cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CAR-T therapy in solid organ transplant recipients with treatment refractory posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder.

Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T) are genetically modified T cells with a chimeric antigen receptor directed against a specific tumor-associated antigen like CD19 in lymphoma. CAR-T cells have shown encouraging activity against recurrent and refractory diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCL). However concurrent use of immunosuppressive agents was prohibited in most CAR-T trials effectively excluding patients with prior solid organ transplantation (SOT) and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD). We report the outcomes for three patients with PTLD refractory to immunochemotherapy 10-20 years after SOT who received CAR-T therapy between January 2018 and December 2019. One patient had an orthotopic heart transplant, the second had a deceased donor kidney transplant, and the third had a pancreas after kidney transplant (PAK). All patients developed complications of CAR-T therapy such as cytokine release syndrome, immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome, and acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy in the two out of three patients. All patients expired after withdrawal of care due to lack of response to CAR-T therapy. In addition, the PAK patient developed acute pancreatitis after CAR-T therapy. This case series identifies the challenges of using CAR-T therapy to manage refractory PTLD in SOT recipients and its possible complications.
National Trends of Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drug Use in Patients Admitted With Acute Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a significant health and economic burden in the US. Tobacco, alcohol, and drug use are established risk factors. We sought to evaluate the national trend of use of each substance in patients admitted with AMI. METHODS We used the National Inpatient Sample between 2005 and 2017. We included adult patients hospitalized with AMI. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revisions codes were used to define tobacco, alcohol, cocaine, opioid, cannabis and other drug use. Trends of each substance use were assessed using multivariable Poisson regression, and were expressed as annual percent change (APC) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS A total of 10,796,844 hospitalizations with AMI were included. Among all substances used, tobacco was the most common (32.7%), followed by alcohol (3.2%). Between 2005 and 2017, the prevalence ratio of tobacco use increased from 21.5% to 44.5% with an APC +6.2% (95%CI 6.2%-6.2%). Tobacco users had more percutaneous coronary intervention (41%vs25%) and coronary artery bypass surgery (6.9%vs4.9%), p < 0.001. Further, there were positive trends in alcohol (APC +3.1%; 95%CI 3.0%-3.2%), opioid (APC +9.0%; 95%CI 8.7%-9.2%), cannabis (APC + 7.2; 95% CI 7%-7.4%), and combined all drug use (+7.1%; 95%CI 7%-7.2%). Meanwhile, there was a slight negative trend in cocaine use. CONCLUSIONS This analysis outlines the national trends of substance use in patients admitted with AMI and reveals an increasing prevalence of tobacco use, alcohol and drug use. More effective cessation measures are necessary to reduce the risk for AMI and its burden on the healthcare system and economy.
Memorializing Senator McCain’s “Uncivil Tongue”: Invitational Rhetoric and the Problem of Confrontation and Violence

The idealistic principles of civility undergirding the theory of invitation generally condemn the use of confrontational or violent rhetorical strategies. Such condemnation risks preventing margina...
Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy: Current Pharmacologic Treatments and Improving Clinical Outcomes.

Abstract Overt hepatic encephalopathy is a generally reversible neurologic complication of cirrhosis. Overt hepatic encephalopathy has been associated with poor hospitalization- and mortality-related outcomes, which is important given increasing hepatic encephalopathy-related hospitalizations over time. The aim of this narrative review is to provide an overview of hospital- and mortality-related outcomes in patients with overt hepatic encephalopathy and the pharmacologic therapies that may improve these outcomes. Guideline-recommended prophylaxis with lactulose (first-line therapy) or secondary prophylaxis with rifaximin plus lactulose decreases hospital admissions and mortality rates. Rifaximin or lactulose treatment was beneficial for reducing the hospitalization rate in patients with hepatic encephalopathy compared with no treatment. Further, retrospective studies have shown that rifaximin with or without lactulose was effective for decreasing the number of hepatic encephalopathy episodes, hepatic encephalopathy-related hospitalizations, and duration of hospitalization. Ornithine phenylacetate, an ammonia-reducing agent currently in development, is also being investigated in hospitalized patients with hepatic encephalopathy. Overall, data support that prophylaxis for the prevention of hepatic encephalopathy recurrence improves outcomes in patients with cirrhosis and a history of hepatic encephalopathy.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Long-Term Recovery from Traumatic Injury.

Objective Determine the proportion and characteristics of traumatic injury survivors who perceive a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their recovery and to define post-injury outcomes for this cohort. Background The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated physical, psychological, and social stressors that may create a uniquely difficult recovery and reintegration environment for injured patients. Methods Adult (≥18 years) survivors of moderate-to-severe injury completed a survey 6-14 months post-injury during the COVID-19 pandemic. This survey queried individuals about the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on injury recovery and assessed post-injury functional and mental health outcomes. Regression models were built to identify factors associated with a perceived negative impact of the pandemic on injury recovery, and to define the relationship between these perceptions and long-term outcomes. Results Of 597 eligible trauma survivors who were contacted, 403 (67.5%) completed the survey. Twenty-nine percent reported that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted their recovery and 24% reported difficulty accessing needed healthcare. Younger age, lower perceived-socioeconomic status (SES), extremity injury, and prior psychiatric illness were independently associated with negative perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on injury recovery. In adjusted analyses, patients who reported a negative impact of the pandemic on their recovery were more likely to have new functional limitations, daily pain, lower physical and mental component scores of the SF-12 and to screen positive for PTSD and depression. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic is negatively impacting the recovery of trauma survivors. It is essential that we recognize the impact of the pandemic on injured patients while focusing on directed efforts to improve the long-term outcomes of this already at-risk population.
Tropical instability wave modulation of chlorophyll-a in the Equatorial Pacific.

The global daily gap-free chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) data derived using the data interpolating empirical orthogonal functions (DINEOF) technique from observations of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) in 2020 and the in situ measurements at the Tropical Ocean Atmosphere (TAO) moorings are used to characterize and quantify the biological variability modulated by the tropical instability wave (TIW). Our study aims to understand how ocean physical processes are linked to biological variability. In this study, we use the TAO in situ measurements and the coincident VIIRS Chl-a data to identify the mechanism that drives ocean biological variability corresponding to the TIW. Satellite observations show that the TIW-driven Chl-a variability stretched from 90°W to 160°E in the region. The enhanced Chl-a pattern propagated westward and moderately matched the cooler sea surface temperature (SST) patterns in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean. In fact, the Chl-a variation driven by the TIW is about ± 30% of mean Chl-a values. Furthermore, the time series of Chl-a at 140°W along the equator was found to be in phase with sea surface salinity (SSS) at 140°W along the equator at the TAO mooring since late May 2020. The cross-correlation coefficients with the maximum magnitude between Chl-a and SST, Chl-a and SSS, and Chl-a and dynamic height were -0.46, + 0.74, and -0.58, respectively, with the corresponding time lags of about 7 days, 1 day, and 8 days, respectively. The different spatial patterns of the cooler SST and enhanced Chl-a are attributed to the phase difference in Chl-a and SST. Indeed, a Chl-a peak normally coincided with a SSS peak and vice versa. This could be attributed to the consistency in the change in nutrient concentration with respect to the change of SSS. The vertical distributions of the temperature and salinity at 140°W along the equator reveal that the TIW leads to changes in both salinity and nutrient concentrations in the sea surface, and consequently drives the Chl-a variability from late May until the end of the year 2020.
Interaction-Induced Contributions to Spectra of Polar Liquids

We use molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to investigate interaction-induced effects on dielectric relaxation and depolarized Rayleigh scattering (DRS) in polar liquids. We compare these processes in methanol and acetonotrile, two liquids of similar dielectric constants at room temperature, but very different at the molecular level. For methanol we have simulated wave vector dependent dielectric relaxation and DRS. Only the latter process was simulated for acetonitrile, since MD results for the former were already available from the work of Edwards and coworkers. Interaction-induced contributions to collective dipoles and polarizabilities were included using the first order perturbation theory and analyzed in terms of projected variables which allow the total contributions of collective reorientation and collision-induced relaxation to be identified. In the case of dielectric relaxation, we found that collective reorientation dominates over much of the relevant time scale. The main role of the interaction-induced dipoles is to create a local field which effectively enhances the magnitude of the permanent dipoles. Collision-induced processes become important at higher frequencies, reflected in the far-infrared absorption coefficient and the relaxation of the longitudinal dipole density. Unlike in dielectric relaxation, in DRS, interaction-induced effects on the collective polarizability anisotropy relaxation are important on all relevant time scales. Their relative importance appears more strongly correlated with the molecular shape and polarizability than with polarity. In methanol, even though most of the molecular polarizability is along the CO bond, the OH bond dynamics makes a strong direct contribution to DRS, reflecting the importance of hydrogen bonding to relaxation processes in this liquid.
Stress and Coping Patterns

This chapter elaborates how culture affects stress and modes of coping with stress. Stress is used as a generic term for psychological stress, referring to a condition that creates outstanding psychological problems, burdens, pressures, traumas, frustrations, or conflicts to which the subject must react with excessive effort, inducing a considerable disturbance of his or her emotional state. Culture has a broad impact on stress in multiple dimensions. It influences the occurrence of stress, modifies the perception or appraisal of the stress, is involved in the selection of a coping style, and has an impact on the supporting resources available to the subject. Psychological stress or problems can be directly produced by the cultural system itself. Through commonly shared beliefs and group attitudes, a society may induce stress in its members. The culture also affects stress through the supporting resources it offers for coping with problems. The nature of supporting resources varies greatly, it may be of a private or public nature, it may come from neighbors, the family, community, or government or it may be material or emotional.
BRONCHIAL OBSTRUCTION IN CYSTIC FIBROSIS: RHEOLOGICAL FACTORS

Rheological studies of the respiratory secretions from patients with cystic fibrosis and from controls are presented. The apparent viscosities of mucous secretions were obtained in five patients with cystic fibrosis and in seven control subjects. The viscosity values for cystic fibrosis mucus after shearing were found to be about 5 times that of controls. The structure of the mucous molecule is discussed, and the various factors affecting its viscosity and flow characteristics are described. The effect of 0.5 molar NaCl solution in dispersing cystic fibrosis mucus is presented. This effect suggests the theory that the high viscosity of mucus in cystic fibrosis is due to a decreased concentration of sodium ions in the structure of the mucous molecule. A link between the high concentration of salt in the sweat and the high viscosity of mucus of patients with cystic fibrosis could thereby be provided.
Muon decay asymmetries from K L 0 → π 0 μ + μ − decays

We examine the decay ${K}_{L}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ in which the branching ratio, the muon energy asymmetry and the muon decay asymmetry could be measured. In particular, we find that within the standard model the longitudinal polarization ${(P}_{L})$ of the muon is proportional to the direct $\mathrm{CP}$ violating amplitude. On the other hand the energy asymmetry and the out-of-plane polarization ${(P}_{N})$ depend on both indirect and direct $\mathrm{CP}$ violating amplitudes. Although the branching ratio is small and difficult to measure because of the background, the asymmetries could be as large as $\mathcal{O}(1)$ in the standard model. A combined analysis of the energy asymmetry, ${P}_{L},$ and ${P}_{N}$ could be used to separate indirect CPV, direct CPV, and $\mathrm{CP}$ conserving contributions to the decay.
Paradigms for Clinical fMRI

This unit presents description of four basic clinical paradigms for clinical fMRI of language cmprehension, eye movement (visually guidede saccades), motor cortex (finger-thumb apposition), and visual cortex. Given the neurosurgical concern with preservation of eloquent cortex, brain functions of particular interest are primary sensory (e.g., visual, auditory) and motor functions, and high level processing of language comprehension and expression. Compromise of these functions is usually readily apparent clinically and the quality of life of the patient is severely diminished. Functional MRI offers a means to locate these functions, thereby allowing the surgeon to plan on preserving these functions, or prepare the patient appropriately.
Dielectric relaxation in dielectric mixtures: Using mixture rules and modeling with a relaxation model function

Dielectric response of ideal systems is studied to investigate the broadening of dielectric relaxation at high filler contents. The studies are conducted at different concentrations; below and above the percolation threshold. The considered relaxation equations are Maxwell-Garnett, Bruggeman symmetric and non-symmetric, coherent potential approximation, generalized-Wiener, logarithmic mixing rule, Landau-Lifshitz-Looyenga and a recent expression proposed by the author. Generated data are later analyzed with a dielectric relaxation model function known as the Havriliak-Negami empirical expression.
Color based stool region detection in colonoscopy videos for quality measurements

Colonoscopy is the accepted screening method for detecting colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps. One of the main factors affecting the diagnostic accuracy of colonoscopy is the quality of bowel preparation. Despite a large body of published data on methods that could optimize cleansing, a substantial level of inadequate cleansing occurs in 10% to 75% of patients in randomized controlled trials. In this paper, we propose a novel approach that automatically determines percentages of stool areas in images of digitized colonoscopy video files, and automatically computes an estimate of the BBPS (Boston Bowel Preparation Scale) score based on the percentages of stool areas. It involves the classification of image pixels based on their color features using a new method of planes on RGB (Red, Green and Blue) color space. Our experiments show that the proposed stool classification method is sound and very suitable for colonoscopy video analysis where variation of color features is considerably high.
Abstract W MP29: CSF MicroRNA-181b is Associated With Poor 6-Month Outcome Following Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Background: Early brain injury and vasospasm (VSP) in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are associated with inflammation and release of TNFα, which correlates with poor SAH clinical outcome. TNFα regulates the expression of microRNA (miR) 181b, which mediates NF-κB signaling and is known to exacerbate ischemic stroke in animal models. MiRs have higher stability in biological fluids than peptides and may be candidate clinical biomarkers. We hypothesize that miR-181b is present in SAH CSF and may be associated with SAH outcome. Methods: We prospectively enrolled consecutive SAH subjects, banked serial CSF samples, and evaluated their modified Rankin scores (mRS) via telephone follow-up every 3 months. Poor functional outcome was defined as mRS>2. Angiographic VSP was defined as >50% reduction in caliber of any vessel on post-SAH day 7 cerebral angiogram. In 54 SAH subjects, we compared CSF miR-181b and 26a (as control) by quantitative PCR on post-SAH day 3 with respect to VSP and outcome using Student’s t-test after log-transformation of data with non-normal distribution. Associations were measured using Pearson’s or Spearman’s correlation depending on data distribution. Results: Twenty-seven subjects (50%) developed VSP and 21 (39%) had poor 6-month outcome. MiRs-181b and 26a were consistently measurable in SAH CSF, and miR levels were not associated with Hunt and Hess or Fisher grades. Elevation of CSF miR-181b was associated with poor 6-month outcome in SAH (p=0.04). CSF miR-181b inversely correlated with blood TNFα (r=0.74, p=0.0001). CSF miR-181b was not associated with VSP. CSF miR-26a was not associated with VSP or with clinical outcome in SAH. Conclusion: MiR-181b is present in human CSF after SAH and early elevation of CSF miR-181b is associated with poor 6-month outcome but not with VSP after SAH. Lack of association between control miR-26a and outcome suggests that association between miR-181b and SAH outcome is not due to a non-specific miR surge in more severe cases. Inverse correlation between blood TNFα and CSF miR-181b suggests TNFα may mediate miR-181b release into CSF. Future mechanistic studies on the role of miR-181b in SAH-related brain injury and validation studies in larger cohorts are necessary to understand the role of miR-181b as a SAH biomarker.
The role of elective amputation in patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury

Summary Background and aim Despite undergoing complex brachial plexus, surgical reconstructions, and rehabilitation, some patients request an elective amputation. This study evaluates the role of elective amputation after brachial plexus injury. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed for all the 2140 patients with brachial plexus injuries treated with elective amputation between 1999 and 2012 at a single institution. Analysis was conducted on the potential predisposing factors for amputation, amputation level, and postamputation complications. Patients were evaluated using pre- and postamputation Disabilities of the Shoulder, Arm, and hand scores in addition to visual analog pain scores. Results The following three conditions were observed in all nine patients who requested an elective amputation: (1) Pan-plexus injury; (2) non-recovery (mid-humeral amputation) or elbow flexion recovery only (forearm amputation) 1 year after all other surgical options were performed; and (3) at least one chronic complication (chronic infection, nonunion fractures, full-thickness burns, chronic neck pain with arm weight, etc.). Pain improvement was found in five patients. Subjective patient assessments and visual analog pain scores before and after amputation did not show a statistically significant improvement in Disabilities of the Shoulder, Arm, and Hand Scores. However, four patients reported that their shoulder pain felt "better" than it did before the amputation, and two patients indicated they were completely cured of chronic pain after surgery. Conclusions Elective amputation after brachial plexus injury should be considered as an option in the above circumstances. When the informed and educated decision is made, patients can have satisfactory outcomes regarding amputation.
The implications of the historical decline in US energy intensity for long-run CO2 emission projections

This paper analyzes the influence of the long-run decline in US energy intensity on projections of energy use and carbon emissions to the year 2050. We build on our own recent work which decomposes changes in the aggregate US energy–GDP ratio into shifts in sectoral composition (structural change) and adjustments in the energy demand of individual industries (intensity change), and identifies the impact on the latter of price-induced substitution of variable inputs, shifts in the composition of capital and embodied and disembodied technical progress. We employ a recursive-dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the US economy to analyze the implications of these findings for future energy use and carbon emissions. Comparison of the simulation results against projections of historical trends in GDP, energy use and emissions reveals that the range of values for the rate of autonomous energy efficiency improvement (AEEI) conventionally used in CGE models is consistent with the effects of structural changes at the sub-sector level, rather than disembodied technological change. Even so, our results suggest that US emissions may well grow faster in the future than in the recent past.
Policy issues and institutional impediments in the management of groundwater: lessons from case studies

Many opportunities exist to take advantage of integrated surface water–groundwater management with consequent resource and investment savings. In inappropriate legal and administrative settings, groundwater becomes an open-access resource leading to excessive contemporary and inter-temporal externalities. Several policy instruments have been used to correct these externalities: limits in well spacing and capacities, pumping taxes and tradable pumping permits. Urban–agricultural competition for limited groundwater need not result in crises for either sector if these instruments are used to mediate the competition. In the case of non-renewable stocks of groundwater, rates of economic and demographic development should be planned in keeping with long-term criteria to avoid overly rapid exploitation of the resource, non-sustainable population levels and inappropriate investment in infrastructure. Island states and coastal areas have special problems related to saltwater intrusion and coastal subsidence that can be mitigated if not eliminated through the use of economic and physical measures. Five brief case studies illustrate these points.
A different perspective on GM food.

As a cell biologist, I am very discouraged by the nature of the ongoing "debate" on the introduction of genetically modified (GM) plants into the marketplace. This discussion has usually pitted irrational emotional arguments against the apparently rational notion that genetic engineering is just like traditional plant breeding, only more specific. In particular, I believe that insufficient attention has been paid to three important issues: first, introduction of the same gene into two different types of cells can produce two very distinct protein molecules; second, the introduction of any gene, whether from a different or the same species, usually significantly changes overall gene expression and therefore the phenotype of the recipient cell; and third, enzymatic pathways introduced to synthesize small molecules, such as vitamins, could interact with endogenous pathways to produce novel molecules. The potential consequence of all of these perturbations could be the biosynthesis of molecules that are toxic, allergenic, or carcinogenic. And there is no a priori way of predicting the outcome. In what follows I outline these concerns and argue that GM food is not a safe option, given our current lack of understanding of the consequences of recombinant technology.
Scalability of Globally Asynchronous QCA (Quantum-Dot Cellular Automata) Adder Design

The concept of clocking for QCA, referred to as the four-phase clocking, is widely used. However, inherited characteristics of QCA, such as the way to hold state, the way to synchronize data flows, and the way to power QCA cells, make the design of QCA circuits quite different from VLSI and introduce a variety of new design challenges. The most severe challenges are due to the fact that the overall timing of a QCA circuit is mainly dependent upon its layout. This issue is commonly referred to as the "layout = timing" problem. To circumvent the problem, a novel self-timed circuit design technique referred to as the Locally Synchronous, globally asynchronous design for QCA has been recently proposed. The proposed technique can significantly reduce the layout---timing dependency from the global network of QCA devices in a circuit; therefore, considerably flexible QCA circuit design is be possible. Also, the proposed technique is more scalable in designing large-scale systems. Since a less number of cells is used, the overall area is smaller and the manufacturability is better. In this paper, numerous multi-bit adder designs are considered to demonstrate the layout efficiency and robustness of the proposed globally asynchronous QCA design technique.
Why the Middle is Unstable: The Political Economy of Exchange Rate Regimes and Currency Crises

The contribution of sticky exchange rates to the rash of currency crises over the past decade has become a major topic of international monetary analysis and policy discussion. While there is widespread agreement among economists that the middle of the exchange rate spectrum, adjustable pegs, is highly crisis-prone in a world of substantial capital mobility, Jeffrey Frankel has recently argued that, surprisingly, we lack a clear theoretical rationale for why this is so. This paper attempts to fill that void. It argues that Frankel is correct in terms of economic analysis alone, but that when political economy considerations are introduced then a satisfactory explanation is at hand. Key aspects of this political economy perspective are laid out and implications for exchange rate policy are considered. The analysis suggests that for promoting currency stability the traditionally debated distinctions between crawling bands and managed floats are likely less important than the political environments in which they are operated.
Fragmentation and changes in hydrologic function of tiger bush landscapes, south‐west Niger

Summary 1 Fragmentation of tiger bush landscapes in south-west Niger between 1960 and 1992 is evidenced by a reduction of percentage woody vegetation cover, changes in the spatial attributes of vegetation patches, and an increase in the spatial heterogeneity of the landscapes. The spatial patterns and dynamics of these landscapes were effectively captured using a combination of selected patch-based landscape metrics that measured specific aspects of the spatial pattern. 2 Derived from the spatial distribution of the alternating bands of vegetation and bare ground, lacunarity curves provide a particularly effective quantitative measure of the spatial pattern and dynamics of tiger bush landscapes in terms of percentage vegetation cover, spatial heterogeneity, and the domain of scale of the landscape. Lacunarity curves can be used to characterize landscapes in areas with different climates and topographic settings, and are an effective and parsimonious indicator of the fragmentation of tiger bush. 3 The dynamics of the vegetation bands during the fragmentation process was anisotropic. A significantly larger proportion of woody vegetation reduction occurred in the downslope than upslope portions of woody patches, while the opposite was true for woody vegetation expansion. These results corroborate the hypothesis that tiger bush bands migrate upslope due to the upslope–downslope resource gradient across the vegetation band. 4 Fragmentation of the tiger bush landscapes reduced retention of water on site, significantly increasing the landscape permeability to surface flow. When vegetation bands were well connected in 1960, no transects were found that allowed surface water percolation. That is, no path travelling through the bare ground areas was found to connect the upslope edge and downslope edge of any of the 200-m long transects, regardless of their width (50, 100 or 150 m). By 1992, within the same but now severely fragmented landscapes transects of all widths allowed water to percolate across them (44% if 50 m wide to 89% if 150 m wide). This increased landscape permeability to surface flow may have reduced the water available to the remaining fragmented vegetation bands and accelerated their degradation.
Raman study of soft zone-boundary phonons and antiferrodistortive phase transition in BaMnF4

Abstract We have discovered that the 255 K phase transition in BaMnF4 involves a doubling of the primitive unit cell, that the phase transition is second-order (or very nearly so), and that it is characterized by a soft or unstable optical phonon at the Brillouin zone boundary of the orthorhombic C122V phase. The soft mode has a low-temperature energy of about 40 cm-1; it remains underdamped below 210 K, but is heavily overdamped near Tc = 255 K. The doubling of the chemical unit cell below 255 K, previously unknown, permits the possibility (below TN = 26 K) of a linear magneto-electric effect in this class of materials, which has been the subject of some controversy.
Transport parameters in pseudomorphic and strain-relaxed InGaAs heterojunctions grown by MBE on misoriented (100) GaAs substrates

Abstract A comparative study presents the scattering (τ t ) and single particle relaxation (τ s ) times of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in δ-doped, modulation doped, pseudomorphic Al 0.35 Ga 0.65 As/In x Ga 1 -x As, and in strain-relaxed In y Al 1 -y As/ In x Ga 1 -x As heterojunctions on misoriented (100) GaAs substrates. These times have been determined using temperature dependent (300 to 1.6 K) resistivity, low field Hall, and 1.6 K Shubnikov-De Haas (SdH) oscillatory magnetoresistance measurements. Strain relaxation was obtained by means of step graded In x Ga 1 -x As buffer layers with x =0.10 steps, 0.30 μm in thickness. The strain-relaxed samples have sheet carrier densities ranging from 7.5×10 11 to 1.2×10 12 cm -2 , and corresponding mobilities of 8.2×10 4 and 4.2×10 4 cm 2 /V·s. The pseudomorphic samples exhibit sheet densities ranging from 1.0×10 12 to 1.2×10 12 cm -2 , with corresponding mobilities of 7.9×10 4 and 4.6×10 4 cm -2 /V·s. In the range of In compositions and carrier densities used in this study, we find that for indium compositions exceeding 25%, both the single particle relaxation time, τ s , and the scattering time, τ t , are greater in the strain relaxed samples.
Systems Analysis at the Molecular Scale

Problems involving physiochemical phenomena on both the microscopic and macroscopic scales often raise similar sets of generic issues and questions. The complexity of these problems is beginning to make inoperative the traditional intuition-based approaches to their analysis and solution. The common characteristics of large, multivariable, complex molecular systems call for a new, more systematic approach to guide theoretical and experimental efforts. With mathematical modeling becoming an essential ingredient in the studies, it is argued that molecular systems analysis and especially the systematic tools of sensitivity analyis can play an increasingly important role in understanding and finding solutions to complex, chemically based problems.
The contribution of hiatal hernia to severe gastroesophageal reflux disease in patients with gastroschisis.

Abstract Background A relationship between gastroschisis-associated gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and hiatal hernia (HH) has not been previously reported. In reviewing our experience with gastroschisis-related GER, we noted a surprising incidence of associated HH in patients requiring antireflux procedures. Methods A single center retrospective chart review focused on GER in all gastroschisis patients repaired between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2012 was performed. Results Of the 141 patients surviving initial gastroschisis repair and hospitalization, 16 (11.3%) were noted to have an associated HH (12 Type I, 3 Type II, 1 Type III) on upper gastrointestinal series for severe reflux. Ten of the 13 (76.9%) patients who required an antireflux procedure had an associated HH. The time to initiation of feeds was similar in all patients, 19 and 23 days. However, time to full feedings and discharge was delayed until a median of 80 and 96 days, respectively, in HH patients. Conclusions This study describes a high incidence of associated HH in gastroschisis patients. The presence of large associated HH correlated with severe GER, delayed feeding, requirement for antireflux surgery, and a prolonged hospital stay. Patients with gastroschisis and clinically severe GER should undergo early assessment for associated HH.
Evidence of a charged intermediate in the dye-sensitized photo-oxygenation of substituted α-anilino-4,4′-dinitrostilbenes

Abstract Relative rates of dye-sensitized photo-oxygenation of aniline ring-substituted α-anilino-4,4′-dinitrostilbenes were measured in competitive experiments. The sole organic product in each reaction is the corresponding substituted anilinohenzoin. Excellent linear correlation was obtained when the logarithms of the relative rate constants were plotted against the Hammett σ values. The data are interpreted in terms of several mechanistic possibilities.
Finite Element Modeling of System Design and Testing Conditions for Component Solder Ball Reliability Under Impact

In this paper, the effects of system design and testing conditions on the dynamic behavior of solder balls of components are studied through finite element analysis. The current JEDEC drop test board (JESD22-B111) is used as a baseline model. The model is then extended to several new configurations, which consider the effects of major component placement, secondary component attachment, and drop orientations at system level. Some findings are summarized as follows. There exists a region near the mounting support, where the board bends in the opposite direction as the board in the center. This localized bend mode causes excessive stresses in solder balls for the components close to the mounting support areas. The attachment of a secondary component on the opposite side of a major component has different effects: symmetric placement can reduce the stresses in the major component. However, the off-centered placement gives rise to the additional stresses in solder balls on the far edge of the major component, and therefore can lead to a higher failure rate. Components respond differently under 0° (face-down) and 180° (face-up) horizontal drops, respectively, as the magnitude of tensile and compressive stresses in one vibrational period is not symmetric. In addition, horizontal drop may be the worst drop orientation for solder ball damages, compared to the other drop orientations. The vertical (90°) drop has very limited damages to solder balls. The above findings and predictions have been verified experimentally. The results provide insight to the system- and board-level designs in product development.
A comparison of student evaluations of teaching between online and face-to-face courses

The literature contains indications of a bias in student evaluations of teaching (SET) against online instruction compared to face-to-face instruction. The present case study consists of content analysis of anonymous student responses to open-ended SET questions submitted by 534 students enrolled in 82 class sections taught by 41 instructors, one online and one face-to-face class section for each instructor. There was no significant difference in the proportion of appraisal text segments by delivery method, suggesting no delivery method bias existed. However, there were significant differences in the proportion of text segments for topical themes and topical categories by delivery method. Implications of the findings for research and practice are presented.
Perforated Bacterial Corneal Ulcer in a Radial Keratotomy Incision Secondary to Minor Trauma

The use of radial keratotomy (RK) for the treatment of myopia has increased rapidly over the past several years. Major complications, such as corneal ulcers, are relatively rare following RK. However, damaged or traumatized surface epithelium may predispose the cornea to the development of infectious keratitis. We describe a patient in whom a corneal ulcer developed secondary to minor trauma to her eye following RK who subsequently required a corneoscleral patch graft. Report of a Case. A 53-year-old woman underwent simultaneous bilateral RK on January 16,1993. The following evening she suffered minor trauma to her right eye when her cornea touched the bill of a baseball cap. She experienced pain in the eye for 2 days and then noted a white spot on her cornea. She was placed on ciprofloxacin hydrochloride and tobramycin drops every hour by the referring physician. However, the following morning, the ulcer appeared worse, and she
Maximum Orbit Weights in the σ-game and Lit-only σ-game on Grids and Graphs

Let G be a graph in which each vertex can be in one of two states: on or off. In the σ-game, when you “push” a vertex v you change the state of all of its neighbors, while in the σ+-game you change the state of v as well. Given a starting configuration of on vertices, the object of both games is to reduce it, by a sequence of pushes, to the smallest possible number of on vertices. We show that any starting configuration in a graph with no isolated vertices can, by a sequence of pushes, be reduced to at most half on, and we characterize those graphs for which you cannot do better. The proofs use techniques from coding theory. In the lit-only versions of these two games, you can only push vertices which are on. We obtain some results on the minimum number of on vertices one can obtain in grid graphs in the regular and lit-only versions of both games.
Inhibition of 7,12‐Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene Induced Mouse Skin Carcinogenesis by Artemisia capillaris

Anticarcinogenic activity of medicinal herbs (Artemisia capillaris, Taxus cuspidata, Anthriscus sylveatris, and Curcuma longa) was examined for 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced mouse skin carcinogenesis. Four types of solvent fractions (hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and butanol) were prepared from the methanolic extract of medicinal herbs. The cytotoxicity and anticarcinogenic activities of solvent fractions were examined for mouse leukemia L1210 cancer cells and for female ICR mouse epidermal carcinogenesis induced by DMBA, respectively. The chloroform fraction of Artemisia capillaris, Taxus cuspidata, and Anthriscus sylveatris was more toxic to L1210 cells than other solvent fractions. The chloroform fraction of Artemisia capillaris markedly reduced the number of tumors/mouse and tumor incidence relative to that of other medicinal herbs tested. Major active chemical constituents in the chloroform fraction of Artemisia capillaries were found to be camphor, 1-borneol, coumarin, and achillin when analyzed by TLC and GC-MS. These results suggest that Artemisia capillaris was the most effective anticarcinogenic medicinal herb for DMBA-induced mouse epidermal carcinogenesis among 4 medicinal herbs tested, and the effect might be attributed to chemical compounds of camphor, 1-borneol, coumarin, and achillin.
Some evidence for nonpathological and pathological worry as separate constructs: an investigation of worry and boredom

One-hundred and fifty-seven undergraduate students were administered the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) as a measure of pathological worry, the Worry Domains Questionnaire (WDQ) as a measure of nonpathological worry, and the Boredom Proneness Scale (BPS) to investigate nonpathological and pathological worry as separate constructs as related to boredom. Partial correlations were calculated for BPS scores and either PSWQ or WDQ scores while holding the other worry scale constant. With nonpathological worry held constant, pathological worry was unrelated to boredom proneness, whereas with pathological worry held constant nonpathological worry remained significantly related to boredom proneness. The results further support nonpathological and pathological worry as separate constructs.
Prevention of damage in acute spinal cord injury by peptides and pharmacologic agents

Abstract Cats were used as models of traumatic spinal cord injury. Each experimental animal received a 500 g-cm force to the exposed dura at the level of thoracic fourth vertabra. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs), carotid arterial blood pressure (BP), and abdominal aorta blood flow in the treated groups were compared with those of the control group. The three treated groups received naloxone (5 mg/kg), TRH (5 mg/kg), and a combination of methyl-prednisolone sodium succinate (MP, 35 mg/kg) and epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA, 350 mg/kg). The SEPs which were done only in the naloxone treated group approached “normalcy” 24–26 hours after trauma as compared with the absence of SEPs in traumatized untreated group. In all three groups, the treatment increased the blood flow in abdominal aorta significantly. Morphine sulfate increased substance P (SP) immunoreactivity in the dorsal and ventral gray matter. Naloxone not only reversed this effect, it depleted SP below the saline control level. In order to establish that lipid free radicals are responsible for damage to biological membranes, their effects were also investigated in vitro: 14C-GABA uptake by mouse cortical slices which had decreased by 33% in the presence of superoxide (·O 2 ) generating system, horseradish peroxidase (HRP), was reduced only by 9% when superoxide dismutase was added to the medium. The latter also protected the nerve endings from damage by (·O 2 ) as examined by electron microscopy. It is concluded that the agents used in this study produce their ameliorating effects by virtue of their anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and membrane stabilizing properties in addition to their effect on enhancing the regional microcirculation. The release of SP by naloxone may be responsible for the increase in blood flow. The consequences of traumatic injury as depicted in Fig. 1 are discussed at length.
Turning Point: implications for collaborative governance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show how the Turning Point Initiative to improve the health of populations by improving the USA public health system has many lessons on collaboration for governance systems.Design/methodology/approach – The article synthesizes published literature outlining the results of a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant program to 21 USA states and 43 communities and relationships to administrative practice.Findings – Turning Point's creation of a formalized network of public health partners across the USA has led to innovations in collaboration, increased system capacity, and alternative structures for improving health.Originality/value – Turning Point's efficacy in community health system improvement can be mirrored in clinical governance. A major potential for improvement in clinical delivery systems is available by re‐thinking key partners, organizational structures, and system administrative capacity.
Australia and the Chinese strategic embargo

(1965). Australia and the Chinese strategic embargo. Australian Outlook: Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 117-128.
Prostaglandin E2-induced fever in young and old Long-Evans rats.

Abstract Aging is associated with a blunted or absent fever response to naturally occurring infections or to the peripheral administration of bacterial products and proinflammatory cytokines. We have recently shown that old Long–Evans rats are not defective in their capacity to develop a fever in response to brain administration of interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Here, we investigated the fever response of young (3–5-month) and old (24–26-month) Long–Evans rats to the intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) microinfusion of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a final common mediator for the production of fever in the brain. Core body temperature was monitored by telemetry in freely moving rats. i.c.v. administered PGE2 (100 ng) induced comparable increases in body temperature in young and old Long–Evans rats. In the two groups, PGE2-induced fever was similar both in latency-to-peak fever and maximal fever response. These data, and the previous data on IL-1β, demonstrate that the brains of old and young rats are similar with respect to fever generation in response to the i.c.v. administration of two classes of immunomodulators.
Trends and opportunities in electronic scrap reclamation

Abstract This paper discusses the historical background on major sources of obsolete scrap from electronic components, equipment and systems. The projected growth of the electronics industry and the significant changes taking place in telecommunications and the computer technologies and their impact on the obsolescence of the existing systems will have a major impact on the availability of old electronic scrap. Old scrap available from the defense systems is also discussed.
The structural characterization of the O-polysaccharide antigen of the lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli serotype O118 and its relation to the O-antigens of Escherichia coli O151 and Salmonella enterica O47

Abstract Mild acid hydrolysis of the lipopolysaccharide produced by Escherichia coli O118:H16 standard strain (NRCC 6613) afforded an O-polysaccharide (O-PS) composed of d -galactose, 2-acetamidoylamino-2,6-dideoxy- l -galactose , 2-acetamido-2-deoxy- d -glucose, ribitol, and phosphate (1:1:1:1:1). From DOC-PAGE, sugar and methylation analyses, one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry, hydrolysis, and sequential Smith-type periodate oxidation studies, the O-PS was determined to be an unbranched linear polymer having the structure: [6)-α- d -Galp-(1→3)-α- l -FucpNAm-(1→3)-β- d -GlcpNAc-(1→3)-Rib-ol-5-P-(O→]n The structure of the O-PS is consistent with the reported DNA data on the O-antigen gene-cluster of E. coli O118 and interestingly, the O-PS is similar to the structures of the O-antigens of Salmonella enterica O47 and E. coli O151:H10 reference strain 880-67, as predicted from the results of DNA sequencing of their respective O-antigen gene-clusters.