cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antimicrobial Activity of Chitosan-Based Films Enriched with Green Tea Extracts on Murine Norovirus, Escherichia coli, and Listeria innocua.

Edible films can be designed to serve as carriers of antimicrobial agents and be used to control pathogenic foodborne viruses and bacteria. This research tested this concept by dissolving green tea extract (GTE) in chitosan film-forming solutions (FFS) and using it to prepare dried chitosan edible films. As a control, the GTE was also dissolved in deionized water (DW). The FFS and the dried chitosan films with the GTE and the DW without chitosan were all evaluated against murine norovirus (MNV-1), Escherichia coli K12, and Listeria innocua. Both the FFS and the DW with GTE were incubated with ~107 PFU/ml of the virus suspensions for 3 h. The chitosan films with GTE were incubated for 4 and 24 h at . The results showed that the DW containing 1, 1.5, and 2.5% aqueous GTE, significantly ( ) reduced MNV-1 plaques by 1.7, 2.5, and 3.3 logs after 3 h exposure, respectively. Similarly, FFS containing 2.5 and 5.0% GTE reduced MNV-1 counts by 2.5 and 4.0 logs, respectively, after 3 h exposure. The dried chitosan films with 5, 10, and 15% GTE were also effective against MNV-1 infectivity. After 24 h incubation, the 5 and 10% chitosan GTE films produced significant ( ) titer reductions of 1.6 and 4.5 logs, respectively. Chitosan films containing 15% GTE reduced MNV-1 plaques to undetectable levels in 24 h. All chitosan GTE films reduced E. coli K12 and L. innocua populations to undetectable levels in tryptic soy broth after 24 h exposure. The results of this study showed that edible films enriched with GTE have potential to reduce both foodborne viruses and bacteria.
Perceiving the Light: Exploring Embodied Cues in Interactive Agents for Dance

The "Light the Way" project focuses on how intention can be transmitted through a media agent in a dance performance. We are interested in both how the agent may transmit its intention, how it may perceive the intention of humans, as well as how the human perceived and then expresses their intention to fulfill their gesture; particularly in relation to space. We describe a trajectory of interactive performance works that explore embodied cues as intention in space through four steps: 1) a fully autonomous and interactive sonic agent with its own behaviours, 2) a human-operated, non-autonomous or interactive visual agent in a controlled workshop, 3) a dancer-operated, non-autonomous or interactive visual agent in a live performance, and 4) an autonomous, non-interactive visual agent with its own behaviours in a controlled workshop. This work explores the balance between different forms of embodied connections that are developed between human and agent performers, and the ways that this work could be developed in the future to support more intuitive interactions.
Congenital perineal lipoma associated with bilateral undescended testes and anorectal malformation

Abstract The trio of perineal soft tissue tumour, anorectal malformation (ARM) and external genitalia abnormality is exceedingly rare. We present a case of a three-month-old infant who presented with bilateral undescended gonads, ARM and perineal mass. Chromosomal study showed a male profile and ultrasound of his groin suggested right intra-abdominal testis, with the left gonad not visualised. He underwent a period of rectal washouts via the perineal fistula before undergoing elective limited posterior sagittal anorectoplasty. He subsequently underwent left single stage orchidopexy, right first stage orchidopexy and excision of the perineal lump at 10 month of age. Histology revealed lobules of adipocytes with intervening fibrous septae with focal areas of myxoid stroma, suggestive of a lipoblastoma. He then underwent second stage right orchidopexy six month later and no recurrence was noted. Only two cases of perineal soft tissue tumour associated with ARM and external genital abnormality were previously reported. It is likely that the large size of the perineal mass contributed to mal-descent of both testes. We postulate that the constellation of anomalies in our patient falls into the category of the urorectal septum malformation sequence.
Semi-mechanistic PK/PD model to assess pulmonary targeting of beclomethasone dipropionate and its active metabolite.

Abstract Purpose The objective of this study was to describe the pulmonary targeting of beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) and its active metabolite beclomethasone 17-monopropionate (BMP) in rats using a semi-mechanistic PK/PD model. Methods Rat plasma and tissue concentrations of BDP and BMP, and tissue receptor occupancies of BMP after systemic and pulmonary delivery of BDP and BMP were integrated in a newly developed semi-mechanistic PK/PD model. Results After IV administration of BDP, 95.4% of BDP was converted to BMP, while after pulmonary delivery of BDP, 46.6% of deposited BDP was absorbed as BMP. The developed semi-mechanistic PK model described plasma and tissue concentrations of BDP and BMP as well as receptor occupancies sufficiently well. The model incorporated dissolution, metabolic activation, and drug absorption processes to describe the local fate of BDP and BMP after systemic and pulmonary delivery. Dissolution rate constants of BDP and BMP were estimated to be 0.47/h and 2.01/h, respectively, and the permeabilities in central lung were estimated to be 15.0 and 2.9 × 106 cm/s for BDP and BMP, respectively. The EC50 of the binding of BMP to to the receptor was estimated to be 0.0017 ng/ml. Overall, receptor occupancies in the lung were more pronounced than those in the systemic circulation after pulmonary delivery of BDP or BMP. Simulations using the developed semi-mechanistic PK/PD model demonstrated that a slow dissolution rate and low permeability can improve pulmonary targeting. Conclusions A semi-mechanistic model was developed to describe the fate of an inhaled glucocorticoid pro-drug and its active metabolite in lung and the systemic circulation, both after pulmonary and systemic administration , thereby facilitating the understanding of the complex interplay between drug, prodrug and pharmacodynamic properties for quantifying the degree pulmonary targeting.
A Review of Fam-Trastuzumab Deruxtecan-nxki in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer.

Objective:To review the pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of antibody-drug conjugate fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki in the treatment of advanced, unresectable, or metastatic breast cancer.Data So...
Towards Unsupervised Introspection of Containerized Application

Container (or containerization) as one of the new concepts of virtualization, has attracted increasing attention and occupied a considerable amount of market size owing to the inherent lightweight characteristic. However, the lightweight advantage is achieved at the price of the security. Attacks against weak isolation of the container have been reported, and the use of a shared kernel is another targeted vulnerable point. This work aims to provide secure monitoring of containerized applications, which can help i) the infrastructure owner to ensure the running application is harmless, ii) the application owner to detect anomalous behaviors. We propose to use unsupervised introspection tools to perform the non-intrusive monitoring, which leverages the system call traces to classify the anomalies. Since the traditional dataset used for anomaly detection either only focus on network traces or limited to few attributes of system calls, we crafted and collected various normal and abnormal behaviors of a containerized application, and an optimized and open-source system call based dataset has been built. Unsupervised machine learning classifiers are trained over the proposed dataset, a comprehensive case study has been performed and analyzed. The results show the feasibility of unsupervised introspection of containerized applications.
Predictors of hospital outcomes and clinical subphenotypes differ between COVID-19 and influenza pneumonia

Introduction: Pneumonia due to SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus Disease 2019, COVID-19) has frequently been compared to other viral pneumonias, including influenza. While some data suggest significant differences in biological responses, dissimilarities in the clinical course and characteristics between SARS-COV-2 and influenza pneumonia remain unknown. We evaluated differences in clinical predictors of outcomes and early clinical subphenotypes in COVID-19 and influenza pneumonia. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of all patients hospitalized for > 24 hours, requiring oxygen support, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital with COVID-19 (March-July 2020) or influenza (Jan 2012-Dec 2018). In-hospital mortality or hospice discharge was the primary outcome. First, supervised machine learning classifier models (XGBoost) were trained using bootstrap replications of each viral cohort to predict the primary outcome. 28 candidate predictor variables among the most extreme vital signs and laboratory values within 24 hours of hospitalization were preselected, excluding highly correlated variables. We compared each model's internal discrimination to its performance in the alternate cohort and evaluated differences in variable importance between the two viral pneumonia models. Next, we evaluated differences in clinical subphenotypes in two ways: 1) a previously-validated algorithm to group patients into four distinct subphenotypes based on temperature trajectories within 72 hours of hospitalization;2) latent class analysis (LCA) to identify unmeasured subgroups within each viral cohort based on the predictor variables described above. In both analyses, we compared frequency of subphenotype membership and each subphenotype's primary outcome between viral cohorts. Results: We evaluated 321 unique hospitalizations with COVID-19 and 535 with influenza. The primary outcome was experienced in 23% and 9.5% of patients, respectively. Influenza predictor model discriminated outcomes worse in COVID-19 than on internal evaluation (Panel A), suggesting prognostic variables differ between the viral pneumonias. Only one of the top five contributory variables was shared between the two models (Panel B). Prevalences of temperature trajectory subphenotype also differed significantly between viral pneumonias. All COVID-19 temperature trajectory subphenotypes experienced the primary outcome more frequently than their influenza counterparts (Panel C). LCA identified two distinct classes in each cohort, with each viral pneumonia's minority class experiencing worse outcomes than the majority class. Of each model's top 5 classdefining variables, only 2 were shared (Panel D). Conclusions: COVID-19 and influenza pneumonia differ markedly in predictors of outcome and in clinical subphenotypes. These findings emphasize observable pathogen-specific differential responses in viral pneumonias and suggest that distinct management approaches should be investigated for these diseases. (Table Presented).
A Primer on Risk Assessment for Legal Decisionmakers

This primer is addressed to judges, parole board members, and other legal decisionmakers who use or are considering using the results of risk assessment instruments (RAIs) in making determinations about post-conviction dispositions, as well as to legislators and executive officials responsible for authorizing such use. It is meant to help these decisionmakers determine whether a particular RAI is an appropriate basis for legal determinations and whether evaluators who rely on an RAI have done so properly. This primer does not take a position on whether RAIs should be integrated into the criminal process. Rather, it provides legal decision-makers with information about how RAIs are constructed and the types of information they provide, with the goal of facilitating their intelligent selection and use.
A Machine Vision Based Automated Quality Control System for Product Dimensional Analysis

Abstract Quality control (QC) in manufacturing processes is critical to ensuring consumers receive products with proper functionality and reliability. Faulty products can lead to additional costs for the manufacturer and damage trust in a brand. A growing trend in QC is the use of machine vision (MV) systems because of their noncontact inspection, high repeatability, and relatively low cost. This paper presents a robust MV system developed to perform comparative dimensional inspection on diversely shaped samples, including additive manufacturing products. The algorithm used performs dimensional inspection on a base product considered to have acceptable dimensions. The perimeter, area, rectangularity, and circularity of the base product are determined using blob analysis on a calibrated camera. These parameters are then used as the standard with which to judge additional products. Each product following is similarly inspected and compared to the base product parameters. A likeness score is calculated for each product, which provides a single value tracking all parameter differences. Finally, the likeness score is considered on whether it is within a threshold, and the product is considered to be acceptable or defective. The proposed MV system has achieved satisfactory results, as discussed in the results section, that would allow it to serve as a dependable and accurate QC inspection system in industrial settings.
Developing a Biorelevant Dissolution Method for an Extrudable Core System (ECS) Osmotic Tablet.

The objective of this work is to develop a biorelevant dissolution method to support the clinical study for In Vitro In Vivo Correlation (IVIVC) of the first commercially approved single-layer extrudable core system (ECS) osmotic tablet - the 11 mg tofacitinib modified-release tablet. The dissolution conditions were selected through analysis of experimental work including several designed experiments (DoE). The Apparatus 2 (paddles) was selected over the Apparatus 1 (baskets) to minimize the dissolution test variability. The paddle speed was kept at 50 rpm to be conservative and because higher paddle speed did not offer statistically significant improvement in dissolution test variability. The buffer of 50 mM potassium phosphate at pH 6.8 was selected over other buffers at lower or acid pH as the in vivo drug release is expected to occur in the small intestinal region, where the pH is approximately neutral. Finally, the statistically designed experiments proved that use of the Japanese basket sinkers was effective in reducing dissolution variability and eliminating the artificial shift in dissolution profile caused by final pink color-coated tablets sticking to the dissolution vessel. Discriminatory power of the method was verified and the method was validated per ICH and FDA guidelines. Since a Level A IVIVC is established from the analysis of the results of both in vivo clinical study and in vitro dissolution testing, the method is proven to be biorelevant. It also serves a suitable quality control dissolution method.
Cancer in the Elderly: Clinical and Biologic Considerations

Cancer is a disease of the elderly in that most cancers occur in persons over age 65. Cancer increases in incidence with age, however, not all cancers have that characteristic and some cancers decline in incidence in the very aged (over 80). Most physicians who treat patients with cancer tend to offer the elderly patient fewer options for therapy. There is a feeling that the older patient is less able to tolerate the stresses of adjunctive therapy, whereas the treatment in the elderly is as likely to involve surgery. There is no evidence that elderly patients have more aggressive disease that result in shorter survivals. A careful study of the toxicity of chemotherapy drugs in patients over 70 failed to reveal a generalized increase in severe drug side effects. Certain drugs were associated with increased toxicity but these are resultant to the known physiologic changes that occur in the elderly, namely, decreases in renal clearance and renal blood flow. Finally, the theory that cancer in the elderly is associated with loss of immune competence and therefore fosters a more aggressive disease cannot be substantiated. It is postulated that the measures of early detection and prevention are just as applicable to the elderly as they are to the younger patient.
Integration in Three Tenses: A Journey from Separate and Not Equal to Integral and Interwoven:

This essay provides a personal reflection on the past, present and future of the modern integration movement. These three lenses provide focus for describing the course of the author's own evolving...
Rapid Histone-Catalyzed DNA Lesion Excision and Accompanying Protein Modification in Nucleosomes and Nucleosome Core Particles

C5′-Hydrogen atoms are frequently abstracted during DNA oxidation. The oxidized abasic lesion 5′-(2-phosphoryl-1,4-dioxobutane) (DOB) is an electrophilic product of the C5′-radical. DOB is a potent irreversible inhibitor of DNA polymerase β, and forms interstrand cross-links in free DNA. We examined the reactivity of DOB within nucleosomes and nucleosome core particles (NCPs), the monomeric component of chromatin. Depending upon the position at which DOB is generated within a NCP, it is excised from nucleosomal DNA at a rate 275–1500-fold faster than that in free DNA. The half-life of DOB (7.0–16.8 min) in NCPs is shorter than any other abasic lesion. DOB’s lifetime in NCPs is also significantly shorter than the estimated lifetime of an abasic site within a cell, suggesting that the observed chemistry would occur intracellularly. Histones also catalyze DOB excision when the lesion is present in the DNA linker region of a nucleosome. Schiff-base formation between DOB and histone proteins is detected in nuc...
A Comment on Group Independent Threshold Sharing

Secret sharing is important in the cases where a secret needs to be distributed over a set of n devices so that only authorized subsets of devices can recover the secret. Some secret sharing schemes can be used with only certain algebraic structures (for example fields). Group independent linear threshold sharing refers to a t out of n linear threshold secret sharing scheme that can be used with any finite abelian group. Group independent secret sharing schemes were introduced in [16] and a formal definition was given in [25] and [10]. Here we describe additional properties of group independent sharing schemes. In particular, we discuss how to construct the dual from the shareholder reconstruction matrix, new bounds on the computational requirements of group independent sharing and new necessary and sufficient conditions to test if a matrix will provide a group independent sharing scheme.
Digital delivery methods of parenting training interventions: a systematic review.

Background Alternative delivery methods to implement evidence-based parent training programs are emerging to address barriers related to parent attendance in face-to-face administration. The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize and critically evaluate the research on the use of technology and digital delivery methods for parenting training and offer recommendations for advancing the science and practice of parent training using digital delivery methods. Methods A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Scopus database, and ERIC to identify articles published between 2000 and 2012 reporting studies using digital methods to deliver parent training. Eleven studies were included in the review and were analyzed related to the digital delivery methods used, participant rates of intervention completion (dose), and the efficacy for improving parent and child outcomes. Findings The final sample of papers (n = 11) represent seven parent training interventions and nine digital delivery methods. Six of the nine used the Internet as the primary delivery method. The proportion of digitally delivered content completion ranged from 41.7% to 99.2%. Of the studies (n = 4) that reported behavioral outcomes of the interventions, the average effect size (Cohen's d) for child outcomes was .61 and for parent outcomes .46. Linking Evidence to Action Findings from this review indicate that the use of technology and digital delivery is a growing and emerging method of delivering parent training interventions with high potential for increasing reach and sustainability as we implement interventions in real world settings. Gaps in the studies reviewed highlight the need for consistency of dose calculations using digital methods, more research related to efficacy and comparative effectiveness studies of delivery methods.
The semantic web and human inference: a lesson from cognitive science

For the development of Semantic Web technology, researchers and developers in the Semantic Web community need to focus on the areas in which human reasoning is particularly difficult. Two studies in this paper demonstrate that people are predisposed to use class-inclusion labels for inductive judgments. This tendency appears to stem from a general characteristic of human reasoning - using heuristics to solve problems. The inference engines and interface designs that incorporate human reasoning need to integrate this general characteristic underlying human induction.
A comparison of patient comfort during cataract surgery with topical anesthesia versus topical anesthesia and intracameral lidocaine

Abstract Objective To determine whether intraocular lidocaine increases patient comfort during cataract surgery while under topical anesthesia. Design Prospective, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Participants Both men and women between 45 and 85 years of age who were scheduled for elective cataract surgery while under topical anesthesia participated. Sixty-eight patients were randomized to each group. Intervention Patients were randomized to receive either topical anesthesia plus intracameral 1% preservative-free lidocaine or intracameral balanced salt solution. Main outcome measures Patient assessment of pain during delivery of the anesthesia, surgery, and after surgery using a visual analog pain scale was measured. Patients also recorded the degree to which they were bothered by tissue manipulation and the microscope light. Surgeon assessments of operative conditions, patient cooperation, and intraoperative complications were recorded. The attending anesthesiologist recorded any required supplemental intravenous sedation and any increase in pulse or increase in blood pressure. Results There was no significant difference in patient-reported pain scores for delivery of anesthesia ( P = 0.902), surgery ( P = 0.170), or after surgery ( P = 0.680). Patients in the lidocaine group reported being less bothered by tissue manipulation ( P = 0.021). The surgeon assessment showed more patient cooperation in the lidocaine group ( P = 0.043). Conclusions Both topical anesthesia alone and topical anesthesia plus intracameral lidocaine provide good operative conditions for the surgeon and comfortable surgical circumstances for the patient. Injection of intraocular lidocaine increases patient cooperation and decreases the degree to which patients are bothered by tissue manipulation, two outcomes that justify its use.
Identification of population at risk for future Clostridium difficile infection following hospital discharge to be targeted for vaccine trials.

Background Efforts to develop a Clostridium difficile vaccine are underway; identification of patients at risk for C. difficile infection (CDI) is critical to inform vaccine trials. We identified groups at high risk of CDI ≥ 28 days after hospital discharge. Methods Hospital discharge data and pharmacy data from two large academic centers, in New York and Connecticut, were linked to active population-based CDI surveillance data from the Emerging Infections Program (EIP). Adult residents of the EIP surveillance area were included if they had an inpatient stay at a study hospital without prior history of CDI. The primary outcome was CDI by either toxin or molecular assay ≥28 days after an index hospitalization. Important predictors of CDI ≥ 28 days post discharge were initially identified through a Cox proportional hazards model (stepwise backward selection) using a derivation cohort; final model parameters were used to develop a risk score evaluated in the validation cohort. Results Of the 35,186 index hospitalizations, 288 (0.82%) had CDI ≥ 28 days post discharge. After parameter selection, age, number of hospitalizations in the prior 90 days, admission diagnosis, and the use of 3rd/4th generation cephalosporin, clindamycin or fluoroquinolone antibiotic classes remained in the model. Using the validation cohort, the risk score was predictive (p < 0.001) with a c-score of 0.75. Based on the distribution of scores in the derivation cohort, we divided the patients into low and high risk groups. In the high risk group, 1.6% experienced CDI ≥ 28 days post discharge compared to 0.3% among our low risk group. Conclusions Our study identified specific parameters for a risk score that can be applied at discharge to identify a patient population whose risk of CDI ≥ 28 days following an acute care hospitalization was 5 times greater than other patients.
Biodegradable Coatings for Thermoplastic Starch

Over the last few years, there has been renewed interest in biodegradable plastics made from annually renewable, natural polymers such as starch (see Chapters 1, 2, 5 and 10). The fact that starch is receiving considerable attention is understandable, as it is totally biodegradable, is inexpensive compared to other biodegradable polymers, and is available in large quantities. However, starch-based materials and bio-plastics containing starch are only slowly being manufactured and marketed into consumer products, despite the advantages listed above. One reason for this is due to the hygroscopic nature of starch (Whisler and Hillbert, 1944). Starch that comes into contact with water can absorb water, thereby changing the properties of the starch-based material (Swanson et al, 1993). Even starch-based materials that do not come into direct contact with water can be affected by water. Changes in humidity affect the physical properties of starch (Perice, 1928; Lloyd and Kirst, 1963) and starch-based materials (Jasberg et al, 1992). Starch absorbs water under high humidity conditions and loses water under low humidity conditions. Since water is a good plasticizer for starch (Young, 1984; Donovan 1979), any change in the water content of the starch will change the properties of the starch-based article.
530 BREAST-FEEDING AND PREMATURE INFANTS: INCIDENCE AND SUCCESS

The incidence and success of those women who deliver AGA premature infants with BW ≤ 2000 gm and who wish to breast-feed (BF) their infants has been studied with a structured interview about infant feeding that was administered to 200 (77%) of 260 consecutive, eligible women within 7 days of delivery and then with a follow-up interview given only to breast-feeders after lactation ceased. III (55.5%) of these women indicated they wished to BF, compared to 84 (47%) who chose to formula-feed and 5 (2.5%) who were undecided at the initial interview. 72 follow-up interviews have been completed. 54 (75%) of these women maintained lactation during their infant's hospitalization, were breast-feeding at their infant's discharge, and continued to BF for 20.7 ± 2.0 wks (M±SE) after discharge. This group was composed of 7 of the 12 women (58%) who had infants with BW ≤ 1000 gm, 12 of the 17 women (71%) who had infants with BW between 1001-1500 gm, and 35 of the 43 women (81%) who had infants with BW between 1501-2000 gm. Also that group was composed of 28 of the 32 women (87.5%) who had infants that were hospitalized for <30 d and 26 of the 40 women (65%) who had infants hospitalized for ≥ 30 d. Of the other 18 women, 9 (12.5%) maintained lactation for some of their infant's hospitalizat ion only (4.0 ± 2.5 wks), and 9 (12.5%) failed to establish effective lactation. Therefore, in a supportive environment, lactation and breastfeeding can be successfully maintained in mothers of premature infants during and after the infant's hospitalization.
The development of fast atom bombardment combined with tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of biomolecules

Revue sur la spectrometrie de masse tandem combinee a la spectrometrie de masse FAB, de composes biologiques
Exact exchange functional for the hydrogen atom

We have constructed a gradient-corrected exchange functional which, when used in a self-consistent Kohn-Sham procedure, gives the [ital exact] Schroedinger energy and density for the hydrogen atom. The functional bears very little resemblance to any of the commonly used exchange functionals, even in its asymptotic behavior.
Exposure Data Needs in Risk Assessment and Risk Management: Database Information Needs

Abstract This introduction to the Conference on Occupational Exposure Databases reviews the background of exposure-related databases in the occupational, environmental, and radiological health fields and surveys recent developments in this area. It also reviews some of the needs for, problems in the usage of, and opportunities for improvements in, data bank formats and coverage that developing professional interests and emerging technical capabilities provide. It summarizes prior work by others in defining the database issues and needs, and the problems that must be faced and overcome in establishing a comprehensive human exposure data bank for applications such as compliance reporting, exposure identification, analysis of trends, evaluation of exposure controls, epidemiological studies, development and testing of biomarkers of exposure, and coordination with disease surveillance data. It calls for coordinated efforts to establish and maintain a comprehensive exposure data bank. Lippmann, M.: Exposure Dat...
Abdominal closure and complications

Complications can develop in the ventral median incision in 40% of horses after intestinal surgery, with incisional drainage in 32 to 36% of horses, dehiscence in 3 to 5%, and hernia formation in 6 to 17%. Factors associated with incisional complications include age, size, type of incision, type of suture material, method of closure, the degree of surgical trauma, length of surgery, and the difficulty of anesthetic recovery. For ventral midline closure, polyglycolic acid is significantly stronger than polydioxanone and monofilament nylon, but polydioxanone has better mechanical performance after implantation. A continuous suture pattern in the linea alba is quicker to perform and is stronger than most interrupted patterns. The optimal bite size for adult equine linea alba is 15 mm from the edge, and sutures are usually placed that distance apart. Closure of subcutaneous tissues is optional and skin can be closed with a variety of materials and patterns. A temporary, water-impervious, self-adhesive, plastic drape may reduce incisional contamination in the recovery stall. Bandages are expensive and not used routinely, but can protect the incision from contamination and trauma, and reduce edema. Treatment of infection involves removal of skin sutures and topical cleaning, with or without systemic antibiotics. Dehiscence of the linea alba is usually caused by tearing of the body wall and not suture breakage. Hernias develop slowly and repair by suture closure or by mesh should be postponed for approximately 3 to 4 months after the initial surgery.
BRS cohomology and a Feigin-Fuchs representation of Kac-Moody and parafermionic theories

Abstract In this paper, we introduce a free field representation of SU(2)K Kac-Moody algebras and the related Z K - parafermion theories. Using this representation, we calculate the associated BRS cohomology, and thereby derive the character formulae for these theories. The resulting expressions yield a new representation of the “string functions” of Kac and Peterson. The generalization to other Kac-Moody algebras is sketched.
Fast track to fusion energy

Nuclear fusion could solve the world's energy problems, but its potential remains untapped. Can a new way to ignite a tiny ball of high-density fuel make the dream come true?
Planning for strategic decision support systems

Abstract The emergence of Strategic Decision Support Systems has opened up new vistas for the true integration of formal models into the strategic planning process. However, with these new opportunities also come the need to develop planning mechanisms that will permit these sophisticated systems to achieve their potential. The process of strategic planning for Strategic Decision Support Systems that is described in this article serves to cast the organization's overall plans, strategies and strategic attributes into a framework that can be used to develop formal SDSS plans.
On a class of nonlinear differential equations of astrophysics

Abstract Investigation is made of asymptotic approximations to the solutions of a class of nonlinear differential equations of astrophysics, occurring in the study of polytropic gas spheres. The general form is that of Emden's equation of index n. Approximations are developed by means of the generalized multiple scales technique, for which the scale functions are necessarily nonlinear. The solutions are shown to yield the correct initial and final asymptotic behavior and exact solutions in some special cases. More general equations with variable coefficients are also considered, representing changes in the polytropic gas law as a function of the radius.
Synthesis of a tricyclic core of rameswaralide

A tricyclic core containing a 5,7-fused bicyclic unit of rameswaralide was prepared starting from a 1,6-enyne. The synthetic sequence involved (i) ruthenium-catalyzed [5+2]-cycloaddition of 1,6-enyne, (ii) an acyl radical based approach to construct the lactone, and (iii) a regioselective installation of the conjugated double bond by a concomitant sulfenylation-dehydrosulfenylation sequence.
A modern concept of breast feeding.

Summary The decision as to the advisabilityof recommending breast feeding depends on whether or not nursing will be of the greatest mutual satisfaction to the mother and infant. A mother who desires to nurseshould be given every opportunity and encouragement. Mothers who have no feeling pro or con but will nurse if it is considered best for the baby should be encouraged to nurse. As a rule, they will enjoy the experience and continue breast feeding. Mothers who would rather not nurse but will do so if it is considered best for the baby should have all misconception removed by the physician. The final decision should be made by the mother herself. Mothers who would rather not nurse due to fears of obesity, breast abscesses, and the fear of being tied down should not be encouraged to nurse, for they would be doing so under a continued feeling of anxiety and frustration. Mothers who dislike and those wholoathe the very thought of nursing should not breast-feed their babies. Mothers who cannot nurse because of economic situations should receive reassurance that their infants will not suffer physically or emotionally from receiving formula feedings. Whichever method a mother finallyundertakes, there should be no sense of inadequacy or self-reproach, and she should receive every encouragement from her physician.
Dose-response evaluation of once-daily therapy with a new formulation of diltiazem for stable angina pectoris☆

Abstract Diltiazem hydrochloride in a once-daily capsule formulation (DCD) has recently been approved in the United States for the treatment of mild to moderate hypertension and chronic stable angina pectoris. This trial evaluated the dose response of DCD in patients with chronic stable angina pectoris. In a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-design trial, the effects and tolerability of once-daily therapy with placebo or DCD (60,120, 240, 360, or 480 mg) were evaluated 24 hours after dosing, following 3 weeks of therapy in 227 patients with reproducible stable exertional angina pectoris. A significant linear dose trend (p = 0.004) was present across the 6 treatment groups for the primary end point—time to exercise termination at 24 hours after dosing—using a standard Brace treadmill excercise test. A significant linear dose trend was also seen for time to 1 mm ST-segment depression at 24 hours after dosing. Similar effects on exercise parameters were also seen at 4 hours after dosing. A linear dose trend (p = 0.04) was noted relative to the overall anginal attacks during daily activities and for anginal attacks during exercise (p = 0.02). Overall frequency of treatment-related adverse effects was dose-related and occurred in 24.4% and 17.5% of patients treated with DCD and placebo, respectively. At a dose up to 240 mg/day, improvement in exercise tolerance was achieved without an associated increase in the rate of treatment-related adverse events compared with placebo. The results of the study suggest that 120 mg of DCD would be the starting dose, with careful titration up to 360 mg/day in individual patients for maximal therapeutic efficacy.
22-Year-Old Woman With Severe Microcytic Anemia

22-year-old woman who had no notable previous medical history reported increasing fatigue during the past few months. Her mother noticed that she looked pale and suggested she visit her family physician. Her family and personal histories were noncontributory. Findings on physi­ cal examination were remarkable only for pallor. In particu­ lar, she had no hepatosplenomegaly or lymphadenopathy. Initial laboratory tests yielded the following results (ref­ erence ranges shown parenthetically): hemoglobin, 8.3 g/ dL (12.0-15.5 g/dL); hematocrit, 26.2% (34.9%-44.5%); mean corpuscular volume (MCV), 65.3 fL (81.6-98.3 fL); red blood cell (RBC) count, 4.01 X 1012/L (3.90-5.03 X 10 12/ L); and reticulocyte count, 1.17% (0.60%-1.83%). Leuko­ cyte and platelet counts were within normal limits. The peripheral blood smear is shown in Figure 1. 1. Which one ofthe following is the least likely diagnosis in this patient? a. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) b. Thalassemia c. Anemia ofchronic disease d. Sideroblastic anemia e. Hereditary spherocytosis The peripheral blood smear showed hypochromic mi­ crocytic anemia with moderate anisocytosis and poikilo­ cytosis. The differential diagnosis of microcytic anemia includes thalassemia, iron deficiency, chronic disease, and sideroblastic anemia. IDA is the most common cause of microcytic anemia. In adults, dietary deficiency is rare, and bleeding must always be excluded. Red cell distribution width (RDW), an index of anisocytosis, is usually in­ creased in patients with iron deficiency. However, this is a nonspecific finding. Thalassemia consists of a hetero­ geneous group of disorders with defects in the synthesis of
On estimating agriculture's net contribution to atmospheric carbon

Fossil fuel combustion, chlorofluorocarbon releases, and agricultural activities (including deforestation) are the primary anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gases. Of the three sources, agriculture is the only one that also has a sink capacity. Thus, an accounting of the net carbon (C) flux is required to properly evaluate agriculture’s contribution and to determine the opportunities for emissions mitigation through changes in agricultural practices. Common data sets and a standard accounting method are required to perform country-by-country net C analyses. This research used agricultural census data to determine that U.S. agriculture removed 1.3 Pg of CO2 from the atmosphere, in 1987, in the plants that it produced. The turnover times and the fate of this C were not ascertained. The research also showed that 6.4 Tg of CH4 was emitted from live U.S. agricultural animals. A net C flux was computed, but is incomplete, because rice CH4, plant and animal waste CH4 and CO2, and soil-atmosphere C fluxes could not be estimated from the census data. Additionally, agriculture’s net contribution to atmospheric C was found to depend critically on the boundaries of the analysis.
A study of several vortex-induced vibration techniques for piezoelectric wind energy harvesting

This paper discusses a preliminary study on harnessing energy from piezoelectric transducers by using bluff body and vortex-induced vibration phenomena. Structures like bridges and buildings tend to deform and crack due to chaotic fluid-structure interactions. The rapid variation of pressure and velocity can be tapped and used to power structural health monitoring systems. The proposed device is a miniature, scalable wind harvesting device. The configuration consists of a bluff body with a flexible piezoelectric cantilever attached to the trailing edge. Tests are run for different characteristic dimensions or shapes for the bluff body and optimized for maximum power over a wide range of flow velocities. The main motive here is to seek a higher synchronized region of frequencies for the oscillation amplitudes. The multi-physics software package COMSOL is used to vary the design parameters to optimize the configuration and to identify the significant parameters in the design. The simulation results obtained show a wider lock-in bandwidth and higher average power for the cylindrical bluff body compared to the other two bluff body shapes investigated, the greatest average power being 0.35mW at a Reynolds number of 900, beam length of 0.04m, and bluff body diameter of 0.02m.
Effects of Text Saliency on Eye Movements while Browsing a Web Portal

This study investigates the eye movement patterns of users viewing a portal web page. Previous research has shown that users scan a portal page in a top-to-bottom manner by row. In this study, the saliency of one of the portal channel titles was manipulated to see what impact this would have on the users' scan pattern. The saliency of the channel title was manipulated in two different page locations by modifying the color the text. Results indicate that channel location was found to be a stronger determinant of where users fixate and that the saliency of the channel title is a secondary determinant. Overall, users first fixated the portal page in the top, center channel regardless of the channel title color. Subsequent eye movements appear to be impacted by the salient title, but only when it was located on the left side of the page. Implications of these results to portal webpage design are discussed.
Effect of Postcuring on Hemo-Compatibility of Silicone Rubber

The widespread acceptance of silicone rubber in a multitude of biomedical devices is a well-known fact. The proper compounding of the rubber to achieve the desired physical properties is of the utmost importance. The catalyst, 2, 4-dichloro benzoyl peroxide, used in the thermal crosslinking of the uncured silicone polymer, plays an important role in the ultimate properties of the polymer. Different post curing steps have been tried and the resultant effects on the hemocompatibility of the polymer is the subject of this work.
Glycerol and hyperosmolar nonketotic coma.

Summary Hyperosmolar nonketotic coma occurred in a 29-year-old diabetic man with chronic renal failure after the repeated use of oral glycerol for treatment of acute neovascular glaucoma. Treatment with intravenous hypotonie saline, albumin, and packed red blood cells together with insulin and bicarbonate was successful in overcoming the coma.
Formation of Carotene in vitro

RESULTS presented in this communication indicate that both β-hydroxy β-methylglutarate and mevalonate may be considered precursors of carotene formation in an in vitro extract obtained from mycelial mats of the mould Phycomyces blakesleeanus. This extract, capable of synthesizing carotene, can also be used for establishing the existence of a back reaction from the mevalonate to β-hydroxy β-methylglutarate, for brevity referred to as glutarate.
Analysis of a broad class of Earth-Mars cycler trajectories

Earth-Mars cycler trajectories (cyclers) repeatedly encounter Earth and Mars. A systematic approach to constructing and evaluating such trajectories is described.
Blue Light and Bilirubin Excretion

Blue light converts bilirubin in the skin of jaundiced rats to metastable geometric isomers that are transported in blood and excreted in bile. The same reaction probably occurs in jaundiced babies exposed to light, particularly during treatment with phototherapy. Excretion of unisomerized bilirubin is prevented by intramolecular hydrogen bonding, and the pigment has to be metabolized to more polar derivatives to be excreted efficiently.
Inhibition of β-amyloid formation as a therapeutic strategy

A considerable body of evidence has accumulated in recent years implicating the β-amyloid protein (Aβ) in the aetiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The highly hydrophobic Aβ can nucleate and form neurotoxic fibrils which are characteristic components of AD neuritic plaques. Three general strategies for preventing or slowing the Aβ-initiated cascade of events leading to AD are (1) block the downstream signalling pathways that result in cytotoxic responses to Aβ fibrils, (2) interfere with Aβ nucleation and fibrillogenesis, and (3) inhibit the proteolytic events that lead to Aβ generation. In this article, we provide a perspective on the current knowledge of the molecular basis of AD, discuss the advantages of the third therapeutic strategy, blocking Aβ production, and review the recent journal and patent literature describing compounds that work at this level. Finally, we will discuss the most pressing issues that need to be addressed in order to more effectively develop useful therapeutic agents that low...
Calculation of the radiated sound field using an open Kirchhoff surface

Means of improving the accuracy of Kirchhoff integral solutions for sound fields in cases where the surface may not be completely closed are investigated. Asymptotic analysis for large temporal wave number is used to analyze time harmonic integral forms. Extension to time dependent equations is discussed briefly. Applicability to the "moderate" temporal wave numbers of real problems is discussed. Stationary phase arguments are used to show geometrically where good results are expected from a Kirchhoff integral . on an open surface. A similar asymptotic analysis is used to provide correction terms to partially account for the missing portion of the integral surface. The present study is restricted to the case where the mean flow is parallel to the open surface, but results are applicable to arbitrary flow situations in any number of dimensions. Two dimensional numerical examples are given to demonstrate and evaluate the method. It is found that the correction terms can dramatically reduce the error in an open surface calculation of the radiated sound field.
Staging chest computed tomography and positron emission tomography in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma: utility or futility?

Objectives This study was conducted to determine if routine staging chest computed tomography (CT) or positron emission tomography (PET) scanning alters the clinical management of patients with newly diagnosed pancreatic adenocarcinoma.