cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthetic trees for enhanced solar evaporation and water harvesting

Solar steam generation from a porous evaporator is a promising approach for harvesting fresh water. Parasitic heat loss can be reduced by using a 3D evaporator that extends above the free surface; however, capillary rise constrains the height of such structures to a centimeter scale. Here, we demonstrate solar steam generation from a synthetic tree, which uses transpiration instead of capillary rise to pump water up insulating tubes of any desired height. A nanoporous ceramic disk coated with graphite was used for the synthetic leaf, which was attached to the upper end of a vertical array of plastic tubes. Using a solar still, it was observed that the synthetic tree harvested approximately three times more condensed water than an equivalent bulk reservoir.
Predatory White Antiracism

The following paper engages paradoxical psychic possibilities regarding how investments of “woke” White people identifying as antiracist and participating in antiracism work may both relate to an authentic desire for racial justice while simultaneously enacting unconscious, unintended forms of identity violence upon self and others. Rooted within the field of second-wave critical White studies, and applying psychoanalytic insights to a contemporary political problem with historical antecedents, it presents three aggressive – often pleasurable, melancholic, and ego-centered – pitfalls of failing to earnestly contend with the constitution of our own antiracist subjectivities: addictive atonement, predatory self-sacrifice, and progressive hatred. Throughout, it calls for soulful justice work to accompany the social justice investments of White people, and to this end elaborates on the challenges to and constituents of such necessary psycho-emotional excavation and restoration.
Vibration-based elastic parameter identification of the diploë and cortical tables in dry cranial bones.

Abstract Various human skull models feature a layered cranial structure composed of homogeneous cortical tables and the inner diploe. However, there is a lack of fundamental validation work of such three-layer cranial bone models by combining high-fidelity computational modeling and rigorous experiments. Here, non-contact vibration experiments are conducted on an assortment of dry bone segments from the largest cranial bone regions (parietal, frontal, occipital, and temporal) to estimate the first handful of modal frequencies and damping ratios, as well as mode shapes, in the audio frequency regime. Numerical models that consider the cortical tables and the diploe as domains with separate isotropic material properties are constructed for each bone segment using a routine that identifies the cortical table–diploe boundaries from micro-computed tomography scan images, and reconstructs a three-dimensional geometry layer by layer. The material properties for cortical tables and diploe are obtained using a Hounsfield Unit-based mass density calculation combined with a parameter identification scheme for Young’s modulus estimation. With the identified parameters, the average error between experimental and numerical modal frequencies is 1.3% and the modal assurance criterion values for most modes are above 0.90, indicating that the layered model is suitable for predicting the vibrational behavior of cranial bone. The proposed layered modeling and identified elastic parameters are also useful to support computational modeling of cranial guided waves and mode conversion in medical ultrasound. Additionally, the diploe elastic properties are rarely reported in the literature, making this work a fundamental characterization effort that can guide in the selection of material properties for human head models that consider layered cranial bone.
Image-Like Graph Representations for Improved Molecular Property Prediction

Research into deep learning models for molecular property prediction has primarily focused on the development of better Graph Neural Network (GNN) architectures. Though new GNN variants continue to improve performance, their modifications share a common theme of alleviating problems intrinsic to their fundamental graph-to-graph nature. In this work, we examine these limitations and propose a new molecular representation that bypasses the need for GNNs entirely, dubbed CubeMol. Our fixed-dimensional stochastic representation, when paired with a transformer model, exceeds the performance of state-of-the-art GNN models and provides a path for scalability.
Can Hume Answer Cromwell

The strokes of his character are as open and strongly marked, as the schemes of his conduct were, during the time, dark and unpenetrable. His extensive capacity enabled him to form the most enlarged projects: His enterprising genius was not dismayed with the boldest and most dangerous. Carried, by his natural temper, to magnanimity, to grandeur, and to an imperious and domineering policy: he knew, when necessary, to employ the most profound dissimulation, the most oblique and refined artiface, the semblance of the greatest moderation and simplicity. A friend to justice, tho' his public conduct was one continued violation of it; devoted to religion, tho' he perpetually
Advancing the Neuroscience of Learning

This talk will describe a strategy to describe a unified neurobiologically oriented theory of the neuroscience of learning. We use a practical heuristic called the Cycle of Pedagogy (COP) which not...
Predicting and preventing insider threat in relational database systems

This paper investigates the problem of insider threat in relational database systems. It defines various types of dependencies as well as constraints on dependencies that may be used by insiders to infer unauthorized information. Furthermore, it introduces the Constraint and Dependency Graph (CDG), and the Dependency Matrix that are used to represent dependencies and constraints on them. Furthermore, it presents an algorithm for constructing insiders knowledge graph, which shows the knowledgebase of insiders. In addition, the paper introduces the Threat Prediction Graph (TPG) to predict and prevent insider threat.
Notions of Spirits as Agents of Mental Illness among the Akan of Ghana: A Cultural-psychological Exploration

NOTIONS OF SPIRITS AS AGENTS OF MENTAL ILLNESS AMONG THE AKAN OF GHANA: A CULTURAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLORATION Annabella Opare-Henaku, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014. Dissertation Director: Shawn O. Utsey, Professor of Psychology & Chair of African-American Studies The study explores lay conceptualizations of mental illness among the Akans of Ghana as influenced by their cultural worldview. Akan, the largest ethnic group in Ghana, is noted for the use of supernatural attributions for various health-related issues. The supernatural attributions are based on Akan ontological belief that the universe is unitary such that there is no clear distinction between physical and spiritual occurrences. This worldview guides Akans in how they deal with a wide range of issues including their mental health. Clinicians and other mental health professionals who rely solely on biomedical approaches to mental health fail to meet the demands of Akan mental health help-seekers because such approaches do not recognize the cultural factors that inform lay understandings on mental illness. Limited studies have been conducted on how Akan supernatural attributions influence conceptualizations of mental illness. Using a grounded theory method of research, 14 individual interviews and 7 focus group discussions were conducted to explore beliefs and knowledge about mental illness in two indigenous Akan communities in Ghana. Participants were of diverse age, sex, education, and occupational background. Analysis revealed that cultural factors influence lay conceptions, diagnosis, and treatment of mental illness. Local labels for mental illness as well as beliefs about etiology, development, and cure of mental illness were identified. It was found that the Akan unitary worldview aids in the endorsement of heterogeneous multi-tier causal attributions of mental illness that embrace supernatural and non-supernatural causal explanations. Although supernatural causality theories of mental illness existed, participants related a complex causal explanation that involved other non-supernatural causal attributions. Results further revealed that Akan cultural beliefs influence community response to mental illness, encouraging pluralistic help-seeking behaviors that satisfy the Akan cultural value for holistic treatment and care. The implications of the findings for clinical training, culturally-sensitive mental health practice, and mental health education and advocacy have been discussed.
Body mass index and hospitalization in the elderly

Objectives: To explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and hospital usage in the elderly. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (1992–94). Participants: Eight thousand seven hundred fifty-four noninstitutionalized individuals aged 65 to 100 without cancer at baseline and with available data on height and weight. Measurements: BMI categorized by quintiles and by the 1998 National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) BMI classification. Poisson regression was used for multivariate analyses relating BMI to number of hospitalizations, adjusting for sex, age, smoking status, and heart disease. Results: During 20,464 years of observation, 1,199 individuals had 4,096 hospitalizations and 34,190 hospital days. Individuals in the lowest BMI quintile had a higher risk of hospitalization than those in the middle BMI quintile (RR=1.22; 95% confidence interval=1.1–1.4); stratified analyses by age revealed that this association remained for individuals aged 65 to 75. Using the NHLBI classification, underweight, overweight, mild obesity, and moderate to severe obesity were related to higher risk of hospitalizations than normal BMI in individuals aged 65 to 75. In individuals older than 75, underweight, overweight, and mild obesity were not related to a higher risk of hospitalizations. Moderate to severe obesity was related to a higher risk of hospitalization in individuals aged 75 to 89, which represented only 1.5% of the sample. Conclusion: BMI is not a predictor of hospitalization for most individuals aged 75 and older.
Review: More Essential than Ever: The Fourth Amendment in the Twenty-First Century

The general thesis presented in Stephen Schulhofer’s More Essential Than Ever: The Fourth Amendment in the Twenty-First Century is that the fundamental principles lying at the heart of the Fourth Amendment have been diluted over the past century. The core of the book is a passionate plea for a return to judicial oversight and placing limits on the discretionary powers of law enforcement.
Language Access in State Courts

Almost 25 million people in the U.S. have limited proficiency in English (LEP), meaning that they can protect their rights, children, homes and safety in court only with the assistance of an interpreter. When competent interpreters are not available in civil cases, judges cannot accurately find facts, litigants cannot comply with court orders, the public loses faith in the justice system, and states cannot enforce their civil laws. The federal Civil Rights Act mandates access to interpreters for LEP individuals in all civil cases in courts receiving federal funds. Nonetheless, an in-depth examination of court interpreter services in the 35 states with the highest proportion of LEP individuals finds that in 46 percent of these states judges can deny interpreters in some or all civil cases, in 80 percent judges can charge LEP individuals for interpreters, and in 37 percent judges can use interpreters whose competence has never been assessed, even when credentialed interpreters are available. In an attempt to remedy the situation, this report lists courts’ legal obligations, provides guidelines for the use of interpreters in state courts, and highlights best practices.
Determination of vancomycin and gentamicin clearance in an in vitro, closed loop dialysis system

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing an in-vitro, closed loop hemodialysis system as a method to assess drug clearance. Secondarily, this study tested the influence of variables (blood flow rate, dialysate flow rate, and type of filter) in the hemodialysis procedure on the clearance of vancomycin and gentamicin. An in-vitro, closed loop hemodialysis system was constructed. The vancomycin (30 mg/L) and gentamicin (25 mg/L) were added to a simulated blood system (SBS). Four conditions (C1-C4) were tested by defining the filter (Polyflux 170H or F180) and the blood and dialysate flow rates (BFR and DFR). All hemodialysis sessions were 3 hours in length and each condition was completed in duplicate. Dialysate effluent was collected in a 50 gallon polyethylene drum. Samples were collected (in duplicate) from the SBS and the dialysate effluent at baseline and at the end of the hemodialysis session. Samples were analyzed for vancomycin and gentamicin with an ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method. A total of eight 3-hour hemodialysis sessions were conducted. For all tested conditions (C1-C4), vancomycin was undetectable in the SBS at the end of dialysis. However, total vancomycin recovery in the dialysis effluent was 85±18%, suggesting that up to 15% may have adsorbed to the dialysis filter or tubing. Gentamicin clearance from SBS was >98% in all tested conditions. Average gentamicin recovery in the dialysate effluent was 99±15%. Both vancomycin and gentamicin were readily removed by high-flux hemodialysis under all conditions studied. No significant differences in drug clearance were observed between conditions used in this in vitro study. The clinical implications of changing these hemodialysis parameters are unknown.
Maintainability of the Space Shuttle Orbiter main engine.

Review of the long-life and minimum-turnaround-maintenance features in the design of the Space Shuttle Orbiter main engine aimed at reducing the latter's field operating costs. These features include the regeneratively cooled hot-gas system selected, the provision of additional fatigue margins in the design of rotating machinery elements, and employment of a proven approach to engine condition monitoring for fault detection and identification.
Immune status does not predict high-risk HPV in anal condyloma.

Abstract Background More than 90% of anal condyloma is attributed to nonhigh risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), thus patients with anal condyloma do not necessarily undergo HPV serotyping unless they are immunocompromised (IC). We hypothesized that IC patients with anal condyloma have a higher risk of high-risk HPV and dysplasia than nonimmunocompromised (NIC) patients. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent surgical treatment by a single surgeon for anal condyloma from 1/2000 to 1/2012. HPV serotyping was performed on all patient samples. We compared incidence of high-risk HPV and dysplasia in condyloma specimens from IC and NIC patients. Results High-risk HPV was identified in 14 specimens with serotypes 16, 18, 31, 33, 51, 52, and 67. Twenty-two cases (18.3%) had dysplasia. Invasive carcinoma was identified in one IC patient. The prevalence of dysplasia or high-risk HPV was not significantly different between IC and NIC groups. High-risk HPV was a significant independent predictor of dysplasia (odds ratio [OR] = 5.2; 95% CI = 1.24–21.62). Immune status, however, was not a significant predictor of high-risk HPV (OR = 1.11; 95% CI = 0.16–5.12) nor dysplasia (OR = 0.27; 95% CI = 0.037–1.17). Conclusions IC patients did not have a significantly higher prevalence or risk of high-risk HPV or dysplasia in our study. HPV typing of all condylomata, regardless of immune status, should be considered as it may help predict risk of neoplastic transformation or identify NIC patients with an increased risk of developing anal intraepithelial neoplasia.
Justice or compassion? Cultural differences in power norms affect consumer satisfaction with power-holders

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate cultural variations in the qualities that White Americans and Hispanic Americans believe power-holders should embody, and the situations in which these norms influence consumer satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – Two experimental studies (n1=130 and n2=121) and one field study (n=241) were conducted with White American and Hispanic participants. Results were analysed using ANOVA and regression. Findings – White Americans are predisposed to apply to power-holders injunctive norms of treating others justly and equitably, whereas Hispanics are predisposed to apply injunctive norms of treating others compassionately. These cultural variations in the use of injunctive norms were more evident in business or service contexts in which power was made salient, and emerged in the norms more likely to be endorsed by White American and Hispanic participants (Study 1), their approval of hypothetical negotiators who treated suppliers equitably or compassionat...
Probing the intra-islet control of beta cell function (1108.3)

Neuronostatin (NST) is produced in pancreatic delta cells from the somatostatin preprohormone, and has been shown to inhibit glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from beta cells of primary islets, but not from isolated beta cell cultures. We have demonstrated that NST stimulates glucagon release and have hypothesized that this is necessary for the peptide’s in vivo effect to impair glucose tolerance. Here we demonstrate the action of NST to increase proglucagon message in alpha cells and identify a potential mechanism to be via phosphorylation of protein kinase A. The NST receptor, GPR107, is abundantly expressed in the pancreas, in particular in the alpha cell population and both the effect on proglucagon mRNA levels and PKA phosphrylation are absent in alpha cells in which the expression of the NST receptor has been compromised using siRNA. Taken together with our observation that NST infusion in conscious rats impairs glucose tolerance and that plasma levels of the peptide are elevated in the fasted co...
Eliminating adhesion errors in nanoindentation of compliant polymers and hydrogels

Nanoindentation is a valuable tool for characterization of biomaterials due to its ability to measure local properties in heterogeneous, small or irregularly shaped samples. However, applying nanoindentation to compliant, hydrated biomaterials leads to many challenges including adhesion between the nanoindenter tip and the sample. Although adhesion leads to overestimation of the modulus of compliant samples when analyzing nanoindentation data using traditional analysis techniques, most studies of biomaterials have ignored its effects. This paper demonstrates two methods for managing adhesion in nanoindentation analysis, the nano-JKR force curve method and the surfactant method, through application to two biomedically-relevant compliant materials, poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) elastomers and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels. The nano-JKR force curve method accounts for adhesion during data analysis using equations based on the Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) adhesion model, while the surfactant method eliminates adhesion during data collection, allowing data analysis using traditional techniques. In this study, indents performed in air or water resulted in adhesion between the tip and the sample, while testing the same materials submerged in Optifree Express(®) contact lens solution eliminated tip-sample adhesion in most samples. Modulus values from the two methods were within 7% of each other, despite different hydration conditions and evidence of adhesion. Using surfactant also did not significantly alter the properties of the tested material, allowed accurate modulus measurements using commercial software, and facilitated nanoindentation testing in fluids. This technique shows promise for more accurate and faster determination of modulus values from nanoindentation of compliant, hydrated biological samples.
Computational and physical modeling challenges in structural molecular biology and proteomics

Some of the most challenging and influential opportunities for Physical Geometric Algorithms (PGA) arise in developing and applying information technology to understand the molecular machinery of the cell. Our recent work (and work by others) shows that many PGA techniques may be fruitfully applied to the challenges of computational molecular biology. PGA research may lead to computer systems and algorithms that are useful in structural molecular biology, proteomics, and rational drug design.Concomitantly, a wealth of interesting computational and physical modeling problems arise in proposed methods for discovering new pharmaceuticals. In this talk, I'll discuss some recent results from my lab, including new algorithms for interpreting X-ray crystallography and NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) data, disease classification using mass spectrometry of human serum, and protein redesign. Our algorithms have recently been used, respectively, to reveal the enzymatic architecture of organisms high on the CDC bioterrorism watch-list, for probabilistic cancer classification from human peripheral blood, and to redesign an antibiotic-producing enzyme to bind a novel substrate. I'll overview these projects, and survey some of the algorithmic, modeling, and computational challenges.
Teaching the Simple Suture to Medical Students for Long-term Retention of Skill

Importance Instructional methods for the simple suture technique vary widely and are seldom based on educational research. Published data indicate that video primers and structured instruction and evaluation decrease learning time and improve skill acquisition. Objectives To determine the amount of practice needed to attain simple suture proficiency and to identify the optimal teaching schedule for retention of skill. Design, Setting, and Participants First-year and second-year medical students at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai with little to no suturing experience were randomly divided into 2 equal groups, with one being taught on day 1 and tested for proficiency on day 30 (control group) and the other being taught on day 1 and tested for proficiency on days 10, 20, and 30 (experimental group). Students were evaluated using the objective structured assessment of technical skills method and a checklist. Those initially not proficient on a given day were immediately prompted to practice and retest. This cycle continued until proficiency was achieved for that day. The study was conducted from April 7, 2014, to June 30, 2014. Main Outcomes and Measures Simple suture proficiency at 30 days and the mean number of practice sutures needed for proficiency on day 1. Results All students ultimately achieved proficiency. The mean (SD) number of practice sutures required to achieve proficiency at the initial training was 41 (15). Students in the control group had a 0% pass rate at the 30-day initial proficiency test, while students in the experimental group had a 91.7% pass rate at day 30 ( P Conclusions and Relevance Single instructional sessions may not be sufficient to maintain simple suture proficiency over the course of a 30-day elective. We propose the use of preparatory instructional videos, followed by instructor demonstration to introduce the technique. Independent practice with intermittent evaluation and critique allows for skill acquisition and time efficiency at the initial training. Students should view instructional videos and practice at least 10 repetitions every 10 days to maintain their skill.
Thrombogenicity of canine free internal mammary artery autografts.

Abstract Early patency of free internal mammary artery (IMA) grafts for coronary artery bypass (CAB) is lower than that of in situ IMA grafts, and proximal anastomotic problems have been implicated in the pathogenesis of graft occlusion. To determine whether thrombotic phenomena might account for proximal graft narrowing, we examined platelet and fibrinogen deposition in 23 free IMA grafts in a canine model of CAB. Twelve animals had no antiplatelet therapy and were controls. Eleven animals received dipyridamole, 55 mg p.o. daily, 2 days before and each day after operation; aspirin, 325 mg p.o. daily, was given after CAB. Six of the 12 untreated dogs and 5 of the 11 treated dogs were sacrificed at 1 day after surgery; the remainder of each group was sacrificed on the 14th postoperative day. Platelet and fibrinogen depositions were quantitated by indium-111 tropolone and Iodine-125 labeling, respectively. Grafts were sectioned into five parts: proximal anastomosis (PA), proximal graft (PG), midgraft (MG), distal graft (DG), and distal anastomosis (DA). Platelet deposition was highest at the PA of free IMA grafts, and fibrinogen deposition was high at both anastomoses. Antiplatelet therapy significantly reduced platelet deposition at the PA at 14 days, but not at 1 day; fibrinogen deposition was significantly reduced at the DA at 1 day, and at both the PA and DA at 14 days. The ratio of fibrinogen molecules per platelet was unaffected by antiplatelet therapy, but was observed to increase with time at the DG and DA. Unexplained discrepancies were noted in the fibrinogen-to-platelet ratio between control IMA and control femoral artery. In contrast to in situ IMA grafts, patency of free IMA grafts may be improved with antiplatelet therapy.
Optical phase measurement and dynamic stabilization for a transmitted 81-GHz photonic ultra low phase noise reference through a SMF under controlled bending motion

The ALMA project (Atacama Large Millimeter Array) is a collection of 50 radio telescopes that will be installed and operated in the high altitude desert of Atacama in northern Chile. The array is phased locked using a microwave reference generated from highly stable phase locked laser signals transmitted over 15km single mode fiber. In this paper we demonstrate the ability of generating and distributing high frequency photonic based microwave reference in a single mode fiber of 14 km to 2 of the ALMA radio telescopes. 81GHz photonic LO reference is generated and transmitted over the single mode fiber to the receivers of the 2 antennas. The paper will also present the method used to measure and dynamically stabilize the phase of the microwave photonics reference transmitted to 2 antennas while simulating antenna motion. The photonic phase correction system will null the unwanted phase in the microwave reference resulted from the motion of the telescope, maintaining coherence between the 2 antennas.
Dementia and Alzheimer's disease: A new direction. The 2010 Jay L. Foster Memorial Lecture

Abstract Background The modern era of Alzheimer's disease (AD) research began in the early 1980s with the establishment of AD research centers and expanded research programs at the National Institute on Aging. Methods Over the past 30 years, there has been success in defining criteria for AD and dementia, association of important genetic disorders related to premature dementia in families, the association of apolipoprotein-E 4 , and measurement of incidence and prevalence and selected risk factors. However, prevention and treatment have been elusive. Results The development of new technologies, especially magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography to measure amyloid in vivo in the brain and glucose metabolism, cerebrospinal fluid examination, better genetic markers, large-scale longitudinal epidemiology studies, and preventive clinical trials has rapidly begun a new era of research that offers opportunities to better understand etiology, that is, determinants of amyloid biology in the brain, neurofibrillary tangles, synaptic loss, and dementia. Conclusions There are three major hypotheses related to dementia: amyloid deposition and secondary synaptic loss as a unique disease, vascular injury, and "aging." New research must be hypothesis-driven and lead to testable approaches for treatment and prevention.
What do i need to do to make an A

Students are universally concerned with their grades, which can be very frustrating to a teacher who wants them to ask “How can I learn this material?” rather than “What do I need to do to make an A?” After many years of dealing with the latter question (despite detailed descriptions of our
Postoperative subcutaneous instillation of low-dose ketorolac but not hydromorphone reduces wound exudate concentrations of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 and improves analgesia following cesarean delivery.

Abstract The objectives of this study were to test the effects of low-dose ketorolac and hydromorphone added to continuous local anesthetic wound instillation on surgical-site inflammatory mediators, postoperative pain, and opioid consumption. Sixty healthy women undergoing cesarean delivery were enrolled in this randomized, double-blinded study. Patients were randomized to receive a subcutaneous wound instillation of bupivacaine .5% at 10 mg/hour (active control), bupivacaine .5% with ketorolac .6 mg/hour, or bupivacaine .5% with hydromorphone .04 mg/hour for 48 hours postcesarean. Wound exudate was sampled at 4, 24, and 48 hours postcesarean and assayed for interleukins IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-12, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interferon (INF-γ), and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The addition of ketorolac to bupivacaine significantly decreased IL-6 ( P = .012) and IL-10 ( P = .005) compared to plain bupivacaine. Ketorolac, but not hydromorphone, was associated with a decrease in pain ( P = .018) and analgesic use ( P = .020) following cesarean delivery. Our results are compatible with the view that significant analgesics effects are mediated through local modulation of inflammatory events. Low-dose ketorolac administered into surgical wounds exert significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects and may be a valuable analgesic alternative to systemic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) but with potentially fewer side effects. Perspective This article demonstrates that low-dose ketorolac administered into wounds modulates local inflammatory events, decreases postoperative pain, and reduces opioid consumption. These results suggest that administration of NSAIDs into surgical wounds may be an analgesic alternative to higher systemic dosing of NSAIDs.
Differences in the susceptibility of various cation transport ATPases to vanadate-catalyzed photocleavage

Abstract Illumination of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles by ultraviolet light in the presence of 1 mM vanadate causes photocleavage of the Ca 2+ -ATPase into two fragments (Vegh et al. (1990) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1023, 168–183). In the absence of Ca 2+ the photocleavage occurs in the N-terminal half of the molecule near the phosphate acceptor Asp-351. In the presence of 2 mM Ca 2+ the photocleavage shifts to the C-terminal half of the ATPase, near the FITC binding site (Lys-515). About half of the Ca 2+ -ATPase was cleaved rapidly, accompanied by nearly complete, irreversible loss of ATPase activity when illuminated in the presence of 2 mM CaCl 2 ; further cleavage of the enzyme was slow and affected primarily the C-terminal fragment produced in the presence of Ca 2+ . Solubilization of the Ca 2+ -ATPase with C 12 E 8 did not affect the site of photocleavage in either conformation. The vanadate-induced Ca 2+ -ATPase crystals were disrupted during photocleavage, while the binding of anti-ATPase antibodies directed against the phosphorylation site (PR-8) and against the FITC binding region (PR-11) was enhanced. The bovine kidney Na + ,K + -ATPase was insensitive to photocleavage under conditions where about half the Ca 2+ -ATPase was fragmented. The slight cleavage of the pig gastric H + ,K + -ATPase after prolonged illumination produced fragments that are distinct from the fragments of the Ca 2+ -ATPase.
Design Considerations for Fixed-Cone Valve with Baffled Hood

Fixed-cone valves (FCVs) are practical devices used to regulate flow at dams having medium to high heads. These valves are designed to safely reduce the flow energy by redirecting the pipe flow into a free-discharging conical jet and, under certain circumstances, through a hood or another containment structure to control the conical jet. However, the hood concentrates the jet and, consequently, the remaining energy. A relatively new hood design using baffle blocks has been successful in reducing the area required to contain and dissipate the jet energy. Although baffle blocks have previously been used in cylindrical FCV hoods, there is no established design standard for the placement and sizing of the blocks. This paper considers a design not previously documented in the literature for an FCV with a conventional hood that implements baffle blocks. The design analysis uses both computational fluid dynamics and physical modeling and compares the results.
Rotational temperatures of argon-nitrogen ICP discharges measured by high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometry

Abstract The intensity distribution in the rotational structure of the electronic band B 2 Σ + g → X 2 Σ + g of N + 2 (0,0) was measured by high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometry. This spectral information enabled estimates of the rotational temperatures in atmospheric-pressure argon-nitrogen inductively coupled plasmas (Ar-N 2 ICPs). These rotational temperatures were compared to the excitation and the Doppler temperatures of Ar ICP and Ar-N 2 ICPs having from 0 to 100% nitrogen in the outer gas flow. The rotational temperature of the mixed-gas plasmas ranged from 5500 to 10000 K, depending on the percentage of nitrogen in the outer gas flow, compared to 7800 K for the Ar ICP. The lowest and the highest rotational temperatures were obtained when the outer gas flow contained 100% and 17% nitrogen, respectively.
Supporting spatial aggregation in sensor network databases

Sensor networks are unattended deeply distributed systems whose schema can be conceptualized using the relational model. Aggregation queries on the data sampled at each sensor node are the main means to extract the abstract characteristics of the surrounding environment. However, the non-uniform distribution of the sensor nodes in the environment leads to inaccurate results generated by the aggregation queries. In this paper, we introduce "spatial aggregations" that take into consideration the distribution of the values generated by the sensor nodes. We propose the use of spatial interpolation methods derived from the fields of spatial statistics and computational geometry to answer spatial aggregations. In particular, we study Spatial Moving Average (SMA), Voronoi Diagram and Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN). Investigating these methods for answering spatial average queries, we show that the average value on the data samples weighted by the area of the Voronoi cell of the corresponding sensor node, provides the best precision. Consequently, we introduce an incremental algorithm to compute and maintain the Voronoi cell at each sensor node. To demonstrate the performance of in-network implementation of our algorithm, we have developed prototypes of two different approaches to distributed spatial aggregate processing.
Management of the Febrile Infant

The management of the febrile infant is truly a complex and evolving topic in pediatrics. The clinical practice guideline provides a map for physician decision making in this important clinical issue. An individual physician may alter the course of action based on his or her treatment threshold but must recognize the limitations of that approach. Documentation of management decisions that deviate from published guidelines are important for patient care. The medical record must carefully represent the appearance of the patient, the actions taken, and the discussion with the family regarding management. Close follow-up includes phone contact with documentation and reexamination of the patient in a reasonable period of time. All who deal with the common problem of fever in infants should follow this subject closely and be ready to adopt new management strategies when evidence from outcomes-based research emerges. In the mean time, the current practice guideline offers an excellent starting point in the management of this common and vexing clinical problem.
Effectiveness of Diffuse Basis Functions for Calculating Relative Energies by Density Functional Theory

The addition of diffuse functions to a double-ζ basis set is shown to be more important than increasing to a triple-ζ basis when calculating reaction energies, reaction barrier heights, and conformational energies with density functional theory, in particular with the modified Perdew−Wang density functional. It is shown that diffuse basis functions are vital to describe the relative energies between reactants, products, and transition states in isogyric reactions, and they provide enormous improvement in accuracy for conformational equilibria, using 1, 2-ethanediol and butadiene as examples. As a byproduct of the present study, we present a one-parameter hybrid density functional method optimized for sugars and sugar-like molecules; this is called MPW1S.
Salt and water transport by the in vitro cockroach midgut

Abstract The utilization of in vitro midgut preparations has shown that hyperosmotic lumen concentrations fail to elicit the movement of water from the haemolymph across the epithelium. On the other hand, the osmolarity of the midgut lumen decreases which indicates a rapid absorption of solutes. These results suggest that the ventriculus plays an important role in maintaining overall homeostasis while allowing the required absorption. Varied placement of 0·001 M dinitrophenol (DNP) and varied lumen salt concentration indicate that there are two DNP sensitive movements across the gut wall in opposite directions. Saturation kinetics of inhibition can be shown when DNP is placed on the blood-side of the midgut. The significance of DNP-inhibited transport and of other absorptive mechanisms are discussed.
Entrepreneurial strategy making and firm performance: tests of contingency and configurational models

This field study explores the nature of entrepreneurial strategy making (ESM) and its relationship with strategy, environment and performance. In the first phase, we assess the independence of entrepreneurially oriented strategy-making processes through factor analysis. The second phase, using moderated hierarchical regression anlaysis, investigates the relative predictive power of two approaches for exploring the ESM–performance relationship: contingency and configuration. Findings from a sample of 32 firms competing in a wide variety of industries indicate that configurational approaches that align ESM, strategy, and environment have greater predictive power than contingency approaches. However, not all high performing configurations are consistent with normative theory. Thus, alternate theories linking entrepreneurial strategy making to competitive advantage should be developed and tested. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Superimposed random coding of stimulus-response connections.

The problem of economically linking a large number of stimuli with a large number of potential responses is considered to resemble a problem of efficient retrieval of documents (the responses) on the basis of their characterization by descriptors (the stimuli to which the responses are appropriate). In this retrieval problem, a method whereby the codes for descriptors are random positions in a coding field, and whereby codes for all applicable descriptors are superimposed in the same field, seems to be the simplest way of avoiding serious difficulties of retrieval. After a review of this method, the possibility is considered that very simple neural mechanisms could embody the essential features of the method. The aim of the discussion is to learn whether very simple structures and patterns of reinforcement would be adequate to carry out useful information processing in the brain, and to show some conceivable functions of simple neural networks which the experimenter might keep in mind. The discussion also shows how the structure of a simple “perceptron”-like network is suggested by the requirements of a retrieval task.
Thermodynamic behavior of a model covalent material described by the environment-dependent interatomic potential

Using molecular-dynamics simulations we study the thermodynamic behavior of a single-component covalent material described by the recently proposed environment-dependent interatomic potential (EDIP). The parametrization of EDIP for silicon exhibits a range of unusual properties typically found in more complex materials, such as the existence of two structurally distinct disordered phases, a density increase upon melting of the low-temperature amorphous phase, and negative thermal-expansion coefficients for both the crystal (at high temperatures) and the amorphous phase (at all temperatures). Structural differences between the two disordered phases also lead to a first-order transition between them, which suggests the existence of a second critical point, as is believed to exist for amorphous forms of frozen water. For EDIP-Si, however, the unusual behavior is associated not only with the open nature of tetrahedral bonding but also with a competition between fourfold (covalent) and fivefold (metallic) coordination. The unusual behavior of the model and its unique ability to simulate the liquid/amorphous transition on molecular-dynamics time scales make it a suitable prototype for fundamental studies of anomalous thermodynamics in disordered systems.
The effect of isolated high-energy shock wave treatments on subsequent bacterial growth.

To determine wether high-energy shock waves possess bactericidal potential, ATCC strains of Eschericha coli, Streptococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus were suspended in solution at concentrations approximating 106 bacteria per milliliter, placed in polypropylene cryovials, and immersed in the water bath of a Dornier HM3 lithotriptor. Each cryovial was then fluoroscopically guided to the epicenter of the f2 focal point and 2000 shocks at 20 kV applied. Suspensions were then serially diluted and colony counts obtained. The procedure was then repeated with 4000 shocks at 20 kV from the Dornier HM3 and 4000 shocks at intensity level 4 from a Wolff Piezolith 2200 shock wave lithotriptor. Comparison of shock-wave-treated and sham-treated bacterial suspensions revealed no significant difference in bacterial growth according to the colony count technique. We conclude that high-energy shock waves, whether generated by spark gap or piezoelectric array, do not possess significant bactericidal activity.
Relative efficacy of hyaluronic acid in comparison with NSAIDs for knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Objective To assess the relative efficacy of intra-articular hyaluronic acid (IAHA) in comparison with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods We searched Medline, EMBASE, Google Scholar, ISI Web of Science, and Cochrane Database from inception until February 2013. Randomized controlled trials comparing HA with NSAIDs for knee OA were included if they reported at least one pain outcome. Two reviewers abstracted data and determined quality. Outcomes included pain, function, and stiffness. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed. Results Five trials (712 participants) contributed to the pain analysis. Both groups showed improvement from baseline. The analysis found an effect size (ES) of −0.07 (95% CI: −0.24 to 0.10) at trial end, favoring neither treatment. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups at 4 and 12 weeks in function [ES = −0.08 (95% CI: −0.39 to 0.23)] or stiffness [ES = 0.03 (95% CI: −0.27 to 0.34)] analyses based on two trials. Injection site pain was the most common adverse event reported in the HA group, and gastrointestinal adverse events were more common in the NSAIDs group. Conclusion This meta-analysis suggests that IAHA is not significantly different from continuous oral NSAIDs at 4 and 12 weeks. Our study detected no safety concerns; however, the included trials had only a short follow-up duration. Given the favorable safety profile of IAHA over NSAIDs, this result suggests that IAHA might be a viable alternative to NSAIDs for knee OA, especially for older patients at greater risk for systemic adverse events.
The coherent state variational algorithm: A numerical method for solving large-N gauge theories

This paper presents a new approach for studying large-N gauge theories which directly exploits the classical nature of the N → ∞ limit. This method supplies a practical algorithm for computing and minimizing the classical hamiltonian (or effective action) which governs N = ∞ dynamics, and allows one to calculate physical quantities such as the mass spectrum or scattering amplitudes of glueballs or mesons. Two different implementations of the basic ideas are discussed; one variant provides an algorithm for constructing N = ∞ master field matrices, while the other works directly with a list of expectation values of physical operators. Algorithms are developed for both the hamiltonian and euclidean formulations of lattice gauge theories. The inclusion of fermions in the hamiltonian version is also described. Detailed tests of the method in the context of the exactly solvable one-plaquette model are presented.
Properties of cuticular oxidases used for sex pheromone biosynthesis by Heliothis zea

Biosynthesis of the aldehydic sex pheromone components released by females ofHeliothis zea was found to be catalyzed by primary alcohol oxidases residing in the cuticle that covers the glands. Activity, as indicated by conversion of primary alcohol to aldehyde, was as high in cell-free cuticle as it was in intact pheromone glands. Studies indicated that some activity was associated with the surface of the epicuticle and could be removed, into buffer, by sonication. However, the majority of activity lies within the inner epicuticle and exo- and endocuticular layers. The oxidase was not functional in pharate pupae that did not have mature adult cuticle but became functional just prior to adult emergence. The enzyme in individual glands was saturated at alcohol concentrations above 100 n. moles. Nonionic detergents did not affect the activity of the oxidase in the cuticle but treatment with either 7 M urea or 1% SDS resulted in total loss of activity. Studies on the effect of pH indicated an optimum at 6.4; however, activity was high throughout the range of 5–9. The oxidase was functional in both dichloromethane and hexane, suggesting that this enzyme system may have applications for organic synthesis of aldehydes.
Telltale Signs: What Common Explanatory Strategies in Chemistry Reveal about Explanation Itself

This essay addresses issues concerningexplanation by exploring how explanatorystructures function within contemporarychemistry. Three examples are discussed:explanations of the behavior of gases using theideal gas law, explanations of trends inchemical properties using the periodic table,and explanations of molecular geometry usingdiagrammatic orbital schemes. In each case,the general explanatory structure, rather thanparticular explanations, occupies center stagein the analysis. It is argued that thisquasi-empirical investigation may be morefruitful than previous analyses that attempt toisolate the essential features of individualexplanations. There are two reasons for thisconclusion, each discussed in some detail. First, the traditional analyses rely on highlyprecarious reasoning. Second, empiricallygrounded investigations provide a more naturalconnection to the core aim of analyses ofexplanation, namely to provide a rationale forthe widely expressed preference for explanatorytheories in science.