cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
3D Hospital: Design and implement quest-based game framework for transitional training

The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute's (OSUCCC- James) is a transformational facility that fosters the collaboration and integration of cancer research and clinical cancer care. Unlike regular facilities, transferring between hospitals requires the staff to occupy accurate and specialized knowledge of the spatial layout for the new hospital. In order to have a smooth transition, the hospital staffs are required to orient themselves and navigate in the new facility in a timely manner. We designed a quest-based game framework to examine the scenario. This data driven framework allows the gaming content be easily updated online by demand. 3D Hospital game is developed based on that framework, which aims at training participants with spatial orientation in the OSUCCC-James. The quests are designed based on several key locations and the daily tasks for the hospital staff. We completed floor 15 in time before the transfer. To measure the effectiveness of our game for prepping the staff during the transition, we surveyed 26 participants and obtained an overall positive feedback. At last, we also examine the obstacles that we encountered as well as future direction.
Examining Occupational Health and Safety Disparities Using National Data: A Cause for Continuing Concern

BACKGROUND: Occupational status, a core component of socioeconomic status, plays a critical role in the well-being of U.S. workers. Identifying work-related disparities can help target prevention efforts. METHODS: Bureau of Labor Statistics workplace data were used to characterize high-risk occupations and examine relationships between demographic and work-related variables and fatality. RESULTS: Employment in high-injury/illness occupations was independently associated with being male, Black, ≤high school degree, foreign-birth, and low-wages. Adjusted fatal occupational injury rate ratios for 2005-2009 were elevated for males, older workers, and several industries and occupations. Agriculture/forestry/fishing and mining industries and transportation and materials moving occupations had the highest rate ratios. Homicide rate ratios were elevated for Black, American Indian/Alaska Native/Asian/Pacific Islanders, and foreign-born workers. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of understanding patterns of disparities of workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities. Results can improve intervention efforts by developing programs that better meet the needs of the increasingly diverse U.S. workforce. Am. J. Ind. Med. 9999:1-12, 2014. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Language: en
Functionalist linguistic theory and language acquisition

Most theoretical work in developmental psycholinguists has been informed by ideas from formalist linguistic theories, and this paper argues that functionalist linguistic theories, in particular Rol...
Tracheal Stenosis and Failure to Wean from Mechanical Ventilation due to Herpetic Tracheitis

A 64-year-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease presented with pneumococcal pneumonia that progressed to respiratory failure within one week, requiring mechanical ventilation. Despite a low minute ventilation and clear chest roentgenogram, multiple weaning attempts failed. Bronchoscopy revealed significant narrowing of the distal trachea with erythema, edema, and ulceration of the mucosa. Cytology of tracheal washings was consistent with herpes simplex virus, and the patient was successfully extubated following treatment with intravenous acyclovir. Bronchoscopy following acyclovir therapy demonstrated resolution of the inflammation and narrowing. Herpetic tracheitis is a rarely recognized reversible cause of tracheal stenosis, especially in a nonimmunocompromised patient. It should be suspected in patients without an obvious cause of failure to wean from mechanical ventilation, and can be successfully treated with acyclovir.
Plastic deformation in polyimides, with new implications on the theory of plastic deformation of glassy polymers

Abstract The plastic deformation behaviour of a series of glassy aromatic polyimides, derivatives of resorcinol, hydroquinone, oxydiphenyl, and pyromellitic acid, have been investigated between room temperature and a temperature 20 K below their respective glass transition temperature. The results are analysed by means of a theory due to Argon (1973) for plastic flow in glassy polymers, and show that, as the spacing between natural hinges on polymer molecules increases with increasing chemical complexity, the thermally activated complex grows in size, and plastic deformation becomes less local.
Factors Influencing Phase Disengagement Rates in Solvent Extraction Systems Employing Tertiary Amine Extractants

Abstract Phase disengagement rate is a critical property in determining the usefulness of a particular solvent extraction system in hydro-metallurgy. A survey of a number of commercial tertiary amine extractants of the type used in uranium extraction hydrometallurgy has been carried out to suggest whether structural factors influence phase disengagement behavior and to provide a useful comparison of different amines with regard to phase disengagement and uranium extraction. The amines ((CnH2n+1)3N) were chosen to cover a range of alkyl chain lengths including straight-chain and branched-chain compositions, and the chemical makeup of the liquid-liquid systems closely paralleled that of the systems used in the Amex uranium extraction process. Batch phase disengagement tests showed significant trends with respect to amine structure and composition using acid sulfate solutions with or without added colloidal silica and actual ore leach solutions as the aqueous phase. In general, organic continuous (OC) phase ...
Resident Article: Corynebacterium Aquaticum Infection in a Patient with Chronic Granulomatous Disease

Patients with chronic granulomatous disease are uniquely susceptible to infection with catalase-producing bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella, Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescans are common infecting organisms. A 17-month-old boy with Corynebacterium aquaticum bacteremia is reported. This is only the third documented infection with this non-JK diphtheroid and the first case infection in a patient with chronic granulomatous disease. It is likely that our patient's underlying immune defect predisposed him to infection with this unusual, catalase-producing organism. Although these bacteria are common contaminants and rarely infecting agents, true infection should be considered in patients with chronic granulomatous disease from whom a diphtheroid is isolated.
Checkpoints in productive and latent infections with herpes simplex virus 1: conceptualization of the issues

The fundamental question posed here is why in dorsal root ganglia herpes simplex viruses (HSV) can establish a silent infection in which only latency associate transcripts (LAT) and miRNAs are expressed and the neuronal cell survives whereas in non-neuronal cells HSV replicates and destroys the infected cells. Current evidence indicates that in productive infection there are two checkpoints. The first is at activation of α genes and requires a viral protein (VP16) that recruits HCF-1, Oct1, LSD1, and the CLOCK histone acetyl transferase to demethylate histones and initiate transcription. The second checkpoint involves activation of β and γ genes. An α protein, ICP0, activates transcription by displacing HDAC1 or 2 from the HDAC/CoREST/LSD1/REST repressor complex at its DNA binding sites. Current data suggest that in dorsal root ganglia VP16 and HCF-1 are not translocated to neuronal nucleus and that the HDAC/CoREST/LSD1/REST complex is not suppressed-a first step in silencing of the viral genome and establishment of heterochromatin. The viral genome remains in a state of equilibrium with respect to viral gene expression. The function of both LAT and the micro RNAs is to silence low level expression of viral genes that could reactivate the latent genomes.
Obscene associations: Gay-straight alliances, the equal access act, and abstinence-only policy

This article examines the recent growth of policy regulating the formation of gay-straight alliances (GSAs) and shows how conservatives are using abstinence-only policies and antiobscenity laws to prohibit GSAs from meeting in public schools. The author traces the evolution of this strategy, pointing to the overlaps of religion and sexuality in the development of legislation and school policies. Starting with a 1982 church-state case in Lubbock, Texas, that stimulated national interest in student-led extracurricular activities and eventually led to the passage of the Equal Access Act in 1984, school-based issues have continued to demonstrate the conflict between religion, local values, freedom of speech and association, and minority rights. The access of sexual-minority students and their allies to school space increasingly is being challenged as obscene by this tangential use of abstinence-only curricular policy.
Effectiveness of Personal Interaction in a Learner-Centered Paradigm Distance Education Class Based on Student Satisfaction

AbstractThis study examined relationships between students’ perceptions of course-related interaction and their course satisfaction within the learner-centered paradigm in distance education. A Students’ Perceived Interaction Survey (SPIS) instrument was developed to examine nine separate hypotheses about the nature of course-related interaction. A volunteer sample of 855 students from the 949 students enrolled in Computer Science 103—Computer Literacy and Applications at Iowa State University in the fall of 2005 was used. This study employed a multiple linear regression. It concluded that student-instructor personal interaction, student-student personal interaction, and student-content interaction, along with students’ perceptions of WebCT features and gender were predictors of course satisfaction. In this study 94% of the participants indicated they were satisfied with the course. No significance was found in the relationships between student satisfaction and student-teaching assistant (TA) personal int...
Aging effects on the elastin composition in the extracellular matrix of cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells.

Elastin accumulation in the extracellular matrix of cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells was monitored as a function of age. The effect of the animal donor age and time in culture in single or consecutive passages on the cells’ ability to accumulate total protein as well as elastin was evaluated. Smooth muscle cells were obtained from animals ranging in age from 2 d to 36 mo. Protein accumulation by the cells based on DNA content was similar regardless of which of the above aging parameters was examined. Although there were significant amounts of elastin present in the extracellular matrix of those cells originating from the younger animals (2 d and 6 wk old), little or none was detected in cell cultures derived from the oldest animals. A soluble elastin-like fraction which was isolated from the cultures of the 2-d-old rats seemed to be lacking in the cultures of cells from the 36-mo-old animals. This observation may, in part, explain the absence of insoluble elastin in the matrix of some cultures obtained from older animals. The data strongly suggest that the age of the donor animal from which the cells originate has the greatest influence on in vitro elastin accumulation.
Generation of Pi2 pulsations by bursty bulk flows

We present the first observations directly relating bursty bulk flows (BBFs) to Pi2 pulsations. At ISEE 2, a large earthward flow was observed. The Institute of Geological Sciences (IGS) magnetometer chain located at the same local time as ISEE 2 recorded Pi2 pulsations, slightly delayed relative to flow onset, consisting of a long-period (7–8 mHz) component associated with oscillations of the substorm current wedge. We demonstrate that the ionospheric current began to increase 90 s before the arrival of these Pi2 pulsations. We argue that this precursor was generated by earthward convection of plasma sheet plasma. Phase skips at midlatitudes on the nightside are associated with new flow bursts at ISEE 2. The Air Force Geophysics Laboratory (AFGL) magnetometer chain, which was located on the dusk flank, measured Pi2 pulsations that started ∼90 s after the flow bursts. We demonstrate that there is a one-to-one correlation between impulsive flow onset in the tail and Pi2 pulsations. We also show that oscillations at AFGL are directly related to temporal variations of the flow. Thus we suggest that the characteristic frequencies of low-latitude Pi2 pulsations are established by the temporal structure of processes in the near-Earth magnetotail.
Synergistic Effects of Physical and Chemical Guidance Cues on Neurite Alignment and Outgrowth on Biodegradable Polymer Substrates

This article demonstrates that directional outgrowth of neurites is promoted by applying a combination of physical and chemical cues to biodegradable polymer substrates. Films of poly-D,L-lactic acid and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) were micropatterned to form grooves on substrate surfaces, using novel indirect transfer techniques developed specifically for biodegradable polymers that cannot be micropatterned directly. Laminin was selectively adsorbed in the grooves. Whole and dissociated dorsal root ganglia were seeded on the substrates and neurite outgrowth and alignment along the microgrooves were measured. The microgrooves provide physical guidance, whereas laminin provides chemical cues to the neurons. The groove depth and spacing were found to significantly influence neurite alignment. The presence of laminin was found to promote neurite adhesion and outgrowth along the grooves. Using a combination of optimized physical and chemical cues, excellent spatial control of directional neurite outgrowth, with up to 95% alignment of neurites, was obtained. The synergistic effect of physical and chemical guidance cues was found to be more effective than individual cues in promoting directional outgrowth of neurites.
2. Sympathetic Uveitis

Sympathetic ophthalmia isa specific bilateral granulomatous inflammation of the uvea usually following surgical or accidental penetrating trauma to the globe. While generally considered rare, its true incidence is difficult to ascertain. One recent report noted an incidence of approximately two cases per 1,000 accidental perforations, and approximately one case per 10,000 intraocular surgical procedures. 1 Another recent clinical review of cases of sympathetic ophthalmia at one center over the past 20 years showed a decrease in the number of such cases following purely accidental or purely surgical injury, and an increase in the number of cases in which accidental injury was followed by surgical intervention in addition to primary repair. 2 Five cases of sympathetic ophthalmia following trauma and vitrectomy have been reported.3 It has been suggested by some that as more attempts at secondary reconstructive surgery (ie, vitrectomy) in severely traumatized eyes are made, a higher incidence of sympathetic uveitis may be expected. 2 However, it is also possible that a single primary or early secondary repair, including vitrectomy or len sectomy if indicated, may be less likely to incite sympathetic ophthalmia than mUltiple secondary procedures. The importance of early removal of lens material after trauma in the prevention of phacoanaphylaxis (phacogenic uveitis) has been stressed. 4 This report presents an additional case of sympathetic ophthalmia following scleral buckling, vitrectomy, and cataract extraction.
BEST PRACTICES FOR R&D PROJECT LEADERS: LESSONS FROM THIRTY YEARS OF LEADERSHIP RESEARCH

We have generated six best practice lessons for R&D project leaders from the past 30 years of research. These lessons take into account the situation in the project team, advocate activities by the leader outside the project team, and encourage him/her to provide a vision of the project's importance. Furthermore, the lessons note the significance of developing a climate of innovation and relationships of trust and openness. Leadership differences for scientists and for engineers are discussed. Our lessons recognize the growing importance of the project leader's role for R&D effectiveness.
Therapeutic Cannabis (Marijuana) as an Antiemetic and Appetite Stimulant in Persons with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

Abstract Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a common cause of death among young adults in the USA. AIDS wasting syndrome is the most common clinical presentation of AIDS. Antiretroviral drug therapy has improved the prognosis of persons with AIDS, but also contributed side effects, particularly nausea and anorexia. Case reports demonstrate persons with AIDS use cannabis as medicine tocontrol nausea, anorexia, and pain, while noting improved mood. Recent clinical research comparing smoked cannabis to oral dronabinol (synthetic THC or Marinol(r)) demonstrates no immune dysfunction in persons using cannabinoids and positive weight gain when cannabinoids are compared to placebo. Harm reduction research indicates that heating cannabis to temperatures well below combustion (“vaporization”) yields active canna-binoids and a significant reduction or elimination of toxics (benzene, toluene, naphthalene, carbon monoxide, and tars) commonly found in smoked cannabis. More research is indicated but vaporizer...
Multinational investment and host country development: Location efficiencies for services offshoring

Abstract Services offshoring has become an important source of investment and development in many emerging economies. While much attention has been paid to companies’ use of services offshoring to lower costs, not all of these offshoring activities have yielded the anticipated results. Thus, the choice of where to locate offshore facilities is an important yet complex one that has substantial implications for both the investing firm and host country. In this paper, we adopt the perspectives of service firms located in the U.S. and empirically examine the attractiveness of host countries for offshoring of services. Using data envelopment analysis (DEA), we examine which countries use their resources or inputs most efficiently in order to produce outputs that make them attractive for services offshoring. We find that China, India, Ireland, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Slovakia, Spain, and the U.K. are particularly attractive locations for services offshoring. All of these countries have at least one core efficiency-creating competency among the key inputs of wages, education, and infrastructure. We discuss implications for firms and government policy makers and offer recommendations for future research.
Scaling and design of landslide and debris-flow experiments

Abstract Scaling plays a crucial role in designing experiments aimed at understanding the behavior of landslides, debris flows, and other geomorphic phenomena involving grain-fluid mixtures. Scaling can be addressed by using dimensional analysis or – more rigorously – by normalizing differential equations that describe the evolving dynamics of the system. Both of these approaches show that, relative to full-scale natural events, miniaturized landslides and debris flows exhibit disproportionately large effects of viscous shear resistance and cohesion as well as disproportionately small effects of excess pore-fluid pressure that is generated by debris dilation or contraction. This behavioral divergence grows in proportion to H3, where H is the thickness of a moving mass. Therefore, to maximize geomorphological relevance, experiments with wet landslides and debris flows must be conducted at the largest feasible scales. Another important consideration is that, unlike stream flows, landslides and debris flows accelerate from statically balanced initial states. Thus, no characteristic macroscopic velocity exists to guide experiment scaling and design. On the other hand, macroscopic gravity-driven motion of landslides and debris flows evolves over a characteristic time scale (L/g)1/2, where g is the magnitude of gravitational acceleration and L is the characteristic length of the moving mass. Grain-scale stress generation within the mass occurs on a shorter time scale, H/(gL)1/2, which is inversely proportional to the depth-averaged material shear rate. A separation of these two time scales exists if the criterion H/L
Cost of OraQuick oral fluid rapid HIV testing at 35 community clinics and community-based organizations in the USA.

Abstract The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the expanded use of rapid HIV antibody tests in community settings to increase the proportion of persons who are aware of their HIV status. The cost of providing rapid testing services in these settings is not known. We conducted a cost survey of non-profit community clinics and community-based organizations (CBOs). The final study sample for the cost analyses included 28 community clinics and seven CBOs that offered rapid HIV testing, all of which used OraSure's OraQuick oral fluid assay. Overall, the mean per-client rapid testing cost was $36.68 for HIV-negative clients (2006 dollars, provider perspective) and $44.22 for preliminary-positive clients. Personnel costs accounted for 55.6% of overall testing costs for negative clients and 63.2% for preliminary-positive clients. This study contributes unique empirical data about the costs of OralQuick rapid testing that can be used by clinic and CBO directors to assess the economic impact ...
Modified multigrid for 3D elliptic equations with cross-derivatives

A portable Fortran code that solves the general nonseparable three-dimensional linear elliptic partial differential equation (PDE) with cross-derivative terms on a rectangular region is described. Boundary conditions can be any combination of periodic, specified, or mixed derivative. A multigrid scheme, modified to handle complexities introduced by cross-derivative terms and nonnormal derivative components in boundary conditions, is utilized. Successful application is illustrated with an analytically prescribed abstract example and simulation of an idealized geophysical fluid flow.
Transnational resource flow and the paradoxes of belonging: redirecting the debate on transnationalism, remittances, State and citizenship in Africa

The rise in the volume of known global foreign worker remittances to countries of origin has sparked considerable academic and policy interest. Much attention has been paid to the assumed ‘development’ potential of these financial remittances, an approach which encapsulates the tendency to envisage the consequences of remittance flows in overwhelmingly economic terms. This article takes issue with such an approach, arguing for a refocusing of the debate on remittances in recipient societies on the crucially important, yet largely neglected, political realm. It posits that in formations where a significant aspect of the population relies on external grants for everyday provisioning, questions on the possible implications of their reliance for civic engagement, social citizenship and political allegiance become imperative. The article proposes a conceptual framework for interrogating the effects of the emergence of a discursive ‘remittance class’ for notions of citizenship, state–society relations, and the ...
Lambda matrix terminal control for missile guidance.

(Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, New York, 1966), Vol. I, p. 247. 2 Eichelberger, R. J., "Hypervelocity impact," Behavior of Materials Under Dynamic Loading (American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York, 1965), p. 155. 3 Rae, W. J. and Kirchner, H. P., "A study of meteoroid impact phenomena," Cornell Aeronautical Lab. Inc., Rept. RM-1655M-4 (February 1963). 4 Mirtich, M. J. and Mark, H., "Alteration of surface optical properties by high-speed micron-size particles," Symposium on Thermal Radiation of Solids, edited by S. Katzoff, NASA SP-55 p. 473 (1965). 5 Summers, J. L., "Evaluation of the impact performance of realistic space structures," The Fluid Dynamic Aspects of Space Flight (Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, New York, 1966), Vol. I, p. 299. 6 Mirtich, M. J. and Mark, H., "Feasibility of accelerating micron-size particles in shock-tube flows for hypervelocity degradation of reflective surfaces," NASA TN D-3187 (1966). 7 Shapiro, I. I., Lautman, D. A., and Colombo, G., "The earth's dust belt: fact or fiction?," Geophys. Res. 71, 5695 (1966). 8 Alexander, W. M., McCracken, C. W., Secretan, L., and Berg, O. E., "Review of direct measurements of interplanetary dust from satellites and probes," NASA TN D-1669, p. 39 (1963). 9 Loeffler, I. J., Clough, N., and Lieblein, S., "Recent developments in space power system meteoroid protection," AIAA Paper 64-759 (1964). 10 Zerlaut, G. A., Harada, Y., and Tompkins, E. H., "Ultraviolet irradiation of white spacecraft coatings in vacuum," Symposium on Thermal Radiation of Solids, edited by S. Katzoff, NASA SP-55, p. 391 (1965). 11 Rittenhouse, J. B. and Singletary, J. B., Space Materials Handbook, Supplement 1 to the 2nd ed., Space Materials Experience, NASA SP 3025, ML-TDR-64-40, Supp. 1 (1966). 12 Neel, C. B., "The role of flight experiments in the study of thermal control coatings for Spacecraft," AIAA Paper 67-329 (1967). 13 Mark, H., Sommers, R. D., and Mirtich, M. J., "Effect on surface thermal properties of calibrated exposure to micrometeoroid environment," AIAA J. 4, 1811-1817 (1966). 14 Fussell, W. B., Triolo, J. J., and Henninger, J. H., "A dynamic thermal vacuum technique for measuring the solar absorption and thermal emmittance of spacecraft coatings," Measurement of Thermal Radiation Properties of Solids, edited by J. C. Richmond, NASA SP-31, p. 83 (1963). 15 Mirtich, M. J. and Bowman, R. L., "Effect of simulated micrometeoroid exposure in performance of N/P silicon solar cells," AIAA J 5, 1364-1366 (1967). 16 Friichtenicht, J. F., "Investigation of high-speed impact phenomena," TRW Systems Rept. 4158-6015-SU-OOO, Vols. I and II; NASA CR-70032 and CR-69894 (December 1965).
The Pythagorean Puzzle of Patrick Lyon

Among the best-known products of early nineteenth-century American art are John Neagle's portraits of Pat Lyon at the Forge of 1825–26 and 1829 (Figs. 1 and 2). Works that launched their then-novice artist into distinction as a portraitist, the twin versions of Pat Lyon have since become emblems of their period.1 With increasing frequency they appear in surveys of American art history as evidence, even in portraiture, of a development towards a less idealized, more veristic realism, a realism whose sources are the legible signifiers of everyday (one might say democratic) experience.2 Corollary to this thesis is the opinion that the iconography of Neagle's portraits of Lyon, like that of many contemporary American works, is largely self-evident, a matter merely of the correct identification of their major features and of the narration of their story.3 The viewer is encouraged to accept the works at face value: their apparent secularization and individualization of subject matter would seem to preclude any ...
Mass spectrometric characterization of electron attachment reaction products

Neutral electron attachment reaction products of selected analytes were characterized with a dual column gas chromatography mass spectrometer system. The characterization confirmed that electron attachment reaction of polychlorinated aromatics lead to the formation of hydrodechlorination products. Nitroaromatics, by contrast, do not yield any discernable neutral products. Nitroaromatic molecules therefore may be amenable to solute modulation through electron attachment reactions.
Three-dimensional convective flow adjacent to backward-facing step: effects of step height

Abstract Three-dimensional simulations are presented for incompressible laminar forced convection flow adjacent to backward-facing step in rectangular duct and the effects of step height on the flow and heat transfer characteristics are investigated. Reynolds number, duct's width, and duct's height downstream from the step are kept constant at Re =343, W =0.08 m, and H =0.02 m, respectively. The selection of the values for these parameters is motivated by the fact that measurements are available for this geometry and they can be used to validate the flow simulation code. Uniform and constant heat flux is specified at the stepped wall downstream from the step, while other walls are treated as adiabatic. The size of the primary recirculation region and the maximum that develops in the Nusselt number distribution increase as the step height increases. The “jet-like” flow that develops near the sidewall within the separating shear layer impinges on the stepped wall causing a minimum to develop in the reattachment length and a maximum to develop in the Nusselt number near the sidewall. The maximum Nusselt number, in the spanwise distribution, develops generally in the same region where the reattachment length is minimum. The maximum in the friction coefficient distribution on the stepped wall increases with increasing step height inside the primary recirculation flow region, but that trend is reversed downstream from reattachment. The three-dimensional behavior and sidewall effects increase with increasing step height.
Co-impregnated Rh/Al203 II. Nitric oxide reduction and S02 poisoning

In the present study, the catalytic reduction of nitric oxide by H{sub 2} with eggshell and egg-white HF co-impregnated Rh on {gamma}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} honeycomb catalysts has been investigated to determine the effects of diffusion resistances on the rate and selectivity of the reduction reaction. Intrinsic kinetic data for NO reduction with H{sub 2} over Rh/{gamma}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} was measured at 165{degree}C and fit to a simplified Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic expression. The intrinsic kinetic model was used to develop a reactor model for NO reduction with Rh/{gamma}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} honeycomb catalysts. Theoretically predicted reaction rates and selectivities for the honeycomb catalysts were found to agree closely with measured reactor performance data. Poisoning the honeycomb-supported catalysts with SO{sub 2} showed that the eggshell and egg-white Rh catalysts deactivated at similar rates. Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) of the poisoned catalysts revealed that sulfur was distributed throughout the support, indicating that SO{sub 2} is not limited by diffusion in this system. Analytical electron microscopy (AEM) confirmed a high degree of S/Rh coordination within the egg-white Rh honeycomb catalyst and much less coordination of sulfur with the alumina support. This was attributed to high concentrations of fluorine (1 to 2 wt%) deposited on the supportmore » from co-impregnation with HF. This fluorine is postulated to inhibit SO{sub 2} adsorption onto the support surface.« less
Effect of non-surgical periodontal treatment on HbA1c: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) was conducted to evaluate whether non-surgical periodontal treatment can reduce the HbA1c% level in type 2 diabetic patients. Recent accumulation of RCTs necessitates updating of the findings of previous reviews. Methods A search of the literature on English publications was conducted in Cochrane CENTRAL, Medline and EMBASE (until 31 March 2012). An RCT was selected if the study population was type 2 diabetic patients (≥16 years old) diagnosed with periodontitis, and compared HbA1c% change with or without non-surgical periodontal treatment for at least three months of the study duration. Weighted mean differences for pooled data and antibiotic use strata were calculated. Heterogeneity and publication bias were explored. Results A total of 358 articles were identified but only six were suitable. Compared to the control group, the pooled analysis (n = 422) showed −0.41% (95% CI: −0.73% to −0.09%, p = 0.013) absolute difference in HbA1c% with treatment. Studies without adjunctive antibiotic had HbA1c% change of −0.64% (95% CI: −1.06% to −0.23%, p = 0.002), but we could not conclude on the effect of adjunctive antibiotic use (p = 0.734). Publication bias was significant with Egger's test (p = 0.014) but not with Begg's test (p = 0.06). Conclusions The meta-analysis suggested that non-surgical periodontal treatment was associated with a reduction in HbA1c%.
Sexual differentiation of galanin gene expression in gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons.

In adult rats, only females are capable of generating an LH surge in response to high levels of ovarian steroids. This is because the ability to generate LH surges in adulthood in response to ovarian steroids is suppressed by high levels of testosterone during neonatal life. We have previously shown that galanin gene expression in GnRH neurons is induced by ovarian steroids in association with an LH surge, suggesting that galanin plays a role in the generation of the LH surge. If this is the case, then the induction of galanin gene expression in GnRH neurons in response to ovarian steroids might, like the LH surge itself, be sexually differentiated during the neonatal period. To test this hypothesis, we manipulated gonadal steroid levels in four groups of rat pups on the first day of life and looked at the ability of ovarian steroids to induce an LH surge and stimulate galanin gene expression in GnRH neurons of adult animals. The four groups consisted of female pups that were injected with either 10 micro...
Wavelet coefficient quantization to produce equivalent visual distortions in complex stimuli

This paper describes the results of a psychophysical experiment to quantify sensitivities to supra-threshold distortion caused by wavelet coefficient quantization. Natural images were selected for their energy distributions, subject matter, and edge/detail content. A single subband was quantized and the quantization step size to produce a minimum noticeable distortion (denoted the MNDSS) was recorded; these step sizes are defined to produce a visual distortion unit. The test results indicate that the MNDSS are strongly correlated with band energy, and that at a single frequency, the VDUs for the horizontal and vertical orientations occur when the squared error in the image is constant. Because the quantizers are not operating in the granular region, however, this does not imply that equal step sizes in the two orientations at the same frequency produce equivalent visual distortion, in contrast with common sub-threshold quantization assumptions. Furthermore, contrast sensitivity curves based on these results indicate an increased sensitivity to the orientation with higher energy at each frequency; neither orientation is favored when there is no inequality in energy. The results provide evidence of both orientation-dependent and content-dependent masking in supra-threshold quantization.
Lophozia incisa New to Missouri and the Interior Highlands

Abstract. Lophozia incisa (Schrad.) Dumort. is now known from the Interior Highlands in Missouri: a range extension of approximately 250 km southwest from the nearest documented locality in Illinois. The species was collected with other northern disjunct bryophytes in a sandstone gorge. Northern disjuncts in the Interior Highlands, such as L. incisa, have been considered southern relics of a widespread Arcto-Tertiary flora from the Pleistocene.
Coordination of complex collaborative tasks with distributed simulation models

Abstract In this paper we consider simulation models as a source of the coordination resources needed to facilitate mutual adjustment among distributed participants working together to accomplish complex collaborative tasks.
266 INFLUENCE OF DEXAMETHASONE AND ACTH ON DRUG CLEARANCE IN CHILDREN

The rate of disappearance of antipyrine from the plasma is a useful indicator for the in vivo capacity for hepatic mixed function oxidation. The short term effects of systemic administration of dexamethasone, a potent glucocorticoid, and ACTH on antipyrine metabolism were studied in 10 children. Dexamethasone (2 mg/d × 4 days) was given to 6 subjects. The effects of ACTH (40 U/24 h i.v. × 5 days) were evaluated in 4 patients. The half-life of antipyrine (t½) was measured before and after drug therapy in each patient. The mean t½ was not affected by administration of dexamethasone (t½ 7.6 ± 1.14 h versus 7.8 ± 0.84 h). The apparent volume of distribution (aVd) remained unchanged as well (aVd 0.52 ± 0.076 L/kg versus 0.56 ± 0.063 L/kg). Administration of ACTH, causing a 5-25 fold increase in urinary 17-hydroxy-corticosteroid excretion, also did not affect the half-life of antipyrine (t½ 11.5 ± 2.8 h versus 11.2 ± 2 h). The aVd also remained unchanged (0.60 ± 0.05 L/kg versus 0.59 ± 0.03 L/kg). We conclude that the short term administration of dexamethasone and ACTH with ensuing stimulation of endogenous glucocorticoid production is unlikely to produce clinically significant changes in the rate of drug metabolism.
Computation of long-term average SO2 concentration in the Venetian area

Abstract This study tests the possibility of describing the dispersion of a non-reactive atmospheric pollutant in a complex coastal zone, such as the Venetian area, by means of a Gaussian type diffusion model. The basic assumption of the model is that the pollutant has a Gaussian distribution along the vertical and is uniformly distributed crosswind in each sector of the wind rose. With the use of meteorological data recorded on an hourly basis and average evaluation of urban and industrial emission, three-monthly average SO 2 concentrations as well as the annual ones were computed for the period February 1973 to January 1975. The surface roughness and the heat island effect have been taken into account by modifying Pasquill's stability classification. The results were compared with the concentration values recorded at ten monitoring stations. The general agreement between the model results and the measured data proved the validity of the applied technique for simulating long-term average concentrations and its applicability for land planning purposes.
African Swine Fever Virus Infection in the Iberian Soft Tick, Ornithodoros (Pavlovskyella) marocanus (Acari: Argasidae)

One thousand six hundred Ornithodoros (Pavlovskyella) marocanus Velu larvae were fed on a pig infected with African swine fever virus (titer: 10(7.4) HAd50/ml), and 1,600 larvae were fed on an uninfected pig. Ticks in each group were compared for mortality rates, mean time to death for ticks that died, mean time from feeding to either molting or eclosion, percentage of ticks that eclosed or molted, and the number of blood meals per nymph or instar. Cumulative virus-induced mortality for all immature stages (larvae to adult) of O. marocanus that had been fed as larvae on a pig infected with African swine fever was ca. 73% over a 390-d period. In contrast, less than 9% mortality was observed among ticks fed on uninfected pigs. Mean time to death for infected ticks was 15-87 d versus 10-17 d for uninfected ticks. Differences in the premolt period (number of days from blood meal to molt) between infected and control ticks were not observed. Mean premolt periods for larvae and first-, second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-instar nymphs fed on pigs were 7, 9, 15, 11, 15, and 15 d, respectively. The majority of infected and all uninfected ticks required only one blood meal from pigs to molt. Mean weights for unfed second-, third-, and fourth-instar nymphs and males and females were 0.50, 0.67, 3.07, 3.63, and 5.91 mg, respectively.
Pleural Effusions in the Medical ICU: Prevalence, Causes, and Clinical Implications

Objective To determine the prevalence and causes of pleural effusions in patients admitted to a medical ICU (MICU). Design Prospective. Setting MICU in a tertiary care hospital. Patients One hundred consecutive patients admitted to the MICU at the Medical University of South Carolina whose length of stay exceeded 24 h had chest radiographs reviewed daily and chest sonograms performed within 10 h of their latest chest radiograph. Results The prevalence of pleural effusions in 100 consecutive MICU patients was 62%, with 41% of effusions detected at admission. Fifty-seven of 62 (92%) pleural effusions were small. Causes of pleural effusions were as follows: heart failure, 22 of 62 (35%); atelectasis, 14 of 62 (23%); uncomplicated parapneumonic effusions, seven of 62 (11%); hepatic hydrothorax, five of 62 (8%); hypoalbuminemia, five of 62 (8%); malignancy, two of 62 (3%); and unknown, three of 62 (5%). Pancreatitis, extravascular catheter migration, uremic pleurisy, and empyema caused an effusion in one instance each. Heart failure was the most frequent cause of bilateral effusions (13/34 [38%]). When compared with patients who never had effusions during their MICU stay, patients with pleural effusions were older (54±2 years, mean±SEM, vs 47±2 years [p=0.04]), had lower serum albumin concentration (2.4±0.1 vs 3.0±0.01 g/dL [p=0.002]), higher acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II scores during the initial 24 h of MICU stay (17.2±1.1 vs 12±1.2 [p=0.010]), longer MICU stays (9.8±1.0 vs 4.6±0.7 days [p=0.0002]), and longer mechanical ventilation (7.0±1.3 vs 1.9±0.7 days [p=0.004]). No patient died as a direct result of his or her pleural effusion. Chest radiograph readings had good correlation with chest sonograms (p Conclusion Pleural effusions in MICU patients are common, and most are detected by careful review of chest radiographs taken with the patient in erect or semierect position. When clinical suspicion for infection is low, observation of these effusions is warranted initially, because most are caused by noninfectious processes that should improve with treatment of the underlying disease.
Bundling as an Entry Barrier

In this paper we look at the case for bundling in an oligopolistic environment. We show that bundling is a particularly effective entry-deterrent strategy. A company that has market power in two goods, A and B, can, by bundling them together, make it harder for a rival with only one of these goods to enter the market. Bundling allows an incumbent to credibly defend both products without having to price low in each. The traditional explanation for bundling that economists have given is that it serves as an effective tool of price discrimination by a monopolist. Although price discrimination provides a reason to bundle, the gains are small compared with the gains from the entry-deterrent effect. I. INTRODUCTION In this paper we look at the case for bundling in an oligopolistic environment. We show that bundling is a particularly effective entry-deterrent strategy. A company that has market power in two goods, A and B, can, by bundling them together, make it harder for a rival with only one of these goods to enter the market. Bundling allows an incumbent to defend both products without having to price low in each. While it is still possible to compete by offering a rival bundle, a monopolist can significantly lower the potential profits of a one-product entrant without having to engage in limit pricing prior to entry. We also show that bundling continues to be an effective pricing tool even if entry deterrence fails (or if there is already an existing one-product rival). A company with a monopoly in product A and a duopoly in product B makes higher profits by selling an A‐B bundle than by selling A and B independently. Leveraging market power from A into B and accepting some one-product competition against the bundle is better than using the monopoly power in good A all by itself. Since bundling mitigates the impact of competition on the incumbent, an entrant can expect the bundling strategy to persist, even without any commitment. The traditional explanation for bundling that economists have given is that it serves as an effective tool of price discrimination by a monopolist (see Stigler [1968], Adams and Yellen
Lauroyl peroxide as a cosurfactant in miniemulsion polymerization

Miniemulsion polymerizations have been carried out using only an oil-soluble initiator (lauroyl peroxide) as the cosurfactant. Diffusional instability was reduced to the point where nucleation in the monomer droplets and polymerization could be carried out before significant diffusional degradation of the droplets took place. The polymerization behavior was that expected in miniemulsion polymerization with more conventional cosurfactants.
Erosion prediction on unpaved mountain roads in northern Thailand: validation of dynamic erodibility modelling using KINEROS2

The event- and physics-based KINEROS2 runoff/erosion model for predicting overland flow generation and sediment production was applied to unpaved mountain roads. Field rainfall simulations conducted in northern Thailand provided independent data for model calibration and validation. Validation shows that KINEROS2 can be parameterized to simulate total discharge, sediment transport and sediment concentration on small-scale road plots, for a range of slopes, during simulated rainfall events. The KINEROS2 model, however, did not accurately predict time-dependent changes in sediment output and concentration. In particular, early flush peaks and the temporal decay in sediment output were not predicted, owing to the inability of KINEROS2 to model removal of a surface sediment layer of finite depth. After 15–20 min, sediment transport declines as the supply of loose superficial material becomes depleted. Modelled erosion response was improved by allowing road erodibility to vary during an event. Changing the model values of erosion detachment parameters in response to changes in surface sediment availability improved model accuracy of predicted sediment transport by 30–40%. A predictive relationship between road erodibility ‘states’ and road surface sediment depth is presented. This relationship allows implementation of the dynamic erodibility (DE) method to events where pre-storm sediment depth can be estimated (e.g., from traffic usage variables). Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of liquid heat conduction on maximum pressure during transient film boiling from a sphere to a saturated liquid

Abstract The maximum pressure excursions which occur in the pure vapor film enveloping a very hot sphere of constant temperature which is suddenly exposed to a pool of saturated and stagnant liquid are analytically evaluated. Heat conduction in the incompressible liquid, arising from saturation temperature's dependence upon pressure, is shown to be important. Generalized predictions for maximum pressure are presented in the form of graphs, and approximative equations are derived.
Lung mesenchymal expression of Sox9 plays a critical role in tracheal development

Background Embryonic lung development is instructed by crosstalk between mesenchyme and epithelia, which results in activation of transcriptional factors, such as Sox9, in a temporospatial manner. Sox9 is expressed in both distal lung epithelium and proximal lung mesenchyme. Here, we investigated the effect of lung mesenchyme-specific inducible deletion of Sox9 during murine lung development.
Redox regulation of protein tyrosine phosphatases: structural and chemical aspects.

Abstract Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are important targets of the H2O2 that is produced during mammalian signal transduction. H2O2-mediated inactivation of PTPs also may be important in various pathophysiological conditions involving oxidative stress. Here we review the chemical and structural biology of redox-regulated PTPs. Reactions of H2O2 with PTPs convert the catalytic cysteine thiol to a sulfenic acid. In PTPs, the initially generated sulfenic acid residues have the potential to undergo secondary reactions with a neighboring amide nitrogen or cysteine thiol residue to yield a sulfenyl amide or disulfide, respectively. The chemical mechanisms by which formation of sulfenyl amide and disulfide linkages can protect the catalytic cysteine residue against irreversible overoxidation to sulfinic and sulfonic oxidation states are described. Due to the propensity for back-door and distal cysteine residues to engage with the active-site cysteine after oxidative inactivation, differences in the struc...