cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scalable Multiplexed Drug-Combination Screening Platforms Using 3D Microtumor Model for Precision Medicine

Cancer heterogeneity is a notorious hallmark of this disease, and it is desirable to tailor effective treatments for each individual patient. Drug combinations have been widely accepted in cancer treatment for better therapeutic efficacy as compared to a single compound. However, experimental complexity and cost grow exponentially with more target compounds under investigation. The primary challenge remains to efficiently perform a large-scale drug combination screening using a small number of patient primary samples for testing. Here, a scalable, easy-to-use, high-throughput drug combination screening scheme is reported, which has the potential of screening all possible pairwise drug combinations for arbitrary number of drugs with multiple logarithmic mixing ratios. A "Christmas tree mixer" structure is introduced to generate a logarithmic concentration mixing ratio between drug pairs, providing a large drug concentration range for screening. A three-layer structure design and special inlets arrangement facilitate simple drug loading process. As a proof of concept, an 8-drug combination chip is implemented, which is capable of screening 172 different treatment conditions over 1032 3D cancer spheroids on a single chip. Using both cancer cell lines and patient-derived cancer cells, effective drug combination screening is demonstrated for precision medicine.
O-033 Ruptured symptomatic cerebral artery aneurysms versus un-ruptured asymptomatic aneurysms: is there a protective effect of long-term aspirin use against aneurysm rupture?

Background and aims Approximately 2% of the general population have saccular intracranial aneurysms that remain asymptomatic unless rupture occurs leading to subarachnoid hemorrhage. Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SSAH) related rupture affects 9 per 1 00 000 persons per-year and associated with an approximately 40% case-fatality rate. Factors that contribute to intracranial aneurysm rupture are poorly understood. The hypothesis that aneurysmal wall inflammation contributes to the pathophysiology and likelihood of aneurysm rupture has been recently proposed. Aspirin is a potent cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor and plays a role in the expression of multiple immune modulators that influence cerebral aneurysm formation and rupture. Currently there is no pharmacologic therapy for prevention of aneurysm progression and rupture. A retrospective analysis of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample database (HCUP-NIS) from 2009 to 2014, was assessed for the association between long term aspirin use and risk of cerebral aneurysm rupture and the relationship between aspirin use and inpatient mortality after SSAH. Methods Hospitalizations between 2009 and 2014 that included Un-ruptured Cerebral Artery aneurysm (UCA) (ICD-9-CM: 437.3) and SSAH (ICD-9-CM: 430 excluding 852.xx) were identified. Despite the lack of specific ICD code for non-aneurysmal SSAH (published estimates are 10%–20% of SSAH cases), the use of this method was validated in multiple studies to identify aneurysmal SSAH with high sensitivity and specificity. UCA and SSAH were compared in case-control design regarding odds of long term aspirin use. Similar analysis compared in-patients who survived or died after SSAH. The analysis accounted for the HCUP-NIS sampling design and hospital trend weights. Cross-sectional rates were compared using the modified Rao-Scott Chi Square test with multivariable logistic regression statistical analysis to calculate adjusted odds ratio, using SAS Version 9.4. The data base excluded aneurysm anatomic features and diagnostic imaging modality. Results Hospitalizations for 224,447 UCA and 143,874 SSAH from 2009–2014, were included in the study, accounting for 15 and 10 hospitalizations per 100,000 US population, respectively. The odds of using long term aspirin was lower in the SSAH group when compared to the UCA group (OR=0.46, 95% CI: 0.42–0.50, p Conclusions In this retrospective analysis, long term aspirin use was associated with statistically significant decreased odds of cerebral aneurysm rupture and less post rupture mortality. These findings may be due to protective anti-inflammatory mechanisms of aspirin although other unknown properties of ASA may provide pharmacologic regulation of cerebral aneurysm development and warrants further investigation. Disclosures M. Ali: None. Z. Zitterkopf: None. A. Aly: None. R. Walter: None. A. Mironov: None. J. Stavas: 2; C; inRegen Biotechnology, Excelerate Health Ventures.
Impact of Real-Time Pricing Attack on Demand Dynamics in Smart Distribution Systems

In smart distribution systems, it is expected that there will be an inherent coupling of real time pricing and overall demand. For example, active consumers may respond to changes in electricity pricing by adjusting their consumption while the aggregator/distribution system operator (DSO) may change pricing in real time to influence consumer behavior to obtain a more favorable load profile. This interaction between the consumer and aggregator/DSO is typically enabled by a cyber-infrastructure that is prone to attack. In this paper, the impact of real time pricing attacks on the demand dynamics is quantified. Specifically, a pricing policy is considered wherein a discrete set of prices that is based on the overall demand range is used by the aggregator. The demand in turn is based on pricing and its dynamics is quantified. When an attacker manipulates the real-time prices, this leads to unwarranted changes in demand which could possibly lead to undesirable operating conditions. The impact of such an attack on the error associated with demand is derived and the stability of the error dynamics is investigated. Finally, using simulations, the proposed pricing and demand model along with the error stability results are validated.
Modifying pancreatic tumor stroma with angiotensin II receptor blockers to improve verteporfin delivery

While most cancer therapy options rely on a systemic delivery of pharmacologic drugs into the tumor site, physiologic barriers intrinsic to solid tumors seriously limit drug distribution. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumors, it is well-characterized that tumor stroma with a dense desmoplasia hinders drug uptake due to the overproduction of extracellular matrix (ECM) macromolecules such as collagen and hyaluronan. These major components of the ECM exert a high pressure on blood vessels thus collapsing them. This study focused on reducing the overexpression of cancer associated fibroblasts (CAF) by administering an angiotensin II receptor blocker, losartan, to examine its effects on tumor microenvironment modulation for photodynamic therapy. Treatments were conducted on orthotopic xenograft models of AsPC-1 tumor line, which represented the dense stroma of PDAC with highly disordered collagen bundles. Drug delivery efficiency was examined by quantifying verteporfin uptake and vascular patency. Results showed that pancreatic tumor stroma can be modulated by angiotensin II receptor blockers. Losartan treated mice showed an increase in verteporfin uptake and patent vessel area. Collagen structure change was observed which required more texture analysis to quantify. Tumor size between the two groups did not show significant shrinkage, which indicated the importance of treatment start time especially for malignant tumors with narrow treatment windows such as AsPC-1. The enhancement of drug uptake and vascular perfusion suggested that photodynamic therapeutic outcome could be improved by targeting the tumor stroma to improve verteporfin uptake.
Barnacle colonization on Spartina alterniflora in Georgia salt marshes

Abstract The distribution of barnacles within a habitat is influenced by numerous biotic and abiotic factors that impact barnacle recruitment and/or settlement. In Georgia salt marshes, barnacles (specifically Chthamalus fragilis) have been observed colonizing leaves and stems of S. alterniflora, which is the dominant plant species in marshes along the Gulf and East Coast. The aims of this study were to: 1) identify spatial and short-term monthly patterns of barnacle colonization within individual S. alterniflora as well as across sites of varying marine influence during peak barnacle recruitment and plant growth and 2) determine the effect of barnacle settlement on S. alterniflora growth and productivity. Patterns of barnacle settlement and measurements of plant growth and productivity were assessed through a field survey and field experiment in three salt marshes of varying proximity to oceanic inputs. Two marsh sites were dominated by tall-form S. alterniflora and one was composed of short-form plants. Results suggested spatial and short-term monthly patterns in barnacle settlement both across sites and within individual plants. Specifically, there was significantly greater barnacle density on stems and leaves of plants in salt marshes with greater marine influence. Furthermore, there was a decrease in barnacle settlement on S. alterniflora leaves and increase in settlement on stems from June to August, suggesting short-term monthly patterns in the portion of the plant colonized. Within individual plants, there was a significantly greater density of large barnacles on the middle segments of the stem and greater barnacle colonization in the non-axils of the stems compared to leaf axils. A potential negative impact of barnacle settlement on S. alterniflora was observed at the site with the greatest barnacle density and marine influence, which was also the site dominated by short-form S. alterniflora. These plants showed significantly lower photosynthetic efficiency in August, but it is unclear whether this was related to barnacle settlement, edaphic conditions, or both. Information on the patterns of barnacle settlement and its impact on S. alterniflora will be vital to coastal managers in salt marsh conservation strategies.
Use of Crowd Innovation to Develop an Artificial Intelligence–Based Solution for Radiation Therapy Targeting

Importance Radiation therapy (RT) is a critical cancer treatment, but the existing radiation oncologist work force does not meet growing global demand. One key physician task in RT planning involves tumor segmentation for targeting, which requires substantial training and is subject to significant interobserver variation. Objective To determine whether crowd innovation could be used to rapidly produce artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that replicate the accuracy of an expert radiation oncologist in segmenting lung tumors for RT targeting. Design, Setting, and Participants We conducted a 10-week, prize-based, online, 3-phase challenge (prizes totaled $55 000). A well-curated data set, including computed tomographic (CT) scans and lung tumor segmentations generated by an expert for clinical care, was used for the contest (CT scans from 461 patients; median 157 images per scan; 77 942 images in total; 8144 images with tumor present). Contestants were provided a training set of 229 CT scans with accompanying expert contours to develop their algorithms and given feedback on their performance throughout the contest, including from the expert clinician. Main Outcomes and Measures The AI algorithms generated by contestants were automatically scored on an independent data set that was withheld from contestants, and performance ranked using quantitative metrics that evaluated overlap of each algorithm’s automated segmentations with the expert’s segmentations. Performance was further benchmarked against human expert interobserver and intraobserver variation. Results A total of 564 contestants from 62 countries registered for this challenge, and 34 (6%) submitted algorithms. The automated segmentations produced by the top 5 AI algorithms, when combined using an ensemble model, had an accuracy (Dice coefficient = 0.79) that was within the benchmark of mean interobserver variation measured between 6 human experts. For phase 1, the top 7 algorithms had average custom segmentation scores (S scores) on the holdout data set ranging from 0.15 to 0.38, and suboptimal performance using relative measures of error. The average S scores for phase 2 increased to 0.53 to 0.57, with a similar improvement in other performance metrics. In phase 3, performance of the top algorithm increased by an additional 9%. Combining the top 5 algorithms from phase 2 and phase 3 using an ensemble model, yielded an additional 9% to 12% improvement in performance with a final S score reaching 0.68. Conclusions and Relevance A combined crowd innovation and AI approach rapidly produced automated algorithms that replicated the skills of a highly trained physician for a critical task in radiation therapy. These AI algorithms could improve cancer care globally by transferring the skills of expert clinicians to under-resourced health care settings.
Rare microbes from diverse Earth biomes dominate community activity

Abstract Microbes are the Earth’s most numerous organisms and are instrumental in driving major global biological and chemical processes. Microbial activity is a crucial component of all ecosystems, as microbes have the potential to control any major biochemical process. In recent years, considerable strides have been made in describing the community structure, i.e. diversity and abundance, of microbes from the Earth’s major biomes. In virtually all environments studied, a few highly abundant taxa dominate the structure of microbial communities. Still, microbial diversity is high and is concentrated in the less abundant, or rare, fractions of the community, i.e. the “long tail” of the abundance distribution. The relationship between microbial community structure and activity, specifically the role of rare microbes, and its connection to ecosystem function, is not fully understood. We analyzed 12.3 million metagenomic and metatranscriptomic sequence assemblies and their genes from environmental, human, and engineered microbiomes, and show that microbial activity is dominated by rare microbes (96% of total activity) across all measured biomes. Further, rare microbial activity was comprised of traits that are fundamental to ecosystem and organismal health, e.g. biogeochemical cycling and infectious disease. The activity of rare microbes was also tightly coupled to temperature, revealing a link between basic biological processes, e.g. reaction rates, and community activity. Our study provides a broadly applicable and predictable paradigm that implicates rare microbes as the main microbial drivers of ecosystem function and organismal health.
The Effects of a Pedal-Less Bicycle Intervention on Stability Scores Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The purpose of this preliminary investigation was to determine if a program using pedal-less bicycles could improve stability scores among children with ASD. A sample of eight children with ASD (average age, 7 ± 1.15) were recruited. The investigators tested each participant on a posturography plate for five consecutive weeks. The group used pedal-less bicycles, three times per week for five consecutive weeks. A MANOVA determined if center of pressure (CoP) or limit of stability (LoS) scores improved within the group. LoS anterior, LoS posterior, right sagittal, and left sagittal indicated statistically significant improvements over time; the greatest improvement was seen in left sagittal assessments which improved from an average of 1.75 during baseline to an average of 3.03 at week 5. There was evidence of a significant association between pedal-less bicycles and mean LoS scores among children with ASD. This investigation determined the use of pedal-less bicycles can improve stability scores among children with ASD within a 5-week session, if performed at least three times per week.
NIGHT-FROST MODULATION OF NEAR-SURFACE SOIL-WATER ION CONCENTRATION AND THERMAL FIELDS

The modulation of the soil-water ion concentration and thermal fields resulting from night frost is illustrated with data from temperature-electric potential probes in the upper 15 cm of a sandy loam soil. The relative soil-water ion concentration, calculated from soil electric potential observations, aids in the detection of these modulation effects produced by non-conductive heat-mass transfer processes. The apparent thermal diffusivity, calculated from soil-temperature data, further facilitates the detection and analysis of these non-conductive processes. This new technology demonstrates the distorting effects of soil-water advection to the freezing zone, “ice purification” of soil water in the freezing zone and other coupled mass-heat transport effects produced by night frost. The conversion of electric potential observations to a relative index of soil-water ion concentration and the calculation of the apparent thermal diffusivity from the temperature data matrix are demonstrated as effective methods...
Gene Expression Analysis

A brief history of methods used to elucidate protein function, protein pres- ence, and RNA transcript presence is provided. Gene expression profiling through microarray hybridization, high throughput sequencing, or quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction methods are reviewed and compared. Proteomics analysis using two dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by protein identification by mass spectrometry is then discussed. Relative costs and prospects for future improvements are also presented.
N-effects are not-P-effects: Pronoun competition in Scottish Gaelic

This paper analyzes pronominal competition and its pragmatic consequences in Scottish Gaelic (Celtic). In cases of competition cross-linguistically, use of a particular pronoun can trigger pragmatic effects like negative appraisal (N-effects). Although Scottish Gaelic exhibits a superficially similar pattern of competition and negative appraisal, I show that existing accounts based on referential potential (Sichel and Wiltschko 2020) and structure (Patel-Grosz and Grosz 2017) are unable to capture the Scottish Gaelic pattern. Instead, I argue that negative appraisal in Scottish Gaelic stems from the absence of positive appraisal, signaled via use of exempt anaphors. Following Charnavel (2020), I propose that exempt anaphors are anteceded by a null prolog introduced by a logophoric operator, which requires its complement to be evaluated from the perspective of prolog’s antecedent. By using an exempt anaphor, a speaker adopts the perspective of the pronoun’s referent, indicating positive appraisal since they are willing to take the referent’s point of view. Yet when a speaker chooses not to use an exempt anaphor, they refuse to make this perspective shift, which translates as negative appraisal. Apparent N-effects in Scottish Gaelic are, then, better characterized as not-P-effects.
Same-Admission Microvascular Maxillofacial Ballistic Trauma Reconstruction Using Virtual Surgical Planning: A Case Series and Systematic Review:

Study Design:Retrospective case series; systematic review.Objective:It is unknown whether the use of virtual surgical planning (VSP) to facilitate same-admission microsurgical reconstruction of the...
Depression in Female Adolescents with Heavy Menstrual Bleeding.

OBJECTIVE To assess the degree to which heavy menstrual bleeding is associated with depression, independent of hormonal contraception. STUDY DESIGN We performed a retrospective cohort study of 1168 female adolescents 9-18 years old presenting to general pediatricians for heavy menstrual bleeding or well visits. Depression was the primary outcome and defined as a diagnosis in the health record. Univariable and multivariable regression models were fit to the data to identify factors associated with depression diagnosis. RESULTS In total, 581 adolescents with heavy menstrual bleeding and 587 without heavy menstrual bleeding were included. Depression diagnoses occurred with greater frequency in youth with heavy menstrual bleeding compared with those without heavy menstrual bleeding (50.9% vs 24.2% P < .001; risk ratio 1.67, 95% CI 1.39-2.01) but did not significantly differ between those taking vs not taking hormonal contraception (risk ratio 0.99; 95% CI 0.84-1.17). Most patients with depression and heavy menstrual bleeding developed depression following or concurrent with heavy menstrual bleeding (261/296, 88%). Of these, 199 of 261 (76%) were treated with hormonal contraception, but the majority (168/199; 84%) were diagnosed with depression before initiation. CONCLUSIONS Heavy menstrual bleeding is associated with depression diagnosis in female adolescents. The use of hormonal contraception was not associated with depression diagnosis in multivariable analysis, covarying heavy menstrual bleeding, age, body mass index, anxiety, sexual activity, and substance use. As hormonal contraception is often used to treat heavy menstrual bleeding, heavy menstrual bleeding may be partially driving previous reports of increased depression risk in those taking hormonal contraception.
Dealing with Superabundant Diversity

The Birds of Ecuador Volume I: Status, Distribution, and Taxonomy. Volume II: Field Guide. by Robert S. Ridgely and Paul J. Greenfield. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 2001. Vol. I, 868 pp. Paper, $70. ISBN 0-8014-8720-X. Vol. II, 956 pp. Paper, $50. ISBN 0-8014-8721-8. Slipcased set. Paper, $110. ISBN 0-8014-8722-6. Authors of field guides to the birds of tropical countries face the major challenge of addressing very diverse avifaunas within books that one could reasonably expect can be carried about in the field. Ridgely and Greenfield have opted to divide their coverage of Ecuador's more than 1500 species into an excellent identification guide and a companion volume that provides additional information on the occurrence and systematics of the birds.
Oligonucleotides from Yeast Tyrosine Transfer Ribonucleic Acid

Abstract The separation, base composition, and determination of the nucleotide sequences of the products of pancreatic ribonuclease and RNase T1 digestion of yeast tyrosine transfer ribonucleic acid are described. Analyses of the two digests are in excellent agreement and indicate that the tyrosine RNA is composed of 78 nucleotides. There are 16 residues of 9 different modified nucleotides present. The 5'-phosphate terminal residue is pCp, the first time any nucleotide other than pGp has been detected in this position in a purified transfer RNA.
A PRIMER ON INTERSTATE TAXATION

ICTURE a map of the United States. Each state is marked out in red or yellow or green or orange, in between the blue that is saved for the oceans and the dull white of Mexico and Canada. Now imagine a series of walls ten miles high running along the boundaries of each block of color and shutting every state off from the states around it. It will be helpful to remember that problems of interstate taxation are treated by the law very much as though those imaginary walls were real. Now the average man knows well enough what a tax is. It is a sum of money that must be paid to a government because the payer owns something or does something or gets something. If the tax is "on" anything it is on the man or the company that must pay the tax. Sometimes the tax is a flat tax, like a two dollar school tax that must be paid by everyone who lives in the school district. More often the amount of the tax is measured according to the value of whatever the taxpayer owns or does or gets that makes him have to pay the tax. So much seems sufficiently simple. But the lawyer, unfortunately, does not see it this way. To him it is far more complicated. In the law, the tax is "on" the person who pays it only when there is nothing else "on" which the tax can be said to lie. If a man is taxed because he has an oil well, the tax is said to be "on" the oil well. If he is taxed because he makes money from the oil well, the tax is "on" the income he makes, or maybe "on" the privilege of making it. If he is taxed because he sells oil from his well, the tax is "on" the sales. If he or his son is taxed because he leaves the well to his son at his death, the tax is "on" the handing over of the well. Again, a man who drives his own car must usually pay three taxes a year-one because he owns the car, one to get license plates so the car may be used on the roads, and one for a driver's license so that he can drive it without being arrested. He has little doubt that the three taxes are on him; he has to pay them. But to the law, the first tax is "on" the car, the second "on" the privilege of running the car on the public roads, and the third "on" the personal privilege of driving it. Now this business of finding out what a tax is "on" may seem a harmless little game of words. But in law it is a serious business. The law calls the thing the tax is "on" the "subject" of the tax. And it is when the "subject" of a tax can not readily be pinned down to one state that there arises a problem of interstate taxation. For a problem in interstate taxation is nothing more than the dispute which comes up when
Model-based control of nonlinear processes via functional expansions

A functional expansion model is proposed for the control of nonlinear processes. The functional expansion formulation allows the straightforward computation of high order expansions from first principle models. Together with the partitioned model inverse and the internal model control scheme, nonlinear control laws are computed for both minimum and nonminimum phase systems. A simulation example is presented.
NADPH Oxidase: An Update

T HE NADPH OXIDASES are a group of plasma membrane–associated enzymes found in a variety of cells of mesodermal origin. The most thoroughly studied of these is the leukocyte NADPH oxidase, which is found in professional phagocytes and B lymphocytes. It catalyzes the production of superoxide (O2
Mechanisms of Ciliary Co-Ordination in Ctenophores

1. An experimental analysis of ciliary metachronism was performed on ctenophores of two types: those with a continuation of the ciliated groove running between adjacent comb plates (lobates), and those in which the ciliated grooves end at the first plate of each comb row (cydippids and beroids). 2. The results showed that the comb plates of cydippids and beroids are co-ordinated by mechanical forces arising from the movement of the plates themselves. Only along the ciliated grooves and at their junctions with the comb rows is a neuroid conduction process likely in this group of ctenophores. 3. Ctenophores with an interplate ciliated groove, on the other hand, do not depend on mechanical interaction between active plates for co-ordination. Instead, the lobates use neuroid conduction at the junction between the interplate ciliated groove and the comb plate, at the junction between adjacent interplate ciliated grooves, and probably along the ciliated grooves and interplate ciliated grooves as well. Ciliary co-ordination may therefore be entirely neuroid in lobate ctenophores. 4. In both types of ctenophores the comb plates may be triggered to beat by depolarization of the comb-plate cells. Electiical excitation of a plate could be caused by mechanical deformation of its base arising from the motion of the preceding plate (in cydippids and beroids), or by a neuroid process at the interplate ciliated groove-comb plate junction (in lobates). 5. These findings resolve a long-standing controversy over the mechanism of ciliary co-ordination in ctenophores.
School Accountability and Youth Obesity: Can Physical Education Mandates Make a Difference?

This paper explores the effect of accountability laws under No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) on obesity rates among school-aged children in the United States. Our results show that pressures due to school closures for poor performance, rewards for good performance, and assistance to schools that lag behind lead to lower levels of vigorous physical activity. This effect is significant for high school children only. We find no significant impact of school accountability laws on children in grades 3 through 8 after state characteristics such as state obesity rate are taken into account. We also find that state physical education mandates increase physical activity for children in grades 3 through 8 and mitigate the negative effect of accountability pressures on physical activity at the high school level where accountability pressures are most effective at decreasing physical activity and increasing obesity. The study shows that physical education mandates play an important role in promoting physical activity for all grades in our sample.
High performance low cost buildings of straw

Abstract Straw bale construction is ideal for highly energy efficient buildings. Techniques developed in mid-continental North America should be refined and tested throughout the world. Straw is a tremendous agricultural resource, not a waste to be burned in the fields or used as fuel.
A National Survey of AIDS Training in Counselor Education Programs.

A review of the literature suggests that counseling professionals may not be receiving substantive training related to AIDS. In this article, all U.S. counselor education programs were surveyed to determine the extent of such training. The responding programs (N = 243) identified AIDS as a high priority for inclusion in curricular programming, yet nearly 40% of the responding programs did not include any AIDS training in their curricula. Implications for counselor education and the counseling profession are discussed, and suggestions are made for including AIDS-related training in programs.
New results on stability monitoring on the large electric power system

This paper summarizes an efficient two stage monitoring technique for power system stability which was developed in the course of a DOE sponsored project [9] at Washington University. The process utilizes an unusually effective technique [6] for identifying coherent dynamic clusters within a power system and the connections between the clusters and critical swings in the power system. In the first stage transient energy injected into the power system is compared with critical energies which can drive the cluster into separation. Failing this sufficiency test the condition then is evaluated by testing the initial states position directly with respect to the stability boundary. An efficient expansion which is easily derived on the computer is used. Only one scalar value needs to be computed for each candidate. Theoretical basis for this work was developed in [9] and is to be published soon in the AC Transactions [4]. New theoretical, computational results on identifying order N-1 equilibria is also given in this paper.
What causes the extremely heavy rainfall in Taiwan during Typhoon Morakot (2009)

Despite its category-2 intensity only, Typhoon (tropical cyclone in the Western Pacific) Morakot produced a record-breaking rainfall in Taiwan. A cloud-resolving model is used to simulate this extreme rainfall event and understand the dynamic aspect under this event. Due to the interaction between Morakot and a monsoon system, a peripheral gale force monsoon surge appears to the south of Taiwan. The monsoon surge remains even in a sensitivity experiment in which Taiwan terrain is reduced. However, the rainfall amount in Taiwan is greatly reduced without high topography over Taiwan, suggesting the important role the local topography plays in producing heavy rainfall. The overall numerical results indicate that it is the interaction among the typhoon, monsoon system, and local terrain that led to this extreme event. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society
The Changing Shape of Management Development

We are all familiar with the fable of the blind man's perception of the shape of an elephant. Management development, in its short 20 year history, has had at least as many different perceptions of its shape. From these different perceptions have emerged very different programmes, activities, structures, roles, practices and even many professions.
International Economic Law and the Pursuit of Human Rights: A Framework for Discussion of the Legality of ‘Selective Purchasing’ Laws under the WTO Government Procurement Agreement

The tension between international economic law and the protection of human rights is considered. Important technical and policy aspects of the tension are illustrated by considering the legality under the WTO Government Procurement Agreement 1994 of requirements in government contracts that attempt to further social policy objectives. The current controversy concerning the use by state and local governments in the United States of 'selective purchasing' laws to influence the human rights policies of foreign governments, particularly the controversial Massachusetts legislation relating to Myanmar (Burma), provides the opportunity for considering how these tensions might be resolved. Copyright 1999 by Oxford University Press.
Ultra-wideband near-infrared laser operation of Cr/sup 3+/ centers in chromium doped Li(In,Sc)GeO/sub 4/ olivines

Tunable laser operation of octahedral Cr/sup 3+/ centers has been demonstrated in LiInGeO/sub 4/ and LiScGeO/sub 4/ single crystals. Tuning range from 1150-1480 nm for LiInGeO/sub 4/ and 1220-1380 nm for LiScGeO/sub 4/ has been achieved.
Knowledge Generation for the HIV-Affected Family

Purpose: To examine the current literature about HIV-affected families in regard to knowledge development and priorities for future research. Significance: The current view of HIV focuses largely on HIV-infected individuals. There is a paucity of relevant research and a need to make explicit the priorities for knowledge generation about HIV-affected families. Scope: HIV family literature, 1980-1996, was reviewed and categorized and serves as the context for presenting future priorities for knowledge generation about HIV-affected families. Priorities identified were designing and testing family-level services; determining epidemiology of the phenomenon of HIV family caregiving; who gives care and why, what caregivers do, the outcomes of caregiving, quality of family care, and relationships Conclusions: A critical need is to address in-depth the problems that have limited knowledge development about HIV-affected families. This explication of issues and questions to understand HIV-affected families can stimulate future research.
Update on canine and feline fungal diseases

Systemic fungal diseases cause significant morbidity and mortality in dogs and cats. Blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, coccidiomycosis, and cryptococcosis represent the four most common systemic fungal diseases. Young adult, large breed dogs generally are predisposed; cats usually do not have predictable predispositions. Intact cell-mediated immunity is essential to initial resistance to infection and response to treatment in animals. Several body systems can be affected. Diagnosis can be confirmed on the basis of clinical signs and demonstration of the causative organism. Serology is helpful with coccidiomycosis and cryptococcosis. Treatment is complicated by limited availability of fungicidal antimicrobials and the necessity of long-term treatment with expensive drugs.
Distribution of a lidocaine‐methylene blue solution staining in brachial plexus, lumbar plexus and sciatic nerve blocks in the dog

Abstract Objective To determine the influence on the distribution of the volume of a local anaesthetic-methylene blue solution at three different nerve block sites in the dog. Study design Randomized, controlled, blinded experimental trial. Animals 23 hound-cross dogs weighing 16–40 kg and aged 2 ± 0 years (mean ± SD). Methods Dogs were anaesthetized and randomly assigned to three groups of seven or eight dogs each, based on volume administered: low, medium and high volume (L, M and H). Using electrolocation, the injection was performed after a positive response was elicited (flexion of the elbow for the brachial plexus block, quadriceps contractions for the lumbar plexus and dorsiflexion/plantar extension of the foot for the sciatic nerve block). At the brachial plexus site, groups L, M and H received 0.075, 0.15 and 0.3 mL kg −1 , respectively. At the lumbar plexus site, groups L, M and H received 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mL kg −1 , respectively. At the proximal sciatic nerve site, groups L, M and H received 0.05, 0.1 and 0.25 mL kg −1 , respectively. Necropsies were performed immediately following euthanasia. Staining of ≥2 cm along the nerve was considered sufficient; the proportions sufficient were compared with Fisher's exact test. The volume was recommended when all the relevant nerves were stained sufficiently in all or all but one of the dogs within the group. Results In the brachial plexus, only in group H were all the nerves stained sufficiently. In the lumbar plexus site, no statistical difference was found, but we suggest the H group volume to balance sufficient and excessive staining. At the sciatic nerve site, all volumes tested produced sufficient staining in all (or all but one) dogs. Conclusions and clinical relevance Volumes of 0.3 and 0.05 mL kg −1 produced sufficient distribution for performing brachial plexus, and sciatic nerve blocks, respectively. Additionally, a volume of 0.4 mL kg −1 might also be adequate for a lumbar plexus block (no statistical significance was reached).
Association of Crohn's disease, thiopurines, and primary epstein-barr virus infection with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Objective To assess the incidence of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in a well-defined population of children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and evaluate the common clinical and laboratory characteristics of individuals with IBD who developed HLH. Study design We conducted a retrospective study of all children who developed HLH over an 8-year period. The incidence of HLH in patients with IBD was calculated using US census data and a statewide project examining the epidemiology of pediatric IBD. Results Among children in Wisconsin, 20 cases of HLH occurred during the study period; 5 cases occurred in children with IBD. Common characteristics include: Crohn's disease (CD), thiopurine administration, fever lasting more than 5 days, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, anemia, lymphopenia, and elevated serum triglycerides and ferritin. Of the patients, 4 had primary Epstein-Barr virus infections. The incidence of HLH among all children in Wisconsin was 1.5 per 100 000 per year. The risk was more than 100-fold greater for children with CD (P Conclusions Pediatric patients with CD are at increased risk for developing HLH; primary Epstein-Barr virus infection and thiopurine administration may be risk factors.
The effect of bilateral glossopharyngeal nerve anaesthesia on swallowing in horses.

Summary Reasons for performing study: Dysfunction of the glossopharyngeal nerve has been implicated as a cause of dysphagia in horses. However, recent studies have indicated that this is not the case. Objectives: To determine whether bilateral glossopharyngeal nerve anaesthesia would cause dysphagia in horses or result in measurable alterations in the timing, function, or sequence of swallowing. Methods: Swallowing was evaluated in 6 normal horses with and without bilateral glossopharyngeal nerve anaesthesia. Swallowing dynamics were assessed subjectively and objectively based on time from prehension of food until swallowing, number of tongue movements until initiation of swallowing, depth of bolus at the base of the tongue prior to initiation of swallow and evidence of tracheal aspiration using fluoroscopy and endoscopy. Results: There was no evidence of aspiration or dysphagia in horses before or after bilateral glossopharyngeal nerve block. No observed or measured differences in swallowing sequence or function could be detected in blocked compared to unblocked horses. However, there was a trend in blocked horses for the number of tongue pushes and the time to swallowing to be increased. Conclusions: Glossopharyngeal nerve function may not be essential for normal swallowing function in otherwise healthy horses. Potential relevance: Clinically, normal swallowing is not an appropriate test of glossopharyngeal nerve function and dysphagic horses should not be assumed to have glossopharyngeal nerve dysfunction.
Alcohols as fuels—The global picture

Abstract A number of countries have programs which encourage the production and use of ethanol and methanol to extend gasoline supplies. These programs are often based on food crops which are subject to wide variations in both cost and availability. Some of the programs are reviewed, and the costs of alcohols are compared to world market prices of gasoline.
Soil Quality of a Mature Alley Cropping Agroforestry System in Temperate North America

Long-term effects of alley cropping on soils in the temperate zone are not widely known. Management, landscape, and soil depth effects on soil physical and biological properties were examined in a silver maple (Acer saccharinum L.) no-till corn (Zea mays L.)- soybean (Glycine max L.) rotation established in 1990 in northeast Missouri. Soils from crop alleys and tree rows were collected along transects traversing upper to lower landscape positions at three depths. Fluorescein diacetate hydrolase (FDA), β-glucosidase, β-glucosaminidase, and dehydrogenase activities were measured. Soil bulk density, aggregate stability, carbon (C), nitrogen N), and enzyme activities decreased with soil depth in alley and tree rows except for glucosaminidase. Soil physical and biological parameters did not differ significantly between alley and tree row. Landscape position effects were not significant for management or depth. Tree establishment improves soil quality in the crop alley as the system matures with improvements extended throughout the soil profile.
Optimum Use of Noble Metal Catalysts in Catalytic Converters

The catalytic converter is an important device for the emission control from spark-ignition engines. Several concurrent physical/chemical processes such as convective heat transfer, gas phase chemical reactions, surface reactions, flow oscillations, water vapor condensation and diffusion mechanisms add complexity to modeling of flows inside catalytic converters. Under cold-start conditions, the fact that catalytic converters do not become operational during the initial operation allows a significant fraction of the overall pollutants to be emitted. In the present study, these complex transient phenomena have been examined using a previously validated numerical model.1 The numerical results suggest new material-dependent designs to improve both the transient conversion characteristics and the steady state conversion efficiency of catalytic converters. Moreover, from our model calculations, we have observed that for a given amount of the noble metal catalysts the light-off time and the monolith temperature are greatly affected by the noble-metal distribution along the honeycomb walls of a monolith. The results of the numerical simulations indicate that the light-off time is shortened by approximately 35% for CO, H2 and C3 H6 when replacing a traditional homogeneous noble metal distribution by a simple, step-function distribution.2 The emissions of CO, H2 and C3 H6 from the exhaust gas are, therefore, reduced without increasing the cost of noble metal catalysts used in converters. In order to avoid further deterioration of catalysts due to the thermal effects, an optimum noble metal distribution needs to be investigated with the understanding that the optimum noble metal distribution proposed has to be practical for the manufacturing. Since the main source of the exhaust emissions is generated during the cold-start period of the converter operation, the reduction of emissions shown in our model calculations is quite substantial.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Aggregation and Cluster Size Evolution in Nonhomogeneous Flows

Abstract We study, by dynamic modeling, aggregation of compact and fractal structures in model flows typifying regular and chaotic regimes. Emphasis is placed on two-dimensional flows but three-dimensional systems are considered as well. The goal is to put into evidence flow effects—kinetics of aggregation, cluster size distribution, and structure of aggregates—with the long-range goal of manipulating flows to tailor the structure of clusters. Numerical simulations show that the average cluster size of compact clusters grows algebraically, while the average cluster size of fractal clusters grows exponentially; companion mathematical arguments are used to describe the initial growth of average cluster size and polydispersity. It is found that when the system is well mixed and the capture radius is independent of mass, the polydispersity is constant for long times and the cluster size distribution is self-similar. Furthermore, our simulations indicate that the fractal nature of the clusters is dependent upon the mixing.
A self-management program for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: relationship to dyspnea and self-efficacy.

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the effects of a nurse-directed self-management program on dyspnea and self-efficacy levels in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The Health Belief Model and the Theory of Self-Efficacy provided the theoretical framework for the study. The sample included 10 COPD patients from rural North Carolina who attended a 6-week nurse-directed self-management program. Dyspnea and self-efficacy were measured before and after the program by using a vertical visual analogue scale for dyspnea and the COPD Self-Efficacy Scale. A single-group quasi-experimental design that incorporated a pretest and a posttest was used. Paired t tests were used to compare the pretest and the posttest levels of dyspnea and self-efficacy. The findings revealed no significant change in levels of dyspnea after the program. Levels of self-efficacy, however, were found to have increased at a statistically significant level (p < .001) following the program. This study indicates that using a group teaching method to teach self-management skills improved self-efficacy levels.
Internal Flow Structure of a Pressure-Swirl Atomizer at Two Different Density Ratios

The flow fields of large-scale simplex nozzles were investigated by 2-D back-scattered Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV). The internal flow structures of a simplex nozzle at two different density ratios of the working fluid and the ambient medium were obtained. The effects of the density ratio, Reynolds Number and orifice geometry on the flow structure were examined. The results revealed that the density ratio only affects the internal flow field in the region where the radius is smaller than the orifice radius. The density ratio and Reynolds Number have stronger influence on the internal flow structure of a sudden contraction and 45° expansion orifice configuration than on that of a 45° contraction and sudden expansion orifice configuration. When the density ratio is one, the effect of the contraction geometry from swirl chamber to orifice on the internal flow is very small compared to the effect of the expansion geometry.Copyright © 2000 by ASME