cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A regional model for studies of atmosphere-ice-ocean interaction in the Western Arctic

Asa step in the development of a fully coupled regional model of the atmosphere-ice-ocean system, atmospheric and sea ice models have been adapted to a western Arctic domain centered on the Bering Strait. Lateral boundary conditions derived from operational analyses drive the models through simulations on grids having horizontal resolutions of 21 km and 7 km. Sensitivities to the presence of sea ice are large after only 48 hours, by which time the surface temperatures in the Bering and Chukchi Seas are 10–15°C higher without sea ice than with sea ice. The temperatures, in turn, modify the fields of sea level pressure, surface wind and precipitation. By influencing the surface wind stress through the static static stability, the surface state feeds back to the surface momentum exchange, ice/ocean transport, and the rate of formation of new ice. The results also show a resolution-dependence of the surface winds, precipitation rates and new ice formation rates, particularly in areas in which the coastal configuration and topography are spatially complex. The experiments will be augmented by the implementation of an ocean model on the same grids.
Flow Immediately behind a Step in a Simulated Supersonic Combustor

Results are presented from a series of nonburning flow tests in which extensive instream and wall pressure and fluid sample measurements were made to characterize the flow immediately behind a rearward facing step in a simulated supersonic combustor. Pitot pressure data were used to determine simplified flowfield models for the cases of flow both with and without a simulated precombustion shock and simulated fuel injection. The effects of the shock on the flowfield and fuel-air distribution in the main stream and recirculation zone behind the step, as well as the implications for the placement of ignition devices and piloting, are discussed. N supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjets), certain combustor configurations employ in their design a rear- ward facing step downstream of the fuel injector. This sudden step increase in combustor area has been beneficial to com- bustor operation in several ways. Among these are: 1) the step helps to isolate or limit the interaction of the combustion process with the inlet flowfield of the engine; 2) the step limits the combustor pressure rise by spreading the pressure gradient from the combustion shock along the wall, limiting excessive local heat transfer due to shock impingement; and 3) the step serves as a flame-holding region. The purpose of the present work is to improve the understanding of the flow pat- terns and fuel distribution in the mainstream and in the recir- culation zone behind the step, so that fuel injectors and/or ignition aids can be located more effectively to improve the supersonic combustion of hydrocarbon fuels or fuel blends. Generally, in supersonic combustion, an oblique shock will be present at the combustor entrance. Waltrup and Billig developed a semi-empirical pseudo-one-dimensional analysis that defined the pressure field and attendant separation zone in the precombustion interaction region of constant area com- bustors.!"3 Waltrup and Cameron presented wall shear and boundary-layer measurements that completed the depiction of the instream and wall flow structure for a shock-separate d flow of this type.4 These works also demonstrated the feasibility of producing the shock structure and shock/boun- dary-layer interactions analogous to those present at the com- bustor entrance in a simple nonreacting system, where throt- tling rather than combustion is the cause of compression. This technique permits detailed measurement of the flowfield to be made in a much less hostile environment where in- strumentation will not be destroyed by the high temperatures (~4000°R-5000°R) encountered in flows with combustion. Although exact duplication of local flow divergence caused by spatial and time variations in heat release cannot be achieved with throttling, extensive comparison of the throttle test data and combustor data showed that sufficient similarity of the two flows was obtained for studying the effects of the corn-
An engineered cation site in cytochrome c peroxidase alters the reactivity of the redox active tryptophan.

The crystal structures of cytochrome c peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase are very similar, including the active site architecture. Both peroxidases have a tryptophan residue, designated the proximal Trp, located directly adjacent to the proximal histidine heme ligand. During the catalytic cycle, the proximal Trp in cytochrome c peroxidase is oxidized to a cation radical. However, in ascorbate peroxidase, the porphyrin is oxidized, not the proximal Trp, despite the close similarity between the two peroxidase active site structures. A cation located ≈8 A from the proximal Trp in ascorbate peroxidase but absent in cytochrome c peroxidase is thought to be one reason why ascorbate peroxidase does not form a Trp radical. Site-directed mutagenesis has been used to introduce the ascorbate peroxidase cation binding site into cytochrome c peroxidase. Crystal structures show that mutants now bind a cation. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy shows that the cation-containing mutants of cytochrome c peroxid...
Feasibility of prefronto-caudate pathway tractography using high resolution diffusion tensor tractography data at 3T.

Abstract Mapping the human brain frontostriatal pathways using noninvasive diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been hampered by the inadequate imaging sensitivity, poor spatial resolution, lower tensor anisotropy within gray matter, increased partial volume averaging effects and poor signal-to-noise ratio. We investigated for the first time the utility of high spatial resolution DTI-based fiber-tractography using the fiber assignment by continuous tracking (FACT) to reconstruct and quantify bilaterally the prefronto-caudo-thalamic connections within the human brain at 3 T. Five healthy right-handed men (age range 24–37 years) were studied. We traced the anterior thalamic radiation and prefronto-caudo-thalamic pathways bilaterally and measured the volume of each tract and the corresponding diffusion tensor metrics in all subjects. The anterior thalamic radiation tract volume and corresponding fractional anisotropy (FA) were significantly larger bilaterally than prefronto-caudate pathway, whereas the mean diffusivity (Dav) values were similar (p > 0.7). For both anterior thalamic radiation and prefronto-caudate pathway the tract volume and corresponding DTI metrics (FA, Dav) were not significantly different between the two hemispheres (p > 0.2). Our DTI acquisition protocol and analysis permitted the reconstruction of the connectivity of the caudate with the thalamus as well as with the prefrontal cortex and allowed tracking of the whole trajectory of the prefronto-caudo-thalamic pathway.
Function of members of the neuropilin family as essential pleiotropic cell surface receptors

The neuropilin (Nrp) family consists of essential multifunctional vertebrate cell surface receptors. Nrps were initially characterized as receptors for class III Semaphorin (Sema3) family members, functioning in axon guidance. Nrps have also been shown to be critical for vascular endothelial growth factor-dependent angiogenesis. Intriguingly, recent data show that Nrp function in these seemingly divergent pathways is critically determined by ligand-mediated cross-talk, which underlies Nrp function in both physiological and pathological processes. In addition to functioning in these two pathways, Nrps have been shown to specifically function in a number of other fundamental signaling pathways as well. Multiple general mechanisms have been found to directly contribute to the pleiotropic function of Nrp. Here we review critical general features of Nrps that function as essential receptors integrating multiple molecular cues into diverse cellular signaling.
Synthesis and characterization of near monodisperse oligomeric polystyrenes

Abstract Oligomeric ( 3 ) polystyrenes have been synthesized on a practical scale by the use of secbutyllithium and triethylamine in cyclohexane. These samples were found to possess relatively narrow molecular weight distributions. The product analysis was accomplished by viscosity, vapour pressure osmometry, gel permeation chromatography and gas chromatography.
Clinical consequences of polypharmacy in elderly

Introduction: Polypharmacy, defined as the use of multiple drugs or more than are medically necessary, is a growing concern for older adults. MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched from January 1, 1986 to June 30, 2013) to identify relevant articles in people aged > 65 years. Areas covered: We present information about: i) prevalence of polypharmacy and unnecessary medication use; ii) negative consequences of polypharmacy; and iii) interventions to improve polypharmacy. Expert opinion: International research shows that polypharmacy is common in older adults with the highest number of drugs taken by those residing in nursing homes. Nearly 50% of older adults take one or more medications that are not medically necessary. Research has clearly established a strong relationship between polypharmacy and negative clinical consequences. Moreover, well-designed interprofessional (often including clinical pharmacist) intervention studies that focus on enrolling high-risk older patients with polypharmacy have sh...
Surface tension effects in heat transfer through thin liquid films

Abstract Heat-transfer data for pools of a pure silicone oil of depths ranging from approximately one millimeter to one centimeter heated from below are presented. Pronounced enhancement of the heat-transfer rate due to surface tension driven convection is found. A theory based on the Stuart power integral technique accurately predicts the experimental results for Nusselt numbers less than two.
Bone marrow transplantation for the treatment of genetic diseases.

Consideration of a bone marrow transplant (BMT) for a child with a genetic disease depends upon many factors including the pathophysiology of the disorder, the natural history of the disease, whether an alternative therapy exists and whether a donor is available. Children with disorders such as severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID), in which life expectancy is minimal, are obviously candidates for a BMT, even with less than optimal donors, while those with disorders such as beta-thalassemia major, in which an alternative therapy exists, must be considered more carefully and only with an optimal donor. The risks of conditioning therapy, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and early death as well as the cost are critical to this decision and must be viewed in light of the potential outcome of a successful BMT and the life expectancy and quality of life with a BMT. For some genetic diseases with multisystem involvement (e.g., Hurler's mucopolysaccharidosis), the efficacy of a BMT has been reasonably demonstrated, providing significant brain damage has not occurred previously. For some other storage-related diseases, there is no place for BMT. Further studies are essential to increase our knowledge as to its potential role in other types of genetic-associated diseases.
379. Identification of Structural Aspects of Adenovirus Interactions with Host Factors In Vivo Using Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Intensive studies of adenovirus infectivity and bio-distribution in animal models demonstrated that liver tissue is responsible for clearance of the bulk of intravenously applied vector. We recently demonstrated that adenovirus binding to blood factors, specifically coagulation factor IX and C4 binding protein, leads to high level hepatocyte transduction and virus trapping by Kupffer cells. Apparently, virus interaction with the coxsackie- and adenovirus receptor, CAR, was not required for virus trapping by hepatic cells, although the fiber knob domain was identified as the primary moiety, mediating virus interaction with blood factors in vivo. Because adenovirus hepatocyte transduction and trapping by Kupffer cells is associated with the severe innate immune and inflammatory host responses observed following systemic adenovirus administration, we hypothesized that preventing virus interaction with blood factors should dramatically improve both the circulatory persistence and toxicity profile of adenovirus vectors. To better understand the structural basis of Ad fiber knob domain interaction with FIX, we first analyzed the efficiency of FIX-Ad knob association at different ionic strengths using dynamic light scattering. These analyses revealed that formation of the Ad fiber knob-FIX complex is highly sensitive to ionic strength and most efficient at low salt concentrations. Salt concentrations exceeding 0.5M, on the other hand, completely prevent complex formation. These data suggest that interaction between hydrophilic charged amino acids in FIX and Ad fiber knob domain, rather than hydrophobic amino acids, plays the major role in complex formation. To further identify the precise areas of protein-protein interaction, we cross-linked FIX with purified recombinant Ad5 or Ad9 fiber knob domains. Using PAGE protein gels we confirmed that upon incubation with different cross linkers, FIX and Ad fiber knobs efficiently form complexes that migrate within the expected mass range. Proteolytic digestion of cross-linked Ad fiber knob-FIX complex and subsequent analysis of obtained peptides using ESI-MS and MS/MS revealed several candidate peptides participating in the cross-linking reaction. These peptides define the interface of Ad fiber knob-FIX interaction. To confirm mass spectrometry analysis data, we are currently generating a panel of Ad fiber knobs possessing amino acid mutations within the putative protein interface area. The approach of protein cross-linking followed by mass spectrometry analyses may be widely applied to study interactions of virus proteins with host factors in vitro and in vivo. The development of Ad vectors ablated for binding to blood factors should ultimately allow for the construction of safe and efficient adenovirus vectors for therapeutic application in humans.
Calculation of effective penetration depth in X-ray diffraction for pharmaceutical solids

The use of the glancing incidence X-ray diffraction configuration to depth profile surface phase transformations is of interest to pharmaceutical scientists. The Parratt equation has been used to depth profile phase changes in pharmaceutical compacts. However, it was derived to calculate 1/e penetration at glancing incident angles slightly below the critical angle of condensed matter and is, therefore, applicable to surface studies of materials such as single crystalline nanorods and metal thin films. When the depth of interest is 50-200 microm into the surface, which is typical for pharmaceutical solids, the 1/e penetration depth, or skin depth, can be directly calculated from an exponential absorption law without utilizing the Parratt equation. In this work, we developed a more relevant method to define X-ray penetration depth based on the signal detection limits of the X-ray diffractometer. Our definition of effective penetration depth was empirically verified using bilayer compacts of varying known thicknesses of mannitol and lactose.
Ideological Deviation and Support for Reelection: Party Differences in Senate Races:

A key empirical claim often made in defense of elections is that deviation from the preferences of the electorate tends to be punished at the polls. The traditional hypothesis is that the more incumbents deviate from the ideological preferences of their constituencies, the less support they tend to receive in reelection races (MacNeil 1963; Erikson 1971; Wright 1977, 1978, 1989; Pomper 1980; Johannes and McAdams 1981; Davidson and Oleszek 1981; Johannes 1984; Erikson and Wright 1985; Wright and Berkman 1986; Whitby and Bledsoe 1986; Hamilton 1987; Abramowitz 1988). Elections are said to "achieve accountability" and "insure responsiveness to constituency preferences" by linking increased deviation from those preferences to increased probability of defeat (Wright 1989: 465). Underlying the traditional hypothesis is the assumption that there is at least a substantial minority of the electorate whose votes are influenced by the relative ideological proximity of candidates. Those voters are assumed to prefer candidates whose ideological positions are closest to theirs. Ideological deviation reduces incumbents' reelection prospects because as incumbents deviate further from their constituencies' preferences, they decrease the probability that they will be seen as ideologically closer than their challengers (Downs 1957; Hinich, Ledyard, and Ordeshook 1973; Fiorina 1981). The party of the incumbent and direction of ideological deviation are irrelevant in the statement of the traditional hypothesis. The fur-
Propagation of Periodic Patterns in a Discrete System with Competing Interactions

In this paper we consider a bistable lattice differential equation with competing first and second nearest neighbor interactions. We construct heteroclinic orbits connecting the stable zero equilibrium state with stable spatially periodic orbits of period p=2,3,4 using transform techniques and a bilinear bistable nonlinearity. We investigate the existence, global structure, and multiplicity of such traveling wave solutions. We show that in a certain parameter range the p=2 patterns have a finite maximum propagation speed. Our analysis also shows that multiple solutions involving a p=4 pattern may coexist at some velocities. Numerical simulations suggest the stability of some of the obtained solutions.
Laparoscopic repair of lumbar hernias

Abstract Background: Lumbar hernias are rare defects in the posterolateral abdominal wall that may be congenital or acquired. Repairing these defects is difficult by virtue of their location and the inherent weakness of the surrounding tissues. We report a series of seven patients who had their lumbar hernias repaired laparoscopically at two institutions. Study Design: We retrospectively reviewed all lumbar hernias repaired laparoscopically in our institutions within the last 16 months (August 1996 to November 1997). Postoperative followup was 1–15 months. Results: Seven patients underwent laparoscopic repair. Five hernias were acquired defects and two were congenital. One to three defects were found per patient. The average size of the hernia defect was 77.8 cm 2 . We used a polypropylene or a polytetrafluoroethylene mesh in all patients; the average size of the mesh used was 336.4 cm 2 . The average length of hospital stay was 1.7 days. One patient returned with an abscess over the mesh, which necessitated removal of the graft. Otherwise, there were no complications, and the remaining six patients had no recurrences after followup of 1–14 months. Conclusions: The laparoscopic approach is safe and effective for repairing lumbar hernias. Advantages of this approach include excellent operative visualization, decreased hospital stay postoperatively, and a solid repair without recurrence during shortterm followup.
Comparing 3 T and 1.5 T MRI for tracking Alzheimer's disease progression with tensor-based morphometry.

A key question in designing MRI-based clinical trials is how the main magnetic field strength of the scanner affects the power to detect disease effects. In 110 subjects scanned longitudinally at both 3.0 and 1.5 T, including 24 patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) [74.8 ± 9.2 years, MMSE: 22.6 ± 2.0 at baseline], 51 individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) [74.1 ± 8.0 years, MMSE: 26.6 ± 2.0], and 35 controls [75.9 ± 4.6 years, MMSE: 29.3 ± 0.8], we assessed whether higher-field MR imaging offers higher or lower power to detect longitudinal changes in the brain, using tensor-based morphometry (TBM) to reveal the location of progressive atrophy. As expected, at both field strengths, progressive atrophy was widespread in AD and more spatially restricted in MCI. Power analysis revealed that, to detect a 25% slowing of atrophy (with 80% power), 37 AD and 108 MCI subjects would be needed at 1.5 T versus 49 AD and 166 MCI subjects at 3 T; however, the increased power at 1.5 T was not statistically significant (α = 0.05) either for TBM, or for SIENA, a related method for computing volume loss rates. Analysis of cumulative distribution functions and false discovery rates showed that, at both field strengths, temporal lobe atrophy rates were correlated with interval decline in Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog), mini-mental status exam (MMSE), and Clinical Dementia Rating sum-of-boxes (CDR-SB) scores. Overall, 1.5 and 3 T scans did not significantly differ in their power to detect neurodegenerative changes over a year.
The Role of Echocardiography in Patients with Intravascular Hemolysis Due to Suspected Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Thrombus

Purpose Continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) provide hemodynamic support for patients with advanced heart failure (HF). Some patients develop intravascular hemolysis (IVH) due to pump thrombus, although the utility of echocardiography for detecting compromised LVAD circulatory support in this setting is unknown. Methods and Materials Patients with HeartMate II LVADs presenting with IVH due to suspected pump thrombus were identified. Patients underwent echocardiography with Doppler-flow velocity (DFV) interrogation of inflow and outflow cannulae at baseline and presentation. IVH was defined as an acute rise in serum lactate dehydrogenase more than two fold from baseline with supportive clinical symptoms. Results Of 162 patients, 14 (8%) had IVH due to suspected pump thrombus. The mean age was 55±14 years, and duration between implant and presentation was 231±218 days. Eleven patients presented with hemoglobinuria, 9 with jaundice and 7 with acute HF. There was no change in mean inflow or outflow cannula systolic DFV from baseline to presentation (0.9±0.3 to 0.8±0.3 m/sec, p=0.45 and 1.3±0.3 to 1.3±0.4 m/sec, p=0.38), while diastolic DFV declined significantly (0.5±0.3 to 0.2±0.2 m/sec, p Conclusions Reduced cannula diastolic DFV identified LVAD dysfunction in patients with IVH due to suspected pump thrombus more often than other echocardiographic markers of impaired pump function, and was lower in patients presenting with acute HF.
On entry, exit, and coordination with mixed strategies

Abstract A dynamic entry and exit game is studied where, following Dixit and Shapiro (1986, The economics of strategic planning, Lexington Books, pp. 63–79), firms play symmetric mixed strategies. Coordination among entrants improves and creates a tendency for the value of incumbency to increase as the number of incumbent firms increases (up to the point of excess capacity). This feature implies that, when considering mixed strategies, the relevant payoffs are not monotonic: as the probability of entry increases, expected profit for a given firm, conditional on entry, increases over some initial range. It is shown that the payoffs have an interesting dynamic structure which allows the complete characterization of the equilibrium.
Synthesis and structural characterization of a ruthenium quinone methide complex

Abstract The complex (η 4 - ortho -quinone methide)Ru(η 6 -benzene) has been successfully synthesized by deprotonation of the respective [(η 5 -ortho -cresolate)Ru(η 6 -benzene)](CF 3 COO) complex and analyzed by IR, NMR, and X-ray crystallography. This is the first ruthenium-stabilized quinone methide reported and the first unsubstituted, simple quinone methide complex of any metal to be crystallographically characterized.
Establishing rules to design a minicell-based manufacturing system for mass customisation

Mass Customisation (MC) is the production of individually customised offerings at low cost and short lead times. Successful MC requires a complete shift in the paradigm from the design-make-sell philosophy used in traditional manufacturing to one that is based on design-sell-make. Flexibility in the manufacturing system is therefore essential to receive orders from customers and fabricate and assemble products as necessary. A minicell-based manufacturing system, which is a modular, networked configuration, is one approach to achieve this flexibility. Due to the various methods available to design the modular minicell configuration, establishing good designs is a complex and time-consuming process. This paper focuses on establishing design rules that can help identify good minicell configurations, to achieve different performance criteria, without having to explore the entire solution space.
Multidimensional dynamic programming on massively parallel computers

Abstract Massively parallel computers have become widely available for the solution of a wide range of numerical problems. However, methods that work well on single processor architectures are often not the best algorithms when multiple processors are available. In this paper, we present a dynamic programming approach to the numerical solution of elliptic partial differential equations. This method, based upon the earlier work of Angel and others, indicates that reconsideration of direct (noniterative) approaches to the numerical solution of partial differential equations can lead to competitive algorithms.
Metabolic characterization of isolated cerebral microvessels: ATP and ADP concentrations.

Abstract Isolated cerebral microvessels (ICMV) have been increasingly used to study microvascular metabolism and function. Despite this, little systematic information exists about their metabolic viability and energy status. To evaluate this, we determined the ATP content and ATP ADP ratios of ICMV with an ultrasensitive bioluminometric assay which had been adapted for small samples. In calf cerebral microvessels, freshly isolated by a homogenization and sieving procedure, ATP content averaged 1.5 ± 0.8 nmole/mg protein (mean ± SE for 45 observations on 18 preparations.) The ATP ADP ratio for these vessels was 0.96 ± 0.4. Similar values for ATP were obtained in several preparations of ICMV from dog and rat brain. Values varied considerably in different preparations, probably due to variable degrees of damage incurred during isolation. When microvessel ATP concentrations and ATP ADP ratios were low, they were dramatically improved by brief incubation (2 hr at 37°) in an enriched tissue culture medium (Dulbecco's modification of Eagle's minimal essential medium, DMEM), or perhaps somewat less effectively in a buffered saline solution (Earle's-Hepes) containing glucose. Boiling or incubation of microvessels with Triton X-100 lowered ATP values to less than 0.01 nmole/mg protein. The ATP content of our preparations of isolated microvessels was considerably higher than values previously reported by others using similar methods, but still less than that of cultured bovine vascular endothelial cells, even after correction for a 20% difference in intracellular water space. We conclude that (1) isolated brain microvessels incur a variable degree of damage during their isolation, (2) the ATP concentrations and ATP ADP ratios reflect this damage, and (3) incubation in an enriched medium may substantially improve the condition of the ICMV for metabolic studies.
Numerical investigation of the nonlinear dynamics of a hybrid acousto-optic Bragg cell with a variable feedback gain

Since around 1979, the operation of an acousto-optic Bragg cell under positive first-order feedback via amplification and delay in the loop has been studied extensively by several groups [1-3]. In recent work, the analysis of the nonlinear dynamics (NLD) of the system was extended to include bistable maps and Lyapunov exponents, and application of the chaos for signal encryption and decryption for uniform plane waves. The present work originated with the problem of a variable photodetector aperture opening relative to the first-order light. This potentially complex problem is simplified by assuming instead a variable feedback gain ( β ~ (t)), which leads to considerably different NLD. This paper examines initially the NLD versus the (DC) bias voltage for different variable- β ~ conditions, including slow and fast rates of change of the gain with time in relation to the feedback delay. It is found that the response depends critically on the rate of rise of the feedback gain, and also that the resulting chaotic regimes are generally significantly different from those for fixed values of β ~ . We have generated constant feedback gain and the variable feedback gain (t) chaos characteristics of the hybrid A-O network. Chaos as an equivalent carrier has been used to encrypt messages for both fixed and variable β ~ . The transmitted signal is detected from the encrypted carrier using a heterodyne method, using a slave Bragg cell with matched keys to generate local chaos followed by a low pass filter and a phase inverter. Results between variable- and fixed-gain systems are compared in terms of advantages and disadvantages.
A more sensitive assay discriminating galactosamine and glucosamine in mixtures.

Abstract A modification of a colorimetric assay (1) discriminating galactosamine and glucosamine in mixtures is presented. The procedure employs acetylation of the amino sugars at 25°C instead of at 0–1°C, resulting in five times the color intensity for galactosamine with no interference due to glucosamine. The assay of HCl hydrolysates of glycosaminoglycans and glycoproteins is possible in solutions that are less than 0.1 n .
Note on an integer linear programming model for determining a minimum embarkation fleet

An integer linear programming model for computing the minimum number of ships needed to embark a task organization and its attendant transfer vehicles is developed. The implementation of the model on a computer is discussed.
The diagnosis and treatment of chronic back pain by acupuncturists, chiropractors, and massage therapists.

Objectives To describe the diagnostic and therapeutic content of visits for chronic back pain to acupuncturists, chiropractors, and massage therapists. Methods Randomly selected acupuncturists, chiropractors, and massage therapists in two states were surveyed, and then eligible providers collected data on consecutive patient visits. The authors analyzed information on diagnosis, treatment, and self-care recommendations for chronic back pain patients collected during consecutive patient visits to these complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers. Results Back pain was the most common reason for visits to each of these providers, with chronic back pain representing about 10% of visits to acupuncturists, 20% of visits to chiropractors, and 12% of visits to massage therapists. Diagnosis by acupuncturists included traditional questioning and inspecting the patient as well as pulse and tongue assessment and palpation of the acupuncture meridians. Treatments usually included acupuncture needling, heat of some sort, and other modalities, such as East Asian massage, herbs, and/or cupping (application of suction cups to the skin). Lifestyle recommendations were common, particularly exercise and dietary counseling. Visits to chiropractors usually included spinal and muscle/soft tissue examinations and spinal manipulation. Soft tissue techniques (eg, "active release"), stretch or strength training, and home exercise recommendations were much less common. Massage therapists usually performed a tissue assessment and commonly assessed range of motion. They emphasized Swedish, deep tissue, and trigger point massage techniques and usually made self-care recommendations, particularly increased water intake, hot/cold therapy, exercise, and body awareness. Conclusion Information on the care patients routinely receive from CAM providers will help physicians better understand these increasingly popular forms of care.
Left main coronary embolization after direct current cardioversion for persistent atrial flutter in the absence of detectable intracardiac thrombi.

We report a case of left main coronary embolization after direct current cardioversion in the absence of detectable intracardiac thrombi by pre-procedure comprehensive transesophageal echocardiographic assessment [(1)][1]. Although it is considered a rare event, in patients with post-cardioversion
Challenges in Data Integration for Spatiotemporal Analysis

Time has been studied in GIScience for over twenty years. So far, data is still an issue in spatiotemporal analysis. In this paper I first examine spatiotemporal applications, including wildfire responses, health applications, and navigation, for identification of spatiotemporal data. Second, we identify technical challenges in integrating a wide variety of spatiotemporal data. Next, I present two possible solutions, one single and another that is a multiple representation approach. For the second scenario, the multiple representation approach, I address research, development, and organizational needs for space-time integration. This study will help advance data integration for spatiotemporal analysis.
Chromatographic characterization of a phosphate-modified zirconia support for bio-chromatographic applications.

Abstract A phosphate-modified zirconia was investigated for its potential use as a high-performance inorganic cation-exchange support for the separation of proteins. This phosphate modification effectively blocks the sites responsible for the strong interactions of certain Lewis bases with the zirconia surface. It provides a more “bio-compatible” stationary phase, resulting in high recoveries for proteins and enzymes and retention of their enzymatic activity. The stability, loading capacity, selectivity, efficiency and separation mechanism on the phosphate-modified zirconia are reported. These studies have shown that phosphate-modified zirconia is a useful high-performance ion-exchange support for the separation of cationic proteins and for blocking the sites responsible for the high affinity of zirconia towards certain anions. This makes the phosphate modification interesting in its own right and as an intermediate stage for the development of other zirconia-based chromatographic supports.
Simulating crowd interactions in virtual environments (doctoral consortium)

Understanding and modeling how a crowd behaves in a wide variety of situations is an important problem in many areas. For example, during the planning stages, city, traffic, and evacuation engineers use crowd behavior modeling to predict usage patterns and to do safety analysis of their designs. Several research areas benefit from realistic simulation of crowds such as augmented reality, animation, games, virtual therapy, and virtual training. Not only is a realistic rendering of a virtual environment required for these applications, but also a realistic simulation of virtual humans is essential to providing an immersive experience for the users. The goal of my research is to provide an interactive simulation of a crowd, where large numbers of human-like agents interact with each other. A large part of my research comes from understanding and observing what human-like behavior is and how it affects interactions with others and the environment. In this proposal, I discuss my approaches to model crowd behaviors with variation and dynamic changes.
NMR Relaxation Order Parameter Analysis of the Dynamics of Protein Side Chains

An arbitrary multiexponential representation of the H−X bond reorientation autocorrelation function is shown to provide robust predictions of both the fast limit (Sf 2) and generalized (S2) order parameters for macromolecular NMR relaxation analysis. This representation is applied to the analysis of side-chain dynamics in Escherichia coli thioredoxin to assess correlated torsional fluctuations and the resultant configurational entropy effects. For both the high S2 phenylalanine and low S2 leucine side chains, torsional fluctuations in the major rotamer conformation can predict the observed relaxation data only if main-chain−side-chain torsional correlations are assumed. Crankshaft-like correlations occur around the side-chain χ2 rotation axis and the parallel main-chain rotation axis. For the sterically hindered buried side chains, torsional fluctuations are predicted to be attenuated for the main-chain rotation axis oriented gauche to the χ2 rotation axis. Weaker main-chain−side-chain torsional correlati...
Separation of Conjoined Twins and the Principle of Double Effect

This article examines the relationship between the principle of double effect and justification for separation surgeries for conjoined twins. First, the principle of double effect is examined in light of its historical context. It is argued that it can only operate under an absolutist view of good and evil that is compatible with the Bible. Given this foundation for application, scenarios for separating conjoined twins are considered against the criteria for the principle of double effect. It is concluded that the principle of double effect cannot be applied to cases wherein one of the twins must be killed. However, it is noted that this does not leave decision makers without options.
Nutritional Problems in Patients Who Have Chronic Disease

1. Uwe Blecker* 2. Devendra I. Mehta* 3. Rebecca Davis† 4. Melinda S. Sothern† 5. Robert M. Suskind† 1. 2. *Department of Pediatrics, Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE. 3. 4. †Department of Pediatrics, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, LA After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe the nutritional problems of children who have malignacies. 2. Delineate the role of gastroesophageal reflux in a neurologically impaired child. 3. Describe the nutritional problems of children who have cystic fibrosis. 4. List the nutritional deficiencies that may occur with chronic renal disease and renal failure. 5. Explain the effects of a restricted diet for multiple food allergies. 6. Describe what nutritional deficiency may develop in children who have malabsorption. Nutritional problems in chronic disease are a significant cause of increased morbidity, mortality, and psychosocial consequences of growth failure. Several mechanisms may coexist that could lead to nutritional problems. Mere increased inflammatory burden can increase the caloric need and, thereby, the risk of protein-calorie malnutrition. The organs involved, such as the liver and small bowel, may be important in the digestive and absorptive processes, and their Winvolvement may lead to selective nutrient deficiencies. Anorexia of chronic disease may coexist and compound the situation. Although this discussion focuses on general principles in specific areas, attention to detail in individual cases is needed. Nutrition support can be achieved at several levels. Dietary counseling leading to better choices in caloric density can be augmented by using specific high-calorie commercial preparations to boost caloric intake. Occasionally, a multidisciplinary approach with a feeding team can help with issues relating to gastroesophageal reflux and delayed gastric emptying as well as oral skills and behavioral aversion, which can optimize intake. Nasogastric tube feeding and, for long-term use, gastrostomy tube feedings are the next step. These devices allow delivery of appropriately chosen milk-based formulas either in convenient bolus regimens or continuously, as needed. Continuous nocturnal feeding regimens are particularly popular because they allow oral intake when awake, yet increase the caloric intake. These generally are safe techniques that can be taught easily to …
Kinetics of precursor labeling in stable isotope labeling in cell cultures (SILAC) experiments.

Recent advances in mass spectrometry have enabled proteome-wide analyses of cellular protein turnover. These studies have been greatly propelled by the development of stable isotope labeling in cell cultures (SILAC), a set of standardized protocols, reagents aimed at quantifying the incorporation of 15N/13C labeled amino acids into proteins. In dynamic SILAC experiments, the degree of isotope incorporation in proteins is measured over time and used to determine turnover kinetics. However, the kinetics of isotope incorporation in proteins can potentially be influenced not only by their intracellular turnover but also by amino acid uptake, recycling and aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis. To assess the influence of these processes in dynamic SILAC experiments, we have measured the kinetics of isotopic enrichment within intracellular free amino acid and aminoacyl-tRNA precursor pools in dividing and division-arrested neuroblastoma cells following the introduction of extracellular 15N labeled amino acids. We show that ...
BOUNDARY ELEMENT SOLUTIONS FOR FREE BOUNDARY CONVECTION-DIFFUSION PROBLEMS

The boundary element technique is used to solve the steady state convection-diffusion problem with constant velocity in a two-dimensional domain with a free interface. These problems arise in a number of important heat transfer applications involving melting or solidification, such as bulk crystal growth in Bridgman furnaces. The boundary element approach reduces the dimension of the problem, thereby improving the computational efficiency, and is particularly well suited to free-surface problems in which the position and shape of the solid-liquid interface are of primary importance. Results are presented for a case study problem representing solidification in a two-dimensional, rectangular configuration.
Monetary growth innovations in a simple cash-in-advance asset-pricing model

Abstract This paper contributes to the existing literature in the rational expectations cash-in-advance asset-pricing general equilibrium model in two directions: first, we show that by allowing a variable velocity of circulation, an increase in the conditional variance of the money growth process triggers an increase in the demand for money relative to stocks and bonds with a consequent reduction in stock and bond prices, which is the opposite of the current result in the literature with constant unitary velocity; second, we explicitly show how the sequential markets and specific timing of information fits exactly into the notion of irreversibility in the sense that when faced with uncertainty, agents might find optimal to delay decisions in order to wait for the arrival of new information.
Improvement in sentinel node biopsy results in a teaching community hospital: results of a multidisciplinary quality improvement program

Abstract Background In 2001 we reported poor results for sentinel node biopsy and marked variability among surgeons. Subsequently, we initiated a multidisciplinary protocol involving standardized radiocolloid injection, physician education, and surgeon proctoring. Methods The current study presents follow-up data (2004–2006) after this quality improvement initiative. Data recorded included technical details and patient factors, related to each surgeon. Results were compared with our previously published data. Results The overall identification rate was improved markedly from 2001 (92% vs 66%). Eleven general surgeons performed 151 sentinel node biopsies. Seven surgeons had a 100% identification rate, the others had identification rates of 84% (N = 44), 86% (N = 29), 92% (N = 12), and 0% (N = 1). Differences still persist among surgeons, including number of sentinel nodes sampled, performance of axillary dissections, and breast conservation. Conclusions A multidisciplinary protocol improved sentinel node biopsy performance in a community teaching hospital. However, further work is needed to standardize and improve overall breast surgery results.
Spatial Distribution and Time Decay of the Intensities of Geomagnetically Trapped Electrons from the High Altitude Nuclear Burst of July 1962

A one-year observational study of the artificial radiation belt produced by the nuclear burst Starfish on 9 July 1962 is reported. It is estimated that 1.3 x 1025 electrons from radioactive fission products, or some 2.6% of the total yield, were present in geomagnetically trapped orbits at 10 hours after the burst. These electrons disappeared in the manner expected from the atmospheric loss theory of Walt for values of the magnetic shell Parameter L<1.25 earth radii. At increasing values of L the rate of disappearance was progressively more rapid than expected by this theory. The maximum observed value of the apparent mean lifetime of ~2MeV electrons in the time range 4000< Δt/10 000 hours was 2 years at L = 1.5. About 15% of the initially injected electrons (or 0.4 of 1% of the total) survived the first 5 ½ months, about 10% the first year.
Historical, Observed, and Modeled Wildfire Severity in Montane Forests of the Colorado Front Range

Large recent fires in the western U.S. have contributed to a perception that fire exclusion has caused an unprecedented occurrence of uncharacteristically severe fires, particularly in lower elevation dry pine forests. In the absence of long-term fire severity records, it is unknown how short-term trends compare to fire severity prior to 20 th century fire exclusion. This study compares historical (i.e. pre-1920) fire severity with observed modern fire severity and modeled potential fire behavior across 564,413 ha of montane forests of the Colorado Front Range. We used forest structure and tree-ring fire history to characterize fire severity at 232 sites and then modeled historical fire-severity across the entire study area using biophysical variables. Eighteen (7.8%) sites were characterized by low-severity fires and 214 (92.2%) by mixed-severity fires (i.e. including moderate- or high-severity fires). Difference in area of historical versus observed low-severity fire within nine recent (post1999) large fire perimeters was greatest in lower montane forests. Only 16% of the study area recorded a shift from historical low severity to a higher potential for crown fire today. An historical fire regime of more frequent and low-severity fires at low elevations (,2260 m) supports a convergence of management goals of ecological restoration and fire hazard mitigation in those habitats. In contrast, at higher elevations mixed-severity fires were predominant historically and continue to be so today. Thinning treatments at higher elevations of the montane zone will not return the fire regime to an historic low-severity regime, and are of questionable effectiveness in preventing severe wildfires. Based on present-day fuels, predicted fire behavior under extreme fire weather continues to indicate a mixed-severity fire regime throughout most of the montane forest zone. Recent large wildfires in the Front Range are not fundamentally different from similar events that occurred historically under extreme weather conditions.
Planning Replacement of Natural Gas Distribution Systems Under Constraints on Acceptable Risk from Explosions

Natural gas distribution systems in the United States were developed primarily in the first half of this century, utilizing materials such as cast iron and then steel. Over time, cast iron and steel pipe sections became weak from corrosion and are subject to failure which in turn can lead to explosions and possible injury and loss of life. Gas utilities maintain system integrity through repair-replacement programs where pipe sections are prioritized for replacement in any given year through cost-benefit analysis; however, the total annual amount to be budgeted for replacement is left to engineering judgment. This approach has left some utilities vulnerable to criticism that their current replacement rate on cast iron pipe is not great enough and that public safety is being compromised. This paper addresses the problem situation by formulating a linear programming replacement decision model which augments cost-benefit analysis with explicit constraints on acceptable risk to human life from fire/explosion. The model is illustrated for a hypothetical utility.