cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment of Recurrent Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia with Doxycycline and Aerosolized Colistin

Objective:To report a case of recurrent Stenotrophomonas maltophilia ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) that was successfully treated with doxycycline and aerosolized colistin.Case Summary:A 28-year-old male was admitted with a severe head injury and required mechanical ventilation. The patient developed S. maltophilia VAP on hospital day 17, which was cured after 7 days of treatment with high-dose intravenous trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX). However, on day 34, the patient developed recurrent S. maltophilia VAP that did not respond clinically or demonstrate eradication on follow-up culture after 10 days of TMP/SMX. At that time, TMP/SMX was discontinued and treatment was initiated with intravenous doxycycline and aerosolized colistin. The VAP episode was cured after 14 days of treatment with doxycycline/aerosolized colistin.Discussion:S. maltophilia is an emerging cause of VAP in some centers. This organism is associated with high mortality rates and has few treatment options because it is int...
MR imaging of adventitial vasa vasorum in carotid atherosclerosis

Vasa vasorum in the adventitia of atherosclerotic arteries may play a role in plaque progression. In this investigation, a method for characterizing vasa vasorum in the carotid artery is proposed, in which the perfusion properties of the adventitia are probed via dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI. A parametric “vasa vasorum image” is automatically generated that depicts the plasma volume (vp) and transfer constant (Ktrans). The average Ktrans within the adventitia is proposed as a quantitative measurement related to the extent of the vasa vasorum. In 25 subjects with lesions meeting the requirements for carotid endarterectomy (CEA) significantly higher adventitial Ktrans of 0.155 ± 0.045 min–1 was observed, compared to 0.122 ± 0.029 min–1 in the remaining 20 subjects with moderate disease (P < 0.01). In the 25 subjects with endarterectomy specimens, histological evaluation showed that adventitial Ktrans was significantly correlated with the amount of neovasculature (R = 0.41; P = 0.04) and macrophages (R = 0.49; P = 0.01) in the excised plaque. In the remaining 20 subjects without histology, elevated adventitial Ktrans was significantly correlated with the log of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (R = 0.57; P = 0.01) and was elevated in active smokers compared to nonsmokers (0.141 ± 0.036 vs. 0.111 ± 0.017 min–1; P = 0.02). Because these factors are all associated with higher risk of atherosclerotic complications, these results suggest that adventitial Ktrans may be a marker of risk as well. Magn Reson Med 59:507–514, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Recruitment of SWI/SNF by Gcn4p Does Not Require Snf2p or Gcn5p but Depends Strongly on SWI/SNF Integrity, SRB Mediator, and SAGA

The nucleosome remodeling complex SWI/SNF is a coactivator for yeast transcriptional activator Gcn4p. We provide strong evidence that Gcn4p recruits the entire SWI/SNF complex to its target genes ARG1 and SNZ1 but that SWI/SNF is dispensable for Gcn4p binding to these promoters. It was shown previously that Snf2p/Swi2p, Snf5p, and Swi1p interact directly with Gcn4p in vitro. However, we found that Snf2p is not required for recruitment of SWI/SNF by Gcn4p nor can Snf2p be recruited independently of other SWI/SNF subunits in vivo. Snf5p was not recruited as an isolated subunit but was required with Snf6p and Swi3p for optimal recruitment of other SWI/SNF subunits. The results suggest that Snf2p, Snf5p, and Swi1p are recruited only as subunits of intact SWI/SNF, a model consistent with the idea that Gcn4p makes multiple contacts with SWI/SNF in vivo. Interestingly, Swp73p is necessary for efficient SWI/SNF recruitment at SNZ1 but not at ARG1, indicating distinct subunit requirements for SWI/SNF recruitment at different genes. Optimal recruitment of SWI/SNF by Gcn4p also requires specific subunits of SRB mediator (Gal11p, Med2p, and Rox3p) and SAGA (Ada1p and Ada5p) but is independent of the histone acetyltransferase in SAGA, Gcn5p. We suggest that SWI/SNF recruitment is enhanced by cooperative interactions with subunits of SRB mediator and SAGA recruited by Gcn4p to the same promoter but is insensitive to histone H3 acetylation by Gcn5p.
IMG/M-HMP: A Metagenome Comparative Analysis System for the Human Microbiome Project

The Integrated Microbial Genomes and Metagenomes (IMG/M) resource is a data management system that supports the analysis of sequence data from microbial communities in the integrated context of all publicly available draft and complete genomes from the three domains of life as well as a large number of plasmids and viruses. IMG/M currently contains thousands of genomes and metagenome samples with billions of genes. IMG/M-HMP is an IMG/M data mart serving the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) Human Microbiome Project (HMP), focussed on HMP generated metagenome datasets, and is one of the central resources provided from the HMP Data Analysis and Coordination Center (DACC). IMG/M-HMP is available at http://www.hmpdacc-resources.org/imgm_hmp/.
Do Socially Responsible Index Investors Incur an Opportunity Cost

We construct index-tracking portfolios using integer programming and then compare the tracking errors and performances of portfolios formed from an unrestricted and socially screened stock universe. We find that one can construct a portfolio of socially responsible stocks that deliver market performance. Thus, the exclusion of a set of stocks from consideration does not exhaust the existence of efficient index-tracking portfolios, especially when the exclusionary screen is for nonfinancial reasons. Our results are robust to various specifications in constructing the portfolio, for example, number of stocks included in the portfolio and weighting schemes, and robust to alternative tracking error measurement; we show that the difference induced from conducting socially responsible screen is never statistically significant.
Intense Natural Selection on Morphology of Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon Pyrrhonota) a Decade Later: Did the Population Move between Adaptive Peaks?

ABSTRACT. Unusual climatic events often lead to intense natural selection on organisms. Whether episodic selection events result in permanent microevolutionary changes or are reversed by opposing selection pressures at a later time is rarely known, because most studies do not last long enough to witness rare events and document their aftermath. In 1996, unusually cold and wet weather in southwestern Nebraska led to the deaths of thousands of Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) over a 6-day period. Survivors were skeletally larger, with shorter wings and tails, and had less asymmetry in wing length than those that died. We determined trajectories of morphological traits in the decade following this event by measuring yearling birds each year from 1997 to 2006. Wing and middle tail-feather lengths continued to decrease, bill length and width continued to increase, tarsus length was unchanged, and levels of asymmetry in wing length increased. Cumulative directional change in wing, tail, and bill length...
Trust and the Manager-Subordinate Dyad: Virtual Work as a Unique Context

Despite the importance of manager trust in subordinates, little has been done to examine the role of managers’ trust in subordinates, although a great deal of research has been done concerning ways to induce employees’ trust in their managers and organizations. In this paper, the mechanisms of managerial development of trust in virtual work are outlined, as a unique context, and an attempt is made to define some of the potential moderators. Management trust development is conceptualized in a framework, and implications for future research and practice are identified. It may be that improving measurement of virtual work will improve the linkages leading to trust in the dyad, particularly managers’ trust in subordinates.
Tree damage risk factors associated with large, infrequent wind disturbances of Carolina forests

Summary Past studies of large, infrequent wind disturbances have shown that meteorological, topographic and biological factors interact to generate complex damage patterns, but have left open the extent to which these limited past fi ndings are representative and can be used to predict future damage. We present a multi-scale, comparative analysis to examine how risk factors change over spatial scales and to evaluate the consistency in risk factors associated with three major wind events: a North Carolina Piedmont tornado of 1988, Hurricane Hugo of 1989 and Hurricane Fran of 1996. Our results reveal that the risk factors that best explain variation in damage vary with scale of observation. Tree size and species explain damage variation at the stand scale; topographic, site and stand factors explain damage variation at the landscape scale and wind speed and precipitation explain damage variation at the regional scale. However, it is possible to integrate these factors by incorporating factors from the fi ner scales into coarser-scale studies. We also found distinct differences in the damage caused by the hurricanes relative to the tornado, and to some extent consistency between hurricanes.
Investigation of the metabolism of substance P at the blood–brain barrier using LC–MS/MS

Substance P (SP) has been associated with pain and depression as well as neurodegenerative diseases. Many of these diverse actions of SP can potentially be attributed to SP metabolites generated at the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In this study, the metabolism of SP was investigated using an in vitro model of the BBB and LC-MS/MS. Substance P metabolism was found to be non-saturable in the concentration range of 100 nM to 10 microM, with approximately 70% of the peptide remaining intact after 5 h. The major metabolites of SP were identified by MS as 3-11 and 5-11. Two previously unreported metabolites, 5-11 and 6-11, were also found in our studies. Several additional minor SP metabolites, including 1-9 and 2-11, were also identified. A profile of the SP metabolites generated by the BBB over time was obtained. The results from the present study provide a better understanding of the role of the blood-brain barrier in the pharmacology of SP.
Crop Residue Harvest Economics: An Iowa and North Dakota Case Study

Rigorous economic analyses are crucial for the successful launch of lignocellulosic bioenergy facilities in 2014 and beyond. Our objectives are to (1) introduce readers to a query tool developed to use data downloaded from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) REAPnet for constructing enterprise budgets and (2) demonstrate the use of the query tool with REAPnet data from two field research sites (Ames, IA, and Mandan, ND) for evaluating short-term economic performance of various biofuel feedstock production strategies. Our results for both sites showed that short-term (<3 years) impacts on grain profitability were lower at lower average annual crop residue removal rates. However, it will be important to monitor longer term changes to see if grain profitability declines over time and if biomass harvest degrades soil resources. Analyses for Iowa showed short-term breakeven field-edge biomass prices of $26–$42 Mg−1 among the most efficient strategies, while results for North Dakota showed breakeven prices of $54–$73 Mg−1. We suggest that development of the data query tool is important because it helps illustrate several different soil and crop management strategies that could be used to provide sustainable feedstock supplies.
Timing-driven placement for general cell layout

A hierarchical technique is presented for the timing-driven placement of the general cells. It is assumed that maximum interconnection delays for nets are given. These timing constraints are transformed to net length constraints using technology-and process-dependent parameters, circuit-specific data such as input capacitance and output drivability, and the structural description, of the circuit. The problem is divided into a bottom-up clustering phase and a top-down enumerative placement phase. Both the natural connectivities and the net length constraints are considered during the bottom-up phase in order to generate a hierarchical cluster tree. During the top-down placement phase, they place each node of the cluster tree so that the layout area and total interconnection length are minimized while satisfying the net length constraints. >
Colloidal phosphorus in surface runoff and water extracts from semiarid soils of the western United States.

Colloidal particles in runoff may have an important role in P transfer from soils to waterbodies, but remain poorly understood. We investigated colloidal molybdate-reactive phosphorus (MRP) in surface runoff and water extracts of calcareous arable soils from the semiarid western United States. Colloidal MRP was determined by ultrafiltration and operationally defined as MRP associated with particles between 1µm and 1 nm diameter, although a smaller pore-size filter (0.3 nm) was used to define the lower size limit of colloids in water extracts. In surface runoff from three calcareous soils generated by simulated sprinkler irrigation, colloidal MRP concentrations ranged between 0.16 and 3.07 1LM, constituting between 11 and 56% of the MRP in the <1-gm fraction. Concentrations were strongly correlated with agronomic and environmental soil-test P concentrations for individual soils. Water extracts of a range of similar soils contained two size fractions of colloidal MRP: a larger fraction (1.0-0.2um) probably associated with fine clays, and a smaller fraction (3-0.3 nm) probably associated with Ca–phosphate minerals. Colloidal MRP was solubilized in the acidic medium of the colorimetric detection procedure, suggesting that a fraction of the filterable MRP in runoff from calcareous soils may not be as readily bioavailable as free phosphate in waterbodies. Our results suggest that colloidal MRP is an important but poorly understood component of P transfer in runoff from calcareous western U.S. soils and should be given greater consideration in mechanistic studies of the P transfer process.
Rewriting-Based Techniques for Runtime Verification

Techniques for efficiently evaluating future time Linear Temporal Logic (abbreviated LTL) formulae on finite execution traces are presented. While the standard models of LTL are infinite traces, finite traces appear naturally when testing and/or monitoring real applications that only run for limited time periods. A finite trace variant of LTL is formally defined, together with an immediate executable semantics which turns out to be quite inefficient if used directly, via rewriting, as a monitoring procedure. Then three algorithms are investigated. First, a simple synthesis algorithm for monitors based on dynamic programming is presented; despite the efficiency of the generated monitors, they unfortunately need to analyze the trace backwards, thus making them unusable in most practical situations. To circumvent this problem, two rewriting-based practical algorithms are further investigated, one using rewriting directly as a means for online monitoring, and the other using rewriting to generate automata-like monitors, called binary transition tree finite state machines (and abbreviated BTT-FSMs). Both rewriting algorithms are implemented in Maude, an executable specification language based on a very efficient implementation of term rewriting. The first rewriting algorithm essentially consists of a set of equations establishing an executable semantics of LTL, using a simple formula transforming approach. This algorithm is further improved to build automata on-the-fly via caching and reuse of rewrites (called memoization), resulting in a very efficient and small Maude program that can be used to monitor program executions. The second rewriting algorithm builds on the first one and synthesizes provably minimal BTT-FSMs from LTL formulae, which can then be used to analyze execution traces online without the need for a rewriting system. The presented work is part of an ambitious runtime verification and monitoring project at NASA Ames, called PathExplorer, and demonstrates that rewriting can be a tractable and attractive means for experimenting and implementing logics for program monitoring.
Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors in pediatric and adult thalamic and brainstem tumors.

A multivariate analysis of prognostic variables was performed on a retrospective review of 136 patients with presumed or histologically proven primary lesions of the thalamus and brainstem treated by combined surgery and post-operative irradiation or by irradiation alone from January 1950 through December 1983. Overall survival for all patients at 5 and 10 years was 34.4 and 27.8%, respectively. Follow-up of 33 living patients ranged from 3 to 22 years. Prognostic variables analyzed by univariate analysis and found to be of significance (p < 0.05) were race, duration of symptoms, extent of surgery (i.e. subtotal excision), and dose of irradiation. Further evaluation by Cox regression analysis revealed these same factors to be of prognostic significance (p < 0.05). It is of importance to note that age and tumor site were not significant prognostic variables in the multivariate analysis but were significant by univariate analysis. The 5-year overall survival for patients with thalamic tumors was 59.5 and 20.9% for children and adults, respectively (p = 0.006). The 5-year overall survival for patients with pontine lesions was 46.6 and 16.0% for adults and children, respectively (p = 0.01). Only one patient was known to have expired due to a complication of therapy. Neurologic deficits and functional ability was normal or mild in 57.6% of the surviving patients.
Computational analysis of tRNA identity

I review recent developments in computational analysis of tRNA identity. I suggest that the tRNA-protein interaction network is hierarchically organized, and coevolutionarily flexible. Its functional specificity of recognition and discrimination persists despite generic structural constraints and perturbative evolutionary forces. This flexibility comes from its arbitrary nature as a self-recognizing shape code. A revisualization of predicted Proteobacterial tRNA identity highlights open research problems. tRNA identity elements and their coevolution with proteins must be mapped structurally over the Tree of Life. These traits can also resolve deep roots in the Tree. I show that histidylation identity elements phylogenetically reposition Pelagibacter ubique within alpha-Proteobacteria.
The ‘Impossible’ Default: Qualitative Data on Borrower Responses to Two Types of Social-Collateral Microfinance Structures in Rural China

AbstractQualitative data reveal how the social context underlying the ties linking borrowers in microfinance programmes influences their decisions. Focusing directly on social context makes it possible to distinguish between two social-collateral structures and explain why one facilitated repayment while the other did not. Fieldwork in rural China shows that the basis of the social ties in the social-collateral structure is central to explaining whether and why individuals decided to sanction defaulters and repay loans. The article closes with reflections on generalisations of these findings to future microfinance research.
Fast Nonparametric Density-Based Clustering of Large Datasets Using a Stochastic Approximation Mean-Shift Algorithm

Mean-shift is an iterative procedure often used as a nonparametric clustering algorithm that defines clusters based on the modal regions of a density function. The algorithm is conceptually appealing and makes assumptions neither about the shape of the clusters nor about their number. However, with a complexity of O(n2) per iteration, it does not scale well to large datasets. We propose a novel algorithm which performs density-based clustering much quicker than mean shift, yet delivering virtually identical results. This algorithm combines subsampling and a stochastic approximation procedure to achieve a potential complexity of O(n) at each step. Its convergence is established. Its performances are evaluated using simulations and applications to image segmentation, where the algorithm was tens or hundreds of times faster than mean shift, yet causing negligible amounts of clustering errors. The algorithm can be combined with existing approaches to further accelerate clustering.
The Economic Consequences of Private Information Acquisition in a Model Where Employees are Compensated with Tradeable Securities

Tradable securities continue to be a popular compensation vehicle, yet there is tremendous regulatory discussion on the need to prevent employees from being able to gain from trading such securities by using their private information. This paper attempts to analytically capture the SEC notion of insider trading where a manager has material non-public information prior to trading his equity claims. To model this I use a principal-agent framework where the concept of insider trading is captured by contract renegotiation. I identify three information structures and compare the production in the economy to a scenario where private information acquisition is prohibited. Contrary to general intuition, I show that situations may arise where allowing for both private information collection and insider trading by employees results in higher production in the economy and can be socially desirable compared to a situation where the agent is only allowed to engage in public trading. I demonstrate that as long as the information collected by the agent has an impact on the expected liquidation value, the principal would prefer that the agent collects this private information as it leads to an increase in the production of the firm.
State power in blue

Abstract In this article I explore how geographers might go about studying the everyday contexts of police power, given specifically the emphasis today in political geography on the practice of state power. Rather than endorse police practice as a relatively accessible and straightforward realm for researchers, I emphasize instead the uneventful and sometimes disappearing aspects of police work which makes it hard to excavate and interrogate, especially for non-police. Reflecting on various fieldwork experiences, I argue that the basic methodological tools that geographers have at their disposal to bring down the ‘blue wall’ of police practices can do the opposite: produce a tentative mode of knowledge which grasps, qualitatively and quantitatively, at the problem of the social and force relations of policing. I conclude that rather than a fix to the cruddiness of police power, accepted qualitative and quantitative methodologies constitute the ‘blue wall’ of police practice.
Entamoeba histolytica Dmc1 Catalyzes Homologous DNA Pairing and Strand Exchange That Is Stimulated by Calcium and Hop2-Mnd1

Meiosis depends on homologous recombination (HR) in most sexually reproducing organisms. Efficient meiotic HR requires the activity of the meiosis-specific recombinase, Dmc1. Previous work shows Dmc1 is expressed in Entamoeba histolytica, a eukaryotic parasite responsible for amoebiasis throughout the world, suggesting this organism undergoes meiosis. Here, we demonstrate Dmc1 protein is expressed in E. histolytica. We show that purified ehDmc1 forms presynaptic filaments and catalyzes ATP-dependent homologous DNA pairing and DNA strand exchange over at least several thousand base pairs. The DNA pairing and strand exchange activities are enhanced by the presence of calcium and the meiosis-specific recombination accessory factor, Hop2-Mnd1. In combination, calcium and Hop2-Mnd1 dramatically increase the rate of DNA strand exchange activity of ehDmc1. The biochemical system described herein provides a basis on which to better understand the role of ehDmc1 and other HR proteins in E. histolytica.
Methods for collecting the overwintering and larval forms of Neoschöngastia americana.

Methods for collecting the larval and post larval stages of Neoschongastia americana (Hirst) were evaluated. Unengorged larvae were collected from the field using a modified Cockings light trap. Adults were recovered from range soil in the winter at depths up to 18 in. by flotation. This is the first record of adult collection from the field and establishes the adult as an overwintering stage in Missouri.
Sex Differences in Normal Pulmonary Structure and Function at Rest and During Exercise

Women have been reported to exhibit several anatomic and physiologic characteristics that distinguish their responses to exercise from those of men. These factors have been shown to influence the training response and contribute to lower maximal aerobic power in women. Additionally, the reproductive hormones, estrogen and progesterone, can influence ventilation, substrate metabolism, thermoregulation, and pulmonary function during exercise. Pulmonary structural and morphologic differences between men and women include smaller vital capacity and maximal expiratory flow rates, reduced airway diameter, and a smaller diffusion surface in women compared to age- and height-matched men. These differences may have an effect on the integrated ventilatory response, on respiratory muscle work, and on pulmonary gas exchange during exercise. Specifically, recent evidence suggests that during heavy exercise, women demonstrate greater expiratory flow limitation, an increased work of breathing, and perhaps greater exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia compared to men. The consequence of these pulmonary effects has the potential to adversely affect aerobic capacity and exercise tolerance in women.
Medical Surge Capacity in Atlanta-Area Hospitals in Response to Tanker Truck Chemical Releases

Objective We designed and conducted a regional full-scale exercise in 2007 to test the ability of Atlanta-area hospitals and community partners to respond to a terrorist attack involving the coordinated release of 2 dangerous chemicals (toluene diisocyanate and parathion) that were being transported through the area by tanker truck. Methods The exercise was designed to facilitate the activation of hospital emergency response plans and to test applicable triage, decontamination, and communications protocols. Plume modeling was conducted by using the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Hazard Prediction and Assessment Capability (HPAC) V4 program. The scenario went through multiple iterations as exercise planners sought to reduce total injuries to a manageable, but stressful, level for Atlanta’s health care infrastructure. Results Atlanta-area hospitals rapidly performed multiple casualty triage and were able to take in a surge of victims from the simulated attack. However, health care facilities were reticent to push the perceived manageable numbers of victims, and scenarios were modified significantly to lower the magnitude of the simulated attack. Additional coordination with community response partners and incident command training is recommended. Security at health care facilities and decontamination of arriving victims are two areas that will require continued review. Conclusion Atlanta-area hospitals participated in an innovative regional exercise that pushed facilities beyond traditional scopes of practice and brought together numerous health care community response partners. Using lessons learned from this exercise coupled with subsequent real-world events and training exercises, participants have significantly enhanced preparedness levels and increased the metropolitan region’s medical surge capacity in the case of a multiple casualty disaster. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:681–689)
How Mouse Macrophages Sense What Is Going On

Macrophages are central to both innate and adaptive immunity. With few exceptions, macrophages are the first cells that sense trouble and respond to disturbances in almost all tissues and organs. They sense their environment, inhibit or kill pathogens, take up apoptotic and necrotic cells, heal tissue damage, and present antigens to T cells. Although the origins (yolk sac versus monocyte-derived) and phenotypes (functions, gene expression profiles, surface markers) of macrophages vary between tissues, they have many receptors in common that are specific to one or a few molecular species. Here, we review the expression and function of almost 200 key macrophage receptors that help the macrophages sense what is going on, including pathogen-derived molecules, the state of the surrounding tissue cells, apoptotic and necrotic cell death, antibodies and immune complexes, altered self molecules, extracellular matrix components, and cytokines, including chemokines.
Concealment and crisis: 1911

FROM SCATTERED CASES TO A NEW EPIDEMIC: THE SPRING OF 1911 Almost unnoticed, Asiatic cholera persisted throughout the winter of 1910–11 – despite resolute denials by Italian and Neapolitan officials. As we have seen, occasional ‘stragglers’ attracted the attention of anxious American officials for months after Italian authorities had declared the autumn outbreak finished. In January 1911 Henry Geddings informed Washington that the continuing existence of foci of infection and ‘the inertness of the authorities’ warranted a ‘gloomy prognosis’ for the spring and summer. On the basis of this information, Surgeon- General Walter Wyman published in the sanitary bulletin Public Health Reports an official warning to Americans contemplating ‘the usual tour of southern Italy in the spring and summer’. The abiding presence of the disease in the city, he argued, suggested that there was a grave danger that the return of warm weather would unleash a new and possibly even larger epidemic. American citizens would be wise, he cautioned, to consider alternative destinations. Between February and May, a sharp divergence developed between the public pronouncements of Italian authorities and the confidential files of the Department of Public Health. Stunned by the Neapolitan revolt, state officials categorically repudiated all suggestions that there was any danger to public health. The outbreak that caused such alarm first in Apulia and then in Naples, they claimed, had been totally vanquished. Signor Cusani, the Italian Ambassador to Washington, specifically protested to the American Government about the offensive, unjustified and – above all – public musings of the Surgeon-General and his subordinates. ‘Italy’, Cusani informed the Secretary of State, ‘is entirely free from cholera and public health is excellent.’
ELECTRON-DENSITY DECAY PROCESSES

This chapter discusses the application of fluid equations for the examination of the fundamental processes occurring in gas discharges. The first application deals with the electron density rate processes occurring within a discharge. These processes deal primarily with the continuity equation but now include important collisional processes such as ionization, recombination, and attachment. The chapter discusses the important electron loss processes—diffusion, recombination, and attachment—that determine the behavior of a plasma when there is no electron source. It also discusses the case of ambipolar diffusion. It is assumed that the electrons are free to diffuse through a uniform neutral background gas and that the ions have no substantial effect on this process. This free diffusion, however, can only occur in low density plasmas where the Coulomb forces can essentially be neglected. In higher density plasmas, such as commonly occur in gas discharges, the diffusion rates must be determined by simultaneously solving the two-fluid equations for electrons and ions, keeping in mind that the strong Coulomb forces will tend to maintain overall space charge neutrality.
Investigating transit and pedestrian accessibility for age-restricted communities using spatial analysis

ABSTRACTIn the United States, the proportion of older adults continues to grow with respect to the total population. Decisions regarding the location and accessibility of age-restricted communities (55 and older) can influence mobility and ultimately affect the health and quality of life of community members. Therefore, identifying age-restricted community accessibility to transit and pedestrian facilities using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is useful for both existing and proposed developments. This research aims to examine transit and pedestrian accessibility/connectivity for age-restricted communities through the development of the Age-Restricted Community Connectivity Assessment (ARCCA) method based on connectivity thresholds and spatial analysis. The development of this method provides agencies with a step-by-step process that can be followed to determine existing and proposed improvements to enhance pedestrian and transit accessibility. ARCCA is applied to a case study in Pennsylvania that co...
Energetic material response to ultrafast indirect laser heating.

The initial evolution of thermal energy transfer into a solid explosive is studied using an indirect femtosecond laser heating technique on a picosecond timescale in order to elucidate the role of temperature in the shock-induced initiation of explosives. The indirect laser heating method is presented; time-resolved visible transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy was used to monitor the energetic material response following heat transfer from the laser-heated gold (Au) layer to the sample. Reported here are visible TA data in the spectral region from 500 to 750 nm for indirect laser-heated thin films of cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (RDX), oxidized polyethylene (OPE), and RDX with 1%, 2.5%, 5%, or 10% OPE prior to decomposition. TA was observed for RDX and RDX with OPE; however, no TA was observed for pure OPE. Compared to pure RDX, the TA intensity of RDX with OPE decreases as the OPE content increases and the time required to observe the TA signal from RDX increases. Our results suggest that the thermal energy produced by a femtosecond laser pulse with an energy of 15 mJ cm-2 is sufficient to induce changes in the electronic structure of RDX, resulting in promotion of the RDX molecules into an excited state. We also determined that the heat transfer rate in RDX depends on its homogeneity and degree of purity.
OTL-38-Guided Fluorescent Imaging in Renal Cell Cancer Robotic Partial Nephrectomy

Abstract Introduction and Objective: The folate receptor (FR) protein is upregulated in numerous epithelial malignancies while having limited expression on normal tissues. This overexpression of FR...
Compensation in Organisms and Populations

The antecedent chapters justify a generalization about compensating changes in biological adaptability. This generalization, which I call the principle of biological compensation, is: changes in the adaptability of one level or unit of organization tend to be compensated by opposite changes in the adaptability of some other level or unit. The changes in adaptability may be due to changes in the modifiability of units (e.g., culturability, developmental plasticity, gene pool diversity), to changes in the independence of these different modes of modifiability, to changes in the ability to anticipate the environment, or to changes in the indifference to the environment. The latter involve changes in the degree to which regions of the environment or features of them are avoided. Changes in the ability to anticipate the environment may require increases in the absolute magnitudes of the modifiability, independence, and anticipation terms. The total adaptability will tend to increase or decrease if the uncertainty of the environment changes. While the adaptability structure of a biological system is the product of its entire past evolution, the tendency itself is independent of the time scale used to determine the uncertainty of the environment. According to the efficiency arguments, there should always be a tendency for the total adaptability to move in the same direction as the uncertainty of the environment.
Measurement of the Radiative Width of the K *+ (890)

Coherent production of $K\ensuremath{\pi}$ systems observed in the excitation of 200-GeV/c positive kaons on nuclear targets has been analyzed, including both electromagnetic and strong contributions, to yield a new value for the radiative width for the process ${K}^{*+}(890)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{K}^{+}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ of 51 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 5 keV.
Carving out inclusive sanctuaries for participation in higher education

The work that we do and how we do that work is formed through our view of the world, shaped within our own ways of knowing and prioritized by the needs of people and the lessons of place. This article illustrates what one educational policy, filtered through one way of knowing, and prioritized by the needs of people and place looks like in higher education. Kuahuokalā, a metaphor for third space manifestation, is used to carve out inclusive sanctuaries in the university. It is a praxis of Hawaiian epistemology through four intentional guides: hōʻai, ʻāina momona, kuahuokalā, and aʻo aku aʻo mai. These intentions reveal a (k)new old wisdom that simplifies complexity into purpose and common sense. The defining of the metaphor as well as these intentions frame this paper to transform the dialogue at the university, raise consciousness through action, and set policy in motion.
Response acquisition with fixed and variable resetting delays of reinforcement in male and female wistar rats

Experimentally naive, food-deprived male and female Wistar rats were exposed to different experimental procedures in which response-independent food pellets were delivered as long as the rats did not press either one of the two levers in the experimental chamber. Once a lever was pressed, the presentation of response-independent food was suspended for the remainder of that session and food pellets were delivered only after an unsignalled, resetting period of time from each lever press had elapsed. For five different groups of subjects there was either no delay between a lever press and food presentation, a fixed delay of 10 s or 30 s, or a variable delay of 10 s or 30 s. Response acquisition occurred most rapidly when a lever press was immediately followed by food presentation. Responding was also acquired when variable resetting delays of 10 s or 30 s or a fixed resetting delay of 10 s was inserted between a lever press and food presentation. When a fixed resetting delay of 30 s followed a lever press before food presentation some responding was observed, but not as much as in the other experimental conditions. The present results show that naive male and female Wistar rats will acquire a lever-press response when food presentation is contingent upon, but not immediately contiguous with a lever press. Consistent differences between the sexes were not observed.
Mathematical Explanations that are Not Proofs

Explanation in mathematics has recently attracted increased attention from philosophers. The central issue is taken to be how to distinguish between two types of mathematical proofs: those that explain why what they prove is true and those that merely prove theorems without explaining why they are true. This way of framing the issue neglects the possibility of mathematical explanations that are not proofs at all. This paper addresses what it would take for a non-proof to explain. The paper focuses on a particular example of an explanatory non-proof: an argument that mathematicians regard as explaining why a given theorem holds regarding the derivative of an infinite sum of differentiable functions. The paper contrasts this explanatory non-proof with various non-explanatory proofs (and non-explanatory nonproofs) of the same theorem. The paper offers an account of what makes the given non-proof explanatory. This account is motivated by investigating the difficulties that arise when we try to extend Mark Steiner’s influential account of explanatory proofs to cover this explanatory non-proof.
Relevance of Animal Models of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage for Examining Neurobehavioral Changes

Background and purpose: For many years survival and neurological functionality of patients were the main outcome measures after treatment of intracranial aneurysms. But, the variable outcomes of patients operated on in a delayed fashion or before the aneurysm rupture indicate that more precise measures are needed for assessment of not only the neurological but also the neuropsychological outcome. However, development and testing of such new tools requires better understanding of pathomechanisms of neurobehavioral changes evoked by aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), which can be achieved using animal models.
Development of a novel clinical staging model for cirrhosis using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample.

Scoring systems such as Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) and Child-Pugh are often used by clinicians to determine prognosis in patients with cirrhosis. Since clinical complications are important in determining cirrhosis outcomes, our goal was to use these to develop a novel prognostic staging model. Data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), years 2003-2011, were queried for records of patients over the age of 18 with cirrhosis excluding patients with prior or inpatient liver transplantation. The primary outcome was inpatient mortality with focus on cirrhosis-related complications: non-bleeding esophageal varices, variceal hemorrhage, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy (HE), spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), and hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). Of 59 862 903 hospitalizations, 824 783 (1.4%) with cirrhosis were identified. Overall mortality was 7% with two-thirds (66%) of deaths occurring in patients with a decompensating event, defined as variceal hemorrhage, ascites, HE, SBP, and/or HRS. Overall mortality rates decreased from 2003 to 2011 (9.0-6.0%), in both compensated and decompensated groups. Mortality was higher in patients with variceal haemorrhage (OR 1.56; p<0.05), HE (OR 1.75; p<0.05), SBP (OR 2.64; p<0.05) and HRS (OR 9.10; p<0.05) compared with patients with no complications. HRS had the highest mortality, whether alone or in combination with another event such as HE (OR 12.40; p<0.05) or SBP (OR 12.64; p<0.05). Cirrhosis inpatient outcomes are related to the severity of liver disease, with more severe complications such as HE, SBP, and HRS having the most significant effect on inpatient mortality, and are utilised in this novel four-stage clinical model.
Heat Shock Protein 90 Versus Conventional Growth Factors in Acute and Diabetic Wound Healing

Diabetic foot lesions are responsible for more hospitalizations than any other complication of diabetes in the United States of America. The number of diabetic foot ulcer-caused lower limb amputations is approaching 100,000/year, a rapid increase due to an aging population and the rising incidence of obesity. Cost-effect treatments are currently limited. For decades, the conventional wisdom is that growth factors constitute the driving forces of wound healing. Therefore, more than 30 growth factors have been extensively studied in animal models and a dozen of these growth factors have been subjected to clinical trials. Only PDGF-BB received the US FDA approval for treatment of diabetic ulcers in 1997. However, the modest efficacy, high cost and risks of causing cancer by PDGF-BB (becaplermin gel) have limited its use in clinical practice. This reality continues to be overlooked or ignored. An unconventional wound-healing molecule, extracellular heat shock protein-90alpha (eHsp90α), has recently been reported. Unlike restricted cell type specificity of PDGF-BB, eHsp90α is a common pro-motility factor of all skin cells, eHsp90α also overrides TGFβ inhibition and hyperglycemia. Topical application of eHsp90α accelerated both acute and diabetic wound closure far more effectively than PDGF-BB. We discuss what makes Hsp90α superior to conventional growth factors in wound healing.
Synthesis of B x C y N z nanotubules

We report the successful synthesis of B{sub {ital x}}C{sub {ital y}}N{sub {ital z}} nanotubes. Arc-discharge methods were used to produce stable nanotubule structures identified by high-resolution transmission-electron microscopy. Local electron-energy-loss spectroscopy of {ital K}-edge absorptions for B, C, and N atoms was used to determine the atomic compositions of individual tubules. Tubes of stoichiometry BC{sub 2}N and BC{sub 3} have been observed, in agreement with theoretical predictions.
Food habits and dietary change of Southeast Asian refugee families living in the United States.

Food habits and changes in food consumption patterns were assessed among 60 Southeast Asian refugee families (Cambodian and Hmong) living in the United States. With the use of a structured interview schedule, in-home interviews were conducted by a Hmong or a Cambodian bilingual staff person with the adult having primary responsibility for family meal preparation. Results indicated that while food buying practices have changed drastically in the U.S., Southeast Asian refugee families have maintained strong ties to their native foods and traditional diets. In the U.S., as in Southeast Asia, rice remains the staple food in their diet. High status foods in Cambodia and Laos, such as fruits, meats, and soft drinks, remain highly preferred foods in the U.S. and are consumed frequently. Although most adults prefer eating their native foods, their children prefer both American and native foods. Thirty percent of the adolescents in the home had major responsibility for evening meal preparation.
Nonisothermal reservoir/wellbore flow modeling in gas reservoirs

Abstract Most analytical and numerical flow modeling presuppose isothermal flow behavior in the reservoir. However, for high rates and large consequent drawdown gas reservoirs, the nonisothermal behavior becomes the norm due to the Joule-Thomson (J-T) effect. Other factors, such as a fluid's adiabatic expansion (AE), heat convection, and the heat exchange with surrounding formations may also make contributions. Accounting for this nonisothermal flow behavior becomes a necessity for accurately estimating a well's performance due to changes in fluid properties. This paper starts with the general energy balance in the reservoir and presents a semianalytical solution to estimate the nonisothermal, single-phase gas temperature in the reservoir during production. This solution considers the J-T effect, adiabatic expansion effect, transient temperature behavior, heat convection, and heat exchange of fluid with over and under-burden formation. The variations of gas viscosity, density, J-T coefficient as a function of temperature and pressure are taken into consideration by making a small spatial step at each computational node. A field case study validates the time-variant wellbore temperature profiles with the coupled reservoir heat-transfer model. Distributed temperature measurements or DTS during a drillstem test (DST) made this validation feasible. The J-T effect dominates in the near wellbore region due to dramatic pressure change. The J-T induced cooling usually occurs for gas in the reservoir. However, for high-pressure systems, the gas behaves like a liquid and gets heated up. For some intermediate pressure intervals, the gas temperature slightly increases with expansion, reach a plateau, and then gradually decreases as the gas moves toward the wellbore with declining pressure. By coupling the reservoir heat-transfer model with the wellbore heat-transfer model, one can monitor more accurately.