cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Direct Advanced Therapy Off Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support: Impact of New Heart Allocation Policy on Early Outcomes

Purpose The new heart allocation policy initiated on 2018 designates patients on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) to the highest listing status. This study seeks to evaluate the impact of the policy change on our early outcomes following direct advanced therapy off VA-ECMO. Methods From January 2010 to September 2020, 495 adult patients were treated with VA-ECMO at our center. Of these, 67 patients were direct bridge to either orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) or durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Outcomes obtained before (OLD group: N=51) and after (NEW group: N=16) the policy change were compared. The decision to proceed directly to advanced therapy was inability to wean off of VA-ECMO and recovery was not anticipated. Results After the new policy, the rate of OHT significantly increased (OLD: 7/51 patients [13.7%] vs. NEW: 10/16 patients [62.5%], P Conclusion Our experience shows that the new heart allocation policy significantly increased the rate of direct OHT in patients bridged by VA-ECMO to direct advanced therapy. There was also a trend to greater one year survival in the NEW group, suggesting that the new policy facilitated appropriate triage to OHT versus LVAD. Although further follow-up is necessary, critical patients on VA-ECMO requiring advanced therapy may benefit from this new heart allocation policy
Rehabilitation Following Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction in Overhead-Throwing Athletes.

» The prevalence of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury and UCL reconstruction (UCL-R) continues to rise, causing morbidity in overhead-throwing athletes. » Postoperative rehabilitation protocols are essential for proper healing of the reconstructed ligament and safely returning athletes to competition, yet there is no uniformly accepted standard of care. » UCL-R rehabilitation has traditionally been guided by expert opinion and conventional wisdom rather than scientific studies, resulting in substantial variability in rehabilitation practices, time to return to play, and outcomes. » Current research efforts aim to closely investigate the biomechanical implications of UCL-R and overhead throwing to better guide rehabilitation and to improve competitive performance and outcomes. » Additional biomechanical and scientific studies on rehabilitation modalities and timing are warranted for systematic analysis, optimization, and standardization of UCL-R rehabilitation.
A Multicenter Evaluation of Survival After In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients

Importance In-hospital cardiac arrest survival among coronavirus disease 2019 patients has been reported to range from 0% to 12%. These numbers are significantly lower than reported prepandemic in-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates of approximately 20-25% in the United States for non-coronavirus disease 2019 patients. Objective To assess the incidence of in-hospital cardiac arrest survival of coronavirus disease 2019 patients. Design A retrospective cohort study of adult patients with coronavirus disease 2019 subsequently found to have in-hospital cardiac arrest and underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). Setting Multiple hospitals of the Cleveland Clinic Health System. Patients All adult patients (age ≥ 18 yr) admitted to Cleveland Clinic Health System with a diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 who experienced in-hospital cardiac arrest requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Measurements and main results From March 01, 2020 to October 15, 2020, 3,555 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 were hospitalized; 1,372 were admitted to the ICU; 58 patients had in-hospital cardiac arrest. Median age of this cohort was 66.5 years (interquartile range, 55.0-76.0 yr). Patients were predominantly male (62.5%), White (53.4%), with a median body mass index of 29.7 (interquartile range, 25.8-34.6). Most in-hospital cardiac arrests were in critical care environments (ICU), 51 of 58 (87.9%); seven of 58 (12.1%) were on ward locations. Thirty-four of 58 patients (58.6%) were on mechanical ventilation prior to in-hospital cardiac arrest with a median duration of mechanical ventilation of 9 days (interquartile range, 2-18 d). Twenty-four of 58 patients (44%) were on vasopressors prior to arrest. Initial arrest rhythm was pulseless electrical activity at (63.8%), asystole (29.3%), and pulseless ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (6.9%). Of the 58 patients, 35 (60.3%) attained return of spontaneous circulation, and 13 of 58 (22.4%) were discharged alive. Conclusions We report a 22% survival to discharge after in-hospital cardiac arrest in coronavirus disease 2019 patients, a survival rate similar to before the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Influence of "RAP" experiences on nursing students' career choices in aging: A qualitative exploration.

Abstract Background Healthcare professions are ever challenged to meet the demands of a global aging society. Educators across the helping professions continuously explore ways to motivate students' interest in caring for older adults. Given new undergraduate nursing curriculum changes, increased demand for creative outpatient educational opportunities for clinical gerontological experiences has put tremendous urgency on all healthcare stakeholders. Objective To analyze students' perceptions of clinical experiences at the Robust Aging Program clinic, a community wellness outpatient senior center. Design Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews, exploring students' perspectives on whether they would consider gerontology/geriatrics-related careers. Setting University extension senior clinic, serving Osher Lifelong Learning Center members who attend the Robust Aging Program, a School of Nursing community service. Method IRB-approved semi-structured interviews were conducted by phone and Zoom within a year of clinic experience. Preset questions centered on students' clinic experiences. Trained research assistants working under the guidance of a qualitative researcher collected and analyzed and categorized common and emergent themes. Participants 13 undergraduate nursing students who volunteered in the clinic in current or previous semesters. Students were about to graduate or new alumni; working nurses came from different specialties, including pediatrics. Results Clinical immersion in a nurse-led senior wellness clinic that entailed close interactions with robustly aging adults increased students' knowledge and skills and their willingness to work with the aged. Mentorship was noted as a key emergent theme. Conclusions Exposure to community outpatient clinical experiences can spark interest in working with older adults. This is especially true of advanced practice nurse-led wellness clinics where students receive mentorship and are empowered to exercise holistic care. Further research is needed to determine educators', clinicians', and administrators' roles in sustaining students' interest in gerontology-related careers.
Metabolic fuel and hormone responses to fasting in newborn infants.

To examine why newborn infants frequently cannot maintain adequate levels of plasma glucose in the interval between delivery and the time they are first fed, circulating metabolic fuel and regulatory hormone concentrations were determined in 44 healthy infants at the end of an eight-hour postnatal fast. Plasma glucose fell below 40 mg/100 ml prior to eight hours in four of 24 term-appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA), two of nine preterm-AGA, five of six term-small-for-gestational-age (SGA), and three of five preterm-SGA infants. Fuel and hormone patterns in the premature and SGA infants were not different from those found in term-AGA infants. Results in these neonates differed in two areas from the response to fasting seen later in life. In fasted term-AGA infants, ketones were low (beta-hydroxybutyrate 0.29 +/- 0.04 mM/liter) despite elevated concentrations of fatty acid precursors (1.4 +/- 0.07 mM/liter), and the group of infants studied failed to demonstrate the increase in plasma ketones with lower glucose levels (r = ".23, P = .07) which is found in older children. Levels of glucose precursors were two to three times higher in term-AGA infants (lactate 2.9 +/- 0.2 mM/liter; alanine 0.48 +/- 0.02 mM/liter) than levels found beyond the neonatal period and, in contrast to older children and adults, were not diminished in infants with lower plasma glucose (lactate, r = -.28, P less than .035; alanine, r = -33, P less than .02). These differences between the responses to postnatal fasting and those seen beyond the neonatal period suggest that the capacity for both hepatic ketone synthesis and gluconeogenesis is not fully developed at birth.
Small Clique Detection and Approximate Nash Equilibria

Recently, Hazan and Krauthgamer showed [12] that if, for a fixed small *** , an *** -best *** -approximate Nash equilibrium can be found in polynomial time in two-player games, then it is also possible to find a planted clique in G n , 1/2 of size C logn , where C is a large fixed constant independent of *** . In this paper, we extend their result to show that if an *** -best *** -approximate equilibrium can be efficiently found for arbitrarily small *** > 0, then one can detect the presence of a planted clique of size (2 + *** ) logn in G n , 1/2 in polynomial time for arbitrarily small *** > 0. Our result is optimal in the sense that graphs in G n , 1/2 have cliques of size (2 *** o (1)) logn with high probability.
Uptake of 10B in Gliosarcomas Following the Injection of Glutathione Monoethyl Ester and Sulfhydryl Borane

The sulfhydryl borane Na2 10B12H11SH (BSH) was developed as a capture agent for BNCT about 20 years ago and is the compound currently used clinically in Japan for BNCT of malignant brain tumors, with some apparent success 1.
Home Concrete: One Case, Two Perspectives

First Impressions sometimes are deceiving. When, last year, the Supreme Court decided Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research v. United States, 131 S. Ct. 704 (2011), there was widespread chagrin in the taxpayer community.
Chapter 8 Split Topology of GPI Biosynthesis

I. Abstract The first two reactions of GPI biosynthesis occur on the cytoplasmic face of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), while subsequent reactions (inositol acylation, mannosylation, phosphoethanolamine addition, and the attachment of a GPI anchor to proteins) occur in the ER lumen. This implies that GlcN‐PI crosses (flips) from the cytoplasmic face of the ER to the lumenal leaflet in the course of GPI assembly. In this chapter, we survey the evidence for the split topology of the GPI biosynthetic pathway, and discuss the nascent subject of lipid flipping across the ER membrane. There are several review articles that cover this topic [1–3].
Microscopic and macroscopic dynamics

Atomistic Molecular Dynamics and Lagrangian Continuum Mechanics can be very similarly adapted to massively-parallel computers. Millions of degrees of freedom can be treated. The two complementary approaches, microscopic and macroscopic, are being applied to increasingly realistic flows of fluids and solids. The two approaches can also be combined in a hybrid simulation scheme. Hybrids combine the fundamental constitutive advantage of atoms with the size advantage of the continuum picture.
Gene flow between Drosophila yakuba and Drosophila santomea in subunit V of cytochrome c oxidase: A potential case of cytonuclear cointrogression

Introgression is the effective exchange of genetic information between species through natural hybridization. Previous genetic analyses of the Drosophila yakuba—D. santomea hybrid zone showed that the mitochondrial genome of D. yakuba had introgressed into D. santomea and completely replaced its native form. Since mitochondrial proteins work intimately with nuclear-encoded proteins in the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) pathway, we hypothesized that some nuclear genes in OXPHOS cointrogressed along with the mitochondrial genome. We analyzed nucleotide variation in the 12 nuclear genes that form cytochrome c oxidase (COX) in 33 Drosophila lines. COX is an OXPHOS enzyme composed of both nuclear- and mitochondrial-encoded proteins and shows evidence of cytonuclear coadaptation in some species. Using maximum-likelihood methods, we detected significant gene flow from D. yakuba to D. santomea for the entire COX complex. Interestingly, the signal of introgression is concentrated in the three nuclear genes composing subunit V, which shows population migration rates significantly greater than the background level of introgression in these species. The detection of introgression in three proteins that work together, interact directly with the mitochondrial-encoded core, and are critical for early COX assembly suggests this could be a case of cytonuclear cointrogression.
The "No-Show" Phenomenon and the Issue of Resistance Among African American Female Patients at an Urban Health Care Center

Using data from 90 African American female medical and mental health patients, this exploratory study examined the reasons patients missed scheduled appointments at a low-income, urban healthcare center. Results indicated a clear difference between the two groups in their appointment-keeping behavior. Mental health no-show patients were more likely than medical no-show patients to cite external factors such as a broken-down car or a scheduling conflict to explain missed appointments. The article also presents a discussion of resistance and its possible role in the no-show phenomenon. Implications and recommendations for future research are also presented.
Shell-model systematics of the zirconium and niobium isotopes

Abstract A shell-model description of the zirconium and niobium isotopes is presented that gives the systematic trends in energy levels and parentage for the isotopes with N = 50 through N = 56. The nucleus 88 Sr is taken to be an inert core with protons filling the ( 2 p 1 2 , 1 g 9 2 ) levels and neutrons the ( 2 d 5 2 , 3 s 1 2 ) levels. Two-body matrix elements are determined by a least-squares fit to energy-level data. One- and two-particle transfer, electromagnetic transition rates, and energy level data are examined.
Vagotomy modifies but does not eliminate the increase in body temperature following burn injury in rats.

Abstract Introduction: Rats with burn injury to ≥50% of the BSA demonstrate a significant increase in body temperature ( T B ) during light hours, and decrease of circadian variation in T B . This study investigated the hypothesis that part or all of the signal for increased T B in rats with burn injury is transmitted to the central nervous system by way of afferent vagal fibers. Methods: Four groups of animals were studied: Burn-Sham Vagotomy; Control-Sham Vagotomy; Burn-Vagotomy and Control-Vagotomy. Anesthetized animals had bilateral subdiaphragmatic vagotomy (VagX) or sham VagX performed, and AM radio transmitters were implanted in the peritoneal cavity for the purpose of recording T B and activity index (AI). Following a one week recovery period, burn animals received scald burns equal to 50.3±2.5% BSA. Results: The main effect of VagX upon T B was a small but significant reduction in T B during dark hours. At least 87% of this decrease in post-burn T B was also present for the control vagotomy group. Vagotomy had no effect on the increase in T B for the burn groups during light hours. During dark hours, VagX significantly reduced T B in burns and controls, and burn injury significantly reduced activity. Conclusions: One may speculate that afferent vagal signals are partially responsible for maintenance of T B , with or without burn injury, and that the major signal for increase in T B for animals with burn injury is not a neural one via afferent vagal pathways.
Atomic-scale mechanisms of oxygen electrode delamination in solid oxide electrolyzer cells

Materials used for different components (electrodes, electrolyte, steel interconnects, etc.) of solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC) devices for hydrogen production have to function in aggressive, corrosive environments and in the presence of electric fields. This results in a number of degradation processes at interfaces between components. In this study, we used a combination of first-principles, density-functional-theory (DFT) calculations and thermodynamic modeling to elucidate the main processes that contribute into the oxygen delamination in typical SOEC device consisting of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte and Sr-doped LaMnO3 (LSM) oxygen electrode. We found that high temperature inter-diffusion of different atoms across the LSM/YSZ interface significantly affects structural stability of the materials and their interface. In particular, we found that La and Sr substitutional defects positioned in ZrO2 oxide and near LSM/YSZ interface significantly change oxygen transport which may develop pressure buildup in the interfacial region and eventually develop delamination process. Simple models for estimating these effects are proposed, and different possibilities for inhibiting and/or mitigating undesirable delamination processes are discussed.
The Self-Inductance of a Toroidal Coil Without Iron

IF A NON MAGNETIC BAR is bent into the shape of a ring and a single layer of wire is wound around the bar, the self-inductance of the “toroidal coil” formed in this way is given by well-known short expressions.
Candidate Genes and Risk for CP: A Population-Based Study

Studies suggest that genetic polymorphisms may increase an individual's susceptibility to CP. Most findings have yet to be corroborated in an independent cohort. This case-control study is nested within all 334,333 infants ≥36 wk gestation born at Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, 1991–2002. We included only non-Hispanic whites who had a neonatal blood sample available. Case patients (n = 138) were identified from medical records to have spastic or dyskinetic CP. Controls (n = 165) were randomly selected from the population. We genotyped polymorphisms previously associated with CP: inducible NOS (iNOS)-231, apolipoprotein E (apoE) e2 and e4 alleles, TNF-α-308, IL-8 −251, lymphotoxin 60, endothelial NOS −922, endothelial protein C receptor 219, mannose-binding lectin 54 and 52, factor V Leiden, methyltetrahydrofolate reductase 1298 and 667, prothrombin 20210, and platelet activator inhibitor 11053. Similar to previous reports, the iNOS-231 T allele (25.7 versus 18.9%, p = 0.04) and the apoE e4 allele (19.3 versus 13.2%, p = 0.04) were more common in patients with CP than in controls. However, there was no statistically significant association between any genetic polymorphism and CP after correction for multiple comparisons.
Increasing global competitiveness through effective people management

Abstract An overall goal of improving global competitiveness is the imperative under which managers strategically guide their organizations today. Any process or function that enables organizations to gain a competitive advantage on a global scale is therefore considered valuable to those at the helm. Through our research on 60 of the world's top multinational organizations, we found that the effective management of the people side of global business does, in fact, pay dividends in stronger bottom lines.
Fatigue and fracture basic research at the Langley Research Center.

This paper gives some examples of projects underway. The projects are grouped according to the primary parameter being studied: loads, configuration, environment, or material. Significant topics include the effect of truncated loads, the effect of proof-tests, interference fasteners, accelerated and real-time tests for supersonic aircraft materials, crack-growth rates in built-up structures, and a model method by which material can be selected for a particular set of operating conditions.
Fluorescent DNA chemosensors: identification of bacterial species by their volatile metabolites

Polyfluorophores built on a DNA scaffold (ODFs) were synthesized and tested for fluorescence responses to the volatiles from M. tuberculosis, E. coli and P. putida in closed Petri dishes. Two sensors in a pattern-based response could distinguish the bacterial strains accurately, suggesting the use of ODFs in rapid identification of infectious agents.
Neural dynamics of perceptual order and context effects for variable-rate speech syllables.

How does the brain extract invariant properties of variable-rate speech? A neural model, called PHONET, is developed to explain aspects of this process and, along the way, data about perceptual context effects. For example, in consonant-vowel (CV) syllables, such as /ba/ and /wa/, an increase in the duration of the vowel can cause a switch in the percept of the preceding consonant from /w/ to Ibl (J. L. Miller & Liberman, 1979). The frequency extent of the initial formant transitions of fixed duration also influences the percept (Schwab, Sawusch, & Nusbaum, 1981). PHONET quantitatively simulates over 98% of the variance in these data, using a single set of parameters. The model also qualitatively explains many data about other perceptual context effects. In the model, C and V inputs are filtered by parallel auditory streams that respond preferentially to the transient and sustained properties of the acoustic signal before being stored in parallel working memories. A lateral inhibitory network of onset-and rate-sensitive cells in the transient channel extracts measures of frequency transition rate and extent. Greater activation of the transient stream can increase the processing rate in the sustained stream via a cross-stream automatic gain control interaction. The stored activities across these gain-controlled working memories provide a basis for rate-invariant perception, since the transient-to-sustained gain control tends to preserve therelative activities across the transient and sustained working memories as speech rate changes. Comparisons with alternative models tested suggest that the fit cannot be attributed to the simplicity of the data. Brain analogues of model cell types are described.
Exploring the relationship between information technology, infrastructure and business process re‐engineering

Business process redesign (BPR) is a management technique to radically transform organizations for dramatic improvement. Information technology (IT) plays a critical role in BPR. The present study examines the links between IT infrastructure and BPR. The moderating effects of industry type, and information intensity of the firm are also analyzed. Data for the study were gathered through a survey of Fortune 500 US firms at divisional levels. Out of 1,200 questionnaires mailed to Fortune500 firm‐divisions, 124 responses were received. Out of 124 firm‐divisions 73 firm‐divisions were found to be adopting BPR techniques; 39 firm‐divisions were found to be adopting incremental improvement approaches. The rest of the responses were incomplete and could not be used. For data analysis, therefore, only 73 firm‐divisions were considered. The results of the study support the hypotheses that network infrastructure affects the dimensions of BPR (process improvement thrust, and customer focus), but data integration was not found to be significantly affecting the BPR dimensions. The moderating effect of industry type was found to be significantly affecting the relationship between network infrastructure and BPR dimensions. Other relationships were not found to be significant.
Seagrass leaves in 3-D: Using computed tomography and low-frequency acoustics to investigate the material properties of seagrass tissue

Abstract As a preliminary step toward development of a predictive model of sound speed in water containing seagrass , the acoustic and material properties of leaf tissue for Thalassia testudinum , Syringodium filiforme and Halodule wrightii were assessed using a one-dimensional acoustic resonator and computed tomography imagery. The high-resolution three-dimensional imagery provided valuable information about leaf morphology and produced precise estimates for plant tissue volume and the volume of air contained within the aerenchyma of the plant tissue, which in turn yielded measurements of the plant tissue density ( Thalassia = 1032.34 ± 115.42 kg·m− 3; Syringodium = 664.17 ± 10.38 kg·m− 3; Halodule = 964.96 ± 21.72 kg·m− 3 ). The acoustic resonator technique was used to investigate the species-specific and biomass-dependent differences in the propagation of sound through seawater containing seagrass leaves in the 0.2 kHz to 10 kHz frequency band. The three species each caused a unique decrease in sound speed with an increase in biomass. The values for leaf air volume, tissue volume and tissue density were then combined with the results of the acoustic experiments and an effective medium acoustic model to determine the acoustic compressibility of the leaves. Further implementation of two effective medium models failed to yield measurements of leaf tissue compressibility. Failure of these models indicates that tissue elasticity and structure must be considered for a complete understanding of acoustic propagation in seagrass meadows.
Deprivation alters rats' flavor preferences for carbohydrates and fats

The effects of food deprivation on rats' preferences for the flavors of different macronutrients were investigated. To minimize postingestive influences on flavor preferences, brief test sessions (30 min) and calorically dilute (0.08 kcal/g) solutions or suspensions were used. The findings revealed that whereas nondeprived rats preferred sucrose (2%) to hyrolyzed starch (2% Polycose), food-deprived rats strongly preferred Polycose to sucrose. Deprived rats also acquired a preference for a cue flavor paired with Polycose, while nondeprived rats preferred a sucrose-paired cue flavor. Food deprivation also caused rats to switch their preferences from sucrose to corn starch, and from sucrose to corn oil. Food deprivation did not, however, alter the rats' preference for Polycose over corn starch, and it blocked, but did not reverse, their preference for Polycose over corn oil. Taken together, the findings indicate that food deprivation enhances the preference for palatable nonsweet nutrients (Polycose, corn starch, corn oil) over a sweet nutrient (sucrose). This effect was specific to food deprivation; water deprivation did not reverse the rats' preference for sucrose to Polycose.
Behavioral diagnosis: A practical approach to patient education

Patient education is receiving increasing interest from persons interested in improving adherence to regimens and in preventing disease. Yet a number of empirical studies have cast doubts on the notion that patient education actually can influence behavior. This article compares and contrasts two paradigms of patient education, one based on the teaching approach and the other based on a behavioral diagnosis. The behavioral diagnosis is the assessment of influences on the desired patient behavior. It includes consideration of individual, social, environmental, and medical regimen factors that may either impede or facilitate behavior. The process of performing a behavioral diagnosis is presented, and clinical experience using this approach is described.
Characterization of Iron(II)·Bleomycin-Mediated RNA Strand Scission

The ability of iron(II).bleomycin to mediate RNA degradation was further characterized. At micromolar concentrations, FeII.BLM was shown to effect cleavage of Escherichia coli tRNA(1His) and a Schizosaccharomyces pombe amber suppressor tRNA construct in an efficient fashion. In contrast, E. coli tRNA(Cys) and yeast mitochondrial tRNA(Asp) and tRNA(fMet) precursors were not substrates for FeII.BLM. Also shown to be a good substrate for cleavage by FeII.BLM was yeast 5S ribosomal RNA. Since HIV-1 reverse transcriptase mRNA has previously been shown to be degraded by Fe.BLM (Carter et al., 1990a), members of the three major classes of RNA have now been shown to undergo Fe.BLM-mediated strand scission. For each of the substrate RNAs, cleavage occurred at sites unique to that substrate. Although RNA cleavage occurred at numerous sequences, 5'-G-pyr-3' sites were prominent. Likewise, while cleavage was noted in regions anticipated to be double-stranded, as well as in single-stranded regions, a disproportionate number of cleavages were noted at the junction between single- and double-stranded regions. As found in earlier studies, RNA cleavage was much more selective than DNA cleavage. Further, when RNA cleavage was carried out in the presence of reagents such as Mg2+, spermidine, and NaCl, the selectivity of cleavage was further enhanced. The highly selective and efficient cleavage of a number of RNA molecules reinforces our earlier suggestion that RNA may constitute a therapeutically relevant target for bleomycin.
Pharmacotherapy of Schizophrenia: The American Current Status

This is a review paper covering the American current status of pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia. The author lists all available antipsychotic agents on the market in the United States and describes the American prescribing pattern of antipsychotic agents. This includes a brief history of antipsychotic use in America, acute treatment and chronic maintenance with antipsychotic drugs, the recent advent of atypical antipsychotic agents, and management of antipsychotic-induced side-effects. The characteristics of prescribing American antipsychotics in America are described, and they are then compared with Japanese prescribing practices. The author also makes brief remarks about the uncovered issues in antipsychotic pharmacotherapy and about atypical antipsychotic agents in the context of the future pharmaceutical development.
Big Data a Sure Thing for Telecommunications: Telecom's Future in Big Data

Big Data is made for telecommunications. No other industry has access to the wealth of information about their customers the way communications service providers (CSPs) do. Big data can be seen as the CSPs' most valuable asset. It puts them in a key position to win the battle for customers and generate new revenue streams - provided they can get their acts together.
Baryogenesis and EDMs: Constraining CP Violation Beyond the Standard Model

New sources of CPviolation beyond the Standard Model may help the scenario of electroweak baryogenesis (EWB) to account for the baryon asymmetry of the universe, and may be detectable in searches for permanent electric dipole moments of fundamental particles. In this talk, I focus on the calculation of the sources and relaxation rates in the transport equations for particle densities in the closed time path formalism of quantum field theory, suitable for the finite temperature and out-of-equilbrium conditions present at the electroweak phase transition. Applying the methods of closed time-path quantum field theory to derive transport equations relevant for EWB in the MSSM, we find regions of the parameter space where generation of the baryon asymmetry is resonantly enhanced, allowing successful baryogenesis with CP-violating phases small enough to be consistent with experimental limits on electron and neutron EDMs
Quantitation of Methadone Eenantiomers in Humans Using Stable Isotope-labeled [2H3]-, [2H5]-, and [2H8]methadone

A new technique for simultaneous stereoselective kinetic studies of methadone enantiomers was developed using three deuterium-labeled forms of methadone and GLC-chemical-ionization mass spectrometry. A racemic mixture (1:1) of (R)-(-)-[2H5]methadone (l-form) and (S)-(+)-[2H3]methadone (d-form) was administered orally in place of a single daily dose of unlabeled (±)-[2H8]methadone in longterm maintenance patients. Racemic (±)-[2H8] methadone was used as an internal standard for the simultaneous quantitation of [2H0]-, [2H3]-, and [2H5] methadone in plasma and urine. A newly developed extraction procedure, using a short, disposable C18 reversed-phase cartridge and improved chemical-ionization procedures employing ammonia gas, resulted in significant reduction of the background impurities contributing to the ions used for isotopic abundance measurements. These improvements enabled the measurement of labeled plasma methadone levels for 120 hr following a single dose. This methodology was applied to the study of methadone kinetics in two patients; in both patients, the analgesically active l-enantiomer of the drug had a longer plasma elimination half-life and a smaller area under the plasma disappearance curve than did the inactive d-form.
Synthesis of Methylglyoxal-l4C

Methylglyoxal-1,3- 14 C and methylglyoxal-2- 14 C of relatively high specific activity were prepared by the oxidation of acetone with selenium dioxide followed by distillation under a nitrogen atmosphere and concentration under reduced pressure. Analysis of the synthesized compounds by melting point determination and also by paper and gas-liquid chromatography indicated the samples were of high purity.
A novel Zigbee- based low- cost, low- power wireless EKG system

Electrocardiogram (EKG) monitoring is of prime importance in the medical world. Using the state of art technology to take it to a wireless platform can open up a broad spectrum of wireless medical devices which have a wide range of applications in medical services, military rescue missions, home cardiovascular monitoring, especially for senior people. This paper presents a platform for developing a Zigbee based low cost, low power Wireless EKG system using the unlicenced 2.4GHz ISM band. Zigbee is based on IEEE 802.15.4 standard for Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs), that is being used in many commercial and research applications today, where it has become an attractive solution for low power and low cost applications. Two system designs are proposed featuring excellent ranges and potential for “smart fabric” wearable implementations.
Oribatid mites and the decomposition of plant tissues in Paleozoic coal-swamp forests

Although oribatid mites are essential to the decomposition of plant tissues in modern temperate forests by assisting conversion of primary productivity to soil organic matter, little is known of their paleoecologic history. Previously there has been scattered and anecdotal evidence documenting oribatid mite detritivory in Pennsylvanian plant tissues. This study evaluates the incidence of oribatid mite damage for seven major coal-ball deposits from the Illinois and Appalachian sedimentary basins, representing a 17 million year interval from the Euramerican tropics. Although this interval contains the best anatomically preserved plant tissues with oribatid mite borings in the fossil record, coeval oribatid mite body-fossils are absent. By contrast, the known body-fossil record of oribatid mites commences during the Middle Devonian, but does not reappear until the Early Jurassic, at which time mite taxa are modern in aspect. All major plant taxa occurring in Pennsylvanian coal swamps, including lycopsids, sphenopsids, ferns, seed ferns and cordaites, were consumed by oribatid mites. Virtually every type of plant tissue was used by mites, notably indurated tissues such as bark, fibrovascular bundles and especially wood, as well as softer seed megagametophytic and parenchymatic tissues within stems, roots and leaves. Significant evidence also exists for secondary consumption by mites of tissues in macroarthropod coprolites. Our data indicate that oribatid mites consumed dead, aerially-derived plant tissues at ground level, as well as root-penetrated tissues substantially within the peat. Oribatid mites were important arthropod decomposers in Pennsylvanian coal swamps of Euramerica. The wood boring functional-feeding-guild was expanded by insects into above-ground, live trees during the early Mesozoic. New food resources for insect borers resulted from penetration of live tissues such as cambium and phloem, and the invasion of heartwood and other hard tissues mediated by insect-fungus symbioses. Termites and holometabolous insects were prominent contributors to this second wave of wood-boring, exploiting gymnosperms and angiosperms as both detritivores and herbivores. An earlier emplacement of oribatid mites as detritivores of dead plant tissues continued to the present, but without a documented trace-fossil record.
Effects of Silcosteel® transfer line on the sampling of volatile organic compounds

A 150-ft section of 1/16-in, o.d. x 0.030-in i.d. fused-silica-lined stainless tubing (Silcosteel®) was studied to determine its suitability as a transfer line in the sampling and analysis of vapor samples of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), principally in subsurface soil gases. A variety of test atmospheres of individual VOCs at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 10,000 ppm were used to challenge the tubing. The adsorptive and desorptive properties of the tubing were characterized under conditions [14 °C (57 °F) and 90% RH] comparable to subsurface environments and also at temperatures of 2 °C (35 °F) and 46 °C (115 °F). Clearance rates of the selected VOCs from the tubing were also determined. Direct-sampling ion-trap mass spectrometry (DS-ITMS) real-time air monitoring was used to measure the effects of the transfer line on the vapor samples.
PALEOECOLOGY OF THE MIDDLE PENNSYLVANIAN-AGE HERRIN COAL SWAMP (ILLINOIS) NEAR A CONTEMPORANEOUS RIVER SYSTEM, THE WALSHVILLE PALEOCHANNEL

DiMichele, W.A. and Phillips, T.L., 1988. Paleoecology of the Middle Pennsylvanian-age Herrin Coal swamp (Illinois) near a contemporaneous river system, the Walshville paleochannel. Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol., 56: 151-176. Coal-ball peats were sampled quantitatively in seven profiles from the Old Ben Coal Company No.24 Mine in southern Illinois. The coal and the coal-ball peats are thicker in this near-channel area than at any site sampled so far. Lycopods dominate the peat-swamp flora, as at other Herrin Coal sites, with Lepidophloios hallii being the most important (30-78% of whole-profile peat biomass). Ferns (5-15% biomass), and pteridosperms (1 15% biomass), also are important in the swamp flora. Shoot-root ratios in profiles are relatively high, 1.4 2.8. Fusain abundance is concentrated in several mid-seam zones (above the blue-band clastic parting) with the highest pteridosperm abundances. Three major plant associations ("communities") are detected by multivariate analyses. The most common assemblage is dominated by Lepidophloios hallii ( > 70% of biomass), with low-diversity and little representation of ground-cover and free-sporing plants; this is interpreted as representative of standing-water, high abiotic-stress conditions. Lepidophloios assemblages are common in all profiles. Diaphorodendron scleroticum and D. dicentricum characterize a second assemblage (> 20% of biomass) that can include a diversity of species and growth forms; these associations appear to be structured by disturbance. Diaphorodendron is most abundant just above the seat earth and in several consecutive zones near the top of the seam. Medullosa (>20% biomass) characterizes the third major assemblage; Medullosa assemblages are most common at the base of the seam, in proximity to the blue-band clastic parting, and in a mid-seam interval of "dirty" coal. The association of MeduUosa with zones of > 107/o fusain and abundant mineral matter suggests alternation of flooded and dry conditions. Psaronius tree ferns form an overprint on these distributions, occurring widely in all but Lepidophloios.dominated assemblages.
Influence of Wound Type and Storage Duration on Susceptibility of Sweetpotatoes to Rhizopus Soft Rot

Susceptibility of stored sweetpotato roots (cvs. Beauregard and Hernandez) to Rhizopus soft rot caused by Rhizopus stolonifer was tested at 4- to 6-week intervals over a storage period of 335 days in 1998-1999 (year 1) and 1999-2000 (year 2). In each experiment, roots were wounded by four methods (puncture, bruise, broken, and scrape), inoculated with freshly harvested spores from 4- to 10-day-old cultures, and compared with a nonwounded but inoculated control for their susceptibility to decay. Roots were totally resistant to infection after harvest for 60 days in year 1 and 30 days in year 2. The bruise wound type was most commonly associated with infection, with disease incidence peaking 100 and 175 days after harvest in years 1 and 2, respectively. Inoculation by the puncture method followed a similar pattern in Hernandez but was ineffective in Beauregard. Following the peak in disease incidence at 100 or 175 days, susceptibility of roots declined to levels comparable to that of freshly harvested roots. This period of heightened susceptibility was longer in Hernandez than in Beauregard. The effects of injury types broken and scrape were more variable and did not show the same trend in both years.
Does TQM really help anyone

Abstract This paper looks at Total Quality Management (TQM) and how it fits into organizational change. TQM's emphasis on customer service and empowerment falls right in line with current thinking on organizational change. However, the commitment to TQM should be organization-wide, which is hard to obtain.
Computation of a Few Small Eigenvalues of a Large Matrix with Application to Liquid Crystal Modeling

Equilibrium configurations of liquid crystals in a finite containment are minimizers of the thermodynamic free energy of the system. It is important to be able to track an equilibrium configuration as the temperature of the liquid crystals is decreased. The path of the minimal energy configuration at a bifurcation point can be computed from the null space of a sparse symmetric matrix, which typically is very large, e.g., of order 3 × 105. We describe an implicitly restarted block Lanczos method designed for the computation of a few extreme multiple or close eigenvalues and associated eigenvectors of a large sparse symmetric matrix and apply this method to determine the desired null space. Our method generalizes the implicitly restarted Lanczos method introduced by Sorensen. The method requires that certain acceleration parameters, referred to as shifts, be chosen. The storage requirement depends on the choice of shifts. We propose a new strategy for choosing shifts. Numerical examples illustrate that the implicitly restarted block Lanczos method with shifts chosen in this manner gives rapid convergence, reliably detects extreme multiple or close eigenvalues, and requires little computer storage in addition to the storage used for the desired eigenvectors. These features make the method well suited for the application of tracking an equilibrium configuration of liquid crystals.
On Existence and Scattering with Minimal Regularity for Semilinear Wave Equations

Abstract We prove existence and scattering results for semilinear wave equations with low regularity data. We also determine the minimal regularity that is needed to ensure local existence and well-posedness, and we give counterexamples to well-posedness. More specifically, we show that equations of the type □ u = | u | p , with initial data ( u , u t ) in Ḣ γ ( R n ) × Ḣ γ − 1 ( R n ), have a local solution if γ ≥ γ( p , n ), and we construct counterexamples if γ p , n ). The existence results rely on mixed-norm space-time estimates of Strichartz-type.
INTESTINAL PROTEIN AND BLOOD LOSS IS INFANTS FED BREAST MILK, FORMULA, OR WHOLE COW'S MILK

"The appropriate age at which unheated, whole cow's milk (WCM) can be safely introduced into the infant diet is unknown and remains an area of controversy" (AAP Committee on Nutrition, 1983). Previous studies suggest that WCM is associated with an induced enteropathy in some infants, especially those under 6 months of age. However, the prevalence of intestinal damage which might result from WCM feedings has not been established in older infants. To examine this issue, we compared enteric protein and blood excretion in 332 healthy 6-12 month old infants fed breast milk (B), formula (F), or WCM in addition to solids. Fecal alpha-l-antitrypsin (FAlAT), a marker for enteric protein loss, and fecal hemoglobin (FH) concentrations were measured in random samples by radial immunodiffusion. Mean FAlAT (mg/g dry stool) ± SD are presented below: All above values are within the normal range (Gastroenterology 80:776, 1981). FAlAT did not change with age. Only 6 infants had measurable FH loss (≥3 mg/g dry stool). Diet was not a factor in FH loss. Although the biological significance of the differences observed in FAlAT excretion is conjectural, we conclude that subclinical intestinal damage is infrequent in WCM-fed healthy infants over 6 months of age.
Keloids and ultrasound detected fibroids in young African American women.

Objective Keloids and fibroids share a number of biologic and demographic similarities however there are no published reports of the association between them. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between self-reported keloids and ultrasound detected fibroids in a population of young African American women. Study Design The Study of Environment, Life-style & Fibroids (SELF), is a volunteer cohort of over 1600 African American women aged 23-34 years recruited in Detroit, Michigan. Enrollment occurred between December 2010 and December 2012. Data are available for the first 1196 participants. Participants self-reported a history of raised (hypertrophic) scars or scars extending beyond the limits of the original injury (keloid) and had an enrollment pelvic ultrasound examination to detect prevalent fibroids. Log linear regression was used to model the association between abnormal scars and prevalent fibroids controlling for possible covariates. Among women with fibroids, associations between particular fibroid characteristics (tumor location, size or number) and scarring were assessed using chi-square and Mann Whitney U-tests. Results Both abnormal scarring (keloids, 9.0%; hypertrophic scars, 28.3%) and fibroids (23.3%) were common in this cohort. There was no indication [adjusted Risk Ratio (95% Confidence Interval): 0.7 (0.5-1.1)] of an association between self-reported keloids and prevalent fibroids. Nor was there any association with hypertrophic scars. Specific characteristics of the prevalent fibroids were not associated with abnormal scarring. Conclusion Despite similarly dysregulated extracellular matrices in keloids and fibroids, these conditions did not tend to co-occur in this young African American population.
Silica-Based Bismuth-Doped Fiber for Ultra Broad Band Light Source and Optical Amplification around at 1.1mm

We have successfully developed silica-based Bismuth-doped fiber (BiDF) by using the conventional fiber fabrication technique for the first time. Fluorescence over a 150nm bandwidth is observed in the 1100nm wavelength band by using fabricated fibers.
Enzymatic release of nitric oxide from L-alanosine, an antineoplastic antibiotic.

Abstract L-Alanosine is an antineoplastic drug which is the 3-isonitramino analog of L -aspartic acid. The drug is known to be metabolized to the corresponding 2-oxo acid. Unlike the parent amino acid, the 2-oxo acid is unstable under mild conditions. When the 2-oxo acid is generated in vitro by the aerobic action of L -amino acid oxidase on L -alanosine, the reaction mixture contains products capable of diazotizing sulfanilamide and of reducing ferricytochrome c to ferrocytochrome c . It is thus likely that, as expected from model reactions, the unstable 2-oxo acid derived from L -alanosine decomposes into nitric oxide and other reactive free-radical species. Enzymatically promoted production of highly cytotoxic nitric oxide may pertain to the biological activity of the antibiotic. The reaction should prove extrapolable to the design of other enzyme-activated cytotoxic agents.