cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Large-scale nonconvex stochastic optimization by Doubly Stochastic Successive Convex approximation

We consider supervised learning problems over training sets in which both the number of training examples and the dimension of the feature vectors are large. We focus on the case where the loss function defining the quality of the parameter we wish to estimate may be non-convex, but also has a convex regularization. We propose a Doubly Stochastic Successive Convex approximation scheme (DSSC) able to handle non-convex regularized expected risk minimization. The method operates by decomposing the decision variable into blocks and operating on random subsets of blocks at each step. The algorithm belongs to the family of successive convex approximation methods since we replace the original non-convex stochastic objective by a strongly convex sample surrogate function, and solve the resulting convex program, for each randomly selected block in parallel. The method operates on subsets of features (block coordinate methods) and training examples (stochastic approximation) at each step. In contrast to many stochastic convex methods whose almost sure behavior is not guaranteed in non-convex settings, DSSC attains almost sure convergence to a stationary solution of the problem. Numerical experiments on a non-convex variant of a lasso regression problem show that DSSC performs favorably in this setting.
Traumatic Brain Injuries during Development: Implications for Alcohol Abuse.

Traumatic brain injuries are strongly related to alcohol intoxication as by some estimates half or more of all brain injuries involve at least one intoxicated individual. Additionally, there is mounting evidence that traumatic brain injuries can themselves serve as independent risk factors for the development of alcohol use disorders, particularly when injury occurs during juvenile or adolescent development. Here, we will review the epidemiological and experimental evidence for this phenomenon and discuss potential psychosocial mediators including attenuation of negative affect and impaired decision making as well as neurochemical mediators including disruption in the glutamatergic, GABAergic and dopaminergic signaling pathways and increases in inflammation.
Milestones in the Development of Gas Chromatography

This article provides an overview of the impact of technology and column development on the evolution of gas chromatography from inception to the present day. This is not a classic history of the subject but the recollections of the authors who individually participated in several of these developments or were eyewitnesses to the impact they had on the practice of gas chromatography. An emphasis is placed on the development of wall-coated open-tubular (capillary) columns as these were the driving forces for many of the improvements in separations and instrumentation.
Optimizing Word2Vec Performance on Multicore Systems

The Skip-gram with negative sampling (SGNS) method of Word2Vec is an unsupervised approach to map words in a text corpus to low dimensional real vectors. The learned vectors capture semantic relationships between co-occurring words and can be used as inputs to many natural language processing and machine learning tasks. There are several high-performance implementations of the Word2Vec SGNS method. In this paper, we introduce a new optimization called context combining to further boost SGNS performance on multicore systems. For processing the One Billion Word benchmark dataset on a 16-core platform, we show that our approach is 3.53x faster than the original multithreaded Word2Vec implementation and 1.28x faster than a recent parallel Word2Vec implementation. We also show that our accuracy on benchmark queries is comparable to state-of-the-art implementations.
Improving life expectancy: A ‘broken neck’ doesn’t have to be a terminal diagnosis for the elderly

Background Elderly patients with cervical spine fractures require optimal care. Treatment with a cervical collar or halo instead of surgical fixation may increase mortality. This investigation intends to describe the life expectancy after injury and evaluate the impact of surgical intervention on mortality. Methods Patients ≥65 years, with traumatic cervical spine fractures without cord injury were identified in the 1995–2009 California Office of Statewide Health and Planning database. Those with halo placement or surgical spine fixation were identified. Primary outcome was death, studied at the initial admission, 30 days, 1 year, and the entire study period. Univariate and multivariate regressions were performed to identify predictors of death. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to describe life expectancy after injury. Results 10 938 patients were identified. Mortality rate was 10% during the initial admission, 28% at 1 year and 50% during the entire study period. A halo was placed in 14% of patients and 12% underwent surgical fixation. Mortality rates during the initial admission were 11% for patients without an intervention, 7% with halo placement and 6% with surgical fixation; at 1 year, these increased to 30%, 26% and 19%, respectively. At 1 year, more than one in four patients above 75 years of age will die. At 1 year spine fixation, female gender and admission to a trauma center predicted a lower risk of death at 1 year (OR 0.59, 0.68; p Discussion Mortality rates after cervical spine fracture in the elderly is high. Surgical fixation is associated with improved survival; remaining true after adjusting for age and comorbidities; suggesting that surgical fixation may improve outcomes in the elderly. Level of evidence Level IV.
Comprehensive evaluation of broad-beam transmission of patient supports from three fluoroscopy-guided interventional systems.

Purpose The purpose of the study was to measure, evaluate, and model the broad-beam x-ray transmission of the patient supports from representative modern fluoroscopy-guided interventional systems, for patient skin dose calculation. Methods Broad-beam transmission was evaluated by varying incident angle, kVp, added copper (Cu) filter, and x-ray field size for three fluoroscopy systems: General Electric (GE) Innova 4100 with Omega V table and pad, Siemens Axiom Artis with Siemens tabletop "narrow" (CARD) table and pad, and Siemens Zeego with Trumpf TruSystem 7500 table and pad. Field size was measured on the table using a lead ruler for all setups in this study. Exposure rates were measured in service mode using a calibrated Radcal 10 × 6-60 ion chamber above the patient support at the assumed skin location. Broad-beam transmission factors were calculated by the ratio of air kerma rates measured with and without a patient support in the beam path. First, angle dependency was investigated on the GE system, with the chamber at isocenter, for angles of 0°, 15°, 30°, and 40°, for a variety of kVp, added Cu filters, and for two field sizes (small and large). Second, the broad-beam transmission factor at normal incidence was evaluated for all three fluoroscopes by varying kVp, added Cu filter, and field size (small, medium, and large). An analytical equation was created to fit the data as to maximize R2 and minimize maximum percentage difference across all measurements for each system. Results For all patient supports, broad-beam transmission factor increased with field size, kVp, and added Cu filtration and decreased with incident angle. Oblique incidence measurements show that the transmission decreased by about 1%, 3%, and 6% for incident angles of 15°, 30°, and 40°, respectively. The broad-beam transmission factors at 0° for the table and table plus pad ranged from 0.73 to 0.96 and from 0.59 to 0.89, respectively. The GE and Siemens transmission factors were comparable, while the Trumpf transmission factors were the lowest. The data were successfully fitted to a function of angle, field size, kVp, and added Cu filtration using nine parameters, with an average R2 value of 0.977 and maximum percentage difference of 4.08%. Conclusions This study evaluated the broad-beam transmission for three representative fluoroscopy systems and their dependency on angle, kVp, added Cu filter, and field size. The comprehensive data provided for patient support transmission will facilitate accurate calculation of peak skin dose (PSD) and may potentially be integrated into real-time and retrospective dose monitoring with access to Radiation Dose Structured Reports (RDSR) and radiation event data.
MORTALITY ASSOCIATED WITH CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS IN HEART FAILURE WITH REDUCED EJECTION FRACTION: REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE

Calcium channel blockers (CCB) are associated with a higher risk of mortality in patients with low ejection fraction (EF), but the association between CCB and mortality in patients with AF is not clear. This is a retrospective study of patients aged > 18 years, admitted with a primary diagnosis of
Assessing the Costs and Benefits of Educational Technology

Educational technology is often cited as a means to improve educational outcomes and reduce costs, leading to greater quality and efficiency in learning and instruction. Yet research that attempts to assess the costs and benefits of educational technology is limited, making it difficult for educators and policy makers to make efficient decisions. This chapter reviews international research on the effectiveness, costs, and cost-effectiveness of educational technology and provides a set of core conclusions from this literature. The chapter also describes methodological challenges to assessing costs and benefits of educational technology and suggests areas for future research. The chapter concludes with lessons learned for educators and educational decision makers.
Future Structure and Properties of Mechanism-Based Wound Dressings

The research and development of chronic wound dressings, which possess a mechanism-based mode of action, has entered a new level of understanding in recent years based on improved definition of the biochemical events associated with pathogenesis of the chronic wound. Recently, the molecular modes of action have been investigated for skin substitutes, interactive biomaterials, and some traditional material designs as balancing the biochemical events of inflammation in the chronic wound to improve healing. The interactive wound dressings have activities including up-regulation of growth factors and cytokines and down-regulation of destructive proteolysis. Carbohydrate-based wound dressings have received increased attention for their molecular interactive properties with chronic and burn wounds. Traditionally, the use of carbohydrate-based wound dressings including cotton, xerogels, charcoal cloth, alginates, chitosan, and hydrogels have afforded properties such as absorbency, ease of application and removal, bacterial protection, fluid balance, occlusion, and elasticity. Recent efforts in our lab have been underway to design carbohydrate dressings that are interactive cotton dressings as an approach to regulating destructive proteolysis in the non-healing wound. Elastase is a serine protease that has been associated with a variety of inflammatory diseases and has been implicated as a destructive protease that impedes wound healing. The presence of elevated levels of elastase in non-healing wounds has been associated with the degradation of important growth factors and fibronectin necessary for wound healing. Focus will be given to the design, preparation, and assessment of a type of cotton-based interactive wound dressing designed to intervene in the pathophysiology of the chronic wound through protease sequestration.
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation: Current Status in Treatment of GI and Liver Disease.

Fecal microbiota transplantation was originally introduced as a method to repair intestinal microbiota following failure of multiple treatments of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection with antibiotics. However, it is hypothesized that intestinal dysbiosis may contribute to the pathogenesis of many diseases, especially those involving the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, fecal microbiota transplantation is increasingly being explored as a potential treatment that aims to optimize microbiota composition and functionality. Here, we review the current state of fecal microbiota transplantation development and applications in conditions of greatest interest to a gastroenterologist.
Traumatic Event Exposure Associated With Increased Food Insecurity and Eating Disorder Pathology

ObjectiveThe primary aim was to investigate the association between food insecurity (FI) and eating disorders, which are nutrition-based public health problems, with traumatic event exposure in a low-income marginalized population. The study also investigated the association between traumatic event exposure, anxiety and weight stigma.DesignThe study used self-report surveys in a cross-sectional design.SettingFood pantries affiliated with the local food bank in a major US city.SubjectsParticipants (n 503) consisted of clients presenting to food pantries. Participants were predominantly female (76·5 %), Latino/Hispanic (64·6 %) and low-income (59 % reported earning under $US 10 000 per year).ResultsResults indicated that 55·7 % of participants had directly experienced a traumatic event; this increased to 61·6 % when witnessing was included. Higher levels of FI were associated with greater traumatic event exposure. Increased exposure to traumatic events correlated with worsened overall eating disorder pathology (r=−0·239), weight stigma (r=−0·151) and anxiety (r=−0·210).ConclusionsThe present study is the first to investigate the association of FI, eating disorders and trauma in a low-income marginalized population. Results indicate that exposure to traumatic events is common in this civilian population and that traumatic event exposure is associated with higher levels of FI and eating disorder pathology. Results indicate that further research is warranted given that traumatic event exposure, eating disorder pathology, weight stigma and anxiety may complicate effective delivery of public health interventions in those living with FI.
SETD2-dependent H3K36me3 plays a critical role in epigenetic regulation of the HPV31 life cycle

The life cycle of HPV is tied to the differentiation status of its host cell, with productive replication, late gene expression and virion production restricted to the uppermost layers of the stratified epithelium. HPV DNA is histone-associated, exhibiting a chromatin structure similar to that of the host chromosome. Although HPV chromatin is subject to histone post-translational modifications, how the viral life cycle is epigenetically regulated is not well understood. SETD2 is a histone methyltransferase that places the trimethyl mark on H3K36 (H3K36me3), a mark of active transcription. Here, we define a role for SETD2 and H3K36me3 in the viral life cycle. We have found that HPV positive cells exhibit increased levels of SETD2, with SETD2 depletion leading to defects in productive viral replication and splicing of late viral RNAs. Reducing H3K36me3 by overexpression of KDM4A, an H3K36me3 demethylase, or an H3.3K36M transgene also blocks productive viral replication, indicating a significant role for this histone modification in facilitating viral processes. H3K36me3 is enriched on the 3' end of the early region of the high-risk HPV31 genome in a SETD2-dependent manner, suggesting that SETD2 may regulate the viral life cycle through the recruitment of H3K36me3 readers to viral DNA. Intriguingly, we have found that activation of the ATM DNA damage kinase, which is required for productive viral replication, is necessary for the maintenance of H3K36me3 on viral chromatin and for processing of late viral RNAs. Additionally, we have found that the HPV31 E7 protein maintains the increased SETD2 levels in infected cells through an extension of protein half-life. Collectively, our findings highlight the importance of epigenetic modifications in driving the viral life cycle and identify a novel role for E7 as well as the DNA damage response in the regulation of viral processes through epigenetic modifications.
A Case for Hospitality in the Era of Religious Pluralism

This chapter sheds light on the tangible ways the Roman Catholic community in Ihievbe town continues to use hospitality as a dialogical model. The place of hospitality in Islam and Ihievbe Traditional Religion is affirmed as well as the practice of hospitality in the African context. Finally, concrete ways of using hospitality as a dialogical tool for engagement among religions are addressed. As you read this chapter, it is my hope that you will begin to think of ways you can become a vehicle of God’s hospitality to all you encounter, knowing fully well that diversities, whether religious or cultural, are possibilities for growth when embraced with open minds and hearts.
Father communication coaching for children with autism spectrum disorder: A single-subject study

Background and aimsParent-mediated interventions have been shown to be effective for improving communication skills for children with autism spectrum disorder when implemented by mothers. Little is...
Machine learning on density and elastic property of oxide glasses driven by large dataset

Abstract We conduct a comprehensive machine learning study on predicting the oxide glasses density, Young's modulus, shear modulus, and Poisson's ratio given compositions, by leveraging the large dataset collected at Corning Incorporated. The density and elastic property datasets have the size of 24,858 and 8519, respectively. Our results show that random forest, K-Nearest neighbor, and neural networks consistently deliver good performance, while support vector machine consistently underperforms. Lasso linear regression works best for density prediction, while Poisson's ratio is extremely challenging to predict with the best R2 score achieved to be around 0.7 by random forest. Additionally, feature importance analysis shows that La2O3 and BaO are the top two features for density prediction, while Na2O and B2O3 for Young's modulus and shear modulus prediction, and CaO and SiO2 for Poisson's ratio prediction. The study could be potentially leveraged as the baseline by future studies given the large dataset we trained on.
Differential Contributions of the Quadriceps and Patellar Attachments of the Proximal Medial Patellar Restraints to Resisting Lateral Patellar Translation

Purpose To define the contributions of the of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) and medial quadriceps tendon femoral ligament (MQTFL) to lateral patellar translation as the knee moves through a 90° arc of motion. Methods Six pairs of bilateral cadaveric knee specimens (12 knees) were dissected and potted in perfect lateral position using fluoroscopy. An eye screw was placed in the midpoint on the lateral aspect of the patella. Each knee underwent testing in 4 conditions after sequential sectioning: intact, lateral retinacular release, randomized MQTFL or MPFL sectioning, and complete proximal medial patellar restraint (PMPR) sectioning. With a custom machined jig, all knees were tested at 0, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, and 90° of flexion on an MTS machine with 20N of lateral patellar force applied and displacement recorded. Results PMPR extensor mechanism insertion on all specimens was identified 50% on the quadriceps tendon and 50% on the proximal aspect of the medial patella. Isolated MPFL sectioning resulted in significantly increased lateral displacement compared to the lateral release state at all flexion angles tested except 0°. There was significantly increased lateral patellar displacement with complete sectioning compared with isolated proximal sectioning at all degrees of knee flexion except 0°. However, complete sectioning following isolated MPFL sectioning did not demonstrate significance at any angle. Conclusions Compared with the MQTFL, the MPFL is primarily responsible for resistance to lateral patellar translation throughout a 0° to 90° arc of motion. The MPFL provides a similar resistance to lateral patellar displacement as the fully intact PMPR; however, the MQTFL may contribute to resistance in full extension. Clinical Significance Proximal medial patellar restraint reconstruction techniques involving both the patellar and quadriceps insertion have been described; however, the unique contributions of the native anatomy to lateral patellar restraint have not been investigated.
LiDAR Beamsteering by Digitally Switched MEMS Gratings on a Silicon Photonics Platform

A new method for solid-state beamsteering using MEMS grating switches integrated on a Si-PIC has been demonstrated. This method provides fast random access switching, simple digital control, extremely low side-lobes, and is scalable to large arrays, large apertures, and long ranges.
Informal Caregivers' Administration of Hospice Prescribed Lorazepam to Homecare Patients With Anxiety.

Background:A growing number of informal caregivers (IFCs) manage hospice patients’ anxiety by administering lorazepam (Ativan), yet little is known about prescribing practices in home care or the e...
Risk-based life-cycle optimization of deteriorating steel bridges: Investigation on the use of novel corrosion resistant steel:

Corrosion-induced material loss can reduce the load-carrying capacity of structures, resulting in an increase of the probability and risk of failure. Currently, carbon steel is predominantly used i...
Engineering Our Selves: Morphological Freedom and the Myth of Multiplicity

What would you change about yourself if you could? If you could design and build a feature and add it to yourself, what would it be? Would you design something that makes you better at something you’re not very good at? Maybe you love music, but haven’t ever been very good at singing. If you could buy a piece of technology that would allow you to be able to sing well, would you? Or might you further improve on a skill you’re already good at? What if you could design a chip that would make you able to do extraordinarily difficult calculations and statistical modeling in your head? Would you? Or might you give yourself a skill or ability that is currently outside the range of human ability. What if you could buy a piece of tech that could give you the ability to fly, or access the internet with just a thought? Such approaches raise the potential for completely re-engineering the human body. Would you re-engineer yourself?.
Pharmacokinetic Effects of Combined Exposure to Nicotine and THC via E-Cigarettes in Pregnant Rats

Nicotine and cannabis are two of the most commonly consumed licit and illicit drugs during pregnancy, often consumed together via e-cigarettes. Vaping is assumed to be a safer alternative than traditional routes of consumption, yet the potential consequences of prenatal e-cigarette exposure are largely unknown, particularly when these two drugs are co-consumed. In a novel co-exposure model, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats received nicotine (36 mg/mL), THC (100 mg/mL), the combination, or the vehicle via e-cigarettes daily from gestational days 5-20, mimicking the first and second human trimesters. Maternal blood samples were collected throughout pregnancy to measure drug and metabolite levels, and core body temperatures before and after exposure were also measured. Pregnant dams exposed to combined nicotine and THC had lower plasma nicotine and cotinine levels than those exposed to nicotine alone; similarly, the combined exposure group also had lower plasma THC and THC metabolite (THC-OH and THC-COOH) levels than those exposed to THC alone. Prenatal nicotine exposure gradually decreased basal core body temperatures each day, with chronic exposure, whereas exposure to THC alone decreased temperatures during the individual sessions. Despite these physiological effects, no changes were observed in food or water intake, weight gain, or basic litter outcomes. These data suggest that combined exposure to nicotine and THC elicits both separate and interactive physiological effects of nicotine and THC on pregnant dams. These data and use of this model can help improve education for pregnant mothers about prenatal e-cigarette use and has important implications for public policy. HIGHLIGHTSO_LIRepeated prenatal nicotine exposure via e-cigarettes gradually decreased temperatures C_LIO_LIPrenatal THC exposure via e-cigarettes decreased temperatures during intoxication C_LIO_LICombined prenatal exposure via e-cigarettes altered plasma drug and metabolite levels C_LIO_LIThis co-exposure model elicits separate and interactive effects of nicotine and THC C_LI
Practical methods of evaluating grape quality and quality potential

Abstract Wine quality, regardless of how defined, is impacted by grape quality. Grape quality depends on various metabolites, timing, and completeness of ripening, and the ripening synchrony of skins, seeds, stems, and pulp suited to the type and style of wine desired. Early and late season light, temperature, and water conditions are particularly important in determining the composition of wine grapes; however, there is no single definition for the correct degree of ripeness or quality. Both depend upon the winemaker’s intentions, wine style, secondary grape metabolites aroma/flavor and phenols, structural integrity, and longevity. This chapter considers grape maturity evaluation issues of importance in stylistic winemaking.
Increased Chromospheric Activity in Subgiants Related to Evolutionary Effects

A scenario based on detailed stellar evolution computations is presented which predicts development of more intense dynamo activity with evolution of early F stars off the main sequence. On the main sequence a typical early F star rotates rapidly but has a very short convective turnover time scale; the resulting lack of rotational influence on the convection cannot support dynamo activity. The main sequence lifetime is passed in a state of inactivity with little or no rotational braking. With evolution to the subgiant domain, the convection zone deepens, the convective turnover time scale lengthens with a consequent increase of rotational influence on convection, and significant dynamo activity is expected to result. The above scenario is supported by the observations of HD 124850, an active subgiant with a surprisingly short rotation period. Indeed the mere existence of an evolved star with Prot = 7.6 days (Noyes et al. 1984) and a moderate activity level fairly well demands that such a scenario be true, since magnetic braking over less evolution has slowed many (less massive) stars of similar activity levels to much longer rotation periods.
MITE ASTHMA IN CHILDHOOD: A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXPOSURE TO HOUSE DUST MITES AND DISEASE ACTIVITY

When mite allergic asthmatic children are exposed to high levels of mite allergen, the number of mites in the mattress dust does not correlate with increased symptoms. The authors further suggested that other factors (eg, viral respiratory infections) are more likely to be associated with increased symptoms.
Effect of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis on the Pulmonary Defense Mechanisms of Guinea Pig Lungs

Many edemagenic and consolidating inflammatory diseases, such as virus pneumonias, of the lung are complicated by bacterial infection. Previous literature has stressed that edema and consolidation may promote bacterial proliferation by interfering with phagocytosis. To test that hypothesis, lung defense mechanisms were studied in guinea pigs with tuberculin-induced hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a noninfectious edemagenic, and consolidating inflammatory disease. Pulmonary bactericidal activity and particle clearance were measured with a mixed aerosol of (32)P-labeled Staphylococcus aureus and(35)S-labeled Proteus mirabilis. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis enhanced the bactericidal activity of the lung but had no effect on particle clearance despite the presence of consolidation and edema. These data indicate that altered host resistance to bacterial infection in acute inflammatory lung diseases can not be attributed to edema, inflammation, consolidation, changes in lung weight, etc., per se and that causes must be sought in functional changes in the bactericidal system of the lung rather than in specific histopathological changes.
Interfacial debonding and fiber pull-out stresses of fiber-reinforced composites, X: with an elastic interfacial coating

Abstract Pull-out of a fiber with an elastic interfacial coating, which has been used to facilitate interfacial debonding for ceramic composites, from a matrix is considered. The effects of the interfacial coating on the stress transfer, and the interfacial shear stresses at both the fiber-coating and the coating-matrix interfaces are analyzed. The stress transfer by interfacial stress depends on both the effectiveness of the stress transfer and the loading stress carried by the coating. This loading stress decreases with decreasing Young's modulus of the coating when a constant load is applied on the fiber-coating system. Hence, depending on the balance between the above two factors, a moderately soft coating is required to maximize the interfacial shear which, in turn, promotes interfacial debonding. The effects of coating thickness on stress transfer are also addressed.
Non-coding RNAs in Transcriptional Regulation

Transcriptional gene silencing guided by small RNAs is a process conserved from protozoa to mammals. Small RNAs loaded into Argonaute family proteins direct repressive histone modifications or DNA cytosine methylation to homologous regions of the genome. Small RNA-mediated transcriptional silencing is required for many biological processes, including repression of transposable elements, maintaining the genome stability/integrity, and epigenetic inheritance of gene expression. Here, we will summarize the current knowledge about small RNA biogenesis and mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in plants, Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans, and mice. Furthermore, a rapidly growing number of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated as important players in transcription regulation. We will discuss current models for long non-coding RNA-mediated gene regulation.
Workplace bullying: the case of teen workers

Work is an important yet understudied life domain for adolescents that has important implications for their development and well-being. Work relationships, particularly with supervisors and coworkers, are critical influences on teens. To the extent these relationships are negative, as evidenced in workplace bullying, the impact on teens can be wide-ranging and enduring. In this article, research on workplace bullying and its effects is briefly summarized and used as a context for exploring adolescent experiences with bullying on the job, both in terms of their vulnerability to exposure and unique impacts. Implications of these findings for health professionals in the assessment and treatment of teens exposed to workplace bullying are discussed. Language: en
Neurourologic consequences of accidental intrathecal vincristine: a case report.

Inadvertent intrathecal administration of vincristine results in severe neurotoxicity. Motor and sensory bladder dysfunction have been reported but the long-term urologic consequences are unknown due to the associated high mortality. We report a case of accidental intrathecal vincristine administration with patient survival and follow-up of 24 months. The child developed a lower motor neuron neuropathic bladder requiring intermittent self-catheterization of the bladder. Urinary tract management of these children should be based on the urodynamic findings. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
New data on the chemical composition and origin of moldavites

Chemical composition and origin of moldavites, noting densities, refractive indices, oxide content, rubidium-strontium ratio, etc
Examining the strength and possible causes of the relationship between fire history and Sudden Oak Death.

Fire can be a dominant process in the ecology of forest vegetation and can also affect forest disease dynamics. Little is known about the relationship between fire and an emerging disease epidemic called Sudden Oak Death, which is caused by a new pathogen, Phytophthora ramorum. This disease has spread across a large, fire-prone portion of California, killing great numbers of oaks and tanoaks and infecting most associated woody plants. Suitable hosts cover a much broader geographic range, raising concern over where the disease may spread. To understand the strength and potential sensitivities of a fire–disease relationship, we examined geographic patterns of confirmed P. ramorum infections in relation to past fire history. We found these infections to be extremely rare within the perimeter of any area burned since 1950. This finding is not caused by spatial bias in sampling for the disease, and is robust to variation in host abundance scenarios and to aggregation of closely spaced sampling locations. We therefore investigated known fire-related factors that could result in significantly lower incidence of the disease in relatively recently burned landscapes. Chemical trends in post-fire environments can influence the success of pathogens like P. ramorum, either by increasing plant nutrient stress or by reducing the occurrence of chemicals antagonistic to Phytophthoras. Succession in the absence of fire leads to greater abundance of host species, which will provide increased habitat for P. ramorum; this will also increase intraspecific competition where these trees are abundant, and other density-dependent effects (e.g. shading) can reduce resource allocation to defenses. Despite these findings about a fire–disease relationship, a much deeper understanding is necessary before fire can be actively used as a tool in slowing the epidemic.
The effects of common random numbers on stochastic kriging metamodels

Ankenman et al. introduced stochastic kriging as a metamodeling tool for representing stochastic simulation response surfaces, and employed a very simple example to suggest that the use of Common Random Numbers (CRN) degrades the capability of stochastic kriging to predict the true response surface. In this article we undertake an in-depth analysis of the interaction between CRN and stochastic kriging by analyzing a richer collection of models; in particular, we consider stochastic kriging models with a linear trend term. We also perform an empirical study of the effect of CRN on stochastic kriging. We also consider the effect of CRN on metamodel parameter estimation and response-surface gradient estimation, as well as response-surface prediction. In brief, we confirm that CRN is detrimental to prediction, but show that it leads to better estimation of slope parameters and superior gradient estimation compared to independent simulation.
Gaining the Broad Expertise Needed for High-End Computational Science and Engineering Research

Leadership-class systems can enable breakthroughs in science, but to use them productively requires significant expertise. There's a need to disseminate this expertise to potential users from a broader set of fields. A community effort aims to lower the barriers of entry to using these powerful machines by training the next-generation of high-performance computing users.
Infrared Spectra of Platinum Insertion and Methylidene Complexes Prepared in Oxidative C−H(X) Reactions of Laser-Ablated Pt Atoms with Methane, Ethane, and Halomethanes

Reactions of laser-ablated Pt atoms with CH4 and C2H6 produce CH3−PtH and CH3CH2−PtH via oxidative C−H insertion and show that the Pt atom is an effective C−H insertion agent. The methylidene CH2═P...
Engendered and Feminist Archaeologies of the Recent and Documented Pasts

Engendered and feminist archaeologies in historical archaeology have developed in complementary ways to those in nonhistorical archaeologies but with distinct methodological issues and sources of data. This article discusses the development of engendered and feminist archaeologies that use textual sources, the continuing themes that characterize this body of work, and the state of the field today. The article concludes with a discussion of future directions for practitioners to pursue.
The pathophysiology of pulmonary edema.

Abstract Pulmonary edema is one of the commonest lesions seen by the practicing anatomical pathologist. The technique of rapid freezing of the lung has made possible visualization of the events that occur in experimental pulmonary edema. Study has shown that edema fluid is first histologically detectable in the peribronchiolar and perivascular connective tissues. The accumulation of interstitial edema regularly precedes the appearance of intra-alveolar edema, and the interstitial tissues may be the only site of pulmonary edema. Interstitial edema may occur under "normal" circumstances such as strenuous exercise. The pathophysiology of edema formation is briefly described as are recent experiments that provide new data concerning interstitial pressures and lymphatic flow in the lung and that are relevant to an understanding of the pathogenesis of pulmonary edema. Experimental pulmonary edema due to an increase in the water filtration coefficient of the vascular wall is of particular relevance because of current interest in pulmonary edema seen with gram negative septicemia.
Scientific visualization in computational aerodynamics at NASA Ames Research Center

Tools specifically oriented toward flow analysis problems are described. The approach is oriented toward performing graphics calculations on the supercomputer and using high-end workstations as rendering engines to display flow fields generated by aircraft flight. A suite of software provides both display and interactive analysis capability. Also described is animation hardware featuring Winchester disk technology, which allows the storage of more than one gigabyte of data and supports editing, special effects, and video output. >
Remote actuation of hydrogel nanocomposites: Heating analysis, modeling, and simulations

Recently, there has been increasing interest in remote heating of polymer nanocomposites for applications such as actuators, microfluidic valves, drug delivery devices, and hyperthermia treatment of cancer. In this study, magnetic hydrogel nanocomposites of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with varying amounts of iron oxide nanoparticle loadings were synthesized. The nanocomposites were remotely heated using an alternating magnetic field (AMF) at three different AMF amplitudes, and the resultant temperatures were recorded. The rate of the temperature rise and the steady state temperatures were analyzed with a heat transfer model, and a correlation of heat generation per unit mass with the nanoparticle loadings was established for different AMF amplitudes. The temperature rise data of a PEG system with different swelling properties were found to be accurately predicted by the model. Furthermore, the correlations were used to simulate the temperatures of the nanocomposite and the surrounding tissue for potential hyperthermia cancer treatment applications. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011
Sulfur Diagenesis in Everglades Peat and Origin of Pyrite in Coal

The pattern of sulfur transformation in peat across the Everglades basin indicates that pyrite formation in organic-rich swamps depends on the use of organic oxysulfur compounds in dissimilatory respiration by sulfur-reducing bacteria. This paragenesis explains the primary distribution of sulfur compounds in low-sulfur coals and possibly in most coals and many organic-rich soils and sediments. It also accounts for the occurrence of framboidal pyrite bound in fossil tissue in coal and sediments.
In-network fault tolerance in networked sensor systems

Networked sensor systems (NSS) have the potential of significantly enhancing our ability to monitor and interact with our physical environment. For example, numerous tiny sensors may be spread all over a forest to reveal the forest's life and events in detail along the time-space continuum. Critical to the success of NSS is the reliable collection and dissemination of data while conserving sensors' limited resources, in particular energy. In this paper, we propose a novel scheme that provides fault-tolerant data collection and dissemination through data checkpointing and recovery. We assume that the data is periodically reported from a sink node to the end users. Based on a model-based simulation, we show that our scheme is highly resilient to sensor and sink failure. It also leads to enhanced NSS lifetime and data collection with minimal overhead.
The Paired Comparisons Method of Identifying Developmental Discrepancies with the ITPA

This paper attempts to offer a realistic and viable statistical procedure (paired comparisons or PC method) of identifying potential learning disabilities via the ITPA battery. Such a procedure is predicated on a variation of R.A. Fisher's least-significant difference method, which employs multiple pairwise comparisons, and the PC method attempts to be more sensitive than the methodology proposed by Kirk and Elkins, which employs the absolute average deviation as the critical parameter. Essentially, the PC method used a probabilistic model to ascertain learning discrepancies.
A Strengths-Based Approach to Promoting Prosocial Behavior among African American and Latino Students

This article presents an overview of a strengths-based school discipline initiative that was developed in response to the high suspension and expulsion rates of African American and Latino male students at a racially diverse, urban high school in California. A school task force made up of adult and youth stakeholders devised a series of interventions that included student-led efforts to improve discipline policies and procedures. The initiative builds on the Strengths- Based School Counseling framework explicated by Galassi and Akos (2007), which stimulates and promotes personal accountability, leadership, resiliency, self-management, and social competence in students as opposed to merely reducing student deficits.
The NRL Josephson junction monitoring experiment on HTSEE-II

An experiment designed to ride on the high temperature superconductor space experiment (HTSSE-II) satellite package is described, which monitors the current-voltage characteristics of two high temperature superconductor (HTS) Josephson junctions. The junctions are typical examples of the state-of-the-art at the time of incorporation, and were obtained from two industrial laboratories: TRW and Conductus. Stringent requirements on shielding the devices from RF interference and DC magnetic fields are necessary to ensure that the measurements are meaningful. An additional constraint is imposed by the necessity to minimize flow of heat into the device package. Engineering solutions to these problems, and the resulting performance of the measurement system, are described. The package and associated electronics have been integrated into the flight satellite.
High-Grade Atrioventricular Block Caused by His-Purkinje Injury During Contrast Left Ventriculography

A 68-year-old woman with exertional chest discomfort was referred for cardiac catheterization. Her medications did not include atrioventricular (AV) nodal blocking agents, and she had no prior history of dizziness or syncope. Her admission ECG was normal, including a normal axis, PR interval, and QRS morphology and duration (Figure 1). Right heart catheterization and coronary angiography demonstrated normal right heart pressures, mild luminal irregularities in the left anterior descending coronary artery, a discrete 50% stenosis in the left circumflex coronary artery, and normal right coronary artery. A 6-French, 145-degree, angled pigtail catheter with end holes and multiple side …
Diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. Medical and laboratory aspects

The diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is largely dependent on the existence of a characteristic pattern of clinical symptoms and signs that must be present for at least six weeks. Early morning joint stiffness and symmetric polyarticular inflammation, particularly in the metacarpophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal, wrist, and metatarsophalangeal joints, are typical of the disease. Extraarticular disease, including rheumatoid nodules, is usually associated with severe and well-established arthritis, and occular, pulmonary, cardiac, neurologic, and vasculitic involvement can be a considerable source of morbidity. Serologic testing for rheumatoid factor (RF) is helpful in confirming the diagnosis since 80% of patients are seropositive, but RFs are expressed in many other disease states. Expression of multiple RF isotypes differentiates RA from other populations. Erythrocyte sedimentation rates, C-reactive protein levels, circulating immune complexes, and platelet counts are often elevated in RA and serve as indicators of disease activity.
MIDS: a framework for information organization and discovery

The MITRE Information Discovery System (MIDS) is a baseline system for integrating advanced processing tools for information discovery and retrieval in large-scale distributed environments. The system is built on a modular, extendible architecture that allows for system-level decoupling and allocation of component processing tools across network nodes to provide for efficient processing in distributed environments. At one level, the system provides for multi-platform user access to HTTP, Gopher, FTP, and news servers using an HTML based client interface. However, more significantly, the system provides advanced tools for metadata generation from disparate network objects, and a content routing mediation layer for classification of metadata into appropriate information brokers. This bottom-up layered information organization approach supports a wide range of information retrieval and browsing strategies.
Predicting Comforting Quality in the Context of Miscarriage

The current study examines influences on the quality of comforting messages directed at parents bereaved by miscarriage. College students (N = 182) wrote comforting messages for a hypothetical older sibling distressed by a miscarriage at three different times subsequent to the loss and completed measures assessing experience with pregnancy loss and cognitive complexity. Results showed that support providers’ experience with pregnancy loss, gender, and cognitive complexity, along with time since the loss, predicted comforting quality. Findings are discussed with respect to implications for theory and application.
Modeling Foreign Object Damage to CVI MI SiC/iBN/SiC and Oxide/Oxide Ceramic Composite Components in Gas Turbine Engines at Ambient and Elevated Temperatures

The inherent toughness of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) in advanced gas-turbine engines must be predictable under impact from small foreign objects to lower the amount of full scale testing needed to produce robust designs. Fiber/matrix/architecture properties of the composites, and a damage evolution based progressive failure code that can be used for a full range of composite architectures (GENOA) coupled with an explicit FEM impact code (LS-DYNA) were used to simulate impact and residual 4pt flexural strength of the ceramic engine components. This approach uses physics-based mechanics coupled at the micro and macro scale boundaries. The benefit of this technique is that the root cause of damage advancement at the micromechanical level could be understood and simulations could be performed to assess better damage tolerance structures. Steel projectiles with a diameter of 1.59 mm were used to impact the composites at speeds from 100–400 m/s (Mach 0.3–1.2) and the results shown to compare to prior test data for 2-D 5H Sylramic iBN CVI MI SiC at 25°C and 1316°C and for 2-D 8H N720/AS ceramic composites at 25°C. Simulations also gave insight to the micromechanical damage progression and were comparable with test data.Copyright © 2011 by ASME