cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Irreversibility, decay, and asymptotic dynamics

This paper contains the skeleton of one lecture, and of two raporteur's interventions, made at the Sanibel Symposium in February–March, 1979. The task asked of this lecturer was to present an outline of the program of nonequilibrium statistical mechanics, and to indicate some of the recent developments in our understanding of this program. Section I lists a few of the principal physical ingredients of the theory. The possible implementation of certain aspects of the program is demonstrated in Sec. II with the help of three exactly soluble models. Finally in Sec. III we extrapolate from these particular examples in two directions: the stochastic aspect of statistical mechanics, and some remarks on the theory of the quantum measurement process. The presence, at the Symposium, of several distinguished lecturers who presented their own original, and most interesting, contributions hopefully made appear less outrageous—at least at the time—the severe omissions due to the personal choices this particular speaker had to make to keep within the time limitations inherent to such a gathering. It is now hoped that, even when taken out of the full context of the Symposium, the rearranged text which follows might nevertheless help focusing attention on some of the important problems remaining to be solved. It is a pleasure to acknowledge here the stimulating hospitality of the Symposium Scientific Director, Professor P.-O. Lowdin.
Information systems user security: A structured model of the knowing-doing gap

The corporate information systems users often engage in risky behavior that can threaten the security and integrity of an organization by exposing sensitive information or weakening the existing technological perimeter security. This risky user behavior can be intentional or unintentional, but in either case can cause severe damage to an organization's reputation as well as potentially extending harm to the organization's clients and customers. Information systems users not following the corporate security policies, even though they know the policies, is known as user omissive behavior, also known as the knowing-doing gap. This research examines the information assurance understanding and security awareness at the user level by developing a structured model of the user knowing-doing gap. The model examines the role of organizational narcissism and its affect on user attitudes towards following the organization's information security policies and procedures. It also includes perceived threat as a factor affecting user attitudes towards following information security rules, as well as subjective norms and perceived behavior control consistent with the theory of planned behavior. This structured model provides a framework and description of user information security behavior and the knowing-doing gap.
LORA: robust and simple routing algorithms for ad hoc mobile wireless networks

We present two novel Locally Optimal Routing Algorithms (LORA) for ad hoc mobile wireless networks with fast changing topology. Instead of modifying globally optimal shortest path routing algorithms, we propose two new algorithms that are designed to match the characterisitics of wireless physical channels in a network with dynamic ad hoc topology and mobile users. Motivated by practical constraints, we design LORA to be simple to implement at each node, requiring very low computational load and a small amount of memory, and can provide fast rerouting under distributed control when nodes or links fail. The first algorithm, LORAl, is designed for networks with slowly moving users, using a new random graphical model and randomized algorithms. The second algorithm, LORAB, is designed for fast moving users, building upon LORAl with an additional mobility diversity feature. Various properties of the algorithms are tested by simulations. Analytic results bound the performances of LORA. We also outline several extensions of LORA.
Objective and Subjective Performance Measures: A Note on Terminology

At least since the late 1970s, the performance measurement literature has used different terminologies to describe agency- and citizen-generated performance measures. The first type of measures are placed into objective and the second type into subjective categories. This article argues that this terminology is outdated owing to evidence on the contextual subjectivity of all performance measures. The analysis also examines the potential impact of the dichotomization on the role accorded citizens in helping to develop public sector performance measures.
Meat-Eating and Jewish Identity: Ritualization of the Priestly “Torah of Beast and Fowl” (Lev 11:46) in Rabbinic Judaism and Medieval Kabbalah

In a fascinating chapter dealing with the “nature of eating” in Shulhan shel Arba, a short thirteenth-century manual on rabbinic eating rituals, R. Bahya b. Asher suggests that Torah scholars alone are fit to eat meat, based on the following passage from the Talmud: “it is forbidden for an ignoramus [am ha-aretz] to eat meat, as it is written, ‘This is the torah of beast and fowl’ (Lev 11:46); for all who engage in Torah, it is permitted to eat the flesh of beast and fowl. This passage raises many questions, especially for a vegetarian! First, why would an intellectual or spiritual elite use meat-eating as a way to distinguish itself from the masses? The field of comparative religions offers many counter-examples to this tendency: the vegetarian diet of the Hindu Brahmin caste, of Buddhist priests and nuns, the ancient Pythagoreans, the Neoplatonist regimen advocated by Porphyry in On Abstinence, or even contemporary eco-theologians, animal rights activists, and feminist vegetarians like Carol Adams.
FLOOD REGIME AND LEAF FALL DETERMINE SOIL INORGANIC NITROGEN DYNAMICS IN SEMIARID RIPARIAN FORESTS

Flow regulation has reduced the exchange of water, energy, and materials between rivers and floodplains, caused declines in native plant populations, and advanced the spread of nonnative plants. Naturalized flow regimes are regarded as a means to restore degraded riparian areas. We examined the effects of flood regime (short [SIFI] vs. long [LIFI] inter-flood interval) on plant community and soil inorganic nitrogen (N) dynamics in riparian forests dominated by native Populus deltoides var. wislizenii Eckenwalder (Rio Grande cottonwood) and nonnative Tamarix chinensis Lour. (salt cedar) along the regulated middle Rio Grande of New Mexico. The frequency of inundation (every 2-3 years) at SIFI sites better reflected inundation patterns prior to the closure of an upstream dam relative to the frequency of inundation at LIFI sites (> or =10 years). Riparian inundation at SIFI sites varied from 7 to 45 days during the study period (April 2001-July 2004). SIFI vs. LIFI sites had higher soil moisture but greater groundwater table elevation fluctuation in response to flooding and drought. Rates of net N mineralization were consistently higher at LIFI vs. SIFI sites, and soil inorganic N concentrations were greatest at sites with elevated leaf-litter production. Sites with stable depth to ground water (approximately 1.5 m) supported the greatest leaf-litter production. Reduced leaf production at P. deltoides SIFI sites was attributed to drought-induced recession of ground water and prolonged inundation. We recommend that natural resource managers and restoration practitioners (1) utilize naturalized flows that help maintain riparian groundwater elevations between 1 and 3 m in reaches with mature P. deltoides or where P. deltoides revegetation is desired, (2) identify areas that naturally undergo long periods of inundation and consider restoring these areas to seasonal wetlands, and (3) use native xeric-adapted riparian plants to revegetate LIFI and SIFI sites where groundwater elevations commonly drop below 3 m.
Elemental diets--facts and fantasies.

Sherlock Holmes was recently hospitalized for Crohn’s disease by his friend and personal physician Dr. Watson. When the famous detective asked what he was having for.lunch, Watson replied, “It’s elemental, my dear Holmes!” The elemental diet (ED) has been introduced into clinical practice as one approach to improve the nutritional status of malnourished patients. It is an almost ancient observation that starved and malnourished individuals are less able to cope with the ravages of illness than are their well-fed counterparts. Many sufferers of both acute and chronic diseases may develop protein-calorie malnutrition as an outcome of their disease.’ Although these patients differ from those with starvation in that their premorbid nutritional status was usually adequate, it is often assumed that this disease-acquired malnutrition-will be associated with additional adverse effects. By this reasoning, correction of nutritional deficiency might benefit the patient. Based on these assumptions, an entire technology has arisen to support catabolic patients nutritionally. These techniques employ both parenteral (not to be further considered) and enteral routes. Enteral nutrition can be supplied through a variety of means, most commonly natural food. In the past three decades, a different type of diet has been developed, in which the nutritional elements are individually added to produce a predefined mixture. The first planned human application of these diets was for the use of. astronauts on prolonged space voyages, where the problems of storage, ingestion, and waste disposal were considerably more pressing than they are on the earth’s surface.’ For this reason, they came to be called “space diets.” With their application to the nutritional support of terrestrials, however, these diets became known as “elemental” or “chemically defined.”
Abstract 3442: A Regional Assessment of Mismatch between Joint Commission Certified Stroke Centers and Population Requirements

Background: The Joint Commission identifies high performing stroke centers through their certification program. Since the certification program does not incorporate a population based needs assessment, we hypothesized that some population centers may not contain certified centers. Furthermore, we hypothesized that inter-competitive behaviors of centers may be lead to clustering of certified centers. Methods: We identified all the primary stroke centers (PSCs) that were certified by Joint Commission through a directory maintained by the organization. We identified the addresses of all the certified stroke centers in the upper Midwest (ND, SD, MN, IA, WI) and determined the latitude and longitude coordinates for these locations. We then obtained a list of all the census blocks in the upper Midwest that included the populations and latitude and longitude coordinates for each census block. We used the Haversine formula to calculate the great circle distance between each stroke center and each census block and then identified the five stroke centers closest to each census block. From this we were able to identify the census blocks within 15 miles of multiple stroke centers in the upper Midwest. We also identified every census block within 15 miles of each stroke center. From this we calculated the total population within 15 miles of each stroke center. Results: We identified a total of 56 PSC hospitals that are serving a population of 15.4 million in 2010 in upper Midwest. Of the population served, 53% of the population lives within 15 miles of a PSC. Of these, 3%, 6%, and 1% live within 15 miles of 2,3, and 4 PSCs; 21% live within 15 miles of 5 or more PSCs. Seven PSCs have a population of ≤100,000 per PSC within 15 miles, and 49 PSCs have a population of >100,000 per PSC within 15 miles; 18 PSCs have a population of 1 million or greater within 15 miles. Conclusions: We found that almost half of the population in the Midwest does not reside within 15 miles of a PSC while one-fifth of the population resides within 15 miles of 5 or more PSCs. Such mismatches highlight the need for PSC designation to consider population needs to ensure homogeneity of care.
Influence of tissue treatment onto the Raman spectra obtained from prostate histopathological slides for diagnostic purposes

In recent years, Raman spectroscopy has emerged as a potentially viable tool for automated cancer diagnostics. However, due to the complexity of the signal obtained from a tissue, most of the studies have been confined to statistical analysis of the spectra with principal component analysis being most often reported as the analysis of choice. These types of analyses are sensitive to modification of the Raman spectra due to tissue processing. The study presented here addresses the modifications of the Raman spectra obtained from prostate tissue histopathological slides due to the tissue treatment and its influence on the automated cancer diagnostics via Raman spectroscopy.
Rat Placental Hepatocyte Growth Factor/Scatter Factor: Purification, Characterization, and Developmental Regulation

In view of significant species-specific sequence differences between human and rat placental hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/scatter factor (SF), the rat placental HGF/SF (rpSF) was purified, and its properties compared with human placental HGF/SF (hpSF). Like hpSF, rpSF scattered Madin-Darby canine kidney cells at 1-2 ng/ml and is composed of two subunits of 60 kDa and 30 kDa. Higher amounts (> 50%) of uncleaved 90-kDa form was present in the HGF/SF preparations from both human and rat placentas. Rat placental SF reacts with antibodies raised against hpSF in rabbits and chickens. The SF activity when expressed per gram rat placental tissue rises rapidly up to 9 days and then levels off. When expressed per milligram tissue protein it also increases rapidly up to 9 days and then declines. The expression of HGF/SF mRNA during development parallels that of HGF/SF activity. The specific activity of HGF/SF receptor (c-met) mRNA also appears to peak at 6 days. These findings suggest that (i) in spite of significant (> 10%) sequence differences between rpSF and hpSF, they exhibit similar structural, biologic, and immunologic characteristics and (ii) HGF/SF and its receptor are expressed in high amounts on Day 6 and then decline in developing placenta.
Electronic and Exchange Coupling in a Cross-Conjugated D–B–A Biradical: Mechanistic Implications for Quantum Interference Effects

A combination of variable-temperature EPR spectroscopy, electronic absorption spectroscopy, and magnetic susceptibility measurements have been performed on TpCum,MeZn(SQ-m-Ph-NN) (1-meta) a donor–bridge–acceptor (D–B–A) biradical that possesses a cross-conjugated meta-phenylene (m-Ph) bridge and a spin singlet ground state. The experimental results have been interpreted in the context of detailed bonding and excited-state computations in order to understand the excited-state electronic structure of 1-meta. The results reveal important excited-state contributions to the ground-state singlet–triplet splitting in this cross-conjugated D–B–A biradical that contribute to our understanding of electronic coupling in cross-conjugated molecules and specifically to quantum interference effects. In contrast to the conjugated isomer, which is a D–B–A biradical possessing a para-phenylene bridge, admixture of a single low-lying singly excited D → A type configuration into the cross-conjugated D–B–A biradical ground st...
Bridging organizational identity and reputation messages online: a conceptual model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual model that can be used to bridge organizational identity and reputation messages. The proposed model may help organizations more-effectively build and maintain both their desired identity as well as reputation. Design/methodology/approach – The qualitative and exploratory procedure was used to develop a model for simultaneously managing and measuring both identity and reputation messages. The process of conceptualizing an exploratory, qualitative value model begins with identifying relevant concepts and measures. A qualitative review of reputation and identity scholarship was examined for recurring themes and concepts. These themes were then used to formulate the identity and reputation functions and value measures. Findings – The proposed conceptual model presents characteristics and attributes that scholars and practitioners may need to consider when managing an organization’s identity and reputation messages online. The paper also presents ...
Students' Perceptions of their Preparation to Provide Pharmaceutical Care

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of students' perceptions of their preparedness to perform (PREP) advanced pharmacy practice competencies for curricular assessment and improvement. College faculty developed and approved a set of professional competencies during the development of a new, Doctor of Pharmacy entry-level degree curriculum. Students' opinions regarding the degree to which the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum prepared them to perform 41 pharmacy practice activities were solicited using survey methods. The 41 items were separated into five primary factors by factor analysis. Graduating students' perceptions improved over the four years of their educational experience. At the end of the same academic year, students further along in the professional curriculum generally felt more prepared than students in the beginning stages of their educational experience. Finally, students' perceptions generally improved where expected given the sequencing of the course content. Surveying students regarding their perceptions may be a useful tool in a College's continuous quality improvement program. Use of perceptions of preparation warrants further investigation.
Effect of Noise on Cardiovascular System and Blood Lipid Level of Workers

[Objective]To understand the effect of noise on cardiovascular system and blood lipid level of workers.[Methods]The data of 1 170 workers with pre-job occupational health examination and 5 258 workers with on-the-job occupational health examination in Changzhou CDC were collected for analysis of blood pressure,pulse level,ECG and blood lipid level.[Results]Pulse level of noise exposure group was significantly lower than that of control group(P 0.01).The systolic blood pressure level and the prevalence of hypertension in female 26-35 age group were significantly higher than those of control group(P 0.05).The differences of male hypertension and blood lipid level were not significant between noise group and control group.[Conclusion]Noise exposure can reduce people's pulse rate.Noise can affect female'blood pressure and does not possess obvious effect on blood pressure and blood lipid of male.
Comparison of laboratory and field deratization effects of two anticoagulant rodenticides

Objective To understand the laboratory and field deratization effects of Bromadiolone and Brodifacoum on rodent,and to provide scientific data for deratization in the future.Methods Using select-feeding method to determine the palatability of the poison bait and the laboratory deratization effect.And using the powder trace method to determine the field rat density and calculate the deratization effect.Results The feeding index was 1.35 for Bromadiolone and 1.10 for Brodifacoum.The laboratory deratization rate was 100% for both poison baits.The field corrected deratization rate was 42.99% for Bromadiolone and 86.67% for Brodifacoum. Conclusion Both poison baits which were good in palatability had good laboratory deratization effect,while the field deratization rate of Brodifacoum was better than Bromadiolon and it could be used in large areas.
The meaning of technology for people with chronic renal failure

The article is based on the findings of a hermeneutic study that focused on the experience of individuals receiving hemodialysis for chronic renal failure. The purpose of the research was to begin to understand the experience and meaning of technology for these individuals. Three themes reflected the dimensions of the participants' individual and collective experiences: coming to terms with loss and limitations, abiding with technology, and enduring the treatment environment. Overall, the participants found themselves struggling to remain embodied while being transformed by a reluctant partnering with technology.
Quantum computing with superconducting circuits

Quantum computation is a completely new and different paradigm for how to store and process information. It offers the possibility of exponential computational advantage for certain types of hard problems, but the hardware for implementing quantum algorithms is still at an early stage. The basic idea of quantum computing is to replace the ordinary binary bits of conventional computing with their quantum equivalent, or qubit. A qubit can be any quantum system whose states can be prepared and controlled, provided that we can then fabricate them in large quantities and then couple them to one another in prescribed ways. While there are several candidate technologies for building a quantum computer, one of the most promising is superconducting quantum circuits, operated at cryogenic temperatures approaching 0.01 K.
Bronchial Artery Interventions in Children

Hemoptysis, defined as the expectoration of blood or bloody sputum, is rare in children. It must be differentiated from mimics such as gastrointestinal bleeding and nosebleeds. While there are many etiologies for pulmonary hemorrhage, cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common cause of severe hemoptysis in the western hemisphere and developed countries.
The Conceptual and Experimental Foundations of Vertebrate Embryonic Cell Adhesion Research

As embryology underwent its transformation from a descriptive to an experimental science, new research programs began to seek a causal understanding of the striking morphogenetic changes that had been observed to occur during embryogenesis. Whether these underlying morphogenetic forces were intrinsic properties of individual cells or whether they were some holistic property of the embryo in toto was a question fueled by several sources. On the one hand, His (1) hypothesized that morphogenetic movements occurred as a result of unequal growth among different populations of cells which led to bending and stretching of tissues, much as pushing and pulling on a sheet of some deformable material could lead to the production of complicated shapes. Roux (2), on the other hand, claimed to have observed specific positive and negative cytotropisms among populations of individual cells isolated from early amphibian embryos. The issue of developmental regulation as a cell-autonomous property, as opposed to a holistic expression of special attributes of embryos, was further exacerbated by the disparate interpretations of Roux (3) and Driesch (4) regarding their experiments on the developmental fate of isolated amphibian and sea urchin embryo blastomeres. While Roux’s interpretation of independent cellular development in these specific cases were not supported by later investigation, his methods nevertheless served as a potent stimulus for further investigation on the individual cellular behaviors that contributed to the overall program of morpho-genesis.
Introduction: the Opportunities For Nuclear Terrorism

On 20 March 1995, members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult released a lethal nerve agent, sarin, on the Tokyo underground. The attack killed 12 people and injured over 5,000 others, and was the first major sub-state use of a weapon of mass destruction. Although terrorism using non-conventional weaponry had been the subject of academic and governmental discussion for twenty years prior to the attack, the events in Tokyo gave new impetus to this debate. Aum’s actions broke a norm, that terrorists almost invariably limit their attacks to conventional means, and, given the derivative nature of many terrorist tactics, it thus increased the likelihood that there will be further attacks using weapons of mass destruction.
Go with the Flow: Analyzing Energy Use and Efficiency in the USA

The extraction and use of various forms of energy are at the nexus of many environmental issues. Although we live in an age of diverse energy sources—fossil fuels, nuclear, solar, wind, and geothermal—most developed countries still rely heavily on burning the remains of ancient organisms to fuel their economies. It is difficult to appreciate the scale and scope of energy use at the national level, but this understanding is critical if we are to have informed and productive conversations about our future energy policies and the potential for renewable energy solutions. To initiate those discussions with students, this chapter outlines an exercise that utilizes the visually stunning energy flow chart that is produced every year by the US Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (https://flowcharts.llnl.gov/). The energy flow chart summarizes how much energy by type is used in the different sectors of the economy. By examining the scale and scope of energy use at the national level, students are better informed to discuss where and how alternative energy and improvements in energy efficiency can be integrated at the national level. After completing this activity, students should be able to (1) interpret the energy flow chart, (2) compare and contrast how various sectors of the US economy rely on specific energy sources,(3) calculate and rank energy efficiencies for various sectors of the US economy (electrical production, residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation), and (4) calculate the relative reliance of the US economy on fossil fuels compared to other energy sources.
Late Jurassic dike swarms in the southwestern Sierra Nevada Foothills terrane, California: Implications for the Nevadan orogeny and North American plate motion

A previously unrecognized sheared dike swarm has been identified in a southern fragment of the western Foothills terrane—the Owens Mountain area of the western Sierra Nevada foothills, northeast of Fresno, California. It may be the southern extension of the Bear Mountains fault zone. The dike swarm, sheeted in places, consists predominantly of tonalitic tabular bodies and coeval, mutually cross-cutting tonalitic and mafic dikes. Textures and fabrics within the dike swarm range from partially recrystallized igneous to strongly deformed metamorphic tectonites, implying that dike emplacement occurred during ductile deformation. Mylonitization has transposed layering parallel to foliation and has greatly thinned many of the dikes. Layering and foliation dip subvertically and strike NNW–SSE. Post-tectonic annealing has destroyed most microscopic shear indicators, but macroscopic intrafolial folds are common and have steeply southeast-plunging fold axes and S-fold geometries that may indicate a sinistral sense of shear. Age data (U-Pb zircon) from the tonalites reveal that emplacement and crystallization occurred over a 7-m.y. period, from 155 Ma to 148 Ma, at an estimated depth of 10 km (from AlTotal in hornblendes). A correlation between age and degree of deformation and recrystallization of the tonalites implies syntectonic dike emplacement. Intrusion began within 5 m.y. of deposition of the strata into which the dikes were emplaced. Granitic dikes that cut the complex at 123 Ma are nondeformed. The duration of the Nevadan orogeny is shown to have lasted from Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (160–137 Ma and possibly to 123 Ma) and thus is more protracted that has been postulated. The regional tectonics of the Owens Mountain and other Cordilleran dike swarms can be related in a broad dynamic sense to the absolute motion of North America by using the apparent polar wander (APW) analysis of May and Butler (1986). The Nevadan orogeny may be the manifestation of drastic changes in magnitude and direction of North American motion (from ~45 km/m.y. to the NNE to ~200 km/m.y. to the NW; May and Butler, 1986). The Late Jurassic dike swarms record a complex pattern of sinistral-sense transtension-transpression that may have developed at the J2 APW cusp (ca. 150 Ma; see May and Butler, 1986) and during subsequent, rapid northwestward acceleration of North America.
Prospective studies of infectious mononucleosis in university students.

We performed an intensive prospective study designed to obtain as much data as possible on the incubation and early illness periods of primary Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection. Undergraduate students who lacked EBV antibody and oral EBV DNA (EBV-naive) were seen every 2 weeks during their freshman year. Clinical and behavioral data, oral washes and venous blood were obtained. EBV antibodies were quantified by enzyme immunoassay and viral loads by PCR. During a median 8 months of observation, 14/85 subjects experienced primary EBV infections (24 cases/100 person-years). The only significant risk factor for acquisition of EBV infection was deep kissing (P=0.02). Eleven subjects had infectious mononucleosis with a median duration of 21 days. Two subjects were hospitalized. Infections were initially identified in 12 subjects by finding EBV DNA in oral cells before onset of symptoms and in 2 subjects by symptom reporting. EBV DNA and viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgM and gp350 IgG antibodies were present in the blood before onset of illness. To provide a more robust evaluation of primary EBV infection in undergraduate university students, we combined data on risk factors and antibody responses from this and an earlier study that used the exact same clinical and laboratory methods. The observation that the only significant risk factor for acquisition of EBV infection was deep kissing was confirmed. Most importantly, higher amounts of gp350 antibody correlated significantly with a lower severity of infectious mononucleosis (P<0.0001), which strengthens the rationale for a gp350-based prophylactic EBV vaccine.
Prelude to World War I

At the dawn of the twentieth century Germany began an intensive construction program to build up its battle fleet to eventually challenge Britain’s ascendancy on the seas. The British, which relied on its huge navy to protect its far-flung colonial empire and secure the country against invasion, responded by launching a new shipbuilding program of its own in order to maintain its margin of superiority over its rival. The increase in naval construction, especially of the new dreadnoughts, then the most powerful ships, put a strain on the budget of both nations. The British were sufficiently worried to approach Berlin in February 1912 with a proposal that would limit the number of dreadnoughts both sides could build. The mission sent to Berlin, however, accomplished nothing. The Germans demanded as the price for agreeing to London’s overtures, a promise that Britain would remain neutral in the event of a Continental war. Such a condition, however, could not be entertained.
Thiamin, Pyridoxine, Vitamin D, and Carotene Deficiency in a Malnourished Patient Following Billroth II Gastrectomy

We describe the case of a malnourished 48-year-old man who had previously undergone a Billroth II procedure for severe peptic ulcer disease. He was found to have a severely stenotic gastrojejunal anastomosis with inflamed mucosa that prevented him from tolerating solid food. Laboratory assessment revealed deficiencies in thiamin, pyridoxine, vitamin D, and carotene. This case demonstrates potential vital micronutrient complications following a partial gastrectomy.
Effect of dietary phytase on phosphorus use efficiency and dynamics in aquaponics.

Phytase is a phosphatase enzyme used as dietary supplement when significant portions of plant-based ingredients are used in fish feed formulations. This work thus assessed the effects of a phytase-supplemented diet on the P dynamics, P availability, P budget, fish and plant growth parameters, and carcass composition of Nile tilapia and phosphorus content of lettuce plants in aquaponic systems. The diet supplemented with phytase at the concentration of 1000 FTU kg−1 showed a significant increase in released phosphorus compared to the control in an in vitro assay. Phytase supplementation increased accumulation of phosphorus in fish carcass compared to the control, but did not affect growth performance. The addition of phytase to fish diets improved phosphorus utilization by fish, reducing phosphorus excretion. The lower amount of phosphorus excreted in the water caused by phytase did not impair the growth or phosphorus content of lettuce grown using the aquaponic nutrient solution. It is recommended that, even though the use of phytase in fish feeds increased the overall utilization of phosphorus in the present study, a small portion of inorganic phosphorus must be supplemented to meet minimum fish requirements.
Pulmonary infections in critical/intensive care - rapid diagnosis and optimizing antimicrobial usage.

Purpose of review Diagnosis of pulmonary infection, including hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in the critically ill patient remains a common and therapeutically challenging diagnosis with significant attributable morbidity, mortality, and cost. Current clinical approaches to surveillance, early detection and, conventional culture-based microbiology are inadequate for optimal targeted antibiotic treatment and stewardship. Efforts to enhance diagnosis of HAP and VAP and the impact of these novel approaches on rational antimicrobial selection and stewardship are the focus of recent studies reviewed here. Recent findings Recent consensus guidelines for diagnosis and management of HAP and VAP are relatively silent on the potential role of novel rapid microbiological techniques and reply heavily on conventional culture strategies of noninvasively obtained (including endotracheal aspirate samples). Novel rapid microbiological diagnostics, including nucleic acid amplification, mass spectrometry, and fluorescence microscopy-based technologies are promising approaches for the future. Exhaled breath biomarkers, including measurement of VOC represent a future approach. Summary Further validation of novel diagnostic technology platforms will be required to evaluate their utility for enhancing diagnosis and guiding treatment of pulmonary infections in the critically ill. However, the integration of novel diagnostics for rapid microbial identification, resistance phenotyping, and antibiotic sensitivity testing into usual care practice could significantly transform the care of patients and potentially inform improved targeted antimicrobial selection, de-escalation, and stewardship.
Factors Associated with Postoperative Complications in Hydrocephalic Infants Diagnosed at Bernard Mevs Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from 2011 to 2013.

Objective Complications worsen the prognosis of hydrocephalic children who undergo surgery. The main objective of this study was to determine factors associated with postoperative complications in Haitian infants with hydrocephaly. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted on hydrocephalic infants diagnosed in a Haitian hospital from 2011 to 2013. Records were consulted to gather key variables that were evaluated in relation to the occurrence of postoperative complications. Any variable whose P value was less than 0.05 for the Mantel-Haenszel χ 2 test was considered a factor associated with postoperative complications. RESULTS: The prevalence of hydrocephalus in our sample was 6.6%. Of the 131 cases of hydrocephalus surveyed, 75 were selected. The sex ratio was 1.02, and the age group from 1 to 6 months old was the most affected (52% of cases). The increase in head circumference (96% of cases) was the most common clinical sign. A total of 70.7% of the infants underwent imaging work-up, and 26.7% had central nervous system malformations. A total of 84% received surgical treatment, and one third of the operated infants presented with complications, the most common being infection (8%). Postoperative mortality was 6.7%, and 40% of operated infants had no postoperative care after medical discharge. Ventriculoperitoneal shunt was more significantly associated with complications than endoscopic third ventriculostomy (odds ratio 3.25, P = 0.03). Conclusions Hydrocephalus in Haitian infants is diagnosed late and inadequately investigated, treated, and monitored. Ventriculoperitoneal shunts are significantly related to more postoperative complications than endoscopic third ventriculostomy.
Can ‘The People’ Speak? Popular Meetings and the Ambiguities of Popular Sovereignty in the United States, 1816–1828

This chapter examines popular assemblies during the so-called Era of Good Feelings (1815–1828) in the United States in order to explore how politically active, white, male Americans understood popular sovereignty and sought to put it into practice. All white, male Americans believed that a unitary public with a single will existed and that that will should rule in public life. But such a will did not exist, and Americans never agreed on how, exactly, that fictitious will should rule. In attempting to put this belief into practice, public meetings and the officials who responded to them exposed the ambiguities and contradictions contained in the doctrine of popular sovereignty and articulated several competing visions of how that doctrine ought to be put into practice.
Past, present and future of epigenetics in brain sexual differentiation.

Sexual differentiation has long been considered “epigenetic,” although the meaning of that word has shifted over time. Here we track the evolution of ideas about epigenetics in sexual differentiation, and identify principles that have emerged from recent studies. Experiments manipulating a particular epigenetic mechanism during neonatal life demonstrate a role for both histone acetylation and DNA methylation in the development of sex differences in the brain and behavior of rodents. In addition, hormone-dependent sex differences in the number of neurons of a particular phenotype may be programmed by differences in DNA methylation early in life. Genome-wide studies suggest that many effects of neonatal testosterone on the brain methylome do not emerge until adulthood, and there may be sex biases in the use of epigenetic marks that do not correlate with differences in gene expression. In other words, even when the transcription of a gene does not differ between males and females, the epigenetic underpinnings of that expression may differ. Finally, recent evidence suggests that sex differences in epigenetic marks may primarily serve to make gene expression more similar in males and females. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding sex differences in susceptibility to disease, and point to recent conceptual and technical advances likely to influence the field going forward. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Viscoelastic Behavior of Laminated Composite Materials

Abstract This chapter provides an overview of viscoelastic behavior in composite materials. Time-dependent behavior in composites may be either desirable or undesirable depending on the effect which occurs in the structure. Although a thorough viscoelastic analysis is not always warranted for composite design, the chapter points out that certain combinations of temperature, load level, load duration, and moisture (or solvent) content can lead to substantial amounts of viscoelastic creep, relaxation, damping, and damage which can accumulate to induce delayed failures. The chapter contains an introduction to viscoelasticity for transient and dynamic response of linear materials, a brief review of non-linear viscoelasticity, and a discussion of several delayed failure and damage accumulation theories. The chapter stresses that although the short-term properties of many laminae and laminates appears to be quite linear, the long-term response often becomes highly non-linear in stress, underscoring the need for non-linear analysis in many practical situations. A numerical procedure for predicting the response of non-linear viscoelastic laminates is reviewed. The effects of moisture and physical aging on the time-dependent behavior of composites is also discussed. Finally, design recommendations for viscoelastic materials are given.
Use of Prescription Assistance Programs After the Affordable Health Care Act

BACKGROUND: Insurance coverage in the United States seems to be in a state of unrest. The 2010 passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act (ACA) extended health insurance coverage to roughly 32 million people. An increase in the number of people with health insurance benefits raised the question of whether prescription assistance programs (PAPs) would still be used after ACA implementation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of PAPs following the implementation of the ACA insurance mandate. METHODS: Health insurance was not required by the ACA until January 2014, so we retrospectively examined the use of drug company-sponsored PAPs before and after the ACA implementation. Since each PAP had its own qualifying criteria, any person who used a PAP through the assistance of NeedyMeds and its PAPTracker between the years of 2011 and 2016 were included for analysis. Data were pulled by NeedyMeds from the PAPTracker software, which produces completed PAP applications from drug manufacturer forms...
Occupational Therapy Interventions Addressing Sleep for Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review

Because of age-related changes in sleep patterns, older adults may get less sleep than the recommended amount and experience decreased performance in daytime activities as a result. This article examines the evidence for the effectiveness of interventions within the scope of occupational therapy addressing sleep. Thirteen Level I studies met inclusion criteria and were categorized into three themes: (1) one-to-one single-component interventions, (2) one-to-one multicomponent interventions, and (3) group multicomponent interventions. Strong evidence supports cognitive-behavioral intervention strategies for older adults that include relaxation, sleep hygiene education, problem solving, and physical exercise, among others, delivered one to one or in a group. Routine use of these interventions is recommended.
A comparison of ambulatory services for patients with managed care and fee-for-service insurance.

Patients and Methods: A total of 4454 patients made office visits to 138 family physicians in northeastern Ohio. Direct observation with the Davis Observation Code and a structured checklist were used to assess the process of care. Patient satisfaction was measured with the Medical Outcomes Study 9Item Visit Rating Form. Results: Among 1588 patients with MCO insurance and 876 with FFS insurance, no differences were noted in the number of visits per year, length of visits, percentage of visits for well care, or the percentage of visits in which medicines were prescribed in analyses controlling for patient mix. Visits by patients with MCO insurance were more likely to involve referrals to another physician than visits by patients with FFS insurance. Patient satisfaction and time use during visits were comparable for the 2 groups. Conclusions: Managed care insurance appears to increase involvement of the primary care provider in the referral process. However, in a healthcare market with moderate managed care penetration in which the same physicians see patients with different types of insurance, the process of care is affected little by type of insurance coverage. (Am J Manag Care 2002;8:181-186)
The First Step toward Implementation

The initial announcement of the Principles generated widespread press coverage, both for their substance and for the unusual nature of the action to be undertaken. It was unprecedented that CEOs from some of the largest United States corporations would voluntarily and collectively commit themselves to an externally created set of guidelines for their operations. It was also significant that the Principles were adopted despite their explicit ethical foundation in human rights. More than corporations in any other part of the world, large United States-based corporations have consistently and vociferously opposed mixing ethical or even political criteria in their economic decision making. Corporations are viewed as essentially private institutions that are designed for economic activities undertaken for the benefit of their owners; namely, the shareholders. Mixing ethical and political rationales with economic decision making is therefore viewed not only as contrary to the shareholders’ economic interests, but also as detrimental to larger issues of public policy in a democratic society. That these very corporations use all types of political and other arguments when doing so advances their economic interests is beside the point and only serves to support those who would argue not to use private economic organizations for broader social and political purposes, no matter how justified those purposes might appear at a particular time. the Principles were to be implemented in a foreign country where they would be in conflict with local laws, thus raising the issue of intervention in another country's internal affairs. the implementation of the Principles, when limited to United States companies alone, might have put them at a competitive disadvantage with respect to their competitors, not only from South Africa, but also from Japan and Europe. senior executives committed themselves to the Principles despite what was, in many cases, a gross disproportion between the small size of the companies’ South African (versus worldwide) operations and the extensive burdens senior management took on in connection with the Principles. Indeed, our analysis shows that it was the personal involvement of senior corporate executives that made possible not just the formulation and adoption of the Principles, but also their rapid implementation.
A Discrete Amalgam: New York Poets from the Former Soviet Union

The stem from which the word “amalgamation” derives - “amalgam,” a mercury alloy used in the manufacturing of mirrors or, as a poetic trope, a “mirror” proper - suggested the intriguing option of letting a select group of poets from the former Soviet Union, living and working in New York, speak for themselves. In this way, they themselves may become a “mirror” reflecting their own elusive commonality, if indeed there is any. While some of these New York poets had had opportunities to elaborate on their vision of poetry in interviews, reviews of other poets’ work, through their editorial work, or in other venues, much has remained exclusively online or in individual publications; certainly their opinions have never before been collected together. I decided to attempt to form an amalgam of poetics by creating a questionnaire and distributing it to the poets. The short essay sums up the sometimes surprising findings. The picture that emerged after collecting, reading, and organizing the responses is intriguing both in its heterogeneity and elusive commonality, reflecting perhaps the cultural moment at large, which is increasingly defined in cultural and literary criticism as “after Postmodernism.” The publication also includes “signature poems” supplied by poets that, in their opinion, reflect the essence of their individual work.
A Copper10-Paclitaxel crystal; a medicinally active drug delivery platform

Abstract Paclitaxel is a well-known cancer drug that functions as a mitotic inhibitor. This work focuses on a copper based crystal that encapsulates the pharmaceutical agent and serves as a drug delivery agent. A Copper10-Pacitaxil1 chloride (CU10PAC1) complex is synthesized and tested against the National Cancer Institute’s sixty cell line panel. The 10:1 ratio results in a crystal that was examined by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spec (MALDI-TOF-MS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Proton (1H) and Carbon (13C) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). The potential attributes of a copper based crystal as an in vivo drug carrier for Paclitaxel are discussed.