cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Presigmoid approaches to skull base lesions.

A critical component of many skull base approaches is the safe removal of the petrous bone (Brackmann et al. 1994, Baldwin et al. 1994, Spetzler et al. 1992, Sekhar et al. 1994, Al-Mefty et al. 1988, Hitselberger and House 1966, House 1979, Morrison and King 1973). Petrosectomy opens a corridor of exposure to the center of the skull base. The transpetrosal approaches include the retrolabyrinthine (Spetzler et al. 1994), translabyrinthine (Brackmann et al. 1992, House 1979, Morrison and King 1973), transcochlear (House and Hitselberger 1976), and middle fossa approaches (House and Shelton 1992, Brackmann et al. 1994). Still, exposure gained from these approaches can be limited medially at the region of interest or inadequate for larger lesions. Therefore, transpetrosal approaches have been used in combination with other approaches to gain even more exposure. For example, the combined supra- and infratentorial approach joins the sub temporal and transpetrosal exposures (Daspit et al. 1991, Spetzler et al. 1992, Spetzler et al. 1991, Hitselberger and House 1966) and the far-lateral combined supra- and infratentorial approach adds to them the far lateral exposure (Baldwin et al. 1994, Heros 1986, Sen and Sekhar 1990, Sen and Sekhar 1991, Spetzler and Grahm 1990b, Baldwin et al. 1995). We have continued to experiment with combination approaches, and one that has proven useful is the orbitozygomatic-combined supra- and infratentorial approach. This chapter reviews the surgical anatomy and techniques involved with the transpetrosal approaches, discusses the various combination approaches that use petrosectomy as their foundation, and identifies the current indications for these techniques.
Continuous intravenous infusions of phentolamine and esmolol for preoperative and intraoperative adrenergic blockade in patients with pheochromocytoma.

HE IMPORTANCE of preoperative adrenergic blockade in patients with pheochromocytoma is well recognized, with a-blockade being of primary importance. /3-adrenergic blockade has had a more limited role in these patients, and is usually reserved for the treatment of tachyarrhythmias.’ Long-lasting adrenergic antagonists have the potential disadvantage of persistent effects following tumor removal. Ideal agents for adrenergic antagonism in this condition would be rapidly acting, short-lasting (Y- and @blockers for precise control of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). Phentolamine (Regitine; Ciba-Geigy Ltd, Basel, Switzerland) is a useful drug for (Yblockade and BP control in patients with pheochromocytoma. It has the advantages of rapid onset and short duration and may be administered as a continuous infusion.’ Esmolol (Brevibloc; DuPont Critical Care, Waukegan, IL), a new intravenous (IV) &selective adrenergic antagonist, also possesses a rapid onset and short duration (T,,, is nine minutes),3 and has been used in the treatment of supraventricular tachycardias,4 attenuation of the stress response to intubation5 and prevention of myocardial ischemia during coronary artery surgery.6 Combined with a-blockade provided by phentolamine, esmolol should be an ideal agent for
Estimation of Mean and Median Particle Size of Ruminant Digesta

An alternative exponential equation with a parameter as an exponent was compared to a recently published exponential procedure for estimating mean and median particle size. Both equations were fit to literature values for particle size distributions of esophageal extrusa, rumen digesta, and feces. In addition, 112 observations of particle-size distributions of esophageal extrusa were fit to both equations for comparison. Both equations gave adequate fits of rumen digesta and feces, but the earlier model was biased by regular deviations from observed data for esophageal extrusa. Use of the previously published model overestimated mean particle size in esophageal extrusa from 4.5 to 10.3%. Median particle size was underestimated from 4.9 to 5.6%. Analytic solutions exist for mean and median particle sizes for the earlier model, but it is necessary to estimate numerically the mean and median particle sizes when using the proposed equation. Even though the solution for the proposed equation must be determined numerically, it will prevent bias between experimental treatments, give more accurate estimates of mean and median particle size, and result in a lower residual sums of squares. In addition, a single equation can be used to model particle size reduction throughout the digestive tract.
Robust stability and performance analysis of systems with hysteresis nonlinearities

There has been extensive work done in recent years on the analysis and synthesis of systems having memoryless, sector bounded nonlinearities and uncertainties. In this paper we take a fundamentally different approach to develop tests of the stability of systems with hysteresis nonlinearities which, in general, have memory and are not sector bounded. Using an operator perspective, and considering a hysteresis that obeys a strict circulation direction, we develop a transformation which converts a hysteresis nonlinearity into a passive operator. Our main stability theorem then provides a simple Nyquist test (for a SISO system) or a linear matrix inequality (LMI) which is extended to include a provision for a robust performance test. A simple numerical example illustrates the benefit of the multiplier introduced for this class of nonlinearities.
Micromagnetic study of anisotropy sources in textured longitudinal media

Micromagnetic simulations were performed to determine the effects of three anisotropy sources on the orientation ratio (OR) in circumferentially-textured longitudinal recording media. Models of the Co c-axis distribution, disruption of the magnetic coupling due to the texture lines, and stress anisotropy were used to generate hysteresis loops in both parallel and perpendicular directions. Parameters were obtained from experimental measurements. Of these three anisotropy sources, a preferential alignment of the Co c-axis along the grooves produces the largest OR; disruption of the magnetic coupling yields a smaller OR value, but leads to the perpendicular loop closing outside the parallel loop. Although the stress anisotropy increases the coercivity in both directions, the OR is the smallest. A combination of these three anisotropy sources, as well as a weak intergranular exchange, leads to agreement with the experimental measurement of OR.
Nanowire and nanobelt arrays of zinc oxide from synthesis to properties and to novel devices

This review focuses on the growth, properties and novel applications of aligned arrays of ZnO nanowires (NWs) and nanobelts (NBs) for nanogenerators and nano-piezotronics. Owing to the semiconducting and piezoelectric dual properties of ZnO crystals, novel applications are introduced using aligned ZnO NWs, such as nanogenerators. These unique properties and applications will have profound impacts in many areas, such as self-powered nanodevices and nanosystems for in situ, real-time and implantable biosensing and biodetection, self-powering for defence and commercial applications, and remote sensing for space technology. The article provides detailed illustrations about the synthesis method, mechanical, electrical and optical properties, as well as the underlying mechanism for piezoelectronic devices and systems.
Playing with sustainability: Using video games to simulate futures of scarcity

Many popular video games sustain compelling storylines that narrativize scarce resources, promote competitive and collaborative social interaction, and foreground survival goals — all necessary skills for making sense of a changed and changing global environment. In this article, we analyze representative commercial video games in four categories: civilization simulations, post–apocalypse first–person shooters, multiplayer survivor horror games, and historical recreations. We examine the ways their game mechanics and game scenarios represent social, economic and environmental interdependencies. We contrast these representations with future scenarios of gradually increasing scarcity of resources, climate change, and other human–environment interactions which can be influenced by transitioning to sustainable practices. Because good game mechanics can cultivate imaginative visions of situational potentials and solutions to problems, a key objective of the paper is to suggest game mechanics and scenarios that simulate and model sustainable practices. This agenda includes shifting away from growth as a game goal; strategizing with depletable resources; emphasizing scavenging versus combat for resource acquisition; and, developing more complex avenues for social interaction and collaboration among players. Incorporating more sustainability science concepts into commercial video games can offer a public outlet for exploring the complex interdependencies of a changing world.
The Effects of Active Learning on Students' Memories for Course Content.

Two studies examined the free recall for course content of 314 American undergraduate students across various course levels. The purpose was to examine how students' memories and level of understan...
Lightweight I/O for Scientific Applications

Today's high-end massively parallel processing (MPP) machines have thousands to tens of thousands of processors, with next-generation systems planned to have in excess of one hundred thousand processors. For systems of such scale, efficient I/O is a significant challenge that cannot be solved using traditional approaches. In particular, general purpose parallel file systems that limit applications to standard interfaces and access policies do not scale and will likely be a performance bottleneck for many scientific applications. In this paper, we investigate the use of a "lightweight" approach to I/O that requires the application or I/O-library developer to extend a core set of critical I/O functionality with the minimum set of features and services required by its target applications. We argue that this approach allows the development of I/O libraries that are both scalable and secure. We support our claims with preliminary results for a lightweight checkpoint operation on a development cluster at Sandia.
Combined magnetic- and circuit-level enhancements for the nondestructive self-reference scheme of STT-RAM

A nondestructive self-reference read scheme (NSRS) was recently proposed to overcome the bit-to-bit variation in Spin-Transfer Torque Random Access Memory (STT-RAM). In this work, we introduced three magnetic- and circuit-level techniques, including 1) R-I curve skewing, 2) yield-driven sensing current selection, and 3) ratio matching to improve the sense margin and robustness of NSRS. The measurements of our 16Kb STT-RAM test chip show that compared to the original NSRS design, our proposed technologies successfully increased the sense margin by 2.5X with minimized impacts on the memory reliability and hardware cost.
Adaptive Resonant Mode Acoustic Controller

Helmhotz resonators are popular devices used for passive noise control. These apparatus can be designed to produce a maximum reduction over a narrow frequency range. The frequency of the resonator is dependent upon its volume and shape. Schemes have been proposed to adapt Helmholtz resonators, through changing physical parameters, such as volume and neck area. A recent study by Bisnette and Vipperman (2004) has modeled the passive Helmholtz resonators and realized them electronically in a process that is similar to positive position feedback control in structures. One key difference is the need for phase compensation of the speaker dynamics, which is accomplished with an all-pass filter. Recent extensions to this control method have examined the advantages of using band-pass versus the low-pass resonant filters as well as higher-order Butterworth bandpass filters. Bandpass filters are found to simplify the multi-modal design process by reducing interaction of adjacent modes. Additional refinements include the adaptation of system parameters. By adapting controller gain, damping and control frequency are examined and optimized. Adaptation of system parameters is greatly facilitated through the electronic realization.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Toward achieving universal usability for older adults through multimodal feedback

This experiment examines the effect of combinations of feedback (auditory, haptic, and/or visual) on the performance of older adults completing a drag-and-drop computer task. Participants completed a series of drag-and-drop tasks under each of seven feedback conditions (3 unimodal, 3 bimodal, 1 trimodal). Performance was assessed using measures of efficiency and accuracy. For analyses of results, participants were grouped based on their level of computer experience. All users performed well under auditory-haptic bimodal feedback and experienced users responded well to all multimodal feedback. Based on performance benefits for older adults seen in this experiment, future research should extend investigations to effectively integrate multimodal feedback into GUI interfaces in order to improve usability for this growing and diverse user group.
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Lymphodepletion for the Treatment of Cancer

Myeloablative conditioning followed by either an autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can be an effective treatment for hematologic malignancies and, more recently, has shown efficacy for the treatment of solid tumors. Destruction of hematopoietic cells through myeloablative or non-myeloablative “conditioning” serves to eliminate or reduce numbers of malignant cells, create “space” in the hematopoietic compartment for the expansion of transplanted hematopoietic cells, and provide a hematopoietic environment that is conducive to the proliferation of antitumor immune cells. Discussed in this chapter are treatments used to deplete hematopoietic cells and/or induce lymphodepletion, how these treatments are used as preconditioning for autologous and allogeneic HSCT, and how lymphodepletion augments an antitumor immune response during hematopoietic cell reconstitution.
(He-3, t) Reactions on Fe-54, Ni-58, and Ni-60

($^{3}\mathrm{He},t$) differential cross sections on $^{54}\mathrm{Fe}$, $^{58}\mathrm{Ni}$, and $^{60}\mathrm{Ni}$ targets have been studied at 24-MeV incident energy. Triton angular-distribution systematics are suggested by corroborative data from other work. On this basis several tentative spin-parity assignments in the copper isotopes are given. Distorted-wave Born-approximation calculations based on a microscopic effective-interaction model are presented for $^{54}\mathrm{Fe}$ and $^{58}\mathrm{Ni}$. These are in fair agreement with the data for the $^{54}\mathrm{Co}$ states thought to have ${(1{f}_{\frac{7}{2}})}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ structure, and for the $T=1$ $^{58}\mathrm{Cu}$ states. However, these calculations generally do not yield consistent effective-interaction strengths or correct angular-distribution shapes for the $T=0$ $^{58}\mathrm{Cu}$ transitions. Simple two-particle wave functions are used for mass-58 states where the nucleons occupy the $2{p}_{\frac{3}{2}}$, $1{f}_{\frac{5}{2}}$, or $2{p}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ orbitals.
Abstract 1800: Targeted therapy using saracatinib adjunctive to castration inhibits progression to castration-resistant prostate cancer in a murine model

Introduction: Prostate cancer treatment with androgen deprivation is typically efficacious for two years prior to the development of castration resistant disease (CRPC). The Src family kinases (SFK) are upregulated with androgen deprivation and have been implicated in the progression to CRPC. Saracatinib is a specific SFK inhibitor that inhibits castration resistant growth and metastases in an animal model using LNCaP cells overexpressing the neuropeptide gastrin-releasing peptide. We test the hypothesis that saracatinib given immediately after androgen deprivation inhibits castration resistant tumor recurrence using a CWR22 xenograft model. Materials and Methods: CWR22 prostate cancer xenografts were injected subcutaneously into nude mice primed with testosterone pellets (21-day release). Twenty-six mice were castrated after adequate tumor development (day 0). Mice in the treatment arm were administered saracatinib from day 7 to day 150. Mice were sacrificed at days 0, 3, 30 and 150. Tumors and sera were collected for analysis including tumor weight, serum testosterone, serum PSA and gene-profile studies. The data was analyzed using the t-test and analysis of variance. Results: CRPC recurrence was significantly inhibited with the administration of saracatinib. The mean weight of tumor recurrence was 0.18 grams with saracatinib compared to 3.20 grams in the control group (p=0.015). Saracatinib was associated with a reduction in serum PSA (1.6 versus 14.7 ng/dl) and testosterone (21.1 versus 24.1 pg/ml) compared to controls, though statistical significance was not reached (p=0.08 and p=0.63, respectively). Gene expression of signaling kinases and their downstream olecules including Src, Etk, FAK, JAK, Stat3, c-myc, β-catenin, NF-κB, Akt, and mTOR is being compared between time points. Conclusions: Saracatinib significantly inhibits castration resistant tumor recurrence when started with androgen deprivation. Additional investigation into the genetic and molecular changes induced by saracatinib with gene microarray and polymerase chain reaction is ongoing. Saracatinib may have a role in combination with androgen deprivation to delay the onset of castration resistant disease. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1800. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1800
Microbial Quality of Ground Poultry Meat

Abstract Deboned poultry meat has potential in many further processed food products. The microbial quality was studied in relation to inherent microbial load and its behavior under conditions to simulate commercial use. Observations were made on both hand and mechanically deboned product, which showed total microbial counts of 100,000–1,000,000 and a coliform count of 10–1,000 per gram. There was considerable breadth in kinds of bacteria with Bacillus sp. accounting for the greatest percentage. Microorganisms in frozen product were similar to fresh product and remained essentially stable during storage for seven weeks. Ground poultry product stored at 5°C. showed little change in microbial quality for approximately two days, but the microbial load increased thereafter to the point of indicating organoleptic spoilage in approximately four days. Total microbial load, nature of the microflora, and the proteolytic activity of the contaminants indicated the challgenge of microbial spoilage was similar to red meat products with no apparent unique microbial quality problems.
The Impact of Advanced Airfoils on Rotor Hover Performance

the blockage effect on the aerodynamic characteristics. The computed dynamic stall characteristics correlate well with experimental data. In general, the results of airfoil with slat show improvement in the lift characteristics and suppress the negative pitching moment in all dynamic cases. Furthermore, a helicopter hover performance code is used to quantify performance gains using the computed static characteristics of the advanced airfoils. The addition of VR-7 with half size slat airfoil to the baseline rotor blade shows a hover performance gain.
CLOSING ARGUMENT: AT THE OUTER BOUNDS OF ASYMMETRY

Abstract The increasing prevalence of armed drones in the conduct of military operations has generated robust debate. Among legal scholars, the crux of the dispute generally pits those who herald the new technology's unparalleled precision against those who view such newfound capabilities as an inducement to employ excessive force. Largely overlooked in the discussion over how drone strikes can be accomplished lawfully is a more fundamental question: Can a model of warfare that eschews any risk of harm to one party be squared with the ethical framework that informs the law of war? This matter has less to do with the technology per se than with a policy orientation that utilizes such technology as a strategy in itself, as opposed to one military tool in a larger arsenal. A corollary to the incongruity of riskless warfare is to query whether the ensuing breakdown of ethical and legal norms unwittingly encourages the very instability that the law of war attempts to control, thereby endangering the civilian p...
Nonresonant Recirculation Configurations for Optical Frequency Doubling and Tripling

We describe how nonresonant recirculation can be used to enhance the efficiency of second-harmonic and third-harmonic generation, as compared to single-pass harmonic generation. Up to four times the doubling efficiency is expected at low pump power. Generated peak harmonic power can exceed that of the pump. The optimized sum-frequency crystal length is shorter for the recirculated configurations than the single-pass triplers.
Pattern avoidance in the rook monoid

We consider two types of pattern avoidance in the rook monoid, i.e. the set of 0–1 square matrices with at most one nonzero entry in each row and each column. For one-dimensional rook patterns, we completely characterize monoid elements avoiding a single pattern of length at most three and develop an enumeration scheme algorithm to study rook placements avoiding sets of patterns.
Effect of pregnancy on endothelium and smooth muscle: their role in reduced adrenergic sensitivity.

During pregnancy, vascular reactivity of the uterine artery is characterized by decreased contraction to norepinephrine and increased relaxation to acetylcholine. We investigated whether 1) relaxat...
Protective factors and risk factors: Shaping the emergence of dyadic resilience at work

Dyadic work relationships are fundamental to effective organizing and are a means by which individuals find meaning at work. Such relationships may contain latent competencies with the potential to...
Altered Stem Cell (CFU-S) Function Following Infection of Hematopoietic Cells With a Virus Carrying V-src

Long-term murine bone marrow cultures were used to support the growth and development of hematopoietic cells. After hematopoiesis was established, the cultures were infected with a recombinant murine amphotropic virus carrying the avian sarcoma virus src gene and the CFU-S kinetics were examined. The CFU-S from the src-infected cultures displayed a reduced seeding efficiency in the standard spleen colony assay. The self-renewal capacity of these CFU-S was tested by their ability to reestablish hematopoiesis when serially transplanted on irradiated bone marrow cultures and by serial passage in spleens of irradiated mice. In both tests, cells from the src-infected cultures exhibited an enhanced ability to sustain a high level of self-renewal. The other property of stem cells which may be measured is the probability of self-renewal at each cell division which dictates the distribution between stem cells and differentiated type progeny. CFU-S from the src-infected cultures had higher average probabilities of self-renewal and therefore reduced differentiation. These differences suggest that expression of src had indirectly or directly altered the normal differentiation program of the stem cells.
Gefängnisbibliothek als Untersuchungsgegenstand

Schwerpunktthema der vorliegenden Arbeit bildet eine sozialwissenschaftliche Untersuchung uber Gefangnisbibliotheken und deren Ausgestaltung in der Schweiz. In den nachsten Unterkapiteln werden dazu der Stand der Forschung und die Geschichte der Bibliothek im Gefangnis nachgezeichnet sowie im darauf folgenden Kapitel 6 die internationale Fachliteratur zur Gefangnisbibliotheksarbeit vergleichend aufgearbeitet. Nach einer Einfuhrung in Geschichte, Strukturen und rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen des Freiheitsentzuges und der Gefangnisbibliotheken in der Schweiz sowie den Erlauterungen zur Untersuchungsanlage und -methodik im Kapitel 7 werden im Kapitel 8 die Befunde der durchgefuhrten Untersuchung zu den Gefangnisbibliotheken der Schweiz prasentiert.
Abstract Meaning Representations as Linked Data

The complex relationship between natural language and formal semantic representations can be investigated by the development of large, semantically-annotated corpora. The “Abstract Meaning Representation” (AMR) formulation describes the semantics of a whole sentence as a rooted, labeled graph, where nodes represent concepts/entities (such as PropBank frames and named entities) and edges represent relations between concepts (such as verb roles). AMRs have been used to annotate corpora of classic books, newstext and biomedical literature. Research on semantic parsers that generate AMRs from text is progressing rapidly. In this paper, we describe an AMR corpus as Linked Data (AMR-LD) and the techniques used to generate it (including an open-source implementation). We discuss the benefits of AMR-LD, including convenient analysis using SPARQL queries and ontology inferences enabled by embedding into the web of Linked Data, as well as the impact of semantic web representations directly derived from natural language.
Development of a Novel Coupled Simulation Tool to Study Ocean-Estuary Exchange

Abstract : The long-term goal of this project is to develop a coupled ocean-estuary simulation tool that will consist of the Regional Oceanic Modeling System (ROMS) and the nonhydrostatic, unstructured-grid SUNTANS model, in order to study the interaction of coastal regions with estuaries. The scientific goal will be to understand the dynamics of ocean-estuary exchange between San Francisco Bay and the coastal Pacific Ocean, with ROMS simulating the coastal Pacific Ocean, and SUNTANS simulating San Francisco Bay.
Major gasifiers for IGCC systems

Abstract This chapter summarizes global coal gasification systems that are suitable for Integrated Coal gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) applications. Not all global gasification systems are covered in this chapter only those considered, by the author, to produce synthesis gas that, after cleaning, is suitable for utilization in gas turbines for electric power generation. Gasifier characteristics of entrained flow, fluid bed, transport gasification, and fixed bed gasification are discussed. A brief history of the gasification development is discussed followed by a detailed description of the process. Gasifier performance including expected synthesis gas composition, coal conversion and efficiency are then discussed. Finally the current worldwide gasification system installations are provided.
Effect of daily use of electronic checklist on physical rehabilitation consultations in critically ill patients

Abstract Rationale In intensive care unit (ICU) practice, great emphasis is placed on the functional stabilization of the major organ systems, sometimes at the expense of physical rehabilitation. Checklists have shown to be an effective tool for standardizing care models. Our aim was to the study the effect of the use of an electronic checklist on occupational therapy/physical therapy (OT–PT) consults in critically ill patients. Methods A retrospective observational study of all adults admitted for the first time in an academic medical ICU in year 2014 was conducted. The patient demographics, outcomes, checklist use, and physical therapy consults were collected from Electronic Medical Records (EMR). Results A total of 2399 unique patients were admitted to the medical ICU, 55% were male and median (IQR) age was 65 (52–77) years. A total of 17% of patients received OT–PT consults among patients with checklist use (N = 1897), and among non-checklist user (N = 502), it was 7.6%. The total time of OT–PT administered in the ICU was 48 vs 31 min, p = 0.08.The patients who received the daily electronic checklist had high medical acuity but had lower ICU mortality. Hospital mortality was found to be no different. Conclusions The use of the electronic checklist in the ICU was associated with increased number of the OT–PT consults.
Stress Hormones Bring Birds, Pathogens and Mosquitoes Together

Do stress hormones, such as corticosterone, enhance bird susceptibility to mosquitoes in ways that enhance rates of co-infection? Does this then enhance pathogen emergence?
Factors influencing recurrence following anatomic lung resection for non-small cell lung cancer.

7074 Background: Anatomic lung resection provides the patient with the best chance for cure in the setting of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite complete (R0) resection, up to ...
Creating inclusive identity narratives through participatory action research

This paper describes the process and outcomes of Voices, a participatory action research project aimed to disrupt divisive ethnic identity narratives among youth living amidst protracted ethnic conflict. The project took place in the Garo Hills region of Northeast India, a site of protracted ethnic conflict. Moving away from crisis-based approaches, this paper explores the conflict transformative potential of participatory action research, specifically its effectiveness in facilitating civic engagement across ethnic lines. The findings indicate that young people's involvement in the project afforded them an opportunity to engage with local community concerns outside of polarized ethnic identity narratives. This involvement facilitated three critical outcomes: engagement in social critique, reconfiguration of a more inclusive researcher identity, and adoption of a language of possibility. Based on these findings, it is argued that opportunities for critical community engagement could interrupt divisive ethnic identity narratives and provide turning points for youth to reimagine inclusive social identities.
Development of inert density mock materials for HMX

ABSTRACTInert surrogates or mocks for high explosives are commonly used in place of the real material for complex experiments or in situations where safety is a concern. Here, several materials were tested as potential mocks for HMX in terms of density, thermal stability, and processability. Selection criteria were developed and a literature search was conducted primarily using the Cambridge Structural Database. Out of over 200 potentially acceptable materials, six were chosen for crystallization experiments and a suite of analytical characterization. Of these six, 5-iodo-2ˊ-deoxyuridine, N,Nˊ-bis(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorophenyl)oxamide, and 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzamide all were found to be thermally stable at 150°C, matched HMX density as a pressed pellet, and could be crystallized to appropriate particle sizes. These three materials are considered suitable inert density mocks for HMX and will be the subject of future testing.
Inter-shift variation in unscheduled intensive care unit transfers at a children's hospital.

BACKGROUND The early detection of clinical deterioration and the prompt escalation of care is important but may be limited in the general ward, especially at night. Identifying variations between work shifts in the number of unscheduled in-hospital intensive care unit (ICU) transfers and emergency transfers involving life-threatening conditions may help implement targeted interventions to reduce delayed transfers and improve patient safety and outcomes. METHODS All unscheduled ICU transfers in a tertiary children's hospital, from January 2013 to December 2016, were reviewed retrospectively. The transfers were categorized into safe transfers and adverse safety events (ASE). The 4 year cumulative numbers for each transfer category in each work shift (day, evening, and night) were assessed for comparison. An ASE was defined as transfer after cardiopulmonary resuscitation or tracheal intubation in the ward, or an unrecognized situation awareness failure event transfer, which was defined as previously reported. RESULTS Of 244 unscheduled in-hospital ICU transfers, 167 were safe transfers and 77 were ASE. The number of unscheduled transfers and of ASE was highest during the day shift (n = 133 and 40, respectively) and lowest during the night shift (n = 25 and 12, respectively). In contrast, the proportion of ASE in the unscheduled transfers was higher during the night shift (48%) compared with the day and evening shifts (30% and 31%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The occurrence of unscheduled ICU transfers was disproportionately low during the night shift, whereas the majority of ASE happened during the day shift. Future studies focusing on unravelling the reasons for such variations are warranted.
Cellular-Level Gene Regulatory Networks: Their Derivation and Properties

There is considerable direct and indirect evidence that gene regulatory networks are largely self-regulating, rather than exclusively regulated by upstream master control genes. This leads to several familiar properties of cells, such as homeostatic tendencies and robustness to internal and external noise. Moreover it implies that certain cell state transitions are only possible following the modification of the expression levels of many genes. Therefore these large collections of genes are functional units in the cell whose collective behavior can be modeled. This motivates the inference of gene regulatory networks, whose components are large groups of genes, a goal that by reducing the total amount of data required to infer the model, serendipitously allows the inference of regulatory networks inclusive of the entire genome. Highly predictive global regulatory networks can be derived using linear models applied to gene expression level temporal transitions, revealing a wealth of specific conclusions about cellular regulation at the highest levels. For example, ATP synthesis is shown to the predominant activator of large groups of genes, while gene groups involved in DNA replication repress transcription globally. Moreover, these relationships can be probed for their variance or invariance across scale by inferring networks composed of varying numbers of gene groups, equivalent to tuning the resolution of a map.
What is Fluctuating in a Confined Liquid in the Stick-Slip Regime?

Oscillatory shear was applied to a thin film of squalane confined between two atomically smooth surfaces of mica. When the applied stress exceeded the yield stress, the sample made a transition from sticking to stick-slip. In the stick-slip regime close to the transition, extensive viscous stress fluctuations, in the form of triangular spikes on a constant baseline, were observed. The duration of these spikes was much larger than the oscillation period. Analysis of the raw waveforms suggest that the structure of the sample changed after each stick-slip event and that the stress fluctuations were correlated with the changes in the yield stress and the slip length.
Effect of Processing Conditions and Interfacial Geometry on Reaction Metallurgical Joining of Copper

Abstract Reaction metallurgical joining (RMJ) was recently developed as a new method for copper-to-copper joining. In this study, a cold metal transfer (CMT) process was investigated to pre-place a low-melting-temperature reaction material between the copper parts to be joined prior to the RMJ process. The joint area is heated via an applied electrical current so that the reaction material dissolves the base metal surface to form a reaction product with a lower solidus temperature than copper. The applied load causes this reaction product, a liquid and/or liquid-solid mixture, to be displaced from the joint, during which time it carries away surface oxides and contaminants. The metallurgically clean opposing surfaces are brought into contact to form a continuous metallurgical bond. The combination of CMT and RMJ methods will potentially provide a robust copper joining process.
Environmental Relationships in Forests of Early 20th Century Coos County, Oregon, Based on Timber Cruise Data

Timber cruise data can provide useful information not available elsewhere. Measurements of timber volume (timber cruises) from the early 20th century for Coos County, Oregon, were used to assess the degree to which tree species distribution and timber volume varied with edaphic and climatic factors. The study area has diverse geology in a moderate maritime climate, and represents an area of forest transition between the Coast Range and the Klamath Mountains. Species distribution was determined from 629 cruised 1-mi2 (2.59 km2) sections, and timber volume from 252 sections of old-growth forest. Most forests were dominated by Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii); Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), although least frequent, had the second-most timber volume. All six commercial conifer species differed substantially in distribution in relation to geography and to environment. Both distribution and volume of grand fir (Abies grandis) varied with geologic unit and general soil type: Sitka spruce, with soil and maximal summer temperature (–sign); Douglas-fir, with temperature ( ) and summer precipitation ( ); western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), with precipitation ( ); Port-Orford-cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), with precipitation (–); and western redcedar (Thuja plicata), with no factor. Importance of Douglas-fir and hemlock increased on geologic units with sediments from inland plutonic sources, which reduced importance of Port-Orford-cedar. Some species varied significantly among soil units within a geological formation, and vice-versa. When choosing which species to plant, these cruise data can supplement or replace guidelines based on plant associations.
Must We Do What We Say? The Plight of Marriage and Conversation in George Meredith’s The Egoist

For Stanley Cavell, John Milton’s seventeenth-century description of “a meet and happy conversation” as the goal of marriage hints at the intellectual reciprocity enacted in good conversation that Cavell terms “acknowledgment.” George Meredith’s 1879 novel The Egoist simultaneously evokes and disrupts this implicit association between conversation and intimate partnership, contextualizing romantic aspirations with a prescient dramatization of what twentieth-century philosophers would call “speech performativity.” The Egoist reverses the familiar nineteenth-century marriage plot, exposing the intersection of social power, intimacy, and language use in the Victorian institution of marriage by depicting a woman’s efforts to escape from the consequences of her promise to marry. Reading The Egoist in dialogue with J.L. Austin and against the backdrop of Cavell and Milton, this chapter articulates the historical and material conditions governing the “happiness” of both conversation and the “forms of life” it may index.
From Design Complexity to Build Quality in Additive Manufacturing—A Sensor-Based Perspective

Additive manufacturing (AM) provides a greater level of flexibility to build parts with complex structures than the traditional subtractive manufacturing. However, the more complex the engineering design is, the greater challenge is posed on the AM machine. To cope with such complexity, advanced imaging is increasingly invested to increase the information visibility. There is an urgent need to leverage the available imaging data to investigate the interrelationships between design complexity and quality characteristics of AM builds. This article presents a design of experiments on the laser powder bed fusion machine to investigate how design parameters (i.e., recoating orientation, hatching pattern, width, and height) influence edge roughness in thin-wall structures of the final builds. First, we perform the postbuild inspection of final builds and collect large amounts of X-ray computed tomography (XCT) images. Second, we integrate the computer-aided designs with XCT images for image registration and then characterize the edge roughness of each layer in a thin wall of the AM build. Finally, we perform an analysis of variance with respect to design parameters and develop a regression model to predict how build design impacts the edge roughness in each layer of the thin-wall structures. Experimental results show that edge roughness is sensitive to recoating orientations, width, and hatching patterns. This article sheds insights on the optimization of engineering design to improve the quality of AM builds.
Adult emergency department referrals from urgent care centers

Abstract Background Although urgent care centers (UCCs) can often evaluate and treat minor injuries/illnesses, patients may present with life threatening conditions that require immediate recognition, stabilization, and transfer to a higher level of care, beyond the capabilities of most UCCs. Objective To describe adult ED referrals from UCCs and to determine the percentage of referrals considered critical, complex, and simple. Methods A prospective study was conducted between 8/2016–8/2017 on patients >18 years referred directly to our ED from surrounding UCCs. Referrals were categorized based on investigations/procedures performed or medications/consultations received in the ED. Results We analyzed 317 patient encounters; 23 (7.3%) considered critical, 254 (80.1%) complex, and 40 (12.6%) simple. The most common chief complaints for all ED referrals were abdominal pain (62 encounters), chest pain (28), shortness of breath (16), eye pain/injury (16), and leg pain/swelling (15). 68% of patients received laboratory diagnostic investigations and 69% received radiologic investigations. 37% of patients required consultation from a subspecialist. 78% of patients were discharged home. The most common primary diagnoses for all ED referrals were nonspecific abdominal pain (27 encounters), laceration (22), fracture (20), nonspecific chest pain (12), cellulitis (12), and pneumonia (12). The most common primary diagnoses for critical referrals were appendicitis (7) and fracture (3). Conclusion Many adult ED referrals in our sample were considered complex and few were considered critical. Individual UCCs should evaluate their current states of ED referrals, and develop educational and preparedness strategies based on the epidemiology of adult emergencies that may occur.
Succinic Acid Amides as P2—P3 Replacements for Inhibitors of Interleukin‐1β Converting Enzyme (ICE or Caspase 1).

The title compound (I), which has been found to be in vitro the most active P2-P3 replacement fragment, is a potential clinical candidate.
Teens Who Can't Sleep: Insomnia or Circadian Rhythm Disorder?

Maggie is a 16-year-old girl who came to see me because she wanted help with her longstanding difficulties falling asleep at night and waking up in the morning. She goes to bed between midnight and 3 am and usually lies awake worrying until falling asleep at 3 to 4 am. She often video-calls or texts her boyfriend before sleep. Her wakeup time is 8 am; she typically wakes exhausted, having slept 4 to 5 hours. Although a good student, she is often late for classes. On weekends, she wakes around noon. She is tired, anxious, and demoralized. She cannot concentrate as well as she did prior to the onset of her sleep symptoms at age 10 to 11 years. Her psychiatric history includes a diagnosis of anxiety and depression, both in remission, treated with fluoxetine 30 mg daily for several years. Difficulties falling asleep and waking in the morning are common complaints among adolescents and young adults. Before my additional year of training in sleep medicine, I would have misdiagnosed Maggie as having insomnia rather than delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD), a circadian rhythm disorder.
Long-term effects of consumption of low-copper diets with or without supplemental molybdenum on copper status, performance, and carcass characteristics of cattle.

We used 42 Angus bull calves (7 mo of age) to determine long-term effects of low Cu diets with or without supplemental Mo on performance, carcass characteristics, and Cu status. Twenty-two bulls were injected with 90 mg of Cu 28 d before weaning. After weaning, injected steers were fed a diet supplemented with 7.5 mg of Cu/kg of DM; control steers received no supplemental Cu. At the end of the 40-d receiving phase, supplemental Cu was reduced to 5 mg/kg of DM. One half of the steers in each group were fed 5 mg of supplemental Mo/kg of DM following the receiving phase. The growing phase lasted 196 d. Steers were then switched to a high concentrate finishing diet for 49 d. Copper injection increased ( P < .01) plasma Cu concentrations at weaning, and Cu-supplemented steers had greater ( P <.05) plasma Cu, ceruloplasmin, superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), and liver Cu at the beginning of the growing phase. Supplemental Mo depressed plasma Cu, ceruloplasmin, and SOD during the growing and finishing phases in non-Cu-supplemented but not in Cu-supplemented steers. Copper supplementation increased DMI during the receiving ( P <.05) and growing ( P < .08) phases and increased (P <.08) ADG and gain: feed ratios during the finishing phase. Steers fed supplemental Cu produced carcasses with less (P < .06) backfat and slightly larger (P <.09) rib eye areas. The results of this experiment suggest that dietary Cu concentrations may alter cattle performance and carcass characteristics.
Integrating Ligand-Receptor Interactions and In Vitro Evolution for Streamlined Discovery of Artificial Nucleic Acid Ligands.

To discover DNA ligands against a predetermined receptor protein complex, we introduce a comprehensive version of ligand-guided selection (LIGS). LIGS is, itself, a variant of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). Herein, we have optimized LIGS to identify higher affinity aptamers with high specificity. In addition, we demonstrate the expandability of LIGS by performing specific aptamer elution at 25°C, utilizing multiple monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against cultured cells and primary cells obtained from human donors expressing the same receptor. Eluted LIGS libraries obtained through Illumina high-throughput (HT) DNA sequencing were analyzed by bioinformatics tools to discover five DNA aptamers with apparent affinities ranging from 3.06 ± 0.485 nM to 325 ± 62.7 nM against the target, T cell receptor-cluster of differentiation epsilon (TCR-CD3e) expressed on human T cells. The specificity of the aptamers was validated utilizing multiple strategies, including competitive binding analysis and a double-knockout Jurkat cell line generated by CRISPR technology. The cross-competition experiments using labeled and unlabeled aptamers revealed that all five aptamers compete for the same binding site. Collectively, the data in this report introduce a modified LIGS strategy as a universal platform to identify highly specific multiple aptamers toward multi-component receptor proteins in their native state without changing the cell-surface landscape.
Generalized concentration addition for ligands that bind to homodimers.

Abstract Concentration addition/dose addition (CA) has proved to be a powerful tool for estimating the combined effect of mixtures that act by similar mechanisms. We earlier proposed generalized concentration addition (GCA) to deal with the inability of CA to estimate effects of mixtures above the level of the least efficacious component. GCA requires specifying mathematical concentration response functions for each mixture component that must be invertible, yielding real numbers. We construct concentration response functions using pharmacodynamic models of ligand-receptor interaction, an important molecular initiating event for adverse outcome pathways. Here, we extend our earlier work in two novel ways. First, we show how composite functions can be used to extend these predictions to downstream events. Second, we show that GCA can accommodate not only receptors with single binding sites but also receptors that bind ligand at each monomer and then dimerize. The derived concentration response functions for receptors that homodimerize meet the requirements for using GCA.