cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Streamlining the care of patients with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis: application of a clinical pathway.

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a clinical pathway on infants admitted to a pediatric tertiary care center with the diagnosis of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS). Methods: The records of 132 HPS patients were evaluated before and after implementation of a clinical pathway. Infants were excluded for prematurity, admission to nonsurgical services, or multiple diagnoses requiring prolonged hospitalization, resulting in 83 patients for analysis. Group I (prepathway, n=40) and group II (postpathway, n=43) infants were analyzed for time from admission to operation, operation to first feeding, operation to discharge, total length of stay, hospital charges, metabolic status at time of admission, and postoperative complications. The Mann-Whitney test was performed (statistical significance at P Results: There was no significant difference between group I and group II patients in the length of preoperative hospitalization or metabolic status at the time of hospital admission. In comparison with group I patients, there was a significant reduction in time to resumption of oral feedings (4.6 ± 1.9 hours v 7.5 ± 3.2 hours; P v 38.0 ± 11.7 hours; P v 57.8 ± 14.3 hours; P v $5,400 ± $1,017; P Conclusions: Elimination of practice variability by the use of a clinical pathway for HPS resulted in significant reduction of hospital stay and related charges. The impact of the pathway occurred in the postoperative period and is a consequence of a rapid and systematic return to oral feedings. J Pediatr Surg 37:1072-1075. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Is Integrative Medicine the Next New Frontier in Medicine

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) methods are increasingly being used by patients in the Western world to treat autoimmune or allergic diseases. Patients use these methodologies of their own accord, frequently against the advice of their physicians. Integrative medicine hopes to merge the benefits of both conventional Western medicine and CAM. More and more research is being conducted to decipher the secrets behind the thousands of years of experience that CAM offers. Are these treatments effective, and are they safe? Or do they act simply by the “placebo effect.” This unique issue attempts to bring integrative medicine to greater awareness among Western physicians and practitioners.
End-bridging is required for pol μ to efficiently promote repair of noncomplementary ends by nonhomologous end joining

DNA polymerase mu is a member of the mammalian pol X family and reduces deletion during chromosome break repair by nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). This biological role is linked to pol mu's ability to promote NHEJ of ends with noncomplementary 3' overhangs, but questions remain regarding how it performs this role. We show here that synthesis by pol mu in this context is often rapid and, despite the absence of primer/template base-pairing, instructed by template. However, pol mu is both much less active and more prone to possible template independence in some contexts, including ends with overhangs longer than two nucleotides. Reduced activity on longer overhangs implies pol mu is less able to synthesize across longer gaps, arguing pol mu must bridge both sides of gaps between noncomplementary ends to be effective in NHEJ. Consistent with this argument, a pol mu mutant defective specifically on gapped substrates is also less active during NHEJ of noncomplementary ends both in vitro and in cells. Taken together, pol mu activity during NHEJ of noncomplementary ends can thus be primarily linked to pol mu's ability to work together with core NHEJ factors to bridge DNA ends and perform a template-dependent gap fill-in reaction.
Stages of processing in associative recognition: Evidence from behavior, eeg, and classification

In this study, we investigated the stages of information processing in associative recognition. We recorded EEG data while participants performed an associative recognition task that involved manipulations of word length, associative fan, and probe type, which were hypothesized to affect the perceptual encoding, retrieval, and decision stages of the recognition task, respectively. Analyses of the behavioral and EEG data, supplemented with classification of the EEG data using machine-learning techniques, provided evidence that generally supported the sequence of stages assumed by a computational model developed in the Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational cognitive architecture. However, the results suggested a more complex relationship between memory retrieval and decision-making than assumed by the model. Implications of the results for modeling associative recognition are discussed. The study illustrates how a classifier approach, in combination with focused manipulations, can be used to investigate the timing of processing stages.
The emerging optical data center

We review the architecture of modern datacenter networks, as well as their scaling challenges; then present high-level requirements for deploying optical technologies in datacenters, particularly focusing on optical circuit switching and WDM transceivers.
Buckling-induced smart applications: recent advances and trends

A paradigm shift has emerged over the last decade pointing to an exciting research area dealing with the harnessing of elastic structural instabilities for ‘smart’ purposes in a variety of venues. Among the different types of unstable responses, buckling is a phenomenon that has been known for centuries, and yet it is generally avoided through special design modifications. Increasing interest in the design of smart devices and mechanical systems has identified buckling and postbuckling response as a favorable behavior. The objective of this topical review is to showcase the recent advances in buckling-induced smart applications and to explain why buckling responses have certain advantages and are especially suitable for these particular applications. Interesting prototypes in terms of structural forms and material uses associated with these applications are summarized. Finally, this review identifies potential research avenues and emerging trends for using buckling and other elastic instabilities for future innovations.
Rottlerin Inhibits Chlamydial Intracellular Growth and Blocks Chlamydial Acquisition of Sphingolipids from Host Cells

We report that rottlerin, a plant-derived compound known to inhibit various mammalian kinases, profoundly inhibited chlamydial growth in cell culture with a minimal inhibition concentration of 1 μM. The inhibition was effective even when rottlerin was added as late as the middle stage of chlamydial infection cycle, against multiple Chlamydia species, and in different host cell lines. Pretreatment of host cells with rottlerin prior to infection also blocked chlamydial growth, suggesting that rottlerin targets host factors. Moreover, rottlerin did not alter the chlamydial infection rate and did not directly target chlamydial protein synthesis and secretion. The rottlerin-mediated inhibition of chlamydial replication and inclusion expansion correlated well with the rottlerin-induced blockade of host cell sphingolipid trafficking from the Golgi apparatus into chlamydial inclusions. These studies not only allowed us to identify a novel antimicrobial activity for rottlerin but also allowed us to uncover a potential mechanism for rottlerin inhibition of chlamydial growth.
Antinociceptive effect of cannabinoid agonist WIN 55,212-2 in rats with a spinal cord injury.

Abstract Spinal cord injury (SCI) pain exhibits many symptoms associated with peripheral neuropathic pain, including increased tactile hypersensitivity. One novel approach to ameliorate SCI pain is the use of cannabinoid (CB) ligands. The current study evaluated the efficacy of the nonselective CB receptor agonist WIN 55,212-2 on tactile hypersensitivity in rats following a brief compression to the thoracic spinal cord. The withdrawal thresholds of the hind paws following SCI were significantly decreased, indicating tactile hypersensitivity. Systemic injection of WIN 55,212-2 increased withdrawal thresholds in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment with the CB1 receptor subtype-selective antagonist AM 251 completely abolished the antinociceptive effect of WIN 55,212-2 whereas pretreatment with the CB2 receptor subtype-selective antagonist AM 630 did not alter the antinociceptive effect of WIN 55,212-2. These data indicate that a CB1-selective agonist may be novel therapeutic treatment for clinical SCI pain.
Analgesia for children with acute abdominal pain: a survey of pediatric emergency physicians and pediatric surgeons.

Objective. To evaluate the current opin- ion and practice of pediatric emergency medicine physi- cians (PEM) and pediatric surgeons (PS) on the use of opioid analgesia in children with acute abdominal pain during their evaluation in the emergency department. Methods. All members of the American Academy of Pediatrics in the Section of Emergency Medicine and the American Pediatric Surgeons Association were mailed a copy of the survey. Inclusion criteria were board-eligible or -certified PEM, or PS certified by American Board of Surgery or Royal College of Surgeons currently in prac- tice whose patient population includes children. Infor- mation on primary patient population, years in practice, practice setting, willingness to provide analgesia for acute nontraumatic abdominal pain in children, and the factors influencing their decision were requested. Data were analyzed with the Student t test and 2 analysis. Results. Of 1441 surveys sent, 54 were returned be- cause of incorrect addresses. Of the 1387 presumed re- ceived, 702 completed surveys were returned with a re- sponse rate of 51%. However, of those who responded, 574 (82%) respondents met our inclusion criteria, and 385 (67%) were PEM and 189 (33%) were PS. Compared with PEM, more PS had >10 years of work experience and were in private practice. More PEM were willing to pro- vide analgesia before definitive diagnosis. However, the overall willingness to provide analgesia was low in both groups. Among the physicians with 10 years of experience, 61% of PS were less likely to provide analgesia compared with 38% of the PEM ( 23%; 95% confidence interval 13%, 33%). Of the 74 PEM who made optional general comments, 64 (87%) cited disapproval by the PS as the main barrier in providing analgesia. Conclusions. The practice of providing analgesia for children with acute abdominal pain is divergent between PEM and PS. More experienced surgeons are less likely to provide analgesia for children with acute abdominal pain. The perceived disapproval of providing analgesia to children with acute abdominal pain by PS is a barrier influencing PEM practice. Pediatrics 2003;112:1122-1126; abdominal pain, analgesia, survey, pediatric surgery, pediat- ric emergency medicine.
Hybrid mesh generation with embedded surfaces using a multiple marching direction approach

This paper proposes a method for the creation of hybrid meshes with embedded surfaces for viscous flow simulations as an extension of the multiple marching direction approach (AIAA J. 2007; 45(1):162–167). The multiple marching direction approach enables to place semi-structured elements around singular points, where valid semi-structured elements cannot be placed using conventional hybrid mesh generation methods. This feature is discussed first with a couple of examples. Elements sometimes need to be clustered inside a computational domain to obtain more accurate results. For example, solution features, such as shocks, vortex cores and wake regions, can be extracted during the process of adaptive mesh generation. These features can be represented as surface meshes embedded in a computational domain. Semi-structured elements can be placed around the embedded surface meshes using the multiple marching direction approach with a pretreatment method. Tetrahedral elements can be placed easily instead. A couple of results are presented to demonstrate the capability of the mesh generation method. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
BAND OFFSETS AT STRAINED-LAYER INTERFACES

Strained-layer heterojunctions and superlattices have recently shown tremendous potential for device applications because of their flexibility for tailoring the electronic band structure. We present a theoretical model to predict the band offsets at both lattice­ matched and pseudomorphic strained-layer interfaces. The theory is based on the local­ density-functional pseudopotential formalism, and the "model solid approach" of Van de Walle and Martin. The results can be most simply expressed in terms of an "absolute" energy level for each semiconductor, and deformation potentials that describe the effects of strain on the electronic bands. The model predicts reliable values for the experimentally observed lineups in Si/Ge, GaAs/lnAs, and ZnSe/ZnS systems, and can be used to ex­ plore which combinations of materials and configurations of the strains will lead to the desired electronic properties.
Flexible architectural support for fine-grain scheduling

To make efficient use of CMPs with tens to hundreds of cores, it is often necessary to exploit fine-grain parallelism. However, managing tasks of a few thousand instructions is particularly challenging, as the runtime must ensure load balance without compromising locality and introducing small overheads. Software-only schedulers can implement various scheduling algorithms that match the characteristics of different applications and programming models, but suffer significant overheads as they synchronize and communicate task information over the deep cache hierarchy of a large-scale CMP. To reduce these costs, hardware-only schedulers like Carbon, which implement task queuing and scheduling in hardware, have been proposed. However, a hardware-only solution fixes the scheduling algorithm and leaves no room for other uses of the custom hardware. This paper presents a combined hardware-software approach to build fine-grain schedulers that retain the flexibility of software schedulers while being as fast and scalable as hardware ones. We propose asynchronous direct messages (ADM), a simple architectural extension that provides direct exchange of asynchronous, short messages between threads in the CMP without going through the memory hierarchy. ADM is sufficient to implement a family of novel, software-mostly schedulers that rely on low-overhead messaging to efficiently coordinate scheduling and transfer task information. These schedulers match and often exceed the performance and scalability of Carbon when using the same scheduling algorithm. When the ADM runtime tailors its scheduling algorithm to application characteristics, it outperforms Carbon by up to 70%.
Differential regulation of multiple flagellins in Vibrio cholerae

Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of the human diarrheal disease cholera, is a motile bacterium with a single polar flagellum. Motility has been implicated as a virulence determinant in some animal models of cholera, but the relationship between motility and virulence has not yet been clearly defined. We have begun to define the regulatory circuitry controlling motility. We have identified five V. cholerae flagellin genes, arranged in two chromosomal loci, flaAC and flaEDB; all five genes have their own promoters. The predicted gene products have a high degree of homology to each other. A strain containing a single mutation in flaA is nonmotile and lacks a flagellum, while strains containing multiple mutations in the other four flagellin genes, including a flaCEDB strain, remain motile. Measurement of fla promoter-lacZ fusions reveals that all five flagellin promoters are transcribed at high levels in both wild-type and flaA strains. Measurement of the flagellin promoter-lacZ fusions in Salmonella typhimurium indicates that the promoter for flaA is transcribed by the sigma54 holoenzyme form of RNA polymerase while the flaE, flaD, and flaB promoters are transcribed by the sigma28 holoenzyme. These results reveal that the V. cholerae flagellum is a complex structure with multiple flagellin subunits including FlaA, which is essential for flagellar synthesis and is differentially regulated from the other flagellins.
Technology Transfer: The Design, Development, and Implementation of a Process

Throughout the past five years, Hewlett-Packard Company's R&D entities in the Networked Systems Sector (Cupertino) have engaged in the systematic implementation of software engineering processes, methods, and tools. The goal: improve software products delivered to HP customers. This effort, led by the Technology Transfer section (TX), has resulted in improvements for several projects in the areas of time-to-market, product quality, and reduced development costs. This paper presents a summary of TX's approach to the design, development, and implementation of a technology transfer process.
Prenatal Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Fistula: A Case Report and Review of Literature

We report an antenatally diagnosed large distal coronary artery fistula (CAF) arising from an aneurysmal dilation right coronary artery (RCA) and draining in to the right ventricle (RV) just below the septal leaflet of tricuspid valve posteriorly. A postnatal echocardiogram confirmed the diagnosis. On the second day of life, a percutaneous partial closure of the fistula was performed by placing a Flipper coil (Cook Medical, Bloomington, IN) in the RCA just proximal to the drainage site in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Follow-up echocardiogram on the day following the procedure showed improved forward flow in the descending aorta with decreased RV size. Our case report suggests that antenatal diagnosis of a CAF may aid in early intervention. Partial closure of the fistula in the cardiac catheterization laboratory is safe and effective.
Magmatic development of an intra-oceanic arc: High-precision U-Pb zircon and whole-rock isotopic analyses from the accreted Talkeetna arc, south-central Alaska

The accreted Talkeetna arc, south-central Alaska, is an archetypal example of an intra-oceanic arc crustal section. Arc-related units include all levels of a lithospheric column, from residual mantle harzburgites to sub-aerial volcanic rocks, and provide a rare opportunity to study intrusive arc processes directly. We present the first high-precision U-Pb zircon ages and an extensive new data set of 143Nd/144Nd and 87Sr/86Sr isotopic analyses from Talkeetna arc plutonic rocks. These data provide new insight into the timing and extent of Talkeetna arc magmatism, the tectonic development of the arc, and the role of preexisting crustal material in the generation of arc magmas. New analyses from the exposed arc crustal section in the Chugach Mountains indicate that the Talkeetna arc began to develop as a juvenile [ϵNd(t) = 6.0–7.8 and 87Sr/86Srint = 0.703379–0.703951] intra-oceanic arc between 202.1 and 181.4 Ma. This initial arc plutonism was followed ca. 180 Ma by a northward shift in the arc magmatic axis and generation of a large plutonic suite in the Talkeetna Mountains. Plutons from the eastern Talkeetna Mountains yield U-Pb zircon ages of 177.5–168.9 Ma and are isotopically similar to the Chugach Mountains intrusions [ϵNd(t) = 5.6–7.2 and 87Sr/86Srint = 0.703383–0.703624]. However, plutons from the western Talkeetna Mountains batholith have more evolved initial isotopic ratios [ϵNd(t) = 4.0–5.5 and 87Sr/86Srint = 0.703656–0.706252] and contain inherited xenocrystic Carboniferous–Triassic zircons. These data are interpreted to represent assimilation of adjacent Wrangellia crust into arc magmas and require amalgamation of the Talkeetna arc with the Wrangellia terrane by ca. 153 Ma. As a whole, the combined U-Pb zircon and isotopic data from the Chugach and Talkeetna Mountains indicate that the main volume of Talkeetna arc magmas formed with little or no involvement of preexisting crustal material. These observations justify the use of the Talkeetna arc as a type section for intrusive intra-oceanic arc crust.
Animal Models of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis: Eat, Delete, and Inflame

With the obesity epidemic, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a public health problem with increasing prevalence. The mechanism of disease progression remains obscure and effective therapy is lacking. Therefore, there is a need to understand the pathogenic mechanisms responsible for disease development and progression in order to develop innovative therapies. To accomplish this goal, experimental animal models that recapitulate the human disease are necessary, especially, since causative mechanistic studies of NAFLD are more difficult or unethical to perform in humans. A large number of studies regarding the pathophysiology and treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have been undertaken in mice to model human NAFLD and NASH. This review discusses the known dietary, genetic, and inflammation-based animal models of NASH described in recent years, with a focus on the major advances made in this field.
Free Mobility within the Gulf Cooperation Council

CIRS publishes original research on a variety of topics of relevance to the Middle East in general and to the Gulf region in particular.
Comparison in Bambara: an infinitival verb phrase

An infinitival verb phrase is generated to express comparison in Bambara. In particular, the comparative verb phrase has the structure: INFINITIVE MARKER + INTRANSITIVE VERB + NP + POSTPOSITION. The structural constraints on the comparative verb phrase are not specific to comparison, but are the more general constraints resulting from concatenating verb phrases. However, a special structural and pragmatic relation is established between the head clause and the comparative infinitival verb phrase. This relation has consequences for the structure of the NP in the comparative phrase and for deletion of lexical items within the comparative phrase. In this respect, the comparative infinitival phrase behaves differently from non-comparative infinitival verb phrases.
Gangs and Delinquency in Developmental Perspective: Gangs in Developmental Perspective: Substantive and Policy Implications

previous studies of gangs and gang members have not, by and large, placed the study of gang members in a life-course perspective. As a consequence there are a variety of important topics in the study of gangs about which we have inadequate information. They include, first, studies of risk factors in which antecedent variables are linked to the odds of later gang membership and studies of causal processes that attempt to identify why certain youngsters join gangs while others do not. Second, although we know from many studies that gang members are more delinquent than nonmembers, few studies of within-individual change examine the extent to which gang membership itself may facilitate this outcome. Finally, although we have some indication of the short-term impact of gang membership on the individual, we have little information on long-term developmental consequences of being a member of a street gang during adolescence. In this book, we have tried to flesh out the picture of gang life by focusing on developmental questions within the context of the Rochester Youth Development Study. This study has a number of design features that aid in the examination of these issues. The Rochester study has a representative, community-based sample of an initial panel of 1,000 adolescents followed from early adolescence to early adulthood. Subjects were not selected on the basis of whether they were gang members, and gang membership was observed as it naturally occurred over the life course, if it occurred at all.
Development of a Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Model to Predict the Impact of Genetic Polymorphisms on the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics Represented by Receptor/Transporter Occupancy of Central Nervous System Drugs.

Background Genetic polymorphisms are major determinants of individual variability in a drug’s efficacy and safety, which is one of the main challenges in current clinical practice and drug development. The aim of this work was to develop a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK)/pharmacodynamic (PD) model to predict changes in the PK parameters associated with genetic polymorphisms and the impact of these changes on drugs’ PD effect.
A comparison of obstetrical outcomes and costs between misoprostol and dinoprostone for induction of labor

AbstractObjective: The objective of this study is to compare resource utilization (efficiency) and obstetrical/cost outcomes of single dose misoprostol versus dinoprostone for induction of labor (IOL) at term.Methods: Retrospective cohort of induced deliveries 37–41 weeks gestation presenting with a Bishop score ≤4 using single-dose-50 mcg vaginal misoprostol or 10 mg-dinoprostone vaginal-inserts. Dinoprostone patients were compared (5:1) with misoprostol patients. The primary outcome variable was length of L&D stay (proxy for resource utilization). Baseline characteristics, clinical outcomes, and costs were compared.Results: Three-hundred thirty-one patients were included, 276 received dinoprostone and 55 received misoprostol. The misoprostol group had statistically significant decreased time to active labor [median 8 h (1.6,24) versus 12(0.8,52)], time-to-delivery [median 11 h (4,31) versus 17(2.8,56)] and L&D stay [median 16 h (13,28) versus 24(18,30)]. Differences remained significant after adjustment...
Regulation of renal cell organic osmolyte transport by tonicity

Madin-Darby canine kidney cells accumulate several nonperturbing organic osmolytes when cultured in a hypertonic medium. Myo-inositol, betaine, and taurine are accumulated secondary to an increase ...
First, There Was A Country; Then There Wasn’t: Reflections on Achebe’s New Book

Chinua Achebe is one of the greatest realist writers in world literature in perhaps the last one and half centuries. But the Achebe that appears in There Was a Country is to me entirely a new one. ...
Diffusion of a fluid through an anisotropically chemically reacting thermoelastic body within the context of mixture theory

A mixture theory approach is used to analyze the change in response characteristics of an anisotropic, non-linear viscoelastic fluid diffusing through a finitely deforming thermoelastic body of arbitrary symmetry wherein the fluid chemically reacts with the solid. It is assumed for simplicity that it is possible to characterize the reaction as having a single step and as one in which the reaction products remain within the body, thereby modifying the solid constituent. The effects of the reaction on the solid that render it anisotropic are quantified by means of a tensorial parameter that tracks the extent of the reaction in different directions. Both diffusion-dominated (diffusion of the reactants is far more rapid than the reaction) and reaction-dominated (the reaction is far more rapid than the diffusion of the reactants) processes are considered. Constitutive equations are derived from the requirement that the rate of entropy production be maximized, which makes it possible to characterize the behavio...
Increased membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase expression from adenoma to colon cancer: a possible mechanism of neoplastic progression.

PURPOSE: Membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase is a membrane-associated matrix metalloproteinase central to the degradation of basement membrane components via the activation of matrix metalloproteinase-2. Although membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase is overex pressed in invasive colon cancer, its expression in colonic polyps and carcinoma in situ has not been defined. Ir addition, the association of membrane type 1 matrix metal loproteinase expression by a primary tumor and recurrence of colon cancers has not been examined. METHODS: Im munoperoxidase staining was performed on randomly se lected specimens containing adenoma (n = 17), carcinoma in situ (n = 9), or metastatic colon carcinoma (n = 8) with mouse monoclonal antibody to human membrane type I matrix metalloproteinase. Similar staining was also per formed on randomly selected node-negative colon cancers that recurred within five years of resection (n = 17) matched for age, gender, stage, grade, and vascular, lym phatic, and perineural invasion, and node-negative color cancers that did not recur within five years of resection (r = 17). Staining for membrane type 1 matrix metalloprotein ase was graded. Mean scores for the groups were comparec by Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: We found a progressive and significant increase in the mean score of membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase from normal mucosa to adenoma (P < 0.001), carcinoma in situ (P < 0.006), and invasive cancer (P < 0.009). However, there was no difference in membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase expression he tween the recurrent and nonrecurrent groups of node negative colon cancer (P = not significant). CONCLU SIONS: These data suggest that membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase expression increases with progression from normal mucosa to invasive adenocarcinoma; however it cannot be used as a prognostic indicator on which adju vant therapy is based in node-negative colon cancer be cause of its failure to predict recurrence in this patien group.
Reliability and Maintenance of the Surveillance Systems Considering Two Dependent Processes

The application of surveillance systems is a great enhancement of security level to the monitored area by providing important reference for the security teams to make prompt actions against threats or incidents.
On the practicality of cryptographic defenses against pollution attacks in wireless network coding

Network coding introduced a new paradigm for designing network protocols for multi-hop wireless networks. Numerous practical systems based on network coding have been proposed in recent years demonstrating the wide range of benefits of network coding such as increased network throughput, reliability, and energy efficiency. However, network coding systems are inherently vulnerable to a severe attack, known as packet pollution, which presents a key obstacle to the deployment of such systems. Consequently, numerous schemes have been proposed to defend against pollution attacks. A major class of such defense mechanisms relies on cryptographic techniques. We provide the first systematic evaluation of the existing cryptographic techniques for defending against pollution attacks. We first classify the cryptographic schemes based on their underlying cryptographic primitives (signature-based, hash-based, and MAC-based), security basis (DLP over a multiplicative group, DLP over an ECC group, and PRF), and security steps (sign, verify, and combine). Then, we define a unifying metric framework to compare the schemes. Lastly, we perform detailed analytical and experimental evaluations of a representative set of the schemes. Our results show that all of the schemes examined have serious limitations: they incur prohibitive computation overhead, high communication, or are insecure in the presence of multiple attackers. We conclude that while many cryptographic proposals for addressing pollution attacks exist, none of them are practical for use in wireless networks.
Prediction of inventory sustainability during a drug shortage.

Purpose A methodology for predicting how long the on-hand inventory of a given medication will last during a supply shortage is described; a practical example of application of the methodology is provided. Methods Single-site data on consumption of i.v. tobramycin over an eight-month evaluation period were collected using commercial software that tabulates barcode-assisted medication administration (BCMA) events; administered doses were standardized as 1200-mg “vial-equivalents” and summed over the review period. The total number of vial-equivalents consumed was divided by the number of “non-zero weeks of consumption” (i.e., weeks during which any tobramycin use occurred) to obtain a mean ± S.D. weekly consumption rate; this rate was multiplied by the total i.v. tobramycin on-hand supply (in vial-equivalents) to determine the mean number of potentially sustainable weeks of therapy in the event a shortage were to restrict the future supply of the drug. Results Overall, 99.6 vial-equivalents of i.v. tobramycin were used during the evaluation period. The mean ± S.D. number of vial-equivalents used per non-zero week of consumption was 3.11 ± 1.26. A manual count of pharmacy inventory revealed that 102.9 vial-equivalents were available at the time of analysis. The mean predicted duration of supply was 33 weeks (95% confidence interval, –126 to 192 weeks). Conclusion Available BCMA data on tobramycin consumption over eight months were used to calculate the mean number of weeks the on-hand supply of the drug could be expected to last during a persistent drug shortage.
Faith and Freedom

IN THE last chapter we have considered an analysis of theistic faith as an act of “total interpretation.” Religious faith, I have suggested, shares a common epistemological structure with cognition in other fields. To know this or that object is to apprehend our environment as significant in this or that way. For example, to perceive a gate in my path is to be aware of my environment, in that particular region, as rendering certain actions or readinesses for action appropriate and others inappropriate. Again, to perceive in some situation that I am under a moral obligation to act in this or that way, is to be aware of my environment as constituting a realm of personal relationships, the present practical significance of which for myself is this moral requirement. Each distinguishable order and kind of significance makes its own immediate or potential “difference” to the cognizer. Awareness of significance, whether natural or ethical or of any other order, consists accordingly in the formation within us of volitional dispositions, adjusting our plans and policies to the perceived character of our environment. All awareness of environment, I have argued, is awareness of it as significant.
Conscious status predicts mortality among patients with isolated traumatic brain injury in administrative data

Abstract Background Outcome studies in trauma using administrative data traditionally employ anatomy-based definitions of injury severity; however, physiologic factors, including consciousness, may correlate with outcomes. We examined whether accounting for conscious status in administrative data improved mortality prediction among patients with moderate to severe TBI. Methods Patients meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for TBI in the 2006 to 2011 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample were identified. Patients were dichotomized as having no/brief loss of consciousness (LOC) vs extended LOC greater than 1 hour using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) fifth digit modifiers. Receiver operating curves compared the ability of logistic regression to predict mortality in models that included LOC vs models that did not. Results Overall, 98,397 individuals met criteria, of whom 25.8% had extended LOC. In univariate analysis, AIS alone predicted mortality in 69.6% of patients (area under receiver operating characteristic curve .696, 95% CI .689 to .702), extended LOC alone predicted mortality in 76.8% (AUROC .768, 95% CI .764 to .773), and a combination of AIS and extended LOC predicted mortality in 82.6% of cases (AUROC .826, 95% CI .821 to .830). Similar differences were observed in best-fit models. Conclusions Accounting for LOC along with anatomical measures of injury severity improves mortality prediction among patients with moderate/severe TBI in administrative datasets. Further work is warranted to determine whether other physiological measures may also improve prediction across a variety of injury types.
Prognosis of Cerebral Arteriopathy in Stroke

The evolution of cerebral arteriopathy in 50 children with first arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) was evaluated at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, and Neuroscience Unit, Institute of Child Health, London.
Recombinant Human Mannose-Binding Lectin (rhMBL) Binds to Human and Mouse Cancer Cells and Elicits Antitumor Activity in a MBL Knockout Mouse Model of Murine Cancer.

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL), a human plasma protein, plays a role in innate immune defense. MBL recognises microorganisms through surface carbohydrate structures leading to either direct opsonisation or activation of complement system. Since MBL deficiency is associated with increased susceptibility to infections in immunosuppressed individuals, e.g., during chemotherapy induced neutropenia, replacement therapy with recombinant human MBL (rhMBL) may be beneficial in this patient group. MBL has also been shown to bind to cancer cell lines. Therefore, we hypothesized that MBL binding to cancer cells may lead to direct opsonisation or activation of the innate immune system leading to cell kill. In this study, we aim to determine the binding and therapeutic efficacy of rhMBL in cancer cells and animals models respectively. The in vitro binding of rhMBL was evaluated on human cancer cell lines by flow cytometry using a specific anti-MBL antibody. rhMBL demonstrated binding to 6 of 7 cancer cells lines tested. These included human ovarian (OVCAR-3, SK-OV-3), pancreatic (MiaPaCa-2), colorectal (COLO-205), lymphoma (Daudi) and murine melanoma (B16-F0) cancer cells. The binding of rhMBL appeared to be specific since it was partially inhibited by 100mM mannose, 100mM N-acetyl glucosamine, 20mM mannan, use of Ca2 + -free buffer or with 10mM EDTA. The antitumor effects of rhMBL were evaluated in MBL knockout (MBL/KO) transgenic mice, which lack both MBL-1 and MBL-2 genes, and corresponding MBL wildtype mice injected subcutaneously with B16-F0 mouse melanoma cells. MBL wildtype mice injected with B16-F0 mouse melanoma cells did not develop subcutaneous tumors. However, MBL/KO mice had robust tumor growth suggesting that MBL deficient individuals may be more susceptible to development of cancers. Treatment of MBL/KO mice with 75 μg MBL/mouse (q2dx5) resulted in 63% tumor growth inhibition compared with the control mice (P
Summary Report: 'Introduction to Cold Fusion' - IAP Course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

For three years running now, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, has offered the introductory cold fusion course during its Independent Activities Period (IAP), designed for students to engage in topics outside-of-the-normal-curriculum; enrollment is open with permission from the instructor, and there is no advance registration required. IAP at MIT, for those not familiar with it, is a special fourweek programme where students can choose from a vast array of non-credit and for-credit short coursework offered only during January of each year. CF- 101 is a non-sign up, non-credit introductory course, open to MIT and non-MIT students alike, as well as the public. Peter Hagelstein, Professor of electrical engineering at MIT has been teaching the course with Mitchell Swartz, from JET Energy, Inc. In some years the CF/IAP classes extended over two weeks; at other times over several days.
Prince: Postmodern Icon

This paper argues that the main dynamic of the postmodern is the deconstruction of the hierarchical oppositions (God/mortal, good/evil, male/female, man/nature, mind/body, etc.) that govern the dominant discourse in the European tradition, and that the questions of identity, difference, and intersectionality Prince posed to a mass audience over the last thirty-five years lie at the very core of the movement. His music provides the basis for deconstructing the obvious hierarchies of race, gender, and sexuality, but also those of the sacred and the profane, the writer/composer/producer and the performer, and even Self and the Other. He touched the hearts and lives of a far wider audience than any theorist and helped create a new cultural climate without any apparent awareness of academic postmodernism. This opens the possibility for a deconstruction on the meta-level of another traditional hierarchy, the one between reason and intuition, or put differently, between words and music.
Control of TRPV4 and Its Effect on the Lung

The transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) non-selective cation channel has emerged as a critical channel for initiating the increased vascular permeability induced by high airway or vascular pressures in the lung. TRPV4 gating is regulated by multiple factors: mechanical stress, heat, epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) – the arachidonic acid metabolites of P450 epoxygenases, and phorbol esters. Increased pulmonary venous pressure and ventilation with high peak inflation pressures increase endothelial calcium influx, nitric oxide production, and vascular permeability in a TRPV4 dependent fashion in intact lungs. The permeability response to excess mechanical stress is attenuated by inhibition of cytosolic phospholipase A2 or P450 epoxygenases, and permeability increases in response to infusion of EETs. Various molecular mechanisms have been implicated for regulating TRPV4 gating, including channel translocation, direct ligand binding and phosphorylation. However, the mechanisms for EET dependent regulation of TRPV4 or amplification of TRPV4 by phosphorylation in intact lungs subjected to mechanical stress have not been clarified.
The measurement of intracranial pressure and brain displacement due to short-duration dynamic overpressure loading

The experimental measurement of biomechanical responses that correlate with blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) has proven challenging. These data are critical for both the development and validation of computational and physical head models, which are used to quantify the biomechanical response to blast as well as to assess fidelity of injury mitigation strategies, such as personal protective equipment. Therefore, foundational postmortem human surrogate (PMHS) experimental data capturing the biomechanical response are necessary for human model development. Prior studies have measured short-duration pressure transmission to the brain (Kinetic phase), but have failed to reproduce and measure the longer-duration inertial loading that can occur (Kinematic phase). Four fully instrumented PMHS were subjected to short-duration dynamic overpressure in front-facing and rear-facing orientations, where intracranial pressure (ICP), global head kinematics, and brain motion (as measured by high-speed X-ray) with respect to the skull were recorded. Peak ICP results generally increased with increased dose, and a mirrored pressure response was seen when comparing the polarity of frontal bone versus occipital bone ICP sensors. The head kinematics were delayed when compared to the pressure response and showed higher peak angles for front-facing tests as compared to rear-facing. Brain displacements were approximately 2–6 mm, and magnitudes did not change appreciably between front- and rear-facing tests. These data will be used to inform and validate models used to assess bTBI.
A cryptophane-based “turn-on” 129Xe NMR biosensor for monitoring calmodulin

We present the first cryptophane-based “turn-on” 129Xe NMR biosensor, employing a peptide-functionalized cryptophane to monitor the activation of calmodulin (CaM) protein in solution. In the absence of CaM binding, interaction between the peptide and cryptophane completely suppresses the hyperpolarized 129Xe-cryptophane NMR signal. Biosensor binding to Ca2+-activated CaM produces the expected 129Xe-cryptophane NMR signal.
Analysis of a VCON Neuromime

The voltage-controlled oscillator neuromime (VCON) described below is motivated by three things: First, van der Pols equation [1] and similar “flush-and-fill” models have been used since the 1920s to study neural activity. Subsequent work on van der Pols equation resulted in a map of parameter space that describes phase-locking of the oscillator to external forcing [2,3] Second, R. Guttman, et. al., (See 4] used experimental procedures developed by Hodgkin and Huxley for studying squid axon membranes, and they obtained a similar phase-locking portrait for these membranes. This showed that neuron membranes have rich phase-locking, or synchronization properties. Third, I developed and studied a model of a neuron that emphasizes frequency encoded information in [5]. This model is based on a voltage controlled oscillator circuit, and it is called VCON. A VCON provides a straightforward method for building circuit analogs for neural networks, and its associated mathematical model is in phase-amplitude coordinates, so it avoids a major difficulty in dealing with nonlinear oscillators.
Representing Solar Active Regions with Triangulations

The solar chromosphere consists of three classes which contribute differently to ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth. We describe a data set of solar images, means of segmenting the images into the constituent classes, and a novel high-level representation for compact objects based on a triangulated spatial ‘membership function’. Such representations are fitted in a variable-dimension Markov chain Monte Carlo scheme.
The Association Between Fraternal Birth Order and Anal-Erotic Roles of Men Who Have Sex with Men

The fraternal birth order effect (FBOE) describes the phenomenon that homosexual men tend to have a greater number of older brothers than do heterosexual men. The FBOE is a marker for an innate, biological predisposition for androphilia in genotypic males. The FBOE has been studied since the 1930s and is the most consistent biodemographic correlate of sexual orientation in men. This study sought to determine whether the FBOE applies equally to all men who have sex with men (MSM), or disproportionately to MSM whose anal intercourse behavior is predominantly receptive (Bottoms). Participants included 243 North American adult MSM who responded to advertisements posted on a Web site and other electronic media associated with the GALA festival, a quadrennial gathering of gay and lesbian choruses. Each was asked whether his anal intercourse behavior during the preceding year was predominantly receptive, predominantly penetrative, or about equally receptive and penetrative. Those who indicated their behavior was predominantly receptive were coded “Bottoms”; all others were coded “Not-Bottoms.” Participants were also surveyed as to their sibship composition. Bottoms had a significantly greater mean number of older brothers than did Not-Bottoms. There was no significant difference with respect to older or younger sisters or younger brothers. Further, the older sibling sex ratio (OSSR) for the Bottom cohort, but not for the Not-Bottom cohort, was significantly higher than the expected OSSR for the general male population (OSSR = No. older brothers/No. older sisters × 100; expected OSSR for general population = 106). Thus, late fraternal birth order was correlated with receptive anal-erotic behavior among MSM.
Effects of acute isotonic saline administration on serum osmolality, serum electrolytes, brain water content and intracranial pressure.

Albino rabbits who had undergone a cryogenic insult over the left parieto-occipital cortex 24 hours previously were analyzed for serum osmolality, serum electrolytes, brain water content, intracranial pressure (ICP), following a 3 hour baseline intravenous infusion of above maintenance isotonic saline, and compared to sham operated controls.
EQUIVALENCE OF CONJUGATE GRADIENT METHODS AND QUASI-NEWTON METHODS

The well-known equivalence between conjugate gradient methods and quasi-Newton methods for quadratic problems will be discussed. This will be followed by a discussion on the not so well-known equivalence between the preconditioned conjugate gradient methods and quasi-Newton methods for quadratic problems. Some thoughts on how this latter equivalence can be used to handle large scale optimizations will be presented.
Phase I study of muscadine grape extract in advanced malignancy.

e14548Background: Preclinical studies with muscadine grape extract (MGE) show anti-tumor activity and decreased systemic inflammation. This phase I study (NCT02583269) assessed safety and tolerabil...