cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A qualitative analysis of diagnostic testing, antibiotic selection, and quality improvement interventions for uncomplicated urinary tract infections

Background Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) can often be diagnosed based solely on symptoms and should be treated with a short course of narrow spectrum antibiotics. However, clinicians often order urine analyses and prescribe long courses of broad spectrum antibiotics. Objective The objectives of our study are: 1) Understand how primary care providers and residents clinically approach UTIs and 2) to understand specific opportunities, based on provider type, to target future antibiotic stewardship interventions. Design and participants We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews of community primary care providers (n = 15) and internal medicine residents (n = 15) in St. Louis, Missouri from 2018–2019. A 5-point Likert scale was used to evaluate participant preferences for possible interventions. Interviews were transcribed, de-identified, and coded by two independent researchers using a combination inductive and deductive approach. Key results Several common themes emerged. Both providers and residents ordered urine tests to “confirm” presence of urinary tract infections. Antibiotic prescription decisions were often based on historical practice and anecdotal experience rather than local susceptibility data or clinical practice guidelines. Community providers were more comfortable treating patients over the phone than residents and tended to prescribe longer courses of antibiotics. Both community providers and residents voiced frustrations with guidelines being difficult to easily incorporate due to length and extraneous information. Preferences for receiving and incorporating guidelines into practice varied. Both groups felt benchmarking would improve prescribing practices but had reservations about implementation. Community providers preferred pragmatic clinical decision support systems and nurse triage algorithms. Residents preferred order sets. Conclusions Significant opportunities exist to optimize urinary tract infection management among residents and community providers. Multifaceted interventions that include provider education, synthesis of guidelines, and pragmatic clinical decision support systems are needed to improve antibiotic prescribing and diagnostic testing; optimal interventions to improve UTI management may vary based on provider training level.
Idarucizumab (PRAXBIND®) as a sole reversal agent in an unstable hemorrhagic shock patient on an unknown anticoagulant with elevated protime/international normalized ratio (PT/INR).

Abstract Dabigatran is a direct oral anticoagulant thrombin inhibitor approved for stroke prophylaxis in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and prophylaxis or treatment of venous thromboembolism. Since approval, there has been increasing concern regarding bleeding risk, predominantly in the elderly population and those with renal disease. We present a case of an 85-year-old female with an unknown medication history, shortness of breath and severe anemia due to an upper gastrointestinal bleed. Laboratory abnormalities were significant for INR 6.43 and serum creatinine 2.21 mg/dL. While in the emergency department the patient decompensated requiring intubation, aggressive crystalloid resuscitation, blood products and initiation of vasopressors. The inability to distinguish between warfarin- and dabigatran-induced coagulopathies paired with the lack of medical information complicated selection of the appropriate anticoagulation reversal agent. In an attempt to prevent a prothrombotic state, prothrombin complex concentrates (PCC) were held and reversal was accomplished with idarucizumab alone, although warfarin-induced coagulopathy remained a possibility. 30 min after administration, repeat PT/INR was 16.1 s and 1.55, respectively. It was later confirmed that the patient was on sole dabigatran therapy. This case highlights the potential for dabigatran to cause extreme elevation in PT/INR in patients with acute renal failure, which may mimic warfarin-induced coagulopathy. Further, it demonstrates significant, rapid correction of abnormal coagulation assays following administration of idarucizumab in a patient with severe INR elevation and suspected dabigatran use.
Single institution experience in re-irradiation of biopsy-proven diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is the leading cause of death from CNS tumors in children. Multiple clinical trials have failed to show any benefit from systemic therapy in DIPG, and radiation therapy (RT) alone remains the standard of care. Re-irradiation (rRT) for symptomatic relief is an option at disease progression. However, published data on treatment details and outcomes are limited. The objective of this study was to review and report our institutional experience with re-irradiation of patients with biopsy-proven DIPG. We identified a cohort of pediatric patients with biopsy-proven DIPG with clinical disease progression after initial radiotherapy who received a second course of radiotherapy at our institution. We reviewed patient and treatment characteristics and outcomes. Between January 2014 and July 2018, we identified five patients with progressive DIPG who received re-irradiation. Re-irradiation was well tolerated with no serious adverse events reported and all patients experiencing stable to improved neurologic function during treatment. Median survival from completion of re-irradiation was 116 days (range 62 to 159 days). Median overall survival from time of diagnosis was 16.3 months (range 13.0 to 18.0 months), which is longer than the historical average of less than 12 months. In patients with available postmortem neuropathology, common findings were Wallerian degeneration and necrosis. In our experience, re-irradiation is safe and feasible for patients with DIPG with symptomatic disease progression following initial radiotherapy treatment.
Non-galenic Pediatric Fistulas

Arteriovenous malformations of the central nervous system may occur sporadically or as part of syndrome. The presentation, natural history, and treatment paradigms are distinct from adult vascular malformations because of their congenital nature in a developing nervous system.
Raman spectroscopy of fresh feces is a practical tool for identifying animal species and estimating diet characteristics

Abstract This study evaluated for the first-time a handheld Raman spectroscopy (RS) device to differentiate animal species and estimate diet characteristics by detecting biomolecules in fresh feces from large (bovine) and small (goat) ruminants, hindgut fermenter (equine), and non-ruminant (swine). The herbivores` diets were forage-based, with access to pasture and ad libitum coastal bermudagrass hay. The pigs received a commercial pelleted grower ration with 160 g/kg of crude protein. Of the 46 fecal samples collected, 21 were from bovine (cattle; 16 cows and 5 calves), 5 from equines (horses, all mares), 8 from goats, and 12 from swine (pigs). Distinct concentrations of undigested biomolecules such as carotenoids, cellulose, and lignin in the feces of each species could be identified by RS. The RS indicated that cattle, goat, and horse diets consisted of 24%, 53%, and 14% fresh grass and 76%, 47%, and 86% hay, respectively. Calves and adult cattle could be distinguished by their feces using the RS. Cellulose, nonstructural carbohydrates, proteins, and fat digestion by ruminants, equines and pigs substantiated RS utilization for nutrition physiology studies in species with different digestive systems. Therefore, RS is a practical tool for identifying animals with different digestive systems and understanding diet specificities.
Mission history of reflective solar band calibration performance of VIIRS

Environmental Data Records (EDR) from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) have a need for Reflective Solar Band (RSB) calibration errors of less than 0.1%. Throughout the mission history of VIIRS, the overall instrument calibrated response scale factor (F factor) has been calculated with a manual process that uses data at least one week old and up to two weeks old until a new calibration Look Up Table (LUT) is put into operation. This one to two week lag routinely adds more than 0.1% calibration error. In this paper, we discuss trending the solar diffuser degradation (H factor), a key component of the F factor, improving H factor accuracy with improved bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) and attenuation screen LUTs , trending F factor, and how using RSB Automated Calibration (RSBAutoCal) will eliminate the lag and look-ahead extrapolation error.
Analog scrambling by the general fast Fourier transform

There are many different methods in use to scrample voice signals. Two of them seem to be of special importance: band-splitting and time-division. In existing devices for scrambling analog signals often only on of these methods is implemented. However, newer equipment, which is realized by digital circuitry, allow us to use both methods, band splitting and time division, at the same time.
A new approach for admissibility analysis of the direct discontinuous Galerkin method through Hilbert matrices

This article continues the study of the so-called direct discontinuous Galerkin (DDG) method for diffusion problems as developed in [Liu and Yan, SIAM J Numer Anal 47 (2009), 475–698;, Liu and Yan, Commun Comput Phys 8 (2010), 541–564; C. Vidden and J. Yan, J Comput Math 31 (2013), 638–662; H. Liu, Math Comp (in press)]. A key feature of the DDG method lies with the numerical flux design which includes two (or more) free parameters. This article identifies the class of all admissible numerical flux choices (Theorem 2.2) for degree n polynomial approximations for the symmetric DDG method [C. Vidden and J. Yan, J Comput Math 31 (2013), 638–662], guaranteeing stability of the resulting method. Our main contribution is the new technique of analysis for the DDG admissibility condition. The strategy is to directly evaluate the admissibility condition (Lemma 2.4) by choosing a simple polynomial basis. The admissibility condition is then transformed into an eigenvalue problem resulting in showing needed properties of inverse Hilbert matrices (Lemma 2.3, Appendix). Numerical tests are provided to confirm theoretical results. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2015
Phospholipase A2 and remodeling in inflammatory cells

For many years, lipids were long thought to be merely the bricks and mortar that composed cell membranes. However, in the past 20 years it has become evident that these molecules are not merely passive building blocks but contain information that can be unleashed when they are metabolized upon cell activation. The signaling properties of specific glycerophospholipids and their metabolites highlight the importance of lipid composition in cell homeostasis. For example, phospholipid to sterol ratios are tightly maintained and the loss of these ratios is thought to contribute to foam cell death and the progression of atherosclerosis [1, 2]. Different cell types not only vary in the relative abundance of each phospholipid class, but also in the fatty acyl composition within each class of phospholipids [3, 4].
The role of bisulfite in the debromination of 5-bromouracil. The debromination of 5-bromo-5,6-dihydrouracil-6-sulfonate.

Abstract 5-Bromouracil is dehalogenated in the presence of bisulfite buffers to yield uracil which subsequently adds bisulfite to form 5,6-dihydrouracil-6-sulfonate. Presumably, 5-bromo-5,6-dihydrouracil-6-sulfonate is an intermediate in uracil formation. Kinetic data indicate that the disappearance of 5-bromouracil in the presence of bisulfite buffers is second order with respect to total bisulfite concentration, thus indicating the participation of 2 moles of either sulfite or bisulfite in the overall reaction, Iodometric titrations of total bisulfite combined with spectral analysis of the various pyrimidine and dihydropyrimidine species present indicate that, in addition to the total bisulfite required to form 5,6-dihydrouracil-6-sulfonate, an additional mole of sulfite is consumed per mole of 5-bromouracil dehalogenated. These data combined with the finding that sulfate is generated during dehalogenation are indicative of a pathway for the dehalogenation of the intermediate 5-bromo-5,6-dihydro-uracil-6-sulfonate which involves the attack of sulfite either directly or via an intervening molecule of water to yield uracil. Subsequent reactions of halogen-containing intermediates yield sulfate and bromide as final products of the reaction.
Palmitoylation of the human beta 2-adrenergic receptor. Mutation of Cys341 in the carboxyl tail leads to an uncoupled nonpalmitoylated form of the receptor.

Abstract We report that a cysteine residue in the human beta 2-adrenergic receptor (beta 2AR) is covalently modified by thioesterification with palmitic acid. By site-directed mutagenesis of the receptor, we have identified Cys341 in the carboxyl tail of the protein as the most likely site of palmitoylation. Mutation of Cys341 to glycine results in a nonpalmitoylated form of the receptor that exhibits a drastically reduced ability to mediate isoproterenol stimulation of adenylyl cyclase. The functional impairment of this mutated beta 2AR is also reflected in a markedly reduced ability to form a guanyl nucleotide-sensitive high affinity state for agonists, characteristic of wild-type receptor. These results indicate that post-translational modification by palmitate of beta 2AR may play a crucial role in the normal coupling of the receptor to the adenylyl cyclase signal transduction system.
Development and Validation of the Adolescent Assessment of Preparation for Transition: A Novel Patient Experience Measure

Abstract Purpose Significant gaps exist in health care transition (HCT) preparation that can impact care and outcomes in young adults with chronic illness. No quality measure exists to directly assess adolescent experiences of HCT preparation. Our objective was to develop an adolescent-reported measure of the quality of HCT preparation received from pediatric health care providers. Methods The Adolescent Assessment of Preparation for Transition (ADAPT) is a 26-item mailed survey designed for completion by 16- and 17-year-old adolescents with a chronic health condition. Adolescents from three samples (two large Medicaid insurance plans [n = 3,000 each] and one large tertiary care pediatric hospital [n = 623]) were mailed the survey. An iterative developmental process included focus groups and cognitive interviews, and validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis and ordinal reliability coefficients. Results Reliability and validity was evaluated for the following three prespecified composite measures: (1) counseling on transition self-management; (2) counseling on prescription medication; and (3) transfer planning. Across the three samples, all but one measure had good internal consistency (ordinal reliability coefficient ≥ .7). Confirmatory factor analysis using tetrachoric correlation coefficients was stable across samples and supported the construct validity of the first two composite measures. Conclusions ADAPT is a reliable, validated instrument measuring the quality of HCT preparation experiences reported by adolescents with chronic disease. ADAPT will enable clinical programs and health care delivery systems to assess the quality of HCT preparation and provide targets for improvement in adolescent counseling related to transition.
Intraosseous Sarcoidosis of the Jaws Mimicking Aggressive Periodontitis: A Case Report and Literature Review

Background: Sarcoidosis is a relatively common systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. The skeletal system is affected in up to 39% of patients, but intraosseous sarcoidosis affecting the maxilla and mandible is rare. Only 20 cases have been reported previously in the English literature. This paper presents a case of generalized intraosseous sarcoidosis of the jaw bones that mimicked rapidly progressive periodontitis. Methods: A 46-year-old male patient presented with loose teeth for assessment of implants. He had been gradually losing his teeth since 1999. His past medical history was significant, with sarcoidosis diagnosed in 1998. A panoramic radiograph showed a bilateral cotton-wool appearance of the mandible. A soft tissue and bone biopsy was performed and sent for histological examination. Results: Microscopic examination of hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections revealed non-caseating granulomatous inflammation consistent with skeletal sarcoidosis. Conclusions: Intraosseous sarcoidosis ...
On the interrelation of almost sure invariance principles for certain stochastic adaptive algorithms and for partial sums of random variables

Since the novel work of Berkes and Philipp(3) much effort has been focused on establishing almost sure invariance principles of the form $$\left| {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{|\_t\_|} {x_1 - X_t } } \right| \ll t^{{1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 2}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 2} - \gamma } $$ (1) where {xi,i=1,2,3,...} is a sequence of random vectors and {Xt,t>-0} is a Brownian motion. In this note, we show that if {Ak,k=1,2,3,...} and {bk,k=1,2,3,...} are processes satisfying almost-sure bounds analogous to Eq. (1), (where {Xt,t≥0} could be a more general Gauss-Markov process) then {hk,k=1,2,3...}, the solution of the stochastic approximation or adaptive filtering algorithm $$h_{k + 1} = h_k + \frac{1}{k}(b_k - A_k h_k )for{\text{ }}k{\text{ = 1,2,3}}...$$ (2) also satisfies and almost sure invariance principle of the same type.
Does response variability predict distractibility among adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder?

Increased intra-individual variability in response time (RTSD) has been observed reliably in ADHD and is often used as a measure of inattention. RTSD is assumed to reflect attentional lapses and distractibility, though evidence for the validity of this connection is lacking. We assessed whether RTSD is an indicator of inattention by comparing RTSD on the stop-signal task (SST) to performance on the Delayed Oculomotor Response (DOR) Task, a measure of distractibility. Participants included 30 adults with ADHD and 28 controls. Participants completed the SST and the DOR task, which measured subjects’ ability to maintain attention and avoid distraction by inhibiting reflexive saccades toward distractors. On the SST, the ADHD group was slower to inhibit than controls, indicating poorer inhibitory control in ADHD. The ADHD group also displayed slower RTs, greater RTSD, and more omission errors. On the DOR task, the ADHD group displayed more premature saccades (i.e., greater distractibility) than controls. Greater variability in RT was associated with increased distraction on the DOR task but only in ADHD participants. Results suggest that RTSD is linked to distractibility among adults with ADHD and support the use of RTSD as a valid measure of inattention in ADHD.
Consumer Value in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Health Care Services

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is a fast growing health care service warranting further research to understand its place in modern healthcare. This study investigated what consumers o...
Analysis of two-residue turns in proteins.

Abstract The conformational properties of tight two-residue β-turns in proteins are examined by empirical energy function calculations. Twenty-five tight turns are studied in isolation, in the presence of the protein, and in the presence of the protein and crystal water molecules. The conformational properties are subdivided into those that are intrinsic to the turn and those that depend on the protein and water environment. Two factors are shown to determine the conformation of a tight β-turn. One is the twist of the β-sheet (responsible for selecting either a type I′ or II′ conformation as opposed to the more common types I or II) and the other is a local electrostatic effect (responsible for distinguishing between the type I′ and II′ conformations). In the rare cases where a two-residue turn is found in a type I conformation, there exists a stabilizing feature (turn—protein interaction, a side-chain in a conformation that stabilizes type I, etc.) which compensates for the unfavorable twist of the turn relative to the β-sheet.
The pursuit of "Eros" in Plato's "Symposium" and "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"

John Cameron Mitchell’s film Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) traces the sexual and spiritual journey of a partially transgendered rock star searching for her “other half.” Her pursuit of erotic completion is depicted explicitly in “The Origin of Love,” a song based on a creation myth told only in Plato’s Symposium. This article demonstrates that the film owes a greater ideological debt to the Platonic dialogue than has been recognized and investigates how the narrative of Hedwig’s story visually dramatizes the Symposium’s many forms of eros. Both works delineate a sphere of all-male sexuality to explore the origin and satisfaction of erotic longing while employing a female persona to show that the highest form of love transcends physicality to culminate in the pursuit of knowledge. While Mitchell transports the premise of the Symposium to the cutting edge of cinema and music, he expands its ideological range to interrogate the definition of love and its intersection with gender identity.
High-resolution structure of the p53 core domain: implications for binding small-molecule stabilizing compounds.

The p53 transcriptional regulator is the most frequently mutated protein in human cancers and the majority of tumor-derived p53 mutations map to the central DNA-binding core domain, with a subset of these mutations resulting in reduced p53 stability. Here, the 1.55 A crystal structure of the mouse p53 core domain with a molecule of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) bound through multiple hydrogen bonds to a region of p53 shown to be important for repair of a subset of tumor-derived p53-stability mutations is reported. Consistent with the hypothesis that Tris binding stabilizes the p53 core domain, equilibrium denaturation experiments are presented that demonstrate that Tris binding increases the thermodynamic stability of the mouse p53 core domain by 3.1 kJ mol−1 and molecular-dynamic simulations are presented revealing an overall reduction in root-mean-square deviations of the core domain of 0.7 A when Tris is bound. It is also shown that these crystals of the p53 core domain are suitable for the multiple-solvent crystal structure approach to identify other potential binding sites for possible core-domain stabilization compounds. Analysis of the residue-specific temperature factors of the high-resolution core-domain structure, coupled with a comparison with other core-domain structures, also reveals that the L1, H1–S5 and S7–S8 core-domain loops, also shown to mediate various p53 activities, harbor inherent flexibility, suggesting that these regions might be targets for other p53-stabilizing compounds. Together, these studies provide a molecular scaffold for the structure-based design of p53-stabilization compounds for development as possible therapeutic agents.
Polarization predictions for k+ photoproduction

Using the existing data for charged pion photoproduction, some general features of the observables in K+ photoproduction are obtained. Using the constraints imposed by duality allows further predictions to be made. Two versions of the Reggeized absorption model are presented and comparison is made with earlier models.
Small-signal ac response theory for systems exhibiting diffusion and trapping of an electroactive species

Abstract A theoretical expression is derived for the interfacial admittance of an electrochemical system in which a product species diffuses into (or along internal surfaces of) an electrode subject to reversible trapping at one or more types of stationary sites in the electrode. The admittance obtained in a generalization of earlier results for diffusion without trapping and is exactly representable by an equivalent electrical circuit involving a lossy transmission line. Representative numerical data are given for the impedance of this distributed element. Trapping effects are found to be significant primarily when the number of trapped atoms is comparable to the number of mobile atoms. The results obtained may therefore be of greatest interest in the case of polycrystalline or amorphous electrodes.
. Em busca de uma definição para o conceito “direito ao desenvolvimento humano”

O direito ao desenvolvimento, apesar de estabelecido constitucionalmente, ainda gera inumeros questionamentos quanto ao seu real significado e modos de efetivacao. Pretende-se trazer uma definicao a tal direito condizente com o sistema constitucional brasileiro e debater um dos modos de efetivacao do mesmo, qual seja sua inclusao como parâmetro das politicas sociais brasileiras. Essa insercao se faria atraves de dispositivos inclusos no Projeto de Lei de Responsabilidade Fiscal e Social. Assim, se obteria o reconhecimento em definitivo de que os programas economicos e sociais concebidos pelo Estado brasileiro tem o direito ao desenvolvimento humano como essencial. Com isso, se demonstraria que existe um vetor-guia para a politica nacional e dele se pode visualizar que o Estado admite a relevância de gerir suas politicas com base no pressuposto de que os cidadaos tem o pleno direito de desenvolver sua capacidade de agente e por isso as acoes estatais deverao estar pautadas em paradigmas concretizadores dos direitos civis, politicos, economicos, sociais, dos valores democraticos e da autonomia individual.
Limited Reintroduction Does Not Always Lead to Rapid Loss of Genetic Diversity: An Example from the American Chestnut (Castanea dentata; Fagaceae)

In restoring species, reasons for introducing limited numbers of individuals at different locations include costs of introduction and maintenance, limited founder supply, and risk "bet hedging." However, populations initiated from few founders may experience increased genetic drift, inbreeding, and diversity loss. We examined the genetic diversity of an isolated stand of more than 5,000 American chestnut trees relative to that of the 9 surviving stand founders (out of 10 total) planted in the 1880s. We used minisatellite DNA probes to reveal 84 genetic markers (circa 24 loci) among the nine founders, and their genetic diversity was compared with three separate plots of descendant trees, as well as with two natural stands. The descendants were circa 7.3% more heterozygous than the founders (mean estimated H= 0.556 vs. 0.518, respectively; p < 0.0001). Genetic differentiation was not pronounced (FST < 0.031), and no markers, including those at low frequency among the founders, were lost in the descendants. The founders and natural transects were not significantly different in H or similarity (mean proportion of bands shared). Special planting or mating protocols for establishment of a vigorous American chestnut population from a low number of founders may not be required to avoid strong effects of genetic drift and inbreeding. These results demonstrate that loss of genetic diversity following reintroduction of a limited number of founders is not always inevitable, such as this case where the species is highly outcrossing, expression of heterozygous advantage may occur, the original founders remain as gene contributors over generations, and the establishing population expands constantly and rapidly.
Cold- and ethanol-induced hypothermia reduces cellular levels of mRNA-encoding Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone (TRH) in neurons of the preoptic area.

Abstract Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-containing neurons have been implicated in the central control of body temperature. TRH-containing neurons are located in brain areas known to influence body temperature, and TRH injected into these areas can produce changes in body temperature. While these lines of evidence support the view that central TRH is involved in thermoregulation, it has been difficult to confirm that TRH-containing neurons of the preoptic area are involved in this process. We used a different approach to test this hypothesis, based on recent evidence that changes in cellular levels of neuropeptide mRNA are linked to changes in neurosecretory processes. Hence, we predicted that if TRH neurons of the preoptic area are involved in body temperature regulation, cellular levels of TRH mRNA would be altered in animals in which body temperature had been experimentally altered. TRH mRNA levels were measured by in situ hybridization histochemistry in neurons of the preoptic area (POA) of animals that had been exposed to cold (5°C) or that had been given a hypothermic dose of ethanol. Cellular levels of TRH mRNA were reduced by both treatments. However, cellular levels of the mRNA-encoding gastrin-releasing peptide were not affected by these treatments in neurons of the POA, indicating that hypothermia exerted selective effects on TRH neurons in this brain region. Considering that both cold exposure and ethanol administration increase blood pressure, that the POA contains neurons which are both thermosensitive and barosensitive, and that TRH has been implicated in the control of blood pressure, we manipulated arterial blood pressure pharmacologically without changing body temperature to determine whether TRH neurons were also responsive to cardiovascular changes. Infusions with either nitroprusside, a vasodilator, or phenylephrine, a vasoconstrictor, produced significant changes in arterial blood pressure and heart rate, but did not affect TRH mRNA in the POA. These findings demonstrate that TRH neurons of the POA are thermoresponsive, supporting the view that they play a role in the central control of body temperature.
Developing virtual protection system for control and self-healing of power system

Using new technologies for communication in power system creates new opportunities for developing wide area system monitoring, protection and control system. Virtual Protection System (VPS) is a system that can be implemented in control center to detect any system abnormalities in a virtual environment by using PMUs data from whole system area. The control system can use the VPS fault analyses to detect system states and apply the proper remedies for self-healing of power system. Developed laboratory test setup is presented and several tests are accomplished in this regard. Applications of this system in power system control and self-healing will be discussed.
Bone marrow-derived cells for cardiac repair.

Heart failure is a global health problem that will increase in magnitude in our aging population. According to the American Heart Association, more than 5 million patients in the USA have heart fai...
An Evolution of Mathematical Beliefs: A Case Study of Three Pre-K Teachers.

This case study involved examination of the evolution of mathematical beliefs of three prekindergarten teachers. The researcher followed three teachers at one school in west Alabama over the course of 6 months as they implemented a new mathematics curriculum in their pre-K classrooms. Interviews were conducted prior to implementation and at the end of the school year. Classroom observations were done throughout the implementation process. Three themes emerged from the data (a) math resources for the pre-K classroom, (b) pushing beyond—thinking mathematically, and (c) instructional strategies used the pre-K classroom. These themes revealed how all of the teachers' perceptions of early childhood mathematics curriculum and instruction evolved during the course of the study. These findings have implications for early childhood teacher education programs and professional development.
The general formulas for smoothing and prediction problems of mixed-type observations

The filtering, smoothing, and prediction problems for mixed-type states and observations (continuous plus discontinuous) are considered. Starting with the general models of stochastic systems (mixed-type of states and observations), the normalized equations of general stochastic equations using semimartingale decomposition techniques are derived. It is also shown that the corresponding unnormalized equations could be derived in two different ways (indirect and direct derivation). The same derivation methods result in similar structure in forms. Thus the optimal estimation problems are unified in these frameworks. >
Developmental trends in distractibility: Is absolute or proportional decrement the appropriate measure of interference?

Abstract Since baseline performance varies with age, diminished interference effects found with increasing age do not provide evidence for a developmental trend in distractibility unless their relationship to baseline performance is known. In the present study, baseline difficulty was varied in two speeded classification experiments to investigate whether interference effects due to irrelevant information could best be characterized by absolute or proportional decrement models. In Experiment 1, first graders, third graders, and adults sorted cards on the basis of square size, both in the presence and absence of extraneous stimulus information. In Experiment 2, first graders and adults sorted cards on the basis of the density of a regular array of dots and two kinds of irrelevant information were used. Robust interference effects were found which declined with age. Manipulating discriminability of the relevant stimulus dimension resulted in large changes in sorting time, but interference effects did not vary with baseline difficulty. These results were interpreted as strongly supporting both an absolute decrement model and a developmental trend in distractibility.
A K-Band Ground-Backed CPW Balanced Coupler and Integrated Antenna Feed

This paper reports on the performance of a K-band finite-width ground-backed CPW balanced coupler. The use of the coupler as a balanced feed for a slot and patch antenna is investigated. The designs are uniplanar and the circuit does not require vias or airbridges. The return loss of the coupler is less than 10 dB over a 12% bandwidth from 17.1 to 19.2 GHz with a 2-dB average insertion loss over the pass band. The 2:1-VSWR bandwidths of the transition-fed slot and patch antenna are 3.3% and 3.1% respectively.
Pullulan production by color variant strains of Aureobasidium pullulans

Naturally occurring ‘color variant’ strains ofAureobasidium pullulans are distinguished from typical strains by their brilliant pigmentation, overproduction of secreted enzymes (xylanase), and low DNA relatedness. Color variants have not previously been examined for pullulan secretion. Among five independently isolated color variants, strains NRRL Y-12,974 and YB-4026 made the greatest amounts of pullulan from cornstarch, with conversion efficiencies of about 10%. Neither color variant nor typical strains made significant amounts of pullulan from the unconventional lactose or xylan substrates. Pullulan yields were inversely correlated with biomass production. Pullulan production thus appears to be a variable characteristic of both color variant and typically pigmented strains ofA. pullulans, regulated by specific inducers during growth limitation.
A comparison of the computer technology and computer and information science curricula at Indiana University and Purdue University at Indianapolis

In the Purdue University System, there are two departments, Computer Technology and Computer and Information Science, that offer degree programs in computing. Computer and Information Science offers degrees in traditional computer science; whereas Computer Technology courses stress an application-oriented, data processing approach to computing. This paper discusses the similarities and differences between the curricula, the faculty, and the employment and educational future of the graduates.
Incorporating interfacial phenomena in solidification models

A general methodology is available for the incorporation of microscopic interfacial phenomena in macroscopic solidification models that include diffusion and convection. The method is derived from a formal averaging procedure and a multiphase approach, and relies on the presence of interfacial integrals in the macroscopic transport equations. In a wider engineering context, these techniques are not new, but their application in the analysis and modeling of solidification processes has largely been overlooked. This article describes the techniques and demonstrates their utility in two examples in which microscopic interfacial phenomena are of great importance.
Optical Data Links For Deep Space Communication And Navigation

The data transmission and position determination of deep space probes is today performed with microwave systems. Large antennas have to be used at ground (up to 300 m in diameter) and on board (several meters in diameter). Low data rates of the order of 100 Kbps must be transmitted. The position of the deep space probe can be determined from Doppler measurements of the microwave carrier from observations made over some days. The application of advanced optical data links allows both a reduction of antenna diameters and position determination error by orders of magnitude. For a typical mission to planet Jupiter three different optical technologies are considered, using CO 2 , Nd:YAG and semiconductor diode lasers. The first two systems allow the realization of coherent optical transponders which are required for a two way Doppler measurement with the optical carrier. For the semiconductor laser system direct detection with pulse position modulation is assumed. Consequently position determination of the spacecraft can not be made as precise as with microwave or CO 2 and Nd:YAG systems. The assumed laser diode pumped Nd:YAG laser with a modulated output power of 10 W and a tunable diode laser pumped-Nd:YAG laser local oscillator are not available at the present time. But the clear advantage of this technology for deep space missions must be taken into account for further technological developments.
Testicular and pituitary inclusion formation in fragile X associated tremor/ataxia syndrome.

Purpose: We describe the medical course, neuropathology and testicular pathology in 2 men who died with fragile X associated tremor/ataxia syndrome. Fragile X associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, which is a recently described, late onset neurodegenerative disorder, affects up to a third of males and occasionally females older than age 50 years who are carriers of premutation alleles (55 to 200 CGG repeats) of the fragile X mental retardation 1 gene FMR1. Clinical manifestations of premutation status are distinct from those of the full mutation, which is the cause of the fragile X syndrome.Materials and Methods: Standard pathological techniques were used to examine the brain, pituitary gland and testicular tissues of 2 males who had fragile X associated tremor/ataxia syndrome.Results: The clinical course of the 2 cases included impotence before the onset of neurological symptoms of tremor and ataxia. Neuropathological findings included eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions in neurons and astrocytes throughout...
Smart photonics: optoelectronics integrated with Si CMOS VLSI circuits

Smart photonics, the integration of optoelectronic devices with electronic circuits and systems, has growing applications in many fields, one of which is computing. An exploration of the opportunities, integration technologies, and some recent results using thin film optoelectronic and electronic device integration with Si CMOS VLSI and GaAs MESFET technologies are presented herein. Applications explored herein include low cost alignment tolerant optoelectronic interconnection links for network inerconnections, smart focal plane array processing through the integration of imaging arrays with sigma delta analog to digital converters underneath each pixel, and three dimensional computational systems using vertical through-Si optical interconnections.
Retained Third Molars With Orthodontics and Orthognathic Surgery

Purpose The aim of this study was to document the prevalence of retained third molars after orthodontics and orthognathic surgery. Patients and Methods Inclusion criteria for these retrospective analyses included all subjects in a longitudinal trial at least 18 years old at enrollment with Class II skeletal problems, treated presurgery with orthodontics followed by orthognathic surgery. Panoramic or lateral cephalometric radiographs were analyzed to assess the presence and relationship to the occlusal plane of third molars and the presence or absence of premolars, recorded at enrollment, presurgery, and postsurgery for each subject. The primary outcome measure was the presence of third molars postsurgery. Explanatory variables included third molar position at the occlusal plane and missing premolars. Because of the few retained third molars postsurgery, analyses are limited to descriptive statistics only. Results The majority of the 372 subjects were female (80%) and Caucasian (91%). Median age at enrollment was 32.3 years (interquartile range, 27.0-39.6). At entry 145 subjects had at least 1 third molar; 57% of third molars present were at the occlusal plane, and 27% of quadrants in the 145 subjects had at least 1 missing premolar. Sixty subjects had at least 1 third molar postsurgery, 84% of third molars present were at the occlusal plane, and 44% of quadrants had at least 1 missing premolar. Conclusions Third molars retained after treatment for dentofacial deformity with orthodontics and orthognathic surgery were more likely to be at the occlusal plane and tended to be in quadrants with missing premolars.
Continuous end-tidal CO2 sampling within the proximal endotracheal tube estimates arterial CO2 tension in infants

End-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) sampled using a 22-gauge needle inserted through the wall of the proximal endotracheal tube was compared with ETCO2 obtained from the standard proximal connector to determine which was the more accurate sampling site for estimation of arterial CO2 tension (PaCO2). Fourteen infants were anaesthetized and their lungs ventilated using a Drager ventilator and a paediatric circle system. Blood gas determination of PaCO2 was obtained from an arterial catheter and compared with continuous sampling of ETCO2 analyzed by raman spectroscopy. The PaCO2 (35.3 +/- 4.9 mmHg, x +/- SD) was not different from the ETCO2 sampled within the proximal endotracheal tube (34.7 +/- 3.8 mmHg), but was greater (P less than 0.05) than the ETCO2 at the proximal connector (31.6 +/- 4.0 mmHg). We conclude that in infants during ventilation with a circle system, the PaCO2 can be accurately assessed by continuous sampling of ETCO2 from the proximal endotracheal tube.
Chlorine nitrate photolysis by a new technique: very low pressure photolysis☆

Abstract Very low pressure photolysis (VLPO) of chlorine nitrate was performed in a quartz Knudsen cell. The light source was a 2500 W high-pressure xenon lamp, and a modulated molecular-beam mass spectrometer was used to monitor the concentration of ClONO 2 and photolysis products. Because of the low pressures used (⩽ 10 −3 torr) and the short residence time in the cell (≈1 s), secondary reactions were unimportant and the primary products could be directly identified. The primary photolysis products (λ ≈ 2700 A) are atomic chlorine and NO 3 free radical. Chlorine atoms were identified both by the appearance of Cl 2 (wall recombination product; the walls were not poisoned) and by HCl produced when C 2 H 6 was added to the cell. Nitrate free radical was directly identified as a mass peak at m/e = 62, as well as by chemical titration with nitric oxide: NO 3 + NO → 2NO 2 . It was verified by direct tests that the peak at m/e = 62 did not arise from possible HNO 3 contamination or from N 2 O 5 , a possible secondary product. This titration reaction was used to measure quantitatively a lower limit to the primary quantum yield, φ ⩾ 0.5 ± 0.3. This represents a lower limit because of the unknown extent of the secondary photolysis of NO 3 under our conditions. We believe this to be the first observation using mass spectrometry of the NO 3 free radical. The quantum yield for atomic chlorine is φ = 1.0 ± 0.2. N 2 O was used to test for O( 1 D) according to the reaction, O( 1 D) + N 2 O → products; none was observed. Triplet oxygen, O( 3 P) was observed to the extent of ≈ 10% by the reaction O( 3 P) + NO 2 → NO + O 2 , but this yield can also be due to the photolysis of NO 3 free radical produced in the primary step. We conclude that the predominant reaction pathway is .
Arguing Towards Truth: The Case of the Periodic Table

Recently Erik Scerri has published an influential philosophical history of the development of the Periodic Table. Following Scerri’s account, I will explore the main thread of the arguments responsible for the remarkable advancement of scientific understanding that the Periodic Table represents. I will argue that the history of disputation at crucial junctures in the debate shows sensitivity to the aspects of truth that are captured by my model of truth in inquiry. The availability of a clear and explicit model of truth in inquiry is of crucial importance as a response to post-modernist and other relativistic accounts of inquiry. It shows that despite such apparent sociological constraints as acceptability a robust theory of truth is available as a foundation for evaluating argumentation.
Origins Of The Photorefractive Effect In BaTiO 3

We have used a number of experimental techniques to identify the photorefractive species in commercial samples of BaTiO3. We find that iron impurities (in the Fe and Fe states) are the most likely sodrce of photorefractive effect, although other transition metal impurities may also contribute.
The Influence of Age on the Development of Hypertriglyceridaemia and Hypercholesterolaemia in Genetically Diabetic Mice

The effect of spontaneous diabetes on plasma lipids during the natural course of the disease was studied in genetically diabetic mice (C57BL/KsJ-db/db). Hyperlipidaemia developed uniformly in all mice studied and was found to be a characteristic part of the diabetic syndrome, as compared to normal littermates. The hyperlipidaemia was characterized by a marked rise in plasma triglyceride levels with age and severity of the disease increaing from 120+/-6 mg/dl at 5 weeks of age to 400+/-91 mg/dl at 19 weeks of age. In addition, db/db mice were observed to be hypercholesterolaemic as compared to age-matched normal littermates, The plasma cholesterol levels of diabetic mice were elevated early in the disease, as compared to control mice (200+/-6 vs. 130+/-7 mg/dl, respectively), and the mean level remained elevated throughout the period of observation.