cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Context-Based Analysis of System Execution Traces for Validating Distributed Real-Time and Embedded System Quality-of-Service Properties

System execution traces are useful artifacts for capturing distributed system behavior and validating quality-of-service (QoS) properties, such as end-to-end response time, throughput, and scalability. Although system execution traces assist in validating QoS properties, system execution traces are very dense. This is because system execution traces capture a system's complete behavior and execution in its target environment, which can consist of many components deployed across many hosts that execute for long periods of time. It therefore can be hard for distributed system testers to effectively analyze different views of QoS properties using system execution traces and/or pinpoint performance bottlenecks that need to be resolved. This paper provides two contributions on validating distributed system QoS properties. First, this paper presents Aspects for System Execution Traces (AsSET), which is a join point model for applying aspects to system execution traces and enabling context-based analysis of system execution traces. Secondly, it shows how applying AsSET to a representative enterprise distributed system can improve QoS analytical capabilities for distributed system testers. The tools and techniques discussed in this paper have been realized in an open-source system execution modeling tool named CUTS, which is currently used on several industry-related projects.
Cardinality of fuzzy sets via bags

Abstract We discuss the concept of a bag. We then investigate the use of these structures for the representation of cardinality of a fuzzy set.
Electrical properties and recombination activity of copper, nickel and cobalt in silicon

This article combines an extensive literature review of new experimental data on properties of Cu, Ni and Co and their precipitates in silicon with a discussion of experimental data recently obtained by the authors. Special attention is paid to the recombination activity of these metals. It is shown that the recombination activity of Cu, Ni, Co and their complexes is low in p-type Si, compared to that of other transition metals such as iron. However, it increases markedly upon formation of precipitates or decoration of existing lattice defects. This is explained by the formation of a precipitate-related defect band and of an attractive potential for minority charge carriers by the charged precipitates. The role of Cu, Ni and Co in the degradation of multicrystalline solar cells efficiency is discussed in a separate section. It is suggested that recently reported intragranular microdefects, which decrease the lifetime of solar cells, may be microprecipitates of these metals.
Strength of silicon wafers: fracture mechanics approach

This paper describes a model to predict mechanical strength distribution of silicon wafers. A generalized expression, based on a multimodal Weibull distribution, is proposed to describe the strength of a brittle material with surface, edge, and bulk flaws. The specific case of a cast, unpolished photovoltaic (PV) wafer is further analyzed. Assuming that surface microcracks constitute the dominant mechanism of wafer breakage, this model predicts the strength distribution of PV silicon that matches well the experimental results available in the literature.
The influence of green tea, caffeine, conjugated linoleic acid and branched chain amino acids on body composition and abdominal fat in overweight and obese individuals

Background Green tea, caffeine, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and branched chain amino acids (BCAA) have shown to individually improve body composition and metabolic rate in overweight and obese individuals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a multi-ingredient dietary supplement (MIDS) containing these ingredients on body composition, lipid profile, and metabolic rate in overweight and obese individuals.
Supreme failures (reviewing Most Deserving of Death? An Analysis of the Supreme Court’s Death Penalty Jurisprudence, by Kenneth Williams (Ashgate 2012))

Problems with capital punishment in the United States are legion, and the bill of particulars is familiar. Incompetent lawyers represent some capital defendants. Some capital trials are infected with racial bias, and race continues to shape the selection of which capital defendants receive death sentences and which do not. Despite efforts by the United States Supreme Court to shield mentally ill and retarded individuals from execution, procedural protections have fallen short. As a result, mentally disabled people continue to be executed in death chambers across the country. Recent headlines also call into question the criminal justice system’s ability to accurately sort the innocent from the guilty. We are now aware of scores of wrongful convictions, often thanks solely to D.N.A. testing, about which we never would have learned otherwise. Capital trials in particular, for whatever reason, have proven to be especially fertile grounds for exonerations. We consistently discover error in capital cases at higher rates than in noncapital cases. Numerous innocents on death row have been exonerated of the crimes that put them there. Surveying these problems, one might think that lawmakers would put the brakes on executions and permit the appellate and post-conviction review process greater time and opportunity to ensure that capital sentences are carried out in appropriate cases, but just the opposite has occurred. Instead of investing resources in the investigation, litigation, and review of capital convictions, Congress and many state legislatures have stripped Crime Law Soc Change DOI 10.1007/s10611-013-9487-1
Abstraction summarization for managing the biomedical research literature

We explore a semantic abstraction approach to automatic summarization in the biomedical domain. The approach relies on a semantic processor that functions as the source interpreter and produces a list of predications. A transformation stage then generalizes and condenses this list, ultimately generating a conceptual condensate for a disorder input topic. The final condensate is displayed in graphical form. We provide a set of principles for the transformation stage and describe the application of this approach to multidocument input. Finally, we examine the characteristics and quality of the condensates produced.
Minimization of field enhancement in multilayer capacitors

Evidence has shown that capacitor failure can often be attributed to field enhancement that occurs near electrode tips. In this research, methods to minimize field enhancement have been investigated using a combination of finite element analysis and an evolutionary algorithm. Specifically, the two methods considered are (1) to modify the electrode structure and (2) to adjust the resistivity in the dielectric region surrounding the tip. Optimal electrode structures and resistivity profiles have been derived that result in a significant reduction of field enhancement. Interestingly, it is predicted that adjustment of resistivity can yield a much greater reduction with a relatively minor increase in conduction loss.
A hypothesis for thein vivo antioxidant action of salicyclic acid

This paper presents a new hypothesis for the physiological antioxidant action of salicylate. Current theories have focused on the radical scavenging nature of salicylate. This explanation may have limitations because it is unlikely that salicylate reaches the necessary concentrations to effectively prevent damage to cell components. We propose that salicylic acid decreases the flux of hydroxyl radicals through chelation, which causes a redox deactivation mechanism of iron Fenton reaction centers. This is due to voltammetric results which indicate that the iron-salicylate complex does not have the thermodynamic driving force to act as an effective Fenton reagent necessary for the production of damaging oxygen-containing radicals. Furthermore, despite the more facile thermodynamics associated with Fenton-type processes at acidic pH values, the complex maintains Fenton inactivity due to a pH-sensitive redox potential shift that follows asEFe[Sal] = 0.793 - (0.059 pH). This is important since inflammation sites are acidic relative to healthy tissue. This redox potential shift is unique to salicylates when compared with other common iron chelation agents such as EDTA. Further evidence for the lack of Fenton-type reactivity of the iron-salicylate complex is offered in the form of oxidation studies of calf thymus (CT) DNA by hydrogen peroxide. Salicylate prevents the iron-catalyzed oxidation of CT-DNA strands as indicated by the detection of the constituent bases by HPLC. However, salicylates were not able to prevent the copper-catalyzed oxidation of CT-DNA. These results are predicted by the cyclic voltammetry of copper-salicylate, which confirms that it is an effective Fenton-type catalyst, further adding to the proof that salicylate acts by redox deactivation of iron, not by hydroxyl radical scavenging. Finally, the iron-salicylate e.m.f. suggests that it may also act as a superoxide dismutase, which indicates another possible important antioxidant feature.
Studies on the Heat Capacity of Slash Pine Kraft Black Liquors: Effects of Temperature and Solids Concentrations

Heat capacities of different kraft black liquors from statistically designed experiments for pulping slash pine were measured as a function of solids concentrations over a temperature range of (313.2 to 393.2) K using differential scanning calorimetry. The dependency of heat capacity on temperature and solids concentrations is described in detail. The results indicate that kraft black liquors are nonideal solutions, and their thermal properties cannot be predicted from the properties of pure water and solids. The excess heat capacities were determined using a binary solution assumption and are defined with a single correlation as a function of temperature and solids mass fraction for every single liquor. An empirical method is developed that can be applied to describe the heat capacity behavior of a single liquor as a function of temperature and solids concentrations. The results of this work show that the heat capacities are directly proportional to the organic-to-inorganic ratio in the liquor.
Responses of Giant Interneurons of the Cockroach Periplaneta americana to Wind Puffs of Different Directions and Velocities

1. Controlled wind puffs of different directions and velocities were delivered to the cerci of cockroaches (Periplaneta americana), while the responses of individually identifiable giant interneurons (GI's) were recorded intracellularly. 2. All fourteen histologically identified GI's (seven bilateral pairs) respond with a burst of action potentials to wind from some or all directions. The directional sensitivity of a given GI is consistent from animal to animal (Fig. 7). 3. Varying the angle of delivery of wind puffs revealed that, in each side of the nerve cord, two GI's (2, 4) show little or no directional selectivity, two GI's (1, 7) have a greater response to wind from the ipsilateral side, two GI's (3, 6) respond primarily to wind from in front of the animal, and one GI (5) responds primarily to wind from the ipsilateral rear quadrant (Fig. 7). These directional properties are independent of wind velocity up to at least 2.6 m/s (Fig. 8). 4. Varying the peak velocity of the wind stimuli (delivered from each GI's maximal response angle) showed that the number of action potentials evoked increases with wind velocity up to at least 2.6 m/s for some GI's (1, 5, 6, 7), while the number does not increase with velocity beyond 0.5 m/s for others (2, 3, 4) (Fig. 9). 5. Covering or removing the cercus contralateral to a given GI reduced the response of each GI without appreciably altering its directional selectivity (Fig. 11 A). Eliminating the ipsilateral cercus also moderately reduced the responses of some GI's (4, 5, 7), but nearly or completely abolished responses in others (GI's 1, 2, 3, 6) (Fig. 11B). 6. The spike frequencies of the GI's in response to “standard wind puffs” (peak velocity 0.6 m/s or 2.6 m/s) are high, with maintained frequencies often over 300 spikes per s (Table 1), and instantaneous frequencies some times over 900 per s (Fig. 10). 7. The directional selectivity, high spike frequency, and rapid conduction velocity of the GI's may be adaptations for mediating the short latency, directional evasive behavior of the cockroach. The results are discussed in terms of the presumed role of the GI's in this behavior and implications for sensory integration.
Assessment and treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children with comorbid psychiatric illness.

Purpose of reviewAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently occurs with a wide variety of comorbid psychiatric disorders such as conduct disorder, depression, mania, anxiety, and learning disabilities. Because the vast majority of children with ADHD are treated in primary care settin
Far-infrared transmission of superconducting homogeneous NbN films: Scattering time effects

The transmission of superconducting homogeneous NbN films has been measured between 20 and 95 cm/sup -1/. The results could be fitted with the Leplae extension of dirty-limit Mattis-Bardeen theory, which includes the effects of electronic scattering. The fits yield 2..delta../k/sub B/T/sub c/ = 4.4 and 4.1 for T/sub c/'s of 17 and 14 K, and scattering times of (1--5) x 10/sup -14/ sec. These values are in substantial agreement with other determinations. The results, together with theoretical considerations and analysis of previous data in Pb, show that the Leplae approach simply describes optical behavior even in very strongly coupled materials. A refined description, however, probably requires consideration of both scattering and strong-coupling effects.
Pseudoxanthoma-like late-onset focal dermal elastosis

A 73-year-old woman presented with a 10-year history of asymptomatic coalescent flat pale yellow lesions forming a cobblestone pattern that resembled pseudoxanthoma elasticum over her neck, upper trunk and axillae. Skin biopsies from both the neck and axilla showed focal upper dermal elastosis with increase in structurally normal elastic fibres. There was no evidence of either pseudoxanthoma elasticum or solar elastosis in either biopsy. This under-recognized presentation has previously been identified as a distinct clinicopathological entity and termed late-onset focal dermal elastosis.
Electrodeposition and characterization of amorphous Fe-Cr-P-C alloys

Electrodeposition of iron-chromium alloys was investigated in a divided and undivided cell. The influence of the current density on the composition of the alloy was determined. Energy dispersive spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy were used to evaluate alloy composition. These alloys were determined to be amorphous by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The corrosion behaviour of the alloys was studied in 0.5m HCl, and they were found to be more corrosion resistant than conventional chromium electrodeposits, with corrosion currents ranging between 40–60 μA cm−2, compared to 1850 μA cm−2 for conventional chromium. The alloy electrodeposition mechanism was studied by cyclic voltammetry.
Membrane Driven Spatial Organization of GPCRs

Spatial organization of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) into dimers and higher order oligomers has been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. The pharmacological readout was shown to depend on the specific interfaces, but why particular regions of the GPCR structure are involved and how ligand-determined states change them remains unknown. Here we show why protein-membrane hydrophobic matching is attained upon oligomerization at specific interfaces from an analysis of coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of the spontaneous diffusion-interaction of the prototypical beta2-adrenergic (β2AR) receptors in a POPC lipid bilayer. The energy penalty from mismatch is significantly reduced in the spontaneously emerging oligomeric arrays, making the spatial organization of the GPCRs dependent on the pattern of mismatch in the monomer. This mismatch pattern is very different for β2AR compared to the highly homologous and structurally similar β1AR, consonant with experimentally observed oligomerization patterns of β2AR and β1AR. The results provide a mechanistic understanding of the structural context of oligomerization.
Design of Dilution Ventilation for Sensible and Latent Heat

Abstract The design of dilution ventilation for control of heat stress requires consideration of both sensible and latent heat. Heat balance equations are used to develop a design procedure which takes into account both forms of heat. By use of the WBGT index in the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists Threshold Limit Value (TLV) for heat stress, a limiting exposure value for the natural wet bulb temperature in a workplace can be determined. The psychrometric chart constant enthalpy line for moist air associated with this limiting natural wet bulb temperature, along with psychrometric conditions of available dilution air, permits calculation of the amount of dilution ventilation required to satisfy the TLV. For design of dilution ventilation for plants or processes not yet in operation, values for the amounts of latent and sensible heat to be released to the ventilated space and mixing coefficients may have to be estimated. For existing processes or operations, the measurements of ven...
The collection and identification of thiols and disulphides

Following the evolution of sulphur compounds from cultures of marine organisms in methionine solution, the collection of thiols and disulphides in mercuric cyanide and mercuric chloride was studied. The subsequent conversion of the mercaptides and mercury complexes to 2,4-dinitrophenyl sulphides was found to be possible by decomposing the mercury compounds with acid and collecting the mercaptan in caustic ethanol and then treatment with I-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene. A method for the chromatography of the 2,4-dinitrophenyl sulphides on paraffin-impregnated paper was devised and studied.
An assumed strain method for the dispersive global–local modeling of periodic structures

Abstract A computational method to ascertain the dispersive elastodynamic behavior of periodic materials is presented. The method is based on a two-field Hu–Washitzu variational formulation in which independent displacement and strain fields are employed. The method of multiple scales is used to recover a global–local methodology, and an asymptotic analysis provides the characterization of the microstructure. The effectiveness of the methodology is assessed by computing the phase and group velocity spectra for time harmonic plane waves propagating in a laminated medium and a fiber-reinforced composite. Predicted results are compared with exact elasticity results, available experimental data, and other available predictions.
35 HYPERURICEMIA IN CYCLOSPORINE (CsA) TREATED RENAL ALLOGRAFT RECIPIENTS: EVIDENCE FOR UNDEREXCRETION OF URATE

35 HYPERURICEMIA IN CYCLOSPORINE (CsA) TREATED RENAL ALLOGRAFT RECIPIENTS: EVIDENCE FOR UNDEREXCRETION OF URATE
Ada and software engineering

The difficulties of writing large programs are discussed briefly, showing how they led to the concept of software engineering. The development of the Ada language is described. The principal concepts of software engineering, namely, information hiding, encapsulation, separation of concerns, abstraction, verification, and reusability, are defined, and their expression in Ada is shown. >
Two Simple Methods for Improving a Triangle Mesh Surface

We present two simple and efficient local methods that reposition vertices of a triangle mesh surface with the goal of producing good triangle shapes while preserving the enclosed volume and sharp features. The methods involve minimizing a quadratic energy functional with respect to variations in a tangent plane or in the direction of a crease at each free vertex. One of the methods is aimed at producing uniform angles, while the other method is designed to produce uniform triangle areas, or more generally, to force relative triangle areas to conform to curvature estimates or estimates of local feature size so that vertex density is low in flat spots and relatively high in regions of large curvature. Test results demonstrate the effectiveness of both methods, especially when combined.
Use of restraints and pharmacotherapy in academic psychiatric emergency services

Psychiatric emergency services (PES) are an increasingly important component of mental health services. To assess the type and scope of services delivered in the PES setting, the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry sponsored an Expert Consensus Panel Survey of these services in 1999. The questionnaire was mailed to medical directors of PES facilities with 91% (n = 51) responding. More than 90% of the respondents were teaching sites. Restraints were reportedly used in a mean of 8.5% of presentations for a mean of 3.3 h per episode. Restraint utilization correlated with the percentage of psychotic patients treated, but not with a wide variety of other patient and service variables. Involuntary medications were used in 16% of cases, though in oral form in 29% of those cases. A large majority (94%) endorsed mild sedation permitting further assessment as the appropriate endpoint and rejected sleep or heavy sedation as an endpoint (82%). Benzodiazepines received the strongest endorsements and 82% indicated it would be appropriate to administer a benzodiazepine alone for agitation first and initiate antipsychotic treatment subsequently if appropriate. When there is no history of prior antipsychotic exposure, 60% favored a benzodiazepine alone. However, given a history of previous antipsychotic treatment, only 8% endorsed this strategy. Most respondents (78%) preferred to use oral medication for treating behavioral emergencies, whenever possible but 70.3% reported regular use of an IM combination of a benzodiazepine and high-potency typical neuroleptic when necessary. In addition to managing emergencies, 82% of services initiated standing medications for patients being admitted to hospital settings and 70% initiated regular medication treatments for patients being released to the community. Of patients started on oral antipsychotics, 42% received an atypical antipsychotic. Reflecting medication characteristics of particular importance in emergency settings, most respondents (92%) cited selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as the preferred type of antidepressant, and divalproex or related compounds (90%) for treatment of bipolar disorder in the PES.
A high frequency resonant scanner using thermal actuation

Large deflection MEMS scanning mirrors are sometimes difficult to design as they require large clearances to avoid collisions. This paper describes a surface micromachined thermally actuated 1D optical scanner capable of large deflection. An array of in-plane Joule heated buckle beams is configured to produce a torque that rotates a cantilevered mirror away from the substrate. The high-Q structure enables deflection of the mirror through large scan angles when operated at resonance. The RMS heating of the buckle beams at high frequencies coupled with residual stress in the mirror's cantilever lift the mirror away from the substrate to help avoid collisions during operation.
The Elusive Urophysis—Twenty-five Years in Pursuit of Caudal Neurohormones

A brief account of the development and current state of our knowledge of the caudal neurosecretory system (urophysis) of fishes and its neurohormones, the urotensins, is presented. The structure of the system and the biological actions and chemistry of its active factors are discussed, in an attempt to assess their possible physiological significancefor the organisms which possess them. The semihistorical presentation is intended to follow the course of discovery in a readily circumscribed area of organismal biology.
Synthesis and structure of solution-stable one-dimensional palladium wires

One-dimensional wires with metal–metal bonding have been studied for more than a century, but control over structure and properties has remained challenging. Here, palladium–palladium bonding is used to make one-dimensional wires with lengths of up to 750 nm in solution, whose molecular structures can be rationally modified.
A fast supervised learning scheme for recurrent neural networks with application to associative memory design

With the concept of integral manifold that exists in the Hopfield model with supervised learning, a learning scheme which guarantees stable learning with the prescribed learning rate is proposed. With the proposed learning rule and selection of initial conditions, one can achieve a fast and smooth search for the synaptic interconnection that accommodates the desired patterns as stable equilibria of the neural network. Connective stability using the M-matrix condition is used to ensure stable learning. This learning methodology is applied to train a Hopfield model for storing multiple vector patterns. >
Diode-Laser Spectroscopy of Alkali Halides: The Lithium Bromide Molecule

Abstract The vibration-rotation spectrum of the lithium bromide molecule has been recorded using a tunable diode laser. A total of 1004 lines for all four isotopic combinations 6 Li 79 Br, 6 Li 81 Br, 7 Li 79 Br, and 7 Li 81 Br in eight Δ v = 2 overtone bands were observed. The lines were fitted to Dunham and mass-reduced Dunham parameters.
Of chicken wings and frog legs: a smorgasbord of evolutionary variation in mechanisms of tetrapod limb development.

The tetrapod limb, which has served as a paradigm for the study of development and morphological evolution, is becoming a paradigm for developmental evolution as well. In its origin and diversification, the tetrapod limb has undergone a great deal of remodeling. These morphological changes and other evolutionary phenomena have produced variation in mechanisms of tetrapod limb development. Here, we review that variation in the four major clades of limbed tetrapods. Comparisons in a phylogenetic context reveal details of development and evolution that otherwise may have been unclear. Such details include apparent differences in the mechanisms of dorsal–ventral patterning and limb identity specification between mouse and chick and mechanistic novelties in amniotes, anurans, and urodeles. As we gain a better understanding of the details of limb development, further differences among taxa will be revealed. The use of appropriate comparative techniques in a phylogenetic context thus sheds light on evolutionary transitions in limb morphology and the generality of developmental models across species and is therefore important to both evolutionary and developmental biologists.
Regulation of phospholipase D activity in a human oligodendroglioma cell line (HOG)

Oligodendroglial cells express many specific proteins, such as myelin basic protein (MBP), which are physiologically phosphorylated by protein kinase C (PKC). Diacylglycerols are physiological activators of PKC and can be liberated from phospholipids by the direct receptor-mediated activation of phospholipase C (PL-C) or indirectly via the activation of phospholipase D (PL-D). In a well-characterized human oligodendroglioma (HOG) cell line, PL-C (measured by release of [3H]inositol phosphates) and PL-D (formation of [3H]myristoylated or palmitoylated phosphatidylethanol) were activated by both carbachol (blocked by pirenzepine, suggesting an M1 receptor) and histamine (H1 receptor) but not glutamate, bradykinin, or phenylephrine. PL-C stimulation by carbachol or histamine was completely inhibited by short-term treatment (<30 min) with phorbol ester (TPA), a PKC activator. In contrast, PL-D activation by either carbachol or histamine was stimulated in additive fashion by TPA, suggesting at least two distinct mechanisms for PL-D activation. Down regulation of PKC by prolonged (24 hr) treatment with TPA reversed the inhibitory effects of TPA on PL-C and the stimulatory effects on PL-D. However, the PKC inhibitors H-7 and galactosylsphingosine did not inhibit the TPA-mediated stimulation of PLD while the less-specific PKC inhibitor, staurosporine, was only partially inhibitory. Preexposure of cells to carbachol, greatly reduced both PL-C and PL-D activation by carbachol, suggesting homologous desensitization. Time-course studies indicated that PL-D activation (10 sec or less) was at least as fast as PL-C activation, and the affinity of carbachol and histamine for the receptor coupled to either phospholipase (EC50 = 5–10 μM) was about the same. We conclude that in this oligodendroglioma, and by inference in oligodendroglial cells, the receptor-coupled PL-D pathway, is at least as important as the PL-C pathway as a source of DAG and that its relationship to PKC is complex. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
National Practice Patterns of Infection Prophylaxis for Sacral Neuromodulation Device: A Survey of High Volume Providers

Abstract Introduction Sacral neuromodulation using the InterStim® device is a safe, effective treatment for urgency, frequency, urgency incontinence, nonobstructive urinary retention and fecal incontinence. However, there is no standard recommendation regarding infection prophylaxis. Therefore, we surveyed the infection prophylaxis patterns of high volume device providers to describe current practice patterns of perioperative infection prophylaxis. Methods A web based survey was sent to 35 high volume providers, including urologists, gynecologists and colorectal surgeons. Results Our response rate was 89% (31 of 35 participants). Of the providers 51% were urologists, 39% were gynecologists and 10% were colorectal surgeons. Of the respondents 74% had performed more than 200 procedures and 22% had done more than 500. The testing period was generally 1 to 2 weeks. Only 13% of the surveyed providers routinely screened for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. All providers administered antibiotics preoperatively, most commonly cefazolin or vancomycin, and 81% administered antibiotics postoperatively, most commonly cephalexin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Most providers prescribed 5 to 7 days of treatment but 6 (19%) prescribed no postoperative antibiotics. In addition, 71% of respondents used adjunctive measures, frequently intraoperative wound irrigation and/or a preoperative chlorhexidine shower. After stages 1 and 2, 19% of providers prohibited showering for more than 3 days postoperatively while 61% permitted showering after 1 or 2 days and 19% recommended no bathing restriction. Conclusions We present the infection prevention practices of high volume InterStim sacral neuromodulation device implanters in the United States. Further study is warranted to guide evidence-based practice in InterStim infection prophylaxis.
Arrhythmias in the muscular dystrophies

The muscular dystrophies are a group of inherited diseases affecting skeletal muscle that also affect cardiac muscle. Cardiac involvement occurs as a degenerative process with fibrosis and fatty replacement of the myocardium. Electrophysiologists are asked to participate in the care of muscular dystrophy patients because of the risk of atrial arrhythmias, conduction disease, bradycardia, ventricular arrhythmias, and sudden death. Duchenne, Becker, and limb-girdle types 2C−2F and 2I are muscular dystrophies in which the development of a dilated cardiomyopathy is common. Arrhythmias and conduction disease occur after the development of the dilated cardiomyopathy. Patients are considered for pacemakers or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators on the basis of guidelines used for nonischemic cardiomyopathies. Myotonic types 1 and 2, Emery-Dreifuss, limb-girdle type 1B, and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophies present with conduction disease and associated arrhythmias and variably with a dilated cardiomyopathy. In myotonic type 1, Emery-Dreifuss, and limb-girdle type 1B muscular dystrophies, conduction abnormalities are frequent and often require pacing. Recent studies support the use of prophylactic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators rather than pacemakers. In all the muscular dystrophies, respiratory muscle involvement can impact quality and quantity of life and needs to be factored in when considering a prophylactic device.
Archaeological Interpretation and the Rewriting of History: Deimperializing and Decolonizing the Past at Xaltocan, Mexico

In this case study of the Aztec imperial transition at Xaltocan, Mexico, I argue that the same rewriting of history and misrepresentation of subjugated peoples that postcolonial scholars attribute to Western colonialism also happened in non-Western imperial contexts. Moreover, I suggest that a focus on historically documented transitions has obscured other more significant social changes; our research questions have been structured by the very exercise of power we wish to counter. Drawing on Trouillot, I explore discrepancies between imperial histories written in the colonial era and archaeological evidence of occupation at Xaltocan, and I reveal the active silencing of commoners in ancient and colonial times. I then contemplate the implications of such revisionist histories for archaeological interpretation and suggest that by failing to critically evaluate historical evidence, we have incorrectly ascribed social change to elite actors and unwittingly perpetuated an imperial and colonial perspective. I also point to archaeological evidence of a dramatic pre-Aztec transition at 1240 C.E. that has remained unexplored, a consequence of the tyranny of text. Finally, I argue that by using postcolonial theory, examining contradictions and tensions in historical and archaeological data sets, and displacing focus from imperial historical narratives, we can deimperialize the pre-Hispanic past.
Fiber in Whole Foods: A Closer Look

Fiber has more health benefits than treating or preventing constipation or hemorrhoids. But most individuals do not include foods with adequate amounts of fiber to their diet. Perhaps low consumption of fiber is due to poor food choices or because one is not aware of the food high in fiber content. In this issue the facts about fiber are discussed including a list of commonly consumed foods and their fiber content.
On the non-vanishing of Poincaré series

Let M = SL(2, Z) be the classical modular matrix group. One form of the Poincare series on M ishere z ∈ H={z = x + iy: y >0}, q ≧ 2 and m ≧ 1 are integers, and the summation is over a complete system of matrices (ab: cd) in M with different lower row. The problem of the identical vanishing of the Poincare series for different values of m and q goes back to Poincare.
Integration, informalization, and income inequality in developing countries: Some general equilibrium explorations in light of accumulating evidence

Recent post-liberalization decades have seen increasing gaps between wages and profit in- come, rising skill premia, and disappointing formal sector employment growth in many develop- ing countries. This paper presents an attempt to reconcile some of these developments with the help of modified versions of simple standard trade theory factor endowment models. Measures undertaken to enhance public sector efficiency and attract investment in the export sector can create a conflict of interest between the owners of capital and labor, and increase the rental- wage and skill-unskilled wage gaps, contra the predictions of the Heckscher-Ohlin-Samuelson model. Moreover, increasing inequality can exist side-by-side with increasing informalization of the economy. The greater unskilled labor intensity of the informal sector, factor market rigidities in the formal sector, and the sector specificity of some factors crucially influence the outcomes of policy experiments. Even within a simple framework that assumes full employment of resources, large segments of labor may have good reason to fear the consequences of reform. JEL Categories: F16, O17, F11
A simulation model of the population dynamics of the branching coral Acropora palmata Effects of storm intensity and frequency

Abstract A stage-based model was developed to predict the effects of storm intensity and frequency on populations of the branching coral Acropora palmata. The data used to parameterize the model were obtained from an A. palmata population in the northern Florida Reef Tract that experienced three storms in 27 months. Storm intensity is a significant factor influencing the survivorship of A. palmata populations. After a severe storm, A. palmata populations can be numerically dominated by fragments and crusts. The shift in biomass from units with high survivorship (i.e. colonies) to units with higher mortality probabilities (i.e. fragments and crusts) can affect the recovery and long-term survivorship of disturbed populations. However, the model suggests that A. palmata still can benefit from periodic storms. When sexual recruitment is limited or sporadic, storm fragmentation followed by fragment survivorship and growth may be the only mechanism available for A. palmata to propagate. Storm frequency can also affect the survivorship of A. palmata. When storms occur at 15-year intervals, a slow increase in the abundance of colonies can take place after 10 consecutive storms. When storm frequency increases to 5 years, the abundance of colonies can increase five-fold after 10 storms. However, as storm frequency increases further (one storm every 2 years) a steady decline in the abundance of A. palmata colonies can occur.
Association Between Metabolic Syndrome and Periodontal Disease Measures in Postmenopausal Women: The Buffalo OsteoPerio Study

Background: The objective of this study is to characterize the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and periodontitis in women, for which there is limited evidence.Methods: Cross-sectional associations between MetS and periodontitis were examined in 657 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 years enrolled in a periodontal disease study ancillary to the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. Whole-mouth measures of alveolar crest height (ACH), clinical attachment level (CAL), probing depth (PD), gingival bleeding, and supragingival plaque and measures to define MetS using National Cholesterol Education Program criteria were from a clinical examination. Study outcomes were defined as: 1) mean ACH ≥3 mm, two sites ≥5 mm, or tooth loss to periodontitis; 2) ≥2 sites with CAL ≥6 mm and ≥1 site with PD ≥5 mm; 3) gingival bleeding at ≥50% of sites; and 4) supragingival plaque at ≥50% of sites. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results: In u...
Impact of metformin use on the prognostic value of lactate in sepsis.

Abstract Objective The objective of this study is to determine if metformin use affects the prevalence and prognostic value of hyperlactatemia to predict mortality in septic adult emergency department (ED) patients. Methods This is a single-center retrospective cohort study. Emergency department providers identified study subjects; data were collected from the medical record. Patients Adult ED patients with suspected infection and 2 or more systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria were included. The outcome was 28-day mortality. The primary risk variable was serum lactate ( Setting The study was conducted at an urban teaching hospital; February 1, 2007 to October 31, 2008. Results A total of 1947 ED patients were enrolled; 192 (10%) were taking metformin; 305 (16%) died within 28 days. Metformin users had higher median lactate levels than nonusers (2.2 mmol/L [interquartile range, 1.6-3.2] vs 1.9 mmol/L [interquartile range, 1.3-2.8]) and a higher, although nonsignificant, prevalence of hyperlactatemia (lactate ≥4.0 mmol/L) (17% vs 13%) ( P = .17). In multivariate analysis (reference group nonmetformin users, lactate P P = .33). In addition, nonmetformin users had a higher adjusted mortality risk than metformin users (OR, 2.49; P Conclusions In this study of adult ED patients with suspected sepsis, metformin users had slightly higher median lactate levels and prevalence of hyperlactatemia. However, hyperlactatemia did not predict an increased mortality risk in patients taking metformin.
Tracer transport by planetary waves - A comparison of explicit and parameterized models

A two-dimensional stratospheric tracer transport parameterization is developed using the theory of small-amplitude generalized Lagrangian means and tested by two experiments. The first tests the parameterization for mean climatological winter conditions without wave transience; the second tests it in the presence of transience and critical layers, when nonacceleration conditions are strongly violated. Tracer transport by Eulerian velocity, the residual velocity, and the nondivergent mean meridional Lagrangian velocity are compared.
Integrated and frequency-band magnitude, two alternative measures of the size of an earthquake

Integrated magnitude substitutes the r.m.s. average amplitude over a pre-selected interval for the peak amplitude in the conventional body-wave magnitude formula. Frequency-band magnitude uses an equivalent quantity in the frequency domain. Integrated magnitude exhibits less scatter than conventional body-wave magnitude for short-period seismograms. Frequency-band magnitude exhibits less scatter than body-wave magnitude or integrated magnitude for both long- and short-period seismograms. The scatter of frequency-band magnitude is probably due to real azimuthal effects, crustal-transfer-function variations, errors in compensation for seismograph response, microseismic moise and uncertainties in the compensation for attenuation with distance. To observe azimuthal variations clearly, the crustal-transfer functions and seismograph response need to be known more precisely than was the case in this experiment, because these two sources of scatter can be large enough to explain all of the observed variations.
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography: state of the art in clinical practice.

Recent technological innovations in CT and MR imaging of the heart have vastly expanded the clinical utility of these modalities allowing them to complement and in some ways surpass the capabilities of more traditional methods. Cardiac MR (CMR) has an unrivaled ability to assess contractile function, characterize tissue, and detect minute areas of scar. In turn, CMR can reliably risk stratify ischemic heart disease and has emerged as a non-invasive gold standard technique for imaging non-ischemic cardiomyopathies. 1 Cardiac CT (CCT) by comparison reveals cardiac structure and, in particular, coronary anatomy with remarkable sub-millimeter detail. For the first time, coronary stenoses can be directly and reliably visualized non-invasively. Owing to its very high negative predictive value for the detection of significant coronary obstruction, CCT can accurately exclude coronary disease as a cause of chest pain in low- to intermediate-risk populations. This article describes these modalities and their recent clinical advances.
Evaluating the applicability of cloud computing enterprises in support of the next generation of modeling and simulation architectures

Traditional computing employs client/server architectures where the client software can issue service requests to the server. Cloud computing offers the ability to transparently provide computing services remotely to users through the Internet, freeing them of the burdens associated with managing computing resources and facilities. In order to fully exploit the benefits of computing and network progress, the simulation community must identify and resolve the challenges of distributing the next generation of modeling and simulation architectures among cloud computing enterprises.
Effects of Removable Ankle-Foot Orthosis in Chronic Patients With Hemiplegia During Gait Training: A Pilot Study

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the removable ankle-foot orthosis (RAFO) which was developed to improve the gait of stroke patients. The subjects of this study were five stroke patients who agreed to participate in this study by signing a written consent form. To verify gait improvement after wearing the orthosis, a Timed Up and Go test and Functional Gait Assessment were performed, and spatiotemporal gait variables such as gait speed, cadence, stride length, double limb support, and the efficient gait test of body sway angle were performed. For every variable, the differences prior to and after wearing the RAFO were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Every gait variable improved significantly after wearing the RAFO compared to prior to wearing it. The pilot study will enhance future efforts to evaluate orthotic function objectively during gait in stroke patients.
The Evaluation of Honing Cross Hatch of Cylinder Hole and Analysis on Common Problem about Honing Cross Hatch

This paper introduce the evaluation theory of honing quality of cylinder bore,expound the relation between evaluation parameters and engine performance,give a theoretical analysis and summary of the reason that parameter oversized at the same time,enumerate and analysis some common problems that honing cross hatch can not meet the requirement in production.
Integrins, Signaling, and the Remodeling of the Extracellular Matrix

Publisher Summary This chapter presents evidence from several experimental systems for the involvement of integrins, both in the induction and in the cellular recognition of changes in extracellular matrix (ECM) composition. Direct evidence for an interplay between integrin function and ECM integrity has come from experiments showing that integrin–ECM contacts can regulate the expression of matrix metalloproteinas (MMP). This is conceptually satisfying because it indicates that these receptors for ECM can function as the monitors of the integrity of the ECM and probably serve an important homeostatic role in the complex relationship between cells and their external environment. This relationship has been shown most extensively in early passage cultured rabbit synovial fibroblasts. In addtion, the studies on cytotrophoblast and other invasive and migrating cells suggest that cellular interactions with the ECM regulate ECM remodeling in normal and pathological invasion and that integrins play a crucial role in this regulation. Work in two other systems raises the possibility that ECM regulation of the invasive phenotype is a special case of a more general principle: The interplay of integrin function with ECM degradation may be required to establish or maintain the patterns of gene expression in differentiated cells.
MO-G-204-01: Current MOC Requirements with An Emphasis On Recent Changes

Learning Objectives: 1.The participants will understand how to comply with the revised ABR MOC requirements 2.The participants be able to utilize the new Participatory PQI into their MOC program 3.The participants will be able to comply with the ABR MOC simplified attestation requirements 4.The participants will be able to meet the requirements for the annual ABR MOC lookback This presentation will update medical physicists about the American Board of Radiology Maintenance of Certification (MOC) process. The MOC process has recently undergone a number of significant changes and this presentation will review these for the attendees. The entire process has been simplified by going to a process whereby most items can be attested to. The ABR has also adopted a process whereby the status of the diplomate is reviewed on an annual basis (lookback). This process makes the MOC process continuous basis rather than the episodic basis that existed in the past. The Process Quality Improvement (Part 4) has many new opportunities so that many medical physicists can meet the Part 4 requirement based on their routine clinical activities.
Axillary Procedures for Breast Cancer

The status of the axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients remains an important predictor of overall survival. The complete axillary node dissection has been largely replaced by the sentinel node mapping surgery in the past 15 years. The indications and techniques for sentinel node surgery have evolved over the past 10 years with resultant decreases in operative morbidity.