cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interscalene brachial plexus blocks under general anesthesia in children: is this safe practice?: A report from the Pediatric Regional Anesthesia Network (PRAN).

Background and Objectives A practice advisory on regional anesthesia in children in 2008, published in this journal, supported the placement of regional blocks in children under general anesthesia (GA). Interscalene brachial plexus (IS) blocks were specifically excluded, based on case reports (level 3 evidence) of injury, which occurred predominantly in heavily sedated or anesthetized adult patients. Apart from case reports, there is a paucity of data that explore the safety of IS blocks placed in patients under GA, and the level of evidence available on which to base recommendations is limited. Methods Querying the database of the Pediatric Regional Anesthesia Network (PRAN), we report on the incidence of postoperative neurological symptoms, local anesthetic systemic toxicity, and other reported adverse events in children receiving IS blocks under GA or sedated. Results A total of 518 interscalene blocks were performed, 390 under GA and 123 with the patient sedated or awake (5 cases had missing status); 472 of these were single injection, and 46 involved the placement of infusion catheters. Eighty-eight percent of blocks were placed with ultrasound guidance, 7.7% with no location device, and 2.5% with a nerve stimulator. No local anesthetic systemic toxicity, postoperative neurological symptoms, cardiovascular complications, or dural puncture was reported in this cohort. There were 1 vascular puncture and 1 postoperative infection. These negative results are compatible with 0 to 7.7/1000 events for each of these complications for IS blocks placed under GA. There was no paralysis, motor block, or sensory deficit beyond the expected block duration time. Conclusions Analyzing interscalene blocks in children placed under GA, we identified no serious adverse events. The upper limit of the confidence interval for these events is similar to that in awake or sedated adults receiving IS blocks. Based on these prospectively collected data, placement of IS blocks under GA in children is no less safe than placement in awake adults, calling into question the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine advisory proscribing GA during IS block in pediatric patients.
Gestational age at initiation of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate and recurrent preterm birth.

Background Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in nonanomalous neonates in the United States. Women with a previous early spontaneous preterm birth are at highest risk for recurrence. Weekly intramuscular 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate reduces the risk of recurrent prematurity. Although current guidelines recommend 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate initiation between 16 and 20 weeks, in clinical practice, 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate is started across a spectrum of gestational ages. Objective The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between the gestational age at 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate initiation and recurrent preterm birth among women with a prior spontaneous preterm birth 16–28 weeks' gestation. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort study of women from a single tertiary care center, 2005–2016. All women with ≥1 singleton preterm births because of a spontaneous onset of contractions, preterm prelabor rupture of membranes, or painless cervical dilation between 16 and 28 weeks followed by a subsequent singleton pregnancy treated with 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate were included. Women were grouped based on quartiles of gestational age of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate initiation (quartile 1, 14 0/7 to 16 1/7 ; quartile 2, 16 2/7 to 17 0/7 ; quartile 3, 17 1/7 to 18 6/7 ; and quartile 4, 19 0/7 to 27 5/7 ). Women with a gestational age of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate initiation in quartiles 1 and 2 were considered to have early-start 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate; those in quartiles 3 and 4 were considered to have late-start 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate. The primary outcome was recurrent preterm birth Results A total of 132 women met inclusion criteria; 52 (39.6%) experienced recurrent preterm birth 6/7 ± 2.5 weeks. Demographic and baseline characteristics were similar between women with early-start 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate (quartiles 1 and 2) compared with those with late-start 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate (quartiles 3 and 4). Women with early-start 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate trended toward lower rates of recurrent preterm birth P = .065). Delivery gestational age was inversely proportional to gestational age at 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate initiation (quartile 1, 37 4/7 weeks vs quartile 2, 36 5/7 vs quartile 3, 36 1/7 weeks vs quartile 4, 34 0/7 , P = .007). In Kaplan-Meier survival analyses, these differences in delivery gestational age by 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate initiation quartile persisted across pregnancy (log-rank P P = .005). Conclusion Rates of recurrent preterm birth among women with a prior spontaneous preterm birth 16–28 weeks are high. Women beginning 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate early deliver later and have improved neonatal outcomes. Clinicians should make every effort to facilitate 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate initiation at 16 weeks.
A Computational Analysis of the Energy Harvested by Gfrp and Nfrp Laminated Beams Under Cyclic Loading

Abstract This paper investigates the possibility of energy harvesting using Fiber Reinforced Plastic beams under cyclic loading. The behaviour of E-glass fiber/epoxy and Hemp fiber/epoxy laminated beams reinforced with piezoelectric fibers is examined by evaluating their bending strain and deflection. An optimum stacking sequence for all types of reinforcement: E-glass fibers, hemp fibers, and piezoelectric fibers, is suggested such that energy harvesting potential is maximized while failure and damage accumulation remain at low levels.
Tomorrow 3.0: Transaction Costs and the Sharing Economy

With the growing popularity of apps such as Uber and Airbnb, there has been a keen interest in the rise of the sharing economy. Michael C. Munger brings these new trends in the economy down to earth by focusing on their relation to the fundamental economic concept of transaction costs. In doing so Munger brings a fresh perspective on the 'sharing economy' in clear and engaging writing that is accessible to both general and specialist readers. He shows how, for the first time, entrepreneurs can sell reductions in transaction costs, rather than reductions in the costs of the products themselves. He predicts that smartphones will be used to commodify excess capacity, and reaches the controversial conclusion that a basic income will be required as a consequence of this new 'transaction costs revolution'.
Analysis of RNA Folding and Ribonucleoprotein Assembly by Single-Molecule Fluorescence Spectroscopy

To execute their diverse range of biological functions, RNA molecules must fold into specific tertiary structures and/or associate with one or more proteins to form ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes. Single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy is a powerful tool for the study of RNA folding and RNP assembly processes, directly revealing different conformational subpopulations that are hidden in conventional ensemble measurements. Moreover, kinetic processes can be observed without the need to synchronize a population of molecules. In this chapter, we describe the fluorescence spectroscopic methods used for single-molecule measurements of freely diffusing or immobilized RNA molecules or RNA-protein complexes. We also provide practical protocols to prepare the fluorescently labeled RNA and protein molecules required for such studies. Finally, we provide two examples of how these various preparative and spectroscopic methods are employed in the study of RNA folding and RNP assembly processes.
Plane Truth: A Qualitative Study of Employee Dishonesty in the Airline Industry

Interviews with flight attendants are analyzed to refine a person-situation model of organizational dishonesty. The refined model suggests that organizational characteristics have direct and indirect (through flight characteristics) effects on likelihood of dishonesty, type of dishonesty, and motivation for dishonesty. The interviews confirm the existence of three motivations for dishonesty in customer service interactions. In addition to the three motivations originally modeled (enrichment, altruism, and revenge), flight attendants demonstrated a fourth: enforce personal moral codes, and a fifth: habituation. The article discusses the implications of the habituation motivation for organizations which encourage benevolent dishonesty, because they accustom employees to saying things they know not to be true.
Cerebellar granule cell migration involves proteolysis.

Histogenesis in the central nervous system requires extensive cell migration. The migration of granule neurons in the neonatal mouse cerebellum has been a focus of study. Although granule cell migration occurs in close association with Bergmann glial fibers1 and Purkinje cell dendrites2, the actual mechanisms of movement that probably involve cytoskeletal systems as well as the interaction of cell surface and extracellular matrix components remain to be established.
Optimizing the Cost-Effectiveness of a Multicomponent Intervention Using Data from a Factorial Experiment: Considerations, Open Questions, and Tradeoffs Among Multiple Outcomes

Cost-effectiveness—increasing the benefit obtained for a given expenditure of time or money—is an important idea in many applied research fields. It is one important quality that a researcher interested in the multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) may wish to optimize. However, further research is needed about how to best incorporate cost information into the analysis of factorial experiments typically used during the optimization phase of MOST. This chapter will review the issues involved in making cost-effectiveness judgments using the results of factorial experiments and explore some possibilities for further methodological research on how best to estimate and compare cost-effectiveness using the results of factorial experiments.
Furfural degradation through heat-activated persulfate: Impacts of simulated brine and elevated pressures

Abstract Persulfate is used as an oxidizing breaker in hydraulic fracturing fluids to breakdown gelling agents and clean out wellbores. Persulfate may be activated using conditions like those encountered in the wellbore, producing strong oxidizing radicals that degrade organic compounds. Thus, this study examined persulfate activated transformation of organic additives in a simulated hydraulic fracturing brine by investigating the transformation of furfural. Pseudo-first-order reactions kinetics of furfural degradation in conditions that mimic a fracture, including high temperature, acidified pH, ferric sulfate, and a laboratory simulated hydraulic fracturing brine, were established. The activation energies for furfural removal in acidic (pH 2.54) hydraulic fracturing brine was 105.6 kJ mol−1 without ferric sulfate and 105.1 kJ mol−1 with 23.3 mg L−1 ferric sulfate. A high-pressure reactor was used to simulate the effects of pressure on persulfate activation. Increasing pressure was shown to increase activation of persulfate at 55 °C. Applying 3000 psi to the reactor nearly halved the apparent furfural activation energy compared to experiments at atmospheric pressure. Finally, reaction byproducts were presented with the findings showing that halogenated organic byproducts form in hydraulic fracturing brine during persulfate use.
Electrospun chitosan/poly(ethylene oxide) nanofibers applied for the removal of glycerol impurities from biodiesel production by biosorption

Abstract Electrospun chitosan/poly(ethylene oxide) nanofibers were synthetized, characterized and applied as alternative biosorbents to remove pigments from pretreated crude glycerol. The pigments removal efficiency of electrospun nanofibers was examined by comparing the adsorption capacity of nanofibers with other chitosan–based biosorbents. Pseudo–first order, pseudo–second order and Elovich models were used to estimate kinetic parameters. The nanofibers exhibited continuous fibers, with the average fibers diameter of 526 ± 101 nm. The results also indicated interactions between chitosan and poly(ethylene oxide) molecules, without changing the main adsorptive sites of chitosan. Furthermore, chitosan/poly(ethylene oxide) nanofibers exhibited higher relative adsorption capacity (120 g−1) than chitosan powder (35 g−1) and chitosan biopolymeric film (58 g−1). The pseudo–first order and Elovich models were the most suitable models to represent the kinetic behavior of the composite nanofiber.
Predicting the End of the Syrian Conflict: From Theory to the Reality of a Civil War

The Syrian civil war has confounded all predictions on its end date and is still ongoing. Valuable explicative work has been done on civil war duration; however, scholars have failed to reliably pr...
Improvements of the Beta-Order Minimum Mean-Square Error (MMSE) Spectral Amplitude Estimator using Chi Priors

In this paper, the authors propose the Beta-Order Minimum Mean-Square Error (MMSE) Spectral Amplitude estimator with Chi statistical models for the speech priors. The new estimator incorporates both a shape parameter on the distribution and cost function parameter. The performance of the MMSE Beta-Order Spectral Amplitude estimator with Chi speech prior is evaluated using the Segmental Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SSNR) and Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) objective quality measures. From the experimental results, the new estimator provides gains of 0-3 dB and 0-0.3 in SSNR and PESQ improvements over the corresponding MMSE Beta-Order MMSE Spectral Amplitude estimator with the standard Rayleigh statistical models for the speech prior.
Leukemic transformation among 1306 patients with primary myelofibrosis: risk factors and development of a predictive model

Among 1306 patients with primary myelofibrosis (PMF), we sought to identify risk factors that predicted leukemic transformation (LT) in the first 5 years of disease and also over the course of the disease. 149 (11%) LT were documented; patients who subsequently developed LT (n = 149), compared to those who remained in chronic phase disease (n = 1,157), were more likely to be males (p = 0.02) and display higher circulating blasts (p = 0.03), ASXL1 (p = 0.01), SRSF2 (p = 0.001) and IDH1 (p = 0.02) mutations. Logistic regression analysis identified IDH1, ASXL1 and SRSF2 mutations, very high-risk karyotype, age > 70 years, male sex, circulating blasts ≥ 3%, presence of moderate or severe anemia and constitutional symptoms, as predictors of LT in the first 5 years of diagnosis. Time-to-event Cox analysis confirmed LT prediction for IDH1 mutation (HR 4.3), circulating blasts ≥ 3% (HR 3.3), SRSF2 mutation (HR 3.0), age > 70 years (HR 2.1), ASXL1 mutation (HR 2.0) and presence of moderate or severe anemia (HR 1.9). HR-based risk point allocation resulted in a three-tiered LT risk model: high-risk (LT incidence 57%; HR 39.3, 95% CI 10.8–114), intermediate-risk (LT incidence 17%; HR 4.1, 95% CI 2.4–7.3) and low-risk (LT incidence 8%). The current study provides a highly discriminating LT predictive model for PMF.
Cost of peripheral neuropathy in patients receiving treatment for multiple myeloma: a US administrative claims analysis:

Background:Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a common consequence of multiple myeloma (MM) among those commonly treated with older-generation proteasome inhibitors (PIs). In this study, we evaluated th...
Pancreatic cancer 'mismatch' in Lynch syndrome

Objective Immune therapy with the PD1 inhibitor pembrolizumab has been approved to treat unresectable/metastatic solid tumours exhibiting mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency. Lynch syndrome (LS), caused by autosomal dominant germline mutations of a MMR gene, predisposes to the development of MMR-deficient cancers. We report a case of MSH2-LS with an MMR-intact pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) ineligible for treatment with pembrolizumab. Design Immunohistochemistry of MMR proteins was performed in each malignancy developed in a MSH2-LS patient to determine MMR status. Results The patient carried a pathogenic MSH2 germline mutation and had a history of LS-type cancers, including endometrial carcinoma, colorectal adenocarcinoma, urothelial carcinoma of the bladder and PDAC. Three malignancies (endometrial, colorectal, urothelial) lacked MSH2 and MSH6 expression, consistent with MSH2-associated tumorigenesis. However, MSH2 and MSH6 expression were intact in the PDAC, suggesting the sporadic occurrence of the pancreatic tumour unrelated to the germline MSH2 mutation. These inconsistent MMR statuses among the tumours rendered the patient ineligible for the immunotherapy pembrolizumab. Conclusion Testing for MMR protein expression is recommended for each tumour in patients with LS, especially pancreatic, as discordant results may have profound effects on treatment opportunities. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of MMR-intact PDAC in a patient with MSH2-LS.
Evolution of multipactor breakdown in multicarrier systems

Many high-power radio frequency communication and navigation systems utilize multicarrier systems. Testing and analyzing such systems for multipactor breakdown have no universal approach, and current practices range in their degree of conservatism. A common approach involves considering the number of signal crossings above the single carrier breakdown threshold. Previous experimental work [Hubble et al., Proceedings of the 9th International Workshop on Multipactor, Corona, and Passive Intermodulation, Noordwijk, The Netherlands (April 2017)] evaluated multicarrier breakdown in two-tone systems and determined a relationship between carrier spacing and required signal crossings to achieve breakdown. This work builds upon the previous effort to include broader carrier spacing and additional tones, as well as the use of innovative center-conductor diagnostics to measure real-time electron population growth and decay.
Tolerance Allocations on Products: A Life Cycle Engineering Perspective

Abstract Since manufacturing cannot (part after part) produce components that exactly achieve every stated nominal value – tolerances must be assigned to the nominal values. Many tolerance allocation methods have been developed, and practitioners consider these along with different stages of the product life cycle when determining tolerances. For example, product designers usually allocate tolerances according to the functionality of the products. On the other hand, process planners often do not consider the use stage, and instead consider process costs, precision, and accuracy, and how one process may impact another process. Thus, an “optimal” tolerance that considers only one stage of a product’s life cycle is generally not optimal when other stages are considered. In principle, product life cycle management (PLM) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) software tools should be able to determine optimal tolerances. An investigation of engineering research and available PLM/CAE software tools, with respect to tolerance allocation, is reported. Emphasis is placed on a systematic analysis of the ability to perform tolerance allocation from a life cycle engineering (LCE) perspective. Problems caused by tolerance allocation methods that focus only on certain life cycle stages are analyzed, such as over-design, mistaken scrapping of satisfactory products, and poorly performing products. Based on the gaps between manufacturers’ needs and available methods, some future research directions are suggested.
A variant of Gromov's problem on Hölder equivalence of Carnot groups

Abstract It is unknown if there exists a locally α-Holder homeomorphism f : R 3 → H 1 for any 1 2 α ≤ 2 3 , although the identity map R 3 → H 1 is locally 1 2 -Holder. More generally, Gromov asked: Given k and a Carnot group G, for which α does there exist a locally α-Holder homeomorphism f : R k → G ? Here, we equip a Carnot group G with the Carnot–Caratheodory metric. In 2014, Balogh, Hajlasz, and Wildrick considered a variant of this problem. These authors proved that if k > n , there does not exist an injective, ( 1 2 + ) -Holder mapping f : R k → H n that is also locally Lipschitz as a mapping into R 2 n + 1 . For their proof, they use the fact that H n is purely k-unrectifiable for k > n . In this paper, we will extend their result from the Heisenberg group to model filiform groups and Carnot groups of step at most three. We will now require that the Carnot group is purely k-unrectifiable. The main key to our proof will be showing that ( 1 2 + ) -Holder maps f : R k → G that are locally Lipschitz into Euclidean space, are weakly contact. Proving weak contactness in these two settings requires understanding the relationship between the algebraic and metric structures of the Carnot group. We will use coordinates of the first and second kind for Carnot groups.
Creation of a successful multidisciplinary course in pediatric neuro-oncology with a systematic approach to curriculum development

BACKGROUND The St Jude Global Academy Neuro-Oncology Training Seminar (NOTS) is a hybrid course in pediatric neuro-oncology specifically designed for physicians from low-income and middle-income countries. METHODS The curriculum for the course was created by conducting a targeted needs assessment that evaluated 11 domains of care for children with central nervous system (CNS) tumors. The targeted needs assessment was completed by 24 institutions across the world, and the data were used to define 5 core elements included in the 2 components of the NOTS: a 9-week online course and a 7-day in-person workshop. Participant acquisition of knowledge and changes in clinical behavior were evaluated as measures of success. RESULTS Teams from 8 institutions located in 8 countries enrolled in the online course, and it was successfully completed by 36 participants representing 6 specialties. On the basis of their performance in the online course, 20 participants from 7 institutions took part in the on-site workshop. The participants exhibited improved knowledge in core elements of treating children with CNS tumors, including barriers of care, possible solutions, and steps for project implementation (P < .0001). All participants expressed a belief that they acquired new concepts and knowledge, leading to changes in their clinical practice. Those present at the workshop created an international multidisciplinary group focused on treating CNS tumors in low-income and middle-income countries. CONCLUSIONS By using a hybrid online and in-person approach, the authors successfully created a multidisciplinary course focused on pediatric CNS tumors for resource-limited settings. Their experience supports this strategy as a feasible mechanism for driving further global collaborations.
The effect of spectral resolution of light sources on photopic and α-opic quantities

There is a growing interest in including light source spectrum in advanced lighting software tools and simulations. Given that traditional lighting software tools have been used primarily for calculating photometric quantities, their simplifying assumptions may not be suitable for calculating other α-opic quantities. Commonly used simulation tools use three values to represent the three primary colors (red, green, and blue), but others have expanded the number of bands (i.e., the spectral resolution) to 9, 27, or 81 in an attempt to more accurately represent variations in light source spectrum and downstream spectrally-derived quantities. It remains unclear, however, to what extent spectral resolution affects calculated quantities. To address this gap, a numerical analysis was completed using a large spectral power distribution database (n = 1,302 light sources). Calculated illuminance, α-opic irradiance, luminous efficacy of radiation (LER), melanopic efficacy of radiation (MER), and melanopic to photopic (M/P) ratio were compared for spectral resolutions of 3 and 9 bands compared to a baseline of 81 bands. Across all examined lighting quantities, considerable errors—a mean absolute percent error of 19%— were found when using 3 band calculations. These were reduced to 4% for 9 band calculations. The errors varied by metric and light source type. The results suggest that the use of 9 bands can more accurately characterize performance of different light source types across a range of metrics compared to using 3 bands.
A Study of Antecedents of Sense of Presence in Virtual World: Virtual Presence vs. Social Presence

Virtual World as an electronic artificial environment, enables users to have an identity while interacting with others is one of the new instances of Computer-Mediated Communications environment. Our study aims to elaborate the two types of presence in virtual world and their effects on users’ satisfaction and loyalty in second life. In addition we try to elaborate the factors that affect virtual and social presence. We used survey in order to collect data from a student sample frame. Our samples are students who at least have three weeks experience with second life in order to measure our model. Results of the research suggested that cognitive absorption positively influence virtual presence and sense of belonging positively influence social presence. In addition our results suggested that sense of presence in virtual world increase satisfaction and loyalty among virtual world users.
Effects of lateral viscosity variations on the geoid

[1] We investigate the effects of lateral viscosity variations (LVVs) on mantle circulation model predictions of the global geoid. The present study is motivated in part by earlier findings that LVVs due to stiff slabs in the lower mantle have a strong influence on the geoid, and that slabs in the lower mantle are perhaps no stronger than the ambient mantle. However, more recently, it has been argued based on global seismic tomography models that LVVs are a minor effect on the geoid. In the light of these seemingly contradictory results, we re-visit the problem of slab strength in the lower mantle. We substantiate that the geoid calculated from tomography is hardly affected by the presence of LVVs, whereas the geoid computed from global slab models yields a poor fit to the observed geoid when LVVs are considered. However, this degradation of fit only occurs for very long wavelengths of flow, indicating inherent differences between the slab and tomography models. We also investigate the effects on the geoid due to weak plate boundaries, strong cratonic keels, and a low viscosity region in the D″ layer due to post-perovskite. In addition to the geoid, we attempt to fit plate motions with a circulation model that has prescribed weak zones at plate boundaries. Motions are matched well and, taking into account LVVs, the geoid with appropriate surface velocity boundary conditions agrees with the observed geoid as well as for free slip cases.
National Ice Center Visiting Scientist Program

The objectives of the work done by Dr. Kim Partington were to manage NASA's polar research program, including its strategic direction, research funding and interagency and international collaborations. The objectives of the UCAR Visiting Scientist Program at the National Ice Center (NIC) are to: (1) Manage a visiting scientist program for the NIC Science Center in support of the mission of the NIC; (2) Provide a pool of researchers who will share expertise with the NIC and the science community; (3) Facilitate communications between the research and operational communities for the purpose of identifying work ready for validation and transition to an operational environment; and (4) Act as a focus for interagency cooperation. The NIC mission is to provide worldwide operational sea ice analyses and forecasts for the armed forces of the US and allied nations, the Departments of Commerce and Transportation, and other US Government and international agencies, and the civil sector. The NIC produces these analyses and forecasts of Arctic, Antarctic, Great Lakes, and Chesapeake Bay ice conditions to support customers with global, regional, and tactical scale interests. The NIC regularly deploys Naval Ice Center NAVICECEN Ice Reconnaissance personnel to the Arctic and Antarctica in order to perform aerial ice observation and analysis in support of NIC customers. NIC ice data are a key part of the US contribution to international global climate and ocean observing systems.
Catalog of the type specimens of Gelechioidea (Lepidoptera) in the collection of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC

The collection of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., is second only to that of The Natural History Museum (formerly British Museum of Natural History), London, in the number of type specimens of the superfamily Gelechioidea (Lepidoptera). The Smithsonian houses 1,375 gelechioid types: 1,249 holotypes, 48 lectotypes, 1 neotype, 69 species represented by one or more syntypes, and 8 species represented by one or more pseudotypes (i.e., specimens identified as type by an accompanying label that are unlikely to be the type). Three former curators are responsible for the vast majority of the type specimens: August Busck, J. F. Gates Clarke, and Ronald W. Hodges. We present a list of the species for which a type is deposited in the USNM, organized alphabetically. For each species we provide an abbreviated reference to the original description and label data. This list represents the second contribution to a larger effort to make available information on the Lepidoptera type holdings of the USNM.
Post-cesarean section endometritis: causative organisms and risk factors.

THE CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS of post-cesarean section endometritis is based on the presence of fever and uterine tenderness, but there are no uniformly satisfactory microbiologic methods for confirming the clinical impression. Therefore, we undertook a prospective stud) by means of a culturing technique previously described to determine the clinical significance of isolates from amniotic fluid and the lower uterine segment.’ We also examined the risk factors for the development of endometritis. Patients undergoing cesarean section at the Martland Hospital, Newark, New Jersey, were studied according to the previously described technique.’ The following data were collected for each patient: age, history of prior cesarean section, duration of ruptured membranes, number of vaginal examinations, hematocrit, peripheral leukocyte count, indication for cesarean section. type of anesthesia, duration of anesthesia, and history of prior amniocentesis. Patients who developed fever greater than 100” F determined orally in two separate 24-hour periods with uterine tenderness and who had no other source of fever were classified as demonstrating clinical evidence of endometritis. We defined laboratory evidence of infection as growth fi-om either the amniotic fluid or lower uterine segment specimens. Thirty-six of 105 patients in ;I G-month period developed clinical and laboratory evidence of infection (Table I). In an additional 43 patients there was neither clinical nor laboratory data indicating infection. Twelve patients developed clinical but nor laboratory evidence of endometritis and in 14 cases cultures were positive (three of the amniotic fluid and 1 1 of the lower uterine segment) but the patients did not develop clinical manifestations of infection.
X Irradiation of a Sensitive and a Resistant Strain of Escherichia coli under Controlled Oxygen Concentrations

van Soestbergen, A. A. (Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, N.Y.). X irradiation of a sensitive and a resistant strain of Escherichia coli under controlled oxygen concentrations. J. Bacteriol. 89:1032–1034. 1965.—Radiosensitive and radioresistant strains of Escherichia coli were given an X-ray dose of 4,544 rad at various controlled O2 concentrations, and the results were subjected to probit analysis. A ϰ2 test gave no evidence of heterogeneity of departure from fitted parallel probit lines obtained after plotting the probit of the surviving fractions of each of the two strains on the logarithm of the O2 concentration. Under the conditions of the experiment, the ratio of the oxygen concentrations at which equal fractions of populations of E. coli B/r and E. coli B-s were killed by X irradiation was estimated to be about 4.4.
An overview of clinical ethics

Advances in clinical medicine, variable economic environment with increasing emphasis in cost-containment, and social and cross-cultural influences have brought significant changes to the way health care is delivered and medicine is practiced. In this evolving and complex environment, ethical dilemmas perplex physicians. Clinical ethics help us identify those ethical dilemmas and appropriately respond to them. What follows is an overview of clinical ethics, with a brief discussion of the basic theories and principles involved, and summary information needed to provide comprehensive, ethical, patient-centered care. The overview finishes with a list of important references for those who wish to pursue further a given subject.
Thermal Ablation: A Comparison of Thermal Dose Required for Radiofrequency-, Microwave- and Laser-induced Coagulation in an Ex-vivo Bovine Liver Model

Rationale and Objectives To compare thermal dosimetry metrics for specified diameters of coagulation achieved using three different ablation energy sources. Materials and Methods 204 ablations measuring 20, 30, or 40 ± 2 mm were created in an ex-vivo bovine liver model using 1) 2.5 cm cluster RF electrodes ( n = 114), 2) 3 cm microwave antennas ( n = 45), and 3) 3 cm laser diffusing fibers ( n = 45). Continuous temperature monitoring was performed 5–20 mm from the applicators to calculate: a) the area under the curve (AUC), b) cumulative equivalent minutes at 43°C (CEM43), and c) Arrhenius damage integral (Ω) for the critical ablation margin (DOC), with results compared by multivariate analysis of variance and regression analysis. Results The end temperatures at the margin of coagulation varied, and was lowest for the RF cluster electrode (33–58°C), higher for laser (52–72°C), and covered the widest range for microwave (42–95°C). These end temperatures correlated with applied energy, as linear functions ( r 2 = 0.74–0.96). The total heat needed to achieve ablation (AUC) varied with applied energy and coagulation diameter as negative exponential (RF and laser) or negative power (microwave) functions ( r 2 = 0.82–0.98). Similarly, CEM43 values varied exponentially with energy and distance ( r 2 = 0.52–0.76) over a wide range of values (10 12 ). Likewise, Ω varied not only based upon energy source and DOC, but also as a positive linear correlation to applied energy and with sigmoid correlation to duration of ablation ( r 2 = 0.85–0.97). Conclusion Our study demonstrates that the thermal dosimetry of ablation is not based solely on a fixed end temperature at the margin of the coagulation zone. Thermal dosimetry is not constant, but dependent on the type and amount of energy applied and distance suggesting the need to take into account the rate of heat transfer for ablation dosimetry.
Evidence for erythroid and nonerythroid forms of δ-aminolevulinate synthetase.

Abstract The basis for the known transient accumulation of heme precursors during fetal development was investigated by comparing the characteristics of multiple forms of the first enzyme in the heme biosynthetic pathway, δ-aminolevulinate synthetase, derived from guinea pig fetal and adult liver and adult bone marrow. The elevation of δ-aminolevulinate synthetase in fetal liver was correlated with the transient establishment of erythropoietic activity in this organ during prenatal development. Partially purified mitochondrial synthetase from fetal liver and adult bone marrow (erythroid forms) was not bound to AMP- or CoA-agarose whereas the adult hepatic (nonerythroid) synthetase was strongly bound. For the first time, it was possible to demonstrate the identity of uninduced with 3,5-dicarbethoxy-1,4-dihydrocollidine-induced δ-aminolevulinate synthetase on the basis of the ability of both enzyme preparations to bind strongly to AMP-agarose. Weak binding of the erythroid forms to AMP-and CoA-agarose was observed in the presence of high concentrations of glycine. The erythroid forms had similar K0.5's for glycine (14 m m ) in contrast to the nonerythroid form, which exhibited a K0.5 of 3 m m and showed negative cooperativity. Additional kinetic studies suggested nucleotide regulation of enzyme activity. Sodium chloride (0.4 m ) strongly inhibited the erythroid enzymes but only slightly inhibited the nonerythroid synthetase. Furthermore, the specific activities of the crude extracts of the erythroid forms were 30 to 60 times that of the uninduced hepatic nonerythroid form. The apparent molecular weights of all three forms were approximately 110,000. The only significant difference between the two erythroid forms were their rates of heat inactivation at 45 °C.
H3O)Fe(SO4)2 Formed by Dehydrating Rhomboclase and its Potential Existence on Mars

Rhomboclase, (H{sub 5}O{sub 2})Fe(SO{sub 4}){sub 2}{center_dot}2H{sub 2}O, transforms to a solid crystalline phase, (H{sub 3}O)Fe(SO{sub 4}){sub 2}, upon dehydration. The structure of (H{sub 3}O)Fe(SO{sub 4}){sub 2} is found to be the same as a recently reported structure determined from single-crystal diffraction by Peterson et al. (2009), who synthesized the same compound using a hydrothermal method. The phase boundary between rhomboclase and (H{sub 3}O)Fe(SO{sub 4}){sub 2} as a function of temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) was determined by environment-controlled in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. The stability of (H{sub 3}O)Fe(SO{sub 4}){sub 2} against rhomboclase was further evaluated under a simulated martian condition (constant 50% RH, -20 C, 6 mbar CO{sub 2}). Both phases remained after 14 days with no observable transition. This result suggests that hydrate ferric sulfate minerals might not respond to diurnal RH fluctuation under the extremely slowed kinetics expected on the martian surface.
Depth-based short-sighted stochastic shortest path problems

Stochastic Shortest Path Problems (SSPs) are a common representation for probabilistic planning problems. Two approaches can be used to solve SSPs: (i) consider all probabilistically reachable states and (ii) plan only for a subset of these reachable states. Closed policies, the solutions obtained in the former approach, require significant computational effort, and they do not require replanning, i.e., the planner is never re-invoked. The second approach, employed by replanners, computes open policies, i.e., policies for a subset of the probabilistically reachable states. Therefore, when a state is reached in which the open policy is not defined, the replanner is reinvoked to compute a new open policy. In this article, we introduce a special case of SSPs, the depth-based short-sighted SSPs, in which every state has a nonzero probability of being reached using at most t actions. We also introduce the novel algorithm Short-Sighted Probabilistic Planner (SSiPP), which solves SSPs through depth-based short-sighted SSPs and guarantees that at least t actions can be executed without replanning. Therefore, SSiPP can compute both open and closed policies: as t increases, the returned policy approaches the behavior of a closed policy, and for t large enough, the returned policy is closed. Moreover, we present two extensions to SSiPP: Labeled-SSiPP and SSiPP-FF. The former extension incorporates a labeling mechanism to avoid revisiting states that have already converged. The latter extension combines SSiPP and determinizations to improve the performance of SSiPP in problems without dead ends. We also performed an extensive empirical evaluation of SSiPP and its extensions in several problems against state-of-the-art planners. The results show that (i) Labeled-SSiPP outperforms SSiPP and the considered planners in the task of finding the optimal solution when the problems have a low percentage of relevant states; and (ii) SSiPP-FF outperforms SSiPP in the task of quickly finding suboptimal solutions to problems without dead ends while performing similarly in problems with dead ends.
What should primary care providers know about pediatric skin conditions? A modified Delphi technique for curriculum development

Background There is limited access to pediatric dermatology in the United States, resulting in inadequate education and patient care. Objective This Delphi study aimed to identify important objectives for a pediatric dermatology curriculum for general practitioners. Methods A modified, 2-round Delphi technique was used to develop consensus on objectives developed by expert pediatric dermatologists. A panel of 20 experts (pediatric dermatologists, family practitioners, and general pediatricians) rated objectives using a 5-point Likert-type scale. Items with group medians 4.0 or greater with at least 70% agreement reached consensus. Results In round 1, the expert panel rated 231 objectives from 16 categories for inclusion in an online curriculum. In round 2, experts were given group feedback and rated 235 objectives. A total of 170 items met consensus. Generally, objectives surrounding common conditions including acne, molluscum, warts, atopic dermatitis, and newborn skin met consensus whereas objectives on rare growths, birthmarks, and inherited conditions failed to meet consensus. Limitations The Delphi panel consisted of US-based physicians, most in urban areas with a dedicated pediatric specialist at their institution. Conclusions The accepted objectives encompass management of common conditions and referral of potentially dangerous diseases and can be used to develop a pediatric dermatology curriculum for primary care providers.
The role of iron nutrition in photosynthesis and nitrogen assimilation in SCENEDESMUS QUADRICAUDA (Chlorophyceae)

The rate of photosynthesis and nitrate uptake are related to the iron concentration in the medium for the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda (Turp.) Breb. Increased iron leads to changes in chlorophyll a concentration, carbon fixation rate per chlorophyll a and in vivo fluorescence characteristics. These parameters all indicate that the efficiency of photosynthesis is related to iron nutrition. Nitrate uptake rate is also a function of both Fe and light Iron-limited cultures had decreased nitrate uptake at low light whereas ammonium uptake was relatively constant. Iron-limited cultures fixed about twice as much carbon into protein relative to the total carbon fixed. Iron plays a crucial role in the bioenergetics of carbon and nitrogen metabolism and may be important in controlling patterns of productivity.
Phenylisothiocyanate derivatization of Nτ-methylhistidine: A method of assessing myofibrillar protein degradation

Abstract Urinary N τ -methylhistidine (NMH) excretion has been used as an index of myofibrillar protein degradation (MPD). This paper describes a method for assessment of urinary NMH levels in growing rats of variable thyroid status. Samples of urine were collected from control, thyroidectomized (Tx), and triiodothyronine-supplemented thyroidectomized rats (T 3 ) for development of this method. Urinary NMH and standard NMH were deacetylated then derivatized with phenylisothiocyanate (PITC) and injected into a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system and detected at 254 nm. A peak in urine corresponded in retention time to standard PITC-NMH. Mass spectroscopy of this peak demonstrated that it consisted of a compound of molecular mass equal to that of PITC-NMH. Quantities of NMH excreted by rats in this study were similar to NMH excretion patterns reported in other studies. Thyroidectomy, which reduces MPD, reduced urinary NMH levels whereas T 3 administration, which has been reported to enhance MPD, increased urinary NMH excretion. Phenylisothiocyanate derivatization, therefore, provides a rapid and sensitive method for assessing NMH excretion patterns in growing rats.
Comparative study of incipient colony development in the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera,Rhinotermitidae)

The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki is the most destructive, difficult to control and economically important species of termite in the southern United States. At present, no information is available on the genetic relatedness of primary Formosan subterranean termite reproductives that establish new colonies. Information on survivorship and fitness components of primary reproductives from different sibships (sibling or nonsibling) is helpful to our understanding of biological and ecological characteristics of different breeding generations in C. formosanus. The present study examined the effects of sibship and colony origin on growth and mortality of incipient colonies of C. formosanus. Seven stock colonies of C. formosanus were collected in 1996 through 1997 in New Orleans and Lake Charles, La, USA. A total of 338 incipient colonies of sibling pairs or nonsibling pairs of C. formosanus were set up. The study indicated that mate relatedness significantly affected mortality and fitness. Nonsibling mates suffered significantly higher mortality than sibling mates originated from New Orleans. However, the decreased success of outbred mates was offset by an increased fecundity compared to inbred colonies over time. Both sibling- and nonsibling-founded colonies from Lake Charles had a significantly higher survival rate than did colonies from New Orleans. Colonies from Lake Charles also produced a significantly higher number of larvae/workers than colonies from New Orleans. The mismatch of habits by mates from different locations and the potential for greater disease risks may be associated with higher mortality in outbred pairs. However, heterozygous offspring of outbred pairs probably have increased genetic variation, which provides greater adaptation potential, thus making the colony more robust in the face of environmental fluctuations.