cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic State and Parameter Estimation for Natural Gas Networks using Real Pipeline System Data

We present a method for joint state and parameter estimation for natural gas networks where gas pressures and flows through a network of pipes depend on time-varying injections, withdrawals, and compression controls. The estimation is posed as an optimal control problem constrained by coupled partial differential equations on each pipe that describe space- and time-dependent density and mass flux. These are discretized and combined with nodal conditions to give dynamic constraints for posing the estimation as nonlinear least squares problems. We develop a rapid, scalable computational method for performing the estimation in the presence of measurement and process noise. Finally, we evaluate its effectiveness using a data set from a capacity planning model for an actual pipeline system and a month of time-series data from its supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system.
Prevalence and Clinical Impact of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Pulmonary Embolism.

OBJECTIVES Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been suggested as a cause for pulmonary embolism (PE). We aimed to explore the prevalence and clinical impact of AF in patients with PE. METHODS Using the 2012-2014 National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample database, we identified "adult patients with PE" as the principal discharge diagnosis. The identified admissions were stratified into two cohorts based on the presence or absence of AF. We used multivariable regression models to evaluate in-hospital mortality, length of stay, nonhome discharge, and in-hospital complications. RESULTS The prevalence of AF among the 201,360 patients with PE was 11.62%. Patients with AF were more likely to have massive PE (odds ratio 1.59, 95% confidence interval 1.4-1.81, P < 0.001), with higher mortality (adjusted odds ratio 1.48, 95% confidence interval 1.27-1.71, P < 0.001) and a greater risk of mechanical ventilation, cardiac arrest, and nonhome discharges. The length of hospital stay in patients with PE and comorbid AF was significantly longer than those without (6.24 ± 0.10 vs 4.79 ± 0.03 days). CONCLUSIONS AF is associated with a higher rate of massive PE, higher in-hospital mortality, a longer length of hospital stay, and a higher incidence of in-hospital complications and nonhome discharge.
VERAPAMIL OVERDOSE: BALANCING PHYSIOLOGY OF DYNAMIC LVOTO WITH COMPLETE HEART BLOCK AND VASOPLEGIC SHOCK

Verapamil toxicity treatment varies based on severity of symptoms including use of gastric decontamination, IV calcium, glucagon, catecholamines for vasoplegic shock (VS), lipid emulsion, high dose insulin therapy and need for pacer for high grade AV block. A 57-year-old woman with depression and
Impella to unload the left ventricle in patients undergoing venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for cardiogenic shock: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM Impella is frequently used to unload the left ventricle in patients with cardiogenic shock on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). There is limited data regarding the use of this strategy. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the said strategy. METHODS A systematic search for studies comparing Impella plus VA-ECMO (ECVAD) vs VA-ECMO alone was performed using Pubmed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus. Studies meeting inclusion criteria were then used to perform a meta-analysis. RESULTS Three studies involving 448 patients were included in the final analysis. In total, 117 (26%) patients were female, mean age was 57 years. VA-ECMO was placed in 355 out of 448 (79%) patients, while ECVAD was placed in 93 out of 448 (21%). Death occurred in 49 out of 93 (52.6%) patients on ECVAD and 226 out of 355 (63.6%) on ECMO, relative risk (RR): 0.76, confidence interval (CI), 95% (0.62-0.94) P = .01. Hemolysis was present in 46 (49.4%) patients in the ECVAD vs 67 (18%) in the ECMO group, RR: 2.64, CI, 95% (1.97-3.55) P < .01. Bleeding was present in 42 (45.2.%) patients in the ECVAD group and 135 (38%) in the ECMO group, RR: 1.25, CI, 95% (0.95-1.63) P = .11. CVVHD was used on 31 (33.3%) patients in the ECVAD group while 89 (25%) in the ECMO group, RR 1.35, CI, 95% (0.95-1.91) P = .10. CONCLUSION This study suggests that the use of Impella as an unloading strategy in patients with VA-ECMO decreased mortality, increased rate of hemolysis, neutral bleeding risk, and similar rates of acute kidney injury requiring CVVHD.
Variations in Surgical Outcomes of Carotid Body Tumors by Surgical Specialty

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS A carotid body tumor (CBT) is a rare type of tumor that is divided among multiple surgical specialties. Individual surgeons may have limited experience in treating these tumors. We aim to compare different surgical specialties within a single healthcare system to detect variations in management and outcome. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective chart review. METHODS A chart review of all patients who underwent surgery for CBT at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) from 2000 to 2019 was carried out. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used for descriptive statistics, comparison of outcomes, and identification of risk factors. RESULTS Fifty-eight CBT resection surgeries were performed at UPMC. Patients with advanced tumor were 6.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.36-32.7) times more likely to undergo preoperative embolization and 8.53 (95% CI: 2.011-36.19) times more likely to sustain carotid artery injury. Advanced-stage tumor resections were associated with greater blood loss (P = .03) and longer hospitalization (P = .02). Collaborative surgeries were associated with higher rates of carotid artery injury (P = .003), residual tumor (P < .001), and longer hospitalization (P = .003), as these combined cases were generally reserved for advanced-stage tumors (P = .02). There were no differences in outcomes between specialties. Of 22 surgeons, the median number of surgeries per surgeon was one (range = 1-12, 54.5%). CONCLUSIONS Surgeons who completed only one surgery for CBT had a greater rate of hospital readmission and greater length of hospital stay. Collaborative surgeries had worse outcomes due to more advanced tumors requiring more complex surgeries. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 131:E190-E195, 2021.
System prototype for a triboelectric harvester in a smart knee implant (SPIE Best Student Paper Finalist)

Total knee replacement (TKR) surgeries have been increasing tremendously in the past few years particularly among active young people and elderly people suffering from knee pain. Hence, continuous monitoring of the load on the knee after the knee surgery is highly desirable for designing an efficient and more functional smart knee implant. In this paper, we demonstrate a smart knee implant system which consists of a triboelectric harvester and a front-end electronic system which continuously monitors the load on the knee by relying only on the power harvested by the triboelectric harvester. The TKR system consists of the femoral, tibial tray, and the ultra high mechanical polyethylene (UHMWPE) bearing parts. The designed triboelectric harvesters are placed between the tibial tray and the UHMWPE bearing for perfect load monitoring. The frontend electronic system is placed on the tibial tray to be powered by the harvester. The triboelectric harvester produces an AC signal which is processed using our proposed frontend electronic system to monitor the load on the knee. For instance, at a knee cyclic load of around 230 N, the harvester produces 6.5 μW power and 18 V RMS signal at a frequency of 1 Hz. The frontend electronic system consists of a LC filter to process the high voltages from the harvester, a rectifier to convert the AC signal into a DC signal, a regulator to convert this DC signal into a stabilized and ripple free DC signal to provide biasing to the final stage, Delta-Sigma ADC, which finally converts the analog signal into digital bits. The power consumption of the proposed design is approximately 5 uW. According to the proposed design, monitoring the load several times a day is feasible by relying only on the harvested power. The prototype of the proposed system has been fabricated on a printed circuit board (PCB) and tested with the designed harvester. The test results demonstrate that triboelectric energy harvesting is a promising technique for self-monitoring the load inside knee implants. Through this research, the knee implants could be improved and failures can be detected at an early stage.
Chapter 3 – Sedimentation Pattern

This chapter introduces erosion, transportation, and deposition of sediments. The process of sedimentation is explained. This starts with the transportation of landmass by various processes to the marine environment, and is followed by the sorting of particles, which settle lightly on the continental slope and more deeply in the deep ocean regions. Our understanding of the nature of sedimentation, which depends on the size of particles and their mode of genesis, is then discussed in terms of the physical, chemical, and biological processes involved. Finally, sedimentation patterns in the ocean, rate of sedimentation, organic matter and its productivity, oceanic sediments, and decomposition of organic matter are explained. A detailed discussion on the quantum of organic matter that is deposited on the seafloor is included to explain the supply of organic matter, chemical actions, and demineralization.
Raman Spectroscopy vs Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction In Early Stage Huanglongbing Diagnostics

Raman spectroscopy (RS) is an emerging analytical technique that can be used to develop and deploy precision agriculture. RS allows for confirmatory diagnostic of biotic and abiotic stresses on plants. Specifically, RS can be used for Huanglongbing (HLB) diagnostics on both orange and grapefruit trees, as well as detection and identification of various fungal and viral diseases. The questions that remain to be answered is how early can RS detect and identify the disease and whether RS is more sensitive than qPCR, the "golden standard" in pathogen diagnostics? Using RS and HLB as case study, we monitored healthy (qPCR-negative) in-field grown citrus trees and compared their spectra to the spectra collected from healthy orange and grapefruit trees grown in a greenhouse with restricted insect access and confirmed as HLB free by qPCR. Our result indicated that RS was capable of early prediction of HLB and that nearly all in-field qPCR-negative plants were infected by the disease. Using advanced multivariate statistical analysis, we also showed that qPCR-negative plants exhibited HLB-specific spectral characteristics that can be distinguished from unrelated nutrition deficit characteristics. These results demonstrate that RS is capable of much more sensitive diagnostics of HLB compared to qPCR.
Internal quantum efficiency in 6.1 Å superlattices of 77% for mid-wave infrared emitters

Two new superlattices with high internal quantum efficiency at high injection, InAs/AlGaInSb and InAs/GaInSb/InAs/AlAsSb, are presented and compared with state-of-the-art InAs/GaSb and InAs/InAsSb superlattices. The internal quantum efficiency peaks at 44% and 77% for the InAs/AlGaInSb and InAs/GaInSb/InAs/AlAsSb samples, respectively, which suggests that they are excellent candidates for high-efficiency mid-wave infrared LEDs. These values have been measured without invoking the ABC model to eliminate the assumption of Boltzmann statistics. The calculated superlattice band structures are used qualitatively to explain the internal quantum efficiency results.
A literature review on delayed ettringite formation: mechanism, affect factors and suppressing methods

The expansion deterioration that occurs in concrete structures exposed to high temperature fluctuation in wet environments is often attributed to delayed ettringite formation (DEF). Due to the comp...
MISSING THE MARK: HOW FMLA’S BONDING LEAVE FAILS MOTHERS

In the two decades since it was adopted, the Family and Medical Leave Act (hereinafter “FMLA” or “the Act”) has been consistently criticized for its failure to achieve its stated goal of enabling workers “to balance the demands of the workplace with the needs of families.” Since it was signed into law in 1993, legal scholars and women’s rights groups, while applauding the accomplishments of the Act, have expressed their dissatisfaction with the status of family and medical leave law in the United States. It has been argued that the FMLA should be expanded to cover more workers, for more reasons, for longer periods of time, and to provide for income replacement and a right to return to work on a part-time basis.I echo the calls for more comprehensive job-protected leave. However, in this article, I focus exclusively on how FMLA’s bonding leave fails mothers. Specifically, FMLA bonding leave poses several primary and subsidiary problems for mothers, mother-infant bonding, and attachment. First, the FMLA poses accessibility problems through its stringent coverage limitations, eligibility requirements, and lack of income replacement. Due to these accessibility issues, the FMLA excludes most mothers from accessing its job-protected bonding leave, frustrating the primary congressional intention behind the bonding leave provision. Second, the FMLA poses subsidiary applicability problems due to the length, inflexibility, and vulnerability of the leave. The inflexible twelve-week bonding leave entitlement is therefore substantively lacking. It falls short of providing an environment that would facilitate healthy parent-infant bonding as intended by the Act. As a result of these primary and subsidiary dilemmas, FMLA’s bonding leave fails to address the bonding and attachment needs of mothers and infants.
Three-component multi-fluid modeling of pseudo-cavitation phenomenon in diesel injector nozzles:

Cavitation in fuel injectors occurs in the nozzle region where local pressure drops below the fuel saturation pressure. The pressure drop might simultaneously induce the formation of gas bubbles su...
Immune modulating activity of the CHK1 inhibitor prexasertib and anti-PD-L1 antibody LY3300054 in patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer and other solid tumors

Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) has dual roles in both the DNA damage response and in the innate immune response to genotoxic stress. The combination of CHK1 inhibition and immune checkpoint blockade has the potential to enhance anti-tumoral T-cell activation. This was an open-label phase 1 study evaluating the CHK1 inhibitor prexasertib and the anti-PD-L1 antibody LY3300054. After a lead-in of LY3300054 (Arm A), prexasertib (Arm B) or the combination (Arm C), both agents were administered intravenously at their respective recommended phase 2 doses (RP2Ds) on days 1 and 15 of a 28-day cycle. Flow cytometry of peripheral blood was performed before and during treatment to analyze effects on immune cell populations, with a focus on T cell subsets and activation. Plasma cytokines and chemokines were analyzed using the Luminex platform. Among seventeen patients enrolled, the combination was tolerable at the monotherapy RP2Ds, 105 mg/m2 prexasertib and 700 mg LY3300054. Dose-limiting toxicities included one episode each of febrile neutropenia (Arm C) and grade 4 neutropenia lasting > 5 days (Arm B). One patient had immune-related AST/ALT elevation after 12 cycles. Three patients with CCNE1-amplified, high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) achieved partial response (PR), 2 lasting > 12 months; a fourth such patient maintained stable disease > 12 months. Analysis of peripheral blood demonstrated evidence of CD8 + T-cell activation in response to treatment. Prexasertib in combination with PD-L1 blockade was tolerable and demonstrated preliminary activity in CCNE1-amplified HGSOC with evidence of cytotoxic T-cell activation in patient blood samples. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03495323. Registered April 12, 2018.
A Mach-Zehnder, Fabry-Perot hybrid fiber interferometer

We report the experimental demonstration of a Mach-Zehnder-Fabry-Perot hybrid fiber interferometer. Preliminary characterization shows low background and good stability with an all-passive isolation system.
Social-affective features drive human representations of observed actions

Humans observe actions performed by others in many different visual and social settings. What features do we extract and attend when we view such complex scenes, and how are they processed in the brain? To answer these questions, we curated two large-scale sets of naturalistic videos of everyday actions and estimated their perceived similarity in two behavioral experiments. We normed and quantified a large range of visual, action-related and social-affective features across the stimulus sets. Using a cross-validated variance partitioning analysis, we found that social-affective features predicted similarity judgments better than, and independently of, visual and action features in both behavioral experiments. Next, we conducted an electroencephalography (EEG) experiment, which revealed a sustained correlation between neural responses to videos and their behavioral similarity. Visual, action, and social-affective features predicted neural patterns at early, intermediate and late stages respectively during this behaviorally relevant time window. Together, these findings show that social-affective features are important for perceiving naturalistic actions, and are extracted at the final stage of a temporal gradient in the brain.
Role of funders in addressing the continued lack of diversity in science and medicine.

Funders’ goals for diversity, equity and inclusion are laudable, but they will only be successful if the funders prioritize health disparities research and address biases in the funding application process.
Guitars and Lutes

The modern six-string guitar is a descendant of the sixteenth-century Spanish vihuela, which has its roots in antiquity. Although Boccherini and other composers of the eighteenth century included the guitar in some of their chamber music, the establishment of the guitar as a concert instrument took place largely in the nineteenth century. Fernando Sor (1778–1839) was the first of a long line of Spanish virtuosos and composers for the guitar.
An Interdisciplinary Approach: Michael Novak's The Guns of Lattimer

The Guns of Lattimer1 is an important book. It defies classification and thus many readers and scholars don t quite know what to make of it.2 It is not a novel, although it contains significant fiction. It is not a scholarly historical study, although it is heavily researched and docu mented. Even though it explores the late-nineteenth-century attitudes of a western European majority toward a non-English-speaking eastern European minority and investigates the psychology of killing unarmed men, it is neither a cultural study nor a psychological profile. Yet Michael Novaks book cannot be dismissed or ignored for one very crit ical reason: it is the only book-length study of a labor revolt that ended with the largest number of laborer deaths in such conflicts in nineteenth century America. Nineteen men died on September 10, 1897, and at least thirty-seven were wounded, and yet, as Mildred Allen Beik and M. Mark Stolarik point out in this issue, Lattimer has been all but ignored in the discus sion of labor's fight for fair wages and tolerable working conditions. Although some fault Novak's lack of scholarly approach and others crit icize The Guns of Lattimer for the distracting fictional account of a young miner's struggle in America, Michael Novak is very clear about his rea son for writing this work. In his introduction, he notes: "Though not a historian, I found a gap in history. There was nothing to do but to fill the gap myself. Confronting painful daily evidence that one of Amer ica's largest minorities-the family of the Slavic peoples-needs creative stimulation and intellectual encouragement, I could not evade a sense of obligation" (xvii).
Abstract P2-14-01: Immediate implant-based breast reconstruction following total skin-sparing mastectomy: Defining the risk of preoperative and postoperative radiation therapy on surgical outcomes

Background Radiation therapy is an increasingly common adjuvant treatment in breast cancer therapy. As total skin-sparing mastectomy (TSSM) and immediate reconstruction becomes more widely performed, further defining the risks of various treatment regimens on surgical and reconstructive outcomes after TSSM is important. In this study, we assess the effects of premastectomy and postmastectomy radiation therapy on outcomes following TSSM and immediate prosthetic reconstruction. Methods All patients undergoing TSSM and immediate tissue expander/implant reconstruction at our institution between 2006 and 2012 were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Cohort 1 included patients undergoing TSSM and reconstruction without any radiation. Cohort 2 included patients with a prior history of radiation before TSSM and reconstruction. Cohort 3 included patients undergoing radiation after TSSM and reconstruction. Complication rates were compared between cohorts. Results A total of 580 patients were identified undergoing 903 breast reconstructions following TSSM. Cohort 1 included 727 breasts, cohort 2 included 63 breasts, and cohort 3 included 113 breasts. Compared to patients without radiation, patients with prior radiation were more likely to develop severe infection (7.3% vs. 20.6%, p = 0.001), incisional breakdown (3.1% vs. 9.5%, p = 0.01), and expander/implant loss (5.1% vs. 20.6%, p Conclusions Both preoperative and postoperative radiation following TSSM and immediate prosthetic reconstruction result in higher, but acceptable, complication risks. Risks of infection and expander/implant loss in irradiated patients who have undergone TSSM are similar to those reported after skin-sparing mastectomy. Further, the low rates of complications related to nipple-areolar complex skin preservation in irradiated patients are equivalent to those seen in non-irradiated patients, supporting the safety of performing TSSM in patients who require radiation therapy. Citation Format: Anne Warren Peled, Frederick Wang, Robert D Foster, Rachel Lentz, Michael Alvarado, Cheryl A Ewing, Laura J Esserman, Barbara Fowble, Hani Sbitany. Immediate implant-based breast reconstruction following total skin-sparing mastectomy: Defining the risk of preoperative and postoperative radiation therapy on surgical outcomes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-14-01.
Mechanism of gastric antisecretory effects of nolinium bromide

Abstract Nolinium bromide [2-(3,4-dichlorophenyl amino)-qirinolizium bromide] inhibits histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion by bullfrog gastric mucosa in vitro. Nolinium bromide was effective from both the secretory and the nutrient sides of the chambered mucosa. The inhibitory effects of secretory but not the nutrient nolinium bromide could be largely reversed by elevating the concentration of K + of the secretory solution. The mechanisms of the inhibitory effects of nutrient nolinium bromide appeared to be different than those from the secretory side. Gastric microsomes highly enriched in H + ,K + -ATPase activity (which has been identified as the proton pump) were used to elucidate the mechanism of nolinium bromide action. Nolinium bromide inhibits in a dose-dependent manner both the gastric H + ,K + -ATPase activity and H + uptake ability of the microsomes. Increasing concentrations of K + could reverse the nolinium bromide inhibition of both the H + , K + -ATPase activity and vesicular H + transport. The data strongly suggest that nolinium bromide interferes primariiy with the K + -dependent phosphatase step and thereby reduces the turnover of the enzyme. The data have been discussed in the light of our present day knowledge on gastric H + transport.
Dynamic isotope power subsystem (DIPS) ground support

The ground support system for the Dynamic Isotope Power Subsystem (DIPS) was evaluated to ensure that the DIPS heat source subsystem reflects all the ground handling requirements imposed from factory to flight. The DIPS general-purpose heat source (GPHS) canister, which contains GPHS modules, must be safely handled from the time it is shipped from the government facility, where the canister is loaded with the GPHS modules, to its final mating with the space vehicle at the launch pad. The ground support system includes the shipping, receiving, inspecting, storage, and installation of the GPHS canister into the DIPS heat source units at the launch pad. All of the ground support activities are discussed and it is demonstrated that all the requirements can be safely met. >
NATURAL GOODNESS, RIGHTNESS, AND THE INTERSUBJECTIVITY OF REASON: REPLY TO ARROYO, CUMMISKEY, MOLAND, AND BIRD-POLLAN

: In response to Arroyo, I explain my position on the concept of “natural goodness” and how my use of that concept compares to that of Geach and Foot. An Aristotelian or functional notion of goodness provides the material for Kantian endorsement in a theory of value that avoids a metaphysical commitment to intrinsic values. In response to Cummiskey, I review reasons for thinking Kantianism and consequentialism incompatible, especially those objections to aggregation that arise from the notion of the natural good previously described. In response to Moland, I explain why I think Hegelian worries about the supposed emptiness of the Kantian self do not apply to my account. And in response to both Moland and Bird-Pollan, I argue that, contrary to the view of some Hegelians, the intersubjective normativity of reason is not something developed through actual social relations; rather, it is something essential to an individual's relations with himself or herself.
Vibrational Promotion of Electron Transfer

By using laser methods to prepare specific quantum states of gas-phase nitric oxide molecules, we examined the role of vibrational motion in electron transfer to a molecule from a metal surface free from the complicating influence of solvation effects. The signature of the electron transfer process is a highly efficient multiquantum vibrational relaxation event, where the nitrogen oxide loses hundreds of kilojoules per mole of energy on a subpicosecond time scale. These results cannot be explained simply on the basis of Franck-Condon factors. The large-amplitude vibrational motion associated with molecules in high vibrational states strongly modulates the energetic driving force of the electron transfer reaction. These results show the importance of molecular vibration in promoting electron transfer reactions, a class of chemistry important to molecular electronics devices, solar energy conversion, and many biological processes.
High-Q SiO 2 -clad silicon photonic crystal microcavities for ultra-low energy switching

We outline the development of a SiO 2 -embedded silicon photonic crystal microcavity with Q above 10,000, which forms the basis for a CMOS-compatible electro-optic modulator with switching energy below 0.1 fJ/bit.
The lack of long-term detrimental effects on liver allografts caused by donor-specific anti-hla antibodies

Recent reports indicate a higher incidence of both acute and chronic liver allograft rejection when, at the time of transplantation, the recipients serum contains donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies. From 9/89 to 5/91, 133 liver allografts were performed at our institution. Thirteen liver recipients had donor-specific IgG anti-HLA antibodies (complement-fixing) at the time of transplantation. In eleven patients, antibodies reacted to donor class I antigens while in 1 patient the donor-specific antibody had class II reactivity
Genetic Factors Associated with Elevated Carbapenem Resistance in KPC-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae

In the United States, the most prevalent mechanism of carbapenem resistance among Enterobacteriaceae is the production of a Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC). KPC-producing isolates often exhibit a range of carbapenem MICs. To better understand the factors that contribute to overall carbapenem resistance, we analyzed 27 KPC-producing K. pneumoniae isolates with different levels of carbapenem resistance, 11 with low-level (i.e., meropenem or imipenem MIC ≤ 4 μg/ml), 2 with intermediate-level (i.e., meropenem and imipenem MIC = 8 μg/ml), and 14 with high-level (i.e., imipenem or meropenem MIC ≥ 16 μg/ml) carbapenem resistance, that were received from throughout the United States. Among 14 isolates that exhibited high-level carbapenem resistance, Western blot analysis indicated that 10 produced an elevated amount of KPC. These isolates either contained an increased bla(KPC) gene copy number (n = 3) or had deletions directly upstream of the bla(KPC) gene (n = 7). Four additional isolates lacked elevated KPC production but had high-level carbapenem resistance. Porin sequencing analysis identified 22 isolates potentially lacking a functional OmpK35 and three isolates potentially lacking a functional OmpK36. The highest carbapenem MICs were found in two isolates that lacked both functioning porins and produced elevated amounts of KPC. The 11 isolates with low-level carbapenem resistance contained neither an upstream deletion nor increased bla(KPC) copy number. These results suggest that both bla(KPC) copy number and deletions in the upstream genetic environment affect the level of KPC production and may contribute to high-level carbapenem resistance in KPC-producing K. pneumoniae, particularly when coupled with OmpK36 porin loss.
An algorithm for finding tandem repeats of unspecified pattern size

A tandem repeat is two or more contiguous, approtimate copies of a pattern of nucleotides. Tandem repeats occur frequently in the human genome. They have been shown to cause human disease, may play a variety of regulatory and evolutionary roles, and are important laboratory tools. Extensive knowledge about pattern sizes, copy number, mutational history, etc. for t.andem repeats has been limited because of the difficulty of detecting them in genomic sequence data. In this paper, me present a new algorithm for finding tandem repeats in DNA sequences without the need to specify either the pattern or pattern size. The algorithm is based on the detection of k-tuple matches. It uses a probabiitic model of tandem repeats and a collection of statistical criteria based on that modeL We demonstrate the algorithm’s speed and its abiity to detect tandem repeats that have undergone extensive mutational change by analyzing 4 sequences in the 2OOKb to 700Kb range.
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring: a versatile tool for evaluating and managing hypertension in children

In recent years, pediatric practitioners have increasingly used ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) monitoring for evaluating blood pressure (BP) abnormalities in children. ABP monitoring in adults is superior to casual BP measurements for predicting cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and whereas the association with target-organ damage in children is not as definitive, early evidence does seem to parallel the adult data. In addition to confirming hypertension at diagnosis, ABP monitoring may be useful for identifying isolated nocturnal hypertension, characterizing BP patterns, and assessing response to therapeutic interventions. This article reviews current evidence supporting the use of ABP monitoring in children and discusses limitations in our understanding of this technology, specifically focusing on indications for its use and interpretation of the large quantity of data obtained by ABP monitoring.
PERIPROSTATIC LOCAL ANESTHESIA BEFORE ULTRASOUND GUIDED PROSTATE BIOPSY

Purpose:: We assessed the morbidity and benefit of periprostatic local anesthesia administered before ultrasound guided prostate biopsy.Materials and Methods:: After placing the transrectal ultrasound probe and visualizing the prostate 50 consecutive patients received local anesthesia before prostate biopsies.Results:: There was no morbidity associated with the infiltration of local anesthesia into the periprostatic neurovascular plexus. Only 1 patient had discomfort during prostate biopsies, and 10 patients who previously underwent biopsies without anesthesia commented favorably on the dramatic difference.Conclusions:: Many patients have pain during transrectal ultrasound guided biopsies of the prostate and few clinicians provide a periprostatic nerve block before this procedure. A periprostatic nerve block administered before the biopsies dramatically decreases discomfort. We urge all urologists to attempt this procedure, and we are confident that they will adopt it as part of their practice.
Exciting directions in glaucoma

Glaucoma is a complex, life-long disease that requires an individualized, multifaceted approach to treatment. Most patients will be started on topical ocular hypotensive eyedrop therapy, and over time multiple classes of drugs will be needed to control their intraocular pressure. The search for drugs with novel mechanisms of action, to treat those who do not achieve adequate intraocular pressure control with, or become refractory to, current therapeutics, is ongoing, as is the search for more efficient, targeted drug delivery methods. Gene-transfer and stem-cell applications for glaucoma therapeutics are moving forward. Advances in imaging technologies improve our understanding of glaucoma pathophysiology and enable more refined patient evaluation and monitoring, improving patient outcomes.
Optimal Earth-Moon Trajectories Using Nuclear Electric Propulsion

Minimum-fuel, two-dimensional and three-dimensional, Earth ‐moon trajectories are obtained for a nuclear electric propulsion spacecraft. The initial state is a circular low Earth parking orbit and the terminal state is a circular low lunar parking orbit. For the three-dimensional problem, the lunar orbit is inclined 90 deg to the Earth‐moon plane. The trajectory has a e xed thrust-coast-thrust engine sequence and is governed by the classical restricted three-body problem dynamic model. An analytical expression for quasicircular low-thrust transfers is usedtoapproximateandreplacethehundredsofinitialande nalorbitsabouttheEarthandmoon.Acostate-control transformation is also utilized to enhance convergence to the optimal solution. Numerical results are presented for the optimal Earth ‐moon trajectories.
In situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Study on the Phase Transitionsin Lead-Free (1−x)(Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3–xBaTiO3 Ceramics

The phase transitions in unpoled lead-free (1−x)(Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3–xBaTiO3 (x = 0.06 and 0.11) ceramics are investigated using hot-stage transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is found that large ferroelectric domains in both ceramics start to disappear around Td, the depolarization temperature. After the transition, both compositions exhibit the P4bm tetragonal symmetry in the form of nanodomains. The structural transition observed by the in situTEM experiments seems to be gradual and occurs within a temperature range of several tens of degrees, in contrast to the sharp anomaly at Td revealed by the dielectric characterization. With further increasing temperature, no structural change was observed for both compositions across TRE, where the dielectric frequency dispersion vanishes, and Tm, where the dielectric permittivity reaches maximum. The tetragonal-to-cubic transition is diffuse and takes place in a broad temperature window well above both TRE and Tm. These results of structural phase transitions are summarized in a phase diagram with its composition range covering the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB).
Appearance of primary lymphoid malignancies on lymphotropic nanoparticle-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging using ferumoxtran-10

Patients with pathologically confirmed lymphoma/leukemia were retrospectively identified from a large single-institution phase III clinical trial with ferumoxtran-10. Five (2.3%) of 220 patients had lymphoid malignancies involving lymph nodes. A subset of patients (n=27) with biopsy-proven nodal metastases from genitourinary or breast cancer was selected as control group. Ferumoxtran-10 enhancement patterns and signal-to-noise ratios of lymph nodes involved by metastases and lymphoid malignancy were assessed. Like nodal metastases, nodes involved by lymphoid malignancies demonstrate persistent high T2*-signal intensity on lymphotropic nanoparticle-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.
A study of the critical criteria for analyte stability in high-temperature liquid chromatography.

There are three major impediments to the use of high-temperature ultrafast liquid chromatography. First, the stationary phase must be thermally stable. Over the past decade, a series of thermally stable, highly efficient stationary phases have been developed that can withstand temperatures exceeding 200 °C. Second, the temperature mismatch between the incoming eluent and the column must be minimized (<5 °C), because such a mismatch is a very serious cause of peak broadening, especially in ultrafast separations. The thermal mismatch problem can be significantly ameliorated at high column linear velocities by using narrow-bore columns (2.1-mm i.d.). Third, analytes that are exposed to high temperatures must be thermally stable on the time scale of the chromatographic run. We report here a study of the ability of a number of pharmaceuticals to withstand superambient temperatures on the time scale of fast separations. We propose criteria by which a particular analyte may be rejected as a candidate for high-te...
Effects of diffusional processes on crystal etching: Kinematic theory extended to two dimensions

The effects of diffusional processes on etching of crystalline materials are investigated using a model that combines an atomistic, kinetic Monte Carlo simulation with a step-density dependent mode...
Confirmation of translocated gastrointestinal bacteria in a neonatal model.

Abstract Purpose. The hypothesis that enteric bacteria translocate from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to extraintestinal sites has been extensively studied. However, definitive evidence that spontaneous bacterial translocation and dissemination from the GI tract to extraintestinal sites occur in a neonatal model has been lacking. The aim of this study was to confirm this phenomenon by tracking enterally administered, plasmid-labeled bacteria to extraintestinal sites. Materials and Methods. Escherichia coli 07:K1 (E. coli K1) with and without a nontransferable, ampicillin resistance plasmid (pGEM-7) were used in this study. Newborn New Zealand white rabbit pups were separated into three treatment groups: transformed E. coli K1 (E. coli K1 + pGEM-7, n = 20), nontransformed E. coli K1 (n = 12), and control pups (no bacteria, n = 7). Pups were enterally fed 10% Formulac solution supplemented with a suspension of bacteria respective to their group. After the pups fed twice daily for 2 days, representative tissue specimens from the small bowel (SB), mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), spleen (SPL), and liver (LIV) were aseptically harvested and tested for culture growth in ampicillin-supplemented medium. Results. Positive growths of plasmid-induced ampicillin-resistant bacteria were detected in tissue specimens harvested from rabbits fed transformed E. coli K1, but were not detected in the other groups. Conclusion. This experiment demonstrated conclusively that transformed E. coli K1 fed to healthy rabbit pups spontaneously translocated from the intestinal lumen and subsequently disseminated to the mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen, and liver.
Low Reynolds Number Effects in a Mach 3 Shock/Turbulent-Boundary-Layer Interaction

Cf = skin-friction coefficient Lsep = separation length M = freestream Mach number Re = Reynolds number based on T = temperature u = velocity in the streamwise direction v = velocity in the spanwise direction w = velocity in the wall-normal direction = 99% thickness of the incoming boundary layer = displacement thickness of the incoming boundary layer = ratio of to the wall unit = momentum thickness of the incoming boundary layer = density
Some considerations concerning industrial location decisions

Abstract The approach most often followed by operations researchers when dealing with the problem of industrial location is based on the notion that very complex location decisions can be reduced into an algorithmic form involving few cost factors. In this they follow closely the orthodox location theory. Recently, there has been a growing dissatisfaction with the classical location theory. Empirical studies carried out during the past two decades tend to analyze a staggering and ever growing number of specific locational factors. The purpose of the study briefly reported on below was limited to an attempt to classify the numerous factors affecting location decisions and to reduce their numbers by grouping and deriving indexes. The validity of the indexes was tested by confronting them with the actual distribution of industries in the U.S.
Some further considerations concerning energy budgets of moving systems

Equations for the available potential energy and kinetic energy budgets of a moving open system are developed in isobaric coordinates. Three equations constitute the final set, the first two representing the available potential energy changes due to baroclinic and barotropic processes, referred to as the baroclinic and barotropic contributions after Johnson (1970), and the third representing the kinetic energy changes in the system. The terms in the equations bear a resemblance to those presented by Johnson with the exception that a new term is introduced which explicitly relates the effect of the changing reference state of an individual system to its change in available potential energy. A discussion of the various energy budget terms is given and a method of solving the set of equations is proposed. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1973.tb00606.x
The formulary process from a risk management perspective

During their evolution over the past 6 decades, hospital formularies have become more than a list of drugs that an institution keeps in stock. Today, an agent under formulary consideration must be examined not only in light of its relative efficacy, safety, and acquisition cost, but consideration must also be given to the potential indirect costs that accompany its use. Federal regulations have, for some drugs, added layers of administrative actions that must be followed to ensure their appropriate use. Examples of this are risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMS) and duties that may be implied or expressly addressed in the black-box warnings associated with some classes of agents and, in isolated instances, specific drugs within a given class. Regulatory interpretation of these programs and warnings has often led to the expectation that the institution providing the agent will implement effective protocols and procedures to minimize the risk of adverse events to a patient in addition to or in accordance with required programs such as REMS. The consequences for failing to meet this expectation can lead to regulatory sanctions; the potential also exists for liability exposure. Risk management principles apply to all levels of the decision-making process for evaluating a new agent for formulary inclusion or when reevaluating an agent's formulary status. Pharmacists play an important role in mitigating these risks by carefully evaluating every agent from a broader perspective.
Alcohol, moods and male-female differences: daily interactive voice response over 6 months.

AIMS: The goal of this study was to better understand the predictive relationship in both directions between negative (anger, sadness) and positive (happiness) moods and alcohol consumption using daily process data among heavy drinkers. METHODS: Longitudinal daily reports of moods, alcohol use and other covariates such as level of stress were assessed over 180 days using interactive voice response telephone technology. Participants were heavy drinkers (majority meeting criteria for alcohol dependence at baseline) recruited through their primary care provider. The sample included 246 (166 men, 80 women) mostly Caucasian adults. Longitudinal statistical models were used to explore the varying associations between number of alcoholic drinks and mood scores the next day and vice versa with gender as a moderator. RESULTS: Increased alcohol use significantly predicted decreased happiness the next day (P Language: en
Optical reflectance of liquid mercury.

Normal-incidence and grazing-incidence reflectances of liquid Hg have been measured in the visible region at room temperature (24 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C). The results were consistent with the optical properties determined by ellipsometry. No evidence was found for transition layers on the surface of liquid Hg.
Conformational changes of gp120 in epitopes near the CCR5 binding site are induced by CD4 and a CD4 miniprotein mimetic.

Binding of the T-cell antigen CD4 to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein gp120 has been reported to induce conformational rearrangements in the envelope complex that f...
Design Students Plan Tomorrow's Office Using Participatory/Simulation

‘The Unusual Heavy Industry, Inc. (UHI, Inc.) Office Planning Participatory/Simulation’ is an alternative method of teaching beginning interior design students. A participatory/simulation is an experiential event which demonstrates a process or procedure, and incorporates both objective information and subjective values. UHI, Inc. was developed to help design students 1) make the transition from simple to complex projects, 2) work as a design team, 3) recognize both process and content in decision making and 4) use microcomputers in a studio project as a tool and tutor. Experience with conducting UHI, Inc. suggests that a participatory/simulation is an effective, supportive and stimulating way to teach neophyte students to design complex projects.
Human U2 snRNA can function in pre-mRNA splicing in yeast

THE removal of introns from messenger RNA precursors requires five small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs), contained within ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs), which complex with the pre-mRNA and other associated factors to form the spliceosome (reviewed in refs 1–3). In both yeast and mammals, the U2 snRNA base pairs with sequences surrounding the site of lariat formation4–9. Binding of U2 snRNP to the highly degenerate branchpoint sequence in mammalian introns is absolutely dependent on an auxiliary protein, U2AF, which recognizes a polypyrimidine stretch adjacent to the 3′ splice site10. The absence of this sequence motif in yeast introns has strengthened arguments that the two systems are fundamentally different10,11. Deletion analyses of the yeast U2 gene have confirmed that the highly conserved 5′ domain is essential, although the adjacent ˜950 nucleotides can be deleted without any phenotypic consequence12,13. A 3′-terminal domain of ˜100 nucleotides is also required for wild-type growth rates; the highly conserved terminal loop within this domain (loop IV) may provide specific binding contacts for two U2-specific snRNP proteins13–15. We have replaced the single copy yeast U2(yU2) gene with human U2(hU2), expecting that weak or no complementation would provide an assay for cloning additional splicing factors, such as U2AF. We report here that hU2 can complement the yeast deletion with surprising efficiency. The interactions governing spliceosome assembly and intron recognition are thus more conserved than previously suspected. Paradoxically, the conserved loop IV sequence is dispensable in yeast.