cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emerging multidrug resistance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in hand infections.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has been the most commonly identified pathogen in hand infections at urban centers, but the evolving antibiotic sensitivity profiles of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus are not known. The purposes of this study are to determine if multidrug resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is emerging and to provide current recommendations for empiric antibiotic selection for hand infections in endemic regions. Methods: An eight-year longitudinal, retrospective chart review was performed on all culture-positive hand infections encountered by an urban hospital from 2005 to 2012. The proportions of all major organisms were calculated for each year. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections were additionally analyzed for antibiotic sensitivity. Results: A total of 683 culture-positive hand infections were identified. Overall, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus grew on culture in 49% of cases; the annual incidence peaked at 65% in 2007. Over the study period, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was universally resistant to penicillin, oxacillin, and ampicillin. Clindamycin resistance significantly increased, approaching 20% by 2012 (p = 0.02). Levofloxacin resistance linearly increased from 12% to 50% (p < 0.01). Resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, gentamicin, and moxifloxacin was only sporadically observed. Resistance to vancomycin, daptomycin, linezolid, and rifampin was not observed. Conclusions: Significant increases in resistance to clindamycin and levofloxacin were observed in recent years, and empiric therapy with these drugs may have limited efficacy, especially in urban centers. Clinical Relevance: Hand infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus may be developing increasing resistance to clindamycin and levofloxacin in recent years. This longitudinal study examines the effectiveness of a variety of antibiotics to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus .
5′ flanking sequence signals are required for activity of silkworm alanine tRNA genes in homologous in vitro transcription systems

Abstract We have used homologous in vitro transcription to examine the nucleotide sequences required for activity of cloned Bombyx mori tRNA 2 Ala genes. We have compared the transcriptional properties of an intact gene and a truncated derivative of the same gene lacking all but 11 nucleotides of normal 5′ flanking DNA, and we find that at least two regions of DNA are required for accurate transcription of tRNA 2 Ala genes by homologous B. mori extracts. One of these sites is retained in the truncated gene and may be within the tRNA coding sequence. Competition experiments with intact and truncated genes indicate that this site probably acts by binding a factor necessary for specificity in polymerase III-catalyzed transcription. The second required site is removed by the Hind III cleavage used to produce shortened genes and thus must be 11 nucleotides or more upstream from the transcription initiation point. Possible roles for this site are discussed.
Do Age-Friendly Characteristics Influence the Expectation to Age in Place? A Comparison of Low-Income and Higher Income Detroit Elders:

Currently there is limited evidence linking age-friendly characteristics to outcomes in elders. Using a representative sample of 1,376 adults aged 60 and older living in Detroit (MI, USA), this study examined the association between age-friendly social and physical environmental characteristics and the expectation to age in place, and the potential differences between low- and higher-income elders. Based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) age-friendly guide, we identified six factors reflecting age-friendly characteristics. Logistic regression models indicated that regardless of income level only neighborhood problems were significantly associated with expecting to age in place. Low-income elders were more likely to expect to age in place than their higher-income counterparts, and it is unclear whether this resulted from a desire to remain in the home or that there is no place else to go. Future research should address the ways in which financial resources affect the choices, expectations, and outcomes of aging in place. Language: en
Endogenous expression of FAD-linked PS1 impairs proliferation, neuronal differentiation and survival of adult hippocampal progenitors.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive memory loss and impaired cognitive function. Early-onset familial forms of the disease (FAD) are caused by inheritance of mutant genes encoding presenilin 1 (PS1) variants. We have demonstrated that prion promoter (PrP)-driven expression of human FAD-linked PS1 variants in mice leads to impairments in environmental enrichment (EE)-induced adult hippocampal neural progenitor cell (AHNPC) proliferation and neuronal differentiation, and have provided evidence that accessory cells in the hippocampal niche expressing PS1 variants may modulate AHNPC phenotypes, in vivo. While of significant interest, these latter studies relied on transgenic mice that express human PS1 variant transgenes ubiquitously and at high levels, and the consequences of wild type or mutant PS1 expressed under physiologically relevant levels on EE-mediated AHNPC phenotypes has not yet been tested. To assess the impact of mutant PS1 on EE-induced AHNPC phenotypes when expressed under physiological levels, we exposed adult mice that constitutively express the PSEN1 M146V mutation driven by the endogenous PSEN1 promoter (PS1 M146V “knock-in” (KI) mice) to standard or EE-housed conditions. We show that in comparison to wild type PS1 mice, AHNPCs in mice carrying homozygous (PS1 M146V/M146V ) or heterozygous (PS1 M146V/+ ) M146V mutant alleles fail to exhibit EE-induced proliferation and commitment towards neurogenic lineages. More importantly, we report that the survival of newborn progenitors are diminished in PS1 M146V KI mice exposed to EE-conditions compared to respective EE wild type controls. Our findings reveal that expression at physiological levels achieved by a single PS1 M146V allele is sufficient to impair EE-induced AHNPC proliferation, survival and neuronal differentiation, in vivo. These results and our finding that microglia expressing a single PS1 M146V allele impairs the proliferation of wild type AHNPCs in vitro argue that expression of mutant PS1 in the AHNPC niche impairs AHNPCs phenotypes in a dominant, non-cell autonomous manner.
Pharmacokinetics of N-formimidoyl thienamycin and influence of a renal dipeptidase inhibitor in experimental meningitis

We studied the pharmacokinetics of N-formimidoyl thienamycin with and without a renal dipeptidase inhibitor in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of rabbits. Thienamycin reached a maximal concentration of 0.6 +/- 0.06 mg/l in the CSF of normal rabbits. When the meninges were inflamed, the mean CSF concentration of N-formimidoyl thienamycin was 3.2 +/- 1.5 mg/l, five times higher than in normal rabbits. This concentration would kill most bacteria that cause meningitis. The renal dipeptidase inhibitor alone had no detectable antibacterial activity. When administered with N-formimidoyl thienamycin, it exerted only minor effects on the pharmacokinetics in either plasma or CSF of normal or infected rabbits.
Automatic generation of investigator bibliographies for institutional research networking systems

Display Omitted Publications are a key data source for research networking systems.ReCiter extracts bibliographies from PubMed given information about investigators.ReCiter has better precision but worse recall than Scopus, a proprietary database.It is challenging to link publications to investigators at a given institution.It is difficult to identify research staff at an institution using publication data. ObjectivePublications are a key data source for investigator profiles and research networking systems. We developed ReCiter, an algorithm that automatically extracts bibliographies from PubMed using institutional information about the target investigators. MethodsReCiter executes a broad query against PubMed, groups the results into clusters that appear to constitute distinct author identities and selects the cluster that best matches the target investigator. Using information about investigators from one of our institutions, we compared ReCiter results to queries based on author name and institution and to citations extracted manually from the Scopus database. Five judges created a gold standard using citations of a random sample of 200 investigators. ResultsAbout half of the 10,471 potential investigators had no matching citations in PubMed, and about 45% had fewer than 70 citations. Interrater agreement (Fleiss' kappa) for the gold standard was 0.81. Scopus achieved the best recall (sensitivity) of 0.81, while name-based queries had 0.78 and ReCiter had 0.69. ReCiter attained the best precision (positive predictive value) of 0.93 while Scopus had 0.85 and name-based queries had 0.31. DiscussionReCiter accesses the most current citation data, uses limited computational resources and minimizes manual entry by investigators. Generation of bibliographies using named-based queries will not yield high accuracy. Proprietary databases can perform well but requite manual effort. Automated generation with higher recall is possible but requires additional knowledge about investigators.
SS-DNA-decorated Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes integrated on CMOS circuitry for high sensitivity gas sensing

In this paper, we demonstrate the integration of single-stranded-DNA (ss-DNA) decorated Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWNT) onto Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) circuitry for gas sensing applications. Utilizing Dielectrophoresis (DEP) assembly, a simple and a low temperature process, we first demonstrate integration of SWNTs onto CMOS circuitry at the die level. SWNTs are sensitive to numerous odors, and functionalization of SWNTs with biomolecular complexes further enhances their sensing specificity and sensitivity. This was demonstrated when we attached ss-DNA around SWNTs and our results indicated twice the sensitivity of the sensors compared to the plain SWNTs. The remarkable set of attributes of the SWNTs coupled with the ss-DNA molecules provides an attractive platform for ultra sensitive electronic nose type of applications.
Determining striatal extracellular glutamate levels in xCT mutant mice using LFPS CE-LIF

Glutamate analysis is useful for the study of many neurochemical processes. In vivo sampling techniques and sample assays provide a platform for monitoring extracellular glutamate levels in the central nervous system of animal models. Low flow push–pull perfusion sampling is used here to sample from the mouse striatum to understand basal extracellular glutamate levels. The 500 nL perfusate samples are pH adjusted with minimal dilution of 1.2 fold prior to derivatization for glutamate measurements. The method optimized for glutamate labelling and measurement involves the use of capillaries for addition of 100 nL solutions to samples. Quantitation of glutamate in the derivatized samples was accomplished with capillary electrophoresis-laser induced fluorescence. Glutamate and aspartate levels were monitored in C3H/HeSnJ controls and C3H/HeSnJ-Slc7a11sut mutants to understand cystine-glutamate transporter (xCT) function. The study of basal glutamate levels used 4 groups: males and females of both control and mutant mice (each N = 5). Using this approach, extracellular glutamate levels in mouse striatum were found to range between 2.68(±0.51) μM and 1.84(±0.40) μM. As expected, extracellular glutamate was lower in the striatum of sut mutant males. Control females, however, showed lower glutamate overall and no difference between genotypes. Overall, a method of LFPS collection and CE-LIF quantitation shows promise for study of glutamate in this model system.
Overexpression of Thiol/Disulfide Isomerases Enhances Membrane Fusion Directed by the Newcastle Disease Virus Fusion Protein

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) fusion (F) protein directs membrane fusion, which is required for virus entry and cell-cell fusion. We have previously shown that free thiols are present in cell surface-expressed NDV F protein and that blocking the production of free thiols by thiol-disulfide exchange inhibitors inhibited the membrane fusion mediated by F protein (J Virol. 81:2328-2339, 2007). Extending these observations, we evaluated the role of the overexpression of two disulfide bond isomerases, protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) and ERdj5, in cell-cell fusion mediated by NDV glycoproteins. The overexpression of these isomerases resulted in significantly increased membrane fusion, as measured by syncytium formation and content mixing. The overexpression of these isomerases enhanced the production of free thiols in F protein when expressed without hemagglutination-neuraminidase (HN) protein but decreased free thiols in F protein expressed with HN protein. By evaluating the binding of conformation-sensitive antibodies, we found that the overexpression of these isomerases favored a postfusion conformation of surface-expressed F protein in the presence of HN protein. These results suggest that isomerases belonging to the PDI family catalyze the production of free thiols in F protein, and free thiols in F protein facilitate membrane fusion mediated by F protein.
Pan-Pacific Enterprises: Strategic Decision-Making In Action

Pan-Pacific Enterprises creates an environment in which individual teams must make strategic decisions based on conflicting goals. The game lasts a single class period but does require outside preparation by the students. Several different groups are given the planning responsibility for a certain aspect of firm operations, yet the optimal solutions for each goal are incompatible. It then becomes the responsibility of the group to resolve these differences and develop a unified plan.
Extracting normative relationships from business contracts

The normative concepts offer a principled basis for engineering flexible multiagent systems for business and other cross-organizational settings. However, producing suitable specifications is nontrivial: the difficulty is an obstacle to the adoption of multiagent systems in industry. This paper considers normative relationships of six main types, namely, commitments (both practical and dialectical), authorizations, powers, prohibitions, and sanctions. It applies natural language processing and machine learning to extract these relationships from business contracts, establishing that they are realistic and their encoding can assist modelers, thereby lowering a barrier to adoption. A ten-fold cross-validation over more than 800 sentences randomly drawn from a corpus of real-life contracts (and manually labeled) yields promising results for the viability of this approach.
Simulation of Coupled Rigid and Deformable Solids and Multiphase Fluids

This thesis presents methods for the physically-based simulation of various solid and fluid phenomena, including coupled rigid and deformable bodies, multiphase incompressible flow, and rigid and deformable volumes or shells coupled to incompressible flows. First, we develop a hybrid deformable solid simulation framework for combining mesh-based and point-based representations of deformable solids. Kinematic relationships between sets of points or simulation objects are defined by introducing hard bindings, providing a variety of capabilities such as the simulation of meshes with T-junctions and improved collision resolution. Soft bindings are then introduced, allowing for additional degrees of freedom while using spring-like forces to target an underlying state. We further apply this framework to partially couple rigid and deformable bodies. We then develop a framework for the full two-way coupling of rigid and deformable bodies, which is achieved with both a unified time integration scheme as well as individual two-way coupled algorithms at each point of that scheme. Thus we do not require specialized methods for dealing with stability issues or interleaving parts of the simulation. We maintain the ability to treat the key desirable aspects of rigid bodies (e.g. contact, collision, stacking, and friction) and deformable bodies (e.g. arbitrary constitutive models, thin shells, and self-collisions). In addition, our simulation framework supports more advanced features such as proportional derivative controlled articulation between rigid bodies. This not only allows for the robust simulation of a number of new phenomena, but also directly lends itself to the design of deformable creatures with proportional derivative controlled articulated rigid skeletons that interact in a life-like way with their environment. Next, we extend the particle level set method for the geometric representation of three or more fluid regions. The method uses a separate level set function and a separate set of particles for each region. A novel projection algorithm is used to uniquely define the interface at any given point, providing a dictionary for translating the vector-valued multiple level set function into the standard single-valued level set representation. We use this method to simulate multiple interacting liquids with varying densities and viscosities, viscoelastic properties, surface tension forces and surface reactions such as combustion. Finally, we present a novel scheme for the two-way coupling of incompressible fluids and rigid or deformable volumetric solids or thin shells. The scheme uses an Eulerian representation for the fluid and a Lagrangian representation for the solid and enforces the no-slip boundary condition at the solid/fluid interface in a momentum conserving way. The coupling is treated implicitly, and the resulting linear system is symmetric indefinite.
Toward a Doctine of Fair Use in Patent Law

The intellectual property laws are becoming increasingly stressed as their largely time-worn doctrines grapple with problems posed by new technology. In this Article, Dean O'Rourke argues that this pressure has become particularly acute in patent law where policymakers have expanded protection without concomitantly evaluating the impact of that move on follow-on innovation. The traditional assumption that patentees will efficiently license their inventions is breaking down as market failures are becoming endemic. Dean O'Rourke argues that to ensure that patent law achieves its constitutional goals, it shuld, like copyright law, use a fair use defense to address problems of market failure. Dean O'Rourke proposes just such a defense that, while modeled on copyright doctrine, accounts for and protects patent law's particular incentive scheme.
Far-Field Noise Prediction of Wind Turbines at Different Receivers and Wind Speeds: A Computational Study

Far-field noise propagation from wind turbines propel development of wind farms to an issue for public acceptance. Airstream contains pressure fluctuations as a result of instability, giving a regular eddy pattern or an irregular turbulent motion which are responsible for the sound produced by wind turbine blades. Aeroacoustic noise emanated from a wind turbine is mainly generated by the interactions of tip and trailing edge of wind turbine blades with the mechanics in wake region such as inflow turbulence structures, boundary layer separation and vortex shedding. Hence, there is a strong necessity for an analytical investigation for noise reducing design and development of the technology in order to further expand wind farms. The objectives of this study are to analyze the far-field aeroacoustics of wind turbines with the purpose of predicting far-field sound pressure levels at different receivers and monitoring total acoustic power captured within wind turbine performance for various wind speeds. Blades are modeled based on NREL S825 airfoil since it has high maximum lift and low profile drag. With the purpose of predicting far-field noise, the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) acoustics model is the preferred method in order to compute the far-field sound signal which is released from near-field flow. As the key attribute of the research, detached eddy simulation (DES) provides accurate results for the desired simulation since it is a hybrid modeling approach that combines features of Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulation in boundary layers and irrotational flow regions, and large-eddy simulation (LES) in unsteady separation regions. In addition, SST K-Omega detached eddy turbulence model is used due to its good compromise between robustness, computational cost and accuracy. Aerodynamic and aeroacoustic analysis of a wind turbine is performed using a three-dimensional model and a commercial CFD Software, STAR-CCM+. In order to predict far-field sound pressure levels and acoustic powers on different locations, five point receivers are defined downstream of the wind turbine model. Receivers are placed one diameter, D, over the wind turbine rotor blades with 1D, 2D, 5D, 10D and 15D away from the wind turbine that represent receivers 1 to 5. Higher acoustic powers are delivered at closer receivers. It means that acoustic power fades out with larger distances. It is observed that there is a fractional variation of 61%, 17%, 6% and 3% as compared to the receiver 1 for receivers 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. Moreover, the results show that variation in total acoustic power is non-linear and higher acoustic powers will be captured for higher velocities. This comparison is done between wind speeds of 10m/s and 15m/s.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
ACTH release by in vitro pituitary; effect of pitressin and purified arginine-vasopressin.

SummaryA modified tissue culture technic for rat pituitary was used for assaying the ACTH releasing activity of commercial Pitressin and purified vasopressin. Pitressin increased ACTH release whereas highly purified arginine-vasopressin had no effect. The ACTH hypophysotrope activity of commercial Pitressin is attributed to a contaminant of vasopressin of probable hypothalamic origin.
Abstract LB-383:In vitroandin vivoMRI evaluation of a novel metallofullerene nanoparticle

Some disadvantages of conventional small molecule contrast agents, such as Magnevist® (Gd - DTPA), are that they extravasate rapidly and are quickly eliminated from blood, limiting the viable MRI time. Macromolecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents, on the other hand, are useful blood-pool agents and have found application in monitoring tumor vasculature and angiogenesis. There is an urgent need for new MRI contrast agents with higher relaxivity and longer blood half-life. Here, we report in vitro and in vivo characterization of a water-soluble derivatized fullerene nanoparticle contrast agent (NCL124) in comparison to the market standard, Magnevist. In comparison to Magnevist, NCL124 had higher R 1 and R2 relaxivities in human plasma at 22° C and 37°C. In vivo MRI imaging was performed on a LS174T dual-flank xenografts following a single intravenous injection of NCL 124 or Magnevist contrast agent (0.2 mmol Gd/Kg) using a 3.0 Tesla clinical whole-body MRI. Based on the relaxivity-time profiles, the Vss for NCL124 was similar to that of albumin (∼ 100 mL/Kg), suggesting high protein binding, while the Vss of Magnevist was similar to that of extracellular tissue water (∼200 mL/Kg), as expected for an extracellular diffusible tracer. NCL124 also had a longer blood half-life (∼ 100 min) than Magnevist (19 min). Taken together, the higher concentration (C max ) and exposure (AUCall) of NCL124 in the blood, coupled with slow elimination, supports the use of NCL124 as a blood-pool contrast agent. Intriguingly, the half-life of NCL124 varied by tumor size, while Magnevist showed similar half-life in both tumors. This suggests NCL124 may have significant utility in predicting differences in tumor vascular and lymphatic permeability, and potentially be useful as a marker for antiangiogenic therapy. Funded by NCI contract # HHSN261200800001E. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-383.
Design Studios in Instructional Design and Technology: What Are the Possibilities?

Design studios are an innovative way to educate Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) students. This article begins by addressing literature about IDT design studios. One conclusion from this literature is that IDT studios have been theoretically conceptualized. However, much of this conceptualization is insular to the field of IDT and only narrowly considers studio pedagogy. This insularity and narrowness is odd, given both that design studios inherently are borrowed from other disciplines and pedagogy is a focus within IDT. Thus, this article identifies and analyzes the purposes of design studios as considered in other disciplines and through disparate lenses. These purposes can serve as the basis of prescriptive pedagogy.
MEG Detection of Attention and Memory Processes in Individuals with Dyslexia

Atypical right and bilateral hemispheric activations in temporoparietal regions have been reported in individuals with dyslexia during nonword reading. We hypothesized similar aberrant activity would be evident during verbal and spatial working memory (WM) in individuals with dyslexia compared to controls as measured by MEG, suggesting inefficiencies in fundamental attentional processes necessary for reading. Nine controls and seven individuals with dyslexia underwent MEG to detect cortical activity during verbal and spatial working memory (VWM, SWM). Differential patterns of activation in acquired (AD) compared to developmental dyslexia (DD) were also examined in three 14-year-old males. Subject’s MEG field responses were measured to visual presentations of a series of upper case letters (verbal) or squares presented in one of twelve locations around an imaginary circle (spatial). Brain activity was analyzed with MR-FOCUSS [1]. Results revealed that VWM and SWM activated earlier in dyslexia compared to controls, particularly in superior frontal (SF) regions during VWM and temporal regions during SWM. Individuals with dyslexia demonstrated higher amplitudes of activation in left parahippocampal regions during VWM. Additionally, lower mean amplitudes were observed in dyslexia in right superior temporal regions and the right precentral gyrus during VWM. During SWM, controls demonstrated later activation in precentral and middle and inferior temporal regions. During SWM, higher normalized mean amplitudes were noted in right superior temporal regions in controls relative to dyslexia. Results of WM performance in DD compared to AD suggest more effortful processing in left temporal regions relative to right in individuals with DD possibly suggestive of neural reorganization in AD. Overall findings suggest that children and young adults with dyslexia display aberrant working memory systems which may result in fewer resources available for the maintenance of information during reading and other verbally mediated tasks.
MO‐DE‐BRA‐04: Hands‐On Fluoroscopy Safety Training with Real‐Time Patient and Staff Dosimetry

Purpose: Fluoroscopically guided interventions (FGI) are routinely performed across many different hospital departments. However, many involved staff members have minimal training regarding safe and optimal use of fluoroscopy systems. We developed and taught a hands-on fluoroscopy safety class incorporating real-time patient and staff dosimetry in order to promote safer and more optimal use of fluoroscopy during FGI. Methods: The hands-on fluoroscopy safety class is taught in an FGI suite, unique to each department. A patient equivalent phantom is set on the patient table with an ion chamber positioned at the x-ray beam entrance to the phantom. This provides a surrogate measure of patient entrance dose. Multiple solid state dosimeters (RaySafe i2 dosimetry systemTM) are deployed at different distances from the phantom (0.1, 1, 3 meters), which provide surrogate measures of staff dose. Instructors direct participating clinical staff to operate the fluoroscopy system as they view live fluoroscopic images, patient entrance dose, and staff doses in real-time. During class, instructors work with clinical staff to investigate how patient entrance dose, staff doses, and image quality are affected by different parameters, including pulse rate, magnification, collimation, beam angulation, imaging mode, system geometry, distance, and shielding. Results: Real-time dose visualization enables clinical staff to directly see and learn how to optimize their use of their own fluoroscopy system to minimize patient and staff dose, yet maintain sufficient image quality for FGI. As a direct result of the class, multiple hospital departments have implemented changes to their imaging protocols, including reduction of the default fluoroscopy pulse rate and increased use of collimation and lower dose fluoroscopy modes. Conclusion: Hands-on fluoroscopy safety training substantially benefits from real-time patient and staff dosimetry incorporated into the class. Real-time dose display helps clinical staff visualize, internalize, and ultimately utilize the safety techniques learned during the training. RaySafe/Unfors/Fluke lent us a portable version of their RaySafe i2 Dosimetry System for 6 months.
Trauma addominale penetrante

Secondo molti chirurghi dedicati prevalentemente all’urgenza, e moito piu facile prendere una decisione in pazienti con trauma addominale penetrante che non in pazienti con trauma chiuso. La ragione principale? Nei pazienti con trauma addominale penetrante non vi e quella “alterazione del sensorio” causata da un trauma cranico che renderebbe piu difficile l’esame clinico ed inoltre si e visto poi che la causa di una eventuale emorragia in pazienti instabili e, di solito, localizzata in addome. Questi fattori rendono inutile l’esecuzione di una serie di lunghi e costosi esami radiologici e, di fatti, a parte le eccezioni (descritte in questo capitolo), la diagnostica per immagini non svolge alcun ruolo nei pazienti con lesioni addominali penetranti.
Inositol Phosphates and Phosphoinositides in Health and Disease

In the past two decades, considerable progress has been made toward understanding inositol phosphates and PI metabolism. However, there is still much to learn. The present challenge is to understand how inositol phosphates and PIs are compartmentalized, identify new targets of inositol phosphates and PIs, and elucidate the mechanisms underlying spatial and temporal regulation of the enzymes that metabolize inositol phosphates and PIs. Answers to these questions will help clarify the mechanisms of the diseases associated with these molecules and identify new possibilities for drug design.
“All for Love, and Nothing for Reward,”: Psyche from Spenser to Lacan, and the Loss of Critical Values

As a generation of Lacanian critics convert what Spenser does into a science of the formations of subjectivity and psycholinguistic desire, they miss Spenser's project of providing a unique account of human psychology in his encyclopedic work. Both Lacan and Spenser have detailed accounts of the operations of the human soul or psyche and the stages the subject passes through in each. As the essay contrasts these divergent models, a number of illuminating distinctions emerge. While in Lacan the self remains positioned in a single arena where the irreconcilable demands of subjectivity and intersubjectivity oppose one another perpetually, in Spenser the conditions of subjectivity are always perilous for the self, cut off from the nutriments of community and nature. Despite grand claims Lacanians have made on his behalf, Lacan's account of human nature cannot enter the heroic struggles of Spenser's second stage and so never fully engages the dynamics of Spenser's quest narrative. The story Lacan tells of the ...
The Negative Chronotropic Effect in Rat Heart Stimulated by Ultrasonic Pulses: Role of Sex and Age.

Objectives The goal of this study is to investigate the role of sex and age of the negative chronotropic effect after exposure of 3.5-MHz pulsed ultrasound (US) to the rat heart. Methods Forty F344 rats were exposed transthoracically to ultrasonic pulses at a duty factor of approximately 1.0% at 2.0-MPa peak rarefactional pressure amplitude. The transthoracic ultrasonic bursts were delivered consecutively in five 10-s intervals, that is, 10 s of 6-Hz pulse repetition frequency (PRF), 10 s of 5-Hz PRF, 10 s of 4-Hz PRF, 10 s of 5-Hz PRF, and 10 s of 6-Hz, for a 50-s total exposure duration. The rats were divided into 8 groups (n = 5 each): US young male, control young male, US young female, control young female, US old male, control old male, US old female, and control old female. Results Two-way ANOVA for repeated measures was used to compare heart rate, cardiac output, arterial pressure, and other hemodynamic values (baseline) before and after US stimulation. Sex versus age versus US interaction was detected for heart rate. Cardiac output showed an age effect, and ejection fraction showed age and US effects. The arterial pressure showed a sex effect. A negative chronotropic effect (∼30% decrease in heart rate) was observed for young female rats. An hypothesis is that the US effect is weight (menopause) dependent, because the young (premenopausal) female rats weighed approximately 40 to 60% less than other groups of rats. Conclusions It is likely that the ovarian hormones are responsible for different US-induced cardiac bioeffects in different ages and sexes.
Utilization of preoperative endoscopic ultrasound for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Abstract Background Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is used for pancreatic adenocarcinoma staging and obtaining a tissue diagnosis. The objective was to determine patterns of preoperative EUS and the impact on downstream treatment. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Medicare-linked database was used to identify patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The staging period was the first staging procedure within 6 months of surgery until surgery. Logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with preoperative EUS. The main outcome was EUS in the staging period, with secondary outcomes including number of staging tests and time to surgery. Results 2782 patients were included, 56% were treated at an academic hospital (n = 1563). 1204 patients underwent EUS (43.3%). The factors most associated with receipt of EUS were: earlier year of diagnosis, SEER area, and a NCI or academic hospital (all p Conclusions Factors most associated with receipt of EUS are geographic, temporal, and institutional, rather than clinical/disease factors. EUS is associated with a longer time to surgery and more preoperative testing, and additional study is needed to determine if EUS is overused.
Markov chain Monte Carlo and acceptance–rejection algorithms for synthesising short‐term variations in the generation output of the photovoltaic system

Solar photovoltaic (PV) is fast being deployed in electric power grids. For its more reliable integration into grids, the impact of its intermittent generation on grids should be further examined. However, high-resolution solar and meteorological measurement data in 1 s or 1 min intervals are often not available for many areas or they are expensive to obtain. Thus, the objective of this study is to present a first-order Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method that synthesises the short-term variation, or sudden energy shortages and overages, in the power generation of a PV system in high-resolution, from low-resolution solar and meteorological data. In addition, up and down ramp rates in PV output are significant for the application of battery storage systems or grid operation. Thus, the acceptance–rejection algorithm able to limit such ramp rates is proposed. The proposed MCMC and acceptance–rejection methods are verified by comparing the statistical characteristics of the synthesised data to those of the original data. From case studies, this study found that the proposed methods could present the sufficient short-term variation in generation output of a PV system.
Bilingual and Monolingual Children’s Patterns of Syntactic Variation: Variable Clitic Placement in Spanish

This study addresses whether monolingual and bilingual Spanish-speaking children differ in their acquisition of grammar by examining direct object clitic placement in children’s narratives. Specifically, we analyze contexts where either proclisis or enclisis is possible (Lo voy a ver ~ Voy a verlo). Corpus studies of adult monolingual Spanish show that proclisis is more frequent than enclisis. Furthermore, variation between proclisis and enclisis is constrained by linguistic factors, such as verb lexeme. We hypothesize that if bilingual children’s Spanish syntax is influenced by English, they will (i) produce higher rates of enclisis, and (ii) display decreased sensitivity to factors that constrain variation. One previous study of bilingual children suggests that English influences Spanish clitic placement. Perez-Leroux, Cuza, and Thomas (Biling Lang Cogn 14(02):221–232, 2011) asked children to repeat sentences with proclisis and enclisis, and found that bilingual children reordered sentences with proclisis, and produced enclisis instead. In contrast, research on adult bilinguals’ production of proclisis/enclisis suggests no impact of English on Spanish. In fact, bilingual adults’ proclisis rates are similar to those of monolingual adults, and the same linguistic factors constrain variation between proclisis and enclisis among monolinguals and bilinguals alike (e.g. Gutierrez M, Hisp Res J 9(4):299–313, 2008; Peace M, Southwest J Linguist 31(1):131–160, 2013). Nevertheless, to the best of our knowledge, no previous research has examined variable clitic placement in bilingual children’s naturalistic production data.
Spin-valve Josephson junctions for cryogenic memory

Josephson junctions containing two ferromagnetic layers are being considered for use in cryogenic memory. Our group recently demonstrated that the ground-state phase difference across such a junction with carefully chosen layer thicknesses could be controllably toggled between zero and $\ensuremath{\pi}$ by switching the relative magnetization directions of the two layers between the antiparallel and parallel configurations. However, several technological issues must be addressed before those junctions can be used in a large-scale memory. Many of these issues can be more easily studied in single junctions, rather than in the superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) used for phase-sensitive measurements. In this work, we report a comprehensive study of spin-valve junctions containing a Ni layer with a fixed thickness of 2.0 nm and a NiFe layer of thickness varying between 1.1 and 1.8 nm in steps of 0.1 nm. We extract the field shift of the Fraunhofer patterns and the critical currents of the junctions in the parallel and antiparallel magnetic states, as well as the switching fields of both magnetic layers. We also report a partial study of similar junctions containing a slightly thinner Ni layer of 1.6 nm and the same range of NiFe thicknesses. These results represent the first step toward mapping out a ``phase diagram'' for phase-controllable spin-valve Josephson junctions as a function of the two magnetic layer thicknesses.
A physiologically inspired agent-based approach to model upstream passage of invasive fish at a lock-and-dam

Abstract The ability of fish to swim upstream through regions of swiftly flowing water is ultimately dependent on their physiological capacity. Swimming performance, the relationship between swim speed and time-to-fatigue, has been used to design fishways and identify barriers to fish movement. However, existing numerical models do not all capture the variability in swimming abilities nor the turbulent, unsteady, and three-dimensional aspect of natural flows. This deficiency is particularly problematic for fish species whose behavior is poorly understood (i.e., invasive fish) and at sites with complex flow patterns. Here, we combine species-specific swimming performance with high resolution abstractions of fluid flow in a new agent-based framework to model fatigue of upstream swimming fish under turbulent flow conditions. Our model simulates fish paths, in the absence of information on their behavioral tendencies, based on a rules-set aimed at fish swimming as far upstream as possible before complete exhaustion by selecting the path of least fatigue. We demonstrate how this model functions by examining theoretical passage of invasive silver carp, Hypopthalmichthys molitrix, and bighead carp, H. nobilis, as well a native fish, the lake sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens, through a typical Mississippi River lock-and-dam (Lock-and-Dam #8 near Genoa, WI). The model then tests whether passage could be reduced by altering spillway gate operations. Model results suggest that passage of all three species is low under current gate operations and that passage of both carp species could be further reduced by about half through minor changes in spillway gate operation without apparent impacts on navigation, scour, or lake sturgeon passage. Model results are qualitatively consistent with observed passage rates monitored by other studies at similar lock-and-dams and are consistent with the possibility that the model likely overestimates passage rates by relying on physiological data only. This approach could be exported to other applications and fish species to help manage and control fish migration and dispersal, especially for fish whose behavior and ecology are poorly understood and not presently quantifiable.
Profiles of the Administrative Internship: The Mentor/Intern Partnership in Facilitating Leadership Experiences:

This study sought to understand how aspiring administrators and supervising mentors contribute to the intern’s opportunity to lead authentic administrative tasks during the administrative internshi...
Transverse Stress Predictions for Thin-to-Thick Composite Structures: Shear Deformable Finite Element Penalty Formulation

A shear deformable finite element formulation for laminated composite plate and shell structures is extended so that thin as well as thick geometries can be studied. This is accomplished by a specially constructed layering of elements in the ‘thickness’ direction. Adjoining layers are mathematically coupled at common interlaminar boundaries by use of a penalty parameter formulation. Since each element has simply midsurface nodal points at which displacements/rotations are prescribed, constraint equations serve to relate motion at layer midsurfaces to motion at layer interfaces. Continuity in each interface, i.e. between two layers, is represented by a set of three penalty parameters. Two of these parameters provide continuity of interlaminar shear stresses across the interface, while the third parameter provides continuity of interlaminar normal stress. In modelling actual structures, the degree of layering as well as specification of the penalty parameters can be extensively varied to account for changes in geometry, geometric discontinuities and the like.
Implementing Distributed Capabilities without a Trusted Kernel

Capabilities are well-known to be a simple and efficient technique for implementing protection in centralized systems. In decentralized distributed systems, however, implementing capabilities can be considerably more difficult. Two problems stand out: (1) how to communicate information about capabilities across an insecure communication network, and (2) how to revoke capabilities in the presence of failures such as message delays, crashes, and network partitions. This paper describes a new scheme for managing capabilities in a distributed system that incorporates novel solutions to both problems. The communication problem is addressed by a new and efficient protocol that exploits recent developments in “zero-knowledge” authentication protocols. The revocation problem is solved by new protocols that rely on approximately synchronized real-time clocks to create the illusion that revocation occurs instantaneously, even in the presence of failures.
Near-IR Spectroscopy as A Tool To Monitor The Purification of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Films by Thermal Oxidation

Electric arc produced single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) films have been purified by a selective oxidation process. The purification is monitored by Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, which gives a quantitative estimate of relative purities. This technique also gives an estimate of the change in relative amounts of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and amorphous carbon impurities after each purification step, thereby providing accurate and selective control over the oxidation process. Oxidation was carried out by reaction in flowing oxygen at 265, 292 and 315°C for different time durations and the purity was evaluated after each oxidation step and compared to the starting as-prepared film. Relative purities, relative amounts of SWNTs and amorphous carbon impurities were monitored as a function of oxidation temperature and time. The maximum purity, which could be obtained by the present process, was three times that of the as-prepared SWNT film.
Evaluation of Bonded Boron/Epoxy Repairs on Aircraft Skin With Simulated Damage

The effectiveness of boron/epoxy repairs in retarding or arresting cracks in skin grade aluminum have been investigated [1–3]. The durability or long-term performance of bonded composite repairs on damaged structures is still an issue that poses a great technical challenge. This is mainly due to the delamination of the composite doubler and/or the deterioration of the interfacial strength of these repairs. Delamination of composite materials, in spite of current technological advancement in their processing techniques, represents a considerable problem. This is caused by the lack of close contact between the plies due to defects such as voids or spots of excess resin formed during curing of the composite. Fortunately, most repair patches are thin section composites and most of the above mentioned defects induced during fabrication may not be severe. This coupled with proper fabrication encourage the utilization of composite repairs of aircraft structural components. Achievement of an optimum quality adhesive interface and the prevention of its degradation with time are also formidable tasks. This involves, surface preparation and tight quality control [4], means by which their long term performance can be evaluated [5, 6], and effective nondestructive methods to assess their long term cumulative damage [7].
Shape optimization of elastic bars in torsion

The problem of shape optimal design for multiply-connected elastic bars in torsion is formulated and solved numerically. A variational formulation for the equation is presented in a Sobolev space setting and the material derivative idea of Continuum Mechanics is used for the shape design sensitivity analysis. The finite element method is used for a numerical solution of the variational state equation and is integrated into an iterative optimization algorithm. Numerical results are presented for both simply- and doubly-connected bars, with prescribed bounds on admissible location of both inner and outer boundaries.