cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seeing the Beatific Vision in "Good Friday: Made as I was Riding Westward that Day'' through John Donne's Sermons

This article compares John Donne’s sermonic treatment of the beatific vision to the related but divergent treatment of the theme in his poem “Good Friday: Made as I was Riding Westward that Day.” N...
Why do institutions like corporate social responsibility investments? evidence from horizon heterogeneity

Abstract Why do institutional investors improve firms’ engagement in corporate social responsibility (CSR) investments? We show that CSR activities are driven by institutional investors with long investment horizons, and that this is due to the reputation insurance that CSR spending provides. Specifically, longer horizon investors benefit more from such insurance, and so do their agents, the investment managers that interact with portfolio firms. Additional tests show that this positive relationship between shareholder horizons and CSR is enhanced by market myopia, managerial agency risks, and motivated investors. We address the endogeneity concerns by employing Russell 1000/2000 index switches as sources of exogenous variation in shareholder investment horizons. The influence of shareholder horizons on CSR is also related to social norms. Our main results hold for all but one category of CSR and appear to be driven by CSR strengths.
Real Life Applications in Mathematics: What Do Students Prefer?.

We attempt to answer the problem “When approaching word problems, do students prefer certain real life application over others?” through two studies involving classroom research. Each study involved students in four college algebra sections in two two-year campuses. Students were presented with a selection of word problems covering a spectrum of application areas and asked to select three problems to solve. Problems in study one covered quadratic functions while those in study two covered exponential and logarithmic functions. The problems were categorized in to three categories. Category R represented problems to which the students can easily relate to while category I represented problems which had a certain level of intrigue. Category U represented problems which did not fall in to the R or I categories. The results conclusively showed that students significantly preferred problems in the I and R categories over those in the U category.
A method for confirming CJC-1295 abuse in equine plasma samples by LC-MS/MS.

CJC-1295 is a peptide-based drug that stimulates the production of growth hormone (GH) from the pituitary gland. It incorporates a functional maleimido group at the C-terminus that allows it to covalently bind plasma proteins such as serum albumin. These CJC-1295-protein conjugates have a much greater half-life compared to the unconjugated peptide and are capable of stimulating GH production for more than six days in humans after a single administration. Conjugated CJC-1295 is difficult to detect in blood by mass spectrometry due to its low abundance, high molecular weight, and conjugation to a range of different protein substrates. Previously we described a screening procedure for the detection of CJC-1295 in equine plasma using an immuno-PCR assay. Here we demonstrate the confirmation of CJC-1295 in equine plasma by LC-MS/MS after immuno-affinity capture and tryptic digestion. Using this method, CJC-1295 was identified down to concentrations as low as 180 pg/mL in 1 mL of equine plasma.
LIMIT ANALYSIS OF A CLAMPED SPHERICAL CAP USING LINEAR PROGRAMMING

ABSTRACT The recently introduced technique of plastic analysis of perfectly plastic continuous structures using linear programming is applied to a broad class of clamped spherical caps under uniform pressure. The caps were assumed to be of sandwich construction and hence governed by a linear yield condition. In all cases previously obtained lower bounds were confirmed in spite of the somewhat different stress fields obtained in the individual analyses. The closeness of these results to previous results supports further the contention that the linear programming technique makes it possible to compute lower bounds easily and quickly.
Observations in the Postpartum Recovery Room after Various Local Anesthetic Techniques

Epidural analgesia with bupivacaine (0.5%) was compared with other techniques of pain relief for labor and/or delivery (subarachnoid block with 5% lidocaine in 7.5% dextrose in water, 1.5% mepivacaine or 1.5% lidocaine epidural, and pudendal block or local infiltration of the perineum) in a large series of patients unselected except to exclude parturients with multiple gestations, breech presentations, and those delivered by cesarean section. All patients receiving regional analgesia delivered spontaneously or by low forceps; all patients in the pudendal block/local infiltration group delivered spontaneously. Time from last dose of anesthetic until discharge from recovery room was shortest in the latter group. Motor block with spinal anesthesia diminished more rapidly than with the epidural agents, of which bupivacaine lasted longest. The incidence of shivering, headache, nausea, vomiting, hypertension or hypotension, and urinary bladder retention requiring catheterization is discussed.
Global gene expression analysis indicates that multiple pathways are affected during growth arrest of non-malignant human mammary epithelial cells in three dimensional cell cultures

5402 The growth arrest of non-malignant human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) in Matrigel provides a three dimensional model system in which to study a normal cell process that is disrupted in cancer. To systematically probe the molecular changes that lead to growth arrest in this system, we have analyzed the expression profiles of 22,283 gene transcripts using Affymetrix HG-U133A microarrays. Microarray experiments were performed using RNA samples harvested from HMT3522 S1 cells at 3, 5, and 7 days post-seeding in Matrigel. Growth arrest in G0/G1 occurred between days 5 and 7. Transcripts exhibiting greater than 2-fold differences in 2 independent experiments were analyzed by 1-way ANOVA. By these criteria, 354 genes, including many involved in cell cycle transit, cytokinesis, and mitosis, were found to be down-regulated, and 105 genes, including many involved in epidermal differentiation, inflammatory processes, and negative regulation of cell proliferation, were found to be up-regulated. About 5% of the 459 identified genes would be expected to show such changes by chance alone. Interestingly, among the cell cycle regulatory genes examined, p21 transcripts showed no change, while p27 transcripts showed strong up-regulation. We used immunoblot analyses to validate and extend the results of the microarray analyses at the protein level. We initially confined these analyses to cell cycle regulators known to affect G1 checkpoints. Phosphorylation of several sites on Rb was found to gradually decrease between days 5 and 10 in the non-malignant cells, consistent with the growth suppressive role of the hypophosphorylated form. When normalized to total protein content, levels of cyclins E, A, and D1, as well as their binding partners - CDK2, 4, and 6, also decreased in the non-malignant cells during this period. Protein levels of the CDK inhibitors - p27 and p57, increased between days 5 and 10, while levels of p21 did not change. Additional analysis of the HMEC strain, 184, led to the identification of MAP2K1, TGF-beta, ATR, and SMARCA4, as key regulatory genes whose expression and/or function was altered in common in the two different HMEC specimens early in the time course. In current studies, we are determining which of the pathways identified are required for growth arrest in the three dimensional HMEC cultures.
Abstract 241: Legal Risk of Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Background: Research has shown disparities between provision of bystander CPR among different race, gender and age groups. Reasons for this disparity have included concern of legal liability by res...
Retos de los estudios étnicos en Estados Unidos en el sistema universitario global occidentalizado

This article is an analysis of the Westernized university and its Eurocentric fundamentalism in relation to the subaltern struggles of racialized groups in the United States and its impact on the formation of ethnic studies in the university’s epistemic structure. The article goes on to discuss questions of epistemic racism/sexism and the dilemmas that ethnic studies programs confront today in particular forms of disciplinary colonization, liberal multiculturalism and identity politics.
Autogenous regulation of the EcoRII methylase gene at the transcriptional level: effect of 5-azacytidine.

mRNA of the EcoRII methylase (M.EcoRII), a type II modification enzyme, was induced when Escherichia coli carrying a cloned M.EcoRII gene was exposed to the bacteriocidal drug 5-azacytidine. Induction occurred only when transcription was initiated from its own promoter. When the 5' promoter sequences were deleted or replaced with the lac promoter sequences, no induction occurred. The induction was independent of the template DNA level, but the presence of an intact M.EcoRII protein was a requirement. The drug is incorporated into DNA which then inhibits M.EcoRII by binding tightly to the enzyme. A deletion within the M.EcoRII coding region caused a marked increase in the basal level of mRNA transcribed from the M.EcoRII promoter, but no induction occurred upon 5-azacytidine treatment. The level could be reduced to normal by M.EcoRII in trans. In vitro, the enzyme bound to the sequences upstream of the transcription start sites and inhibited the initiation of transcription. These experiments indicate that expression of the M.EcoRII gene was autogenously regulated at the transcriptional level. Similar regulation is also noted in another DNA (cytosine-5) methylase, M.MspI.
Readmissions on Teaching Versus Non-Teaching Services: Are They Any Different?

Introduction There is a paucity of comparative data on readmissions between teaching services (TS) and nonteaching services (NTS). Therefore, we designed this study to determine if there are any differences in readmissions between the two services. Materials and methods A unique cohort of 384 readmissions during one year was retrospectively examined at Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Medical Center. The data on patient demographics, baseline characteristics, comorbid illnesses, length of stay (LOS), and reasons for readmission within 30 days were extracted. Results There were no differences in readmission rates (8.2% vs. 10.2%; P = .135), LOS during index admission (4.2 ± 4.8 vs. 4.1 ± 3.5; P = .712), and age-adjusted Charlson Comorbid Index Score (6.1 ± 3.0 vs. 6.8 ± 2.8; P = .037) between the TS and NTS groups. However, the reasons for readmissions between the two groups were statistically significantly different (P < .01). Specifically, these differences were found between system issues and new diagnoses. The NTS showed higher rates of readmissions secondary to new diagnoses and systems issues, whereas the TS showed higher rates of secondary to clinician issues and disease progression. Conclusions We have a new understanding of the difference in reasons for readmissions between TS and NTS; it possibly results from the different structures of the two teams, which may help us address readmissions in a different light to improve overall readmission rate.
Patterns of invasive recurrence among patients originally treated for ductal carcinoma in situ by breast-conserving surgery versus mastectomy

Local recurrence after treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) with breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is more common than after mastectomy, but it is unclear if patterns of invasive recurrence vary by initial surgical therapy. Among patients with invasive recurrence after treatment for DCIS, we compared patterns of first recurrence between those originally treated with BCS vs. mastectomy. From 2000 to 2016, women with an invasive recurrence occurring ≥ 6 months after initial treatment for DCIS were retrospectively identified. Clinicopathologic features and adjuvant treatment of the initial DCIS, as well as characteristics of first invasive recurrences, were compared between patients who had undergone BCS vs. mastectomy. 452 patients with an invasive recurrence after surgery for DCIS were identified: 367 patients (81%) had initially undergone BCS and 85 patients (19%) mastectomy. Patients originally treated with mastectomy were younger and were more likely to have had high grade, necrosis, and multifocal or multicentric DCIS (p < 0.001) compared with the BCS group. A higher proportion of invasive recurrences were local after BCS (93%; 343/367), whereas 88% (75/85) of recurrences after mastectomy were regional or distant (p < 0.001). The median time to first invasive recurrence was not different between surgical groups (BCS: 6.4 years vs. mastectomy: 5.5 years; p = 0.12). Among women who experienced a first invasive recurrence after treatment for DCIS, those who had originally undergone mastectomy more commonly presented with advanced disease compared to those treated with BCS, likely related to the absence of the breast and the higher risk profile of their initial DCIS.
Code status at time of rapid response activation — Impact on escalation of care?

Abstract Background A code status documents the decision to receive or forgo cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the event of cardiac arrest. For patients who undergo a rapid response team activation (RRT) for possible escalation to an intensive care unit (ICU), the presence or absence of a code status represents a critical inflection point for guiding care decisions and resource utilization. This study characterizes the prevalence of code status at the time of RRT and how code status at RRT affects rates of intensive treatments in the ICU. Methods We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of 895 rapid response activations occurring over six months. The study included all rapid response team activations for non-obstetric adult inpatients documented in the patient chart. All data was obtained through retrospective chart review. STROBE reporting guidelines were followed. Results At the time of RRT activation, 56% of patients had a documented code status. Code status prevalence was much higher among medical rather than surgical services (74% vs. 13%). For patients escalated to the ICU, having a DNR code status at RRT was not associated with decreased odds of receiving cardioactive medications or advanced respiratory support. Before RRT activation, palliative care utilization was low (9%) but more than doubled after RRT (24% before discharge). Conclusions Barely half of the patients had an active code status at the time of RRT activation. Similar rates of invasive ICU treatments among full code and DNR patients suggest that documented code statuses do not reflect in-depth goals of care discussions, nor does it guide medical teams caring for the patient at times of decompensation.
A Salute to PVT TIM HiLL: Indispensable Amino Acids and Global Human Health

Students are taught the study mnemonic “PVT TIM HiLL” to memorize the 9 indispensable amino acids (IAA): phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine, methionine, histidine, leucine, and lysine. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommended that IAA be treated as individual nutrients on food labels because “crude protein ” alone does not indicate protein quality. Protein quality—determined by Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS)—is calculated for 3 life stages: birth to 6 months, 6 months to 3 years, and 3 years and older. Foods possessing DIAAS greater than 100 are “excellent” protein quality, and those with DIAAS between 75 and 99 are “good,” whereas foods with DIAAS 3 years, all meat categories but cooked ground beef can be classified “excellent” sources of IAA. For meat alternatives, Impossible Burger could be classified as “excellent,” but Beyond Burger could only claim to be “good.” Protein quality claims for individual food ingredients can be diminished when the food is consumed with a lower protein quality item such as a wheat flour bun. To provide meals that are adequate in all IAA, the protein quality in each food item must be determined. Mixed meals must be adjusted for protein quality by combining low-quality proteins (present in cereals and grains) with higher-quality proteins (present in foods of animal origin).
Macroalgae reveal nitrogen enrichment and elevated N:P ratios on the Belize Barrier Reef.

Abstract Macroalgal blooms are increasing on the Belize Barrier Reef (BBR) as scleractinian coral cover declines. Although some have attributed this to reduced grazing, the role of land-based nutrient pollution has not been assessed. Nutrient enrichment was quantified through macroalgal tissue analysis from Belize City to the offshore fore reef and at several central BBR lagoon sites. These recent data were compared to baseline data from the 1980s. Significant nearshore-to-offshore gradients of %N, %P and δ13C in macroalgae all indicated land-based sources of these nutrients. Macroalgal δ15N values were generally enriched in nearshore waters where values matched those reported for human sewage. Notably, the N:P ratios of recent macroalgae measurements were elevated at all sites, more than two-fold higher than values from the 1980s (~30: 1 to 70:1). These results support the hypothesis that nitrogen enrichment from land-based sources has increased phosphorus limitation driving macroalgal blooms and coral stress on the BBR.
Blue emitting square planar metal complexes for displays and lighting applications

In this presentation, we will discuss our continuing efforts on the design, synthesis and characterization of novel platinum and palladium complexes for displays and lighting applications. The photo-physics, electrochemistry, electroluminescent properties and operational stability of these novel metal complexes, including deep blue narrowband emitters and amber emitting phosphorescent molecular aggregates, will be discussed. The rational molecular design enables us to develop cyclometalated metal complexes with both photon-to-photon (in thin film) and electron-to-photon (in device settings) conversion efficiency close to 100% for OLED applications. Our approaches to achieve high efficiency white OLED will be also included.
Proteinases and Restenosis: Matrix Metalloproteinase and their Inhibitor and Activator

Remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is the central part of normal tissue development and is involved in tumor growth and metastasis, angiogenesis, wound healing/repair, inflammation, embryonic development, post-partum involution of the uterus, bone and growth plate remodeling, ovulation, and the progression of certain diseases.1,2 The process of connective tissue restructuring represents a balance between matrix production and its degradation. The breakdown of this highly organized extracellular environment is controlled, for the most part, by a gene family of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) which collectively can degrade virtually all components of connective tissues.3,4
Gamma-Ray Burst Observations with Batse

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) will be recorded as one of the outstanding new phenomena discovered in astronomy this century. About once per day, a burst of gamma rays appears from a random direction on the sky. Often, the burst outshines all other sources of gamma-rays in the sky, combined. This paper reviews some of the key observed phenomenon of bursts in the hard x-ray/gamma-ray region, as observed with the BATSE experiment [4] on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. The observed time profiles,spectral properties and durations of gamma-ray bursts cover a wide range. Recent breakthroughs in the observation of gamma-ray burst counterparts and afterglows in other wavelenth regions have marked the beginning of a new era in gamma-ray burst research. Those observations are described in following papers in these proceedings.
Multi-Media als Benutzerschnittstelle zu wissensbasierten Anwendungen

Unter dem Schlagwort “Multi-Media” verbergen sich neue Wege der Informationsvermittlung durch Einbindung von Bildern und Ton in computergestutzte Anwendungen. Hierbei werden Video-Standbilder, Graphik, Sprache und Musik digital gespeichert und unter einer gemeinsamen Steuerung prasentiert. Je nach Hardwareaufwand konnen auch bewegte Bilder digitalisiert sein bzw. bewegte Bildsequenzen auf einer Bildplatte angesteuert werden. Durch die Gestaltungsvielfalt, die die bisherigen Moglichkeiten weit ubertrifft, eignen sich Multimedia-Systeme als benutzergerechte Frontends zu operationalen wissensbasierten Systemen. Einsatzgebiete sind beispielsweise Diagnosesysteme, bei denen Prufanleitungen, Mespunkte oder Einstellparameter im Video-Standbild gezeigt und uber Sprache erlautert werden, Konfiguratoren mit Bildern der Einzelteile und des Ergebnisses, Beratungssysteme mit Prasentation der auszuwahlenden Objekte.
Ribosome, Chemistry of

Ribosomes are the most complex, ancient, and important RNA-protein complexes present in every cell. A large body of previous data shows that their function is carefully regulated and quality controlled, which leads to a remarkably low rate of amino-acid misincorporation. A prerequisite to this exquisitely accurate function is correctly assembled ribosomes. Here, I consider mechanisms that may help in regulating ribosome assembly and in ensuring that ribosomes are faithfully assembled. Evidence for the existence of these mechanisms is then presented based on data in the literature. Future experiments will be required to test the importance of these events in quality control.
Further studies on the mechanism of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis in guinea pigs. Properties of thyroid cytotoxic factor (TCF) and its relationship to pathogenesis of the disease.

Abstract Some properties of thyroid cytotoxic factor (TCF) were explored. TCF was found not to be tissue specific, since it could lyse homologous thyroid epithelial cells, macrophages, and kidney epithelial cells to various degrees, but did not suppress the growth of fibroblasts. TCF was also shown to inhibit synthesis of essential macromolecules of thyroid epithelial cells such as protein and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA); as a result, growth and regeneration of these cells were suppressed. It was further demonstrated that TCF was thermolabile and was different from macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF). Of importance is the observation that the development of TCF, delayed skin responses, and thyroid lesions developed in parallel. The titers of circulating antibodies reached a peak about 6 weeks after the thyroid damage had reached a maximum.
Peri-nuclear clustering of mitochondria is triggered during aluminum maltolate induced apoptosis

Synapse loss and neuronal death are key features of Alzheimer's disease pathology. Disrupted axonal transport of mitochondria is a potential mechanism that could contribute to both. As the major producer of ATP in the cell, transport of mitochondria to the synapse is required for synapse maintenance. However, mitochondria also play an important role in the regulation of apoptosis. Investigation of aluminum (Al) maltolate induced apoptosis in human NT2 cells led us to explore the relationship between apoptosis related changes and the disruption of mitochondrial transport. Similar to that observed with tau over expression, NT2 cells exhibit peri-nuclear clustering of mitochondria following treatment with Al maltolate. Neuritic processes largely lacked mitochondria, except in axonal swellings. Similar, but more rapid results were observed following staurosporine administration, indicating that the clustering effect was not specific to Al maltolate. Organelle clustering and transport disruption preceded apoptosis. Incubation with the caspase inhibitor zVAD-FMK effectively blocked apoptosis, however failed to prevent organelle clustering. Thus, transport disruption is associated with the initiation, but not necessarily the completion of apoptosis. These results, together with observed transport defects and apoptosis related changes in Alzheimer disease brain suggest that mitochondrial transport disruption may play a significant role in synapse loss and thus the pathogenesis or Alzheimer's disease.
Paper 11: Cavitation Damage to Fuel Injection Systems and Its Prevention

Wear has recently been observed on the injection equipment of diesel engines and also on petrol engines with fuel injection, the causes of which are to be sought in the formation of cavities in the liquid and their collapse. The prerequisites for cavitation and subsequent aggressive implosion exist, apart from the places behind throttling points where the flow is subject to a high drop in pressure, also in those pressure pipes where underpressure waves of a high amplitude occur as a result of reflection or a sudden pressure relief.The wear occurring in such cases is at the same time influenced by various factors which it has been possible to determine only qualitatively, such as the surface quality of the pipe walls, mechanical stresses in the material, physical properties of the liquid, etc., and may lead to functional disturbances on the nozzle and a quick bursting of the pipe.As an example of this, the effect of cavitation aggression on a high-speed four-stroke rail-traction engine having an output per...
Social impact of rapid energy development on rural youth: A statewide comparison

Abstract Recent studies on the social consequences of rapid energy development in rural areas have tested the social disruption hypothesis with various subgroups of the community and have reported conflicting results. Few studies have focused on young people and fewer have used statewide data. Using statewide data from high school seniors in the rural counties of Utah, this study compared those in counties with rapid growth in energy‐related employment to those in other rural counties in terms of attitudes toward community, attitudes toward family and home, sense of belonging, and degree of involvement in school, church, and community activities. While this study did find some differences in the direction expected based on previous research, these differences are fairly small and are mediated in many instances by other variables, particularly religion and number of places lived.
Io‐Jupiter interaction: Alfvén wave propagation and ionospheric Alfvén resonator

[1] A linear, one-dimensional gyrofluid code has been used to determine the characteristics of propagating Alfven waves and the ionospheric Alfven resonator on a Jupiter-Io flux tube. This model includes electron inertia, electron pressure gradient, and finite ion gyroradius effects, as well as the displacement current correction to prevent the Alfven velocity from exceeding the speed of light. A quasi-steady Vlasov code provides realistic density profiles along the flux tube as input parameters for the gyrofluid model. In this paper, we demonstrate that the majority of the wave energy from an initial pulse with a long wavelength (∼0.1 RJ) is unable to reach Jupiter's ionosphere without wave breaking, phase mixing, and/or other nonlinear processes; however, a significant energy flux may be transferred via high-frequency, small-wavelength waves to the ionosphere. The waves that reach the ionosphere stimulate an ionospheric Alfven resonator which is generated between the ionospheric boundary and the first velocity peak of the Alfven phase speed. The ionospheric density and scale height play important roles to determine the resonant frequency. The eigenfrequency decreases with increasing scale height and with increasing ionospheric density. The fundamental frequency and higher harmonics of the Alfven resonator are comparable to the observed reoccurring frequency of S bursts between a few and hundreds of Hz. On the basis of this information, we suggest the Alfven resonator as the likely driver explaining multiple occurrences of S bursts.
Activation of ERK during DNA damage-induced apoptosis involves protein kinase Cδ

Abstract We have previously shown that protein kinase C (PKC) acts upstream of caspases to regulate cisplatin-induced apoptosis. Since extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) have also been implicated in DNA damage-induced apoptosis, we have examined if ERK signaling pathway acts downstream of PKC in the regulation of cisplatin-induced apoptosis. PKC activator PDBu induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation which was inhibited by general PKC inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide and Go 6983 as well as the MEK inhibitor U0126 but not by the PKCδ inhibitor rottlerin. Cisplatin caused a concentration-dependent activation of ERK1/2 in HeLa cells. The level of ERK2 was decreased in HeLa cells that acquired resistance to cisplatin (HeLa/CP). The MEK inhibitor U0126 inhibited cisplatin-induced ERK activation and attenuated cisplatin-induced cell death. Inhibition of PKCδ by rottlerin or depletion of PKCδ by siRNA inhibited cisplatin-induced ERK activation. These results suggest that cisplatin-induced DNA damage results in activation of ERK1/2 via PKCδ.
Retinal nerve fiber layer and macular thinning in systemic lupus erythematosus: an optical coherence tomography study comparing SLE and neuropsychiatric SLE.

ObjectiveDue to the lack of reliable biomarkers in diagnosing and monitoring neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE), the aim of this study was to examine the utility of measurements obtained through spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) as a biomarker for NP involvement in SLE.MethodsRetinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and macula scans were performed using SD-OCT on 15 NPSLE patients, 16 SLE patients without NP symptoms (non-NP SLE), and 16 healthy controls. Macular volume and thickness of the central macula and peripapillary RNFL were compared between the groups and to scores on two validated cognitive tests.ResultsNPSLE patients did not differ significantly from non-NP SLE patients in retinal thickness or macular volume. However, SLE patients as a whole showed significant RNFL and macular thinning compared to controls. Scores on the Trail Making Test B, a test of complex attention, showed significant correlation to temporal superior and temporal inferior RNFL thickness.Conclu...
Flecainide: PVC Reduction in Children with Ventricular Dysrhythmias

Flecainide appears to be a promising new Class Ic antiarrhythmic drug. In this study, 16 children aged 18 days to 20 years (mean 8.0 years, median 6.8 years) with frequent PVCs and refractory ventricular tachycardia (VT) were evaluated. In all patients, a mean total of 3.5 antiarrhythmic agents were tried unsuccessfully prior to initiation of flecainide. We performed 24-hour ambulatory monitoring 2 days prior to oral flecainide administration and repeated monitoring after 48 hours of oral therapy. All studies were scanned by superimposition by computer and well-trained technician. Twelve of 16 children demonstrated reduced numbers of PVCs following oral flecainide therapy with an overall mean reduction in PVCs of 70%. Mean numbers of PVCs fell from 377 PVCs/hour preflecainide to 113 PVCs/hour postflecainide therapy. Eight of 12 patients demonstrated a > 60% reduction of PVCs. Five of 12 children achieved nearly total abolishment of PVCs (e.g., <10 PVCs/hour) following flecainide treatment. Four of 16 children failed to exhibit PVC reduction during the study. Serum flecainide levels ranged from 0.1–1.1 meg/mL with a mean drug level of 0.39 mcg/mL. Success or failure did not correlate significantly with patient age, sex, anatomic diagnosis, previous therapy, or serum flecainide levels. In summary, oral flecainide appears to be effective in reducing PVCs in children with ventricular tachycardia and consequently may decrease their risk for reentrant VT.
Home care for dying children: A nursing model

A model is presented for providing home care services for children dying from cancer and for their families. Forty-two families whose children were patients at the Midwest Children's Cancer Center received home care during the first two years of this program. Variations in patient age, diagnosis, or family structure did not preclude successful participation in home care. In all families, the medical and nonmedical financial burdens of inpatient and outpatient hospital care were reduced when the child died at home. Since this program was initiated, terminal care has shifted from hospital-based medical management to nursing support in the home for the majority of children at our cancer center.
Simulation modeling and analysis in safety. Part I: Planning and design

Abstract Ayoub, M.A., 1980. Simulation modeling and analysis in safety. Part I: Planning and design. Journal of Occupational Accidents , 3: 3–20. The paper, presented in two parts, introduces and illustrates simulation modeling as a viable approach for dealing with complex issues and decisions in safety and health. Part I outlines the essentials of simulation, including model design, data gathering, algorithms, documentation, and simulation experiments. It then concludes by reviewing two studies: fire emergency evacuation and noise evaluation. The fire study presents a model that estimates, among other things, the time required to evacuate a production area with given geometry and fixed number of exits. The noise study employs a model to predict the exposure level for employees working with manufacturing processes which generate different random sounds throughout the work shift. Part II of the paper (to be published in the next issue of this journal) details two additional studies: evaluation of employee exposure to airborne radioactive materials and effectiveness of the safety organization. The first study seeks to define a policy to manage a facility used in testing employees for radiation contamination. An acceptable policy is one that would permit the testing of all employees as defined under regulatory requirements, while not exceeding available resources. The second study evaluates the relationship between safety performance and the characteristics of the organization, its management, its policy, and communication patterns among various functions and levels. Both studies use models where decisions are reached based on the prevailing conditions and occurrence of the key event within the simulation environment. Finally, Part II highlights several problem areas suitable for simulation studies.
Selective Colorimetric Detection of Polynucleotides Based on the Distance-Dependent Optical Properties of Gold Nanoparticles

A highly selective, colorimetric polynucleotide detection method based on mercaptoalkyloligonucleotide-modified gold nanoparticle probes is reported. Introduction of a single-stranded target oligonucleotide (30 bases) into a solution containing the appropriate probes resulted in the formation of a polymeric network of nanoparticles with a concomitant red-to-pinkish/purple color change. Hybridization was facilitated by freezing and thawing of the solutions, and the denaturation of these hybrid materials showed transition temperatures over a narrow range that allowed differentiation of a variety of imperfect targets. Transfer of the hybridization mixture to a reverse-phase silica plate resulted in a blue color upon drying that could be detected visually. The unoptimized system can detect about 10 femtomoles of an oligonucleotide.
Integrating Reconfiguration Cost Into the Design of Multi-Period Scalable Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems

A reconfigurable manufacturing system (RMS) that is designed specifically to adapt to changes in production capacity, through system reconfiguration, is called a scalable-RMS. The set of system configurations that a scalable-RMS assumes as it changes over time is called its configuration path. This paper investigates how to determine the optimal configuration path of a scalable-RMS that minimizes investment and reconfiguration costs over a finite horizon with known demand. First, a practical cost model is presented to compute the reconfiguration cost between two scalable-RMS configurations. This model comprehends labor costs, lost capacity costs, and investment/salvage costs due to system reconfiguration and ramp up. Second, the paper presents an optimal solution model for the multiperiod scalable-RMS using dynamic programming (DP). Third, a combined integer programming/dynamic programming (IP-DP) heuristic is presented that allows the user to control the number of system configurations considered by the DP in order to reduce the solution time while still providing a reasonable solution. Numerical problems involving a two-stage and a three-stage scalable-RMS are solved using the DP and IP-DP methodologies. Experimental results suggest that the DP approach, although it is optimal, is not computationally efficient for large problem sizes. However, the combined IP-DP approach offers reasonable results with much less computational effort.
Bombshells: Women and Terror

Terrorism is considered the ultimate “weapon of the weak”. Groups that could not possibly succeed using conventional tactics on the battlefield employ unconventional means to strike terror behind the battle lines. Increasingly, however, the “weakest” members of society, notably women and children, have been drawn into the fray as operatives. Once an occasional occurrence, the use of women is growing at an alarming rate. Using female recruits provides the terrorist organizations with a comparative advantage, particularly the element of surprise. At the same time, this strategy damages the psychological well being and morale of the soldiers opposing them. Soldiers have been trained to protect the civilian population. US Army doctrine specifies that, “preserving noncombatant lives and dignity is central to mission accomplishment in counterinsurgency” (Lt. Col. Perez in The embedded morality in FM 3-24 Counterinsurgency, Military Review, 32) The requirement to shoot people that soldiers are ordinarily trained to protect can have deep psychological impact disproportionate to killing adult men. This often results in higher levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and battle fatigue. The upsurge in female suicide bombers has occurred across a variety of nationalistic and secular groups but has also spread to the conservative religious terror networks. This article assesses the growing phenomenon of female terrorists and looks at the different roles that women play in terrorist organizations. It also analyzes the different mechanisms for women’s mobilization and briefly discusses whether women are coerced or are willing participants in terrorist violence.
Mollifiers for games in normal form and the Harsanyi-Selten valuation function

The concepts of disruption and mollifiers ofCharnes/Rousseau/Seiford [1978] for games in characteristic function form are here extended to games in normal form.
Quantum Electrodynamics at High Temperature: (I). One Spatial Dimension

The photon sector of QED in d = 3 spatial dimensions is analyzed at high temperature thereby generalizing nontrivially a previous study for d = 1. The imaginary time formalism and an improved renormalized perturbation theory which incorporates second order Debye screening are used. General results are presented for the leading high temperature contributions to all renormalized connected photon Green's functions for fixed external momenta (much smaller than the temperature) to all orders in the improved perturbation theory. Those leading contributiona are ultraviolet finite, infrared convergent and gauge invahnt, and display an interesting form of dimensional reduction at high temperature. A new path integral representation is given for the high temperature partition function with an external photon source, which is shown to generate all leading high temperature Green's functions mentioned above, and, so, it displays neatly the kind of dimemionel reduction which makes QED to become simpler at high temperature. This limiting partition function corresponds to an imaginary time dependent electron positron field interacting with an electromagnetic field at zero imaginary time, and it depends on the renormalized electron maas and electric charge, the second order contribution to the usual renormalization constant Z3 and a new mass term, which is associated to the photon field with vanishing Lorentz index. The new mass term corresponds to a finite number of diagrams in the high temperature improved perturbation theory and carriers ultraviolet divergences which are compensated for by other contributions (so that the leading high temperature Green's functions referred to above are ultraviolet finite). The dominant high temperature contributions to the renormalized thermodynamic potential to all perturbative orders: i) are given in terms of the above leading high-temperature contributions to the photon Green's functions (except for a few diagrams of low order in the improved perturbation theory), ii) are both ultraviolet and infrared finite.
New absorption band in the mid-infrared spectra of Cd2+-exchanged zeolites

Abstract A new absorption band (in the range 1000-800 cm −1 ) is observed in the mid-infrared spectra of Cd 2+ -exchanged zeolites X, Y, A and sodalite. This new band is due to the Cd 2+ cations which are located in sodalite cages. The Cd 2+ cations located in the supercage of zeolites X and Y are “invisible” in their region of the IR spectrum. Other transition metal cations such as Zn 2+ also show a new band in the same region. The frequency of the new band is structure dependent and decreases in the order: zeolite Y > zeolite X > sodalite≈zeolite A.
Rb/Sr Study of the Stony Creek Granite, Southern Connecticut: A Case for Limited Remobilization

The Stony Creek granite is massive to migmatitic rock that crops out in the core of the Stony Creek dome, the most southerly exposed dome along the Branson Hill anti-clinorium. Rb/Sr data do not yield a precise isochron but indicate that the granite or its precursor is 616 ± 78 m.y. old, and perhaps originated during the Avalonian orogeny. The Stony Creek granite apparently was remobilized and emplaced at a higher structural level, possibly as a mantled gneiss dome, during one or more of the later Paleozoic orogenies (Taconian, Acadian, and perhaps Alleghanian) that formed the Bronson Hill anticlinorium and associated Oliverian domes. Local migration of Rb during Late Pennsylvanian to Permian (Alleghanian) metamorphism is sufficient to explain the major discordances in the data, but earlier redistribution of Rb and Sr cannot be disproven. We suggest that the remobilization of the Stony Creek granite was mainly by ductile flow of solid rock and did not involve extensive melting, mixing, or differentiation.
Investigations of peritoneal and intestinal infections of adult hookworms ( Uncinaria spp.) in northern fur seal ( Callorhinus ursinus ) and California sea lion ( Zalophus californianus ) pups on San Miguel Island, California (2003)

The peritoneal cavity (PNC) and intestine of northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) pups and California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) pups that died in late July and early August, 2003, on San Miguel Island, California, were examined for hookworms. Prevalence and morphometric studies were done with the hookworms in addition to molecular characterization. Based on this and previous molecular studies, hookworms from fur seals are designated as Uncinaria lucasi and the species from sea lions as Uncinaria species A. Adult hookworms were found in the PNC of 35 of 57 (61.4%) fur seal pups and of 13 of 104 (12.5%) sea lion pups. The number of hookworms located in the PNC ranged from 1 to 33 (median = 3) for the infected fur seal pups and 1 to 16 (median = 2) for the infected sea lion pups. In addition to the PNC, intestines of 43 fur seal and 32 sea lion pups were examined. All of these pups were positive for adult hookworms. The worms were counted from all but one of the sea lion pups. Numbers of these parasites in the intestine varied from 3 to 2,344 (median = 931) for the fur seal pups and 39 to 2,766 (median = 643) for the sea lion pups. Sea lion pups with peritoneal infections had higher intensity infections in the intestines than did pups without peritoneal infections, lending some support for the hypothesis that peritoneal infections result from high-intensity infections of adult worms. There was no difference in intestinal infection intensities between fur seal pups with and without peritoneal infections. Female adult hookworms in the intestines of both host species were significantly larger than males, and sea lion hookworms were larger than those in fur seals. Worms in the intestine also were larger than worms found in the PNC. Gene sequencing and (RFLP) analysis of (PCR) amplified (ITS) ribosomal DNA were used to diagnose the species of 172 hookworms recovered from the PNC and intestine of 18 C. ursinus and seven Z. californianus hosts. These molecular data revealed that U. lucasi (hookworm of C. ursinus) and Uncinaria species A (of Z. californianus) infrequently mature in the intestine of the opposite host species in California rookeries. However, there is no support from molecular data for the hypothesis that cross-infection with “the wrong” Uncinaria species is a contributing factor in these cases of host peritonitis. The major significance of this research is the unusual finding of adult hookworms in the PNC of so many dead pups. No obvious explanation for this occurrence could be determined. Further research, like in the present study, should help understand and monitor the apparent ever changing role of hookworm disease in the health of northern fur seal and California sea lion pups on SMI.
Scalable diode-end-pumping technology applied to a 100-MJ Q-switched Nd 3+ :YLF laser oscillator

A compact diode-end-pumped Nd3+:YLF laser oscillator capable of delivering 100 mJ of energy in a 4-ns pulse is demonstrated. A scalable pump architecture is used in which the output from a cylindrical-microlens conditioned-diode array is delivered to the laser rod via a lens duct. As a pump technology, this architecture may permit new applications for diode lasers that were previously not possible.
Arm trajectory formation in monkeys.

The formation of forearm trajectories of moderate velocities (0.3–1.3 rad/s) was studied in monkeys performing a simple visuomotor task. The experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that the transition from one position to another is subserved by a rapid shift to a final equilibrium of forces in agonist and antagonist muscles. This idea is attractive because it suggests the possibility that in simple movements the trajectory is determined by the inherent inertial and viscoelastic properties of the limb and muscles around a joint. The results indicate that these moderate speed movements are controlled by a gradual, and not a step-like, shift to the final equilibrium position.
Traveling-Wave Slot Antennas

The traveling-wave slot antenna is similar to a traveling-wave wire antenna, but it is far more versatile because the phase velocity and rate of radiation of the fields in the antenna can be controlled. Four types of traveling-wave slot antennas have been identified. These are: (a) the conventional transverse electric, TE (no tangential E field parallel to the slot length); (b) transverse magnetic, TM (no tangential H field parallel to the slot length); (c) a hybrid with negligible transverse E, and (d) a hybrid with negligible normal H. Only the hybrid types are capable of producing maximum radiation in the direction of the slot axis (i. e., end-fire radiation). The complex propagation constant which is characteristic of uniform traveling-wave slots has been measured for a variety of waveguide geometries and is presented in the form of graphs. The radiation pattern of a traveling-wave slot can be controlled to give low side lobe or "cosecant squared" type patterns by appropriate variation of slot width with distance z along the axis. An approximate formula for the variation of attenuation ? with z required to give a specified pattern can be derived. This in turn gives the required variation of slot width with z. An examination of the principle of superposition shows that the conventional technique of array design is an approximation which has proved inadequate in the design of certain slot arrays.