cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The universal bed model for patient care improves outcome and lowers cost in cardiac surgery

Objective With the escalating demands to increase the efficiency and decrease the cost, innovations in postoperative cardiac surgical patient care are needed. The universal bed model is an innovative care delivery system that allows patient care to be managed in one setting from postoperation to discharge. We hypothesized that the universal bed model in the context of cardiac surgery would improve outcomes and efficacy. Methods A total of 610 consecutive patients were admitted to the universal bed unit and prospectively entered into the Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Cardiac Database. Intensive care unit level of care was determined by acuity and staffing needs. Telemetry was employed from admission to discharge, and multidisciplinary rounds were conducted twice daily. Postoperative outcomes were recorded during hospital stay, and comparisons were made with the Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Cardiac Database using identical variables over the same period of time. Results Decreased ventilation time, intensive care unit and hospital stay, and reduction in the incidence of atrial fibrillation and infectious complications yielded a financial benefit in the universal bed group compared with the traditional model of admission. Stroke rate and in-hospital mortality were the same compared with regional and national centers. Compared with regional centers, there was an average cost savings between $6200 and $9500 per patient depending on the operation. Patient care satisfaction by independent survey was in the 99th percentile. Conclusions The universal bed patient care model allows for expedient and efficacious care as measured by decreased length of intensive care unit and hospital stay, improved postoperative outcomes, patient satisfaction, and cost savings.
Exogenous manganous ion at millimolar levels rescues all known dioxygen-sensitive phenotypes of yeast lacking CuZnSOD

Yeasts lacking copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (sod1Δ) exhibit a broad range of phenotypes, many of which can be rescued by growth in the presence of high levels of ionic manganese. We undertook a comprehensive survey of the effects of manganese on wild-type and sod1Δ yeasts and found that 5 mM Mn2+ rescued all known growth-related phenotypes, such as slow growth in air, temperature sensitivity, specific amino acid auxotrophies, no growth in high oxygen, poor growth in nonfermentable carbon sources, and decreased stationary-phase survival. Iron-related phenotypes-elevated electron paramagnetic resonance detectable ("free") iron, decreased aconitase activity, and fragmenting vacuoles-as well as zinc sensitivity were also rescued. The activity of manganese superoxide dismutase remained constant or was reduced when the yeasts were grown in the presence of MnCl2, indicating that induction of this alternative superoxide dismutase is not the explanation. In contrast to MnCl2 treatment, addition of two manganese-containing superoxide dismutase mimetic compounds to the growth medium did not provide any rescue of sod1Δ yeast growth but rather had an sod1Δ-selective inhibitory effect at micromolar concentrations. Mechanisms by which ionic manganese can effect this rescue, while the mimetic compounds do not, are discussed.
Atmospheric chemistry of nonanal.

During the Southern Oxidants Study 1999 field campaign at Dickson, TN, we conducted measurements of the n-aldehydes propanal, pentanal, hexanal, heptanal, octanal, and nonanal. Propanal and nonanal...
Effect of Cr Content On Pitting Behavior of Fe-Cr Alloys

Abstract Immersion and applied current studies are used to investigate the pitting behavior of binary Fe-Cr alloys formed both by conventional melting techniques and by diffusion of chromium into mild steel (chromizing). Experiments on both sets of materials show that a chromium content of 28–30 percent is critical for elimination of room-temperature pitting corrosion. It is proposed that chromium acts to improve the pitting resistance of Fe-Cr alloys by stabilizing passivity, thus reducing pit initiation and slowing pit growth. The relationship between polarization measurements and pitting is discussed. It is shown that in a simple immersion test pitting occurs at potentials quite different from the “critical” potentials predicted by polarization measurements.
Higher-Order Moments of the Inverse of a Linear Stochastic Operator

A procedure is presented that allows the derivation of a single deterministic equation on each of the moments of the inverse of a linear stochastic operator. Applied to the two lowest moments, the procedure results in the Dyson equation and the Bethe–Salpeter equation, respectively. In terms of an operator notation, specific forms are given for equations on the lowest four moments. These forms can be easily generalized to obtain the equation governing any of the higher-order moments. In the case of gaussian statistics, the equations to be satisfied by the third- and fourth-order moments are extensions of equations presented by Molyneux. Molyneux used a modified diagrammatic technique and restricted his attention to small-angle scattering through a gaussian medium. Finally, the formulism is applied to forward-scattering propagation through a weakly inhomogeneous medium.
Body Fragmentation: Native American Community Members’ Views on Specimen Disposition in Biomedical/Genetics Research

Background: Genetics research is controversial in Native American communities, and the disposition and ownership of biological specimens are central issues. Within Native communities, there is considerable variety in tribal members’ views. This article reports the results from an ethnographic study conducted with a Native American community in the southwestern United States. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship (past and present) between the tribe and biomedical/genetics research. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 53 members of a Native American community. Interviewees were purposively recruited to include an approximately equal number of past research participants and nonparticipants, as well as individuals with and without diabetes. Tribal members were also asked whether they identified as a “traditional person,” an emic category used in the community. Results: Tribal members’ views on specimen disposition were linked with their identification as a traditional or n...
Tetracyanethylen: die charakteristischen Geometrien und Schwingungsabsorptionen seiner zahlreichen Strukturen

Tetracyanethylen, TCNE, geht zahlreiche chemische Reaktionen ein, und in der Literatur werden fur diese Verbindung viele Strukturmotive beschrieben, deren Identifizierung oft schwierig ist. Die Zahl der CN-Absorptionen und die dazugehorigen Wellenzahlen geben einen Einblick in die jeweilige Struktur und Ladung des TCNE-Fragments. Besonders die Mittelwerte der Wellenzahlen der fundamentalen νCN-Schwingungen und die Lange der zentralen C-C-Bindung liefern wichtige Informationen. In diesem Aufsatz diskutieren wir die Bestimmung von Struktur und Formalladung von TCNE-Fragmenten. Wir diskutieren Unstimmigkeiten, die sich bei Uberprufung alterer Strukturzuordnungen ergeben, und liefern eine Grundlage fur zukunftige Untersuchungen der Struktur-Eigenschafts-Beziehungen von TCNE. Viele Komplexe mit verbruckendem [TCNE]z zeigen gemischte Valenz und ausgepragte Delokalisierung. Der Mangel an geeigneten Modellverbindungen, besonders solchen mit M-Ruckbindung zu den CN-Gruppen, hat bisher eine detaillierte Beschreibung dieser gemischtvalenten Verbindungen verhindert. Hierfur werden neue, gut charakterisierte mehrkernige Verbindungen benotigt.
Neural mechanisms of limb position estimation in the primate brain

Understanding the neural mechanisms of limb position estimation is important both for comprehending the neural control of goal directed arm movements and for developing neuroprosthetic systems designed to replace lost limb function. Here we examined the role of area 5 of the posterior parietal cortex in estimating limb position based on visual and somatic (proprioceptive, efference copy) signals. Single unit recordings were obtained as monkeys reached to visual targets presented in a semi-immersive virtual reality environment. On half of the trials animals were required to maintain their limb position at these targets while receiving both visual and non-visual feedback of their arm position, while on the other trials visual feedback was withheld. When examined individually, many area 5 neurons were tuned to the position of the limb in the workspace but very few neurons modulated their firing rates based on the presence/absence of visual feedback. At the population level however decoding of limb position was somewhat more accurate when visual feedback was provided. These findings support a role for area 5 in limb position estimation but also suggest that visual signals regarding limb position are only weakly represented in this area, and only at the population level.
A noise-aware combination of dual-frequency measurements from GPS radio occultation

[1] One of the fundamental difficulties that arise when using GPS Radio Occultation (RO) data in exploiting the stratosphere is that the air becomes rarefied with increasing height and accentuates the ionospheric effect and noise contained in the measurement. Customarily, the conventional linear combination (CLC) is used to extract neutral atmospheric components from dual-frequency (L1 and L2) RO data. The CLC combines and magnifies measurement noises, and thus works well only for those measurements of low noise. Although the L1 data are of considerably higher quality than the L2 data, the CLC does not take this into account and treats both equally; this makes the CLC-produced data less attractive. The authors propose a new approach, named Noise-Aware Combination (NAC), which is a generalized combination that factors in the presence of measurement noise. In this NAC method, the L1 and L2 data are each regarded independently, with each contributing to the combination according to its dynamically assessed accuracy. The performance of both the CLC and NAC are tested with two sets of data: one of synthetic data and the other of real data. The tests confirm that the NAC yields significant error reductions when compared to the CLC. While the noise in the CLC-produced data stands out in high altitudes and compels the data to be blended with the a priori, the NAC relies far less on this blending. The clear advantage of the NAC over the CLC would greatly enhance the value of RO for climate research.
PREDICTING EXTINCTIONS AS A RESULT OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Widespread extinction is a predicted ecological consequence of global warming. Extinction risk under climate change scenarios is a function of distribution breadth. Focusing on trees and birds of the eastern United States, we used joint climate and environment models to examine fit and climate change vulnerability as a function of distribution breadth. We found that extinction vulnerability increases with decreasing distribution size. We also found that model fit decreases with decreasing distribution size, resulting in high prediction uncertainty among narrowly distributed species. High prediction uncertainty creates a conservation dilemma in that excluding these species under-predicts extinction risk and favors mistaken inaction on global warming. By contrast, including narrow endemics results in over-predicting extinction risk and promotes mistaken inaction on behalf of individual species prematurely considered doomed to extinction.
Lesion detection and quantitation of positron emission mammography

A Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) scanner dedicated to breast imaging is being developed at our laboratory. We have developed a fist mode likelihood reconstruction algorithm for this scanner. Here we theoretically study the lesion detection and quantitation. The lesion detectability is studied theoretically using computer observers. We found that for the zero-order quadratic prior, the region of interest observer can achieve the performance of the prewhitening observer with a properly selected smoothing parameter. We also study the lesion quantitation using the test statistic of the region of interest observer. The theoretical expressions for the bias, variance, and ensemble mean squared error of the quantitation are derived. Computer simulations show that the theoretical predictions are in good agreement with the Monte Carlo results for both lesion detection and quantitation.
Reassessing the role of QTc in the diagnosis of autonomic failure among patients with diabetes: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: A 1992 consensus statement on autonomic testing portrayed Bazett9s heart rate-corrected QT interval (QT) prolongation as a specific yet insensitive indicator of diabetic autonomic failure. At that time, only a few small studies had evaluated the accuracy of QTc. To date, even fewer studies have evaluated whether its accuracy is influenced by patient characteristics. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We critically appraised 17 studies reporting the sensitivity and specificity of QTc for diabetic autonomic failure. The studies represented 4,584 patients with diabetes (mean age 34.9 years, 46% female, 92% with type 1 diabetes, mean duration of diabetes 14.5 years). We summarized the accuracy of QTc prolongation for diabetic autonomic failure as an odds ratio (OR) (95% CI) and determined whether patient and study design characteristics influenced the accuracy of QTc prolongation by comparing summary receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: Autonomic failure, defined as > or =1.2+/-0.4 (mean +/- SD) abnormal of 2.0+/-1.6 administered cardiovascular reflex tests, was found in 26% (25-28) of patients. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of QTc > 441+/-8 ms for autonomic failure were 28% (26-29) and 86% (85-87), respectively. Autonomic failure was 2.26 times (1.90-2.70) more likely to be present in patients with than in patients without QTc prolongation. At 86% specificity, the sensitivity of QTc prolongation was 46 vs. 12% for men versus women (P = 0.0077), respectively, and, after adjustment for sex, 66 vs. 17% among patients aged 25 vs. 55 years (P = 0.1902) and 61 vs. 27% at thresholds of >420 vs. >460 ms, respectively (P = 0.2964). CONCLUSIONS: QTc prolongation is a specific albeit insensitive indicator of autonomic failure. Although QTc prolongation is relatively accurate for men, accuracy may be even greater for young men at low QTc thresholds.
Catheter Ablation for Scar-Dependent Ventricular Tachycardia

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) related to structural heart disease and scar is often recurrent and inadequately controlled with antiarrhythmic medication. Catheter ablation has been increasingly utilized to reduce ICD shocks and improve quality of life. With improved imaging and ablation techniques, multiple and unstable VTs can be successfully targeted with ablation resulting in significant reduction in VT recurrence. There is now substantial experience with ablation for scar VT such that it should be considered early in the course of recurrent VT. This chapter reviews the pathophysiology of scar VT, the various techniques currently utilized for mapping and ablation together with outcomes and complications relating to VT ablation.
A minimum free-energy hybrid algorithm for 2-D spectral estimation

A separable quasi 2-D spectral estimation algorithm is presented. This hybrid algorithm combines the 1-D minimum free-energy method with the 1-D periodogram. The algorithm reduces to the corresponding maximum entropy hybrid spectral estimator in some cases. The minimum free-energy hybrid algorithm is preferable to the maximum entropy version when the estimated autocorrelation sequence is not extendable or when the signal-to-noise ratio is low. A simulation helps illustrate this point. >
Frequent value compression in data caches

Since the area occupied by cache memories on processor chips continues to grow, an increasing percentage of power is consumed by memory. We present the design and evaluation of the compression cache (CC) which is a first level cache that has been designed so that each cache line can either hold one uncompressed line or two cache lines which have been compressed to at least half their lengths. We use a novel data compression scheme based upon encoding of a small number of valves that appear frequently during memory accesses. This compression scheme preserves the ability to randomly access individual data items. We observed that the contents of 40%, 52% and 51% of the memory blocks of size 4, 8, and 16 words respectively in SPECint95 benchmarks can be compressed to at least half their sizes by encoding the top 2, 4, and 8 frequent valves respectively. Compression allows greater amounts of data to be stored leading to substantial reductions in miss rates (0-36.4%), off-chip traffic (3.9-48.1%), and energy consumed (1-27%). Traffic and energy reductions are in part derived by transferring data over external buses in compressed form.
Magnetostructural effects and phase transition in Cr 2 O 3 under pressure

We have successfully calculated the electronic and structural properties of chromia $({\mathrm{Cr}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3})$ in the local spin density approximation. We predict a transformation from the corundum to the ${\mathrm{Rh}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ (II) structure around 15 GPa in the antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase as well as in the paramagnetic (PM) insulating state which occurs above the N\'eel temperature ${(T}_{N}).$ This transition is relevant to interpreting the optical anomalies observed in the absorption spectrum of ruby under pressure. We have modeled the structural properties of the PM state using a Landau-like expansion of the magnetostriction energy. This treatment correctly describes the structural anomalies across ${T}_{N}$ in the corundum phase and indicates that the AFM and PM insulating states should have distinct compressive behaviors.
Assessing the fertility potential of equine semen samples using the reducible dyes methylene green and resazurin.

The objective of this study was to determine if spermatozoal reduction of the dyes methylene green to colorless and resazurin to pink or colorless was associated with the fertility potential of an equine semen sample. Fifty samples from 38 stallions were evaluated for the number of spermatozoa per milliliter and number of motile sperm per milliliter. Methylene green (20 μg/mL of semen) or resazurin (85 μg/mL of semen) was added to 3-mL aliquots of semen. Semen samples were identified as having low fertility potential (<200 × 106total cells/mL and <140 × 106motile cells/mL) or high fertility potential (≥200 × 106total cells/mL and ≥140 × 106motile cells/mL). The sensitivities were 80% for the methylene green, 68% for the resazurin to pink, and 60% for the resazurin to colorless tests. The specificities were 80% for the methylene green, 79% for the resazurin to pink, and 92% for the resazurin to colorless tests. The overall accuracies were 80% for the methylene green test, 74% for the resazurin to pink test...
Bayes analysis of survival times and reliability data: a software package

The author describes work on the development and implementation of a series of Bayesian procedures for reliability and quality analysis, with a software package which is interactive and user-friendly, makes wide use of the graphical mode to display the results, and facilitates the eliciting and modulating of expert engineering judgments and opinions in some of the modules. She provides an overview of some of the procedures and introduces the computer package. Four scenarios (and their corresponding computer modules) involving pass/fail data, times-to-failure data, failure count data, and reliability growth data are highlighted. >
Induction and suppression of RNA silencing: insights from plant viral infections--a BARD workshop report.

An international workshop on ‘‘Induction and Suppression of RNA Silencing: Insights from Plant Viral Infections’’ was sponsored by the United States-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD) and organized in Eilat, Israel in March 2010. The focus of this workshop was on molecular mechanisms employed by viruses or their hosts, and their interactions, for the regulation of virus-induced silencing and suppression. Several of the talks also served as potent reminders of scientific hubris and the need to be attentive to earlier results, both for analyses and perspective regarding new findings.
A Framework for Understanding State Balanced Budget Requirement Systems: Reexamining Distinctive Features and an Operational Definition

Studies of state fiscal and budgetary policies often use balanced budget requirements (BBRs) as explanatory variables. While current measures laid the crucial groundwork for a basic understanding of state BBRs, their lack of comprehensiveness threatens the validity of empirical work. Based on comprehensive legal research, this article offers a framework for analyzing state requirements: each state's BBRs form a coherent system for achieving budget balance through budget cycles; a fully developed BBR system offers a three-line construct against imbalance; and the more complete, developed, and explicit a BBR system is, the more stringent it will be in achieving budgetary balance.
Chronic Diseases and Disorders

Two classes of age-associated diseases and disorders, one age-dependent and the other age-related, are suggested to provide a utilitarian hypothesis with research preventive and therapeutic implications. Molecular and immunological mechanisms pertinent to causality and progression are likely to be distinctive for these two classes. Age-dependent diseases and disorders are defined as those whose pathogenesis directly involves the aging of the host; thus, morbidity and mortality related to these diseases follows the age-specific death rate, which increases exponentially from about 35 years on (Fig. 1). Age-related diseases and disorders are those which have specific temporal patterns for their occurrence but after a certain time in life, new cases cease to occur. Thus, the body appears to have become resistant to this class.
Race, Republicans, and Real Estate: The 1991 Fulton County Tax Revolt:

A 1991 reappraisal of property in Atlanta and Fulton County, Georgia, corrected systemic inequalities in property taxation that had subsidized affluent whites during a boom period. Many of those homeowners responded to reassessment by initiating a major tax revolt. The tax revolt failed to stop reassessment but won lasting victory in the political arena. Tax revolt politicians successfully linked the economic grievances of taxpayers to resentments against black political leaders and the poor, replaced older, moderate suburban politics with confrontation, and sped partisan realignment and Republican ascendancy in the state. Historical perspective on the politics of the Fulton County tax revolt supports the conclusion that metropolitics were essential to the development of “color-blind” or “laissez-faire” forms of racial ideology that became the dominant mode of American racial discourse in the post–Civil Rights era.
Protein homeostasis gene dysregulation in pretangle-bearing nucleus basalis neurons during the progression of Alzheimer's disease

Conformational phosphorylation and cleavage events drive the tau protein from a soluble, monomeric state to a relatively insoluble, polymeric state that precipitates the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in projection neurons in Alzheimer's disease (AD), including the magnocellular perikarya located in the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) complex of the basal forebrain. Whether these structural changes in the tau protein are associated with pathogenic changes at the molecular and cellular level remains undetermined during the onset of AD. Here, we examined alterations in gene expression within individual NBM neurons immunostained for pS422, an early tau phosphorylation event, or dual labeled for pS422 and TauC3, a later stage tau neoepitope, from tissue obtained postmortem from subjects who died with an antemortem clinical diagnosis of no cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment, or mild/moderate AD. Specifically, pS422-positive pretangles displayed an upregulation of select gene transcripts subserving protein quality control. On the other hand, late-stage TauC3-positive NFTs exhibited upregulation of messenger RNAs involved in protein degradation but also cell survival. Taken together, these results suggest that molecular pathways regulating protein homeostasis are altered during the evolution of NFT pathology in the NBM. These changes likely contribute to the disruption of protein turnover and neuronal survival of these vulnerable NBM neurons during the progression of AD.
Comparison of immunoglobulin analyses of antemortem and postmortem sera.

Antemortem and postmortem paired sera from 32 autopsies were compared for levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin A (IgA), and immunoglobulin M (IgM) by radial immunodiffusion. Differences were less than 25% in 22 of 32 IgA, 22 of 32 IgG, and 23 of 32 IgM. There was no distinct trend to increase or decrease except in the highest ranges, where there was a slight trend to increase. No correlation between the greaterthan- 25% difference and the number of hours after death or any disease process was found. If an antemortem value was low, normal, or high, the postmortem value also tended to be low, normal, or high.
Reward value of saline and water for the rat

Rats given a choice between .8% NaCl and distilled water in a T-maze increased their choices of NaCl over days. The critical difference between this study and others in which rats preferred water to saline in the T-maze seems to be the amount of time during which S is allowed to drink.
The Toilet Paper Problem

(1984). The Toilet Paper Problem. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 91, No. 8, pp. 465-470.
Soldier vs. non-military novice performance patterns in remote weapon system research

The increasing demand of unmanned systems, such as Remote Weapon Systems, for the U. S. military requires expedited empirical research investigating the dynamics associated with these systems and their interaction with Soldiers. Limited availability and accessibility of active duty Soldiers for study participation presents challenges for researchers to conduct relevant military-related research. The purpose of this study is to propose the use of non-military novices, such as university students, as participants for initial hypothesis testing and pilot experimentation in Remote Weapon Systems research. Previous experiments conducted with active duty Soldiers were replicated with university students to compare patterns of performance and cognitive load. Results indicate several similarities between Student and Soldier performance patterns, thus, justifying the use of non-military novices for research with Remote Weapon Systems.
Clinical application of Tacrolimus in dermatology deparment

Tacrolimus is a new drug which can be used as a dermatologic topical immunosuppression.This article mainly focuses on its practical clinical use and the pleasing effects during its clinical use. With the guidance of the article, it is likely to promote the use of Tacrolimus and discover more of its clinical usages.
Successful use of volumetric laser endomicroscopy in imaging a rectal polyp.

Volumetric laser endomicroscopy (VLE) is second-generation optical coherence tomography (OCT) that is being used for real-time, high-resolution cross-sectional imaging in Barrett’s esophagus [Suter et al. 2008; Yun et al. 2006]. This technology captures images up to 3 mm below the mucosa at a 7 µm resolution in real time. The VLE platform (NvisionVLE™ Imaging System, NinePoint Medical, Bedford, MA, USA) provides real-time, high-resolution cross-sectional imaging using a balloon catheter with scanning optics. This technology has been shown to be sensitive in the detection of dysplasia in Barrett’s esophagus [Evans et al. 2006]. While this technology is being used in the USA in the esophagus, there have been no studies or cases evaluating it in other areas of the gastrointestinal tract. The balloon platform of VLE allows cross-sectional imaging of the gastrointestinal tract if the balloon can collapse the lumen of the area being imaged to allow for adequate scanning of the gastrointestinal tract layers. At our institution, we use VLE routinely for the management of Barrett’s esophagus. We present a case where VLE was used in the rectum in order to provide high-resolution images to help define the anatomy of a neoplastic-appearing polyp prior to surgery. Informed consent has been obtained from the patient discussed in this case report for use of their anonymized details.
Conjugation-Driven "reverse Mars-van Krevelen"-Type Radical Mechanism for Low-Temperature C-O Bond Activation

C–O bond activation on monofunctional catalysts (metals, carbides, and oxides) is challenging due to activity constraints imposed by energy scaling relationships. Yet, contrary to predictions, recently discovered multifunctional metal/metal oxide catalysts (e.g., Rh/ReOx, Rh/MoOx, Ir/VOx) demonstrate unusually high C–O scission activity at moderate temperatures. Herein, we use extensive density functional theory calculations, first-principles microkinetic modeling, and electronic structure analysis to elucidate the metal/metal oxide synergy in the Ru/RuO2 catalyst, which enables up to 76% yield of the C–O scission product (2-methyl furan) in catalytic transfer hydrogenolysis of furfural at low temperatures. Our key mechanistic finding is a facile radical-mediated C–O bond activation on RuO2 oxygen vacancies, which directly leads to a weakly bound final product. This is the first time the radical reduction mechanism is reported in heterogeneous catalysis at temperatures <200 °C. We attribute the unique cat...
Blinded random corruption attacks

An attacker who has physical access to a computing platform, and the means to read and modify the memory contents, can be a serious security threat. The ability to passively read memory compromises secrets that reside thereon, and the ability to actively modify memory can be used for circumventing the platform's policy/security mechanisms. Blocking arbitrary memory access mitigates such risks, but this is not always enforceable or desirable. Memory integrity mechanisms detect active tampering, and memory encryption protects data confidentiality. As a byproduct, encryption also diminishes the precision of active attacks, because it limits the attacker to only Blinded Random Block Corruption (BRBC) attacks. He can modify some unknown value (ciphertext) on the memory in an attempt to leverage the consequences that would occur when the CPU ends up using a randomly corrupted block of (decrypted) data. It is therefore tempting to hope that encryption-only is a “practical” defense against an active attacker, although it provides no theoretical promise for integrity. This paper argues that an attacker with arbitrary memory capabilities can succeed with BRBC attacks if the memory does not have integrity protection. Under such assumptions, we demonstrate a BRBC attack that gains administrator privileges on a locked system. This articulates the value of protecting memory integrity in cases that the system cannot deny arbitrary memory access from the potential attacker.
Header encryption of IEEE802.15.4

In this paper, we mainly focus on the security of 802.15.4 MAC (Media Access Control) which used in Zigbee technology. Today, 802.15.4 Medium Access Control (MAC) is used in personal area networks, for example industrial automation, medical, home automation. However, encryption on MAC data payload have been introduced, but Medium Access Control (MAC) header is still non-encrypted. Authentication of MAC header is certainly done with the use of Data Integrity by giving Message Authentication Code or Message Integrity Code (MIC). Medium Access Control (MAC) header frame has three fields: frame control, addresses and auxiliary security. Among all of these fields of MAC header which includes frame control, sequence number, source and destination addresses and auxiliary security header (ASH) must be encrypted to secure it against some attacks like ACK attack, replay protection attack, snooping attack, denial of service attack, CTS replay, RTS replay. Auxiliary security header have the details about the security of data payload which must not be known to intruders. Our aim for securing it is multi level security. This header field has a total of 40 bytes. For encryption of these 40 bytes of Medium Access Control (MAC) header, we have used Advance Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm, which creates best confusion and diffusion. Advance Encryption Standard algorithm has three types of frame structure: 128 bits, 192 bits, 256 bits. To encrypt these 40 bytes of Medium Access Control (MAC) header we have used two Advance Encryption Standard (AES) algorithms of 192 bits and 128 bits which both are working parallel together.
External Ventricular Drain Placement

An external ventricular drain (EVD; also known as a ventriculostomy tube) is placed via a burr hole in one of the ventricles of the brain (Fig. 40.1) to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that causes elevated intracranial pressure.
A Randomized Clinical Trial of an Intensive Behavior Education Program in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Women Designed to Improve Glucose Levels on the 2-Hour Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.

Objective To evaluate whether women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) enrolled in an intensive behavior education program (IBEP) demonstrate lower mean fasting glucose levels on the 2-hour 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (2-hour OGTT) at 6 to 12 weeks postpartum compared with women who undergo routine GDM management. Study Design A prospective randomized controlled trial of women diagnosed with GDM was conducted. Exclusion criteria were GDM diagnosis ≥ 33 weeks or < 20 weeks. Women were randomly assigned to one of two treatment arms: (1) routine GDM management or (2) an IBEP. Women underwent a 2-hour OGTT at 6 to 12 weeks postpartum. Fisher exact test, t-test, and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used as appropriate. Results Of the 101 women randomized, 49 were assigned to IBEP and 52 received routine GDM management. There was no difference in mean fasting and 2-hour glucose levels on the postpartum 2-hour OGTT between the IBEP and routine management group (88.5 ± 22.9 mg/dL vs. 85.2 ± 13.3 mg/dL, p = 0.49 and 109.8 ± 38.5 mg/dL vs. 109.4 ± 40.8 mg/dL, p = 0.97, respectively). Conclusion GDM women enrolled in a healthy lifestyle intervention program did not demonstrate lower glucose values on the postpartum 2-hour OGTT.
Impact of Short-Term Study Abroad Experiences on Transformative Learning: A Comparison of Programs at 6 Weeks

In recent years, there has been a rapid rise in the number of universities offering students opportunities to study abroad. Traditional semester-long programs have been shortened with many new programs ranging anywhere from 1 to 8 weeks in length. The increased number of short-term programs has enabled professional degree programs, such as nursing, to increase student participation in these programs. These changes are supported by growing evidence of the impact of these programs on student learning, personal and professional development, and understanding of self as a global citizen. Utilizing Mezirow’s transformative learning theory to conceptualize critical reflection, this quantitative study examined the impact of six short-term study abroad programs on critical reflection as a core element of transformative learning. A modified version of the Reflection Questionnaire developed by Kember et al. was completed by 20 participants at 6 weeks following the completion of the study abroad experience. Particip...
Colorado’s Fracking Debates: Citizen Science, Conflict and Collaboration

Technological advancements in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have spurred a controversial boom in oil and gas production. In Colorado, these debates take place directly in the suburba...
Using Response Times to Assess Learning Progress: A Joint Model for Responses and Response Times.

Analyzing students’ growth remains an important topic in educational research. Most recently, Diagnostic Classification Models (DCMs) have been used to track skill acquisition in a longitudinal fas...
Effects of Ag promotion and preparation method on cobalt Fischer-Tropsch catalysts supported on silica-modified alumina

Abstract A series of silver-promoted, 20 wt% cobalt Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) catalysts supported on an alumina modified with 5 wt% silica were prepared using two methods: traditional incipient wetness impregnation (IWI) and a new solvent deficient precipitation (SDP) technique. Catalysts containing silver promoter concentrations of 0.3, 0.6, 1.2, and 2.5 wt% were prepared using each of the two methods. Silver improved the reducibility of the cobalt significantly, lowering reduction temperatures by up to 100 °C, and increasing the extent of reduction by up to 35%. Further, in both preparation methods, changing the silver loading altered the cobalt dispersion. The smallest Co crystallite size was achieved with 1.2 wt% Ag loading, which produced average cobalt crystallite sizes of about 7 nm. The Fischer-Tropsch CO consumption rate increased with decreasing crystallite size and thus was highest for 1.2 wt% Ag. Intrinsic CO consumption rates per Co site (CO turnover frequency) were also measured for each catalyst. A clear increase in the intrinsic turnover frequency (TOF) was observed as Ag loading was increased from 0.6% to 1.2 wt% for both preparation methods. Both 1.2 wt% Ag catalysts produced TOF’s of ∼0.050 s −1 (equivalent to a CO consumption rate of ∼65 mmol g cat −1 h −1 ), which are 20–30% higher than the catalysts containing 0.3, 0.6, and 2.5 wt% Ag and are comparable to reported rates for commercial FTS catalysts. Higher loadings of Ag (2.5 wt%) resulted in higher extents of reduction, but led to lower TOFs and larger Co crystallite diameters, which is assumed to be due to blockage of active sites and changes in the Ag-Ag and Ag-Co coordination ratio. Thus, silver promotion appears to improve catalytic performance by enhancing cobalt reduction, dispersion, and electronic properties. The SDP and IWI methods produced catalysts with essentially the same properties, but the SDP method is a simpler, one-pot technique that offers many potential advantages.
Keeping It Scholarly: Citations in Submissions

Submitting and publishing a scholarly work in the Journal requires the appropriate review of the literature to help situate the new work into what is already known. The need for that literature review and the appropriate citations are discussed.
Regional flaps in facial reconstruction.

Soft-tissue defects of the head and neck that are too extensive to be reconstructed with local flaps without excessive impairment of either form or function usually require repair by some type of regional flap. Selection of a specific regional flap depends on the type of defect, i.e., its size and location, and on the intrinsic properties of the regional flap. Single pedicle peninsular or island axial pattern flaps are usually selected because of their improved blood supply compared with random flaps. For most skin defects of the face and neck requiring reconstruction with a regional flap, a medially based deltopectoral flap is usually preferable to musculocutaneous flaps because it is less bulky and produces less donor-site functional impairments. Likewise, for large defects of the upper or lower lip, a deltopectoral flap in most instances is the regional flap of choice for reconstruction. Nasal defects that require regional flaps for repair are reconstructed with various types of forehead flaps. The median flap remains the most useful because the donor site can be closed primarily, leaving a thin midline scar that is camouflaged relatively easily. For nasal defects that require a longer flap that can be provided by a median flap, the oblique forehead flap provides additional length sufficient to reach the base of the columella. Larger defects of the oral cavity and oral pharynx usually require regional or microsurgical flaps for reconstruction of soft-tissue deficits. In addition, mandibular reconstruction may be necessary. The pectoralis major musculocutaneous flap is the author's preferred choice of a regional flap for reconstruction of such defects. The flap readily reaches the oral cavity and oral pharynx and the muscle provides good coverage of the carotid artery when neck dissection has been accomplished. A great advantage of the flap is the ability to achieve reconstruction in one stage without the need for a controlled salivary fistula. Although the deltopectoral flap is the author's preferred regional flap for reconstruction of major defects of the hypopharynx, the pectoralis major musculocutaneous flap is the regional flap of choice when patients are severely malnourished or cachetic. Both flaps provide a source of nonirradiated skin and provide sufficient tissue for total reconstruction of the hypopharynx and cervical esophagus. Both methods of reconstruction, however, have a relatively high rate of stenosis of the distal anastomoses.
Meniscus Allograft Transplantation in Revision ACL Reconstruction

The combination of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) may produce a synergistic effect for chondroprotection and knee stability. The menisci have an important role in knee stability via load-sharing with the ACL. This role may be particularly relevant in the setting of revision ACL reconstruction, as meniscus loss is often present and can lead to increased strain on an ACL graft. Since the failure rates are generally higher in revision ACL surgery compared to primary reconstruction, careful consideration of meniscus status is prudent. A thorough preoperative history, physical examination, and radiographic evaluation should be performed to ascertain the contributors to ACL reconstruction failure. Careful patient selection and counseling regarding the potential long-term patient outcome including increased risk for arthrosis should be performed. Young patients with ACL and meniscal deficiency and minimal chondral injury represent a unique situation in which MAT and ACL reconstruction can be extremely beneficial. Consideration of these factors is crucial for optimizing the outcome following revision ACL reconstruction.
Biochemical, demographic, and self-reported tobacco-related predictors of the acute heart rate response to nicotine in smokers.

Abstract Understanding the stimulatory effects of nicotine on cardiovascular function in humans is of great interest given the wide-spread use of different forms of combustible and smokeless products that deliver nicotine. An intravenous nicotine infusion procedure was used to evaluate factors associated with the acute heart rate (HR) response to nicotine (0.5 mg per 70 kg bodyweight) in a sample of 213 smokers. We tested for differential response to nicotine based on demographic characteristics (race [European American vs African America], sex, body mass index and age); a set of blood-based biomarkers (baseline nicotine, cotinine and cortisol levels and nicotine metabolite ratio); and a set of self-reported measures related to tobacco use. Nicotine infusion was first noted to increase HR approximately 10 beats per minute (95% CI: 7.8–12.3) one minute post-infusion, and 13 beats per minute (95% CI: 11.0–15.2) two minutes post-infusion. Higher cortisol, lower nicotine levels, higher nicotine metabolite ratio, being female and greater withdrawal symptoms were independently associated with a potentiated increase in HR 1 or 2 min after nicotine infusion. Factors associated with the acute HR effects of nicotine warrant further investigation given their potential to inform the development of nicotine delivery systems as tobacco harm reduction approaches for smokers.
Political settlements with jihadists in Algeria and the Sahel

Military operations have not prevented the spread of jihadist insurgency in the Sahel, particularly in Mali. While some Sahelian elites favour dialogue with jihadists, hoping to negotiate political settlements that reduce or end violence, past political settlements have sometimes set the stage for future conflict. This paper analyses past settlements with jihadists in Algeria and the Sahel, distinguishing between “stabilising settlements” that remove fighters from the battlefield versus “delaying settlements” that allow jihadists to accumulate resources and recruits. Even stabilising settlements carry downsides, particularly when they push jihadists into neighbouring states. The paper also analyses recent efforts in Mali to conduct dialogue with two leading jihadists, Iyad ag Ghali and Amadou Kouffa. The paper assesses that these efforts have faltered due to logistical problems and the state’s ambivalence, rather than due to ideological factors. Although renewed dialogue is more likely to fail than succeed, the paper recommends making further attempts.
Resolution of self-injurious behavior in a nonverbal and developmentally delayed patient after surgical treatment of a blind painful eye

Changes in behavioral patterns can be the only indication of the presence of pain in nonverbal patients. Phthisis bulbi results in shrinking, disorganization, and sometimes severe inflammation of the ocular globe and can occur after eye injury or multiple eye surgeries. Chronic tearing, frequent eye rubbing, and self-injurious behavior focused around the eye and periocular region may indicate ocular discomfort in nonverbal patients. In eyes that become painful and refractory to medical treatment, ocular evisceration or enucleation can provide immediate pain relief. An ocular prosthesis provides excellent cosmetic results to restore normal facial appearance after surgery.