cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE AND TIME OF PLATE INCUBATION ON THE ENUMERATION OF PASTEURIZATION-RESISTANT BACTERIA IN MILK1

This study was undertaken to determine the effect of temperature and time of plate incubation upon the count of thermoduric bacteria in milk. Specific types of thermoduric bacteria in pure culture, as well as those present in the mixed flora of commercial milk samples, were enumerated. Plate incubation at 28 C for 4 days was the temperature-time combination that produced the highest thermoduric bacterial count with laboratory-pasteurized milk. Incubation at 21, 32 or 35 C gave lower counts. Thermoduric bacteria subjected to pasteurization were more exacting in their growth temperature requirements than were unheated bacteria. Cultures of Arthrobacter sp., Micrococcus varians and Streptococcus sp. grew over a much wider temperature range before laboratory pasteurization than after the heat treatment. The incubation temperature and time currently recommended for the standard plate count, while presumably adequate for the enumeration of bacteria in raw milk, may not be equally satisfactory for the determinat...
Electricity consumption patterns within cities: application of a data-driven settlement characterization method

Urban areas presently consume around 75% of global primary energy supply, which is expected to significantly increase in the future due to urban growth. Having sustainable, universal energy access ...
Oral and Subcutaneous Administration of a Near-Infrared Fluorescent Molecular Imaging Agent Detects Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that causes irreversible damage to the joints. However, effective drugs exist that can stop disease progression, leading to intense interest in early detection and treatment monitoring to improve patient outcomes. Imaging approaches have the potential for early detection, but current methods lack sensitivity and/or are time-consuming and expensive. We examined potential routes for self-administration of molecular imaging agents in the form of subcutaneous and oral delivery of an integrin binding near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent imaging agent in an animal model of RA with the long-term goal of increasing safety and patient compliance for screening. NIR imaging has relatively low cost, uses non-ionizing radiation, and provides minimally invasive spatial and molecular information. This proof-of-principle study shows significant uptake of an IRDye800CW agent in inflamed joints of a collagen antibody induced arthritis (CAIA) mouse model compared to healthy joints, irrespective of the method of administration. The imaging results were extrapolated to clinical depths in silico using a 3D COMSOL model of NIR fluorescence imaging in a human hand to examine imaging feasability. With target to background concentration ratios greater than 5.5, which are achieved in the mouse model, these probes have the potential to identify arthritic joints following oral delivery at clinically relevant depths.
Can adoption of pollution prevention techniques reduce pollution substitution

Pollution prevention (P2) has become an integral part of the U.S. environmental policy that emphasizes the benefits of preventing pollution generation at the source over treatment or recycling after the generation of wastes. This study extends the existing literature on the effect of voluntary adoption of P2 in reducing toxic wastes by examining the extent to which it reduces pollution substitution. We use facility panel data from the Toxics Release Inventory from 1991 to 2011 to examine the effect of the adoption of P2 techniques on the ratios of water releases to air releases, amounts of treatment to total releases, and amounts of recycling to total releases while controlling for endogeneity of the adoption of P2 techniques and facility fixed effects. We find that the adoption of P2 techniques reduces toxic air and water releases equally, but it is associated with increases in treated and recycled wastes over total releases to the environment.
Recent Trends in Clinical Setting and Provider Specialty for Endovascular Peripheral Artery Disease Interventions for the Medicare Population.

Abstract Purpose To describe national trends in peripheral endovascular interventions by physician specialty, anatomic segment of disease, and clinical location of service. Materials and Methods Current Procedural Terminology codes were used to identify claims for peripheral vascular interventions (PVIs) in 2011–2017 Physician Supplier Procedure Summary master files, which contain 100% Part B Medicare billing. Market share was defined as enrollment-adjusted proportion of billed PVI services for each specialty. Annual volume of billed services was additionally evaluated by clinical location (inpatient, outpatient, office-based laboratories) and anatomic segment of disease (iliac, femoral/popliteal, infrapopliteal). Results Aggregate PVI claims increased 31.3%, from 227,091 in 2011 to 298,127 in 2017. Annual market share remained relatively stable for all specialties: surgery, 48.3%–49.6%; cardiology, 37.2%–35.1%; radiology, 12.8%–13.3%. Accounting for Medicare enrollment, the volume of iliac interventions decreased by 18% over the study period, while femoral/popliteal interventions increased modestly (+7.5%) and infrapopliteal interventions increased (+46%). The greatest proportional increase in infrapopliteal claims occurred among radiologists (surgeons +40.4%, cardiologists +32.1%, radiologists +106.6%). Adjusting for enrollment, claims from office-based laboratories increased substantially (+305.7%), while hospital-based billing decreased (inpatient −25.7%, outpatient −12.9%). Office-based laboratory utilization increased dramatically with all specialties (surgery +331.8%, cardiology +256.0%, radiology +475.7%). Conclusions Utilization of PVIs continues to increase, while specialty market shares have stabilized since 2011, leaving surgeons and cardiologists as the major providers of endovascular peripheral artery disease care. The greatest relative increases are occurring in infrapopliteal interventions and office-based laboratory procedures, where radiologist involvement has increased dramatically.
A brief review of integrated and passive photonic reservoir computing systems and an approach for achieving extra non-linearity in passive devices

Photonic-based reservoir computing (RC) systems have attracted significant attention. Integrated and purely passive systems are compatible with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor devices, but are limited by the lack of non-linear components. This study consists of two parts: firstly, a review on the published integrated and passive RC system is presented. The review focuses on the structural configuration (rather than the mathematical model) of the neural network; secondly, a new approach for achieving an integrated and passive photonic RC system is introduced and discussed. This approach employs a mode combiner in front of the reservoir to achieve an extra non-linearity in a purely passive device. Moreover, the approach is numerically investigated, and an XOR (exclusive or) task is used to test the device, and the result shows that the new approach satisfies the requirement of an RC system.
Etiologic diagnosis and analysis of the first case of human brucellosis in Guizhou province

Objective To etiologically diagnose and analyze a patient with suspected cases of brucellosis,and to provide a experimental basis for the confirmation of the first case of human brucellosis in Guizhou province.Methods Conventional and molecular techniques [genus specific Brucella surface protein 31 PCR (BCSP31-PCR)and Brucella suis species-specific PCR (AMOS-PCR)] were used to identify suspicious bacteria strains isolated from the suspected patient of brucellosis.Results The results showed that the Brucella suspicious colonies were identified as Brucella melitensis biotype 3 using conventional tests and were further identified as Brucella spp.by genus specific Brucella surface protein 31 PCR (BCSP31-PCR) and classified as Brucella melitensis with Brucella abortus,Brucella melitensis,Brucella ovis,Brucella suis species-specific PCR(AMOS-PCR).Conclusions Laboratory diagnostic results show that the bacteria strain isolated from the suspected patient of brucellosis is Brucella melitensis biotype 3.It is the first case of human brucellosis in Guizhou province. Key words: Brucellosis; Polymerase chain reaction; Biological assay
Catheter-Free Arrhythmia Ablation Using Scanned Proton Beams: Electrophysiologic Outcomes, Biophysics, and Characterization of Lesion Formation in a Porcine Model.

Background: Proton beam therapy offers radiophysical properties that are appealing for noninvasive arrhythmia elimination. This study was conducted to use scanned proton beams for ablation of cardi...
Maintaining Professional Performance Viability With Age.

Summary Some classically trained singers demonstrate great performance longevity. These singers continue to produce a professionally viable voice that belies their age. This study was designed to assess selected acoustic characteristics of 10 currently performing classical singers from 2 recordings; one early, and one recent. The mean age at the early and recent recording was 39 and 64, respectively, with a mean of 25 years between recordings. Vibrato rate, extent, and consistency were calculated. The singers also completed a questionnaire to determine their strategies to maintain high-quality vocal production. From the early to recent recordings, overall, the participants demonstrated the expected decrease in vibrato rate, with little change in vibrato extent and consistency. The reported strategies included very individualized approaches regarding vocalizing regimens and maintenance of pitch accuracy. All agreed on the importance of increased self-awareness, openness to feedback, and dedicated preparation for upcoming performance. Our findings indicate that some singers are indeed ageless, but this attribute is not inherent; rather it requires diligent and devoted practice.
Large-Signal Stability Analysis of Self-Turn-On in Switching Transients

Unstable switching transient oscillation can be detrimental or destructive to power electronics converters. As switching speed increases, the impact of parasitic components became more severe and may lead to unexpected switching behavior. The large-signal and nonlinear nature of the switching transients limits the use of small-signal analysis where operating points must be carefully selected. The Lyapunov function based on Brayton-Moser’s mixed potential method is applied here to analyze the self-turn-on phenomena in MOSFETs’ turn-off transient. It is shown that the switching transient can be expressed as a gradient descent of a mixed potential function. The large-signal stability theorem provides a metric to quantitatively evaluate the switching transient stability. Comparison with the experimental results shows it can effectively predict the significance of the unstable oscillation and explain the root cause of the self-turn-on phenomena.
Forecasting the Value-at-Risk of REITs using realized volatility jump models

Abstract This paper examines jump risk in the time series of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). Using high-frequency index-level and firm-level data, the econometric model in this paper integrates jumps into the volatility forecast by estimating jump augmented Heterogeneous Autoregressive (HAR) models of realized volatility. To assess the information value of these specifications, their forecasting accuracies for generating one-step ahead daily Value-at-Risk are also compared with other VaR specifications, including those generated from historical returns, bootstrap technique, and severity loss distribution.
Gender Differences in Colonoscopy: Implications for Clinical Practice and Female Gastroenterologists

Performing colonoscopy can be technically challenging in female patients. Female patients may prefer having a female endoscopist. This preference, coupled with the fact that there are fewer female endoscopists, may result in gender differences in colonoscopy practice. We hypothesized that the duration of female colonoscopy is longer and that female endoscopists perform a higher proportion of female colonoscopy than male colleagues. We explored the potential revenue implications of gender differences in screening colonoscopy. We analyzed procedure time and gender differences in 16,573 screening colonoscopies performed by 27 male and 7 female endoscopists over a three-year period in one large academic practice. We modeled the potential revenue impacts of differences in procedure duration, proportion of female colonoscopy and the frequency of detected adenomas. We found that screening colonoscopy takes 8.8% more time to complete in female patients compared to male patients for all endoscopists (p < 0.001), and that female endoscopists perform an average of 71.2% female exams compared to male endoscopists, who perform an average of 50.8% female exams (p < 0.001). Female patients had a lower detection adenoma rate (ADR), reducing the frequency of polypectomy and reimbursement in an RVU model. The observed gender differences could account for an estimated 9.6% revenue loss per 8-h session for a female gastroenterologist performing screening colonoscopy compared to a male counterpart. Longer colonoscopy duration in females, increased proportion of female colonoscopies for female endoscopists and lower ADR in females may contribute to the gender gap in physician pay in gastroenterology.
Expression of the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus Genome in Turnips (Brassica Rapa)

Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) DNA is a possible vehicle for introducing foreign DNA into plant cells. CaMV is one of the few plant viruses that has a double-stranded DNA genome and the DNA, isolated from the virus, is infective.1 CaMV would probably have to be considered as a “nonintegrating” vehicle, since there is no evidence as yet that the viral DNA integrates into the host plant genome.1 However, the possibility for using nonintegrating viral DNAs as molecular vehicles in animal cells has been made dramatically apparent this past year through the experiments of Mulligan et al. who used SV40 DNA to introduce and express rabbit β-globin cDNA in monkey cells.2 These authors replaced a viral structural gene in SV40 DNA with foreign DNA thereby placing the inserted DNA element under viral genome control.
Impacts of Fecal Bacteria on Human and Animal Health—Pathogens and Virulence Genes

The presence of pathogens in our food and water supplies represents a significant risk to human and animal health. This chapter focuses on the most commonly occurring human pathogens of Enterobacteriaceae, such as Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Escherichia, Klebsiella, Proteus, Salmonella, Shigella, and Yersinia spp. Of these, special attention is given to pathogenic E. coli, which is the most diverse and studied member of Enterobacteriaceae. The types of disease caused by E. coli are grossly classified as either intestinal or extraintestinal. Six pathotypes of intestinal pathogenic E. coli are recognized, each with virulence factors making them distinct. Extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli, or ExPEC, is a broad group of pathogens that colonize the extraintestinal compartment of animal and human hosts, resulting in such diverse conditions as urinary tract infection, meningitis, peritonitis, and septicemia. Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC; sometimes referred to as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC, or members thereof ) are another diarrheal pathotype, well known for their ability to cause diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis (HC), and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This chapter focuses on the pathogens and virulence genes of the Salmonella serovars implicated in foodborne gastroenteritis. It also focuses on the virulence genes of these pathogens with regard to genomic content. Already underway, the postgenomic era will lead to a better understanding of the importance of these genomic traits as they pertain to infection within humans.
Complications Following Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation: Diagnosis and Management of Common Adverse Events

Increasing use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) has led to improved survival in patients with chronic end-stage systolic heart failure. More than 2,000 devices are implanted each year in the United States. Newer generation continuous-flow LVADs have improved safety profiles over the previous pulsatile-flow devices. Post-implantation complications are still common, though, and lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Adverse events, such as right ventricular failure, bleeding, pump thrombosis, and cardiac arrest, require special consideration in the setting of an assist device. The intensivist should be familiar with the diagnosis and management of complications following LVAD placement.
Obstructive sleep apnea and adverse outcomes in surgical and nonsurgical patients on the wards.

BACKGROUND Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been associated with clinical deterioration in postoperative patients and patients hospitalized with pneumonia. Paradoxically, OSA has also been associated with decreased risk of inpatient mortality in these same populations. OBJECTIVES To investigate the association between OSA and in-hospital mortality in a large cohort of surgical and nonsurgical ward patients. DESIGN Observational cohort study. SETTING A 500-bed academic tertiary care hospital in the United States. PATIENTS A total of 93,676 ward admissions from 53,150 unique adult patients between November 1, 2008 and October 1, 2013. INTERVENTION None. MEASUREMENTS OSA diagnoses and comorbidities were identified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Logistic regression was used to control for patient characteristics, location prior to ward admission, and admission severity of illness. The primary outcome was in-hospital death. Secondary outcomes included rapid response team (RRT) activation, intensive care unit (ICU) transfer, intubation, and cardiac arrest on the wards. MAIN RESULTS OSA was identified in 5,625 (10.6%) patients. Patients with OSA were more likely to be older, male, and obese, and had higher rates of comorbidities. OSA patients had more frequent RRT activations (1.5% vs 1.1%) and ICU transfers (8% vs 7%) than controls (P < 0.001 for both comparisons), but a lower inpatient mortality rate (1.1% vs 1.4%, P < 0.05). OSA was associated with decreased adjusted odds for ICU transfer (odds ratio [OR]: 0.91 [0.84-0.99]), cardiac arrest (OR: 0.72 [0.55-0.95]), and in-hospital mortality (OR: 0.70 [0.58-0.85]). CONCLUSIONS After adjustment for important confounders, OSA was not associated with clinical deterioration on the wards and was associated with significantly decreased in-hospital mortality. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015;10:592–598. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine
Molecular Genetics of Chediak–Higashi Syndrome

Chediak–Higashi syndrome (CHS) is an autosomal recessive disorder associated with the formation of enlarged lysosomes and lysosome-related organelles (LROs) clustered near the perinuclear region of cells. Affected vesicles include lysosomes, cytolytic granules, melanosomes and platelet dense granules. The enlarged vesicles give rise to decreased bacterial killing, partial albinism, defective wound repair, impaired coagulation and neurological problems. Patients succumb to untreated recurrent bacterial infections or a lymphoma-like infiltration into the major organs of the body. Treatment for the disorder is prophylactic antibiotics followed by bone marrow transplant although pigmentation and neurological problems persist. The mutant gene, termed Lyst, responsible for CHS is present in all eukaryotes and model organisms have been utilised to try to determine the function of Lyst. The biochemical function of Lyst has not been resolved but Lyst has been proposed to be involved in regulating lysosome/LRO size by either controlling vesicle fusion or fission. Key Concepts: Chediak–Higashi syndrome (CHS) is a lethal disorder with patients succumbing to pathogen infections if not treated with antibiotics. CHS patients show multiorgan dysfunction due to enlarged lysosome-related organelles in all cells of the body. Treatment for CHS is bone marrow transplant, although neurological problems remain. The mutant gene responsible for CHS is Lyst, a highly conserved gene present in all eukaryotes. Lyst is a member of a family of proteins, BEACH, involved in vesicle trafficking. Regulating lysosome/LRO size is important for normal cellular processes including pigmentation, coagulation, wound repair and immune function. Keywords: lysosome; vesicle; granule; Lyst; accelerated phase; membrane trafficking
Analysis of effect of non-ideal beam-space preprocessors on eigenspace DOA estimators

Analytical expressions for MUSIC DOA estimator variance and bias are used to study the effects of beam-space preprocessor matrix characteristics on beam-space MUSIC. It is shown that simultaneously steering to a desired sector while nulling another via the beamformer matrix in general degrades variance performance with respect to the performance achievable in beam-space. This the degradation is ascribed to the fact that as the null sector approaches the source sector of interest, the beamformer matrix range no longer contains both the span of the array response vectors within the source sector and their derivatives. >
Experiments in Constrained Prehensile Manipulation: Distributed Manipulation with Ropes

This paper describes our experiments with a distributed manipulation system. We study a system in which multiple robots cooperate to move large objects such as furniture and boxes using a constrained prehensile manipulation mode, by wrapping ropes around them. The system consists of three manipulation skills: tieing ropes around objects, affecting translations using a flossing manipulation gait, and affecting rotations using a ratcheting manipulation gait. We present experimental data and discuss the non-holonomic nature of this system.
Meeting abstracts to published manuscripts: how does emergency ultrasound compare?

Objectives Very little is known about publication rates of emergency ultrasound abstracts as peer-reviewed manuscripts in the years after their presentation at national meetings. The objectives of this study were to determine trends in publication patterns of emergency ultrasound abstracts presented at Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and American College of Emergency Physicians annual national meetings as full indexed articles in peer-reviewed journals and compare emergency ultrasound with emergency medical services (EMS) and toxicology subspecialties. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at an academic medical center. All emergency ultrasound, EMS, and toxicology abstracts presented at both national meetings from 1999 to 2008 were entered into a database. An online PubMed/MEDLINE search was performed for full-length peer-reviewed manuscript publications corresponding to these abstracts. The proportion of abstracts presented, manuscript publication rate, time to publication, type of journal (emergency medicine versus non–emergency medicine), and journal impact factor were compared across the 3 subspecialties. Results Over the 10-year period, 452 emergency ultrasound, 651 EMS, and 376 toxicology abstracts were presented at both meetings. The proportion of abstracts presented from 1999 to 2008 increased significantly for emergency ultrasound (1.7% versus 6.5%) compared with toxicology (3.5% versus 4.9%) and EMS (8.1% versus 5.8%; P < .01). There were no significant differences in manuscript publication rates between emergency ultrasound (22.8%), EMS (23.4%), and toxicology (20.7%). No significant differences were found in the time to publication (P = .53) and journal type (P = .2) between the 3 subspecialties. Conclusions The emergency ultrasound manuscript publication rate and mean time to publication compare favorably with EMS and toxicology subspecialties.
Motor re-rating for traction applications - field weakening revisited

The conventional wisdom in traction applications is to use machines in their field-weakening regime. Here, an alternative approach is given in which field weakening is avoided in an AC drive traction system. Instead, the motor's performance is extended through a reduced voltage re-rate procedure. This yields an extended full-flux regime that permits a given motor to achieve full rated torque and much higher power as its speed range is extended. specific examples for electric vehicle drives are provided.
Slurry sampling graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry: a preliminary examination of results from an international collaborative study☆

An international collaborative study was initiated to evaluate the current state-of-the-art for solid sampling. Samples were sent to 28 laboratories and data were received from 18 collaborators, 16 of which reported slurry results. A preliminary check of performance using NIST SRM 1643c acidified water, showed that at least 13 laboratories were able to provide accurate results within ±10% of the mean certified Pb and Cr concentrations. The focus of this work was slurry analytical data reported by collaborators. Average performance by collaborators for the determination of Pb in NIST SRM 2704 Buffalo River Sediment was 103% recovery based on the mean certified reference value and was 84% recovery based on the mean certified reference value for NRCC PACS-1, a marine estuarine sediment, which was identified to collaborators as an unknown sediment. Average performance by collaborators for Cr in SRM 2704 was 96% based on the mean certified reference value and was 78% recovery based on the mean certified reference value for PACS-1. The use of secondary wavelengths and the importance of analysis of a representative subsample are highlighted. Possible problems leading to inaccurate results being reported by collaborators are discussed including the use of mini-flows, matrix modifiers, low atomization temperatures, short atomization times, and expulsion losses.
A double-blind study of the effectiveness of cyclosporine in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

• In a double-blind placebo-controlled trial of cyclosporine in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, no differences were observed in the monthly rate of progression or the relative risk of progression in comparing 38 patients randomized to the placebo group and 36 patients randomized to the cyclosporine group. In comparing three subgroups of patients, cyclosporine appeared to benefit men who entered the study within 18 months of the onset of first symptoms, whereas it was of no value to women or to men who entered later than 18 months. For the men with recent onset of disease, the relative risk of progression was 0.403; the monthly rate of progression was 5.2 ± 1.1 points with placebo and 3.5 ± 0.7 points with cyclosporine. These provocative results support the need for a full study of cyclosporine in men with recent onset of disease.
Aspects as latent topics

Underlying the work on Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) there is a premise that no one ever challenged: the existence of cross-cutting concerns that find their way to programs in a tangled and scattered manner. We've all seen it. But do tangling and scattering of program concerns really exist in real programs? Do they have a strong effect or is this one of those academic non-issues? That was the question we set out to answer in a paper we published at OOPSLA 2008. And the answer was: yes, these effects do exist in real programs, they are noticeable and detectable, and they reveal a few insights on the nature of those concerns. But they raise even more questions for AOP. I will talk about this study and its consequences.
Frontal cortex control dysfunction related to long-term suicide risk in recent-onset schizophrenia.

Abstract Objective Suicide is highly-prevalent and the most serious outcome in schizophrenia, yet the disturbances in neural system functions that confer suicide risk remain obscure. Circuits operated by the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are altered in psychotic disorders, and various PFC changes are observed in post-mortem studies of completed suicide. We tested whether PFC activity during goal-representation (an important component of cognitive control) relates to long-term suicide risk in recent-onset schizophrenia. Method 35 patients with recent-onset of DSM-IV-TR-defined schizophrenia (SZ) were evaluated for long-term suicide risk (using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale) and functional MRI during cognitive control task performance. Group-level regression models associating control-related brain activation with suicide risk controlled for depression, psychosis and impulsivity. Results Within this group, past suicidal ideation was associated with lower activation with goal-representation demands in multiple PFC sectors. Among those with past suicidal ideation (n = 18), reported suicidal behavior was associated with lower control-related activation in premotor cortex ipsilateral to the active primary motor cortex. Conclusions This study provides unique evidence that suicide risk directly relates to PFC-based circuit dysfunction during goal-representation, in a major mental illness with significant suicide rates. Among those with suicidal ideation, the overt expression in suicidal behavior may stem from impairments in premotor cortex support of action-planning as an expression of control. Further work should address how PFC-based control function changes with risk over time, whether this brain–behavior relationship is specific to schizophrenia, and address its potential utility as a biomarker for interventions to mitigate suicide risk.
Good Manufacturing Practice: Manufacturing of a Nerve Agent Antidote Nanoparticle Suspension

We have established a current good manufacturing practice (GMP) manufacturing process to produce a nanoparticle suspension of 1,1'-methylenebis-4-[(hydroxyimino)methyl]pyridinium dimethanesulfonate (MMB4 DMS) in cottonseed oil (CSO) as a nerve agent antidote for a Phase 1 clinical trial. Bis-pyridinium oximes such as MMB4 were previously developed for emergency treatment of organophosphate nerve agent intoxication. Many of these compounds offer efficacy superior to monopyridinium oximes, but they have poor thermal stability due to hydrolytic cleavage in aqueous solution. We previously developed a nonaqueous nanoparticle suspension to improve the hydrothermal stability, termed Enhanced Formulation (EF). An example of this formulation technology is a suspension of MMB4 DMS nanoparticles in CSO. Due to the profound effect of particle size distribution on product quality and performance, particle size must be controlled during the manufacturing process. Therefore, a particle size analysis method for MMB4 DMS in CSO was developed and validated to use in support of good laboratory practice/GMP development and production activities. Manufacturing of EF was accomplished by milling MMB4 DMS with CSO and zirconia beads in an agitator bead mill. The resulting bulk material was filled into 5-mL glass vials at a sterile fill facility and terminally sterilized by gamma irradiation. The clinical lot was tested and released, a Certificate of Analysis was issued, and a 3-year International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) stability study started. The drug product was placed in storage for Phase 1 clinical trial distribution. A dose delivery uniformity study was undertaken to ensure that the correct doses were delivered to the patients in the clinic.
Design of Aircraft Wings Subjected to Gust Loads: A System Reliability Approach

A method for system reliability-based design of aircraft wing structures is presented. A wing of a light commuter aircraft designed for gust loads according to the FAA regulations is compared with one designed by system reliability optimization. It is shown that system reliability optimization has the potential of improving dramatically the safety and efficiency of new designs. The reasons for the differences between the deterministic and reliability-based designs are explained.
Effects of chlorpromazine and methylprednisolone on perfusion preservation of rabbit livers

The isolated perfused rabbit liver was used to determine how continuous hypothermic perfusion affected liver function. Rabbit livers were perfused for 0, 24, 48, and 72 hr at 5 degrees C with the UW perfusate containing hydroxyethyl starch (5 g%) dissolved in a solution containing gluconate (80 mM), adenosine (5 mM), glutathione (3 mM), phosphate (25 mM), and additives as described previously, and they were used successfully for kidney preservation. At the end of preservation the livers were perfused in an isolated circuit with a Krebs-Henseleit solution with addition of 4 g% bovine serum albumin and 10 mM glucose at 38 degrees C for 120 min. Bile was collected from the cannulated common duct. Biliary excretions of indocyanine green and liver enzymes lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase, were determined both in the cold perfusate and the normothermic perfusate. Livers were also studied after pretreatment of the donor with chlorpromazine (CPZ) and/or methylprednisolone (MP). Bile production (ml/120 min, 100 g liver) upon reperfusion produced the most interesting data and decreased from a control value of 10.3 +/- 2.6 to 9.3 +/- 1.0 (24 hr), 5.3 +/- 0.7 (48 hr), and 4.1 +/- 1.5 (72 hr). Enzyme release was not predictive of the degree of preservation-induced damage. Pretreatment of rabbits with a combination of CPZ/MP improved bile flow at 48 and 72 hr (8.3 +/- 3.0 and 7.0 +/- 1.3, P less than 0.05). Pretreatment with either drug alone also improved function after 72 hr of preservation (7.1 +/- 1.8, CPZ; 8.2 +/- 3.5, MP).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Zinc Content of Bile and Pancreatic Juice in Zinc-Deficient Swine

AbstractThe content of zinc, magnesium, calcium, bilirubin, and bile acids was determined in the hepatic bile of zinc-deficient and control swine. Zinc deficiency was produced by dietary zinc restriction while pair fed zinc supplemented animals served as controls for observations of hepatobiliary functions. Pigs weighing 5 kg were placed in two groups and fed the respective diets for 6 weeks; hair and skin abnormalities as well as decreased weight gain were present in the zinc-deficient group by this time. Hepatic bile and pancreatic juice were obtained from each animal after careful isolation and cannulation of the pancreatic and bile ducts. Animals were studied for a 3-hr period while under constant secretin stimulation and chloralose anesthesia. During this period, there was a progressive decrease in the biliary concentrations of bilirubin, bile acids, and magnesium in the bile of both groups, while zinc and calcium levels were not altered. The zinc concentrations in pancreatic juice were reduced in th...
Implementing the scale vector-thread processor

The Scale vector-thread processor is a complexity-effective solution for embedded computing which flexibly supports both vector and highly multithreaded processing. The 7.1-million transistor chip has 16 decoupled execution clusters, vector load and store units, and a nonblocking 32KB cache. An automated and iterative design and verification flow enabled a performance-, power-, and area-efficient implementation with two person-years of development effort. Scale has a core area of 16.6 mm2 in 180 nm technology, and it consumes 400 mW--1.1 W while running at 260 MHz.
Chromosomal aberrations and neoplasm--a family study.

A family is described in which four out of five siblings have chromosomal aberrations both in the myeloid and lymphoid cells. One of these died in the blastic phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia, another had myelofibrosis and carcinoma of the breast, a third had squamous cell carcinoma of the lip, and the other two siblings are normal. The mother had carcinoma or the breast. Two of the siblings have had occupational exposure to organic solvents. The relationship of genetic pre-disposition to malignancy, chromosomal instability, and environmental stresses is discussed.
Chronic apical periodontitis is more common in subjects with coronary artery disease.

Article Title and Bibliographic Information Association between chronic apical periodontitis and coronary artery disease. Costa THR, de Figueiredo Neto JA, Figueiredo de Oliveira AE, de Figueiredo Lopes e Maia M, de Almeida AL. J Endod 2014;40(2):164-7. Reviewer Daniel J. Caplan, DDS, PhD Purpose/Question This article examined sociodemographic characteristics, clinical and laboratory values, and health history factors in evaluating the relationship between chronic apical periodontitis and coronary artery disease. Source of Funding None mentioned Type of Study/Design Cross-sectional Level of Evidence Level 2: Limited quality, patient-oriented evidence Strength of Recommendation Grade Not applicable
Repair of Concomitant Valvular Endocarditis Using a Single Homograft

Definitive treatment of complicated bacterial endocarditis requires surgical operation. However, the extent of bacterial endocarditis has dictated that surgical options be individualized. There are several surgical approaches to treat bacterial endocarditis. Transesophageal echocardiography has provided an invaluable intraoperative aid to the surgical decision-making and quality assurance of the repair. We report a case in which a primary aortic homograft was used for concomitant aortic and mitral valve repair based on transesophageal echocardiography evaluation. This case provides a new surgical alternative that uses a single homograft to repair aortic and mitral valves.
Compressive Sensing for Sparse Touch Detection on Capacitive Touch Screens

Capacitive touch screens are ubiquitous in today's electronic devices. Improved touch screen responsiveness and resolution can be achieved at the expense of the touch screen controller analog hardware complexity and power consumption. This paper proposes an alternative compressive sensing based approach to exploit the sparsity of simultaneous touches with respect to the number of sensor nodes to achieve similar levels of responsiveness. It is possible to reduce the analog data acquisition complexity at the cost of extra digital computations with less total power consumption. Using compressive sensing, in order to resolve the positions of the sparse touches, the number of measurements required is related to the number of touches rather than the number of nodes. Detailed measurement circuits and methodologies are presented along with the corresponding reconstruction algorithm.
Fast allocation and deallocation of memory based on object lifetimes

Dynamic storage-management algorithms are based either on object sizes or object lifetimes. Stack allocation, which is based on object lifetimes, is the most efficient algorithm, but severely restricts object lifetimes and creation times. Other algorithms based on object sizes, such as first fit and related algorithms, permit arbitrary lifetimes but cost more. More efficient variations capitalize on application-specific characteristics. Quick fit, for example, is more efficient when there are only a few object sizes. This paper describes a simple algorithm that is very efficient when there are few object lifetimes. In terms of instructions executed per byte allocated, the algorithm is almost half the cost of quick fit and less than twice the cost of stack allocation. Space for all objects with the same lifetime is allocated from a list of large arenas, and the entire list is deallocated at once. An implementation in ANSI C is included.
Percutaneous Cyst Puncture in the Treatment of Cyst Infection in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Cyst infection in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) poses a difficult diagnostic and therapeutic problem. We describe a serious indolent cyst infection due to Staphylococcus aureus, which was successfully diagnosed and treated with repeated percutaneous cyst drainage and intravenous (IV) antibiotic therapy. Cyst aspiration also permitted monitoring of cyst antibiotic levels and evidence of active infection.
Proton stopping power of heavy nuclei

Inclusive cross sections for the reactions $p+A\ensuremath{\rightarrow}p+X$ at 100 GeV are discussed in the framework of the evolution model proposed by Hwa. An exact solution to the evolution equation is found. A momentum-degradation length of 4.9 fm is inferred from the data.
Carotid Stenosis: An Update on Early Outcomes Comparing Carotid Endarterectomy and Carotid Artery Stenting

Objectives: To compare the results of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid stenting (CAS) of patients with carotid stenosis in Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) from 2008 through 2010. Methods: An analysis of approximately 8 million annual hospital admissions from 2008 to 2010 was obtained from the HCUP NIS database. Using ICD9 coding, we selected patients with the diagnosis of carotid stenosis and then created subsets of patients that underwent CEA vs CAS. The study focused on early outcomes, including stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and in-hospital mortality. 2 Tests and t tests were used to confirm statistical significance if P .05. Results: A total of 276,043 patients were admitted with the diagnosis of carotid stenosis from 2008 to 2010, representing an estimated 1.38 million admissions. Average age of CEA and CAS patients was 71.02 9.53 and 70.64 10.08 years (P .000). After weighted adjustment, 328,756 patients underwent CEA and 47,813 patients underwent CAS annually in the United States. Postoperative stroke rate for CEA vs CAS was 1.0% vs 2.1% (odds ratio [OR], 2.07; 95% confidence interval {CI], 1.93-2.23, P .000). Postoperative stroke by individual year for CEA vs CAS was 1.0% vs 2.1% for 2008, 1.1% vs 2.3% for 2009, and 1.0% vs 2.1% for 2010. In-hospital mortality for CEA vs CAS was 0.4% vs 1.0% (OR, 2.58; 95% CI, 2.32-2.87, P .000). Mortality rates for CEA vs CAS by year were 0.4% vs 1.8% for 2008, 0.5% vs 1.9% for 2009, and 0.3% vs 2.1% for 2010. Postoperative MI for CEA vs CAS was 1.4% vs 1.9% (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.24-1.44; P .000). Postoperative rates of MI for CEA vs CAS by year were 1.5% vs 1.7%, for 2008, 1.6% vs 2.1% for 2009, and 1.2% vs 2.0% for 2010 (Table).
Effect of the Actuators’ Location on Vibration Suppression Using Minimum Modal Energy Eigenstructure Assignment

A new Eigenstructure Assignment (ESA) method for vibration confinement of flexible structures has been developed. This method is based on finding an output feedback control gain matrix in such a way that the closed-loop eigenvectors are orthogonal to the open-loop ones. Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) is used for finding the matrix that spans the null space of the closed-loop eigenvectors. It is shown that this matrix has a unique property that can be used to regenerate the open-loop system. This method finds a coefficient vector which leads to a zero gain matrix while several coefficient vectors can be found simultaneously which are orthogonal to the open-loop coefficient vector. As a result, the closed-loop eigenvectors are orthogonal to the open-loop ones. It is shown that the modal energy of the closed loop system is reduced. Moreover, the proposed method needs neither to specify the closed-loop eigenvalues nor to define a desired set of eigenvectors. Also it is shown that if the maximum force of the actuators and the consumed energy of the actuators need to be low, actuators have to be relatively close to input. If the amplitude of vibration in isolated area has to be minimized as much as possible, the actuators need to be relatively closer to isolated area. Also the algorithm of the minimum eigenstructure assignment method has been modified to eliminate the effect of the actuators that are located on the nodes of different vibrational modes.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
The Implications of Class, Race, and Ethnicity for Political Networks

Previous research demonstrates the importance of citizens’ communication networks as an influence on their political behavior. Yet most findings are limited to samples of Whites or the interaction of Whites with their discussants. This article extends our attention to the social networks of Blacks, Latinos, Asians, and noncitizens, and explores how communication processes differ across them. Using data from the Multi-City Study of Urban Inequality, we first compare various characteristics of social networks across racial and ethnic groups. Second, we test whether the network-based advantages of Whites, compared with other groups, result from differences in individual socioeconomic status or from group-based social resources. Third, we investigate whether interracial interaction affects race-related attitudes. In conclusion, we urge scholars who study social networks to recognize the important consequences of racial diversity for more fully understanding the political behavior of all Americans, whether Ang...
US Department of Energy fuel cell program for transportation applications

Abstract Fuel cells offer promise as the best future replacement for internal combustion engines in transportation applications. Fuel cells operate more efficiently than internal combustion engines, and are capable of running on non-petroleum fuels such as methanol, ethanol, natural gas or hydrogen. Fuel cells can also have a major impact on improving air quality. They virtually eliminate particulates, NO x and sulfur oxide emissions, and significantly reduce hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide. The US Department of Energy program on fuel cells for transportation applications is structured to advanced fuel cell technologies from the R&D phase, through engineering design and scale-up, to demonstration in cars, trucks, buses and locomotives, in order to provide energy savings, fuel flexibility and air quality improvements. This paper describes the present status of the US program.
Applications of tert-Butyloxycarbonyl-L-amino Acid-N-Hydroxysuccinimide Esters in the Chromatographic Separation and Determination of D,L-Amino Acids and Diastereomeric Dipeptides

Abstract DL-Amino acids are converted into the LD, and LL diastereomeric dipeptides after reaction with a Boc-L-AA-OSu derivative. The dipeptides are subsequently separated by liquid chromatography using a reversed, bonded stationary phase. If the sample is a DL,DL-dipeptide, the products of the reaction are the LLL, LDD, LLD, and LDL tripeptide. Reaction conditions, structure of the BOC reagent, eluting conditions, and calibration procedures are the major parameters studied. In general, per cent conversion is greater than 95%; the determination of minor concentrations of one enantiomer in the presence of the other is possible.
Predictors of Increased Body Mass Index in Chinese Children

A longitudinal study design was used to examine factors related to change of body mass index (BMI) over a 1-year period in 307 Chinese children, aged 7 and 8 years, in Taiwan. Standardized instruments were used to measure the children's food intake, physical activity/inactivity, and physical fitness, as well as maternal BMI. Results suggested that a high baseline BMI, poor aerobic capacity, and a high maternal BMI were significantly correlated with increased BMI at 12 months' follow-up. A higher baseline BMI, an overweight mother, increased television viewing and computer time, and poorer aerobic capacity were identified as predictors for weight gain in children (F=207.67; P<.001; adjusted R(2)=0.752). These findings suggest that health care providers need to include the family in children's health care visits and incorporate an assessment of maternal weight status and children's BMI status, activity levels, and aerobic capacity into patient care and education.