cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of spinal cord interneurons by narcotic microinjection and focal electrical stimulation in the periaqueductal gray matter

Single cell evoked activity was recorded from spinal cord interneurons in rats prepared with microinjection cannulae or stimulating electrodes in the periaqueductal central gray matter (PAG). Morphine microinjections (4-16 microgram) inhibited the response evoked by a noxious stimulus in 55% of the wide dynamic range neurons tested. Microinjections of etorphine (0.25-0.5 microgram) inhibited 82% of the nociceptive neurons tested. Neither drug inhibited neurons which responded only to innocuous mechanical stimulation. The inhibition of wide dynamic range neurons produced by narcotic microinjection was antagonized by naloxone (1 mg/kg, i.p.) in 7 of 11 cases. Control experiments indicated that the effects obtained with microinjections could not be attributed to the drugs' diffusion to the spinal cord. Focal electrical stimulation of the PAG inhibited the responses to noxious stimuli of 60% of wide dynamic range neurons but was without effect on the responses of neurons that were activated only by innocuous stimuli. These experiments directly demonstrate that narcotic analgesics restricted to an intracerebral site of action activate a neural system which preferentially inhibits the responses of spinal cord wide dynamic range neurons to noxious stimuli. The system has a specificity for nociceptive input since non-nociceptive neurons were unaffected. Directly comparable results were produced by electrical stimulation of the PAG, supporting the concept that stimulation and narcotics modulate the transmission of nociceptive information by similar mechanisms.
Single-Measurement Excitation/Emission Matrix Spectrofluorometer for Determination of Hydrocarbons in Ocean Water. 2. Calibration and Quantitation of Naphthalene and Styrene

An excitation/emission matrix imaging spectrofluorometer was employed for quantitation of two fluorescent compounds, naphthalene and styrene, contained in ocean water exposed to gasoline. Multidimensional parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis models were used to resolve the naphthalene and styrene fluorescence spectra from a complex background signal and overlapping spectral interferents not included in the calibration set. Linearity was demonstrated over 2 orders of magnitude for determination of naphthalene with a detection limit of 8 parts per billion. Similarly, nearly 2 orders of magnitude of linearity was demonstrated in the determination of styrene with an 11 ppb limit of detection. Furthermore, the synthesis of the EEM spectrofluorometer and the PARAFAC analysis for unbiased prediction of naphthalene and styrene concentration in mixture samples containing uncalibrated spectral interferents was demonstrated.
A regional atmospheric fate and transport model for atrazine. 1. Development and implementation.

The Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system is adapted to simulate the regional transport and fate of atrazine, one of the most widely used herbicides in the United States. Model chemistry and deposition are modified, and a gas-to-particle partitioning algorithm is added to accommodate semivolatile behavior. The partitioning algorithm depends on humidity, temperature, and particulate matter concentration and composition. Results indicate that gaseous atrazine will usually dominate warm season atmospheric concentrations, but particulate form can surpass gas forms when atmospheric humidity is high (>70%) and less-acidic (pH > 2.5) aqueous aerosol component is present. Implementation of the modified CMAQ for atrazine is illustrated, and, within the limits of our current understanding, preliminary transport and fate patterns appear to be reasonable. This research represents one of the first attempts to include a gas-to-particulate matter partitioning mechanism in an Eulerian grid-model.
Photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy of Fe-doped GaP☆

Abstract Photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectroscopy has been carried out at 4.2K on the ∾.41 eV Fe 2+ ( 5 T 2 → 5 E) photoluminescence (PL) band in Fe-diffused GaP. The PLE spectrum exhibits a strong, broad, extrinsic (below-gap) band with low energy onset at ∾1.27 eV. This extrinsic PLE band is attributed to the charge transfer transition hν ≧ 1.27 eV + Fe 3+ (3d 5 )→Fe 2+∗ (3d 6 , 5 T 2 ) + h + (VB). The 0.41 eV PL energy then places the Fe 2+ (3d 6 , 5 T 2 ) ground state ∾.86 eV above the valence band. We have also interpreted extrinsic bands in the PLE spectra of the Fe 2+ PL in InP:Fe and GaAs:Fe in terms of the same charge transfer transition. Comparison of the results in GaP:Fe, InP:Fe, and GaAs:Fe and correlations of the PLE onsets in all three materials with reported absorption, photoconductivity, photoionization, etc., spectra are discussed.
0072 Prescription opioids: the real story

Statement of purpose The overprescribing of opioids has led to increased addiction, overdose death, and violent crime. To create a culture of safety, communities would benefit by decreasing the number of opioids prescribed. Often when considering policy to control the overprescribing of opioids, we hear from opioid supporters who claim that by reducing the number of opioids prescribed, we will hurt those in pain who need these medications. This talk will show that for the great majority of people with pain, opioids are not a good option and that by reducing the prescribing of these medications, we will actually be treating pain better. Methods/Approach Review of medical literature to examine the efficacy and dangers of various classes of pain medications including opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen. Results Efficacy NSAIDs are the most effective pain medications. Opioids and acetaminophen have similar efficacy. The combination of an NSAID and acetaminophen is the best for pain relief. Side-effects NSAID medications can cause gastrointestinal, renal and cardiac side-effects. The GI and renal effects are dose-dependent and low dose ibuprofen has a side-effect profile similar to placebo. Acetaminophen can cause liver damage in higher doses. Opioids surprisingly also have GI, renal, and cardiac side-effects. In addition, opioids have powerful psychotherapeutic effects that can lead to dependence and addiction. Conclusions In the treatment of pain, NSAID medications like ibuprofen and naproxen are both more effective in the treatment of pain and are safer than opioid pain relievers. Significance and contribution to the field In both policy development and community action, we must not let rhetoric and emotion supplant science and knowledge in the discussions on opioid prescribing, opioid abuse, opioid addiction, and opioid overdose. Abundant scientific research has shown that policies and activities that reduce the number of opioid prescriptions will improve the treatment of pain, and reduce the multiple adverse economic and public health effects of opioids.
Performance of very high density charge coupled devices

The results of an experimental study of the performance of very high density 8, 128, and 256 bit CCD shift register structures are presented. The primary topics discussed include transfer efficiency, frequency response, impact of "fat zero" operation, and observed temperature dependency.
Interferometry of charged particles in intermediate energy collisions

Abstract The measurement of correlated particles at small relative momenta provides unique information about the internal excitation and space-time extent of the fragmenting system at freezeout where the probability of further interactions becomes less than unity. Correlation functions for the most energetic particles are consistent with emission from regions of rather limited space-time extent. Lower energy particles are emitted from regions which are more extended, either because the fragmenting system is long-lived or it has expanded to low densities. Measurements of the populations of excited states of fragmentation products indicate a low intrinsic excitation at freezeout. The intrinsic excitation is surprisingly insensitive to incident energy which suggests that freezeout may occur at constant temperature rather than constant density as had been previously assumed.
Atlantic Ocean circulation during the Younger Dryas: Insights from a new Cd/Ca record from the western subtropical South Atlantic

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2003. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Paleoceanography 18 (2003): 1086, doi:10.1029/2003PA000888.
Community collective efficacy: structure and consequences of perceived capacities in the Blacksburg Electronic Village

Bandura's social cognitive construct "perceived self-efficacy" has been used widely to understand individual behavior as a function of domain-specific beliefs about personal capacities. Collective efficacy is the extension of the self-efficacy construct to organizations and groups; it refers to beliefs about collective capacities in specific domains. Our research is investigating the use of collective efficacy in understanding attitudes and behaviors of members of proximal residential communities with respect to issues like attachment, engagement, and sociality, specifically as modulated by use of the Internet and community networks. This paper describes our analysis of the structure and external validity of the collective efficacy construct.
Higher-Order Cellular Information Processing with Synthetic RNA Devices

The engineering of biological systems is anticipated to provide effective solutions to challenges that include energy and food production, environmental quality, and health and medicine. Our ability to transmit information to and from living systems, and to process and act on information inside cells, is critical to advancing the scale and complexity at which we can engineer, manipulate, and probe biological systems. We developed a general approach for assembling RNA devices that can execute higher-order cellular information processing operations from standard components. The engineered devices can function as logic gates (AND, NOR, NAND, or OR gates) and signal filters, and exhibit cooperativity. RNA devices process and transmit molecular inputs to targeted protein outputs, linking computation to gene expression and thus the potential to control cellular function.
Family caregiving skill: development of the concept.

Families increasingly are expected to provide complex care at home to ill relatives. Such care requires a level of caregiving knowledge and skill unprecedented among lay persons, yet family caregiving skill has never been formally developed as a concept in nursing. The purpose of the study reported here was to develop the concept of family caregiving skill systematically through qualitative analysis of interviews with patients (n = 30) receiving chemotherapy for cancer and their primary family caregivers (n = 29). Open coding and constant comparison constituted the analytic methods. Sixty-three indicators of caregiving skill were identified for nine core caregiving processes. Family caregiving skill was defined as the ability to engage effectively and smoothly in these nine processes. Properties of family caregiving skill also were identified. Conceptualizing skill as a variable and identifying indicators of varying levels of skill provides a basis for measurement and will allow clinicians to more precisely assess family caregiving skill.
Within-Host Interactions of Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Nucleopolyhedrosis Virus and Entomophaga maimaiga (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales)

Abstract The interaction of two gypsy moth ( Lymantria dispar ) pathogens, a nucleopolyhedrosis virus (LdNPV) and a fungus ( Entomophaga maimaiga ), were studied by assessing mortality among dually inoculated hosts. When fourth and fifth instar gypsy moths were inoculated with a range of doses of LdNPV and a fixed dose of E. maimaiga on the same day, the majority of larvae died from E. maimaiga infections regardless of the dose of LdNPV. When the larvae were inoculated with E. maimaiga 10 days after LdNPV, there was an apparent increase in mortality of hosts induced by LdNPV. Among the fourth instars, the mortality due to LdNPV in the presence of E. maimaiga was significantly higher when insects were reared at 25 than at 20°C. At 25°C, the LD 50 of LdNPV for fifth instars was twofold greater than that for fourth instars. For those larvae that died from LdNPV, the median survival time (ST 50 ) of dually inoculated fourth and fifth instars was ca. 1 day shorter than those inoculated with LdNPV alone. The number of LdNPV occlusion bodies produced in the cadavers from the dually inoculated larvae was lower than those inoculated with LdNPV alone.
Concentration-dependent effects of antimicrobials on Staphylococcus aureus toxin-mediated cytokine production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Background Toxins contribute to the pathogenicity of Staphylococcus aureus infections by inducing a dysregulated inflammatory response. This study evaluated the impact of anti-staphylococcal antibiotic exposures over an increasing concentration range on cytokine production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after S. aureus toxin exposures. Methods Human PBMCs were suspended in complete Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) 1640 medium with 10% fetal bovine serum at 10(6) cells/mL with 100 ng/mL S. aureus toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA), α-toxin or Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL). Vancomycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, tigecycline, daptomycin, linezolid, clindamycin and azithromycin were added at a concentration range of 0.5-100 mg/L. Cytokine [interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)] concentrations were measured in duplicate by ELISA following exposure and were compared with response with toxin alone. Results At concentrations approximating serum C(max), tigecycline decreased IL-6 by 52%-57% and IFN-γ production by 43%-53% compared with toxin alone (P ≤ 0.05) and linezolid inhibited TNF-α by 12%-35% and IL-8 by 25%-42% (P ≤ 0.02). However, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole increased TNF-α and IL-8 production (P = 0.002). Clindamycin, daptomycin, vancomycin and azithromycin had no consistent significant effect at approximate serum C(max) concentrations. All antibiotics had a concentration-dependent effect on cytokine production, with tigecycline, clindamycin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole being the most potent inhibitors of cytokine production at concentrations exceeding 25 mg/L. Conclusions S. aureus toxins stimulate production of inflammatory cytokines in PBMCs. Antimicrobials with high tissue penetration, including tigecycline, clindamycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and linezolid, reduced cytokine production, which, along with their antimicrobial effects, may have importance in the therapeutic outcome of severe infections.
PPAR action in insulin resistance unraveled by metabolomics: potential clinical implications

Metabolomic analysis will provide the next large set of clues to further our understanding of human health and disease. A recent study has elucidated the significant differences in the metabolomes of adipocytes, serum and an adipocyte cell line after activation of two nuclear receptors, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor β/δ (PPARβ/δ) and PPARγ. These findings hold great promise for explaining fundamental differences in the mechanisms of PPAR agonists and for identifying targets for the treatment of diabetes.
Vaccine design via nonnegative lasso‐based variable selection

There are many different strains of malaria parasites, each represented by a unique sequence of amino acids. A desirable vaccine would match the amino acid sequence of the parasite antigen. Because of the three-dimensional structure of protein, not all sites in the amino acid sequence participate in the binding between the vaccine-induced antibody and the parasite antigen. Nor do all sites have equal importance. In this work, we apply a nonnegative lasso-based variable selection to identify the ‘important’ amino acid sites and evaluate their relative importance. We then define a metric, the functional coverage, to measure the ‘effective’ matching in the amino acid sequence between the vaccine and the parasite. With the variable selection procedure, development of a vaccine needs only to target the important sites, and the potential effectiveness of a vaccine candidate is reflected by the functional coverage. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Conjugated Polymer Photovoltaic Cells

Conjugated polymers are attractive semiconductors for photovoltaic cells because they are strong absorbers and can be deposited on flexible substrates at low cost. Cells made with a single polymer and two electrodes tend to be inefficient because the photogenerated excitons are usually not split by the built-in electric field, which arises from differences in the electrode work functions. The efficiency can be increased by splitting the excitons at an interface between two semiconductors with offset energy levels. Power conversion efficiencies of almost 4% have been achieved by blending polymers with electron-accepting materials such as C60 derivatives, cadmium selenide, and titanium dioxide. We predict that efficiencies higher than 10% can be achieved by optimizing the cell's architecture to promote efficient exciton splitting and charge transport and by reducing the band gap of the polymer so that a larger fraction of the solar spectrum can be absorbed.
Uterine prolapse associated with bladder exstrophy: surgical management and subsequent pregnancy.

Congenital bladder exstrophy affects 1 in 125,000 to 250,000 females. Consisting of absence of the anterior abdominal wall with exposure of the ureteral orifices, failure of pubic symphysis fusion, and deficient anterior pelvic diaphragm musculature, bladder exstrophy is frequently associated with genital prolapse. Pregnancy may be complicated by recurrent urinary tract infections, preterm labor, mild procidentia, and malpresentation. Due to the rarity of the condition, there is a corresponding scarcity of obstetric literature regarding management during pregnancy. We report the case of a young woman with surgically repaired bladder exstrophy who developed genital prolapse. The uterus was suspended using a sacral colpopexy utilizing a Gore-Tex graft. Subsequently, the patient became pregnant and delivered a healthy male infant at 35 weeks' gestation via cesarean section (without recurrence of the genital prolapse postpartum). Sacral colpopexy to correct genital prolapse associated with bladder exstrophy m...
Abnormal EMG muscle activity during gait in patients without neurological disorders.

Abnormal muscle activity in patients with a central neurological disorder is commonly attributed to the underlying condition. This study considered abnormal muscle activity in orthopaedic patients who had no neurological involvement. Thirty-nine patients with a variety of orthopaedic problems underwent gait analysis, which included measurement of passive range of motion at the legs, manual muscle strength testing (MMST), instrumented gait analysis, and surface electromyography (EMG). Abnormal timing and duration of EMG activity was found in 51/77 legs. Muscle weakness was the most important cause of the abnormal EMG activity (p < 0.001). However, abnormal muscle activity did not correspond to the joint which was controlled by the weak muscles. The triceps surae muscle, represented by the medial gastrocnemius, was significantly more involved (68.6%). Co-activity of the knee extensors and hamstrings was found in 17% of the affected legs. Three out of the 51 legs showed a continuous activity of the rectus femoris muscle in swing. These findings illustrate mechanisms to compensate for muscle weakness in stance in neurologically intact subjects.
Poster 69 Waiting to Inhale: Electrodiagnosis of A Left Phrenic Nerve Palsy After Chiropractic Cervical Manipulation: A Case Report

Disclosures: C. M. Roque-Dang, none. Patients or Programs: A 50-year-old man. Program Description: The patient had presented with the chief complaint of dyspnea for several months. He reported that he had chiropractic treatment for cervicalgia and, on the day after cervical manipulation, developed unexplained dyspnea with mild exertional activities. Due to his worsening symptoms, he terminated his chiropractic visits and was evaluated by his primary care physician and a neurologist. Pertinent radiographic imaging included a SNIFF fluoroscopic examination, which revealed left hemidiaphragmatic paralysis and a chest radiograph that demonstrated an elevated left hemidiaphragm. Based on the patient’s history and radiographic imaging a electrodiagnostic testing was then performed to rule out a left phrenic nerve palsy. Setting: Outpatient private practice office. Results: On motor nerve conduction studies, he was found to have delayed distal latencies of the left phrenic nerve. Electromyography revealed reduced recruitment throughout the left hemidiaphragm, rare spontaneous denervation potentials in the left lateral diaphragm, and complex and nascent polyphasic single motor unit potentials in the left anterior diaphragm. The electrodiagnostic findings were consistent a left phrenic nerve segmental demyelinated injury. We referred the patient to a plastic surgeon, who performed a left phrenic nerve reconstruction. After surgery, the patient had improved respiratory function and activity tolerance. Discussion: A phrenic nerve injury that resulted in symptomatic diaphragmatic paralysis is most commonly associated with cardiothoracic surgery or malignancy. There are only a few cases that report phrenic nerve palsies sustained from chiropractic cervical manipulation. In these isolated reports, electrodiagnosis was not routinely used to detect these lesions. Conclusions: Reported is an unusual case of unilateral phrenic nerve palsy sustained after chiropractic manipulation. Before receiving cervical spine manipulation, patients should be counseled of this possible and serious complication. Electrodiagnostic studies are useful in phrenic nerve injury diagnosis and treatment determination.
Mindbrain and Play-Literacy Connections.

Research on the relationship between play and early literacy flourished in the 1990s but slowed to a trickle at the start of the new millennium. As we see it, play—literacy research is stuck in a theoretical and methodological rut. Two promising conceptual frameworks — connectionist and dynamic systems theories — can supply the thrust needed to get this important area of research moving forward again. We give examples of how Fischer’s dynamic skill theory provides analytic tools for examining data on play and literacy, including partially ordered scaling of items (POSI), dynamic modeling, and dynamic assessment. These new tools and theoretical lenses have the potential to answer the essential question: Does play make a difference in early literacy development?
The role of modeling in the calibration of the Chandra's optics

The mirrors flown in the Chandra Observatory are, without doubt, some of the most exquisite optics ever flown on a space mission. Their angular resolution is matched by no other X-ray observatory, existing or planned. The promise of that performance, along with a goal of achieving 1% calibration of the optics' characteristics, led to a decision early in the construction and assembly phase of the mission to develop an accurate and detailed model of the optics and their support structure. This model has served in both engineering and scientific capacities; as a cross-check of the design and a predictor of scientific performance; as a driver of the ground calibration effort; and as a diagnostic of the as-built performance. Finally, it serves, directly and indirectly, as the primary vehicle with which Chandra observers interpret the contribution of the optics' characteristics to their data. We present the underlying concepts in the model, as well the mechanical, engineering and metrology inputs. We discuss its use during ground calibration and as a characterization of on-orbit performance. Finally, we present measures of the model's accuracy, where further improvements may be made, and its applicability to other missions.
SnO 2 /NiO composite thin films for formaldehyde detection

Formaldehyde (HCHO) is a volatile organic compound that outgasses from textiles and composite wood products, with adverse health effects resulting from prolonged exposure to concentrations of ∼ 10 ppb in air. Commercially available HCHO sensors struggle to detect HCHO at such low concentrations. Tin dioxide (SnO 2 ) / nickel oxide (NiO) polycrystalline composite films have shown sensitivity to ∼ 100 ppb via resistance measurements. Here we explore several thin SnO 2 /NiO films produced by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), varying preparation parameters including NiO loading and substrate temperature during deposition. These variables are shown to affect both composition and morphology, as characterized by XPS, XRD, SEM, and SEM-EDX. Here we report the response time and sensitivity of these sensor materials to HCHO concentrations from ∼ 10 ppb to 1000 ppb at various operating temperatures.
Linking Travel Behavior and Location in Chengdu, China: Geographically Weighted Approach

This study uses geographically weighted regressions and multilevel models to understand the implications of location and attitudinal characteristics for travel behavior in Chengdu, China. In particular, the estimated distance traveled and the mode choice of nonmotorized versus motorized vehicles for work- and school-related trips were examined by using a recent household trip diary data set. The results suggest that location characteristics may be influential in the prediction of travel behavior but cannot be fully captured by simple categorization such as inner ring location versus peripheral location. Variations in travel behavior can be related to socioeconomic and location variables in ways that vary by location in a complex manner. Policy makers should therefore reconsider the role that location and attitudinal implications may play in meeting travel demand in rapidly developing cities like Chengdu.
Climate change scenarios for the California region

To investigate possible future climate changes in California, a set of climate change model simulations was selected and evaluated. From the IPCC Fourth Assessment, simulations of twenty-first century climates under a B1 (low emissions) and an A2 (a medium-high emissions) emissions scenarios were evaluated, along with occasional comparisons to the A1fi (high emissions) scenario. The climate models whose simulations were the focus of the present study were from the Parallel Climate Model (PCM1) from NCAR and DOE, and the NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory CM2.1 model (GFDL). These emission scenarios and attendant climate simulations are not "predictions," but rather are a purposely diverse set of examples from among the many plausible climate sequences that might affect California in the next century. Temperatures over California warm significantly during the twenty-first century in each simulation, with end-of-century temperature increases from approximately +1.5°C under the lower emissions B1 scenario in the less responsive PCM1 to +4.5°C in the higher emissions A2 scenario within the more responsive GFDL model. Three of the simulations (all except the B1 scenario in PCM1) exhibit more warming in summer than in winter. In all of the simulations, most precipitation continues to occur in winter. Relatively small (less than ~10%) changes in overall precipitation are projected. The California landscape is complex and requires that model information be parsed out onto finer scales than GCMs presently offer. When downscaled to its mountainous terrain, warming has a profound influence on California snow accumulations, with snow losses that increase with warming. Consequently, snow losses are most severe in projections by the more responsive model in response to the highest emissions.
Use of formalin-fixed tissues to determine fumonisin B1-induced sphingolipid alterations in swine.

Fumonisin B1 is a mycotoxin that causes lethal pulmonary edema in swine. Sphinganine, sphingosine, and the sphinganine to sphingosine ratio are important biomarkers for fumonisin B1 exposure. Currently, tissues selected for sphinganine and sphingosine analyses are frozen at 280uC until analyses take place. However, for diagnostics and some research projects, formalin is used more routinely as a preservative for long-term storage of tissues. To determine whether formalin-fixed tissues could be used for sphinganine and sphingosine analyses, sphinganine and sphingosine concentrations were quantified in both frozen and formalin-fixed lung, liver, kidney, and heart from fumonisin B1-treated and control pigs. Tissues were evaluated 3 months after freezing and 3, 6, and 12 months after formalin fixation. Sphinganine, sphingosine, and the sphinganine to sphingosine ratio of both frozen and formalin-fixed lung and liver from fumonisin B1- treated pigs were elevated. Formalin-fixed tissues had lower sphinganine and sphingosine concentrations but higher sphinganine to sphingosine ratios than the corresponding frozen tissues. Storage in formalin for up to 12 months did not affect the results. Sphingosine analysis could not be performed in formalin-fixed heart and kidney because of noninterpretable chromatograms. Therefore, formalin-fixed lung and liver can be used to determine fumonisin B1-induced sphinganine and sphingosine alterations in swine, with the sphinganine to sphingosine ratio being the most useful.
Nuclear matter phase diagram from compound nucleus decay

The finite size of nuclei and the Coulomb interaction make it di ffi cult to de- scribe systems interacting through the strong force into thermodynamic terms. Our task is to extract the phase diagram of the theoretical infinite symmetrical uncharged nuclear mat- ter from experiments of nuclear collisions where the systems are neither infinite, symmet- rical, nor uncharged. Decay yields from such experiments are translated into coexistence densities and pressures by use of Fisher's droplet model. This method is tested on model systems such as the Ising model and a system of particles interacting via the Lennard- Jones potential. The specific problems inherent to nuclear reactions are considered. These include finite size e ffects, Coulomb repulsion, and the lack of a physical vapor in contact with a decaying system. Experimental data of compound nucleus experiments are studied within this framework, which is also shown to extend to higher energy reactions. Finally, the phase diagram of nuclear matter is extracted.
Violette Nozière: A Story of Murder in 1930s Paris

Sarah Maza, Berkeley, University of California Press, 2011, 352 pages, $55.00, 978 0520260702 In Paris late in the evening of 21 August 1933 in a working-class neighbourhood of the 12th arrondissem...
A fiber optic home automation system

Guidelines have been provided for development of the fiber optic standard by the CEBus (consumer electronics bus), Fiber Optic Working Group. A system is presented which meets those guidelines yet represents a somewhat different approach than was envisioned by the Working Group. It is shown that the framework of a fiber-optic home network can be specified even though there is a certain amount of uncertainty in the future level of fiber technology and the future requirements of the household information network. Using this framework, the CEBus can expand from a home automation standard to a standard for true home integration. The proposed network provides a smooth integration between proposed home automation standards and existing fiber networks in the telecommunications industry. Simulations are used to assess the performance of the proposed network. >
Iron Catalyzed Oxidative Rancidity in Prerigor Ground Pork

Lipid oxidation in prerigor ground porcine muscles as affected by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and FeCl3 was studied over a 12-day storage period. Concentrations of total, soluble-protein bound and free iron in prerigor and postrigor ground muscles were determined at 24 hr postmortem. Increasing EDTA concentrations from 0.02 to 2.0% in the presence of 0.009% FeCl3 produced increasing inhibitory effects on oxidation as measured by thiobarbituric acid numbers. Extremely low concentrations of EDTA (0.002%) in the presence of added FeCl3 enhanced the rate of oxidation. Iron content analyses showed that postrigor ground muscle had a slightly higher free iron content than prerigor ground muscle.
Hypoxia-induced vasodilation in the right coronary circulation of conscious dogs: Role of adrenergic activation

The role of adrenergic activation in the right coronary (RC) flow response to hypoxia has not been previously delineated, and limited information from left coronary studies is inconsistent. Seven dogs were instrumented with catheters implanted in the aorta and in the right ventricle to measure aortic pressure and right ventricular (RV) pressure, respectively. A flow transducer was placed around the RC artery to measure RC flow. After recovery from surgery, the dogs were exposed to systemic hypoxia in a Plexiglas chamber ventilated with N(2). Percent O(2) in the chamber was monitored, and blood samples and hemodynamic data were collected as chamber O(2) was progressively reduced to approximately 6%. The chamber was then opened, and the dog breathed room air. Phentolamine, 1 mg/kg, and propranolol, 2 mg/kg, were then administered via the RV catheter to achieve adrenergic blockade, and the hypoxia protocol was repeated. During hypoxia, arterial PO(2) progressively fell from 87+/-3 to 25+/-1 mmHg during untreated control condition and from 90+/-4 to 23+/-1 mmHg during adrenergic blockade. In the unblocked condition, hypoxia caused increases in aortic pressure, heart rate, RV pressure, and RV dP/dt(max). After adrenergic blockade, normoxic aortic pressure was reduced; heart rate and RV dP/dt(max) tended to be lower. Aortic pressure rose during hypoxia, but to lesser values than before blockade. Heart rate and RV dP/dt(max) also increased, but only at more severe hypoxia, and these values were less than before blockade. Normoxic flow and hypoxia-induced increases in RC flow and conductance were not altered by blockade. The relationship between RC conductance and RV triple product, an index of RV O(2) demand, was steeper after blockade. These findings indicate that in the normal, unblocked condition, RC flow during hypoxia is restrained by an adrenergic-mediated increase in RC vasomotor tone.
Communicating new knowledge on previously reported genetic variants

Genetic tests often identify variants whose significance cannot be determined at the time they are reported. In many situations, it is critical that clinicians be informed when new information emerges on these variants. It is already extremely challenging for laboratories to provide these updates. These challenges will grow rapidly as an increasing number of clinical genetic tests are ordered and as the amount of patient DNA assayed per test expands; the challenges will need to be addressed before whole-genome sequencing is used on a widespread basis. Information technology infrastructure can be useful in this context. We have deployed an infrastructure enabling clinicians to receive knowledge updates when a laboratory changes the classification of a variant. We have gathered statistics from this deployment regarding the frequency of both variant classification changes and the effects of these classification changes on patients. We report on the system’s functionality as well as the statistics derived from its use.
Multi-Point Multi-Harmonic Collocation With Continuation to Compute Branches of Nonlinear Modes of Structural Systems

Fast numerical approaches have recently been proposed to compute the undamped nonlinear normal modes (NNMs) of discrete and structural systems, and these have enabled remarkable insights into the nonlinear behavior of more complicated systems than are tractable analytically. Ardeh et al. recently proposed the multi-point, multi-harmonic collocation (MMC) method, which finds a truncated harmonic description of a structure’s NNMs. The MMC algorithm resembles harmonic balance but doesn’t require any analytical pre-processing nor the computational expense of the alternating time-frequency method. In a previous work this method showed significantly faster performance than the shooting method and it also allows the possibility of truncating the description of the NNM to avoid having to compute every internal resonance. This work presents a pseudo-arc length continuation version of the MMC algorithm which can compute a branch of NNMs and compares its performance with the shooting/pseudo-arc length continuation algorithm presented by Peeters and Kerschen in 2009. The algorithms are compared for two systems, a two degree-of-freedom (DOF) spring-mass system and a 10-DOF model of a simply-supported beam.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Empirical Chemicals Ltd. Evaluation of Financial Forecast

A manager must decide which cash flows are relevant in the financial analysis of a plant-renovation proposal. Prominent issues include: overhead allocation, sunk costs, cannibalization of a related business, use of excess capacity, shareholder vs. manager perspective, and absorption of unrelated projects. This case is a narrower version of "Empirical Chemicals Ltd. (A)" (UVA-F-1020). Its prime teaching objective is to stimulate a discussion of relevant cash flows. Unlike the A case, it does not complete a discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis, which is left for the student to finish.
Karl Landsteiner, MDTransfusion Medicine

Karl Landsteiner (1868–1943) Karl Landsteiner, born June 14, 1868, in Vienna, Austria, was the only child of Fanny Hess and Leopold Landsteiner. Even as a child, Dr. Landsteiner displayed an extraordinary aptitude for academics. Dr. Landsteiner completed primary school and the first part of secondary school before attending the Staatsgymnasium in Linz in 1880 as an honors student. Here he developed his burgeoning interest in mathematics and the natural sciences.1 He subsequently attended the University of Vienna, starting in 1885, where he studied under several of the prominent scientists in the fields of anatomy, zoology, hematological chemistry, and organic chemistry. His early experimental work in chemistry foretold of his subsequent interest and achievement in the field of serology. In 1891, Dr. Landsteiner completed his medical degree and began his work in the laboratory of the medical clinic where he studied multiple myeloma (cancer of the cells secreting antibodies). He spent the next 5 years in the laboratories of Hantzsch at Zurich, Emil Fischer at Wurzburg, and E. Bamberger at Munich, publishing on a number of topics investigating the interface between chemistry and biology by focusing on antigen–antibody reactions.2,3,4 In 1896, Dr. Landsteiner returned to Vienna to resume his studies at the Vienna General Hospital as assistant to Dr. Max von Gruber at the Institute of Hygiene at Vienna. Dr. Gruber was known for his discovery of the serological test for typhoid. Dr. Landsteiner was fascinated by the Gruber-Widal reaction, which provided evidence for the serological differentiation between typhoid and non-typhoid bacilli. He believed this differentiation reflected particular chemical differences between the bacilli recognized by antibodies. Under Dr. Gruber, Dr. Landsteiner’s interest in the mechanisms of immunity and in the nature of antibodies intensified, and Dr. Landsteiner published his first papers on agglutination and immunology. …
Making German history in Los Angeles: German Jewish refugees and West German diplomats in the 1950s and 1960s

AbstractIn the 1930s and 1940s, several 1000 Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany arrived in Los Angeles. Most of them were eager to Americanize and did not intend to return to Germany, but nevertheless they retained an interest in their home country, and this increased after the end of the Second World War. Focusing on interactions between German Jewish refugees in Los Angeles and West German officials, this article explores relations between refugees and the Federal Republic of Germany and argues that, in acting as critical observers and moral arbiters of German policy from within the United States, the refugees played a role in the making of West Germany.
Pricing Callable Constant Maturity Swap Spread Range Accruals Under the Two Factor Linear Gaussian Martingale Model Using Fast Fourier Transform

I propose an efficient method to price callable constant maturity swap spread range accruals using fast Fourier transforms. I illustrate the model calibration method and pricing procedure based on a two-factor linear Gaussian Martingale model.
Organizing a breast cancer database: data management.

Developing and organizing a breast cancer database can provide data and serve as valuable research tools for those interested in the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. Depending on the research setting, the quality of the data can be a major issue. Assuring that the data collection process does not contribute inaccuracies can help to assure the overall quality of subsequent analyses. Data management is work that involves the planning, development, implementation, and administration of systems for the acquisition, storage, and retrieval of data while protecting it by implementing high security levels. A properly designed database provides you with access to up-to-date, accurate information. Database design is an important component of application design. If you take the time to design your databases properly, you’ll be rewarded with a solid application foundation on which you can build the rest of your application.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of transplantation.

As organ transplantation has become increasingly effective, difficult questions have been raised about its costs. Cost effectiveness analysis is one approach that permits relatively straightforward comparisons not only among transplant procedures but among other costly lifesaving therapies. When compared with other such procedures, most organ transplants are found to be cost effective.
CHAPTER 21 – SCRs and Triacs

This chapter presents a new way of controlling high current through the use of Silicon–control rectifiers (SCR) and trigger diode in the same device. Relaxation oscillators such as power controllers and proportional controllers are discussed in the chapter. Power Controllers are used to control large amounts of power. The proportional controllers are used to decrease or increase the amount of heat in devices as the temperature gets closer to a desired value. These are also referred to as Proportional–Integral–Derivative (PID) controllers.
Myeloperoxidase as a Potential Target in Women With Endometriosis Undergoing IVF

As infertility is intimately associated with endometriosis, the levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO), a leukocyte enzyme and an oxidative stress marker, were determined in a case-control prospective study of 68 women with and without endometriosis undergoing in vitro fertilization in the outpatient fertility center within a tertiary care academic medical center. Measured values included plasma and follicular fluid (FF) concentrations of MPO, plasma estradiol, as well as oocyte quality, fertilization, implantation, and pregnancy rates in these women. In FF (mean ± standard error of mean [SEM]), the MPO concentrations (ng/mL) for controls were 4.3 ± 0.37, mild endometriosis (stages I-II) 3.9 ± 0.17, and moderate/severe endometriosis (stages III-IV) 16.6 ± 12.5 ( P < 0.0143). In FF, among patients supplemented with vitamins E and C, the MPO levels decreased significantly only in moderate/severe endometriosis from 25.3 ± 22.0 ng/mL to 4.9 ± 1.61 ng/mL, respectively. Plasma levels of MPO between groups did not change. Outcome data revealed a trend toward decreased percentage of mature oocytes, implantation rate, and clinical pregnancy rate with severity of endometriosis and MPO levels. Myeloperoxidase may be a potential oxidative stress target for endometriosis-associated infertility.
The Impact of Surgical Technique on Patient Reported Outcome Measures and Early Complications After Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract Background This study examines patient and surgeon reported outcome measures, complications during index admission, length of stay (LOS), and discharge disposition in a series of total hip replacements (THR) performed via the direct anterior (DA) or posterolateral (PL) approach. Methods Five surgeons performed 2698 total hip replacements (1457 DA vs 1241 PL) between January 2010 and June 2015. Complications during index admission were recorded using billing and claims data. Harris Hip Scores (HHS) and Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores (HOOS) were collected in a subset of patients. Results Patients in the DA group had shorter LOS (2.3 DA vs 2.7 PL days, P P P = .961) and medical (8.4% DA vs 8.1% PL, P = .766) complications during index admission were equivalent between groups. HHS ( n = 462) favored the DA group at an early follow-up ( P P = .478). Logistic regression revealed that patients in the DA group were more likely to report no pain, no limp, walk unlimited distances, and climb stairs without the use of the railing at 3- to 6-month follow-up ( P Conclusion Patients in the DA group had shorter LOS and were more likely to be discharged home. The DA group had better HHS at 3- to 6-month follow-up than patients in the PL group, with no difference in medical or surgical complications during index admission.
Multi-dimensional and customizable open-source labware for promoting big data analytical skills in STEM education

In order to remove resource barriers and smooth the learning curve for education on big data analytics in STEM disciplines, we develop an portable open source labware that is called STEM-BD for promoting education on big data analytics. STEM-BD integrates the following four critical components, big data platform, big data sets, data analytics algorithms and hands-on lab exercises in a multi-dimensional and customizable way. In this paper, we provide a detailed description of the design goal of STEM-BD, its prototype, preliminary evaluation results, and future development.