cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Refined Stick Model for Dynamic Analysis of Skew Highway Bridges

Stick models are widely employed in the dynamic analysis of bridges when only approximate results are desired or when detailed models are difficult or time-consuming to construct. Although the use of stick models for regular bridges has been validated by various researchers, the application of such models to skew highway bridges continues to present challenges. The conventional single-beam stick model used to represent the bridge deck often fails to capture certain predominant vibration modes that are important in obtaining the true dynamic response of the bridge. In this paper, a refined stick model is proposed for the preliminary dynamic analysis of skew bridges. The model utilizes a dual-beam stick representation of the bridge deck. The validity of the model is established by comparing results obtained from the proposed model with numerical solutions obtained for skew plates and a skew bridge. It is shown that this dual-beam stick model is superior to the conventional single-beam model in estimating the natural vibration frequencies and in predicting the predominant vibration modes of the bridge. Because of its simplicity and relative accuracy, this model is recommended for the preliminary dynamic analysis of skew highway bridges.
The Autonomy Question and the Changing Conditions of Social Scientific Work

Diana Forsythe's life was emblematic of the rapidly changing conditions of the work for anthropologists, and social scientists more generally, during recent decades. In her first fieldwork project in Scotland, she retained some of the traditional autonomy of the ethnographer that she lost during her years as an anthropologist living on soft money in Al labs. She was acutely aware of how the conditions of work restricted her ability to write and publish on some topics in the Al world, particularly the rampant sexism that she experienced and analyzed.
Time dependence of internal intensity of a dielectric sphere on and near resonance

Transient intensities inside a large dielectric sphere (circumference/incident wavelength > 50) are computed for excitation with plane-wave pulses having a Gaussian time dependence. The center frequency of the pulse is either on or near a morphology-dependent resonance (MDR). For each internal point considered, the time dependence of the electric field is determined from the frequency spectrum of the field at that point. The frequency spectrum is the product of the incident field spectrum and the transfer function at that point. In a sphere both the internal spectrum and the associated time dependence vary with spatial location, particularly when the incident frequency is near a MDR. The time dependence of the intensity at an internal location near the surface shows an exponential tail with a time constant of 1/Δωr, where Δωr is the resonant linewidth of the MDR, so long as the incident spectrum overlaps the MDR significantly, i.e., when Δω ≤ Δω0 and Δω0 ≥ Δωr, where Δω0 is the width of the incident pulse spectrum and Δω is the detuning, the difference between the MDR frequency and the center frequency of the incident Gaussian pulse.
The Evolution of Tuberculosis Virulence

The evolution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis presents several challenges for public health. HIV and resistance to antimycobacterial medications have evolutionary implications for how Mycobacterium tuberculosis will evolve, as these factors influence the host environment and transmission dynamics of tuberculosis strains. We present an evolutionary invasion analysis of tuberculosis that characterizes the direction of tuberculosis evolution in the context of different natural and human-driven selective pressures, including changes in tuberculosis treatment and HIV prevalence. We find that the evolution of tuberculosis virulence can be affected by treatment success rates, the relative transmissibility of emerging strains, the rate of reactivation from latency among hosts, and the life expectancy of hosts. We find that the virulence of tuberculosis strains may also increase as a consequence of rising HIV prevalence, requiring faster case detection strategies in areas where the epidemics of HIV and tuberculosis collide.
Ostracode-based aminostratigraphy and aminochronology of a tufa system in central Spain

Abstract In the Priego area, central Spain, extensive tufa deposits are located in three small tributaries located at the head of the 1000 km-long Tagus River. The deposits are originated after karst-origin running waters emerged from the confines of the canyons and expanded outward. Old tufa deposits of Priego are mainly present as terraced alluvial plain deposits where different autochthonous and allochthonous facies appear. Extraclastic deposits of quartzite and limestone clasts derived from Mesozoic rocks are interbedded with the tufa marking pulsatory high-flow periods. Using the geomorphologic analysis six terraced levels were differentiated and sampled for ostracode amino acid racemization analysis. D/L ratios of aspartic acid and glutamic acid were used for dating purposes. Cluster analysis defined six aminozones (AM1–AM7) which were dated as follows: AM1: 407±12 ka oxygen isotope stages (OIS 11); AM2: 263±14 ka (OIS 7e); AM3: 181±17 ka (OIS 7a); AM4: 136±13 ka (OIS 5-6); AM5: 108±14 ka (OIS 5); AM7: 11±4 ka (OIS 1), indicating that tufa deposition took place during warm periods. Models of riverine and riverine-barrage tufa accumulation indicate that their maximum build-up took place between the canyon mouth and the point of depletion of dissolved CO2, and this affected the elevation of the top of the deposits and their relative chronology.
Ovarian Transposition in Cervical Cancer

Abstract One hundred four premenopausal women, 42 years of age or less, with early stage carcinoma of the cervix had surgical management with ovarian retention. Eighty-two had ovarian transposition performed at the time of exploration for radical hysterectomy or staging lymphadenectomy because of known or possible need for radiation therapy. Twenty-two had radical hysterectomy and retained ovaries without transposition. Three patients, all in the transposed group, were lost to follow-up. Sixteen patients died of disease; all but 1 were in the transposed group. Twenty-four transposed patients received postoperative radiation therapy; 12 of these died of disease and all became climacteric prior to death. Only 4 (17%) transposed and radiated patients have continued ovarian function. Of the 58 patients with transposition who received no radiation, 9 of 51 survivors (17.6%) had subsequent oophorectomy for management of painful ovarian cysts at from 25 to 103 months (mean 46.8 months) after treatment. Sixty-seven percent still have ovarian pain and cysts requiring medical therapy. Therefore, only 53% retained ovarian function with no problems. Of the 22 patients whose ovaries were retained but not transposed 10% became climacteric at a mean of 84 months after treatment, and 21% have continued ovary-related pain or cysts at a mean of 32 months. Thus, 71% retained ovarian function and had no problems. The difference in ovarian survival between the transposed and radiated and the nontransposed non-radiated groups was significant ( P
Direct and indirect detection of neutralino dark matter in selected supersymmetry breaking scenarios

Various methods of searching for supersymmetric dark matter are sensitive to weakly interacting massive particles with different properties. One consequence of this is that the phenomenology of dark matter detection can vary dramatically in different supersymmetric breaking scenarios. In this paper, we consider the sensitivities to supersymmetric dark matter of different detection methods and techniques in a wide variety of supersymmetric breaking scenarios. We discuss the ability of various astrophysical experiments, such as direct experiments, gamma-ray satellites, neutrino telescopes, and positron and antiproton cosmic ray experiments, to test various supersymmetry breaking scenarios. We also discuss what information can be revealed about supersymmetry breaking by combining results from complementary experiments. We place emphasis on the differences between various experimental techniques.
Modeling spatial autocorrelation in spatial interaction data: empirical evidence from 2002 Germany journey-to-work flows

Since before the inception of work by Okabe, the intermingling of spatial autocorrelation (i.e., local distance and configuration) and distance decay (i.e., global distance) effects has been suspected in spatial interaction data. This convolution was first treated conceptually because technology and methodology did not exist at the time to easily or fully address spatial autocorrelation effects within spatial interaction model specifications. Today, however, sufficient computer power coupled with eigenfunction-based spatial filtering offers a means for accommodating spatial autocorrelation effects within a spatial interaction model for modest-sized problems. In keeping with Okabe’s more recent efforts to dissemination spatial analysis tools, this paper summarizes how to implement the methodology utilized to analyze a particular empirical flows dataset.
Race as a predictor of delay from diagnosis to endarterectomy in clinically significant carotid stenosis.

Objective Prompt carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in clinically significant carotid stenosis is important in the prevention of neurologic sequelae. The greatest benefit from surgery is obtained by prompt revascularization on diagnosis. It has been demonstrated that black patients both receive CEA less frequently than white patients do and experience worse postoperative outcomes. We sought to test our hypothesis that black race is an independent risk factor for a prolonged time from sonographic diagnosis of carotid stenosis warranting surgery to the day of operation (TDO). Methods From 1998 to 2013 at a single institution, 166 CEA patients were retrospectively reviewed using Synthetic Derivative, a de-identified electronic medical record. Factors potentially affecting TDO, including demographics, preoperative cardiac stress testing, degree of stenosis, smoking status, and comorbidities, were noted. Multivariate analysis was performed on variables that trended with prolonged TDO on univariate analysis ( P P Results There were 32 black patients and 134 white patients studied; the mean TDO was 78 ± 17 days vs 33 ± 3 days, respectively ( P P P P P = .08) and asymptomatic (B = 35 days; P = .003) cohorts. On Kaplan-Meier analysis, black patients in each stratum of symptomatology (all, symptomatic, and asymptomatic patients) experienced prolonged TDO (log-rank, P Conclusions Black race is a risk factor for a temporal delay in CEA for carotid stenosis. Awareness of this disparity may help surgeons avoid undesirable delays in operation for their black patients.
Stress Intensity Factors for Radial Cracks in a Pre-Stressed, Thick-Walled Cylinder of Strain-Hardening Materials

Abstract : A simple method which combines the weight function technique and finite element results is used to obtain mode I stress intensity factor solutions for radially cracked cylinders subjected to a high internal pressure. The method is especially effective for cylinders having residual stresses due to a manufacturing pre-stress process to increase the maximum pressure the cylinder can contain, and to improve the cylinder's useful life against fatigue and fracture. The method is quite general for various assumptions involving the plastic stress-strain relations, the yield condition, the strain-hardening, and the compressibility of the cylinder material.
Teaching Canadian Politics and Foreign Policy Onsite: Benefits and Challenges

This article discusses the benefits and challenges of offering an onsite seminar on Canadian politics and foreign policy and assesses how this format contributes to achieving the goals of the 2011 APSA report, Teaching Political Science in the 21st Century . First, the author describes the development and requirements of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Global Seminar series at Iowa State University, the structure of the seminar, and its operation in Ottawa. Second, several of the pedagogical and experiential benefits, as well as the challenges, for making the seminar successful are identified and discussed. Third, by weighing these benefits and challenges, the author concludes that such a seminar has the potential to serve as an effective model for increasing an understanding of Canadian politics among American students, as well as to meet several important recommendations for improving the teaching of political science today.
Infection of an invasive frog Eleutherodactylus coqui by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Hawaii

The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis has contributed to declines and extinctions of amphibians worldwide. B. dendrobatidis is known to infect the frog Eleutherodactylus coqui in its native Puerto Rico. E. coqui was accidentally introduced into Hawaii in the late 1980s, where there are now hundreds of populations. B. dendrobatidis was being considered as a biological control agent for E. coqui because there are no native amphibians in Hawaii. Using a DNA-based assay, we tested 382 E. coqui from Hawaii for B. dendrobatidis and found that 2.4% are already infected. We found infected frogs in four of 10 study sites and on both the islands of Hawaii and Maui. This is the first report of B. dendrobatidis in wild populations in Hawaii. As the range of E. coqui expands, it may become a vector for the transmittance of B. dendrobatidis to geographic areas where B. dendrobatidis does not yet exist.
A review of research on residential programs for people with severe mental illness and co‐occurring substance use disorders

Substance use disorder is the most common and clinically significant co-morbidity among clients with severe mental illnesses, associated with poor treatment response, homelessness and other adverse outcomes. Residential programs for clients with dual disorders integrate mental health treatment, substance abuse interventions, housing and other supports. Ten controlled studies suggest that greater levels of integration of substance abuse and mental health services are more effective than less integration. Because the research is limited by methodological problems, further research is needed to establish the effectiveness of residential programs, to characterize important program elements, to establish methods to improve engagement into and retention in residential programs and to clarify which clients benefit from this type of service.
Ischaemic heart disease in Africa

Ischaemic heart disease (IHD), previously considered rare in sub-Saharan Africa, now ranks 8th among the leading causes of death in men and women in the region. Furthermore, the prevalence of IHD and related morbidity may be increasing as a result of adverse behavioural and lifestyle changes associated with urbanisation and the epidemiological transition. The major risk factors for IHD in sub-Saharan Africa include hypertension, smoking, diabetes, abdominal obesity and dyslipidaemia. In the INTERHEART Africa study, these risk factors contributed a population-attributable risk of nearly 90% for acute myocardial infarction. Many cost-effective interventions exist at the individual and population levels, and they are likely to have a significant health impact in Africa. An aggressive approach that combines environmental, policy and legislative interventions for health promotion and primary prevention, coupled with improved access to evaluation, treatment and control of hypertension and other major risk factors, provides the best strategy for averting an epidemic of IHD in sub-Saharan Africa.
New-onset facial paralysis and undiagnosed recurrence of cutaneous malignancy: evaluation and management

Perineural invasion of cranial nerves, including the facial nerve by squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, is a poor prognostic factor for recurrent disease and disease-specific mortality. We discuss 2 patients who presented to the Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery service with complete facial nerve paralysis and a history of skin cancer. Based on our experience with these patients, we recommend that patients who present with facial nerve paralysis and a history of cutaneous malignancy undergo aggressive management including early intervention and complete exploration of the facial nerve from the geniculate ganglion out to the periphery. Such rigorous care achieves the best possible oncologic outcomes for a proven aggressive disease.
Supreme Court Activism in Economic Policy in the Waning Days of the New Deal: Interpreting the Fair Labor Standards Act, 1941–1946

Students of the Supreme Court universally agree that it made a dramatic shift in 1937. First, in West Coast Hotel Company v. Parrish,1 it retreated from the unbridled use of the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause to invalidate state economic regulatory legislation. Then, in National Labor Relations Board v. Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation,2 the Justices widened the reach of congressional power under the Commerce Clause. This looser reading of the Commerce Clause was solidified in 1941 with United States v. Darby Lumber Company3 and Wickard v. Filburn.4 So decisive were these cases in dividing what went before from what came afterward that Bernard Schwartz has said, “The 1937 reversal marked the accession of what may be considered the second Hughes Court—so different was its jurisprudence from that of the Hughes Court that had preceded it.”5 Whereas the defining jurisprudence of the former had been close supervision of economic policy, the latter refused to second guess the economic wisdom of congressional (and state) regulatory initiatives. Alpheus T. Mason summarized Justice Harlan Fisk Stone's approach, which was indicative of the entire Court of this era, as one that would not say that “no economic legislation would ever violate constitutional restraints, [but that] … in this area the court's role would be strictly confined.”6 Confirming this approach, between 1937 and 1957 the Supreme Court struck down only four federal statutes as unconstitutional, none of which were economic in nature.7
Influence of manufacturing variables on the characteristics and effectiveness of chitosan products. III. Coagulation of cheese whey solids

Ten chitosan products, prepared as described in part I of this study, were evaluated in jar tests that measured their effectiveness for coagulation of suspended solids and removing turbidity from cheese whey. A polynominal regression analysis was found to be useful for determining the optimal effectiveness of each chistosan preparation, and was expressed as the percent reduction on turbidity per unit concentration of chitosan added. The effectiveness of the chitosan products was found to be inversely related to their molecular-weight values. This situation was different from the findings described in part II of this study, in which the filterability of activated sludge was tested. Enzymatic deproteination yielded chitosan products that performed better than those produced by alkali deproteination. Demineralized products were also more effective than those that had not been demineralized. The preparations deacetylated under a nitrogen atmosphere were more effective than those deacetylated in air, but this was shown to be true only for the first 5 min of deacetylation. When deacetylated for 15 min, no differences were noted. In this study, differences in performance between the various products were largely due to the differing dosages required to achieve the maximum reduction in turbidity of cheese whey, while the maximum responses achieved by the various products tested were about the same. A commercial product, which was less effective as a sludge coagulating agent in part II of this study, was more effective for cheese whey coagulation and turbidity removal than the majority of the experimental chitosan preparations tested.
Nonlinear dynamics of two-wave coupling process

We present a closed-form solution for the two-wave coupling process, resulting in a solution with an interesting part, the arbitrary function Λ(t), not being considered in the previous works. In the photorefractive medium, it has been shown that a moving grating will produce a phase shift in the coupling constant. To our knowledge, this has not been derived directly from the grating dynamic equations. We will also show that the temporal dynamics does not have any asymptotically stable equilibrium points of an exponential form. As an example, we have developed resonance conditions resulting in a new expression for the frequency detuning of a resonator with a photorefractive gain medium.
Endogenous Technology Adoption, Government Policy and Tarication

In this paper we integrate government policy into game-theoretic models of endogenous technology adoption to investigate the impact of alternate policy instruments on the adoption of productivity-improving technologies. We show that while ad-valorem taxes have a neutral impact on technology adoption, specific taxes tend to decrease the speed of technology diusion. As an application of this finding we demonstrate how, in an open-economy setting, tarication (i.e., the conversion of quotas to ad-valorem taris) can lead to faster technology adoption world-wide.
Migratory behavior of Chinook salmon microjacks reared in artificial and natural environments

Abstract Emigration was evaluated for hatchery Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) microjacks (age-1 mature males) and immature parr (age-1 juveniles, both sexes) released from both a hatchery and a natural stream (fish released as fry). In the hatchery, volitional releases (∼14 to 15 months post-fertilization) to an adjacent river occurred during October–November. The hatchery release was monitored by using an experimental volitional release that diverted fish to a neighboring raceway. Fish captured during the experimental release (range 361–4,321 volitional migrants) were made up of microjacks and immature parr. Microjacks were found only in the migrant samples, averaged 18% (range 0–52%) of all migrants, and were rarely found in non-migrant samples. In comparison, immature parr were common in both the migrant and non-migrant samples. Microjacks were significantly longer (9%), heavier (36%), and had a greater condition factor (16%) than migrant immature parr (P < 0.01). In addition, they differed ...
Screening of medicinal plants used by the Garifuna of Eastern Nicaragua for bioactive compounds

As part of a larger study of the plants used by the Garifuna of eastern Nicaragua, the 229 species representing 177 genera and 72 families used for medicinal purposes were assayed for the presence of bioactive compounds. A review of the literature for alkaloids and glycosides showed that 113 species contained at least one of these bioactive compounds. The remaining 116 species not previously cited were tested for alkaloids with Dragendorff's reagent; 51 contained alkaloids. The combined results show that 72% of the species the Garifuna use medicinally have at least one alkaloid or glycoside. Tests to explore pharmacological activity of compounds from selected species represent the next step to determining efficacy and application of these medicinals.
Electron beam coupling in interaction gaps of cylindrical symmetry

In a ballistic analysis in which space-charge effects have been neglected, the method of describing the performance of re-entrant cavity resonators in terms of beam-coupling coefficients, beam-loading conductance ratios, the shunt impedance R, and the cavity quality factor Q has been generalized and extended for the treatment of any kind of resonator with electric fields of arbitrary spatial distribution. As one consequence, the properties of resonant helix sections and cavity resonators can be directly compared in terms of the same physical concepts.
Effects of benzoxazinoids on specialist and generalist Diabrotica species

Benzoxazinoids are constitutively produced secondary metabolites in maize that protect the plant from the negative effects of insect herbivores. In this study, we determined the effects of benzoxazinoids on the maize specialist Diabrotica virgifera virgifera and a congeneric generalist Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi. We compared the survival, growth and development of larvae fed on maize line 428G, which is defective in benzoxazinoid biosynthesis, and H88, the wild-type parental line of 428G with normal benzoxazinoid production. There were no negative effects of benzoxazinoids on survival, growth and development of either western corn rootworm or southern corn rootworm. Western corn rootworms gained more weight than southern corn rootworms when feeding on benzoxazinoid-containing corn. Our results support the hypothesis that specialist and generalist insects respond distinctly to benzoxazinoids.
Control of plant growth by nitrogen: differences between cereals and broadleaf species

Abstract. In four dicotyledonous species low levels of N strongly inhibited leaf expansion during the day but had little or no effect at night. In contrast, daytime and night-time expansion were equally affected in four cereal species. The results support the general concept that in dicotyledons, N controls leaf expansion through its effects on hydraulic conductivity. In such N-limited plants, water deficits generated by transpiration may inhibit daytime cell expansion. In cereals, cell expansion and transpiration occur in separate zones of the leaf and are apparently unrelated. Growth analysis showed that low levels of N inhibited leaf area growth more strongly in dicotyledons than in cereals, but had similar effects on net assimilation rates of plants in the two groups. As a result, dry matter production was more efficient in cereals than in dicotyledons when N was limiting.
Evaluation of the Filtration Performance of NIOSH-Approved N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators by Photometric and Number-Based Test Methods

N95 particulate filtering facepiece respirators are certified by measuring penetration levels photometrically with a presumed severe case test method using charge neutralized NaCl aerosols at 85 L/min. However, penetration values obtained by photometric methods have not been compared with count-based methods using contemporary respirators composed of electrostatic filter media and challenged with both generated and ambient aerosols. To better understand the effects of key test parameters (e.g., particle charge, detection method), initial penetration levels for five N95 model filtering facepiece respirators were measured using NaCl aerosols with the aerosol challenge and test equipment employed in the NIOSH respirator certification method (photometric) and compared with an ultrafine condensation particle counter method (count based) for the same NaCl aerosols as well as for ambient room air particles. Penetrations using the NIOSH test method were several-fold less than the penetrations obtained by the ultr...
Variety: From the Consumer’s Perspective

“Variety is one of the consumer’s greatest concerns.” (Fortune Magazine, 1991) From a consumer point of view, variety in an assortment can offer two distinct advantages. If the consumer is making many choices over time, then variety or depth in the assortment will enable the consumer to choose different options over time to satisfy the need for stimulation. If the consumer is making a single choice, then variety or breadth in the assortment will enable the consumer to find the customized option that s/he desires.
Intravenous Lipid Infusion Induces Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Endothelial Cells and Blood Mononuclear Cells of Healthy Adults

Background Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the subsequent unfolded protein response may initially be protective, but when prolonged, have been implicated in atherogenesis in diabetic conditions. Triglycerides and free fatty acids (FFAs) are elevated in patients with diabetes and may contribute to ER stress. We sought to evaluate the effect of acute FFA elevation on ER stress in endothelial and circulating white cells. Methods and Results Twenty‐one healthy subjects were treated with intralipid (20%; 45 mL/h) plus heparin (12 U/kg/h) infusion for 5 hours. Along with increased triglyceride and FFA levels, intralipid/heparin infusion reduced the calf reactive hyperemic response without a change in conduit artery flow‐mediated dilation consistent with microvascular dysfunction. To investigate the short‐term effects of elevated triglycerides and FFA, we measured markers of ER stress in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and vascular endothelial cells (VECs). In VECs, activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) and phospho‐inositol requiring kinase 1 (pIRE1) proteins were elevated after infusion (both P <0.05). In PBMCs, ATF6 and spliced X‐box‐binding protein 1 (XBP‐1) gene expression increased by 2.0‐ and 2.5‐fold, respectively (both P <0.05), whereas CHOP and GADD34 decreased by ≈67% and 74%, respectively (both P <0.01). ATF6 and pIRE1 protein levels also increased (both P <0.05), and confocal microscopy revealed the nuclear localization of ATF6 after infusion, suggesting activation. Conclusions Along with microvascular dysfunction, intralipid infusion induced an early protective ER stress response evidenced by activation of ATF6 and IRE1 in both leukocytes and endothelial cells. Our results suggest a potential link between metabolic disturbances and ER stress that may be relevant to vascular disease.
Cytogenetic Studies on Triticale II

Chromosome I of Secale cereale has been added to the full cytological complement of Triticum vulgare in several separate fractions, -as the bivalent, as the univalent as the telocentric long arm, as the telocentric short arm, as the isochromosome involving the short arm, and as the isochromosome involving the long arm. All the detectable phenotypic of the effects chromosome seemed to be assignable to the long arm.
Addition of amoxapine improves positive and negative symptoms in a patient with schizophrenia

Amoxapine is a tricyclic antidepressant of the dibenzoxazepine class with a heterogeneous receptor binding profile, mainly monoamine reuptake inhibition plus antagonism of 5-HT 2a and D4/D2 receptors [Kapur et al. 1999]. It is an inhibitor of both norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT) reuptake with Kd values of 16 and 58 nM, respectively [Tatsumi et al. 1997]. It also blocks 5-HT and dopamine (DA) receptors: at a dose of 150 mg/day amoxapine displayed 98% 5-HT2 occupancy and 63% D2 receptor occupancy by brain positron emission tomography (PET) in normal volunteers [Kapur et al. 1999]. In addition to its effects on monoamines, amoxapine acts on other neurotransmitter systems. It is a potent inhibitor of glycine transporters GLYT1b and GLYT2a [Nunez et al. 2000], and it activates delta-opioid receptors in human frontal cortex in vitro [Onali et al. 2010]. In addition, amoxapine has been shown to inhibit several K+ channels including the voltage-gated K+ [He et al. 2010] and the G protein-activated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK) channels [Kobayashi et al. 2011] at micromolar concentrations, the same range as the brain concentration of the drug during treatment (5–67 μM); this effect seems to be mediated through serotonin and dopamine D1/D5 receptors [Yang et al. 2011]. Amoxapine is metabolized in vivo via CYP2D6 to 7-hydroxyamoxapine, which has affinity for 5-HT2a and D2 receptors. It is also metabolized to 8-hydroxyamoxapine via CYP1A2 [Wong et al. 2012]. These various sites of action on neurotransmitters and ion channels give amoxapine a unique pharmacological profile that may be relevant for its therapeutic activity and side effects. Tardive dyskinesia and neuroleptic malignant syndrome have been described with amoxapine and attributed to its blockade of DA receptors, while seizures may be related to its activity on ion channels. Amoxapine has demonstrated efficacy in major depressive disorder, with and without psychotic features [Gelenberg et al. 1984; Anton and Burch, 1990]. Its use in schizophrenia is not as well documented. Although one small randomized placebo-controlled study of 10 schizophrenia patients did not find improvement after amoxapine [Fitzgerald et al. 2004], an open-label [Apiquian et al. 2003] and two double-blind trials demonstrated efficacy similar to risperidone and haloperidol in the treatment of psychosis, with additional improvement in negative symptoms [Chaudhry et al. 2007; Apiquian et al. 2005]. Here, we report the improvement, following amoxapine initiation, of positive and negative symptoms in a patient with schizophrenia who had shown lack of clinical response to a robust antipsychotic regimen. This case highlights the use of amoxapine for augmentation with potential to improve positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
The analysis of C-reaction protein and its clinical significance

Objective: To investigate the changes of serum C_reaction protein concentration in the acute stage of inflammatory or tissue damage.Methods: Serum C_reaction protein concentration was examined by Quikread CRP quantitative analyzer which were taken from 234 patients with inflammatory and 50 patients in control group.Results:The serum CRP concentration in acute stage inflammatory patient was significantly higher than normal control group(P0.01).Conclusion:Determination of serum CRP for inflammatory is an important test for diagnosis and therapy.
Epidemiological analysis of hand-foot-and-mouth disease occurred in Ningxia between 2008 and 2011

OBJECTIVE The study aimed to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of hand-foot-and-mouth disease(HFMD) occurred in Ningxia between 2008 and 2011. METHODS Descriptive epidemiological approaches were adopted to analyze HFMD-related data reported in Ningxia between 2008 and 2011. RESULTS A total of 22 337 cases of HFMD were reported in Ningxia between 2008 and 2011, with an average annual reported incidence of 90.40 per 100 000; reported incidence for the year of 2010 reached 140.83 per 100 000, including 92 severe cases and 10 deaths. All 22 counties(or districts) in the area had reported cases of HFMD; most of the patients were children, especially those aged between 1 to 4years old, accounting for 79.90% of all reported cases; and summer and autumn were the peak seasons for the disease. Among the 1444 confirmed cases, 46.68% were EV71-positive, 32.27% were CoxA16-positive, and 21.40% were tested positive for other enteric viruses. 24 sudden outbreaks, totaling 349 cases, were reported during the period; and most of the outbreaks occurred in childcare institutions. CONCLUSION HFMD epidemic in Ningxia exhibits strong seasonality and regional and population characteristics, and most of the cases were EV71-positive. Health promotion, training, supervision, and monitoring of HFMD should be reinforced and assertive measures should be implemented to effectively control the epidemic.
Hemodynamic observations in the early period after human heart transplantation

Serial hemodynamic measurements, including determination of cardiac output by the Fick technique, were obtained in 10 human cardiac recipients for intervals up to 38 days after transplantation. Immediately postoperatively, donor cardiac output was severely depressed because of limitation of stroke volume. Spontaneous recovery of cardiac output and stroke volume then occurred gradually over the first 4 postoperative days to normal or nearly normal levels. Rate augmentation by arterial and/or ventricular pacing early after transplantation had little effect on donor heart performance, but isoproterenol caused significant enhancement of graft function and is now used routinely in postoperative management. Serial hemodynamic monitoring proved to be of little use in the prediction or confirmation of acute graft rejection episodes.
Landscape Surveys Through Metaheuristic Algorithms

The use of metaheuristic algorithms is proposed as a general method for searching the string landscape for string models with user-specified physical properties. One such algorithm, simulated annealing, is discussed at length and employed to carry out such surveys. Multiple energy functions are considered and it is shown that the particular energy function must be chosen wisely in order to drive the algorithms toward models with desirable properties. It is shown that a simple random sampling outperforms both simulated annealing and random search, likely due to the landscapes highly irregular structure. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of the application of evolutionary, particularly genetic, algorithms to such surveys.
Stability of lipid membranes

Lipid membranes are versatile biological structures that undergo significant structural remodelling, often triggered by instabilities. Since they invariably possess heterogeneous properties, owing to the presence of multiple lipid species and their interactions with proteins, heterogeneity can have a significant impact on their equilibrium state and stability. In this work, we use curvature elasticity to derive the generalized stability criterion for heterogeneous lipid membranes. Our formulation entertains strain energies that go beyond the Helfrich energy and exhibit higher-order dependence on curvature invariants or spatially varying properties.
US Food Industry Progress During the National Salt Reduction Initiative: 2009-2014.

Objectives. To assess the US packaged food industry’s progress from 2009 to 2014, when the National Salt Reduction Initiative had voluntary, category-specific sodium targets with the goal of reducing sodium in packaged and restaurant foods by 25% over 5 years.Methods. Using the National Salt Reduction Initiative Packaged Food Database, we assessed target achievement and change in sales-weighted mean sodium density in top-selling products in 61 food categories in 2009 (n = 6336), 2012 (n = 6898), and 2014 (n = 7396).Results. In 2009, when the targets were established, no categories met National Salt Reduction Initiative 2012 or 2014 targets. By 2014, 26% of categories met 2012 targets and 3% met 2014 targets. From 2009 to 2014, the sales-weighted mean sodium density declined significantly in almost half of all food categories (43%; 26/61 categories). Overall, sales-weighted mean sodium density declined significantly (by 6.8%; P < .001).Conclusions. National target setting with monitoring through a partners...
Q-learning for continuous-time linear systems: A model-free infinite horizon optimal control approach

Abstract In this paper we propose an online Q-learning algorithm to solve the infinite-horizon optimal control problem of a linear time invariant system with completely uncertain/unknown dynamics. We first formulate the Q-function by using the Hamiltonian and the optimal cost. An integral reinforcement learning approach is used to develop an actor/critic approximator structure to estimate the parameters of the Q-function online while also guaranteeing closed-loop asymptotic stability and convergence to the optimal solution.
Load quantification of the wheel–rail interface of rail vehicles for the infrastructure of light rail, heavy rail, and commuter rail transit:

The type and magnitude of loads that pass through the track superstructure have a great impact on both the design and the performance of the concrete crossties and fastening systems. To date, the majority of North American research that focus on quantifying the rail infrastructure loading conditions has been conducted on heavy-haul freight railroads. However, the results and recommendations of these studies may not be applicable to the rail transit industry due to a variety of factors. Unlike the freight railroads, which have standardized maximum gross rail loads and superstructure design practices for vehicles, the rail transit industry is home to a significant variety of vehicle and infrastructure designs. Some of the current transit infrastructure design practices, which were established decades ago, need to be updated with respect to the current loading environment, infrastructure types, and understanding of the component and system-level behavior. This study focuses on quantifying the current load en...
Dual-polarized sliced notch array — ultra-wideband flares with exceptional polarization control

Traditional flared notch arrays for ultra-wideband phased-array applications are known for excellent matching but have very poor polarization control in the diagonal scan plane. The sliced notch array is a variant of the flared notch that by contrast has excellent cross-polarization performance at all scan angles and frequencies for the same LxWxH size array. In this paper we report the first experimental results comparing a traditional dual-polarized flared notch array with a sliced notch array of the same element spacing, aperture height and footprint. Both arrays operate over the same frequency range, roughly 2GHz-21GHz (approx. 10:1 bandwidth) with comparable gain. For a 60-degree scan in all planes, the traditional and sliced notch arrays achieve VSWR < 3.0 and VSWR < 2.2, respectively. Near the high frequency limit, for a 45-degree scan in the diagonal plane the traditional flared notch exhibits a complete polarization reversal (cross-pol. 20dB higher than co-pol.), whereas the sliced notch array maintains closer to 20dB of cross-pol. rejection. Measured results are presented that document significant polarization improvements over all scan angles and frequencies.
ISOLATED SYSTOLIC HYPERTENSION AND PULSE PRESSURE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH-SENSITIVITY CARDIAC TROPONIN-T AND NT-PRO BNP IN OLDER ADULTS

Background: We set out to test the prevalence of isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) and wide pulse pressure (PP), both proxies for vascular stiffness, among a modern cohort of older adults and to determine whether any association with high sensitivity cardiac troponin-T (hs-cTnT) and NT-pro BNP
Time to Operating Room for Cholecystitis Decreases with a Mature Emergency General Surgery Service

Emergency general surgery (EGS) services are designed to increase the availability of timely, high-quality care to patients with urgent surgical problems. One of the most commonly performed operations on such services is cholecystectomy. Improved outcomes have recently been described in early cholecystectomy for cholecystitis. We hypothesized that, as our EGS service matured, time from imaging to operating room (OR) for cholecystectomy would decrease. At an academic referral center, we identified patients undergoing inpatient cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis during three time periods: before the formation of an EGS service from 2005 to 2007, during the first years of the service from 2008 to 2010, and five years after its development from 2013 to 2014. Charts were reviewed for patient demographics, operative events, and findings. The time of radiologic diagnosis and operation start time were recorded, and time between diagnosis and operation was calculated. A total of 217 patients who met the study criteria were identified, 88 in 2005 to 2007, 84 in 2008 to 2010, and 45 in 2013 to 2014. Time from radiologic diagnosis to OR decreased over the study period, from a median of 48.4 hours in 2005 to 2007 to 32.4 hours in 2008 to 2010 during the early years of the EGS service. Time to OR further decreased to a median of 16.6 hours during 2013 to 2014. The formation and maturation of an EGS service was associated with decreased time to OR after radiologic diagnosis of acute cholecystitis at this institution. This decrease in preoperative time may lead to lower costs and improved outcomes.
Longitudinal Changes in Segmental Aortic Stiffness Determined by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in Children and Young Adults With Connective Tissue Disorders (the Marfan, Loeys-Dietz, and Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes, and Nonspecific Connective Tissue Disorders).

Aortic stiffness measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in connective tissue disorder (CTD) patients has been previously shown to be abnormal and to be associated with adverse aortic outcomes. The rate of increase in aortic stiffness with normal aging has been previously described. However, longitudinal changes in aortic stiffness have not been characterized in CTD patients. We examined longitudinal changes in CMR-derived aortic stiffness in children and young adults with CTDs. A retrospective analysis of 50 children and young adults (median age, 20 years; range, 0.2 to 49; 40% −3 mm Hg −1 per 10-year increase in age) were 0.7, 1.3, and 1 at the AoR, ascending aorta, and descending aorta, respectively. The rates of decline in distensibility were not associated with the rates of AoR dilation or surgical AoR replacement. In conclusion, on serial CMR measurements in children and young adults with CTDs, aortic stiffness progressively increased with age, with rates of change only slightly higher than those previously reported in healthy adults.
Differentiating between cold agglutinins and rouleaux: a case series of seven patients:

We present a case series of seven patients with suspected cold agglutinin antibodies, discovered after initiation of bypass. Laboratory analysis of blood samples intraoperatively determined the cause of the aggregation to be rouleaux formation in three of the patients and cold agglutinins in the other four.
Concurrent Design: Putting Design Plans into Development Action

In the WBID Model, design and development activities are completed concurrently. The design planning, which results in the WBI Strategy Worksheet, is the basis for developing the prototypes and online instruction. Additionally, message and visual design principles help guide the development, assembly, and organization of the instruction and LMS/website content. Initial development tasks include developing an interface prototype, creating flowcharts, and developing storyboards. Later development tasks include fully developing the digital elements that will be deployed in the LMS, converting prototypes into Web pages, and incorporating media. Formative evaluation procedures are included to ensure that resulting online instruction meets design specifications.
Suprascapular nerve blocks and neurolysis

Suprascapular nerve blocks are used to treat both acute and chronic shoulder pain. The nerve contributes motor supply to the muscles of the rotator cuff and provides sensation to the posterior part of the shoulder. Acute postoperative pain resulting from thoracotomies and arthroscopic shoulder surgeries is amenable to suprascapular nerve block. In addition, the pain practitioner can use this block to treat inoperable chronic, debilitating shoulder pain arising from a wide range of pathologies. Repeated nerve blocks, however, may be challenging and carry the risk of complications; hence, pulsed radiofrequency, cryoablation, catheters, chemical neurolysis, and neuromodulation may be attempted to facilitate long-term relief and aggressive physical therapy. The nerve can be localized by various approaches with the use of fluoroscopy and ultrasound to ensure a localized and effective spread of local anesthetic.