cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Liu Hui and the First Golden Age of Chinese Mathematics

Stable URL:http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0025-570X%28199806%2971%3A3%3C163%3ALHATFG%3E2.0.CO%3B2-6Mathematics Magazine is currently published by Mathematical Association of America.Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available athttp://www.jstor.org/about/terms.html. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtainedprior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content inthe JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use.Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained athttp://www.jstor.org/journals/maa.html.Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printedpage of such transmission.The JSTOR Archive is a trusted digital repository providing for long-term preservation and access to leading academicjournals and scholarly literature from around the world. The Archive is supported by libraries, scholarly societies, publishers,and foundations. It is an initiative of JSTOR, a not-for-profit organization with a mission to help the scholarly community takeadvantage of advances in technology. For more information regarding JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.http://www.jstor.orgSun Nov 18 09:41:18 2007
A selective hydrogen peroxide sensor based on chemiresistive polyaniline nanowires modified with silver catalytic nanoparticles

This paper presents a novel method to selectively detect hydrogen peroxide using a chemiresistive polyaniline nanowire network. The polyaniline nanowires modified with silver catalytic nanoparticles were demonstrated to give selective responses to hydrogen peroxide by changing the conductivity of the polyaniline. The proposed mechanism for the selectivity in the H2O2 sensing is based on a catalytic reaction between the silver nanoparticles and the hydrogen peroxide which generates hydroxide ions and water to influence the conductivity of polyaniline. The catalytic effect of the silver nanoparticles was confirmed by characterizing the relationship between the amount of catalysts and the current response. The results indicate that the rate of the catalytic reaction is proportional to the number of silver nanoparticles attached on the surfaces of polyaniline. By observing the conductance change, the developed chemiresistive sensor was able to selectively detect H2O2 while exhibiting minimal response to other chemical species. The objective of this paper is to address the selectivity issue of a chemiresistor by suggesting a catalyst-based selective detection of an analyte for a polyaniline-based chemiresistive sensor. This technology may have potential applications in microscale or microfluidic chemical and biological sensors requiring a selective detection of hydrogen peroxide concentrations.
Catching the Lyrics: Intelligibility in Twelve Song Genres

Although purely instrumental music is commonplace, much of the world’s most popular music is sung with lyrics. However, it is evident that listeners don’t always attend to lyrics and that those who do aren’t always successful in deciphering them. An empirical study is reported whose goal is to measure the intelligibility of lyrics in commercial recordings of music from a variety of genres. Thirty participants were exposed to 120 brief musical excerpts from twelve song genres: Avante-garde, Blues, Classical, Country, Folk, Jazz, Musical Theater, Pop/Rock, Rhythm and Blues, Rap, Reggae, and Religious. Participants were instructed to transcribe the lyrics after hearing each excerpt once. The transcribed lyrics were then compared to the actual lyrics and intelligibility scores calculated. The different genres were found to exhibit significantly different levels of lyric intelligibility, from as low as 48% for Classical music, to as high as 96% for Jazz, with an overall average of 72%. Intelligibility scores were positively correlated with listener judgments of the general importance of lyrics. In a second experiment, participants were allowed to hear excerpts five times. Improvements to intelligibility were modest but significant after the second and third hearings, but not on further hearings.
The existing forms and related determination on coenzyme Q_(10) in coenzyme Q_(10) soft capsule

Objective To study on the form of coenzyme Q 10( CoQ 10) in soft capsule toselect the suitable method. Methods Based on the chemical property of CoQ 10, the existing formsweredetermine in soft capsulethrough chromatography performance of different methods. And then the methods were selected for different forms of CoQ 10. Results CoQ 10( oxidized form) and reduced CoQ 10 co-exist. The methods in China including China National Standard( GB), Chinese Pharmacopoeia( ChP) areboth aimed to the oxidized form. Inthe methods of Association of Official Analytical Chemists( AOAC) and United State Pharmacopoeia( USP),the reduced CoQ 10 is transformed to CoQ 10 first,and then the total amount is determined. Conclusion CoQ 10( oxidized form) and reduced CoQ 10 co-exist in soft capsule and transform to each other under suitable conditions. When testing CoQ 10 in soft capsule,the method should considerif there is only the oxidized form or the two formsboth.
The Global Structure of Discrete-Time Nonlinear Control Systems with Symmetries

The paper defines the concept of symmetry for discrete-time nonlinear control systems, which parallels the corresponding concept in continuous-time nonlinear control systems. It shows that under some conditions, nonlinear control systems with symmetries admit global decomposition in terms of lower dimensional subsystems and feedback loops.
Numerical Simulation Analysis of Influence of Structural Parameters on the Performance of Ejector

With the help of FLUENT software to study the influence of structural parameters on the properties of air jet,and the numerical simulation results are analyzed.The results showed that: the structure of the air jet parameters significantly influence the performance,rational design of structural parameters on the performance of air jet is critical.Results show that the best position of the nozzle of the air jet,which installed by unit 1 of Haibowan electric power plant,should be at 9 cm from its exit section to the mixing chamber entrance section,the mixing chamber of optimal taper is 0 degree,diffuser optimal taper is 2.4 degree,the best throat diameter of nozzle is 1.5 cm.
Endocrine Consequences of Metabolic Acidosis

Metabolic acidosis, particularly its chronic form, is a systemic process with systemic consequences that includes disturbances in the function of some endocrine systems. Such disturbances likely have short-term adverse consequences such as less sensitivity to the actions of hormones that might require higher hormone levels, e.g., insulin, to obtain needed hormonal effects. These disturbances might also have long-term consequences, however, like the association of decreased insulin sensitivity with increased cardiovascular mortality. For example, because some studies support that metabolic acidosis decreases insulin sensitivity, correction of chronic metabolic acidosis might improve insulin sensitivity and thereby possibly reduce cardiovascular mortality. These consequences point out the increasing need for clinicians to identify chronic metabolic acidosis and to treat it to confer the resulting benefits on patients supported by published studies. Regarding the latter, there are few published studies examining the benefit of correction of metabolic acidosis on endocrine systems, a deficit that must be corrected.
Improving the employment outcomes of individuals with traumatic brain injury: The effectiveness of knowledge translation strategies to impact the use of evidence-based practices by vocational rehabilitation counselors

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the effects of two knowledge translation (KT) strategies on the knowledge and future actions of vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselors when supporting individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: The study used a randomized pretest-posttest control group design. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were professional staff recruited from a single state VR agency who volunteered to participate in the study. The majority were female counselors with Master’s degrees. PROCEDURE: Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Both groups received the same information on supported employment for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) over a three month period. One group received the information via pre-recorded video presentations that were posted on an unlisted YouTube channel. The second group received the identical information via three briefs. At the beginning of each of the three months, each participant received either an email with the link to a pre-recorded presentation on YouTube or an email with the brief attached depending on the group assignment. The information could be accessed at their convenience across the one month period. Participants were assessed pre- and post-intervention with a Likert-scale instrument designed to measure knowledge of TBI, the effects of TBI on employment, and the efficacy of the supported employment approach for this group. In addition, participants were asked pre- and posttest how likely they were to fund services related to supported employment for individuals with TBI.
TU-FG-202-00: Advances and Innovations in Image Guided Brachytherapy

The greater use of magnetic resonance imaging (MR) in brachytherapy, for both image based planning and image guided procedures, presents a number of challenges for the physicist involved. MR is widely acknowledged as the imaging modality of choice to appreciate a patient's pelvic anatomy and is thus used more often for brachytherapy of gynecologic and prostate cancers. Incorporating MR in brachytherapy treatments requires changes throughout the clinical workflow from implantation through target definition, applicator digitization and post-implant evaluation. These presentations will review the some of the concerns encountered in image based brachytherapy environment, highlight the challenges to incorporating more information from MR, and discuss some of the technical developments underway to facilitate the further use of MR in brachytherapy. Learning Objectives: 1.To review the rationale for incorporating MR in image based brachytherapy for treatment of gynecologic and prostate cancers. 2.To review the technical challenges encountered when using brachytherapy devices in an MR environment. 3.To discuss some developments to facilitate MR based planning and guidance. J. Cunha, Phillips Healthcare
The Tautology of Blackface and the Objectification of Racism: A “How-To” Guide

AbstractThis essay examines U.S. blackface performance in the twentieth century through the lens of Adorno’s mass culture critiques, specifically of jazz music. Despite being rooted in the divisive logic of antiquated live performance traditions, blackface as a racist glyph flourishes in the technologically mediated social environment of the twentieth century. By replacing Adorno’s critique of jazz with a direct investigation of blackface, the essay argues for a more materialist approach to minstrelsy studies that acknowledges both circulation and accumulation as oppressive hegemonic forces.
Die physiologischen Anwendungen

Physiologisch wichtig konnen solche Redoxsysteme genannt werden, wekhe in den lebenden Geweben vorkommen und eine physiologische Bedeutung im Stoffwechsel haben. Die erste nahe-liegende Frage ist, ob die einfachen anorganischen Schwermetallsysteme in den lebenden Geweben vorkommen. Nun ist es ganz sicher, das in allen lebenden Zellen Eisen vorkommt. Wenn noch irgendein Zweifel daran bestand, so ist dieser durch die systematischen Untersuchungen von O. Warburg behoben worden. Die Menge des Eisens, welche, abgesehen von dem in Hamoglobin und seinen Derivaten fest gebundenen Eisen gefunden wird, schwankt je nach dem Material von 1/100—1/1000 vH des Trockengewichtes. Neuerdings hat 0. War burg auch zeigen konnen, das eine mes-bare Menge Cu in allen Geweben vorkommt, sogar im Blutserum, wo seine Anwesenheit durch seine katalytische Wirkung auf die Oxy -dation des Cystein durch Sauerstoff gas nachgewiesen werden kann. Am besten bekannt und in relativ groser Menge vorhanden ist das Eisen. Aber nach allem, was wir heute daruber aussagen konnen, ist das Eisen in merkenswerter Menge weder als einfaches Ferro-noch Ferriion vorhanden, sondern als komplex gebundenes Eisen.
Developmental Programming of Hypertension: Physiological Mechanisms

Epidemiological studies indicate that the origins of high blood pressure initiates in fetal life.1–3 Recent reviews highlight a role for numerous factors in the pathogenesis of the developmental programming of hypertension including epigenetic processes, glucocorticoids, reduced nephron number, activation of the sympathetic nervous system, and the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) and endothelial dysfunction.4–7 Studies published in Hypertension and other journals highlight the complexity of cardiovascular risk that has its origins in fetal life. The purpose of this minireview is to present an update on recent studies in Hypertension that investigate the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the developmental programming of hypertension and increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Barker8 first proposed the theory of the fetal origins of coronary heart disease based on the hypothesis that adaptive responses by the fetus to maternal undernutrition would enhance survival to birth at the expense of later cardiovascular health. The first animal studies to investigate the Barker hypothesis utilized rodent models to demonstrate that maternal undernutrition during gestation programs an increase in blood pressure in the offspring.9 Based on previous studies indicating a role for the renal nerves in experimental models of low birth weight,10,11 Mizuno et al12 proposed that increased blood pressure in protein-restricted offspring would be associated with an increase in baseline measure of renal sympathetic nerve activity (SNA). Although baseline measurement of renal SNA under anesthesia did not differ in male protein-restricted offspring versus male control at 4 to 5 months of age, renal SNA was significantly elevated in response to a secondary hit of physical stress in association with a greater blood pressure response12 indicating a role for an increase in renal SNA in the developmental programming of increased blood pressure and cardiovascular risk. Chronic systemic blockade of …
Azithromycin for the Treatment of Obliterative Bronchiolitis after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Abstract Obliterative bronchiolitis (OB) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Our objective was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of azithromycin on change in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL and Scopus databases and included studies that compared azithromycin with placebo or no intervention in the treatment of OB or bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) in patients who had undergone allogeneic HSCT. Ninety-one unique publications were identified, and 4 studies met inclusion criteria, with a total of 90 patients. Changes in FEV1 were measured between 12 and 24 weeks after initiation of treatment. The meta-analysis demonstrated a mean increase in FEV1 of 30 mL (95% confidence interval, −260 to +330 mL; P = .82) after initiation of azithromycin. One patient death was reported but not attributed to azithromycin therapy. In conclusion, current evidence can neither support nor refute the use of azithromycin in the treatment of patients who develop OB/BOS after HSCT. Further studies are needed to determine whether azithromycin is beneficial for the treatment of OB/BOS in this setting.
Time Dependent Pulse Propagation and Scattering in Elastic Solids; an Asymptotic Theory

Predictive modeling of ultrasonic pulse propagation in elastic solids is usually formulated in the frequency domain. Tractable solutions can then be obtained by using, for example, the powerful technique of geometrical elastodynamics and ray theory for wavefront propagation [1]. Recent advances [2,3] allow us to incorporate the finite pulse width by means of Gaussian profiles. However, a more realistic model should also include the fact that the pulse is of limited duration and therefore spatially localized in all directions. This paper outlines a theory for pulses in the form of a localized disturbance with a Gaussian envelope. The theory is valid if the associated carrier wavelength is short in comparison with typical length scales encountered in the solid. The method provides results explicitly in the time domain without the necessity of intermediate FFTs required by frequency domain methods. Applications to pulse propagation in smoothly varying inhomogeneous media, interface scattering and edge diffraction are discussed. The present theory contains an extra degree of freedom not explicitly considered before, i. e., the temporal width or duration of the pulse. An extensive treatment of the related problem for the scalar wave equation can be found in reference 4.
Intensity of FDG Uptake on PET Scan Varies by Histologic Subtype of Hodgkin Lymphoma.

FDG-PET scanning has demonstrated utility in the staging and prognostication of Hodgkin lymphoma, but PET characteristics of discrete histologic subsets of Hodgkin lymphoma have never been reported. Further, while studies in this disease have focused on classical Hodgkin lymphoma, the PET features of nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) have not been addressed to date. NLPHL represents less than 5% of all cases of Hodgkin lymphoma and has distinct clinicopathologic features, natural history, and treatment from classical subtypes. Diagnosis may be difficult as it exists in a “gray zone” between Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), and shares immunophenotypic and histologic features with the T-cell rich variant of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Clinically, NLPHL follows a natural history more akin to indolent B-cell NHLs than to classical Hodgkin lymphomas. We retrospectively identified 7 cases of NLPHL diagnosed at our institution since 2003 with available PET staging data. Consistent with prior series of this disease, the majority of patients were male (6:1) and the median age was 32 years. All 7 patients presented with limited stage disease (3 stage I, 4 stage II) and without “B” symptoms. All 7 cases demonstrated increased FDG avidity on PET scanning. The mean Standard Uptake Value (SUV) max was 6.1 (range 1.1–8.8), and mean SUV mean was 5.6 (range 1.0–8.3). We compared these results to recently diagnosed patients with nodular sclerosis and mixed cellularity subtypes of classical Hodgkin lymphoma. Among 13 patients with nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma (NSHL), the mean SUV max was 10.1 (range 4.8–15.8), while among the 7 patients with mixed cellularity histology (MCHL), the mean SUV max was 5.6 (range 4.0–9.8). Patients with NLPHL had significantly decreased SUV max compared to NSHL patients (p=0.022), but were similar to patients with MCHL (Figure 1). Mixed cellularity histology similarly demonstrated significantly decreased SUV max compared to patients with nodular sclerosing disease (p=0.005). PET intensity therefore highlights differences between classical subtypes of Hodgkin lymphoma, as well as between classical and non-classical variants. When compared to published PET SUV data in aggressive B-cell lymphomas, the maximal SUVs we observe in NLPHL fall well below those reported in aggressive B-cell lymphomas, which may aid in the diagnosis of these occasionally similar appearing neoplasms. We conclude that PET scans identify differences in FDG avidity across classical and non-classical Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes, likely reflecting underlying biological differences. We also demonstrate for the first time that despite its indolent behavior, NLPHL is a uniformly FDG-avid neoplasm, and so PET scans may have a role in the staging and surveillance of this uncommon disease variant.
Construct validity of the Race-Based Traumatic Stress Symptom Scale and tests of measurement equivalence.

Objectives The study was designed to examine the construct, measurement equivalence, and predictive validity of the Race-Based Traumatic Stress Symptom Scale (RBTSSS). Method Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used with adults from various racial backgrounds throughout the Northeast. Results The CFA revealed a good model fit and a second-order SEM supported the concept of race-based traumatic stress. Measurement equivalence was found for gender and race. Convergent validity was tested using canonical correlation analysis, whereby RBTSSS reactions were related to psychological outcomes. Conclusions The findings of the CFA and SEM provide support for the measurement and theoretical models of the RBTSSS. Study findings offer scholarly and practical contributions to trauma assessment and treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record
Decoupled Hierarchical Structures for Suppression of Leidenfrost Phenomenon.

Thermal management of high temperature systems through cooling droplets is limited by the existence of the Leidenfrost point (LFP), at which the formation of a continuous vapor film between a hot solid and a cooling droplet diminishes the heat transfer rate. This limit results in a bottleneck for the advancement of the wide spectrum of systems including high-temperature power generation, electronics/photonics, reactors, and spacecraft. Despite a long time effort on development of surfaces for suppression of this phenomenon, this limit has only shifted to higher temperatures, but still exists. Here, we report a new multiscale decoupled hierarchical structure that suppress the Leidenfrost state and provide efficient heat dissipation at high temperatures. The architecture of these structures is composed of a nanomembrane assembled on top of a deep micropillar structure. This architecture allows to independently tune the involved forces and to suppress LFP. Once a cooling droplet contacts these surfaces, by r...
Liquid Water from First Principles: Investigation of Different Sampling Approaches

A series of first principles molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations were carried out for liquid water to investigate the reproducibility of different sampling approaches. These simulations include Car−Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations using the program cpmd with different values of the fictitious electron mass in the microcanonical and canonical ensembles, Born−Oppenheimer molecular dynamics using the programs cpmd and cp2k in the microcanonical ensemble, and Metropolis Monte Carlo using cp2k in the canonical ensemble. With the exception of one simulation for 128 water molecules, all other simulations were carried out for systems consisting of 64 molecules. Although the simulations yield somewhat fortuitous agreement in structural properties, analysis of other properties demonstrate that one should exercise caution when assuming the reproducibility of Car−Parrinello and Born−Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations for small system sizes in the microcanonical ensemble. In contrast, the m...
A Home-Based Telerehabilitation Program for Patients With Stroke.

Background. Although rehabilitation therapy is commonly provided after stroke, many patients do not derive maximal benefit because of access, cost, and compliance. A telerehabilitation-based progra...
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Diagnosis and Management: High-Resolution Chest Computed Tomography, Transbronchial Lung Biopsy, and Pleural Disease Management. An Official American Thoracic Society/Japanese Respiratory Society Clinical Practice Guideline.

Background: Recommendations regarding key aspects related to the diagnosis and pharmacological treatment of lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) were recently published. We now provide additional recommendations regarding four specific questions related to the diagnosis of LAM and management of pneumothoraces in patients with LAM.Methods: Systematic reviews were performed and then discussed by a multidisciplinary panel. For each intervention, the panel considered its confidence in the estimated effects, the balance of desirable (i.e., benefits) and undesirable (i.e., harms and burdens) consequences, patient values and preferences, cost, and feasibility. Evidence-based recommendations were then formulated, written, and graded using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach.Results: For women who have cystic changes on high-resolution computed tomography of the chest characteristic of LAM, but who have no additional confirmatory features of LAM (i.e., clinical, radio...
Gallstone Prevention by Alteration of Gallbladder Mucin Secretion via Prostaglandin Synthesis Inhibition

Very little is known regarding the physiologic control of mucus secretion in the gastrointestinal tract and gallbladder. Two types of mucus secretion have been identified: slow basal secretion which appears to maintain the mucus gel on the epithelial surface in the unstimulated state and rapid secretion in response to physiologic neural, hormonal, and noxious stimuli [1]. Several mediators have been identified which stimulate mucus secretion in different epithelia. In the stomach, small intestine, and colon the vagus nerve and its specific neurotransmitter acetylcholine have been identified as potent stimulants for mucus secretion. Prostaglandins also stimulate mucus secretion in the gut as well as modulate multiple other mucosal functions such as blood flow and acid secretion [2]. Whether the cytoprotective effect of prostaglandins for the gastric mucosa is mediated in part by stimulation of mucus secretion remains unclear. Other substances such as dibutyl cyclic AMP, histamine, secretin, bile salts, cholera toxin, and cysteamine have been shown to stimulate mucus secretion in the stomach, small intestine, and colon. The role that these substances play in the normal physiology of mucus secretion or in the pathophysiology of disease states has not been established.
The Effect of a Textured Insole on Symmetry of Turning

Turning while walking is a common daily activity. Individuals with unilateral impairment frequently perform turns asymmetrically. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of a discomfort-inducing textured insole on symmetry of turning. Nine healthy individuals performed turns to the right while walking with no insole, immediately after the insole was inserted in the right shoe, and after walking for six minutes with the insole. The duration of turning, displacements of pelvic markers, and perceived level of discomfort were evaluated. Utilizing the insole was associated with the increased level of perceived discomfort ( ). Moreover, using the insole was linked to changes in the displacement of two pelvic markers and larger asymmetry index while turning immediately after the insole was inserted in the right shoe as compared to no insole condition ( ). The duration of right turning increased immediately after the insole was inserted ( ) and after walking with the insole for six minutes. The results indicate that the textured insole creates asymmetry of turning in healthy individuals. The outcome provides a background for future studies focused on using a textured insole to minimize the asymmetry of turning commonly seen in individuals with unilateral impairment.
Qué debemos cambiar en la enseñanza de la gramática

En aquest treball s'analitzen alguns factors que llasten des de fa anys l'ensenyament de la gramatica en els nivells preuniversitaris. S'argumenta detalladament contra la idea que el llenguatge es un instrument amb el qual cal familiaritzar-se, i tambe contra la percepcio de que el coneixement de el sistema linguistic ha de quedar per als experts, mentre que el seu us es reserva als parlants. S'explica aixi mateix que, per oposicio als professors de ciencies, els de gramatica no solen educar l'observacio orientada, impulsar la recerca de generalitzacions o afavorir l'argumentacio i el desenvolupament d'hipotesis, sino que substitueixen totes aquestes tasques pel simple etiquetatge (a sovint poc reflexiu) de categories lexiques i funcions sintactiques.
Optical Spectra of Flexible Conjugated Polymers

Organic dyes illustrate the close connection between π-electron derealization and optical spectra. Both conjugation length and geometry are important1. Conjugated polymers are still longer and in highly ordered forms may be idealized as linear crystals. While dyes and polyenes are essentially planar at ambient temperatures, polymeric strands may only be planar locally. For instance, π-conjugated polydiacetylenes 2,3 and polythiophenes4 or σ-conjugated5 polysilanes6,7 and polygermanes8 can exist as random coils in either dilute solutions or solid films. Conformational degrees of freedom associated with bond rotations are coupled to the conjugation and result in significant thermochromism. Neither molecules nor crystals are apt models for a random coil. We develop in this paper the general features of optical transitions in flexible conjugated polymers.
Making RCU safe for deep sub-millisecond response realtime applications

LinuxTM has long been used for soft realtime applications. More recent work is preparing Linux for more aggressive realtime use, with scheduling latencies in the small number of hundreds of microseconds (that is right, microseconds, not milliseconds). The current Linux 2.6 RCU implementation both helps and hurts. It helps by removing locks, thus reducing latency in general, but hurts by causing large numbers of RCU callbacks to be invoked all at once at the end of the grace period. This batching of callback invocation improves throughput, but unacceptably degrades realtime response for the more discerning realtime applications. This paper describes modifications to RCU that greatly reduce its effect on scheduling latency, without significantly degrading performance for nonrealtime Linux servers. Although these modifications appear to prevent RCU from interfering with realtime scheduling, other Linux kernel components are still problematic. We are therefore working on tools to help identify the remaining problematic components and to definitively determine whether RCU is still an issue. In any case, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that anything resembling RCU has been modified to accommodate the needs of realtime applications.
Irradiation of the Entire Body and Marrow Transplantation: Some Observations and Comments

Case reports of 5 patients with acute leukemia receiving total-body irradiation and intravenous infusion of normal marrow are presented. An eight-month follow-up on a previously reported patient with chronic leukemia is included and a review of an individual receiving nitrogen mustard and marrow is presented for comment. Of several patients reported in this and in a previous communication only two may be said to have obtained significant clinical benefit. Potential reasons for this incidence of improvement are advanced and the general subject of total-body irradiation and marrow replacement in man is discussed. Pitfalls and problems biologic and physical and the theory of their circumvention are analyzed.
Chapter 6: The Oxidation of Ammonia as an Engergy Source in Bacteria

This chapter deals with the oxidation of ammonia (NH3 + 1.5 O2→ HNO2+H2O as a source of reducing power in the chemolithrotrophic bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea. Direct knowledge of the enzymes involved together with the sequence of the genome reveal core elements of a redox system unique to oxidation of ammonia to nitrite which feeds into a more traditional bacterial electron transport/terminal oxidase system. The apparently low stoichiometry of protons translocated per ammonia oxidized hints at the basis of the low growth yields of this bacterium. Remarkably, the putative complex of hydroxylamine oxidoreductase (HAO), cytochrome c554 (Cyt c554) and the membrane cytochrome cM552 (Cyt cM552), which catalyzes the oxidation of a molecule of hydroxylamine and transfer of four electrons to membrane ubiquinone would involve 16 c-hemes per catalytic site or 48 hemes for the hypothetical aggregate containing the trimeric HAO. The dehydrogenation catalyzed at the novel catalytic heme (heme P460) is unique by comparison with other known catalytic hemes which bind substrate to the iron; in all others electrons enter the system and reduce the substrate whereas the reverse is true with HAO. This mode of catalysis may be functionally related to a cross link which is found only in HAO; a covalent bond between a methyne carbon of heme P460 and a ring carbon of a peptide tyrosine. The dramatic crystal structures of HAO and Cyt c554 have provided insights into catalysis and electron transfer as well as illustrating evolutionary relationships which are not reflected in homology of amino acid sequence. Considering their relative spatial arrangement. The 4 hemes of Cyt c554 can be preciselyl superimposed with 4 of the hemes of HAO. Evidence suggests that they have a common ancestor and have preserved heme configurations even when sequence homology had been lost. The novel anaerobic oxidation of ammonia (NH3HNO2 → N2 +H2O) by a planctomycete bacterium and the oxidation of ammonia to nitrite in heterotrophic bacteria are described more briefly.
Anticoagulant Use Among Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: An Analysis From the National Cardiovascular Data Registry

Background—Patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have largely been excluded from trials of antithrombotic therapies leaving little data to guide ...
Analytical Calculation of the Phase Inductance Profile of Switched Reluctance Machines

Phase inductance is a key parameter in the design of switched reluctance machines (SRMs) because the torque, torque ripple, losses, and the dynamics of phase voltages and currents are related to the phase inductance. Therefore, accurate calculation of the inductance profile of an SRM is important in determining the SRM behavior. Instead of using the time-consuming finite element analyses (FEAs), or the analytical methods that require prior knowledge of flux linkage from either an FEA simulation or an experimental test such as the curve fitting and flux path based methods, this paper proposes a fast and accurate analytical approach to determine the phase inductance of an SRM with any common topologies, dimensions, and phase currents at any rotor position. In the proposed approach, the magnetic field distribution and the permeance parameters in the air region are first determined by solving the partial differential equations of magnetic potentials based on Maxwell's equations. The air-region permeance parameters are then substituted into a magnetic circuit network to include the impact of the saturation effects of steel on the phase inductance profile. The agreement between the results of the proposed analytical method and two/three-dimensional FEAs and experimental results validates the analysis.
Effects of Share 35 Policy on Liver Transplantation Outcomes for Patients With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

BACKGROUND To examine the temporal variation and outcomes of liver transplantation between pre- and post-Share 35 eras for patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed among 4380 patients with end-stage liver disease from the United Network for Organ Sharing database from 2009 to 2017 due to primary diagnosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or cryptogenic cirrhosis with body mass index greater than 30. Cox regressions were used to model the effect of Share 35 policy on patient and graft survival comparing the first 3 years of Share 35 policy to an equivalent time period before. RESULTS The number of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-related transplants increased from 232 (14.1%) in 2009 to 266 (20.5%) in 2017. In post-Share 35 era, average waitlist time and cold ischemic time decreased, while Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores increased with higher proportion of recipients having MELD ≥35. No significant difference in average length of hospitalization or survival was found after Share 35. CONCLUSIONS The Share 35 policy benefits patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis from reduced liver transplantation waiting time. It is also associated with comparable outcomes in 2 eras without increasing cold ischemic time or posttransplant length of hospitalization.
Pilot study to enhance FDG-PET imaging of prostate cancers with the metabolic inhibitor ranolazine.

e16551Background: 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is a widely-used imaging modality for many cancers; however, its utility in prostate cancer is limited. Fatt...
Chapter 12 – Algae

Publisher Summary Algae are present in varying numbers and kinds in almost any river or stream encountered. Algae are, for the most part, microscopic plants found free floating (phytoplankton) or attached to solid objects (periphyton); but they can also aggregate into life-forms visible to the naked eye. This chapter emphasizes the periphytic forms found attached to rocks, sticks, logs, and other solid objects found in rivers and streams because they contribute to riverine food webs in small- to medium-sized river systems. Algae can be found suspended in streams of any size, from the smallest to large, nearly lakelike rivers. In order to remain in place, algae must either find places of refuge or develop organs of attachment because algae in flowing waters are subjected to a current. The former are usually found where currents are negligible or absent—within the periphyton mat, in mucilaginous colonies that resist the eroding nature of the current, in rock crevices, or in backwaters where the current is slack. The three major classes of algae important in streams and rivers are the diatoms (class Bacillariophyceae), the green algae (class Chlorophyceae), and the cyanobacteria (class Cyanophyceae).
COVID19: a case report of thrombus in transit

Background The global pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused significant morbidity and mortality, not only through devastating lung injury, but also due to multiple malfunctions in the cardiovascular system. The primary aetiology is believed to be mediated through lung alveolar injury; however, a few published reports have linked SARS-CoV-2 to significant organ dysfunction, venous thrombo-embolism, and coagulopathy. In view of the fact that the utility of tissue plasminogen activator in this population is not well studied, we present this case of rapid improvement in oxygenation after successful lytic therapy for thrombus in transit in this patient with SARS-CoV-2. Case summary We discuss a patient admitted with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Due to the development of dramatic hypoxia, he underwent echocardiography which demonstrated extensive thrombus in transit. He received successful thrombolytic therapy with tissue plasminogen activator, with subsequent improvement in oxygenation. The patient was successfully discharged home on 2 L of oxygen via nasal cannula, and continues to improve at follow-up with his cardiologist and primary care physician. Conclusion This case not only highlights embolic causes of hypoxia in SARS-CoV-2, but demonstrates the important utility of an echocardiogram and tissue plasminogen activator in this population.
Tuning Thermal Dosage to Facilitate Mesenchymal Stem Cell Osteogenesis in Pro-Inflammatory Environment.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells that can replicate and differentiate to different lineages, potentiating their use as integral components in regenerated mesenchymal tissues. Our previous work and other studies have indicated that mild heat shock enhances osteogenesis. However, the influence of pro-inflammatory cytokines on osteogenic differentiation during mildly elevated temperature conditions remains to be fully explored. In this study, human MSCs (hMSCs) were cultured with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), an important mediator of the acute phase response, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) which plays a role in damaging chronic inflammation, then heat shocked at 39 °C in varying frequencies-1 h per week (low), 1 h every other day (mild), and 1 h intervals three times per day every other day (high). DNA data showed that periodic mild heating inhibited suppression of cell growth caused by cytokines and induced maximal proliferation of hMSCs while high heating had the opposite effect. Quantitative osteogenesis assays show significantly higher levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and calcium precipitation in osteogenic cultures following mild heating compared to low heating or nonheated controls. These results demonstrate that periodic mild hyperthermia may be used to facilitate bone regeneration using hMSCs, and therefore may influence the design of heat-based therapies in vivo.
Open giant magnons suspended between dual giant gravitons in N $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 SYM

We study classical solutions to the Nambu-Goto string on AdS2 × S1 and AdS3 × S1 corresponding to strings stretched between wrapped branes extending in AdS. The solutions are obtained by analytic continuation of giant magnon solutions, cut at the position of the branes. These solutions carry one or two SO(2, 4) charges and a single SO(6) charge. We compute their energies and show their relation to $$ \frac{1}{2} $$ -BPS geometries. Their relevance to the SL(2) sector of $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 SYM is also discussed.
Alcohol Ataxia Tolerance: Extinction Cues, Spontaneous Recovery, and Relapse

This article reviews ethanol ataxic tolerance experiments with rats that investigate spontaneous recovery after extinction and how extinction-related cues reduce this recovery. Tolerance to the effects of many drugs including ethanol is partly the result of Pavlovian conditioning. Tolerance to the ataxic (and other) effects of ethanol depends critically upon the circumstances in which the drug is administered. Tolerance shows other characteristics common in Pavlovian conditioning, e.g.,. it can be extinguished and is subject to spontaneous recovery. The analogy of spontaneous recovery to instances of relapse in humans potentially makes such spontaneous recovery relevant to both researchers and clinicians. Recently, extinction cues have been found to reduce spontaneous recovery and other relapse- like effects in the animal conditioning laboratory. These cues may work in part by activating an association formed during the extinction process, and thus they may serve as memory retrieval cues. Research assessing spontaneous recovery using an ethanol ataxia method, as well as other Pavlovian conditioning methods, has contributed to an understanding of the properties and utility of extinction cues. These topics are addressed and the potential implications of this research for treating substance abusers is considered.
Interactions Between Genome-Wide Genetic Factors and Smoking Influencing Risk of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Objective To identify interactions between genetic factors and current or recent smoking in relation to risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods For the study, 673 patients with SLE (diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology 1997 updated classification criteria) were matched by age, sex, and race (first 3 genetic principal components) to 3,272 control subjects without a history of connective tissue disease. Smoking status was classified as current smoking/having recently quit smoking within 4 years before diagnosis (or matched index date for controls) versus distant past/never smoking. In total, 86 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and 10 classic HLA alleles previously associated with SLE were included in a weighted genetic risk score (wGRS), with scores dichotomized as either low or high based on the median value in control subjects (low wGRS being defined as less than or equal to the control median; high wGRS being defined as greater than the control median). Conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate both the risk of SLE and risk of anti-double-stranded DNA autoantibody-positive (dsDNA+) SLE. Additive interactions were assessed using the attributable proportion (AP) due to interaction, and multiplicative interactions were assessed using a chi-square test (with 1 degree of freedom) for the wGRS and for individual risk alleles. Separate repeated analyses were carried out among subjects of European ancestry only. Results The mean ± SD age of the SLE patients at the time of diagnosis was 36.4 ± 15.3 years. Among the 673 SLE patients included, 92.3% were female and 59.3% were dsDNA+. Ethnic distributions were as follows: 75.6% of European ancestry, 4.5% of Asian ancestry, 11.7% of African ancestry, and 8.2% classified as other ancestry. A high wGRS (odds ratio [OR] 2.0, P = 1.0 × 10-51 versus low wGRS) and a status of current/recent smoking (OR 1.5, P = 0.0003 versus distant past/never smoking) were strongly associated with SLE risk, with significant additive interaction (AP 0.33, P = 0.0012), and associations with the risk of anti-dsDNA+ SLE were even stronger. No significant multiplicative interactions with the total wGRS (P = 0.58) or with the HLA-only wGRS (P = 0.06) were found. Findings were similar in analyses restricted to only subjects of European ancestry. Conclusion The strong additive interaction between an updated SLE genetic risk score and current/recent smoking suggests that smoking may influence specific genes in the pathogenesis of SLE.
Development and validation of a novel informational booklet for pediatric long-term ventilation decision support.

Objectives To provide accessible, uniform, comprehensive, and balanced information to families deciding whether to initiate long-term ventilation (LTV) for their child, we sought to develop and validate a novel informational resource. Methods The Ottawa Decision Support Framework was followed. Previous interviews with 44 lay and 15 professional stakeholders and published literature provided content for a booklet. Iterative versions were cognitive tested with six parents facing decisions and five pediatric intensivists. Ten parents facing decisions evaluated the booklet using the Preparation for Decision Making Scale and reported their decisional conflict, which was juxtaposed to the conflict of 21 parents who did not read it, using the Decisional Conflict Scale. Twelve home ventilation program directors evaluated the booklet's clinical sensibility and sensitivity, using a self-designed six-item questionnaire. Data presented using summary statistics. Results The illustrated booklet (6th-grade reading level) has nine topical sections on chronic respiratory failure and invasive and noninvasive LTV, including the option to forgo LTV. Ten parents who read the booklet rated it as helping "Quite a bit" or more on all items of the Preparation for Decision Making Scale and had seemingly less decisional conflict than 21 parents who did not. Twelve directors rated it highly for clinical sensibility and sensitivity. Conclusions The LTV booklet was rigorously developed and favorably evaluated. It offers a resource to improve patient/family knowledge, supplement shared decision-making, and reduce decisional conflict around LTV decisions. Future studies should validate it in other settings and further study its effectiveness.