cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Magnetic resonance imaging of burn injury in rats

In-vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have been performed to follow pathological changes induced by 3-sec and 10-second burns on eleven rat tails. T1-weighted, T2-weighted, density-weighted, and water-suppressed images were acquired immediately after and four days following thermal injury. MRI results were correlated with histology. For 3-sec burns, both edema and lipids contributed significantly to the hyperintensity seen on MRI at the site of injury. For 10-sec burns, edema was the major contributor to hyperintensity. Quantitative comparisons indicated the intensity and spatial extent of the edema signal to be most indicative of the degree of injury. MRI also demonstrated potential in determining coagulation necrosis and lipid accumulation at burn sites. These studies indicate the potential of MRI in diagnosing and monitoring burn injuries and therapies.
Nuclear charge separation of low-energy medium-mass ions with a gas-filled magnetic spectrometer

Abstract An Enge split-pole spectrograph has been used in the gas-filled mode to study Z identification for ions at energies of about 1 MeV/u in different mass regions between A = 58 and A = 96. For Ni ions a Z resolution Z ΔZ = 32 has been measured for particles with energies as low as 35 MeV.
Tumor suppressor genes which encode transcriptional repressors: studies on the EGR and Wilms' tumor (WT1) gene products.

Over the past 15 years a revolution has occurred in our understanding of the cellular and molecular bases of neoplastic transformation and subsequent tumor formation. The recognition that neoplastic cell growth is a stable, heritable cellular phenotype led directly to the cloning of specific genetic loci from human tumor DNAs (termed oncogenes) which could convert a normal cell into a malignant cell (reviewed in reference 1). The remarkable finding that many oncogenic murine and avian retroviruses carried mutated versions of these cellular oncogenes gave further support for the oncogene hypothesis.1 Support for the relevance of oncogenes to human disease has come from the realization that many of these cancer-genes are “activated” (either by mutation, over-expression, or inappropriate expression) in many human tumor specimens.2
Dynamics of two-site Fermi-Hubbard and Bose-Hubbard systems

This paper analyzes dynamical properties of small Fermi-Hubbard and Bose-Hubbard systems, focusing on the structure of the underlying Hilbert space. We evaluate time-dependent quantities such as the return probability to the initial state and the spin imbalance of spin-1/2 fermions. For the symmetric two-site Fermi-Hubbard model we find that the spin imbalance and the return probability are controlled by two and three frequencies, respectively. The spin imbalance and the return probability are identical for the asymmetric Falicov-Kimball limit and controlled by only one frequency. In general, the transition probabilities between the initial state and the energy eigenstates depend strongly on the particle-particle interaction. This is discussed for 'self-trapping' of spinless bosons in a double-well potential. We observe that the available Hilbert space is reduced significantly by strong interaction.
Reasons for using contraception: perspectives of US women seeking care at specialized family planning clinics.

Abstract Background The availability and use of contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy has had profound and positive impacts on the lives of American women. This study looks beyond the aggregate benefits of contraceptive use to examine the individual-level benefits and reasons for using contraception reported by women themselves. Study Design We surveyed 2,094 women receiving services from 22 family planning clinics located throughout the United States. Results A majority of respondents reported that birth control use had allowed them to take better care of themselves or their families (63%), support themselves financially (56%), complete their education (51%), or keep or get a job (50%). Young women, unmarried women and those without children reported more reasons for using contraception than others. Not being able to afford a baby, not being ready for children, feeling that having a baby would interrupt their goals and wanting to maintain control in their lives were the most commonly reported very important reasons for using birth control. Conclusions Women value the ability to plan their childbearing and need continued access to contraception and contraceptive services, allowing them to realize the benefits that accrue when unintended pregnancies are avoided.
Regional fat deposition and cardiovascular risk in HIV infection: The FRAM study

HIV-infected individuals are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and lipodystrophy, but the relationship between regional adipose tissue (AT) depots and CVD risk is not well described. We determined regional AT volumes and CVD risk in an analysis of 586 HIV-infected and 280 control FRAM study subjects using whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the Framingham Risk Score (FRS). Median FRS and FRS >10% were higher in HIV than control men (4.7% vs. 3.7%, p=0.0002; 16% vs. 4%, p<0.0001). HIV and control women had similarly low FRS (1.1% vs. 1.2%, p=0.91). In controls, total AT and all regional AT depots showed strong positive correlations with FRS (p<0.001) in men and weaker positive correlations in women. Greater visceral AT (VAT) and lower leg subcutaneous AT (SAT) volumes were associated with elevated FRS in HIV subjects with a trend for upper trunk SAT. Controls in the lowest quartile of leg SAT had the lowest FRS (1.5%), whereas HIV with similarly low leg SAT had the highest FRS (4.0%, p<0.001 vs. controls). Increased VAT is associated with CVD risk, but the risk is higher in HIV-infected individuals relative to controls at every level of VAT. Peripheral lipoatrophy (as measured by leg SAT) is associated with striking increased CVD risk in HIV-infected patients even after controlling for VAT, whereas low leg SAT is associated with low CVD risk in controls.
Linear theory of water waves on a running stream

We consider the motion of an inviscid, incompressible fluid with surface tensionT, in an infinite channel of finite depth, when a pressure disturbance is imposed on the uniform stream. The explicit solution of the resulting initial value problem is presented. Also, possible steady state flows are discussed. In the cases when they exist, corresponding radiation conditions are found.
Use of the neighboring orbital model for analysis of electronic coupling in Class III intervalence compounds

Symmetrical charge-delocalized intervalence radical ions should not be described by the traditional two-state model that has been so successful for their localized counterparts. If they lack direct overlap between their charge-bearing units (M), their diabatic orbitals have an equal energy pair of symmetrized M-centered combination orbitals that are symmetric (S) or antisymmetric (A) with respect to a symmetry element at the center of the molecule. The M combination orbitals will mix separately with bridge orbitals of the same symmetry. We call the simplest useful model for this situation the neighboring orbital model, which uses the S and A bridge orbitals of high overlap that lie closest in energy to the M orbital pair, resulting in two two-state models that have a common energy for one pair. This model is developed quantitatively, and examples having 1, 3, 5, and 7 electrons in the neighboring orbitals are illustrated.
Analysis of Embedded and Surface Flaws in the Beltline of an RPV Subjected to Cyclic Loading Associated With Normal Operational Cool-Down and Heat-Up Transients: A Scoping Study

The influence of thermal-hydraulic cyclic loading on postulated embedded and surface-breaking flaws in the beltline region of a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) are investigated numerically. Over the service life of a nuclear power plant, the RPV is expected to undergo a sequence of cool-down and heat-up thermal-hydraulic transients associated with, for example, scheduled refueling outages (RFOs) or other normal operational transients. With respect to postulated surface or embedded flaws in the RPV wall, these scheduled operational transients produce cyclic, variable-amplitude, nonlinear, multiaxial applied loadings, albeit with possibly long dwell times between the active portions of the cycles. The on-going scoping study indicates that for very large flaws, the driving force increases rapidly with cyclic hardening but tends to saturate after several loading cycles as a stabilized condition is approached; while the driving force tends to keep constant under the cyclic loading for those smaller flaws frequently used in the Pressurized Thermal Shock (PTS) study.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Finding 9-1-1 Callers in Tall Buildings

Accurately determining a user's floor location is essential for minimizing delays in emergency response. This paper presents a floor localization system intended for emergency calls. We aim to provide floor-level accuracy with minimum infrastructure support. Our approach is to use multiple sensors, all available in today's smartphones, to trace a user's vertical movements inside buildings. We make three contributions. First, we present a hybrid architecture that combines sensor-based dead reckoning and beacon-based infrastructure. Second, we present the elevator module for tracking a user's movement in an elevator. The elevator module addresses three core challenges that make it difficult to accurately derive displacement from acceleration. Third, we present the stairway module which determines the number of floors a user has traveled on foot. Unlike previous systems that track users' foot steps, our stairway module uses a novel landing counting technique.
Purification, N-Terminal Amino Acid Sequence and Characterization of pH 2. 5 Optimum Acid Phosphatase (E.C. 3.1.3.2) from Aspergillus Ficuum

An acid phosphatase from crude culture filtrate of Aspergillus ficuum was purified to homogeneity using three ion exchange chromatographic steps. SDS-PAGE of the purified enzyme gave a single stained band at approximately 68-KDa. The mobility of the native enzyme in gel filtration chromatography, however, indicated that the molecular mass to be about 130-KDa implying the active form to be a dimer. On the basis of a molecular mass of 68-KDa, the molar extinction coefficient of the enzyme at 280 nm was estimated to be 3.4 x 10(5) M-1 cm-1. The isoelectric point of the enzyme, as judged by chromatofocusing, was about 4.0. The purified enzyme is highly stable at 0 degree C. Thermal inactivation studies have indicated that the enzyme is unstable at 70 degrees C. The enzyme, however, exhibited a broad temperature optima with a maximum catalytic activity at 63 degrees C. The Km of the enzyme for p-nitrophenylphosphate is about 270 microM with an estimated turnover number of 2550 per sec. The enzyme is a glycoprotein as evidenced by the positive PAS staining; the sugar composition suggests the presence of N-linked high mannose-oligosaccharides. A partial N-terminal amino acid sequence up to the twenty-third residue was obtained. The enzyme was inhibited competitively by inorganic orthophosphate (Ki = 185 microM) and non-competitively by phosphomycin (Ki = 600 microM).
Fiber Composite Strength Modeling With Extension to Life Prediction

This paper focuses on the probability modeling of fiber composite strength, wherein the failure modes are dominated by fiber tensile failures. The probability model is the trimodal local load-sharing model, which is the Phoenix-Harlow local load-sharing model with the filament failure model extended from one mode to three modes. This model results in increased efficiency in the determination of fiber statistical parameters and in lower cost when applied to (i) quality control in materials (fiber) manufacturing, (ii) materials (fiber) selection and comparison, (iii) accounting for the effect of size scaling in design, and (iv) qualification and certification of critical composite structures that are too large and expensive to test statistically. In addition, possible extensions to proof testing and time-dependent life prediction are discussed and preliminary data are presented.
Two methods for the structured assessment of model uncertainty by experts in performance assessments of radioactive waste repositories

The assessment of the performance of high-level radioactive waste repositories is based on the use of models for predicting system behaviour. The complexity of the system together with the large spatial and temporal scales imposed by the regulations introduce large uncertainties in the analysis. The difficulty of validating the relevant models creates the need of assessing their validity by means of expert judgments. This paper addresses the problem of model uncertainty both from a theoretical and a practical point of view and presents two mathematical approaches to the treatment of model uncertainty that can assist the experts in the formulation of their judgments. The formal elicitation of expert judgments is investigated within the Technical Facilitator/Integrator (TFI) framework that has been proposed by the Senior Seismic Hazard Analysis Committee. Within this framework, the mathematical formulations for the treatment of model uncertainty are regarded as tools for sensitivity analyses that give insights into the model characteristics and are helpful in structuring the expert opinion elicitation process itself. The first approach, referred to as the alternate-hypotheses formulation, amounts to constructing a suitable set of plausible hypotheses and evaluating their validity. The second approach to model uncertainty is referred to as the adjustment-factor formulation and it requires that a reference model be identified and its predictions be directly modified through an adjustment factor that accounts for the uncertainty in the models. Furthermore, both approaches require a clear understanding of the distinction between aleatory and epistemic uncertainties. The implications that these two formulations have on, and the issues that they raise in, the elicitation of expert opinions are explored. A case study of model uncertainty regarding alternative models for the description of groundwater flow and contaminant transport in unsaturated, fractured tuff is presented.
Reproducibility of Serial Whole-Brain MR Spectroscopic Imaging

The reproducibility of serial measurements using a volumetric proton MR Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI) acquisition implemented at 3 Tesla and with lipid suppression by inversion-recovery has been evaluated. Data were acquired from two subjects at five time points, and processed using fully-automated procedures that included rigid registration between studies. These data were analyzed to determine coefficients of variance (COV) for each metabolite and for metabolite ratio images based on an individual voxel analysis, as well as for average and grey-matter and white-matter values from atlas-defined brain regions. The volumetric MRSI acquisition was found to obtain data of sufficient quality for analysis over 70 +/- 6% of the total brain volume, and spatial distributions of the resultant COV values were found to reflect the known distributions of susceptibility-induced magnetic field inhomogeneity. Median values of the resultant voxel-based COVs were 6.2%, 7.2%, and 9.7% for N-acetylaspartate, creatine, and choline respectively. The corresponding mean values obtained following averaging over lobar-scale brain regions within the cerebrum were 3.5%, 3.7%, and 5.2%. These results indicate that longitudinal volumetric MRSI studies with post-acquisition registration can provide an intra-subject reproducibility for voxel-based analyses that is comparable to previously-reported single-voxel MRS measurements, while additionally enabling increased sensitivity by averaging over larger tissue volumes.
In vitro activity of a new antifungal triazole, D0870, against Candida albicans isolates from oral cavities of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

We investigated the in vitro activity of a new antifungal triazole, D0870, against 100 Candida albicans isolates from the oral cavities of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus by using a broth macrodilution method following the recommendations provided by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (document M27-P). All of the isolates were chosen from C. albicans isolates already tested for fluconazole susceptibility by the procedure of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. Fifty isolates were considered fluconazole susceptible (MICs, or = 8 micrograms/ml). The in vitro data demonstrated that D0870 had good activity against isolates tested; for 90% of all strains of C. albicans, MICs were 0.5 micrograms/ml. However, the D0870 MICs for the fluconazole-susceptible isolates were lower than those for the fluconazole-resistant isolates; MICs for 50 and 90% of the isolates tested were < or = 0.0078 and 0.06 micrograms/ml, respectively, for fluconazole-susceptible isolates and 0.25 and 2 micrograms/ml, respectively, for fluconazole-resistant isolates (P < 0.001). Our data suggest that this new triazole could represent a valid alternative in the treatment of oral candidiasis in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.
The electrical properties and device applications of homoepitaxial and polycrystalline diamond films

Electronic applications of semiconductor diamonds are addressed. Doping and electrical properties of these films, formation of low-resistive 'ohmic' contacts, surface modification methods, and experimental device applications are discussed. Of particular interest are high-temperature (300 degrees C) MOSFETs and metal contacts to CVD (chemical vapor deposition) diamond films which were used to fabricate high-temperature (580 degrees C) Schottky diodes, rudimentary MESFETs, and blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The status of the emerging technology is reviewed with an emphasis on the areas of current research activity. >
Effects Of Pulse Interference On Fdm/fm Multichannel Telephony Transmissions Of The Fixed Satellite Service

The results of an investigation of the manner in which transmissions of the radiolocation service affect the performance of FDM/FM mu1 tichannel telephony transmissions of the f ixed satellite service are summarized. Equations that describe the boundary values of interference noise power resulting from a cochannel radar s ignal a re derived empirically from the observed data. strate the concept of two degradation regions of FDM/FM communication systems subjected to pulsed radar i nterference based upon the d esired carrierThe equations demon
Hot Hydrogen Exposure Degradation of the Strength of Mullite

This study deals with the corrosion of near stoichiometric mullite (3Al2O3-2SiO2) by pure dry hydrogen gas. Exposure of the mullite samples was at temperatures of 1050 and 1250 C for times up to 500 hours. Preferential attack of the alumino-silicate glass present in the grain boundaries of the mullite occurred after 125 hours at 1250 C. Hydrogen scrubbing of the SiO2 from the glassy grain boundaries and the mullite grains yielded a porous alumina-rich surface. The room temperature strength increased after short exposure times at 1250 C (up to 125 hours), then decreased by 53 percent after exposure for 500 hours. At 1050 C, all exposure times (25 to 500 hours) decreased the strength. After 500 hours in hydrogen at 1050 C, the room temperature strength of mullite decreased 22 percent. We also observed a rapid 25 percent strength loss after short exposure times at 1050 C. This is attributed to the calcium/hydrogen assisted crystallization of the glassy, grain-boundary phase.
Variation in obesity among American secondary school students by school and school characteristics.

Results: A relatively small proportion of variance in BMI lies between schools; intraclass correlations are on the order of 3%. Still, this is sufficient variation to provide very different environments for students attending schools that are low versus high in average BMI. There is some modest variation by school type (public, Catholic private, non-Catholic private); school size (number of students in the sampled grade); region of the country; and population density. There is more variation as a function of school socioeconomic status (SES) and racial/ethnic composition of the school. School SES in particular was negatively associated with BMI levels, even after controlling individual-level SES and racial/ethnic status. Conclusions: The residual differences in BMI by school suggest that some characteristic of the school and/or community environment—perhaps cultural factors or peer role modeling or differences in school food, beverage, or physical education policies—facilitate obesity in schools with a high concentration of lower socioeconomic students, beyond individual-level
Indicator-Dilution Measurement of Cardiac Output with Dissolved Hydrogen

Dissolved H2 has been used as an indicator for measuring cardiac output by the techniques of constant-rate injection and sudden, single injection indicator dilution. Because of its low solubility, H2 is eliminated essentially quantitatively in the lungs and recirculates negligibly. The constant-rate injection technique involves the gas chromatographic measurement of pulmonary (or systemic) arterial H2 concentration during an infusion of dissolved H2 into a vena cava (or the left atrium). Measurements in anesthetized dogs agreed well with simultaneous measurements by dye dilution, direct Fick, and direct volumetric techniques. Measurements could be repeated several times a minute, and using a linearly responding platinum electrode, intravascular H2 concentrations could be recorded continuously. In the sudden, single injection technique, dissolved H2 was injected into a vena cava (or the left atrium) while monitoring pulmonary (or systemic) arterial H2 concentration with a chromatographically calibrated platinum electrode. Measurements again agreed with simultaneous measurements by dye dilution, constant-rate injection of H2, and the direct volumetric technique. Hydrogen curves could be repeated rapidly and integrated instantaneously. Hydrogen appears to be a useful indicator for rapidly repeated determinations of cardiac output and for measurements of output in situations in which recirculation of conventional indicators limits their usefulness.
SocialWiki: bring order to wiki systems with social context

A huge amount of administrative effort is required for large wiki systems to produce and maintain high quality pages with existing naive access control policies. This paper introduces SocialWiki, a prototype wiki system which leverages the power of social networks to automatically manage reputation and trust for wiki users based on the content they contribute and the ratings they receive. SocialWiki also utilizes interests to facilitate collaborative editing. Although a wiki page is visible to everyone, it can only be edited by a group of users who share similar interests and have a certain level of trust with each other. The editing privilege is circulated among these users to prevent/reduce vandalisms and spams, and to encourage user participation by adding social context to the revision process of a wiki page. By presenting the design and implementation of this proof-of-concept system, we show that social context can be used to build an efficient, self-adaptive and robust collaborative editing system.
Aua model NEMD and EMD simulations of the shear viscosity of alkane and alcohol systems

The viscosities of alkanes (propane, isobutane, nonane), alcohols (ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, 2-butanol) and isopropanol + nonane mixtures were calculated using non-equilibrium and equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD and EMD) simulation methods. The nonane, isopropanol and nonane + isopropanol mixture simulations were performed in response to the First Industrial Simulation Challenge. Intermolecular interactions were modeled using an anisotropic united-atom Buckingham exponential-6 potential. The force field parameters were optimized using pure component viscosity data. The resulting viscosities are compared with literature values, with the result that the anisotropic united-atom model together with the exponential-6 model can give good predictions of the viscosity of n-alkane and alcohol systems. © 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Handwritten character recognition by an adaptive fuzzy clustering algorithm

Unconstrained handwritten characters pose a serious challenge to the development of a recognition algorithm. Many approaches have been studied over the years for such a recognition algorithm. We use an adaptive neuro-fuzzy clustering algorithm for classification and recognition of handwritten characters of a variety of styles and investigate the effectiveness of Fourier coefficients as representative features of handwritten characters in the presence of noise. Our results indicate that the adaptive clustering algorithm outperforms k-means clustering in handwritten character recognition for the same data representation. However some misclassifications cannot be avoided due to inherent problems associated with large variability in handwriting styles and the presence of excessive noise in practice. >
Surface tension and surface entropy for polymer liquids

A cell theory for the prediction of the surface tension of polymer liquids is modified to include an entropic effect due to molecular asymmetry. Also considered is the extent of the effect of the preservation of connectivity in the vicinity of the surface upon the potential energy zero term due to missing nearest neighbors of orders greater than one. Theory and experiment are in good agreement without an adjustable surface parameter.
Experiential factors in the enhancement of saccharin intake after shifts to water

The present experiment examined the enhancement of saccharin consumption observed after a temporary shift to water. An 8-day adaptation period of continuous access to saccharin was used. It was found that the avidity of albino rats for saccharin, as measured by daily consumption, can be increased significantly both by periods of saccharin deprivation and by social living conditions.
The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Insights for the 21st Century

The 1918-1919 H1N1 influenza pandemic was among the most deadly events in recorded human history, killing an estimated 50-100 million persons. Because recent H5N1 avian epizootics have been associated with sporadic human fatalities, concern has been raised that a new pandemic, as fatal as the pandemic of 1918, or more so, could be developing. Understanding the events and experiences of 1918 is thus of great importance. However, despite the genetic sequencing of the entire genome of the 1918 virus, many questions about the 1918 pandemic remain. In this review we address several of these questions, concerning pandemic-virus origin, unusual epidemiologic features, and the causes and demographic patterns of fatality. That none of these questions can yet be fully answered points to the need for continued pandemic vigilance, basic and applied research, and pandemic preparedness planning that emphasizes prevention, containment, and treatment with antiviral medications and hospital-based intensive care.
Identification and characterization of several forms of phospholipase A2 in mouse epidermal keratinocytes

The tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) stimulated the release of arachidonic acid (AA) from mouse keratinocytes. A distinct difference was observed between the fatty acid release profile elicited by TPA and other stimuli. These findings led to the investigation of keratinocyte phospholipase A2 (PLA2), which catalyzes the release of sn-2 fatty acids from membrane phospholipids and regulates the production of eicosanoids. We characterized and identified several forms of PLA2 in mouse keratinocytes, a cytosolic or cPLA2 and two secretory or sPLA2s in the membrane. The PLA2 in keratinocyte cytosol is sensitive to heating and acid treatment, while resistant to reducing reagent. The PLA2 in keratinocyte membrane is resistant to heating and acid treatment, while sensitive to reducing reagent. These characteristics suggested the presence of a cPLA2 and at least one type of sPLA2. Inhibitor data further confirmed the identities of these PLA2s. The cPLA2 was activated by TPA, and appeared to be responsible for the majority of the specific release of AA observed in mouse keratinocytes treated with TPA. The calcium ionophore A23187, and 4alpha-TPA did not elicit the selectivity towards AA observed with TPA. The release of linoleic acid (LA) and oleic acid (OA) from A23187- and 4alpha-TPA-treated keratinocytes suggests activation of sPLA2. These activities may be due to the existence of both type I and type II sPLA2, as both were identified by polymerase chain reactions. In conclusion, keratinocytes express several forms of phospholipase A2 that differ in their substrate specificities and mechanisms of activation, resulting in distinct agonist-specific fatty acid release profiles.
Where is the vascular waterfall in septic shock

An evaluation of a recent study by Asfar P, Meziani F, Hamel J-F, et al . High versus low blood-pressure target in patients with septic shock . N Engl J Med 2014;370:1583-1593.
Prion body contamination: Is it not relevant in Indian context?

Sir, In our day-to-day practice, we use a lot of disposable equipment for the conduct of anaesthesia. However, restrictions imposed by caregivers and management regarding cost factor puts the burden on anaesthesiologist to restrict the use of so-called “one-time use items.” The alternative is the use of resterilised items. In-house sterilisation processing plants are in place in some hospitals with good track record. However, increasing awareness of the emergence of prion proteins and a variant of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) prompted many healthcare organisations in the west to switch over to the use of disposable items.[1] Prion disease basically affects neural tissues and is considered resistant to treatment, with high fatality. Unfortunately, the usual disinfection procedures do not work in case of prion bodies. Flechsig et al. way back in 2001 had shown that an electrode used intracerebrally on a CJD patient transmitted the disease to two other patients.[2] In mice experiments, it has been found that prions will readily and tightly bind to even stainless steel surface and is potent enough to transmit scrapie to another mice after a short exposure.[2] This experimental situation can very well happen with the contaminated surgical instruments also. This can result in spread of prions to the next patient. In 2001, Miller and colleagues showed that most reusable anaesthetic equipment retained traces of proteinaceous materials.[3] Blunt and Burchett estimated risk of prion contamination between 1 and 10/100,000 anaesthetics with reusable airway equipment.[4] Following heightened concerns regarding bovine spongiform encephalopathy after prion contamination and its nature of resistance to decontamination, the UK Department of Health strongly advocated the use of disposable surgical equipment for tonsillectomy.[1] This includes single use, standard and reinforced laryngeal masks, single use laryngoscope blades, handles and covers. CJD is not unknown in the Indian context. However, the actual incidence is believed to be grossly underreported.[5] In the CJD registry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru (India), recorded 69 cases of CJD from different parts of India between 1968 and 1997.[5] Sporadic cases were reported in other case series also.[6] Surprisingly, guidelines similar to the one in the UK are not mentioned in the Indian scenario. Possible reasons could be a lack of awareness of the problem or insufficient basic research on this particular infectious agent in the Indian contest. It is high time that there is a rethinking in our day-to-day practice with regards to disposable airway equipment, keeping in mind the health concerns of our population. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.
An overview of the latest management of cardiac device infections

Over the past decades, implantation of cardiac devices has increased dramatically not only in the United States (US) but worldwide. Despite the known benefits of cardiac devices and the greater ease in implantation, the incidence of cardiac device infection (CDI) is increasing. Cardiac device include permanent pacemaker (PPM), implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) with or without ICD. This paper is to present an overview of the latest management of CDI including epidemiology, types of CDI, causative agents and risk factors. Diagnosis and treatment options for CDI will be reviewed. In addition, the role of nurses in the prevention of CDI will be discussed.
How Today’s Shocks Predict Tomorrow’s Leaving

This research explores “shocking events” as part of the unfolding model of turnover, extending our understanding of the influence of various types of shocks on future voluntary employee separations. 1536 new hires at a large financial institution reported shocks monthly during their first 8 months at work as well as their job satisfaction and perceptions of marketability. We used event history to estimate the basic distributional properties of the shocks and Cox proportional hazards models to examine the effects of shocks on job satisfaction and turnover over the subsequent year as reported by the organization. Organizational shocks generally occur earlier than personal shocks. Further, unexpected shocks have a stronger impact than expected shocks on subsequent turnover. Finally, the effects of organizational shocks on turnover are mediated by job satisfaction, whereas personal shocks have direct effects on turnover. Our findings offer evidence for the utility of the shock construct in the unfolding model of turnover and speak to the importance of encouraging managers to monitor shocks on an ongoing basis in order to predict when different types of shocks will occur and their likely influence on turnover. Ours is the first study to examine shocks as they occur. This is a contrast to prior studies that relied on retrospective accounts. Thus, we are able to test new hypotheses (e.g., direct effects vs. mediation) that expand the unfolding model of turnover.
Notes on Boletes. IX

Carpophoro corporis brevis atque lati, brevi-stipitato, late turbinato. Pileo e subdepresso plano, plus minusve viscido vel subviscido, glabro, fortasse appressotomentoso, plus minusve fibrilloso vel fibrilloso-squamuloso, e pallide flavido avellaneo, fibrillis subferrugineis, 2-7 cm lato. Carne pallide ferrugineo-avellanea, immutabili. Hymenophoro profunde decurrenti, boletinoideo cum lamellis crassis atque "tubulis" amplis glandulosisque. Stipite brevissimo, e pubcscenti tomentoso, fortasse scabroso, dense glanduloso-punctato, annulato, concolori, 8-20 X 5-7 mm. Sporis in cumulis subolivaceis, sub lente e hyalinis pallidissime flavido-viridibus, ellipticis, (5-) 7-10 X 3.3-3.8/*.
Molecular Genetics of C-type Cytochromes and of Ubiquinol-Cytochrome C2 Oxidoreductase of Rhodopseudomonas Capsulata

In Rhodo Pseudomonas capsulata (or Rhodobacter capsulatus) photosynthesis or respiration involves, besides the photosynthetic reaction center, light harvesting antenna complexes and cytochrome oxidases, a periplasmic, diffusable, c-type cytochrome, c 2 , and a membrane-bound complex, called ubiquinol-cytochrome c 2 oxidoreductase (or bc 1 complex) (1). The cytochrome c 2 is an electron carrier between the bc 1 complex and the reaction center (in photosynthesis) or the cytochrome oxidase (in respiration) (2). The bc 1 complex, constituted of the Rieske FeS protein, cytochrome b and cytochrome c 1 , catalyze the conversion of quinols regenerated during respiration or photosynthesis back to quinones and, as an energy coupling site, transport protons across the cellular membrane (3). In the past years, these structures have been intensively investigated by biochemical and biophysical techniques and models describing their role exist. However, molecular biological approaches to study their structure and function have been recently initiated (4,5). In this paper, these recent advances on molecular genetics of c-type cytochromes and of ubiquinol-cytochrome c 2 oxidoreductase of R. capsulata are discussed.
Performance of a Condensed Protocol That Reduces Effort and Cost of NIA-AA Guidelines for Neuropathologic Assessment of Alzheimer Disease

Concerns regarding resource expenditures have been expressed about the 2012 NIA-AA Sponsored Guidelines for neuropathologic assessment of Alzheimer disease (AD) and related dementias. Here, we investigated a cost-reducing Condensed Protocol and its effectiveness in maintaining the diagnostic performance of Guidelines in assessing AD, Lewy body disease (LBD), microvascular brain injury, hippocampal sclerosis (HS), and congophilic amyloid angiopathy (CAA). The Condensed Protocol consolidates the same 20 regions into 5 tissue cassettes at ∼75% lower cost. A 28 autopsy brain-retrospective cohort was selected for varying levels of neuropathologic features in the Guidelines (Original Protocol), as well as an 18 consecutive autopsy brain prospective cohort. Three neuropathologists at 2 sites performed blinded evaluations of these cases. Lesion specificity was similar between Original and Condensed Protocols. Sensitivities for AD neuropathologic change, LBD, HS, and CAA were not substantially impacted by the Condensed Protocol, whereas sensitivity for microvascular lesions (MVLs) was decreased. Specificity for CAA was decreased using the Condensed Protocol when compared with the Original Protocol. Our results show that the Condensed Protocol is a viable alternative to the NIA-AA guidelines for AD neuropathologic change, LBD, and HS, but not MVLs or CAA, and may be a practical alternative in some practice settings.
Measuring reflective-band imaging systems for performance prediction

An objective performance of the reflective-band imaging systems is required in order to provide the warfighter with the right technology for a specific task. Various methods to measure and model performance in the visible (Vis) spectral regions have been proposed in the literature. This correspondence shows the influence of the spectral region averaging on the monochromatic modulation transfer function (MTF). This works unequivocally shows that the illumination source plays a crucial role in the accurate predictive analysis of the system performance. For accurate analysis the illumination sources need to be carefully considered for the atmospheric conditions. This work shows the possibility of using an LED configuration in the system performance analysis. Such configurations need rigorous calibration in order to become a valuable asset in system characterization.
The relationships between the expenditures and resources of public libraries and children’s and young adults’ use: An exploratory analysis of Institute of Museum and Library Services public library statistics data

Children’s librarians have long recognized the value of libraries for the development of children and adolescents and have championed for appropriate funding to support programs and services target...
Mechanisms mediating NTS P2x receptor-evoked hypotension: cardiac output vs. total peripheral resistance

We have previously shown that P2x purinoceptor activation in the subpostremal nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) produces dose-dependent decreases in mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, efferen...
Library Orientation and Instruction — 1976: An Annotated Review of the Literature

This bibliography covers materials published during 1976, with some 1975 entries omitted from last year's listing. Citations from a number of foreign countries are included if published in English. A few items were not available for annotation. The growing interest in library use instruction is evident from the fact that the number of entries has doubled over those included in the bibliography for 1975.
High energy requirements and water throughput of adult Shuar forager-horticulturalists of Amazonian Ecuador.

OBJECTIVES We measured total energy expenditure (TEE; kcal/d) and water throughput (L/d) among Shuar forager-horticulturalists from Amazonian Ecuador to compare their daily energy and water demands to adults in other small-scale and industrialized populations. METHODS TEE and water throughput were measured using the doubly labeled water method among 15 Shuar adults (eight women, seven men; age range 18-60 years) living in a relatively remote village. We used multiple regression to assess the effects of anthropometric variables (body size, fat free mass, age, and sex) on TEE and water throughput. We also compared Shuar TEE and water throughput to those of other small-scale and industrialized societies. RESULTS TEE among Shuar adults (men: 4141 ± 645 kcal/d, women: 2536 ± 281 kcal/d) was most strongly correlated with fat free mass. Estimated physical activity levels (PAL) calculated as (TEE/estimated BMR), were greater for men (2.34 ± 0.29) than women (1.83 ± 0.14, P < 0.001). Water throughput was also greater among Shuar men (9.37 ± 2.34 L/d) than women (4.76 ± 0.36 L/d, P < 0.001). Shuar TEE and water throughput were elevated compared to adults in industrialized populations. DISCUSSION TEE and PAL of Shuar men are among the highest recorded during normal daily life, and likely reflect both high levels of physical activity and cultural dietary practices. Drinking large amounts of chicha, a traditional carbohydrate-rich drink made from manioc, likely contributes to the high levels of water throughput among Shuar men, and may contribute to elevated TEE.
Comparative spatial ecology of fished spiny lobsters Panulirus argus and an unfished congener P. guttatus in an isolated-marine reserve at Glover's reef atoll, Belize

Palinurid lobsters are being exploited with increasing intensity in coral reef ecosystems, but marine protected areas may play a key role in preventing overfishing and local extinctions. In order to define the spatial requirements for protection, we compared the spatial and temporal patterns in distribution, density, biomass, size structure, and reproductive seasonality of Caribbean spiny lobsters Panulirus argus and the congeneric spotted lobsters P. guttatus on coral patch reef, forereef, and deep reef habitat at Glover's Reef, Belize. The relative impact of fishing on P. argus was also examined in an isolated marine reserve and adjacent fished habitats, in comparison with the relatively unfished distribution of P. guttatus. Over a 5-year period, both species co-occurred in all major reef habitats, but aspects of their population dynamics differed markedly due to both habitat and fishing effects. All size classes of spiny lobsters P. argus occupied shallow patch reefs, but large adults were predominant on the deep wall reef. Panulirus guttatus also occupied patch reefs in the lagoon, but spur-and-groove forereef appeared to be the primary habitat of this species. Density and exploitable (adult) biomass of P. argus increased significantly over time in the protected patch reef habitat of the lagoon but remained stable on deep reef habitat. The biomass of spotted lobsters P. guttatus in all habitats was at least an order of magnitude less than that of exploitable P. argus. Reproductive activity by both species was evident most of the year in all habitats, but breeding P. argus females were concentrated on the deep reef. Commercial fisheries for spotted lobsters P. guttatus are currently being considered for development, but data from this and other studies suggest that such a fishery may be relatively unproductive and may lead to rapid localized extinctions. Spiny lobsters P. argus used a variety of coral reef habitats, but spotted lobsters P. guttatus were habitat specialists restricted to shallow reef habitat. The protection needs of both species are similar in one aspect: large protected areas. However, P. argus required large areas with heterogeneous habitats including coral reefs and seagrass beds, whereas P. guttatus required large areas of coral reef habitat.
Feedforward Boundary Control for the Regulation of a Passive and Diffusive Scalar in Two-Dimensional Unsteady Flows

We study the problem of regulation of a passive and diffusive scalar in two-dimensional unsteady flows. We consider two kinds of outputs: a weighted average of the scalar concentration and the concentration on the boundary of a domain. Flux feedback and feedforward controllers are applied on the boundary. We introduce a method of signal-dependent equilibrium translation to convert the regulation problem into a stabilization problem of the convection diffusion equation. This results in a time-dependent regulator system due to the unsteady flows. We show that the feedforward controllers synthesized from the solution of the regulator system regulate the above defined output to its constant reference and any feedforward controllers give the same convergence rate of the regulation error. Numerical simulations are conducted to further confirm these theoretical results.
Using Neural Networks to Identify Bird Species from Birdsong Samples

Modern data analysis techniques include the use of artificial neural networks for classification, estimation, and prediction. An area in which data science can be helpful is in species identification and enumeration from images or sound recordings. In this chapter, we develop the necessary tools for using machine learning to identify bird species from recordings of bird calls. This includes a basic introduction to wavelet transforms and scalograms and the construction of convolutional neural networks for solving classification problems. We give some ideas for extending our results on bird species classification, as well as ideas for using related neural networks for broader application to image and audio classification.
Convolutional Neural Networks as Classification Tools and Feature Extractors for Distinguishing Malware Programs

Classifying malware programs is a research area attracting great interest for Anti-Malware industry. In this research, we propose a system that visualizes malware programs as images and distinguishes those using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). We study the performance of several well-established CNN based algorithms such as AlexNet, ResNet and VGG16 using transfer learning approaches. We also propose a computationally efficient CNN-based architecture for classification of malware programs. In addition, we study the performance of these CNNs as feature extractors by using Support Vector Machine (SVM) and K-nearest Neighbors (kNN) for classification purposes. We also propose fusion methods to boost the performance further. We make use of the publicly available database provided by Microsoft Malware Classification Challenge (BIG 2015) for this study. Our overall performance is 99.4% for a set of 2174 test samples comprising 9 different classes thereby setting a new benchmark.
Neighborhood, by Emily Talen: New York, Oxford University Press, 2019

Emily Talen’s Neighborhood is a smart, thoroughly researched, and insightful book. While it remains to be seen whether it will be viewed as the definitive early 21st-century contribution on this to...