cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Semantics-driven sensor configuration for energy reduction in medical sensor networks

Traditional optimization methods for large multisensory networks often use sensor array reduction and sampling techniques that attempt to reduce energy while retaining full predictability of the raw sensed data. For systems such as medical sensor networks, raw data prediction is unnecessary, rather, only relevant semantics derived from the raw data are essential. We present a new method for sensor fusion, array reduction, and subsampling that reduces both energy and cost through semantics-driven system configuration. Using our method, we reduce the energy requirements of a medical shoe by a factor of 17.9 over the original system configuration while maintaining semantic relevance.
Heterocytolysis by Macrophages Activated by Bacillus Calmette-Guerin: Lysosome Exocytosis into Tumor Cells

The cytotoxic activity of activated macrophages against tumorigenic target cells appears to be mediated by lysosomal enzymes of activated macrophage origin. Lysosomes of activated macrophages are secreted directly into the cytoplasm of susceptible target cells, which subsequently undergo heterolysis. This reaction can be inhibited by agents which prevent the exocytosis of macrophage lysosomes (hydrocortisone) or which interfere with the action of lysosomal enzymes (trypan blue).
Risks and benefits of rate control versus maintenance of sinus rhythm

There are 2 fundamental approaches to managing patients with recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF): to restore and maintain sinus rhythm with cardioversion and/or antiarrhythmic drugs, or to control the ventricular rate only. Over the past few years, there have been several important prospective clinical trials comparing rate control with rhythm control in patients with recurrent AF. The Pharmacological Intervention in Atrial Fibrillation (PIAF) trial was the first prospective randomized study to test the hypothesis of equivalency between the 2 management strategies for AF. The trial demonstrated that rate control was not inferior to rhythm control with respect to symptoms, quality of life, or number of hospitalizations in patients with persistent AF. The Strategies of Treatment in Atrial Fibrillation (STAF) trial was a pilot study that enrolled approximately 200 patients with AF who were randomized to either ventricular rate control or cardioversion and maintenance of sinus rhythm. The results showed that over a 1-year period there was little difference in outcome in terms of morbidity or symptoms. In the Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up Investigation of Rhythm Management (AFFIRM) trial, patients with AF and risk factors for stroke were randomized to either rhythm control or rate control, with both groups receiving anticoagulation with warfarin. There was no difference in the composite end point of death, disabling stroke or anoxic encephalopathy, major bleeding, or cardiac arrest between the 2 arms. In addition, no major differences were noted in functional status or quality of life. The Rate Control Versus Electrical Cardioversion (RACE) trial also reached a similar conclusion. Thus, rate control is an acceptable primary strategy for management of patients with recurrent AF.
Social environments and organizational accounting

Abstract The determinants of the prevalence of accountants and accounting work in organizations are discussed, starting from a view of organizational structure as created in response to environmental factors. Accounting work is seen as related to the expansion of cultural rationalization—and in particular to forms of rationalization that are not made organizationally complete or self-evident. It arises less in situations of clear vertical and horizontal bureaucratization than in those of the expansion of organizational structure without clear and definite rules of vertical and lateral differentiation.
Expansions in statistical physics

On presente un traitement auto contenu du developpement polymere. On axiomatise cette notion. On demontre comment ces developpements permettent un traitement systematique de la plupart des developpements en amas de la physique statistique
Surface-plasmon-resonance-based array biosensors for multianalyte detection

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is a phenomenon wherein the reflectance versus angle-of-incidence profile for a thin gold film illuminated with p-polarized light has a distinct minimum at a particular angle. This minimum of reflectance is due to an absorption of the light energy by the surface electron plasma of the metal occurring when the surface- parallel components of the light and plasmon propagation vectors match up. The value of this particular angle of incidence changes in proportion to the degree of adsorption of analytes to the metal film. This allows SPR to be used as a simple, noninvasive, optical tool for measuring the binding of chemical analytes. With a predetermined pattern of chemically specific receptors bound to the gold film, it is possible to detect a variety of species and concentrations of analytes, provided that one has a sensor platform capable of resolving the different reactions in each element of the receptor array. We have developed such a platform which is capable of optically monitoring an array of analyte receptors immobilized on gold coated microscope slides in real time. Moreover, the optical resolution of sensor platform allows the receptors to be micro-patterned.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Linoleic acid-rich diet increases hepatic taurine and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase activity in conjunction with altered bile acid composition and conjugation in gerbils

Abstract Although dietary fatty acid saturation is an effective modulator of plasma cholesterol, its effects on bile acid metabolism are not well elucidated. In fact, it is possible that primary changes in bile acid metabolism account for the response in plasma lipids. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the effect of a diet rich in specific saturated fatty acids [lauric and myristic acid (12:0 + 14:0)] with a diet containing a specific unsaturate, linoleic acid (18:2n6) on factors affecting bile acid metabolism in gerbils. Gerbils were fed a high-fat diet (40% of energy) based on either coconut oil (12:0 + 14:0-rich) or safflower oil (18:2n6-rich). After 4 weeks, plasma sterols, the gallbladder bile acid profile, and fecal bile acid excretion were analyzed along with hepatic concentrations of taurine and cholesterol. Hepatic activities of acyl-CoA cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase were also measured. Exchange of 29% energy as 18:2n6 for 12:0 + 14:0 increased the proportion of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids at the expense of polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma, hepatic microsomal membranes, and bile phospholipids. Concentrations of plasma cholesterol and 27-hydroxycholesterol were greatly increased by the 12:0 + 14:0-rich diet. This effect was coupled with significant decreases in hepatic taurine concentration and the activities of ACAT and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase, as well as fecal bile acid excretion. Analysis of gallbladder bile acids revealed that the 12:0 + 14:0-rich diet decreased the cholate:chenodeoxycholate and primary:secondary bile acid ratios as well as the ratio of taurine:glycine conjugates. In essence, the exchange of dietary lauric and myristic acids for linoleic acid was associated with decreased production and excretion of bile acids concurrent with reduced hepatic taurine and taurine-conjugated bile acids.
Outlier Detection Using Random Walks

The discovery of objects with exceptional behavior is an important challenge from a knowledge discovery standpoint and has attracted much attention recently. In this paper, we present a stochastic graph-based algorithm, called OutRank, for detecting outlying objects. In our method, a matrix is constructed using the similarity between objects and used as the adjacency matrix of the graph representation. The heart of this approach is the Markov model that is built upon this graph, which assigns an outlier score to each object. Using this framework, we show that our algorithm is more powerful than the existing outlier detection schemes and can effectively address the inherent problems of such schemes. Empirical studies conducted on both real and synthetic data sets show that significant improvements in detection rate and a lower false alarm rate are achieved using our proposed framework.
Obesity contributes to risk of SCD in the general population and prolongation of ventricular repolarization is a potential mechanism

heart rate. Objective: to investigate whether changes in the QT interval observed with IVA are entirely due to bradycardia or also to the direct effects of IVA on ventricular repolarisation. Methods: Because the non-linear relationship between the QT interval and the heart rate may often result in underor overestimation of the corrected QTc interval by the conventional Bazett (QTcB) and Fridericia (QTcF) formulae, respectively, a population correction formula (QTcP) was used. The QTcP formula was developed and validated in 23,997 QT/RR paired values from the ECGs in 1216 patients with coronary artery disease randomised to the placebo arm of several IVA efficacy studies. The QTcP formula was then used for rate correction of the QT interval in 995 patients randomised to treatment with IVA 10 mg bid. Eighty-three patients treated with atenolol 100 mg od served as active controls. Results: Based on the analysis of the QT/RR values in the placebo group, the QTcP formula resulted in a correction exponent of 0.384. Prolongation of the uncorrected QT interval was observed in patients treated with IVA or atenolol consistent with a reduction in heart rate (Figure). There were no changes in the corrected QTc interval throughout the follow-up period. Conclusion: The effects of IVA and atenolol on the QT interval is solely related to bradycardia with no evidence of any direct effect on repolarisation. The QTcP correction formula allows accurate QTc interval assessment.
On the role of shear instability in the modelling of crystal twinning

Abstract In order to model deformation twinning, a nonlinear elastic constitutive law is proposed for body-centered cubic crystals. This stored energy function possesses multiple potential wells and embodies unstable regimes of shear associated with a failure of ellipticity. The detailed structure of the mechanical response for anti-plane shear deformations is deduced from considerations of lattice symmetry and is consistent with the usual twinning mode in BCC lattices. Inhomogeneous equilibrium deformations of this material involve large, discontinuous shear strains which are localized within narrow twin lamellae. These regions have a shape restricted by exclusion of constitutive instability. Their boundaries are roughly aligned with special composition planes, but are slightly curved, terminating into cusps. The predicted needle-like configuration is in agreement with the observed twin morphology. The appearance of these twinned zones is shown to be energetically favorable under suitable applied loads.
Cerebrovascular complications in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) type IV is an autosomal dominant disorder that results from mutations in the COL3A1 gene, which encodes chains of type III procollagen. Individuals with this disorder are predisposed to rupture of arteries, the bowel, and the gravid uterus. To assess the frequency of central nervous system complications, we reviewed clinical data concerning 202 individuals with EDS type IV from 121 families in which the diagnosis was confirmed by biochemical or molecular studies. We identified 19 individuals with cerebrovascular complications, which included intracranial aneurysms with secondary hemorrhage, spontaneous carotid-cavernous sinus fistula, and cercical artery dissection. The mean age at presentation with these events was 28.3 years (range, 17-48 years). Although uncommon, EDS type IV is an important potential cause of stroke in young people. The disorder is readily identifiable clinically and the diagnosis has important implications for acute and long-term management and, potentially, for other family members. Because conventional angiography may exacerbate severe complications, noninvasive procedures such as Doppler and magnetic resonance angiography are the investigations of choice. Anticoagulation therapy may result in increased bruising or bleeding and should be used with caution.
Carbon dioxide laser ptosis surgery combined with blepharoplasty.

background Repair of levator aponeurosis pathology has become accepted technique for the correction of acquired ptosis. Extensive experience with carbon dioxide (CO2) laser blepharoplasty has been obtained. objective CO2 laser blepharoplasty techniques are expanded to repair acquired ptosis. methods A step-wise outline of laser surgical technique is presented. results A retrospective serial study of 82 patients is reviewed and compared favorably with other reported series. Improvement in appearance and reduction of asymmetry to less than 1 mm was observed in 69 patients (84%). Thirteen patients had more than 1 mm of asymmetry and eight underwent surgical revisions. No long-term complications such as chronic exposure keratitis were noted. conclusions The CO2 laser repair of acquired ptosis by aponeurotic surgery can be combined with blepharoplasty surgery. Improved intraoperative hemostasis, decreased operating time, and improved appearance in the immediate postoperative period are achieved with this technique.
Dynamic Labeling during Capillary or Microchip Electrophoresis for Laser-Induced Fluorescence Detection of Protein−SDS Complexes without Pre- or Postcolumn Labeling

The analysis of proteins under denaturing conditions is routinely performed with SDS−polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The automated capabilities of CE, use of nongel sieving matrixes, and on-line optical detection by either ultraviolet (UV) absorption or laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) promise to revolutionize this method. While direct on-line detection of proteins is possible as a result of their intrinsic ability to absorb light in the UV part of the spectrum (detection sensitivity comparable to Coomassie Blue staining of gels), LIF provides more powerful detection but requires pre- or postcolumn fluorescence labeling of the proteins. The development of a protocol analogous to that used for double-stranded DNA analysis, where fluorescent intercalating dyes are simply included in the separation medium, would simplify size-based protein analysis immensely. This would avoid the complications associated with covalent modification of the proteins but still exploit the sensitivity of LIF detection. We dem...
Neurasthenic Nation: America's Search for Health, Happiness, and Comfort, 1869–1920. By David G. Schuster. (Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2011. Pp. 224. $42.95.)

For several decades in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, neurasthenia—nervous prostration or nervous exhaustion—became so common in the United States that it was considered the cha...
Quantum theory of line shapes in coherent Raman spectroscopy of gases and liquids

The fully quantum mechanical theory of coherent Raman scattering in gases and liquids is developed. In this theory, the electromagnetic radiation is described as a quantized field, and the quantum mechanical transition amplitude for the scattering process is calculated. This is formally different from the usual semiclassical theory in which the radiation field is characterized as a classical electromagnetic wave and nonlinear susceptibilities are used to describe the interaction of radiation and matter. The Doppler broadened line shape for the ideal gas is calculated and found to be non‐Gaussian with a width that is 1.2 times larger than the Doppler width for spontaneous Raman scattering in the forward direction. This differs from a previously published result. The rotational–vibrational band shape is shown to be related to a correlation function for rotational–vibrational motion. This correlation function is the same as that describing spontaneous Raman scattering, but the relationship of the correlation function to the spectrum is different. In the absence of correlations between rotation and vibration the spectrum can be related to a Laplace transform (with an imaginary argument) of a rotational correlation function. The line shape is calculated for two special cases, free rotational motion and Brownian rotational motion.
Electrolyte-fluid exchanges and renal tissue composition in vasopressin treated polyuric-polydipsic rabbits.

SummaryDaily administration of 2 units of vasopressin for 2 days to adult male rabbits during the polyuric-polydipsic syndrome induced by food deprivation effectively reduced the urine volume and fluid intake and increased the urinary osmolarity. There was no alteration in renal cortical or medullary electrolyte and fluid content under the conditions of these experiments. These findings establish the effectiveness of vasopressin in food-deprived polyuric-polydipsic male rabbits and suggest a possible role of an altered vasopressin release in the development of this syndrome and in the inhibitory action of estrogen.
Histologic Observations on the Human Apocrine Sweat Gland in Health and Disease1

Recently, Holyoke and Lobitz (1) reported upon the histologic variations which occur in the structure of the human eccrine sweat gland. The present study was undertaken to secure parallel data with respect to the apocrine sweat gland. Histopathologists have had little acquaintance with the apocrine gland since relatively few biopsies are obtained from apocrine areas such as the axilla, and, of these, most are too superficial to include the glands. Review of 25,000 biopsy reports and specimens in the dermatologie files at the University of Pennsylvaniaf revealed 146 to be from the axilla. However, only 12 proved to be adequate for observation of the apocrine gland. It became obvious that broader knowledge of the histology of the apocrine sweat gland could come only after a study of axillary biopsies of adequate size and depth. With this in mind, we surgically excised axillary skin from 75 patients with a variety of diseases involving the axilla (Table 1). Another 75 biopsy specimens from normal axillae were excised for control data. All of the specimens were over 2 cm. in length and of such depth as to include subcutaneous fat. They were serially sectioned to permit complete study of the entire range of changes. Staining was done routinely with hematoxylin and eosin.
Clearing the Underbrush for Real‐Life Contracting

In his famous book, The Death of Contract, Grant Gilmore dubbed Stewart Macaulay the "Lord High Executioner of the Contract is Dead school" (Gilmore 1974, 3, n.1; Braucher 1995, 52). Gilmore's book portrayed the development and asserted disintegration of classical contract doctrine as an epic battle between contract titans, with Samuel Williston advancing the classical, relatively "objectivist" approach and Arthur Corbin retorting with something far more nuanced, fact-sensitive, and "real." Gilmore declared "dead" the objectivist approach and, with it, the distinctive character of contract law that made it different from the law of torts from which it emerged in the nineteenth century. Macaulay won his dubious cameo role1 in Gilmore's little drama because his path-breaking research had examined how contract law actually operated and his findings had prompted hard questions about the flimsy connection between that "law" and the "law" that lawyers and law students learn about when they study in law school.
Fractional transport equation on random fractals

Abstract According to the ways of H.E. Roman and M. Giona with the constitutive equation of diffusive particles in isotropic and homogeneous three dimensions and the Laplace transform we derive the multiscaling fractional transport equation in disordered fractal media, whose solution is consistent with literature results.
New biomimetic aggrecan for treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration

Lower back pain resulting from intervertebral disc degeneration is one of the leading musculoskeletal disorders confronting our health system. Disc degeneration is accompanied by a decrease in aggrecan content in the nucleus pulposus. A possible approach to mechanically stabilizing the disc early in the degenerative cascade is by increasing the concentration of aggrecan in the nucleus to normal level thereby increasing hydration and intradiscal pressure. Treatment with natural aggrecan, however, is cost prohibitive. Here we report synthesis and characterization of an enzymatically-resistant, biomimetic aggrecan consisting of a synthetic polymer core with covalently attached chondroitin sulfate bristles. Our novel biomimetic aggrecan mimics the structure and osmotic properties of natural aggrecan and is cytocompatible.
Localized tensional forces on PECAM-1 elicit a global mechanotransduction response via the integrin-RhoA pathway.

Summary Background Mechanical forces regulate cell behavior and function during development, differentiation, and tissue morphogenesis. In the vascular system, forces produced by blood flow are critical determinants not only of morphogenesis and function, but also of pathological states such as atherosclerosis. Endothelial cells (ECs) have numerous mechanotransducers, including platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) at cell-cell junctions and integrins at cell-matrix adhesions. However, the processes by which forces are transduced to biochemical signals and subsequently translated into downstream effects are poorly understood. Results Here, we examine mechanochemical signaling in response to direct force application on PECAM-1. We demonstrate that localized tensional forces on PECAM-1 result in, surprisingly, global signaling responses. Specifically, force-dependent activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) downstream of PECAM-1 promotes cell-wide activation of integrins and the small GTPase RhoA. These signaling events facilitate changes in cytoskeletal architecture, including growth of focal adhesions and adaptive cytoskeletal stiffening. Conclusions Taken together, our work provides the first evidence of a global signaling event in response to a localized mechanical stress. In addition, these data provide a possible mechanism for the differential stiffness of vessels exposed to distinct hemodynamic force patterns in vivo.
The identity of Laminaria ensiformis Delle Chiaje (Phaeophyceae)

Summary An historical background is given on the name Laminaria ensiformis Delle Chiaje (1829), and evidence is presented that it is taxonomically identical to Asperococcus compressus A. W. Griffiths ex W.J. Hooker (1833), a brown algal species widely occurring in the Mediterranean Sea, the northeastern Atlantic, and elsewhere in the world. Because Delle Chiaje's name is valid, legitimate, and has priority, the binomial Asperococcus ensiformis (Delle Chiaje) M.J. Wynne comb. nov. is proposed. Plate LXXXII of Delle Chiaje (1829) is designated the lectotype of Laminaria ensiformis.
Turbulence Modifications in the Roughness Sublayer of Flow over a Highly-Irregular Surface Topology

Stereoscopic particle image velocimetry measurements are made in two wall-parallel planes{one within and the other at the outer edge of the roughness sublayer{for ∞ow over a rough-wall topology replicated from a turbine blade damaged by deposition of foreign materials. The surface roughness studied herein is highly irregular, contains a broad range of topological scales and is therefore representative of what one might encounter in a variety of technologically-relevant ∞ows of interest. Signiflcant modiflcation of the turbulence within the roughness sublayer (y = 0:065‐ = 1:7k, where k is the characteristic roughness height) is observed at streamwise{spanwise locations that are coincident with dominant topological features, particularly strong enhancement of the wall-normal velocity ∞uctuations, the Reynolds shear stress and the swirling strength (a vortex identifler). These heterogeneities are found to diminish signiflcantly toward the outer edge of the roughness sublayer (y = 0:15‐), with the statistics of the turbulence relaxing toward a relatively homogeneous state in both the streamwise and spanwise directions. Interestingly, the heterogeneities observed within the roughness sublayer are quite localized around dominant topological features, indicating that sustained wakes are not generated downstream of these roughness features.
Shared Components Topic Models

With a few exceptions, extensions to latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) have focused on the distribution over topics for each document. Much less attention has been given to the underlying structure of the topics themselves. As a result, most topic models generate topics independently from a single underlying distribution and require millions of parameters, in the form of multinomial distributions over the vocabulary. In this paper, we introduce the Shared Components Topic Model (SCTM), in which each topic is a normalized product of a smaller number of underlying component distributions. Our model learns these component distributions and the structure of how to combine subsets of them into topics. The SCTM can represent topics in a much more compact representation than LDA and achieves better perplexity with fewer parameters.
A comparison of lifelong and posttrauma nightmares in a civilian trauma sample: Nightmare characteristics, psychopathology, and treatment outcome.

Nightmares and sleep disturbances are thought to play a key role in the development of posttrauma problems. Research efforts have increased in an attempt to understand this association. The present study examined differences in nightmare characteristics, related psychopathology, treatment outcome, and trauma history among trauma-exposed individuals whose nightmares began before a traumatic event and those whose nightmares began after a traumatic event, while controlling for posttraumatic stress disorder status. Individuals whose nightmares began following a trauma experienced more depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms and poorer sleep quality, reported a higher number of traumatic events, and were more likely to report nightmares replicative of or similar to the trauma than those whose nightmares began before the trauma. No other between-groups differences were found for nightmare characteristics or response to treatment. This study is an important step in understanding the nature of nightmares and their relationship to traumatic events and consequences, but additional research is warranted.
Simultaneous test pattern compaction, ordering and X-filling for testing power reduction

Minimizing the power dissipation in scan-based testing is an important problem. We provide for the first time an optimal formulation for the problem of simultaneously compacting, ordering, and X-filling a set of test patterns such that the fault coverage is maintained but the (overall or peak) power dissipation is minimized. We model the problem as a sequence of Pseudo-Boolean optimization problems. We give a scalable implementation of the optimization problem based on window-based local search. In contrast to the traditional technique of sequentially optimizing for compaction, ordering, and X-filling, we experimentally demonstrate that our simultaneous optimization can reduce power dissipation by 47% on ISCAS'89 benchmark circuits.
Optimal Sequential Inspection

In this paper, we consider a problem of sequential resource allocation. Such a problem arises in a simplified intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) scenario where a micro air vehicle (MAV) is tasked with search and classification in an environment with false targets. The MAV visits the objects of interest in a specified sequence for classification. A human operator aids classification of objects based on the images sent to him from the MAV and the operator may request that the object be revisited if he requires further information. Such a request is made at most once by the operator for each object. The information gained by the operator when any object is revisited is the same. There is a random delay in communicating his findings to the MAV and the probability density function of the delay is assumed known. The MAV has a finite fuel reserve and upon receiving the feedback from the operator, it must decide whether to revisit the object or whether to continue to the next object in the sequence. In every revisit, fuel is expended from the reserve and equals twice the delay plus a fixed fuel cost. The objective is to maximize the number of revisits so as to maximize the information gained about the objects, which enables them to be classified as targets or false targets. Using stochastic dynamic programming, we show that there is a threshold delay for each object and it is optimal to revisit the object if the operator delay is smaller than the threshold and not to revisit otherwise
A proposal for laser cooling of OH molecules

We describe a possible method for laser cooling OH molecules. The method is based on exciting the ΔJ = 2 stimulated Raman transition in the ground electronic and vibronic state. The molecules are assumed to already be trapped with a temperature of ~10 mK or less in a spatially varying magnetic field. By exciting the molecule in a region of high magnetic field, the subsequent spontaneous photon emission at lower magnetic field removes centre-of-mass energy from the molecule. The vacuum decay rate from the J = 7/2, F = 4, MF = 4 to J = 5/2, F = 3, MF = 3 is roughly 0.31 Hz and the next cascade to J = 3/2, F = 2, MF = 2 is roughly 0.15 Hz. A cavity tuned to stimulate both transitions in a small region of space can enhance the decay. Simulations of the radiative transitions indicate that up to 20% of a population of OH molecules with an average energy of 10 mK will finish with energies less than 200 µK.
Thermodynamic Study of an Indirect Fired Air Turbine Cogeneration System With Reheat

A previous study of an indirect fired air turbine cogeneration system has been extended to include the concept of reheat. The effects of the number of reheat stages and cycle pressure drops on system performance parameters (such as power and process heat production, fuel utilization efficiency, and second-law efficiency) are examined.
The Myco-Agents of Bioterrorism

Fungi are a kingdom of eukaryotic organisms that are ubiquitous in nature. They are present throughout the world's ecosystems, from the arid desert to the ocean floor and the Arctic Circle (Golubic et al. 2005; Qaher 2006; Pietikainen et al. 2007). They frequently cause disease in humans. When growth occurs directly on humans this is referred to as a mycoses, however, when human pathogenesis is the result of a fungal metabolite (toxin) this is called a mycotoxicoses (Bennett and Klich 2003). Generally, fungi come in three forms: yeasts, mushrooms and molds. There are many examples of human pathology caused by toxins from each of these three groups, ranging from ethanol intoxication to hepatic failure from amatoxin. Scientific interest in toxicity from fungal metabolites (mycotoxins ) has grown recently as a result of their potential use as bioweapons. The fungi investigated for use as potential bioweapons are primarily molds, as these species have toxins that are easy to produce, have the ability to cause human disease, and are easy to disperse. A few of these toxins display superior military weapons potential as they cause acute toxicity and debilitation; others may be more useful as terrorist agents, as their ability to cause chronic toxicity may result in more acute fear than actual pathology.
Texturing of polycrystalline photovoltaic materials using vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays

In order to demonstrate that three-dimensional carbon nanotube-based photovoltaic devices show an increase in power output over similar planar cells, we have produced cells with texturing through the use of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays and cells without this texturing. The output power of these cells at varying incident angles of light was measured. The textured cells show an increase in the normalized power output compared with similar planar cells when the solar flux is at off-normal angles. The power output versus incident angle curve takes an inverted C-type curve as predicted by the theory developed previously, with very good agreement between experimental results and theoretical predictions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Alopecia and mood stabilizer therapy

Alopecia is a common side effect in patients managed on the mood stabilizers lithium, valproate, and carbamazepine. Clinicians may be reluctant to discontinue medications in patients suffering from hair loss if the mood stabilizer is otherwise efficacious. Therefore it is important to be familiar with the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of alopecia. A single representative case is provided to illustrate briefly the common presentation of a patient with mood stabilizer-induced alopecia. A literature search was conducted to provide the basis for discussion of diagnosis, the association of mood stabilizers with alopecia, and some management options of this side effect. The diagnosis of alopecia requires an understanding of normal hair growth and is best made following a careful history, an examination, and the maintenance of a high level of suspicion. Alopecia occurs in about 10% of persons managed on lithium, up to 12% of persons on valproate, and less than 6% of individuals on carbamazepine. Management of alopecia includes reassurance, hair care techniques, trace mineral supplementation, treatment with minoxidil, and hair replacement pieces. Alopecia due to mood stabilizer drugs can be potentially identified and managed without medication discontinuation.
More Positive or Less Negative? Trends in Research on Adjustment of Families Rearing Children With Developmental Disabilities

We reviewed family adjustment research over a 20-year period to determine whether it reflected less negative and/or more positive conceptions of families rearing children with developmental disabilities. Two judges, unaware of the purpose of the study, independently rated 60 articles, 20 from each of 3 time periods: 1971-1975, 1983, and 1993. Results indicated that although negativity declined from the 1970s to 1983, there was no concomitant increase in positivity. In our conclusion we emphasize that the changes were real, but small, and that most investigators still write about family adjustment in a predominantly negative tone.
Regenerative Injection Therapy for Osteoarthritis: Fundamental Concepts and Evidence-Based Review

Regenerative therapy involves the injection of a small volume of solution into multiple sites of painful ligament and tendon insertions (entheses) and adjacent joint spaces, with the goal of reducing pain and ostensibly promoting tissue repair and growth. Dextrose and platelet-rich plasma solutions have been shown to increase expression of growth factors in vivo and have shown promising clinical results in the treatment of tendinosus. In the treatment of osteoarthritis, small clinical trials and case series to date suggest safety, symptomatic improvement, and functional improvement at up to a year of follow-up; however, most of these studies are uncontrolled. Given the methodological limitations of clinical research on regenerative injections for osteoarthritis to date, this treatment should be considered only after execution of a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan, including optimization of biomechanics, weight loss, cardiovascular exercise, resistance training, and judicious use of more established topical, oral, and injectable medications.
Interferon signaling patterns in peripheral blood lymphocytes may predict clinical outcome after high-dose interferon therapy in melanoma patients

High-dose Interferon (HDI) therapy produces a clinical response and achieves relapse-free survival in 20-33% of patients with operable high risk or metastatic melanoma. However, patients may develop significant side effects frequently necessitating dose reduction or discontinuation of therapy. We recently showed that peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from some melanoma patients have impaired interferon (IFN) signaling which could be restored with high concentrations of IFN. This exploratory study evaluated IFN signaling in PBL of melanoma patients to assess whether the restoration of PBL IFN signaling may predict a beneficial effect for HDI in melanoma patients. PBL from 14 melanoma patients harvested on Day 0 and Day 29 of neoadjuvant HDI induction therapy were analyzed using phosflow to assess their interferon signaling patterns through IFN-α induced phosphorylation of STAT1-Y701. Patients who had a clinical response to HDI showed a lower PBL interferon signaling capacity than non-responders at baseline (Day 0). Additionally, clinical responders and patients with good long-term outcome showed a significant increase in their PBL interferon signaling from Day 0 to Day 29 compared to clinical non-responders and patients that developed metastatic disease. The differences in STAT1 activation from pre- to post- HDI treatment could distinguish between patients who were inclined to have a favorable or unfavorable outcome. While the sample size is small, these results suggest that interferon signaling patterns in PBL correlate with clinical responses and may predict clinical outcome after HDI in patients with melanoma. A larger confirmatory study is warranted, which may yield a novel approach to select patients for HDI therapy.
Effect of Server Posture on Restaurant Tipping

The effect of server posture (standing vs. squatting) on the size of tip left by restaurant customers was examined in two naturalistic experiments. In these studies, squatting down next to the tables increased servers’ tips from those tables. Both the practical implications of this effect and its similarity to other nonverbal effects on tipping are discussed.
Diverse Schools in a Democratic Society: New Ways of Understanding How School Demographics Affect Civic and Political Learning

The 2010 Census revealed the extent to which today’s metropolitan areas are growing increasingly diverse. At the forefront of this change are schools. Yet, research on school context continues to rely upon a traditional, cross-sectional bifurcation that designates schools as either diverse or not. This classification may be especially inaccurate for some educational outcomes such as whether schools are cultivating effective citizenship for a diverse democracy. Because of changing demographics, this paper considers whether a new framework for conceptualizing school racial composition, including the number and identity of specific racial groups and the stability of those groups, can determine more precisely the ways in which school diversity impacts students’ citizenship learning.
Decreasing Oxidative Stress with Choline and Carnitine in Women

Objective: Fatty acid oxidation is predominantly a mitochondrial event, which is enhanced by dietary choline and carnitine supplementation resulting in extra reactive oxygen species (ROS) load. The objective was to assess oxidative stress level by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS] in choline and carnitine supplemented healthy women before and after mild exercise.Methods: Nineteen free-living women completed the placebo control study in which choline and/or L-carnitine was orally taken for 21 days. Anthropometric measurements, dietary recall, exercise routine and blood samples were analyzed to determine body composition, nutrients intake, distance walked and biochemical markers related to oxidative stress.Results: TBARS were significantly lower in the groups supplemented with choline, carnitine or both and the mild exercise (walking) was not a deterrent in this effect of the supplements. Serum vitamin A and E concentrations were higher in the supplemented groups even though the consumption of...
Do Strategic Conclusions Depend on how Price is Defined in Models of Distribution Channels

Abstract Models of distribution channels have defined retailer and manufacturer pricing decision variables in different ways, such as absolute retail price or absolute retail margin and absolute manufacturer price or absolute manufacturer margin. This article examines whether this choice of definition affects the equilibrium outcomes from such models. It shows that the equilibrium outcomes do not change with these definitions if manufacturers are modeled as Stackelberg pricing leaders to their retailer. However, if manufacturers are modeled as Bertrand-Nash competitors to their retailer or as Stackelberg pricing followers to their retailer, the equilibrium outcomes change depending on how the retailer's pricing decision variables are defined. Moreover, if in these two cases manufacturers and retailer are allowed to define their own pricing decision variables, then (1) manufacturers are indifferent about choosing among absolute prices, absolute margins, and percentage margins, but (2) the retailer chooses ...
Mahalanobis–Taguchi System to Identify Preindicators of Delirium in the ICU

This paper was designed to determine if the Mahalanobis–Taguchi System (MTS) applied to the delirium-evidence-based bundle could detect medical patterns in retrospective datasets. The methodology defined the evidence-based bundle as a multidimensional system that conformed to a parameter diagram. The Mahalanobis distance (MD) was calculated for the retrospective healthy observations and the retrospective unhealthy observations. Signal–to-noise ratios were calculated to determine the relative strength of detection of 23 delirium preindicators. This study discovered that the sufficient variation in the CAM-ICU assessment, the standard for delirium assessment, would benefit from knowledge of how different the MD is from the healthy average. The sensitivity of the detection system was 0.89 with a 95% confidence interval of between 0.84 and 0.92. The specificity of the detection system was 0.93 with a 95% confidence interval between 0.90 and 0.95. The MTS applied to the delirium-evidence-based bundle could detect medical patterns in retrospective datasets. The implication of this paper to a biomedical research is an automated decision support tool for the delirium-evidence-based bundle providing an early detection capability needed today.
Diversity-Oriented Synthesis of 13- to 18-Membered Macrolactams via Ring-Closing Metathesis

An efficient build/couple/pair approach to diversity-oriented synthesis was employed to access several structurally complex macrolactams. In this paper, we describe the successful evaluation of ring-closing metathesis toward the systematic generation of skeletal diversity. By appropriately varying the nature and chain length of the alkenol fragment, a diverse collection of 13- to 18-membered macrolactams were obtained.
Effects of dextran 70 on factor VIII activity

A case of apparent association of dextran 70 therapy with reduced factor VIII activity in a 24-year-old white woman with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is reported. Diagnosis of TTP was based on clinical and laboratory data consistent with transient neurological deficits, thrombocytopenia and hemolytic anemia. Intravenous dextran 70 (250 ml every 12 hours) and oral prednisone (80 mg daily) were given for TTP. Additional oral medications included codeine, Maalox and Tabron. When assay showed a factor VIII activity of 14% on the third day of dextran 70 administration, the drug was discontinued and oral administration of dipyridamole (100 mg four times daily) was begun. Factor VIII activity increased to 82% on day six. Dextran 70 (125 ml every 12 hours) was resumed on day seven following a splenectomy on the previous day. When factor VIII activity subsequently decreased from 75% to 29% within two days, dextran 70 was again discontinued and dipyridamole reinstituted at its earlier dosage. The patient's discharge medications included dipyridamole and 60 mg of prednisone daily (to be tapered). Reports of dextran 70-induced hemostatic defects involving platelets and factor VIII are reviewed. Dextran will form, with factors I and VIII, cryoprecipitates that may reduce the activity of factor VIII. It is suggested that patients receiving dextrans be monitored with partial thromboplastin times and, if available, with assays of factor VIII activity.
Traumatic Brain Injury

Medical scientists recognized and described traumatic brain injury (TBI) as early as 3000 B.C. (Walsh, 1978). Over the past two decades, advances in trauma evaluation (Collicott, 1991), neuroimaging (Bigler, Yeo, & Turkheimer, 1989), and neurosurgery (Adams & Victor, 1989) have greatly increased survival rates for TBI patients. Rehabilitation utilizing combined knowledge and cooperative efforts of medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, therapeutic recreation, rehabilitation psychology, neuropsychology, and social work has improved quality of lives of those survivors. Yet, our understanding of the brain and how it recovers is still in early development, and we have much to learn.
Osteoporosis Management in Ankylosing Spondylitis

Low bone mineral density (BMD) is increasingly recognized as a common comorbid condition in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). As low BMD increases fracture risk, it is important to identify and treat low BMD in patients with AS who have been shown to be at increased risk for fractures above the population normal. Since low BMD occurs early in disease, we screen during the first year of diagnosis with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). If patients are found to have osteoporosis by T-score of less than -2.5 or if their Z-score on DXA is more than two standard deviations below the mean, we initiate therapy with bisphosphonates in males and in females who are not planning any future pregnancies. While reduction in fracture risk with bisphosphonate therapy has not been clearly defined in patients with AS, reduction in vertebral and hip fractures has been well established in primary osteoporosis and thus it is our first line treatment. If there are contraindications to the use of bisphosphonates in the treatment of low BMD, we will consider the use of denosumab. If the patient is not receiving a TNF-alpha inhibitor (TNFi) and has active disease, we also favor early initiation of TNFi due to their positive effects on BMD though the outcome on reduction in vertebral fractures remains unclear. We counsel all patients regarding the importance of adequate intake of vitamin D and calcium per the Institute of Medicine guidelines. All patients should be encouraged to participate in weight-bearing activities with a focus on core strength and gait training.
The Cold Hydrogen Maser

Since the invention of the atomic hydrogen maser in 1968[1] ongoing developments have provided fractional frequency stability in the 10−16 region for averaging intervals of about 104 seconds[2,3]. Low temperature operation of the atomic hydrogen maser offers possibilities for frequency stability in the 10−18 domain.[4 −14] New low temperature H-H interactions have been predicted[15] that may obviate this possibility and these will be studied using a cryogenic hydrogen maser designed to provide the necessary variability of operating conditions. We describe the cryogenic hydrogen maser (CHM) and the frequency stability measuring system, and the expected frequency stability.