cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Value of antistreptolysin "O" titers for differential diagnosis of renal diseases.

A.S.O. titers were determined in 93 children with various kidney diseases. In addition, 52 children without renal disorders were investigated as controls. In the children with renal disease, 38 suffered from the "idiopathic", "primary" nephrotic syndrome of childhood. Thirteen had acute, post-infectious glomerulonephritis, 16 had "primary" chronic glomerulonephritis, 3 had pyelonephritis, and 1 had disseminated lupus nephritis. In acute glomerulonephritis, with or without N.S., the titers were higher than in the controls, which is known and consistent with the frequency of preceding streptococcal infections. Children with chronic glomerulonephritis, with and without associated N.S., did not show a similar tendency to increased values. All patients but one with "primary", , "idiopathic" N.S. of childhood had titers of less than 100. They were between 50 and 12 Todd units. These titers were observed early during the course of the disease and persisted for years in spite of remissions. They were not related to concomitant antimicrobial therapy, nor to corticosteroid administration. In "idiopathic" nephrotic syndrome of childhood a titer of less than 100 does not, in itself, lead to the diagnosis of a N.S. of childhood. However, a greater than 100 titer speaks against it and may well serve as a valid indication for a renal biopsy, in order to differentiate this disease from acute glomerulonephritis, and also from R.P.G.N. whenever they are associated with a N.S. The low titers are only of value in differentiating the "primary" form of the N.S. from the "secondary" forms which are preceded by chronic renal disease or which are due to another underlying, systemic disease. In nephrotic children less than 6 years of age, the less than 100 A.S.O. titers may also be due to their age.
Rational Zero: Economic Security for Zerocoin with Everlasting Anonymity

Zerocoin proposed adding decentralized cryptographically anonymous e-cash to Bitcoin. Given the increasing popularity of Bitcoin and its reliance on a distributed pseudononymous public ledger, this anonymity is important if only to provide the same minimal privacy protections from nosy neighbors offered by conventional banking. Unfortunately, at 25 KB, the non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs for spending a zerocoin are nearly prohibitively large. In this paper, we consider several improvements. First, we strengthen Zerocoin’s anonymity guarantees, making them independent of the size of these proofs. Given this freedom, we explore several techniques for drastically reducing proof size while ensuring that forging a single zerocoin is more difficult than the block mining process used to maintain Bitcoin’s distributed ledger. Provided a zerocoin is worth less than the reward for a Bitcoin block, forging a coin is not an economically rational action. Hence we preserve Zerocoin’s absolute anonymity guarantees while achieving drastic reductions in proof size by limiting ourselves to security against rational attackers.
The Network as a Language Construct

The actor model inspires several important programming languages. In this model, communicating concurrent actors collaborate to produce a result. A pure actor language tends to turn systems into an organization-free collection of processes, however, even though most applications call for layered and tiered architectures. To address this lack of an organizational principle, programmers invent design patterns. This paper investigates integrating some of these basic patterns via a programming language construct. Specifically, it extends a calculus of communicating actors with a "network" construct so that actors can conduct scoped, tiered conversations. The paper then sketches how to articulate design ideas in the calculus, how to implement it, and how such an implementation shapes application programming.
Perceived Longitudinal Effects of SLMTs

This current study analyzed the long-term holistic development of intercultural competency in undergraduates who participated in a short-term service-learning missions trip (SLMT). We compared alumni who had participated in the program against a control group who did not. As expected, the SLMT group had significantly higher perceived intercultural competency in the scales of Knowledge, Awareness, Behavior, Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Growth, Intellect, and Spirituality. It was also found that alumni who participated in the SLMT in conjunction with a study abroad trip experienced significantly higher gains in all eight of the competency scales when compared to those who only participated in the SLMT and the control group. Furthermore, there were no significant differences found between the SLMT time cohorts (2–7, 8–13 post-experience) for six of the eight competencies. We conclude by discussing how the intentional use of preparation, reflection, and debriefing are critical for perceived changes in shor...
Inter-rater Reliability of the HEART Score.

Background The HEART score is a risk stratification tool for suspected acute coronary syndrome and contains several subjective components. A single previous study found good inter-rater reliability. Our objective was to assess the inter-rater reliability of the HEART score in an external prospective cohort. Methods We prospectively collected paired, independent physician ratings of the HEART score for patients > 20 years of age presenting to the emergency department with chest pain for which an ECG and troponin were ordered. Two emergency physicians independently provided HEART scores for each unique patient. The primary outcome, the HEART score, was dichotomized by low risk (0–3) vs non- low risk (4–10). Additional outcomes included the HEART score across the entire scale (0–10) and subcomponents of the HEART score (e.g., history, electrocardiogram, risk factors; score of 0–2 for each). We calculated kappa statistics and percent agreement for all outcomes. Results We collected paired physician HEART score ratings on 311 patients from October 2017 to April 2018. The mean HEART score was 3.5 (SD 1.9). About half (49.2%) of our patients had a HEART score of ≤ 3, and 50.8% had a HEART score > 3. The kappa score for “low risk” (HEART ≤ 3) was 0.68 (95%CI: 0.60 – 0.77). There was 84.2% agreement between physicians on this variable. Conclusions Our study demonstrates there is substantial inter-rater reliability among emergency department physicians in identifying patients at low risk of acute coronary syndrome using the HEART score.
Relation between prescribing of different antibiotics and rates of bacteremia/septicemia and associated mortality in the US and England

Abstract Background Antibiotic use may contribute to the rates of bacteremia, sepsis and associated mortality through various mechanisms. Additionally, rates of prescribing of all antibiotics and rates of bacteremia, sepsis, and associated mortality are strongly correlated both within the US and England. At the same time, there is limited information on the effect of prescribing of some antibiotics vs. others on the rates of severe outcomes associated with bacterial infections. Methods For each of several antibiotic types/classes, we looked at associations (univariate, and multivariable for the US data) between the proportions (state-specific in the US, Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)-specific in England) of a given antibiotic type/class among all prescribed antibiotics in the outpatient setting, and rates of outcomes (mortality with septicemia, ICD-10 codes A40-41 present on the death certificate in different age groups of adults in the US, and E. coli or MSSA bacteremia in England) per unit of antibiotic prescribing (defined as the rate of outcome divided by the rate of prescribing of all antibiotics). Results In the US, prescribing of penicillins was positively associated with rates of mortality with septicemia for persons aged 75-84y and 85+y between 2014-2015, while multivariable analyses also suggest an association between the percent of individuals aged 50-64y lacking health insurance, as well as the percent of individuals aged 65-84y who are African-American and rates of mortality with septicemia. In England, prescribing of penicillins other than amoxicillin/co-amoxiclav was positively associated with rates of both MSSA and E. coli bacteremia for the period between financial years 2014/15 through 2017/18. Additionally, as time progressed, correlations between prescribing for both trimethoprim and co-amoxiclav and rates of bacteremia in England decreased, while correlations between amoxicillin prescribing and rates of bacteremia increased. Conclusions Our results suggest that prescribing of penicillins is associated with rates of E. coli and MSSA bacteremia in England, and rates of mortality with septicemia in older US adults, which agrees with our earlier findings. Further work is needed to better understand the relation between antibiotic prescribing, including antibiotic replacement and reduction in prescribing and rates of severe bacterial infections, including those for which a given antibiotic is prescribed infrequently.
Treatment of Diplopia in Parkinson’s Disease

Diplopia is a common although underappreciated symptom in Parkinson’s disease (PD). It is usually due to a combination of convergence insufficiency and an exophoria. It typically presents with horizontal diplopia, worse at near, which resolves if either eye is closed. It is essential to rule out alternative causes of diplopia unrelated to PD (e.g., myasthenia gravis) as well as recognize and treat other comorbid causes of visual impairment encountered in PD such as dry eye or blepharitis. Convergence insufficiency can be managed with a base in prism, and if ineffective, patients can keep one eye closed, wear an eye patch, or occlude one lens of reading glasses.
Teaching Research and Data Use in the Education Doctorate

Schools now face a sea of “evidence”—supposedly validated products, research findings, and test, demographic, and teacher-generated data—that leaders must use. How have recent reforms to educationa...
Recent advances in tumor associated carbohydrate antigen based chimeric antigen receptor T cells and bispecific antibodies for anti-cancer immunotherapy.

Abstract Tumor associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs) are a class of attractive antigens for the development of anti-cancer immunotherapy. Besides monoclonal antibodies and vaccines, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells and bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) targeting TACA are exciting directions to harness the power of the immune system to fight cancer. In this review, we focus on two TACAs, i.e., the GD2 ganglioside and the mucin-1 (MUC1) protein. The latest advances in CAR T cells and bispecific antibodies targeting these two antigens are presented. The roles of co-stimulatory molecules, structures of the sequences for antigen binding, methods for CAR and antibody construction, as well as strategies to enhance solid tumor penetration and reduce T cell exhaustion and death are discussed. Furthermore, approaches to reduce “on target, off tumor” side effects are introduced. With further development, CAR T cells and BsAbs targeting GD2 and MUC1 can become powerful agents to effectively treat solid tumor.
Bigram Label Regularization to Reduce Over-Segmentation on Inline Math Expression Detection

Inline Mathematical Expression refers to Math Expression (ME) that is blended into plaintext sentences in scientific papers. Detecting inline MEs is a non-trivial problem due to the unrestricted usage of font styles and blurred boundaries with plaintext in scientific publications. For instance, many inline MEs detected by existing algorithms are split into multiple parts incorrectly due to the misidentification of a few characters. In this paper, we propose a bigram regularization model to resolve the split problem in inline ME detection. The model incorporates neighboring constraints during labeling of ME vs. plaintext. Experimental results show that this technique significantly reduces the splits of inline MEs, with small gains in the false and miss rate. In comparison with a CRF model, our model achieves a higher F1 score and a lower miss rate.
Enhancement of label-free biosensing of cardiac troponin I

The detection of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is clinically used to monitor myocardial infarctions (MI) and other heart diseases. The development of highly sensitive detection assays for cTnI is needed for the efficient diagnosis and monitoring of cTnI levels. Traditionally, enzyme-based immunoassays have been used for the detection of cTnI. However, the use of label-free sensing techniques have the advantage of potentially higher speed and lower cost for the assays. We previously reported a Photonic Crystal-Total Internal Reflection (PC-TIR) biosensor for label-free quantification of cTnI. To further improve on this, we present a comparative study between an antibody based PC-TIR sensor that relies on recombinant protein G (RPG) for the proper orientation of anti-cTnI antibodies, and an aptamer-based PC-TIR sensor for improved sensitivity and performance. Both assays relied on the use of polyethylene glycol (PEG) linkers to facilitate the modification of the sensor surfaces with biorecognition elements and to provide fluidity of the sensing surface. The aptamer-based PC-TIR sensor was successfully able to detect 0.1 ng/mL of cTnI. For the antibody-based PC-TIR sensor, the combination of the fluidity of the PEG and the increased number of active antibodies allowed for an improvement in assay sensitivity with a low detection limit of 0.01 ng/mL. The developed assays showed good performance and potential to be applied for the detection of cTnI levels in clinical samples upon further development.
Differential preparatory cardiovascular responses to aversive and appetitive behavioral conditioning

Dogs were required to press a response panel either to avoid shock or obtain food. During a one-hour interval immediatelypreceding performance on the avoidance task, blood pressure increased while heart rate decreased. In contrast, both blood pressure and heart rate increased during the one-hour interval immediatelypreceding performance on the food task. During both the shock-avoidance and food performancesper se, however, elevations in heart rate and blood pressure were observed, though the avoidance task produced less consistent heart rate changes. These effects were observed (1) with different individual dogs on each of the two training procedures, and (2) with the same dogs exposed successively to both aversive and appetitive behavioral conditioning.
Fam20C Regulates Bone Resorption and Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis through Osteopontin and BMP4

Fam20C is a kinase that generates the majority of secreted phosphoproteins and regulates biomineralization. However, its potential roles in bone resorption and breast cancer bone metastasis are unknown. Here we show that Fam20C in the myeloid lineage suppresses osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption, during which osteopontin (OPN) is the most abundant phosphoprotein secreted in a Fam20C-dependent manner. OPN phosphorylation by Fam20C decreased OPN secretion, and OPN neutralization reduced Fam20C-deficiency-induced osteoclast differentiation and bone metastasis. In contrast, Fam20C in breast cancer cells promoted bone metastasis by facilitating the phosphorylation and secretion of BMP4, which in turn enhanced osteoclastogenesis. Mutation of the BMP4 phosphorylation site elevated BMP4 lysosomal degradation and reduced BMP4 secretion. In breast cancer cells, BMP4 depletion or treatment with a BMP4 signaling inhibitor diminished osteoclast differentiation and bone metastasis and abolished Fam20C-mediated regulation of these processes. Collectively, this study discovers distinct roles for Fam20C in myeloid cells and breast cancer cells and highlights OPN and BMP4 as potential therapeutic targets for breast cancer bone metastasis.
Genotype - phenotype correlation in an adolescent girl with pathogenic variant in PPARƴ gene causing severe hypertriglyceridemia and early onset type 2 diabetes.

Severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) (>885 mg/dl) can be caused by familial partial lipodystrophy Type 3 (FPLD 3), an autosomal dominant disorder caused by a loss of function of the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARG), characterized by abnormal distribution of fat and metabolic derangements. A 16-year-old female (body mass index, BMI 23.5 kg/m2) was hospitalized twice for pancreatitis (TG level >2200 mg/dl). She was managed with bowel rest, insulin infusion, and plasmapheresis. On a low fat 10 g daily diet and fenofibrate 160 mg daily her fasting TG had decreased to 411 mg/dL (range 0-149). She had a normal leptin level. Panel testing of genes involved in triglyceride metabolism revealed a known pathogenic variant in PPARG gene (c.452A>G p.Tyr151Cys). A second variant detected in this gene, c.1003G>C (p.Val335Leu), is considered benign. HbA1C of 6.6% and two-hours oral glucose tolerance test confirmed Type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We outline the earliest description of T2DM in an adolescent with a pathogenic variant of PPARG. PPARG related FLPD 3 should be considered in lean children presenting with severe HTG and insulin resistance and treatment with PPARy agonists Thiazolidinediones should be considered.
Sub-wavelength focusing and negative refraction along positive-index and negative-index plasmonic nano-transmission lines and nano-layers

Following our recent works on the concept of plasmonic nano-inductors and nano-capacitors and related complex circuits, here we analyze the possibility of designing nano-transmission-lines (NTL) made of these basic nano-elements. We show that in the limit in which these basic circuit elements are very close to each other, they can be regarded as planar stacks of plasmonic and nonplasmonic slabs, which may be designed to act as forward (right-handed) or backward (left-handed) NTL. Negative refraction and left-handed propagation are shown to be possible in these planar plasmonic configurations, potentially applicable in several innovative setups for sub-wavelength focusing, imaging and waveguiding applications.
THE BIRTH, LIFE AND (POTENTIAL) RETIREMENT OF A LIVING GOD

In The Birth of a Living God , Ana-Maria Rizzuto challenged counselors to inquire about cllients' God-concepts, challenging Freud's view that there be no talk about God in the counseling hour. After four decades of ministry, teaching, and writing--that includes much thought to metaphors of the Divine--especially as those convey a notion of human and divine power and responsibility--this paper is a luncheon speech to the Society for Pastoral Theology in which the author confesses to her own "strange sense that my God-concept has retired" along with her. With this author's current existential view, one has to choose the meaning(s) one sees in, or gives to, life. Perhaps, as long as we believe in God, we're tempted to leave too much to Her--or to blame Him for what we humans have left undone. Perhaps it's all up to us humans to use our power and responsibiltity to act, to love. For many religions, God is Love, but does that mean Love is God? We have to find ways in which pastoral theology can motivate humans to act upon our power and responsibility. Retirement is not the same as death, in fact, it can lead to a new aliveness and a sense of connectedness with even more people and a sense of responsible urgency to do all we humans can, together.
A massive cool dust torus around η Carinae

The star η Carinae, the most luminous known in the Milky Way galaxy, is a puzzling object. It is surrounded by a cloud of glowing gas that shows a distinct ‘pinched waist’ appearance, whose origin has been controversial. Morris et al.1 proposed that a massive but very compact torus of gas encircles the star, and that this caused the bipolar shape by preventing gas ejected by the star from expanding in the equatorial plane. Here we show that the small size of the torus (diameter of 5 arcsec) is insufficient to produce the observed infrared flux that inspired the conjecture. The dust giving rise to the 17-μm emission must be distributed over an area at least ten times the size of the torus. Such an extended structure of gas, however, would probably be incapable of generating the pinched waist.
A naturally narrow positive-parity Θ +

We present a consistent color-flavor-spin-orbital wave function for a positive-parity ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}^{+}$ that naturally explains the observed narrowness of the state. The wave function is totally symmetric in its flavor-spin part and totally antisymmetric in its color-orbital part. If flavor-spin interactions dominate, this wave function renders the positive-parity ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}^{+}$ lighter than its negative-parity counterpart. We consider decays of the ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}^{+}$ and compute the overlap of this state with the kinematically allowed final states. Our results are numerically small. We note that dynamical correlations between quarks are not necessary to obtain narrow pentaquark widths.
Design and Development of H∞ and μ-Synthesis Controllers for Nanorobotic Manipulation and Grasping Applications

This paper presents the development of H∞ and μ-synthesis robust controllers for nanorobotic manipulation and grasping applications. Here a 3 DOF (Degrees Of Freedom) nanomanipulator with RRP (Revolute Revolute Prismatic) actuator arrangement is considered for nanomanipulation purposes. Due to the sophisticated complexity, and expected high level of accuracy and precision (of the order of 10−7 rad in revolute actuators and 0.25 nm in the prismatic actuator) of the nanomanipulator, there is a need to design a suitable controller to guarantee an accurate manipulation process. However, structure of the nanomanipulator employed here, namely MM3A, is such that the dynamic equations of motion of the nanomanipulator are highly nonlinear and complicated. Linearizing these dynamic equations of the nanomanipulator simplifies the controller design process significantly. However, linearization could suppress some critical information about the system dynamics. In order to achieve the precise motion of the nanomanipulator utilizing the simple linearized model, H∞ and μ-synthesis robust controller design approaches are proposed. Following the development of the controllers, numerical simulations of the proposed controllers on the nanomanipulator are used to verify the positioning performance.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Chronic Pain, Psychological Factors in

Psychology has long been a topic addressed in the etiology of chronic pain; however, the hypothesized role these factors play has varied greatly. Psychological factors were traditionally considered to account for pain that could not be attributed to any physiological abnormalities. Pain was viewed as a dichotomy: it was either of physiological origin (somatogenic) or due to psychological issues (psychogenic). Thus, pain severity that was not linearly related to the amount of pathological abnormality was considered psychogenic, or “all in the patient's head.” Keywords: catastrophizing; classical conditioning; operant conditioning; social learning; self-efficacy
Electricity Transmission in the U.S. – Legal Issues and Trends

The U.S. electricity transmission infrastructure is undergoing historic change; a short, upfront look at current and projected investment activity provides a sense of the scale and impact. Under the auspice of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, the Department of Energy is authorized to award nearly $38 billion in grants - and make or guarantee $127 billion in loans - over the next few years to modernize the United States’ energy infrastructure and pursue a more independent national energy policy. Roughly 14% of the authorized grant money, or $4.5 billion, is specifically directed towards Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, a category focused on upgrading the U.S. electricity transmission grid. In practice, many of those grants are to be matched, dollar for dollar, by private investment. Similar priorities are reflected in the regular budget process as illustrated by the 2011 fiscal budget which features a 6.8 percent increase for the Department of Energy’s budget, to $28.4 billion, and a 5 percent increase for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, to $2.36 billion.
Isozyme Banding Patterns and Embryo Development in Interspecific Crosses of Phaseolus

Correlation entre la composition genomique et le developpement embryonnaire normal ou anormal etudie par electrophorese de 3 isozymes dans les descendances F1 et F2 d'hybrides interspecifiques P. vulgaris × P. coccineus
Genetic Influences in Caries and Periodontal Diseases

Deciphering the relative roles of heredity and environmental factors ("nature vs. nurture") in the pathogenesis of dental caries and diseases of the periodontium has occupied clinical and basic researchers for decades. Success in the endeavor has come more easily in the case of caries; the complex interactions that occur between host-response mechanisms and putative microbiologic pathogens in periodontal disease have made elucidation of genetic factors in disease susceptibility more difficult. In addition, during the 30-year period between 1958 and 1987, only meager resources were targeted toward the "nature" side of the nature/nurture dipole in periodontology. In this article, we present a brief history of the development of genetic epistemology, then describe the three main research mechanisms by which questions about the hereditary component of diseases in humans can be addressed. A critical discussion of the evidence for a hereditary component in caries susceptibility is next presented, also from a historical perspective. The evolution of knowledge concerning possible genetic ("endogenous", "idiotypic") factors in the pathogenesis of inflammatory periodontal disease is initiated with an analysis of some foreign-language (primarily German) literature that is likely to be unfamiliar to the reader. We identify a turning point at about 1960, when the periodontal research community turned away from genetics in favor of microbiology research. During the past five years, investigators have re-initiated the search for the hereditary component in susceptibility to common adult periodontal disease; this small but growing body of literature is reviewed. Recent applications of in vitro methods for genetic analyses in periodontal research are presented, with an eye toward a future in which persons who are at risk--genetically predisposed--to periodontal disease may be identified and targeted for interventive strategies. Critical is the realization that genes and environment do not act independently of each other; the appearance or magnitude of heritability may differ with various environments.
On an improved empirical Bayes estimator for positive exponential families

This paper deals with the empirical Bayes estimation of the parameter θ in positive exponential families having probability density function (pdf) f (x| θ) = u(x)c(θ) exp(−x/θ). A new empirical Bayes estimator is studied. It is proved that under certain regularity conditions, is asymptotically optimal at a rate (ln2 n/n)(λ s − 2)/2s , where s > 2 and (2/s) < λ ≤ 2(1 − (1/2)). Examples are given to illustrate the performance of . It is shown that is superior to the empirical Bayes estimator of Singh and Wei [Annals of the Institute of Statistical Mathematics, 44 (1992), 435–449] in the sense that possesses a faster rate of convergence under weaker conditions.
The Patent Controversy in the Nineteenth Century

The patent system has lately been subjected to investigations by committees of Congress, and reforms have been proposed to meet some of the most serious criticisms. In recent publications commenting on these discussions it has been suggested that opposition to the patent system is a new development. A writer of a “history of the patent monopoly” asserted that “there never has been, until the present time, any criticism of this type of exclusive privilege,” and he attributed the allegedly new attitude to “modern witch-hunters,” “hungry aspirants to public office,” and, by innuendo, to enemies of all private property.
The Camino Real

Teaching a computer science course to a group of Peruvian engineers provides valuable insights into the development of computing technology in Latin America.
Hamiltonians within the relativistic dynamics with a scalar evolution variable

In the relativistic Hamiltonian dynamics of particle world lines, a dynamically determined scalar evolution varible is employed to avoid the ''no-interaction theorem''. Apart from the usual ten generators which realize the Poincare algebra, there is a new generator x which is related to dynamical evolution of a particle system in an inertial frame. For one single free particle, the generator H was found to be -m ln(p/sub o//m). We show that this logarithmic form of H actually holds in general for N innteracting particles: H/sub N/ = -M ln(P/sub o//M), where M = ..sigma../sup parallel//sub a/ = 1m/sub a/, P/sub o/ = ..sigma../sup parallel//sub a/ = 1p/sub a/o, N> or =2, provided that there is a common potential and that one uses a similar evolution variable which is determined dynamically.
Potentiodynamic polarization studies of Fe-Ni binary alloys in sulfuric acid solution at 25°C

Abstract An investigation of the potentiodynamic polarization behavior of ten high-purity Fe-Ni alloys has shown that the anodic behavior in the active region of dissolution is controlled by Fe in alloys containing up to and including 50at.%Ni. The Fe is believed to dissolve initially in the + 2 state, then the + 3 state; whereas, Ni is believed to dissolve in the + 3 state at all anodic potentials in the active region. The cathodic polarization data indicate that the evolution of hydrogen is a monatomic process dependent on the crystallographic structure of the alloy.
Friction and Wear Studies of Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon Films Containing Silicon

The ratios of sp2 to sp3 content for a series of hydrogenated amorphous carbon-silicon systems were determined using molecular dynamics simulation. The values of elastic modulii were then determined for each system using constant tension and constant temperature molecular dynamics simulation method. The relationship between sp2 to sp3 content and modulii was investigated by varying Si and H content in the films. The thermal conductivity and heat capacity were also calculated for each system. A series of sliding simulations was used to determine which properties had the greatest effects on the resulting friction and wear behavior of the films.
Laparoscopic and robot assisted radical prostatectomy: establishment of a structured program and preliminary analysis of outcomes.

ABSTRACTPurpose: The technique of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is difficult to master and is associated with a steep learning curve. We hypothesized that a structured approach to establishing a laparoscopic prostatectomy program would diminish complications during the learning process and that robotic technology would be useful in learning the operation.Materials and Methods: A structured laparoscopic radical prostatectomy program was introduced at the Vattikuti Urology Institute on October 23, 2000. One of 2 surgeons with a combined experience of more than 500 laparoscopic radical prostatectomies performed or supervised the first prostatectomies, training a third surgeon with extensive “open” surgical skills but no laparoscopic experience. The “trained” surgeon then started performing the operation independently with robotic assistance. The results of this approach were analyzed at the end of 12 months.Results: We performed 48 laparoscopic radical prostatectomies and 50 robot assisted prostatectomi...
Methane flux from created riparian marshes: Relationship to intermittent versus continuous inundation and emergent macrophytes

Abstract Methane's importance as a greenhouse gas warrants examination of the dynamics controlling its emission from temperate zone wetlands created and restored for habitat replacement and water quality improvement. In this one-year field study, hydrology typical of floodplains in the Midwestern USA was simulated in two experimental riparian marshes. Methane fluxes were measured from February to December using non-steady-state chambers located in marsh zones with and without emergent vegetation in which soils were intermittently exposed and inundated, and in permanently inundated wetland areas. Annual methane fluxes from intermittently flooded zones were 30% of fluxes from permanently inundated wetland areas, which emitted ∼42 g CH 4 –C m −2 year −1 . Average growing season rates of methane flux from intermittently flooded zones with and without macrophytes did not differ significantly (∼3.5 mg CH 4 –C m −2 h −1 ), but both were significantly less than those from permanently inundated areas (∼8 mg CH 4 –C m −2 h −1 ). We suggest that incorporation of seasonal floods followed by drier periods in created riparian wetlands could minimize methane emission.
Schottky and Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Diodes Using Poly(3-hexylthiophene)

The semiconducting polymer poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) has been previously used to fabricate Schottky barriers and metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) tunnel diodes using indium as the blocking contact. When P3HT is doped with FeCl3, the conductivity increases and the polymer behaves as a p-type semiconductor. Schottky junctions fabricated on the doped material exhibited higher rectification ratios than equivalent junctions fabricated on undoped material. An indium contact evaporated on FeCl3-doped P3HT film gave the current-voltage ( I-V) characteristics of a minority carrier tunnel diode. Similar I-V characteristics were observed when a thin insulating polymer film was placed between the indium contact and the doped P3HT film.
Detection errors in a task with articulatory suppression: Phonological receding and reading

In two experiments, subjects read passages of text and circled instances of a target letter under normal conditions or while engaged in articulatory suppression. In Experiment 1, subjects searching for the letter e made a disproportionately large number of errors on the word “the” and more errors when e occurred in unstressed than in stressed syllables of three-syllable words. In Experiment 2, subjects searching for the letter f made an exceedingly large number of errors on the word “of.” Articulatory suppression significantly reduced the stress effect in the three-syllable words but did not reduce the tendency to make errors on “the” or “of,” suggesting that phonological recoding is responsible for this effect of stress but does not influence the unitization processes of reading.
Optimal nectar production in a hummingbird pollinated plant

Abstract It is hypothesized that the average rate of nectar production per flower for a population of plants is such than an individual plant which possesses this rate has maximum fitness (i.e., is optimal). This basic hypothesis is used to develop predictions concerning nectar production in scarlet gilia ( Ipomopsis aggregata ), a hummingbird pollinated plant. The optimal standing crop of nectar per flower is not significantly different from the observed.
Food Preferences, Food Intake, and Growth of the F1 Hybrid of Grass Carp ♀ X Bighead Carp ♂

Abstract Hybrid carp from the cross grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella ♀ X bighead carp Aristichthys nobilis ♂ preferred filamentous algae and Najas guadalupensis over Ceratophyllum demersum. Medium-sized (273 g) and large hybrids (360 g) consumed more plant material and grew faster than small hybrids (77 g) at 14 and 22 C in aquaria. Aquarium data suggest that it will require at least twice as many hybrids as grass carp of the same size to obtain the same level of vegetation control. Received December 21, 1982 Accepted June 21, 1983
Infection and fever in the elderly

The elderly make more frequent use of general podiatric medical services than the younger population. It is therefore important for podiatric physicians to become familiar with the general principles of infectious disease as applied to an elderly population, which is susceptible to a wider spectrum of disease with more subtle and unusual clinical signs and symptoms. This article reviews the diagnosis and evaluation of suspected infection, appropriate laboratory testing, patterns of specific infectious disease syndromes, and antibiotic use in the elderly.
Ultrastructural enzyme localization in the surface of Moniliformis dubius (acanthocephala).

Abstract Using several phosphate-containing organic compounds, alkaline and acid phosphatases have been localized on the membranes lining the canals in the striped layer of the acanthocephalan, Moniliformis dubius . With thiolacetate as a substrate, no response with other esterases was found in the striped layer.
Abundance and distribution of the round stingray, Urobatis halleri, near a heated effluent outfall.

Abstract Heated seawater effluent released from coastal electric-generating stations alters the abundance and distribution of organisms near an outfall. It is hypothesized that large aggregations of round stingrays, Urobatis halleri, occurring near an outfall at Seal Beach, California are attracted to the heated effluent. Stingray densities were significantly higher at Seal Beach outfall sites than at a non-outfall site at Surfside; densities were also higher within 30 m of the surfzone than 31–60 m from the surfzone. Water temperatures were higher at Seal Beach than at Surfside, and were also higher within 30 m of the surfzone than 31–60 m from the surfzone. These results suggest U. halleri prefer warmer effluent water near the surfzone at Seal Beach to cooler, ambient water further offshore. Heated effluent, reduced swell exposure, and fresh water input may mimic natural estuarine conditions and provide U. halleri with an urbanized alternative to lost natural habitat.
Binary economic modes for the privatization of public assets

Abstract Binary economics offers a new paradigm for economic growth in which the supply and demand sides of the economy are linked through broad based capital ownership. The recent worldwide pursuit of economic efficiency through the privatization of public assets offers significant opportunities for improving the standard of living in countries that emphasize broad ownership of privatized assets. The author discusses a number of practical tools for privatizing assets in a way that promotes economic growth and improved standards of living.
Metropolis Monte Carlo Search for Non-Precious Metal Catalyst Active Site Candidates

Non-precious metal oxygen-reduction catalysts have the potential to out-perform the rare and expensive platinum group metals used for oxygen reduction reaction at the cathode of low temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Understanding and optimizing non-precious metal catalyst activity is dependent upon an atomistic understanding of active site structures. Unfortunately, there exists a tremendously large configurational active site search space comprised of C, N, Fe (and/or Co), and a variety of edge termination and defect structures. We here present a stochastic search methodology that we have developed and applied to identification of candidate structure attributes using graphene as a template matrix material.
Effects of TiO2 nanoparticles on the growth and metabolism of three species of freshwater algae

We examined how TiO2 nanoparticles (nTiO2) impact the growth and metabolism of three species of freshwater green algae (Scenedesmus quadricauda, Chlamydomonas moewusii, and Chlorella vulgaris) that are widespread throughout North America. We exposed laboratory cultures to five initial concentrations of nTiO2 (0, 50, 100, 200, and 300 ppm) and measured impacts on species population growth rates, as well as on metabolic rates of gross primary production (GPP) and respiration (R). Population growth rates were consistently reduced by nTiO2, with reduction ranging from 11 to 27 % depending on the species. But the mechanisms of reduction differed among species. For Chlamydomonas, nTiO2 reduced both GPP and R, but effects on GPP were stronger. As a consequence, carbon was respired more quickly than it was fixed, leading to reduced growth. In contrast, nTiO2 stimulated both GPP and R in Chorella. But because R was stimulated to a greater extent than GPP, carbon loss again exceeded fixation, leading to reduced growth. For Scenedesmus, nTiO2 had no significant impact on R, but reduced GPP. This pattern also caused carbon loss to exceed fixation. Results suggest that nTiO2 may generally suppress the growth of pelagic algae, but these impacts are manifest through contrasting effects on species-specific metabolic functions. Because growth and metabolism of algae are fundamental to the functioning of ecosystems and the structure of aquatic food-webs, our study suggests nTiO2 has potential to alter important community and ecosystem properties of freshwater habitats.
Nutrient exchange and ventilation of benthic gases across the continental shelf break

[1] On western margins of ocean basins, such as the eastern continental shelf of the United States, rates of biological productivity are higher than in the open ocean, in spite of the mean downwelling circulation. We use a nonhydrostatic, three-dimensional, process study ocean model with idealized shelf-slope geometry, wind forcing, and tracers to explore the interplay between the circulation and the biogeochemistry of the shelf and slope; the pathways that can transport nutrients from the deep ocean and from the sediments to the surface ocean euphotic zone. Cross-shelf exchange between the open and coastal ocean is regulated by a shelf break front that separates light waters on the shelf from denser waters on the slope. The wind direction and strength influence both the position and slope of the isopycnals at the front, which become more vertical in response to northerly winds and flatten in response to southerly winds. When the wind direction oscillates between northerly and southerly, it pumps nutrient and gas-rich bottom boundary layer water up to the sea surface. Nutrients tend to accumulate in the benthic boundary layer during southerly winds and are pumped to the surface during periods of northerly winds. Stratification of the water column in summertime reduces the shelf break pump by dampening the effect of the winds on the movement of the front. When extrapolated over the northeast coast of the United States, the nutrients supplied by the shelf break pump from the open ocean to the coastal ocean are three times the estimated nitrogen delivered to the shelf from estuaries.
The Free‐Market Economy Is Fundametally Healthy

Though another Great Depression seems to have been averted for the moment, great geo-economic shifts are in the works as a result of the global meltdown emanating from Wall Street. Four Nobel laureates in economics take a look at where we are headed.
Flash ADC data processing with correlation coefficients

Abstract The large growth of flash ADC techniques for processing signals, especially in applications of streaming data, raises issues such as data flow through an acquisition system, long-term storage, and greater complexity in data analysis. In addition, experiments that push the limits of sensitivity need to distinguish legitimate signals from noise. The use of correlation coefficients is examined to address these issues. They are found to be quite successful well into the noise region. The methods can also be extended to Field Programmable Gate Array modules for compressing the data flow and greatly enhancing the event rate capabilities.
Fairness and Performance Enhancement in Sport

(2008). Fairness and Performance Enhancement in Sport. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport: Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 193-207.
Oral acyclovir for treatment of first-episode herpes simplex virus proctitis

Twenty-nine patients with first-episode rectal herpes simplex virus infection were enrolled in a double-blind trial of oral acyclovir, 400 mg five times daily, vs placebo treatment. Eighty percent of those receiving acyclovir compared with 25% of placebo recipients no longer had herpes simplex virus isolated from their rectal lesions three days after onset of therapy. The median duration of rectal lesions and viral excretion from rectal lesions (median, five and zero days, respectively) was significantly shorter in patients treated with acyclovir than in placebo-treated patients (14 and 11 days, respectively). Durations of local signs and symptoms of proctitis, such as rectal pain, discharge, and friability, were shorter in acyclovir recipients than in placebo recipients, but these differences were not statistically significant. Daily administration of 2 g of oral acyclovir for ten days alleviates some of the clinical signs of herpes simplex virus rectal infection.
Dialysis fistula and heart failure.

Excerpt To the editor: I wish to question the validity of Dr. Ronald A. Draur's conclusion that three dialysis patients' arteriovenous fistulas caused heart failure (Ann Intern Med79:765, 1973). Hi...
A three-component force vector cell for in vitro quantification of the force exerted by the papillary muscle on the left ventricular wall

Recent clinical studies indicate that functional mitral regurgitation, which is a common complication in patients who suffer from ischemic heart disease, is related to an increase in the tethering forces acting on the mitral valve leaflets. Alterations in the valvular assembly, displacement of the papillary muscles or dilatation of the mitral valve annulus can disrupt the normal force balance on the mitral leaflets and result in an abnormal coaptation geometry with incomplete mitral leaflet closure. The force balance imposed on the mitral leaflets is created by the coapting forces generated by the transmitral pressure difference and the tethering forces at the leaflet attachments. A unique force vector cell capable of accurately measuring the three-component force vector applied by the papillary muscle on the left-ventricular wall was designed and manufactured to permit quantification of the alteration in the force balance acting on the mitral leaflets, and to allow for the study of the influence of papillary muscle displacement on mitral regurgitation.
Current issues in patient adherence and persistence: focus on anticoagulants for the treatment and prevention of thromboembolism

Warfarin therapy reduces morbidity and mortality related to thromboembolism. Yet adherence to long-term warfarin therapy remains challenging due to the risks of anticoagulant-associated complications and the burden of monitoring. The aim of this paper is to review determinants of adherence and persistence on long-term anticoagulant therapy for atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism. We evaluate what the current literature reveals about the impact of warfarin on quality of life, examine warfarin trial data for patterns of adherence, and summarize known risk factors for warfarin discontinuation. Studies suggest only modest adverse effects of warfarin on quality of life, but highlight the variability of individual lifestyle experiences of patients on warfarin. Interestingly, clinical trials comparing anticoagulant adherence to alternatives (such as aspirin) show that discontinuation rates on warfarin are not consistently higher than in control arms. Observational studies link a number of risk factors to warfarin non-adherence including younger age, male sex, lower stroke risk, poor cognitive function, poverty, and higher educational attainment. In addition to differentiating the relative impact of warfarin-associated complications (such as bleeding) versus the lifestyle burdens of warfarin monitoring on adherence, future investigation should focus on optimizing patient education and enhancing models of physician-patient shared-decision making around anticoagulation.
The treatment of an obsession by thought-stopping

Abstract Four variations of the thought-stopping technique were applied to a color-naming obsession of 8 years' duration. After 17 treatment sessions the frequency of this obsession had decreased by 95%, and a month later it was entirely absent. It did not recur in the course of a 7-month follow-up period. Other, related obsessions also decreased considerably.
Stan's Lost Shadow

A fairy tale in science fiction—this story shows human communication shaped by technological thought.