cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Leveraging Social Media in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Social media and social networks are the rage these days. The healthcare industry in general and the pharmaceutical industry in particular, are being reshaped by the proliferation of electronic communication through social media. Consequently, marketing practices are also evolving rapidly. Pharmaceutical marketers need a better understanding of how social media work and how they influence marketing strategy. This chapter reviews the burgeoning literature on word of mouth, in particular relating to social media and on how social media and social networks are redefining marketing strategy in this context. It provides a framework for analyzing the effects of social media on patients, physicians, and marketers. It offers actionable implications for pharmaceutical companies, provides pointers to successfully develop and implement an integrated social media marketing strategy, and highlights fruitful avenues for future research.
Measuring the Success of Bivens Litigation and its Consequences for the Individual Liability Model

In Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971), the Supreme Court held that the Federal Constitution provides a cause of action in damages for violations of the Fourth Amendment by individual federal officers. The so-called “Bivens” cause of action - initially extended to other constitutional provisions and then sharply curtailed over the past two decades - has been a subject of controversy among academics and judges since its creation. The most common criticism of Bivens - one that has been repeated in different venues for thirty years - is that the Court’s individual liability model, in which the offending officer is personally liable in damages, should be abandoned in favor of a governmental liability model akin to respondeat superior liability.Commentators base their criticism of the individual liability model on two empirical assumptions: (1) Bivens suits are almost never successful; and (2) the defense of qualified immunity, available only to individuals, is a nearly insuperable barrier to plaintiffs’ prevailing in Bivens claims. On this account, a move to the governmental liability model will ensure adequate compensation and deterrence while removing a substantial barrier to plaintiffs’ success. These empirical claims about the general failure of Bivens suits and the explanation for that failure have never been tested. This Article corrects that oversight by offering the results of the first detailed empirical study of the determinants and outcomes of Bivens litigation. Based on data collected from cases filed in five district courts from 2001-2003, this Article concludes that the truths that scholars and judges have taken as a given are unsupported. Bivens claims succeed at a much higher rate than previously thought, especially compared to other civil rights litigation, and the defense of qualified immunity rarely plays a role in the outcome of Bivens litigation. These data call into question the given wisdom about the characteristics of Bivens litigation, and undermine the policy proposals that have occupied the field in Bivens scholarship.
Dynamic activity management in many-to-one sensor networks

We consider a many-to-one sensor network in which a large number of sensors are deployed to monitor an environment. We study sensor activity management therein to maximize the network lifetime while meeting the network resolution requirement. Specifically, in each transmission round the sink estimates the number of active sensors and broadcasts control information to the sensors for activity management. We first consider the case with accurate estimation, and devise a sensor activity control scheme under which the number of active sensors would converge to the minimum one that can meet the requirement. Next, we study the case when the estimation is inaccurate, and propose a stochastic approximation method to minimize the average number of active sensors.
Impact of colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment on health‐related quality of life among older Americans: A population‐based, case‐control study

BACKGROUND Data on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) changes among Americans aged ≥65 following colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis and treatment are limited. This study compared HRQoL changes among CRC patients across stages from before to after diagnosis with matched noncancer controls. METHODS This population-based study used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (MHOS) data set (1998-2007). Medicare Advantage beneficiaries diagnosed with CRC between their baseline and follow-up MHOS (n = 349) were matched to noncancer controls (n = 1745) using propensity scores. Mixed-effects analysis of covariance models estimated changes in HRQoL (measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36/Veterans RAND 12-item Survey) and the ability to perform 6 activities of daily living (ADLs) between baseline and follow-up. Logistic regression models estimated odds ratios for ADL impairments and major depressive disorder (MDD) risk. RESULTS Mean time between CRC diagnosis and follow-up MHOS was 12.3 ± 9.8 months. Compared with controls, CRC patients had significantly lower scores in all physical and mental health domains at follow-up. The greatest decrements were observed in physical health and were largely driven by declines in the 6 months postdiagnosis and in stage III and IV patients. At follow-up, CRC patients had greater overall ADL impairment and difficulty with dressing, eating, and getting in/out of chairs. CRC patients, particularly stage IV patients, had greater odds of being at risk for MDD relative to controls. CONCLUSIONS This study further underscores the adverse effects of CRC on physical health and the need to support older Americans' basic self-care needs, with attention to later-stage patients' increased debility. Cancer 2015;121:943–950. © 2014 American Cancer Society.
False positive head-up tilt: hemodynamic and neurohumoral profile.

Abstract OBJECTIVES This study examined differences in mechanisms of head-up tilt (HUT)-induced syncope between normal controls and patients with neurocardiogenic syncope. BACKGROUND A variable proportion of normal individuals experience syncope during HUT. Differences in the mechanisms of HUT-mediated syncope between this group and patients with neurocardiogenic syncope have not been elucidated. METHODS A 30-min 80° HUT was performed in eight HUT-negative volunteers (Group I), eight HUT-positive volunteers (Group II) and 15 patients with neurocardiogenic syncope. Heart rate and blood pressure (BP) were monitored continuously. Epinephrine and norepinephrine plasma levels, as well as left ventricular dimensions and contractility determined by echocardiography, were measured at baseline and at regular intervals during the test. RESULTS The main findings of this study were the following: 1) All parameters were similar at baseline in the three groups; and 2) During tilt: a) the time to syncope was shorter in Group III than in group II (9.5 ± 3 vs. 17 ± 3 min p CONCLUSIONS Mechanisms of syncope during HUT appeared to be different in normal volunteers and patients with neurocardiogenic syncope. In the latter, there was evidence of an impaired vascular resistance response from the beginning of the orthostatic challenge. Furthermore, in the patients there was more rapid peripheral blood pooling, as indicated by the echocardiographic measurements of left ventricular end-diastolic changes, leading to more precocious symptoms. In syncopal patients, the higher level of plasma epinephrine probably mediated the increased cardiac contractility and possibly contributed to the impaired vasoconstrictive response.
Human Keratoconus Cell Contractility is Mediated by Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Isoforms

Keratoconus (KC) is a progressive disease linked to defects in the structural components of the corneal stroma. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is secreted and assembled by corneal keratocytes and regulated by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). We have previously identified alterations in the TGF-β pathway in human keratoconus cells (HKCs) compared to normal corneal fibroblasts (HCFs). In our current study, we seeded HKCs and HCFs in 3D-collagen gels to identify variations in contractility, and expression of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) by HKCs in response the TGF-β isoforms. HKCs showed delayed contractility with decreased Collagen I:Collagen V ratios. TGF-β1 significantly increased ECM contraction, Collagen I, and Collagen V expression by HKCs. We also found that HKCs have significantly decreased Collagen I:Collagen III ratios suggesting a potential link to altered collagen isoform expression in KC. Our findings show that HKCs have significant variations in collagen secretion in a 3D collagen gel and have delayed contraction of the matrix compared to HCFs. For the first time, we utilize a collagen gel model to characterize the contractility and MMP expression by HKCs that may contribute to the pathobiology of KC.
The effects of gamma rays on longevity.

A number of animal model studies have assessed the capacity of long-term whole body gamma rays to affect life span. The initial goal of such studies was to establish the equivalent of a no observed adverse effects level (NOAEL) that would provide a toxicological foundation for deriving an acceptable worker exposure standard. In the course of initial studies to establish such a ‘tolerance threshold’, data emerged suggesting that low dose rates/cumulative doses enhanced longevity in mice and guinea pigs of both sexes. Extensive large scale follow-up investigations with other mouse strains and rats revealed what appear to be inter-strain/species differences in response with some models providing strong evidence for a low dose increase in longevity. The subsequent positive studies in mouse models were generally well designed, well conducted and used extensive numbers of mice. In all experiments that displayed enhanced longevity the average life span was enhanced by 10–30% but not the maximum life span potential. The underlying mechanisms affecting the apparent enhancement in longevity are believed to result from the stimulation of hematopoietic and immune systems following an initial low level chronic injury to the bone marrow.
Simplicial and Cellular Trees

Much information about a graph can be obtained by studying its spanning trees. On the other hand, a graph can be regarded as a 1-dimensional cell complex, raising the question of developing a theory of trees in higher dimension. As observed first by Bolker, Kalai, and Adin, and more recently by numerous authors, the fundamental topological properties of a tree — namely acyclicity and connectedness — can be generalized to arbitrary dimension as the vanishing of certain cellular homology groups. This point of view is consistent with the matroid-theoretic approach to graphs, and yields higher-dimensional analogues of classical enumerative results including Cayley’s formula and the matrix-tree theorem. A subtlety of the higher-dimensional case is that enumeration must account for the possibility of torsion homology in trees, which is always trivial for graphs. Cellular trees are the starting point for further high-dimensional extensions of concepts from algebraic graph theory including the critical group, cut and flow spaces, and discrete dynamical systems such as the abelian sandpile model.
Hotel Budgeting in a Multinational Environment: Results of a Pilot Study

In order to simplify the planning and control function for foreign and domestic operations, most multinational firms have put standardized and complex budgeting systems into effect. Whether or not the systems are used as intended is an unanswered question. The results of a pilot study of a multinational hotel firm indicate that as a general manager's perception of environmental uncertainty increases, a standardized budget system may be utilized in its most simplistic mode. Results also indicate that this action does not adversely influence performance. These findings contrast sharply with the prevalent trend of establishing standardized and complex budget systems throughout an organization without regard to the operating environment.
Gene-Specific Therapy for Long QT Syndrome.: QT Shortening with Lidocaine and Tocainide in Patients with Mutation of the Sodium Channel Gene

Background: One form of the hereditary long QT syndrome (LQT-3) has recently been shown to be caused by the SCN5A mutation of the human cardiac sodium channel. Cellular studies have suggested that type lb antiarrhythmics may be potentially therapeutic via preferential blockade of the resulting abnormal late inward sodium current. To test this hypothesis, we implemented a pilot study to evaluate the potential for long-term, gene-specific therapy in patients with this disease. Methods and Results: The effects of short-term intravenous lidocaine and oral tocainide were studied in three siblings: two carriers of the SCN5A mutation; and one noncarrier. The two carriers had prolonged QT intervals at baseline, 531 ms, and 566 ms, which markedly shortened with intravenous lidocaine to 438 and 482 ms, respectively. Tocainide-induced correction of the QT interval was similar in both carriers. The noncarrier did not have any significant change in the QT with either drug. One carrier was then placed on outpatient therapy with oral tocainide, and has demonstrated persistent normalization of the QT interval and T wave morphology during the past 10 months. Conclusion: This is the first demonstration of long-term outpatient treatment in LQT-3 using oral tocainide during a 10-month period. QT shortening was achieved by both intravenous lidocaine and oral tocainide, with no adverse affects. The predominant effect was a reduction in the QT onset interval, suggesting that blockade of the mutant sodium current allows repolarization to begin at an earlier time during the action potential.
Attar of Roses and Other Stories of Pakistan

These tales of Pakistani society provide an insight into family relationships, marriage, rites of passage, societal roles and the impact of political change. The title story follows the obsession of a schoolmaster with a woman whose veiled face he never sees.
Beneficial effects of minocycline and botulinum toxin-induced constraint physical therapy following experimental traumatic brain injury.

Background. Effective recovery from functional impairments caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI) requires appropriate rehabilitation therapy. Multiple pathways are involved in secondary injury and recovery suggesting a role for multimodal approaches. Objective. Here, we examined the efficacy of the anti-inflammatory agent minocycline and botulinum toxin (botox)–induced limb constraint with structured physical therapy, delivered alone or in combination, after a severe TBI produced by a controlled cortical impact in rats. Methods. Minocycline was administered at 25 mg/kg daily for 2 weeks beginning 1 day after TBI or sham surgery. For constraint/physical therapy, botox-type A was injected into the nonaffected forearm muscle 1 day after injury and 2 weeks of physical therapy commenced at 5 days after injury. Functional evaluations were conducted 8 weeks after injury. Results. Minocycline, either as a monotherapy or as combination treatment with botox/physical therapy significantly reduced impairments of spa...
Blood-brain barrier transcytosis of insulin in developing rabbits

Abstract Previous studies with isolated brain microvessels have suggested that blood insulin is selectively transported through the brain capillary, i.e. the blood-brain barrier (BBB), by receptor-mediated transcytosis. The purpose of the present study is to demonstrate in vivo the uptake of circulating 125 I-insulin by brain using thaw-mount autoradiography. However, metabolism of systemic 125 I-insulin to 125 I-tyrosine would allow for brain uptake of 125 I-tyrosine and this would preclude interpretation of the autoradiogram. Therefore, the present studies were performed in developing rabbits, since plasma protein degradation of peptides is greatly reduced in developing animals. 125 I-insulin was infused via the carotid artery at a rate of 0.25ml/min for 1,5, or 10 min, and the mean brain uptake, relative to a [ 3 H]albumin reference, was 99.3±5.5%, 110.1±4.3%, and 143.6±7.9%, respectively. This uptake was saturable by simultaneously infusing unlabeled insulin. Thaw-mount autoradiography of rabbit brain after a 10-min infusion of 125 I-insulin revealed silver grains in the pericapillary space and well within the brain parenchyma. HPLC analysis of acid-ethanol extracts of rabbit blood after a 10-min infusion showed virtually all of the 125 I-radioactivity co-migrated with a known insulin standard on a reverse-phase column, indicating minimal degradation of infused 125 I-insulin. HPLC analysis of brain radioactivity showed the major peak co-migrated with 125 I-insulin and this peak was precipitated by an anti-insulin antiserum. The correlation of the transport data, the autoradiography, and the HPLC analysis support the model that brain insulin originates from blood via receptor-mediated transport of the peptide at the BBB.
GLC determination of meprobamate in water, plasma, and urine.

Abstract A GLC method for the deter mination of meprobamate in water, plasma, and urine is described. The procedure is based on alkaline hydrolysis of meprobamate followed by silylation of the hydrolysis product to give a trimethylsilyl derivative. Quantitation of the drug was effected using a homolog of the hydrolysis product as an internal standard, which is also silylated during the procedure. The method is specific, sensitive, and reproducible and has been used for the routine analysis of biological samples obtained from meprobamate-treated dogs and humans.
Gender differences in mental and physical illness: The effects of fixed roles and nurturant roles

A decade ago it was widely assumed that there were no gender differences in mental illness/mental health and that any evidence that suggested that women experienced more psychological distress than men was due to women being more willing to admit to psychological distress, being more willing to seek treatment and/or sex bias on the part of clinicians. Furthermore, although it was widely recognized that on most indicators of physical illness women appeared to have higher rates of morbidity, it was generally assumed that the apparent higher rates of women did not reflect real differences in morbidity, but gender differences in illness behavior. A survey of the recent literature, however, shows that there is now a general consensus among social scientists that women experience more psychological distress than men and that this is largely due to aspects of their societal roles. Furthermore, in the last few years the cumulative evidence indicates that women do in fact have higher rates of morbidity than men and that this probably is also largely a consequence of their social roles. The present paper focuses on two aspects of the roles typically occupied by men and women, namely that the roles of men tended to be more structured or 'fixed' than the roles of women, while women are more likely to occupy nurturant roles than men. It is argued that highly structured or 'fixed' roles tend to be causally related to good mental health and low rates of morbidity. In contrast nurturant roles tend to impose a strain and to impair one's ability to effectively adopt a sick role and as a consequence nurturant roles are linked to poor mental health and the higher rates of morbidity. In short, it is suggested that the fixed role-hypothesis and the nurturant role hypothesis complement each other and together partially explain the higher rates of physical illness and psychological distress among women.
Isolation and characterization of a platelet surface collagen binding complex related to VLA-2.

Summary A heterodimeric, Mg++-dependent, collagen binding protein has been isolated from platelet membranes. Electrophoretic properties and monoclonal antibody reactivity indicate that the heavy chain of the complex is platelet membrane glycoprotein Ia and that the light chain is glycoprotein IIa. Furthermore, the receptor appears to be identical with the recently defined VLA-2 complex found on activated T-lymphocytes, platelets and other cells. When incorporated into liposomes, the purified complex mediates the Mg++-dependent adhesion of the liposomes to collagen substrates. These observations suggest that the VLA-2 complex mediates cellular adhesion to collagen in platelets and possibly in other cells.
The free will of corporations (and other collectives)

Moderate holists like French (Collective and corporate responsibility, 1984), Copp (J Soc Philos, 38(3):369–388, 2007), Hess (The Background of Social Reality – A Survey, 2013), Isaacs (Moral responsibility in collective contexts, 2011) and List and Pettit (Group agency: The possibility, design, and status of corporate agents, 2011) argue that certain collectives qualify as moral agents in their own right, often pointing to the corporation as an example of a collective likely to qualify. A common objection is that corporations cannot qualify as moral agents because they lack free will. The concern is that corporations (and other highly organized collectives like colleges, governments, and the military) are effectively puppets, dancing on strings controlled by external forces. The article begins by briefly presenting a novel account of corporate moral agency and then demonstrates that, on this account, qualifying corporations (and similar entities in other fields) do possess free will. Such entities possess and act from their own “actional springs”, in Haji’s (Midwest Stud Philos, 30(1):292–308, 2006) phrase, and from their own reasons-responsive mechanisms. When they do so, they act freely and are morally responsible for what they do.
Educational-debt relief for clinical investigators--a vote of confidence.

Programs of educational-debt relief sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have recently been enacted as a means of recruiting and retaining clinical investigators who perform patient-oriented research. Should these programs be extended immediately to include all physician-scientists? I am opposed to this suggestion, and my reasons follow. Background On November 13, 2000, then-President Bill Clinton signed the Public Health Improvement Act. The document contains the Clinical Research Enhancement Act, which includes provisions for the alleviation of the educational debt of nascent clinical investigators participating in the NIH extramural program.1 The proposed rules that would govern implementation of the . . .
Paramedic perceptions of challenges in out-of-hospital endotracheal intubation.

Objective. Paramedics often perform endotracheal intubation (ETI), insertion of a breathing tube, on critically ill out-of-hospital patients. Recent studies highlight important paramedic ETI shortcomings including adverse events, errors, andpoor outcomes resulting from this procedure. Little is known about workforce perceptions of these events. We sought to identify paramedic andphysician perceptions regarding the challenges andpitfalls of out-of-hospital ETI. Methods. We conducted a qualitative study involving paramedic focus groups sessions andindividual interviews with Emergency Medical Services (EMS) physician medical directors. We recorded andtranscribed all sessions. We used inductive theory construction to examine, organize, andclassify thematic patterns. Results. Fourteen paramedics and6 physicians participated. Although paramedics andphysicians recognized problems with paramedic ETI, all participants strongly felt that paramedics should continue to perform the procedure. Physicians andparamedics ...
Older Adults as a Community Resource: Results From the National Survey of Self-Care and Aging

Using data collected from the first wave of a longitudinal data set collected in the late fall and winter of 1990-1991, the National Survey of Self-Care and Aging (NSSCA), we examined the extent and type of assistance older people provided to others. Age, gender, and perceived health status were the most consistent predictors of the four types of assistance: personal care, child care, volunteer work, and listening/offering advice and support. Help with instrumental activities of daily living either alone or in combination with other activities of daily living was the most common type of personal care provided.
Coexistence of Brenner tumors with epithelial neoplasia.

Abstract The coexistence of Brenner tumors with other epithelial tumors of the ovary has been recognized for a long time. We are reporting our experience at the American University of Beirut where such a combination is present in 60% of our cases. Some of these associations are reported for the first time. Reviewing the work of others and our own experience, we feel that the Brenner tumors arise from the mesothelium and are meso-urotheliomas. We are also adding two cases of proliferating Brenner tumors to the 18 cases already reported.
Fire ant venom hypersensitivity: I. Comparison of fire ant venom and whole body extract in the diagnosis of fire ant allergy☆

Abstract Levels of IgE antibody to fire ant whole body extract (FA-WBE) and fire ant venom (FAV) were evaluated in 60 patients with clinical histories of fire ant sting hypersensitivity and 11 frequently stung individuals without significant clinical reactivity to fire ant. An overlap of levels of IgE antibody to FA-WBE and FAV was seen between groups of patients with increasingly severe clinical reactivity; however, the group mean IgE antibody level of patients without significant clinical reactivity differed markedly from the group means of patients with more severe clinical reactivity (p
Effects of organic chlorine on the chemical composition and carbon number distribution of pyrolysis tars

In order to quantify the effects of chlorine on the composition and distribution of tar products, droplets containing varying amounts of toluene and chlorinated hydrocarbon additives were pyrolyzed in nitrogen. Three chlorinated organics were studied: o-dichlorobenzene, 1,2-dichloroethane, and trichloroethylene. It was found that the pyrolysis of chloro-organics results in the sequestration of hydrogen, leading to (1) a higher propensity for soot formation, (2) a higher degree of ring fusion of the aromatic compounds produced, and (3) little chlorination of arenes at low ClH molar ratios. More specifically, little aryl chlorine was found in tars from pyrolysis at high temperatures with ClH < 0.3, and most of the aryl chlorine that was detected was bound to unfused benzene rings. Pyrolysis of fuels with higher chlorine content (0.3 < ClH < 0.6) produced tars containing significant quantities of monochlorinated and dichlorinated aromatics; in these tars, the extent of chlorine substitution decreased as aromatic carbon number increased. At a very high fuel chlorine level (ClH = 3), perchloroaromatics of low carbon number were formed almost exclusively. With regard to aromatic structure, the formation of peri-fused aromatics, including cyclopenta[cd]pyrene, and soot was favored with increasing fuel chlorine content. These results demonstrate that the role of organic chlorine in pyrolysis is governed by its preferential incorporation into HCl due to the relative instability of carbonchlorine and chlorinechlorine bonds at high temperatures.
Hemolytic uremic syndrome in small‐bowel transplant recipients: the first two case reports

Post-transplant hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is an uncommon but well-described complication in solid organ transplant recipients. Believed to be secondary to immunosuppressive therapy, it has been reported after kidney, liver, pancreas, heart, and lung transplants. In all reported cases, the primary organ affected was the kidney (transplant or native). But until now, no cases after small-bowel transplants and no cases in which the kidney was not the primary organ affected have been reported. We report two cases of HUS in small-bowel transplant recipients. In our first case, clinical presentation was with renal failure; biopsy of the native kidney demonstrated the typical histological changes seen with HUS, namely occlusion of the microcirculation by thrombi and platelet aggregation. Immunosuppression was changed from tacrolimus to cyclosporin, but with no improvement in renal function. In our second case, the transplanted bowel was the primary organ affected. This recipient presented with ulcers in the bowel mucosa, which were believed to be ischemic in origin, secondary to occlusive vascular lesions affecting the small vessels in the transplanted bowel. Her tacrolimus dose was decreased with resolution of ulcers and no evidence of rejection. These two cases represent the first reports of HUS after small-bowel transplants; in addition, our second case represents the first report of an extrarenal graft as the primary organ affected. When caring for small-bowel transplant recipients, physicians must be alert to the possibility of HUS and its various presentations.
Direction of gaze and distribution of cerebral thought processes

Abstract During verbal thought, subjects look right, and during spatial thought they look up and to the left. This effect is weakened or abolished if subjects are asked to hold central fixation, if they are confronted by an experimenter or by the sound of his voice, or if they are set to respond other than straight ahead. If precautions are taken in these respects, the phenomenon is a useful index of cerebral lateralization of cognitive function.
From local moment to mixed-valence regime in Ce 1 − x Yb x CoIn 5 alloys

We investigated the onset of the many-body coherence in the $f$-orbital single crystalline alloys ${\text{Ce}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$${\text{Yb}}_{x}$${\text{CoIn}}_{5}$ ($0\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}0.775$) through thermodynamic and magnetotransport measurements. Our study shows the evolution of the many-body electronic state as the Kondo lattice of Ce moments is transformed into an array of Ce impurities. Specifically, we observe a crossover from the predominantly localized Ce moment regime to the predominantly itinerant Yb $f$-electronic states regime for about 60$%$ of Yb doping. Our analysis of the residual resistivity data unveils the presence of correlations between Yb ions, while from our analysis of specific heat data we conclude that for $0.65\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}0.775$, Yb $f$ electrons strongly interact with the conduction electrons while the Ce moments remain completely decoupled. The sublinear temperature dependence of resistivity across the whole range of Yb concentrations suggest the presence of a unconventional scattering mechanism for the conduction electrons.
Influence of Solute Structure on Deviations from the Log-Linear Solubility Equation in Propylene Glycol: Water Mixtures

Abstract The solubilities of the methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl esters of p-hydroxy- and p-aminobenzoates have been determined in propylene glycol:water mixtures. The log of the observed solubility data in propylene glycol:water mixtures was examined for deviations from the following equation: In X i = fIn(X c ) + (1 - f) In (X w ), where X i is the calculated mole fractional solubility of the solute, f is the volume fraction of cosolvent, X c is the observed mole fractional solubility in the neat cosolvent, and X w is the solubility in water. In each case, the deviations from the predicted solubilities demonstrated a characteristic pattern. Positive deviations were observed at high volume fractions of cosolvent, while negative deviations were observed at low volume fractions. The magnitude of the deviations at low volume fractions of cosolvent was related to the carbon chain length within each group of esters. A similar phenomenon was not observed at high volume fractions of cosolvent; however, the magnitude of the deviations was dependent on the nature of the polar group on the ester. The data are interpreted in terms of the possible effects of solvent structure on the solubility of the solutes.
1H-refocused gradient imaging of solids

Abstract A method is demonstrated for solid-state NMR imaging in which homonuclear dipolar couplings and inhomogeneous broadening are removed, but the imaging capability of the magnetic field gradients is preserved. The approach is based on a variant of refocused gradient imaging, in which the effective field describing the average Hamiltonian is periodically reversed. This approach is compared with wideline imaging in which no homonuclear decoupling is applied and with RF line-narrowing approaches such as MREV-8. This new method is used to provide a two-dimensional 'H NMR image of the engineering polymer polyacrylic.
Immunological challenge modulates brain orphanin FQ/nociceptin and nociceptive behavior.

Orphanin FQ/Nociceptin (OFQ/N), an endogenous peptide found throughout the central nervous system, has been attributed with a wide range of functions, including modulation of motivational and emotional behavior, but most prominently, facilitation of hyperalgesia. It has also been shown that brain OFQ/N is stimulated during locally-induced peripheral inflammation, a condition well known to increase pain sensitivity. However, few studies have addressed whether specific immunological challenge using T-cell dependent and independent stimuli alters OFQ/N gene activation in the brain. Consequently, male C57BL/6J mice were challenged with 5 microg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or a T-cell-activating bacterial superantigen, Staphyloccocal enterotoxin A (SEA), and levels of brain OFQ/N precursor, pNOC, mRNA were analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. In addition, nociceptive thresholds were examined in immunologically challenged mice using the hotplate test. Initial results on a combined region of the brain containing various limbic components, revealed increased levels of pNOC mRNA in response to SEA challenge, but not to LPS. Further analysis of more discrete brain regions revealed increased pNOC mRNA in the hypothalamus and amygdala in response to SEA. Interestingly, challenge with SEA, but not LPS, significantly reduced hindpaw-lick latency in the hot plate test, although this effect was observed only if the hotplate environment was unfamiliar, suggesting an interaction between immunological stimulation and novelty-induced stress. Since SEA induces various cytokines, including TNF-alpha, these results are consistent with a growing literature documenting the effects of cytokines on nociceptive functions, and a possible involvement of the OFQ/nociceptin system.
New Thrombotic Events in Ischemic Stroke Patients with Elevated Factor VIII

Background. Heightened levels of Factor VIII (FVIII) have been associated with both arterial and venous thrombosis. While elevated FVIII is common during acute ischemic stroke (AIS), whether elevated FVIII confers an increased risk for recurrent thrombotic events (RTEs) following AIS has not been previously explored. Methods. Consecutive AIS patients who presented to our center between July 2008 and September 2013 and had FVIII measured during admission were identified from our stroke registry. Baseline characteristics and the occurrence of RTE (recurrent or progressive ischemic stroke, DVT/PE, and MI) were compared in patients with and without elevated FVIII levels. Results. Of the 298 patients included, 203 (68.1%) had elevated FVIII levels. Patients with elevated FVIII had higher rates of any in-hospital RTE (18.7% versus 8.4%, P = 0.0218). This association remained after adjustment for baseline stroke severity and etiology (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.01, P = 0.0013). Rates of major disability were also higher in patients who experienced a RTE (17.8% versus 3.2%, P < 0.0001). Conclusion. A significantly higher frequency of in-hospital RTEs occurred in AIS patients with elevated FVIII. The occurrence of such events was associated with higher morbidity. Further study is indicated to evaluate whether FVIII is a candidate biomarker for increased risk of RTEs following AIS.
Regulation of CD23 in the chronic inflammatory response in asthma: a role for interferon-γ and heat shock protein 70 in the TH2 environment

Background Monocytic cells and alveolar macrophages (AMs) are activated in patients with asthma, producing inflammatory cytokines. This occurs despite a T H 2 environment that consists of the cytokines interleukin (IL) 4, IL-10, and IL-13. The mechanism by which this occurs may involve cross-linking of the low-affinity IgE receptor CD23. Objectives To determine the effect of the T H 2 environment with interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70) on CD23 receptor expression and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) production. Methods We examined the effect of IL-4 and IL-13 in culture with IFN-γ and HSP 70 on CD23 expression in both THP-1 cells and AMs from healthy controls via flow cytometry. AMs from mild asthmatic patients and THP-1 cells were evaluated for TNF-α production after cross-linking CD23 with immune complexes. Results Asthmatic AMs stimulated with anti-IgE exhibited a 5.7- ± 1.9-fold increase in TNF-α protein. AMs from healthy controls increased the geometric mean ± SD of CD23 2.00- ± 0.50-fold in IL-4 and 2.14- ± 0.50-fold in IL-13. THP-1 cells cultured with IL-4 and IL-13 then stimulated with IFN-γ or HSP 70 increased CD23 expression above baseline as follows: IL-4, 2.16- ± 0.31-fold; IL-13, 2.66- ± 0.43-fold; IFN-γ, 2.03- ± 0.34-fold; IL-4/IFN-γ, 9.14- to 4.02-fold; IL-13/IFN-γ, 11.51- ± 5.51-fold; IL-4/HSP, 5.20- ± 0.61-fold; and IL-13/HSP, 5.60- ± 0.79-fold. Stimulating the CD23 receptor with immune complexes significantly increased TNF-α production by THP-1 cells stimulated with IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-13, or a combination of these. Conclusions Both IFN-γ and HSP 70, in the T H 2 environment, up-regulate CD23 expression and thus may play an important role in maintaining the chronic inflammatory state in asthma.
Biological structure and dynamics of littoral fish assemblages in the Eastern Finger Lakes

Fish assemblages from three of the New York Finger Lakes were examined for structure within and between lakes and over time. Species-area relationships indicated that local fish assemblages are the result of recent, lake-specific events that altered the regional species pool. Fish assemblages varied among seasons and those occupying eutrophic waters had different characteristics from those in oligotrophic waters. Bluntnose minnows ( Pimephales notatus ) were a persistent and important component of most assemblages, but abundance of bluegill ( Lepomis macrochirus ) was the most distinguishing feature. Species associations indicated that interactions among the fishes had little influence on assemblage structure. Correlations between community structure and abiotic factors were identified. Ten abiotic variables were strongly associated with the species assemblages, but could not fully explain differences between assemblages. Results indicate that the abundance and diversity of water column feeders was relate...
Estimation of C–S-H and calcium hydroxide for cement pastes containing slag and silica fume

Abstract The estimation of Calcium–Silicate–Hydrate (C–S–H) in pure Portland cement paste is difficult due to the uncertainty in obtaining the reasonably accurate Ca/Si ratio. The replacement of pure Portland cement with mineral admixtures further complicates the estimation process due to the formation of a secondary C–S–H with different Ca/Si ratios. This study considered a novel approach of using combined microanalysis by Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and nonlinear optimization to accurately define the Ca/Si ratio for Portland cement pastes containing slag and silica fume at four different ages. Based on the Ca/Si ratios, the volumes of primary and secondary C–S–H, and calcium hydroxide were estimated. The volume fractions of the primary C–S–H predicted by the optimization method were found to be in close agreement with the experimentally obtained values from EDS. The estimated mass fractions of calcium hydroxide from EDS and those obtained by thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) also agreed well with R2 of 0.97.
Bugs as deviant behavior: a general approach to inferring errors in systems code

A major obstacle to finding program errors in a real system is knowing what correctness rules the system must obey. These rules are often undocumented or specified in an ad hoc manner. This paper demonstrates techniques that automatically extract such checking information from the source code itself, rather than the programmer, thereby avoiding the need for a priori knowledge of system rules.The cornerstone of our approach is inferring programmer "beliefs" that we then cross-check for contradictions. Beliefs are facts implied by code: a dereference of a pointer, p, implies a belief that p is non-null, a call to "unlock(1)" implies that 1 was locked, etc. For beliefs we know the programmer must hold, such as the pointer dereference above, we immediately flag contradictions as errors. For beliefs that the programmer may hold, we can assume these beliefs hold and use a statistical analysis to rank the resulting errors from most to least likely. For example, a call to "spin_lock" followed once by a call to "spin_unlock" implies that the programmer may have paired these calls by coincidence. If the pairing happens 999 out of 1000 times, though, then it is probably a valid belief and the sole deviation a probable error. The key feature of this approach is that it requires no a priori knowledge of truth: if two beliefs contradict, we know that one is an error without knowing what the correct belief is.Conceptually, our checkers extract beliefs by tailoring rule "templates" to a system --- for example, finding all functions that fit the rule template "a must be paired with b." We have developed six checkers that follow this conceptual framework. They find hundreds of bugs in real systems such as Linux and OpenBSD. From our experience, they give a dramatic reduction in the manual effort needed to check a large system. Compared to our previous work [9], these template checkers find ten to one hundred times more rule instances and derive properties we found impractical to specify manually.
Demand for consumer durable goods in 20th century America

Abstract In the United States in the 1920s, households purchased more durable goods and substituted these goods for conventional instruments of saving in their asset portfolios. Using a gradual stock-adjustment model, demand for durable goods is estimated by commodity group for several periods between 1902 and 1983. Demand changed after World War I for all durable goods except china and house furnishings. Increased availability of installment credit helps explain the simultaneous shifts in demand and saving.
Simulation of chemisorption on a semiconductor surface

Abstract We have developed a technique that permits computer simulations of atomic motion in covalently-bonded systems. Here we report initial studies of chemisorption on the (110) surface of GaAs.
GHz apertureless near-field scanning optical microscopy of ferroelectric nanodomain dynamics.

Nanoscale domain dynamics of (Ba,Sr)TiO3 thin films are investigated at microwave frequencies with a home-developed GHz-frequency apertureless near-field scanning optical microscope (GHz-ANSOM). Using a microwave phase-modulation technique, we decoupled topographic artifacts from the optical signal, providing an enhanced and background-free temporal response. Interleaved acquisition of images taken at sequential time intervals provides amplitude and phase information about the electrooptic response at <50 nm spatial resolution and <10 ps temporal resolution. The local microwave response is highly nonuniform in both the amplitude and the phase.
Multi-scale methods and complex processes: A survey and look ahead

Abstract A comprehensive overview of multi-scale methods is presented with a focus on the ways in which information is communicated between scales. Liquid density computations, which are important in phase equilibrium of carbon storage, are used to illustrate multi-scale process engineering ideas. It is shown that using the Gibbs–Helmholtz equation to constrain the energy parameter in cubic equations of state leads to (1) a natural bridge between bulk and molecular length scales, (2) a new Gibbs–Helmholtz constrained equation of state, and (3) a novel mixing rule, and that the GHC equation can be coupled to NTP molecular simulations to provide more accurate predictions of density for use in phase equilibrium computations and reservoir simulations. Improvements for the next generation of multi-scale tools for analysis, visualization, simulation, and optimization of complex processes including the need to proceed with partial knowledge, multiplicity at various length scales, problems with many scales, and methods for predicting behavior over very long time and length scales are also discussed.
Beauveria bassiana haplotype determination based on nuclear rDNA internal transcribed spacer PCR±RFLP

DNA sequence alignment of the nuclear 5.8S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and internal transcribed spacers (ITS) from Beauveria bassiana demonstrated that 6.62% sequence variation existed between nine isolates. A higher level of mutation was observed within the ITS regions, where 8.39% divergence occurred. Polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism, PCR-RFLP, and DNA sequence alignment of the ITS1 and ITS2 regions identified seven polymorphic restriction endonuclease sites, Alu I, Hha I, Hinf I, Sin I, Tru 9AI and two Tha I restriction sites. The allelic frequency of each genetic marker was determined from 96 isolates. PCR-RFLP defined 24 B. bassiana genotypes within the sample set, from which eight phylogenetic clusters were predicted to exist. AMOVA and Fst (θ) indicated that no significant correlation existed between B. bassiana haplotype and insect host range as defined by insect order from which each isolate was derived.
Minimizing power consumption in multiple-fan networks by equalizing fan pressure

Abstract An analysis is presented for multiple-fan ventilation networks where the total air quantity and the resistances for all branches are given. It is shown that the condition of equal fan pressure holds for a set of fans associated with a special class of cutsets when the total air power of the network is minimized. With this condition, the problem of minimizing the total air power simplifies to the solution of the single-fan problem. The theoretical basis for cutset operations is presented and the conditions under which the total air power remains unchanged in the cutset operation are discussed. These conditions are useful in exploring the alternative solutions that have the same total air power and air quantities as the known network solution.
Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis for Genomic Analysis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is a technique for analyzing large DNA fragments. PFGE was compared to auxotyping and Por serovar (A/S) classification to determine its utility in the study of gonococcal infection, subtyping A/S classes, and clone identification. PFGE patterns were stable in vitro after 2 isolates were passaged 50 times, and those from sex partners were indistinguishable with both enzymes. Fourteen proline-requiring IA-6 isolates from Kenya produced 8 NheI and 7 XbaI patterns; these included 6 Tet M-carrying isolates, all producing the same NheI pattern. PFGE patterns of 14 arginine-, hypoxanthine-, and uracil-requiring IA-1,2 isolates, from the US Pacific Northwest and Hawaii in 1993, were less diverse with both enzymes. PFGE analysis represents a potentially useful addition to the current gonococcal classification system.