minimal physical distances and during the highest community transmission.
Faculty Expectations and Development: The Tenure Case

Professionals seeking careers in academia should understand the tenure process, and how to prepare successfully for the evaluations linked to the tenure decision. This chapter offers suggestions for persons pursuing tenure–track faculty positions in the discipline of food science. The first promotion process in academia (i.e., from assistant professor to associate professor) is typically linked to tenure consideration. The focus of this chapter is explaining tenure, tenure expectations, resources for guidance, how to manage the process, and how to prepare the tenure and promotion document. While most people are fearful of the promotion and tenure process, this fear and apprehension can be minimized by understanding the process and its expectations, and having good advice to follow to help ensure success.
Be STARS: SINGLE AND BINARY COMPONENTS

There is growing evidence that a significant number of the rapidly rotating Be stars were spun up through mass transfer in massive close binary stars. We observe Be stars in several kinds of binaries predicted by theory: (1) Be + a cool, Roche-filling companion (so-called “hot Algols”), (2) Be + He star (the stripped down core of the mass donor), and (3) Be + neutron star (Be X-ray binaries). There are no known examples of Be + white dwarf binaries (although EUVE observations of the system λ Sco may have revealed the first rapidly rotating B star + white dwarf binary). Here I review the observational data on Be stars in binaries for comparison with model predictions. Because the detection of hot, faint (He star and white dwarf) companions is so difficult, we still cannot estimate accurately the fraction of such systems among the Be star population. Thus, the actual percentage of Be stars formed by binary mass transfer processes remains unknown.
Working‐memory training: Effects on delay discounting in male long evans rats

Delay discounting describes the devaluation of a reward as the delay to the receipt of the reward increases. Because steep delay discounting is robustly correlated with a number of behavioral problems (e.g., substance dependence, gambling) and some evidence suggests steep discounting precedes and predicts drug-taking in humans and rats, this study sought to experimentally reduce rats' delay discounting. Human stimulant-dependent participants given working-memory training reportedly decreased their rates of discounting relative to a sham-training group (Bickel, Yi, Landes, Hill, & Baxter, 2011). To evaluate the cross-species generality of this effect, 38 male Long-Evans rats, matched on pretraining delay-discounting rates, were randomly assigned to receive 140 sessions of working-memory training or sham training (which required no memory of the sample stimulus). Large between-group differences in working memory were observed after training; however, posttraining delay-discounting rates were undifferentiated across groups. Potential explanations for these findings are discussed.
Stellar Rotation in Open Clusters (Review Paper)

The characteristics of rotational velocities in fifteen open clusters and associations are summarized. The differences in mean rotational velocities observed between individual groups are found to be due primarily to three mechanisms: evolutionary expansion, tidal coupling of rotational and orbital motion in binaries, and magnetic braking in Ap stars.
Spatial Relationships Between Bacteria and Localized Corrosion

Abstract : Spatial relationships between bacteria and polarization were examined using microbiological and surface analytical techniques. Corrosion products produced by well-established artificial crevices in 304 stainless steel in abiotic seawater were associated with large numbers of bacteria after brief exposures to natural seawater. The presence of bacteria did not alter the distribution or composition of the corrosion products. Cathodic polarization increased the number of viable marine bacteria and extracellular debris on 304 stainless steel. Bacterial colonization and metabolism can fix anodes and cathodes; however, abiotic polarization can influence the number and types of bacteria associated with the surface. Spatial relationships between bacteria and localized corrosion cannot independently be interpreted as causal.
Effect of transdiagnostic cbt for anxiety disorders on comorbid diagnoses.

Objective The present study examines the effectiveness of a 12-week transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral group in reducing comorbid diagnoses. Method Data from 79 treatment completers (60.8% women; M age = 32.57 years) during three previous trials of transdiagnostic cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) were examined to compare treatment effects between those with and without comorbid diagnoses. Additionally, rates of remission of comorbid diagnoses were compared to published diagnosis-specific CBT trials. Results Results indicate that a majority of clients (64.6%) had at least one comorbid disorder and that those with comorbid diagnoses had higher primary diagnosis severity scores than did those without comorbid diagnoses. The presence of a comorbid diagnosis at pretreatment was not associated with differential improvement in primary diagnosis severity following treatment. Two-thirds of completers with comorbid diagnoses at pretreatment (66.7%) no longer met criteria for a clinically severe comorbid diagnosis at posttreatment, a rate higher than that associated with most trials of diagnosis-specific CBT for anxiety disorders used as benchmarks. Conclusions These results suggest that transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral group treatment for anxiety may be associated with greater decreases in comorbidity than traditional diagnosis-specific CBT.
COMPARATIVE NUTRITION OF IRON AND COPPER

The suggestion from nutritional studies with mammals of a link between iron and copper metabolism has been reinforced by recent investigations with yeast cells. Iron must be in the reduced ferrous (FeII) state for uptake by yeast cells, and reoxidation to ferric (FeIII) by a copper oxidase is part of the transport process. Thus, yeast cells deficient in copper are unable to absorb iron. In an analogous way, animals deficient in copper appear to be unable to move FeII out of cells, probably because it cannot be oxidized to FeIII. Invertebrate animals use copper and iron in ways very similar to vertebrates, with some notable exceptions. In the cases where vertebrates and invertebrates are similar, the latter may be useful models for vertebrate metabolism. In cases where they differ (e.g. predominance of serum ferritin in insects, oxygen transport by a copper protein in many arthropods, central importance of phenoloxidase, a copper enzyme in arthropods), the differences may represent processes that are exaggerated in invertebrates and thus more amenable to study in these organisms. On the other hand, they may represent processes unique to invertebrates, thus providing novel information on species diversity.
BLOOD DESTRUCTION DURING EXERCISE : II. DEMONSTRATION OF BLOOD DESTRUCTION IN ANIMALS EXERCISED AFTER PROLONGED CONFINEMENT.

A great decrease in total circulating hemoglobin and red cell volume occurs in dogs long maintained under sedentary conditions when they are exercised vigorously during several consecutive days. This would appear to be consequent on increased blood destruction, unrepaired for the time being.
Navigating Social Roles in Pursuit of Important Goals: A Communal Goal Congruity Account of STEM Pursuits

Our exploration of communal goal processes in decisions about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers integrates research on goal pursuit processes with research on stereotyping and on social role occupancy. Social roles encompass expectations and resources that can originate from group membership in broad social categories, such as gender, ethnicity, or nationality, or from more narrowly focused occupational and family roles. Our review elaborates on three ways in which social roles intersect with goal pursuit processes, with particular attention to how communal goals influence STEM pursuits. First, social roles influence goal selection or what goals are prioritized generally and at a particular time. Second, beliefs about social roles can influence the kinds of roles that people shy away from or seek out. Third, occupying a particular social role can actually facilitate or impede goal progress. With regard to STEM pursuits, we demonstrate that communal goals are valued both generally by people and especially by women, and that consensual stereotypes describe STEM fields as less likely to afford communal goals than other occupational roles. However, emphasizing the communal aspects of STEM fields elicits greater positivity toward these roles. Finally, we explore the ways in which STEM occupational roles are or might be enacted in communally-oriented ways. The goal congruity perspective thus can offer a unifying framework to integrate an understanding of the social structure – that is, roles and contexts – with the social cognition of the individual – that is, critical motivational and cognitive processes.
Distributed Estimation in a Power Constrained Sensor Network

This paper derives the optimum non-uniform quantization scheme for a distributed estimation problem based on noisy observations in a wireless sensor network. The optimal quantization scheme minimizes the mean squared estimation error subjected simultaneously to both a total system power as well as individual node power constraints. According to the derived optimal scheme, sensors with poor signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) refrain from transmitting their observations. The rest of the sensors transmit their quantized observations. The number of quantized bits depends on the SNR and the maximum power constraint at each node. The numerical results show that compared to a uniform power allocation scheme, the proposed scheme achieves significantly smaller Mean Squared Error (MSE) for the same average power consumption.
Low-cost, portable optical imaging systems for cancer diagnosis

Worldwide incidence and mortality rates due to cancer continue to rise, with the burden of disease increasingly shifting to developing countries. Several optical diagnostic methods such as diffuse optical tomography, wide-field autofluorescence imaging, confocal microscopy, and optical coherence tomography, are currently under development to enable earlier detection of cancer. However, these are primarily intended for use in healthcare facilities in industrialized countries. Using knowledge gained from early clinical studies with these large-scale systems, we have designed and tested low-cost, portable versions of these instruments. We propose that these systems may be used for early diagnosis and screening in developing countries, and that pilot clinical studies are warranted in these low-resource settings.
Truncation of angular spread of bragg zones by total reflection, and Goos-Hänchen shifts exhibited by chiral sculptured thin films

Summary The total-reflection phenomenon is shown to restrict the angular spread of the Bragg phenomenon, when a plane wave is incident ona chiral sculptured thin film (STF) from an optically denser medium. Unlike the Bragg phenomenon, the total-reflection phenomenon is insensitiveto the structural handedness of the chiral STF. Mechanically tunable Goos–Hanchen shifts that are appreciable fractions of the wavelength are experienced by beams of finite transverse extent, in the total-reflectionregime.
Applications of thermoanalytical techniques to the study of crystallization kinetics in glass-forming liquids, part I: Theory☆

Abstract A critical review is presented of mathematical methods advanced over the last 20 years for the analysis of data obtained from non-isothermal thermoanalytical studies of crystallization of glass-forming liquids. Methods proposed by Ozawa, Piloyan and Borchardt, Coats, Redfern and Sestak, Ozawa and Chen, Takhor, Kissinger, and Augis and Bennett are examined in detail. All these methods are based on the Avrami treatment of transformation kinetics and define an effective crystallization rate coefficient having an Arrhenian temperature dependence. Several different ways of mathematically treating the data have been proposed. Most are shown to be based on an incorrect neglect of the temperature dependence of the rate coefficient. By taking proper account of the temperature dependence of the crystallization rate coefficient, all the methods are shown to lead to similar conclusions. In detail, it is shown that the effective activation energy of the overall crystallization process can be calculated from the slope of the line obtained by plotting 1n[ Q /( T P − T 0 )] versus 1/ T P is the temperature of maximum crystallization rate, T O is an initial temperature and Q is the heating rate employed in the experiment. It is further argued that in general the overall crystallization rate coefficient is not Arrhenian in character. Thus, in general, non-isothermal transformation cannot be treated analytically. A detailed description of nonisothermal transformation can, however, be obtained by numerical methods. Such a method is described and its uses in obtaining kinetic data from thermoanalytical studies are demonstrated.
Bounds on structural system reliability in the presence of interval variables

The failure of a structural system is usually governed by multiple failure criteria, all of which are to be taken into consideration for reliability estimation. If all the uncertain parameters are defined as random variables, then the system reliability can be estimated accurately by using existing techniques. However, when modeling variables with limited information as intervals with upper and lower bounds, the entire range of these bounds should be explored while estimating the system reliability. The computational cost involved in estimating reliability bounds increases tremendously because a single reliability analysis, which is a computationally expensive procedure, is needed for each configuration of the interval variables. To reduce the computational cost involved, high quality function approximations for individual failure functions and the joint failure surface are considered in this paper. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed technique are demonstrated with numerical examples.
Phase II trial of estramustine and etoposide in androgen-sensitive metastatic prostate carcinoma.

Background: Early chemohormonal therapy in metastatic prostate cancer may offer an advantage by simultaneously targeting androgen-dependent and -independent clones. Hence, a phase II trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of estramustine and etoposide in hormone-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer. Patient and Methods: Eligibility consisted of untreated metastatic prostate cancer, adequate organ function, and a performance status of 0 to 2 by Zubrod criteria. A 21-day schedule of oral estramustine (10 mg/kg/day) and etoposide (50 mg/m 2 /day) was administered every 28 days. Hormonal therapy was allowed at the end of the protocol therapy. Toxicity was assessed weekly, PSA levels were assessed with each cycle, and objective response was evaluated every 3 cycles. Results: Twenty-one patients were enrolled (10 white, 11 black) with a median age of 59.5 years (range, 42-79 years), a median PSA of 338 ng/mL (range, 0.9-20,000 ng/mL), and a median Gleason score of 8 points. Ten patients had bone-only metastases, 11 had measurable disease, of whom 4 had visceral metastases. A total of 128 cycles were administered (median, 6 cycles). No dose reductions were required. Nineteen patients were able to be evaluated for response. Severe toxicities included thromboembolic events and anemia in 2 patients each and fatigue in 1 patient. There were no episodes of febrile neutropenia. Response was observed in 8 of 11 patients (73%) with measurable disease. Median PSA nadir after therapy was 0.45 ng/mL, and undetectable PSA (<0.1 ng/mL) was achieved in 4 patients. Median time to PSA progression was 16.65 months. At a median follow-up of 34 months, 18 patients were alive. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival rates were 90%, 82%, and 72% respectively. Median survival has not yet been reached. Conclusion: The combination of estramustine and etoposide is well tolerated, and has promising activity in newly diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer.
Pulpal response to threaded pin and retentive slot techniques: A pilot investigation

Abstract This investigation compared pulpal response to threaded pin techniques with response to retentive slot techniques. The teeth were restored with composite resin. Twenty-four teeth were assigned to three treatment groups in one Macaca mulatta monkey. Ten teeth (group 1) received 32 TMS 0.021-inch self-threading pins. Ten teeth (group II) received circumferential slot retention 1 mm deep, 0.5 mm inside the dentinoenamel junction. Four teeth (group III) served as controls. Groups I and II were restored with composite resin. Fourteen days later, the teeth were removed, demineralized, serially sectioned, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Chi-square analysis indicated more pulp inflammation when self-threading pins were used ( p
Building a new biomedical ecosystem: Pfizer's Centers for Therapeutic Innovation.

It is becoming increasingly clear that to significantly enhance research and development productivity and innovation, new external partnerships are essential. Although partnership between academia and industry is not a novel concept, the manner in which such collaborations are designed and implemented has evolved. In 2010, Pfizer took decisive steps to form the Centers for Therapeutic Innovation: a partnership model with academia based on true collaboration, reflected by transparency, shared decision making, and aligned incentives for sustainable innovation. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2013); 94 3, 314–316. doi:10.1038/clpt.2013.89
Differences in Perceptions of Patient Safety Culture between Charge and Noncharge Nurses: Implications for Effectiveness Outcomes Research

The implementation of evidence-based practice guidelines can be influenced by nurses' perceptions of the organizational safety culture. Shift-by-shift management of each nursing unit is designated to a subset of staff nurses (charge nurses), whom are often recruited as champions for change. The findings indicate that compared to charge nurses, noncharge nurses were more positive about overall perceptions of safety (P = .05) and teamwork (P < .05). Among charge nurses, significant differences were observed based on the number of years' experience in charge: perception of teamwork within units [F(3, 365) = 3.52, P < .01]; overall perceptions of safety, [F(3, 365) = 4.20, P < .05]; safety grade for work area [F(3, 360) = 2.61, P < .05]; number of events reported within the last month [F(3, 362) = 3.49, P < .05]. These findings provide important insights to organizational contextual factors that may impact effectiveness outcomes research in the future.
Catalytic Dehalogenation of Aryl Chlorides Mediated by Ruthenium(II) Phosphine Complexes

The catalytic dechlorination of aryl chlorides performed by RuHCl(H2)2(PCy3)2 and RuH2(H2)2(PCy3)2 in alcohols is rapid and complete within 1 h. The mechanism involves a transfer hydrogenation step with participation of the alcohol. The system exhibits significant functional group tolerance. The catalyst can be generated in situ from [RuCl2(COD)]x (COD = cyclooctadiene) and 2 equiv of phosphine (PCy3 or PiPr3). Catalytic conversions are similar to those observed when an isolated precatalyst is used. Mechanistic considerations and the scope of the process are discussed.
The role of hypercapnia in acetazolamide teratogenesis

Fur die teratogene Wirkung von Acetazolamid beim Hamster ist nicht nur der die CO2-Konzentration erhohende Effekt verantwortlich. Das Aussetzen der mit Acetazolamid behandelten Muttertiere in eine mit 10% CO2 angereicherte Atmosphare erhohte zwar die Inzidenz, nicht aber den Schweregrad der Missbildungen der Vorderextremitat.
Vibrational Frequencies for Model Silicates: Extensions Beyond Molecular Properties

The investigation of surface properties for ceramic materials often focuses on molecular properties, both in terms of model systems and methods. Typically, we use molecular species (i.e. SiO{sub 4}H{sub 4}, H{sub 3}SiOH) to represent silica surfaces, often resulting in poor prediction of absorption phenomena. Dielectric effects, even when approximated by electrostatic and polar interactions, can have significant effects on the charge distribution and surface absorption characteristics of model molecular complexes. In this paper, we report on the effect of the surrounding matrix on the harmonic vibrational frequencies by employing reaction field techniques in electronic structure calculations. Comparisons of molecular-based to reaction field affected properties will be made to illustrate the extensions of the molecular to the extended network domain. 9 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs.
Rising to the challenge of conducting research on Asian Americans in higher education

Many challenges to studying Asian Americans in higher education exist, but they are not insurmountable. The urgency of rising to overcome those challenges is discussed.
Combination of stereotactic radiosurgery and cytokine gene-transduced tumor cell vaccination: a new strategy against metastatic brain tumors.

Object. To determine if the combination of radiosurgery and tumor cell vaccine would enhance the therapy of metastatic lesions of the central nervous system (CNS), the authors examined the antitumoral effects of radiosurgery and cytokine-transduced tumor cell vaccine. Methods. Fifty-five rats underwent intracranial implantation of 5 × 103 MADB106 cells. On Day 3 after tumor implantation, 34 rats were inoculated in the flank with nonirradiated MADB106 cells that had been retrovirally transduced to express granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor or interleukin-4. Twenty-seven rats (17 animals that had received the vaccine and 10 that had not) underwent radiosurgery performed using a gamma knife at maximum doses of 32 Gy on Day 5. No animals in the untreated group or in the vaccine-alone groups survived longer than 21 days. Animals treated by radiosurgery alone displayed prolonged survival in comparison with untreated animals (p < 0.0001), but only one of 10 animals survived longer than 55 days. In ...
Electron microscopy studies of lutetium doped erbium silicide (Er0.9Lu0.1)5Si4

Abstract Examination of bulk microstructures of lutetium doped erbium silicide (Er0.9Lu0.1)5Si4 (space group: Pnma) using scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM) reveals the existence of thin plates of a hexagonal phase (space group: P63/mcm) where the stoichiometric ratio in moles between the rare earths and Si is 5 to 3, i. e the 5:3 phase. The orientation relationship between the matrix and the plates was determined as [010]m ≈ ∥[-1010]p. This observation adds credence to the assumption that all linear features noted in alloys of the rare-earth intermetallic family R5(SixGe1-x)4 are of the stoichiometric ratio 5:3 and possess a common orientation relationship with the parent 5:4 alloys.
An inexpensive, multipurpose proximity detector for use in behavioral experiments

This report describes the procedure for converting a commercially sold construction tool into a versatile, noninvasive, proximity detector suitable for laboratory use. The recommended modifications, which are both simple and inexpensive, enable the device to be integrated with laboratory computers.
Innocuous nature of the sickling (pseudosickling) phenomenon in deer.

SUMMARY 1. Sickle-shaped deer cells have a normal life span because they are non-fragile, and they do not obstruct blood vessels because they are small and pliable. Thus, the presence of sickle-shaped cells in deer is innocuous. These findings have relevance to the sickling phenomenon in humans in that they emphasize the importance of the physical properties of sickled cells, exclusive of shape, in the pathogenesis of sickle cell anaemia. 2. The data in this study in conjunction with previous observations in the literature indicate that there are five basic differences between the sickling phenomenon in deer and humans, (a) The haemoglobin of deer differs from human sickle haemoglobin in composition and in electrophoretic behaviour, (b) The formation of sickle-shaped deer cells can be induced by oxygenation (which blows off carbon dioxide and induces a pH change), whereas human cells sickle when de-oxygenated, (c) The internal structure of deer sickle-shaped cells is probably that of a gel instead of the tactoid formation found in human cells, (d) Sickle-shaped cells of deer are non-fragile and pliable whereas human sickle cells are fragile and rigid, (e) The presence of sickle-shaped cells in humans produces a disease state, whereas their presence in deer is innocuous. Since the shape of the cells is the only property that is similar in deer and human sickling, it is more appropriate to designate the phenomenon in deer as ‘pseudosickling’.
Spatial complexity and hand usage on the Block Design Test.

Summary.-The Block Design test is a task utilizing spatial ability, on which subjects are required to arrange red and white blocks in a pattern similar to one presented on a stimulus card. 69 right-handed subjects were presented a series of trials which varied in difficulty or spatial complexity. The amouat of time that each subject's hand was in contact with the blocks during each of the reproduction attempts was recorded. Analysis of these times shows that subjects use their right hands with greater frequency only on tasks of low and moderate spatial complexity. This preference is not present on tasks of high spatial complexity. Interpretations of this finding are offered. The Block Design is a commonly used test in psychological assessment. Developed by Kohs ( 1923), it essentially requires the reproduction of the top surfaces of red and white blocks. It is most frequently used as a subtest on the Wechsler intelligence tests (WAIS-R and WISC-R) to measure visualspatial abilities. Block designs are also encountered on tests such as the Satz Block Design Rotation Test and the Grassi Block Substitution Test to assess cognitive impairment and organic brain damage. In point, it has proven to be effective in predicting lesions in the posterior region of the brain (Klgve & Reitan, 1958; McFie, 1975), and Satz (1966) obtained high validity in predicting the likelihood of brain disorder using a block-design reproduction task. The Block Design task requires subjects to reproduce a series of designs of varying difficulty. The blocks are identical: 6-sided cubes that are all white on two sides, all red on two sides, and half-red half-white diagonally on the final two sides. Each of the designs is to be reproduced from drawings of the design. Royer (1977) and Garner (1962) have determined a number of stimulus factors that affect the perceived difficulty of the block designs. The first is that of total set size (TSS), which is defined as the total set of stimuli from which the single one for presentation was selected (Garner, 1962). It is quantified by calculating the number of possible patterns which could be construed from a particular set of alternative block sides and is measured in bits of information or uncertainty. Vandivier (1981) stated that a nine-block design using only solid colors would offer only two alternatives (red or white) for each of the blocks. The number of bits of information would be 9 for this design (TSS = loga 2% 9). Similarly, a nine-block design using only diag
Stimulation and destruction of the locus coeruleus: Opposite effects on 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol sulfate levels in the rat cerebral cortex

Abstract The effect of electrical stimulation or electrothermic destruction of the locus coeruleus on cortical (including hippocampus) levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol sulfate (MHPG-sulfate) was studied in rats. The locus coeruleus, which consists of norepinephrine (NE-containing nerve cell bodies, projects to the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus. 10 days after unilateral destruction of the locus coeruleus NE was decreased 78% and MHPG-sulfate, a central NE metabolite, was lowered by 69% in these areas. No alterations in levels of norepinephrine or MHPG-sulfate were observed on the contralateral side. Stimulation of the locus coeruleus induced a frequency-dependent increase in MHPG-sulfate. The most effective frequency was 20 pulses per sec. After 15 min of stimulation the MHPG-sulfate had reached a new steady state level of about 80% over the contralateral side. These findings indicate that MHPG-sulfate levels are dependent upon the integrity of NE neurons and that the level of rate of formation of MHPG-sulfate in the brain can be a reflection of the physiological activity of these neurons.
High-resolution electron microscopy and microchemical characterization of a polyvinyl alcohol acetate/calcium aluminate composite (macro-defect-free cement)

Abstract The microstructure of a micro-defect-free (MDF) cement has been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) and energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS). MDF cement consists of mono- and polycrystalline agglomerates of CaAl 2 O 4 and CaAl 4 O 7 grains randomly distributed in a polymer matrix. The agglomerates are surrounded by an amorphous layer of anhydrous product inside of which are distributed very fine crystllites of Ca 2 Al 2 O 5 ·8H 2 O. This metastable pseudo-hexagonal crystalline hydration product is believed to be stabilized by the incorporation of organic chains in its basal interlayer. The polymer phase contains appreciable quantities of Al and Ca with Al / Ca = 4.3. This is explained in terms of preferential crosslinking ofpolymer with Al ions. Furthermore, this preferential Al crosslinking results in a Ca-rich interface, thereby favoring the formation of a calcium-rich hydration product.
H 2 -Optimal Control with Generalized State-Space Models for use in Control-Structure Optimization

Control-Structure optimization is concerned with the design of closed-loop structure control systems where the cost associated with an optimal design reflects structure costs (e.g., mass) as well as costs associated with the closed-loop performance and control effort. The use of generalized state-space models in these optimization problems avoids the need to explicitly invert the associated mass matrix and preserves the sparsity in the system model, providing ing some promise for efficient, reliable numerical algorithms. In this paper formulae are presented for computation of the control cost and its gradient with respect to the plant parameters.
Defining high-risk patients for endovascular aneurysm repair

Background Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is commonly used as a minimally invasive technique for repairing infrarenal aortic aneurysms. There have been recent concerns that a subset of high-risk patients experience unfavorable outcomes with this intervention. To determine whether such a high-risk cohort exists and to identify the characteristics of these patients, we analyzed the outcomes of Medicare patients treated with EVAR from 2000-2006. Methods We identified 66,943 patients who underwent EVAR from Inpatient Medicare database. The overall 30-day mortality was 1.6%. A risk model for perioperative mortality was developed by randomly selecting 44,630 patients; the other one third of the dataset was used to validate the model. The model was deemed reliable (Hosmer-Lemeshow statistics were P = .25 for the development, P = .24 for the validation model) and accurate (c = 0.735 and c=0.731 for the development and the validation model, respectively). Results In our scoring system, where scores ranged between 1 and 7, the following were identified as significant baseline factors that predict mortality: renal failure with dialysis (score = 7); renal failure without dialysis (score = 3); clinically significant lower extremity ischemia (score = 5); patient age ≥85 years (score = 3), 75-84 years (score = 2), 70-74 years (score = 1); heart failure (score = 3); chronic liver disease (score = 3); female gender (score = 2); neurological disorders (score = 2); chronic pulmonary disease (score = 2); surgeon experience in EVAR 10%. Conclusion We conclude that there is a high-risk cohort of patients that should not be treated with EVAR because of prohibitively high mortality; however, this cohort is small. Our scoring system, which is based on patient and institutional factors, provides criteria that can be easily used by clinicians to quantify perioperative risk for EVAR candidates.
Microdeformation and network structure in epoxies

Thin films of epoxies with various strand densities, Ν, are strained in tension until localized plastic deformation is observed. The total strand density, a sum of entanglement and crosslinked strand densities, is adjusted by changing the initial resin molecular weight, the weight fraction of added diluent, and the stoichiometric fraction of curing agent. Experiments on uncrosslinked high molecular weight phenoxy are used to investigate the entanglement network. The strand density Ν is computed from measurements of the rubbery plateau modulus using the theory of rubber elasticity and is used to compute the maximum extension ratio of a single network strand, λmax, which varies approximately as Ν−1/2. Transmission electron microscopy is used to quantitatively characterize the plastic deformation. Only plane stress deformation zones (DZs) are observed in the cross-linked epoxies, and the entangled phenoxy resins. The characteristic extension ratio in these DZs, λ, is found to scale as λ−1=0.32 (λmax−1), a relation close to that observed for thermoplastics and cross-linked polystyrene. Rather than promoting a transition from shear deformation to crazing, diluting these networks with unreactive epoxy molecules too short to entangle makes them prone to fracture.
A Canker Disease of Poplars Caused by a New Species of Neofabraea

The disease was first observed at Bear Island, Lake Temagami, Ontario, during the summers of 1930-1931, when it was found on young trees of Populus grandidentata Michx., P. tacamahaca Mill. and P. tremuloides Michx. Later it was found on the same species of poplars in other places in the Temagami Forest Reserve. The affected trees were from three to six years old and usually not over 1.5 inches in diameter.
Switching Transients in Large Deep-Bar Squirrel Cage Induction Motors

A theoretical basis is established for calculating the transient current and torque developed by an induction machine due to switching operations. The method of calculations is similar to that used for synchronous machines. The validity of the theory has been checked with the experimental results on a model induction motor. Formulae presented in this paper can be further simplified by using empirical factors derived from a number of tests on large machines.