cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prevention of Dystrophin-Deficient Cardiomyopathy in Twenty-One-Month-Old Carrier Mice by Mosaic Dystrophin Expression or Complementary Dystrophin/Utrophin Expression

A cure for dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy requires treating both skeletal muscle and the heart. Whereas mosaic dystrophin expression has been shown to protect skeletal muscle, controversy exists over whether mosaic expression is protective in the heart. We have shown recently that mosaic dystrophin expression prevents stress-induced heart damage in young carrier mice. Although an interesting finding, the clinical relevance remains to be established because young dystrophin-null mdx mice do not have heart disease. On the other hand, heart failure has been reported in human carriers. To resolve this mouse/human discrepancy, we evaluated the cardiac phenotype in 21-month-old mdx, carrier, and normal mice. We found dilated cardiomyopathy in old mdx mice but not in age-matched carrier mice. All anatomical parameters and physiological assay results (ECG and closed-chest Millar catheter) were within the normal range in old carrier mice. Focal myocardial inflammation was found in a small fraction of old ...
Music for the Dying: A Personal Account of the New Field of Music-Thanatology—History, Theories, and Clinical Narratives

Music-thanatology is a palliative medical modality employing prescriptive music to tend the complex physical and spiritual needs of the dying. "Infirmary music" was an intimate expression of French monastic medicine in 11th-century Cluny and anticipated the holism of both the hospice and palliative medical movements by almost 800 years. Although no longer an expression of any institutional religious identity, music-thanatology is nevertheless concerned with the possibility of a blessed death and the gift that conscious dying can bring to the fullness of life. Music-thanatology interns seek to integrate and model these contemplative and clinical values in daily practice: 18 interns deliver prescriptive music in bedside vigils serving the dying in home, hospital, and hospice settings with great effectiveness in oncology, respiratory illnesses, the slow degenerative diseases, and AIDS. This article is submitted to nurses to serve as an introduction to the field of music-thanatology, providing readers with a brief history, meaningful clinical narratives, some of the musical theories involved, research concerns (archival and medical), and milestones to be addressed for the future implementation of music-thanatology in hospitals and hospices and communities across the nation.
A diagnostic expert system for analyzing multiple-failure transients in nuclear power plants

CATALISP (Computer Aided Transient Analysis coded in Lisp) is a prototype expert system which is the result of a project investigating and implementing event confidence-levels (used by reactor safety experts in reactor transient analysis) in the form of an expert system. Currently, CATALISP is designed to diagnose reactor transients by analyzing simulated sensor and plant thermal hydraulic information from a system simulation. CATALISP uses a knowledge base of existing emergency nuclear plant operating guidelines and detailed thermal-hydraulic calculation results correlated to confidence-levels. CATALISP can diagnose a number of reactor transients (for example, loss-of-coolant accidents, steam-generator-tube ruptures, loss-of-offsite power, etc.). Future work includes the expansion of the knowledge base and improvement of the “deep-knowledge” qualitative models.
A comparison of the Picture Exchange Communication System and prelinguistic milieu teaching on spoken communication in preschoolers with ASD: Implications for method choice1

1 Abstracted from: Yoder, P. & Stone, W. L. (2006). A randomized comparison of the effect of two prelinguistic communication interventions on the acquisition of spoken communication with preschoolers with ASD. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 49, 698–711.
Morphine Withdrawal Enhances Hepatitis C Virus Replicon Expression

We previously demonstrated that morphine enhances hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication in human hepatic cells. Here we describe the impact of morphine withdrawal (MW), a recurrent event during the course of opioid abuse, on HCV replicon expression in human hepatic cells. MW enhanced both viral RNA and protein expression in HCV replicon cells. Blocking opioid receptors by treatment with naloxone after morphine cessation (precipitated withdrawal, PW) induced greater HCV replicon expression than MW. Investigation of the mechanism responsible for MW- or PW-mediated HCV enhancement showed that both MW and PW inhibited the expression of endogenous interferon-α (IFN-α) in the hepatic cells. This down-regulation of intracellular IFN-α expression was due to the negative impact of MW or PW on IFN-α promoter activation and on the expression of IFN regulatory factor 7 (IRF-7), a strong transactivator of the IFN-α promoter. In addition, both MW and PW inhibited the anti-HCV ability of recombinant IFN-α in the hepatic cells. These in vitro observations support the concept that opioid abuse favors HCV persistence in hepatic cells by suppressing IFN-α-mediated intracellular innate immunity and contributes to the development of chronic HCV infection.
Sulfated glycosaminoglycans in cultured endothelial cells from capillaries and large vessels of human and bovine origin

The [35S]glycosaminoglycans ([35S]GAG) synthesized by capillary endothelial cells were analyzed and compared to GAG synthesized by endothelial cells cultured from 4 larger vessels. Two separate cultures of endothelial cells were established from bovine fat capillaries and from 4 larger vessels of human origin (umbilical vein) and bovine origin (pulmonary artery, pulmonary vein and aorta). After incubation with 35SO4 for 72 h, the [35S]glycosaminoglycans (GAG) composition of the media, pericellular and cellular fractions of each culture were determined by selective degradation with nitrous acid, chondroitinase ABC and chondroitinase AC. All endothelial cells produced large amounts of [35S]GAG with increased proportions of heparinoids (heparan sulfate and heparin) in the cellular and pericellular fractions. Each culture showed a distinct distribution of [35S]GAG in the media, pericellular and cellular fractions with several specific differences found among the 5 cultures. The differences in GAG content were confirmed in a second group of separate cultures from each of the 5 vessels indicating that, although having several features of GAG metabolism in common, each endothelial cell culture demonstrated a characteristic complement of synthesized, secreted and cell surface-sulfated glycosaminoglycans.
Application of the pseudopotential method to the photoionization of sodium

Abstract A pseudopotential formalism is used to calculate the cross section for photoionization of sodium in the dipole length and velocity approximations. The dipole length results are in exceedingly good agreement with experiment away from the lowest threshold. The dipole velocity results, on the other hand, severly underestimate the cross section except very near threshold.
Navier-Stokes analysis of turbomachinery blade external heat transfer

The two-dimensional, compressible, thin-layer Navier-Stokes and energy equations were solved numerically to obtain heat transfer rates on turbomachinery blades. The Baldwin-Lomax algebraic model and the q-omega low Reynolds number two-equation model were used for modeling of turbulence. For the numerical solution of the governing equations a four-stage Runge-Kutta solver was employed. The turbulence model equations were solved using an implicit scheme. Numerical solutions are presented for two-dimensional flow within two vane cascades. The heat transfer results and the pressure distributions were compared with published experimental data. The agreement between the numerical calculations and the experimental values were found to be generally favorable. The position of transition from laminar to turbulent flow was also predicted accurately.
How to Take a Good Selfie

Selfies are now a global phenomenon. This massive number of self-portrait images taken and shared on social media is revolutionizing the way people introduce themselves and the circle of their friends to the world. While taking photos of oneself can be seen simply as recording personal memories, the urge to share them with other people adds an exclusive sensation to the selfies. Due to the Big Data nature of selfies, it is nearly impossible to analyze them manually. In this paper, we provide, to the best of our knowledge, the first selfie dataset for research purposes with more than 46,000 images. We address interesting questions about selfies, including how appearance of certain objects, concepts and attributes influences the popularity of selfies. We also study the correlation between popularity and sentiment in selfie images. In a nutshell, from a large scale dataset, we automatically infer what makes a selfie a good selfie. We believe that this research creates new opportunities for social, psychological and behavioral scientists to study selfies from a large scale point of view, a perspective that best fits the nature of the selfie phenomenon.
Nutritional and pathological effects of sorbitan monolaurate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, polyoxyethylene monolaurate, and polyoxyethylene monostearate when fed to rats.

Abstract 1. 1. Sorbitan monolaurate (Span 20), polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate (Tween 20), polyoxyethylene monolaurate (G-2129), and polyoxyethylene monostearate (Myrj 45) were fed to rats at a level of 25% of a synthetic diet in two series of experiments for 59 and 70 days, respectively. 2. 2. Rats fed each of these test substances showed a poorer weight increase and utilized their diets less efficiently than control groups fed hydrogenated oils (either alone, or alone with restricted intake, or with inert Celluflour). 3. 3. The test substances (except polyoxeythylene monostearate) caused a severe diarrhea to develop within a few days which generally persisted throughout the entire test period. 4. 4. The presence of these surface-active agents (except polyoxyethylene monostearate) in the diets increased the mortality in rats, sorbitan monolaurate being the most harmful in this respect. 5. 5. Rats fed sorbitan monolaurate developed a necrosis of the hind legs and tail and became anemic. 6. 6. Rats fed polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate showed upon autopsy distended caeca which were full of liquid and gas. 7. 7. Several rats fed polyoxyethylene monolaurate in the diet showed oxalate stones in the bladder. 8. 8. Feeding of the test substances was associated with histopathological evidences of irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, mild and probably reversible degenerative alteration of the kidney tubules, incomplete spermatogenesis, pneumonitis, and reticuloendothelial hyperplasia in the spleen. Sorbitan monolaurate feeding produced focal hepatic necrosis and fat metamorphosis.
THE SEASONALITY IN CONVERTIBLE BOND MARKETS: A STOCK EFFECT OR BOND EFFECT?

There is a strong January effect in convertible bond returns that has been partially attributed to seasonality in the underlying stock. January returns for convertible bonds are positively influenced by the degree to which the bond reflects the underlying equity, which suggests that the anomaly in one asset market may carry over to its derivative asset market. Significant evidence presented here indicates that the January effect also is attributable to unique tax-loss selling in the convertible bond market. A peripheral contribution of this study is that, similar to findings in the stock market, the risk-return trade-off appears to hold only in January for convertible bonds.
Defining non-pathologic inferior corneal steepening

Abstract Computer-assisted videokeratography (corneal topography) has the ability to identify inferior corneal steepening in patients without biomicroscopic evidence of keratoconus. This may be an early form of keratoconus, an abortive form of keratoconus, a variable expression of the condition, or an unrelated diagnostic entity. Differentiating non-pathological inferior corneal steepening from keratoconus is essential for appropriate patient education and management and their candidacy for refractive surgery. Three cases are presented with this topographical finding and the relationship to keratoconus is discussed.
Cointegration and capital market integration: An application of the error-correction mechanism to investigate the relationship between domestic and offshore U.S. dollar yields

In this study the author applies the theory of cointegration to an examination of the structure of international interest rates. U.S. dollar yields in domestic and offshore markets are studied for the period 1986–1987, inclusive. Primary findings reveal that the two yield series are cointegrated, the domestic market responds more rapidly than the offshore market to eliminate deviations from equilibrium, and the adjustment in domestic yields is accomplished by changes in both domestic yields and offshore yields; deviations from equilibrium in the offshore market are corrected solely by changes in domestic market yields.
Overeducation: a short or long run phenomenon for individuals?

Abstract Analyzing a large data set from the 1990s, this paper attempts to gain insights on the time horizon of overeducation. Overeducation could be a short-run phenomenon for individuals if it occurs as a temporary form of employment; perhaps allowing workers to develop career opportunities or gain experience. However, overeducation may be a way for workers to compensate for weaknesses in other areas of human capital (school quality, experience, etc.), thus a long-run phenomenon for other individuals. Currently one in five overeducated individuals are able to remain employed and exit the category within a year. Additionally, approximately 3% of just-educated individuals enter the overeducated category the following year. The findings are robust, occurring for a variety of demographic groups during different stages in the business cycle.
Application of Reburning for NOx Control to a Firetube Package Boiler

Les resultats d'essais montrant qu'il est possible de reduire de 50% les emissions de NO x non controlees en transferant 15% de la charge totale de la chaudiere chauffee au fuel-oil, sur un bruleur secondaire alimente en gaz naturel
Combined deuterium labeling and appearance potential measurements to uncover competing reaction mechanisms in the electron-impact-induced loss of water from cyclohexanol

The appearance potentials for loss of H2O and DOH from the constitutional isomers 3,5-dideuterocyclohexanol and 4,4- dideuterocyclohexannol show, in agreement with proposals based on stereoselectivites, that 1,3 loss of water is energetically more costly than 1,4 loss of water.
Parents' perceptions of autism spectrum disorder etiology and recurrence risk and effects of their perceptions on family planning: Recommendations for genetic counselors.

Knowledge about the etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) is increasing, but causes remain elusive for most cases. Genetic counselors are positioned to help families that have children with ASDs despite uncertainty regarding etiology. To determine how genetic counselors might best provide services, an anonymous survey was conducted with 255 parents whose children were diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Questions concerned: 1) their perceptions of ASD cause(s) and 2) recurrence risk, 3) whether perceived risk affected family planning decisions, 4) whether parents had received genetic services, and 5) how genetic counselors might assist families. The most prevalent perceived cause was genetic influences (72.6%). Most parents’ recurrence risk perceptions were inaccurately high and significantly affected family planning. Only 10% had seen a genetic professional related to an ASD. Parents provided several suggestions for genetic counselor best practices. Findings indicate the importance of genetic counselor awareness of parent perceptions in order to best help families who have children with ASDs.
Prospective Analysis of Early Lapse to Drinking and Smoking Among Individuals in Concurrent Alcohol and Tobacco Treatment

The aims of the current study were to examine, prospectively, (a) dynamic changes in affective state, self-efficacy, and urge in the hours before initial smoking and drinking lapses among individuals in concurrent alcohol and smoking treatment, and (b) the extent to which self-efficacy, urge to use, and/or the use of one substance predicted lapse to the other substance. Ninety-six men and women recruited for a clinical trial of concurrent alcohol and tobacco treatment were eligible for inclusion. Only data from those who experienced an initial lapse to drinking (n=29) or smoking (n=32) were included. Two outpatient substance abuse clinics provided concurrent alcohol and smoking treatment on a weekly basis for three months. Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) methods were employed over a 28-day monitoring period to assess antecedents to first drink, and a 14-day monitoring period was examined for initial smoking lapses. Baseline and EMA measures of positive and negative affect, alcohol/smoking urge, alcohol/smoking abstinence self-efficacy, nicotine withdrawal, and quantity/frequency of alcohol and tobacco use were examined as lapse predictors. Analyses of EMA ratings controlled for the corresponding baseline measure. Smoking lapse among individuals in concurrent alcohol and tobacco treatment was foreshadowed by higher urges to smoke, lower positive mood, and lower confidence to resist smoking. Drinking lapse was preceded by lower confidence to resist smoking, but only among individuals who reported recent smoking. Concurrent alcohol and smoking treatment should focus on the enhancement of abstinence self-efficacy, positive mood, and the curbing of urges in order to offset lapse risk.
Dynamics of student-computer interaction in a simulation environment: reflections on curricular issues

Interactions between the student and the digital computer is discussed for inanimate and live simulations. The smallest unit of activity is defined as a mini-run. Cost functions are suggested based on total computer response time and burden on the sensorimotor system of the user for various classes of mini-runs. Curricular issues related to the role of simulators as educational tools are described. It is suggested that in this role simulators be strongly application-specific, specialized for strong and frequent interaction and approach real-time operation of the simulated system in a virtual environment.
Experimental determination of high-temperature elemental losses from biomass slag

Abstract The loss of alkali metal elements from high-temperature molten biomass slag (wood and rice straw) can be related to the extent of polymerization of the melt. If the alkali metals occur as network-modifying and charge-balancing cations in highly depolymerized melts, such as wood slag, they are easily evaporated during prolonged heating and subsequently deposited on heat exchangers. If the melt is highly polymerized, such as rice straw slag, where the alkali metals occur as network-modifying cations, they are strongly retained in the polymerized network. These differences can be related to the availability of large-sized and low-density charged melt positions. Rice straw ash melt is dominated by a relatively open polymerized network that will easily accommodate the large Na + and K + ions. Wood ash melt is highly depolymerized and does not easily accommodate the large K + ion and only to a certain extent the Na + ion, but will accommodate the smaller and more highly charged Ca 2+ ion. Therefore, the alkali metals in wood slag melt are strongly partitioned into the vapor phase, with K preferentially lost relative to Na from the liquid phase. It is a consequence of this study that the use of straw fuels, compared to wood fuels, may significantly reduce the alkali loss from high temperature molten slag. It is tentatively estimated that about 70% of potassium in rice ash may be retained in the slag. This is in contrast to wood ash where all potassium is lost to the combustion gas with prolonged heating. However, the highly polymerized nature of rice and wheat straw melts and their low melting points render these straws less attractive as fuels for many biomass-fueled power plants.
THE INTEGRATED CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECT

The underlying principle of ICEP is that in order to obtain a constructed facility that best meets the specified criteria, it is essential to integrate the components of the project. These components range from project conception to project completion and include establishment of the need of a facility, financing, planning, site investigation, design construction, surveillance, operation, maintenance, and alteration. The execution of ICEP is to evaluate each important prediction made during the course of the project and use this evaluation to improve the economy and performance of the present facility and future facilities. Critical predictions include predictions of dimensions, properties, forces, and performance. Four case studies are presented to illustrate key points in the ICEP approach. They are: (1) Behavior of an earth embankment retaining oil; (2) behavior of floating and pile-supported foundations, and their effects on adjacent structures during construction; (3) the use of a preload to increase the shear strength of a soft site; and (4) a field test to determine the necessity of sand drains in hydraulic fill.
Free-space millimeter-wave measurement of the complex dielectric constant of radome materials using nonlinear least-squares analysis

Describes a numerical optimization procedure based on the Powell (1965) nonlinear regression algorithm for measuring the complex dielectric constant of radome composite materials and coatings at millimeter wavelengths using free-space measurements of the transmission coefficient over a range of incidence angles and frequencies. Radomes usually need rain-erosion, antistatic, and hydrophobic coatings for environmental protection. In the present approach, the determination of the permittivity of these thin radome coatings is achieved by depositing the coating on a substrate of known dielectric constant and analyzing the transmission coefficient of the two-layer medium. Since the regression algorithm is used to analyze a large number of data points, it reduces the random errors in the experiments and yields more accurate information than the single-point free-space measurement methods used by other authors at millimeter wavelengths. The validity and accuracy of this technique were confirmed by making measurements on standard dielectrics such as polyethylene, nylon, and Teflon. >
God, gays and good-enough enemies

Psychoanalytic social theorists who work in the relational tradition have analyzed the psychodynamics of enemy systems and identified persistent themes in the operation of these systems. Although enemy systems often involve enmity between ethnic, national or cultural groups, the psychodynamic symptoms of such systems are observable when social groups cast familiar outgroups as enemies. In contemporary American political discourse, Christian conservative leaders execute movement politics by linking gay people to terrorism and characterizing them as enemies of America. Sexual politics does not present a classic case of intergroup conflict of the sort usually investigated by psychoanalytic theorists. However, psychodynamic analyses of the intersections of religion, politics and sexuality hold great promise for explicating the domestic enmities that are situated at the center of American political life. Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society (2009) 14, 41-48. doi:10.1057/pcs.2008.43
Visibility preprocessing for interactive walkthroughs

The number of polygons comprising interesting architectural models is many more than can be rendered at interactive frame rates. However, due to occlusion by opaque surfaces (e.g., walls), only a small fraction of a typical model is visible from most viewpoints.We describe a method of visibility preprocessing that is efficient and effective for axis-aligned or axial architectural models. A model is subdivided into rectangular cells whose boundaries coincide with major opaque surfaces. Non-opaque portals are identified on cell boundaries, and used to form an adjacency graph connecting the cells of the subdivision. Next, the cell-to-cell visibility is computed for each cell of the subdivision, by linking pairs of cells between which unobstructed sightlines exist.During an interactive walkthrough phase, an observer with a known position and view cone moves through the model. At each frame, the cell containing the observer is identified, and the contents of potentially visible cells are retrieved from storage. The set of potentially visible cells is further reduced by culling it against the observer's view cone, producing the eye-to-cell visibility. The contents of the remaining visible cells are then sent to a graphics pipeline for hidden-surface removal and rendering.Tests on moderately complex 2-D and 3-D axial models reveal substantially reduced rendering loads.
Minimizing mortality and morbidity from iatrogenic arterial injuries: The need for early recognition and prompt repair

Seventy-one cases of iatrogenic arterial injury requiring repair at our institution from 1972 through 1984 were retrospectively analyzed. Cardiac catheterization accounted for most of the injuries (62%). Ten injuries (14%) resulted from angiography or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty; four injuries (5.6%) occurred after invasive monitoring devices were inserted. Six injuries (8.45%) stemmed from complications of intra-aortic balloon pump insertion, whereas the remainder occurred during various surgical procedures. Most injuries were in the femoral (42.3%) and brachial (38.1%) locations. Thrombectomy (23.9%) and resection with end-to-end anastomosis (35.2%) were the repairs most commonly performed. Morbidity and mortality were low; only one case resulted in limb loss, and neither of the two deaths resulted from the vascular repair itself. On the basis of our experience, we can make certain recommendations with regard to specific injuries. First, the conservative approach to brachial artery thrombosis occurring after catheterization is early exploration and repair. Second, although most injuries can be managed simply with thrombectomy and primary repair, iliofemoral injuries are more likely to require complex reconstructive techniques. Third, large-bore catheter injuries to the carotid artery require immediate exploration and repair to prevent thrombosis, pseudoaneurysm, and cerebral embolism. Fourth, symptoms of nerve compression after transaxillary arteriography require prompt exploration. Our results indicate that, depending on the site of injury, individualized techniques of varying complexity are required for repair. In general, serious sequelae can be minimized by early recognition, prompt operation, and adherence to sound vascular surgical principles.
Preserved insulin secretory capacity and weight loss are the predominant predictors of glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes randomized to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Improvement in type 2 diabetes after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) has been attributed partly to weight loss, but mechanisms beyond weight loss remain unclear. We performed an ancillary study to the Diabetes Surgery Study to assess changes in incretins, insulin sensitivity, and secretion 1 year after randomization to lifestyle modification and intensive medical management (LS/IMM) alone (n = 34) or in conjunction with RYGB (n = 34). The RYGB group lost more weight and had greater improvement in HbA1c. Fasting glucose was lower after RYGB than after LS/IMM, although the glucose area under the curve decreased comparably for both groups. Insulin sensitivity increased in both groups. Insulin secretion was unchanged after LS/IMM but decreased after RYGB, except for a rapid increase during the first 30 min after meal ingestion. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) was substantially increased after RYGB, while gastric inhibitory polypeptide and glucagon decreased. Lower HbA1c was most strongly correlated with the percentage of weight loss for both groups. At baseline, a greater C-peptide index and 90-min postprandial C-peptide level were predictive of lower HbA1c at 1 year after RYGB. β-Cell glucose sensitivity, which improved only after RYGB, and improved disposition index were associated with lower HbA1c in both groups, independent of weight loss. Weight loss and preserved β-cell function both predominantly determine the greatest glycemic benefit after RYGB.
Malleability of the approximate number system: effects of feedback and training.

Prior research demonstrates that animals and humans share an approximate number system (ANS), characterized by ratio dependence and that the precision of this system increases substantially over human development. The goal of the present research was to investigate the malleability of the ANS (as measured by weber fraction) in adult subjects in response to feedback and to explore the relationship between ANS acuity and acuity on another magnitude comparison task. We tested each of 20 subjects over six 1-hour sessions. The main findings were that a) weber fractions rapidly decreased when trial-by-trial feedback was introduced in the second session and remained stable over continued training, b) weber fractions remained steady when trial-by-trial feedback was removed in session six, c) weber fractions from the number comparison task were positively correlated with weber fractions from a line length comparison task, d) improvement in weber fractions in response to feedback for the number task did not transfer to the line length task, e) finally, the precision of the ANS was positively correlated with math, but not verbal, SAT or GRE scores. Potential neural correlates of the perceptual information and decision processes are considered, and predictions regarding the neural correlates of ANS malleability are discussed.
Reducing time on for extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation for adults with H1N1 pneumonia with the use of the Volume Diffusive Respirator.

Abstract Background The investigators compared a series of adult survivors of severe H1N1 pneumonia treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) with members of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry for patients with H1N1 with regard to ventilator management while on ECMO. Methods Adults who survived ECMO were compared regarding time on ECMO for those treated with the Volume Diffusive Respirator (VDR) or with conventional “lung rest.” The VDR delivered 500 percussions/min, with tidal pressures of 24/12 cm H2O and a fraction of inspired oxygen of .4 at 15 beats/min. Results There were no differences between the study patients (n = 7) and the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization cohort (n = 150) regarding age, pre-ECMO ventilator days, pre-ECMO ratio of partial pressure of oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen, or survival after lung recovery. Patients treated with VDR required ECMO support for a shorter duration (mean, 193.29 ± 35.71 vs 296.63 ± 18.17 hours; P = .029). Conclusions These data suggest that the VDR enhanced pulmonary recovery from severe H1N1 pneumonia in adults. Shorter times on ECMO may improve the risk/benefit and cost/benefit ratios associated with ECMO care.
Permeability of biological and synthetic molecules through dentine

Summary The diffusion through dentine by a number of biological and synthetic molecules, including resins and dyes, is reported. In vitro measurements were derived by experiments with a modified ‘split-chamber device’. Diffusion was found to be indirectly proportional to dentine thickness for all molecules. Permeability of water-soluble molecules and ethanol-soluble molecules was proportional to the molecular weights, except for fluorescein, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and urethane dimethacrylate. The resin components tested are not soluble enough in an aqueous medium to diffuse through 0.5 mm dentine at sufficient concentrations to cause cytotoxicity to pulpal cells.
Force sensing syringe to analyze needle path forces during intramuscular injection

Intramuscular injections are a common medical procedure performed countless times on a daily basis; however the actual procedure of giving an injection is rather complicated and can be intimidating to nursing students new to the medical profession. The instrumented syringe discussed in this paper was conceived as a tool to help train individuals in proper injection procedure and technique. Utilizing force data collected from a sensor instrumented syringe, it is possible to plot and compare various data sets from different users thus providing valuable information and feedback on performance. The data acquisition hardware and software and GUI was designed, created, and implemented with the assumption that individuals using it were novices with technical background.
Vowel change across three age groups of speakers in three regional varieties of American English

Abstract This acoustic study examines sound (vowel) change in apparent time across three successive generations of 123 adult female speakers ranging in age from 20 to 65 years old, representing three regional varieties of American English, typical of western North Carolina, central Ohio and southeastern Wisconsin. A set of acoustic measures characterized the dynamic nature of formant trajectories, the amount of spectral change over the course of vowel duration and the position of the spectral centroid. The study found a set of systematic changes to /ɪ, ɛ, ae/ including positional changes in the acoustic space (mostly lowering of the vowels) and significant variation in formant dynamics (increased monophthongization). This common sound change is evident in both emphatic (articulated clearly) and nonemphatic (casual) productions and occurs regardless of dialect-specific vowel dispersions in the vowel space. The cross-generational and cross-dialectal patterns of variation found here support an earlier report by Jacewicz, Fox, and Salmons (2011) which found this recent development in these three dialect regions in isolated citation-form words. While confirming the new North American Shift in different styles of production, the study underscores the importance of addressing the stress-related variation in vowel production in a careful and valid assessment of sound change.
Sea Surface Temperature and Local Weather

Abstract Parameterizations in numerical models of the general atmospheric circulation accord with the hypothesis advanced by lchiye and Petersen and Bjerknes—high sea surface temperatures “cause” high local rainfall. Observations at Canton Island and elsewhere in the tropics fail to support this attractively simple idea.
Neutron hole states of Mo-99

The ($p, d$) and ($d, t$) reactions on $^{100}\mathrm{Mo}$ have been used at bombarding energies of \ensuremath{\sim} 40 MeV to populate neutron hole states of $^{99}\mathrm{Mo}$. Excitation energies and angular distributions were measured for levels up to 4.25 MeV in excitation. A distorted wave Born approximation analysis was used to make $l$ assignments and to obtain spectroscopic factors. Three distinct groups of weakly excited levels, one corresponding to $l=4$ and two corresponding to $l=1$, were observed lying above 2.15 MeV excitation. A hole-core-coupling model is used to predict the properties of $^{99}\mathrm{Mo}$ and fair agreement with the experiment is obtained.NUCLEAR REACTIONS, NUCLEAR STRUCTURE $^{100}\mathrm{Mo}(p, d)$, $^{100}\mathrm{Mo}(d, t)$, $E\ensuremath{\simeq}40$ MeV; measured $\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\theta})$, $^{99}\mathrm{Mo}$ levels, deduced $l$, $S$; calculated $J$, $\ensuremath{\pi}$, $S$, particle-core-coupling model.
50 Years Ago in The Journal of Pediatrics Pediatric Empyema: A Second Look at its Incidence and Importance. Kiesewetter, WB, Rusnock JR, Girdany BR. J Pediatr 1959;54:81-6.

In 1957 and 1958 there was an abrupt increase in the number of children presenting to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh with empyema, a condition which had been steadily declining since the introduction of penicillin. To further examine this surprising upsurge in cases, these investigators retrospectively compared the incidence, etiology, treatment and outcomes of pediatric empyema in the “pre-penicillin era” from 1940–1945 with the “antibiotic era” of 1952–57. They found staphylococcus to be the primary bacteria cultured in the 1957 cases, in contrast to pneumococcus which was the predominate organism in previous years. This increasing prevalence of staphylococcus in association with the initiation and widespread availability of penicillin treatment illustrates how broad changes in pediatric medical practice can effect the etiology of empyema. Subsequent studies through the 1980s reported Staphylococcus aureus and Haemophilus influenzae as predominant pathogens in pediatric empyema. In the early 1990s, following adoption of universal conjugated Haemophilus influenzae vaccination, a number of centers in North America and Europe reported significant increases in empyema cases with the resurgence of Streptococcus pneumoniae as the foremost pathogen. Recent investigations covering the period after the introduction of conjugated pneumococcal vaccine now report a rising prevalence of S aureus and the emergence of MRSA as causative organisms. The Pittsburgh data also reveals the improved outcomes penicillin therapy provided for pediatric empyema. Duration of hospitalization and mortality fell from 34 days and 16% in the pre-antibiotic era to 23 days and 8% in the 1952–1957 period. Pediatric studies from the past decade generally report duration of hospitalization of approximately 14 days with mortality rates less than 1% demonstrating the continued advances in treatment of the ensuing 5 decades. Apparently even 50 years ago one could not write a pediatric empyema paper without addressing controversies in medical versus surgical management. The authors advocate aggressive surgical evacuation of pleural exudate either by repeated thoracentesis or tube drainage over “conservatively handled cases”. Unlike current retrospective empyema studies, however, the readers are spared the common concluding cliche of: “future prospective studies are needed”!
Electrofuels: A New Paradigm for Renewable Fuels

Biofuels are by now a well-established component of the liquid fuels market and will continue to grow in importance for both economic and environmental reasons. To date, all commercial approaches to biofuels involve photosynthetic capture of solar radiation and conversion to reduced carbon; however, the low efficiency inherent to photosynthetic systems presents significant challenges to scaling. In 2009, the US Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) created the Electrofuels program to explore the potential of nonphotosynthetic autotrophic organisms for the conversion of durable forms of energy to energy-dense, infrastructure-compatible liquid fuels. The Electrofuels approach expands the boundaries of traditional biofuels and could offer dramatically higher conversion efficiencies while providing significant reductions in requirements for both arable land and water relative to photosynthetic approaches. The projects funded under the Electrofuels program tap the enormous and largely unexplored diversity of the natural world, and may offer routes to advanced biofuels that are significantly more efficient, scalable and feedstock-flexible than routes based on photosynthesis. Here, we describe the rationale for the creation of the Electrofuels program, and outline the challenges and opportunities afforded by chemolithoautotrophic approaches to liquid fuels.
Decision Making: A Computational Approach

The objective of our research is to incorporate into a computerized environment the intrinsic capabilities of an intelligent decision-maker to function and decide in an environment characterized by a lack of information, inconsistency and ambiguity. There is much (though not all) that decision-makers do in realistic situations that is sound and reasonable, in view of all the constraints to which they are subject. Our perspective draws upon research in cognitive psychology as to how people construct and revise beliefs. We show how such a perspective leads us to a model of an artificially intelligent (A.I.) decision-making system that can reason with incomplete knowledge, make revisions in beliefs due to new evidence, and modify the reasoning model itself when it is so warranted. Such a capability is achieved by a synergistic combination of several metaphors of reasoning and learning. In particular, the model integrates three previously unrelated themes developed in the A.I. field: explanation based learning, truth maintenance systems and analogical reasoning.
A Capital Lock-In Theory of the Corporate Income Tax

The separate taxation of corporations has attracted significant attention recently, but it has yet to be adequately explained. In part, this may be because the understanding of the corporation itself has been insufficiently developed. Recently, however, scholars have begun to study a new feature of the corporation - its ability to lock-in capital and the earnings from capital - that has been overlooked and may offer hope in understanding the corporate tax. Capital lock-in may be economically beneficial for firms with long-range investments and firm-specific assets, but it poses difficulty for a progressive individual income tax system. Unless shareholders are taxed currently on undistributed corporate earnings, there is a risk of deferral because dividends are at the discretion of the board of directors. Imposing pass-through taxation, however, could threaten capital lock-in and incur the wrath of corporate managers. At an early point, this tension was resolved by imposing a corporate tax that levied a current charge on earnings, but under its own rate structure to minimize any distributive pressure from the historically high marginal rates applicable to individuals. While much has changed in the income tax system in the last century, this compromise continues to describe our system. Whether it is a compromise that has value is something that merits further study as part of the current consideration of fundamental tax reform.
A new insight into BEOL TDDB lifetime model for advanced technology scaling

For the past several years, there have been debates that backend IMD-TDDB Sqrt(E) lifetime model is too conservative and has become the constraint for BEOL technology scaling. In this study, it is demonstrated that low bias TDDB model could be varied from conservative E to aggressive Power-Law or 1/E model, depending on the material characteristics of extreme low-k (ELK), etch stop layer (ESL), and the process conditions. Based on J-V, I-t and defect generation rate analysis, Sqrt(E) model is adequate for high-bias TDDB; however, hydrogen release, initiated by low-bias with extremely low current conduction for film with better process, explained the TDDB lifetime performance improvement that better fits with the Power-Law lifetime model. The voltage acceleration factor from hydrogen release theory is consistent with that of TDDB data. Based on various clustering factors under wide range of TDDB stress voltages combined with the ELK chemical bonding analysis, we proposed an inhomogeneous percolation model which is an important factor in prolonging the TTF at medium or low bias contributes to more aggressive Power-Law or 1/E lifetime models.
Enhancing the resonance stability of a high-Q micro/nanoresonator by an optical means

High-quality optical resonators underlie many important applications ranging from optical frequency metrology, precision measurement, nonlinear/quantum photonics, to diverse sensing such as detecting single biomolecule, electromagnetic field, mechanical acceleration/rotation, among many others. All these applications rely essentially on the stability of optical resonances, which, however, is ultimately limited by the fundamental thermal fluctuations of the devices. The resulting thermo-refractive and thermo-elastic noises have been widely accepted for nearly two decades as the fundamental thermodynamic limit of an optical resonator, limiting its resonance uncertainty to a magnitude 10-12 at room temperature. Here we report a novel approach that is able to significantly improve the resonance stability of an optical resonator. We show that, in contrast to the common belief, the fundamental temperature fluctuations of a high-Q micro/nanoresonator can be suppressed remarkably by pure optical means without cooling the device temperature, which we term as temperature squeezing. An optical wave with only a fairly moderate power launched into the device is able to produce strong photothermal backaction that dramatically suppresses the spectral intensity of temperature fluctuations by five orders of magnitudes and squeezes the overall level (root-mean-square value) of temperature fluctuations by two orders of magnitude. The proposed approach is universally applicable to various micro/nanoresonator platforms and the optimal temperature squeezing can be achieved with an optical Q around 10 6 -10 7 that is readily available in various current devices. The proposed photothermal temperature squeezing is expected to have profound impact on broad applications of high-Q cavities in sensing, metrology, and integrated nonlinear/quantum photonics.
The Development of a Testbed to Assess an Intelligent Tutoring System for Teams

Work has been ongoing to develop an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) for teams. As part of this work, we are developing a flexible, scalable, military-based set of collaborative team tasks that can serve as a "testbed" to exercise various aspects of a team ITS architecture.Warfighting teams are a core part of any operation as individual soldiers combine their skill sets and plan, coordinate and act as one entity to accomplish assigned objectives. The team ITS test bed presented in this paper uses simple team tasks to train soldiers on basic functions including observation, target detection, target identification, communication within the team and decision making under stress. The testbed allows for manipulation of various dimensions of tutor feedback, learner work- load, and team size. The testbed enables researchers to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of different types of feedback on militarily-relevant training tasks.
Antisemitism and the American Far Left: The Jewish Question Discarded

When Khrushchev’s February 1956 secret speech at the Twentieth Party Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) denouncing Stalin’s crimes became available in the United States in June, there were rumblings of dissatisfaction within the American CP over Soviet unwillingness to acknowledge the severe damage that had been inflicted on Jewish cultural institutions in the USSR. Khrushchev’s secret speech made no mention of persecution of Jews under Stalin, the destruction of Yiddish culture, or the murder of Soviet Jewish writers and poets. Soviet hostility to Israel also distressed many CP members. In 1956, Khrushchev’s revelations about Stalin, concern about Soviet antisemitism, the Kremlin’s strong backing of Egypt in the Suez War, and the Soviet invasion of Hungary precipitated the greatest crisis in the CP’s history, resulting in the departure of an even larger proportion of the membership than after the Molotov–von Ribbentrop Pact. This massive departure permanently relegated the CP to the margins of the far left. A younger generation uninterested in antisemitism assumed control of the far left when a radical movement again emerged in the United States during the next decade.