cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new technique for thermal analysis of vapor‐producing reactions

An apparatus was developed for measuring the rate at which vapors are evolved during the thermal degradation of materials and thereby deriving the kinetics of such reactions. Requisite to the operating scheme of the apparatus is the provision of a high-temperature zone to convert condensable or tarry vapors into noncondensable form. The apparatus yields a direct measure of reaction velocity, rather than the integrated indication obtained with thermogravimetric analysis. This simplifies the identification and calculation of kinetic parameters. Increases in sensitivity and operating range are also achieved. Flexibility in operation is obtained that permits the separate recording of reactions that tend to overlap. Although the apparatus principally has been operated using a combustible gas indicator to meter the evolved vapors, a number of options are available for the latter function, including flowmeters and various continuous gas analyzers. The applicability of the method appears promising.
The PediSedate device, a novel approach to pediatric sedation that provides distraction and inhaled nitrous oxide: clinical evaluation in a large case series

Summary Background: Pediatric sedation is of paramount importance but can be challenging. Fear and anticipatory anxiety before invasive procedures often lead to uncooperativeness. A novel device (PediSedate®) provides sedation through a combination of inhaled nitrous oxide and distraction (video game). We evaluated the acceptability and safety of the PediSedate® device in children. Methods: We enrolled children between 3 and 9 years old who were scheduled to undergo surgical procedures that required general inhalational anesthesia. After the device was applied, he/she played a video game while listening to the audio portion of the game through the earphones. Nitrous oxide in oxygen was administered via the nasal piece of the headset starting at 50% and increasing to 70%, in 10% increments every 8 min. Treatment failures, vital signs, arterial oxygen saturation, depth of sedation, airway patency, side effects, acceptance of the device and parental satisfaction were all evaluated. Results: Of 100 children included, treatment failure occurred in 18% mainly because of poor tolerance of the device. At least 96% of the children who completed the study exhibited an excellent degree of sedation, 22% had side effects, and none experienced serious airway obstruction. Nausea and vomiting were the most common side effects and no patients had hemodynamic instability. Conclusions: The PediSedate® device combines nonpharmacologic with pharmacologic methods of sedation. Most of the children we evaluated were able to tolerate the PediSedate® device and achieved an adequate degree of sedation.
Dependence of Root Water Potential on Root Radius and Density

Water flow from the bulk soil to a plant root has been viewed (Philip, 1957 ; Gardner, 1960; Cowan, 1965; Molz, Remson, Fundaroli, and Drake, 1968) as flow from a hollow cylinder of soil of infinite length with the root radius forming the inside boundary and the half distance between adjacent roots the outside boundary. The geometry of flow at the rhizosphere (Newman, 1969) is complicated and the physics of the process very poorly understood ; therefore it has been necessary to restrict analysis to this very simple model. Despite the grossly simplified assumption of uniform absorption by parallel roots of uniform radius, these models have a quantita tive value provided the input data are consistent with experimental observations. The models predict the water potential at the root surface (rr) from experimental estimates of the water extraction rate per unit volume of soil (Q), the root radius (r), the length of root per unit volume of soil (= root density) (L), the soil water diffusi vity or unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, and the bulk soil water potential (rb). There is general agreement (Cowan and Milthorpe, 1968 ; Newman, 1969 ; Lawlor, 1972 ; Gardner, 1973 ; Williams, 1974a) that the original predictions (Gardner, 1960 ; Cowan, 1965) of large potential differences away from the plant root resulted because root densities and water extraction rates used in the models were approximately an order of magnitude different from experimental observations. Recent theoretical work (Williams, 1974a) shows that these simple models predict small differences in water potential between root and soil for most root densities, water extraction rates, and soil moisture conditions encountered in the soil plant system. In these calcula tions which were based on a Yolo light clay as originally used by Cowan (1965) a root radius of 5 x 10~2 cm, representative of coarse roots, was used. This note considers the influence of a wide range of root radii and root densities on the predicted water potential differences between root and bulk soil using the models of Gardner (1960) and Cowan (1965). Computational procedures are given by Williams (1974a). Table 1 sets out the relevant values for the input terms to the models.
Governance, policy, and legislation of nanotechnology: a perspective

Nanotechnology refers to technology done at nanoscale that has applications in the real world. Unique physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials can be exploited for applications that benefit society. Nanotechnology represents a "megatrend" and has become a "general purpose" technology. An executive action of 2000, the National Nanotechnology Initiative was formalized with the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act in 2003. Through FY2015, federal R&D investment has been about $20 billion, with annual investment in FY2015 of about $1.5B, and more than double that by the private sector. The revenues from nano-enabled products continue growing, with over $200B in FY2012 in the US alone. This represents an impressive return on investment. Reauthorization of the Initiative is needed to address concerns, including emphasis on commercialization. Research on potential safety issues of nanotechnology, development of workforce, and curriculum should be continued. In this paper, we present governance, policy, and legislation of nanotechnology.
Synaptic inputs and action potentials of magnocellular neuropeptidergic cells: Intracellular recording and staining in slices of rat hypothalamus

Excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) and action potentials of magnocellular neuropeptidergic cells (MNCs) in the paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic nuclei (SON) were studied with intracellular recording in coronal slices of rat hypothalamus. The fluorescent dye Lucifer Yellow (LY) was injected intracellularly and the cells were subsequently identified as magnocellular (somata >15 × 15 μm). These cells generally had a large cytoplasm-to-nucleus ratio. In PVN it was frequently possible to trace filled dendrites to the ependyma of the third ventricle, and occasionally dendritic spines could be seen. Electrical stimuli in areas dorsolateral and ventrolateral to the fornix column evoked EPSPs in some anatomically identified MNCs of PVN, which indicates that presynaptic fibers innervating MNCs approach PVN from this region. Short-latency (<1 msec) spikes could be evoked in many MNCs of PVN by stimulation near SON, which is consistent with the known projection to the neurohypophysis of many MNCs. Action potentials in MNCs of PVN and SON had significantly longer durations at one-third spike height (mean ± S.D. = 2.06 ± 0.6 msec) than hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells (1.17 ± 0.29 msec). This suggests that neuroendocrine cells in mammals and some lower vertebrates and invertebrates are similar in this regard.
Estimates for the transfinite diameter of a continuum

Abstract : Some estimates for the transfinite diameter of a continuum are derived in terms of elementary geometric quantities connected with it. The main intention is methodological. Variational methods are applied, and the corresponding extremum continua are described by a functional differential equation. In all cases the determination of the extremum continuum is based on rather simple geometric arguments. It is intended that the arguments used should indicate more general methods of solution which could be applied in the calculus of variations for conformal mappings. (Author)
Liposomal bupivacaine: an innovative nonopioid local analgesic for the management of postsurgical pain

Local anesthetics are a cornerstone of multimodal pain control strategies in the surgical setting as they have a long history of use and an established safety profile. Although effective, their duration of action is relatively short, which usually leads to the use of other agents, such as opioids, for effective postsurgical pain control in most patients. A medical need exists to extend the duration of analgesia with local anesthetics to help reduce the reliance on opioids in the postsurgical setting. Liposomal bupivacaine uses a product delivery platform to release bupivacaine slowly over 96 hours after infiltration at the surgical site. Liposomal bupivacaine was compared with placebo in two pivotal, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group trials in 189 adults undergoing soft-tissue surgery (hemorrhoidectomy) and 193 adults undergoing orthopedic surgery (bunionectomy). Among patients undergoing hemorrhoidectomy, liposomal bupivacaine significantly reduced cumulative pain scores for up to 72 hours (primary end point) as measured by the area under the curve of pain scores on the numeric rating scale (p<0.0001), reduced overall opioid consumption (p ≤ 0.0006), increased the proportion of patients who did not receive opioids (p<0.0008), delayed time to first opioid by more than 13 hours (p<0.0001), and was associated with significantly higher rates of patient satisfaction (p=0.0007) compared with placebo. Similarly, in patients undergoing bunionectomy, liposomal bupivacaine significantly reduced total consumption of rescue opioids (p=0.0077) and cumulative pain scores as measured by the area under the curve of pain scores on the numeric rating scale (p=0.0005) during the first 24 postsurgical hours (primary end point) relative to placebo. Furthermore, liposomal bupivacaine also significantly delayed the time to first use of opioid rescue (p<0.0001) and increased the proportion of patients requiring no rescue opioid treatment (p ≤ 0.0404) compared with placebo. The most common adverse events with liposomal bupivacaine were nausea, vomiting, and constipation. No adverse effects on the QTc interval or cardiac safety signal have been detected in the clinical trial development program (823 patients) when liposomal bupivacaine was infiltrated into the surgical site. The beneficial effects of liposomal bupivacaine on postsurgical pain management and opioid use, significantly reducing both, are likely to translate into improved clinical and economic outcomes.
Conditions and Mechanism for the Anodic Deposition of Cupric Oxide Films in Slightly Acidic Aqueous Media

An electrodeposition condition to anodically prepare CuO films using slightly acidic solutions of copper acetate (pH 5.5-6.4) is established. The plating solution and solutions with related compositions were investigated using cyclic and linear sweep voltammetry to elucidate the deposition mechanism. The key oxidation reaction that provides for CuO deposition appears to be the oxidation of Cu(II) ions to a Cu(III) species, which subsequently oxidizes water while being reduced to CuO. The solution pH appeared to be critical for these reactions as CuO forms only in solutions with pHs higher than 5.5. The use of acetate ions made it possible to elevate solution pHs to a proper range without chemically precipitating Cu(OH) 2 before the initiation of electrodeposition. The resulting films are translucent black and possess smooth surfaces on the microlevel. The as-deposited films are highly crystalline and showed well-defined optical and p-type photoelectrochemical properties that do not improve upon annealing at 300 and 500°C. The bandgap and flatband potential are estimated to be 1.37 eV and 0.26 V in a 0.1 M Na 2 HPO 4 solution (pH 9.2), respectively.
Memory Conjunction Errors in Normal and Amnesic Subjects

Abstract Amnesic and control subjects were presented compound words and performed either a deep or a shallow encoding task. They later received a surprise “old”/“new” recognition test or perceptual identification test that contained old, recombined, partially new, and completely new words. In recognition, controls were better able than amnesics to discriminate old from recombined stimuli; however, the groups were equally able to discriminate partially or completely new stimuli from recombined stimuli. There were no between-group differences in perceptual identification performance; both groups showed strong priming for old stimuli but not for recombined stimuli. The research demonstrates that memory illusions can result from miscombining parts of previously experienced stimuli, and that, relative to controls, amnesics suffer from a selective inability to intentionally remember how stimulus parts were interrelated.
Binocular competition affects the pattern and intensity of ocular activation columns in the visual cortex of cats

The effect of binocular competition on the development of ocular activation columns in areas 17 and 18 of cats was studied using the 14C-2-deoxyglucose (14C-2DG) technique to visualize the regions of cortex activated by one eye in cats reared with equal alternating monocular exposure (equal AME), unequal AME, or monocular deprivation (MD). The average size of the ocular activation columns of the eye stimulated during administration of 2DG was positively correlated with the competitive advantage during rearing. In order of increasing percentage of visual cortex activated, the eyes were (1) deprived eye of MD cats, (2) less experienced eye of unequal AME cats, (3) either eye of equal AME cats, (4) more experienced eye of unequal AME cats, and (5) experienced eye of MD cats. In area 17, the shape of the activation columns also was affected by the relative experience of the eye. The columns of the deprived eye of MD cats were widest in layer IV, where they were about the same width as those of the less experienced eye of the unequal AME cats; in other layers they were narrower, sometimes disappearing altogether. In contrast, the activation columns of the less experienced eye of the unequal AME cats were about the same width in all layers. These results suggest that when one eye is placed at a severe disadvantage and receives no patterned input, as in MD, both geniculocortical connections and intracortical connections may be disrupted, but when the disadvantage is less, as in unequal AME, only the geniculocortical connections are disrupted.Binocular competition also affected the intensity of activation within columns in area 17. We used video densitometry to determine ratios of the amount of label in cortical and thalamic structures. Both the ratio of label in area 17 to that in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and the ratio of label in the binocular segment of area 17 to that in the monocular segment were significantly less for the deprived eye of MD cats than for any other group. These results suggest that even within the smaller activation columns, deprived geniculocortical afferents are relatively ineffective at driving cortical cells. This finding is consistent with earlier reports that the synapses from the deprived pathway are both morphologically abnormal and reduced in number. The cortical labeling for the less experienced eye of the unequal AME cats and the experienced eye of the MD cats were also significantly less than that in equal AME cats. The decreased labeling for the experienced eye activation columns suggests that, in order to cover an abnormally large area, afferents representing the experienced eye must make fewer synaptic contacts within that area and that there are intrinsic limits on the number of synapses that one axon can make.
Changes in isotretinoin prescribing before and after implementation of the System to Manage Accutane Related Teratogenicity™ (SMART™) risk management program

Purpose To assess changes in isotretinoin prescribing following the implementation of the System to Manage Accutane Related Teratogenicity™ (SMART™) risk management program. Methods Using nationally representative commercial data resources on prescription drug dispensing patterns, surveys of office-based physician practices, and a large, claims database from a pharmacy benefits manager (PBM), we examined the total number of isotretinoin prescriptions (new and refill), prescriber speciality, and patient characteristics (age, gender, severity of acne indication) in the year before (April 2001–March 2002) and the year following (April 2002–March 2003) implementation of the SMART™ program. Results In the 12-months prior to SMART™, 1 508 000 prescriptions were dispensed for isotretinoin, declining approximately 23% to 1 160 000 prescriptions in the year following SMART™. There was little or no change in prescriber specialty, severity of acne, and patient age and gender. Conclusion SMART™ may have lead to a decrease in isotretinoin prescriptions. Further research is needed to determine whether the reduced number of isotretinoin prescriptions reflects appropriate use or inhibited use resulting in loss of access to the product's benefits. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Physical and emotional symptoms and campus health center utilization

Physical and emotional symptoms and visits to the campus health centers were assessed for freshmen on two university campuses. Strikingly high prevalence rates of physical and emotional complaints were found on both campuses. Utilization rates for the two campuses illustrate the relative independence of symptom complaints and use of the health center. Health center utilization on Campus A was predicted, separately for illness and injuries, using background variables, propensity to utilize health services, and initial complaints of physical symptoms. The results show that it is possible to identify a “high risk” group likely to be frequent health center users.
Autoantibodies against axonal neurofilaments in patients with Kuru and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

The serums of some patients with subacute spongiform encephalopathies contain an autoantibody in higher titer against a normal fibrillar protein within the axon of mature central neurons in culture. The morphological features of this neurofilament, as demonstrated by immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase staining, and the partial characterization of the antibody are described. The detection of this hetero-specific autoantibody is the first evidence of an immune reaction in the spongiform encephalopathies.
The amount of time that a meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus, self-grooms is affected by its reproductive state and that of the odor donor

Many hypotheses have been put forth to account for differences in the amount of time that animals engage self-grooming when exposed to conspecifics or their odors, but most ignore the possibility that self-grooming may be associated with olfactory communication between groomers and conspecifics. As yet, we do not know the function of self-grooming and why animals do so when they encounter the odors of conspecifics. The present experiment tests the hypothesis that the amount of time that a meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus, self-grooms is affected by the reproductive state of the odor donor and its own reproductive state. The findings support the hypothesis. Male voles spent more time self-grooming when they were exposed to bedding scented by female voles in postpartum estrus (PPE) compared to that of female voles in other reproductive states and female mice. PPE female voles spent more time self-grooming when they were exposed to bedding scented by testosterone-treated male voles than either to that of gonadectomized male voles and male mice. PPE female voles spent more time than OVX + E and more time than OVX females self-grooming when they were exposed to bedding scented by testosterone-treated male voles. GX + T male voles spent more time than GX male voles self-grooming when they were exposed to bedding scented by PPE female voles. The results suggest that individuals self-groom more in the presence of an odor of a highly receptive potential mate than that of a less receptive mate.
Selection for grain yield of oats via vegetative growth rates measured at anthesis and maturity

Grain yield of oats can be improved by increasing either vegetative growth rate or harvest index, but these two traits are negatively associated. Currently, harvest index of oats is near an optimum at 45%, so further improvement in grain yield must come from increased vegetative growth rate. In this study, vegetative growth rate was measured at anthesis and at maturity by dividing vegetative dry weight at anthesis and straw yield, respectively, by days to heading. Genotypic correlations between the two estimates of vegetative growth rate ranged from 0.53 to 0.66. When the highest 10% of the lines were selected for the two growth rate measurements, the actual genetic gain in grain yield was 3.5% when vegetative growth at anthesis was used, and a slight decrease occurred when vegetative growth rate at maturity was used. Selection for either growth rate measurement caused associated increases in biological and straw yields and dry weight at anthesis.
Endocrine function of the placenta in thiamine-deficient rats.

SummaryIn acute thiamine deficiency the placenta can maintain pregnancy beyond midgestation provided that estrone and progesterone are administered on days 3–10 of pregnancy. Luteotropic and mammotropic activities of the placenta on day 11 are comparable whether placentas are obtained from thiamine-deficient or from control donors. It is suggested that endocrine function of the rat placenta is not impaired by thiamine deficiency.
Self-Assessed Learning and User Satisfaction in Regional Campus Libraries.

Abstract Results of a multi-campus survey compare self-assessment of online skills and frequency of use to satisfaction with services. Students who rated skills as high also reported satisfaction with library services. Lower self-assessed skills are associated with lower satisfaction and non-use of services. Librarians may consider using self-assessed learning to improve services.
trans-Stilbene oxide: an inducer of rat hepatic microsomal and nuclear epoxide hydrase and mixed-function oxidase activities.

Abstract The administration of trans -stilbene oxide to rats resulted in increased hepatic microsomal and nuclear epoxide hydrase (with styrene oxide (SO), benzo[ a ]pyrene 4,5-oxide (4,5-BP) as substrates) and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activities. Hepatic microsomal aminopyrine N -demethylase, benzphetamine N -demethylase, and ethylmorphine N -demethylase activities were also increased. These increases in microsomal enzyme activity were dose- and time-dependent (about 100% at 200 mg/kg body weight, administered for 2 consecutive days). However, only marginal increases in hepatic microsomal NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity and cytochrome P -450 content were observed. No apparent proliferation of hepatic endoplasmic reticulum occurred in trans -stilbene oxide pretreated rats. The administration of trans -stilbene oxide has no effect on hepatic glutathione S -transferase activities (with SO or 4,5-BPO as substrates). None of the parameters were affected in pulmonary microsomes from treated rats. The in vitro addition of trans -stilbene oxide (10 −6 –10 −2 M) did not affect hepatic epoxide hydrase or glutathione S -transferase activities.
On “immortal” nuclear power plants

Abstract US nuclear reactors have demonstrated that they can continue to operate well beyond their thirty or forty year operating licenses which, at the time they were issued, were based on criteria for large fossil fuel power plants. Accordingly, a longevity criterion for 21st century reactors is proposed here, designed to last 100 years or more. Cheap electricity from a fully amortized long-life reactor is a gift from the generations that paid for the reactor to future generations that benefit from it, and they compensate (to a degree) for the burden of geologically sequestered wastes.
Acute cytotoxicity of fossil‐energy‐related comparative research materials

Kinetics of degradation of chlorbufam is determined in aqueous solution, in aqueous solution with humic acids, argilo-humic complexes, soil and sterile soil. The adsorption is also evaluated in this different fractions. The adsorption process has a protecting effect and the chlorbufam is not chemically degraded when it is adsorbed on organic matter. The biodisponibility is also decreased by adsorption.
Interaction with CD4 and Antibodies to CD4-Induced Epitopes of the Envelope gp120 from a Microglial Cell-Adapted Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Isolate

We previously showed that the envelope glycoprotein from an in vitro microglia-adapted human immunodeficiency virus type 1 isolate (HIV-1Bori-15) is able to use lower levels of CD4 for infection and demonstrates greater exposure of the CD4-induced epitope recognized by the 17b monoclonal antibody than the envelope of its parental, peripheral isolate (HIV-1Bori). We investigated whether these phenotypic changes were related to a different interaction of their soluble monomeric gp120 proteins with CD4 or 17b. Equilibrium binding analyses showed no difference between Bori and Bori-15 gp120s. However, kinetic analysis of surface plasmon resonance-based, real-time binding experiments showed that while both proteins have similar association rates, Bori-15 gp120 has a statistically significant, 3-fold-lower dissociation rate from immobilized CD4 than Bori and a statistically significant, 14-fold-lower dissociation rate from 17b than Bori in the absence of soluble CD4. In addition, using the sensitivity to inhibition by anti-CD4 antibodies as a surrogate for CD4:trimeric envelope interaction, we found that Bori-15 envelope-pseudotyped viruses were significantly less sensitive than Bori pseudotypes, with four- to sixfold-higher 50% inhibitory concentration values for the three anti-CD4 antibodies tested. These differences, though small, suggest that adaptation to microglia correlates with the generation of a gp120 that forms a more stable interaction with CD4. Nonetheless, the observation of limited binding changes leaves open the possibility that HIV-1 adaptation to microglia and HIV-associated dementia may be related not only to diminished CD4 dependence but also to changes in other molecular factors involved in the infection process.
Extraction of Retinol and Cholesterol by Intraocular Silicone Oils

Abstract According to their solubility parameters, retinol and its derivatives, as well as cholesterol and other lipophilic substances, are predicted to dissolve in intraocular silicone and fluorosilicone oils. Calf retinas were extracted in vitro with these oils and the oils then analyzed spectrophotometrically. The following levels were found after extraction for 4 and 48 hours, respectively: for retinol, silicone oil, 0.5 and 3.7 µg/ml, and fluorosilicone oil, 0.5 and 3.3 µg/ml; for cholesterol, silicone oil, 0.5 and 6.4 µg/ml, and fluorosilicone oil, 0.8 and 3.7 µg/ml. In in vivo experiments, intraocular oils were removed from rabbit eyes at 4 days to 10 weeks after injection. The retinol levels were 1.7 to 11.4 µg/ml in silicone oil and 2.4 to 7.3 µg/ml in fluorosilicone oil; the cholesterol levels were 2.7 to 12.6 µg/ml in silicone oil and 7.5 to 15.6 µg/ml in fluorosilicone oil. Fluorosilicone and silicone oils (1000 cs) removed from human eyes at 7.3 and 102.0 weeks postoperatively had a retinol content of 5.4 and 2.9 µg/ml, respectively. Silicone oil of 1000 cs removed from a patient 51 weeks postoperatively and silicone oil of 12,500 cs removed 96 weeks postoperatively gave reaction characteristics for cholesterol, 230 and 99 µg/ml, respectively.
The magnitude of electronic isotope effects

Abstract Secondary isotope effects, i.e. kinetic isotope effects in reactions where the bond to the labeled atom is not broken, are now being widely used for investigations of organic reaction mechanisms. In a recent paper, Halevi has discussed secondary hydrogen isotope effects, and has suggested that there is an inductive contribution to such isotope effects. In particular, he suggests that there is more facile electron release from a CD bond than from a CH bond. The purpose of this communication is to examine in more detail some of the evidence cited by Halevi, and to estimate the theoretical limitations on such an effect.
A time‐integration method for the viscoelastic–viscoplastic analyses of polymers and finite element implementation

The present study introduces a time-integration algorithm for solving a non-linear viscoelastic–viscoplastic (VE–VP) constitutive equation of isotropic polymers. The material parameters in the constitutive models are stress dependent. The algorithm is derived based on an implicit time-integration method (Computational Inelasticity. Springer: New York, 1998) within a general displacement-based finite element (FE) analysis and suitable for small deformation gradient problems. Schapery's integral model is used for the VE responses, while the VP component follows the Perzyna model having an overstress function. A recursive-iterative method (Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng 2004; 59:25–45) is employed and modified to solve the VE–VP constitutive equation. An iterative procedure with predictor–corrector steps is added to the recursive integration method. A residual vector is defined for the incremental total strain and the magnitude of the incremental VP strain. A consistent tangent stiffness matrix, as previously discussed in Ju (J. Eng. Mech. 1990; 116:1764–1779) and Simo and Hughes (Computational Inelasticity. Springer: New York, 1998), is also formulated to improve convergence and avoid divergence. Available experimental data on time-dependent and inelastic responses of high-density polyethylene are used to verify the current numerical algorithm. The time-integration scheme is examined in terms of its computational efficiency and accuracy. Numerical FE analyses of microstructural responses of polyethylene reinforced with elastic particle are also presented. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of worm containment algorithms and their effect on legitimate traffic

Internet worm attacks have become increasingly more frequent and have had a major impact on the economy, making the detection and prevention of these attacks a top security concern. Several counter-measures have been proposed and evaluated in recent literature. However, the effect of these proposed defensive mechanisms on legitimate competing traffic has not been analyzed. Clearly a defensive approach that slows down or stops worm propagation at the expense of completely restricting any legitimate traffic is of little value. Here we perform a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of several of these proposed mechanisms, including a measure of their effect on normal Web browsing activities. In addition, we introduce a new defensive approach that can easily be implemented on existing hosts, and which significantly reduces the rate of spread of worms using TCP connections to perform the infiltration. Our approach has no measurable effect on legitimate traffic.
A finite strain model of stress, diffusion, plastic flow, and electrochemical reactions in a lithium-ion half-cell

We formulate the continuum field equations and constitutive equations that govern deformation, stress, and electric current flow in a Li-ion half-cell. The model considers mass transport through the system, deformation and stress in the anode and cathode, electrostatic fields, as well as the electrochemical reactions at the electrode/electrolyte interfaces. It extends existing analyses by accounting for the effects of finite strains and plastic flow in the electrodes, and by exploring in detail the role of stress in the electrochemical reactions at the electrode–electrolyte interfaces. In particular, we find that that stress directly influences the rest potential at the interface, so that a term involving stress must be added to the Nernst equation if the stress in the solid is significant. The model is used to predict the variation of stress and electric potential in a model 1-D half-cell, consisting of a thin film of Si on a rigid substrate, a fluid electrolyte layer, and a solid Li cathode. The predicted cycles of stress and potential are shown to be in good agreement with experimental observations.
Performance evaluation of optical CDMA systems using non-coherent detection and bipolar codes

The efficiency of an asynchronous optical CDMA (code-division multiple access) system is addressed. Two types of data modulations are considered: ASK and large-deviation CPFSK. Each user's narrow-band information is spread by the use of an electrooptic phase modulator. The sequences considered are bipolar Kasami and Gold codes. The receiver consists of an optical filter of bandwidth /spl ap/1/T, to filter the interfering signals, followed by simple, noncoherent detection. We thereby avoid all the difficulties usually met with coherent detection. Moreover, this type of demodulation is particularly suitable for a hybrid WDMA/CDMA (wavelength-division multiple access/code division multiple access) system where the spread-spectrum technique allows multiple users to share the same wavelength, thereby increasing the capacity of the network. Results are given in terms of the number of interfering signals that can be tolerated for different code periods N, and for an acceptable P/sub e/. Comparison is made relative to the Gaussian approximation on the distribution of the interfering signals. >
Learning Curves for Direct Laryngoscopy and GlideScope® Video Laryngoscopy in an Emergency Medicine Residency

Introduction: Our objective is to evaluate the resident learning curves for direct laryngoscopy (DL) and GlideScope® video laryngoscopy (GVL) over the course of an emergency medicine (EM) residency training program. Methods: This was an analysis of intubations performed in the emergency department (ED) by EM residents over a seven-year period from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2014 at an academic ED with 70,000 annual visits. After EM residents perform an intubation in the ED they complete a continuous quality improvement (CQI) form. Data collected includes patient demographics, operator post- graduate year (PGY), difficult airway characteristics (DACs), method of intubation, device used for intubation and outcome of each attempt. We included in this analysis only adult intubations performed by EM residents using a DL or a standard reusable GVL. The primary outcome was first pass success, defined as a successful intubation with a single laryngoscope insertion. First pass success was evaluated for each PGY of training for DL and GVL. Logistic mixed-effects models were constructed for each device to determine the effect of PGY level on first pass success, after adjusting for important confounders. Results: Over the seven-year period, the DL was used as the initial device on 1,035 patients and the GVL was used as the initial device on 578 patients by EM residents. When using the DL the first past success of PGY-1 residents was 69.9% (160/229; 95% CI 63.5%-75.7%), of PGY-2 residents was 71.7% (274/382; 95% CI 66.9%-76.2%), and of PGY-3 residents was 72.9% (309/424; 95% CI 68.4%-77.1%). When using the GVL the first pass success of PGY-1 residents was 74.4% (87/117; 95% CI 65.5%-82.0%), of PGY-2 residents was 83.6% (194/232; 95% CI 76.7%-87.7%), and of PGY-3 residents was 90.0% (206/229; 95% CI 85.3%-93.5%). In the mixed-effects model for DL, first pass success for PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents did not improve compared to PGY-1 residents (PGY-2 aOR 1.3, 95% CI 0.9-1.9; p-value 0.236) (PGY-3 aOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.2, p-value 0.067). However, in the model for GVL, first pass success for PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents improved compared to PGY-1 residents (PGY-2 aOR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1-3.8, p-value 0.021) (PGY-3 aOR 4.1, 95% CI 2.1-8.0, p<0.001). Conclusion: Over the course of residency training there was no significant improvement in EM resident first pass success with the DL, but substantial improvement with the GVL. [West J Emerg Med. 2014;15(7):-0.]
Reconstructing slow-time dynamics from fast-time measurements

This paper considers a dynamical system subjected to damage evolution in variable operating conditions to illustrate the reconstruction of slow-time (damage) dynamics using fast-time (vibration) measurements. Working in the reconstructed fast-time phase space, phase space warping-based feature vectors are constructed for slow-time damage identification. A subspace of the feature space corresponding to the changes in the operating conditions is identified by applying smooth orthogonal decomposition (SOD) to the initial set of feature vectors. Damage trajectory is then reconstructed by applying SOD to the feature subspace not related to the changes in the operating conditions. The theory is validated experimentally using a vibrating beam, with a variable nonlinear potential field, subjected to fatigue damage. It is shown that the changes in the operating condition (or the potential field) can be successfully separated from the changes caused by damage (or fatigue) accumulation and SOD can identify the slow-time damage trajectory.
Chronically III Children An Overview

Increasing numbers of children are surviving with long-term and severe chronic illnesses. Approximately 10% to 15% of children have some chronic health condition; 2% of children in the United States have severe chronic illnesses. Despite the differences in medical and surgical treatments for these varied diseases, the fact of chronicity creates certain problems common to most families with a chronically ill child: high financial costs, heavy daily care burden, conflicting professional advice, and social isolation. New findings about the developmental and emotional impact of childhood chronic illness suggest opportunities for early intervention to diminish handicaps from chronic illness.
The Divided Economy of Mandatory Palestine . By Jacob Metzer. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Pp. xxii, 275.

Like the rest of the Middle East, the economic history of Palestine in the early twentieth century has traditionally been the domain of social and political historians. The complexity and controversy surrounding the era of the British Mandate (1919â€“1948) ought to deter any serious economic historian from contemplating a comprehensive, quantitative analysis of economic life. After all, this was the period when the Zionist goal to create a Jewish national home in Palestine came into direct conflict with the native Arab community, and stretched the flexibility of a British administration that had committed itself to promoting the Zionist project while protecting the native population. Fortunately, Jacob Metzer has assumed the difficult task of producing an economically sophisticated study of the origins and the evolution of this divided economy while circumventing the political pitfalls associated with Mandatory Palestine.
Techniques for reliability analysis of MEMS RF switch

MEMS switch technology represents a key enabling element for advanced RF systems. These devices provide extremely low loss, high linearity, and broad bandwidth relative to traditional semiconductor switches. A significant impediment to fully realizing these benefits in deployed systems is their reliability under high cycle numbers. Due to their low force actuation and multi-physics operation, the reliability of MEMS contact switches may be impacted by a broad range of different mechanisms. Thus, a key component of the reliability improvement process is the separation and identification of reliability-limiting processes. A number of experimental methods have been developed to support these determinations, and the application of one permitting contact response measurement is presented.
The State and Profile of Open Source Software Projects in health and medical informatics

Abstract Purpose Little has been published about the application profiles and development patterns of open source software (OSS) in health and medical informatics. This study explores these issues with an analysis of health and medical informatics related OSS projects on SourceForge, a large repository of open source projects. Methodology A search was conducted on the SourceForge website during the period from May 1 to 15, 2007, to identify health and medical informatics OSS projects. This search resulted in a sample of 174 projects. A Java-based parser was written to extract data for several of the key variables of each project. Several visually descriptive statistics were generated to analyze the profiles of the OSS projects. Results Many of the projects have sponsors, implying a growing interest in OSS among organizations. Sponsorship, we discovered, has a significant impact on project success metrics. Nearly two-thirds of the projects have a restrictive license type. Restrictive licensing may indicate tighter control over the development process. Our sample includes a wide range of projects that are at various stages of development (status). Projects targeted towards the advanced end user are primarily focused on bio-informatics, data formats, database and medical science applications. Conclusion We conclude that there exists an active and thriving OSS development community that is focusing on health and medical informatics. A wide range of OSS applications are in development, from bio-informatics to hospital information systems. A profile of OSS in health and medical informatics emerges that is distinct and unique to the health care field. Future research can focus on OSS acceptance and diffusion and impact on cost, efficiency and quality of health care.
Exploring the Capabilities of the Protein Identification by Unconventional Sample Preparation Approaches: LC/MALDI/On-Target Digestion Approach and High Pressure-Assisted In-Gel Tryptic Digestion

The rapid and comprehensive separation, identification, and characterization of proteins from complex biological samples are formidable challenges that the growing field of proteomics faces. A robust and efficient digest of separated proteins is central to the development of any quantitative and/or qualitative proteomic approach. We describe here two unconventional approaches to a trypsin digestion of biological samples. One of those approaches integrates separation of proteins using RP-HPLC with on-target proteolytic digestion of the proteins for subsequent MALDI-MS analysis. This approach allows the combined information from peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF), MS/MS peptide fragment fingerprinting (PPF) and whole protein MS to increase confidence in protein identification and structural analysis of proteins. The other approach is based on the application of high-pressure cycling technology (PCT) for in-gel trypsin digest of 1D electrophoretically separated proteins. That approach was used in our laboratory to develop a label-free mass spectrometry based method for a relative quantification of proteins after SDS PAGE separation, including co-migrating proteins.
NEW FOSSIL PORTUNIDS FROM WASHINGTON, USA, AND ARGENTINA, AND A RE-EVALUATION OF GENERIC AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE PORTUNOIDEA RAFINESQUE, 1815 (DECAPODA: BRACHYURA)

Abstract New portunoid fossils from southern Argentina and from the west coast of North America permit the reevaluation of the generic and family relationships within the Portunoidea Rafinesque, 1815. It has previously been suggested that the Portunidae and the Geryonidae Colosi, 1923, are closely related families (Manning and Holthuis, 1989). The new fossils suggest that the Geryonidae may in fact be derived from a portunid progenitor, Proterocarcinus Feldmann, Casadio, Chirino-Galvez, and Aguirre Urreta, 1995, through a process of peramorphosis in which juveniles of the geryonid species Chaceon peruvianus (d'Orbigny, 1842) resemble adults of Proterocarcinus latus (Glaessner, 1933). Examination of several genera within the portunid subfamily Polybiinae Ortmann, 1893, including Imaizumila Karasawa, 1993; Megokkos new genus; Minohellenus Karasawa, 1990; Pororaria Glaessner, 1980; Portunites Bell, 1858; and Proterocarcinus, suggests that the subfamily had an amphitropical distribution early in its history. ...
Estimating Risk Premia in the Bolivian Financial Market: Garch Models

In an uncertain economic environment, risk averse investors demand risk premiums, to hold in their portfolio, assets subject to this uncertainty. This paper investigates if a conditional variance, a measure of total risk, is a significant determinant of the risk premium of the Bolivian financial assets, using ARCH (Autoregressive Conditional Heterocedastic) models. The ARCH models explicitly model time varying conditional variances by relating them to variables known from previous periods. The paper also tests the CAPM (Capital Asset Pricing Model), which provides a theory for the pricing of assets with uncertain returns using GARCH (Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heterocedastic) models. This essentially assumes that agents update their estimates of the means, variances and/or covariances of returns each period, using the newly revealed surprises in the last period's asset returns. In this context, a GARCH process is estimated to the Bolivian financial market, where the expected return of each asset is proportional to the conditional covariance of each return with that of a market portfolio.
Pursuing minimally disruptive medicine: disruption from illness and health care-related demands is correlated with patient capacity

Abstract Background Chronic conditions burden patients with illness and treatments. We know little about the disruption of life by the work of dialysis in relation to the resources patients can mobilize, that is, their capacity, to deal with such demands. We sought to determine the disruption of life by dialysis and its relation to patient capacity to cope. Methods We administered a survey to 137 patients on dialysis at an academic medical center. We captured disruption from illness and treatment, and physical, mental, personal, social, financial, and environmental aspects of patient capacity using validated scales. Covariates included number of prescriptions, hours spent on health care, existence of dependents, age, sex, and income level. Results On average, patients reported levels of capacity and disruption comparable to published levels. In multivariate regression models, limited physical, financial, and mental capacity were significantly associated with greater disruption. Patients in the top quartile of disruption had lower-than-expected physical, financial, and mental capacity. Conclusions Our sample generally had capacity comparable to other populations and may be able to meet the demands imposed by treatment. Those with reduced physical, financial, and mental capacity reported higher disruption and represent a vulnerable group that may benefit from innovations in minimally disruptive medicine.
Complex Defects in Lanthanide ion-Exchanged Beta Aluminas

Na+ beta alumina crystals, ion-exchanged with Eu2+ and Nd3+, were studied using x-ray diffraction and optical spectroscopy. In partially-exchanged crystals, we found different concentrations of sodium and lanthanide ions in the two conduction planes of the unit cell. The results suggest that pairs of sodium ions are rapidly replaced by lanthanide ions in regions of the planes bridged by VAl-Ali-O-Ali-VAl extended defects.