cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quickest detection of denial-of-service attacks in cognitive wireless networks

Many denial-of-service (DOS) attacks in wireless networks, such as jamming, will cause significant performance degradation to the network and thus need to be detected quickly. This becomes more important in a cognitive wireless network employing dynamic spectrum access (DSA), where it is easier for the attackers to launch DOS attacks. For instance, the attackers may pretend to be a licensed primary user, and carry out the primary user emulation (PUE) attacks. The attackers may also explore the spectrum themselves, and conduct smart jamming. These attacks usually happen at unknown time and are unpredictable due to the lack of prior knowledge of the attackers. It is also observed that the statistical property of the resulted paths from multipath routing will have abrupt change when the attack happens. Hence, in this paper, we formulate the detection of DOS attacks as a quickest detection problem, i.e., detect the abrupt changes in distributions of certain observables at the network layer with minimum detection delay, while maintaining a given low false alarm probability. Specifically, we propose a non-parametric version of the Pages cumulative sum (CUSUM) algorithm to minimize the detection delay so that a network manager may react to the event as soon as possible to mitigate the effect of the attacks. Simulation results using a Spectrum-Aware Split Multipath Routing with dynamic channel assignment as a baseline routing protocol demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Community Environmental Contamination of Toxigenic Clostridium difficile.

BACKGROUND Clostridium difficile infection is often considered to result from recent acquisition of a C difficile isolate in a healthcare setting. However, C difficile spores can persist for long periods of time, suggesting a potentially large community environmental reservoir. The objectives of this study were to assess community environmental contamination of toxigenic C difficile and to assess strain distribution in environmental versus clinical isolates. METHODS From 2013 to 2015, we collected community environmental swabs from homes and public areas in Houston, Texas to assess C difficile contamination. All positive isolates were tested for C difficile toxins A and B, ribotyped, and compared with clinical C difficile isolates obtained from hospitalized patients in Houston healthcare settings. RESULTS A total of 2538 environmental samples were collected over the study period. These included samples obtained from homes (n = 1079), parks (n = 491), chain stores (n = 225), fast food restaurants (n = 123), other commercial stores (n = 172), and hospitals (n = 448). Overall, 418 environmental isolates grew toxigenic C difficile (16.5%; P < .001) most commonly from parks (24.6%), followed by homes (17.1%), hospitals (16.5%), commercial stores (8.1%), chain stores (7.6%), and fast food restaurants (6.5%). A similar distribution of ribotypes was observed between clinical and environmental isolates with the exception that ribotype 027 was more common in clinical isolates compared with environmental isolates (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS We identified a high prevalence of toxigenic C difficile from community environs that were similar ribotypes to clinical isolates. These findings suggest that interventions beyond isolation of symptomatic patients should be targeted for prevention of C difficile infection.
A tutorial on the use of instrumental variables in pharmacoepidemiology.

Purpose Instrumental variable (IV) methods are used increasingly in pharmacoepidemiology to address unmeasured confounding. In this tutorial, we review the steps used in IV analyses and the underlying assumptions. We also present methods to assess the validity of those assumptions and describe sensitivity analysis to examine the effects of possible violations of those assumptions. Methods Observational studies based on regression or propensity score analyses rely on the untestable assumption that there are no unmeasured confounders. IV analysis is a tool that removes the bias caused by unmeasured confounding provided that key assumptions (some of which are also untestable) are met. Results When instruments are valid, IV methods provided unbiased treatment effect estimation in the presence of unmeasured confounders. However, the standard error of the IV estimate is higher than the standard error of non-IV estimates, e.g., regression and propensity score methods. Sensitivity analyses provided insight about the robustness of the IV results to the plausible degrees of violation of assumptions. Conclusions IV analysis should be used cautiously because the validity of IV estimates relies on assumptions that are, in general, untestable and difficult to be certain about. Thus, assessing the sensitivity of the estimate to violations of these assumptions is important and can better inform the causal inferences that can be drawn from the study. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis of Patient Outcomes Using the MyoKinesthetic System for the Treatment of Low Back Pain: A Case Series

Objective The purpose of this case series was to test the feasibility of using the MyoKinesthetic (MYK) System as a treatment-based classification system and intervention for a sample of patients with low back pain.
Characterization of transgene loci in plants using FISH: A picture is worth a thousand words

Transgenic plants are traditionally characterized using phenotypic and Southern analyses. Over the last several years, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) has been efficiently used for visualization, chromosomal localization and estimation of numbers of transgene loci in transgenic plants. Recent results obtained in different plant species transformed using either Agrobacterium tumefaciens or microprojectile bombardment indicate that FISH is also a powerful tool for characterization of transgene locus structure that significantly augments conventional Southern analysis. The aim of this review is to document the usefulness of FISH for characterization of transgene loci in plants.
Musical Restitution and Peace in Mali Through Digital Humanities

"Global Peace" is thought to be a concept dependent upon world governments. However, through the new field of Digital Humanities, there are many ways in which civil society can build international bridges of peace and understanding, creating an atmosphere in which compassionate citizens can circumvent government channels to directly bring improvements to the standard of living in another country. In Mali, one of the most important advances Digital Humanities can offer is the delivery of high-level education to provincial schools. When the underserved youth of Mali have an avenue for achieving higher education, they can join a national momentum of creating and sustaining lasting peace and a vibrant, functioning government. Finally, the artisans of West African have long held some of the highest social capital, despite the West African dichotomy that separates artistry and education. Through delivering multi-cultural arts education to Malian students through digital classrooms – particularly in the field of music – young Malian artisans will be empowered to join the international academic dialogue. As these true community leaders educate themselves and rise in national/ international stature, their own communities will likewise be elevated, and peace-networking through music and education can spread through Mali at the grassroots level.
Discrepancies in staging, treatment, and delays to treatment may explain disparities in bladder cancer outcomes: An update from the National Cancer Data Base (2004-2013).

Abstract Introduction We sought to characterize national disparities in the diagnosis of advanced stage bladder cancer. Among patients with advanced disease, we explored disparities in overall survival, treatment, and time to treatment. Methods and materials We queried the National Cancer Data Base for patients diagnosed with bladder urothelial carcinoma. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the association between covariates and diagnosis of advanced disease (AJCC stage III–IV). We used Kaplan-Meier, log-rank, and Cox proportional analyses to evaluate disparities in overall survival for patients with advanced disease. Receipt of treatment and delays to treatment were compared between subgroups. Results Among our cohort of 328,560 patients, 7.6% were diagnosed with advanced disease. Female sex, black race, Hispanic ethnicity, and living in a region of lower income and education were all associated with increased odds of advanced disease. Female sex (HR = 1.16; 95% CI: 1.12–1.20; P Conclusion There are several disparities in the diagnosis and treatment of advanced bladder cancer. Overall survival for certain groups may benefit from earlier diagnosis and improved timely access to potentially life prolonging treatment.
High and low doses of cocaine intake are differentially regulated by dopamine D2 receptors in the ventral tegmental area and the nucleus accumbens.

Abstract Dopamine D2 receptors (D2Rs) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc) are associated with vulnerability to addiction; however, whether D2Rs in these two brain regions play differential roles in regulation of drug intake is unknown. Here, we compared the effect of decreased mRNA level of Drd2 in each region on cocaine self-administration in a dose-response function. Drd2 mRNA levels in rat VTA or NAc were knocked down by bilateral microinjection of lentivirus coding shRNAs against rat Drd2 or scrambled shRNA. Drd2 knockdown was persistent and stable between 20 and 90 days after lentiviral infection. Animals were trained to self-administer cocaine 20 days after Drd2 shRNA treatment. Compared to scrambled shRNA treated rats, Drd2 knockdown in the VTA increased cocaine self-administration at all tested doses (0.02–0.56 mg/kg/infusion) producing an upward shift (both the ascending and descending limb) in the dose-response curve of cocaine self-administration. In contrast, intra-NAc knockdown increased cocaine self-administration only on the ascending limb of the dose-response curve (0.02–0.07 mg/kg/infusion). These data suggest that D2Rs in the VTA, not in the NAc, regulate high-dose cocaine intake. The present study not only demonstrates that low levels of D2Rs in either region increase low doses of cocaine intake, but also reveals for the first time their dissociable roles in limiting high doses of cocaine self-administration.
Effect of physical activity trackers and daily text messages on quality-of-life in colorectal survivors (Smart Pace): A pilot randomized controlled trial.

168Background: There are over 1.3 million colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors in the United States, and many of whom suffer from lower health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) years after diagnosis and...
Association of pulmonary, cardiovascular, and hematologic metrics with carbon nanotube and nanofiber exposure among U.S. workers: a cross-sectional study.

Commercial use of carbon nanotubes and nanofibers (CNT/F) in composites and electronics is increasing; however, little is known about health effects among workers. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 108 workers at 12 U.S. CNT/F facilities. We evaluated chest symptoms or respiratory allergies since starting work with CNT/F, lung function, resting blood pressure (BP), resting heart rate (RHR), and complete blood count (CBC) components. We conducted multi-day, full-shift sampling to measure background-corrected elemental carbon (EC) and CNT/F structure count concentrations, and collected induced sputum to measure CNT/F in the respiratory tract. We measured (nonspecific) fine and ultrafine particulate matter mass and count concentrations. Concurrently, we conducted physical examinations, BP measurement, and spirometry, and collected whole blood. We evaluated associations between exposures and health measures, adjusting for confounders related to lifestyle and other occupational exposures. CNT/F air concentrations were generally low, while 18% of participants had evidence of CNT/F in sputum. Respiratory allergy development was positively associated with inhalable EC (p=0.040) and number of years worked with CNT/F (p=0.008). No exposures were associated with spirometry-based metrics or pulmonary symptoms, nor were CNT/F-specific metrics related to BP or most CBC components. Systolic BP was positively associated with fine particulate matter (p-values: 0.015-0.054). RHR was positively associated with EC, at both the respirable (p=0.0074) and inhalable (p=0.0026) size fractions. Hematocrit was positively associated with the log of CNT/F structure counts (p=0.043). Most health measures were not associated with CNT/F. The positive associations between CNT/F exposure and respiratory allergies, RHR, and hematocrit counts may not be causal and require examination in other studies.
Challenges to conservation biological control on the High Plains: 150 years of evolutionary rescue

Abstract Conservation biological control (CBC) makes valuable contributions to productivity in High Plains agriculture. Despite some notable exceptions, CBC holds a wide range of potentially damaging pests under natural control, largely due to the actions of beneficial arthropod species that have endured more than a century of forced adaptation to an increasingly industrialized agricultural landscape. 'Evolutionary rescue' is a natural selection process whereby species evolve adaptations that enable them to survive environmental conditions that would have been lethal to their ancestors. This process has structured both pest populations and the guilds of natural enemies that help suppress them in our highly disturbed agroecosystems. Rescued beneficial species, by virtue of their abundance and successful evolutionary history, including some either accidentally or intentionally introduced, are those with the greatest potential for future adaptation in the face of changing cultural practices and the emergence of novel pests. I review some existing impediments to CBC (large-scale, synchronous monocultures, inadequate plant and insect diversity in the landscape, migratory pests, vulnerable crop cultivars that rescue pests, rather than their enemies, and insecticidal seed treatments). Compounding these problems are commercial interests and agricultural philosophies that tend to incentivize yield-maximization and short-term profits over long term farm sustainability and profitability. However, certain agronomic practices implemented recently have likely benefited CBC. These include improved host plant resistance in crop cultivars, the advent of Bt-protected crops (which have reduced pesticide applications), the adoption of no-till and reduced tillage practices, more advanced irrigation technologies, and the development of more selective pesticides that are safer for beneficial arthropods. Looking forward, two current trends may improve the efficacy of CBC in row crops; the increased adoption of cover crops as an alternative to chemfallow periods, and increasing public concern for preservation of pollinator habitat on public lands, which will also benefit predators and parasitoids.
Acute circulatory failure in children

Circulatory failure exists when tissue metabolic demand exceeds availability. The most common cause of inadequate perfusion in children is hypovolemia. If recognized and treated early, hypovolemic shock responds readily to volume expansion. For those patients who do not respond, intelligent recommendations for pharmacologic support of the circulation are based on evaluation of hemodynamic parameters which include indices of flow, pressure, and resistance.
Performance of Blind Vocational Rehabilitation Clients on the Minnesota Rate of Manipulation Tests.

The effects of additional practice trials on the Displacing Test and Turning Test of the Minnesota Rate of Manipulation Tests were studied to determine whether the use of normative data from sighte...
Ultrasound Technology for Interstitial Hyperthermia

Interstitial methods are most often used for treating bulky or unresectable deep-seated tumors or sites which are difficult to reach by external methods in the pelvis, intra-abdominal, and head and neck regions. Despite the invasive nature of the techniques, interstitial heating remains a treatment of choice, for many tumors since the heating sources are inserted directly into the tumor, thereby localizing the heating to the target volume and sparing more of the surrounding normal tissue. Currently radiofrequency local current field (RF-LCF) electrodes, coaxial cable mounted microwave antennas, inductively heated ferromagnetic seeds, resistance wire, and hot water tubes are used for interstitial hyperthermia (Stauffer 1990; Seegenschmiedt et al. 1991; Coughlin and Strohbehn 1989). Although efficacious in many clinical situations, none of these methods (except hot sources) allows the power deposition to be easily varied along the length of the implant during the course of a treatment to account for heterogeneities in tumor structure and dynamic changes in blood perfusion.
Global Distribution and Formation of Mode Waters

Abstract This Chapter is a brief survey of global mode water distribution and formation, with an emphasis on recent approaches and techniques. A new upper ocean water mass census based on observations from the Argo profiling float program is presented, to revisit Worthington’s 1981 calculation exploiting the nearly global coverage and especially the wintertime resolution in these newer data, notably problematic with ship-based hydrography. Water mass volumes and stratification are calculated from the Argo data and used to describe the global distribution of mode waters and their seasonal cycle. Water mass transformation rates are derived from a global state-estimate of the ocean and air–sea fluxes and applied to mode water density classes, to infer formation rates and to relate these to seasonal volumetric changes. A conceptual framework has been applied to the generation of mode water in terms of PV fluxes at the sea surface; dynamical mechanisms relevant to the impact of mode waters on circulation are summarized. Some results with climate simulations are noted, for the role of mode water in climate variability.
Hyaluronic acid based low viscosity hydrogel as a novel carrier for Convection Enhanced Delivery of CAR T cells

Abstract Convection Enhanced Delivery (CED) infuses therapeutic agents directly into the intracranial area continuously under pressure. The convection improves the distribution of therapeutics such as those aimed at brain tumors. Although CED successfully delivers small therapeutic agents, this technique fails to effectively deliver cells largely due to cell sedimentation during delivery. To overcome this limitation, we have developed a low viscosity hydrogel (LVHydrogel), which is capable of retaining cells in suspension. In this study, we evaluated whether LVHydrogel can effectively act as a carrier for the CED of tumor-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. CAR T cells were resuspended in saline or LVHydrogel carriers, loaded into syringes, and passed through the CED system for 5 h. CAR T cells submitted to CED were counted and the efficiency of delivery was determined. In addition to delivery, the ability of CAR T cells to migrate and induce cytotoxicity was evaluated. Our studies demonstrate that LVHydrogel is a superior carrier for CED in comparison to saline. The efficiency of cell delivery in saline carrier was only ∼3–5% of the total cells whereas delivery by the LVHydrogel carrier was much higher, reaching ∼45–75%. Migration and Cytotoxicity was similar in both carriers in non-infused samples but we found superior cytotoxicity in LVHydrogel group post-infusion. We demonstrate that LVHydrogel, a biodegradable biomaterial which does not cause acute toxicity on preclinical animal models, prevents cellular sedimentation during CED and presents itself as a superior carrier to the current carrier, saline, for the CED of CAR T cells.
The λϕ 3 4 field theory in a finite volume

The unnormalized doubly cutoff Schwinger functions converge as the ultraviolet cutoff is removed. The limits, the finite volume unnormalized Schwinger functions, are tempered distributions and areC∞ in the coupling constant. They have asymptotic expansions given by perturbation theory. For λ sufficiently small they can be normalized and then they are the moments of a measure onI′ℝ(IR3).
Hepatitis E infection.

Hepatitis E usually presents as a self-limiting viral hepatitis. It is not commonly seen in the United States and is more prevalent in endemic areas. Signs and symptoms are similar to those of other acute viral hepatitis infections. Here a case is presented of a man who recently returned from India and was found to have acute viral hepatitis E infection.
Outcomes of Revision Surgery for Pseudarthrosis After Anterior Cervical Fusion: Case Series and Systematic Review:

Study Design:Case series/systematic review.Objectives:To report on patients undergoing posterior cervical fusion for symptomatic pseudarthrosis following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (AC...
Complications and Management of Alloplastic Ear Reconstruction

Auricular reconstruction is a challenging procedure. Because microtia is relatively uncommon and has a significant learning curve, complications, especially as one gains experience, are inevitable. While a good surgeon learns to treat complications, an excellent surgeon has learned to avoid them. In this chapter, we will highlight the potential complications associated with the use of porous high-density polyethylene framework for ear reconstruction. We will also discuss the management of these complications and how to prevent them.
Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophies.

ABSTRACTPURPOSE OF REVIEWFacioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a common muscular dystrophy affecting both pediatric and adult patients. This article reviews the phenotype and pathophysiology of the disease as well as the recent efforts in clinical outcome measures and clinical trials.RECE
Lessons From South Korea’s Covid-19 Policy Response

In responding to the Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, some government policies have been more effective in containing, suppressing, and mitigating the disease than others. Government leaders and public administrators can learn from other countries and adapt these lessons to their crisis management and public health systems. South Korea has emerged as a model to emulate in fighting the pandemic. While South Korea endured devastating early outbreaks, the country flattened the coronavirus curve without paralyzing the national health and economic systems. The author reviews South Korea’s public health policy approaches and the embedded context, by using documents and materials written in Korean and English, to learn how the country managed coronavirus from January through April 2020. The critical factors in South Korea’s public health administration and management that led to success include national infectious disease plans, collaboration with the private sector, stringent contact tracing, an adaptive health care system, and government-driven communication. This article also proposes some key aspects to be considered to transfer lessons from country-level responses in South Korea to other contexts.
Sailing/Coasting Enabled by Mechatronic Starting Devices

Engine start quality and seamless engine start/stop are key elements of drive quality and customer acceptance in today’s electrified propulsion architectures. Two novel mechatronic devices have been created for premium engine start/stop. One concept uses a motor/generator in place of the traditional alternator, coupled to a mechatronic switching device for selectable geared or belted operation of the motor/generator. The second starter concept uses a two-speed gear scheme inserted between the starter motor and crankshaft flywheel for smooth engine starts. In the present work, the use of these starter devices in vehicles with sailing/coasting mode as well as in mild hybrid propulsion systems is described. Sailing/coasting mode of operation is enabled by the quick engine re-start capability of these starters allowing seamless switching between fuelled and unfuelled engine operation. This could reduce fuel consumption by about 3–6% on the NEDC driving cycle, without regenerative braking. One may further hybridize the propulsion system by adding a battery for storing regenerative braking energy. Using such an architecture, a 6–8% fuel economy improvement on the WLTP certification driving cycle may be achieved, depending on voltage and power levels implemented, as well as energy storage systems included.
Hurricane Maria and La Crisis Boricua on Health-Care Supply in Puerto Rico

Many medical professionals left Puerto Rico due to the financial crisis. Puerto Rico passed Act 14 in April 2017 to mitigate the exodus of physicians, reducing the flat tax on medical services to 4 percent. The same year, Puerto Rico was devastated by a Category 4 hurricane, leaving the island without power for several months. A difference-in-difference model is used to estimate the net effects of the hurricane and Act 14 on the number of health-care providers. The number of health-care providers decreased by 6.5 percent, family physicians by 17.5 percent, and specialists by 8 percent.
CFD modelling of the ammonia vapour absorption in a tubular bubble absorber with NH3/LiNO3

Abstract The absorber is a key component of absorption cooling systems, and its further development is essential to reduce the size and costs and facilitate the diffusion of absorption cooling systems. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can facilitate the characterization of the equipment used in absorption cooling systems at lower costs and complexity, but they must be properly developed and validated to provide reliability. This study provides a detailed description and assessment of a 3D CFD bubble absorber model developed to simulate the absorption process in a vertical double pipe with the NH3/LiNO3 solution. It includes a comprehensive methodology to develop the CFD model and its validation considering the effect of the solution flow and the cooling water temperature on absorber performance parameters such as the absorption mass flux and the solution heat transfer coefficient. The results show that the ‘Volume of Fluid model’ and the ‘Realizable k-epsilon model’ provide the lowest residuals and computational times in the simulations while a good correspondence between the CFD model and the experimental data with errors below 10% and 7% for the absorption mass flux and solution heat transfer coefficient, respectively, was obtained. The maximum absorption rate and heat transfer coefficient were 0.00441 kg m−2 s−1 and 786 W m−2 K−1, respectively.
Belowground Dynamics Influence Nitrogen Cycling and Crop Productivity in Diversified Corn Systems

Ecological nutrient management is a strategy that can help create resilient cropping systems and reduce the negative impact that agricultural systems have on the environment. Ecological nutrient management enhances plant-soil-microbial interactions and optimizes crop production while providing key ecosystem services. Incorporating perennial legumes into crop rotations and implementing no-till to enhance organic nitrogen (N) soil pools could reduce the need for inorganic N fertilizer inputs and lead to improved soil health. Plant and soil N pools need to be further quantified to understand how to enhance soil health across a range of agroecosystems. This paper aims to quantify plant and soil N pools in systems contrasting in crop perenniality (corn-corn, corn-soy, and corn-forage-forage) and tillage intensity (chisel till versus no-till). Key plant, soil, and organismal metrics of N cycling were measured including fine root production, N-Acetyl-B-Gulcosaminidase (NAG) enzyme activity, and soil protein, nematode enrichment opportunist (fungal and bacterial feeding nematodes) and the nematode Enrichment Index. Fine root production was determined using in-growth mesh cores. Findings reveal that monoculture cropping systems with reduced tillage intensity and rotations with perennial legumes had significantly greater fine root N (FRN), soil protein and NAG enzyme activity (p<0.05) relative to corn-soy. Additionally, nematode bacterivore enrichment opportunists (b1) were significantly reduced in corn-corn systems when compared to all other crop rotation systems. Correlation analyses indicated positive and significant relationships between FRN and soil protein (p<0.05). These results demonstrate that lengthening crop rotations with perennial legumes and incorporating no-till management can increase organic N inputs, N mineralization rates, and organic N storage. Such ecological approaches to management have the potential to reduce the need for inorganic N inputs, while increasing long-term soil health and crop productivity.
Internet-supported management education

Over the past few years, most universities in the United States have been experimenting with the use of different Internet technologies to support their educational programs. It is widely believed that these technologies will play an increasingly important role in the Universities of the future. We have been experimenting with the use of a number of different technologies in our courses for many different types of educational processes over the past six years. During this period, our use of these technologies has changed a great deal as a result of our experience. We describe how we use three of these technologies in our classes and what we have learnt over the years. The technologies that we have found to be most helpful in specific contexts are bulletin boards, online multimedia lectures and online chat and instant messaging. We present guidelines that will help others who are considering the use of these technologies in their classes.
185 Use of the hemoglobin A1c test as a screening tool for cystic fibrosis related diabetes

Objective To determine the optimal hemoglobin A1c (HgbA1c) level to screen for Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes (CFRD) in a population of adults with cystic fibrosis (CF). Methods All oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results completed between 2012 and 2014 and HgbA1c tests within 3 months of the OGTT were included. HgbA1c levels were categorized as U5.5%, 5.6–6.4% and ≥6.5%. Chi-square analysis was used to compare HgbA1c categories to the following: 1.presence of CFRD, 2.1 hour OGTT results >199 mg/dL, and 3.1 hour OGTT results >155 mg/dL. Results The number of OGTT tests performed per year is described in Poster Table 1. Descriptive statistics for the sample variables are described in Poster Table 2. Statistical significance was achieved comparing HgbA1c category with 2 hour OGTT results (p = 0.002). Of the patients with an HgbA1c ≤5.5%, 4.8% met criteria for CFRD, as did 16.7% with a HgbA1c between 5.6–6.4% and 60% with a HgbA1c ≥6.5%. Hypoglycemia occurred in 28.6% of patients with a HgbA1c U5.5% having a 2 hour OGTT result 199 mg/dL achieved statistical significance (p = 0.008). Conclusion Based on the results of this observation, using HgbA1c levels as a screening tool may be useful in determining which patients may be appropriate for OGTT testing. Using this method may have the added benefits of decreasing the incidence of hypoglycemia in the population of patients with normal HgbA1c who are most at risk. Using the HgbA1c test may increase the likelihood of patients completing OGTT test and improve utilization of hospital costs and resources.
The need for (digital) story: First graders using digital tools to tell stories

The purpose of this study was to explore the process and product of African American First Graders as they participated in digital storytelling. Of interest was the role digital tools played in the creation process. Eight participants participated in 18 study sessions during which they composed, recorded, and then shared their digital texts with their peers and at home. Data sources included classroom observations, parent and teacher questionnaires, participant pre and post interviews, field notes, video and audio tapes of sessions, and story screenshot captures and print outs. Study questions focused on the nature of the texts the student produced, the role of the digital in the creation process, and the meanings and purposes the participants had for the texts they produced. This study‘s findings challenge teachers to offer students authentic experiences with writing so that children can construct their own ideas and interests, their own writing personalities. Digital texts were a particularly engaging medium for these young children and allowed them to produce texts that reflected their identities as well as their attitudes
Noise in Oscillators

Noise affects the behavior of oscillators in at least two important ways. During sustained oscillation, noise creates undesired perturbations or modulation in both the amplitude and the phase of the wave. The amplitude perturbations produce a continuous spectrum which in typical situations is quite weak and broader than the bandwidth of the resonator. The phase perturbations disperse the nominal frequency into a continuous distribution which is of the same form but much stronger and narrower than for the amplitude perturbations. During the initiation of oscillation, noise constitutes the starting voltage and therefore affects the time required for the wave to reach some pre-established amplitude. The resulting jitter in the starting time of pulsed oscillators is objectionable because it degrades the signal-to-noise ratio in systems employing super-regenerative receivers or pulse-time modulation. The time and spectral distributions of noise effects in typical oscillators are derived and discussed in the following sections.
Purine mutants of mammalian cell lines. II. Identification of a phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase-deficient mutant of Chinese hamster lung cells.

A class of purine auxotrophs blocked early in the purine biosynthetic pathway was examined. The inability of these mutants to accumulate formylglycinamide ribotide (FGAR) in the presence of azaserine suggested that one or more of the first three enzymes of the pathway were either missing or defective. By direct enzyme assay, phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP) amidotransferase (E.C. 2.4.2.14) was found to be absent in extracts of the mutant cells. Thus these cells were unable to convert PRPP to phosphoribosylamine (PRA). By reacting ribose 5-phosphate with ammonium ions, PRA was generated nonenzymatically in the incubation mixture, thus enabling us to test for the presence of the two enzymes required to convert PRA to FGAR. It was demonstrated that sufficient amounts of these enzymes, phosphoribosylglycineamide synthetase (E.C. 6.3.1.3) and phosphoribosylglycineamide formyltransferase (E.C. 2.1.2.2), were present in mutant extracts to allow synthesis of FGAR to occur once PRA was so provided.
Evaluation of preintubation shock index and modified shock index as predictors of postintubation hypotension and other short-term outcomes

Abstract Purpose Preintubation shock index (SI) and modified shock index (MSI) have demonstrated predictive capability for postintubation hypotension in emergency department. The primary aim was to explore this relationship in the critical care environment. The secondary aims were to evaluate the relationship of shock indices with other short-term outcomes like mortality and length of stay in intensive care unit. Materials and methods This is a nonconcurrent cohort study, conducted in eligible 140 adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients of a tertiary care medical center. Eligibility criterion was emergent endotracheal intubation in apparently hemodynamically stable patients. Results Preintubation SI ≥ 0.90 had a significant association with postintubation hypotension as defined by systolic blood pressure P = .03; odds ratio [OR], 2.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-4.35) and multivariate analyses ( P = .01; OR, 3.17; 95% CI, 1.36-7.73) after adjusting for confounders. It was also associated with higher ICU mortality in both the univariate ( P = .01; OR, 4.00; 95% CI, 1.26-12.67) and multivariate analyses ( P = .01; OR, 5.75; 95% CI, 1.58-26.48). There was no association of preintubation MSI with postintubation hemodynamic instability and ICU mortality. No association was found between preintubation SI and MSI, with ICU length of stay and 30-day mortality. Conclusions Our findings indicate that preintubation SI greater than or equal to 0.90 is a predictor of postintubation hypotension (systolic blood pressure
Characterization of Folded, Intermediate, and Unfolded States of Recombinant Human Interstitial Collagenase

Abstract Recombinant interstitial collagenase (rMMP-1) forms insoluble inclusion bodies when over-expressed in Escherichia coli. We surveyed conditions for renaturation of purified rMMP-1 in 6 M guandine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) and found that optimal folding occurred when the denatured protein was diluted at 4°C in 2 M guanidine HCl, 20% glycerol, 2.5 mM reduced and oxidized glutathione, and 5 mM CaCl, followed by buffer exchange to remove denaturant and thiols. The circular dichroism spectrum and catalytic constants of the refolded enzyme were similar to those of native MMP-1. The propeptide, which comprises approximately 20% of the mass of proMMP-1, was not required for folding to a functional enzyme. Size exclusion chromatography and spectroscopic measurements at intermediate [GdnHCl] revealed two intermediate folding states. The first, observed at 1 M GdnHCl, had a slightly larger Stokes' radius than the folded protein. CD and fluorescence analysis showed that it contained ordered tryptophan residues with a higher quantum yield than the fully folded state. The second intermediate, which appeared between 2 and 4 M GdnHCl, exhibited properties consistent with the molten globule, including secondary structure, lack of ordered tryptophan, exposed hydrophobic binding sites, and a Stokes' radius between that of the folded and unfolded states.
Plasmacytoma of the upper air and food passages.

Solitary plasmacytoma of the upper air and food passages is a rare tumor. The largest number of cases collected at any one institution was 27 from the Memorial Hospital in New York. This paper deals with a study of a total of 20 patients seen and treated at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary for the past three decades. The clinical data, including age, sex, symptoms, laboratory findings, clinical course, treatment, and prognosis of this group of patients, are presented. Various factors affecting the prognosis are discussed.
Weak-coupling analysis of the supersymmetric Liouville theory

Abstract A weak-coupling expansion is developed for the supersymmetric Liouville quantum field theory defined on a circle. The zero-mode system (supersymmetric quantum mechanics with an exponential potential) is first solved exactly, and then nonzero-mode effects are incorporated as perturbations. The theory is translationally invariant, conformally covariant, and has a zero-energy ground state with 〈 ψ ψ〉 ≠ 0 .
Comparative Investigation of Benzene Steam Reforming over Spinel Supported Rh and Ir Catalysts

In a combined experimental and first-principles density functional theory (DFT) study, benzene steam reforming (BSR) over MgAl2O4-supported Rh and Ir catalysts was investigated. Experimentally, it ...
Photolabile Protection of Alcohols, Phenols, and Carboxylic Acids with 3-Hydroxy-2-Naphthalenemethanol

Irradiation of alcohols, phenols, and carboxylic acids “caged” with the (3-hydroxy-2-naphthalenyl)methyl group results in fast (krelease ≈ 105 s−1) release of the substrates with good quantum (Φ = 0.17−0.26) and chemical (>90%) yields. The initial byproduct of the photoreaction, 2-naphthoquinone-3-methide, reacts rapidly with water (kH2O = 144 ± 11 s−1) to produce parent 3-hydroxy-2-naphthalenemethanol. The o-quinone methide intermediate can be also trapped by other nucleophiles or converted into a photostable Diels−Alder adduct with ethyl vinyl ether.
Clinical, pathologic and immunologic features of patients with non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma in a leukemic phase. A retrospective analysis of 34 patients

A retrospective review of 34 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and a leukemic phase was undertaken. The median survival after onset of a leukemic phase was 30 months for patients with nodular poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma which was significantly longer than 19 months for diffuse poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma, and 2 months for diffuse histiocytic and undifferentiated lymphoma. Clinical features of patients with diffuse histologies that contributed to a poor prognosis included advanced stage of disease as well as age. Underlying lymph node histology also defined features of the leukemic phase which included duration, peak leukocyte count, and in some instances, distinctive morphologic characteristics of circulating malignant cells. Although small sample size did not permit definitive correlations of immunological subtype and survival, heterogeneity was noted, suggesting that clearer stratification of these patients with immunologic techniques may be useful in assessing prognosis in future investigations.
CMOS compatible high voltage compliant MESFET based analog IC building blocks

MESFET devices provide high breakdown characteristics, enable high voltage operation, and direct battery hook-up with no changes in processing on state of the art SOI and SOS CMOS processes. Fundamental analog building blocks, including single-ended and differential amplifiers and high impedance current mirror were designed and fabricated in a single poly, 3-layer metal digital CMOS technology utilizing fully depletion mode MESFET devices. The measured breakdown voltage of the SOS MESFETS presented here has a breakdown voltage of over 7.5 V without causing irreversible damage. DC characteristics were measured by varying the power supply from 2.5 to 5.5V. The measured DC transfer curves of amplifiers show good agreement with the simulated ones with extracted models from the same process. The accuracy of the current mirror showing inverse operation is within ±5% for the current from 0 to 1.5 mA with the power supply from 2.5 to 5.5V.
Sleep-disordered breathing and childhood asthma: clinical implications.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Asthma morbidity in children remains high despite comprehensive evidence-based guidelines for evaluation and treatment. The objective of this review is to examine the evidence that obstructive sleep-disordered breathing often co-exists with asthma and is associated with asthma severity, and to discuss the clinical implications of this relationship, focusing particularly on studies published within the past year. RECENT FINDINGS Obstructive sleep-disordered breathing is highly prevalent in children with severe or poorly controlled asthma. Data from an observational study suggest that adenotonsillectomy markedly improves asthma outcomes in children with poorly controlled asthma and comorbid obstructive sleep apnea. SUMMARY Clinicians should consider evaluating and treating obstructive sleep-disordered breathing in children with severe or difficult-to-control asthma. Further controlled studies are needed to confirm that treatment of obstructive sleep apnea improves pediatric asthma outcomes, and to extend our understanding of how asthma and sleep-disordered breathing interact.
The association of sleep and pain: an update and a path forward

Ample evidence suggests that sleep and pain are related. However, many questions remain about the direction of causality in their association, as well as mechanisms that may account for their association. The prevailing view has generally been that they are reciprocally related. The present review critically examines the recent prospective and experimental literature (2005-present) in an attempt to update the field on emergent themes pertaining to the directionality and mecha- nisms of the association of sleep and pain. A key trend emerging from population-based longitudinal studies is that sleep impairments reliably predict new incidents and exacerbations of chronic pain. Microlongitudinal studies employing deep subjective and objective assessments of pain and sleep support the notion that sleep impairments are a stronger, more reliable predictor of pain than pain is of sleep impairments. Recent experimental studies suggest that sleep disturbance may impair key processes that contribute to the development and maintenance of chronic pain, including endog- enous pain inhibition and joint pain. Several biopsychosocial targets for future mechanistic research on sleep and pain are discussed, including dopamine and opioid systems, positive and negative affect, and sociodemographic factors. Perspective: This critical review examines the recent prospective and experimental research (2005- present) on the association of sleep and pain in an attempt to identify trends suggestive of direction- ality and potential mechanisms. An update on this literature is needed to guide future clinical efforts to develop and augment treatments for chronic sleep disturbance and chronic pain.
Growth of cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) in response to ancillary sodium

A field investigation of sodium nutriture of cottontail rabbits was conducted at the Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area, Edinburgh, Indiana, from 1985 to 1987. Eight 20-ha grids, comprising four replicates of two treatments, control and sodium-provisioned, were established in spring 1985. Provision of ancillary sodium was not initiated until spring 1986 to allow assessment of extant differential growth by treatment area prior to experimental manipulation. Cross-sectional data relating to growth was obtained from specimens collected at an annual-hunt check station. An integrated-sigmoidal Richards function was used to model growth of rabbits. The effect of years was tested among controls; growth did not differ for either males or females between sampling years. Prior to the initiation of sodium provision neither sex of rabbit displayed any differential pattern of growth based upon harvest location. Following provision of ancillary sodium there was no discernible alteration of growth pattern within males. However, among females asymptotic weight and growth period increased, while the shape parameter of the growth function decreased. Sodium deprivation, exacerbated by maternal reproductive investment, may require increased energetic expenditure to maintain sodium-related homeostasis, which is expressed in less than optimal growth.
Palaeoclimatic significance of the stagnation of the Cariaco Trench.

ALMOST all available information about the past thermal behaviour of the oceans has been obtained by studying the oxygen isotope ratios of cores from the deep sea1. One basic limitation of that method is that to derive a palaeotemperature curve from oxygen isotope data one must assume some initial value for the oxygen isotope ratio in the ocean at the time each sample was formed. There has been little independent evidence of past oceanic temperatures to provide a check on these assumed values, and some questions have been raised2 about the significance of the 16O/18O palaeotemperature record. I suggest that the deep water of the Cariaco Trench may provide an estimate of the late glacial surface temperature of the Caribbean Sea which is completely independent of the oxygen isotope method.