cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sedation and Analgesia for Adult Outpatient Burn Dressing Change: A Survey of American Burn Association Centers

The management of pain and sedation during burn dressing change is challenging. Previous reviews and studies have identified wide variability in such practices in hospitalized burn patients. This survey-based study aimed to determine the most commonly utilized sedation and analgesia practices in adult burn patients treated in the outpatient setting. The goal was to identify opportunities for improvement and to assist burn centers in optimizing sedation procedures. A 23-question survey was sent to members of the American Burn Association. Nonpharmacological interventions including music, television, games, and virtual reality were used by 68% of survey respondents. Eighty-one percent reported premedicating with oral opioids, 32% with intravenous opioids, and 45% with anxiolytics. Fifty-nine percentage of respondents indicated that the initial medication regimen for outpatient dressing changes consisted of the patient's existing oral pain medications. Forty-three percent indicated that there were no additional options if this regimen provided inadequate analgesia. Fifty-six percentage of respondents felt that pain during dressing change was adequately controlled 75% to 100% of the time, and 32% felt it was adequately controlled 50% to 75% of the time. Nitrous oxide was used by 8%. Anesthesia providers and an acute pain service are available in a minority of cases (13.7% and 28%, respectively) and are rarely consulted. Procedural burn pain remains significantly undertreated in the outpatient setting and the approach to treatment is variable among burn centers in the United States. Such variation likely represents an opportunity for identifying and implementing optimal practices and developing guidelines for burn pain management in the outpatient setting.
A mental game as a source of CS case studies

Apterous is an online computer game produced at Cambridge University that tests numeracy and literacy skills. It was inspired by the popular British game show Countdown. This paper describes how the analysis of this game can be used to introduce many computer science concepts in various courses, as well as inspire a wide array of programming projects. Several of these projects have been used in courses taught by the author, such as data structures and parallel processing. Almost all of the assignments would be suitable to students who have already mastered the basics of programming.
Quality of Life in Patients With Skin of Color and Chronic Graft-vs-Host Disease.

This survey study explores the scope of chronic graft-vs-host disease among a cohort of patients with skin of color.
Expression of Notch Receptors and Ligands in the Coccygeal Body.

BACKGROUND The recent discovery of neural stem cells in the sacrococcygeal end of the filum terminale, the presence of remnants of the most powerful toti-potent stem cell generators and inductors, the primitive streak and node, the existence of the unique non-mutator sacrococcygeal teratomas, and the recent disclosing of neuroimmunomodulatory and hematopoietic roles of Luschka's body, indicate that the sacrococcygeal region is a distinctive anatomic environment rich in stem cells and instructive signals, and that the coccygeal body may constitute a more complex entity than a mere caudal, vascularly-derived glomic anastomosis. Ascribed as an arterial-venous shunt located at the tip of the coccyx and analog to the glomera caudalia in other vertebrates, the glomus coccygeum has recently revealed a complex organ with peculiar 3D topology, broad innervation, catecholamine-synthesizing activity, and neutrophil-formation and lymphopoietic-regulating properties. METHODS In the present research work, we sought to start exploring the potential cell-functional roles of the glomus coccygeum by conducting a methodical assessment of the expression of Notch pathway receptors and ligands in the human Luschka's body. RESULTS Our data indicates that Notch receptors are dynamically and distinctively expressed in the coccygeal body and that Notch ligands are markedly differentially expressed in newborn and adult coccygeal glomi. CONCLUSIONS Our observations suggest that Notch signaling may have relevant roles in glomus coccygeum function and biology.
Megestrol for Palliative Care in Patients with Cancer.

Megestrol may be considered as a component of palliative care nutritional support in patients with cancer.
The Munchkin and the medicine man : Poetry's place in a “hard” world

I want to tell you what I did last Thursday. I gave a Grand Rounds talk about Narrative Healthcare to an auditorium of medical students, residents, and fellows at the Brody School of Family Medicine at Eastern Carolina University. I did this by telling a story interspersed with Power-point slides about the “Clinical Gaze” and its counterpart, the “Aesthetic Gaze”. I then conducted a two-hour workshop in which these students, residents, and fellows all engaged in creative writing exercises. I want to tell you about this because one medical student approached me after the workshop and said, “I've never heard a story told in this room before”.
Automated Field-based Decomposition to Accelerate Model Checking FPGA-based TCP/IP

There is a rising effort to move the full TCP/IP stack from the software to the hardware to improve the network performance and programmability further. The hardware-based TCP/IP stack must be utterly correct since TCP is the foundation of many critical applications. However, it is impractical to apply the conventional model checking methods or decomposition techniques to verify the correctness because there are numerous stateless and stateful functions involved in TCP/IP stack. Therefore, we propose an automated field-based decomposition method to make feasible the model checking of the hardware-based TCP/IP. Our method can significantly mitigate the state space explosion issue while maintaining the verification completeness. We choose FPGA, a popular programmable hardware, as our study object in the paper. Our method effectiveness is demonstrated by the verification of both stateful and stateless functions of the FPGA-based TCP/IP.
Effect of escitalopram on Aβ levels and plaque load in an Alzheimer mouse model.

Background Several neurotransmitter receptors activate signaling pathways that alter processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) into β-amyloid (Aβ). Serotonin signaling through a subset of serotonin receptors suppresses Aβ generation. We proposed that escitalopram, the most specific selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that inhibits the serotonin transporter SERT, would suppress Aβ levels in mice. Objectives We hypothesized that acute treatment with escitalopram would reduce Aβ generation, which would be reflected chronically with a significant reduction in Aβ plaque load. Methods We performed in vivo microdialysis and in vivo 2-photon imaging to assess changes in brain interstitial fluid (ISF) Aβ and Aβ plaque size over time, respectively, in the APP/presenilin 1 mouse model of Alzheimer disease treated with vehicle or escitalopram. We also chronically treated mice with escitalopram to determine the effect on plaques histologically. Results Escitalopram acutely reduced ISF Aβ by 25% by increasing α-secretase cleavage of APP. Chronic administration of escitalopram significantly reduced plaque load by 28% and 34% at 2.5 and 5 mg/d, respectively. Escitalopram at 5 mg/kg did not remove existing plaques, but completely arrested individual plaque growth over time. Conclusions Escitalopram significantly reduced Aβ in mice, similar to previous findings in humans treated with acute dosing of an SSRI.
Effectiveness of oritavancin for management of skin and soft tissue infections in the emergency department: A case series.

Abstract Skin and soft tissue infections, such as cellulitis, are commonly diagnosed in the emergency department and these patients are often admitted to the hospital for intravenous antibiotic therapy. Oritavancin is a novel antibiotic approved for the treatment of skin and soft tissue infections that is administered as a one-time infusion. While oritavancin has demonstrated comparable efficacy with multi-dose parenteral antibiotics in clinical trials and has been proposed as an alternative to admission for emergency department patients, there is a paucity of available real world effectiveness data. In this case series, we describe the characteristics and outcomes of ten patients with high-risk skin and soft tissue infections who received oritavancin and were discharged from the emergency department.
Coherentist Deontic Analysis or Dialogic Community Value Identification: Which Way Forward for ICL?

This symposium contribution explores how two theoretical approaches to international criminal law affect doctrinal analysis, in particular with regard to command responsibility.
Probing ribosome structure and function using short oligodeoxyribonucleotides.

Publisher Summary To probe the function of these regions, small complementary oligo deoxyribonucleotides (cDNA probes) have been used to hybridize specific regions of the ribosomal RNA in the ribosomal subunits after which various functions of the ribosome are checked with the probe in place. The methods used to perform these studies will be discussed in this chapter. This chapter presents various specific applications such as subunit association sites, tRNA binding sites, and other sites. That certain rRNA regions may be involved in subunit association has been suggested by several different studies. Recent evidence suggested that the 807–809 region of the 23S rRNA might base-pair with the CCA 3´-terminus of tRNA. There are many other assays that can be used to determine the function of various regions of the rRNA. Clearly, binding of mRNA can be assayed as it comes in juxtaposition with the ribosome. All in all it appears that this technique offers a way of providing substantive insight into the structure and function of regions of rRNA in the ribosome.
FINAL FOCUS ION BEAM INTENSITY FROM TUNGSTEN FOIL CALORIMETER AND SCINTILLATOR IN NDCX-I

Laboratory high energy density experiments using ion beam drivers rely upon the delivery of high-current, high-brightness ion beams with high peak intensity onto targets. Solid-state scintillators are typically used to measure the ion beam spatial profile but they display dose-dependent degradation and aging effects. These effects produce uncertainties and limit the accuracy of measuring peak beam intensities delivered to the target. For beam tuning and characterizing the incident beam intensity, we have developed a cross-calibrating diagnostic suite that extends the upper limit of measurable peak intensity dynamic range. Absolute intensity calibration is obtained with a 3 {micro}m thick tungsten foil calorimeter and streak spectrometer. We present experimental evidence for peak intensity measures in excess of 400 kW/cm{sup 2} using a 0.3 MV, 25 mA, 5-20 {micro}sec K{sup +1} beam. Radiative models and thermal diffusion effects are discussed because they affect temporal and spatial resolution of beam intensity profiles.
LinkWidth: A Method to measure Link Capacity and Available Bandwidth Using Single-End Probes

We introduce LinkWidth, a method for estimating capacity and available bandwidth using single-end controlled TCP packet probes. To estimate capacity, we generate a train of TCP RST packets “sandwiched” between two TCP SYN packets. Capacity is obtained by end-to-end packet dispersion of the received TCP RST/ACK packets corresponding to the TCP SYN packets. Our technique is significantly different from the rest of the packet-pair-based measurement techniques, such as CapProbe, pathchar and pathrate, because the long packet trains minimize errors due to bursty crosstraffic. TCP RST packets do not generate additional ICMP replies preventing cross-traffic interference with our probes. In addition, we use TCP packets for all our probes to prevent some types of QoS-related traffic shaping from affecting our measurements. We extend the Train of Packet Pairs technique to approximate the available link capacity. We use pairs of TCP packets with variable intra-pair delays and sizes. This is the first attempt to implement this technique using single-end TCP probes, tested on a wide range of real networks with variable cross-traffic. We compare our prototype with pathchirp and pathload, which require control of both ends, and demonstrate that in most cases our method gives approximately the same results.
Complexity analysis of real-time reinforcement learning

This paper analyzes the complexity of on-line reinforcement learning algorithms, namely asynchronous realtime versions of Q-learning and value-iteration, applied to the problem of reaching a goal state in deterministic domains. Previous work had concluded that, in many cases, tabula rasa reinforcement learning was exponential for such problems, or was tractable only if the learning algorithm was augmented. We show that, to the contrary, the algorithms are tractable with only a simple change in the task representation or initialization. We provide tight bounds on the worst-case complexity, and show how the complexity is even smaller if the reinforcement learning algorithms have initial knowledge of the topology of the state space or the domain has certain special properties. We also present a novel bidirectional Q-learning algorithm to find optimal paths from all states to a goal state and show that it is no more complex than the other algorithms.
Thermal depinning of a single superconducting vortex

Thermal depinning has been studied for a single vortex trapped in a superconducting thin film in order to determine the value of the superconducting order parameter and the superfluid density when the vortex depins and starts to move around the film. For the Pb film in Pb/Al/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/PbBi junction having a gold line, the vortex depins from the artificial pinning site (Au line) and reproducibly moves through the same sequence of other pinning sites before it leaves the junction area of the Pb film. Values of the normalized order parameter {triangle}/{triangle}{sub o} vary from {triangle}/{triangle}{sub o}=0.20 at the first motion of the vortex to {triangle}/{triangle}{sub o}=0.16 where the vortex finally leaves the junction. Equivalently, the value of the normalized superfluid density changes from 4% to 2.5% for this sample in this same temperature interval. For the Nb film in Nb/Al/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Nb junction, thermal depinning occurs when the value of {triangle}/{triangle}{sub o} is approximately 0.22 and the value of {rho}{sub s}/{rho}{sub so} is approximately 5%. These values are about 20% larger than those of a Pb sample having a gold line, but the values are really very close. For the Nb sample, grain boundaries are important pinning sites whereas, for the Pb sample with a gold line, pinning may have been dominated by an array Pb{sub 3}AU precipitates. Because roughly the same answer was obtained for these rather different kinds of pinning site, there is a reasonable chance that this is a general value within factors of 2 for a wide range of materials.
Tattoo reactions in an HIV patient: Autoeczematization and progressive allergic reaction to red ink after antiretroviral therapy initiation

Complications of tattoos are a growing concern, especially because more than 21% of American adults now have at least 1 tattoo.1 Overall, few tattoo reactions have been described in HIV patients, and all of the cases reported occurred after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, attributed either to immune reconstitution syndrome (IRS) or leishmaniasis infiltration.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 To our knowledge, there are no reported cases of tattoo reaction in HIV patients not on ART. We describe an HIV patient with an allergic tattoo reaction at baseline that dramatically worsened after ART initiation, which was further complicated by a severe id reaction.
Positive Coping among Wives of Male Christian Clergy

Clergy spouses experience various life stressors, yet many cope and function effectively in the midst of their daily challenges. Mental health professionals were asked to identify wives of male clergy who exemplify emotional and spiritual health. Nominees were contacted and interviews conducted with 25 women. Each interviewee was asked about coping with normal life stressors, stressors associated with being married to a minister, and catastrophic life events. All interviews were transcribed and coded, using grounded theory. Participants emphasized the importance of spirituality, social support, limit-setting, and healthy lifestyle choices. Implications are discussed.
Residential burglary victimization: Reactions to the invasion of a primary territory

The present paper draws upon territoriality theory to describe the experiences of residential burglary victims. Interviews with 44 female victims of suburban burglary trace the consequences of the territorial intrusion from the initial emotional impact, to efforts to cope via territorial reinforcements and social interactions, to long-term feelings of security. Although victims' immediate coping strategies provided comfort, they were unrelated to long-term security. Severe forms of territorial violation, such as extensive intrusion, the ransacking of the home, or the loss of personally meaningful goods, predicted greater victim upset and lower long-term sense of security. Because long-term victim reactions could be traced to the characteristics of the intrusion and were not ameliorated via voluntary coping efforts, researchers and practitioners are urged to consider the territorial circumstances of the crime when dealing with burglary victims.
Belief Systems as Artifacts

L'A. denonce l'effort soutenu en epistemologie et philosophie des sciences pour determiner les conditions de rationalite des systemes de croyance. Dans cette perspective, les systemes de croyance, definis comme etats doxatiques des personnes, sont illegitiment identifies a des outils ou des artefacts de la theorie de la connaissance
Rangewide Genetic Structure in Paddlefish Inferred from DNA Microsatellite Loci

Abstract We surveyed paddlefish Polyodon spathula from 12 geographic locations encompassing the species' entire range at five polymorphic DNA microsatellite loci. Nearly all pairwise estimates of genetic heterogeneity among geographic samples were significant, as was the overall test of genetic heterogeneity. A test for isolation by distance was not significant. A neighbor-joining phenogram did not reveal any obvious phylogeographic patterns, other than a high degree of distinctiveness of the samples from the Tombigbee River and Grand Lake of the Ozarks and, to a lesser extent, the Mermentau River. The distinctiveness of the Mermentau and especially the Tombigbee River populations is not surprising because they are in different drainages. The distinctiveness of the Grand Lake population is accompanied by reduced heterozygosity, perhaps due to low effective population size or past stocking practices. We interpret the distribution of genetic variation in paddlefish as one of historically high levels of gene...
Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue after bone marrow transplantation in a patient with Fanconi's anemia.

Fanconi’s anemia is an autosomal recessive disorder that was first reported in 1927. These patients usually present with specific characteristics, which include pancytopenia, progressive bone marrow failure, and congenital anomalies.1,2 The disease involves many organs including the skin and the genitourinary, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and neurologic systems.3 The clinical findings in Fanconi’s anemia patients are hyperpigmentation; a small reproductive organ in males; kidney problems, such as a missing, rotated, or misshapen kidney; thumb and arm abnormalities; skeletal anomalies of the hip, spine, or ribs; low birth weight; short stature; growth retardation; a defect in the tissue separating the chambers of the heart; and mental retardation or a learning disability.2-4 Most of the previously reported cases of Fanconi’s anemia had symptoms of anemia during childhood.2 However, the symptoms may not become apparent until adulthood. Patients often die young from acute leukemia.2 If patients develop the anemic phase late, some of them will develop other diseases. An increasing number of reports have shown that patients with Fanconi’s anemia are at risk for second malignancies, for example, leukemia, squamous cell carcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The hepatic lesions that occur in Fanconi’s anemia are diffuse hyperplasia, hyperplastic nodules, benign hepatoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, it has been suggested that the hepatocellular carcinoma is related to the treatment of the pancytopenia with an androgen.4 A bone marrow transplant has enabled some of these patients to survive into their 20s, when they are at risk for developing tongue cancer, which may be related to the immunosuppressive drugs used for the marrow transplantation. This report describes a Fanconi’s anemia patient who developed squamous cell carcinoma on the dorsum of the tongue after bone marrow transplantation.
RENAL DEPOSITION OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS ANTIGEN IN IMMUNOGLOBULIN-A NEPHROPATHY

Renal biopsy specimens from patients with various glomerular disorders were examined by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy with three different heterologous antibodies directed against cytomegalovirus and two heterologous antibodies against herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1. All 31 samples from patients with immunoglobulin-A (IgA) nephropathy, 1 of 12 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and 1 of 5 with Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) showed mesangial staining with cytomegalovirus antiserum, whereas no sample from 37 patients with other forms of glomerulonephritis was positive. Antigens of herpes simplex virus I were demonstrated in samples from 4 of 31 patients with IgA nephropathy, 1 of 12 patients with SLE, 1 of 5 patients with HSP, and 1 of 37 patients with other glomerular diseases. The consistent finding of glomerular cytomegalovirus antigen in IgA nephropathy suggests but does not prove that the virus has a role in the aetiology of this disorder.
Multilayer relaxation calculations for low index planes of an fcc crystal

Using a semi-empirical potential comprising two- and three-body interactions the multilayer relaxation for the low index planes (100), (110), and (111) of an fcc structure has been investigated. It has been found that the three-body forces are extremely important in the multilayer relaxation of surfaces. The most significant relaxation takes place for the first interlayer spacing, d12, which exhibits an expansion or contraction depending on the intensity of three-body interactions. Calculations produced results with correct trends which are in good agreement with recent experimental findings.
Transmission potential of influenza A/H7N9, February to May 2013, China.

Background On 31 March 2013, the first human infections with the novel influenza A/H7N9 virus were reported in Eastern China. The outbreak expanded rapidly in geographic scope and size, with a total of 132 laboratory-confirmed cases reported by 3 June 2013, in 10 Chinese provinces and Taiwan. The incidence of A/H7N9 cases has stalled in recent weeks, presumably as a consequence of live bird market closures in the most heavily affected areas. Here we compare the transmission potential of influenza A/H7N9 with that of other emerging pathogens and evaluate the impact of intervention measures in an effort to guide pandemic preparedness.
Generalized semi-inner products with applications to regularized learning

Abstract We propose a definition of generalized semi-inner products (g.s.i.p.). By relating them to duality mappings from a normed vector space to its dual space, a characterization for all g.s.i.p. satisfying this definition is obtained. We then study the Riesz representation of continuous linear functionals via g.s.i.p. As applications, we establish a representer theorem and characterization equation for the minimizer of a regularized learning from finite or infinite samples in Banach spaces of functions.
Independent biofeedback self-regulation of EEG alpha and skin resistance

Skin resistance and EEG alpha were recorded concurrently during alpha biofeedback, in which the participant attempted to control alpha, and during skin resistance biofeedback, in which the participant attempted to control skin resistance. Alpha production changed significantly (p<0.001) during alpha biofeedback, indicating successful self-regulation of alpha, but did not change significantly during skin resistance biofeedback. Similarly, skin resistance changed significantly (p<.001) during skin resistance biofeedback but did not change significantly during alpha biofeedback. The results show independent control of alpha and skin resistance, and may reflect independent self-regulation of cognitive and somatic tension-relaxation systems.
Risk and reactor safety systems adoption

Abstract How do firms react to the risk of accidents that disable their industrial plant? We examine this question by modeling the electric utility's decision to install reactor safety systems. The optimal adoption time is a function of the probability of a serious accident, the cost of the safety system, potential damages, and insurance premiums. We apply an econometric version of our model to the empirical evidence regarding implementation of a computer graphics warning system for nuclear reactors. We find that (1) firms that operate multiple reactors at one site, have higher equipment failures, or have higher discount rates, were quicker to adopt the safety system; (2) owners of larger plants were slower to adopt; and (3) the size of the population surrounding the plant, the state regulatory climate in which the reactor was operating, and the value of the initial plant investment had no influence on the speed of adoption.
Update of Conventional and Unconventional Plastic Response and Representation

The primary purpose of this update is to outline progress that has been made in three directions: 1) exhibiting the real but limited instability of configuration and instability of path for loaded homogeneous specimens of a material model that obeys a non-associated flow rule; 2) exploring the roles of inhomogeneity of material and of stress as explanations for the suitability of idealizing the macroscopic plastic behavior of most structural metals and alloys as stable and time-independent over much of their range of use, despite possible instability on the miniscale and the always-present strong instability and time-dependence on the microscale; and 3) the search for a clearer picture of the likely relation of macroscopic flow stress to properties of dislocation arrays and barrier regions. Other topics, touched upon very briefly, include: finite elastoplasticity, the application of thermodynamics, and the increasing variety of non-traditional or unconventional formulations.
Entero-insular axis in children with anorexia nervosa

Summary Entero-insular axis plays an important role in generating satiety signal. Thus disturbances in this axis may influence the course of anorexia nervosa. The aim of the study was analysis of the function of the hormonal part of the entero-insular axis in girls with anorexia nervosa. Thirteen girls with anorexia nervosa and in 10 healthy girls were studied. Each girl was subjected to oral glucose tolerance test and standard meal test. Blood was collected before stimulation and within 15, 30, 60, and 120 min thereafter. The concentrations of all peptides were determined by radioimmunoassay commercial kits. Fasted and postprandial levels of these peptides as well as integrated outputs were measured. Fasting insulin concentration was significantly higher in the group of girls with anorexia nervosa than in the control group ( p p p p p p
High efficient photovoltaic power converter suitable for 920nm to 970nm InGaAs laser diodes

In this work, we report a highly efficient Photovoltaic Power Converter (PPC) suitable for 920 nm to 970 nm InGaAs MQW lasers for the first time. The epitaxial layers were grown by low pressure MOCVD on the semi-insulting GaAs substrate. The epi layers consist of a p-n junction of In 0.12 Ga 0.88 As and the window layer of p+ AlInGaAs. The device is made of seven or eight pie-segments of equal area series-connected by means of air-bridges. Under 500mW of 940nm laser illumination, the open-circuit voltage of the eight-segment InGaAs chip is 6.7V. The short-circuit current is 29.7mA. Its maximum delivered electrical power is 171.2mW, equal to a 34.2% overall power conversion efficiency. We also demonstrate the high temperature characteristic and stability of the device.
BGK electron solitary waves in 3D magnetized plasma

[1] This paper presents analytical solutions that we obtained in extending the BGK electron solitary wave solutions in 1D to include the 3D electrical interaction (E ∼ 1/r2) of charged particles. Our results indicate that for a single humped electric potential, the parallel cut of the perpendicular component of the electric field (E⟂) is unipolar and that of the parallel component (E∥) bipolar. The multi-dimensional features of solitary waves have been observed by the FAST satellite. The parallel width-amplitude relation is found to be an inequality and it depends on the perpendicular scale size of the solitary structure. This feature can be used in conjunction with experimental data to obtain an estimate on the typical perpendicular size of observed solitary waves.
A New Idea of Pure Mode-I Fracture Test of Bonded Bi-Materials

Bi-material systems in which two dissimilar materials are adhesively joined by a thin adhesive interlayer have been widely used in a variety of modern industries and engineering structures. There are two fundamental issues that need to be adequately addressed: (1) Fracture of bonded bi-materials is mixed mode: Mode-I (pure peel) and Mode-II (pure shear). Fracture test implementation of bi-material systems with the traditional Mode-I methods will induce a noticeable mixed mode fracture due to the disrupted symmetry by the bi-material configuration; (2) The popular cohesive zone models (CZMs) for accurate fracture simulations require more than a single parameter (toughness) as is the case in the traditional linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM). Thus, J-integral is highly preferred. It can not only capture more accurate toughness value by considering the root rotation effect, but also facilitate the experimental characterizations of the interfacial cohesive laws, which naturally include all required parameters by CZMs. Motivated by these two important issues, a novel idea is proposed in the present work to realize and characterize the pure Mode-I nonlinear interface fracture between bonded dissimilar materials: Despite the approximation with the elementary beam theories, the accuracy is validated by numerical simulations. The proposed approach may be considered as a promising candidate for the future standard Mode-I test method of adhesively bonded dissimilar materials due to its obvious simplicity and accuracy.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Miliary Tuberculosis: Epidemiology, Clinical Manifestations, Diagnosis, and Outcome

During the early 1970s, attention was called to the changing demographics and poor prognosis of patients with miliary tuberculosis. Thirty-eight non-AIDS patients with miliary tuberculosis seen since 1975 are reviewed. Their average age was 60 years. Two-thirds of the patients had comorbid conditions. Presenting symptoms were nonspecific; fever, anorexia, sweats, and weight loss were the most frequent. Fever, tachypnea, rales, and altered mental status were the most commonly associated signs. Chest radiographs often showed miliary disease, but the remainder of the laboratory abnormalities were nonspecific. Seventy-six percent of sputum cultures, 75% of gastric aspirate cultures, 59% of urine cultures, and 54% of bronchial washings were positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Biopsy specimens, including those obtained by transbronchial biopsy, were frequently abnormal histologically but were rarely culture-positive. Mortality attributable to miliary tuberculosis was 21%. Risk factors for death included female sex and altered mental status. No patient treated initially with a regimen that included streptomycin died whereas 21% of those treated with other regimens died. These data confirm and extend the results of earlier studies and suggest that miliary tuberculosis is a disease of the elderly and immunocompromised and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. A high index of suspicion and diagnostic persistence are required for diagnosis.
A finite-sized scaling study in three-dimensional SU(N) × SU(N) and U(N) × U(N) Heisenberg models and finite-temperature QCD

Abstract The chiral phase transition at finite temperature is simulated in a three-dimensional non-linear sigma model. Using both U(n) × U(n) and SU(n) × SU(n) flavor symmetries, the order of the chiral phase transition for n = 2 and n = 3 is numerically determined using lattice techniques. The SU(2) flavor symmetry is found to be second order while SU(3), U(2) and U(3) show first-order behavior. It is found that the strength of the first-order transition for U(2) and SU(3) is influenced by the long-wavelength modes on the lattice, with clear indications of a first-order transition only becoming apparent at large lattice sizes. A summary of these results for the chiral transition at finite temperature with the different flavor symmetries is presented, and some implications of the chiral symmetry restoration for SU(N) and U(N) flavor symmetries are discussed.
TUNING A WINE GLASS VIA MATERIAL TAILORING — AN APPLICATION OF A METHOD FOR OPTIMAL ACOUSTIC DESIGN

Abstract This paper describes a method for optimally designing a structure to “best fit” a specified set of acoustic characteristics, e.g., sound spectrum or radiated power. The method links the disciplines of structural dynamics, acoustics and optimization into a unified methodology. The design variables include, for example, the addition of masses or multiply-tuned resonators to the structure as well as distributions of stiffeners or constrained damping layers. In all cases, the design variables are introduced as external forces (via their impedances) in the equation for the structure that is given as a series expansion of eigen functions. This step eliminates the need for solution of large matrix eigenvalue problems. An acoustic program POWER is used to assess the radiated sound power as a function of the design variables. Various search engines are used within the computer program MATLAB® to determine which design variables give the ‘best fit’ to the acoustic specifications. To illustrate the design method, a wine glass is tuned optimally to move the first four eigenvalues into harmonic relationships. The design variables are small masses that are added to the upper surface of the wine glass. Comparison of the wine glass's radiated sound power with and without the optimal masses indicates an excellent agreement between the specified and measured spectra.
International organizations as teachers of norms: the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cutural Organization and science policy

Most explanations for the creation of new state institutions locate the cause of change in the conditions or characteristics of the states themselves. Some aspect of a state's economic, social, political, or military situation is said to create a functional need for the new bureaucracy which then is taken up by one or more domestic groups who succeed in changing the state apparatus. However, changes in state structure may be prompted not only by changing conditions of individual states but also by socialization and conformance with international norms. In the case of one organizational innovation recently adopted by states across the international system, namely, science policy bureaucracies, indicators of state conditions and functional need for these entities are not correlated with the pattern for their adoption. Instead, adoption was prompted by the activities of an international organization which “taught” states the value of science policy organizations and established the coordination of science as an appropriate, and even a necessary, role for states. This finding lends support to constructivist or reflective theories that treat states as social entities shaped by international social action, as opposed to more conventional treatments of states as autonomous international agents.
Mid-trimester dilation and evacuation with laminaria does not increase the risk for severe subsequent pregnancy complications.

Abstract Objective To evaluate subsequent pregnancy outcomes in women with a previous mid-trimester (12–24 weeks) pregnancy termination by dilation and evacuation (D&E) as compared to women without a previous D&E. Method Medical records for women who underwent a D&E between 1995 and 2003 were identified and reviewed. Women with subsequent pregnancies were compared on a 1:2 basis with women in a control group who had viable pregnancies and no previous mid-trimester DE. Outcomes of interest included preterm labor, placental abnormalities, and a composite complication outcome. Results Of the 317 women who underwent a D&E, 85 had viable subsequent pregnancies. These women delivered slightly earlier than the 170 controls (38.9 versus 39.5 weeks, p = 0.001), although there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with regard to birth weights, spontaneous preterm delivery, abnormal placentation, and overall complication rate. Conclusions Mid-trimester termination by D&E does not increase the rate of clinically significant subsequent pregnancy complications.
Size of the Myosin Molecule

AT present considerable confusion exists concerning the size of the myosin molecule. In a recent paper, Parrish and Mommaerts1 reported a molecular weight of 650,000 and sedimentation-diffusion data which differ considerably from previous ones reported by various authors.
Storage iron in livers and spleens of Rhodesian African children.

Abstract The iron concentrations in livers and spleens of 126 Rhodesian African infants and children were estimated histologically and chemically. When these results were compared with the findings of other workers on European subjects, little difference was found except that the average liver iron concentration tended to be higher in African children aged 2–10 years than in the same group of European children. This difference was attributed to the high iron content of the African diet.
Shifts in methanogen community structure and function associated with long-term manipulation of sulfate and salinity in a hypersaline microbial mat.

Summary Methanogenesis was characterized in hypersaline microbial mats from Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico both in situ and after long-term manipulation in a greenhouse environment. Substrate addition experiments indicate methanogenesis to occur primarily through the catabolic demethylation of non-competitive substrates, under field conditions. However, evidence for the coexistence of other metabolic guilds of methanogens was obtained during a previous manipulation of sulfate concentrations. To fully characterize methanogenesis in these mats, in the absence of competition for reducing equivalents with sulfate-reducing microorganisms, we maintained microbial mats for longer than 1 year under conditions of lowered sulfate and salinity levels. The goal of this study was to assess whether observed differences in methane production during sulfate and salinity manipulation were accompanied by shifts in the composition of methanogen communities. Culture-independent techniques targeting methyl coenzyme M reductase genes (mcrA) were used to assess the dynamics of methanogen assemblages. Clone libraries from mats sampled in situ or maintained at field-like conditions in the greenhouse were exclusively composed of sequences related to methylotrophic members of the Methanosarcinales. Increases in pore water methane concentrations under conditions of low sulfate correlated with an observed increase in the abundance of putatively hydrogenotrophic mcrA, related to Methanomicrobiales. Geochemical and molecular data provide evidence of a significant shift in the metabolic pathway of methanogenesis from a methylotroph-dominated system in high-sulfate environments to a mixed community of methylotrophic and hydrogenotrophic methanogens under low sulfate conditions.
Studies of Autonomic Psychophysiology and Attention in Schizophrenia

Research from this laboratory over the years has found a rather consistent pattern of high baseline levels of many (but not all) indices of autonomic activity, slow adaptation, and attenuated autonomic reactivity to significant stimuli and situations in schizophrenia and that this pattern may be related to prognosis. Our studies have also shown that qualitatively similar changes occur in healthy subjects after a dose of dextroamphetamine and that certain aspects of the pattern are exaggerated in schizophrenic patients with cortical atrophy. It is hypothesized that there are specific autonomic markers for the two syndromes of schizophrenia defined by positive and negative symptoms which reflect distinct biological mechanisms. Current research seeks to determine the biological and symptomatic correlates of autonomic activity, to establish the specificity of certain autonomic markers to schizophrenia versus other major diagnoses, and to study the mechanisms and improve the assessment of attentional deficits in schizophrenia.
Computing in the Presence of Soft Bit Errors

The phenomenon of cosmic-ray-induced logic state changes has violated an article of faith among programmers that computers are predictable. This is a relatively new problem, and no fully acceptable response to it yet exists. It is a topic that spacecraft computer and software designers must understand. The source of the problem, its effects, solutions, influence on fault-tolerant designs, and thoughts on the impact of future technology are discussed.
A biomedical application of latent class models with random effects

Traditional latent class modelling has been used in many biomedical settings. Unfortunately, many of these applications assume that the diagnostic tests are independent given the true disease status, an assumption that is often violated in practice. Qu, Tan and Kutner developed general latent class models with random effects to model the conditional dependence among multiple diagnostic tests. In this paper latent class modelling with random effects is used to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of six screening tests for detecting Chlamydia trachomatis in endocervical specimens from women attending family planning clinics.
Synthesis of R and S tritiated reduced β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide 2′ phosphate

Abstract Nicotinamides are ubiquitous cofactors used by many biological systems as redox agents. Stereospecifically labeled cofactors are useful in many studies of nicotinamide-dependent enzymes. Enzyme-directed synthesis of these cofactors is rather common but their stability imposes significant challenges on yield, purity, and preservation. This paper presents the stereospecific synthesis of reduced R- and S-[4-3H] β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide 2′ phosphate (NADPH). The method of Valera et al. [Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 148 (1987) 515] was modified to a synthetic procedure that produces both isotopic diastereomers within 2 h with an improved yield of 75–90% after purification and lyophilization. In the synthesis, [4-3H]NADP+ was generated as an intermediate (which can be isolated if desired). The specific radioactivities reported here are 2.7 and 1.1 Ci/mmol for the S and R diastereomers, respectively. Specific radioactivities ranging from carrier-free to trace labeling can be achieved with a minor change to the procedure.
Amyloid-like behavior in abiotic, amphiphilic foldamers.

Previously, we reported an abiotic amphiphilic foldamer that, upon heating, undergoes an irreversible conformational change to a highly aggregated state (Nguyen, J.Q.; Iverson, B.L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1999, 121, 2639−2640.). Herein, we extend this work through the study of a series of structurally related amphiphilic foldamers and present a more refined model of their conformational switching behavior. Prior to heating, all foldamers of the series exhibited spectral characteristics consistent with folding in the pleated, stacked geometry characteristic of this class of foldamer. Following heating at 80 °C, three of the four molecules exhibited irreversible aggregation to produce hydrogels. The hydrogels were characterized by rheology measurements, and circular dichroism spectra revealed that hydrogel formation was dependent on highly ordered intermolecular assembly, conceptually analogous to protein amyloid formation. Hydrogel formation had the effect of amplifying the subtle structural differences between...
Some Asymptotic Results for the M / M /∞ Queue with Ranked Servers

We consider an M/M/∞ model with m primary servers and infinitely many secondary ones. An arriving customer takes a primary server, if one is available. We derive integral representations for the joint steady state distribution of the number of occupied primary and secondary servers. Letting ρeλ/μ be the ratio of arrival and service rates (all servers work at rate μ), we study the joint distribution asymptotically for ρ→∞. We consider both meO(1) and m scaled to be of the same order as ρ. We also give results for the marginal distribution of the number of secondary servers that are occupied.
Expression analysis of the matrix GLA protein and VE-cadherin gene promoters in the outflow pathway.

Purpose To test the ability of promoter fragments from the matrix Gla protein (MGP) and vascular endothelial-cadherin (VE-cad) genes to target gene expression in a specific manner in the cells of the outflow pathway, by using adenoviral-mediated gene transfer in organ culture. Methods Perfused anterior segments of human eyes were infected with replication-deficient recombinant adenoviruses expressing the beta-galactosidase reporter gene driven by the cytomegalovirus (CMV; control, n = 6), MGP (n = 6), or VE-cad (n = 12) promoters. Forty-eight hours after infection, the anterior segments were fixed and stained for beta-galactosidase activity. The distribution of beta-galactosidase expression was analyzed in paraffin-embedded sections. Results The MGP promoter fragment resulted in beta-galactosidase expression by the cells of the conventional outflow pathway and did not show any activity in the corneal endothelium or other cells posterior to the scleral spur. Adenovirus containing the VE-cad promoter fragment showed functionality of the promoter in vascular endothelial cells, but failed to produce any detectable expression in the cells of the outflow pathway. Conclusions Directed expression by the MGP gene promoter specifically to the trabecular meshwork (TM) provides a new tool for specific gene transfer to the outflow pathway. Results with the VE-cad promoter fragment indicate possible differences in the regulation of this gene between vascular and Schlemm's canal endothelial cells. Taken together, these data demonstrate the feasibility of targeted gene expression to the outflow pathway cells using tissue specific promoters.
MK-801 potently inhibits alcohol withdrawal seizures in rats

The ability of MK-801, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-channel antagonist, to suppress alcohol withdrawal seizures generated audio-genically was studied in adult male rats using a cross-over experimental design. MK-801 treatment reduced overall seizure score and proportion of rats seizing. In comparison to other seizure models, alcohol withdrawal seizures seem to be particularly sensitive to MK-801, suggesting that mechanisms which result in seizure susceptibility after withdrawal of chronic ethanol exposure may be dependent upon sensitization or upregulation of NMDA processes.