cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Residual Efficacy of Cyfluthrin Applied Alone or in Combination with Piperonyl Butoxide or Piperonyl Butoxide + Chlorpyrifos-methyl as Protectants of Stored Corn

Pioneer variety ‘3320’ seed corn, treated with 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, or 2.0 ppm cyfluthrin, each rate of cyfluthrin + 8.0 ppm piperonyl butoxide, or each rate of cyfluthrin + 8.0 ppm piperonyl butoxide + ...
Bradyrhizobium isolated from huanglongbing (HLB) affected citrus trees reacts positively with primers for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus

Bradyrhizobium sp., a slow-growing nitrogen-fixing symbiotic bacterium of legumes and common root endophyte of other plants, is closely related to Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las), the uncultured putative pathogen associated with citrus huanglongbing (HLB). In attempts to isolate Las on a low-nutrient medium that had been used for the isolation of several uncultured bacteria of the alpha subclass of proteobacteria, slow-growing Bradyrhizobium spp. were isolated and identified by sequencing of 16S rDNA. The individual isolates tested weakly positive (Ct = 31.2–36.0) with the USDA primers commonly used in qPCR assays for Las in foliar tissues. Direct DNA extracts from roots of HLB symptomatic trees that contained sequences of Bradyrhizobium sp. had Ct values ranging from 31.2 to 36.5; sequences of Las were not present in those samples. Potential cross-reaction between DNA of members of the Rhizobiales and sequences amplified by the Las primers were tested in silico with the Primer-BLAST tool in NCBI. Similar to Las, Bradyrhizobium generated predicted 16S rDNA amplicon sizes of 78–79 bp with the qPCR primers and of 1167-1172 bp with the conventional PCR primers. Bradyrhizobium sequences of 16S rDNA had 1–7 mismatches and only 1 mismatch at the 3′ end of qPCR and conventional PCR primers confirming potential cross-reactivity. As Bradyrhizobium is usually not found in foliage, the USDA qPCR primers can be safely used to check leaves for the presence of Las, but a threshold value of 31.0 is recommended for Las detection in roots. Other primers should be tested for potential cross-reaction with members of the Rhizobiales.
Experiments on Langmuir-Blodgett Magnetic Monolayers of Manganese Stearate

A review is presented of the methods and results of the creation of magnetic materials of monolayer thickness by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. Films of manganese stearate containing as few as a single layer of magnetic ions have been prepared. Some theoretical considerations on two-dimensional magnetism are mentioned, as well as the relevance to microelectronics.
The Thermal Influence on the Daily Pressure Wave

The effect of clear and cloudy days, and of days with large and small temperature ranges on the daily pressure variation at Bermuda is investigated. It is shown that the various harmonic components are not significantly affected by the different weather conditions contrary to what has been found for continental stations. Such an independence from the local weather situation is to be expected over the oceans, especially in the case of the semidiurnal pressure oscillation. The results strengthen the explanation given by Chapman for the occurrence of the semidiurnal pressure maximum two hours before solar transit through the meridian.
Symmetries Are Important

This short article explains why symmetries are important, and how they influenced many research projects in which I participated.
Empathic computing

Empathic computing is an emergent paradigm that enables a system to understand human states and feelings and to share this intimate information. The new paradigm is made possible by the convergence of affordable sensors, embedded processors and wireless ad-hoc networks. The power law for multi-resolution channels and mobile-stationary sensor webs is introduced to resolve the information avalanche problems. As empathic computing is sensor-rich computing, particular models such as semantic differential expressions and inverse physics are discussed. A case study of a wearable sensor network for detection of a falling event is presented. It is found that the location of the wearable sensor is sensitive to the results. From the machine learning algorithm, the accuracy reaches up to 90% from 21 simulated trials. Empathic computing is not limited to healthcare. It can also be applied to solve other everyday-life problems such as management of emails and stress.
IBM's Statistical Question Answering System - TREC-11

Abstract : In this paper, we document our efforts to extend our statistical question answering system for TREC-11. We incorporated a web search feature, and novel extensions of statistical machine translation as well as extracting lexical patterns for exact answers from a supervised corpus. Without modification to our base set of thirty-one categories, we were able to achieve a confidence weighted score of 0.455 and an accuracy of 29%. We improved our model on selecting exact answers by insisting on exact answers in the training corpus and this resulted in a 7% gain on TREC-11 but a much larger gain of 46% on TREC-10.
La metamorfosis literaria de Publio Ovidio Nasón en la Novela del licenciado Vidriera

Este trabajo analiza la base mitologica que radica en el deambular inicial de Tomas Rodaja de la Novela del licenciado Vidriera. Durante este periplo el personaje se ve a si mismo de vidrio. Se encuentra al principio de su camino con dos situaciones que recuerdan a los mitos de la Metamorfosis de Publio Ovidio Nason: Deucalion y Pirra, y Niobe. Ambos comparten el elemento simbolico de la piedra en contraposicion a la esencia vidriada del cuerpo de Tomas Rodaja. A su vez, esta oposicion de materias propone un juego lexico que desenmascara al personaje de Ovidio en el propio licenciado Vidriera.
Effects of Crosslinking, Embedded TiO2 Particles and Extreme Aging on PDMS Icephobic Barriers

Abstract Using an optimized push test, a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based two-component room temperature vulcanized (RTV-2) silicone rubber (SIR) was tested for its resistance to ice adhesion. The effects of reduced crosslinking of the polymer and embedded titanium dioxide on ice adhesion were also investigated. Both the reduction in crosslinking and the presence of embedded titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) microparticles greatly improved icephobic properties of the rubber. Subsequently, extreme aging of the rubber was performed in hypochlorous acid (HOCl) at room temperature as a function of reduced crosslinking. In addition, the TiO 2 /PDMS composite was subjected to acid to evaluate its resistance to ice adhesion after aging. It has been shown that extreme aging essentially eliminated the positive effects of reduced crosslinking and embedded TiO 2 particles on ice adhesion. However, embedded TiO 2 protected and maintained the icephobic properties of the rubber during extreme aging by about 40% in comparison with the aged unmodified rubber. In the numerical part of this research, Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of ice/PDMS interfaces were performed considering the crosslinking effect, presence of TiO 2 particles, and extreme aging. The MD simulations supported the experimental observations very well. Most importantly, the effects observed experimentally regarding the icephobic properties of the RTV-2 and their modifications such as reduced crosslinking, TiO 2 particles, and aging could be explained in terms of the number of hydrogen bonds present at the PDMS surface.
Dabrafenib and Trametinib for BRAF-Mutated Conjunctival Melanoma.

Background Conjunctival melanoma is a potentially lethal malignancy of the ocular surface. There have been no therapeutic advancements made in the past several decades despite increasing prevalence of the disease. Methods The authors report the case of a 52-year-old Caucasian male with unresectable, recurrent conjunctival melanoma with V600 BRAF mutation who was treated with systemic BRAF/MEK inhibition. Results There was complete regression of local disease within the first 9 months. The patient remains without local recurrence or systemic metastasis at 1 year. Conclusion This is the first reported case of conjunctival melanoma with complete response to BRAF/MEK inhibition. As long as targeted therapy remains an option, patients with conjunctival melanoma should undergo mutational profiling of their tumor.
Bohmian Mechanics and Its Ontological Commitments

One of the putative lessons from quantum mechanics is that the mathematical structure of that theory and empirical evidence demand that we accept a view of our physical world in which fundamental physical processes at the microlevel are irreducibly and ineliminably indeterministic and even that there cannot exist an objective, observer-independent reality (or “truth of the matter”). This is certainly a world view that is consonant with the standard, or “Copenhagen”, interpretation of quantum mechanics, often associated with some of the founding fathers of quantum theory, such as Niels Bohr, Max Born and Werner Heisenberg. I first substantiate this representation of the Copenhagen interpretation by examining typical claims made by these founders and succinctly summarize those positions. I then argue that this common acceptance of the necessity of indeterminism is unfounded, since there exists an alternative version of quantum mechanics, one due to David Bohm, that can be in principle empirically indistinguishable from standard quantum mechanics. Moreover, in Bohmian mechanics (BM), fundamental physical processes at the microlevel are irreducibly and ineliminably deterministic and there exists an objective, observer-independent reality. While this alternative formulation of quantum mechanics does allow one to have an ontology that is much closer to that of classical physics than is usually associated with quantum phenomena, it does at the same time raise foundational questions about the status of the special theory of relativity and about the ontology of spacetime.
On a tail bound for analyzing random trees

Abstract We re-examine a lower-tail upper bound for the random variable X = ∏ i = 1 ∞ min ∑ k = 1 i E k , 1 , where E 1 , E 2 , … ∼ i i d Exp ( 1 ) . This bound has found use in root-finding and seed-finding algorithms for randomly growing trees, and was initially established in the context of the uniform attachment tree model. We first show that X has a useful representation as a compound product of uniform random variables that allows us to determine its moments and refine the existing nonasymptotic bound. Next we demonstrate that the lower-tail probability for X can equivalently be written as a probability involving two independent Poisson random variables, an equivalence that yields a novel general result regarding independent Poissons and that also enables us to obtain tight asymptotic bounds on the tail probability of interest.
Computational and experimental evaluation of the mechanism of infrared neural inhibition in aplysia (Conference Presentation)

Infrared neural inhibition (INI) is a relatively new modality of neural control which has potential as a novel pain therapy due to its high spatial specificity and selective inhibition of small diameter neurons at lower temperatures. Computational modeling using a modified Hodgkin-Huxley model in the squid giant axon has shown that temperature sensitive potassium currents mediate INI’s thermal block. This model was modified to reflect Aplysia parameters which have smaller unmyelinated axons on the order of mammalian C fibers, and simulated results were validated in vitro. Results support he hypothesis that potassium currents are needed to create a thermal block.
Restrictions on CEO Mobility, Performance-Turnover Sensitivity, and Compensation: Evidence from Non-Compete Agreements

Using hand-collected data on CEO non-compete agreements (NCAs), we find that CEOs are less likely to have NCAs when they face greater employment risk and more likely when firms expect to suffer greater harm if departing CEOs work with competitors in some capacity. Additionally, we find that the performance-turnover sensitivity is significantly stronger when CEOs have NCAs. Finally, we find that total compensation and incentive pay are higher if CEOs have enforceable NCAs. Our identification strategy exploits staggered state-level changes in NCA enforceability. Our findings suggest that restrictions on mobility have important implications for how boards monitor and compensate CEOs.
Operative Management of Abdominal Wound Dehiscence: Outcomes and Factors Influencing Time to Healing in Patients Undergoing Surgical Debridement With Primary Closure.

Introduction Plastic surgeons are often consulted by other surgical teams for management of wound dehiscence following abdominopelvic surgery. Objective The purpose of this study is to determine whether operative debridement and primary closure of abdominopelvic wounds are safe and expeditious for patients. Materials and methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on a database of patients who underwent operative debridement and closure at a single institution between January 2011 and December 2015 for dehisced abdominal or pelvic wounds acquired from prior obstetric, gynecologic, transplant, plastic, or general surgery procedures. Results Of the 163 patient records identified, 43 patients met inclusion criteria. The median time from final debridement and primary surgical closure to complete wound healing was 27 days. Time to healing differed significantly by index procedure type (P = .004), with obstetric procedures requiring the shortest median time (12.0 days) and general surgery procedures requiring the longest (39.5 days). Wound healing took 3.6 times longer for patients with diabetes (P = .046) and 11.4 times longer for patients who experienced delayed superficial wound healing or redehiscence (P = .003). Nevertheless, with the exception of 4 patients who died of other causes, all wounds (39/39; 100%) achieved complete wound closure. Conclusions Operative debridement and closure of abdominopelvic wound dehiscence through a multidisciplinary team approach with plastic surgery results in expeditious wound healing with minimal complications, and it may be safer and more cost effective than healing by secondary intention.
Exploring Coercive Control, PTSD, and the Use of Physical Violence in the Pre-prison Heterosexual Relationships of Incarcerated Women:

Although coercive control has been recognized over the past few decades as a form of intimate partner violence (IPV), researchers have often overlooked the role of coercive control in criminal beha...
Optimizing the Correct Timing of Vancomycin Level Collection Utilizing A Vancomycin Medication Administration Record (MAR) Level Order

Abstract Objective Vancomycin, a commonly used antimicrobial, has a narrow therapeutic index; therefore, Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) is required. Although the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) may improve patient care, without appropriate optimization, it can contribute to incorrectly drawn vancomycin levels. For medication administration, nurses utilize the Medication Administration Record (MAR) for medication administration documentation and medication workflow guidance. Therefore, we hypothesized creating a MAR level order which would be incorporated into this already established medication workflow may improve the rate of correctly drawn vancomycin levels. Materials and Methods This was a multicenter, retrospective, pre-and post-intervention study which evaluated the effect of a Medication Administration Record (MAR) level order within the EMR on the correct timing of vancomycin level collection. Vancomycin levels were classified into pre-and post-intervention groups. The primary endpoint was the rate of incorrectly drawn levels, defined as a level being drawn early, a level being drawn late, a level drawn while infusing, or a missed level. Results A total of 1353 vancomycin levels were assessed, and 628 levels met inclusion criteria. Of the levels eligible for inclusion, 331 were in the pre-intervention period and 297 were in the post-intervention period. Levels in the post-intervention group utilizing the vancomycin MAR level order were less likely to be missed or drawn at an incorrect time (11.1 % vs 36 %, P Conclusion Utilization of a vancomycin MAR level order was associated with a significant decrease in incorrectly drawn vancomycin levels.
The relationship between the Family Empowerment Scale and Gross Motor Function Measure-66 in Young Children with cerebral palsy

Background Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of motor disability in children. A concept to consider in order to meet the needs of children with CP and their families is family empowerment. Family empowerment can be defined as the process by which families acquire the skills, knowledge and resources to allow them to gain control and improve the quality of their lives. The relationship between gross motor function and family empowerment may be important because children with CP vary so widely in their ability to perform motor skills, which may affect their family's levels of empowerment. The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between the Family Empowerment Scale (FES) and Gross Motor Function Measure-66 (GMFM-66) in children with CP who were under 3 years of age. Methods Forty-one children with a mean age of 23.8 months participated in this study. The FES was completed by the participants' parents or regular caregivers and includes a total score and subscales of empowerment in the family, in service situations and in community/political environments. The GMFM-66 was administered by a physical therapist and consists of a total score of gross motor function (GMFM-66) and subscores for Dimension B (sitting), Dimension C (crawling and kneeling), Dimension D (standing) and Dimension E (walking, running and jumping). Results Statistically significant positive correlations were found between the FES total and GMFM (total score and Dimensions B-E) with coefficients varying from 0.43-0.62. Significant relationships were also found between most subscales of the FES and the GMFM-66. Conclusions This study provides evidence of a relationship between family empowerment and gross motor function in young children with CP and suggests that caregivers of children with higher gross motor function report higher levels of self-efficacy.
Spatio-Temporal Investigations of Dengue Fever in Pakistan Through an HL7 Based Public Health Framework for Hotspot Analysis

The importance of a standard based interoperability framework is now widely recognized. In order to understand the challenges, feasibility and impact of outcomes of such architectures for public health improvement, it is important to implement and demonstrate the usefulness of data analytics based on pathway provided by the framework. This work provides an implementation details and results of transferring dengue data from source database to data analytical programs used by public health authorities. Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease that occurs in tropical and subtropical areas of the world, is considered to be a significant threat in both developing and the developed countries. This study investigates the spatio-temporal distribution of dengue in Pakistan from the years 2014–2017 and identify the most frequently affected hotspots of dengue across the the 3 provinces in the country using data mining, clustering and GIS based analysis of data. In addition, the identification of most vulnerable dengue locations has led to investigation into the potential environmental or geographical conditions that may have contributed to dengue prevalence in the area. These investigations present interesting results that shows positive correlation for temperature, humidity and population density with the dengue incidences. In addition, the results are able to identify disease hotspots over time windows that can be mapped to any spatio-temporal scales. The outcome of this research is crucial for optimal use of resources for combating dengue fever at a regional or national scale by identifying the hotspots. The hotspots identified can be use to create a sentinel surveillance network for a pandemic disease. In addition, the work serves as a useful reference for a comprehensive national level early warning and rapid disease outbreak detection framework for any disease of public health context.
Epitaxial and quasiepitaxial growth of halide perovskites: New routes to high end optoelectronics

Motivated by the exciting properties of metal halide perovskites in photovoltaic applications, there is an evolving need to further explore the limitations of this class of materials in broader fields and high end optoelectronics, which requires better control over the film structure, defect levels, and quality. Epitaxial growth has been ubiquitously deployed in the semiconducting industry. This affords routes to precisely align the atomic arrangement to control the structure and strain and achieve the highest levels of optoelectronic performance. In this review, the recent emergence and progress in the epitaxial growth of metal halide perovskites are introduced within the context of epitaxial and quasiepitaxial approaches, and recent advances are surveyed from growth methods to application integration. The main criteria distinguishing epitaxy and quasiepitaxy, i.e., lattice matching and ordering, can be deployed to direct the selection of proper substrates, growth methods, and precursors for various applications.
A Markov Random Field Model for Network-based Differential Expression Analysis of Single-cell RNA-seq Data

Abstract Motivation Recent development of single cell sequencing technologies has made it possible to identify genes with different expression (DE) levels at the cell type level between different groups of samples. However, the often-low sample size of single cell data limits the statistical power to identify DE genes. Results In this article, we propose to borrow information through known biological networks. Our approach is based on a Markov Random Field (MRF) model to appropriately accommodate gene network information as well as dependencies among cells to identify cell-type specific DE genes. We implement an Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm with mean field-like approximation to estimate model parameters and a Gibbs sampler to infer DE status. Simulation study shows that our method has better power to detect cell-type specific DE genes than conventional methods while appropriately controlling type I error rate. The usefulness of our method is demonstrated through its application to study the pathogenesis and biological processes of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) using a single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data set, which contains 18,150 protein-coding genes across 38 cell types on lung tissues from 32 IPF patients and 28 normal controls. Availability The algorithm is implemented in R. The source code can be downloaded at https://github.com/eddiehli/MRFscRNAseq. Contact hongyu.zhao@yale.edu Supplementary information Supplementary data are available online.
Tissue Nonspecific Alkaline Phosphatase Function in Bone and Muscle Progenitor Cells: Control of Mitochondrial Respiration and ATP Production

Tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP/Alpl) is associated with cell stemness; however, the function of TNAP in mesenchymal progenitor cells remains largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to establish an essential role for TNAP in bone and muscle progenitor cells. We investigated the impact of TNAP deficiency on bone formation, mineralization, and differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells. We also pursued studies of proliferation, mitochondrial function and ATP levels in TNAP deficient bone and muscle progenitor cells. We find that TNAP deficiency decreases trabecular bone volume fraction and trabeculation in addition to decreased mineralization. We also find that Alpl−/− mice (global TNAP knockout mice) exhibit muscle and motor coordination deficiencies similar to those found in individuals with hypophosphatasia (TNAP deficiency). Subsequent studies demonstrate diminished proliferation, with mitochondrial hyperfunction and increased ATP levels in TNAP deficient bone and muscle progenitor cells, plus intracellular expression of TNAP in TNAP+ cranial osteoprogenitors, bone marrow stromal cells, and skeletal muscle progenitor cells. Together, our results indicate that TNAP functions inside bone and muscle progenitor cells to influence mitochondrial respiration and ATP production. Future studies are required to establish mechanisms by which TNAP influences mitochondrial function and determine if modulation of TNAP can alter mitochondrial respiration in vivo.
Healing in a Social Context: The Importance of Clinician and Patient Relationship

When a patient presents to a health provider, the course of the disorder is composed of three effects: natural effects, specific effects, and contextual effects. Part of the contextual effect is due to the relationship between the healer and the patient. Social healing appears to be present in eusocial species and particularly well developed in humans. Evidence for the importance of the relationship in healing is found in placebo studies, including placebo analgesics, medicine, and psychotherapy. Although the theory for how the relationship is therapeutic is not well developed, four possible mechanisms are discussed. The implications for health care and the treatment of pain are discussed.
EDITORIAL: Philanthropy and the Development of Science in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to some of the most complex challenges requiring rigorous scientific enquiries. Two such challenges, health and agriculture, are critical to the region’s economic and social development. In the last four decades, the region has experienced diseases and epidemics that have ravaged countries and significantly impaired their social, political and cultural fabrics. Four disease examples are relevant here: malaria, Ebola, HIV/AIDS and, most recently, COVID-19. The region is also faced with a food security crisis, with 234 million people chronically undernourished, more than 50 million children under the age of five being stunted, and over 14 million wasting (World Bank, 2018, World Vision, 2021). Agricultural development, particularly through crop improvement, is urgently needed.
Science Utilizing Data from Spire Global as Part of the NASA Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition Program

Under its Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program, NASA has evaluated data from and entered into a sustained purchase agreement with Spire Global, Inc. The primary goal of this agreement is to make Spire datasets available to the research community to enhance the scientific objectives of the Earth Science Division (ESD), though the applicability to the NASA Heliophysics Division of these data is noted as well. The purpose of this talk is to present the data holdings from Spire and to present scientific results that have utilized these commercially acquired data.
Alterations in lipid homeostasis of mouse dorsal root ganglia induced by apolipoprotein E deficiency: a shotgun lipidomics study

One of the fundamental goals of lipidomics research is to identify the linkage of an individual gene with a given lipidome, thereby revealing the role of that gene in lipid metabolism, transport, and homeostasis. In this study, we have identified four apolipoprotein E (apoE)-induced alterations in the lipidome of mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG) through utilizing the technology of shotgun lipidomics. First, apoE mediates sulfatide mass content in mouse DRG, which is comparable to its role in the CNS. Second, apoE contributes to galactosylceramide and ceramide homeostasis in mouse DRG. Third, apoE significantly modulates cholesterol levels in mouse DRG. The latter two functions of apoE are distinct from those in the CNS. Finally, mice null for apoE have dramatically less triacylglycerol mass content in DRG which are opposite to the effects observed in the peripheral organs and vascular system. Collectively, this study identifies the specific alterations in the DRG lipidome induced by apoE knockout and suggests the potential roles of apoE in lipid transport and homeostasis in a tissue specific manner, thereby providing insights into the biochemical mechanisms underlying the functions of apoE in the PNS.
The social context of substance abuse: a developmental perspective.

Contemporary American society struggles to find solutions to multiple problem behaviors involving crime, delinquency, violence, and substance abuse (Elliott et al. 1989; Hawkins et al. 1992; Reiss et al. 1993; Sampson and Laub 1993). Research evidence indicates that these phenomena are interrelated and that individuals demonstrating one behavioral disorder, such as substance abuse, are at increased risk for experiencing other adjustment difficulties (Jessor et al. 1991). Indeed, many researchers suggest that the initial causal mechanisms for a broad range of the most serious and chronic problems increases the probability of later crime, delinquency, and substance abuse (Elliott et al. 1989; Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990; Moffitt 1993; Sampson and Laub 1993). Moreover, individ-ual pathways from early childhood behavioral problems to multifaceted syndromes of maladjustment take shape within a set of closely connected social contexts involving family, peers, school, and other community institutions.
Illumination normalization using logarithm transforms for face authentication

In this paper we propose an algorithm that can easily be implemented on small form factor devices to perform illumination normalization in face images captured under various lighting conditions for face verification. We show that Logarithm transformations on images suffering from significant illumination variation, produce face images that are improved substantially for performing face authentication. We present illumination normalized images from the CMU PIE database to demonstrate the improvement using this non-linear preprocessing approach. We show that we get improved face verification performance using this scheme when training on frontal illuminated faces images, and testing on images captured under variable illumination.
Asymptotic Behavior of Discrete-Time Markov Chains

This article summarizes the theoretical foundations for analyzing the asymptotic behavior of discrete-time Markov chains (DTMC). Consider a system that evolves randomly over time. Let Xn denote the state of the system at time n = 0, 1, … . If, for all n ≥ 0, the future probability distribution of the system depends only on the current state and is independent of the past, the stochastic process {Xn, n ≥ 0} is called a DTMC. In this article, we study the distribution of Xn as n ∞. We first introduce several concepts for classifying the states of a DTMC. These concepts include irreducibility, periodicity, recurrence, and transience. Using these concepts, we next describe the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of a limiting distribution, and explain how to compute a limiting distribution, if it exists. Keywords: Markov chains; asymtotic behavior; limiting distribution; irreducibility; periodicity; recurrence; transience
Marking Strategies for Upper Blepharoplasty

Pinching skin to leave lids closed without redundancy of upper lid skin is the safest way to approach upper blepharoplasty. There may be a need for revision (especially temporally) on probably 20% of patients—especially in the cosmetic population, whose expectations are high (not so much in older patients in which insurance covers surgery and whose expectations are different). Leaving lash eversion and even up to 2 mm of incomplete closure is typically safe if orbicularis strength is good (check by forced eyelid closure and attempt to pry lids open) and other corneal protective mechanisms are intact (Bell’s phenomenon, tear production, and corneal sensation).
The cellular 68,000-Mr protein kinase is highly autophosphorylated and activated yet significantly degraded during poliovirus infection: implications for translational regulation.

Abstract We investigated the possible translational regulatory roles played by the interferon-induced, double-stranded-RNA-activated protein kinase (P68) and its natural substrate, eucaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2), in poliovirus-infected cells. We demonstrated that protein kinase P68 was both highly autophosphorylated and activated during poliovirus infection. In accordance with these results, immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that phosphorylation of the endogenous eIF-2 alpha subunit also increased in poliovirus-infected cells. We found that double-stranded RNA synthesized during infection likely induced the high levels of P68 autophosphorylation. To determine whether the increase in kinase activity also could be attributed to induction of P68 synthesis, physical levels of protein kinase were measured. It was unexpectedly found that P68 protein levels did not increase but rather dramatically declined in poliovirus-infected cells. Pulse-chase experiments confirmed that the protein kinase was significantly degraded during virus infection. We corroborated our in vivo observations by developing an in vitro assay for P68 degradation using cell extracts. The possible consequences of P68 degradation and increased eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation for protein synthesis regulation in poliovirus-infected cells are discussed.
Necrosis of maxilla in patient with herpes zoster. Report of a case.

Abstract A case of herpes zoster involving the fifth cranial nerve is presented. An unusual feature was necrosis of the alveolar process and adjacent bone of the right maxilla. Only one prior report of bone necrosis has been found. Contributing factors in the present case were malignancy, corticosteroid therapy, and prior irradiation of the maxilla. While these factors contributed to a decreased host resistance, evidence suggests that herpes zoster virus was the cause of the bone necrosis.
Studies on Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy II. ELECTRON PARAMAGNETIC RESONANCE AND OPTICAL SPECTRA AND TITRATIONS

Abstract When dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, from Zymobacterium oroticum, was reduced by DPNH or dihydroorotate and examined by electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometry, a relatively intense free radical signal and the asymmetric signal at g = 1.94, found in many nonheme iron proteins, were observed within a few milliseconds. Both shape and saturation with microwave power of the free radical signals varied with the specific electron-donating and -accepting substrates, the presence of an inhibitor, the pH, and the time of reaction. Optical reflectance spectra of frozen samples indicated formation of at least two intermediates, one typical for DPNH plus enzyme (λmax at 565 and at 610 to 620 mµ) and one for dihydroorotate (or DPNH plus orotate) and enzyme (λmax at 585 and 640 mµ). These optical and electron paramagnetic resonance observations point to a variety of intermediate species in the reactions catalyzed by this enzyme. The maximal free radical signals, obtained rapidly with DPNH at pH 6.5, were approximately 1.5 times those which appeared with dihydroorotate at pH 8.2, whereas the iron signals were more nearly comparable.
Multivariate statistical process control with industrial applications

This applied, self-contained text provides detailed coverage of the practical aspects of multivariate statistical process control (MVSPC) based on the application of Hotelling's T2 statistic. MVSPC is the application of multivariate statistical techniques to improve the quality and productivity of an industrial process. The authors, leading researchers in this area who have developed major software for this type of charting procedure, provide valuable insight into the T2 statistic. Intentionally including only a minimal amount of theory, they lead readers through the construction and monitoring phases of the T2 control statistic using numerous industrial examples taken primarily from the chemical and power industries. These examples are applied to the construction of historical data sets to serve as a point of reference for the control procedure and are also applied to the monitoring phase, where emphasis is placed on signal location and interpretation in terms of the process variables. Specifically devoted to the T2 methodology, Multivariate Statistical Process Control with Industrial Applications is the only book available that concisely and thoroughly presents such topics as how to construct a historical data set; how to check the necessary assumptions used with this procedure; how to chart the T2 statistic; how to interpret its signals; how to use the chart in the presence of autocorrelated data; and how to apply the procedure to batch processes. The book comes with a CD-ROM containing a 90-day demonstration version of the QualStat multivariate SPC software specifically designed for the application of T2 control procedures. The CD-ROM is compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me Millennium Edition, and Windows NT operating systems.
Early Results of Medicare's Bundled Payment Initiative for a 90-Day Total Joint Arthroplasty Episode of Care.

Abstract Background In 2011 Medicare initiated a Bundled Payment for Care Improvement (BPCI) program with the goal of introducing a payment model that would "lead to higher quality, more coordinated care at a lower cost to Medicare." Methods A Model 2 bundled payment initiative for Total Joint Replacement (TJR) was implemented at a large, tertiary, urban academic medical center. The episode of care includes all costs through 90 days following discharge. After one year, data on 721 Medicare primary TJR patients were available for analysis. Results Average length of stay (LOS) was decreased from 4.27 days to 3.58 days (Median LOS 3 days). Discharges to inpatient facilities decreased from 71% to 44%. Readmissions occurred in 80 patients (11%), which is slightly lower than before implementation. The hospital has seen cost reduction in the inpatient component over baseline. Conclusion Early results from the implementation of a Medicare BPCI Model 2 primary TJR program at this medical center demonstrate cost-savings. Level of Evidence IV economic and decision analyses—developing an economic or decision model
Determining the Causes of Benthic Condition

A benthic index for northern Gulf of Mexico estuaries has been developed and successfully validated by the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program for Estuaries (EMAP-E) in the Louisianian Province. The benthic index is a useful and valid indicator of estuarine condition that is intended to provide environmental managers with a simple tool for assessing the ecological condition of benthic macroinvertebrate communities. Associations between the benthic index and indicators of hypoxia, sediment contamination, and sediment toxicity were investigated to determine the most probable cause(s) of degraded benthic condition. The results showed that, on a local scale, the associations between the benthic index and potential environmental causes differed among estuaries. In Pensacola Bay, FL, for example, there was a significant association between the levels of toxic chemicals (e.g. DDT, silver, and TBT) in the sediment and the benthic index, especially in the bayous which have known sediment contamination problems. In Mobile Bay, however, degraded benthic communities were more closely associated with eutrophication and hypoxia. Nevertheless, a benthic index is a valuable tool for identifying areas that could be already degraded and tracking the status of environmental condition in large geographical regions.
Medical Abbreviations, Acronyms, Euphemisms, Jargon, and Slang

The use of shorthand communication is part of everyday clinical practice. Some of our linguistic conveniences, such as abbreviations like NPO, save time and effort. Some help us remember lists. Others are humorous, and some can be confusing, perhaps purposefully so. This chapter presents a sometimes-irreverent look at the medical abbreviations and argot health professionals use and what lurks behind acronyms such as MARP or the SLUD syndrome or the meaning of the term “Hollywood code.”
Comparison of the alteration of cardiac function by sevoflurane, isoflurane, and halothane in the isolated working rat heart

Objectives: Despite its widespread use, little is known about sevoflurane's physiologic effects. The direct myocardial effects of sevoflurane were compared with both halothane and isoflurane. Design: Administration of minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) fractions of anesthetic (0 to 3.0) was systematically varied to decrease the possibility of time-related effects on measured parameters. Setting: Isolated rat hearts were perfused using a working heart model where the parameters affecting myocardial work were carefully controlled and monitored. Participants: To avoid confounding effects of prior anesthetic administration, hearts were removed from rats, after decapitation, in the absence of anesthetic. Interventions: In the first series, isolated perfused rat hearts were exposed to one of the three anesthetics in doses of 0 to 1.5 times MAC. In the second series, hearts were exposed to either sevoflurane or isoflurane in doses of 0 to 3.0 times MAC. The following variables were measured: the rate of change of left ventricular pressure; aortic flow rate; cardiac output; left ventricular end-diastolic pressure; the time constant of isovolumetric relaxation; and coronary vascular resistance. Oxygen consumption was measured during the first series. Measurements and Main Results: In the first series, all systolic variables were reduced in the presence of halothane when compared with either isoflurane or sevoflurane. Halothane affected diastolic function to a greater degree than either sevoflurane or isoflurane, as measured by the rate of relaxation and end-diastolic pressure. In the second series, at a dose of 3.0 times MAC, both sevoflurane and isoflurane decreased systolic and diastolic function, with a greater reduction in cardiac output, and peak aortic flow and higher left ventricular end-diastolic pressures observed with isoflurane. Coronary resistance and oxygen consumption were not affected by any of the anesthetics. Conclusions: These data suggest that sevoflurane depresses cardiac function less than either halothane in doses of 1.0 and 1.5 × MAC or isoflurane at doses of 3 × MAC.
Simulation-Study of Adaptive First Order with Deadtime Compensators

Model-based deadtime compensators can be used to nullify the effect of deadtime on the closed-loop characteristic equation. However, changing process conditions can cause unstable behavior due to the parametric forcing. Here, single-loop on-line adaptive control is simulated with such compensators using the first order-plus-deadtime model. A least squares equation error formulation is considered for the parameter identification, including deadtime. First and second order sequential (recursive) gradient methods are tested. Thus, the computational burden is such that microprocessor implementation is feasible. Some simulation results are shown and discussed for on-line adaptative control in the face of rather severe combined parameter changes (forcing)
Must patients always be given food and water

KIE: The widespread consensus that withholding certain life-sustaining treatments, especially those entailing substantial suffering, is sometimes in a patient's best interest conflicts with our basic instincts when the treatments are food and water. Lynn and Childress examine the medical aspects of various nutritional options and the moral obligations pertinent to decision making. They conclude that, in certain limited cases, malnutrition and dehydration need not be corrected and that nutrition and hydration are not distinguishable morally from other life-sustaining treatments that may on occasion be withheld or withdrawn.
Observability of a Specially Structured Model

The theorems associated with the observability matrices and gramians play a crucial role in both analysis and design of control systems. This paper presents the development of these theorems and their proofs in the context of a computationally attractive system model. This is accomplished by incorpo rating the structural properties of the model into the theorems that are found in the literature. The developed theorems lead to a generalized form of the Liapunov equation. An analytical solution for this equation is also presented. Finally, an example is given to illustrate the application of the proposed theorems.
Antibody and skin-test responses of sheep vaccinated against Johne's Disease

Current vaccines against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP, Johne's Disease) may cause animals to react positively when tested for Mycobacterium bovis (Bovis). Therefore, the effects of vaccination on MAP serum Ab and skin-test responses to MAP and Bovis PPD were compared in 25 ewes vaccinated against MAP with 24 control ewes in an infected flock 3 years post-vaccination. MAP-specific Ab levels were higher (P<0.001) in vaccinated ewes than in control ewes. All increases in skinfold-thickness from 0 to 48h were greater (P<0.0001) than zero while increases in skinfold-thickness from 48 to 72h were greater (P<0.05) than zero for Johnin but not for Bovis PPD. The Vaccine x PPD x Time interaction for skinfold-thickness was significant (P<0.001) with greater increases to Johnin than to Bovis, but with much greater increases in vaccinated ewes. These data suggest that administration of vaccines against MAP developed from whole organisms increase the likelihood that animals will be classified as "responders" to a Bovis screening test and negative by the follow-up comparative cervical tuberculin test, but they also show that vaccination initiates both humoral and cell-mediated MAP-specific responses.
The decision to prematurely terminate a trial of R-HuEPO due to thrombotic events.

Recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) corrects cancer-related anemia and, thereby, improves quality of life. The purpose of the present study was to measure the impact of erythropoietin on hemoglobin and mood state in patients with metastatic breast cancer and mild anemia (Hgb or = 1.0 g/dL. The drug was discontinued at 8 weeks if hemoglobin improvement was < 1.0 g/dL. The study was terminated early (n = 27, G1 = 13, G2 = 14) when 4/14 (28.5%) subjects in G2 developed thrombotic events (deep vein thrombosis [DVT] in 1; DVT plus pulmonary embolism [PE] in 1; DVT plus PE 1 month after drug discontinuation in 1; and brachial vein thrombosis with infected Mediport in 1). In all four patients, Hgb levels were normal at the time of the event. No patient in G1 developed a thrombotic event. There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics or current chemotherapy regimen in G1 vs. G2. The decision to terminate the trial was made after considerable deliberation. The increased incidence of thrombotic events in the r-HuEPO (G2) arm of this study exceeds that in prior studies in this population and prior r-HuEPO trials. This may relate to the administration of r-HuEPO in this high-risk population, but the small sample size and possible predisposing risk factors preclude definitive conclusions.
Fabrication and Characterization of Thin Films of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Bundles on Flexible Plastic Substrates

A convenient method to obtain patterns of films of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) bundles on flexible plastic is described. Using the Line Patterning method SWNT films of thickness ranging from ∼300−1500 nm can be obtained from aqueous surfactant-supported dispersions of chemically purified SWNT bundles synthesized by the pulsed-laser ablation method. These films are strongly adherent and are competitive in performance with commercially available films of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) on plastics. For example, an ∼1500 thick film of SWNT on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) shows a surface resisitvity of ∼80 Ω/sq, optical transparency >80%, and robust flexibility. Unlike ITO/PET, films of SWNT/PET can be folded and bent to a crease without cracking. The simple techniques involoved in obtaining these films (i.e., those without requiring lithography or ink-jet printing) could help facilitate the rapid fabrication of transparent, flexible electronic devices, heralding what promises to be a new approach towa...