cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A lattice-gas model for three immiscible fluids

Abstract Lattice-gas methods have recently proven very useful for the study of immiscible mixtures of two fluids, with applications ranging from two-phase flow in porous media to spinodal decomposition of binary fluids. Whereas the original one-phase lattice gas models the fluid as a collection of identical particles, in the immiscible two-phase lattice gas the particles are colored red or blue and the collisions between particles are chosen to achieve surface tension. We introduce a new lattice-gas model which extends the two-phase immiscible lattice gas to the simulation of a mixture of three immiscible fluids, i.e., red, green and blue. This extension achieves more than the obvious generalization: immiscible mixtures of three fluids yield phenomena that can be qualitatively different from analogous phenomena observed with two fluids. To demonstrate this point, we show simulations of phase separation of three immiscible fluids and three-phase flow in porous media.
The renal pelvis

Mammals and birds are the only vertebrates known to produce a concentrated urine by means of renal medullary countercurrent systems. These two countercurrent systems, however, exhibit functional and anatomical differences which appear to be related to the fact that mammals are ureotelic while birds are uricotelic. In mammalian kidneys, urea accumulation in the medulla plays an important role in the concentrating mechanism. In bird kidneys, there is no accumulation of urea in the medulla. The mammalian renal medulla is surrounded by a muscular, funnel–shaped pelvic wall, leaving an elaborate urinary space between the renal medulla and the inside of the pelvic wall, while the bird renal medulla is surrounded by tight sheets of connective tissue leaving no space for the urine to contact the renal medulla. The mammalian renal pelvis makes it possible for urine to contact the epithelial covering of the inner and outer medulla, and the peristaltic contractions of the muscular pelvic wall exerts a rhythmic pumping action on the renal papilla. The functional significance of these two aspects of the renal pelvis have in recent years become the focus of attention by some renal physiologists.
Six-year integrated cardiothoracic surgery residency applicants: Characteristics, expectations, and concerns

Objective During the past 5 years, 6-year integrated cardiothoracic surgery residency programs have increased in number and popularity. Methods To understand the background and motivation of the applicants for 6-year integrated programs, we surveyed 80 candidates interviewing for Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited 6-year integrated cardiothoracic surgery residency programs for the 2012 match season, with 36 respondents completing the survey. Results The applicants interviewed for 6-year integrated programs had peer-reviewed publications (91.7%) and were interested in academic careers (91.4%), dedicated research time (58.3%), and cardiac surgery (66.7%). The time saved in training was considered an advantage of the 6-year integrated cardiothoracic surgery residency programs, although concern was present about the development of the mature, well-rounded cardiothoracic surgeon. Conclusions We found that most of the candidates for 6-year integrated cardiothoracic surgery residency were young, high-achieving individuals oriented toward academic careers with a significant interest in dedicated research time and cardiac surgery.
Health Education for Testicular Cancer

The incidence of testicular cancer is rapidly increasing. It is highly curable when detected and treated early, yet 500 to 1,000 men die from this cancer each year. Most victims are young men whose deaths account for a large number of potential years of life lost. Risk factors for testicular cancer are known but they cannot account for the increase in incidence. Only one age group, men between 15 and 34 years, is currently exhibiting an increase in incidence and mortality and should therefore comprise the primary at-risk group. Health education for the at-risk group, including promotion of regular and accurate testicular self-examination (TSE), could lead to earlier tumor detection and treatment and thereby save lives.
COHESIVENESS WITHIN A HETEROGENEOUS URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD: Implications for Community in a Diverse Setting

Four measures of community were used to analyze the extent of community in a relatively small, heterogeneous urban neighborhood in Dayton, Ohio: membership in formal organizations, informal “neighboring,” close ties within the neighborhood and commitment to continued residence in the neighborhood Results were compared with those of similar but More homogeneous neighborhood and the heterogeneous neighborhood was found overall to have at least the equivalent indications of community. Two sets of variables account for the &h level of neighborhood community in the heterogeneous neighborhood One set is associated with traditional bases of neighborhood cohesiveness: active neighborhood-based organizations and institutions (schools and churches) and networks of friends and kin. Another set indicates the presence of a “critical mass” of college-educated liberals who appreciate the diversity of the neighborhood and its central location
Neighborhood disorder, subjective alienation, and distress

Living in a threatening, noxious, and dangerous neighborhood may produce anxiety, anger, and depression because it is subjectively alienating. We hypothesize that neighborhood disorder represents ambient threat that elicits perceptions of powerlessness, normlessness, mistrust, and isolation. These perceptions in turn lead to anxious and angry agitation, and depressed exhaustion. We use data from the 1995 Community, Crime, and Health survey, a probability sample of 2,482 adults in Illinois, with a follow-up survey in 1998. We find that perceived neighborhood disorder is associated with high levels of anxiety, anger, and depression. Personal victimization mediates about 10 percent of the association. The rest of the association is mediated primarily by mistrust and, secondarily, by perceived powerlessness. Normlessness reflects neighborhood disorder, but it appears to have little influence on distress. Social isolation has trade-offs in its connections to neighborhood disorder and to distress.
Responsive and strong responsive evolutionary dynamics

We extend Relative Monotonic Dynamics to Responsive Dynamics (RDs) to permit the response of the population to be history dependent, discontinuous and delayed. We introduce Strong Responsive Dynamics (SRDs) to model populations that are a little more responsive than in RDs, and define a relationship called quasi-strict dominance which characterizes the strategies that eventually die out under SRDs. These non-surviving strategies include the strategies that are weakly dominated by a pure strategy. If the game is quasi-strict-dominance solvable, then a SRD will converge to the quasi-strict-dominance solution, which is a weak proper NE. If the game is “quasi-strict-dominance ordered”, then a SRD will converge to a proper NE.
Structural elements in the N-terminal half of transcription factor IIIA required for factor binding to the 5S RNA gene internal control region

Zinc binding domains and the conserved Thr-Gly-Glu-Lys (TGEK) tetrapeptide in the N-terminal half of transcription factor IIIA (TFIIIA) were subjected to in vitro mutagenesis to biochemically assess their role in factor interaction with the 5S gene internal control region (ICR). TFIIIA containing a Leu in place of His33 in the Cys2His2 zinc binding site of finger I lost the ability to protect the entire 5S RNA gene ICR (nucleotides +96 to +43) from DNase I digestion. Thus, mutation of one potential zinc ligand in the N-terminal finger inhibited specific DNA binding by the N-terminal as well as downstream fingers. Cooperativity apparently exists among TFIIIA zinc fingers in metal binding/finger folding and DNA binding. Substituting a Ser for Gly69 or a Glu for Lys 71 in the conserved TGEK tetrapeptide in finger II of TFIIIA resulted in the loss of DNA binding. A Gly-dependent bend structure and a terminal positive charge in this tetrapeptide are important for TFIIIA interaction with DNA. Whereas TFIIIA with a Ser substituted for Cys20 in finger I (proposed zinc ligand) did not protect the ICR from DNase I digestion, TFIIIA containing a Ser substituted for Cys35 (not a proposed zinc ligand) retained the ability to bind the ICR. When Cys112 or Cys 164 (proposed zinc ligands in fingers IV and VI) were replaced by Ser, the DNase I footprint patterns afforded by the respective mutant proteins were similar, protection on the ICR from about nucleotides +96 up to +78. A similar pattern was obtained with a TFIIIA mutant in which fingers V, VI, VII, and a portion of VIII were deleted. Maintenance of zinc coordination spheres in necessary for DNA binding by downstream fingers. The six fingers comprising the N-terminal half of TFIIIA appear to act in two groups of three with binding of the second group dependent upon initial binding of the N-terminal group to the +90 to +80 region of the 5S gene ICR.
Persistence of Selected Pesticides in Ground‐Water Samples

This study was conducted to determine the stability of five commonly used herbicides fortified into freshly collected ground water. No aquifer materials were present. Ground-water samples obtained from three sites in eastern Arkansas were fortified with an aqueous mixture containing either the chloroacetamide herbicides, alachlor, metolachlor, and propanil, or the phenoxy herbicides, 2,4-D and dichlorprop. Experiments were conducted at tempersitures comparable to Arkansas' extreme ground-water temperatures, 15 and 22° C, and at initial concentrations of 1 and 5 μg/1. Degradation occurring for each herbicide was determined at two-month intervals, for a period of 18 months. Results indicated that degradation did not begin immediately, but generally required a lag period of several months. Of the five herbicides studied, propanil degraded the fastest and to the greatest extent. After eight months, 44% to 69% of propanil at the lower fortification level and 85% to 99% at the higher level had degraded, The remaining four herbicides exhibited little or no degradation at the lower concentration during the first 12 months. By 18 months, however, significant degradation of each herbicide had occurred. Degradation generally occurred earlier for each herbicide at the higher fortification level. With the exception of 2,4-D, a higher percentage of herbicide was broken down at the greater fortification level. Degradation was more extensive at the elevated storage temperature. In general, the degradation rate was faster in ground water taken from shallower depths. Zero-order rate constants and half-lives are presented. Half-lives, including lag periods, ranged from 196 to 1907 days.
Design, construction, and preliminary results of a 250-kW organic Rankine cycle system

Abstract This study involved designing and constructing a 250-kW organic Rankine cycle system, consisting of a pump, preheater, evaporator, turbine, generator, condenser, as well as hot and cooling water circulation systems. Refrigerant R245fa was used as a working fluid. The design operating pressure levels of the preheater/evaporator and condenser was 1.265 MPa and 0.242 MPa, respectively. Under design conditions, the net power output was 243 kW and the system thermal efficiency was 9.5%. The preliminary experimental results under off-design conditions showed that the average net power output was 219.5 kW with a fluctuation of ±5.5 kW during prolonged operation. The maximal net power output and system thermal efficiency were 225 kW and 7.94%, respectively. Under this condition, the isentropic efficiency of the turbine was 63.7% with a rotational speed of 12 386 rpm, and the back-work ratio was 6.7%. In addition, the results of the dynamic testing demonstrated that the present system responded very rapidly as the heat source temperature changed. The experimental results also demonstrated that the system thermal efficiency and net power output increased linearly with an increasing heat source temperature. However, the effect of the heat source temperature on the turbine efficiency was not obvious.
Magnetic- and electric-field-induced transitions at high currents in NbSe 3 at temperatures from 1.2 to 4.2 K

Transitions corresponding to an abrupt increase in resistance are induced in ${\mathrm{NbSe}}_{3}$ by products of current and magnetic fields above critical values at temperatures of 1.2--4.2 K. The corresponding critical electric fields are well above those required to induce sliding motion of the charge-density wave (CDW) which lowers the resistance. At lower electric fields memory of the transition gives rise to an increase in magnetoresistance and an increase in the enhancement of the CDW resistance anomaly by the magnetic field. The data suggest a modification of the Fermi-surface nesting by the disordering and reforming of the CDW.
A microwiggler free-electron laser at the Brookhaven accelerator test facility

Abstract We report the design and status of an FEL experiment at the Brookhaven National Laboratory Accelerator Test Facility. A 50 MeV high-brightness electron beam will be utilized for an oscillator experiment in the visible-wavelength region. The microwiggler to be used is a superferric planar undulator with a 0.88 cm period, 60 cm length and K = 0.35. The optical cavity is a 368 cm long stable resonator with broadband dielectric coated mirrors.
A grounding solution to the grounding problem

The statue and the lump of clay that constitutes it fail to share all of their kind and modal properties. Therefore, by Leibniz’s Law, the statue is not the lump. Question: What grounds the kind and modal differences between the statue and the lump? In virtue of what is it that the lump of clay, but not the statue, can survive being smashed? This is the grounding problem. Now a number of solutions to the grounding problem require that we substantially revise our view of reality. In this paper, I provide a solution to this problem that does not require such a revision. I then show how my solution to the grounding problem can solve a related problem and answer a related question. The upshot is that the solution I offer is not only non-revisionary, but also fruitful.
Improved stresses for the 4-node tetrahedral element

The objective in this paper is to present the method for the calculation of improved stresses published by Payen and Bathe in [1] for the 4-node three-dimensional tetrahedral element. This element is widely used in engineering practice to obtain, in general, only ''guiding'' results in the analysis of solids because the element is known to be poor in stress predictions. We show in this paper the potential of this novel approach to significantly enhance the stress predictions with the 4-node tetrahedral element at a relatively low computational cost.
Waveguide-Fed Optical Plasmonic Patch Nano-Antenna

We present a waveguide-fed optical plasmonic patch nano-antenna for operation at telecommunication wavelengths. The antenna is designed for impedance matching to a plasmonic hybrid waveguide feed enabling on-chip 3-D optical communications.
The existence of periodic orbits of the tent map

Abstract For the tent map Tμ(x) = μx for 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 1 2 and = μ(1 − x) for 1 2 ⩽ x ⩽ 1 , the μ values are determined for which periodic orbits of each order exist. Except for period 2n orbits which exist for all μ ⩾ 1, the Sarkovskii ordering is vividly illustrated. After the μ values for odd periodic orbits are determined, the remaining even periodic orbits are handled by topological conjugacy.
Design and development of the rotator cuff therapeutic mechanism

Equipment currently available for rotator cuff rehabilitation is either costly or limited in its versatility. The rotator cuff therapeutic mechanism (RCTM) described is an exercise device intended to work injured, surgically repaired, and healthy rotator cuff muscles. The RCTM is able to exercise the left or right rotator cuff, internally or externally, using three different exercises. The device utilizes positive/negative work and accommodating-resistance cams for each exercise. >
Nitrogen release from roots of alfalfa and soybean grown in sand culture

An enclosed root chamber containing sterile sand medium was used to study net nitrogen (N) release from actively growing root systems of ‘Saranac’ alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and ‘Fiskeby V’ soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.). Plants were inoculated with a rhizobial strain appropriate to each host, irrigated with N-free nutrient solution, and grown either to 85 or to 173 d after germination (alfalfa) or to physiological maturity (soybean). Alfalfa released 4.5% of symbiotically-fixed plant N into the root zone over its growth period; soybean released 10.4% of plant N. Root zone leachates were analyzed for total N and for amino acid and ammonium content. Significant ammonium-N release occurred from the alfalfa but not the soybean root system; little amino-N was released by root systems of either species. Shoot harvest and water deficit caused increased release of N from alfalfa roots. The results provide evidence that alfalfa and soybean released significant proportions of their N into the root zone, and indicate that while substantial ammonium-N was released from alfalfa roots, passive leakage of amino-N was not a primary mechanism for N release from root systems of either species.
Queue-Based and Adaptive Lock Algorithms for Scalable Resource Allocation on Shared-Memory Multiprocessors

We present a scalable lock algorithm and an adaptive scheme for shared-memory multiprocessors addressing the resource allocation problem, which is also known as the $$h$$h-out-of-$$k$$k mutual exclusion problem. In this problem, threads compete for $$k$$k shared resources where a thread may request an arbitrary number $$1\le h\le k$$1≤h≤k of resources at the same time. The challenge is for each thread to acquire exclusive access to desired resources while preventing deadlock or starvation. Many existing approaches solve this problem in a distributed system, but the explicit message passing paradigm they adopt is not optimal for shared-memory. Other applicable methods, like two-phase locking and resource hierarchy, suffer from performance degradation under heavy contention, while lacking a desirable fairness guarantee. This work describes the first multi-resource lock algorithm that guarantees the strongest first-in, first-out fairness. Our methodology is based on a non-blocking queue where competing threads spin on previous conflicting resource requests. In our experimental evaluation we compared the overhead and scalability of our lock to the best available alternative approaches using a micro-benchmark. As contention increases, our multi-resource lock obtains an average of eight times speed-up over the alternatives including GNU C++'s lock method, Boost's lock function, and Intel TBB's queue mutex. To further improve the performance on low levels of contention, we introduce an adaptive scheme that is composed of two different lock algorithms and alternates the use the locks depending on the level of contention. Our experimental results show that the composite adaptive scheme achieves the best overall performance comparing with using either lock alone when system contention is not known a priori.
Micro-Raman spectroscopy of meso-tetrakis(p-sulfonatophenyl)porphine at electrode surfaces

Micro-Raman techniques are used to acquire Raman spectra of a water-soluble porphyrin (meso-tetrakis(p-sulfonatophenyl)porphine) adsorbed onto smooth and roughened Ag electrodes. We combine such Ra...
Matrix analysis of metamorphic mineral assemblages and reactions

Assemblage diagrams are widely used in interpreting metamorphic mineral assemblages. In simple systems, they can help to identify assemblages which may represent equilibrium states; to determine whether differences between assemblages reflect changes in metamorphic grade or variations in bulk composition; and to characterize isograd reactions. In multicomponent assemblages these questions can be approached by investigating the rank, composition space (range) and reaction space (null-space) of a matrix representing the compositions of the phases involved. Singular value decomposition (SVD) provides an elegant way of (1) finding the rank of a matrix and detemining orthonormal bases for both the composition space and the reaction space needed to represent an assemblage or pair of assemblages; and (2) finding a model matrix of specified rank which is closest in a least squares sense to an observed assemblage. Although closely related to least squares techniques, the SVD approach has the advantages that it tolerates errors in all observations and is computationally simpler and more stable than non-linear least squares algorithms. Models of this sort can be used to interpret multicomponent mineral assemblages by straightforward generalizations of the methods used to interpret assemblage diagrams in simpler systems. SVD analysis of mineral assemblages described by Lang and Rice (1985) demonstrates the utility of the approach.
Does the pattern of injury in elderly pedestrian trauma mirror that of the younger pedestrian

BACKGROUND: Walking is the primary mode of transportation for people aged 65 y and over; hence pedestrian injuries are a substantial source of morbidity and mortality among elderly patients in the United States. This study is aimed at evaluating the pattern of injury in the elderly pedestrians and how it differs from younger patients. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the National Trauma Data Bank (2002-2006) was performed, with inclusion criteria defined as pedestrian injuries based on ICD-9 codes, excluding age Language: en
Automated guidance and control of longwall mining machines

The longwall system of mining coal offers the potential for increasing unit production, worker productivity, and resource recovery with enhanced health and safety for the underground coal miner. At present, two operators must accompany longwall cutting-loading machines and manually raise and lower the cutting drums to maintain the desired cutting profiles. By automating this system, the * 'hands-on" operators could be replaced by a machine overseer and both the quality and the quantity of coal produced could be increased significantly. This paper describes the progress of a pioneering effort to develop pitch, roll, and yaw control subsystems to fully automate the longwall mining of coal. Results to date are encouraging and indicate that an automated system can reduce errors in cutting coal under manual control by two-thirds and can significantly increase coal production, particularly in thin coalbeds.
Bayesian adaptive trial design in acute heart failure syndromes: Moving beyond the mega trial

Over the last 2 decades, early treatment for patients presenting with acute heart failure syndromes (AHFS) has changed very little. Despite strikingly different underlying disease pathophysiology, presenting signs and symptoms, and precipitants of AHFS, most patients are treated in a homogeneous manner with intravenous loop diuretics. Inhospital studies of new therapies have produced disappointingly neutral results at best. Patients continue to be enrolled in trials long after initial therapy, at a time when vital signs have improved, symptoms have changed, and initiating pathophysiologic processes, such as myocardial and renal injury, have already begun. The "one-size-fits-all" approach to inhospital AHFS trials have been recognized as one potential contributor to the disappointing trial results seen to date. Studies designed to tailor the therapeutic approach to ascertain which treatment modalities are most effective depending on patient phenotypes have not been previously conducted in AHFS because this objective is not traditional in clinical trial design. Utilizing Bayesian adaptive designs in trials of early AHFS provides an opportunity to personalize therapy within the constraints of clinical research. Bayesian adaptive design is increasingly recognized as an efficient method for obtaining valid clinical trial results. At its core, this approach uses existing information at the time of trial initiation, combined with data accumulating during the trial, to identify treatments most beneficial for specific patient subgroups. Based on accumulating evidence, the study then "adapts" its focus to critical differences between treatments within patient subgroups. Bayesian adaptive design is ideally suited for investigating complex, heterogeneous conditions such as AHFS and affords investigators the ability to study multiple treatment approaches and therapies in multiple patient phenotypes within a single trial, while maintaining a reasonable overall sample size. Identifying specific treatment approaches that safely improve symptoms and facilitate early discharge in patients who traditionally are admitted, often for prolonged periods of time, are necessary if we aim to reverse the disappointing trend in clinical trial results. In this study, AHFS clinical researchers and biostatisticians with expertise and experience in designing "personalized medicine" trials describe the development of a Bayesian adaptive design for an emergency department-based AHFS trial.
Characteristics of solar coronal source regions producing He-3-rich particle events

H-alpha, X-ray, and kilometric radio data are used to examine solar coronal activity associated with energetic He-3-rich particle events observed near earth. The basis of the study is the 12 He-3-rich events observed in association with impulsive 2-100 keV electron events reported by Reames et al. (1985). In three or four events, associated H-alpha or X-ray flares were found, and in two events even the metric type III bursts were weak or absent. The measured low energy electron spectra for these events show no evidence of a flattening due to Coulomb collisional losses. These results and several other recent findings are consistent with the idea that the He-3/electron events are due to particle acceleration in the corona well above the associated H-alpha and X-ray flares.
Multiple bifurcation of rotating pipe flow

Viscous rotating Hagen-Poiseuille flow is shown to contain a multiple bifurcation point at which two Hopf bifurcations coalesce. The double Hopf bifurcation has nonsemisimple 1:1 resonance. The full problem in the neighborhood of this point may be reduced to a four-dimensional system of weakly nonlinear amplitude equations using an expansion of the center manifold type. An efficient numerical procedure to find the coupling coefficients in the amplitude equations is employed which avoids the explicit need to compute adjoint eigenfunctions. Numerical investigation of the amplitude equations has lead to the discovery of several new states of the fluid motion in this system, including stable rotating traveling and modulated traveling waves, a Feigenbaum period-doubling cascade, and chaotic trajectories. Homoclinic loops are found leading to dynamics which may be associated with “bursting” events in the physical problem under consideration.
Changes in transpiration and foliage growth in lodgepole pine trees following mountain pine beetle attack and mechanical girdling

The recent mountain pine beetle outbreak in North American lodgepole pine forests demonstrates the importance of insect related disturbances in changing forest structure and ecosystem processes. Phloem feeding by beetles disrupts transport of photosynthate from tree canopies and fungi introduced to the tree’s vascular system by the bark beetles inhibit water transport from roots to canopy; the implications of these processes for tree mortality are poorly understood. We hypothesized that the fungus must quickly disrupt tree water relations because phloem girdling, reported in other studies, requires much longer than a year to cause mortality. We tested the hypothesis in lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) by comparing tree water use, foliar expansion and seasonal variation in predawn water potential on 8 mechanically girdled trees, 10 control trees and 17 trees attacked by mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonous ponderosae). Transpiration began to decline within ten days of beetle infestation; two months later, pre-dawn water potential had also dropped significantly as water transport to the canopy declined by 60% relative to healthy trees. There was no water transport or foliar expansion by beetle-infested trees the following year. Experimentally girdled trees continued to transpire, maintain leaf water potential and grow new foliage similar to healthy trees. Our data suggest that fungi introduced by bark beetles in this study are the primary cause of tree mortality following mountain pine beetle attack and significantly reduce transpiration soon after beetle infestation. Rapid decline and the eventual cessation of water uptake by infected trees have important implications for water and nutrient cycling in beetle impacted forests. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Morphology of cobalt experimental epilepsy in rats.

Abstract Rats were made epileptic by intracranial cobalt implants. The brains were studied after hours, days, weeks, and months up to a year. The sequence of morphologic changes was; edema, congestion, and necrosis followed in a few days by minimal acute inflammatory reaction. By the end of the first week, the number of cells was reduced in the adjacent cortex and vacuolar (spongy) degeneration was noted. Silver stain disclosed granularity in and around the lesions by about day 10. Calcium deposition gradually appeared around the lesion within the granular area and became more intense as time went on. In a few weeks, marked proliferation of the fibroblasts, histiocytes, astrocytes, and blood vessels was seen. After a few months the tissue reactions were still present but with lesser degree of intensity. Calcium deposition and blood vessel proliferation, however, seemed to continue to be intense to the end of the experiments. In occasional animals, perivascular cuffing and psammoma bodies were noted. The lesions appear to be of chronic inflammatory type. This could be considered the “cause” for the state of epilepsy, a source of constant lowgrade injury and irritation. However, since other implants in the brain initiate chronic inflammatory reaction without epilepsy, it is our belief that the state of epilepsy could be the result of a more nearly direct effect of cobalt on the brain.
Allergist-Reported Trends in the Practice of Food Allergen Oral Immunotherapy

Food allergen oral immunotherapy (OIT) is an experimental, immune-modifying therapy that may induce clinical desensitization in some patients. OIT is still in early phase clinical research, but some providers may offer OIT as a clinical service. To understand the current practices of allergists who perform OIT, an online survey was sent by e-mail to members of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. Among 442 respondents, 61 reported participating in using OIT (13.8%), including 28 in nonacademic settings. Informed consent for OIT was obtained by 91.3%, institutional review board approval by 47.7% and Investigational New Drug approval by 38.1%. Compared with nonacademic participants, more academic participants used peanut OIT, obtained institutional review board and Investigational New Drug ( P P = .008). More nonacademic providers billed the patient or insurance for reimbursement ( P
AAEM case report #25: Anterior interosseous nerve syndrome

A case study is reported regarding a 57-year-old woman, chose chief complaint was weakness in her thumb that she had noted while gardening. The patient described difficulty pulling weeds out because of an inability to get a firm grip when using the thumb. Physical examination showed weakness of the flexor pollicis longus and flexor digitorum profundus to the index finger. There was no other weakness and no clinical sensory deficit. Electrodiagnostic studies revealed normal median motor and sensory nerve conduction studies with needle examination abnormalities noted only in the flexor pollicis longus, flexor digitorum profundus, and pronator quadratus. The literature on anterior interosseous nerve syndrome (AINS) is reviewed. It is important to differentiate those with idiopathic AINS as part of a neuralgic amyotrophy picture from those with an anatomic cause such as a fibrous band or anomalous muscle. Electrodiagnostic examination can be useful to help make this distinction.
Two-stage operative cytoreduction and intraperitoneal chemotherapy for diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma: Operative morbidity and mortality in phase I and II trials

Abstract Aims The standard of care for diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma involves operative cytoreduction and intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Most centers favor aggressive operative cytoreduction, accepting high morbidity and mortality. In our trials, patients underwent less extensive cytoreduction followed by prolonged intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Patients underwent a second cytoreduction with heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy. We hypothesized this would result in lower operative morbidity and mortality with similar survival. Methods Hospital records, discharge summaries, microbiology, radiography, and office records were retrospectively reviewed to supplement a prospective database. 30-day morbidity and mortality were categorized, and classified according to the Clavien methodology. Results 47 first and 39 second operations were performed with 13% and 26% morbidity, respectively. Mortality was 2%. Infections comprised 59% of the morbidity. Inclusive of both operations, formal peritonectomy was performed in 16% of patients, resection of isolated lesions in less than half, and only 19% had a visceral organs other than the spleen resected. At the completion of the protocol, only 3% of patients had visible intraperitoneal disease. The mean total length of stay for both operations combined was 16 ± 23 days. Overall median survival was 54.9 months, and median survival for the epithelioid subtype was 70.2 months. Conclusions A two-stage cytoreduction with intraperitoneal chemotherapy offers median survival comparable to one-stage protocols, with relatively low morbidity, mortality, visceral resections and length of stay despite two operations. This series supports that our protocol is a feasible and safe approach.
Managing a culture change - introduction of axle counters

The presentation considers the issues and novel approach taken with the introduction of new axle counter train detection technology. The author explores the challenges of integrating systems and safety requirements with established working culture and the demands of one of Europe's busiest main line railways during a major transition. (11 pages)
The homogeneous nucleation of bubbles in superheated binary liquid mixtures

It is shown how to apply homogeneous nucleation theory to predict the limits of superheat of multicomponent liquid mixtures. Measurements of such limits for n-pentane-n-hexane, n-hexane-cyclohexane, benzene-cyclohexane, and benzene-n-hexane mixtures as a function of composition are presented and compared with theory.
Dexamethasone but not the equivalent doses of hydrocortisone induces neurotoxicity in neonatal rat brain

Dexamethasone but not the equivalent doses of hydrocortisone induces neurotoxicity in neonatal rat brain
On place attachments in virtual worlds

The concepts of place, place meaning and place attachment have been heavily researched by multiple academic disciplines, especially the field of recreation and natural resource management. While this is so, the research has been limited to geographical spaces of the physical world. There is an entirely different, yet surprisingly similar world that is waiting to be explored by place researchers, the virtual world. Due in large part to rapid advancements in technology, virtual reality is no longer limited to science fiction. Virtual worlds can now be accessed from the comfort of one's home on a personal computer, presenting an alternative world that can be perceived as very real to its users, and changing the traditional ways of recreation and travel. Therefore, this paper will identify why it is possible to become attached to a virtual place. The virtual world of Second Life will be used as a primary example.
Optimization of gain and energy conversion efficiency using front-facing photovoltaic cell luminescent solar concentratordesign

Abstract Luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) windows with front-facing photovoltaic (PV) cells were built and their gain and power efficiency were investigated. Conventional LSCs employ a photovoltaic (PV) cell that is placed on the edge of the LSC, facing inward. This paper describes a new design with the PV cells on the front-face allowing them to receive both direct solar irradiation and wave-guided photons emitted from a dye embedded in an acrylic sheet, which is optically coupled to the PV cells. Parameters investigated include the thickness of the waveguide, edge treatment of the window, cell width, and cell placement. The data allowed us to make projections that aided in designing windows for maximized overall efficiency. A gain in power of 2.2× over the PV cells alone was obtained with PV cell coverage of 5%, and a power conversion efficiency as high as 6.8% was obtained with a PV cell coverage of 31%. Balancing the trade-offs between gain and efficiency, the design with the lowest cost per watt attained a power efficiency of 3.8% and a gain of 1.6×.
Application of Bayes nets in sensor fusion

Abstract This paper gives an overview of the Bayesian network technology and a description of its potential application for data fusion.The Bayesian network technology is a set of representation techniques for encoding uncertain beliefs using probability theoryand reasoning techniques for drawing inferences from such representations. The technology has been successfully applied bothto tasks of assessment under uncertainty and tasks of decision-making under uncertainty.Multi-source data fusion deals with combining data from various sources to arrive at an accurate assessment of the situation. It involves the acquisition, integration, filtering, and correlation of information from diverse sources for the purpose ofsituation assessment, planning, detecting, verifying, diagnosing problems, making decisions, or improving system performance " [23]. Technical difficulties in performing multi-source fusion include not only ambiguous data, but also disparate data sources. For example, the data sources may include various active and passive sensors such as radar, infrared,acoustic, as well as other intelligent sources such as COMINT, ELINT, and contextual information.Data fusion in difficult situations requires the use of models (target dynamics, sensor characteristics, target/sensor geometry,etc.) to extract target information from the data. Bayesian networks show great promise for performing this function since
Effect of detergents on the conformation of proteins. II. Optical rotatory dispersion by using ultraviolet light

The effect of anionic detergents on the optical rotatory dispersion of reduced and carboxymethylated serum albumin (RCA), as well as on normal serum γ-globulin, myeloma globulin, pepsin, trypsin, trypsinogen, α-chymotrypsin, chymotrypsinogen, and soybean trypsin inhibitor was investigated. It was found that the bo value of the RCA became more negative upon the action of detergent, and that the λc values of the proteins increased if the hydrophobic chain of the surface active substance was large enough. Also it was found that detergents produced the Cotton effect of the proteins with troughs at 225–240 mμ. These results substantiate the conclusion that aside from the disorganizing effects, the detergents, in the instance of the nonhelical proteins, under certain conditions facilitate the formation of ordered conformations that differ from those found in the native proteins.
Effects of a gift certificate incentive and specialized delivery on prostate cancer survivors' response rate to a mailed survey: A randomized-controlled trial ☆

Abstract Objectives Most men diagnosed with prostate cancer become long-term survivors, but are at risk for medical late-effects that can affect their long-term health. Mailed surveys are well suited to study late-effects in this population, but low response rates can compromise survey validity. This study investigated whether an unconditional $5.00 gift certificate incentive or Priority Mail delivery increased prostate cancer survivors' response to mailed surveys. Materials and Methods 976 participants (mean age=66.8years), 2–8years post-diagnosis, were randomized to one of four groups: Incentive; Priority Mail; Incentive & Priority Mail; or Control. After an introductory letter, initial study packets were mailed based on randomization; 46days later, a second study packet was mailed to all non-responders by First-Class Mail. Results The first mailing yielded a significant variation in response rates across groups (χ 2 =9.34; p =0.025). Priority Mail (64.7%; p =0.008) and Incentive & Priority Mail (63.6%; p =0.016) groups had significantly higher response rates than Controls (52.9%). After the second mailing, the overall response rate increased significantly from 59.6% to 71.4% ( p Conclusions Long-term prostate cancer survivors' response rates to mailed surveys increased with the use of Priority Mail and a repeat survey mailing, but the unconditional gift certificate incentive was not supported in this population. By identifying and applying specialized survey methods, studies targeting survivors of prostate cancer and other geriatric cancers may improve response rates, thus limiting a source of potential bias.
Hydrothermal synthesis and structure of Cu1+6Mo6+5O18

Abstract Single crystals of Cu 1+ 6 Mo 6+ 5 O 18 have been grown both hydrothermally and by the Bridgman technique from stoichiometric mixtures of the binary oxides. Cu 6 Mo 5 O 18 crystallizes in the space group I2 c with cell parameters a = 14.702, b = 6.272, c = 15.264 A, β = 101.87°, V = 1377.46 A 3 , and Z = 4. The structure was solved by the Patterson method and refined to R = 0.027 using 1164 independent reflections. The structure can be described as chains of edge-sharing MoO 6 octahedra running along the a axis between sheets ( ab plane) of corner-sharing CuO 4 tetrahedra. Within the molybdenum chains there are three independent molybdenum atoms, each exhibiting a different type of distortion from octahedral site symmetry. Short CuCu contacts ( 1+ aggregate compounds, are found within the Cu layers. The relationship of Cu 6 Mo 5 O 18 to the thermal reduction of Cu 3 Mo 2 O 9 is discussed.
Diurnal Macronutrients Uptake Patterns by Lettuce Roots under Various Light and Temperature Levels

In order to reduce nutrient wastes to the environment the supply should be in accordance to the demand for these. Two experiments were conducted to study and quantify the effect of temperature, irradiance, and plant age on the uptake of nitrate (NO3−), ammonium (NH4+), dihydrogen phosphate ion (H2PO4−), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), and sulfate (SO42). In the first experiment, various levels of temperature and irradiance were applied to plants in a growth chamber, while in the second experiment the uptake was studied along the crop season under greenhouse conditions. The uptake rates were calculated at 2-hour intervals through sampling the nutrient solution and analyzing it by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Increasing light and temperature enhance the uptake rates, while the rates decrease with plant age. Nitrogen absorption was similar during the day as during the night. No differences were found in the absorption of H2PO4−, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and SO42...
Psychosocial treatments for social phobia.

Social phobia, the fear of evaluation and scrutiny by others, became a subcategory of the anxiety disorders with the publication of DSM-III. Although it has been recognized for some time among European investigators as a distinct diagnostic entity, relatively little is known about the disorder or its treatment. The authors describe social phobia, outline a model for understanding the impairment experienced by social phobic individuals, and review psychosocial treatment strategies and the evidence for their effectiveness in treating social phobia.
The New Face of Government: Citizen-Initiated Contacts in the Era of E-Government

Dramatic developments in information technology are transforming society, challenging our nation’s many governments to keep pace. As e-governance grows in popularity, Web pages could well become the new face of government. But how are citizens responding? We suggest that government Web sites may provide a new vehicle for citizen-initiated contacts with government, and, drawing from the literature on those traditional contacts, we propose a number of hypotheses on citizen interaction with government via the Web. To test those hypotheses, we examine data from a survey concerning how Georgians are contacting government via the Web. We find that citizen visits to governmental Web sites are increasingly common, and as such appear to have become a major new form of the traditional citizen-initiated contact. To date, however, most of these Web contacts have been made only to obtain information, thus lacking the interactive quality crucial to other citizen-initiated contacts. As an encouraging finding for government, visitors to governmental Web sites appear to be mostly pleased with their experiences, rating those sites as at least comparable in quality to other Web sites. A discouraging finding, however, is that the demographics of these visitors suggest cause for concern, since the digital divide is even more pronounced among government Web site visitors than among Internet users in general. In the concluding section, we discuss the implications of the findings for government and for future research. One of the most remarkable and dramatic changes in recent decades has been the explosion of interest in the Internet, with the phenomenon of e-commerce—unheard of only a decade ago—becoming in just a few years a principal growth area in the American economy. As use of the Web by the private sector has grown, the public sector has followed closely behind, and virtually all large U.S. governments and their agencies—federal, state, and local —now having their own Web sites. As public-sector Web sites proliferate and expand in function, they are rapidly becoming a new aspect of government. Many citizens who previously would visit or call gov
The antithrombotic effects of organic nitrates.

The antianginal mechanism of organic nitrates is attributed to their vasodilatory action(s). In this article, the authors review the in vitro and in vivo data implicating an antiplatelet mechanism of action for organic nitrates that may contribute to their antiischemic properties.
Career issues for women association executives: Mentors, pay equity, and boards of directors

This initial study describes the career-related issues and barriers that are most important to women senior executives.
The grammar matrix: an open-source starter-kit for the rapid development of cross-linguistically consistent broad-coverage precision grammars

The grammar matrix is an open-source starter-kit for the development of broad-coverage HPSGs. By using a type hierarchy to represent cross-linguistic generalizations and providing compatibility with other open-source tools for grammar engineering, evaluation, parsing and generation, it facilitates not only quick start-up but also rapid growth towards the wide coverage necessary for robust natural language processing and the precision parses and semantic representations necessary for natural language understanding.