cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asymptotic behavior results for solutions to some nonlinear difference equations

Abstract We give asymptotic results for convergent solutions { x n } of (real or complex) difference equations x n + 1 = J x n + f n ( x n ) , where x n is an m -vector, J is a constant m × m matrix and f n ( y ) is a vector valued function which is continuous in y for fixed n , and where f n ( y ) is small in a sense. In addition, we obtain asymptotic results for solutions { x n } of the Poincare difference equation x n + 1 = ( A + B n ) x n where B n satisfies ‖ B n ‖ = O ( η n ) with η ∈ ( 0 , 1 ) . An application illustrates the results.
Intubation precautions in a pediatric patient with severe COVID-19

We present the case of a child diagnosed with COVID-19 soon after open-heart surgery who required an urgent second surgery. The patient suffered from severe COVID-19 disease. The utility of preoperative COVID-19 testing, determination of recovery by an array of inflammatory markers and perioperative management are described.
Transforming Patient Hospital Experience Through Smart Technologies

Due to advances made in telehealth, and the growing usage of information and communication technology in all growing sectors, patients have more control over their healthcare experience through greater access to information and their care providers. While the literature provides evidence supporting integrating more modern approaches, we find that patient rooms in hospital settings have largely ignored advances made in information and communication technology (ICT). This paper proposes a “smart” patient room layout designed not only to help improve communication, safety, and satisfaction of both patients and nurses but also to engage and empower patients by giving them access to technology and educational resources, in-room entertainment. Three smart devices were proposed in this paper as a way of transforming the quality, speed, accuracy, and experience of care services. First, a tablet was proposed to replace the original call light device in patients’ rooms. The second device discussed in this paper is a hands-free device (smartwatch) worn by nurses to better prioritize patient calls, which will improve patient safety, and improve nurse’s workflow. The tablet and watch will work in tandem with a third smart communication tool, voice assistance technology such as Amazon Alexa, to completely transform the patient experience and allow patients to take control of their healthcare journey. Implanting this system is expected to improve the quality, efficiency, and experience of both patients and nurses. A high-fidelity prototype of the system will be developed and tested in the university nursing simulation lab.
Infectobesity: obesity of infectious origin.

The rapid increase in obesity and the associated health care costs have prompted a search for better approaches for its prevention and management. Such efforts may be facilitated by better understanding the etiology of obesity. Of the several etiological factors, infection, an unusual causative factor, has recently started receiving greater attention. In the last two decades, 10 adipogenic pathogens were reported, including human and nonhuman viruses, scrapie agents, bacteria, and gut microflora. Some of these pathogens are associated with human obesity, but their causative role in human obesity has not been established. This chapter presents information about the natural hosts, signs and symptoms, and pathogenesis of the adipogenic microorganisms. If relevant to humans, “Infectobesity” would be a relatively novel, yet extremely significant concept. A new perspective about the infectious etiology of obesity may stimulate additional research to assess the contribution of hitherto unknown pathogens to human obesity and possibly to prevent or treat obesity of infectious origins.
Pricing Recovery - Evidence from Markets, CDS Auctions and Ultimate Recovery

I examine pricing of credit securities after a credit event for a sample of rms on which CDS are traded. Secondary market prices of bonds along with those discovered at Credit Event Auctions are estimates of terminal or ultimate recovery on these securities. I use hand-collected data on ultimate recovery to jointly test for bias in prices at the auction and in secondary markets. I find that ultimate recovery is mispriced. Credit Event Auctions are biased in a manner consistent with theory and generate prices that, on average, underestimate ultimate recovery resulting in higher payouts to credit protection buyers. Moreover, bond prices in secondary markets are more informed about ultimate recovery before the auction than after it suggesting that existence of open CDS positions enriches the information environment for these bonds.
Optimal Construction Staging By Dynamic Programming

The technique of dynamic programming is presented as a method of optimizing the staging sequence of urban highway improvements. The technique provides a method of determining the optimal sequence of highway improvement from the many sequences that are possible. An example urban freeway system is used to demonstrate the technique of dynamic programming. The optimal sequence of staging decisions for two decision sets are determined.
Experiential Narratives of Rape and Torture

Many Guatemalan women suffered extreme sexual violence during the latter half of the twentieth century. Learning of this violence can evoke hatred in persons who love and respect women—hatred for the men who perpetrated the violence and also for other men around the world who victimize women in this way. Hatred is a common response to a perceived evil, and it might in some cases be a fitting response, but it is important to subject one's emotions to critical moral reflection. A key task of ethics is to encourage persons to cultivate good habits of being moved. This essay analyzes the way in which two different texts manage, through the skillful presentation of experiential narratives, to help readers acknowledge the hatred they might feel, but also to think twice about the hatred to which they consent.
Hyaloclastite from Miocene Seamounts Offshore Central California: Compositions, Eruption Styles, and Depositional Processes

Hyaloclastite deposits are abundant on mid-Miocene volcanic seamounts offshore central California. The glass compositions are predominantly evolved hawaiite and mugearite, although minor amounts of tholeiitic to alkalic basalt are also present. Textural features give evidence for different eruption styles. For the evolved, alkalic compositions, fragmentation occurred primarily in response to exsolution of magmatic gases as the magma approached and erupted on the seafloor. Textural features of pyroclasts suggest formation of lava fountains of limited size and height, depending on water depth. Monomict, clast-supported hyaloclastite of highly vesicular pyroclasts suggest limited dispersal and deposition near vent sites. Matrix-supported, polymict breccias are reworked and displaced by currents into deeper water. The narrow range of glass compositions extending over multiple layers of volcanic sandstone suggests deposition from a slurry of tephra and water directly related to an eruption. Basaltic hyaloclastite of vesicle-free, angular glass fragments from the deepest site apparently formed from quench granulation. Sulfur contents suggest eruption depths ranging from near sea level to over 2000 m for samples collected from 1300 to over 3400 m depth, implying large amounts of subsidence for these seamounts.
Holographic content-addressable data storage

I discuss the use of massively-parallel optical correlation within content-addressable holographic storage systems, for the application of rapid digital database search.
Glucocorticoid signaling mediates stress-induced impairment of neurovascular coupling (841.4)

Stress influences the progression and severity of many diseases. Here we examined the effects of stress on neurovascular coupling (NVC), which matches cerebral blood flow increases to local neuronal activity. NVC was studied in brain slices from the amygdala, where dilation of parenchymal arterioles (PAs) was measured in response to neuronal stimulation. We administered a 7-day stress paradigm to male Sprague-Dawley rats, resulting in anxiety-like behavior and attenuated weight gain. After stress, PA vasodilation evoked by neuronal stimulation was reduced by 66%. This reduction was similar to that previously reported for the effect of blocking inward rectifier K+ (Kir) channels during NVC1. Indeed, blocking Kir channels with barium inhibited NVC in control but not stressed slices. We thus hypothesized that the impairment of NVC by stress reflects a loss of PA Kir channels. Consistent with this, we found that Kir channel current density in smooth muscle cells from PAs was reduced by 90%. Moreover, elevatio...
Full-3-D tomography for crustal structure in Southern California based on the scattering-integral and the adjoint-wavefield methods

We have successfully applied full-3-D tomography (F3DT) based on a combination of the scattering-integral method (SI-F3DT) and the adjoint-wavefield method (AW-F3DT) to iteratively improve a 3-D starting model, the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) Community Velocity Model version 4.0 (CVM-S4). In F3DT, the sensitivity (Frechet) kernels are computed using numerical solutions of the 3-D elastodynamic equation and the nonlinearity of the structural inversion problem is accounted for through an iterative tomographic navigation process. More than half-a-million misfit measurements made on about 38,000 earthquake seismograms and 12,000 ambient-noise correlagrams have been assimilated into our inversion. After 26 F3DT iterations, synthetic seismograms computed using our latest model, CVM-S4.26, show substantially better fit to observed seismograms at frequencies below 0.2 Hz than those computed using our 3-D starting model CVM-S4 and the other SCEC CVM, CVM-H11.9, which was improved through 16 iterations of AW-F3DT. CVM-S4.26 has revealed strong crustal heterogeneities throughout Southern California, some of which are completely missing in CVM-S4 and CVM-H11.9 but exist in models obtained from previous crustal-scale 2-D active-source refraction tomography models. At shallow depths, our model shows strong correlation with sedimentary basins and reveals velocity contrasts across major mapped strike-slip and dip-slip faults. At middle to lower crustal depths, structural features in our model may provide new insights into regional tectonics. When combined with physics-based seismic hazard analysis tools, we expect our model to provide more accurate estimates of seismic hazards in Southern California.
Epistemic Goals and Epistemic Values

The truth exerts a powerful attraction. Reading the newspaper over breakfast a few months ago, I came across the following quote from Ricky Williams, a running back for the Miami Dolphins who was in the process of walking away from his million-dollar salary to pursue a career in holistic medicine. 'Tm going to search for the truth," Williams said. "Everything I'm doing in my life is about finding the truth." And Socrates, more notably, could think of no greater compliment to pay his dialogue partners than that they entered the discussion only for the sake of truth. Thus when Socrates lost his patience with someone, it was almost always because the person placed more importance in protecting his reputation, or in impressing the crowd, than in finding the truth for its own sake.
Web Appendices to 'Progressivity and Potential Income: Measuring the Effect of Changing Work Patterns on Income Tax Progressivity'

This document contains four appendices to Sanchirico, Chris William, Progressivity and Potential Income: Measuring the Effect of Changing Work Patterns on Income Tax Progressivity. Columbia Law Review, Vol. 108, Pg. 1551, 2008. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=961310These are: 1. The Stata do file creating variables from PSID data; 2. The Stata program that runs the estimation procedure and was submitted to balanced repeated replication; 3. And appendix explaining actual income tax figures and graphs in terms of tax code provisions; 4. The more technically detailed working paper version of the full paper.
Bacteria of Porcine Skin, Xenografts, and Treatment with Neomycin Sulfate

Homogenized 4-mm punch biopsies were taken from pigs and bacteriologically evaluated to determine the efficacy of surgical scrub procedures and the subsequent treatment of tissue with 0.5% neomycin sulfate-sodium bisulfite (neomycin-bisulfite) as a decontaminating agent. The majority of the lots of porcine skin taken directly from animals for xenografts in the treatment of burns contained viable bacteria at the time of grafting although scrubbing procedures substantially reduced the skin bacteria. The porcine bacteria consisted primarily of coagulase-negative staphylococci with most strains exhibiting caseinolytic and elastase activity. Staphylococci were the only abundant bacteria found in postscrub biopsies and in saline solutions used to wash the dermatome during its use. After an overnight exposure of grafting tissue soaked in neomycin-bisulfite, the spent neomycin-bisulfite solutions were tested for bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity by comparison to unused neomycin. All solutions tested were equal in bacteriostatic strength, but the bactericidal action of some spent solutions was decreased. Neomycin alone exerted a more lethal effect on sensitive bacteria than the neomycin-bisulfite solution. The desirability of having viable porcine skin for a xenograft necessitated using or discarding the tissue after storage in neomycin-bisulfite at 4 C for a maximum of 72 hr. Certain contaminating microorganisms were unaffected by antibiotic treatment, and the prolonged use of neomycin without bisulfite would have primarily eradicated only the porcine coagulase-negative staphylococci. Neither the presence of this group in grafting tissue nor their proteolytic activity had any observed adverse effect on xenografting success. Images
Debunking Arguments and the Genealogy of Religion and Morality

Debunking arguments are an important species of undermining argument, in which facts about the origins of a judgement are used to explain away that judgement. There is a long history of debunking arguments in the domains of moral judgement and religious belief, from the early Christian fathers to Sigmund Freud and beyond. Debunking arguments work by offering a truth-mooting genealogy of the judgement in question, where the truth of the judgement doesn’t play a role in generating the judgement, nor does the genealogy probabilify the judgement. Since debunking arguments work against judgements, we can only use them in the domains of morality and religion if we assume cognitivism for those domains. There may be, however, analogous dialectic moves if we instead assume non-cognitivism.
Decay rate and branching ratio (π− 3He)/(all π− modes) of Λ 3H

Abstract We have calculated the total decay rate and branching ratio R3 = (π−3He)/(all π− modes) of Λ3H using spatial wave functions for 3He and Λ3H obtained in recent years by Herndon and Tang on the basis of their variational calculations of these systems in terms of NN and ΛN potentials with hard cores. The results are about the same as those previously obtained using wave functions without hard-core distortions.
Role of the CD28-B7 costimulatory pathways in T cell-dependent B cell responses.

Publisher Summary This chapter summarizes the contribution of CD28-B7 costimulation to immune responses and presents an understanding of the role that this costimulatory pathway may play in T cell-dependent (Td) B cell activation. Costimulatory signals are neither antigen-specific nor major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restricted and arise from the coligation of counter-receptors on the cell surface of T cells and B cells or professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Costimulatory signals are discrete from but complementary to T cell receptor (TCR)- or B cell receptor (BCR)-derived signals. A role for CD28-B7 costimulatory signals in formation and function of germinal centers (GCs) was initially suggested by immunohistochemical studies that identified B7-expressing cells in both human and murine GCs. Analysis of normal human spleen sections revealed a subset of GC B cells that stained positively for both B7-1 and B7-2 expression. In certain situations, T cells or B cells that encounter their antigens in the absence of costimulation may be anergized or deleted. Studies indicate that cross-linking of CD28 and CTLA-4 may have markedly distinct functional consequences. The further elucidation is the characterization of the signal transduction events mediated by CD28/CTLA-4-B7 interactions. Considerable information has been obtained describing the signal pathways that are coupled to CD28 and the potential interactions of these signal transduction pathways with TCR-linked signaling events.
Improving TLB performance on current chip multiprocessor architectures through demand‐driven superpaging

SUMMARY Translation Lookaside Buffers (TLBs) can play a critical role in improving the performance of emerging parallel workloads. Most current chip multiprocessor systems include multilevel TLBs and provide support for superpages both at the hardware and software level. Judicious use of superpages can significantly cut down the number of TLB misses and improve overall system performance. However, indiscriminate superpage allocation results in page fragmentation and increased application footprint, which often outweigh the benefits of reduced TLB misses. Previous research has explored policies for smart allocation of superpages from an operating system perspective. This paper presents a compiler-based strategy for automatic and profitable memory allocation via superpages. A significant advantage of a compiler-based approach is the availability of data-reuse information within an application. Our strategy employs data-locality analysis to estimate the TLB demands for both single-threaded and multi-threaded programs and uses this metric to apply selective superpage allocation. Apart from its obvious utility in improving TLB performance, this strategy can be used to improve the effectiveness of certain data-layout transformations and can be a useful tool in benchmarking and automatic performance tuning. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this strategy with experiments on three multicore platforms on a workload that contains both sequential and parallel applications. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Human thermoregulatory responses during heat exposure after artificially induced sunburn.

Thermoregulatory responses in the heat (ambient temperature 49 degrees C, 20% relative humidity, 1 m/s wind) were investigated in 10 unacclimated men during 50 min of cycle ergometer exercise (approximately 53% of maximal aerobic power) after a 10-min rest before as well as 24 h and 1 wk after twice the minimal erythemal dose of UV-B radiation that covered approximately 85% of the body surface area. In 7 subjects esophageal temperature (Tes) was recorded while in all 10 subjects five-site skin and rectal temperatures, heart rate, and back, left forearm, and shielded (12 cm2 area) right forearm sweating rates (msw) were recorded at 15-s intervals. Venous blood was collected before and after exercise-heat stress. Mean skin temperature, Tes, rectal temperature, heart rate, and total body sweating rate were not significantly (P greater than 0.05) affected by sunburn. Pre- and postexercise values of hematocrit, hemoglobin, plasma protein, plasma volume, and plasma osmolality were also not affected (P greater than 0.05) by sunburn. Analysis of presunburn and post-sunburn data showed that the Tes intercept for sweating (degrees C) was unaffected (P greater than 0.05), but msw/Tes and final msw from the left forearm (msw/Tes 0.24 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.17 +/- 0.01 mg.cm-2.min-1. degrees C-1, P less than 0.05; msw 0.60 +/- 0.05 vs. 0.37 +/- 0.02, mg.cm-2.min-1, P less than 0.05) and back (msw/Tes 0.43 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.36 +/- 0.01 mg.cm-2.min-1. degrees C-1, P = 0.052; msw 1.08 +/- 0.09 vs. 0.74 +/- 0.05 mg.cm-2.min-1, P less than 0.05) were significantly reduced 24 h postsunburn.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Virion-Bound Protein Kinase in Semliki Forest and Sindbis Viruses

Abstract Semliki forest virus and Sindbis virus (Alphaviruses belonging to the togavirus group) grown in BHK-21 cells possessed very low levels of virion-associated protein kinase activity. For comparison, vesicular stomatitis virus, also grown in BHK-21 cells, contained a virion-bound protein kinase which had a specific activity 80 times greater than that of the Alphaviruses. The Alphavirus protein kinase was unmasked by the nonionic detergent Nonidet P-40 but was not activated by cyclic nucleotides. Phosvitin was the best exogenous phosphate acceptor for assaying the viral enzyme in vitro. Phosphoprotein phosphatase activity was also detected in the Alphaviruses. Both in vivo and in vitro, all of the viral structural polypeptides were phosphorylated, and the phosphorylated amino acids were found to be serine and threonine. The viral nucleocapsid protein was about four times more efficient as a phosphate acceptor than were the envelope proteins. From 33 to 50% of the total protein kinase was bound to the viral nucleocapsid, and the specific activity of this enzyme was 4 to 10 times greater than that associated with the viral envelope.
Effect of bax deletion on ethanol sensitivity in the neonatal rat cerebellum

The developing cerebellum is highly sensitive to ethanol during discrete neonatal periods. This sensitivity has been linked to ethanol-induced alterations in molecules of the Bcl-2 survival-regulatory gene family. Ethanol exposure during peak periods of cerebellar sensitivity, for example, results in increased expression of proapoptotic proteins of this family, while overexpression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein in the nervous system protects against ethanol neurotoxicity. For the present study, neonatal mice with a targeted deletion of the proapoptotic bax gene were used to determine whether elimination of this protein would mitigate ethanol toxicity. bax knock-out and wild-type mice pups were exposed to ethanol via vapor inhalation during the maximal period of neonatal cerebellar ethanol sensitivity and cerebellar tissue was subsequently assessed for Purkinje and granule cell number and ethanol-mediated generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The results revealed that: (1) ethanol exposure during the peak period of cerebellar vulnerability resulted in substantial loss of Purkinje cells in wild-type animals, but not in bax knock-outs; (2) granule cells in the bax gene-deleted animals were not similarly protected from ethanol effects; and (3) levels of ROS following acute ethanol exposure were appreciably enhanced in the wild-type animals but not in the bax knock-outs. These results imply that Bax is important to ethanol-induced Purkinje cell death during critical neonatal periods, but that ethanol effects on granule cells may function at least partially independent of this apoptosis agonist. Amelioration of ethanol-mediated increases in ROS production in the knock-outs may contribute to the observed effects.
Air-powered soft robots for K-12 classrooms

This paper outlines the development of an affordable, sustainable K-12 outreach program based pneumatically-powered soft robots. Recent advances in low-cost 3D printers have helped make these robots available to hobbyists and K-12 classrooms. This paper is intended to serve as a reference for interested students, parents and educators, and a model for other researchers to develop similar outreach programs.
The evolution of new party systems: are early elections exceptional?

Abstract The first elections following a transition to democratic rule have tremendous potential to affect the development new party systems. However, the evolution of new party systems is poorly understood, perhaps because it is widely assumed that several elections are needed before a durable party structure takes shape. I assess two competing expectations about party system fragmentation and volatility. Two results stand out in this analysis: first, while the data exhibit a modest trend toward increased party fragmentation following founding elections, the effective number of electoral parties and support for minor parties is more stable across the first four elections than existing theory allows. Second, the greatest change in early elections is the loss of electoral support for the party that captures the most votes in the founding election; these parties tends to lose statistically significant electoral support in each of the next three elections. Overall, the results argue against a unilinear trend in new party systems. Indeed, a cluster analysis suggests four distinct party system patterns within the dataset.
Planar integrated wavelength-drop device based on pedestal antiresonant reflecting waveguides and high-Q silica microspheres

Whispering-gallery modes in silica microspheres can be accessed very efficiently with the recently introduced stripline pedestal antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide (SPARROW) structure. This integrated-optics coupling technique creates novel application opportunities for the high-Q spherical cavities. We report the demonstration of a narrow-band wavelength-drop configuration utilizing SPARROW waveguides and a silica microsphere.
Muscle potentials and temperature acclimation and acclimatization in flight muscles of workers and drones of Apis mellifera

Abstract 1. 1.Muscle potentials in fibrillar flight muscles of worker and drone honeybees were recorded extracellularly at thoracic temperatures from 30 to 10°C. 2. 2.Extinction temperatures for muscle potentials were higher in drones for all treatments. 3. 3.Cold acclimation (15°C) lowered extinction temperatures significantly in workers and drones. Acclimitization changed extinction temperatures significantly only in drones. 4. 4.Cold acclimitization had a bigger effect on the rate of muscle potential amplitude decline with decreasing temperature than acclimation. 5. 5.Acclimation and acclimitization had no effect on the increase of muscle potential duration with falling temperature. 6. 6.Muscle potential frequency during shivering was not much different between cold and warm treated bees.
Ethical issues in infection control in home care

The history of infection control is ancient and inextricably bound to the histories of disease, medicine, and nursing. This history reveals the beliefs about the cause of infectious disease through time and the remedies enacted in response. Implicit in this history is an ethical history reflecting the relationship of the infected individual to the group and the power of the state to institute protective measures. In the Middle Ages, for example, a requiem mass or mass for the dead was held for lepers in which the church was draped in black and dirt thrown on the lepers' head. Afterward, they were lead to the leprosaria and given a rattle they were required to use to warn others of their approach.
Scientists question whether large meteorite hit Greenland

Southern Greenland is especially remote and desolate during the winter months. Since mid-December, more than 1 m of snow has fallen over the ice cap, and the sun lights up the sky for just five hours during the shortest days. But some Danish scientists hope that somewhere near 61°25″N, 44°26″W, and not far from the tiny town of Qaqortoq, lie the remains of a large meteorite that lit up the early morning sky for a few very bright moments on December 9, before it disappeared and possibly impacted on the Earth at approximately 5:11 a.m. local time (8:11 UT). If the meteor disintegrated before reaching the Earth's surface, as most do, some scientists at least hope to find bits of extraterrestrial ash from which they might learn more about the origin and make-up of the Solar System.
Optimal Allocation of Resources To Meet Transit Fleet Requirements

A two-stage procedure to optimally allocate limited resources for the dual purpose of purchasing new transit buses and rebuilding existing buses is presented in this paper. In stage 1, estimates are derived for the maximum investment that can be justified for rebuilding buses that have fulfilled their service life expectations. In stage 2, optimization by linear programming is used to estimate the number of buses in each category. Two optimization approaches are presented. In approach 1, the objective is to maximize the weighted fleet life, subject to budgetary and demand constraints. In approach 2, the objective is to minimize the total capital investment in the fleet, subject to minimum fleet life and demand constraints. Case studies are presented to demonstrate the application of two approaches. The proposed procedure can be used by state Department of Transportation to allocate capital dollars among various transit agencies for the dual purpose of purchasing new buses and rebuilding older buses. While it is desirable to replace all the old buses with new ones, budgetary constraints often make it impossible to fund the purchase of all new buses. The proposed approach provides a tool to identify the “next best solution,” a solution that will result in an optimum combination of new and rebuilt buses that will satisfy the requirements of the minimum fleet size as well as the budgetary constraints.
Vorticity generation mechanisms in parallel injection schemes for supersonic mixing

A numerical study is reported of the three-dimensional nonreacting supersonic flow field produced by three parallel fuel injection schemes. Such injections are being considered as a means of enhancing fuel mixing in future Scramjet engine designs. The strength of vortex structures produced by ramp injectors and by rocket/jet interactions are quantified and their relative effectiveness in enhancing the fuel mixing process is addressed. An experimental setup for validation of the above numerical results has been constructed and preliminary results are presented. For the flow field parameters chosen, the ramp generated vorticity is found to be considerably larger than that generated by the shock. The unsteady recirculating flow field in the wake of the injector appears also to give rise to important additional vorticity and mixing.
Prevention and control of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.

Purpose of reviewThis article reviews many recent publications relevant to the prevention and control of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection.Recent findingsHigher risk-adjusted costs and mortality have been found for MRSA infections than for methicillin-susceptibl
Student Characteristics Associated with Girls’ Success in a Single-sex School

Given the mixed results of previous studies on the benefits of single-sex schooling, scholars have called for research on differences in the effects of single-sex schooling based on student and school characteristics. We sought to examine the associations of a range of student characteristics with attitudes and achievement among students attending an all-girls public middle school in the southwestern United States. Predictor variables included demographic factors (i.e., race, family income), prior academic achievement, gender stereotyping, and gender identity (i.e., gender typicality, peer preferences). Prior academic achievement predicted later achievement and persistence in the single-sex school. School-related stereotyping was associated with success in and connection to the single-sex school; school connection was also a significant moderator of the relation between stereotyping and academic performance. Gender-typed peer preferences were associated with school connection and persistence. Overall, results indicate that student characteristics, as well as issues of “fit” with the specific school, are associated with students’ connection to and success in single-sex educational environments.
On the nature of the verbal memory deficit in Alzheimer's disease ☆

Verbal memory was investigated in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) with previously documented deficits in word production and comprehension. Procedures were employed to evaluate word recall and recognition within the context of both "multistore" and "levels of processing" models of memory. In addition, memory abilities were evaluated with respect to performance on measures of verbal fluency and language comprehension. As expected, the AD patients performed significantly worse than normal individuals on all tasks. However, in each experiment their pattern of recall across conditions was found to be qualitatively similar to that produced by normal subjects. It was argued that the memory impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease may be largely due to an inability to encode a sufficient number of stimulus features or attributes. Furthermore, this encoding deficit includes, but is not limited to, semantic attributes. Similarities between the performance of the AD patients and reported findings with Korsakoff patients and normal subjects with "weak" memory were discussed.
Vibrio cholerae Strains with Mutations in an Atypical Type I Secretion System Accumulate RTX Toxin Intracellularly

This study shows that the Vibrio cholerae RTX toxin is secreted by a four-component type I secretion system (TISS) encoded by rtxB, rtxD, rtxE, and tolC. ATP-binding site mutations in both RtxB and RtxE blocked secretion, demonstrating that this atypical TISS requires two transport ATPases that may function as a heterodimer.
Operational Planning of Large-Scale Industrial Batch Plants under Demand Due Date and Amount Uncertainty: II. Conditional Value-at-Risk Framework

A novel framework based on conditional value-at-risk theory has been applied to the problem of operational planning for large-scale industrial batch plants under demand due date and amount uncertainty. The nominal planning with production disaggregation model has been extended by means of conditional value-at-risk theory to address the objectives of providing a daily production profile that not only is a tight upper bound on the production capacity of the plant but also is immune to the various forms of demand uncertainty. An industrial case study was conducted to demonstrate the viability of the proposed approach, which involves the novel application of conditional value-at-risk theory to the problem of operational planning under demand due date and amount uncertainty. A comparative study that juxtaposes the proposed operational planning model and the robust operational planning with production disaggregation model presented in part I of this series of articles (Verderame and Floudas Ind. Eng. Chem. Res....
Effect of a school-based test anxiety intervention in ethnic minority youth exposed to Hurricane Katrina

This study tested the effects of a school-based test anxiety intervention among ethnic minority youth. The study used a prospective intervention design with a sample of (N = 94) ninth graders from New Orleans exposed to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Thirty youth with elevated test anxiety completed a primarily behavioral (e.g., relaxation training combined with gradual exposure to anxiety-provoking test-related stimuli) group administered, test anxiety reduction intervention. Results indicated a significant effect of the intervention on test anxiety and academic performance. Moreover, change in test anxiety predicted change in post traumatic stress symptoms (PTS) and there appeared to be no negative effects on natural PTS symptom decline. Results are discussed in terms of the potential utility of school-based test anxiety interventions in fostering school success in ethnic minority students, in post-disaster environments and in anxiety prevention efforts.
Contribution of MyD88 to the Tumor Exosome-Mediated Induction of Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells

In this study we observed that mice pretreated with tumor exosomes had a significant acceleration of tumor metastasis in the lung. Tumor metastasis correlated significantly with an increase in recruitment of more Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the lung of C57BL/6j (B6) mice pretreated with tumor exosomes. These effects were blunted when MyD88 knockout (KO) mice were pretreated with tumor exosomes. MDSCs induced by tumor exosomes and isolated from wild-type B6 mice also more potently inhibited T cell activation and induction of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α than MDSCs isolated from the lung of MyD88 KO mice. In vitro, addition of tumor exosomes to bone marrow-derived CD11b+ Gr-1+ cells isolated from wild-type B6 mice resulted in more cytokine production, including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and the chemokine CCL2, than CD11b+Gr-1+ cells isolated from MyD88 KO mice. Moreover, lower levels of CCL2 were observed in the lungs in MyD88 KO mice pretreated with tumor exosomes than that in wild-type mice. Together these data demonstrate a pivotal role for MyD88 in tumor exosome-mediated expansion of MDSCs and tumor metastasis.
Effect of Phlebotomy Technique on Serum Bicarbonate Values

Objectives: To determine whether the following phlebotomy technique factors result in spuriously low serum bicarbonate values: 1) small needle size, 2) prolonged tourniquet time, and 3) underfilling of Vacutainer tubes. Methods: Thirty-eight healthy young adult student volunteers from Brown University (mean age = 22 years) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 (24-ga or 20-ga) IV needle size groups. With a tourniquet applied, the subjects had blood sampled initially and then at 3 intervals 1 minute apart. In addition, the initial blood sample was separated into four 4-mL Vacutainer tubes in blood volumes of 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 mL. Serum bicarbonate values (mmol/L) were compared using these techniques. Results:1) Small needle size did not affect serum bicarbonate values (p > 0.60); 2) prolonged tourniquet time resulted in a statistically significant serum bicarbonate elevation (32.0, 32.5, 33.8, and 33.6, respectively; p < 0.01); and 3) underfilling of Vacutainer tubes resulted in significantly lower serum bicarbonate values for all 4 Vacutainer blood volume groups (21.4, 23.0, 25.0, and 26.2, respectively; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Small needle size does not affect serum bicarbonate values. Prolonged tourniquet time results in a statistically significant elevation of serum bicarbonate, although this elevation may not be clinically meaningful. Underfilling of Vacutainer tubes significantly influences the accuracy of serum bicarbonate values.
A Retrospective Analysis on the Epizootiological Aspects of Outbreaks of Pasteurella anatipestifer Infection in Turkeys in Minnesota

Abstract The possible risk factors associated with outbreaks of Pasteurella anatipestifer infection in turkeys were analyzed to study the epizootiology of the disease. The data for the study was obtained from flocks affected and unaffected with Pasteurella infection. The results of the analysis suggested that overcrowding, preexisting viral infections, increased activity of wild birds on the farm, and shorter down time were possible factors that initiate the occurrence of the disease in turkey flocks. The statistical models used in the analysis predicted correctly 80% of the unaffected flocks (8 out of 10 flocks), and 95% of the affected flocks (13 out of 14 flocks). The overall correct prediction was 88% (21 out of 24 flocks). Fish meal and meat and bone meal, which are integral components of turkey feed, were analyzed for the possible presence of P. anatipestifer. Its presence in a sample of fish meal was demonstrated.
Effect of α-Lactalbumin on the Phase Behavior of AOT−Brine−Isooctane Mixtures: Role of Charge Interactions

We have found that both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions are involved in the ability of the protein α-lactalbumin (α-LA) to affect the self-assembly of the anionic surfactant sodium bis(ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT, 3.5 wt %) in equivolume mixtures of organic and aqueous solutions. The composition and size of AOT phase structures that form in the presence of 0.35 wt % protein were evaluated as a function of pH and ionic strength. In the absence of protein, AOT forms water-in-oil microemulsion droplets for all pH and salt concentrations studied here. The presence of the protein in the water-in-oil microemulsion phase boosts water solubilization and droplet size, as the spontaneous curvature of the surfactant interface becomes less negative. Aggregates of protein, surfactant, and oil also form in the water-continuous phase. The size and composition of structures in both phases can be tuned in the presence of protein by varying the pH and ionic strength. α-LA induces the appearance of an anisotr...
Touchable objects: attributes applied to the design of computer input devices.

Among many important attributes, designers often seek to create products that are comfortable both in the sense of avoiding discomfort and providing a positive sense of comfort. Another way of looking at the design of hand-held products is to consider what attributes make a product enjoyable to touch, rather than just comfortable or uncomfortable. A series of focus discussions investigated the qualities of objects that are enjoyable to touch. Persons were asked to bring in one or two objects that said to them, ‘Touch me’ and ‘Keep touching me’. Discussion with the participants discerned their motivations for selecting the touchable objects. Observations noted the objects' sizes, weights, shapes, surfaces, and colours. This research about qualities of touchable objects influenced the designs of new designs of trackballs for computer navigation. Further hypothesis supposes that the attributes of touchable objects are based on human experience over time with nature.
The effect of diazoxide on catecholamines.

Abstract Experiments in rats were performed in order to study the effect of diazoxide, a nondiuretic benzothiadiazine, on catecholamines. It was found that diazoxide increases the level of total circulating catecholamines at the same time as the blood glucose is also elevated. These changes are statistically significant. The significance of these findings and the difficulties of their interpretation are discussed.
Parallel dynamic programming

Recurrence formulations for various problems, such as finding an optimal order of matrix multiplication, finding an optimal binary search tree, and optimal triangulation of polygons, assume a similar form. A. Gibbons and W. Rytter (1988) gave a CREW PRAM algorithm to solve such dynamic programming problems. The algorithm uses O(n/sup 6//log n) processors and runs in O(log/sup 2/ n) time. In this article, a modified algorithm is presented that reduces the processor requirement to O(n/sup 6//log /sup 5/n) while maintaining the same time complexity of O(log/sup 2/ n). >
A RATE FUNCTION APPROACH TO COMPUTERIZED ADAPTIVE TESTING FOR COGNITIVE DIAGNOSIS

Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) is a sequential experiment design scheme that tailors the selection of experiments to each subject. Such a scheme measures subjects’ attributes (unknown parameters) more accurately than the regular prefixed design. In this paper, we consider CAT for diagnostic classification models, for which attribute estimation corresponds to a classification problem. After a review of existing methods, we propose an alternative criterion based on the asymptotic decay rate of the misclassification probabilities. The new criterion is then developed into new CAT algorithms, which are shown to achieve the asymptotically optimal misclassification rate. Simulation studies are conducted to compare the new approach with existing methods, demonstrating its effectiveness, even for moderate length tests.
Determination of the characteristics of thermoacoustic pressure oscillations associated with heat transfer in a variable duct with arbitrary energy input

The thermoacoustic pressure oscillations associated with heat transfer in a turbulent flow of a fluid at supercritical pressure is investigated theoretically. The characteristics of the thermoacoustic pressure oscillations as a function of the regime parameters of the process are determined.
The initiation of parturition

Abstract The mechanism of parturition is well-characterised in sheep in which activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis involves increased secretion of fetal corticotropin-releasing hormone, adrenocorticotropin releasing hormone and cortisol. Cortisol then acts on placental enzymes with a resultant decline in progesterone output and an increase in oestrogen production. These changes in the steriod hormone milieu facilitate enhanced prostaglandin and oxytocin secretion that drive the contractions of labour. Elements of this mechanism are present in human parturition but major differences exist, e.g. cortisol does not induce the same enzyme changes in the human placenta. Nevertheless, many of the changes in hormones that are seen peripherally in sheep occur at a more local level (i.e. within the feto-placental unit) in human parturition. This is true especially for oxytocin which is now known to be produced by the fetal membranes and decidua. Overall, the major consistent finding in the onset of labour among most animal species is an absolute requirement for enhanced uterine production of prostaglandins. Administration of prostaglandins will induce labour or abortion at all stages of gestation and administration of prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors will delay the onset of labour and lengthen the induction-abortion time interval. Prostaglandins seem to be involved also in the preparatory events required for the onset of labour.
Bladder preservation and durable complete remission of small cell carcinoma of the bladder with systemic chemotherapy and adjuvant radiation therapy

Background Small cell (oat cell) carcinoma of the bladder is a rare entity characterized clinically by an aggressive behavior with a high incidence of systemic metastases. Radical cystectomy has been the therapeutic focal point for this disease, but systemic relapse is almost universal. Results The authors report that combination chemotherapy with cisplatin, methotrexate, and vinblastine, followed by external beam irradiation to the bladder, gave a durable continuous complete remission (more than 4.5 years). In addition, this bladder-sparing approach has preserved normal bladder function and an excellent quality of life. Conclusion This experience shows that radical cystectomy may not be necessary for small cell carcinoma of the bladder and that early intervention with systemic chemotherapy offers greater potential for cure.
Suggestions for the improvement of pendulum observations

In the location of mineral deposits or geological subsurface structures by means of gravity-measurements, the Eotvos torsion balance has hitherto been used almost exclusively. Pendulum measurements have been but little used in the solution of such problems and then chiefly when the problem was one of surveying large buried tectonic units, extending over a considerable area. What has hampered the use of the pendulum measurements in most cases has apparently been the time required to make them, apart from the fact that the gravity anomalies produced by most types of subsurfaced structures do not greatly exceed the errors of the results.