cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Varicella Retinitis and Optic Neuritis

A 3-year-old immunocompetent boy with a 3-day history of typical chicken pox presented with blurred vision in the left eye, in a report from the University of Bern, Switzerland.
Cultural and biochemical characterization stereotyping and pathogen city of campylobacter fetus subspecies jejuni campylobacter coil of human and animal origin

One hundred one Campylobacter isolates from human and various animal sources were screened for the basic characteristics of Campylo­ bacter fetus ssp. jejuni and Campylobacter coll and 51 strains were selected for further characterization. With the aid of 21 cultural and biochemical tests, the 51 strains were compared with 6 reference strains representing C^. fetus ssp. jejuni, C^. fetus ssp. fetus and C^. fetus ssp. intestinalis. Colony type, cellular morphology, growth at 25° and 43° C, sensitivity to nalidixic acid and cephalothin, tolerance to 4% triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) and to 0.001% brilliant green (BR) were the tests used to distinguish strains of the jejuni/coli group from ssp. fetus and ssp. intestinalis. Growth at 30.5° and 45.5° C and hydrolysis of sodium hippurate separated strains of jejuni/ coli into 2 groups representing C^. fetus ssp. .je.juni and C^. coli respectively. Seven atypical strains with intermediate characteristic sharing some charac­ teristics with each of group 1 and 2 were also recognized. Of the 51 selected strains, 37 were identified as fetus ssp. jejuni, 9 as £. coli and 7 had intermediate characteristics. Tolerance to TTC, and to 1% glycine and DNase production further divided the strains of group 1 into 7 subgroups and those of group 2 into 4 subgroups and the atypical strains into 4 subgroups. This study indicated that C^. fetus ssp. jejuni and C^. coli are very closely related and the tests presently available are not sufficient to separate them into 2 distinct species.
Understanding Transparency and Accountability in Open Government Ecosystems: The Case of Health Data Visualizations in a State Government

Many researchers of open government data raised the question as to whether transparency also promotes accountability. Concerning the unclear relationship between transparency and accountability, this case study first develops the conception of accountability in the context of open government and finds that accountability relates to the organizational need for an assessment of policy goals. This paper then examines the process in which a state health agency implements data visualization tools in an attempt to enhance the outcome of its open data policy goals. Drawing on the results from semi-structured interviews with a diverse set of internal users at the state agency, this case study provides some evidence as to how the gap between transparency and accountability can be closed at the organizational level. It also finds that data intermediaries can help government agencies overcome their resource constraints by critically assessing data usability while providing the technological expertise to align their open data policy goals with user expectations. Future research is necessary to examine the role of data intermediaries in wider open data ecosystems including multiple external stakeholders.
Mixture Theory for Suspended Sediment Transport

The transport of suspended sediment in a turbulent flow is examined through the continuum theory of mixtures. Turbulent averaging, applied to the mixture momentum balances, yields a correlation representing the effect on the particles of the drag associated with velocity fluctuations in the fluid. This correlation balances the buoyant weight of the sediment in a plane uniform mean flow. Thus, classical results for turbulent diffusion of particles may be reinterpreted as models for this correlation, and the source of the diffusion process is clearly identified in view of the dynamics of fluid-particle interaction. This viewpoint leads to a multi-layer model for the mass transport in a turbulent boundary layer and results in a significant improvement in the accuracy of predicted concentration profiles in steady plane flows.
Interventions for Young Bereaved Children: A Systematic Review and Implications for School Mental Health Providers

Many young children experience the death of a family member and they may be at risk for developing psychological and behavioral problems, but not much is known about how to help young children cope with such a stressful and painful experience. The purposes of this study are to identify the interventions for bereaved young children and examine the effectiveness of the interventions. A systematic review of the literature was performed to investigate the effects of interventions for preschool-age children (3–5 years) who experience the death of a family member. Seventeen studies that met the inclusion criteria for the purpose of this review were identified. All of the studies involved a small sample, and majority of the studies mixed preschool children with other older children in the sample. Play-based therapies were the most common interventions for grieving young children. Involving parents in the interventions, regardless of their therapeutic orientation, was a critical ingredient. Limited empirical evidence of positive intervention outcomes for preschool-age bereaved children was available. Surviving parents were seen as an important agent to help young children grieve and cope with the experience of loss. Implications for school mental health practice and research are provided.
Detection of a two-level inverter open-circuit fault using the discrete wavelet transforms technique

Three-phase static converters with voltage structure are widely used in many industrial systems. In order to prevent the propagation of the fault to other components of the system and ensure continuity of service in the event of a failure of the converter, efficient and fast methods of detection and localization must be implemented. This paper work addresses a diagnostic technique based on the discrete wavelet transforms (DWT) for the detection of an inverter IGBT open-circuit switch fault. The study focuses on the investigation of the harmonics (related to the obtained details) which may appear in the spectrum due to the faults. To illustrate the merits of the technique and validate the results, experimental tests are conducted using a built voltage inverter fed induction motor. The inverter is controlled by the SVM control strategy.
Slow Light Imaging Spectroscopy with a Passive Atomic Filter

We demonstrate time delayed imaging with slow light using high positive dispersion of a passive atomic gas. This filter allows for imaging of Raman, Rayleigh, and Thomson scattering without the need of a spectrometer.
Preoperative predictors of occult nodal disease in cT1N0 oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: Review of 2623 cases.

Background Nodal disease predicts survival in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Currently, no large studies on predictors of occult nodal disease in cT1N0 oral cavity SCC exist. Methods The National Cancer Database (NCDB) review for cT1N0 oral cavity SCC with surgical resection and elective neck dissection (END). Results The number of patients found with occult nodal disease was 2623 (15.1%). In multivariable regression, female sex and tumor differentiation predict occult nodal disease. Occult nodal disease incidence was 5.9% in well-differentiated tumors, 17.4% in moderately differentiated tumors, and 28.5% in poorly differentiated tumor (P Conclusion Sex and tumor differentiation significantly predict occult nodal disease. END is recommended for all moderately and poorly differentiated cT1N0 oral cavity SCC, regardless of the depth of invasion. One can consider not performing END in well-differentiated tumors.
The Indianization of China: A Case Study in Cultural Borrowing

The long history of Indianization of Chinese institutions, thought, art, and life in general furnishes the most extensive material that can be found for the study of cultural borrowing on the grandest scale. Indeed, nowhere in the world, with the only possible exception of the Christianization of Europe, can one find another source of historical materials equal in extent and in length of time. I venture to say that this attempt to study the Indianization of China as a case of extensive cultural borrowing may be found at least of suggestive value to the study of the parallel, though not quite similar, story of the Christianization of Europe.
Coastal Resources and the Early Holocene Las Vegas Adaptation of Ecuador

This essay focuses on the archaeological evidence used to interpret the preceramic Las Vegas culture of the Santa Elena Peninsula of southwest Ecuador. The Las Vegas people are probably the best-studied Early Holocene occupants of South America, and their case has special importance because they developed subsistence systems focused on both wild resources and domesticated plants in a coastal locale in the neotropics. Their choices enabled economic, social, and ideological innovations that facilitated the emergence of more complex cultures.
Rat Model of Global Cerebral Ischemia: The Two-Vessel Occlusion (2VO) Model of Forebrain Ischemia

Animal models of brain ischemia can be divided into focal and global brain ischemia. Among global (often referred to as forebrain) ischemia animal models, the 2-vessel occlusion (2VO) and 4-vessel occlusion (4VO) models in rats are most frequently employed in the studies of molecular mechanisms of neuronal damage after brain ischemia followed by reperfusion. This chapter mainly discusses the rat 2VO model. In this model, reversible forebrain ischemia is produced by bilateral common carotid artery (CCA) occlusion combined with systemic hypotension (50 mmHg) sufficient to induce brain ischemia. This ischemia and reperfusion model affects widespread areas of the forebrain brain. There are two chief histopathological changes in this 2VO ischemia model: (1) selective neuronal vulnerability; typically CA1 pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus are most vulnerable, followed by dorsoventral striatal small- and medium-sized neurons, and pyramidal neurons in the layers 3–4 of the neocortex; and (2) delayed neuronal death, i.e., neuronal death does not occur immediately after transient ischemic episode, but takes place after 2–3 days of reperfusion. This model during the surgical procedure requires artificially maintenance of: (1) rectal and brain temperatures at 37 °C; (2) the mean arterial pressure (MABP); and (3) blood gases. This 2VO ischemia model has the advantage of a one-step surgical procedure that produces high-grade forebrain ischemia. The reproducibility of the ischemic histopathological damage of this model is more than 90%. This animal model is also suitable for molecular, biochemical and physiological studies, as well as for evaluation of neuroprotective procedures and agents.
Uterine imaginaries, geopolitical economy, and the maternal/unconscious:

This commentary brings geopolitical economic sensibilities about sexual difference, possession, and the Machine into conversation with Lewis’ cyborgic uterine to make three analytical points. First...
An unusual and physiologically vital protein with guanylate cyclase and P-type ATPase like domain in a pathogenic protist

Cyclic GMP is considered as one of the master regulators of diverse functions in eukaryotes; its architecture and functioning in protozoans remain poorly understood however. We characterized an unusual and extra-large guanylate cyclase (477-kDa) containing at least 4 putative P-type ATPase motifs and 21 transmembrane helices in a common parasitic protist, Toxoplasma gondii. This protein, termed as TgATPaseP-GC due to its anticipated multi-functionality, localizes in the plasma membrane at the apical pole, while the corresponding cGMP-dependent protein kinase (TgPKG) is distributed in cytomembranes. Both proteins are expressed constitutively during the entire lytic cycle of the parasite in human cells, which suggests a post-translational control of cGMP signaling. Homology modeling indicated an activation of guanylate cyclase by heterodimerization of its two cyclase domains. TgATPaseP-GC is refractory to genetic deletion, and its CRISPR/Cas9-mediated disruption aborts the lytic cycle. Likewise, Cre/loxP-regulated knockdown of the TgATPaseP-GC by 3-UTR excision inhibited the parasite growth due to impairments in motility-dependent egress and invasion events. Consistently, cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitors restored the gliding motility of the mutant. A genetic repression of TgPKG, or its pharmacological inhibition phenocopied the defects observed in the TgATPaseP-GC mutant. Our data show a vital function of cGMP signaling, which is inducted by an alveolate-specific guanylate cyclase coupled to P-type like ATPase, and transduced by a dedicated PKG in T. gondii. The presence of TgATPaseP-GC orthologs in many other alveolates with contrasting habitats implies a divergent functional repurposing of cGMP signaling in protozoans. The work also lays an avenue to systematically dissect the cascade and understand its evolution in a model protist.
The time for action is at hand

The science of mental life and behavior has paid scant attention to the means by which mental life is translated into physical behavior. Why this is so was the topic of a 2005 American Psychologist article whose main title was "The Cinderella of Psychology." In the present article, we briefly review some of the reasons why motor control was relegated to the sidelines of psychology. Then we point to work showing that experimental psychologists have much to contribute to research on action generation. We focus on studies showing that actions are generated in a way that, at least by default, minimize changes between successive actions. The method is computationally as well as physically economical but also requires consideration of costs, including costs of different kinds. How such costs are compared is discussed in the next section. The final section offers comments about the future of psychologically focused action research. Two additional themes of the review concern methods for studying action generation. First, much can be learned through naturalistic observation. Second, subsequent experiments, designed to check naturalistic observations, can use very simple equipment and procedures. This can make the study of action generation easy to pursue in the psychology laboratory.
Perioperative Complications Chapter: Shared Decision-Making and Informed Consent

The practice of anesthesiology has grown remarkably safer, but complications ranging from minor to catastrophic may still occur. Improvements in patient safety have made surgery and anesthesia both commonplace and routine. The perioperative process, which classically began with admission to the hospital the night before the day of surgery, has been condensed into the efficient and increasingly cost-effective process of outpatient surgery. Patient confidence and comfort with this process has much to do with openness and communication on behalf of anesthesiologists and surgeons which did not always exist.
Incongruity in the interspecific crosses of Vitis L. Reproductive expression in the F1 progeny

F1 progeny from three classes of crosses were studied for indications of incongruity in the form of reproductive dysfunction. Percent fruit set was found to be approximately equivalent to the additive inverse of percent aborted flowers, as the effect of shot berries was small and not significant. In interspecific crosses, barriers were manifested as reduced fruit set and seed number per berry. These two characters were used to create an index of reproductive efficiency. Nine F1s from crosses of most divergent class, V. riparia × V. vinifera (R × V), displayed significantly tower reproductive efficiency, percent fruit set, and seed number per berry. Four female F1s from the least divergent class, V. riparia × V. riparia (R × R), had the highest reproductive efficiency, percent fruit set and seed number per berry, when pollinated by two V. riparia pollen sources. Seventeen F1s from the highly-intercrossed class, V. riparia × French Hybrid (R × FH), displayed intermediate levels of reproductive efficiency, percent fruit set, and seed number per berry. The R × FH class involved V. vinifera, V. rupestris, V. aestivalis, V. labrusca, V. berlandieri, V. cinerea, and V. riparia. It is proposed that the complex intercrossing in the pedigrees of the R × FH class ameliorated incongruity. In the most divergent class, R × V, progenies of one of the V. riparia parents displayed fewer incongruity effects than progenies of the other V. riparia parents. Progeny testing of many proposed parental combinations may be used to uncover useful congruent combinations.
Esophagostomy tube complications in dogs and cats: Retrospective review of 225 cases.

Background Esophagostomy feeding tubes (E-tubes) are an essential tool for management of hyporexic patients' acute and chronic nutritional requirements. Despite their routine use, limited information is available regarding E-tube complications, especially in the recent veterinary literature. Objective To provide an updated descriptive account of E-tube complications in cats and dogs, and to evaluate potential prognostic factors to determine if certain patients are at increased risk for complications. Animals One hundred two dogs and 123 cats. Methods Retrospective study evaluating patients that had E-tubes placed between March 2014 and March 2017. Results One hundred patients (44.4%) experienced a complication related to tube placement, with a similar complication rate among dogs (43.1%) and cats (45.5%). Twenty-two cats (17.8%) and 14 dogs (13.7%) developed signs of infection at the E-tube site, with 5 cats (22.7%) and 5 dogs (35.7%) requiring surgical debridement. Regurgitation of food through the E-tube stoma was noted in 7 dogs and 1 cat. Three patients were euthanized as a result of tube-related complications. Conclusions and clinical importance We have provided an updated descriptive review of complications associated with E-tube placement in a large population of dogs and cats at a tertiary referral center. Although E-tubes are essential tools that generally are safe and well tolerated, several complications can occur. We did not identify any specific factors that increase patient risk for these complications, and therefore it is important that all patients are closely monitored and clients are educated to pursue prompt veterinary assessment when such complications arise.
The Value of Greenways: Memphis Shelby Farms Greenline as a Case Study

We investigate the value of greenways by studying the impact of accessibility to Memphis Shelby Farms Greenline on surrounding housing values by looking at access measured by the cognitive distance...
Mortality and Health Care Utilization Among Medicare Patients Undergoing Emergency General Surgery vs Those With Acute Medical Conditions.

Importance Emergency general surgery (EGS) represents 11% of hospitalizations, and almost half of these hospitalized patients are older adults. Older adults have high rates of mortality and readmissions after EGS, yet little is known as to how these outcomes compare with acute medical conditions that have been targets for quality improvement. Objective To examine whether Medicare beneficiaries who undergo EGS experience similar 1-year outcomes compared with patients admitted with acute medical conditions. Design, Setting, and Participants This population-based, retrospective cohort study using Medicare claims data from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2014, included adults 65 years or older with at least 1 year of Medicare claims who had urgent or emergency admissions for 1 of the 5 highest-burden EGS procedures (partial colectomy, small-bowel resection, peptic ulcer disease surgery, lysis of adhesions, or laparotomy) or a primary diagnosis of an acute medical condition (pneumonia, heart failure, or acute myocardial infarction). Patients undergoing EGS and those with acute medical conditions were matched 1:1 in a 2-step algorithm: (1) exact match by hospital or (2) propensity score match with age, sex, race/ethnicity, Charlson Comorbidity Index, individual comorbid conditions, claims-based frailty index, year of admission, and any intensive care unit stay. Data analysis was performed from July 16, 2018, to November 13, 2019. Exposures Partial colectomy, small-bowel resection, peptic ulcer disease surgery, lysis of adhesions, or laparotomy or a primary diagnosis pneumonia, heart failure, or acute myocardial infarction. Main Outcomes and Measures One-year mortality, postdischarge health care utilization (emergency department visit, additional hospitalization, intensive care unit stay, or total hospital encounters), and days at home during 1 year. Results A total of 481 417 matched pairs (mean [SD] age, 78.9 [7.8] years; 272 482 [56.6%] female) with adequate covariate balance were included in the study. Patients undergoing EGS experienced higher 30-day mortality (60 683 [12.6%] vs 56 713 [11.8%],P Conclusions and Relevance In this study, older patients undergoing EGS had similarly high 1-year rates of mortality, hospital use, and days away from home as acutely ill medical patients. These findings suggest that EGS should also be targeted for national quality improvement programs.
Ableism and its discontents: Food as a form of power, control, and resistance among disabled people living in U.S. Institutions

AbstractFood insecurity is a significant problem in the U.S., disproportionately impacting people with disabilities. Yet, little scholarship exists about disability and food, particularly on people...
VisQueue: An Analytical Dashboard for Science Exploration on HPC Systems

Monitoring a supercomputer’s performance is vital for high performance computing (HPC) support and development, often its users, and even appreciated by the general public. Identifying the effectiveness of a system is key for its host institution’s confidence and credibility, and accounting for necessary operational funding. Tracking the research topics and sciences which dominate a system’s time and CPU can help guide decisions regarding design and support for both current and future system resources. This information is also useful for those whose tasks are to inform users, collaborators, and the general public about a system’s utilization. Applications that monitor and display system performance, often in substantial detail, are essential. Yet mining the components and quantity of performance statistics can be a challenge. Additionally, the data is usually not linked to available potentially useful stats from a system’s user database like project abstracts and principal investigator (PI). This paper introduces VisQueue, an interactive dashboard for exploring HPC systems. Its users initially see an array of the included supercomputers, each represented with an interactive sunburst chart and correlated data table. Each computer’s currently active projects are listed with science domain, running jobs, and utilized resources. Users can explore the projects and also reference a system’s specifications. These pages include graphs of available metrics, a table for exploring all projects that have utilized the system, and a map showing user locations and outreach. Our motivation was to create something not only useful for HPC maintenance staff, but easy for the general public to understand impact and importance of HPC resources. Careful consideration was taken to include only the information that was necessary and not overwhelm the user with too many choices or details.
Impact of a Targeted Rural and Underserved Track on Medical Student Match Into Family Medicine and Other Needed Workforce Specialties.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES There is a shortage of physicians in rural communities in the United States. More than other types of primary care physicians, family physicians are the foundation for care in rural areas.1 There are also critical shortages of other specialties such as general surgery, pediatrics, internal medicine, and psychiatry in rural America.2-7 This study assessed student participation in the University of Washington School of Medicine's (UWSOM) Targeted Rural Underserved Track (TRUST) program as a predictor for family medicine (FM) and needed workforce specialty residency match. METHODS The study group was 156 medical students from 2009-2014; 102 were accepted to the TRUST program compared to a control group of 54 who were not accepted into the TRUST program but did matriculate to UWSOM. Student characteristics for the two groups were compared using t tests. Logistic regression analysis determined whether acceptance in TRUST predicted the outcomes measures of FM residency match or residency match into a needed rural physician workforce specialty; t tests compared match rates to family medicine for TRUST applicants and graduates, UWSOM graduates, and US allopathic seniors. RESULTS TRUST program graduates had the same FM residency match rate and match rate in needed workforce specialties as the control group. The FM match rate for TRUST graduates was 29.1% compared to UWSOM at 16.9% and US seniors at 8.7% (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Although match rates in FM and needed workforce specialties were not different in accepted versus not accepted groups, all TRUST applicants had an FM match rate that approaches 30%, which is higher than the general UWSOM class and the United States. In order to help reach the goal of 25% of medical students matching into FM by 2030, medical schools should consider having a rural program and using rural-focused admissions widely.
Silica Nanoparticles Synthesized from 3,3,3-Propyl(trifluoro)trimethoxysilane or n-Propyltrimethoxysilane for Creating Superhydrophobic Surfaces

Superhydrophobic silica (SHS) nanoparticles (NPs) with fluoro- or alkyl-surface functionalization are explored for a wide range of potential applications. Here, the aqueous synthesis of SHS NPs fro...
A Defense-Inspired Benchmark Suite

This work previews the MilSpec suite, a diverse collection of benchmarks targeting heterogeneous embedded/edge systems. These end-to-end and kernel-level benchmarks are inspired by defense-related applications and applicable to the broader system design space. They exercise a wide range of computational capabilities, such as signal processing, image processing/computer vision, and matrix-based computation, which are particularly relevant for modern embedded applications that must process large amounts of data at the edge.
Encoding Human Domain Knowledge to Warm Start Reinforcement Learning

Deep reinforcement learning has been successful in a variety of tasks, such as game playing and robotic manipulation. However, attempting to learn tabula rasa disregards the logical structure of many domains as well as the wealth of readily available knowledge from domain experts that could help "warm start" the learning process. We present a novel reinforcement learning technique that allows for intelligent initialization of a neural network weights and architecture. Our approach permits the encoding domain knowledge directly into a neural decision tree, and improves upon that knowledge with policy gradient updates. We empirically validate our approach on two OpenAI Gym tasks and two modified StarCraft 2 tasks, showing that our novel architecture outperforms multilayer-perceptron and recurrent architectures. Our knowledge-based framework finds superior policies compared to imitation learning-based and prior knowledge-based approaches. Importantly, we demonstrate that our approach can be used by untrained humans to initially provide >80% increase in expected reward relative to baselines prior to training (p 60% increase in expected reward after policy optimization (p = 0.011).
Drug discovery in the era of cryo-electron microscopy

Structure-based drug discovery (SBDD) is an indispensable approach for the design and optimization of new therapeutic agents. Here, we highlight the rapid progress that has turned cryo‐electron microscopy (cryoEM) into an exceptional SBDD tool, and the wealth of new structural information it is providing for high-value pharmacological targets. We review key advantages of a technique that directly images vitrified biomolecules without the need for crystallization; both in terms of a broader array of systems that can be studied and the different forms of information it can provide, including heterogeneity and dynamics. We discuss near- and far-future developments, working in concert towards achieving the resolution and throughput necessary for cryoEM to make a widespread impact on the SBDD pipeline.
Effects of Fire on Reinforced Concrete Members

Recently developed thermal and structural analysis techniques show considerable promise for alleviating the extensive testing otherwise required for determining fire ratings for structural assemblies in the United States. In this study, temperature distributions computed in reinforced concrete members for several realistic fire exposures are examined and compared to the distributions measured in a standard test. Structural behavior during the different fire exposures is also considered. Analytical predictions of behavior are validated using experimental data.
Stability study of a cyclic-rate sampled-data chemical reactor system using a parameter plane method

The stability study of a cyclic rate, sampled-data, stirred-tank chemical reactor system with a PID control using a parameter plane method is considered. Based on two related stability equations and using the PID gains as the adjustable parameters, the set of all possible PID gains to maintain the chemical reactor system's stability is determined. The effects on its stability by changing the basic sampling period T, the number of intersamples (i.e., samples between kT and (k+1)T, where k is any positive integer) taken by the cyclic-rate sampler, and time instants the intersamples taken are also examined.
The Effects of Spatial Scale of Climate Scenarios on Economic Assessments: An Example from U.S. Agriculture

The appropriate level of spatial resolution for climate scenarios is a key uncertainty in climate impact studies and regional integrated assessments. To the extent that such uncertainty may affect the magnitude of economic estimates of climate change, it has implications for the public policy debates concerning the efficiency of CO2 control options. In this article, we investigate the effects that different climate scenario resolutions have on economic estimates of the impacts of future climate change on agriculture in the United States. These results are derived via a set of procedures and an analytical model that has been used previously in climate change assessments. The results demonstrate that the spatial scale of climate scenarios affects the estimates of both regional changes in crop yields and the economic impact on the agricultural sector as a whole. An assessment based on the finer scale climatological information consistently yielded a less favorable assessment of the implications of climate change. Regional indicators of economic activity were of opposite sign in some regions, based on the scenario scale. Such differences in economic magnitudes or signs are potentially important in examining whether past climate change assessments may misstate the economic consequences of such changes. The results reported here suggest that refinement of the spatial scale of scenarios should be carefully considered in future impacts research.
Computer Tablet Distraction in Children Receiving an Injection

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a computer tablet as a distraction tool for minimizing pain and distress in children undergoing an injection. Design Using an experimental design, the subjects were randomly assigned to either participate in tablet distraction or receive no distraction during an injection. Setting A pediatric clinic in a small city in the Southeast region of the United States. Subjects Forty-one children, ages 4–11 years, who were receiving an immunization and their parents. Methods During an injection, children either participated in distraction using a computer tablet or did not receive distraction according to their group assignment. Children's emotional response was assessed using a behavioral observation to examine distress. Pain was also measured using a behavior observation scale. After the injection, children reported the level of pain they felt during the injection. Results A significant difference was found for pain, both self-reported and observed, and observed emotions. Children receiving distraction using a tablet displayed significantly higher amounts of pain and negative emotions. Gender differences in pain and emotions were found with females having a significantly higher amount of pain and negative emotions. Conclusions The use of a tablet as a distraction was not effective in decreasing pain and distress in children receiving an injection.
Effects of Environment on Bacterial Wall Content and Composition

Publisher Summary Bacterial cell shows the capacity to undergo substantial changes in structure and functioning in response to changes in the growth environment. This characteristic is ecologically, most advantageous to the organism and is of considerable evolutionary significance because in nature, bacteria inhabit environments that markedly fluctuate. This chapter focuses on bacterial wall. The walls of bacteria are complex structures containing several heteropolymers. The chapter considers only those changes in bacterial wall content and composition that result from changes in genetic expression. Essentially, walls of bacteria are highly variable structures and are capable of undergoing radical change in response to relatively small changes in the growth environment. Bacteria are essentially grown in an open system, in a continuous-flow culture system so that one can obtain truly steady state conditions in which the environment and the properties of the organisms in the culture do not change substantially with time. The application of the chemostat type of continuous culture, which has the capacity to provide both controlled environments and new environments, facilitates the acquisition of reliable data and new data. The chapter considers this reliable data and attempts to assess the extent to which bacterial walls can change phenotypically.
A continuum–kinetic theory approach to the rapid flow of granular materials: the effects of volume fraction gradient

Abstract We study the fully developed flow of granular materials down an inclined plane. The model uses ideas from both continuum and kinetic theories, where the form of the constitutive relation for the stress tensor is derived using standard techniques in continuum mechanics (cf. Rajagopal and Massoudi, DOE Report, DOE/PETC/TR-90/3, 1990); the material properties are derived using the kinetic theory approximation proposed by Boyle and Massoudi (Int. J. Eng. Sci. 28 (1990) 1261–1275), which includes the effects of the gradient of the volume fraction. The equations are non-dimensionalized and the system of non-linear ordinary differential equations is solved numerically.
Changing trade patterns of the West Pacific

In the enormous expansion of world trade in the quarter century after 1950, the share generated by countries of the Western Pacific remained remarkably constant. This relationship primarily reflected the rise of Japan as a major force in the international economy. Whereas Japan's own trade grew more widely oriented and the Western Pacific margins relatively less important as trading partners than before WW II, to the states of the Western Pacific Japan's status both as a supplier of imports and as an export market greatly enlarged —only rarely is Japan not the leading trading partner. The Japanese strategy of ‘export-led’ growth has been replicated by South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. All of these countries, as well as Japan itself, depend overwhelmingly on imports for their raw materials and energy supplies. Elsewhere trade patterns have been greatly modified by a rising spirit of nationalism that has emphasized development of manufacturing industries in Australia and New Zealand no less than in the states of SE Asia.
Artificial electron clouds—IV thermal ionization study, night time cesium release at 101 km

Abstract There is reported radio-radar and optical observations of an electron cloud created by the night time release of cesium at 101 km from a Nike-Cajun rocket launched at Holloman Air Force Base on 20 May 1958. An analysis of the electron yield based upon the thermochemistry and the Saha relationship indicates that the electrons observed can be reasonably ascribed to thermal ionization.
Sampling of air streams and incorporation of samples in the Microtox™ toxicity testing system

A study was conducted to develop a rapid and reliable method for the collection and incorporation of biofiltration air samples containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the Microtox toxicity testing system. To date, no method exists for this type of assay. A constant stream of VOCs was generated by air stripping compounds from a complex mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs). Samples were collected on coconut charcoal ORBO tubes and the VOCs extracted with methylene chloride. The compounds extracted were then solvent exchanged into dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) under gaseous nitrogen. The resulting DMSO extract was directly incorporated into the Microtox toxicity testing system. In order to determine the efficiency of the solvent exchange, the VOCs in the DMSO extract were then extracted into hexane and subsequently analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) with a flame ionization detector (FID). It was determined that all but the most volatile VOCs could be effectively transferred from the ORBO tubes to DMSO for Microtox testing. Potential trace amounts of residual methylene chloride in the DMSO extracts showed no adverse effects in the Microtox system when compared to control samples.
The muon and the electron

Our present understanding of the muon and of its relationship to the electron is reviewed, with particular emphasis on the contributions of atomic physics to this topic. A large body of precise experimental data has been obtained, and all this evidence still indicates that the muon is a pointlike lepton which has the same electroweak interactions given by the standard theory as does the electron, and hence the muon differs from the electron only in its larger mass. There is as yet no understanding of the relationship of the muon (or tau particle) to the electron, or of a spectrum comprising these apparently independent lepton generations.
Configurable data analysis and visualization system

Data analysis software can be built using two differing philosophies: 1) Develop custom applications to meet each need as it arises, or 2) Develop a general toolbox to interactively build a wide variety of applications. In support of SPIRIT III performance assessment1, we have developed a package using the latter philosophy. A database and an analysis toolbox are paired to provide a high degree of flexibility in data retrieval, analysis and visualization. This system is integrated into SGI Explorer, which allows scientists to interactively construct analysis networks. These networks perform database queries, then apply user-selected analysis and visualization tools to the query results. The Reporter package allows interactive design of reports with multiple plots, tables and text annotations per page. The core analysis module is the Mapper, which allows the interactive transformation of 2 or 3-dimensional data into N-dimensions. Mapper allows a rich variety of conelations and relationships in the data to be examined. Finally, custom analysis networks may be saved and distributed within the user community. This package has proven an effective support for the rapidly-changing needs of SPiRIT III analysis. Due to its general nature, it also has promise for broader uses.
Interface reactions and wetting in carbon-fiber-reinforced glass matrix composites

Abstract The wetting behavior of Na2OB2O3SiO2 glasses on pitch- and polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibers was evaluated using a newly developed thin film technique. Thin coatings of various glass compositions were deposited onto the fibers using a sol-gel method, and then microsessile drops were created during their heat treatment in controlled environments. The ternary glasses were non-wetting with contact angles of the order 90°–150°, whereas the binary B2O3SiO2 glasses wet and spread extensively. There appeared to be more extensive etching of the fiber surfaces by the ternary glasses, but in general there was no obvious correlation between wetting and interface reactivity. On the other hand, the addition of transition metal oxides such as Nb2O5 and MoO3 greatly enhanced the interface reactions. More extensive etching and pitting of the fiber surfaces occurred in these systems. The effect of these additions was also evaluated in hot-pressed composites where increases in interfacial shear strength and decreases in composite strength could be related directly to these interface reactions. The presence of carbide interphases was clearly evident in the MoO3-doped composites, whereas in the ternary borosilicate system the interfaces were clean. The primary differences in the behavior of pitch- and PAN-based fibers were due to their internal microstructure. The PAN fiber surfaces were microporous and only randomly pitted after contact with the glass thin films, and in the composites the interfaces were often smooth. The pitch fiber surfaces were corrugated with pitting occurring preferentially along the grooves; in the composites the interfaces were visibly rough and the fiber pull-outs were splintered. Some selected experiments in pure CO atmospheres verified the important role of CO evolution in the interface reactions—especially in the creation of a weak boundary layer between the fiber and matrix. In general, the chemical effects at the interfaces in these systems are minimal unless multivalent oxides are included in the glass matrix composition.
Patterns of Candida endocarditis following cardiac surgery: Importance of early diagnosis and therapy (an analysis of 91 cases)

PEN-HEART SURGERY is the greatest single predisposing factor in the development of Candida endocarditis. It provides both access routes for invading Candida and suitable endocardial foci on which the circulating Candida can implant. There are many possible sources of this ubiquitous organism, which may gain access to the heart during or after surgery. Rarely, suture or implant materials may be contaminated. Infections associated with intravenous catheters may provide the nidus for ultimate spread to the endocardium. Tracheal traumatization or spread from an infected tracheostomy wound or from a bronchopulmonary infection may be implicated in the candidemia of the open-heart-surgery patient. Whether the Candida will then be eliminated by the host or cause disseminated disease or endocarditis seems to depend on iatrogenic factors and general host defenses. The recently traumatized heart apparently provides suitable conditions for the growth of Candida ‘Ihe time lapse before the disease becomes manifest, then depends upon the magnitude of the invasion, whether it is recurrent or persistent, and on the host’s ability to handle the organism. This paper analyzes the patterns of infection in 91 patients who developed Candida endocarditis after cardiac surgery.* The risk of disregarding postoperative candidemia, and of waiting for re
Opposing Effect of EGFRWT on EGFRvIII-Mediated NF-κB Activation with RIP1 as a Cell Death Switch

RIP1 is a central mediator of cell death in response to cell stress but can also mediate cell survival by activating NF-κB. Here, we show that RIP1 acts as a switch in EGFR signaling. EGFRvIII is an oncogenic mutant that does not bind ligand and is coexpressed with EGFRWT in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). EGFRvIII recruits ubiquitin ligases to RIP1, resulting in K63-linked ubiquitination of RIP1. RIP1 binds to TAK1 and NEMO, forming an EGFRvIII-RIP1 signalosome that activates NF-κB. RIP1 is essential for EGFRvIII-mediated oncogenicity and correlates with NF-κB activation in GBM. Surprisingly, activation of EGFRWT with EGF results in a negative regulation of EGFRvIII, with dissociation of the EGFRvIII-RIP1 signalosome, loss of RIP1 ubiquitination and NF-κB activation, and association of RIP1 with FADD and caspase-8. If EGFRWT is overexpressed with EGFRvIII, the addition of EGF leads to a RIP1 kinase-dependent cell death. The EGFRWT-EGFRvIII-RIP1 interplay may regulate oncogenicity and vulnerability to targeted treatment in GBM.
Computer simulations of lung airway structures using data-driven surface modeling techniques

Knowledge of human lung morphology is a subject critical to many areas of medicine. The visualization of lung structures naturally lends itself to computer graphics modeling due to the large number of airways involved and the complexities of the branching systems. In this study, a method of generating three-dimensional computer simulations of human lung airway networks using data-driven, surface modeling techniques is presented. By simulating the tubular airway structures and realistic bifurcation shapes, anatomically accurate representations of human lungs are obtained. These computer models are designed for use in computational fluid dynamic applications and particle trajectory analyses, and to be complimentary to medical imaging (gamma scintigraphy) protocols.
Range uncertainties in proton therapy and the role of Monte Carlo simulations

The main advantages of proton therapy are the reduced total energy deposited in the patient as compared to photon techniques and the finite range of the proton beam. The latter adds an additional degree of freedom to treatment planning. The range in tissue is associated with considerable uncertainties caused by imaging, patient setup, beam delivery and dose calculation. Reducing the uncertainties would allow a reduction of the treatment volume and thus allow a better utilization of the advantages of protons. This paper summarizes the role of Monte Carlo simulations when aiming at a reduction of range uncertainties in proton therapy. Differences in dose calculation when comparing Monte Carlo with analytical algorithms are analyzed as well as range uncertainties due to material constants and CT conversion. Range uncertainties due to biological effects and the role of Monte Carlo for in vivo range verification are discussed. Furthermore, the current range uncertainty recipes used at several proton therapy facilities are revisited. We conclude that a significant impact of Monte Carlo dose calculation can be expected in complex geometries where local range uncertainties due to multiple Coulomb scattering will reduce the accuracy of analytical algorithms. In these cases Monte Carlo techniques might reduce the range uncertainty by several mm.
Periodic solutions of systems of integrodifference equations

We establish sufficient conditions for the existence of a continuous N-periodic (N is a positive integer number) solution of a system of integrodifference equations.
Extremely wide-bandwidth distributed Bragg reflectors using chirped semiconductor/oxide pairs

Significant reflectance band broadening through arithmetic and geometric chirping of AlAs oxide/(Al,Ga)InP distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) periodicity has been demonstrated. Reflectivities >90% have been achieved for 7-pair structures over a wavelength range as large as 713 nm, and 70% reflectance was measured over a range of 1388 nm.