cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early Detection of Septic Shock Onset Using Interpretable Machine Learners.

Background: Developing a decision support system based on advances in machine learning is one area for strategic innovation in healthcare. Predicting a patient’s progression to septic shock is an active field of translational research. The goal of this study was to develop a working model of a clinical decision support system for predicting septic shock in an acute care setting for up to 6 h from the time of admission in an integrated healthcare setting. Method: Clinical data from Electronic Health Record (EHR), at encounter level, were used to build a predictive model for progression from sepsis to septic shock up to 6 h from the time of admission; that is, T = 1, 3, and 6 h from admission. Eight different machine learning algorithms (Random Forest, XGBoost, C5.0, Decision Trees, Boosted Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, Logistic Regression, Regularized Logistic, and Bayes Generalized Linear Model) were used for model development. Two adaptive sampling strategies were used to address the class imbalance. Data from two sources (clinical and billing codes) were used to define the case definition (septic shock) using the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Sepsis criteria. The model assessment was performed using Area under Receiving Operator Characteristics (AUROC), sensitivity, and specificity. Model predictions for each feature window (1, 3 and 6 h from admission) were consolidated. Results: Retrospective data from April 2005 to September 2018 were extracted from the EHR, Insurance Claims, Billing, and Laboratory Systems to create a dataset for septic shock detection. The clinical criteria and billing information were used to label patients into two classes-septic shock patients and sepsis patients at three different time points from admission, creating two different case-control cohorts. Data from 45,425 unique in-patient visits were used to build 96 prediction models comparing clinical-based definition versus billing-based information as the gold standard. Of the 24 consolidated models (based on eight machine learning algorithms and three feature windows), four models reached an AUROC greater than 0.9. Overall, all the consolidated models reached an AUROC of at least 0.8820 or higher. Based on the AUROC of 0.9483, the best model was based on Random Forest, with a sensitivity of 83.9% and specificity of 88.1%. The sepsis detection window at 6 h outperformed the 1 and 3-h windows. The sepsis definition based on clinical variables had improved performance when compared to the sepsis definition based on only billing information. Conclusion: This study corroborated that machine learning models can be developed to predict septic shock using clinical and administrative data. However, the use of clinical information to define septic shock outperformed models developed based on only administrative data. Intelligent decision support tools can be developed and integrated into the EHR and improve clinical outcomes and facilitate the optimization of resources in real-time.
Letter to my Colombian Friends

Fernando Lara’s essay in the format of a letter highlights the achievements of Colombian architecture in the past decades, with a focus of institutional building. The author departs from decolonial...
Quantifying Soft Information, Mortgage Market Efficiency & Asset Pricing Implications

I provide a novel framework for machine learning models to ingest quantified soft information during the life of a loan, using cutting-edge natural language processing techniques on salient unstructured text. This soft information, from servicer call transcripts, is not restricted to mere positive/negative sentiments and provides efficiency and alleviates the information asymmetry between the lender (and/or issuer) and the borrower. Proprietary servicer comments are hardly accessible and offer the soft in-formation for real-time delinquency status of the mortgages. I investigate whether the special servicer invoked by the investor can utilize the valuable comments from the master servicer. The time-varying soft information about the borrower’s financial condition, health of the loan and the property condition from these master servicer comments renders the predictive power and has asset pricing implications. Given this valuable information, the special servicer may choose to use this information, as I anecdotally see with several private equity investors. The well-known unresolved conflict of interest between the master and special servicers can be resolved, thereby reducing moral hazard and increasing efficiency and transparency.
Research in a Racially Structured State: The Role of the US National Science Foundation

Although the National Science Foundation (NSF) came into existence in the same post-World War II period that saw the first beginnings of civil rights reform, the agency’s legislation was designed with the social sciences ‘permitted but not required’. Due to the political constraints within which the NSF was created, there was no place for direct research on race and racial discrimination. From the outset, political science was structurally disadvantaged in terms of institutional positioning and funding. The discipline also struggled with congressional oversight and budgetary approval processes because many legislators refused to consider it a true or credible science. In a pattern that continues to this day, a very particular “politics of political science” has very often restricted the discipline’s potential societal relevance as a defender and bulwark of democracy.
Debating Nation Building

The Right Kind of Revolution: Modernization, Development, and US Foreign Policy from the Cold War to the Present. By Latham Michael E.. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2011. 246 pp., $22.95 paperback (ISBN 978-0-8014-7726-3). The tumult surrounding the impending American military withdrawal from Iraq and the prospects of a similar process in Afghanistan raises, among other things, concern over what conditions the United States can leave behind that will constitute something that can be interpreted as accomplishing the goals for which the United States entered (or in the case of Iraq, started) these conflicts. Both countries were underdeveloped before the American presence (Afghanistan, of course, far more so than Iraq), and one of the criteria by which success or failure will be measured is the extent to which the United States left the hosts of the wars in better shape than when it arrived. That assessment is largely an exercise in the dynamics and success of American developmental efforts. The question of development has a not inconsiderable place in the history and study of foreign policy and international relations in the post–World War II world, and it is the central concern of the author of this study, Professor of History Michael E. Latham of Fordham University. Latham is interested in both the intellectual history of the development/modernization question in American scholarship over time and the fairly remarkable degree to which academic notions of what constitutes development and how to achieve it have been woven across time into …
Scaling end-to-end multicast transports with a topologically-sensitive group formation protocol

While the IP unicast service has proven successful, extending end-to-end adaptation to multicast has been a difficult problem. Unlike the unicast case, multicast protocols must support large and heterogeneous receiver sets. While proposed approaches to scaling multicast transports attempt to localize problems and/or organize receivers into a hierarchy through a divide-and-conquer approach, this approach succeeds only if the resulting hierarchy is congruent with the underlying routing tree topology. This implies the need for some level of topological information at the end systems which the IP multicast service deliberately hides. In this paper we present a group formation protocol (GFP) whereby receivers dynamically organize themselves into a multilevel hierarchy of multicast groups that corresponds to the underlying routing tree. GFP can serve as a core component across a wide range of multicast applications and protocols such as local recovery for reliable multicast, self organized transcoding, self-organizing web caches, the optimal and dynamic placement of proxies, repeaters, designated receivers, recorders and so forth.
Maintaining a Nuclear Deterrent Under the Test Ban Treaty

As a condition for signing the CTBT, the United States had to have confidence based on sound scientific and technical analysis that a safe and effective nuclear deterrent can be maintained, consistent with stated national policy, under a total ban on all nuclear tests. To meet this requirement the DOE has developed a Stockpile Stewardship Program that relies on advanced diagnostic equipment, data from crucial new experiments, greatly enhanced computational power, and the retention of first-class scientists and engineers. Well supported and executed, this program will generate a deeper scientifically based understanding of the processes occurring during a nuclear explosion. We describe its basic elements that we believe to be necessary to provide confidence to government leaders that the United States is meeting its national security requirements in compliance with the CTBT.
Lipoamide dehydrogenase, glutathione reductase, thioredoxin reductase, and thioredoxin.

Abstract A procedure has been developed for the purification of lipoamide dehydrogenase, glutathione reductase, thioredoxin reductase, and thioredoxin from Escherichia coli B, in which the four proteins are purified together in the initial stages separation effected in two steps, and the individual purifications completed in one or two steps. The extinction coefficient of FAD in thioredoxin reductase has been determined. Amino acid analyses of lipoamide dehydrogenase and thioredoxin reductase are given. The half-cystine content of the E. coli lipoamide dehydrogenase is only one-half of that found with the pig heart enzyme.
Does drug treatment improve patient quality of life? A pilot study of the outcomes of the quality of life assessment in New York City outpatient and opioid treatment programs

Background The Affordable Care Act and the Medicaid redesign in New York City offer opportunities to explore alternative methods for measuring the effectiveness of behavioral health interventions. Quality of life (QOL) measures have been underutilized in substance use disorders treatment (SUDT). The objective of this study was to determine how a validated QOL instrument could be used in SUDT as a measure of health-related patient outcomes.
Growth and photodissociation of U+(C6H6)n(n = 1-3) and UO+m (C6H6) (m = 1,2) complexes

Abstract Gas phase U+(C6H6)n (n = 1–3) and UO m + (C6H6) (m = 1, 2) complexes are produced by laser vaporization and studied with ultraviolet (355 nm) laser photodissociation. The n = 1 complex dissociates to form U+, U+(C2H2) and U+(C4H2) via ligand elimination and ligand decomposition channels. The n = 2 and 3 fragment down to the n = 1 complex, losing intact neutral benzene molecules. The UO 1 , 2 + (C6H6) complexes eliminate intact neutral benzenes with no further fragmentation. These photodissociation trends parallel previous reaction studies, indicating that bare uranium cations are more reactive than uranium oxide ions.
Reutilization of surfactant phosphatidylcholine in adult rabbits

Abstract 32 P-saturated phosphatidylcholine was added to [ 3 H)choline-labeled natural surfactant and the mixture was injected intratracheally into 87 adult rabbits. The rabbits were also given [ 14 C]palmitate intravenously at the same time. Rabbits were killed in groups from 10 min to 72 h after injection. In each rabbit we measured the total recovered [ 3 H]phosphatidylcholine (PC) in the alveolar wash, the ratio of [ 3 H]PC to [ 32 P]PC in the alveolar wash, and the specific activity of [ 14 C]PC in the alveolar wash and lamellar bodies. Values were averaged for all rabbits killed at the same times and smooth curves were fit to the data by computer. From the intravenous [ 14 C]palmitate data we calculated a turnover time for alveolar PC of 6.0 h. From the intratracheal labeling data, we calculated a turnover time for alveolar PC of 5.7 h and determined that alveolar PC was reutilized at an efficiency of only 23%. We also concluded that this reutilization occurred as intact molecules.
Experimental Investigation of the Decomposition and Calcination of Calcium-Enriched Bio-Oil

The subject of this study is the experimental investigation of the decomposition of calcium-enriched bio-oil (CEB), the product of the reaction of bio-oil with calcium hydroxide, at high temperatures and of the calcination of the CaCO3 material that is obtained when the decomposition is carried out in the presence of CO2. Decomposition and calcination experiments are conducted in a thermogravimetric analysis system, and the pore structures of dried, decomposed, and calcined samples are characterized using nitrogen adsorption−desorption, mercury intrusion−extrusion, and photomicrographic examination. The calcination results for CEB-derived CaCO3 are compared with those for two naturally occurring calcitic solids of high CaCO3 content. The pore structure characterization results show that the decomposition and calcination products of CEB have very high porosities, higher than 80−90%. Because of its high porosity, the calcination product exhibits a much higher calcination rate than particles of limestones an...
Identifying critically ill patients at high risk for developing acute renal failure: a pilot study.

Identifying critically ill patients at high-risk for developing acute renal failure: A pilot study. Background Acute renal failure (ARF) occurs commonly in the intensive care unit (ICU), but predicting which patients will develop ARF is difficult. We set out to determine which risk factors would predict the development of ARF in critically ill patients who are admitted to the ICU without ARF. Methods From August 2002 to April 2003, we enrolled medical-surgical ICU admissions into a cohort using a sampling tool based on their risk factor (RF) profile. The risk factors we identified were separated into 3 categories: chronic major, chronic minor, and acute RFs. Combinations of these RFs were used to create a sampling tool and identify patients to enroll into our cohort. Patients with end-stage renal disease and ARF upon admission to the ICU were excluded. Results We enrolled 194 patients over a 14-month period. The mean age of the cohort was 64.6 ± 14.7 years. The percentage of Caucasians, African Americans, and Hispanics was 40.7%, 50.5%, and 3.6%, respectively. In a univariate analysis of the entire cohort, increasing APACHE II quartile, increased A-a gradient, presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), decreased levels of serum albumin, and presence of active cancer predicted ARF. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, decreased serum albumin (high levels of serum albumin were protective), increased A-a gradient, and cancer were associated with development of ARF (OR 2.17, 1.04, and 2.86, respectively). Conclusion Decreased levels of serum albumin concentration, increased A-a gradient, and presence of active cancer predict which patients who are admitted to the ICU will develop ARF.
Solid-phase synthesis of oligomeric deoxynucleic-thiourea (DNT) and deoxynucleic S-methylthiourea (DNmt): a neutral/polycationic analogue of DNA.

Abstract A solid-phase synthesis for oligomeric DNmt is reported. Synthesis proceeds in 3′–5′ direction and involves coupling of a protected 3′-isothiocyanate with the corresponding 5′-amine of the growing oligo chain. The difference in oligomeric thiourea/ S -methylthiourea binding to DNA is investigated.
Nephrolithiasis in topiramate users

Topiramate is a neuromodulatory agent increasingly prescribed for a number of neurological and non-neurological indications. Topiramate-treated patients are at risk for nephrolithiasis due to hypocitraturia and high urine pH. However, the prevalence of symptomatic stone disease in TPM users is generally perceived to be low. This study was undertaken to assess in topiramate-treated patients the prevalence of symptomatic nephrolithiasis (by history) and of asymptomatic nephrolithiasis by computed tomography (CT) scan. Topiramate users were identified from a database of patients with neurological disorders at a single university hospital. Among 75 topiramate-treated adult patients with a median daily dose of 300 mg and median treatment duration of 48 months, the prevalence of symptomatic nephrolithiasis was 10.7%. In a subset of topiramate-treated patients and no history of symptomatic stone disease, the prevalence of asymptomatic nephrolithiasis detected by CT scan was 20%. The prevalence of symptomatic nephrolithiasis with long-term topiramate use is higher than reported in short-term studies. Furthermore, clinical prevalence is underestimated due to asymptomatic nephrolithiasis.
Neural regulation of the time course for cocaine-cue extinction consolidation in rats.

Sites within the hippocampus, amygdala and prefrontal cortex may regulate how responses maintained by cues associated with cocaine are extinguished. To test the role of various brain sites in the consolidation of cocaine-cue extinction learning, the dorsal subiculum (dSUB), rostral basolateral amygdala (rBLA) and infralimbic prefrontal cortex (IL) were manipulated in rats. Following cocaine self-administration training (cues present, cocaine available), responding was assessed during 1 hr extinction tests (cues present, no cocaine available). To study extinction consolidation specifically, the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin or vehicle was infused bilaterally into the dSUB, rBLA or IL either immediately following or 6 hr after the first two of three extinction training sessions. With manipulations made immediately after extinction sessions, infusions of anisomycin into the dSUB or the rBLA deterred extinction. Rats maintained elevated levels of cocaine seeking relative to vehicle despite the absence of cocaine delivery. Manipulations of IL had no effect. Control studies showed that bilateral protein synthesis inhibition in dSUB and rBLA 6 hr after the extinction sessions ended was unable to deter extinction. Rats reduced cocaine seeking in the usual manner in the absence of cocaine delivery. Collectively, these findings suggest that the dSUB and rBLA are neural substrates important for consolidation of cocaine-cue extinction learning and have time-dependent roles. Understanding the contribution of individual neural substrates for cocaine-cue extinction consolidation may help guide treatment strategies aimed at enhancing cue exposure therapy in cocaine-dependent people.
Fiji's national energy efficiency and conservation policies

Abstract Fiji is totally dependent upon imported petroleum products to satisfy its energy needs. In pre-independence days their cost amounted to approximately 17% of the total amount spent for imports. During the first five years of independence the economy was buoyant, oil and its derivatives were cheap and their consumption rose rapidly. The sharp increase of petroleum prices changed the picture radically and placed energy in the forefront of national economic problems, which was reflected in the subsequent development plans. Appropriate statistical data are given in the paper. The main measures taken are development of a large hydroelectric plant on the main island and smaller plants elsewhere; feasibility studies aimed at developing geothermal energy sources; similar studies and installation of small-scale pilot projects for deriving electricity from energy of the ocean waves; using bagasse as fuel in electric power stations; strict limitation on the number and size of imported motor cars; discouraging energy use for non-essential purposes, such as air conditioning.
Reasons for Self-Medication and Perceptions of Risk Among Mexican Migrant Farm Workers

Although the frequency of self-medication among Mexican migrants has been well-documented in the public health literature, the multiple reasons for this practice are poorly understood. Most studies point to migrants’ cultural preferences for Mexican medications, their prior experiences in countries where antibiotics are loosely regulated, and their lack of access to health care as the primary factors behind their self-medication. Based on participant observation and in-depth interviews with 23 Mexican migrants in a farm working community in the interior of California, we argue that occupational vulnerability is an equally important factor that encourages self-medication. All 23 of our interviewees reported having engaged in some degree of self-medication, notable in this location 8 h from the US–Mexico border. Among interviewees, occupational vulnerability represented an even more important factor influencing self-medication than lack of health insurance or lack of legal documentation. While interviewees did express a preference for Mexican medications as more potent and effective, this did not necessarily translate to a preference for using them without a doctor’s supervision. Finally, we show that rather than remaining unaware of the risks of following this custom “transported from Latin America”, Mexican migrants devised an elaborate hierarchy of resort of the safest self-medication practices to follow.
Retinoic acid-induced stress protein synthesis in the mouse

We have previously demonstrated that stress proteins (SPs) are synthesized in tissues in which malformations are later observed following treatment with the developmental toxicant, retinoic acid (RA), on day 11 of gestation (GD 11). These proteins were not synthesized in tissues which did not present with malformations near partuition. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine if this correlation between early SP synthesis and later malformation was present at other times during gestation. CD-1 strain mice were dosed orally with corn oil or 100 mg/kg body weight RA on GD 10 or 13. Some of the mice in each group were given an intraperitoneal injection of 3H-leucine to label embryonic protein synthesis one hour after dosing with RA. These animals were sacrificed 1.5 hour later, and embryonic protein synthesis was determined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography. Other animals in each group were sacrificed on day 17 of gestation, and fetuses were examined for the presence of malformations. Following treatment with RA on day 10 of gestation, malformations were observed in the forelimbs, the hindlimbs and the tail; heart defects were not observed. SPs of 20-25,000 and 90,000 relative molecular mass (Mr) were synthesized in the forelimb bud and tail; in addition, a second low molecular weight (20-25,000) and a 84,000 Mr SPs were synthesized in forelimb buds. No SPs were synthesized in the hindlimb bud or the heart. Following RA treatment on GD 13, cleft palate was observed in 58% of fetuses; no other malformations were found. Proteins of 34,000, 84,000 and 90,000 Mr were synthesized in craniofacial tissue; SPs were not observed in forelimb bud, hindlimb bud, heart or tail tissues at this time. Therefore, it appears that there may be a correlation between tissue-specific SP synthesis early in organogenesis and the presence of a malformation later in gestation.
Parallel amygdala and inferotemporal activation reflect emotional intensity and fear relevance

Much research demonstrates that emotional stimuli prompt increased amygdala and visual cortical activation. Here we measure functional activity in the visual cortex and amygdala with fMRI while selected fearful and control participants view a range of neutral, emotionally arousing, and fear-relevant pictures. BOLD signal in the amygdala and inferotemporal visual cortex closely covaried during emotional picture viewing, increasing systematically with rated picture arousal. Furthermore, fearful individuals reacting to specific fear cues show parallel, heightened activation in these two structures compared with non-fearful controls. The findings suggest an individually-sensitive, positive linear relationship between the arousing quality of visual stimuli and activation in amygdala and ventral visual cortex, supporting the hypothesized functional connectivity described in the animal model.
Convexity-based method for extracting object parts from 3-D surfaces

We describe a new method for shape decomposition which relies exclusively on global properties of the surface which are fully characterized by local surface properties. We propose that a useful parcellation of shapes into parts can be obtained by decomposing the shape boundary into the largest convex surface patches (LCP) and the smallest nonconvex surface patches. The essential computational steps of this method are the following (i) build initial parts from the largest locally convex patches, (ii) consider an initial part as a constituent pat if it is essentially convex, and (iii) obtain the remaining constituent parts by merging adjacent initial parts generated by the largest locally convex and the smallest convex patches of nearly the same sizes. We show that the decomposition of shapes into the largest convex patchesaims to maximize the 'thingness' in an object, and to minimize its 'non-thingness', that is the method is conductive to a natural parcellation of shapes into constituent parts useful for recognition and for inferring function.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Detection of pericentric inversion of X chromosome in a male fetus

Amniocentesis on a 32-year-old woman at risk for trisomy 21 by maternal serum triple screen showed a 46,Y,inv(X) (p22.1q24) karyotype in all cells analyzed. A blood sample was obtained from the mother for cytogenetic evaluation. Since she had the same inversion, DNA replication studies were performed to determine if the X inactivation pattern was random or not, since skewed inactivation of the inverted X might suggest that the breakpoints disrupted functional genes. DNA replication studies demonstrated that 68% of mother's cells with the inverted X were active, suggesting random X inactivation. The random X inactivation pattern suggested that the inversion is probably balanced and should not affect the fetus. A normal male was delivered at 40 weeks gestation.
TH1-TH2: a procrustean paradigm.

Although immunologists have found the dichotomous helper T cell subset model a useful construct, it is beginning to show its age. Some suggest that proponents of the TH1-TH2 dichotomy are overzealous in making the data conform to the scheme, like Procrustes who stretched or truncated his guests so that they would fit his guest bed.
Use of a Cane for Ambulation: Marker and Mitigator of Impairment in Older People Who Report No Difficulty Walking

OBJECTIVES: To measure disability, patients are often asked whether they have difficulty performing daily tasks. However, recent work suggests that functional problems may be detected earlier by inquiring about modifications in the way tasks are performed. We sought to describe the characteristics of older people who deny difficulty walking but nevertheless have modified the manner in which they walk, by use of a cane. We also tested the hypothesis that, among older people who deny difficulty walking, those using a cane have more mobility problems and are at greater risk for future mobility problems than those not using a cane. DESIGN: Longitudinal survey study, with measures at baseline and 2-year follow-up. SETTING: Population-based survey of urban older people. PARTICIPANTS: One thousand two hundred fifty-one community-dwelling older persons without severe cognitive impairment who reported no difficulty walking at baseline. MEASUREMENTS: Self-reported health, activities of daily living (ADL), and mobility status. RESULTS: Among older people who denied difficulty walking, those who used a cane at baseline (7 of subjects) were older and more likely to have taken medication for a heart condition or arthritis, to have an ADL deficit, and to have been hospitalized in the past year. They were less likely to have walked for pleasure in the past month and more likely to report difficulty crossing roads or intersections. Moreover, those using a cane at baseline were more likely to develop new mobility problems at follow-up. For example, 15 of those who used a cane at baseline reported new difficulty walking at follow-up, compared with 2 of those who did not use a cane. CONCLUSION: Older people who deny difficulty walking but who use a cane are at greater risk than those who do not use a cane for the development of difficulty walking and other new mobility problems. Asking patients about task modification rather than difficulty alone may be a more sensitive way to detect early or mild functional problems. Language: en
Analyticity in Angular Momentum of the Relativistic Many-Channel S Matrix from Dispersion Relations and Unitarity

The analyticity of the scattering amplitude in angular momentum for N- coupled relativistic two-body channels is investigated on the basis of Mandelstam representation and unltarity. The problem of the proof of the analytic properties of the amplitude is reduced to the boundedness of a particular kernel involving the left-hand discontinuity of the amplitude. The behavior of the Regge trajectories at inelastic thresholds is determined. The results are extended to relativistic models with infinite-dimensional unitarity relation but without crossing symmetry such as the Bethe-Salpeter amplitude. The implications of the results to the exact S-matrix theory are also discussed. (auth)
Magnetite in Denticle Capping in Recent Chitons (Polyplacophora)

Preliminary data are presented on the physical properties and the mineralogy of the material in denticle caps of chitons. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the denticle material indicate the presence of magnetite, or possibly maghemite. This is the first indication that magnetite or possibly maghemite is precipitated by a biologic agent in sea water. Hence, the origin of magnetite reported in recent and fossil marine deposits will have to be re-examined. The hardness of the denticle material (Ca. 6 on the Mohs scale) explains why chitons are effective erosional agents of rock surfaces, particularly of limestone. From the biologic point of view the possibility is considered that the magnetic properties of the denticle caps may serve as a guidance system for the so-called homing instinct of chitons.
DYNAMICAL DECOUPLING OF OPEN QUANTUM SYSTEMS

We propose a novel dynamical method for beating decoherence and dissipation in open quantum systems. We demonstrate the possibility of filtering out the effects of unwanted (not necessarily known) system-environment interactions and show that the noise-suppression procedure can be combined with the capability of retaining control over the effective dynamical evolution of the open quantum system. Implications for quantum information processing are discussed.
Effects of methylprednisolone and cyclosporine A on fungal growth in vitro.

PURPOSE The management of corneal transplants after mycotic keratitis often poses a therapeutic dilemma. Clinicians are hesitant to use topical steroids because of their potential enhancement of fungal growth. This study seeks to evaluate the in vitro effects of methylprednisolone and cyclosporine A on the growth of various molds that often are responsible for keratomycoses. METHODS Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, and Aspergillus fumigatus were grown in the presence of varying concentrations of methylprednisolone, cyclosporine A, and vehicle controls. Fungal growth was evaluated in a masked fashion based on the number of colonies and their morphologies. RESULTS All tested concentrations of cyclosporine A (1%, 2%, 4%) had a statistically significant suppressive effect on the growth of F. oxysporum (p<0.001) and F. solani (p<0.001) compared with methylprednisolone and vehicle control solutions. A dose-dependent decrease in the number of colonies grown also was noted for F. oxysporum (p<0.001) and F. solani (p<0.001). In the case of A. fumigatus, cyclosporine A significantly decreased the colony size (p<0.015) in a dose-dependent fashion. CONCLUSIONS Cyclosporine A appears to have an inhibitory effect on fungal growth in vitro. Cyclosporine A may be an important alternative to topical steroids for management of corneal transplants after mycotic keratitis.
Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer for Space Research

A normal incidence spectrometer for use in the wavelength region from 200 to 1270 A has been developed. The design and calibration of the instrument are described in detail. The spectrometer can be employed to detect extreme UV radiation at a minimum flux level of 1 rayleigh with a spectral resolution of 40 A and a spatial resolution of 6 deg. Data on the extreme UV night sky spectrum between 780 and 1270 A obtained with this instrument on a recent rocket flight are presented.
To breathe or not to breathe: a review of artificial airway placement and related complications.

Artificial airway devices are commonly used to provide adequate ventilation and/or oxygenation in multiple clinical settings, both emergent and nonemergent. These frequently used devices include laryngeal mask airway, esophageal–tracheal combitube, endotracheal tube, and tracheostomy tube and are associated with various acute and late complications. Clinically, this may vary from mild discomfort to a potentially life-threatening situation. Radiologically, these devices and their acute and late complications have characteristic imaging findings which can be detected primarily on radiographs and computed tomography. We review appropriate positioning of these artificial airway devices and illustrate associated complications including inadequate positioning of the endotracheal tube, pulmonary aspiration, tracheal laceration or perforation, paranasal sinusitis, vocal cord paralysis, post-intubation tracheal stenosis, cuff overinflation with vascular compression, and others. Radiologists must recognize and understand the potential complications of intubation to promptly guide management and avoid long-term or even deadly consequences.
Comparison of Planning and Operational Analysis Procedures for Signalized Intersections from the Highway Capacity Manual

The 1994 update of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) includes a planning procedure to estimate the capacity condition of a signalized intersection (Xcm). The planning method results can also be extended to a planning application of the more data-intensive HCM operational procedure to estimate intersection critical flow-to-capacity ratio (Xc) and level of service with only planning-level data. Both the planning procedure and the planning application of the operational procedure involve default adjustment factors and synthesized traffic signal timing (called the "default signal timing"). Data from 166 Missouri intersections were used to determine how well the planning approaches predict operational analysis results. In general, the default signal timings had shorter cycle lengths than the timing plans used at pretimed signals. The shorter cycle lengths led to slightly higher flow-to-capacity ratios, since a higher proportion of each cycle was devoted to lost time. The default signal timings also had more eq...
Pair spectra and the magnetic properties of Mn 2+ in double nitrate crystals

Experimental electron-paramagnetic-resonance spectra for ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{2+}$ pairs in ${\mathrm{La}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Zn}}_{3}$${({\mathrm{NO}}_{3})}_{12}$\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}${24\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O host crystals are interpreted to obtain the exchange interaction, $J{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{S}}}_{1}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{S}}}_{2}$, for pairs of ions in nearest-neighbor $X$ and $Y$ sites, $J(X,Y)=0.0193\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.001$ ${\mathrm{\ifmmode \mbox{\c{c}}\else \c{c}\fi{}}\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, and for pairs of ions in nearest-neighbor $X$ sites, $J(X,X)=0.0309\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0015$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. The zero-field splitting parameter $D$ has also been determined for the members of these pairs. For ions in the $X$ site, these values are much different than for the isolated ions. The information obtained for isolated pairs is used as an aid in the interpretation of measurements on the concentrated crystal ${\mathrm{La}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{3}$${({\mathrm{NO}}_{3})}_{12}$\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}${24\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O reported by other authors. From this analysis, a plausible magnetic ordering arrangement is found for the concentrated material below its magnetic critical point. It is concluded from a comparison of calculated and measured magnetothermal properties that the magnetic interactions are the same in the concentrated material as for isolated pairs within the quoted accuracy of the latter. From the trends of the zero-field splitting for ions in the $Y$ site as the diamagnetic constituents are varied, it is deduced that $D=\ensuremath{-}0.0209$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ for ions in the $Y$ site of the concentrated material. The anisotropy of the $^{55}\mathrm{Mn}$ $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays from magnetically ordered ${\mathrm{La}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{3}$${({\mathrm{NO}}_{3})}_{12}$\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}${24\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O observed by other authors is utilized to obtain a best value for the zero-field splitting of ions in the $X$ site, $D=\ensuremath{-}0.0090$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. The magnitude of $J(X,Y)$ determined by the experiments agrees very well with an earlier estimate made by Francis and Culvahouse based on measurements of the magnetic interactions of other ions in these sites and a model in which only ${e}_{g}$ orbitals are involved in the exchange. The value obtained for $J(X,X)$ reenforces the conclusion advanced earlier on the basis of measurements for other ions that the exchange between ions in nearest-neighbor $X$ sites involves both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions.
The relationship of rainfall variability in West Central Africa to sea‐surface temperature fluctuations

This study examines the interannual variability of rainfall in western equatorial Africa and its links to sea-surface temperatures (SSTs). Five geographical regions within the latitudes 10°N–5°S are delineated for the analysis. The links to SSTs in the tropical Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans are examined via seasonal composites of wet and dry years and via linear correlations. The results show that interannual variability is extremely complex in this region and that several factors govern it. The most important include SST anomalies along the Benguela Coast, a general warming or cooling of the tropical oceans, Atlantic SSTs specifically, the contrast between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and the Pacific El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). These factors differ seasonally. In much of the region, rainfall variability is linked to the Pacific El Nino and the western Indian Ocean early in the year, but to the Atlantic during the boreal summer months. The Indian Ocean again becomes important in late summer/early fall. The role of the Atlantic appears to be the modulation of the north–south excursion of the Intertropical convergence Zone (ITCZ). Hence the polarity of the SST/rainfall association depends on location. The association between SSTs near the coast and rainfall is positive if the influence is direct but can be positive or negative for indirect influences. An opposition between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans appears to displace convection in an east–west direction. Our results suggest several generic conclusions concerning the link between SSTs and continental rainfall. One is that the influence of the three oceans is seasonally dependent. The impact of a specific SST anomaly is also seasonally dependent. The same SST pattern may enhance rainfall in one season, but reduce it in the following season. Finally, the SST/rainfall associations are generally not symmetric. That is, the factors producing wet conditions are not the reverse of those producing dry conditions. In order to understand these associations, the underlying mechanisms via the general atmospheric circulation must be determined. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society
Accuracy testing of three-dimensional digitizing systems.

Abstract An accuracy test designed as a standard for digital occlusal wear measurement devices was applied to such a device designed by the authors. The test was used for quantitative determination of measurement error for a given angle of tangential contact with the inclined planes of the surface being measured. Using known dimensions of the digitizer contact tip and of a precision steel sphere, we determined trigonometrically the error in the Z-axis measurement due to the slope of any point on the surface of the sphere. These values were used for a point-by-point correction of data obtained from actual digitization of the sphere. The corrected values would equal zero if no mechanical source of error existed. These values, then, quantitatively indicated the accuracy (in microns) of the device as a function of the slope of the measurement point. The results indicated a linear relationship between surface slope angle and measurement error for the device tested.
The Zenith Indicator Position Instrument

The Zenith Indicator Position navigation instrument is a device for instantaneously determining the latitude and longitude of a position on the surface of the earth with respect to the celestial sphere. The instrument operates on the fundamental principle that if the celestial coordinates of a position on the zenith are known, the corresponding terrestrial coordinates can be calculated by:
Tribimaximal neutrino mixing from A4 replication

Abstract Motivated by dimensional deconstruction, we propose a model of tribimaximal neutrino mixing based on A 4 × A 4 symmetry. In this model, the two triplet symmetry-breaking fields of conventional A 4 models are taken to transform under different A 4 group factors, but are not distinguished by any other quantum numbers. An additional bi-triplet flavon field breaks A 4 × A 4 to its diagonal subgroup. If the bi-triplet transforms under an additional Z 3 symmetry, we show that one can construct a general, renormalizable superpotential that yields the desired pattern of symmetry breaking. We identify the features that this model has in common with a deconstructed 5D theory in which A 4 is a subgroup of a continuous gauged flavor symmetry in the bulk.
Release of bound procyanidins from cranberry pomace by alkaline hydrolysis.

Procyanidins in plant products are present as extractable or unextractable/bound forms. We optimized alkaline hydrolysis conditions to liberate procyanidins and depolymerize polymers from dried cranberry pomace. Alkaline extracts were neutralized (pH 6−7) and then procyanidins were extracted with ethyl acetate and analyzed by normal phase high performance liquid chromatography. Alkaline hydrolysis resulted in an increase in low molecular weight procyanidins, and the increase was greater at higher temperature, short time combinations. The most procyanidins (DP1−DP3) were extracted at 60 °C for 15 min with each concentration of NaOH. When compared to conventional extraction using homogenization with acetone/water/acetic acid (70:29.5:0.5 v/v/v), treatment with NaOH increased procyanidin oligomer extraction by 3.8−14.9-fold, with the greatest increase being DP1 (14.9×) and A-type DP2 (8.4×) procyanidins. Alkaline treatment of the residue remaining after conventional extraction resulted in further procyanidin...
14N NMR single-crystal study of hexamethylenetetramine

The 14N NMR spectrum of hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) is dominated by the very large electric quadrupole coupling constant of 4.412 MHz at room temperature. Nonetheless, by carefully accounting for this interaction one can subtract its first- and second-order effects on the spectrum, leaving the much smaller anisotropic chemical shift interaction. The chemical shielding anisotropy of HMT is −8.3±3.2 ppm, small but different from zero, with an isotropic chemical shift in good agreement with the value in aqueous solution. This study illustrates how even very tiny chemical shift tensors can be extracted from the NMR spectra of quadrupolar nuclei using appropriate techniques. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
NT-33NAD+ SYNTHESIS INHIBITION AS A THERAPEUTIC STRATEGY FOR GLIOBLASTOMA WITH MYC AMPLIFICATION

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Oncoprotein Myc is a master transcription factor and plays a crucial role in human cancer pathogenesis and the stem-like phenotype of glioblastoma (GBM). Since dyregulated Myc in cancer drives altered glucose and glutamine metabolism promoting tumor growth, pathways involved in Myc-induced aberrant metabolism could offer therapeutic targets. The coenzyme Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) is essential in redox reactions including glycolysis and the citric acid cycle. We sought to determine whether MYC-amplified GBM, as compared to MYC-non-amplified GBM, utilizes distinct NAD+ biosynthesis pathways and exhibits differential dependence on metabolic pathways that require NAD+. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 11 patient-derived GBM stem-like cell (GSCs) lines established from surgical specimens were used. FISH analysis was performed to determine copy number status of MYC and MYCN. Expression of enzymes involved in NAD+ synthesis [e.g., nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) and nicotinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase (NAPRT-1)] was tested with Western blot. NAD+ levels were measured after treating GSCs with FK866, a potent and specific small molecule inhibitor for NAMPT. The effects of pharmacological inhibition of NAMPT on GSC viability were determined by CellTiter Glo cell viability assay. RESULTS: Five (45.5%) GSCs had MYC (1) or MYCN (4) amplification. FK866 depleted NAD+ levels in GSCs. Treatment with FK866 potently inhibited in vitro growth of all the GSCs that harbored MYC/MYCN amplification with IC50 values in a low-nanomolar range (0.7 - 4.6 nM). In contrast, non-amplified GSCs as well as human normal astrocytes showed resistance to FK866. The MYC/MYCN amplified GSCs expressed low or undetectable levels of NAPRT-1, which is involved in the NAD+ synthesis pathway utilizing nicotinic acid. CONCLUSIONS: MYC/MYCN-amplified GSCs, but not non-amplified GSCs, were exquisitely sensitive to NAMPT inhibition. NAMPT may represent a promising therapeutic target for GBM with MYC amplification.
Effect of lateral masking and letter reversal on same-different judgments

Subjects judged whether two adjacent letters were identical or different under difficult conditions (brief, parafoveal, laterally masked letter pairs). Consistent with the noisy-operator theory, the increase in internal noise produced more spurious mismatches than matches and thus prompted greater rechecking of different pairs, because a large, nearly 70-msec speed advantage for same pairs was found, along with many false-different responses. Rechecking of spurious mismatches faltered (the fast-same effect remained the same or decreased, whereas false-different errors abounded), when particular letter pairs were presented mirror-reversed (Experiment 1) or had an outer (more peripheral) lateral mask (Experiment 2). Contrary to Wolford’s feature-perturbation model, backward masking greatly exceeded forward masking, especially with an outer mask.