cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment of Acute Relapses in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic progressive inflammatory demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system. The most common clinical type of MS tends to follow a relapsing course, affecting the vast majority of patients living with this disease. Relapses are a hallmark of MS, and are often associated with significant functional impairment and decreased quality of life. Although usually followed by a period of remission, residual symptoms after MS relapses may persist and lead to sustained disability. Adequate management of MS relapses is important, as it may help to shorten and lessen the disability associated with their course. Historically, treatment of MS relapse was the first approach (and for a period of time, the only approach) to MS treatment in general. Systemic corticosteroids and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) have broad regulatory approval and remain the most established and validated treatment options for MS relapse. Therapeutic mechanisms of ACTH were previously associated (perhaps mistakenly) with only corticotropic actions; however, recently the direct anti-inflammatory effects and immunomodulatory activity of ACTH gel acting through melanocortin pathways have been shown. Second-line treatments of steroid-unresponsive MS relapses and a possible algorithm for MS relapse management are also reviewed in this article.
Health-related quality of life after coronary artery bypass grafting: A gender analysis using the Duke Activity Status Index

Abstract Objective Our objectives were to document the preoperative and postoperative functional status of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, to examine factors that influence functional recovery, and to determine whether gender differences exist in the preoperative and postoperative functional status with the Duke Activity Status Index. Methods One thousand eight hundred twenty-five patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting had baseline and follow-up quality-of-life surveys. Mean follow-up from baseline to postoperative Duke Activity Status Index was 8.0 months for women and men. The influence of 47 variables, in addition to baseline scores on postoperative functional status, was examined with logistic ordinal modeling. An ordinal model for the follow-up score was determined by means of backward selection, with variables retained if they satisfied the criterion of a P value of less than .05. Results Median baseline Duke Activity Status Index scores (women, 21.5; men, 32.2; P P P Conclusions A number of preoperative factors, operative variables, and postoperative events are associated with functional recovery after coronary revascularization. In addition, female gender is associated with more postoperative functional impairment after adjusting for these perioperative variables.
Atlas and feature based 3D pathway visualization enhancement for skull base pre-operative fast planning from head CT

Minimally invasive neuroendoscopic surgery provides an alternative to open craniotomy for many skull base lesions. These techniques provides a great benefit to the patient through shorter ICU stays, decreased post-operative pain and quicker return to baseline function. However, density of critical neurovascular structures at the skull base makes planning for these procedures highly complex. Furthermore, additional surgical portals are often used to improve visualization and instrument access, which adds to the complexity of pre-operative planning. Surgical approach planning is currently limited and typically involves review of 2D axial, coronal, and sagittal CT and MRI images. In addition, skull base surgeons manually change the visualization effect to review all possible approaches to the target lesion and achieve an optimal surgical plan. This cumbersome process relies heavily on surgeon experience and it does not allow for 3D visualization. In this paper, we describe a rapid pre-operative planning system for skull base surgery using the following two novel concepts: importance-based highlight and mobile portal . With this innovation, critical areas in the 3D CT model are highlighted based on segmentation results. Mobile portals allow surgeons to review multiple potential entry portals in real-time with improved visualization of critical structures located inside the pathway. To achieve this we used the following methods: (1) novel bone-only atlases were manually generated, (2) orbits and the center of the skull serve as features to quickly pre-align the patient’s scan with the atlas, (3) deformable registration technique was used for fine alignment, (4) surgical importance was assigned to each voxel according to a surgical dictionary, and (5) pre-defined transfer function was applied to the processed data to highlight important structures. The proposed idea was fully implemented as independent planning software and additional data are used for verification and validation. The experimental results show: (1) the proposed methods provided greatly improved planning efficiency while optimal surgical plans were successfully achieved, (2) the proposed methods successfully highlighted important structures and facilitated planning, (3) the proposed methods require shorter processing time than classical segmentation algorithms, and (4) these methods can be used to improve surgical safety for surgical robots.
Freeze-drying of proteins from a sucrose-glycine excipient system: effect of formulation composition on the initial recovery of protein activity.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of sucrose-glycine excipient systems on the stability of selected model proteins during lyophilization. Recovery of protein activity after freeze-drying was examined for the model proteins lactate dehydrogenase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase in a sucrose-glycine-based excipient system in which the formulation composition was system-atically varied. In a sucrose-only excipient system, activity recovery of both model proteins is about 80% and is independent of sucrose concentration over a range from 1 to 40 mg/mL. When both sucrose and glycine are used and the ratio of the 2 excipients is varied, however, activity recovery decreases in a pattern that is consistent with the inhibition of activity recovery by glycine crystals, despite the presence of an adequate amount of sucrose to afford protection. Annealing of sucrose-glycine formulations causes a small but significant decrease in activity recovery relative to unannealed controls, whereas no annealing effect is observed with sucrose-only formulations. Addition of 0.01% polysorbate 80 to the formulation resulted in complete recovery of activity, irrespective of the sucroseglycine ratio or annealing. Addition of the same concentration of polysorbate 80 to the reconstitution medium caused an increase in activity recovery for each formulation, but the overall pattern remained unchanged. The data are consistent with an interfacial model for lyophilization-associated loss of protein activity involving denaturation at a solid/freeze-concentrate interface.
Two-Year-Old with Post-Surgical Hypoglossal Nerve Injury and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Background:Airway patency in both children and adults depends on the tonic and phasic activation of muscles of the tongue and pharynx supplied by the hypoglossal nerve arising at the medullary leve...
An Instrument to Measure Attitude toward School Subjects

The development of the Gable-Roberts Attitude Toward School Subjects (GRASS) measure is described. Content validity is discussed; construct validity and alpha reliability data gathered on 893 high school students are presented for the attitude dimensions: General Interest, Usefulness, and Relevance.
An hpr-mesh refinement algorithm for BEM

This paper describes a mesh refinement scheme for boundary element method in which the number of elements, the size of elements, element end locations and the element polynomial order are determined to meet the user specified accuracy. The use of grading function in conjunction with the L1 norm makes the mesh refinement scheme applicable to a variety of boundary element formulation and applications. The algorithm is stable for smooth, discontinuous, as well as singular density functions. Numerical results for mathematical test functions as well as for elastostatic problems demonstrate the viability and versatility of the algorithm for BEM applications.
Impact of Post-restatement Actions Taken by a Firm on Non-professional Investors’ Credibility Perceptions

The frequency of earnings restatements has been increasing over the last decade. Restating previous earnings erodes perceived trustworthiness and competence of management, giving firms strong incentives to take actions to enhance perceived credibility of future financial reports [Farber, D. B.: 2005, The Accounting Review 80(2), 539–561.]. Using an experimental case, we examine the ability of post-restatement actions taken by a firm to positively influence non-professional investors’ perceptions of management’s financial reporting credibility. Our examination considers credibility judgments following two types of restatements – those resulting from fraud in which the character, ethics, and values of an organization may be called into question [cf. Copeland, Jr., J. E.: 2005, Accounting Horizons19(1), 35–43.], and those resulting from non-fraud (i.e., aggressive accounting).
Test of Global Symmetry in K − − p Reactions

A method of testing the hypothesis that there is global symmetry of the pion-baryon interaction is proposed: Upon analyzing low-energy ${K}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{-}p$ scattering data, one finds a variety of scattering length solutions which are compatible with the elastic scattering, charge exchange scattering, and total charged hyperon production. Our suggestion involves the use of the experimental $\frac{{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{+}}{{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{\ensuremath{-}}}$ ratios (a) to test the global symmetry hypothesis (or any other quantitative description of the pion-hyperon interaction), (b) to reduce the ambiguity in the $\overline{K}\ensuremath{-}N$ scattering length solutions, (c) hence, to predict the ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{0}$ cross section. We need to know the $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}Y$ phase shifts, in addition to the $\overline{K}\ensuremath{-}N$ scattering lengths in order to predict the ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{+}$, ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ cross sections. If there is global symmetry of pion-baryon interactions, then we know the $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}Y$ phases in the absence of a $\overline{K}\ensuremath{-}N$ reaction channel. We demonstrate how the actual $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}Y$ phase shifts can be obtained, in a nonperturbative manner, from idealized $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}Y$ phases (i.e., in the absence of $\overline{K}\ensuremath{-}N$ reactions) and the $\overline{K}\ensuremath{-}N$ scattering lengths. Earlier proposals making use of the dependence of the hyperon production ratios on the $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}Y$ phase shifts are also examined in terms of this result. Certain fits to the present rough data with scattering lengths of negative real part are shown to be incompatible with global symmetry. The proposed analysis involves the assumption that the $\overline{K}$ is an isotopic doublet.
Effects of smoking on implant success in grafted maxillary sinuses.

Abstract Statement of the problem. Cigarette smoking has been identified as a significant risk factor for dental implant treatment. Purpose. This retrospective study evaluated the effect of smoking and the amount of cigarette consumption on the success rates of the implants placed in grafted maxillary sinuses. Material and methods. Sixty patients (16 smokers and 44 nonsmokers) were evaluated for the effects of smoking on osseointegrated implants placed in 84 grafted maxillary sinuses that contained a total of 228 endosseous root-form implants. Seventy implants were placed in 26 maxillary sinuses in smokers, whereas 158 implants were placed in 58 sinuses in nonsmokers. The number of implant failures and the amount of cigarette consumption were recorded. Results. Of the 228 implants, 205 (89.9%) remained in function, after a mean follow-up period of 41.6 months (2 to 60 months). There was a significantly higher cumulative implant success rate in nonsmokers (82.7%) than in smokers (65.3%) ( P =.027). Overall cumulative implant success rate was 76%. There was no correlation between implant failures and the amount of cigarette consumption ( P >.99). Conclusion. Within the limitations of this study, cigarette smoking appeared to be detrimental to the success of osseointegrated implants in grafted maxillary sinuses regardless of the amount of cigarette consumption. (J Prosthet Dent 1999;82:307-11.)
The intrinsic effect of the thermoelectric power on classical morphological stability theory

Abstract The difference in the absolute thermoelectric power between a pure, growing, single crystal and its melt generates a small electric current near a perturbed crystal–melt interface, even without applied current. The normal component of the current causes heat generation at perturbation tips and heat absorption at perturbation valleys, as a consequence of the Peltier effect. Results show that as a result of this thermoelectric effect, the critical radius at which a crystal becomes linearly unstable with respect to the growth of a perturbation of given harmonic in a spherical geometry, or of given mode number in a cylindrical geometry, is slightly larger than the critical radius given by classical stability analyses. This stabilizing effect occurs regardless of whether the crystal or melt has a higher thermoelectric power. A dimensionless material parameter is identified, proportional to the square of the difference in absolute thermoelectric powers of the two phases, indicating the degree to which this intrinsic thermoelectric effect alters the onset of instability. For Bi the increase in critical radii is a few percent, for Sn it is negligible and Ge is an intermediate case.
PMU-guided Priority Adjustment to Guarantee Thread Performance on IBM POWER SMT Processor

Simultaneous-multithreading (SMT) is widely used to improve the overall efficiency of superscalar CPUs with hardware multi-threading. With SMT processors, it is challenging to guarantee the performance of each individual thread because resources are shared across the threads. In this paper, we study the scenario where user applications need to guarantee a certain level of performance for a primary thread. We present a hardware-software integrated method to control thread priority to achieve this objective. This method combines hardware thread priority control (which is currently available on IBM POWER processor series) and performance monitoring unit, and dynamically adjusts CPU resource allocations according to current thread workloads. Effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through extensive experimental results.
Purification and properties of succinyl-CoA synthetase from Jerusalem artichoke mitochondria

Summary A direct spectrophotometric method for measurement of the activity of succinyl-CoA synthetase (succinate:CoA ligase (ADP), EC 6.2.1.5) having wider applications than those previously used has been developed. Succinyl-CoA synthetase was isolated from mitochondria and the resulting enzyme preparation had a specific activity more than 15-fold greater than that previously reported with the enzyme isolated from plant tissue. The apparent Km values for the substrates necessary for both the forward and reverse reactions were determined. The enzyme was shown to be highly specific for succinic acid and adenine nucleotide phosphates; in the reverse direction malonic acid was shown to act as a competitive inhibitor with succinic acid. The enzyme was less specific in its requirement for the metal-ion cofactor. Mn2+ and Co2+ could replace Mg2+, Zn2+ and Ca2+ could not.
Travelling Wave Solutions in a Tissue Interaction Model for Skin Pattern Formation

We discuss the existence and the uniqueness of travelling wave solutions for a tissue interaction model on skin pattern formation proposed by Cruywagen and Murray. The geometric theory of singular perturbations is employed.
Ownership Structures and R&D Investments of U.S. and Japanese Firms: Agency and Stewardship Perspectives

This study analyzes the impact of ownership structure on R&D investments in the United States and Japan. It begins with the premise that U.S. and Japanese firms have distinct patterns of ownership that may result in disparities in R&D investments. Agency theory and stewardship theory are used to hypothesize about the relationship between ownership and R&D investments. Empirical evidence shows that the level of ownership concentration, and its impact, differ across countries. We argue that these differences result from a mixture of motives and incentives.
Clifford analysis on spheres and hyperbolae

We develop aspects of Clifford analysis over the sphere and hyperbolae. We focus primarily on the hyperbola lying in the Minkowski type space R n,1 . We show that in order to give a proper extension of basic results on Clifford analysis in Euclidean space to this context one needs to consider both hyperbolae lying in R n,1 . We also introduce Bergman spaces of L P left monogenic sections in this context and consider the decomposition of square integrable sections over suitable bundles constructed over subdomains of spheres and hyperbolae. The results presented here cover the necessary background to enable one to set up and solve boundary value problems for field-type equations over hyperbolae. In particular, one can study analogues of the Dirichlet problem for analogues of the Laplacian over hyperbolae and spheres.
Facial Perception as a Configural Process

Facial Perception as a Configural Process Devin Burns Indiana University Lei Pei Indiana University Joseph Houpt Indiana University James Townsend Indiana University Abstract: Configural or gestalt processing are general terms given to phenomena where the whole is different from the sum of its parts. Here we explore these phenomena through face perception, a known configural process. In this experiment, subjects are presented with a split face recognition task with manipulations on the presence or absence and the salience of each half, the famous composite face design. It is one of a number of perceptual experimental designs based on selective attention and the presence or absence of interference expressed in RT or accuracy. We performed a replication of this task and then added a design based on divided attention. Systems factorial technology is employed to draw conclusions regarding architecture, stopping rule, capacity and independence
A paradigm for examining second-order factor models employing structural equation modeling

Abstract We present here a paradigm for assessing second-order measurement models. Our approach is hierarchical in nature. We discuss the need for higher-order models from a conceptual perspective and illustrate how some common challenges in empirical research can be resolved through the deployment of higher-order modeling. Essentially, we argue that many constructs can be meaningfully described by a higher-order structure and testing for the existence of such structures requires a careful examination of alternative models. There is a need for conceptual as well as empirical support. In order to demonstrate our paradigm, we use data that relate to airline service quality. Our sample includes two databases. Responses from 170 individuals are employed for exploratory purposes and responses from 437 individuals are used for subsequent data analyses.
Real Estate Investment Online

Kristaps Licis continues his review of Web information of value to alternative investments. Given the recent growth in real estate, this issue9s Web summary concentrates on major cites with real estate information sources.
Ecosystems and Biogeochemical Cycling in a Changing Ocean: Fifth Annual Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry Summer Workshop; La Jolla, California, 19–22 July 2010

The Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB) program is a coordinating body for the U.S. research community that focuses on the ocean's role as a component of the global Earth system, bringing together research in geochemistry, ocean physics, and ecology. The fifth annual Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry summer workshop, sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation, NASA, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, convened 107 participants at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, in California.
Variability in the population structures of four western Atlantic parrotfishes

The terminal phase/initial phase ratios of four common Bahamian parrotfishes were determined by visual censuring in a variety of coral reef habitats. In general, greater environmental differences among habitats were associated with more variable phase ratios. The phase ratios of the four species remained stable over a 12 months period in the single habitat in which this was tested, These results suggest that environmental factors strongly affect the phase (and therefore sex) ratios maintained by breeding groups of parrotfishes.
Risk versus risk: a review of benzodiazepine reduction in older adults.

Introduction: Benzodiazepines (BZD) are potentially inappropriate for older adults, yet their use persists. Patients and providers may hesitate to discontinue BZDs due to concerns for withdrawal or relapse. We reviewed the literature for BZD reduction protocols to examine common elements, safety and efficacy. A framework is proposed for clinicians to address BZD reduction challenges.Areas covered: Following a systematic literature review, this analysis included 28 studies of older out-patients tapering chronic BZDs. Populations included insomnia, depression and anxiety. Protocols included taper alone (32%), taper plus cognitive behavioral therapy (32%) and taper plus medication substitution (36%). Success rates were favorable for all modalities (mean 60%, median 67%, range 25 – 85%) and independent of dose or duration of use. Common schedules included a 25% dose reduction over 1 – 2 weeks until drug-free. Withdrawal symptoms included mainly mild psychological and somatic concerns. No serious safety events...
Bridge and Roadway Frost. Occurrence and Prediction by Use of an Expert System

Abstract A survey of the characteristics of frost occurrences on bridges and roadways derived from questionnaires completed by highway maintenance personnel and analysis of more than 4000 frost observations in Iowa reveal that bridge frost occurs up to 58 times annually in certain parts of the state and, roadway frost, as many as 35 times. Certain bridges or stretches of road seem frost-prone because of their location or because of adjacent features. An expert system designed to provide 20-b forecasts of roadway and bridge frost has been constructed from analysis of meteorological conditions and has been evaluated against human forecasters. The expert system, when supplied with perfect forecasts of commonly forecast meteorological variables, produced accuracy com- parable to or higher than human forecasters. Human forecasters were observed to provide relatively unbiased forecasts for bridge frost but were highly biased toward reducing false alarms for roadway frost. The expert system, by contrast, is conf...
Prenatal treatment of cretinism: Preliminary studies of its value in postnatal development

In this study 4 mothers who had each prveiously given birth to at least 1 cretinous infant were given large doses of thyroid hormone during 6 subsequent pregnancies; 3 of the children born in these circumstances were euthyroid and apparently were not harmed by the treatment. Of the 3 cretins, 2 were probably benefited. It is possible, but unlikely, that hypothyroidism was caused by this therapy. More data on the subsequent development of cretins treated in the immediate neonatal period are needed.
Thiourea binding by rat erythrocyte, resistant to trichloracetic acid denaturation of protein.

Abstract Thiourea (TU) binds to rat erythrocytes (RBC) both in vivo and in vitro . The binding in vitro occurs within 3 min after incubation with the erythrocytes at 0°. Both the stroma and hemoglobin bind thiourea equally well. The binding appears to be resistant to the protein-denaturing effect of trichloroacetic acid (TCA). However, TCA-resistant binding is destroyed after heating at 75° for 30 min. Significant reductions in the binding occur at 45° and 60°. The plasma proteins and tissue components of several organs lack the ability to bind thiourea when studied under identical conditions. It is postulated that rat erythrocytes, hemoglobin and stroma have binding sites with stronger affinities for thiourea than are found in the other tissues studied.
Fracture behavior of laser-modified ceramic materials

Abstract The healing of surface cracks in laser surface modified ceramic materials is analyzed. A partial or complete welding of the crack surfaces as a result of laser surface modification of silicon carbide with nickel overlayer is shown to be effective in improving the fracture toughness. The presence of the coherent second phase of nickel changes the nature of applied stress on the crack surfaces and welds the crack tip. Dislocation modelling of the partially closed crack surfaces is presented along with the development of constitutive energy equations associated with the crack in the two-phase medium. Crack configurations under either an applied tensile stress or an antiplane strain condition are analyzed and the results compared. These results show that the critical size of the crack at the interface in the laser surface modified materials is always larger than that of the surface crack. This leads to an improvement of fracture toughness, consistent with experimental observations.
Two newly detected nonstructural viral proteins in potyvirus-infected cells.

Abstract The existence of two viral RNA-encoded proteins in cells infected with tobacco vein mottling potyvirus (TVMV) has been demonstrated. One of the proteins (named 34K) maps at the N-terminus of the TVMV polyprotein and the other (42K) between the helper component and cylindrical inclusion proteins; both had previously been predicted in the consensus potyviral genetic map. The 34K and 42K coding regions of TVMV were cloned separately in a bacterial expression vector and the proteins were isolated from transformed Escherichia coli. These were used to raise polyclonal antibodies which reacted specifically with proteins of the expected size in immunoblots of extracts of TVMV-infected tobacco leaves and protoplasts. In addition to 42K, the anti-42K serum detected similar amounts of a second protein of apparent size 37 kDa that was absent in 42K-expressing bacteria. Both 34K and 42K were present predominantly in membrane-enriched fractions of extracts of TVMV-infected tobacco leaves. Computer analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence of 42K suggests that this viral protein maybe an integral transmembrane protein.
Nuclear Process heat—application to fuels and chemical production

Abstract Synthesis gas, a mixture of CO and H 2 , produced from coal and a HTR nuclear source can be an economic feedstock for synthetic fuel and chemicals production. Such chemicals as hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, steel, can be readily produced from synthesis gas and other raw feedstocks by standard chemical engineering practice. Direct coal liquefaction is accomplished by adding H 2 to a pressurized coal slurry or solution. The use of the HTR to provide both the synthesis gas (using its high temperature capability) and steam or electricity for chemical process application (using its steam bottoming cycle capability) gives substantial conservation advantages in the use of coal compared to the non-nuclear equivalent processes. The desirability of efficiently using both the high and low temperature sources of the HTR requires a coupling between two or more chemical processes and the HTR (in a ‘Chemplex’) if a match is to be made between the high temperature and steam cycles of the HTR and the needs of the chemical processes.
Using Telephone and Informant Assessments to Estimate Missing Modified Mini-Mental State Exam Scores and Rates of Cognitive Decline

Aim: To estimate an equivalent to the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam (3MSE), and to compare changes in the 3MSE with and without the estimated scores. Methods: C
A Capacitive Lased Tactile Sensor

A tactile sensor for use with robotic manipulators is de-scribed. The sensor has a spatial resolution of 8 x 8 points in a 1.27 x 1.27 cm square space, giving it a theoretical. two point disparity of 1.9 mm. Force is measured by determining the variation in distance between two parallel plates of a capacitor. An injected molded silicone rubber material, placed between the upper and lower plates of the force sensing capacitors, is used as both the elastic and di-electric medium. A series of experiments were conducted to quantify the performance of the device; hysteresis was found to be low and spatial resolution approached its theoretical limit. Finally, the tactile force images of several small objects are shown.
The comovement between output and prices

Abstract In this paper, I analyze the comovement of US prices and output in the postwar period. I use a new set of statistics to characterize the comovement between variables. The statistics capture important information about the dynamics in the system. The estimation procedure does not require assumptions about the order of integration or the types of assumptions needed for VAR decompositions. I find that the comovement between output and prices is positive in the `short run’ and negative in the `long run'. I show that a model in which demand shocks dominate in the short run and supply shocks dominate in the long run can explain these empirical results, while sticky-price models with only demand shocks cannot.
Edited Books: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

How many times have you read a review of an edited book that included a statement like the following: “As is the case with most edited volumes, the chapters differed greatly in quality and the book lacked consistency and continuity”? Quite a few times, we suspect. We believe edited books, if done well and for the right reasons, have much to contribute to a field. At the same time, we also believe that many edited volumes end up providing the field with little of significant value. We think it is worthwhile to consider what edited volumes can do well for those reading or purchasing books and what they generally do not do well. For the reader’s interest, we have both contributed to edited volumes, reviewed edited books, and one of us (Bernd) has been and is currently a co-editor for several books.
Two-Fluid Simulations of Collisionless Reconnection and the Z-Pinch using the Discontinuous Galerkin Method

Summary form only given. Computational magnetohydrodynamics continues to be an important area of numerical plasma physics research. However, in many situations the magnetohydrodynamic model does not properly describe important plasma physics. This is particularly true for such phenomena as collisionless reconnection for which the Hall term and electron inertia become important. Furthermore, it is believed that electron inertia may generally be important in regions where the electrons are unmagnetized due to very low magnetic fields such as in the core of a Z-pinch. In this paper a multi-dimensional two-fluid algorithm using an advanced technique, the discontinuous Galerkin method, is developed and numerical results to such problems as the GEM challenge magnetic reconnection problem and the development of sausage mode instabilities in a Z-pinch are presented in the two-fluid framework
Does Lengthening and Then Plating (LAP) Shorten Duration of External Fixation

Background Classic bone lengthening requires patients wear external fixation for the distraction and consolidation phases and there is fracture risk after frame removal. Our technique of lengthening with the Taylor Spatial FrameTM and then insertion of a locked plate allows earlier removal of the external fixator during consolidation. Plate insertion is accomplished through a clean pin-free zone avoiding contamination and before frame removal maintaining bone position.
A randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for adherence and depression (CBT-AD) in HIV-infected individuals.

Objective To evaluate cognitive behavioral therapy to enhance medication adherence and reduce depression (CBT-AD) in individuals with HIV.
LuIII Parvovirus Selectively and Efficiently Targets, Replicates in, and Kills Human Glioma Cells

Because productive infection by parvoviruses requires cell division and is enhanced by oncogenic transformation, some parvoviruses may have potential utility in killing cancer cells. To identify the parvovirus(es) with the optimal oncolytic effect against human glioblastomas, we screened 12 parvoviruses at a high multiplicity of infection (MOI). MVMi, MVMc, MVM-G17, tumor virus X (TVX), canine parvovirus (CPV), porcine parvovirus (PPV), rat parvovirus 1A (RPV1A), and H-3 were relatively ineffective. The four viruses with the greatest oncolytic activity, LuIII, H-1, MVMp, and MVM-G52, were tested for the ability, at a low MOI, to progressively infect the culture over time, causing cell death at a rate higher than that of cell proliferation. LuIII alone was effective in all five human glioblastomas tested. H-1 progressively infected only two of five; MVMp and MVM-G52 were ineffective in all five. To investigate the underlying mechanism of LuIII's phenotype, we used recombinant parvoviruses with the LuIII capsid replacing the MVMp capsid or with molecular alteration of the P4 promoter. The LuIII capsid enhanced efficient replication and oncolysis in MO59J gliomas cells; other gliomas tested required the entire LuIII genome to exhibit enhanced infection. LuIII selectively infected glioma cells over normal glial cells in vitro. In mouse models, human glioblastoma xenografts were selectively infected by LuIII when administered intratumorally; LuIII reduced tumor growth by 75%. LuIII also had the capacity to selectively infect subcutaneous or intracranial gliomas after intravenous inoculation. Intravenous or intracranial LuIII caused no adverse effects. Intracranial LuIII caused no infection of mature mouse neurons or glia in vivo but showed a modest infection of developing neurons.
Hydrophobic-induced surface reorganization: molecular dynamics simulations of water nanodroplets on perfluorocarbon self-assembled monolayers

We carried out molecular dynamics simulations of water droplets on self-assembled monolayers of perfluorocarbon molecules. The interactions between the water droplet and the hydrophobic fluorocarbon surface were studied by systematically changing the molecular surface coverage and the mobility of the tethered head groups of the surface chain molecules. The microscopic contact angles were determined for different fluorocarbon surface densities. The contact angle at a nanometre length scale does not show a large change with the surface density. The structure of the droplets was studied by looking at the water density profiles and water penetration near the hydrophobic surface. At surface densities near close-packed coverage of fluorocarbons, the water density shows an oscillating pattern near the boundary with a robust layered structure. As the surface density decreased and more water molecules penetrated into the fluorocarbon surface, the ordering of the water molecules at the boundary became less pronounced and the layered density structure became diffuse. The water droplet is found to induce the interfacial surface molecules to rearrange and form unique topological structures that minimize the unfavorable water–surface contacts. The local density of the fluorocarbon molecules right below the water droplet is measured to be higher than the density outside the droplet. The density difference increases as the overall surface density decreases. Two different surface morphologies emerge from the water-induced surface reorganization over the range of surface coverage explored in the study. For surface densities near close-packed monolayer coverage, the height of the fluorocarbons is maximum at the center of the droplet and minimum at the water–vapor–surface triple junction, generating a convex surface morphology under the droplet. For lower surface densities, on the other hand, the height of the fluorocarbon surface becomes maximal at and right outside the water–vapor–surface contact line and decreases quickly towards the center of the droplet, forming a concave shape of the surface. The interplay between the fluorocarbon packing and the water molecules is found to have profound consequences in many aspects of surface–water interactions, including water depletion and penetration, hydrogen bonding, and surface morphologies.
Dioxole functionalized metal–organic frameworks

The synthesis and physical properties of dioxole functionalized metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are reported. Combination of benzo[d][1,3]dioxole-4,7-dicarboxylic acid (dioxole-BDC) and Zn(II) under solvothermal conditions yields either an isoreticular metal–organic framework analog (IRMOF-1-dioxole) or a new MOF material (MOF-1-dioxole). With the addition of a co-ligand, namely 4,4′-bipyridine, a mixed-linker Zn(II)-paddlewheel MOF (BMOF-2-dioxole) is obtained. The structure of all three MOFs has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. MOF-1-dioxole reveals that the dioxole group binds to the Zn(II) ions, while there is no such binding in IRMOF-1-dioxole or BMOF-2-dioxole, hence preserving the parent topology of these frameworks. Thermal gravimetric analysis and gas sorption studies reveal quite different physical properties for each of these functionalized MOFs.
New Research on Anxiety Disorders in the Elderly and an Update on Evidence-Based Treatments

Anxiety disorders are frequently encountered in the elderly, but they are largely undetected and untreated. Epidemiological studies indicate a prevalence ranging from 1.2 to 15 %. With the exception of generalized anxiety disorder and agoraphobia, which can often start in late life, most anxiety disorders in older patients are chronic and have their onset earlier in life. Anxiety disorders are an often unrecognized cause of distress, disability, and mortality risk in older adults, and they have been associated with cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cognitive decline. The mechanisms of anxiety in older adults differ from that in younger adults due to age-related neuropathology, as well as the loss and isolation so prominent in late life. Our review intends to provide a comprehensive summary of the most recent research done in the field of anxiety disorders in the elderly. Recent findings in clinical research, neuroimaging, neuroendocrinology, and neuropsychology are covered. An update on treatment options is discussed, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological alternatives.
Tree Response to Experimental Watershed Acidification

Forest ecosystems in the Eastern USA are threatened by acid deposition rates that have increased dramatically since industrialization. We utilized two watersheds at the Fernow Experimental Forest in West Virginia to examine long-term effects of acidification on ecological processes. One watershed has been treated with ammonium sulfate (approximately twice the ambi- ent deposition rate) since 1989 to simulate elevated acidic deposition, while the other served as a control. Prior to treatment, both watersheds were similar in age and species composition. Ten dominant overstory Prunus serotina and Liriodendron tulipifera trees were selected and cored from each watershed to measure bolewood concentrations of essential elements through time. In addition, changes intree species basal area were analyzed utilizing 50 long-term growth plots. Results of this experiment show lower calcium and magnesium concentration and increased acidic cation concentration for both species in the treated watershed, indicating a negative treatment effect. Growth response, measured through relative growth rates of cored trees and changes in basal area from growth plots, was not as conclusive and appeared to differ by species. The resulting differ- ence in species response indicates that acidification sensitivity is something that land managers should con- sider when managing forests affected by acidification.
Unified Government, Bill Approval, and the Legislative Weight of the President

This article proposes a new approach to measuring the legislative weight of the president and Congress based on the approval of each actor’s legislative agenda. The authors focus on presidential systems where presidents possess both formal authority to introduce their own bills and a variety of prerogatives to influence the passage of legislation. The authors argue that the legislative weight of the president varies over time in response to contextual political variables. After devising a general model to measure changes in the legislative weight of the president vis-a-vis Congress, the authors empirically test their propositions using data from Argentina. The results indicate that the policy and productivity weights of the president actually increase in the absence of unified government.
Grain boundary segregation in Al–Mn electrodeposits prepared from ionic liquid

Among the various preparation methods for nanocrystalline alloys, ionic liquid electrodeposition at low temperature is of interest for its scalability and efficiency. To achieve nanostructures with stabilized structures, it is desirable to directly deposit alloys in which the grain boundaries are decorated with a segregated alloying element. Here a combination of atom-probe tomography and aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy are used to confirm that in Al–Mn nanocrystalline alloys deposited from an ionic liquid, Mn is slightly segregated at grain boundaries in the as-deposited condition. The apparent heat of grain boundary segregation is calculated to lie between 1100 and 1500 J mol−1, which aligns reasonably well with a value calculated using a Miedema-based segregation model, and which is also in line with a more refined CALPHAD-type estimation if it is assumed that the Al–Mn deposits are not fully equilibrated at the deposition temperature.
A low-power analog CMOS vector quantizer

The authors describe the implementation and performance of what might be termed a 'Vector A/D Converter'. The IC stores a codebook of vectors on-chip, accepts a 16-element analog vector at the input, calculates the Euclidean distance between the input and all codevectors (referred to as global search), and outputs an 8-bit code to index the codevector closest to the input prompt. At a 5 MHz clock rate it dissipates less than 50 mW to quantize 16 element analog vectors once every 10 clock periods, giving a 30 Hz frame rate for a 512*512 pixel gray scale image. >
Optimal Control of Earthquake Response Using Semiactive Isolation

The responses of two, low-rise, 2-degree-of-freedom base isolated structures with different isolation periods to a set of near-field earthquake ground motions are investigated under passive linear and nonlinear viscous damping, two pseudoskyhook semiactive control methods, and optimal semiactive control. The structures are isolated with a low damping elastic isolation system in parallel with a controllable damper. The optimal semiactive control strategy minimizes an integral norm of superstructure absolute accelerations subject to the constraint that the nonlinear equations of motion are satisfied and is determined through a numerical solution to the Euler–Lagrange equations. The optimal closed-loop performance is evaluated for a controllable damper and is compared to passive viscous damping and causal pseudoskyhook control rules. Results obtained from eight different earthquake records illustrate the type of ground motions and structures for which semiactive damping is most promising.
Who Reports Earnings When Reporting is Optional? The Market for New Franchises

Most studies of voluntary disclosure examine the securities market, where voluntary disclosure is incremental to the requirements of highly developed reporting standards. In this paper, I examine the market for new franchises, where there is no requirement that potential franchise investors be given information relevant to earnings at the individual franchise level. The market for new franchises provides an opportunity to observe the outcome of managers' assessment of whether to disclose or withhold earnings information when that choice is not dominated by a disclosure requirement. I am able to observe firm and contract features associated with earnings disclosure in a present-day unregulated environment. Approximately twenty-six percent of franchisors volunteer earnings-related information. I find that disclosing franchisors impose greater investment risk on new franchisees in the form of 1) higher contractual payments and 2) greater product demand uncertainty. Demand uncertainty is greater when franchisees are granted a territory--rather than a site, or when franchisors are expanding to foreign markets. I also observe that larger franchise systems, which collect data from more locations and therefore have more precise proprietary information, are less likely to disclose. This finding is notable in that it is contrary to what has been observed in the securities market, where large firms are associated with more volunary disclosure. The study suggests a possible role for initial disclosure regulation in that it may cause large firms to release proprietary information they would otherwise retain.
Amyloidoma secondary to insulin injection: Cytologic diagnosis and pitfalls

Amyloidomas are rare tumors composed of deposits of amyloid protein not associated with systemic amyloidosis. They can present as an initial manifestation of a systemic disease process or can be a completely localized phenomenon. We present a case of amyloidoma associated with insulin injection site found incidentally in an 80-year-old male with multiple co-morbidities who presented with diverticulitis associated bleeding. A subcutaneous abdominal mass was found on physical examination. Imaging revealed a 5 cm × 1.6 cm homogenous subcutaneous lesion. A fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and core biopsy were performed under ultrasound guidance to reveal amorphous material proven to be amyloidosis at insulin injection sites (AIns) type amyloid. The patient had no treatment for this lesion and has had his care triaged to his more serious health problems. This is the first case of AIns type amyloidoma associated with insulin injection site reported in cytology literature. We highlight the cytologic findings and diagnostic pitfalls. As the incidence of diabetes is increasing, cytopathologists may encounter this lesion more often on FNA.
Non-AIDS–Defining Cancers in New Orleans:

Background:Non-AIDS–defining cancers in HIV-infected patients in the highly active antiretroviral therapy era have increased. To our knowledge a comprehensive review of non-AIDS–related malignancies in New Orleans has not yet been conducted.Methods:Databases from main institutions in New Orleans were queried retrospectively for the years 2001 to 2011. The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes were used to search for HIV infection and cancer comorbidity.Results:A total of 16 patients were diagnosed with lung cancer (mean age 50 years) with 81% of the patients presenting with advanced stages. In all, 20 (mean age 47 years) were diagnosed with anal cancer, and 35% presented in late stages. In all, 14 patients (mean age 42 years) were diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma, and 64% were diagnosed at late stage. A total of 5 women (mean age 44 years) were diagnosed with breast cancer with 40% of them presenting at late stage.Conclusion: Malignancies were diagnosed at late stages in the majori...