cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temporal metabolomics in dried bloodspots suggests multipathway disruptions in aldh5a1-/- mice, a model of succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency.

Abstract Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) deficiency (SSADHD; OMIM 271980 ) is a rare disorder featuring accumulation of neuroactive 4-aminobutyric acid (GABA; γ-aminobutyric acid, derived from glutamic acid) and 4-hydroxybutyric acid (γ-hydroxybutyric acid; GHB, a short-chain fatty acid analogue of GABA). Elevated GABA is predicted to disrupt the GABA shunt linking GABA transamination to the Krebs cycle and maintaining the balance of excitatory:inhibitory neurotransmitters. Similarly, GHB (or a metabolite) is predicted to impact β-oxidation flux. We explored these possibilities employing temporal metabolomics of dried bloodspots (DBS), quantifying amino acids, acylcarnitines, and guanidino- metabolites, derived from aldh5a1+/+, aldh5a1+/− and aldh5a1−/− mice (aldehyde dehydrogenase 5a1 = SSADH) at day of life (DOL) 20 and 42 days. At DOL 20, aldh5a1−/− mice had elevated C6 dicarboxylic (adipic acid) and C14 carnitines and threonine, combined with a significantly elevated ratio of threonine/[aspartic acid + alanine], in comparison to aldh5a1+/+ mice. Conversely, at DOL 42 aldh5a1−/− mice manifested decreased short chain carnitines (C0-C6), valine and glutamine, in comparison to aldh5a1+/+ mice. Guanidino species, including creatinine, creatine and guanidinoacetic acid, evolved from normal levels (DOL 20) to significantly decreased values at DOL 42 in aldh5a1−/− as compared to aldh5a1+/+ mice. Our results provide a novel temporal snapshot of the evolving metabolic profile of aldh5a1−/− mice while highlighting new pathomechanisms in SSADHD.
Assessing Game-Based Mathematics Learning in Action

Digital learning environments emphasize learning in action. Because knowledge is present in what learners do, how they do it, what tools they use, and how they communicate in and about their doing, it is important to assess knowledge production in context and learning in action. Via a design-based research approach, we explored the feasibility and validity of using the evidence-centered design approach and Bayesian networks to assess mathematical learning in action in a game-based learning environment. We iteratively tested the hypothesized assessment models and alternative approaches of exploiting game-based performance data, with longitudinal data sets collected during the course of 42 gaming sessions across 3 academic semesters. The investigation illustrated the design and implementation heuristics related to the game-based learning-in-action assessment. The emerged learning-in-action assessment evolves around four major operational practices: (a) domain competency modeling along with core game mechanics conceptualization; (b) developing task models and the Q-matrix; (c) developing the game log that encompasses performance data capturing, pattern recognition, and observables extraction; and (d) training, substantiating, and comparing statistical models for data processing and assessment implementation.
Association of preoperative duration of inotropy on prevalence of right ventricular failure following LVAD implantation

AIMS 20% to 40% of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) device implantations are complicated by right ventricular (RV) failure that results in significant morbidity and mortality. We hypothesized that the duration on milrinone infusion is an independent risk factor for RV failure following LVAD implantation. METHODS AND RESULTS Retrospective demographic, clinical and hemodynamic data were collected on all adults with ACC/AHA stage D heart failure on intravenous milrinone who underwent LVAD implantation between 2012 and 2019. Patients (n = 104) were divided into two groups, those on milrinone <30 days (STM, n = 55) vs. ≥30 (LTM, n = 49). The primary endpoint was the prevalence of RV failure (need for inotropic support for more than 14 days or RV assist device) within 30 days post-LVAD implantation. There were no significant differences between STM and LTM patients with respect to demographic, echocardiographic, right heart catheterization data, or baseline medications. The mean age of patients was 55.6 ± 12 years (70% male patients). Mean duration on milrinone was 13.7 vs. 81.0 days in STM and LTM, respectively. Forty-five (43.3%) patients developed RV failure. LTM had higher prevalence of RV failure with odds ratio (OR) = 5.04 (95% CI 2.18-11.68, P = 0.0002). After adjusting for age, gender, and co-morbidity count, the OR was 6.33 (95% CI 2.51-15.93), P < 0.0001. CONCLUSIONS In this retrospective study of ACC/AHA stage D HF patients, longer duration of milrinone infusion was associated with higher prevalence of RV failure after LVAD implantation.
Treatment of Sleep Comorbidities in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Sleep disturbances, insomnia and recurrent nightmares in particular, are among the most frequently endorsed symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present review provides a summary of the prevalence estimates and methodological challenges presented by sleep disturbances in PTSD, highlights the recent evidence for empirically supported psychotherapeutic and pharmacological interventions for comorbid sleep disturbances implicated in PTSD, and provides a summary of recent findings on integrated and sequential treatment approaches to ameliorate comorbid sleep disturbances in PTSD. Insomnia, recurrent nightmares, and other sleep disorders are commonly endorsed among individuals with PTSD; however, several methodological challenges contribute to the varying prevalence estimates. Targeted sleep-focused therapeutic interventions can improve sleep symptoms and mitigate daytime PTSD symptoms. Recently, attention has focused on the role of integrated and sequential approaches, suggesting that comprehensively treating sleep disturbances in PTSD is likely to require novel treatment modalities. Evidence is growing on the development, course, and treatment of comorbid sleep disturbances in PTSD. Further, interventions targeting sleep disturbances in PTSD show promise in reducing symptoms. However, longitudinal investigations and additional rigorous controlled trials with diverse populations are needed to identify key features associated with treatment response in order to alleviate symptoms.
How the collaborative work of farm to school can disrupt neoliberalism in public schools

Farm to school (FTS) is a popular approach to food systems education in K-12 schools across the United States. FTS programs are highly heterogeneous, but generally include serving locally grown fruits and vegetables in school nutrition programs, planting and maintaining school gardens, and engaging students in garden and food-based learning across the school curriculum. While FTS has been promoted as a “win–win–win” for children, farmers, and communities, it has also been critiqued for reinscribing neoliberal trends (i.e., individualism, private funding, and volunteerism) that exacerbate social inequalities. Through a year-long, ethnographic study of FTS within one public middle school in the Southeast US, this paper contributes to these debates. Drawing upon theoretical frameworks of materiality and affective labor, we investigate how engagement with FTS activities can transform the social practice of everyday life in school for students, staff, and teachers. We find that FTS can reframe success in collaborative terms, engage the school around collective responsibility, and foster relationships across socioeconomic and racial difference. Although there is continued need to expand policies to ensure equitable funding for FTS, our research demonstrates that the hands-on work and collective subjectivities produced through FTS can mitigate the harms of neoliberalism and be a force for positive social change within a school.
Cyclodextrin Polymers with Nitrogen-Containing Tripodal Crosslinkers for Efficient PFAS Adsorption

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used industrial chemicals that are of a great concern because of their pervasive presence in water resources and association with negative heal...
Efficacy and Safety of Hydroxychloroquine vs Placebo for Pre-exposure SARS-CoV-2 Prophylaxis Among Health Care Workers: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Health care workers (HCWs) caring for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are at risk of exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Currently, to our knowledge, there is no effective pharmacologic prophylaxis for individuals at risk. Objective To evaluate the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in hospital-based HCWs with exposure to patients with COVID-19 using a pre-exposure prophylaxis strategy. Design, Setting, and Participants This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial (the Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19 With Hydroxychloroquine Study) was conducted at 2 tertiary urban hospitals, with enrollment from April 9, 2020, to July 14, 2020; follow-up ended August 4, 2020. The trial randomized 132 full-time, hospital-based HCWs (physicians, nurses, certified nursing assistants, emergency technicians, and respiratory therapists), of whom 125 were initially asymptomatic and had negative results for SARS-CoV-2 by nasopharyngeal swab. The trial was terminated early for futility before reaching a planned enrollment of 200 participants. Interventions Hydroxychloroquine, 600 mg, daily, or size-matched placebo taken orally for 8 weeks. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection as determined by a nasopharyngeal swab during the 8 weeks of treatment. Secondary outcomes included adverse effects, treatment discontinuation, presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, frequency of QTc prolongation, and clinical outcomes for SARS-CoV-2–positive participants. Results Of the 132 randomized participants (median age, 33 years [range, 20-66 years]; 91 women [69%]), 125 (94.7%) were evaluable for the primary outcome. There was no significant difference in infection rates in participants randomized to receive hydroxychloroquine compared with placebo (4 of 64 [6.3%] vs 4 of 61 [6.6%];P > .99). Mild adverse events were more common in participants taking hydroxychloroquine compared with placebo (45% vs 26%;P = .04); rates of treatment discontinuation were similar in both arms (19% vs 16%;P = .81). The median change in QTc (baseline to 4-week evaluation) did not differ between arms (hydroxychloroquine: 4 milliseconds; 95% CI, −9 to 17; vs placebo: 3 milliseconds; 95% CI, −5 to 11;P = .98). Of the 8 participants with positive results for SARS-CoV-2 (6.4%), 6 developed viral symptoms; none required hospitalization, and all clinically recovered. Conclusions and Relevance In this randomized clinical trial, although limited by early termination, there was no clinical benefit of hydroxychloroquine administered daily for 8 weeks as pre-exposure prophylaxis in hospital-based HCWs exposed to patients with COVID-19. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT04329923
On Optimal k -Deletion Correcting Codes

Levenshtein introduced the problem of constructing k -deletion correcting codes in 1966, proved that the optimal redundancy of those codes is $ {O}(k~\log ~{N})$ for constant k, and proposed an optimal redundancy single-deletion correcting code (using the so-called VT construction). However, the problem of constructing optimal redundancy k -deletion correcting codes remained open. Our key contribution is a major step towards a complete solution to this longstanding open problem for constant k . We present a k -deletion correcting code that has redundancy $8 {k}\log~{N} + {o}(\log~{N})$ when $ {k}= {o}(\sqrt {\log \log~{N}})$ and encoding/decoding algorithms of complexity $ {O}({N}^{2 {k}+1})$ .
Texts from Old Macau: Macau’s Original Municipal Charter (10 April 1586)

The copy of Macau’s original municipal charter translated herein recalls one of Macau’s earliest and most significant constitutional moments. Portuguese traders settled at Macau in 1553 pursuant to the terms of a trade agreement struck between Portuguese Captain-major Leonel de Sousa and the Deputy Surveillance Commissioner of Guangdong Province, Wang Bai. By 1557, their encampment had grown from a simple settlement (povoacao, 村落) to an unincorporated trading outpost (feitoria): minor establishments within the constitutional scheme of the Portuguese maritime empire. When news arrived in 1582 that Spain had absorbed Portugal into an Iberian Union, the local secular and religious authorities of Macau hastily called a general council of all residents to incorporate their city and establish a form of self-government that would preserve their autonomy from the Spanish Crown. Royal acquiescence arrived in the form of this letter, via the Portuguese Viceroy of India, in 1586. It marks the official transformation from trade settlement to town-hall municipality (conselho, 政务会). Macau’s local government would thereafter mirror that of the mainland Portuguese city of Evora, consisting of a powerful Senate (Senado, 议事会) comprised of three elected aldermen (vereadors, 市议员), two lay judges (juiz ordinarios, 普通法官), and one procurador (检察长). Residual executive authority was vested in a locally elected Land Captain (Capitao de Terra, 驻地首领), while the jurisdiction of the Crown-appointed Captain-Major of the Japan Voyage – previously absolute over Macau – was henceforth limited only to overseeing the annual trade expedition. Macau thus was recognized as a full-fledged Portuguese city and, despite constant surveillance from a parallel Chinese administrative apparatus and periodic external crises, its legislature would remain the pivotal force in local affairs for the next 200 years.
Resilience Gentrification: Environmental Privilege in an Age of Coastal Climate Disasters

Climate change is exacerbating storms at the same time that humans are increasingly settling in areas most affected by such storms. In theory, post-disaster recovery offers opportunities to rebuild for sustainable development. However, in reality, responses to climate events often result in greater inequality through a process we term resilience gentrification. Three possible resolutions to the coastal resilience dialectic are managed retreat, denial, and structural mitigation. Structural mitigation has become the most popular response in the Anthropocene. This response raises the cost of coastal redevelopment, giving capital greater access and control over development decisions. These changes make coastal areas more expensive and more exclusive. We illustrate this process in the post-disaster recovery of two very different communities: Gowanus, Brooklyn and the Caribbean island of Barbuda. In both cases, attempts to build it back “green” – using selective aspects of “sustainable development” as a guide - come at the cost of exacerbating existing housing inequality. In this way, “resilience” gets equated with wealth, thus reinforcing a cycle of climate injustice. To achieve a “just sustainability,” government responses must consider and address the equity impacts of climate change resilience policies. Managed retreat and degrowth strategies for climate resilience offer greater potential for a just sustainability in the Anthropocene.
Do the Transmissible Liability Index (TLI) and Adolescent Cannabis Use Predict Paranoid and Schizotypal Symptoms at Young Adulthood

Background: Adolescent cannabis use is an established risk factor for the development of psychosis, but the premorbid vulnerability factors and specificity versus generality of the psychotic sympto...
TGF-β signaling suppresses TCA cycle metabolism in renal cancer

ABSTRACT The Warburg effect is one of most-well studied metabolic phenomenon in cancer cells. For the most part, these studies have focused on enhanced rates of glycolysis observed in various models. The presumption has been that mitochondrial metabolism is suppressed. However, recent studies indicate that the extent of mitochondrial metabolism is far more heterogeneous in tumors than originally presumed. One tumor type with suppression of mitochondrial metabolism is renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Prior studies indicate that suppressed TCA cycle enzyme mRNA expression is associated with aggressive RCC. Yet, the mechanisms that regulate the TCA cycle in RCC remain uncharacterized. Here, we demonstrate that loss of TCA cycle enzyme expression is retained in RCC metastatic tissues. Moreover, proteomic analysis demonstrates that reduced TCA cycle enzyme expression is far more pronounced in RCC relative to other tumor types. Loss of TCA cycle enzyme expression is correlated with reduced expression of the transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) which is also lost in RCC tissues. PGC-1α re-expression in RCC cells restores the expression of TCA cycle enzymes in vitro and in vivo and leads to enhanced glucose carbon incorporation into TCA cycle intermediates. Mechanistically, TGF-β signaling, in concert with histone deacetylase 7 (HDAC7), suppresses TCA cycle enzyme expression. In turn, pharmacologic inhibition of TGF-β restores expression of TCA cycle enzyme expression and suppresses tumor growth in an orthotopic model of RCC. Taken together, our findings reveal a novel role for the TGF-β /HDAC7 axis in global suppression of TCA cycle enzymes in RCC and provide novel insight into the molecular basis of altered mitochondrial metabolism in this malignancy.
De Sedibus et Causis Morborum: is Essential Tremor a Primary Disease of the Cerebellum?

Morgagni’s 1761 publication of De sedibus et causis morborum (i.e., of the Seats and Causes of Diseases) represented a paradigmatic moment in the history of medicine. The book ushered in a new way of conceptualizing human disease, shattering old dogma, and linking constellations of symptoms and signs (i.e., clinical disease) with anatomic pathology in specific organs (i.e., organ disease). This was the anatomical-clinical method, and it attempted to unveil “the seat” of each disease in a specific organ. Essential tremor (ET) is among the most common neurological diseases. There is little debate that the origin of ET lies in the brain, but if one tries to delve more deeply than this, things become murky. The dogma for the past 40 years has been that the seat of ET is the inferior olivary nucleus. Closer scrutiny of this model, however, has revealed its many flaws, and the model, based on little if any empiric evidence, has increasingly lost favor. Arising from a wealth of research in recent years is a growing body of knowledge that links ET to a disarrangement of the cerebellum. Data from a variety of sources reviewed in this issue (clinical, neuroimaging, neurochemical, animal model, physiological, and pathological) link ET to the cerebellum. That the cerebellum is involved in an abnormal brain loop that is responsible for ET is not debated. The tantalizing question is whether an abnormality in the cerebellum is the prime mover, and whether the cerebellum is the seat of this particular disease.
Case 41: Preeclampsia

You are in the labor and delivery suite as the attending anesthesiologist. It is late at night. You are asked to speak to a patient, with borderline preeclampsia, for a possible epidural. On entering the room, you find a 28-year-old primigravida who is otherwise healthy. She is alone except for a midwife. The midwife has recently come on duty and tells you that the previous midwife had just started an infusion of magnesium sulfate. You note that there are two Lactate Ringer IV bags (1,000 mL) hanging and one has “Magnesium” written on it. The patient is grateful and excited about the prospect of an epidural and gladly signs the consent form. You note that the patient has a good IV running with a hardly used unlabeled 1,000 mL Lactate Ringer. You ask the midwife to give the patient a preload with 500 mL of Lactated Ringer while you get ready to do the epidural. When ready you place the patient in left lateral position. You quickly perform the epidural and tread the epidural catheter. A test dose is given and you are happy to note no increase in the heart rate. You ask the patient if she can move her legs but she is very quiet and looks very comfortable. The oxygen saturation monitor has fallen off her finger and you ask the midwife to replace it. To your dismay, the oxygen saturation is 85% and falling. You look at the patient and recognize that she is cyanotic and would seem not to be breathing. You have injected nothing, either through the IV or the epidural catheter, except the test dose. The IV is running wide open and nearly 800 mL of the Lactated Ringer has now gone in. The midwife says she has not injected anything into the IV. The oxygen saturation is now 80%. You now notice that the fetal monitoring had been discontinued during the epidural.
Experimental results for uniformity and IEDF control with phase-locked RF source and bias on an inductively coupled plasma system

A vexing challenge for inductively coupled plasma sources is the uniformity effect of gas flow, pressure regulation, and RF field emissions from the top coil antenna and its coupling with the electrode bias. These three entities can impair symmetrical flow and adversely impinge pattern etching across the wafer. We focus our effort on controlling the amplitude and phase relation of a dual coil driven antenna and thereby the EM field emission uniformity. Industry has long countered this challenge by affecting the electric field with a various approaches: (1) a permanent magnet assembly around the periphery of the substrate, (2) coil geometry arrangement, (3) RF source pulsing, (4) controlling the ratio of the coil currents, or (5) non-similar frequency assignments to the coils of the antenna structure. With EM field simulations, we previously showed by amplitude and relative phase manipulation of the RF excitation for the source coil arrangement, the controllability of the constructive-deconstructive interaction of the coil fields to positively affect plasma density and associated uniformity along the wafer area.1 We demonstrate this uniformity by measuring the ion flux along the bias diameter. We further explore the quantitative benefits of tailoring ion energy distribution functions with the phase interaction between the RF powered bias and the source RF power delivery system. The RF bias, coupled to the substrate, produces ion energies utilized for pattern-etch processing associated with high-volume semiconductor manufacturing. Our fundamental technique is based on a frequency-and-phase locking controller with plurality instantiations in the source RF power delivery system and the bias RF power supply. With precise control of the electromagnetic field emissions, our systematic control of plasma parameters yields enhancements toward uniformity improvement commensurate with IEDF generation, all necessary improvements for next generation plasma processing systems.
Data-parallel compilation and query power extension of large knowledge bases

An associative data-parallel compilation model of logic programs capable of answering queries with unspecified relations concerning the given objects is described. The model benefits from the synergy resulting from associative search, data-parallelism during goal reduction, and the use of low-level code to invoke the subgoals and savings in data-transfers resulting from the presence of global registers. The use of associative tables extends the power of logic programming to answer a large class of queries and derive unspecified relation-names for the given objects. In contrast to the interpretation based on a pure data parallel model, this model does not suffer from data sequentiality caused by the presence of multiple-occurrence variables in the goals. The model also handles variable aliasing in the clauses efficiently using the associative data-parallel search and data-parallel assignment property. >
An 80 k-transistor configurable 25 MPixels/s video compression processor unit

To address the varied requirements of portable video applications, new processor units are required that can execute a variety of intraframe coding algorithms in real-time. Furthermore, low complexity is required, as the intraframe coder is only one element of the complete video compression system. Neither programmable video signal processors (VSPs) nor dedicated ASICs can satisfy all of the above needs. The video compression processor unit (VCPU) described in this paper is based on a configurable architecture. An efficiency comparison is presented between this processor unit, a programmable VSP E33 and three dedicated video ASICs. >
Open Source Software/Systems in Humanitarian Applications (H-FOSS)

In the past few years we’ve seen many catastrophic natural disasters, most recently the Haitian and the Chilean Earthquakes. Others include the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, and Cyclone Nargis that hit Myanmar in 2008. Because these events are rare and often impact poor countries, the development of information systems that support humanitarian and crises response may not be profitable, and thus rarely developed. Systems needed to track medical services to populations of poor nations are often not developed nor deployed because there is no profitable business model for such products. Commercially systems typically require expensive training and hardware not practical in poor underserved places on the planet.
Endoamnioscopy and fetal biopsy: a new technique.

Abstract A new technique is described by which tissue biopsies were obtained under direct vision from human fetuses during the second trimester. Direct visualization of the fetus in utero by a surgical endoscope, if proved safe by further experimentation, will expand considerably the field of prenatal genetics, to encompass conditions not diagnosable by amniocentesis. In selected high-risk pregnancies, fetal cytogenetic and biochemical studies may be performed better on tissue biopsy specimens than they have been on amniotic fluid cells obtained by amniocentesis.
Growth in economic relations of China and India with the GCC countries

The oil-rich Arab countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have rapidly expanded their economic relations with Asian countries recently, particularly China and India. The main reason behind this development is that the regions complement each other in several dimensions. China and India are the fastest-growing, oil-consuming nations in the world, while GCC countries have the largest proven deposits of oil and gas. The GCC is interested in China and India as reliable oil customers over the long-run and the latter look at the GCC as reliable suppliers of oil and gas. The two regions are also attracted to each other because both are enjoying strong economic growth and offer many investment opportunities to the other. It is expected that GCC economic relations with China and India will grow stronger in the coming decades and serve as a good example of South–South economic cooperation for other developing countries.
Drug delivery. A lesson from secretory granules.

In the body, secretory granules can store a physiological agent (histamine, for instance) and on stimulation can release it in the right place at the right time. Following that example, a group of researchers has devised an artificial mimic of nature's handiwork using a polymer gel coated with a lipid bilayer. There are endless possibilities for refining the system, but the important hurdle to be overcome is to see if the basic concept worksin vivo.
Mimics of child abuse: can choking explain abusive head trauma?

Choking is one of the alternative explanations of abusive head trauma in children that have been offered in courtroom testimony and in the media. Most of these explanations - including choking - are not scientifically supported. This article highlights four points. (1) The origins of choking as an explanation for intracranial and retinal hemorrhages are speculative. (2) Choking has been used in high profile court testimony as an explanation for the death of a child thought to have been abused. (3) A case report that proposes choking as an alternative explanation for the death of a child diagnosed with abusive head trauma includes omissions and misrepresentations of facts. (4) There was a decision by the editor of the journal that published the case report that it was not necessary to include all the facts of the case; moreover, the editor indicated that facts are not required when presenting an alternative explanation. The use of scientifically unsupported alternative explanations for abusive head trauma based on inaccurate and biased information constitutes further victimization of the abused child and represents a travesty of justice.
Proofs, codes, and polynomial-time reducibilities

We show how to construct proof systems for NP languages where a deterministic polynomial-time verifier can check membership, given any N/sup (2/3)+/spl epsi// bits of an N-bit witness of membership. We also provide a slightly superpolynomial time proof system where the verifier can check membership, given only N/sup (1/2)+/spl epsi// bits of an N-bit witness. These pursuits are motivated by the work of Gal et. al. (1997). In addition, we construct proof systems where a deterministic polynomial-time verifier can check membership, given an N-bit string that agrees with a legitimate witness on just (N/2)+N/sup (4/5)+/spl epsi// bits. Our results and framework have applications for two related areas of research in complexity theory: proof systems for NP, and the relative power of Cook reductions and Karp-Levin type reductions. Our proof techniques are based on algebraic coding theory and small sample space constructions.
Visualizing distributed data structures

A new programming style for large-scale parallel programs centered around distributed data structures has emerged. The current parallel program visualization tools were intended for the old style and do not deal with distributed data structures. We show, with several examples of visualizations and animations developed for large scale pC++ programs, that visualizing and animating distributed data structures is an important part of debugging and performance tuning for the new style parallel programs. Our approach is based on a new methodology for recording execution behavior that uses I/O abstractions and compile time source analysis and instrumentation. >
Comparison of fixation methods for treatment of long bone fractures in llamas and alpacas.

Objective: To determine outcome after repair of long bone fractures in llamas and alpacas. Study Design: Case series. Animals: Llamas (n=11) and alpacas (8). Methods: Medical records (1998–2008) of camelids with long bone fractures were reviewed for history, repair method, and complications. Outcome was also assessed by owner telephone questionnaire. Results: Mean age at repair was 39 months. There were 8 males and 11 females. Fracture distribution was tibia (n=6), metatarsus (5), metacarpus (4), radius and ulna (2), humerus (1), and femur (1), with 13 closed and 6 open fractures. Fracture repair was by internal fixation (n=11), external fixation with a transfixation pin cast (5), external coaptation (2), and cross-pinning (1). In 1 llama, the limb was amputated to revise a failed external fixation repair. Seventeen animals (89%) were discharged, and 2 were euthanatized. Outcome was available for 13 animals: 9 were used for breeding and 4 as pets. Fewer major complications occurred with internal fixation than with external fixation with a transfixation pin cast (P<.005); however, there were no significant differences in minor complications between groups. Conclusions: Internal fixation with bone plates was associated with fewer major complications than external fixation with a transfixation pin cast.
Development of a “signal-on” electrochemical DNA sensor with an oligo-thymine spacer for point mutation detection

We report a reagentless and reusable “signal-on” electrochemical DNA sensor that utilizes oligo-thymine as a flexible spacer. This sensor design is sensitive, specific, and selective; it is potentially generalizable for detection of a wide range of biomedical-relevant nucleic acid sequences.
ZO-1 determines adherens and gap junction localization at intercalated disks

The disruption of the spatial order of electromechanical junctions at myocyte-intercalated disks (ICDs) is a poorly understood characteristic of many cardiac disease states. Here, in vitro and in vivo evidence is provided that zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) regulates the organization of gap junctions (GJs) and adherens junctions (AJs) at ICDs. We investigated the contribution of ZO-1 to cell-cell junction localization by expressing a dominant-negative ZO-1 construct (DN-ZO-1) in rat ventricular myocytes (VMs). The expression of DN-ZO-1 in cultured neonatal VMs for 72 h reduced the interaction of ZO-1 and N-cadherin, as assayed by colocalization and coimmunoprecipitation, prompting cytoplasmic internalization of AJ and GJ proteins. DN-ZO-1 expression in adult VMs in vivo also reduced N-cadherin colocalization with ZO-1, a phenomenon not observed when the connexin-43 (Cx43)-ZO-1 interaction was disrupted using a mimetic of the ZO-1-binding ligand from Cx43. DN-ZO-1-infected VMs demonstrated large GJs at the ICD periphery and showed a loss of focal ZO-1 concentrations along plaque edges facing the disk interior. Additionally, there was breakdown of the characteristic ICD pattern of small interior and large peripheral GJs. Continuous DN-ZO-1 expression in VMs over postnatal development reduced ICD-associated Cx43 GJs and increased lateralized and cytoplasmic Cx43. We conclude that ZO-1 regulation of GJ localization is via an association with the N-cadherin multiprotein complex and that this is a key determinant of stable localization of both AJs and GJs at the ICD.
Gamma-ray bursts: the time domain

Temporal aspects of the gamma-ray burst phenomenon are reviewed in a hierarchical schema. The macrocosm - burst profiles taken as a whole - is fairly well characterized. The bimodal duration distribution can be framed in terms of discretization of pulse structures. The average burst envelope is slightly asymmetric, an aspect possibly related to spectral softening. Burst durations are longer for dim BATSE bursts, an effect explainable by either cosmic time dilation or a luminosity function governed by special relativistic beaming, or a combination. GeV emission, persisting up to thousands of seconds after burst cessation at keV-MeV energies is one of the most challenging features of bursts. On the timescale of pulses structures (the “mesocosm”), some properties mirror the macrocosm: rise/decay asymmetry; wider pulses and longer intervals between pulses in dim bursts than in bright ones; and the tendency of pulses to soften with time. A central clue to the burst mechanism may be the organization in time and energy, manifest as pulses, for both long and short bursts. Burst profiles appear to be well represented by pulses, accounting for the vast majority of emission in the BATSE energy band. In the microcosm, existence of a higher frequency component - with properties possibly unlike those of pulses - has not been well addressed.
Latent Fingerprint System Performance Modeling

This paper presents some analytic tools for modeling and analyzing the performance of latent fingerprint matchers. While the tools and techniques presented are not necessarily new, the manner in which these are employed is believed to be novel. It is shown that using relatively simple techniques, valuable insights are provided into what is otherwise nearly an intractable problem. In addition, three other topics are touched upon: 1) We proved a thumb-nail sketch of NIST's ELFT project. The purpose of the ELFT project is to investigate the steps required to achieve a partial lights-out latent fingerprint processing capability; 2) Preliminary data obtained from this project are analyzed using the proposed techniques; 3) An analysis is provided for predicting the performance of a "fully-populated" system when measurements can realistically only be performed on a small subset of the full-up repository/background/gallery.
Hypnotic Analgesia with Burns: An Initial Study

Abstract This study was an initial attempt to experimentally evaluate the effects of hypnotic analgesia and suggestions of coolness on inflammation and healing of burns. Six subjects were equally sunburned on both thighs and then hypnotic suggestions given for analgesia in only one thigh. None of the subjects reported pain in the analgesic burn area. There was a significant (p<.01) and consistent trend of lower temperatures in the analgesic thigh, and a significantly (p<.01) greater proportion of the redness ratings were lower in the hypnotically anesthetized thigh compared to the control thigh. Thus all three signs of inflammation were diminished. The results should be interpreted cautiously because of the small sample size, but give tentative support to the belief that hypnotic analgesia may reduce burn inflammation and possibly promote healing. Recommendations for future research are given.
A Photo-Dimerized Monolayer as a Non-Rubbing Alignment Layer for Liquid Crystal Displays

A new non-rubbing process suitable for active matrix LCDs has been developed. The process involves the formation of a silane-based monolayer on the surface followed by UV irradiation. This leads to a photo-dimerized alignment layer capable of giving a defect-free alignment of nematic liquid crystals. The electro-optic characteristics of LCDs fabricated using the photo-dimerized layer are shown to be comparable to those with a rubbed polyimide alignment layer. In addition, the anchoring energies in the two cases are shown to be very similar making the new alignment layer technology attractive for applications.
Novel method of signal analysis for ablation of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

Background Identification of the site of successful radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome may be subjective. Objective The purpose of this study was to develop an automated signal analysis program to predict a successful ablation site. Methods Patients who underwent successful RFCA for WPW from 2008– 2010 at our center were analyzed. Inclusion criteria were age 0.02–≤0.45 Hz). Software identified the beginning of the HF signal, LF and R-wave peaks, LF/HF signal amplitude, and area under the HF/LF signals. Successful and unsuccessful (radiofrequency energy applied without accessory pathway block) signals were compared. Results Thirty patients were analyzed; 16 had both successful and unsuccessful signals, and 14 had a successful ablation with 1 radiofrequency application. Mean age was 13.7 ± 3.1 years, weight 54.9 ± 22.4 kg, and time to accessory pathway ablation 1.7 ± 1.4 seconds. Significant differences were found between successful and unsuccessful signals in area under HF signal, LF amplitude, LF to R time, HF ratio, and HF area × HF ratio. A receiver operating curve of HF area × HF ratio produced an area under the curve of 0.89. An HF area × HF ratio of 3.1 distinguished successful from unsuccessful signals with 100% specificity and 81% sensitivity. Conclusion Automated signal analysis retrospectively differentiated successful from unsuccessful signals in patients undergoing RFCA for WPW. This software may improve the safety and efficacy of RFCA in children.
Treatment of cardiac arrhythmias during pregnancy: safety considerations.

Maternal and fetal arrhythmias occurring during pregnancy may jeopardise the life of the mother and the fetus. When arrhythmias are well tolerated and patients are minimally symptomatic, conservative therapy, such as observation and rest or vagal manoeuvres, should be employed. When arrhythmias cause debilitating symptoms or haemodynamic compromise, antiarrhythmic drug therapy is indicated. Although no antiarrhythmic drug is completely safe during pregnancy, most are well tolerated and can be given with relatively low risk. Physiological changes that occur during pregnancy mandate caution when administering antiarrhythmic drugs, with close monitoring of serum concentration and patient response. Drug therapy should be avoided during the first trimester of pregnancy if possible, and drugs with the longest record of safety should be used as first-line therapy. Several therapeutic options exist for most arrhythmias in the mother and fetus. Of the class IA agents, quinidine has the longest record of safety during pregnancy, and is generally well tolerated. Procainamide is also well tolerated, and should be a first line option for acute treatment of undiagnosed wide complex tachycardia. All IA agents should be administered in the hospital under cardiac monitoring due to the potential risk of ventricular arrhythmias (torsade de pointes). The IB agent, lidocaine (lignocaine), has local anaesthetic role but is also generally well tolerated as an antiarrhythmic agents. Phenytoin should be avoided due to the high risk of congenital malformations and limited role as an antiar-rhythmic drug. Of the IC agents, flecainide has been shown to be very effective in treating fetal supraventricular tachycardia complicated by hydrops. β-Blockers are generally well tolerated and can be used with relative safety in pregnancy, although recent data suggest that they may cause intrauterine growth retardation if they are administered during the first trimester. Amiodarone, a class II agents with characteristics of the other antiarrhythmic drug classes, has been reported to cause congenital abnormalities; it should be avoided during the first trimester and used only to treat life-threatening arrhythmias that fail to respond to other therapies. Adenosine is generally safe to use in pregnancy, and is the drug of choice for acute termination of maternal supraventricular tachycardia. Digoxin has a long track record of treating both maternal and fetal arrhythmias, and is one of the safest antiarrhythmics to use during pregnancy. Direct current cardioversion to terminate maternal arrhythmias is well tolerated and effective, and should not be delayed if indicated. The use of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator should be considered for women of childbearing potential with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.
Study of Small Water Clusters Using the Effective Fragment Potential Model

The recently developed effective fragment potential (EFP) model is applied to the description of a series of small water clusters, (H2O)n, n = 3−5. These results are compared with those found in the literature. The model accurately reproduces results obtained at ab initio levels of theory, while the computational cost is comparable to that of models employing empirical potentials. The EFP model thus offers significant promise as an inexpensive alternative to the Hartree−Fock methodology in the treatment of small water clusters.
Brueckner-Hartree-Fock Calculations of Spherical Nuclei in a Harmonic-Oscillator Basis. II

An approximation made in previous Brueckner-Hartree-Fock calculations is removed. Both the hole-hole and the particle-hole matrix elements of the single-nucleon potential are now calculated with the correct available energy of the pair. It is shown that, with a given $G$ matrix, the occupied states and energies do not depend on the prescription used for the particle-particle elements. The formalism is easily extended to include Brandow's occupation probabilities.
Anticonvulsive effects of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in mice susceptible to audiogenic seizures.

Abstract The anticonvulsive effects of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) were investigated in a strain of mice genetically predisposed to audiogenic seizure. Animals injected intraperitoneally with 100, 125, and 150 mg per kg of 2,4-D failed to respond within 60 sec to a 90-db noise with a convulsive seizure. The ED50 of this drug was found to be 75 mg per kg. An increase in latency to seizure occurred in mice treated with 50 and 75 mg per kg. The onset of action of 100 mg per kg, as indicated by an increase in latency to seizure, was found 5 min after treatment, and complete protection against convulsive attack occurred 15 min following injection. The protective action of this compound (100 mg per kg) remained effective for 24 hours, but was no longer active in seizure-susceptible mice 48 hours after treatment.
CO oxidation on a Cu(100) catalyst

The oxidation of carbon monoxide by molecular oxygen on a single crystal Cu(100) catalyst was studied at 458 K using reactant gas mixtures with CO/O2 ratios of 2/1, 10/1 and 25/1 at a total pressure of 10 Torr. The catalytic activities were found to be strongly dependent upon the CO/O2 ratio. Under stoichiometric reaction conditions (CO/O2 = 2), the initial CO oxidation activity decreased sharply; with a highly reducing reaction mixture (CO/O2 = 25), the initial activity gradually increased. These changes in catalytic activities with reactant gas mixture composition correlate with changes in surface composition, namely an increase in the surface oxygen coverage. Post-reaction TPD revealed the presence of a carbonate-like species which decomposed at ca. 630 K.
Mass transfer in vascular access ports

Numerical simulations have been performed to evaluate the fluid flow and mass transfer processes that occur in a human-body vascular-access port. Such ports are used to facilitate the frequent introduction of cleansed blood and other drugs into the body from external sources. Each of the infusion ports studied here consists of a reservoir and an attached tube-like catheter which delivers the infused medium to its point of use. All told, three unique infusion ports were investigated. Each had a particular geometry characterized by the shape of the reservoir and the mode of attachment of the catheter to the reservoir. The numerical simulations were three-dimensional and unsteady. Both Newtonian and non-Newtonian constitutive equations were employed for the fluid flow solutions and for the subsequent mass transfer solutions. The initiation of fluid motion was the injection of a controlled volume of fluid into the reservoir. In some cases, the injected fluid was the same as that in the reservoir, and in others it was different. For all the investigated infusion systems, no hemolysis (red blood cell destruction) was in evidence when blood was passed through the catheter. Potential hemolysis was averted in two of the systems due to the very low fluid velocities. As witnessed by the mass transfer results, the use of the reservoir as a chamber to mix a secondary liquid with blood is a viable strategy.
Approximate symmetries in the singly excited states of helium

Consideration of R(4) as the degeneracy group for the singly excited states of helium allows the assignment of R(4) irreducible representations (irreps) to these states. Induction of these irreps onto the irreps of SU(4) and U(4) provides a sufficient number of invariants to define the energy levels. Empirical equations allow all of the singlet states to be related to the first ionization energy and the Rydberg constant, to a good approximation. Empirical equations can also be derived for the triplet states, but their relation to the ionization energy and/or the Rydberg constant is not obvious.
Education and Social Services for Disabled Persons in Spain

DETAILED INFORMATION about education and social services for disabled children and adults, with emphasis on the hearing impaired population is provided. Information is derived from an extensive series of interviews conducted with representatives of government, international agencies, and private sector organizations, as well as health professionals, educators, and disabled persons. A broad discussion of policy and health services follows an overview of demographic and historical background. Spain's leaders recognize the nation's dependence on human resources to affirm its place in the international community and understand that an educated citizenry ensures the preservation of democracy and functions as an instrument for social transformation. These insights have driven major changes in service delivery to the disabled, including a national project for the integration of disabled children into regular classrooms. The National Centre of Resources for Special Education (NCRSE) is responsible for overseeing ...