cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is the Measurement of B-Type Natriuretic Peptide in the Emergency Room Useful in Established Congestive Heart Failure Exacerbation?

Introduction: Measurement of natriuretic peptides, particularly brain natriuretic peptide(BNP) has been established as a helpful aid in the diagnosis of heart failure(HF), however, the role of BNP in patients with already well documented HF who present at the Emergency Room(ER) with HF exacerbation is not well understood. Objectives: We sought to evaluate the role of the BNP in patients with documented HF who present to the ER with HF exacerbation. Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed on 443 patients, who presented to the ER with HF exacerbation with previous well documented HF. We compared already established diagnosis criteria for HF with the different BNP levels. Also, the cohort was divided into three groups as follow: BNP!100, BNP 100-400, and BNPO400. Mortality rate and days of hospitalization were compared between the groups. Results: When predicting the outcome of the ER-administered BNP test, there were a number of variables that showed as significant correlation. Normal/Abnormal Previous Echocardiogram: both were correlated with BNP measures(Estimate: -579.0, standard Error: 88.8, p-value !0.05 and -324.8, 93.2, !0.05, respectively), CXR with pleural effusion and/or cardiomegaly both positively correlated with BNP level(368.3, 79.4, !0.05 and 276.4, 67.5, !0.05, respectively) and presenting chief complaint of orthopnea was positively correlated with BNP level(291.2, 64.7, !0.05). A less strong correlation was found between BNP and NYHA classification at presentation(457.9, 182.8, !0.05). The variable of BNP O400 was created and regressed against previous echocardiogram findings, normal echocardiogram mostly yields BNP!400(1.64, 0.37, !0.05), also abnormal echocardiogram mostly yields BNPO400(0.80, 0.38, !0.05) The cohort was divided into three groups as follow: BNP!100, BNP 100400, and BNPO400. No significant difference was noted in the mortality rate between the three groups(p50.08) and no significant difference was noted in the days of hospitalization when comparing the groups(p50.09). Conclusions: Based on our findings, the use of BNP as a diagnostic test for patients with documented HF in the ER does not add any significant value to the information already available from clinical features, CXR and previous echocardiographic findings. Therefore, routine measurement of BNP in patients with established diagnosis of HF does not appear to be useful or cost-effective.
A neural network technique for atmospheric compensation and temperature/emissivity separation using LWIR/MWIR hyperspectral data

A novel statistical method for the retrieval of surface temperature and atmospheric temperature, moisture, and ozone profiles has been developed and evaluated with simulated clear-air hyperspectral data at 3.5-5 and 7-13.5 microns. These estimates are used as inputs to MODTRAN to calculate the ground leaving radiance (L), the upwelling radiance (U), and the total path transmittance (T). The spectral surface emissivity is then derived by spectrally filtering the resulting solution to the radiative transfer equation. The retrieval for surface temperature and spectral surface emissivity can then be iterated, if necessary. The method was evaluated using the NOAA88b profile dataset and the UCSB and ASTER spectral emissivity libraries, and the sensor parameters were developed using the FASSP (Forecasting and Analysis of Spectroradiometer System Performance) model. Representative results are shown for simulated data from two spaceborne sensors: a high spectral resolution infrared sensor (AIRS, NASA Aqua satellite, 3.5-15.5 μm, λ/Δλ ≈ 1200) and a hypothetical moderate spectral resolution infrared sensor (3.5-5 and 7-13.5 μm, λ/Δλ ≈ 200). A sample retrieval of surface temperature and emissivity is also shown.
Structure of effusol: A new phenolic constituent fromJuncus effusus

Effusol, a relatively rare alkylated phenolic 9, 10-dihydrophenanthrene has been isolated fromJuncus effusus. Its structure has been established mainly on the basis of1H and13C-NMR spectra.
Weak localization of electromagnetic waves by densely packed many-particle groups: Exact 3D results

We use the superposition T-matrix method to solve the Maxwell equations and compute electromagnetic scattering characteristics of a 3D volume filled with densely packed, randomly distributed, wavelength-sized spherical particles. Our numerically exact data provide, for the first time, a direct demonstration of the onset and evolution of coherent backscattering with increasing number of particles and prove unequivocally that weak localization of electromagnetic waves can survive even in densely packed particulate media.
Solitary central maxillary incisor associated with precocious puberty and hypothalamic hamartoma.

them from other pat ients with hemolytic uremic Syndrome who we have seen. Despite a common cause, some chi ldren were relatively well; others had severe renal fai lure and prolonged coma. Centra l nervous system involvement did not necesssarily occur in those with the most severe renal failure; one patient , a l though comatose for five days, did not require dialysis. Al though the cause remains unknown, ingestion from a single ba tch of locally produced apple ju ice is unlikely to have been a chance occurrence. It might have been more useful if the apple juice had been examined at the t ime of ingestion. An infectious agent was not found, and the patients did not communica te the disease to others. T he interval of three to six days between ingestion and the onset of symptoms may be more compat ible with ingestion of an infectious agent ra ther than a poison (toxin). Inasmuch as farm-produced apple ju ice is not manufac tu red under sterile conditions, it was not surpr i s ing to find bacter ial and fungal growth three weeks af ter manufac ture . Mycotoxins have been incr iminated in an imal disease, but clinical and pathologic features of the renal toxicity in animals are not similar to those in hemolytic uremic syndrome? This ou tbreak was unusual but leads us to suggest tha t ingested bacterial or fungal toxins could have been related to these and perhaps other cases of the syndrome. Wc thank Drs. L. F. Smith and R. M. Andreychuk of the Public Health Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Health for conducting environmental and laboratory studies. Drs. M. Petric and M. Karmali, from the Departments of Bacteriology and Virology of the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, were very helpful with laboratory investigations, and Dr. L. Becket provided comprehensive information on the autopsied case. Special thanks also to Dr. S. Stanfield, at the Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, and Dr. D. S. Clark, at the Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Ottawa, for laboratory help.
Seminormality, projective algebras, and invertible algebras

Unlike module theory, not much is known about the projective objects in the category of commutative R-algebras, where R is a fixed commutative ground ring. The similarity between projective R-modules and projective Ralgebras does not extend much farther (to our knowledge) than to the following simple facts : the free commutative R-algebras, namely, R [ Ti] is T, are projective, and all projectives are retracts of free objects. Indeed, this characterizes the projective R-algebras. (In the definition of projectivity for algebras, one must be sure to specify which epimorphisms one wants to admit. If all epimorphisms of R-alg, the category of commutative R-algebras, are admitted, one can show that only R itself is projective. It is very reasonable to admit just the surjections, which is what we are doing.) Examples nearly as obvious as the free algebras can be found by taking the symmetric R-algebra S,(R) over a projective R-module P, and this algebra is obviously projective, but free only if P is a free R-module [3, Lemma 4.61. Besides these, there are not many known examples. Abhyankar, Eakin, and Heinzer [ 1,4.1], and Costa [5,3.5] proved some affirmative results: if R is a field, or, more generally, a UFD, then every projective R-algebra in one variable is a symmetric algebra of some Rmodule P, which must be a rank one projective module. (In this paper, we call a domain A over a domain R an algebra in one variable over R if A is of finite type over R and Quot(A) has transcendency degree < 1 over Quot(R). For our definition in case R is not a domain, see Definition 1.11 below.) As to the case of two variables, we can say something for R a perfect field, due to the recent general solution of the Cancellation Problem: any projective kalgebra A of finite type over the perfect field k with tr.deg, A = 2 is isomorphic to k[X, Y]. For a proof, we refer to [ 10, Theorems 3 and 41; a slight change is needed in that author’s Theorem 4. We do not go into the details here.
WINTER-REGIME THERMAL RESPONSE OF HEATED STREAMS

The increase in water temperature in natural streams due to waste heat disposal from thermal power plants leads to extensive ice-free reaches during winter periods. It is shown that the surface heat exchange between water and the atmosphere can be expressed, for most practical purposes, as a linear function of the water temperature. Using this approximation, a closed-form solution of the one-dimensional unsteady convection-diffusion equation is developed to predict temperature distributions in streams and the lengths of ice-free reaches downstream from the thermal discharge sections.
Accessing the Inaccessible Genome

Next-generation sequencing in families with rare autosomal dominant disorders can identify candidate genes that are mutated in affected individuals but not in healthy controls. But what happens when careful analysis fails to identify a mutation that perfectly segregates with disease, which is expected for a high-penetrance allele? Kirby et al. report such a scenario for medullary cystic kidney disease type 1 (MCKD1). MCKD1 is a rare Mendelian disorder characterized by a chronic, progressive kidney disease that eventually leads to end-stage renal failure. The disease has been consistently mapped to a single autosomal locus; however, sequencing and careful analysis revealed no coding, noncoding, or copy-number polymorphisms that segregated specifically in affected individuals. Given the strong linkage evidence, Kirby et al. surmised that mutations must exist in this region that had somehow been missed in the sequencing effort. Certain kinds of sequences are troublemakers when it comes to variant detection, especially regions that include variable repeats (VNTRs). Therefore, the authors focused on one gene in the region of interest that contained a polymorphic VNTR: mucin 1 ( MUC1 ) . MUC1 is specifically expressed in the kidney, making it an even more intriguing candidate. First, Kirby et al. excluded VNTR length itself as causal for MCKD1. Then after cloning, subcloning, Sanger sequencing, and constructing de novo assemblies for affected individuals, the authors identified a single–base pair insertion within the MUC1 VNTR. The insertion, perfectly segregating within all six families, appears to have arisen independently in each family and introduces a premature stop codon, producing a protein lacking key functional elements. This mutational mechanism was found in more than 60% of families with MCKD1-like symptoms, pointing to a substantial role for MUC1 in this disorder. This report by Kirby et al. provides a good lesson, worth remembering: Think carefully about the results returned by sequencing studies. These data sets are huge and relatively quick to generate, but are likely incomplete. It’s always important to consider what might be missing. The answers are there, under our noses, and might simply require a bit of extra grit to access. A. Kirby et al., Mutations causing medullary cystic kidney disease type 1 lie in a large VNTR in MUC1 missed by massively parallel sequencing. Nat. Genet. 45 , 299–303 (2013). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23396133
Cavitation research from an intetrnational perspective

This paper reviews some current research at the Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory from the perspective of the experience gained from cooperative research in other laboratories that the author has had the opportunity to participate in for several decades. Examples are drawn from the author's experience with collaborative efforts in China, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, and the US. Emphasis is placed on the progress in our understanding of the physics of cavitation as influenced by water quality, i.e. the strength of the water as influenced by the concentration of free and dissolved gas and complex fluid dynamic factors such as turbulence. The shift from experimental research to studies involving an integrated experimental/numerical approach is also underscored. Examples are drawn from early studies of inception and acoustics, vortex cavitation and more recent research on sheet/cloud cavitation and supercavitation. Some thoughts on new directions are also presented.
Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery: A case report with remarkable improvement of myocardial function following subclavian artery—Coronary artery anastomosis

A 3 2/12-year-old boy with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery was successfully treated by anastomosis of the left subclavian artery to the anomalous vessel. A remarkable improvement in left ventricular function and electrocardiogram has occurred postoperatively. This case report supports the postulation that chronically hypoperfused, electrically silent, and minimally contractile myocardial tissue may acquire its electrical activity and function with the establishment of adequate coronary perfusion.
You Can Lead a Horse to Water: Efficacy of and Students' Perceptions of an Online Textbook Support Site.

An increasing number of publishers offer online companion websites that students pay to access with the expectation that using these will significantly increase their grade. This research assessed the students’ attitudes toward and the efficacy of components of MyPsychLab, a companion site for Introduction to Psychology. Students reported liking MyPsychLab and felt it helped their grades. Composite data across three semesters and three professors suggest that use of MyPsychLab is associated with better grades for individual students. However, making its use a course requirement did not improve the overall class grade or passing rate. Whether it was optional or required, not all students used MyPsychLab, suggesting a need to improve students’ use of available and beneficial resources.
Symmetry properties of confined convective states

This paper is a brief discussion of the symmetry properties of spatially extended systems. There are many systems which have solutions in which different patches appear to have different groups of spatial symmetries. We examine the Ginsburg-Landau equation and find solutions whose symmetry properties are similar to the confined convective pulses observed by Kolodner in experiments with binary fluid mixtures.
Origin of gauge invariance in string theory

A first quantization of the space-time embedding Chi exp mu and the world-sheet metric rho of the open bosonic string. The world-sheet metric rho decouples from S-matrix elements in 26 dimensions. This formulation of the theory naturally includes 26-dimensional gauge transformations. The gauge invariance of S-matrix elements is a direct consequence of the decoupling of rho. Second quantization leads to a string field Phi(Chi exp mu, rho) with a gauge-covariant equation of motion.
Novel nicotinic action of the sulfoximine insecticide sulfoxaflor.

The novel sulfoximine insecticide sulfoxaflor is as potent or more effective than the neonicotinoids for toxicity to green peach aphids (GPA, Myzus persicae). The action of sulfoxaflor was characterized at insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) using electrophysiological and radioligand binding techniques. When tested for agonist properties on Drosophila melanogaster Dα2 nAChR subunit co-expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes with the chicken β2 subunit, sulfoxaflor elicited very high amplitude (efficacy) currents. Sulfoximine analogs of sulfoxaflor were also agonists on Dα2/β2 nAChRs, but none produced maximal currents equivalent to sulfoxaflor nor were any as toxic to GPAs. Additionally, except for clothianidin, none of the neonicotinoids produced maximal currents as large as those produced by sulfoxaflor. These data suggest that the potent insecticidal activity of sulfoxaflor may be due to its very high efficacy at nAChRs. In contrast, sulfoxaflor displaced [3H]imidacloprid (IMI) from GPA nAChR membrane preparations with weak affinity compared to most of the neonicotinoids examined. The nature of the interaction of sulfoxaflor with nAChRs apparently differs from that of IMI and other neonicotinoids, and when coupled with other known characteristics (novel chemical structure, lack of cross-resistance, and metabolic stability), indicate that sulfoxaflor represents a significant new insecticide option for the control of sap-feeding insects.
Deuda externa, ahorro doméstico y crecimiento económico en Chile : una perspectiva de largo plazo : 1982-1990

da externa de estos paises -medida como porcentaje de su producto geograficoalcanzo niveles tales, que es dificil pensar que esta tasa de crecimiento del endeudamiento pueda mantenerse en el futuro1. Durante los primeros anos de los ochenta, esta tendencia del nivel de deuda externa se ha mantenido, y en algunos paises incluso ha aumentado. El presente trabajo analiza en detalle las perspectivas futuras de endeudamiento externo de Chile para el resto de los anos ochenta. Chile representa un caso especialmente interesante, ya que dentro de la estrategia economica del actual Gobierno Militar, la entrada de flujos de fondos externos juega un rol fundamental. Sin embargo, ya en 1981 el nivel de la Deuda Externa chilena (publica y privada) alcanzo niveles extremadamente altos, aproximandose al 50% del producto geografico bruto. Durante 1981 la Deuda Externa neta chilena crecio en un 51%, lo que constituye el mayor crecimiento de la deuda en los ultimos 20 anos. Tanto esta tasa de crecimiento de la deuda, como el nivel alcanzado por ella hacen interesante analizar las perspectivas futuras del endeudamiento en Chile en el mediano y largo plazo. El analisis realizado parte por reconocer que el nuevo endeudamiento neto de cada ano esta dado por el superavit de la cuenta de
Use of a Shared Medical Record With Secure Messaging by Older Patients With Diabetes

OBJECTIVE Evaluate use of a web-based shared medical record (SMR) between older patients with diabetes and providers. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study. Health records and SMR use patterns of 6,185 enrollees aged ≥65 years with diabetes were analyzed from implementation of a SMR in August 2003 through December 2007. We analyzed baseline predictors of age, sex, distance from clinic, socioeconomic status, insulin use, morbidity, and associated primary care provider9s (PCP) secure messaging use on patients9 initial and subsequent use of the SMR. Changes in morbidity, PCP, or diabetes treatment were evaluated for impact on outcomes. RESULTS A total of 32.2% of enrollees used the SMR; median rate was 1.02 user-days/month. Numbers of users and rate of use continued to increase. In adjusted analyses, likelihood of SMR use was associated with younger age, male sex, and higher socioeconomic status neighborhood, as well as clinical characteristics of overall morbidity and assigned PCP9s use of secure messaging. Initial SMR use was more likely within 3 months of an increase in morbidity (hazard ratio 1.61, 95% CI 1.28–2.01) and within 1 month of changing to a PCP with higher use (3.02, 1.66–5.51). CONCLUSIONS Four years after implementation, one-third of older individuals with diabetes had used the web-based SMR. Higher morbidity predicted initial and continued use of SMR services. Providers9 use of the communication feature was associated with higher likelihood of SMR engagement by their patients. Web-based SMRs may be an effective form of non–visit-based health care for older individuals with diabetes.
Using individualized continuous patient education (iCOPE) platform to facilitate smoking cessation in hospitalized patients

Smoking cessation counseling in hospitalized patients is important component of preventive care. Information technology for continuous patient health education and counseling could be a powerful means for health promotion and disease prevention however delivery of smoking cessation programs in hospitals via interactive technology has not be widely implemented. The goal of this project was to develop an interactive platform for patient health education and evaluate its feasibility in hospitalized smokers. We developed a universal platform for Individualized Continuous Patient Education (iCOPE). This platform is a comprehensive informatics framework for rapid adaptation and dissemination of Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) products tailored to different categories of health consumers including difficult-to-reach patients. The iCOPE platform implements universal means for customized delivery of CER information in the format of interactive self-paced educational modules, quick “question & answer” guides, and interactive decision aids. In addition, the iCOPE platform will support the innovative concept of continuous patient health education by providing patients with easy access to the interactive CER updates via web, MP3 players and phone-based interactive voice response (IVR) technology. We tested usability and acceptance of educational platforms in patients who are active smokers. Our results demonstrated high acceptance of this technology by patients and its potential to facilitate smoking cessation.
A Translation Method for Finding Combinatorial Bijections

Consider a combinatorial identity that can be proved by induction. In this paper, we describe a general method for translating the inductive proof into a recursive bijection. Furthermore, we will demonstrate that the resulting recursive bijection can often be defined in a direct, non-recursive way. Thus, the translation method often results in a bijective proof of the identity that helps illuminate the underlying combinatorial structures. This paper has two main parts: First, we describe the translation method and the accompanying Maple code; and second, we give a few examples of how the method has been used to discover new bijections.
Convulsive aspects of barbital sodium withdrawal in the cat

Abstract Six cats received gradually increasing amounts of barbital sodium until final dose levels of 190 to 335 mg per kilogram were reached in 106 to 267 days. Extradural electrodes were implanted in the skull to monitor the EEG during intoxication and withdrawal. During intoxication fast frequencies of 18 to 34 c/sec, such as those observed in the human EEG during barbiturate use, were present when the animals demonstrated waking, but not sleeping, behavior. Following abrupt withdrawal, five of the cats developed interseizure paroxysmal EEG abnormalities. The interseizure EEG abnormalities occurred commonly during drowsing, and they were bilaterally symmetrical. Minor seizure behaviors were frequently observed during the occurrence of these transient EEG changes. Records were obtained on two animals at onset, and during major withdrawal convulsions. In both cases the associated EEG changes were abrupt, symmetrical, and generalized at seizure onset. The cerebral cortex appears to participate in the convulsive process, but its order of involvement may be secondary to that of the brain stem.
A Multi-Axis Robotic Platform and Testing Protocol for Evaluating In Vitro Biomechanics of the Foot

The purpose of this study was to develop a cadaveric model for evaluating the relative motion across joint segments in the foot under simulated physiologic loading conditions. The specific aims were to 1) Develop a multi-axis testing platform that simulates three-dimensional (3D) loading conditions through the foot and ankle complex (Achilles load, tibial compression, and internal/external rotation) in a sequential or simultaneous manner, and 2) Evaluate and compare the three-dimensional (3D) kinematics between specific bones of interest in the foot for each individual cadaveric specimen.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
ACTUALISM AND THE FASCIST HISTORIC IMAGINARY

This essay argues that, just like liberalism and communism, fascist ideology was based on a specific philosophy of history articulated by Giovanni Gentile in the aftermath of World War I. Gentile's actualist notion that history "belongs to the present" articulated an immanent vision of the relationship between historical agency, representation, and consciousness against all transcendental conceptions of history. I define this vision as historic (as opposed to "historical") because it translated the popular notion of historic eventfulness into the idea of the reciprocal immanence of the historical and the historiographical act. I further show that the actualist philosophy of history was historically resonant with the Italian experience of the Great War and was culturally modernist. I insist, however, that the actualist catastrophe of the histori(ographi)cal act was also genealogically connected to the Latin-Catholic rhetorical signification of "presence" that had sustained the development of Italian visual culture for centuries. Accordingly, I argue that the fascist translation of actualism into a historic imaginary was at the root of Italian fascism's appeal to both masses and intellectuals. Fascism presented itself as a historic agent that not only "made history," but also made it present to mass consciousness. In fact, I conclude by suggesting that the fascist success in institutionalizing a proper mode of historic representation in the 1920s, and a full-blown historic culture in the 1930s, may have also constituted a fundamental laboratory for the formation of posthistoric(al) imaginaries. Some years ago Hayden White proposed that the main appeal of fascist ideology resided in its "vision of history." For White, this vision was theoretically alternative to liberal historicism and Marxist materialism even though it was also rooted in the evolution of nineteenth-century historical culture. In the thought of Martin Heidegger and Italian fascism's prime philosopher, Giovanni Gentile, as well as in the "intuitions" of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, White saw the resurgence of "something like Schiller's notion of the historical sublime or Nietzsche's version of it," that is, a vision of the historical past as a sublime "'spectacle' of 'confusion,' 'uncertainty,' and 'moral anarchy'," a vision that White believed romantic theorists and historians had championed in order to legitimize the "visionary politics" associated with the revolutionary events of their times. According to White, throughout the nineteenth century this romantic appreciation for "history's meaninglessness" had been subjected to the combined crossfire of historicism, positivism, idealism, and Marxism which-notwithstanding a celebrated antagonism-contributed as a whole to the "desublima
Structure of Fully Hydrated Fluid Phase Lipid Bilayers with Monounsaturated Chains

Quantitative structures are obtained at 30 degrees C for the fully hydrated fluid phases of palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC), with a double bond on the sn-2 hydrocarbon chain, and for dierucoylphosphatidylcholine (di22:1PC), with a double bond on each hydrocarbon chain. The form factors F(qz) for both lipids are obtained using a combination of three methods. (1) Volumetric measurements provide F(0). (2) X-ray scattering from extruded unilamellar vesicles provides /F(qz)/ for low q(z). (3) Diffuse X-ray scattering from oriented stacks of bilayers provides /F(qz)/ for high q(z). Also, data using method (2) are added to our recent data for dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) using methods (1) and (3); the new DOPC data agree very well with the recent data and with (4) our older data obtained using a liquid crystallographic X-ray method. We used hybrid electron density models to obtain structural results from these form factors. The result for area per lipid (A) for DOPC 72.4 +/- 0.5 A(2) agrees well with our earlier publications, and we find A = 69.3 +/- 0.5 A2 for di22:1PC and A = 68.3 +/- 1.5 A2 for POPC. We obtain the values for five different average thicknesses: hydrophobic, steric, head-head, phosphate-phosphate and Luzzati. Comparison of the results for these three lipids and for our recent dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) determination provides quantitative measures of the effect of unsaturation on bilayer structure. Our results suggest that lipids with one monounsaturated chain have quantitative bilayer structures closer to lipids with two monounsaturated chains than to lipids with two completely saturated chains.
Computational aspects of modeling complex microstructure composites using GMC

A computationally efficient implementation of the generalized method of cells (GMC) is presented and tested in connection with problems that require large numbers of subcells. The new implementation is found to be substantially faster in predicting the elastic properties of unidirectional composites. Furthermore, the new implementation makes it possible to solve problems with complex microstructures and a degree of refinement that was not possible before. Cell discretizations with up to 10,000 subcells were employed in the numerical experiments. The modeling capabilities of GMC and the new implementation are tested in the context of predicting the effective elastic behavior of composites with randomly distributed fiber inclusions. It is shown that GMC accurately predicts the asymptotic behavior of the engineering properties of the composites studied. This is demonstrated by examining the limiting values of the effective engineering properties of the composites studied when the number of subcells is large.
QSketcher: an environment for composing music for film

We describe QSketcher, a new environment for composing music for film. The main focus is the support of early stages of the creative workflow, from idea conception through realization, rather than the order and synchronization of musical fragments with film. This paper describes the design process and rationale, the system, the user environment, and how they relate to one another. Novel aspects of the system include a free-form 'idea space', a main workspace that can be configured to individual needs, an "idea capturing" facility, a workflow tracking mechanism through which previous workspace states can be examined and restored, and the ability to create a variety of relationships among musical elements.
Perspectives on aflatoxin control for human food and animal feed

Abstract Aflatoxins are potent carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic metabolites produced by molds that grow on food and feed. Their toxicity has caused severe health and economic problems worldwide. Human exposure to aflatoxins can arise from the direct consumption of contaminated commodities such as corn (maize), peanuts or figs, or from the consumption of foods from animals previously exposed to aflatoxin in feeds (milk and egg products). Food safety monitoring programs for aflatoxins have been established for raw and finished products; these include establishment of regulatory limits or guidelines, monitoring programs for aflatoxin levels in susceptible products, and decontamination procedures and/or the diversion of contaminated products to lower-risk uses.
College students' views of excessive drinking and the university's role

Views of college students (N = 133) regarding excessive drinking were explored in terms of the amount of drinking which constitutes a drinking problem, the behaviors that indicate a student has been drinking excessively, and university alcohol policies that students would endorse. Students accepted levels of drinking by peers that markedly exceed definitions of excessive drinking by experts. A sizable minority of students refuse to label very dangerous behaviors associated with excessive drinking as indicating a drinking problem. The views of male and female students differed only marginally. Since students seem to define excessive drinking in ways that differ from professionals, it is suggested that student affairs personnel need to plan programs that recognize the students' views, otherwise students may continue to believe that while excessive drinking is bad, their level of drinking cannot lead to any problems.
Construction of non-analytic solutions for the generalized KdV equation

Abstract In both the periodic and non-periodic case we construct non-analytic complex-valued solutions for the generalized KdV equation with appropriate analytic initial data. Moreover, for the KdV and mKdV we construct real-valued non-analytic solutions.
Black Radical Becoming: The Politics of Identification in Permanent Transformation

In this article, I develop an argument about the radical nature of black politics that is based on individual and collective becoming. The process of becoming is immanent to blackness, which can be understood as a dynamic collective reservoir marked by time, space, and power. Such collective reservoir is not only in constant transformation, but also can be accessed though countless routes — for example, art, spirituality, and political organizing. Thus, as black people, we are always becoming black. While the understanding and employment of the concept of race are central to these forms of political blackness, the dangers of race-thinking are permanently debated. The resulting political vocabulary and practices, ever reformulated, self-critical, and drawing their acumen from a cultivation of vulnerability, emphasize race as an energizer of political identification and action that moves beyond traditional identity politics whose political programs reflect the consciousness and experience of belonging to di...
On the precautionary demand for assets

Abstract Precautionary demand models are developed for n assets under assumptions of both fixed and variable transactions costs. Applications of the models are made to all short-run cash needs portfolios as well as to the traditional banking case. Implications of the models are shown for interest rate structure and central bank reserve and secondary reserve controls. Emphasis is put on unsolved problems with the models such as integration with capital asset pricing models and problems with intraperiod timing with the hope of spurring additional research in this rather neglected area.
The pathogenesis of chronic pain and fatigue syndromes, with special reference to fibromyalgia

Syndromes characterized by chronic pain and fatigue have been described in the medical literature for centuries. Fibromyalgia is the term currently used to describe this symptom complex, and considerable research has been performed in the last decade to delineate the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and genesis of this entity. Although fibromyalgia is defined by its musculoskeletal features, it is clear that there are a large number of non-musculoskeletal symptoms, such that we now understand that there is considerable overlap with allied conditions such as the chronic fatigue syndrome, migraine and tension headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, and affective disorders. This article will review our current state of knowledge regarding fibromyalgia and these allied conditions, and present a unifying hypothesis that describes both the pathophysiology of symptoms and the genesis of these disorders.
Index analysis of unsteady-state chemical process systems—II. Strategies for determining the overall flowsheet index

Abstract Strategies are presented for predicting the overall index of dynamic flowsheet models given the indices of single units, or groups of units, and the topology of the flowsheet. As a result, the task of estimating the entire flowsheet index becomes more manageable since it can be dealt with by solving a number of smaller index identification problems. If this cannot be done at the individual unit level, the algorithm given here determines the groups of units that must be considered together for index identification purposes. A number of test problems representing relatively complex flowsheets are used to demonstrate the use of these techniques.
Influence of N-linked glycans on intracellular transport of hepatitis C virus E1 chimeric glycoprotein and its role in pseudotype virus infectivity

We have previously reported a functional role associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) E1 glycoprotein using vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)/HCV pseudotype. In this study, we have investigated the role of glycosylation upon intracellular transport of chimeric E1-G, and in infectivity of the pseudotyped virus. Interestingly, surface expressed E1-G exhibited sensitivity to Endoglycosidase H (Endo H) treatment, which was similar to full-length E1, suggesting that additional complex oligosaccharides were not added while E1-G was in transit from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the mammalian cell surface. As a next step, each of the four potential N-linked glycosylation sites located at amino acid position 196, 209, 234, or 305 of the E1 ectodomain were mutated separately (asparagine --> glutamine), or in some combination. FACS analysis suggested that mutation(s) of the glycosylation sites affect the translocation of E1-G to the cell surface to different extents, with no single site being particularly essential. VSV pseudotype virus generated from glycosylation mutants exhibited a decrease in titer with an increasing number of mutations at the glycosylation sites on chimeric E1-G. In a separate experiment, N-glycosidase F treatment of pseudotype generated from the already synthesized E1-G or its mutants decreased virus titer by approximately 35%, and the neutralization activity of patient sera was not significantly altered with N-glycosidase F-treated pseudotype virus. Taken together, our results suggested that E1-G does not add complex sugar moieties during transport to the cell surface and retain the glycosylation profile of its parental E1 sequence. Additionally, the removal of glycans from the E1-G reduced, but does not completely impair, virus infectivity.
TH‐A‐BRB‐02: Mechanistic Linear‐Quadratic‐Linear (LQL) Model for Large Doses Per Fraction

The Linear‐Quadratic (LQ) model has been successfully used for at least two decades to quantify radiation effects at standard (1.2‐3Gy) doses. The validity of the standard LQ model for larger doses per fraction has been called into question by many authors, in part due to the continuous bending of the cell survival curve at large doses, contrary to results from in‐vitro experiments. In recent years, Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy(SBRT)treatments with large fraction doses have become more common, making the modeling for large doses per fraction of significant clinical relevance. Many authors have proposed extensions of the LQ model to address the shape of the cell survival curve at larger doses by arbitrary adding a phenomenological parameter to the LQ model. In this work, we discuss a Linear‐Quadratic‐Linear (LQL) model with a mechanistic formulation. This LQL model has one additional parameter with respect to the standard LQ model and can be derived by mechanistic arguments. The additional parameter makes the survival curve linear at high doses and has been estimated using in‐vivo and in‐vitro data. The advantage of a mechanistic model is that it allows for modeling of radiation effects for any given dose‐ rate and fractionation scheme. As an example, we present the LQL prediction for split doseexperiments and low‐dose‐rate (LDR) prostate brachytherapy. The LQL model is equivalent to other mechanistic models like the Lethal‐Potentially‐Lethal model (LPL) but it retains the well‐known parameters from the standard LQ model. As a clinical application, using estimated values of the additional parameter, we investigate the impact on the biologically effective dose (BED) for clinical SBRTtreatment schedules of various cancer sites. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand the limitations of the standard LQ model for large doses per fraction. 2. Understand the mechanistic formulation of the proposed LQL. 3. Understand how the LQL can be used to calculate the BED for SBRTradiation treatment schedules and compare them with standard fractionation.
A single-chip event sequencer and related microcontroller instrumentation for atomic physics research

A 16-bit digital event sequencer with 50 ns resolution and 50 ns trigger jitter is implemented by using an internal 32-bit timer on a dsPIC30F4013 microcontroller, controlled by an easily modified program written in standard C. It can accommodate hundreds of output events, and adjacent events can be spaced as closely as 1.5 μs. The microcontroller has robust 5 V inputs and outputs, allowing a direct interface to common laboratory equipment and other electronics. A USB computer interface and a pair of analog ramp outputs can be added with just two additional chips. An optional display/keypad unit allows direct interaction with the sequencer without requiring an external computer. Minor additions also allow simple realizations of other complex instruments, including a precision high-voltage ramp generator for driving spectrum analyzers or piezoelectric positioners, and a low-cost proportional integral differential controller and lock-in amplifier for laser frequency stabilization with about 100 kHz bandwidth.
Mycophenolate mofetil in AChR‐antibody‐positive myasthenia gravis: Outcomes in 102 patients

Two recent randomized, controlled trials failed to demonstrate a benefit of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) over prednisone in the treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG). We reviewed our experience with MMF in MG to determine whether these trials may have been unsuccessful because of their short duration and the unpredicted benefit of prednisone. We reviewed outcomes and prednisone dosage for all our acetylcholine-receptor (AChR)-antibody positive MG patients treated with MMF alone or with prednisone for at least 3 months. The percentage of patients with a desirable outcome (MG-specific Manual Muscle Test score 24 months had a desirable outcome. Prednisone dose decreased after 12 months; after 25 months, 54.5% of patients took no prednisone and 75% took <7.5 mg/day. This retrospective analysis provides class IV evidence that MMF begins to improve AChR-positive MG after 6 months, both with prednisone and as monotherapy.
The analysis of circular dichroism spectra of natural DNAs using spectral components from synthetic DNAs.

We have tested 21 different basis sets of synthetic DNA circular dichroism spectra and have slected one for use in spectral analyses of natural DNAs. This “standard” set consists of spectra of eight polymers: poly[d(A-A-T)·d(A-T-T)], poly[d(A-G-G)·d(C-C-T)], poly[d(A-T)·d(A-T)], poly[d(G-C)·d(G-C)], poly[d(A-G)·d(C-T)], poly[d(A-C)·d(G-T)], poly[d(A-T-C)·d(G-A-T)], and poly[d(A-G-C)·d(G-C-T)]. This basis set, applied according to the first-neighbor polymer procedure of Gray and Tinoco, allows a more uniformly accurate spectral analysis of six natural complex DNAs and eight (A+T)-rich satellite DNAs for base composition and first-neighbor frequencies than was previously possible. We find that spectra of poly[d(A)·d(T)] and/or poly[d(A-C-T-)·d(A-G-T)] are not generally required for good analysis results but we show in this and the following paper that these spectra are needed for the most accurate analyses of some satellite DNAs.
The effect of the presence of RNA upon diethyl pyrocarbonate inhibition of ribonuclease.

Abstract The relationship of RNA, ribonuclease and diethylpyrocarbonate has been investigated using various concentrations of DEP, with and without the simultaneous addition of RNA. It has been found: 1. 1. The presence of any considerable amount of RNA interferes with the inhibition of ribonuclease by diethyl pyrocarbonate. 2. 2. The results do not appear to be explained by a direct interaction between diethyl pyrocarbonate and RNA. A question is raised as to the utility of diethyl pyrocarbonate as a ribonuclease inhibitor, if free RNA is present in the solution being extracted.
L2 Reading: An Update on Relevant L1 Research

First language (L1) reading research, from the psycholinguistic view of reading proposed by Goodman (1967) to schema theory and the interactive reading view (Rumelhart 1977), has had a major impact on second language (L2) reading research. There was a substantial lag in time, however, before these L1 theories were adapted and proposed for L2 reading. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to introduce the L2 researcher to the relevant and current L1 text comprehension issues and theories to help close this gap. Such issues involve 1) levels of representation, especially the situation model, 2) the role of memory in comprehension, 3) content of knowledge structures and inferencing, and 4) the explanation-based theory of text comprehension. L2 reading research and instruction has much to gain by addressing and investigating these issues.
Stabilization of bacteriophage T5 by spermine and related polyamines.

Bacteriophage T5 is markedly unstable when diluted in media of low ionic strength (Adam 1949; Puck 1949). Adams demonstrated that this instability was related to the divalent cation concentration, and could be markedly increased by the addition of sodium citrate or other chelating agents. The recent findings (Mager 1959; Tabor 1960) that Escherichia coli protoplasts are stabilized by low concentrations of spermine and spermidine suggested the possibility that these polyamines would also stabilize bacteriophage T5. The experiments presented here demonstrate a protective effect with as little as 2 × 10−8 M spermine hydrochloride and 10−7 M spermidine hydrochloride.
Once-daily valacyclovir hydrochloride for suppression of recurrent genital herpes.

Abstract Objective: To document the frequency of genital herpes recurrences in men and women with histories of recurrent genital herpes during 1 year of continuous, suppressive therapy with valacyclovir hydrochloride (HCl). Methods: In an open-label clinical trial conducted at 11 centers, 127 subjects (46 women and 81 men) with histories of recurrent genital herpes (at least 6 recurrences per year) were treated with valacyclovir HCl (500 mg once daily), and their clinical status was followed up for 1 year. Genital herpes recurrences were documented in diaries, and quarterly clinic visits were made for evaluating lesion recurrences and drug safety. In cases of recurrence, subjects self-treated with valacyclovir HCl 500 mg twice daily for 5 days, then resumed once-daily treatment. Results: After the first 3 months of suppressive therapy, 81% of subjects were free of recurrence. Recurrence-free rates remained undiminished during the second, third, and fourth quarters (84%, 84%, and 91%, respectively) and were similar for men and women. Thirty of 46 women (65%) and 56 of 81 men (69%) remained recurrence free during the study and therapy was well tolerated. Adverse events were mild, infrequent, and not considered related to the study drug. Conclusion: Valacyclovir HCl was highly effective and well tolerated as continuous suppressive therapy in men and women with recurrent genital herpes. Potential benefits of the once-daily regimen of valacyclovir HCl include improved patient compliance.