cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Droplet Breakup in Shear and Elongation Dominated Flows in Microfluidic Devices

Microfluidic devices have recently been demonstrated as an effective platform for generating monodisperse drops and bubbles, which is important for applications from emulsification to drug delivery and lab on a chip. Here we compare drop formation mechanisms in microfluidic devices in which flows can be either predominantly shear flows, or predominantly elongational flows. In either case, drops of an aqueous liquid form due to viscous stresses imposed by a second oil phase. We show that the two flow types lead to dramatically different ability to control droplet sizes. We characterize the drop size over a large number of experiments by varying capillary number, volume fraction, and viscosity ratio. We observe distinct breakup modes depending on these three dimensionless parameters, and the flow type.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Regulation by heme of mitochondrial protein transport through a conserved amino acid motif

A conserved motif, termed the heme regulatory motif (HRM), was identified in the presequences of the erythroid delta-aminolevulinate synthase precursors and was shown to be involved in hemin inhibition of transport of these proteins into mouse mitochondria in vitro. When the HRM was inserted into the presequence of the ornithine transcarbamoylase precursor, a normally unregulated mitochondrial protein, it conferred hemin inhibition on the transport of the chimeric protein. The conserved cysteine within the HRM was shown by site-directed mutagenesis to be required for hemin inhibition.
Inactivation of soya bean trypsin inhibitors by thiols.

Systematic studies of factors that inactivate soya bean trypsin inhibitors showed that thiols facilitate heat inactivation, as illustrated by the following examples. Heating soya flour in an aqueous medium in a water-bath from 25 to 93°C for 1 h showed that heat alone does not begin to inactivate the inhibitor until about 55°C (around 10% inactivation). The corresponding value at 85 °C is 60%. In contrast, inactivation in the presence of N-acetylcysteine proceeds more rapidly, as shown by 70% inactivation at 55 °C and 94% at 85 °C. These results, and additional data, illustrate the complementary co-operative effect of heat and thiols in inactivating soya bean trypsin inhibitors in commercial soya flour. The thiol treatment also strikingly enhances the in-vitro digestibility of soya proteins by trypsin. The results are discussed with reference to the role of disulphide bonds in the mechanism of enzyme inhibition.
Dynamic magnetic response of infinite arrays of ferromagnetic particles

Recently developed techniques to find the eigenmodes of a ferromagnetic particle of arbitrary shape, as well as the absorption in the presence of an inhomogeneous radio-frequency field, are extended to treat infinite lattices of such particles. The method is applied to analyze the results of recent ferromagnetic resonance experiments and yields substantially good agreement between theory and experiment.
Automated recall system for colonoscopy: a generalizable informatics solution for procedures requiring timely follow-up.

Specifically, at most institutions, pathology systems do not integrate with the main electronic health record (EHR) or endoscopic electronic record system (EERS) in a way that allows for discrete data capture. Given that EHR is the primary tool used by physicians and, as such, becomes the legal record of choice, any registry or reporting tool that does not incorporate EHR in some way forces the physician to enter data redundantly, and adversely impacts work flow and efficiency. These barriers impede quality measurement and risk stratification and thereby limit adoption of nationwide quality improvement initiatives like GIQUIC. This pilot study presents a programming solution that is able to marry patient communication with capturing of discrete data within EHR, which can be bundled with quality metrics captured within EERS, and can be uploaded to registry and reporting tools in an automated fashion. Additionally, the programming solution populates a recall registry that can be used to generate reminder letters to patients, all without any significant disruption to physician work-flow or manual input. The solution is now being piloted in a second institution and uses a generalizable approach that can be adopted by most institutions or practices, irrespective of the type of EHR or EERS used.
Outcome of ERCP in the Management of Duct-to-Duct Anastomotic Strictures in Orthotopic Liver Transplant

This study sought to determine the efficacy of endoscopic treatment of duct-to-duct anastomotic stricture in orthotopic liver transplant. A retrospective chart and database review was carried out using procedure and diagnosis codes during the period of 1997–2001. One hundred ninety-eight adult patients underwent orthotopic liver transplantation from 1997 to 2001. Fifteen patients (age 52±9 years; 60% women) with duct-to-duct anastomotic strictures were identified. They underwent a total of 53 endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographies (ERCPs) and received different endoscopic treatments including biliary dilation, stent placement, and sphinctrerotomy. Thirteen of these patients (87%) had complete resolution of stricture. Of the remaining two patients, one had partial resolution of stricture and underwent long-term self-expanding metal stenting, while the other had no resolution after two ERCPs. We conclude that ERCP was effective in treating 87% of the duct-to-duct anastomotic strictures in this series.
The economics and politics of international preservation collaborations: a Malian case study

This paper examines four economic and political themes that are relevant to international heritage preservation and archives efforts. Collaborations that involve multiple players such as industrialized nations, international heritage organizations, and postcolonial or economically developing regions will inevitably be laden with sociopolitical and economic entanglements that affect preservation outcomes and modern cultural development. Drawing on the Timbuktu Manuscripts Project in Mali for context, the paper will first discuss the infrastructural limitations that limit the progress and sustainability of projects that seek to preserve and create greater access to cultural heritage. The second critical theme is the enduring legacy of colonialism and, more specifically, the multiple concepts in Africa regarding cultural and historical evidence. The third theme is the compromise between local and global development advocates, especially in terms of agreeing on access boundaries to cultural materials. The fourth theme is the dialogue that must take place between stakeholders, especially between the host communities and supporting entities. This paper posits that it is necessary to look at the Timbuktu Manuscripts Project and other heritage preservation and archives projects by their high-level commonalities and through deeply contextualized historical lenses in order to cogently discuss the social value of these multinational projects and to help plan future collaborative efforts.
Characterization and methanol electrooxidation studies of Pt(111)/Os surfaces prepared by spontaneous deposition.

Catalytic activity of the Pt(111)/Os surface toward methanol electrooxidation was optimized by exploring a wide range of Os coverage. Various methods of surface analyses were used, including electroanalytical, STM, and XPS methods. The Pt(111) surface was decorated with nanosized Os islands by spontaneous deposition, and the Os coverage was controlled by changing the exposure time to the Os-containing electrolyte. The structure of Os deposits on Pt(111) was characterized and quantified by in situ STM and stripping voltammetry. We found that the optimal Os surface coverage of Pt(111) for methanol electrooxidation was 0.7 ± 0.1 ML, close to 1.0 ± 0.1 Os packing density. Apparently, the high osmium coverage Pt(111)/Os surface provides more of the necessary oxygen-containing species (e.g., Os−OH) for effective methanol electrooxidation than the Pt(111)/Os surfaces with lower Os coverage (vs e.g., Ru−OH). Supporting evidence for this conjecture comes from the CO electrooxidation data, which show that the onset...
Goal Instructions, Response Format, and Idea Generation in Groups:

This study examined the separate and joint impact of two standard, but seemingly conflicting brainstorming rules on idea generation in interacting and nominal groups: the free-wheeeling rule, which...
Fire activity increasing as climate changes

Analysis of images from NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellites shows that more than 2.5 million hectares were burned in 2012 from January through August in the United States. The amount is less than a record 3.2 million hectares in 2011 but greater than the area burned in 12 of 15 years since satellite monitoring began, scientists reported at the AGU Fall Meeting. With satellites “we can detect fires as they're actively burning,” said Louis Giglio of the University of Maryland, College Park, at a press conference on 4 December. “We can also map the cumulative area burned on the landscape after the fire's over.” He noted that “2012 has been a particularly big fire year” in the United States.
Multiple-pulse proton NMR of pressure-crystallized linear polyethylene

We have been interested recently in exploring relaxation under multiple-pulse NMR as a means of characterizing polymer morphology. For such work it is important to know the effectiveness of homonuclear decoupling for different experimental conditions. One measure of how well the dipolar interactions are averaged is given by the linewidth in the chemical-shift spectrum recorded using multiple-pulse sequences, since the largest error Hamiltonians analyzed using the Magnus expansion are frequently those related to the dipolar interaction (1-3). Pressure-crystallized linear polyethylene (LPE) is a useful sample in this context because it represents one of the most strongly coupled proton spin systems available. An additional advantage is that crystallization of LPE under high pressure (4.86 GPa in this case) results in a material which is roughly 95% crystalline as indicated by density measurements (4). This largely eliminates complications arising from the superposition of crystalline and amorphous lineshapes. Details concerning the preparation of the sample have been published (4). In the spectrum of pressure-crystallized LPE obtained from a free induction decay, the full width at half maximum of the resonance is 80 kHz, or 400 ppm for a ‘H Larmor frequency of 200 MHz. The multiple-pulse spectrum recorded with BR-24 (2) on a Bruker CXP-200 spectrometer is shown in Fig. 1. The methylene ‘H shielding tensor displays axial symmetry, in agreement with reported methylene tensors for several small organic compounds (5). As is also the case with these smaller compounds, uII arises from the most shielded orientation. The observed anisotropy of the shielding tensor is 6.9 f 0.2 ppm. Gerstein (6) has previously reported the multiple-pulse spectrum of a high-density LPE obtained through MREV-8 (7, 8) with a cycle time of 2 1 ps. The reported value of the anisotropy is 4.72 ppm, but the axially symmetric character of the tensor is not as well defined as that in Fig. 1. We ascribe most of the improvement to our use of a spherical sample, which minimizes broadening from bulk magnetic susceptibility effects (9, IO). In addition, BR-24 is generally recognized to be more effective than MREV8 in homonuclear decoupling (3) since the design of BR-24 minimizes contributions from higher order error Hamiltonians. The data in Table 1 illustrate the superiority of BR-24 in analyzing the pressure-crystallized LPE. The cycle-time dependence of linewidth using MREV-8 is considerably stronger than that of BR-24, with the shortest cycle times offering the most effective elimination of dipolar couplings. An
Cytoprotection of the gastric epithelium.

The lining of the stomach of man is protected from its unique secretion, hydrochloric acid, by a variety of highly specialized characteristics. Foremost is its relative impermeability to hydrogen ions. The gastric surface epithelial cell which forms a continuous integument from the esophagus to the duodenum plays an important role in this barrier function. Disruption of the barrier by injurious agents, sepsis, or shock may lead to severe erosive gastritis when acid is present within the lumen of the stomach. This process is accelerated during periods of low mucosal blood flow. The relationship of the rate of back-diffusion of hydrogen ions to mucosal blood flow appears critical. Factors which (a) inhibit acid secretion, (b) strengthen the barrier to H+ diffusion, or (c) increase mucosal blood flow will protect the stomach from injury. Prostaglandins of the A, E, and F series offer a level of protection in experimental erosive gastritis that is out of proportion to their effect on acid secretion and mucosal perfusion. The secretion or filtration of an alkaline secretion may be an important component of the cytoprotection which follows the topical exposure of gastric mucosa to 16,16-dimethyl (PGE2). The role of mucus release in this situation requires further elucidation.
Estimate of bias in Aura TES HDO/H 2 O profiles from comparison of TES and in situ HDO/H 2 O measurements at the Mauna Loa observatory

Abstract. The Aura satellite Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) instrument is capable of measuring the HDO/H 2 O ratio in the lower troposphere using thermal infrared radiances between 1200 and 1350 cm −1 . However, direct validation of these measurements is challenging due to a lack of in situ measured vertical profiles of the HDO/H 2 O ratio that are spatially and temporally co-located with the TES observations. From 11 October through 5 November 2008, we undertook a campaign to measure HDO and H 2 O at the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii for comparison with TES observations. The Mauna Loa observatory is situated at 3.1 km above sea level or approximately 680 hPa, which is approximately the altitude where the TES HDO/H 2 O observations show the most sensitivity. Another advantage of comparing in situ data from this site to estimates derived from thermal IR radiances is that the volcanic rock is heated by sunlight during the day, thus providing significant thermal contrast between the surface and atmosphere; this thermal contrast increases the sensitivity to near surface estimates of tropospheric trace gases. The objective of this inter-comparison is to better characterize a bias in the TES HDO data, which had been previously estimated to be approximately 5 % too high for a column integrated value between 850 hPa and 500 hPa. We estimate that the TES HDO profiles should be corrected downwards by approximately 4.8 % and 6.3 % for Versions 3 and 4 of the data respectively. These corrections must account for the vertical sensitivity of the TES HDO estimates. We estimate that the precision of this bias correction is approximately 1.9 %. The accuracy is driven by the corrections applied to the in situ HDO and H 2 O measurements using flask data taken during the inter-comparison campaign and is estimated to be less than 1 %. Future comparisons of TES data to accurate vertical profiles of in situ measurements are needed to refine this bias estimate.
Two-Muscle Surgery for Congenital Esotropia: Rate of Reoperation in Patients with Small Versus Large Angles of Deviation

Introduction: Standard surgical treatment of congenital esotropia (CET) in patients with preoperative angles of deviation measuring ≤50 PD is well defined. However, there is controversy over the management of larger angles of esotropia. Some surgeons prefer to operate on 3 or 4 horizontal rectus muscles, while others prefer to perform large recessions of the medial rectus muscles alone. The purpose of this study was to compare the rate of reoperation after bilateral medial rectus muscle recession of smaller angle (≤50 PD) CET with the rate of reoperation after surgery for larger angle (>50 PD) CET. Methods: Medical records of 102 patients who underwent bilateral medial rectus muscle recessions between January 1991 and December 1997 were reviewed. Patients were excluded if neurologic abnormalities or developmental delays were documented before the operation, if major structural abnormalities of the eye were present, or if less than 1-month follow-up after surgery was documented. The remaining 56 patients were assigned to either the larger angle (>50 PD) or smaller angle (≤50 PD) group, based on the magnitude of their preoperative esotropia. Rates of reoperation for residual CET, for consecutive exotropia or dissociated horizontal deviation, or for dissociated vertical deviation with or without oblique muscle dysfunction were determined for each group. Results: Forty of 56 patients (71%) were assigned to the smaller angle group and 16 of 56 patients (29%) to the larger angle group. In the larger angle group, 4 patients (25%) underwent surgery for residual esotropia. In the smaller angle group, 8 patients (19%) underwent surgery for residual esotropia, 8 (19%) underwent surgery for consecutive exotropia or dissociated horizontal deviation, and 8 (19%) underwent surgery for dissociated vertical deviation or oblique muscle dysfunction. Conclusion: The success rate for ocular realignment in patients with CET by using bilateral medial rectus muscle recession did not appear to diminish when applied to deviations greater than 50 PD as compared with smaller angle deviations. Surgery on 3 or 4 horizontal rectus muscles may be unnecessary in the treatment of patients with very large angles of CET. (J AAPOS 2000;4:267-70)
Analysis of micromixers to reduce biofouling on reverse-osmosis membranes

Features (micromixers) that promote chaotic mixing were fabricated on reverse-osmosis membrane surfaces and evaluated using computational models and laboratory experiments to determine their effectiveness in reducing biofouling. Computational fluid dynamics models of membrane feed channels were developed using different patterns of micromixers on the membrane surface. The shear-stress distribution along the membrane surface was simulated for steady flows along the different micromixer configurations. In addition, the hypothetical mass transfer of a tracer from the membrane surface was used as a metric to compare the amount of scouring and mixing in configurations with and without micromixers. Epoxy micromixers were printed directly onto membrane surfaces, and different patterns were evaluated experimentally. Fluorescence hyperspectral imaging results showed that regions of simulated high shear stress on the membrane corresponded to regions of lower bacterial growth in the experiments, while regions of simulated low shear stress corresponded to regions of higher bacterial growth. In addition, the presence of the micromixers appeared to reduce the overall biofouling concentration in one series of experiments, but the results were inconclusive in another series of experiments. These results indicate that while the enhancement of mixing and shear stress via micromixers may delay or mitigate the onset of localized membrane fouling from biofilms or other contaminants, the impact of micromixers on the overall performance of reverse-osmosis membranes needs further investigation. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2008
Promoting Children's Resilience and Coping Following September 11, 2001 An Email Analysis

This study examined a sample of 45 emails written by adults in response to an Internet article on how to help children develop resilience and cope with hardship in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. Most of the sample's recommendations for helping children achieve these goals were similar to those promoted by organizations like the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). However, the sample responses failed to include school-based support services, suggesting that schools (and other community organizations) may need to increase parental awareness of their services. Limitations of the current study and implications of the use of email data in research are discussed.
Successful salvage of a primary total knee arthroplasty infected with Candida parapsilosis

Fungal infections of total joint arthroplasties are extremely rare with only 21 previous reported cases in the literature. In 19 of these cases, the offending organism has been a member of the candida species. In all of these cases, the patients had no clinical evidence of disseminated fungal infection. All previously reported cases of total joint fungal infections required removal of the primary prosthesis to eradicate the infection. There has also been a great reluctance to reimplant these patients. In fact, reimplantation has been successful in only one reported case. We report the first case of successful salvage of an arthroplasty infected with candida.
Vibrational spectroscopy of Cs+ solvated by methylamine

We report the vibrational spectra of the cluster ions Cs+(CH3NH2)N, N=3–22. Bands in the 1015–1050 cm−1 region of the infrared are due to the v8 mode (CN stretch) of methylamine molecules displaying different degrees of interaction with the central ion. Monte Carlo simulations of the solvated Cs+ ion indicate that nine methylamine molecules fill the first solvation shell of Cs+ and that possible rearrangements in cluster structure occur at N=14−15. No absorptions due to bulklike methylamine molecules are observed through N=22.
Water Crossover: A Challenge to DMFC System I. Experimental Determination of Water Crossover

Water and fuel crossover in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) stack under various operating conditions were quantitatively determined by a method of mass balance analysis of fuel and water. With increasing the discharge voltage, the fuel crossover rate increases, but the water crossover decreases slightly. With increasing the operating temperature, both the water and fuel crossover rates increase significantly. The amount of water permeated across the electrolyte membrane is as much as eight times that of water produced by methanol electrochemical oxidation at the anode. There are three types of water crossover, including proton osmotic drag, methanol migration drag, and water spontaneous crossover. For a 24-cell DMFC stack that uses 1.0 M methanol and operates at 62°C under 8 V discharge, the water crossover rates for proton osmotic drag, methanol migration drag, and water spontaneous crossover are 0.661, 0.243, and 1.186 mg min -1 cell -1 cm -2 , respectively. Among them, water spontaneous crossover is the most significant. There is a significant portion of water evaporation at the cathode outlet which is highly dependent on the operating conditions and relative humidity. Water crossover and evaporation result in great challenges for a DMFC system to recycle the cathode water.
Double Jeopardy: A Review of Women Offenders' Mental Health and Substance Abuse Characteristics

Abstract Studies of women offenders with respect to the continuing salience of two co-occurring and pernicious characteristics—mental health (including traumatic experiences) and substance abuse (including HIV)—were reviewed. Findings indicated that research on these interrelated phenomena bears directly on a population that has been historically understudied and poorly serviced. As findings on women offenders are inadequately integrated and lack conceptual direction, a biosocial dynamic framework is introduced as a potentially useful organizing tool for future research and practice. The authors conclude that as the correctional system continues to be a repository for persons afflicted with mental health and substance use disorders, sound empirical knowledge is particularly needed with respect to future service allocation for women offenders.
Attentional Modulations Related to Spatial Gating but Not to Allocation of Limited Resources in Primate V1

Attention can modulate neural responses in sensory cortical areas and improve behavioral performance in perceptual tasks. However, the nature and purpose of these modulations remain under debate. Here we used voltage-sensitive dye imaging (VSDI) to measure V1 population responses while monkeys performed a difficult detection task under focal or distributed attention. We found that V1 responses at attended locations are significantly elevated relative to actively ignored or irrelevant locations, consistent with the hypothesis that an important goal of attention in V1 is to highlight task-relevant information. Surprisingly, these modulations were indistinguishable under focal and distributed attention, suggesting a minor or no role for attention as a mechanism for allocating limited representational resources in V1. The response elevation at attended locations is additive, is widespread, and starts shortly before stimulus onset. This elevation could contribute to spatial gating by biasing competition in subsequent processing stages in favor of attended stimuli.
Searching for a water supply connection in the Cabool, Missouri disease outbreak of Escherichia coli 0157:H7

Abstract A recent disease outbreak resulting in 4 deaths, 32 hospitalization and a total of 243 documented cases of diarrhea was linked epidemiologically and by on-site data gathering supported by the use of a distribution system model to the public water supply. The pathogenic agent, Escherichia coli serotype 0157:H7, was isolated from patients' feces in tests conducted by the Centers for Disease Control. Illness was restricted to people using public water supply. Untreated groundwater quality was not a factor but some disturbances in the distribution system, possibly 43 water meter replacements and 2 line breaks, may have allowed contaminants to enter the water supply. This is the first time a distribution system model has been used to show that the pattern of illness occurrences in a waterborne outbreak study could be related to water movement patterns in the distribution network.
Activation of NAD(P)H Oxidases by Thromboxane A2 Receptor Uncouples Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase

Objective— The thromboxane receptor (TPr) and multiple TPr ligands, including thromboxane A 2 (TxA 2 ) and prostaglandin H 2 , are elevated during vascular and atherothrombotic diseases. How TPr stimulation causes vascular injury remains poorly defined. This study was conducted to investigate the mechanism by which TPr stimulation leads to vascular injury. Methods and Results— Exposure of bovine aortic endothelial cells to either [1 S -(1α,2β(5 Z ),3α(1 E ,3 R ),4α]-7-[3-(3-hydroxy-4-(d′-iodophenoxy)-1-butenyl)-7-oxabicyclo-[2.2.1] heptan-2-yl]-5′-heptenoic acid (IBOP) or U46619, 2 structurally related TxA 2 mimetics, for 24 hours markedly increased the release of superoxide anions (O 2 ·− ) and peroxynitrite (ONOO − ) but reduced cyclic GMP, an index of nitric oxide bioactivity. IBOP also significantly suppressed activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), increased enzyme-inactive eNOS monomers, and reduced levels of tetrahydrobiopterin, an essential eNOS cofactor. IBOP- and U46619-induced increases in O 2 ·− were accompanied by the membrane translocation of the p67 phox subunit of NAD(P)H oxidase. Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of either NAD(P)H oxidase or TPr abolished IBOP-induced O 2 ·− formation. Furthermore, TPr activation significantly increased protein kinase C-ζ (PKC-ζ) in membrane fractions and PKC-ζ phosphorylation at Thr410. Consistently, PKC-ζ inhibition abolished TPr activation-induced membrane translocation of p67 phox and O 2 ·− production. Finally, exposure of isolated mouse aortae to IBOP markedly increased O 2 ·− in wild-type but not in those from gp91 phox knockout mice. Conclusion— We conclude that TPr activation via PKC-ζ-mediated NAD(P)H oxidase activation increases both O 2 ·− and ONOO − , resulting in eNOS uncoupling in endothelial cells.
Genetic Component of Heat Stress in Dairy Cattle, Parameter Estimation

Our data included 119,205 first-parity, test-day records from 15,002 Holsteins in 134 Georgia farms with temperature and humidity data from 21 weather stations throughout Georgia. The test-day model included the effects of herd test date, days-in-milk (DIM) classes, age, milking frequency, general additive effect, random regression on the heat-humidity index for heat-tolerance additive effect, general permanent environment, and the random regression on the heat-humidity index for a permanent environment. The general effects, which corresponded to effects in the current repeatability models, were assumed to be correlated with the heat-tolerance effects. Variance components were estimated by REML. For heat-humidity indices below 72, heritability for milk was 0.17, and additive variance of heat tolerance was 0. For a heat-humidity index of 86 (which would correspond to temperatures of 36 degrees C at 50% humidity), the additive variance of heat tolerance was as high as for general effect, and the genetic correlation between the two effects was -0.36. Results for fat and protein were similar. Current selection for production reduces heat tolerance. Joint selection for heat tolerance and production is possible.
A polar transport mechanism for biological pattern formation

Abstract A mechanism based on polar transport is proposed for the problem of biological pattern formation. The model shows an inhomogeneous distribution of biologically active molecules, an inherent tissue polarity, and approximate proportional pattern regulation. Application of the model to specific biological problems is proposed.
Diaklylaluminum chloride catalyzed ene reactions of aldehydes. Synthesis of ipsenol

Abstract Dimethylaluminum chloride which is a mild Lewis acid and a proton scavenger, catalyzes the ene reactions of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes. Proton initiated rearrangements do not occur, since the alcohol-Lewis acid complex formed in the ene reaction rapidly to give methane and a non-acidic aluminum alkoxide.
Demographic models for child survival and implications for health intervention programmes.

The child survival strategy is the major approach to reduce child mortality in the international health community today. Beginning in the late 1980s and early 1990s major donor agencies reduced its core interventions to immunizations and oral rehydration therapy thus using a simple selective disease model to frame program priorities. Yet children in developing countries are exposed to several diseases simultaneously all of which cause disability and death. This model basically overlooks the low mortality/high morbidity diseases. Other analytical models concerning child survival include a competing risks model and a frailty model with competing risks. 2 experts in child survival propose a more realistic analytical model: a macro model of cause specific mortality for infants which incorporates frailty. They submit that mortality risk for a population subgroup depends on the frailty (relative risk compared to population average) multiplied by the average incidence and case fatality of specific diseases in infants. The model assumes frailty determinants to include birth weight caused by prematurity and intrauterine growth retardation in both 0-5 and 6-11 month-old infants and diarrhea respiratory illness and malaria in 6-11 month-old infants. These experts use data from field studies of the relative risk of death associated with each condition to estimate frailty. The results of the different simulations vary and overall infant mortality and lives saved improves. The model demonstrates the inadequacy of designing child survival programs by considering diseases 1 at a time. It also shows that multiple means to improve child survival exist. Further a nominal change in several risk factors at the same time can significantly reduce infant and child mortality. In conclusion it highlights the need to choose criteria interventions based on how they directly and indirectly save lives.
Role of ERK MAP kinases in responses of cultured human airway smooth muscle cells to IL-1β

We have previously reported that interleukin (IL)-1β causes β-adrenergic hyporesponsiveness in cultured human airway smooth muscle cells by increasing cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and prosta...
Overdrive pacing in a patient with incessant torsades de pointes

A 75-year-old man presented to the emergency department (ED) for syncope and was found to have intermittent runs of torsades de pointes (TdP). The patient had a medical history significant for disseminated coccidiomycosis and was on prophylactic fluconazole. Forty-eight hours prior to presentation, the patient had intractable nausea and vomiting and was unable to take anything orally. He eventually presented to the ED with severe hypokalaemia and hypomagnesaemia with repeat symptomatic runs of TdP, which required overdrive transvenous pacing. During the patient’9s admission, his electrolytes were aggressively replete. Fluconazole was discontinued, and prior to discharge, the patient recovered fully with ECGs showing a normalisation of the QT interval.
Modeling the Regional Impact of Natural Disaster and Recovery: A General Framework and an Application to Hurricane Andrew:

Two common features of natural disasters are intense regional impact and the call immediately after the event to estimate the economic impact of recovery and reconstruction. The broad purpose of th...
Alphanumeric Paging: A Potential Source of Problems in Patient Care and Communication

Purpose In recent years, the use of numeric paging in many medical centers has been largely replaced by 1-way alphanumeric paging. There is currently no research studying the potential for alphanumeric paging to lead to problems in communication. The purpose of this article is to determine whether the use of alphanumeric pagers may lead to potential problems in patient care and/or communication. Methods Alphanumeric pages sent to residents on 3 surgical services at the Medical College of Virginia Hospital were collected over a 3-month period. The pages were classified according to reason for the page, amount of information provided, and follow-up required. Results A total of 52,384 alphanumeric pages were sent to residents on the surgical services over a 3-month period. There were 1037 pages (2.0% of total) that contained patient laboratory results. 11,844 pages (22.6% of total) contained a callback number with no sender information and 6198 (11.8% of total) contained a callback number and sender information. Trauma pages totaled 10,312 (19.7% of total). There were 2636 pages (5.0% of total) that contained identifying information, potentially violating HIPAA regulations. Conclusions The authors have observed a significant number of occurrences in which alphanumeric pages lack sufficient information, do not indicate the urgency of the page, and still require immediate callback by residents. This potentially interrupts patient care and educational activities.
Ground state properties of CsCoCl3

Abstract The electronic spectra of CsCoCl 3 are fit to a Hamiltonian that includes terms for interelectron repulsion, octahedral and trigonal crystal fields, and spin-orbit coupling. The fit adequately accounts for both the optical spectrum and the electronic Raman spectrum. The fitted parameters give empirical estimates of the radial expectation values 〈 r −1 〉 and 〈 r −3 〉 as well as the charge on the cobalt. The ground state wave functions generated from the fit are used to calculate the following properties: parallel and perpendicular g factors, Co hyperfine field, 59 Co quadrupole splitting, anisotropy of magnetic exchange, the magnetic moment of Co 2+ , and the spin flop field. The agreement between calculated values and observed values for this variety of independently obtained properties is reasonable in all cases.
Mitochondrial DNA damage is involved in apoptosis caused by pro-inflammatory cytokines in human OA chondrocytes

Summary Objective Pro-inflammatory cytokines play a pivotal role in cartilage destruction during the progression of osteoarthritis (OA). Additionally, these cytokines are capable to generate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species within chondrocytes. Mitochondrion is a prime target of oxidative damage and an important player in aging and degenerative processes. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether these cytokines will alter the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) integrity and mitochondrial function in both normal and osteoarthritic human chondrocytes. Design Primary normal and osteoarthritic human chondrocyte cultures were exposed to various concentrations of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) for different time. Following exposure, chondrocytes were evaluated for mitochondrial DNA damage, ATP production, changes in mitochondrial transcription, and apoptosis. Adenoviral vectors were used to deliver DNA repair enzyme hOGG1 to mitochondria. Results Pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α disturb mitochondrial function in human chondrocytes by inducing mitochondrial DNA damage, decreasing energy production and mitochondrial transcription, which correlated with the induction of apoptosis. Increased NO production was the key factor responsible for accumulation of mtDNA damage after cytokine exposure. Mitochondrial superoxide production was also enhanced following pro-inflammatory cytokine exposure. OA chondrocyte mitochondria were more susceptible to damage induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines then mitochondria from normal chondrocytes. Protection of human chondrocytes from mtDNA damage by the mitochondria-targeted DNA repair enzyme hOGG1 rescued mtDNA integrity, preserved ATP levels, reestablished mitochondrial transcription, and significantly diminished apoptosis following IL-1β and TNF-α exposure. Conclusion Mitochondrion is an important target in pro-inflammatory cytokine toxicity, maintaining of mitochondrial DNA integrity is necessary to prevent chondrocytes from apoptosis induced by IL-1β and TNF-α.
Commentary: more or less satisfied?

COMMENTARY ON Hazard RG, Spratt KF, McDonough CM, et al. Patient-centered evaluation of outcomes from rehabilitation for chronic disabling spinal disorders: the impact of personal goal achievement on patient satisfaction. Spine J 2012;12:1132–7 ( in this issue ).
Game-Based, Portable, Upper Extremity Rehabilitation in Chronic Stroke

AbstractPurpose: This case series pilot study evaluates the efficacy of the Core:Tx gaming device on 2 chronic stroke survivors. Methods: Intervention was provided 3 times a week for 3 weeks. Outcome measures, administered 1 week before and 1 week after intervention, included the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS), the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Motor Recovery (Fugl-Meyer [FM]), and the Box and Block Test (BB). Results: Participant A exhibited an 11-point increase on the SIS, a 1.2-point change on each of the performance and satisfaction scores of the COPM, a 1-point increase on the FM, and no change on the BB. Participant B exhibited a 3-point increase on the SIS and no change on the COPM, FM, or BB. Conclusions: The participants experienced increased quality of life, a greater propensity to use their affected arm, and enhanced task performance without exhibiting motor changes. Additionally, the Core:Tx gaming device was reported by the participants to be a moti...
The static condensation algorithm

The application of the static condensation method is discussed in general. The technique is presented as an extension of the Gauss elimination algorithm. An efficient FORTRAN subroutine is given which simultaneously reduces both the stiffness matrix and the stress-displacement transformation matrix.
Drug treatment programs' HCV service delivery to their HCV positive clients

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the most common blood-borne infectious disease among drug users in the US. Drug treatment programs are ideally situated to assist their clients to obtain HCV medical and support services. Using data collected from 233 drug free and methadone maintenance treatment programs (MMTPs) throughout the US, this article examines the range of HCV services that treatment programs provide to their HCV positive clients. Findings indicate that MMTPs offer more comprehensive HCV services to more of their HCV positive clients than drug free programs, although drug free programs provide more individualized services. While 84% of the programs provided some HCV services, there are still serious gaps in the provision of these services (e.g., dealing with medical providers to obtain HCV medication and facilitating access to liver transplant lists). Drug treatment programs need increased funding and staff training to be able to provide comprehensive HCV services to their HCV positive clients.
Comparing methods for detecting and characterizing metal oxide nanoparticles in unmodified commercial sunscreens.

Aims: To determine if commercial sunscreens contain distinct nanoparticles and to evaluate analytical methods for their ability to detect and characterize nanoparticles in unmodified topical products using commercial sunscreens as a model. Methods: A total of 20 methods were evaluated for their ability to detect and characterize nanoparticles in unmodified commercial sunscreens. Results: Variable-pressure scanning-electron microscopy, atomic-force microscopy, laser-scanning confocal microscopy and X-ray diffraction were found to be viable and complementary methods for detecting and characterizing nanoparticles in sunscreens. Conclusions: It was determined that several of the commercial sunscreens contained distinct nanoparticles. No one method was able to completely characterize nanoparticles in the unmodified products but the viable methods provided complementary information regarding the nanoparticles and how they were interacting with the sunscreen matrix.
Tectal Graft Modulation of Audiogenic Seizures in Long–Evans Rat

Audiogenic seizure (AGS) activity can be induced in the seizure-resistant Long-Evans rat by postnatal priming. This study examined the effects of unilateral lesions of the inferior colliculus (IC) and implantation of tectal grafts on AGS components. Animals were primed with a 10-kHz tone burst at 120 dB on postnatal day 14 and tested for AGS susceptibility on day 28, and then two groups were unilaterally lesioned including animals receiving embryonic day 16-17 grafts of caudal tectum. Subsequently, animals were repeatedly tested for wild running and clonic-tonic convulsion components of AGS. The results demonstrate that unilaterally grafted animals with partial IC lesions showed significant reduction in the incidence of clonus expression with greater terminal uniphasic wild running behavior. These effects were stronger than in animals with comparable unilateral lesions alone. Many neurons in graft cases were in direct contact with host tissues to provide a substrate for tissue interactions previously demonstrated to promote neuron survival and remediate IC functions.
Comparative study between parallel and counter flow configurations between air and falling film desiccant in the presence of nanoparticle suspensions

A comparative numerical study is employed to investigate the heat and mass transfer between air and falling film desiccant in parallel and counter flow configurations. Nanoparticles suspensions are added to the falling film desiccant to study heat and mass transfer enhancements. The numerical results show that the parallel flow channel provides better dehumidification and cooling processes of the air than counter flow configuration for a wide range of pertinent parameters. Low air Reynolds number enhances the dehumidification and cooling rates of the air and high air Reynolds number improves the regeneration rate of the liquid desiccant. An increase in the channel height results in enhancing the dehumidification and cooling processes of air and regeneration rate of liquid desiccant. The dehumidification and cooling rates of air are improved with an increase in the volume fraction of nanoparticles and dispersion factor. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of nerve growth factor on cyclic AMP levels in embryonic chick dorsal root ganglia following factor deprivation.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) at 10 B.U./ml produced a 5-fold increase in the concentration of cyclic AMP 10min after addition to freshly excised embryonic chick dorsal root ganglia (DRG). The presence of NGF at 10 B.U./ml, but not 1 B.U./ml, over a 6 h incubation in nutrient-free medium prevented this cyclic AMP increase when the DRG were again challenged with NGF (10 B.U./ml) after the 6 h. Incubation of DRG for 6 h at 37°C without NGF did not prevent the cyclic AMP response from occurring when NGF was presented at this time. The basal cyclic AMP concentration, however, decreased by 65–75% during the course of the 6 h incubation, and the continuous presence of NGF (10 B.U./ml) was unable to prevent this. When NGF was added to 6-h NGF-deprived DRG, the time for maximum cyclic AMP increase decreased from 15min to 6min with increasing NGF concentrations from 1 to 50 B.U./ml, although the relative magnitude of the cyclic AMP increase was essentially the same (approx 3-fold) at these NGF concentrations. Attempts were made to correlate the cyclic AMP response in NGF-deprived DRG with another rapid response resulting from administration of NGF to NGF-deprived DRG, namely, the reactivation of hexose uptake. The cyclic AMP and permeation responses both occurred on the same time scale (5-15 min), and both responded to increasing concentrations of NGF with a decreasing time to achieve maximal effect. A temporal relationship between cyclic AMP and membrane permeability was noted, but it could not be ruled out that it might reflect difficulties in methodology and/or inadequacy in current knowledge of the underlying mechanisms.
Successful management of perforation during cystogastrostomy with an esophageal fully covered metallic stent placement

A 49-year-old woman presented for endoscopic treatment of symptomatic pseudocyst refractory to conservative management for the past year. EUS showed a thickwalled 49 39-mm pseudocyst in the pancreatic tail in close opposition to the gastric fundus. The cyst was punctured by using a 19-gauge FNA needle (Fig. 1) followed by guidewire placement and dilation of the fistula with a needle-knife cautery and a 6-mm balloon. Attempted placement of a 10F, 4-cm long double-pigtail stent resulted in dislodgment of the guidewire from the pseudocyst because of extreme angulation of the endoscope required to obtain a satisfactory endoscopic view. The guidewire was re-placed into what appeared to be the pseudocyst cavity under endoscopic control, and balloon dilation was repeated using a 12-mm balloon. Fluoroscopic examination showed possible free air at this point, and thus, the echoendoscope was exchanged for a gastroscope to examine the cystogastrostomy tract. Endoscopy showed a clear perforation next to the true lumen of the cystogastrostomy tract (Fig. 2). We then placed an 18 70-mm esophageal fully covered self-expandable metallic stent (FCMS) (ALIMAXX-ES; Merit Medical Endotek, South Jordan, Utah) by using a stiff guidewire (Savary-Gilliard Wire Guides; Cook Medical Inc, Bloomington, Ind) into the pseudocyst cavity to drain it and to seal the perforation (Fig. 2). Broad-spectrum antibiotics were initiated during the procedure. Abdominal CT after the procedure showed free air and the stent to be in good position (Fig. 3). No pain or other signs of peritonitis developed in the patient, and she was discharged after 48 hours of observation on oral antibiotics. The stent was removed uneventfully 1 month later after repeat CT scan confirmed resolution of the pseudocyst.
Opening Remarks: Good Price Discovery, the Neglected Regulatory Objective

This conference is about regulatory structure as it pertains to financial markets. The subject has received a great deal of attention in the aftermath of the severe financial crisis that erupted in 2007 and gained tremendous force in 2008 and beyond. It deserves all the attention that it can get. Financial markets are subject to systemic risk. Any major breakdown in the financial markets could have a pervasive, devastating impact on the entire economy. Some regulation without question is called for. The question is, what kind?