cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Prospective, Randomized Study of Open vs Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair: An Assessment of Postoperative Pain

Objective: To compare postoperative pain after laparoscopic hernia repair and conventional open hernia repair. Design: Prospective, randomized study. Setting: Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Patients: Sixty-two patients scheduled for elective inguinal hernia repair. Interventions: Patients were randomized in the operating room to have a laparoscopic hernia repair (30 patients) or a conventional open hernia repair (32 patients). All operations were performed while the patient was under general anesthesia to avoid anesthesia as a confounding variable. Measures: Postoperative pain following laparoscopic hernia repair and open hernia repair were compared using the McGill Pain Score, the McGill Visual Analogue Pain Scale score, and the number of acetaminophen with 30-mg codeine sulfate (Tylenol 3) tablets needed for pain during the first and second 24-hour periods postoperatively. All of the patients were interviewed and the postoperative pain was evaluated by a special study nurse (P.M.L.) who was blinded to the repair technique. Results: At 24 hours, the patients with laparoscopic hernia repair had 26% less pain by the McGill Pain Score ( P =.02) and 31% less pain by the McGill Visual Analogue Scale ( P =.006) than those who underwent an open hernia repair. At 48 hours the patients who underwent laparoscopic hernia repair had 28% less pain by the McGill Pain Score ( P =.03), 42% less pain by the McGill Visual Analogue Scale ( P =.002), and used 42% fewer analgesic tablets (P=.004). Conclusion: atients with a laparoscopic hernia repair had significantly less pain postoperatively than those with standard open hernia repairs. Arch Surg. 1997;132:292-295
Lactic acid conversion to 2,3-pentanedione and acrylic acid over silica-supported sodium nitrate : Reaction optimization and identification of sodium lactate as the active catalyst

Abstract Lactic acid is converted to 2,3-pentanedione, acrylic acid, and other products in vapor-phase reactions over silica-supported sodium lactate formed from sodium nitrate. Multiparameter optimization of reaction conditions using a Box–Benkhen experimental design shows that the highest yield and selectivity to 2,3-pentanedione are achieved at low temperature, elevated pressure, and long contact time, while yield and selectivity to acrylic acid are most favorable at high temperature, low pressure, and short contact time. Post-reaction Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analyses of the catalyst indicate that sodium nitrate as the initial catalyst material is transformed to sodium lactate at the onset of reaction via proton transfer from lactic acid to nitrate. The resultant nitric acid vaporizes as it is formed, leaving sodium lactate as the sole sodium-bearing species on the catalyst during reaction.
Modeling of Blood Flow in the Human Brain

Under normal conditions, Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF) is related to the metabolism of the cerebral tissue. Three factors that contribute significantly to the regulation of CBF include the carbon dioxide and hydrogen ion concentration, oxygen deficiency and the level of cerebral activity. These regulatory mechanisms ensure a constant CBF of 50 to 55 ml per 100g of brain per minute for mean arterial blood pressure between 60–180 mm Hg. Under severe conditions when the autoregulatory mechanism fails to compensate, sympathetic nervous system constricts the large and intermediate sized arteries and prevents very high pressure from ever reaching the smaller blood vessels, preventing the occurrence of vascular hemorrhage. Several invasive and non-invasive techniques such as pressure and thermoelectric effect sensors to Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based profusion techniques have been used to quantify CBF. However, the effects of the non-Newtonian properties of blood, i.e., shear thinning and viscoelasticity, can have a significant influence on the distribution of CBF in the human brain and are poorly understood. The aim of this work is to quantify the role played by the non-Newtonian nature of blood on CBF. We have developed mathematical models of CBF that use direct numerical simulations (DNS) for the individual capillaries along with the experimental data in a one-dimensional model to determine the flow rate and the methods for regulating CBF. The model also allows us to determine which regions of the brain would be affected more severely under these conditions.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Highly selective single-use fluoride ion optical sensor based on aluminum(III)-salen complex in thin polymeric film

Abstract A highly selective optical sensor for fluoride ion based on the use of an aluminum(III)-salen complex as an ionophore within a thin polymeric film is described. The sensor is prepared by embedding the aluminum(III)-salen ionophore and a suitable lipophilic pH-sensitive indicator (ETH-7075) in a plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) film. Optical response to fluoride occurs due to fluoride extraction into the polymer via formation of a strong complex with the aluminum(III)-salen species. Co-extraction of protons occurs simultaneously, with protonation of the indicator dye yielding the optical response at 529 nm. Films prepared using dioctylsebacate (DOS) are shown to exhibit better response (e.g., linear range, detection limit, and optical signal stability) compared to those prepared using ortho -nitrophenyloctyl ether ( o -NPOE). Films formulated with aluminum(III)-salen and ETH-7075 indicator in 2 DOS:1 PVC, exhibit a significantly enhanced selectivity for fluoride over a wide range of lipophilic anions including salicylate, perchlorate, nitrate, and thiocyanate. The optimized films exhibit a sub-micromolar detection limit, using glycine-phosphate buffer, pH 3.00, as the test sample. The response times of the fluoride optical sensing films are in the range of 1–10 min depending on the fluoride ion concentration in the sample. The sensor exhibits very poor reversibility owing to a high co-extraction constant (log K = 8.5 ± 0.4), indicating that it can best be employed as a single-use transduction device. The utility of the aluminum(III)-salen based fluoride sensitive films as single-use sensors is demonstrated by casting polymeric films on the bottom of standard polypropylene microtiter plate wells (96 wells/plate). The modified microtiter plate optode format sensors exhibit response characteristics comparable to the classical optode films cast on quartz slides. The modified microtiter is utilized for the analysis of fluoride in diluted anti-cavity fluoride rinse samples and the results obtained are shown to correlate well with the analysis performed using the LaF 3 single crystal ion-selective electrode.
Clinical erythrokinetics: a critical review

The hemoglobin concentration and the hematocrit percentage are usually used to diagnose anemias and erythrocytoses and to monitor their treatment and progress. However, they may be misleading because of dehydration or dilution and it is imperative to keep in mind their relationship to the size of the red-cell mass. This size is determined by the cellular kinetics of four distinct compartments which make up the erythron: the stem cells, the progenitor cells, the precursor cells and the mature cells. Under normal physiologic conditions, the kinetics of the progenitor-cell compartment determines the size of the red-cell mass but, under abnormal conditions, the kinetics of each of the compartments may affect the size. In this review, normal and abnormal kinetics of the four compartments are defined and related to the size of the red-cell mass and the pathogenesis of anemias and erythrocytoses.
The effect of evidentiary factors on charge reduction

Abstract The practice by prosecutors of basing guilty plea concessions on evidentiary considerations is highly controversial. Observational field studies suggest that this is a common practice and that there is a strong inverse relationship between the strength of the prosecution's case and concessions that a defendant is offered. However, there has yet to be an explicit test of this hypothesis. This study examines the relationship of evidentiary factors to charge reduction using data from the Prosecutor's Management Information System (PROMIS) for the District of Columbia. The analysis indicates that the expected relationship does exist but is not as strong as some suggest and varies by the type of offense. It also suggests that this practice is part of a routine adjudicatory procedure, particularly for property crimes, and that there is a need to scrutinize more closely the fact-finding function of the guilty plea.
A stress-strength interference approach to reliability analysis of ceramics: Part I — fast fracture

Abstract A stress-strength interference theory is formulated to treat ceramic component fracture caused by volume embedded cracks. Spatial stress fields obtained from finite element calculations are transformed to obtain equivalent stress probability distribution functions for both normal stress and shear sensitive fracture criteria. These are combined with Weibull and Poisson distributions, respectively, for the strength of the solid containing a single crack and the crack densities to obtain fast fracture probability estimates. The effects of geometry and fracture criteria are examined for components with equal volume and maximum stress.
Management Procedure for Establishing a CHP System In Louisiana

ABSTRACT The objective of this research is to determine what permits and regulations are required in Louisiana for CHP implementations. A typical management procedure for the CHP adoption process is developed to provide an in-depth understanding of the difficulty and technical phases of CHP projects. A description of each phase in the procedure is provided. The air permit and utility interconnection procedures are discussed as they pertain to Louisiana. Our research indicates that for air-permitting requirements, all emitted pollutants must be less than 15 tons per year and 5 tons per year per regulated pollutant for exemption. If the facility owner is not exempted, he or she must file an Air Permit Application, Emission Inventory Questionnaire, and Single Source Form with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The interconnection procedure is initiated with an interconnection request, and the utility provider submits the appropriate application to the owner. After the application is com...
An Estuarine Assemblage from the Middle Devonian Trout Valley Formation of Northern Maine

The Middle Devonian (Emsian/Eifelian) Trout Valley Formation is exposed in the northeastern corner of Baxter State Park, Maine, and is noted for its abundant plant-fossil assemblages. However, to date no invertebrate macrofaunal assemblages have been reported in this fluvial-to-marine sequence; only isolated eurypterid parts have been reported. A previously undescribed outcrop of coarse- to mediumgrained siltstone characterized by megaripples preserves a restricted, transported invertebrate assemblage. The macrofossils are randomly oriented and concentrated in the ripple crests. Similar sedimentological features in other parts of the stratigraphic section indicate an estuarine, tidally influenced depositional regime. The fossil assemblage is dominated by Phthonia sectifrons—an uncommon Devonian bivalve known previously from open-marine deposits. Few other fossil taxa occur. Typically associated with deep-shelf brachiopods, the presence of P. sectifrons in these estuarine deposits indicates that this taxon occupied a wider range of habitats, extending from the shallow silty shelf facies to more transitional settings. The facies associations in the Trout Valley Formation suggest that Devonian near-shore communities resembled modern bivalve-dominated nearshore communities.
Black Supporters of the No-Discrimination Thesis in Criminal Justice: A Portrait of an Understudied Segment of the Black Community

This study examined a national sample of more than 600 Black Americans and their views on bias in the American criminal justice system. The research found that 26% of the Black respondents did not believe there was bias in the American criminal justice system. To explore the segment of respondents holding these views, we separated the sample into Blacks who believe there is bias in the system (referred to as the discrimination thesis or DT supporters) and those who opposed this belief (referred to as the no-discrimination thesis or NDT supporters). The NDT supporters were more likely to be younger, male, less educated, and have lower income than those respondents who supported the DT. NDT supporters were also more likely to believe that Blacks and Whites had equal job opportunities, have more confidence in the police, and believe that racism was not widespread.
Internet searching, tablet technology and older adults

Tablet technology presents a simplified interface for users to interact with Internet resources. A comparison of user interaction with iPad tablet technology and desktop computers by older adults was conducted to better understand how they interact with each technology to perform basic information search tasks. Ten computer literate, senior citizens were given six search tasks. User interactions were videotaped and the participants were interviewed about their search experiences. Collected data were coded and analyzed qualitatively. Participants struggled with some features of the tablet technology, but overall found the experience to be positive and were able to complete most of their search tasks to their satisfaction. Some features of the tablet were not intuitive and differed from the desktop systems the participants used regularly. The size and sensitivity of the display area also presented some usability challenges. The greatest obstacles to search task completion arose more from the design of the websites visited rather than the features of the devices used.
Unsupervised Link Selection in Networks

Real-world networks are often noisy, and the existing linkage structure may not be reliable. For example, a link which connects nodes from different communities may affect the group assignment of nodes in a negative way. In this paper, we study a new problem called link selection, which can be seen as the network equivalent of the traditional feature selection problem in machine learning. More specifically, we investigate unsupervised link selection as follows: given a network, it selects a subset of informative links from the original network which enhance the quality of community structures. To achieve this goal, we use Ratio Cut size of a network as the quality measure. The resulting link selection approach can be formulated as a semi-definite programming problem. In order to solve it efficiently, we propose a backward elimination algorithm using sequential optimization. Experiments on benchmark network datasets illustrate the effectiveness of our method.
The influence of Vision during Bodily Rotation upon the Duration of Post-Rotational Vestibular Nystagmus

(1937). The influence of Vision during Bodily Rotation upon the Duration of Post-Rotational Vestibular Nystagmus. Acta Oto-Laryngologica: Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 351-364.
Wide dynamic range, 0.8 to 6 GHz LNA in 45 nm digital SOI CMOS

We present a wide dynamic range, dual-mode low noise amplifier (LNA) operating in 0.8 to 6 GHz, which is suitable for a multi-band multi-standard front-end in a scaled CMOS technology and a low supply voltage operation. The digitally controlled high-sensitivity and high-linearity modes enable a low noise and a high linearity according to an input power to the LNA. In measurement, the LNA shows a power gain of 9.4 to 7.0 dB, a noise figure (NF) of 3.0 to 3.6 dB in high-sensitivity mode, and an input-referred 1-dB compression point (P1dB) of up to +4.2 dBm in high-linearity mode. The LNA draws 5.6 mA from a 1.1 V supply voltage in high-sensitivity mode and does not consume power in high-linearity mode. The design was implemented in 45 nm digital SOI CMOS technology.
The Status of Specialized Gerontological Training in Graduate Social Work Education.

This study assessed the current state of specialized training in master-level social work programs self-identified as either an aging specialization, concentration, or certificate. Fifty-nine identified gerontological social work programs responded to this survey (92.2% response rate). Compared with findings from similar previous studies in the 1980s, results revealed a decline in the number of graduate level aging-related social work programs. Study findings revealed similarities and significant differences among concentration, specialization, and certificate aging-related programs. Results suggest that much variation among aging-specific programs exists and greater standardization may be needed. Implications for social work education, practice, and research are discussed.
Methylobacterium populi sp. nov., a novel aerobic, pink-pigmented, facultatively methylotrophic, methane-utilizing bacterium isolated from poplar trees (Populus deltoides x nigra DN34).

A pink-pigmented, aerobic, facultatively methylotrophic bacterium, strain BJ001T, was isolated from internal poplar tissues (Populus deltoides×nigra DN34) and identified as a member of the genus Methylobacterium. Phylogenetic analyses showed that strain BJ001T is related to Methylobacterium thiocyanatum, Methylobacterium extorquens, Methylobacterium zatmanii and Methylobacterium rhodesianum. However, strain BJ001T differed from these species in its carbon-source utilization pattern, particularly its use of methane as the sole source of carbon and energy, an ability that is shared with only one other member of the genus, Methylobacterium organophilum. In addition, strain BJ001T is the only member of the genus Methylobacterium to be described as an endophyte of poplar trees. On the basis of its physiological, genotypic and ecological properties, the isolate is proposed as a member of a novel species of the genus Methylobacterium, Methylobacterium populi sp. nov. (type strain, BJ001T=ATCC BAA-705T=NCIMB 13946T).
Packet combining with adaptive retransmission control in DS-CDMA random access networks

Packet combining with adaptive retransmission control (ARC) in DS-CDMA random access networks has been investigated. The proposed system uses diversity packet combining while adaptively adjusting the retransmission probability of backlog users to optimize packet retransmissions. A soft decision DS-CDMA analysis is used to derive the optimum channel input for ARC. Simulation results show that packet combining with ARC can significantly increase the throughput and maintain the performance very close to its optimum in the high traffic region.
Health and well-being of children adopted from foster care

Abstract Data from the National Survey of Children's Health, 2011–12 were used to compare children in foster care with children adopted from foster care with respect to health, health care and well-being. Children living with both biological parents and children living with never-married biological mothers were included as comparison groups. The findings suggest that adoption confers socioeconomic advantages for children, relative to children who remain in foster care. However, these advantages do not tend to translate into better developmental, academic, or other well-being outcomes. The evidence suggests that children in foster care who are adopted tend to cost the public less than children who remain in foster care or are reunited with their biological families.
The structure of highly crosslinked poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogels

Films were prepared by reaction of HEMA monomer with the crosslinking agent ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) at crosslinking ratios, X, of 0.005, 0.01, 0.0128, 0.025, and 0.050 mol EGDMA/mol HEMA in the presence of 40 wt.% water at 60 degrees C for 12 h. These membranes were subsequently swollen in water at 37 degrees C and their structure analyzed using a modified Gaussian distribution equation of equilibrium swelling. The calculated values of Mc varied between 800 and 3700 daltons, which corresponded to a correlation length of the mesh size xi of 16.2 to 35.6 A. The structural analysis and diffusive studies of PHEMA membranes indicate that the recent determinations of Mc for PHEMA by Migliaresi et al. (C. Migliaresi, L. Nicodemo, L. Nicolais, and P. Passerini, "Physical characterization of PHEMA gels," J. Biomed. Mater. Res., 15, 307 (1981). and others are not accurate. The methods presented can also be used for analysis of any highly crosslinked polymer network produced by simultaneous polymerization and crosslinking reactions.
Coaching Early Childhood Special Educators to Implement a Comprehensive Model for Promoting Young Children's Social Competence.

Growing evidence suggests the importance of practitioners implementing promotion, prevention, and intervention practices to foster children’s social-emotional competence and address challenging behavior within schools. Limited research exists, however, on how to support teachers of school-age children to implement with fidelity comprehensive frameworks that organize promotion, prevention, and intervention practices, and even fewer studies have examined implementation within early childhood classrooms. In this study, three teachers were trained and coached to implement promotion, prevention, and intervention practices related to the Teaching Pyramid Model. Findings from the present single-subject multiple probe across teachers’ experimental study offer evidence of a functional relationship between training and coaching and implementation of practices associated with the model. Results are discussed with respect to challenges related to supporting teachers to implement with fidelity a complex and comprehens...
Reduced expression and capacity of the striatal high-affinity choline transporter in hyperdopaminergic mice

Behavioral and neuronal abnormalities observed in mice exhibiting a reduced expression of the dopamine transporter model important aspects of schizophrenia, addiction, and attentional disorders. As the consequences of a chronic hyperdopaminergic tone for striatal output regulation have remained poorly understood, the present experiments were designed to determine the status of striatal interneuronal cholinergic neurotransmission in dopamine transporter knockdown animals. The high-affinity choline transporter represents the rate-limiting step of acetylcholine synthesis and release. Compared with wild type mice, striatal high-affinity choline transporter expression in dopamine transporter knockdown mice was significantly decreased. As in vivo basal striatal acetylcholine release did not differ between the strains, reduced high-affinity choline transporter expression in dopamine transporter knockdown mice was not due to reduced basal cholinergic activity. Furthermore, the proportion of high-affinity choline transporters expressed in plasma membrane-enriched versus vesicular membrane-enriched fractions did not differ from wild type animals, suggesting that changes in intracellular high-affinity choline transporter trafficking were not associated with lower overall levels of striatal high-affinity choline transporters. Synaptosomal choline uptake assays indicated a reduced capacity of striatal high-affinity choline transporters in dopamine transporter knockdown mice, and thus the functional significance of the reduced level of high-affinity choline transporter expression. Likewise, in vivo measures of the capacity of striatal high-affinity choline transporters to clear increases in extracellular choline concentrations, using choline-sensitive microelectrodes, revealed a 37-41% reduction in hemicholinium-sensitive clearance of exogenous choline in dopamine transporter knockdown mice. Furthermore, clearance of potassium-evoked choline signals was reduced in dopamine transporter knockdown mice (1.63+/-0.15 microM/s) compared with wild type animals (2.29+/-0.21 microM/s). Dysregulated striatal cholinergic neurotransmission is hypothesized to disrupt the integration of thalamic and cortical information at spiny projection neurons and thus to contribute to abnormal striatal information processing in dopamine transporter knockdown mice.
'For men arousal is orientation': bodily truthing, technosexual scripts, and the materialization of sexualities through the phallometric test

We trace the history of the phallometric test--which measures erections of men exposed to visual erotic stimuli to characterize sexualities--in order to account for its functioning as a 'truthing technology'. On the basis of a content analysis of 410 key scientific journal article abstracts, we argue that since its invention in Czechoslovakia in the 1950s, phallometry has been employed within three distinct assemblages: as a test of predominance of sexual desire, as a test for therapeutic efficacy, and as a threshold test of sexual risk. Drawing on works of theorists of materialization and proponents of script theory, we argue that within each assemblage phallometric testing materializes male desire and renders it measurable via a 'technosexual script'. We consider the performative effects of phallometry in establishing scientific conceptions of normal and abnormal sexualities. At the same time, through attention to debates among practitioners and broader controversies surrounding the employment of phallometry, we examine the limits of researchers' abilities to establish the broader credibility of the test and capture the phenomenon of sexual desire. This analysis contributes to the study of truthing technologies (or 'truth machines') as a class, while also helping to build bridges between science and technology studies and sexuality studies.
MK-801 Upregulates NR2A Protein Levels and Induces Functional Recovery of the Ipsilateral Hemidiaphragm Following Acute C2 Hemisection in Adult Rats

BACKGROUND C2 hemisection results in paralysis of the ipsilateral hemidiaphragm. Recent data indicate that an upregulation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor 2A subunit following chronic C2 hemisection is associated with spontaneous hemidiaphragmatic recovery following injury. MK-801, an antagonist of the NMDA receptor, upregulates the NR2A subunit in neonatal rats. HYPOTHESIS We hypothesized that administration of MK-801 to adult, acute C2-hemisected rats would result in an increase of NR2A in the spinal cord. Furthermore, we hypothesized that upregulation of NR2A would be associated with recovery of the ipsilateral hemidiaphragm as in the chronic studies. DESIGN To develop a dose-response curve, adult rats were treated with varying doses of MK-801 and their spinal cords harvested and assessed for NR2A as well as AMPA GluR1 and GluR2 subunit protein levels. In the second part of this study, C2-hemisected animals received MK-801. Following treatment, the animals were assessed for recovery of the hemidiaphragm through electromyographic recordings and their spinal cords assessed for NR2A, GluR1, and GluR2. RESULTS Treatment with MK-801 leads to an increase of the NR2A subunit in the spinal cords of adult noninjured rats. There were no changes in the expression of GluR1 and GluR2 in these animals. Administration of MK-801 to C2-hemisected rats resulted in recovery of the ipsilateral hemidiaphragm, an increase of NR2A, and a decrease of GluR2. CONCLUSION Our findings strengthen the evidence that the NR2A subunit plays a substantial role in mediating recovery of the paralyzed hemidiaphragm following C2 spinal cord hemisection.
Exacerbated physical fatigue and mental fatigue in Parkinson's disease

OBJECTIVE: To characterize fatigue in Parkinson's disease (PD). BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a recognized problem in PD. Fatigue can be in the physical realm or in the mental realm. Fatigue has not been characterized in PD. METHODS: We characterized fatigue in 39 PD patients and 32 age-matched normal controls using five questionnaires: A. The Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI), which measures five dimensions of fatigue independently including general fatigue, physical fatigue, reduced motivation, reduced activity, and mental fatigue. B. The Fatigue Severity Inventory (FSI), which quantifies fatigue in general. C. The Profile of Mood States (POMS), which assesses six subjective subscales: tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, anger-hostility, fatigue-inertia, vigor-activity, and confusion-bewilderment. D. Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). E. Visual Analog linear scale of energy (VA-E). RESULTS: PD patients scored higher in all of the five dimensions of fatigue in the MFI including general fatigue, physical fatigue, reduced motivation, reduced activity, and mental fatigue (P < 0.001 except for mental fatigue P = 0.005). The severity of physical fatigue did not correlate with that of mental fatigue. PD patients scored higher on the FSI, POMS, CES-D, and scored lower on the VA-E. The scores in the FSI correlated with general fatigue, physical fatigue, reduced activity, and reduced motivation but not with mental fatigue in the MFI. Depression correlated with all dimensions of fatigue except physical fatigue in the MFI. Disease severity, as measured by Modified Hoehn and Yahr staging, did not correlate with any of the measures. CONCLUSIONS: PD patients have increased physical fatigue and mental fatigue compared to normals. Physical fatigue and mental fatigue are independent symptoms in PD that need to be assessed and treated separately. © 2001 Movement Disorder Society.
A Thermo-Sensitive Delivery Platform for Topical Administration of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Therapies

Systemic therapies for inflammatory bowel disease are associated with an increased risk of infections and malignancies. Topical therapies reduce systemic exposure, but can be difficult to retain or have limited proximal distribution. To mitigate these issues, we developed a thermo-sensitive platform, using a polymer-based system that is liquid at room temperature but turns into a viscous gel on reaching body temperature. After rectal administration to mice with dextran sulfate sodium–induced colitis, the platform carrying budesonide or mesalamine becomes more viscoelastic near body temperature. Mice given the drug-containing platform gained more weight and had reduced histologic and biologic features of colitis than mice given the platform alone or liquid drugs via enema. Image analysis showed that enemas delivered with and without the platform reached similar distances in the colons of mice, but greater colonic retention was achieved by using the platform.
Interference alignment in MIMO cellular networks

We explore the feasibility of linear interference alignment (IA) in MIMO cellular networks. Each base station (BTS) has N t transmit antennas, each mobile has N r receive antennas, and a BTS transmits a single beam to each active user. We present a necessary Zero-Forcing (ZF) condition for zero interference in terms of the number of users, the number of cells, N t and N r . We then examine the performance of iterative (forward-backward) algorithms for jointly optimizing the transmit precoders with linear receivers. Modifications of the max-SINR and minimum leakage algorithms are presented, which are observed to converge to a ZF solution whenever the necessary conditions are satisfied. In contrast, convergence of the (original) max-SINR algorithm is problematic when the necessary conditions are satisfied with (near) equality. A more restrictive ZF condition is presented, which predicts when these convergence problems are unlikely to occur.
MeCP2 deficiency decreases bone formation and reduces bone volume in a rodent model of Rett syndrome

Rett syndrome (RTT), a neurological disorder characterized by neurological impairment and a high frequency of osteopenia which often manifests early in childhood, most often is caused by inactivating mutations in the X-linked gene encoding a regulator of epigenetic gene expression, methyl CpG binding protein, MeCP2. Clinical data show that, along with neurological defects, females with RTT frequently have marked decreases in bone mineral density (BMD) beyond that expected from disuse atrophy. To investigate the relationship between loss of Mecp2 and reduced BMD, we used a Mecp2 null mouse model, Mecp2 (-/yBIRD), for our histological and biochemical studies. Mecp2 (-/yBIRD) mice have significantly shorter femurs and an overall reduced skeletal size compared to wild-type mice by post-natal day 60 (P60). Histological and histomorphometric studies identified growth plate abnormalities as well as decreased cortical and trabecular bone in P21 and especially in P60 Mecp2 (-/yBIRD) mice. Dynamic histomorphometry revealed decreased mineral apposition rates (MAR) in Mecp2 null femoral trabecular bone as well as in calvarial bone samples. While changes in MAR of cortical bone were not significant, loss of Mecp2 significantly reduced cortical, trabecular and calvarial bone volume compared with age-matched wild-type animals. These differences indicate that Mecp2 deficiency leads to osteoblast dysfunction, which translates into reduced osteoid deposition accounting for the reduced bone volume phenotype. While individual variations were observed in OPG and Rankl concentrations, molar ratios of OPG:Rankl at P21 and P60 were comparable between wild-type and Mecp2 (-/yBIRD) mice and showed a consistent excess of OPG. In tibial sections, TRAP staining demonstrated equivalent osteoclast number per bone surface measurements between wild-type and null animals. Our work with a Mecp2 null mouse model suggests epigenetic regulation of bone in the Mecp2 (-/yBIRD) mice which is associated with decreased osteoblast activity rather than increased osteoclastic bone loss.
Sub-atmospheric pressure pool boiling of water on a screen laminate-enhanced extended surface

Pool boiling experiments are conducted to investigate the heat transfer performance of screen laminate-enhanced extended surfaces in water at reduced pressures. Screen laminations of varying pore hydraulic diameter and specific surface area fine wire screen are bonded to an extended surface (fin). The fins have a 1 cm2 base cross section area, a 5 deg taper with heights of 1 cm and 2/3 cm. Pool temperatures are held at the saturation temperature for water at pressures of 0.2, 0.3, 0.5 and 1.0 atm. Boiling performance of a vertical and horizontal fin orientation is investigated. The 4 layer screen laminate enhanced fin with a 10K superheat sustains base heat fluxes of up to 140 W/cm2 at 1.0 atm, and up to 132 W/cm2 at 0.2 atm. These extended surfaces outperform screen laminates enhanced plane surface by up to 4 fold. A reduction in saturation pressure reduces the boiling performance for all laminates. Vertically oriented fins outperform horizontal fins.
Penicillamine‐Induced Panniculitis with Lipomembranous Fat Necrosis

A 43-year-old female with progressive systemic sclerosis developed painful subcutaneous nodules proximally on her extremities which spread distally to her shins. Initially tender, they became red and evolved to painless, red-brown nodules. She had been taking penicillamine for 19 months and was on no other medication or supplements. History and physical exam revealed no evidence of infection, trauma, injection, or significant travel. Incisional biopsy of an acute nodule demonstrated septal panniculitis, with extensive lipomembranous change, and an associated brisk granulomatous infiltrate with multinucleated foreign-body like giant cells. Deeper adipose tissue demonstrated fibrosed thickened septae with an inflammatory cell infiltrate, consistent with scleroderma profundus. Further studies revealed no infectious organisms, or refractile material. The lesions cleared 3 weeks after stopping penicillamine. She declined a re-challenge and has been disease free for a year. Lipomembranous fat changes are identified in about 5% of subcutaneous inflammatory disorders; most frequently in venous insufficiency, and also with morphea, lupus pannicultis, erythema nodosum, necrobiosis lipoidica and trauma. Panniculitis with lipomembranous fat changes similar to this case has been reported in a patient with systemic sclerosis on norethisterone acetate. This is a rare and interesting case of penicillamine-induced panniculitis.
Control of Bagworms (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) Using Contact and Soil-Applied Systemic Insecticides

The current study evaluated the effect of different classes of insecticides against bagworms (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) on arborvitae by using a laboratory bioassay that allowed us to simultaneously evaluate the feeding rate, growth, and mortality of larvae. Soil application of the systemic insecticides dinotefuran and (to a lesser extent) chlothianidin increased larval mortality and reduced the feeding rate and growth of larvae, up to 50 d posttreatment. The effectiveness of systemic insecticides against bagworms makes them well suited to control bagworms on tall trees heavily infested in the upper canopy. Chlorantranilipole and indoxacarb were as effective in controlling bagworms as other contact insecticides commercially available (spinosad and bifenthrin). Chlorantraniliprole had a residual effect 10 d posttreatment and may therefore provide an effective tool to protect the foliage of arborvitae against bagworms over a sustained period.
A Predictability Study Using Geostationary Satellite Wind Observations during NORPEX

High-density geostationary satellite wind observations have become an important new contributor to the observing network over oceanic regions. During the 1998 North Pacific Experiment (NORPEX), assimilation of these data in the Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System (NOGAPS) provided substantial improvements in 48-h forecast skill over the northeast Pacific and western North America. The current study shows that the large positive impact of the geostationary satellite winds results mainly from the reduction of analysis errors that project onto the leading singular vectors derived from the linearized forecast model. These errors account for only a small fraction of the total analysis error and, during NORPEX, were confined mostly to the middle and lower troposphere with maxima over the central Pacific. These errors do not necessarily coincide with the locations of the largest analysis errors. Experiments in which the satellite information is retained only at prescribed vertical levels in the analysis confirm that the increments in the middle and lower troposphere account for most of the forecast impact. Implications for the design of future observing systems, including strategies for targeted observing, are discussed. It is argued that the results support the key underlying principles of targeted observing, namely, that the early stages of error growth in most numerical weather forecasts are dominated by a relatively small number of unstable structures, and that preferentially reducing analysis errors that project onto these structures can produce significant improvements in forecast skill.
The role of probiotics in digestive health

Although probiotics have documented health benefits outside the gastrointestinal tract, digestive health remains the key benefit for probiotics. Advances in technology have made even more in-depth analyses of the intestinal microbiota possible. Nevertheless, a healthy microbiota cannot be defined due to individual differences and changes with age. Probiotics, in general, will not cure or prevent disease, but will aim at maintaining health and reducing risk for disease; although probiotic pharmaceuticals are possible. Meta-analyses have indicated several areas where probiotics can exert health benefits such as certain types of diarrhea, constipation, and inflammatory diseases of the intestine. There is also an ever-increasing understanding of the mechanisms of probiotic action. However, it remains challenging to pinpoint specific strain (com - binations) for explicit health benefits. The increased understanding of the intestinal microbiota composition and activity will make it likely that in the future we will see new probiotics from genera other than Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium , or Saccharomyces; these may focus on new or existing health targets.
Is it Better to Be Average? High and Low Performance as Predictors of Employee Victimization

Based on the victim precipitation model, we extend research on the relationship between job performance and victimization at the individual and group level. We invoke social comparison theory to ex...
“A Really Nice Spot”: Evaluating Place, Space, and Technology in Academic Libraries

This article describes a qualitative mixed-method study of students’ perceptions of place and space in an academic library. The approach is informed by Scott Bennett’s model of library design, which posits a shift from a ‘book-centered’ to a technology supported ‘learning centered’ paradigm of library space. Two surveys gathered data on (a) students’ perceptions of places in an academic library, and (b) on occupancy rates in the same library. When triangulated, the results identified two distinct and contrasting models of place: a more traditional model based on individual study near stacks of books, and an emergent technologically-supported group study model. The results suggest that academic libraries should develop new metrics to measure library place and space in settings of technologically-supported group work.
Design of a Microcontrolled Water Fountain

Water fountains have been used for thousands of years for utilitarian and aesthetic purposes. The design of a fountain provides an excellent opportunity as a multidisciplinary project for engineering and art students. In this paper, detailed design of an indoor fountain with a special effect feature is presented. Comprising of nine individual jets, the fountain produces letters of the alphabet, simple shapes, and symbols with water jets. A microcontroller is programmed to create and sequence through interesting arrangements of water displays. With a total material cost of $550, this design, or variations of it, can be adopted for various implementations in fluids and design courses. Suggestions for student design projects are also made.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Generalized estimating equations in cluster randomized trials with a small number of clusters: Review of practice and simulation study

Background/aims:Generalized estimating equations are a common modeling approach used in cluster randomized trials to account for within-cluster correlation. It is well known that the sandwich variance estimator is biased when the number of clusters is small (≤40), resulting in an inflated type I error rate. Various bias correction methods have been proposed in the statistical literature, but how adequately they are utilized in current practice for cluster randomized trials is not clear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of generalized estimating equation bias correction methods in recently published cluster randomized trials and demonstrate the necessity of such methods when the number of clusters is small.Methods:Review of cluster randomized trials published between August 2013 and July 2014 and using generalized estimating equations for their primary analyses. Two independent reviewers collected data from each study using a standardized, pre-piloted data extraction template. A two-arm cluster...
Revision Arthroscopic Repair Versus Latarjet Procedure in Patients With Recurrent Instability After Initial Repair Attempt: A Cost-Effectiveness Model.

Purpose To compare the cost-effectiveness of arthroscopic revision instability repair and Latarjet procedure in treating patients with recurrent instability after initial arthroscopic instability repair. Methods An expected-value decision analysis of revision arthroscopic instability repair compared with Latarjet procedure for recurrent instability followed by failed repair attempt was modeled. Inputs regarding procedure cost, clinical outcomes, and health utilities were derived from the literature. Results Compared with revision arthroscopic repair, Latarjet was less expensive ($13,672 v $15,287) with improved clinical outcomes (43.78 v 36.76 quality-adjusted life-years). Both arthroscopic repair and Latarjet were cost-effective compared with nonoperative treatment (incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of 3,082 and 1,141, respectively). Results from sensitivity analyses indicate that under scenarios of high rates of stability postoperatively, along with improved clinical outcome scores, revision arthroscopic repair becomes increasingly cost-effective. Conclusions Latarjet procedure for failed instability repair is a cost-effective treatment option, with lower costs and improved clinical outcomes compared with revision arthroscopic instability repair. However, surgeons must still incorporate clinical judgment into treatment algorithm formation. Level of Evidence Level IV, expected value decision analysis.
Coordinated Prevention Based on Manual and Automatic Emergency Control

Manual emergency control is based on the analysis of real-time operating conditions of power systems and its control commands are issued by system operators,which can play a key role in the timely elimination of the system emergent,but it should be implemented by combining the concept of emergency control based on detection of insecure phenomena with the real-time decision support technology using wide area measurement system(WAMS) and energy management system(EMS) information.A coordinated preventive roadmap using manual and automatic emergency control is presented,including identification of both the feasibility and applicability conditions of manual emergency control,decision support based on measurement as well as simulation and ability of maintaining overall situational awareness.Design ideas of decision support technology by integrating real-time measurement and simulation analysis are exemplified by using low-frequency oscillation,voltage stability and cascading outages.
Upside Down! Crystallographic and Spectroscopic Characterization of an [FeIV(Osyn)(TMC)]2+ Complex

Fe(II)(TMC)(OTf)2 reacts with 2-(t)BuSO2-C6H4IO to afford an oxoiron(IV) product, 2, distinct from the previously reported [Fe(IV)(Oanti)(TMC)(NCMe)](2+). In MeCN, 2 has a blue-shifted near-IR band, a higher ν(Fe═O), a larger Mossbauer quadrupole splitting, and quite a distinct (1)H NMR spectrum. Structural analysis of crystals grown from CH2Cl2 reveals a complex with the formulation of [Fe(IV)(Osyn)(TMC)(OTf)](OTf) and the shortest Fe(IV)═O bond [1.625(4) A] found to date.
Mood management effects of brief unsupported internet interventions

ABSTRACT Background Most users of unsupported Internet interventions visit that site only once, therefore there is a need to create interventions that can be offered as a single brief interaction with the user. Objective The main goal of this study was to compare the effect of a one-session unsupported Internet intervention on participants' clinical symptoms (depressive and anxiety symptoms) and related variables (mood, confidence and motivation). Method A total of 765 adults residing in the United States took part in a randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned to one of five brief plain text interventions lasting 5–10min. The interventions designed to address depressive symptoms were: thoughts (increasing helpful thoughts), activities (increasing activity level), sleep hygiene, assertiveness (increasing assertiveness awareness), Own Methods (utilizing methods that were previously successful). They were followed-up one week after consenting. Results A main effect of time was observed for both depression (F(1, 563)=234.70, p p Conclusions Brief unsupported Internet interventions can improve depressive symptoms at one-week follow-up. Further outcome data and research implications will be discussed.