cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Verruconus gallopava CNS Infection in a Heart-Kidney Transplant Recipient

Introduction Dematiaceous fungal infections are uncommon and have diverse clinical manifestations. CNS involvement is among the rarest manifestations and typically presents as a brain abscess. Verruconus gallopava has been isolated in cases and appears to be associated with immunocompromised hosts, particularly the post-transplant population. There is no standardized treatment regimen for dematiaceous fungal CNS infections. Recommendations are largely based on in-vitro data and studies derived from case reports. Anti-fungal agents and complete excision of brain abscesses portends the best survival, although prognosis remains poor, with overall mortality >70%. Case Report Ms. H was a 50 yo F with a PMH of NICM c/b cardiorenal syndrome s/p combined heart-kidney transplant (on mycophenolate, tacrolimus and prednisone) who was brought to the ED 4 months post-transplant with altered mental status (AMS). 1 week prior to presentation, Ms. H developed intermittent headaches and progressive AMS. Vital signs WNL. Physical exam significant only for confusion and lethargy. Labs unremarkable. MRI brain revealed a L frontal lobe abscess w/ surrounding vasogenic edema and L-to-R midline shift. Ms. H underwent emergent L frontal craniectomy for abscess D&C. Empiric antibiotics were started and mycophenolate held. She worsened clinically and radiographically, compelling a L frontal lobectomy. Initial cultures grew mold, so liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB) was added and antibiotics eventually discontinued. CT chest revealed a fungal abscess in the RLL, which was determined to be the primary source of infection. Cultures eventually speciated Verruconus gallopava, and voriconazole was added. Susceptibilities showed MICs of 2mcg/ml for AmB and 0.50 mcg/ml for voriconazole. However, she continued to decline, and voriconazole was switched to posaconazole (MIC of 0.25mcg/ml). Ms. H gradually improved and, after an 8-month hospital course, was discharged in stable condition on lifelong posaconazole monotherapy. At 1-year post-transplant f/u, L/RHC/biopsy showed hemodynamics WNL, CAV0, and no evidence of acute cellular rejection. Summary High clinical suspicion for dematiaceous fungi in brain abscesses is needed as these are rarely seen in practice. For Ms. H, a combination of posaconazole, L-AmB, and surgical intervention treated her life-threatening V. gallopava CNS infection.
Prescription Claims for Immunomodulator and Anti-Inflammatory Drugs among Persons with Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes.

OBJECTIVE Joint hypermobility in Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS) predisposes persons with EDS to frequent subluxations and dislocations, chronic arthralgia, and soft-tissue rheumatism. Epidemiological trends of rheumatologic conditions among persons with EDS are lacking. Prescription claims databases can reflect underlying disease burdens by utilizing medication claims as disease proxies. We examined the prevalence of prescription claims for commonly prescribed immunomodulator and anti-inflammatory (IMD) drugs among persons with EDS compared to their matched controls, and hypothesized peripubertal increases among females with EDS. METHODS We compared the percentages of IMD drug prescription claims among 3484 persons with EDS (aged 5-62) against their age-, sex-, state of residence-, and earliest claim date-matched controls using 10 years (2005-2014) of private prescription claims data, and a minimum two-year enrollment inclusion criterion. RESULTS Our cohort comprised 70% adults and 74% females. At least one IMD medication was prescribed to 65.4% persons with EDS compared to 47.4% controls. We observed 1.3 to 4.2 times higher odds (p<0.0001) for five out of six IMD drug classes among persons with EDS compared to matched controls; except for biological agents (cOR=1.3, 95% CI: 0.8-2.0). Peripubertal increases were observed for NSAIDs, oral, and injectable steroids. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, our study is the first study to examine the full range of IMD drug prescription claim trends among persons with EDS. We believe our research findings can have notable diagnostic and management implications for EDS patients, who present with multiple co-morbidities and generally require a more granular assessment of their medical conditions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) arthropathy is a common cause of acute and chronic low back pain. It is estimated to be the cause of up to 30% of low back pain. In a recent multicentric study, Cher and colleagues found that the overall health burden endured by chronic SIJ pain sufferers was greater than cohorts with COPD, coronary artery disease, and asthma. The SIJ is a mechanical relay station – transmitting loads to and from the trunk and lower extremities while simultaneously providing logic functions as position sense and loading behavior. As such, it provides a unique role in human locomotion and serves as the driving impulse of truncal counterrotation. SIJ pathology is commonly associated with other conditions including: trauma to the pelvis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, Reiter’s syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and pregnancy.
Multi-task support for security-enabled embedded processors

Embedded systems require low overhead security approaches to ensure that they are protected from attacks. In this paper, we propose a hardware-based approach to secure the operation of an embedded processor instruction-by-instruction, where deviations from expected program behavior are detected within the execution of an instruction. These security-enabled embedded processors provide effective defenses against common attacks, such as stack smashing. Previous work in this area has focused on monitoring a single task on a CPU while here we present a novel hardware monitoring system that can monitor multiple active tasks in an operating-system-based platform. The hardware monitor is able to track context switches that occur in the operating system and ensure that monitoring is performed continuously, thus ensuring system security. We present the design of our system and results obtained from a prototype implementation of the system on an Altera DE4 FPGA board. We demonstrate in hardware that applications can be monitored at the instruction level without execution slowdown and stack smashing attacks can be defeated using our system.
ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF PSEUDOALTEROMONAS PISCICIDA STRAIN CURA-D ASSOCIATED WITH DISEASED DAMSELFISH (POMACENTRIDAE) EGGS

Bacteria were isolated from the diseased eggs of two damselfish (Pomacentridae) species, Amphiprion clarkii and Amblyglyphidodon curacao. Healthy A. clarkii eggs were infected separately with four bacterial isolates from the diseased eggs, as well as with Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Listonella anguillarum. Amphiprion clarkii eggs exposed to Cura-d, an isolate from diseased A. curacao eggs, showed increased mortality compared to uninfected control eggs. The A. curacao eggs were infected separately with the same two isolates from diseased A. curacao eggs, and similarly, eggs exposed to isolate Cura-d also showed increased mortality compared to uninfected eggs. However, the increase in mortality associated with exposure to isolate Cura-d was most significant in A. clarkii eggs. A 16S rDNA comparative sequence analysis identified that isolate Cura-d was most similar to Pseudoalteromonas piscicida, a known fish pathogen. Both Cura-d and P. piscicida were found to be polarly flagellated, Gram-negative rods with an oxidative metabolism which grew on d-mannose, d-fructose, sucrose and maltose, but not on l-threonine. Based on these properties, it is proposed that Cura-d should be classified as P. piscicida strain Cura-d. It is concluded that the P. piscicida strain cura-d was associated with the increased mortality observed in A. clarkii eggs.
Theoretical Signature of Solar Meridional Flow in Global Seismic Data

Approximate expressions are derived for the perturbations in solar p- and f-mode oscillation eigenfunctions, due to large-scale, meridional flows which are symmetric about the equator. The essential signature of the perturbed eigenfunctions in global helioseismic data is derived and the prospects for detecting meridional flow using global seismic techniques are discussed.
Capability and Development Time Trade-off Analysis in Systems-of-Systems

Abstract : Capability-based acquisition has led to the simultaneous development of systems that must eventually interact within a system-of-systems (or major sub-systems that must integrate on a single platform). The necessary interdependencies between systems also generate complexity and can increase development risk. Trades between capability and risk are essential during analysis of alternatives in preacquisition phases. For example, while legacy assets can potentially provide a certain level of capability with relatively low risk, their eventual capability may be restricted because of some specific characteristic or inherent rigidity. These features create a trade-off space between development risk and capability potential of a system. Existing tools for such trades can be cumbersome and non-intuitive when complexity is high. The authors' prior work has developed a Computational Exploratory Model to simulate the development process dynamics for these complex networks of systems intended for a system-of-systems capability. The progress documented in this paper couples the computational model with a capability module applied to the Airborne Laser (ABL) system and presents an exemplary analysis of alternatives by comparing expected development time and capability level under certain probabilities of disruption.
Safety and tolerability of theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation in children

Aim Theta-burst stimulation (TBS) is a lower intensity, high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation technique developed recently for quantifying and modulating cerebral cortical function. Nearly all published studies have involved adults. The aim of this study was to obtain safety data as a basis for evaluating potential risks versus benefits of TBS research in children. Method Forty participants under 18 years: 16 with Tourette syndrome (five females, 11 males; mean age 12y, SD 2y 10mo) and 24 typically developing children (12 females, 12 males; mean age 12y 11mo, SD 2y 10mo) underwent intermittent or continuous TBS over the left motor cortex. Open questions, a structured 16-question review of systems, and visual analog mood scale (VAMS) were administered before and after TBS. A Wilcoxon signed-rank sum test was used to analyze differences in VAMS scores before and after TBS. Results There were no serious adverse events. Five of the 40 children reported mild, self-limited adverse events: a subjective sensation of finger twitching (n=1), neck stiffness (n=1), and mild headache (n=3). The total adverse event rate was 11.6%. There was no significant change in VAMS score in either group after one session of TBS. Interpretation A single session of TBS in children appears to be safe and well tolerated.
Magnesium-Based Photocathodes for Back-Lighted Thyratrons

Pseudospark switches have been successfully employed in a variety of pulsed power applications including high-power electron beam sources, high-power microwaves, and transient plasma ignition for pulsed detonation engines. For applications such as these, advances that improve and simplify triggering are important. Here, magnesium was investigated as a photocathode candidate for optically triggered pseudospark switches, also called back-lighted thyratrons (BLTs). A Mg foil on the back surface of a copper BLT cathode reduced trigger delay and jitter by one order of magnitude when a 5 ns, 3 mJ light pulse at 266-nm wavelength was incident at the back of the cathode at a constant switch voltage of 4.1 kV. Delays less than 150 ns were obtained. An increased photoemission due to the lower work function of magnesium is considered as the main reason for the improvement in trigger delay and jitter for the BLT system. Mg-based cathodes are promising for development of compact optical triggering units with low optical energy sources for BLTs.
Bone-resorbing activity is expressed by rat macrophages in response to arthropathic streptococcal cell wall polymers

Rat peritoneal macrophages stimulated in vivo by group A streptococcal peptidoglycan-polysaccharide (PG-APS) resorb bone as measured by solubilization of 45Ca from radiolabeled, devitalized bone chips. Activity was strain-dependent and correlated with the susceptibility of rat strains to PG-APS-induced arthritis. PG-APS-stimulated macrophages from the resistant Buf rat strain were not induced to resorb bone, but ingested equivalent concentrations of PG-APS compared to bone-resorbing macrophages from the arthritis-susceptible Lew strain. Resorptive activity peaked at three to five days and decreased to background levels by 10 days after injection. PG-APS-stimulated macrophages from congenitally athymic Lew rats were as effective as macrophages from heterozygous littermates at resorbing bone. Lew macrophages were also responsive to small, nonarthropathic PG-APS polymers generated by mutanolysin digestion. Resident peritoneal macrophages did not respond to stimulation by PG-APS in vitro. Indomethacin at a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml was an effective blockade against PG-APS-induced macrophage bone resorption in vitro, but catalase was ineffective. These results indicate that expression of rat macrophage bone-resorbing activity reflects genetic regulation of the response to PG-APS rather than a defect in ingestion of these polymers and imply that PG-APS-stimulated, bone-resorbing macrophages may contribute to early, initial bone destruction that occurs in inflammatory arthritis.
Web-based computer-aided-diagnosis (CAD) system for bone age assessment (BAA) of children

Bone age assessment (BAA) of children is a clinical procedure frequently performed in pediatric radiology to evaluate the stage of skeletal maturation based on a left hand and wrist radiograph. The most commonly used standard: Greulich and Pyle (G&P) Hand Atlas was developed 50 years ago and exclusively based on Caucasian population. Moreover, inter- & intra-observer discrepancies using this method create a need of an objective and automatic BAA method. A digital hand atlas (DHA) has been collected with 1,400 hand images of normal children from Asian, African American, Caucasian and Hispanic descends. Based on DHA, a fully automatic, objective computer-aided-diagnosis (CAD) method was developed and it was adapted to specific population. To bring DHA and CAD method to the clinical environment as a useful tool in assisting radiologist to achieve higher accuracy in BAA, a web-based system with direct connection to a clinical site is designed as a novel clinical implementation approach for online and real time BAA. The core of the system, a CAD server receives the image from clinical site, processes it by the CAD method and finally, generates report. A web service publishes the results and radiologists at the clinical site can review it online within minutes. This prototype can be easily extended to multiple clinical sites and will provide the foundation for broader use of the CAD system for BAA.
Anal carcinoma presenting as gluteal mass: A rare experience

An isolated gluteal mass as a sole signature of underlying anal carcinoma has never been addressed in any surgical literature till to date. In our case report, we have shared our clinical experience of coming across through such a scenario where a 45-year-old lady initially presenting with an isolated apparently innocuous right gluteal mass later proved to be having an anal carcinoma is being discussed in brief. This entails a very cautious approach to any gluteal mass by a treating surgeon as an anal carcinoma may hide itself in this apparently benign rarely malignant surgical entity.
Raman difference spectroscopy via backscattering from a spinning tube and from a low-temperature tuning fork

Two novel devices for difference Raman spectroscopy are described. In one, an NMR tube is fltted with a PTFE divider to permit difference spectroscopy via the convenient spinning tube backscattering arrangement. The other device is a tuning fork, equipped with a pair of sample cups, attached to a cold finger, to permit acquisition of difference spectra on small samples of frozen solutions. This provides a particularly convenient method for low-temperature difference spectroscopy.
Correlation between REM AHI and quality-of-life scores in children with sleep-disordered breathing.

ObjectivesPrior research has demonstrated poor correlation between the obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) on full-night polysomnogram (PSG) and quality-of-life (QOL) scores. We aim to examine t...
Bacterial Diversity in Two Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs)

Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) are particularly susceptible to opportunistic infection. Infected infants have high mortality rates, and survivors often suffer life-long neurological disorders. The causes of many NICU infections go undiagnosed, and there is debate as to the importance of inanimate hospital environments (IHEs) in the spread of infections. We used culture-independent next-generation sequencing to survey bacterial diversity in two San Diego NICUs and to track the sources of microbes in these environments. Thirty IHE samples were collected from two Level-Three NICU facilities. We extracted DNA from these samples and amplified the bacterial small subunit (16S) ribosomal RNA gene sequence using ‘universal’ barcoded primers. The purified PCR products were pooled into a single reaction for pyrosequencing, and the data were analyzed using QIIME. On average, we detected 93+/−39 (mean +/− standard deviation) bacterial genera per sample in NICU IHEs. Many of the bacterial genera included known opportunistic pathogens, and many were skin-associated (e.g., Propionibacterium). In one NICU, we also detected fecal coliform bacteria (Enterobacteriales) in a high proportion of the surface samples. Comparison of these NICU-derived sequences to previously published high-throughput 16S rRNA amplicon studies of other indoor environments (offices, restrooms and healthcare facilities), as well as human- and soil-associated environments, found the majority of the NICU samples to be similar to typical building surface and air samples, with the notable exception of the IHEs which were dominated by Enterobacteriaceae. Our findings provide evidence that NICU IHEs harbor a high diversity of human-associated bacteria and demonstrate the potential utility of molecular methods for identifying and tracking bacterial diversity in NICUs.
Regional linkage analysis of the dioxin-inducible P-450 gene family on mouse chromosome 9.

Abstract The dioxin-inducible P-450 gene family in the C57BL 6N mouse comprises two genes, P 1 -450 and P 3 -450 . Restriction endonuclease-digested genomic DNA was probed with P1-450 and P3-450 full-length cDNA clones in an attempt to find species-specific fragment length differences between mouse and hamster cell lines and any restriction fragment length polymorphism among four inbred mouse strains. With this Southern blot hybridization technique, Pst I fragments were used to distinguish between the mouse and hamster P 1 -450 P 3 -450 genes, and Pvu II fragments were used to distinguish P 3 -450 differences between the AKR J and C57L J inbred strains. Analysis of nineteen mouse x hamster somatic cell hybrid lines and sixteen AKXL ( AKR J × C57L J ) recombinant inbred lines showed that the P 1 -450 P 3 -450 genes are located near the Mpi-1 locus, between the Thy-1 and Pk-3 loci, in the middle portion of mouse chromosome 9.
OBSERVATION OF SELF-AMPLIFIED SPONTANEOUS-EMISSION-INDUCED ELECTRON-BEAM MICROBUNCHING USING COHERENT TRANSITION RADIATION

We report the measurement of electron-beam microbunching at the exit of a self-amplified spontaneous-emission free-electron laser (SASE FEL), by observation of coherent transition radiation (CTR).thinsp The CTR was found to have an angular spectrum much narrower than spontaneous transition radiation and a narrow-band frequency spectrum. The central frequency of the fundamental CTR spectrum is found to differ slightly from that of the SASE, a finding in disagreement with previously invoked CTR theory. The CTR measurement establishes the uniformity of microbunching in the transverse dimension, indicating the SASE FEL operates in a dominant transverse mode. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society }
Development of ASI Psychiatric Severity Cut-Off Scores To Identify Co-Occurring Psychiatric Disorders

This study empirically evaluates the value of the psychiatric section of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) as a screening instrument for non-substance use Axis-I psychiatric disorders. Data were from a diverse sample of 672 recently admitted patients to inpatient, residential, and outpatient substance abuse treatment. ASI psychiatric summary scale scores and SCID-III-R results were subjected to Receiver Operating Characteristics analyses to determine how well the ASI identified participants with/out a co-occurring psychiatric disorder. Diagnostic detection using the ASI psychiatric scales was good: ASI Interviewer Severity Ratings (ISRs) yielded 81% sensitivity and 53% specificity (C = 0.73); ASI Clinical Factors (CFs), 85% sensitivity and 55% specificity (C = 0.78); ASI Composite Scores (CSs), 80% sensitivity and 60% specificity (C = 0.76); ASI Evaluation Indices (EIs), 80% sensitivity and 60% specificity (C = 0.75). Separate analyses by gender generated very similar results. Clinical implications and applications as well as further research directions are discussed.
EEG, EMG and behavioral evidence for the involvement of endorphin systems in postictal events after electroconvulsive shock in rats

Abstract We studied the effects of transauricular electroshock (ECS) on EEG and EMG patterns, and overt behaviors (wet-dog shaking and excessive grooming), caused by RX 336-M (7,8-dihydro-5', 6'-dimethylcyclohex-5'-eno-1-1', 2', 8',14 codeinone) in rats. Male, Sprague Dawley rats were prepared with cerebrocortical EEG and temporalis muscle EMG electrodes. In sham-shocked rats, RX 336-M (6 mg/kg, i.p.) induced behavioral activation, rapid forepaw movements, wet-dog shaking and exessive grooming; this sydrome was associated with EEG activation and EMG spiking. ECS alone produced a generalized seizure followed by postictal EEG slowing and behavioral depression. ECS suppressed the RX 336-M-induced behavioral syndrome and associated EEG and EMG responses. This attenuating action of ECS, presumed to involve the release of endogenous opioids, was antagonized when the rats were pretreated with naloxone (10 mg/kg, s.c.). Our results provide further evidence for the view that endogenous opioids are involved in the pathophysiology of certain postictal phenomena.
Planetary History, Wallace, and Natural Selection

Concerns about the anthropogenic ecological degradation of the planet—deforestation, species endangerment, pollution, and an increasing carbon footprint—have prompted numerous studies calling for wide-ranging, comprehensive global programs. In this regard, Tim Flannery's effort in Here on Earth to enlist Alfred Russel Wallace, a nineteenth-century naturalist, in the service of a twentieth-century idea falls prey to presentism on the grounds of a conceptual misunderstanding and incomplete or interpolated primary data.
The nonorthogonal estimator

Classical fractional factorial designs yield biased estimates of a set of parameters when aliased parameters are nonzero. In the early 1960s Ehrenfeld and Zacks constructed Randomization Procedures I and II to remove this bias from estimation of a subset of parameters of a full factorial experiment. The subset of parameters to be estimated using either of these randomization procedures must have a certain group structure and the sample size must be a multiple of the group size. In this paper, we discuss the nonorthogonal estimator which removes these restrictions while producing unbiased estimates in the case of a two-level experiment. Examples are provided.
Olfactory control of aggressive and sexual behavior in the mouse (Mus musculus L.)

Olfactory factors in the urine of male and female housemice exerted reciprocal, “mirror-image” effects upon aggression and sexual behavior. Male urine painted on female intruders facilitated aggression but inhibited copulation. Female urine painted on male intruders inhibited aggression but facilitated copulation. These effects were not due to the influence of urinary factors upon either intruder novelty or competing responses of escape and investigation.
Reversal of cranial nerve dysfunction with radiation therapy in adults with lymphoma and leukemia

Abstract Twenty patients with leukemic (8) or lymphomatous (12) meningitis and cranial nerve palsies were treated with cranial irradiation at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from June 1987 through December 1988. The diagnosis of malignant meningitis was confirmed by malignant or `suspicious' cerebrospinal fluid cytology in 1320 patients. The 6th and 7th cranial nerves were most commonly involved. Multiple nerve involvement was present in 1120 patients, for a total of 42 nerves affected. Treatment consisted of whole brain irradiation to a median dose of 2400 cGy (range: 1000–3000) at 200–300 cGy per fraction. Median survival was 7 months. Forty of 42 nerves improved, for an actuarial response rate of 95% at 3 months. The complete response rate was 44% and was better for patients with lymphoma than for those with leukemia (72% vs 19%, p = 0.04). Delaying initiation of irradiation more than 3 days after the onset of symptoms did not affect the ultimate response rate, but slightly increased the median time to response (9 days vs 14 days, p = 0.1). Radiation therapy is an effective means of reversing cranial nerve dysfunction in leukemia and lymphoma. Higher doses may be needed to increase the rate of complete response.
Quantum Dynamics of a Hydrogen Molecule Inside an Anisotropic Open-Cage Fullerene: Coupled Translation-Rotation Eigenstates and Comparison with Inelastic Neutron Scattering Spectroscopy

We report rigorous quantum five-dimensional (5D) calculations of the translation-rotation (T-R) energy levels and wave functions of H(2) inside aza-thia-open-cage fullerene (ATOCF). Translational and rotational excitations of this endohedral complex have been measured in a recent inelastic neutron scattering (INS) study, enabling direct comparison between theory and experiment. ATOCF has no symmetry, and therefore the intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) governing the T-R dynamics of H(2) is strongly anisotropic. A pairwise additive PES is employed in the calculations. Inspection of the wave functions shows three regular quasi-1D translational modes aligned with the Cartesian x, y, and z axes, respectively. These and other translational excitations can be assigned with the Cartesian quantum numbers v(x), v(y), and v(z). The radial anisotropy of the cage environment causes the splitting of the translational fundamental into three excitations whose frequencies differ substantially; the z mode directed toward the ATOCF orifice has the lowest frequency and is the most anharmonic. All three translational modes exhibit negative anharmonicity. The j = 1 rotational level of H(2) is also split into a triplet, due to the angular anisotropy of the cage. The complete lifting of the degeneracies of the translational fundamental and the j = 1 triplet of the encapsulated H(2) molecule that emerges from the calculations is also observed in the INS spectra of H(2)@ATOCF. The calculated magnitudes of both splittings, as well as the energies of the individual sublevels, rotational and translational, are in good agreement with the INS data.
Photochemical Rearrangement of Enediynes: Is a "Photo-Bergman" Cyclization a Possibility?

The enediynes 1 and 2 were photolyzed in 2-propanol to yield products akin to those analogous to a thermal Bergman cyclization mechanism. In addition, products resulting from photoreduction of one of the triple bonds of the enediyne functionality are also formed. The product distributions and yields were found to be dependent on the substituents on the triple bonds and on the nature of the double bond; in particular, phenyl substituents on the triple bonds eliminated the photoreduction products, and overall yields were higher when the double bond of the enediyne was of aromatic character. Triplet sensitization studies and laser flash photolysis experiments point toward radical mechanisms taking place during formation of both classes of products, with the photoreduction products forming from the excited triplet state and the cyclized naphthyl products forming from either the singlet or the triplet states. For the cyclization reaction, a substituted 1,4-dehydronaphthalene biradical species, structurally ide...
(228) Repetitive paravertebral nerve block using a mixture of ketamine, bupivacaine and methylprednisolone for pain relief in intractable post herpetic neuralgia

We present a case of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) treated successfully with repetitive paravertebral blocks (PVB) with bupivacaine, ketamine and methylprednisolone. A 65-yr-old male patient, ASA II, weight 55 kg, previously healthy was referred with 24 month left sided parietal chest pain diagnosed as PHN with 8–9/10 on VAS scale. Previous pain treatment included non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and tramadol, combined with oral oxcarbazepine 600 mg per day and amitryptyline 75 mg per day with no improvement. A few months later, gabapentin was added at a dose of 300 mg three times per day that was increased gradually to 1800 mg per day over a 6 month period. Upon presentation, the patient was still complaining of persistent pain with a VAS 8-9/10 in the left thoracic region mainly at T4 extending to T7 associated with mood changes and sleep disturbance. Physical examination revealed an allodynia and hyperaesthesia of the corresponding dermatomes. A unilateral left sided paravertebral block at T4–T5 levels was performed with 20 ml of bupivacaine 0.125% in ketamine 25 mg and methylprednisolone 80 mg. Sedation was achieved with midazolam 2-4 mg. Three more PVB injections were given on weekly interval with the same mixture in 40 mg of methylprednisolone. Blood pressure, ECG, and SpO2 were continuously monitored throughout the procedure and for two hours in the recovery room. There were no serious complications. The patient obtained satisfactory pain relief (VAS 3) over a 6 month follow-up period. Our report showed that weekly paravertebral injections of a mixture of bupivacaine, ketamine and methylprednisolone for 4 weeks resulted successfully in sustained pain relief for PHN.
Effects of lead doping on Tc and energy gap of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 by tunneling spectroscopy

Abstract Doping the high- T c superconductor Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 (Bi-2212) with lead causes a partial substitution of the Bi atoms between the conducting CuO 2 planes, and modifies some of the electronic and structural properties of the material. We have studied Pb-doped Bi-2212 single crystals using a tunneling technique. We find that while Pb doping decreases T c significantly, it has a minimal effect on the in-plane energy gap, leading to an increase in the reduced gap, 2 Δ / k T c . This result is consistent with other studies of the effects of in-plane dopants on Bi-2212, but is the first evidence of such an effect attributable to defects introduced out of the plane. Inspection of the physical evidence leads to the conclusion that the inter-layer coupling has been modified and indicates a connection between high- T c superconductivity and the inter-layer coupling between the CuO 2 planes.
Negative externalities, productivity growth and the catching-up hypothesis

This article investigates the catching-up hypothesis for OECD countries. Unlike the previous studies, the results show that countries with low initial per capita income levels catch-up at a faster rate only when the presence of negative externalities is ignored in growth analysis.
The Effects of Investments in Information Technology on Firm Performance: An Investor Perspective

Analyzing the beneficial effects of investments in information technology IT is an area of research that interests investors and academics. A number of studies have examined whether investments in IT have a positive effect on some measure of earnings or other form of financial return. Results from these studies have been mixed. This paper extends the literature by adopting an investor's perspective on firm performance when IT investments are made, using the preservation of capital as a performance measure. The authors examine companies that made public announcements of their investments in technology to see if they were able to mitigate losses to investors by reducing their downside risk to investors. This study further discusses whether different types of IT investments have different impacts on firm risk from an investor's viewpoint. Findings suggest that IT investments impact a firm's downside risk, and the authors offer an alternative perspective on the benefits of IT investments, particularly where no positive incremental financial results are evident.
Pseudospectral Methods for Infinite-Horizon Optimal Control Problems

A central computational issue in solving infinite-horizon nonlinear optimal control problems is the treatment of the horizon. In this paper, we directly address this issue by a domain transformation technique that maps the infinite horizon to a finite horizon. The transformed finite horizon serves as the computational domain for an application of pseudospectral methods. Although any pseudospectral method may be used, we focus on the Legendre pseudospectral method. It is shown that the proper class of Legendre pseudospectral methods to solve infinite-horizon problems are the Radau-based methods with weighted interpolants. This is in sharp contrast to the unweighted pseudospectral techniques for optimal control. The Legendre-Gauss-Radau pseudospectral method is thus developed to solve nonlinear constrained optimal control problems. An application of the covector mapping principle for the Legendre-Gauss-Radau pseudospectral method generates a covector mapping theorem that provides an efficient approach for the verification and validation of the extremality of the computed solution. Several example problems are solved to illustrate the ideas.
Property right taking and compensation: A further analysis

A number of states have passed or are considering legislation which provides a framework for resolving land use planning issues and implementing land use restrictions. The purpose of this paper is to consider two related aspects of the land use issue: (1) to review the legal property rights issues regarding the need for compensation If property rights are restricted by a land use covenant; and (2) to suggest an extension of capitalized value theory as a method for conceptualizing the appropriate level of compensation if such is deemed appropriate in land use policy implementation.
Modern Powder 15 Metallurgy Science and Technology

Powder metallurgy (P/M) has emerged as a source of new and viable manufacturing processes—with compelling economic and technical advantages over conventional ingot metallurgy practice. As well as delineating historical milestones and profiling today’s industry, this article reviews the modern approaches to powder production and consolidation from both the scientific and technological viewpoints. Some relationships between powder processing, microstructure and mechanical properties are discussed, with particular emphasis on the specialty alloys. Finally, an objective look at the interface between powder metallurgy and rapid solidification is presented.
Electrical activity of the human uterus during pregnancy as recorded from the abdominal surface

Objective To validate the possibility that human uterine electrical events (electromyographic signals) can be recorded and characterized from the abdominal surface during pregnancy. Methods The gestational ages ranged from 20 to 43 weeks. The study included patients at term but not in labor, patients in active labor (term and preterm), postpartum patients, and patients followed monthly during their pregnancy (n = 40). Uterine electrical activity in the frequency range of 0.3–50 Hz was recorded using bipolar electrodes placed on the abdominal surface. In some patients, intrauterine pressure also was measured. Power spectral analysis was performed using the fast Fourier transform. Results Throughout most of pregnancy, uterine electrical activity was minimal, consisting of infrequent and low-amplitude electromyographic bursts. When bursts occurred before labor, they often corresponded to perceptions of contractility by the patient. During term and preterm labor, bursts of electromyographic activity were frequent and of large amplitude and were correlated with large transient changes in the intrauterine pressure and with pain. Fast Fourier transform analysis of the bursts during active term labor demonstrated a peak frequency of 0.71 ± 0.05 Hz, compared with 0.48 ± 0.03 Hz before labor. Spectral analysis also showed a fivefold increase in the peak energy levels of the bursts during term labor (60.2 ± 13.87 μ Vs) and preterm labor (62.3 ± 22.93 μ Vs) compared with earlier in gestation (11.36 ± 4.03 μVs at 27–36 weeks; P Conclusion Recording of uterine electromyographic activity from the abdominal surface is a reliable method to follow the evolution of uterine contractility during pregnancy and during term and preterm labor. Further studies will define the usefulness of this noninvasive technology in the prediction and management of labor.
Application note: PyPedal: A computer program for pedigree analysis

PyPedal is a pedigree analysis package that provides tools for error checking, mathematical analysis, report generation, pedigree simulation, and data visualization. A number of measures of genetic variability are provided, including coefficients of inbreeding and relationship, effective founder and ancestor numbers, and founder genome equivalents. Routines are also included for identifying ancestors and descendants, computing coefficients of inbreeding from potential matings, quantifying pedigree completeness, visualizing pedigrees, and producing high-quality printed reports. In addition, a module is provided for applying graph theoretic tools to pedigrees. Input and output files utilize plain-text formats, and printed reports are rendered as Adobe PDF files. Users can easily write programs for automating analyses as well as create new reports. PyPedal has been validated using dairy cattle and working dog pedigrees. It is written in the Python programming language and operates on a number of operating systems, including GNU/Linux and Microsoft Windows. The program is free of charge; code, documentation, and examples of usage are available at http://pypedal.sourceforge.net/.
A guide to informed consent for clinician-investigators

Informed consent in clinical research is a matter of both ethics and federal regulation. A research subject must enter a study voluntarily, be informed about risks and benefits, and understand the difference between experiment and treatment.
PROLEGOMENA TO A MATERIALIST HUMANISM

AbstractThis article sets the agenda for a new materialist humanism through a critique and analysis of theories of materialist subjectivity in recent French philosophy. I begin with a critique of the lack of a properly internal account of the human subject in the work of Alain Badiou, arguing that his disavowal of any sort of humanism and a dismissal of the natural sciences leaves him without a way to conceptualize the internal activity of the human subject. I then consider the neurological account of human subjectivity offered in Catherine Malabou's recent materialist articulation of human consciousness and consider how this internal theory of human subjectivity can supplement the wholly external account offered by Badiou. I conclude the article with a consideration of Quentin Meillassoux's speculative materialism to show the manner in which at the ontological level he offers a materialist account of human thought as contingently emerging from wholly material processes. Building upon this, I point toward...
Discovery of a cool brown dwarf

Brown dwarfs are star-like objects with masses less than 0.08 times that of the Sun, which are unable to sustain hydrogen fusion in their interiors. They are very hard to detect, as most of the energy of gravitational contraction is radiated away within ~10^8 yr, leaving only a very low residual luminosity. Accordingly, almost all searches for brown dwarfs have been directed towards clusters of young stars—a strategy that has recently proved successful. But there are only modest observable differences between young brown dwarfs and very low-mass stars, making it difficult to identify the former without appealing to sophisticated models. Older brown dwarfs should have a more distinctive appearance, and if they are companions to nearby stars, their luminosity can be determined unambiguously. Here we report the discovery of a probable companion to the nearby star G1229, with no more than one-tenth the luminosity of the least luminous hydrogen-burning star. We conclude that the companion, G1229B, is a brown dwarf with a temperature of less than 1,200 K, and a mass ~20–50 times that of Jupiter.
Nixon and Watergate: A Field Demonstration of Belief Perseverance

A field demonstration of belief perseverance was conducted using survey data from the Cleveland area. Voters' beliefs about Richard Nixon were assessed three times during the U.S. Senate's Watergate hearings: shortly before the hearings began, during the Memorial Day recess, and just after John Dean's testimony. As the hearings progressed, respondents who said they voted for Nixon in 1972 persevered in their positive beliefs about him, while respondents who said the) voted for McGovern in 1972 became more negative in their beliefs about Nixon. Belief perseverance among Nixon's supporters may' have reflected their biased search, appraisal, and recall strategies for processing information about Nixon and the Watergate affair.
The Fate of Darwinism: Evolution After the Modern Synthesis

We trace the history of the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis, and of genetic Darwinism generally, with a view to showing why, even in its current versions, it can no longer serve as a general framework for evolutionary theory. The main reason is empirical. Genetical Darwinism cannot accommodate the role of development (and of genes in development) in many evolutionary processes. We go on to discuss two conceptual issues: whether natural selection can be the “creative factor” in a new, more general framework for evolutionary theorizing; and whether in such a framework organisms must be conceived as self-organizing systems embedded in self-organizing ecological systems.
Real gas effects involved in ideal flow and velocity calculations.

Plasma Sheath, Boston, Mass., September 21-23, 1965, Air Force Cambridge Research Lab. (to be published); also NASA TM X-56815 (1965). 4 Ingebo, R. D. and Foster, H. H., "Drop-size distribution for crosscurrent breakup of liquid jets in airstreams," NACA TN 4087 (October 1957). 5 Volynskiy, M. S., "Atomization of a liquid in a supersonic flow," Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Foreign Technology Div., FDT-MT-63-186 (December 6, 1963). 6 Bitron, M., "Atomization of liquids by supersonic air jets," Ind. Eng. Chem. 47, 23-28 (1955). 7 Schaefer, W. T., Jr., "Characteristics of major active wind tunnels at the Langley Research Center," NASA TM X-1130 (July 1965). 8 Dobbins, R. A., Crocco, L., and Glassman, I., "Measurement of mean particle sizes of sprays from diffractively scattered light," AIAA J. 1, 1882-1886 (1963).
The influence of multidentate organic phosphonates on the crystal growth of hydroxyapatite

The rate of crystal growth of hydroxyapatite seed crystals in stable supersaturated solutions of calcium phosphate has been studied under reproducible conditions at 25° and at a constant pH of 7.40 in the presence of the organic phosphonates HEDP, 1-hydroxyethylidine 1,1-diphosphonic acid, NTMP, nitrilotri (methylene phosphonic acid); ENTMP, N,N,N′N′ ethylenediamine-tetra (methylene phosphonic acid); TENTMP, triethylenediamine tetra (methylene phosphonic acid). It is suggested that the marked inhibitory influence of the additives upon the rate of crystal growth is due to the formation of strong, substitution inert chelate bonds with the calcium ions present at kinks and dislocations on the crystal surface of HAP. The results of this study show that the potentially hexadentate ligand ENTMP is more effective as a crystal growth inhibitor than the tetradentate NTMP or the tridentate HEDP. The general ineffectiveness of the monophosphonates as crystal growth inhibitors supports the conclusion that the calcium ions are chelated at the surface thereby preventing further deposition of calcium phosphate at that growth site. The relatively low concentration of added phosphonate as compared with the calcium ion concentration rules out calcium chelation in the bulk of the solution as a significant factor in the observed crystal growth inhibition.
Lentiginous melanoma: a histologic pattern of melanoma to be distinguished from lentiginous nevus

Atypical lentiginous melanocytic proliferations in elderly patients continue to pose a diagnostic dilemma with lesions variably categorized as dysplastic nevus, atypical junctional nevus, melanoma in situ (early or evolving) and premalignant melanosis. We present pigmented lesions from 16 patients (seven male and nine female) and with the exception of one case, all were older than 50 years of age. The anatomical sites included trunk (7), head and neck (6) and upper extremity (3). The clinical diagnosis was variable and included lentigo maligna, atypical nevus, pigmented basal cell carcinoma, seborrheic keratosis and lentigo. The initial biopsies mimicked lentiginous nevus or dysplastic nevus and were characterized by a lentiginous proliferation of melanocytes at the dermoepidermal junction both as single cells and as small nests with areas of confluent growth, extending to the edges of the biopsy. The retiform epidermis was maintained and pagetoid spread of melanocytes was not prominent in hematoxylin- and eosin- stained sections. Dermal fibrosis was variably present and the melanocytic proliferation demonstrated cytological atypia. The subsequent re-excisions demonstrated similar atypical melanocytic proliferation occurring over a broad area flanking the prior biopsy sites. The diagnosis of melanoma was more easily recognized in the complete excision specimens. Immunohistochemical stains for Mitf and Mart-1 highlighted the extent of the basalar melanocytic proliferation as well as foci of pagetoid spread by melanocytes. Familiarity with this pattern of early melanoma should facilitate proper classification of lentiginous melanocytic proliferations in biopsies from older adults.
Scanning Tomographic Acoustic Microscopy

The technology for "seeing" with sound has an important and interesting history. Some of nature's creatures have been using sound waves for many millenia to image otherwise unobservable objects. The human species, lacking this natural ability, have overcome this deficiency by developing several different ultrasonic imaging techniques. acoustic microscopy is one such technique, which produces high resolution images of detailed structure of small objects in a non-destructive fashion. Two types of acoustic microscopes have evolved for industrial exploitation. They are the scanning laser acoustic microscope (SLAM) and the scanning acoustic microscope (SAM). In this paper, we review the principles of SLAM and describe how we use elements of SLAM to realize the scanning tomographic acoustic microscope (STAM). We describe the data acquisition process and the image reconstruction procedure. We also describe techniques to obtain projection data from different angles of wave incidence enabling us to reconstruct different planes of a complex specimen tomo-graphically. Our experimental results show that STAM is capable of producing high-quality high-resolution subsurface images.