cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endemic Mycoses After Hematopoietic Stem Cell or Solid Organ Transplantation

Histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, and coccidioidomycosis are uncommon, but often life-threatening infections in transplant recipients. Infection with an endemic mycosis occurs as a result of new infection related to an environmental exposure; from the reactivation of a previously acquired infection; and, least often, from the donor organ. Infection can occur at any time after the transplantation for as long as cell-mediated immune defects are present. Severe pulmonary infection and widespread disseminated infection are the most common manifestations of infection with an endemic mycosis after transplantation. Early presumptive diagnosis is most speedily accomplished by histopathological examination of tissue obtained by biopsy, seeking the distinctive appearance of these organisms. Antigen detection is increasingly used for the rapid diagnosis of histoplasmosis and blastomycosis. For the initial treatment of most transplant recipients, lipid formulation amphotericin B is preferred. After the initial response, an oral azole agent can be given to complete therapy. Long-term suppressive azole therapy may be indicated for those patients who remain markedly immunosuppressed.
A primer for working with the Spatial Interaction modeling (SpInt) module in the python spatial analysis library (PySAL)

This primer provides a practical guide to get started with spatial interaction modeling using the SpInt module in the python spatial analysis library (PySAL).
The True Effect of Mass Shootings on Americans.

The editorialist discusses Studdert and colleagues' findings and ways to counter social and political forces that lead to policies and behaviors that translate into more gun ownership and more gun-...
Calcification of the stylohyoid complex in Libyans

Abstract Objective To investigate the prevalence and pattern of calcification of the stylohyoid complex in Libyan population. Material and methods Archived digital panoramic radiographs of 3343 patients were collected; 181 images were excluded for underage or poor image quality. Thus, the images of 3162 patients (1081 men, 2081 women; women-to-men ratio, 2:1; age range, 16–68 years; mean age, 36.7 years) retrieved and assigned to one of four morphological patterns of the stylohyoid complex: regular, elongated, calcified, and undetected. Data were analyzed with the Χ2 test using SPSS (Chicago, IL, USA); P values lower than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results Out of 3162 images studied, the styloid process was demonstrated to be regular in 1935 (61.2%), elongated in 541 (17.2%), calcified in 565 (17.8%), and undetected in 121 (3.8%). Symmetric patterns were demonstrated on 2580 (81.6%) images. An elongated stylohyoid complex was significantly more common in women than in men (P = .0404). Conclusion The anatomical patterns of the stylohyoid complex in Libyans were highly variable. Dental clinicians should recognize the various morphological patterns of the stylohyoid complex on panoramic radiographs. Computed tomography studies are recommended for further morphometric analysis of the stylohyoid complex.
Moxifloxacin-induced tinnitus in an older adult:

An increased risk of bacterial resistance toward fluoroquinolones and the increased risk of disabling and serious adverse effects prompted the US Food and Drug Administration to recommend limiting fluoroquinolone use to the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia, skin and skin-structure infections, bacterial sinusitis, plague, chronic bronchitis exacerbations, and complicated intra-abdominal infections. We report a case of moxifloxacin-induced tinnitus in an older adult prescribed oral moxifloxacin 400 mg for 5 days for the treatment of acute diverticulitis, due to allergies to nonfluoroquinolone preferred agents. A thorough literature review provided few other reported incidents of this rare and serious adverse event.
Slips of the Tongue, Slips of the Word: A Poststructuralist Psychoanalytic Reading of John 8:37-47

John 8:37-47 is arguably the most dangerous passage for Jews within the entire New Testament. Repeatedly used to fuel anti-Semitism, it remains haunted by the events of the Holocaust. Its statements about “the Jews” are delivered with all the incomparable authority and divine assurance that the implied author has worked unremittingly to establish for Jesus. However, examining the passage with a poststructuralist psychoanalytic lens, I propose that the reader may not only confront the text’s apparent anti-Jewishness, but may also find that this narrative is far less coherent than it seems. Reading with theorists such as Jacques Lacan and Julia Kristeva, I argue that this textualized Jesus subtly contradicts himself, suggesting a textual unconscious filled with conflict and ambivalence. In fact, by using Genesis 22 as a possible intertext, I demonstrate that it is not necessarily the Jews who resemble “their father the devil” so much as the Johannine Jesus himself.
The Biblical Concept of Creativity: Scope, Definition, Criteria:

This article attempts to relate the scope, definition, and criteria of the biblical concept of creativity to recent research in creative behavior, as well as writings of scientists, artists, and Ch...
Three Critiques of Process Control Revisited a Decade Later

During a period of disillusionment with process control research in the 1970's, three critiques were published. In this paper, these critiques are analyzed from today's perspective and conclusions for future research are drawn.
Aging research: challenge of the twenty-first century.

Despite the fact that people have been investigating aging for thousands of years, only in the last decade or two has the research effort intensified. Substantial funding for aging research has been made available only in the last five to ten years.
Machine learning improves classification of preclinical models of pancreatic cancer with chemical exchange saturation transfer MRI

Purpose We sought to assess whether machine learning-based classification approaches can improve the classification of pancreatic tumor models relative to more simplistic analysis methods, using T1 relaxation, CEST, and DCE MRI. Methods The T1 relaxation time constants, % CEST at five saturation frequencies, and vascular permeability constants from DCE MRI were measured from Hs 766 T, MIA PaCa-2, and SU.86.86 pancreatic tumor models. We used each of these measurements as predictors for machine learning classifier algorithms. We also used principal component analysis to reduce the dimensionality of entire CEST spectra and DCE signal evolutions, which were then analyzed using classification methods. Results The T1 relaxation time constants, % CEST amplitudes at specific saturation frequencies, and the relative Ktrans and kep values from DCE MRI could not classify all three tumor types. However, the area under the curve from DCE signal evolutions could classify each tumor type. Principal component analysis was used to analyze the entire CEST spectrum and DCE signal evolutions, which predicted the correct tumor model with 87.5% and 85.1% accuracy, respectively. Conclusions Machine learning applied to the entire CEST spectrum improved the classification of the three tumor models, relative to classifications that used % CEST values at single saturation frequencies. A similar improvement was not attained with machine learning applied to T1 relaxation times or DCE signal evolutions, relative to more simplistic analysis methods.
GABAA Receptor Subtypes and the Abuse-Related Effects of Ethanol in Rhesus Monkeys: Experiments with Selective Positive Allosteric Modulators.

Background Previous studies have investigated α1GABAA and α5GABAA receptor mechanisms in the behavioral effects of ethanol (EtOH) in monkeys. However, genetic studies in humans and preclinical studies with mutant mice suggest a role for α2GABAA and/or α3GABAA receptors in the effects of EtOH. The development of novel positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) with functional selectivity (i.e., selective efficacy) at α2GABAA and α3GABAA receptors allows for probing of these subtypes in preclinical models of the discriminative stimulus and reinforcing effects of EtOH in rhesus macaques. Methods In discrimination studies, subjects were trained to discriminate EtOH (2 g/kg, intragastrically) from water under a fixed-ratio (FR) schedule of food delivery. In oral self-administration studies, subjects were trained to self-administer EtOH (2% w/v) or sucrose (0.3 to 1% w/v) under an FR schedule of solution availability. Results In discrimination studies, functionally selective PAMs at α2GABAA and α3GABAA (HZ-166) or α3GABAA (YT-III-31) receptors substituted fully (maximum percentage of EtOH-lever responding ≥80%) for the discriminative stimulus effects of EtOH without altering response rates. Full substitution for EtOH also was engendered by a nonselective PAM (triazolam), an α5GABAA -preferring PAM (QH-ii-066) and a PAM at α2GABAA , α3GABAA , and α5GABAA receptors (L-838417). A partial (MRK-696) or an α1GABAA -preferring (zolpidem) PAM only engendered partial substitution (i.e., ~50 to 60% EtOH-lever responding). In self-administration studies, pretreatments with the functionally selective PAMs at α2GABAA and α3GABAA (XHe-II-053 and HZ-166) or α3GABAA (YT-III-31 and YT-III-271) receptors increased EtOH, but not sucrose, drinking at doses that had few, or no, observable sedative-motor effects. Conclusions Our results confirm prior findings regarding the respective roles of α1GABAA and α5GABAA receptors in the discriminative stimulus effects of EtOH and, further, suggest a key facilitatory role for α3GABAA and potentially α2GABAA receptors in several abuse-related effects of EtOH in monkeys. Moreover, they reveal a potential role for these latter subtypes in EtOH's sedative effects.
Cortisol and Luteinizing Hormone after Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Administration to Postpartum Beef Cows

Cortisol and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured in serum after the administration of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) to suckled (S) and nonsuckled (NS) beef cows. Blood was sampled on 2 consecutive days every 2 weeks for four bleeding periods starting 14 days after calving. Cows were injected with 200 IU ACTH or saline in a 2-day switchback design. Serum was collected before ACTH or saline injection and at 30-min intervals thereafter for 8 hours. Average cortisol concentrations in serum were similar in S and NS cows (6.4 +/- .6 and 6.1 +/- .8 ng/ml, respectively) after saline. Average cortisol concentrations in serum collected during an 8-hr period after ACTH on days 14, 28, 42 and 56 postpartum were 24.7 +/- 2.4, 31.8 +/- 3.5, 36.4 +/- 4.2 and 40.7 +/- .5 ng/ml, respectively, for S cows, and 31.1 +/- 2.9, 44.7 +/- 5.2, 45.0 +/- 5.7 and 46.0 +/- 5.4 ng/ml, respectively, for NS cows. Cortisol response to ACTH, measured as area under the response curve, was greater (P less than .05) in NS than in S cows. Amount of cortisol released by 200 IU ACTH was maximal by days 28 to 29 postpartum in NS cows, but the response increased gradually between days 14 to 15 and days 56 to 57 in S cows. overall, LH in serum averaged .55 +/- .08 ng/ml for S cows and .92 +/- .06 ng/ml for NS cows after saline, and .49 +/- .07 ng/ml for S cows and .94 +/- .06 ng/ml for NS cows after ACth. Although mean and peak serum LH concentrations did not differ between cows given ACTH and those given saline, the number of LH peaks and the number of cows having LH after saline. Mean serum LH concentrations were lower (P less than. 05) in S than in NS cows at 28 days postpartum. The number of LH peaks was lower (P less than .05) and the magnitude of the largest LH peak tended to be lower (P less than .06) in S cows at all sampling periods.
Time and Heights

To use leveling most effectively in determining crustal movements, it is necessary to have two sets of precise measurements separated by a reasonable time interval. But this is not enough! It is ne...
Thermal Neutron-Induced Single-Event Upsets in Microcontrollers Containing Boron-10

Single-event upsets (SEUs) were measured in thermal neutron-irradiated microcontrollers with 65- and 130-nm-node static random-access memories (SRAMs). The suspected upset mechanism is charge deposition from the energetic byproducts of 10B thermal neutron capture. Although elemental analysis confirmed that both microcontrollers contain 10B, only the 65-nm node microcontroller exhibited a strong response to thermal neutrons. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to investigate the effects of 11B enrichment on thermal neutron-induced SEUs in a 65-nm SRAM node when boron is present in the p -type well, p -type source and drain, or tungsten plug. Simulations indicate that the byproducts of 10B(n, $\alpha $ ) 7Li reactions are capable of generating sufficient charge to upset a 65-nm SRAM. The highest amount of charge deposition from 10B(n, $\alpha $ ) 7Li reaction byproducts occurs when natural boron is used to dope the p -type source and drain regions. Simulations also show that the SEU cross section is nonnegligible when 11B-enriched boron is used for doping.
Nausea and Vomiting in Advanced Cancer

Nausea and vomiting is a common clinical issue in the advanced cancer patient. The etiology may be related to treatment (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery) or non-treatment clinical issues related to the advanced cancer. A very detailed initial assessment of nausea/vomiting is indicated including frequency, duration, intensity, associated activities, and the presence of anorexia or cachexia and is necessary in order to determine a specific etiology which may allow a potentially specific successful intervention. Various international antiemetic guidelines have been developed for the successful prevention of chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced nausea and emesis but the treatment of post-chemotherapy nausea/vomiting and of radiation-induced nausea/vomiting has been less successful. Chronic nausea/vomiting in the advanced cancer patient unrelated to treatment remains a significant clinical problem with few successful treatments and interventions. NCCN and ASCO palliative care guidelines provide various treatment suggestions but these are based on empiric evidence with very few clinical trials available to provide demonstrated effective treatments. Recent randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that olanzapine may be an effective agent for the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and emesis as well as treatment of chronic nausea and vomiting unrelated to treatment.
10 – JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses juvenile delinquency. Delinquent behavior refers to any act of a juvenile that would be a chargeable offense according to the juvenile-justice laws. Official delinquency refers only to those acts involving adolescents actually apprehended for delinquent behavior. The legal code includes some acts, such as truancy and incorrigibility that apply only to juveniles; these acts are called status offenses. Each state has a somewhat different set of laws for regulating juvenile behavior. Research has focused on factors that tend to be associated with delinquent behavior. Among these factors are family relationships. Officially-delinquent adolescents are more likely to come from broken homes than other adolescents. Officially-delinquent adolescents also have more negative attitudes toward their parents. A consistent finding in research on delinquent behavior is the greater rate of delinquency among males.
The Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxin

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CPE). Clostridium perfringens type A food poisoning develops when an individual consumes food contaminated with large numbers of vegetative cells of CPE. It has been found that CPE was involved in some cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Nucleotide sequence analysis indicates that CPEs made by different C. perfringens strains share extensive amino acid homology, but also have some limited microsequence variations. CPE's biological activity is both heat-labile, and pH labile. However, this toxin's activity is resistant to treatment with some proteases; in fact, limited treatment of the purified enterotoxin with trypsin or chymotrypsin causes a two- to three-fold activation in CPE biological activity. This activation effect has prompted suggestions that intestinal proteases activate CPE during food poisoning. The studies have now clearly established that the molecular action of CPE involves a unique series of at least four early events, each step of which includes close participation between the enterotoxin and eukaryotic membrane proteins.
Synthetic, Mechanistic, and Biological Interrogation of Ginkgo biloba Chemical Space En Route to (-)-Bilobalide.

Here we interrogate the structurally dense (1.64 mcbits/A3) GABAA receptor antagonist bilobalide, intermediates en route to its synthesis, and related mechanistic questions. 13C isotope labeling identifies an unexpected bromine migration en route to an α-selective, catalytic asymmetric Reformatsky reaction, ruling out an asymmetric allylation pathway. Experiment and computation converge on the driving forces behind two surprising observations. First, an oxetane acetal persists in concentrated mineral acid (1.5 M DCl in THF-d8/D2O); its longevity is correlated to destabilizing steric clash between substituents upon ring-opening. Second, a regioselective oxidation of des-hydroxybilobalide is found to rely on lactone acidification through lone-pair delocalization, which leads to extremely rapid intermolecular enolate equilibration. We also establish equivalent effects of (-)-bilobalide and the nonconvulsive sesquiterpene (-)-jiadifenolide on action potential-independent inhibitory currents at GABAergic synapses, using (+)-bilobalide as a negative control. The high information density of bilobalide distinguishes it from other scaffolds and may characterize natural product (NP) space more generally. Therefore, we also include a Python script to quickly (ca. 132â¯000 molecules/min) calculate information content (Bottcher scores), which may prove helpful to identify important features of NP space.
A RanBP2-type zinc finger protein functions in intron splicing in Arabidopsis mitochondria and is involved in the biogenesis of respiratory complex I

The RanBP2 zinc finger (Znf) domain is a prevalent domain that mediates protein interaction and RNA binding. In Arabidopsis, a clade of four RanBP2 Znf-containing proteins, named the Organelle Zinc (OZ) finger family, are known or predicted to be targeted to either the mitochondria or the plastids. Previously we reported that OZ1 is absolutely required for the editing of 14 sites in chloroplasts. We now have investigated the function of OZ2, whose null mutation is embryo lethal. We rescued the null mutant by expressing wild-type OZ2 under the control of the seed-specific ABSCISIC ACID-INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3) promoter. Rescued mutant plants exhibit severely delayed development and a distinctive morphological phenotype. Genetic and biochemical analyses demonstrated that OZ2 promotes the splicing of transcripts of several mitochondrial nad genes and rps3. The splicing defect of nad transcripts results in the destabilization of complex I, which in turn affects the respiratory ability of oz2 mutants, turning on the alternative respiratory pathway, and impacting the plant development. Protein-protein interaction assays demonstrated binding of OZ2 to several known mitochondrial splicing factors targeting the same splicing events. These findings extend the known functional repertoire of the RanBP2 zinc finger domain in nuclear splicing to include plant organelle splicing.
The VAT at 100: A Comprehensive Health Assessment, With a Plan of Care and Suggestions for Diagnostic Tests

This paper takes stock of what is known about the efficacy of actual Value Added Tax (VAT) systems, nearly 100 years since the tax was conceived. Existing VAT systems fall short of the idealized version on many dimensions, some by design and others unintended. Actual VATs might therefore have different equity and efficiency implications than an ideal VAT, although new technologies could bring practice closer to the ideal. Throughout the paper, we find a useful benchmark is the tax that the VAT most often replaced – the Retail Sales Tax (RST). Like the RST, the VAT is weak at the final consumer stage and technological advances that ameliorate VAT issues could also be applied to the RST. In addition, the VAT introduces some new opportunities for evasion not possible in an RST. A research agenda for the VAT should consider the efficiency and equity implications of real-life, imperfect VATs.
SeqNet: An R Package for Generating Gene-Gene Networks and Simulating RNA-Seq Data

Gene expression data provide an abundant resource for inferring connections in gene regulatory networks. While methodologies developed for this task have shown success, a challenge remains in comparing the performance among methods. Gold-standard datasets are scarce and limited in use. And while tools for simulating expression data are available, they are not designed to resemble the data obtained from RNA-seq experiments. SeqNet is an R package that provides tools for generating a rich variety of gene network structures and simulating RNA-seq data from them. This produces in silico RNA-seq data for benchmarking and assessing gene network inference methods. The package is available from the Comprehensive R Archive Network at https://CRAN.R-project.org/package= SeqNet and on GitHub at https://github.com/tgrimes/SeqNet.
In-Lieu Fee Mitigation: Review of Program Instruments and Implementation Across the Country

Nationwide, in-lieu fee (ILF) programs provide a significant percentage of the compensatory mitigation available to offset permitted impacts to aquatic resources. This comprehensive report outlines the range of practice in ILF mitigation and describes innovative approaches across the country. The aim of this report is to support the development of effective mitigation programs by enhancing the capacity of state/local/tribal governments and others to develop or oversee ILF programs.
Harnessing the crowd to accelerate molecular medicine research

Crowdsourcing presents a novel approach to solving complex problems within molecular medicine. By leveraging the expertise of fellow scientists across the globe, broadcasting to and engaging the public for idea generation, harnessing a scalable workforce for quick data management, and fundraising for research endeavors, crowdsourcing creates novel opportunities for accelerating scientific progress.
Early surgery for native valve infective endocarditis

Citation Kang DH, Kim YJ, Kim SH, Sun BJ, Kim DH, Yun SC, Song JM, Choo SJ, Chung CH, Song JK, Lee JW, Sohn DW: Early surgery versus conventional treatment for infective endocarditis. N Engl J Med 2012, 366: 2466-2473.
Improved algorithm complexities for linear temporal logic model checking of pushdown systems

This paper presents a novel implementation strategy for linear temporal logic (LTL) model checking of pushdown systems (PDS). The model checking problem is formulated intuitively in terms of evaluation of Datalog rules. We use a systematic and fully automated method to generate a specialized algorithm and data structures directly from the rules. The generated implementation employs an incremental approach that considers one fact at a time and uses a combination of linked and indexed data structures for facts. We provide precise time complexity for the model checking problem; it is computed automatically and directly from the rules. We obtain a more precise and simplified complexity analysis, as well as improved algorithm understanding.
String theory duals for mass-deformed SO(N) and USp(2N)

We generalize the results of Polchinski and Strassler regarding the N=1 preserving mass deformation of N=4SU(N) supersymmetric Yang-Mills (SYM) theories and its string theory dual to SO(N) and USp(2N) gauge groups. The string theory duals involve 5-branes wrapped on RP{sup 2}. In order to match with the field theory classification of vacua, the 3-brane charge carried by such 5-branes must be shifted by a half, and this follows from a conjectured generalization of results of Freed and Witten. Our results provide an elegant physical picture for the classification of classically massive vacua in the mass-deformed N=4 theories.
A robust model predictive control approach to coordinating wind and storage for joint energy balancing and frequency regulation services

In this paper a novel approach is proposed to coordinate wind generators and battery energy storage systems (BESS) to provide both energy balancing and frequency regulation services in electricity markets. A robust optimization based model predictive control (RMPC) scheme is developed to determine the optimal bidding strategy for wind and storage, under uncertainty due to electricity price forecast error. Allowing the wind generation and battery energy storage combination to participate in both the energy balancing and frequency regulation markets increases their joint profits. The performance of the proposed Robust MPC-based optimal bidding strategy is demonstrated through a case study.
Incompressible Boussinesq equations and borderline Besov spaces

We prove local-in-time existence and uniqueness of an inviscid Boussinesq-type system. We assume the density equation contains nonzero diffusion and that our initial vorticity and density belong to a space of borderline Besov type.
Rapid Automated Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae by Use of the bioMerieux VITEK 2

The VITEK 2 is a new automated instrument for rapid organism identification and susceptibility testing. It has the capability of performing rapid susceptibility testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae with specially configured cards that contain enriched growth medium and antimicrobial agents relevant for this organism. The present study compared the results of testing of a group of 53 challenge strains of pneumococci with known resistance properties and a collection of clinical isolates examined in two study phases with a total of 402 and 416 isolates, respectively, with a prototype of the VITEK 2. Testing was conducted in three geographically separate laboratories; the challenge collection was tested by all three laboratories, and the unique clinical isolates were tested separately by the individual laboratories. The VITEK 2 results of tests with 10 antimicrobial agents were compared to the results generated by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards reference broth microdilution MIC test method. Excellent interlaboratory agreement was observed with the challenge strains. The overall agreement within a single twofold dilution of MICs defined by the VITEK 2 and reference method with the clinical isolates was 96.3%, although there were a number of off-scale MICs that could not be compared. The best agreement with the clinical isolates was achieved with ofloxacin and chloramphenicol (100%), and the lowest level of agreement among those drugs with sufficient on-scale MICs occurred with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (89.7%). Overall there were 1.3% very major, 6.6% minor, and no major interpretive category errors encountered with the clinical isolates, although >80% of the minor interpretive errors involved only a single log(2) dilution difference. The mean time for generation of susceptibility results with the clinical isolates was 8.1 h. The VITEK 2 provided rapid, reliable susceptibility category determinations with both the challenge and clinical isolates examined in this study.
High reliability second level interconnects using polymer core BGAs

The growing need for shorter interconnects for better electrical performance has shifted package designs more and more towards ball grid arrays (PGAs). This has brought into focus the requirement for a reliable second level interconnect. Due to the thermal mismatch between the package material (e.g. ceramic) and the PWB board the solder interconnects are prone to failure during temperature excursions. Increasing the interconnect height by using a larger diameter ball may increase the mechanical reliability, but would compromise the electrical performance. So there needs to be an interconnect solution to getting good reliability without compromising the electrical properties. This paper compares the mechanical reliability and electrical performance of a novel interconnect material with the conventional solder ball. The new solder ball consists of a core of polymer with a thin layer of copper with additional covering of solder which could be either tin/lead based or lead free. Temperature cycling data was obtained from both conventional and polymer core balls tested on ceramic packages mounted on a FR4 board. Weibull data showing the differences are plotted and failure analysis is done on the failed parts to understand the different failure modes between both the types of BGAs. An electrical simulation was done to compare the polymer-core ball with a conventional solder ball. DC resistance analysis and a full-wave electromagnetic RF simulation were performed to compare the two types.
A processor-time-minimal schedule for 3D rectilinear mesh algorithms

The paper, using a directed acyclic graph (dag) model of algorithms, investigates precedence constrained multiprocessor schedules for the n/sub x//spl times/n/sub y//spl times/n/sub z/ directed rectilinear mesh. Its completion requires at least n/sub x/+n/sub y/+n/sub z/-2 multiprocessor steps. Time-minimal multiprocessor schedules that use as few processors as possible are called processor-time-minimal. Lower bounds are shown for the n/sub x//spl times/n/sub y//spl times/n/sub z/ directed mesh, and these bounds are shown to be exact by constructing a processor-time-minimal multiprocessor schedule that can be realized on a systolic array whose topology is either a two dimensional mesh or skewed cylinder. The contribution of this paper is two-fold: It generalizes the previous work on cubical mesh algorithms, and it presents a more elegant mathematical method for deriving processor-time lower bounds for such problems.
A New Modeling Approach to the Effect of Antimicrobial Agents on Heterogeneous Microbial Populations

We develop a mathematical framework to model the dynamics of the effect of antimicrobial agents on heterogeneous microbial populations of distributed antimicrobial resistance. Our framework uses the concept of cumulants of a distribution. Simplifications that result in easily usable approximation tools are presented. A case study on experimental data exemplifies shortcomings of standard methods and the usefulness of the proposed approach. Suggestions for future development are made.
The spectrum of congenital heart disease and outcomes after surgical repair among children with Turner syndrome: a single-center review.

Turner syndrome (TS), a genetic abnormality affecting 1 in 2,500 people, is commonly associated with congenital heart disease (CHD). However, the surgical outcomes for TS patients have not been well described. This study reviewed the spectrum of CHD in TS at the authors’ center. The authors report outcomes after coarctation of the aorta (CoA) repair or staged palliation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and then compare the surgical outcomes with those of non-TS patients undergoing like repair. This retrospective chart review was conducted at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin from 1999 to 2011. Of the 173 patients with TS, 77 (44.5 %) were found to have CHD. Left-sided obstructive lesions were the most common. However, the spectrum of CHD was wide and included systemic and pulmonary venous abnormalities as well as abnormalities of the coronary arteries. In the comparative analysis of CoA repair, the TS patients younger than 60 days had longer aortic cross-clamp times (24 vs. 16 min; p = 0.001) and longer hospital stays (12 vs. 6 days; p ≤ 0.0001) than the non-TS patients. At the follow-up assessment after 8.8 ± 9.1 years, 17 % of the TS patients had hypertension, but no patient had required reintervention, and no deaths had occurred. Finally, three of the four TS patients with HLHS died within the first year. The spectrum of CHD within TS is wide and not limited to bicuspid aortic valve or CoA. Additionally, patients with TS undergoing CoA repair may have a more challenging early postoperative course but experience outcomes similar to those of non-TS patients. Finally, patients who have TS combined with HLHS remain a challenging population with generally poor survival.
Associate degree nursing students' perceptions of learning using a high-fidelity human patient simulator

Human patient simulation (HPS) is a teaching method that allows nursing students to learn in a complex yet risk-free environment. Because of costs involved, however, research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness and acceptance of this technology. This study measured associate degree nursing students' perceptions of satisfaction with learning using HPS. Results indicate that associate degree nursing students (N = 37) are highly satisfied with HPS learning experiences. Few significant differences were found between degree of satisfaction and select demographic variables. The results of the study suggest that HPS is a highly accepted teaching method for nursing students.
Enzyme organization in the proline biosynthetic pathway of Escherichia coli.

Abstract The conversion of glutamic acid to proline by an Escherichia coli extract was studied. The activity was dependent upon the presence of ATP and NADPH and was largely unaffected by the presence of NH 3 or imidazole. The first two pathway enzymes appear to exist as a complex which stabilizes a labile intermediate postulated as γ-glutamyl phosphate. Attempted synthesis of this compound was unsuccessful due to its spontaneous cyclization to 2-pyrrolidone 5-carboxylate. Dissociation of the enzyme complex upon dilution of the extract is presumed responsible for an experimentally observed “dilution effect”. E. coli pro A − and pro B − auxotroph extracts failed to complement one another in the biosynthesis of proline. This is attributed to the lack of a dynamic equilibrium between the complex and its constituent enzymes. In vivo studies with E. coli showed no evidence for metabolic channeling in the final reaction of proline synthesis, the reduction of Δ 1 -pyrroline 5-carboxylate.
Additivity properties of a Gaussian channel

The Amosov-Holevo-Werner conjecture implies the additivity of the minimum R\'enyi entropies at the output of a channel. The conjecture is proven true for all R\'enyi entropies of integer order greater than two in a class of Gaussian bosonic channel where the input signal is randomly displaced or where it is coupled linearly to an external environment.
Preformed antibody, not primed T cells, is the initial and major barrier to bone marrow engraftment in allosensitized recipients.

Multiply-transfused individuals are at higher risk for BM rejection. We show that whereas allosensitization resulted in the priming of both cellular and humoral immunity, preformed antibody was the major barrier to engraftment. The generation of cross-reactive alloantibody led to rejection of BM of a different MHC-disparate strain. Imaging studies indicated that antibody-mediated rejection was very rapid (< 3 hours) in primed recipients, while T-cell–mediated rejection in nonprimed mice took more than 6 days. Antibody-mediated BM rejection was not due to a defect in BM homing as rejection occurred despite direct intra-BM infusion of donor BM. Rejection was dependent upon host FcR+ cells. BM cells incubated with serum from primed mice were eliminated in nonprimed recipients, indicating that persistent exposure to high-titer antibody was not essential for rejection. High donor engraftment was achieved in a proportion of primed mice by mega-BM cell dose, in vivo T-cell depletion, and high-dose immunoglobulin infusion. The addition of splenectomy to this protocol only modestly added to the efficacy of this combination strategy. These data demonstrate both rapid alloantibody-mediated elimination of BM by host FcR+ cells and priming of host antidonor T cells and suggest a practical strategy to overcome engraftment barriers in primed individuals.
Treatment of nutritional cirrhosis in rats with choline and methionine; with special reference to fibrogenesis and fibroclasia

Early and advanced stages of nutritional cirrhosis were produced in the livers of rats maintained on a choline-deficient diet for periods of 60 and 150 days respectively. Both cirrhotic groups, i.e., early and advanced, were subdivided into three therapeutic groups and corresponding groups of each cirrhotic stage were treated with comparable supplements of 2% choline, 2% methionine and a combination of both for six months, in order to compare the effectiveness of these therapeutic agents in producing manifestations of progressive repair in both early and advanced stages of nutritional cirrhosis. The efficacy of the various therapeutic regimens on both early and advanced stages of dietary cirrhosis was assessed by comparing the manifestations of progressive repair observed in serial sections of liver at autopsy, after six months of dietary therapy with those observed in serial sections of the same liver obtained by biopsy preceding therapy. Under the conditions of this experiment, early and advanced stages of nutritional cirrhosis responded with complete and almost complete recovery respectively, following six months of dietary therapy with choline or a combination of choline and methionine. Dietary supplementation of methionine alone, failed to produce reparative changes comparable to those of choline. This study does not support the theories of condensation of stroma and attenuation and compression by the expanding nodules of parenchymal cell regeneration for fibrogenesis and fibroclasia.
Impossibility of naively generalizing squeezed coherent states

Pertinent properties of the unitary operators that create coherent states and squeezed coherent states are discussed. We show that certain generalizations of squeezed coherent states do not exist. This is accomplished by demonstrating that for the generalized squeeze operators ${U}_{k}=\mathrm{exp}(i{A}_{k})=\mathrm{exp}[{z}_{k}{({a}^{\ifmmode\dagger\else\textdagger\fi{}})}^{k}+i{h}_{k\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{-}{({z}_{k})}^{*}{a}^{k}]$, $〈0|{U}_{k}|0〉$ diverges, $kg2$. This implies that $|0〉$ is not an analytic vector of ${A}_{k}$ for all $kg2$, where ${h}_{k\ensuremath{-}1}$ is a Hermitian polynomial in $a$ and ${a}^{\ifmmode\dagger\else\textdagger\fi{}}$ up to powers of ($k\ensuremath{-}1$).
Inversion of an extended generalized Prandtl-Ishlinskii hysteresis model: Theory and experimental results

The Prandtl-Ishlinskii (PI) model is a popular hysteresis model that has been widely adopted for smart material-based systems. Recently, an analytical inversion of a generalized PI model was formulated, facilitating the modeling and control of systems with hysteresis. The approach, however, does not allow the inclusion of a memoryless nonlinearity. In this paper we consider an extended generalized PI model, where a memoryless function is added to improve modeling accuracy. An inversion algorithm for the extended generalized PI hysteresis model is derived based on the fixed-point theorem along with the convergence conditions. Experiments involving a new class of smart materials, vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ), are conducted to illustrate the effectiveness of the extended generalized PI modeling approach and the inverse algorithm.
Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate regulate gene expression and synthesis of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 in articular cartilage explants

Summary Objective Glucosamine (GLN) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) are widely used to alleviate symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA). However, the mechanism(s) of action of these nutraceuticals remains unresolved. In the present study, we determined the effect of physiologically relevant concentrations of GLN and CS on gene expression and synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) in cytokine-stimulated articular cartilage explants. Methods Using bovine articular cartilage explants in culture stimulated with IL-1, the effects of physiologically relevant concentrations of GLN and CS on gene expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGEs1) were assessed with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (Q-RT-PCR). The production of NO and PGE 2 was also quantified. Results CS and the GLN and CS combination at concentrations attainable in the blood down-regulated IL-1 induced mRNA expression of iNOS at 24 and 48h post-culture. Up-regulated iNOS expression at 24h by IL-1 was also suppressed by GLN. GLN and CS transiently repressed the cytokine-stimulated mPGEs1 transcript. Synthesis of NO was reduced with CS alone and the combination after 24h of culture. Repression of COX-2 transcripts by GLN and CS was accompanied by concomitant reduction in PGE 2 . Conclusion Our results indicate that physiologically relevant concentrations of GLN and CS can regulate gene expression and synthesis of NO and PGE 2 , providing a plausible explanation for their purported anti-inflammatory properties.
The Child and Adult Care Food Program and the nutrition of preschoolers

Children spend a considerable amount of time in preschools and child care centers. As a result, these settings may have an influence on their diet, weight, and food security, and are potentially important contexts for interventions to address nutritional health. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is one such intervention. No national study has compared nutrition-related outcomes of children in CACFP-participating centers to those of similar children in non-participating centers. We use a sample of four-year old children drawn from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort to obtain estimates of associations between CACFP program participation and consumption of milk, fruits, vegetables, fast food, and sweets, and indicators of overweight, underweight status and food insecurity. We find that, among low-income children, CACFP participation moderately increases consumption of milk and vegetables, and may also reduce the prevalence of overweight and underweight. Effects on other outcomes are generally small and not statistically significant.
Response by a low income population to a multiphasic screening program: A sociological analysis

Abstract This paper assesses factors related to utilization of an innovative automated multiphasic health screening program in an inner city area. Data are based on household interviews with 1,351 adults from five universes: residents of the low income community the program was trying to reach; persons with appointments for health tests; persons who broke or cancelled appointments; screenees soon after being tested; and screenees several months later. Three areas of patient noncooperation at which the program was most vulnerable—utilization, appointment breaking, and failure to follow-up the tests with a physician visit—are discussed in terms of incentives and barriers for participation.
The Use of Otolith Growth Rings to Age Young Atlantic Silversides, Menidia menidia

Abstract There is evidence that daily growth rings are deposited in the sagitta otolith of larvae and juvenile Atlantic silversides, Menidia menidia. The growth rings are a function of age alone, and can be used as a tool to age young Atlantic silversides. Growth rings deposited in the asteriscus otolith were unreliable indicators of daily age.
Civil Law and Civil War: Michel de L'Hôpital and the Ideals of Legal Unification in Sixteenth-Century France

Francois Hotman quipped that a jurist trained solely in Roman law would feel, upon finding himself in a French court, as if he had landed among the savages of the new world.1 The image of Hotman's hapless jurist captures a conundrum widespread in early modern France, which the late French historian Michel Reulos dubbed "la quaestio vexata of the sixteenth cen tury": judges and lawyers in France studied Roman law at the universities but had to plead according to customary law once they started practicing
Differentiation of colonic metaplasia from adenocarcinoma of urinary bladder

Colonic metaplasia and primary bladder adenocarcinoma are relatively uncommon entities that can have similar gross clinical appearances. Examples of colonic metaplasia histologically mimicking cancer have only rarely been reported. We retrospectively analyzed 38 cases of cystitis glandularis (18 cases of colonic metaplasia), 12 cases of adenocarcinoma of urinary bladder (two well-differentiated, WDA), and one in situ adenocarcinoma from the surgical pathology files of Johns Hopkins Hospital. Nine patients with colonic metaplasia had widespread lesions. Two showed superficial muscularis propria involvement, mimicking adenocarcinoma; one of these cases had been diagnosed as infiltrating WDA at both an academic center and a community hospital. Dissecting mucin pools were focally seen in four cases of widespread colonic metaplasia, also mimicking cancer. One of the nine cases showed minimal cytological atypia, but no cases showed mitoses or signet ring cells. Distinguishing WDA from colonic metaplasia was the finding in WDA of infiltrative architectural pattern (two of two), extensive muscle invasion (two of two), moderate anaplasia (one of two), mitotic figures (two of two), and extensive mucinous pools (one of two). The diagnosis of adenocarcinoma in situ was based on anaplasia. Clinically, colonic metaplasia may resemble cancer. Histologically, colonic metaplasia may mimic cancer based on extensive involvement of the lamina propria, focal mucinous pools, focal muscularis propria involvement, focal mild cytological atypia, and rare mitoses. Despite overlapping features with colonic metaplasia, the diagnosis of WDA is based on the greater degree and extent of these atypical findings in cancer.
Media Violence The Effects Are Both Real and Strong

Fifty years of research on the effect of TV violence on children leads to the inescapable conclusion that viewing media violence is related to increases in aggressive attitudes, values, and behaviors. The changes in aggression are both short term and long term, and these changes may be mediated by neurological changes in the young viewer. The effects of media violence are both real and strong and are confirmed by the careful reviews of research evidence by various scientific and professional organizations that are concerned with children's mental health and development.
Transient heating of an insulated slab by non-uniform heat generation

Abstract A general, integral equation has been derived for the transient heating of an insulated slab by heat generation that is variable with distance. Two special cases of the general solution are considered: I. Exponential variation of heat generation rate with distance through the slab, and II. Linear variation of heat generation rate with distance through the slab. For these two cases, computer solutions of the equations were obtained and are presented graphically over a wide range of dimensionless variables.