cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social Networks That Promote Peace

Rather than putting individuals with substance use disorders in prisons and shelters, the authors of this chapter suggest that we should promote second-order change, which focuses on changing that which influences the individual and his or her social network, as well as all other components of the environment that may contribute to the particular problem. In other words, we need more than band-aid approaches to deal with these types of problems if our intended aim is to promote peace in the long term. Elected officials often impose first-order interventions through top-down strategies, in which the power of the holder attempts to solve a community problem but disregards the needs and strengths of the community itself. Successful and enduring change must engage community members directly in initiatives, rather than thrusting new programs upon them. In this chapter, we provide an example of a bottom-up approach that deals with helping individuals who are dealing with substance use disorders find a sense of community and hope, and by doing so, we provide one example of a local program that has gone to scale in promoting peace.
Exploring How Professional Associations Socialize Student Affairs Graduate Students and New Professionals.

This qualitative study examines how professional associations in student affairs socialize graduate students and new professionals. Utilizing data from semi-structured interviews with 15 individual...
Alliance-Outcome Associations in a Community-Based Social Skills Intervention for Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Abstract Although the alliance is a consistent predictor of treatment outcomes in psychosocial interventions, few studies have examined this association among youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In particular, youth-therapist alliance has never been examined in social skills interventions (SSIs), a common modality for this population. In this study, thirty-four youth with ASD (Mage = 12.41; 79% male) participated in a community-delivered, group-based SSI in a summer camp format led by eight Head Therapists (Mage = 32.12; 50% male). Early alliance and change in alliance over the course of the treatment were assessed via self- and observer-reported measures. Both self- and observer-rated alliance were associated with positive treatment outcomes as reported by parents (decreased problem behaviors) and other peers in the group (reciprocated friendship and social preference). These results provide the first evidence of the role of the alliance in an SSI for youth with ASD and add to the growing body of literature that demonstrates the importance of assessing and addressing the alliance in treatment for this population.
Operative techniques in Otolaryngology: Hearing restoration options

Hearing loss in elderly patients, commonly referred to as age-related hearing loss (ARHL), is an increasingly significant cause of morbidity. ARHL noted to be the second most common illness in the elderly population, and can often be detrimental to the quality of life of patients. Presently, restorative treatment for age-related hearing loss is limited, however, multifactorial rehabilitation and management strategies exist. A pivotal aspect of management in ARHL is the use of amplifying hearing aids and implantable devices. At this time, options for amplification include external and internal hearing aids, middle ear implants, bone-anchored devices, and cochlear implants. Despite the presence of numerous management options, many patients with hearing loss are not using amplifying devices. This chapter discusses the different management options for ARHL including important considerations and operative techniques, with cochlear implants being discussed in a separate chapter.
Geometrical, microstructural, and mechanical properties of curved-surface AlSi10Mg parts fabricated by powder bed fusion additive manufacturing

Abstract Laser-based powder bed fusion (L-PBF) enables the fabrication of complex-structural AlSi10Mg parts with low material waste and high manufacturing resolution. Thus far, there have been comprehensive investigations to reveal the process-microstructure-property link of as-built AlSi10Mg planar-surface or lattice/honeycomb structural parts. However, little is known about the geometrical, microstructural, and mechanical properties of as-deposited curved-surface parts. In this paper, the effects of curvatures on the geometrical performance, defects, microstructure, and mechanical properties of as-built AlSi10Mg parts with curved surfaces were investigated. Specifically, the results of average cloud-to-cloud distances indicated that the largest curvature (the peak position) exhibited higher dimensional accuracy than the others of as-built curved-surface parts. In addition, the lowest porosity was achieved at the largest curvatures owing to the sufficient localized energy input. We also found that the grain size and the width of grain boundaries increased with an increase in the curvature. Moreover, the tensile property of as-built curved-surface specimens was assessed for the first time. The positions with the largest curvatures became the preferable failure positions due to the largest bending moment. This paper provided great insights into the curvature-microstructure-property relationship for the industrial adoption of PBF-built AlSi10Mg parts with curved surfaces.
The Legality of a Jewish State: A Century of Debate over Rights in Palestine

In The Legality of a Jewish State, the author traces the diplomatic history that led to the partition of Palestine in 1948 and the creation of Israel as a state. He argues that the fate of Palestine was not determined on the basis of principle, but by the failure of legality. In focusing on the lawyer-diplomats who pressed for and against a Jewish state at the United Nations, he offers an explanation of the effort in 1947-48 by Arab states at the UN to gain a legal opinion from the International Court of Justice about partition and the declaration of a Jewish state. Their arguments at that time may surprise a twenty-first-century reader, touching on issues that are still at the heart of the contemporary conflict in the Middle East.
The Moneda Bug, Chrysodarecus moneta Breddin = Placocoris viridis Mayr (Pentatomidae: Discocephalinae: Ochlerini)

The pentatomid genus Placocoris Mayr is removed from Pentatominae and placed in Discocephalinae: Ochlerini based on the trichobothrial arrangement. Within the Ochlerini Placocoris shares characteristics with a clade composed of Adoxoplatys and allies including the rostrum arising anteriorad, abdomen with tubercle at middle base received by a notch in the metasternum, bucculae confluent posteriorly, pronotum flat, and a double row of spines on the femora. It appears to share the same host plants with Neoadoxoplatys, species of bamboo. It is further concluded that the genus Chrysodarecus Breddin is a junior synonym of Placocoris Mayr.
Deep Stacking Networks for Conditional Nonlinear Granger Causal Modeling of fMRI Data.

Conditional Granger causality, based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) time series signals, is the quantification of how strongly brain activity in a certain source brain region contributes to brain activity in a target brain region, independent of the contributions of other source regions. Current methods to solve this problem are either unable to model nonlinear relationships between source and target signals, unable to efficiently quantify time lags in source-target relationships, or require ad hoc parameter settings and post hoc calculations to assess conditional Granger causality. This paper proposes the use of deep stacking networks, with dilated convolutional neural networks (CNNs) as component parts, to address these challenges. The dilated CNNs nonlinearly model the target signal as a function of source signals. Conditional Granger causality is assessed in terms of how much modeling fidelity increases when additional dilated CNNs are added to the model. Time lags between source and target signals are estimated by analyzing estimated dilated CNN parameters. Our technique successfully estimated conditional Granger causality, did not spuriously identify false causal relationships, and correctly estimated time lags when applied to synthetic datasets and data generated by the STANCE fMRI simulator. When applied to real-world task fMRI data from an epidemiological cohort, the method identified biologically plausible causal relationships among regions known to be task-engaged and provided new information about causal structure among sources and targets that traditional single-source causal modeling could not provide. The proposed method is promising for modeling complex Granger causal relationships within brain networks.
Fundamental aspects of nanocellulose stabilized Pickering emulsions and foams

Abstract Nanocelluloses in recent years have garnered a lot of attention for their use as stabilizers of liquid-liquid and gas-liquid interfaces. Both cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) have been used extensively in multiple studies to prepare emulsions and foams. However, there is limited literature available that systematically discusses the mechanisms that affect the ability of nanocelluloses (modified and unmodified) to stabilize different types of interfaces. This review briefly discusses key factors that affect the stability of Pickering emulsions and foams and provides a detailed and systematic analysis of the current state knowledge on factors affecting the stabilization of liquid-liquid and gas-liquid interfaces by nanocelluloses. The review also discusses the effect of nanocellulose surface modifications on mechanisms driving the Pickering stabilization of these interfaces.
Predicting Progression-Free Survival Using Primary and Nodal Radiomic Features in Head and Neck Cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) Imaging quantified by radiomics has yielded reproducible predictions of both oncologic outcomes and treatment-related toxicity. Much of the correlation with oncologic outcomes has focused on image features from the primary tumor. However, both primary tumor and nodal features can impact outcomes, and it is known that differences in gene expression in primary tumors and nodal metastases provide distinct information regarding survival in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Nevertheless, current radiomic biomarkers often make no distinction between primary and nodal radiomic features. Therefore, we hypothesize that combining CT image features of primary tumors and nodal metastases in HNSCC will improve our ability to predict progression-free survival (PFS) compared to primary features alone. MATERIALS/METHODS Pre-treatment CT images were prospectively collected from 115 HNSCC patients undergoing RT at our institution from 2008-2018. PFS was determined at time of last follow-up prior to 2018. Clinical data were systemically captured from patient medical charts. 107 radiomic features were extracted for the primary tumor and the ipsilateral/contralateral nodal regions. Features were pre-selected by literature review for those possibly significant in predicting loco-regional control of HNSCC. Tumor volume, correlation of gray level co-occurrence matrix (Corr-GLCM), run length non-uniformity of gray level of gray level run length matrix (RLN-GLRLM), and coarseness of neighboring gray tone difference matrix (Coarse-NGTDM) for the primary contours; and tumor volume and Corr-GLCM of the nodal contours were included in the model. A regression analysis of pre-selected features was performed using ridge regularization in the training set (n = 93 primary; n = 48 primary & nodal), and a generalized linear model was built with repeated ten-fold cross validation of patients treated from 2008-2017. Model performance was evaluated in a test set (patients treated 2017-2018) using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Models were built separately for patients with primary tumor only and primary + nodal radiomic features. RESULTS The AUC/sensitivity/specificity on the test set for the model with primary features (n = 22) was 0.91/1.00/0.75, and for the model with primary and nodal features (n = 18) was 0.75/0.60/0.92. The features with the highest coefficients in the combined model included primary Coarse-NGTDM (β = -0.21), primary Corr-GLCM (β = 0.0082), and nodal Corr-GLCM (β = -0.00041). CONCLUSION In a small cohort of HNSCC patients, combining nodal features with primary features did not improve the prediction performance compared to primary features alone. This work suggests that primary tumor radiomic features may influence PFS more than nodal features. Future work is required in a larger cohort to validate these findings.
The Politics of Citizenship in Europe

In this book, Howard addresses immigrant integration, one of the most critical challenges facing European countries, the resolution of which will in large part depend on how foreigners can become citizens. Howard's research shows that despite remarkable convergence in their economic, judicial, and social policies, the countries of the European Union still maintain very different definitions of citizenship. Based on an innovative measure of national citizenship policies, the book accounts for both historical variation and contemporary change. Howard's historical explanation highlights the legacies of colonialism and early democratization, which unintentionally created relatively inclusive citizenship regimes. Howard's argument focuses on the politics of citizenship, showing in particular how anti-immigrant public opinion - when activated politically, usually by far right movements or public referenda - can block the liberalizing tendencies of political elites. Overall, the book shows the far-reaching implications of this growing and volatile issue.
Dynamic Modeling of ALS Systems

The purpose of dynamic modeling and simulation of Advanced Life Support (ALS) systems is to help design them. Static steady state systems analysis provides basic information and is necessary to guide dynamic modeling, but static analysis is not sufficient to design and compare systems. ALS systems must respond to external input variations and internal off-nominal behavior. Buffer sizing, resupply scheduling, failure response, and control system design are aspects of dynamic system design. We develop two dynamic mass flow models and use them in simulations to evaluate systems issues, optimize designs, and make system design trades. One model is of nitrogen leakage in the space station, the other is of a waste processor failure in a regenerative life support system. Most systems analyses are concerned with optimizing the cost/benefit of a system at its nominal steady-state operating point. ALS analysis must go beyond the static steady state to include dynamic system design. All life support systems exhibit behavior that varies over time. ALS systems must respond to equipment operating cycles, repair schedules, and occasional off-nominal behavior or malfunctions. Biological components, such as bioreactors, composters, and food plant growth chambers, usually have operating cycles or other complex time behavior. Buffer sizes, material stocks, and resupply rates determine dynamic system behavior and directly affect system mass and cost. Dynamic simulation is needed to avoid the extremes of costly over-design of buffers and material reserves or system failure due to insufficient buffers and lack of stored material.
Wnt Signaling Translocates Lys48-Linked Polyubiquitinated Proteins to the Lysosomal Pathway

Cellular proteins are degraded in either proteasomes or lysosomes depending on the types of ubiquitin chains that covalently modify them. It is not known whether the choice between these two pathways is physiologically regulated. The Lys48-polyubiquitin chain is the major signal directing proteins for degradation in proteasomes. Here, we report the unexpected finding that canonical Wnt signaling translocates some K48-linked polyubiquitinated proteins to the endolysosomal pathway. Proteasomal target proteins, such as b-catenin, Smad1, and Smad4, were targeted into endolysosomes in a process dependent on GSK3 activity. Relocalization was also dependent on Axin1 and the multivesicular body (MVB) proteins HRS/Vps27 and Vps4. The Wnt-induced accumulation of K48-linked polyubiquitinated proteins in endolysosomal organelles was accompanied by a transient decrease in cellular levels of free mono-ubiquitin, which may contribute to Wnt-regulated stabilization of proteins (Wnt/ STOP). We conclude that Wnt redirects Lys48-polyubiquitinated proteins that are normally degraded in proteasomes to endolysosomes.
Evaluation of the Performance of a Brain-Computer Interface Under Two Biofeedback Paradigms (P1.280)

OBJECTIVE: Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) allow the conversion of brain signals into computer output that can execute user intentions. Our aim is to determine whether the learning curve of non-invasive BCI can be improved from traditional biofeedback by allowing the position of a directed object to directly mirror the amplitude of a given EEG wave. BACKGROUND: Most work in BCI to date utilizes intracranial electrodes because of signal quality and direct interpretation of cortical expression. We hypothesize that determining the nature in which users acquire control and accelerate learning may help towards developing BCI that can be used accurately and reliably, and that improved signal processing combined with biofeedback learning can improve BCI efficiency using non-invasive EEG. DESIGN/METHODS: Twelve healthy adult volunteers used non-invasive BCI with a 128-channel standard scalp EEG. In a virtual environment, the task was to move a ball to one of two targets while alternating between two different biofeedback conditions. The traditional biofeedback condition was termed, ‘velocity control’. Under this condition, the velocity in which the ball moved on the screen mirrored the amplitude of the given EEG wave between 8-12 Hz. We tested a second condition, termed “position control”. Under this condition, the specific position of the ball on the screen directly mirrored the amplitude of the EEG wave. RESULTS: Participants showed strong disparity in their ability to learn the BCI task. Three of the twelve subjects that participated reached good control (>70.0% target hit average). All three individuals demonstrated stronger performance in target hit percentage under “position control” (94%, 85%, 76%), as opposed to “velocity control” (76%, 44%, 69%). CONCLUSION: Our data suggests that BCI biofeedback conditions that allow the position of a cursor to directly mirror the amplitude of the given EEG wave could provide a better alternative for BCI utilization than traditional methods. Disclosure: Dr. Appavu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lancaster has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wahnoun has nothing to disclose. Dr. Adelson has nothing to disclose.
The SPHINX speech recognition system

A description is given of SPHINX an accurate large-vocabulary speaker-independent continuous speech recognition system. The authors have made several recent enhancements, including generalized triphone models, word duration modeling, function-phrase modeling, between-word coarticulation modeling, and corrective training. On the 997-word resource management task, SPHINX attained a word accuracy of 96% with a grammar (perplexity 60), and 82% without grammar (perplexity 997). >
North American Pika (Ochotona princeps) as a Late Quaternary Biogeographic Indicator Species

Reevaluation of Quaternary sites of fossil pika (Ochotona) lends no support for the inference that Nearctic pikas were not restricted to rocky habitat. The saxicolous nature of all widespread, isolated populations of extant Nearctic pikas and their closest Palearctic sister taxa support consideration of O. princeps, and perhaps all Nearctic Quaternary Ochotona , as indicators of cool, mesic, rocky situations. As indicators of rocky microhabitat, fossil remains of O. princeps do not require that the entire region was cool and mesic, but only that suitable rocky microhabitat existed in the vicinity. Use of fossil pika dung alone as indicative of pikas in the immediate community is suspect, as the small, round, and buoyant pellets may be transported downslope by hydraulic flushing of talus habitat. Current local elevational lower limits (E) of appropriate habitat for paleoecological reconstruction at extralimital fossil sites are predicted by the equation: E(m) = 14087 - (56.6)°N - (82.9)°W.
SU‐GG‐T‐01: Performance Study of Novel Acceleration‐Enhanced Filters in the Prediction of Normal and Irregular Respiration Motion

Purpose: To study the performance of the novel acceleration‐enhanced(AE) filters in the prediction of normal and irregular respiration motion and compare them with those of traditional adaptive normalized least mean squares (nLMS) and adaptive neuron network (ANN) filters. This facilitates the real‐time tumor tracking and dynamic delivery of radiation dose to the tumor.Method and Materials:Respiration signals are collected from volunteers under IRB approved protocol by respiration sensor, which is able to sense the expansion and contraction of the rib cage. One‐dimensional respiration signal is used in this work for the evaluation of the performances from different prediction filters. The respiration signals are captured at a frequency of 256 Hz and sampled at 32 Hz. The prediction performances of the filters in the prediction of normal and irregular respiration are compared, including adaptive nLMS and adaptive ANN filters, as well as their AE versions, which use the accelerations derived from the predicted velocities for further corrections to the predicted positions. Results: The adaptive ANN filter performs better than the adaptive nLMS filter in the prediction of normal respiration whereas the latter excels in predicting irregular respiration signals. The implementation of AE method prompts the performances of the traditional filters. For example, with a prediction time fixed at 250 ms, the ANN and nLMS filters gave percentage root mean square (RMS) prediction errors of 3.51% and 4.25% for normal respiration, and 8.85% and 6.17% for irregular respiration, respectively. AE‐ANN filter gives a percentage RMS error of 3.45% in normal respiration prediction and AE‐nLMS has a 5.87% RMS error in irregular respiration prediction. Conclusion: The Acceleration‐enhanced method is able to improve the performance of the traditional filters. The AE‐ANN and AE‐nLMS filter give the minimum error in the prediction of the normal and irregular respiration, respectively. Supported by Elekta.
Early Buddhist philosophy in the light of the four noble truths

The work is divided in three parts. It attempts novel exploration of the notion of Karma as entailing both individual retribution and world causation. It contains also a newly approached linkage to Buddhist idealism and the later Mahayana schools of Buddhist totalism. The strengths of this book and its origianl contribution lie in its comprehensive explication of Abhidharmakosa.It functions more or less like a modern commentary on Vasubandhu's treatise.
A Multi-Unit Project for Building Scientific Confidence via Authentic Research in Identification of Environmental Bacterial Isolates

This authentic research project is designed to identify environmental isolates by metabolic phenotypes and 16s sequence analysis and with an investigation of biofilm growth is presented as implemented in an upper-level microbiology lab course. Three units were used in the lab: one for basic metabolic identification, one for the 16s rDNA sequencing and a third for biofilm growth analysis. Assessment was by weekly notebook entries detailing the outcomes of each day in lab, providing relatively on-time feedback on student understanding and learning to both the student and the instructor. The intent for these units was for each to increase the uncertainty of the project outcomes and to challenge students to design projects with open-ended results. All student groups have been able to obtain DNA sequence data in the limited 6-7 weeks of the lab project. Students report increased confidence in their abilities and a general excitement about the project methods and results. The data produced by the students can be incorporated into larger research questions posed by the faculty running the course as determined by the source of the unknown bacterial isolates.
A non-manipulable trust system based on EigenTrust

A fundamental consideration in designing successful trust scores in a peer-to-peer system is the self-interest of individual peers. We propose a strategyproof partition mechanism that provides incentives for peers to share files, is non-manipulable by selfish interests, and approximates trust scores based on EigenTrust. The basic idea behind the partition mechanism is that the peers are partitioned into peer groups and incentives are structured so that a peer only downloads from peers in one other peer group. We show that the total error in the trust values decreases exponentially with the number of peer groups. In addition to theoretically guaranteeing non-manipulability, in practice our trust system performs nearly as well as EigenTrust and has better load-balancing properties.
Clinical, radiographic, and hemodynamic correlations in chronic congestive heart failure: conflicting results may lead to inappropriate care.

Abstract purpose: Clinical and radiographic examinations are commonly used for estimating severity and titrating therapy of chronic congestive heart failure. The purpose of this study was to establish the relationship between findings on history, physical examination, chest roentgenogram, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP). patients and methods: Fifty-two consecutive patients with chronic congestive heart failure, referred for evaluation for heart transplantation, were studied; all patients underwent history, physical examination, upright chest roentgenogram, and cardiac catheterization. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 0.19 ± 0.06. Patients were divided into three groups according to their PCWP: Group 1, normal PCWP (less than or equal to 15 mm Hg, n=19); Group 2, mild to moderately elevated PCWP (16 to 29 mm Hg, n=15); Group 3, markedly elevated PCWP (greater than or equal to 30 mm Hg, n=18). results: Physical and radiographic signs of congestion were more common in the groups with higher PCWP, but they could not be used to reliably separate patients with different filling pressures. Physical findings (orthopnea, edema, rales, third heart sound, elevated jugular venous pressure) or radiographic signs (cardiomegaly, vascular redistribution, and interstitial and alveolar edema) had poor predictive value for identifying patients with PCWP values greater than or equal to 30 mm Hg. These findings had poor negative predictive value to exclude significantly elevated PCWP (greater than 20 mm Hg). Radiographic pulmonary congestion was absent in eight (53%) patients in Group 2 and seven (39%) in Group 3. In patients in Group 2 and 3, those without radiographic congestion were in a better New York Heart Association functional class (3.5 ± 0.5 versus 2.8 ± 0.6, p conclusion: Clinical, radiographic, and hemodynamic evaluations of chronic congestive heart failure yield conflicting results. Absence of radiographic or physical signs of congestion does not ensure normal PCWP values and may lead to inaccurate diagnosis and inadequate therapy. It is not known whether therapy aimed at normalizing PCWP is superior to relieving clinical and radiographic signs of congestion.
Binary phase shift keying on orthogonal carriers for multi-channel CO_2 absorption measurements in the presence of thin clouds

A new modulation technique for Continuous Wave (CW) Lidar is presented based on Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK) using orthogonal carriers closely spaced in frequency, modulated by Maximum Length (ML) sequences, which have a theoretical autocorrelation function with no sidelobes. This makes it possible to conduct multi-channel atmospheric differential absorption measurements in the presence of thin clouds without the need for further processing to remove errors caused by sidelobe interference while sharing the same modulation bandwidth. Flight tests were performed and data were collected using both BPSK and linear swept frequency modulation. This research shows there is minimal or no sidelobe interference in the presence of thin clouds for BPSK compared to linear swept frequency with significant sidelobe levels. Comparisons between of CO2 optical depth Signal to Noise (SNR) between the BPSK and linear swept frequency cases indicate a 21% drop in SNR for BPSK experimentally using the instrument under consideration.
Sensitivity to injected cholera toxin of the sodium efflux in single barnacle muscle fibers.

Abstract 1. A study has been made of the effect of microinjected cholera toxin (CT) on the Na efflux in single barnacle muscle fibers. Characteristically, injected CT causes sustained stimulation of the ouabain-insensitive Na efflux but only after a lag phase. An effect is seen with as little as a 10−7 M-solution of CT. Sustained stimulation after a lag phase is also seen following injection of subunit A fragment. 2. Enrichment of fibers with NAD+ fails to enhance the response to CT. 3. Prior injection of GTP or its non-hydrolyzeable analogue, Gpp(NH)p, markedly reduces the response to CT, whilst prior injection of CT reduces the response to guanine nucleotides. 4. Evidence is also brought forward that omission of external Ca2+ reversibly reduces the response to CT and that pre- or postinjection of EGTA markedly reduces the response to CT. In addition, fibers preinjected with CT show increased aequorin light emission. 5. Whereas verapamil and Cd2+ are ineffective, both Mg2+ and trace metals, e.g. Fe and Zn, reverse the response to CT following injection. 6. Prior injection of protein kirtase inhibitor reduces the response to CT. 7. As for calmodulin inhibitors, e.g. chlorpromazine, imipramine and mepacrine, they are effective in reducing the response to CT but not calmodulin antibody (IgG). 8. Collectively, the above results are compatible with the view that sustained stimulation of the ouabain-insensitive Na efflux by injected CT is due to persistent activation of adenylate cyclase by the toxin and that a fall in myoplasmic pCa facilitates or augments this activation mechanism.
New Twist on an Old Favorite: Gentian Violet and Methylene Blue Antibacterial Foams

Significance: Absorptive antibacterial dressings that assist in controlling bioburden without risks of cytotoxicity or residual absorption can be effectively used for prolonged periods throughout the wound healing continuum. Recent Advances: Until recently, gentian violet and methylene blue (GV/MB) antibacterial dressings have been commercially available only in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) foam; polyurethane (PU) foam bonded with GV and MB with thin film backing is now commercially available. GV/MB PU foam does not require hydration or a necessary secondary dressing. GV/MB PVA and PU foam dressings were recently granted FDA clearance as antibacterial dressings, as opposed to bacteriostatic dressings as previously classified. Within the class of antibacterial dressings, GV/MB foam dressings are of lower cost alternative to silver- or iodine-based antibacterial dressings with no risk of absorption of any of the foam components into the tissues. Critical Issues: Control of wound bioburden levels by antibacterial...
Reconstitution of a new Cysteine biosynthetic pathway in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

A new pathway for cysteine biosynthesis has been elucidated in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This pathway involves a protein-bound thiocarboxylate (CysO−SH) as the sulfide donor, similar to thiamin biosynthesis. Cysteine synthase M (CysM) catalyzes the addition of cysteine to the carboxy terminus of the protein-bound thiocarboxylate to generate a CysO−cysteine adduct. A protease, Mec+, hydrolyzes the CysO−cysteine adduct to release cysteine and regenerate CysO. Mec+ contains a JAMM motif, and this work provides the first functional characterization of the JAMM motif in prokaryotes. MoeZ, a paralogue of ThiF, has been shown to transfer sulfur onto CysO.
Visual‐Motor Integration Skills of Prelingually Deaf Children: Implications for Pediatric Cochlear Implantation

Objective To investigate visual-motor integration (VI) skills of prelingually deaf (PLD) children before and after cochlear implantation (CI) and investigate correlations with spoken-language and related processing measures.
Milk-induced wheezing in children with asthma.

Abstract Background Food allergy has been gaining increasing attention, mostly as causing gastrointestinal and cutaneous reactions. Its role in asthma seems to be under-recognised. Objectives This study's aim is to explore the frequency of involvement of a common food, namely cow's milk, in childhood asthma. Methods 32 children (5 months to 11 years; median 24 months; mean 34 months) with asthma and a suspected history of cow's milk allergy were studied. They underwent skin prick testing (SPT) and specific IgE (sIgE) testing to whole cow's milk (WCM), casein, α-lactalbumin, and β-lactoglobulin, followed by single-blind oral milk challenge. Results Reactions to milk challenge occurred in 12 (37.5%) including wheezing in 5 (41.7%, or 15.6% of the whole group). Children who developed wheezing at the time of challenge were younger than those who had negative challenge (23.0 months vs. 34.8 months). Challenge was positive in 33.3% of subjects who had a positive SPT, and SPT was positive in 50% of challenge-positive subjects. Regarding sIgE, challenge was positive in 26.7% of sIgE-positive subjects, and sIgE was positive in 33.3% of challenge positive subjects. Skin or serum testing with individual protein fractions did not seem to add significant advantage over testing with WCM alone. Conclusion This study shows that cow's milk can cause wheezing in children with asthma. Although SPT seemed to be more reliable than sIgE testing, both had suboptimal reliability. It is worth considering possible milk allergy in children with asthma, particularly when poorly controlled in spite of proper routine management.
Surfactant Therapy for Acute Lung Injury and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

This article examines exogenous lung surfactant replacement therapy and its usefulness in mitigating clinical acute lung injury (ALI) and the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Surfactant therapy is beneficial in term infants with pneumonia and meconium aspiration lung injury, and in children up to age 21 years with direct pulmonary forms of ALI/ARDS. However, extension of exogenous surfactant therapy to adults with respiratory failure and clinical ALI/ARDS remains a challenge. This article reviews clinical studies of surfactant therapy in pediatric and adult patients with ALI/ARDS, focusing on its potential advantages in patients with direct pulmonary forms of these syndromes.
MODIS solar diffuser Earthshine modeling and analysis

MODIS's solar diffuser is one of the key calibration sources for its reflective bands. Geometric optical modeling shows that Earthshine illuminating the solar diffuser contaminates measurements of the direct solar irradiance. Before launch, a simple model was used that did not consider the non-diffuse component and the atmospheric transfer of the Earthshine contamination. Recently, a more detailed Earthshine model has been recently developed to better determine the magnitude and characteristics of Earthshine contamination. The model includes a geometric optical model of the instrument, a model of the Earth/Sun/instrument geometry during the calibration interval, an atmospheric model, and various bi-directional models of Earth surface types. Several types of vegetation and open-ocean with different wind speeds are modeled. Analysis was performed of the solar diffuser data with particular emphasis on the surface type at the Earth locations where specular reflections (glint) might occur, i.e., where the solar and view zenith angles are almost the same and the relative azimuth angle is near 180°. The new model compares well with detailed analysis of the solar diffuser data, both over open-ocean with glint, and over vegetation. Both the modeling and analysis show a spectral dependence in the non-diffuse radiation that increases with wavelength. The modeling and analysis give lower and upper bounds on the Earthshine contamination and suggest approaches for minimizing its impact on the MODIS calibration.
Elbow Injuries in Young Baseball Players

The demands that throwing places on the vulnerable immature elbow frequently produce multiple injuries. Significant clues in the history include persistent medial elbow soreness, stiffness, and discomfort that lead to poor performance. Diagnosis involves identifying the injury sites by palpation and x-rays that pinpoint growth-plate separation or osteochondral changes. Nonoperative treatment, which can proceed if growth-plate separation at the medial apophysis is less than 3 mm, involves stretching, strengthening, sport-specific activities, and interval throwing. Prevention includes conditioning, limiting the number of pitches, and using age guidelines for learning new pitches.
Pulmonary Embolism in the Critically Ill

Pulmonary embolism in the critically ill requires considerations beyond anticoagulant therapy. Measurements of chamber size by echocardiography and CT and of circulating biomarkers identify higher-risk patients with moderate accuracy and may aid determination of patient acuity. Preserving right ventricular function requires judicious use of volume administration, vasopressor, and perhaps vasodilator therapies. Obstructing thrombus can be treated with fibrinolytic drugs, percutaneous instrumentation, or surgically, but these treatments may not be equally effective or safe. Anticoagulant therapy in critically ill patients is likely best administered IV. Bleeding complications should be assiduously sought but do not necessitate anticoagulant discontinuation in every case. The antidotes protamine, desmopressin acetate, factor VIII inhibitory bypass activity, and recombinant factor VIIa may each have a place in controlling anticoagulant-related bleeding. The grave prognosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia warrants close surveillance, with rapid switching to lepirudin, argatroban, or fondaparinux necessary if it is suspected. Retrievable vena cava filters can be lifesaving, and at least one type may be safely removed after residence of nearly 1 year.
Enhanced anticoagulant activity of enoxaparin in patients with ESRD as measured by thrombin generation time.

Abstract Background: Patients with renal dysfunction who undergo systemic anticoagulation with enoxaparin are at increased risk for bleeding. Although there is decreased renal clearance of enoxaparin in this population, the clinical utility of monitoring antifactor Xa activity is controversial because it is weakly correlated to bleeding. The goal of this study was to investigate the role of other novel anticoagulation markers, such as thrombin generation time, platelet contractile force, and clot elastic modulus, while controlling for antifactor Xa activity in patients with and without renal dysfunction. Methods: Thirty anticoagulant- and antiplatelet-naive subjects completed this trial (10 controls, 10 patients with chronic kidney disease, and 10 patients with end-stage renal disease [ESRD]). Blood samples were obtained and spiked ex vivo with increasing concentrations of enoxaparin antifactor Xa activity (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 IU/mL). Thrombin generation time, platelet contractile force, and clot elastic modulus were measured in each group at each antifactor Xa activity concentration. Results: Subjects with ESRD had an approximately 50% greater anticoagulant effect, determined by thrombin generation time prolongation, than controls at antifactor Xa activity concentrations of 0.5 to 3.0 IU/mL. This may explain why subjects with ESRD with seemingly therapeutic antifactor Xa levels still experience adverse bleeding. There were no intergroup differences in platelet function, determined by platelet contractile force and clot elastic modulus. Conclusion: Antifactor Xa poorly predicts the degree of anticoagulation in patients with ESRD administered low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH). Thrombin generation time may be a clinically useful anticoagulation monitoring tool to monitor LMWH therapy, especially in patients with renal dysfunction. Additional randomized prospective studies are needed to corroborate these findings.
Synthesis and properties of model SiC-Si3N4 interfaces

Microscopic and macroscopic SiC-Si3N4 interfacial structures were synthesized and their properties examined. Microscopic interfaces were produced by hot isostatic pressing vapour-liquid-solid SiC whisker-polycrystalline Si3N4 matrix composites without densification aids. Macroscopic interfaces were formed by the chemical vapour deposited Si3N4 coating of large SiC single crystals. The characteristics of these model interfaces were investigated using transmission electron microscopy and indentation fracture. Results showed the microscopic interfaces to contain a small amount of second phase, while the macroscopic interfaces were pristine in nature with no second phase present. Pristine SiC-Si3N4 interfaces were strongly bonded at room temperature, but interfacial strength decreased at elevated temperatures.
Unequally safe: the race gap in school safety

School safety is a critical issue for school staff, policy makers, and parents. Efforts to promote safety often focus on reducing school violence and disorder, including zero-tolerance disciplinary policies, metal detectors, and police officers in schools. Yet little is known about how safe students feel at school and how safety varies within schools. Using survey data for the population of middle school students in a large urban school district, this article identifies gaps in feelings of safety between Black students, Hispanic students, and their White and Asian peers. Key characteristics of schools and neighborhoods that relate to safety gaps are identified. Language: en
Pressure drop across shallow fluidized beds: Theory and experiment

A special manometer system has been developed to permit an accurate measurement of average pressure drop across shallow fluidized beds, despite the possible pressure fluctuations and oscillations caused by the vigorous solid mixing and gas bubbling commonly observed in such beds. Quantitative measurements have been made of bed pressure drop over wide ranges of superficial gas velocities, static-bed heights, distributor design characteristics, and particle types and properties. By making a macroscopic momentum balance over the fluidized-bed control volume, a simple model for correlating and predicting the pressure-drop ratio (i.e., the ratio of bed pressure drop to static-bed pressure) has been developed. The model indicates that the pressure-drop ratio PR is linear in the reciprocal of static-bed height (Hs): PR = ‡ α — β/Hs, where α and β are constants which can be predicted a priori from known experimental variables and common dimensionless groups such as Reynolds and Froude numbers based on the gas velocity passing through the distributor. A comparison between model predictions and experimental data shows that the proposed model can accurately correlate and predict the bed pressure drop across shallow fluidized beds.
Resonant electromagnetic emission from intrinsic Josephson-junction stacks with laterally modulated Josephson critical current

Intrinsic Josephson-junction stacks realized in mesas fabricated out of high-temperature superconductors may be used as sources of coherent electromagnetic radiation in the terahertz range. The major challenge is to synchronize Josephson oscillations in all junctions in the stack to get significant radiation out of the crystal edge parallel to the $c$ axis. We suggest a simple way to solve this problem via artificially prepared lateral modulation of the Josephson critical current identical in all junctions. In such a stack, phase oscillations excite the in-phase Fiske mode when the Josephson frequency matches the Fiske-resonance frequency which is set by the stack lateral size. The powerful, almost standing electromagnetic wave is excited inside the crystal in the resonance. This wave is homogeneous across the layers, meaning that the oscillations are synchronized in all junctions in the stack. We evaluate behavior of the $I\text{\ensuremath{-}}V$ characteristics and radiated power near the resonance for arbitrary modulation and find exact solutions for several special cases corresponding to symmetric and asymmetric modulations of the critical current.
Combustion Conditions and Exposure Conditions for Combustion Product Toxicity Testing

A number of procedures have been described in the literature for investigation of the inhalation toxicity of combustion products. There is need for agreement on test methods and test conditions to facilitate communication, allow the ex change of data, and provide a basis for control of hazards due to combustion products in fires. Combustion systems and animal exposure systems which have been employed are classified according to their basic attributes. Simple con siderations of limiting stoichiometry in the combustion module can guide the selection of conditions which simulate real fire environments. The dynamics of the exposure system will determine the procedural dose received by the test animal and can be related to real fire exposure. Many past investigations have failed to take adequate account of these fundamental principles.
Anderson localization with short-range correlated diagonal disorder

Abstract We consider a tight-binding Hamiltonian on a three-dimensional simple cubic lattice with constant nearest-neighbor hopping matrix elements and short-range correlated diagonal disorder. Using numerical finite-size scaling techniques we show that the localization threshold is independent of the amount of correlation.
Coarctation of the Aorta and Other Late Sequelae of Administration of Thorium Dioxide (Thorotrast)

Coarctation of the aorta secondary to a cervicomediastinal thorotrastoma developed in a 30-year-old man 25 years after carotid arteriography. Other local manifestations of the thorotrastoma included occlusion of the left common carotid artery and partial occlusion of the left vertebral and left subclavian arteries, bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paresis, periesophageal adhesions, and multiple traction diverticula of the esophagus. There was no evidence of hepatic neoplasm or malignant transformation of the thorotrastoma. The major risk for this patient in the future, even though small, would be the development of a malignant hepatic neoplasm. Surgery may be indicated if local symptoms, enlarging tumor mass, or signs of increasing aortic obstruction develop.