cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solution of two‐point boundary value problems using splines

Cubic spline on quintic spline interpolations are used to approximate the derivative terms for use in two high order numerical schemes for the solution of two-point boundary value ordinary differential equations. The use of splines leads to solutions that reflect the smoothness of the slopes of the differential equations. Results of some computational experiments are given.
Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" The Speech Event as Metaphor

This article studies Martin Luther King's speech, "I Have a Dream," delivered on August 28, 1963, at the Washington Mall, as a sermon in the black Baptist tradition. Considering "performance as situated in context... as unfolding or arising within that context" (Hymes, 1981: 81), this sermon, which is a dialogue between speaker and audience, has, in addition to the "message" contained in the code, a broader ethnographic meaning. The speech event itself is metaphorical in nature, signaling political protest.
Homeless Veterans of the Mil-Volunteer Force: A Social Selection Perspective

Recent research has shown that men who served in the military during the early years of the all-volunteer force (AVF) have a higher risk of homelessness than do veterans of other eras and nonveterans of comparable ages. The current article draws on data from the 1996 National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients in order to examine differences between currently homeless veterans and nonveterans in the number of months they had been homeless at the time they were interviewed. A social selection perspective formed the basis for hypotheses about factors affecting variation in length of current homelessness. The results indicate that current episodes of homelessness were longest among veterans of the all-volunteer force, those with behavioral risk factors with possible early onset, and those who were lacking in social bonds to civilian society that are normally conferred by employment, marriage, and support from family of origin. Although recent age cohorts of enlistees in the all-volunteer for...
Numerical analysis of thermal stresses during welding including phase transformation effects

The problem of determining temperature distributions, transient thermal strains, and residual stresses during butt welding thick plates with the multipass GMAW process is solved using the finite element method. First, a nonlinear heat transfer analysis is performed taking into account the temperature dependence of the material properties, and convection and radiation surface heat losses. This is followed by a thermo-elastic-plastic stress analysis that incorporates phase transformation strains. Finally, the theoretical predictions are compared with experimentally obtained data showing good correlation.
Simulated effects of water table and irrigation scheduling as factors in cotton production

Irrigation is essential for economic production of some crops in semiarid climates. Benefits from irrigation may be partially offset by detrimental effects of rising water tables and salinization. Drainage systems are usually installed when the water table rises to the root zone, but installation of a drainage system and safe disposal of drainage water are expensive. The long-term consequences of a high saline water table on crop production, particularly as related to irrigation scheduling, has not been firmly established. A multiseasonal transient state model, known as the modified van Genuchten-Hanks model, was used to simulate cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production using a three or four in-season irrigation schedule (3irr or 4irr) under both free drainage and water table conditions. Under drainage conditions, irrigation scheduling to avoid applying more water than the soil water-holding capacity during any irrigation event is important, whereas this factor is less important under water table conditions. “Excess” water during an irrigation causes a rise in the water table, but this water remains available for later crop use which lowers the water table. In the presence of a water table the simulations indicate, (1) higher yields are achieved by applying less irrigation during the crop season and more during the preirrigation for salt leaching purposes, (2) annual applied water must equal evapotranspiration to avoid long-term water table rise or depletion, and (3) high cotton yields can be achieved for several years even if the water table is saline and no drainage occurs if the irrigation water is low in salinity.
Deepwater overflow through Luzon Strait

[1] This study examines water property distributions in the deep South China Sea and adjoining Pacific Ocean using all available hydrographic data. Our analysis reveals that below about 1500 m there is a persistent baroclinic pressure gradient driving flow from the Pacific into the South China Sea through Luzon Strait. Applying hydraulic theory with assumptions of zero potential vorticity and flat bottom to the Luzon Strait yields a transport estimate of 2.5 Sv (1 Sv = 106 m3 s−1). Some implications of this result include: (1) a residence time of less than 30 years in the deep South China Sea, (2) a mean diapycnal diffusivity as large as 10−3 m2 s−1, and (3) an abyssal upwelling rate of about 3 × 10−6 m s−1. These quantities are consistent with residence times based on oxygen consumption rates. The fact that all of the inflowing water must warm up before leaving the basin implies that this marginal sea contributes to the water mass transformations that drive the meridional overturning circulation in the North Pacific. Density distributions within the South China Sea basin suggest a cyclonic deep boundary current system, as might be expected for an overflow-driven abyssal circulation.
Metastable fragmentation of somatostatin-14 (SS-14) and a series of SS-14 analogs formed with liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry: Observation of fragment ions which involve unsymmetric disulfide bridge cleavage concomitant with peptide chain cleavage

Somatostatin-14 (SS-14) and several SS-14 analogs were analyzed using liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry (LSIMS). The observed isotope distributions showed low levels of [H 2 -SS-14] (reduced SS-14). The daughter-ion spectra of the protonated molecule ions of SS-14 and several SS-14 analogs contained a number of metastable fragment ions. Two fragments in these spectra were assigned to cleavage of the peptide chain concomitant with unsymmetric cleavage of the disulfide bridge. Single alanine-substituted analogs of SS-14 were used to confirm these assignments, while single D isomer-substituted analogs of SS-14 were used to investigate the dependence of the cleavages on conformation
Excitation of ion-acoustic-like waves by subcritical currents in a plasma having equal electron and ion temperatures.

The effect of a magnetic-field-aligned plasma flow with a transverse velocity gradient on the excitation of current-driven ion-acoustic-like waves in a plasma having equal electron and ion temperatures $({T}_{e}{\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}T}_{i})$ was investigated experimentally. In agreement with theoretical predictions, the presence of sheared plasma flow substantially reduces the critical electron drift velocity needed to produce the ion-acoustic instability.
Human and Habitat Needs in Disaster Relief for Pacific Northwest Salmon Fisheries

Abstract Since 1994, federal disaster relief programs have been implemented for New England, Pacific Coast, and Gulf Coast fisheries. The Pacific Northwest coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) fishery serves as a case study for results of a disaster relief program. To help salmon fishers, the U.S. government declared an ecological disaster and provided $37 million in relief over 3 years. Relief efforts included an emergency program that provided limited, one-year assistance to an estimated two-thirds of the salmon gillnetters and trollers in Oregon, Washington, and California. A multi-year Northwest Emergency Assistance Program (NEAP) sought to reverse harmful habitat and capacity conditions and helped a quarter of the salmon gillnetters and trollers. NEAP was an important catalyst for programs to restore habitat, one of the primary causes of salmon stock decline. Interview, survey, and documentary data suggest that disaster relief helped commercial fishers continue fishing but did not adequately meet many ...
Fire History in Coast Redwood Stands in the Northeastern Santa Cruz Mountains, California

Fire regimes in coast redwood forests in the northeastern Santa Cruz Mountains were determined by ring counts from 48 coast redwood stumps, downed logs, and live trees. Degradation of remnant materials from post-harvest fires severely limited available fire scars in this region. The earliest recorded fire was recorded in approximately 1615 and the last fire recorded was in 1884. The Ohlone and early immigrants were probably the primary source of ignitions in this region. For all sites combined, the mean fire return interval (FRI) was 12.0 years; the median FRI was 10 years. There was no significant difference in FRI’s between plot aspects but there was a significant difference in MFI between the four sampled sites. The grand mean FRI for single trees (point) was 16.3 years. Past fire scars occurred most frequently in the latewood portion of the annual ring or during the dormant period. It is probable that the number of fires recorded in coast redwood trees is a subset of those fires that burned in adjacent grasslands and oak savannahs. Continued development of old-growth and young-growth coast redwood forests toward prehistoric conditions may be dependent of a fire regime where prescribed burning substitutes for the now-absent aboriginal ignitions.
Residues of Sevin in whole milk from sprayed and dusted cows.

Data on the persistence of residues of Sevin® (1-naphthyl N -methylcarbamate)in whole milk from sprayed and dusted cows and on the control of horn fly ( Haematobia irritans (L.)) with 5% and 50% Sevin dust are presented. Extraction and chemical assay methods for Sevin in whole milk are described in detail. Effective horn fly control for a period of 15 days was obtained by spreading 1 tablespoonful of 50% Sevin dust down the cow’s back. Results indicate that if applications of a 0.5% spray or a 50% dust are made immediately after the morning or evening milking, no residues of Sevin will result in subsequent milkings.
Dilatation of the common bile duct secondary to a hydronephrotic kidney

Obstruction of the common bile duct secondary to hydronephrosis is uncommon. We observed common bile duct dilatation secondary to marked right hydronephrosis. Following nephrectomy the common bile duct returned to normal size, confirming the suspicion that the dilatation was due to extrinsic compression.
Bound states of dimensionally reduced SYM2+1 at finite N

Abstract We consider the dimensional reduction of N =1 SYM2+1 to 1+1 dimensions. The gauge groups we consider are U(N) and SU(N), where N is finite. We formulate the continuum bound state problem in the light-cone formalism, and show that any normalizable SU(N) bound state must be a superposition of an infinite number of Fock states. We also discuss how massless states arise in the DLCQ formulation for certain discretizations.
015 Tracking the Impact of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) Effective Health Care Program through Uptake by Clinical Practice Guideline and Quality Measure Developers

Background Public and private funders evaluate health care investments in terms of outcomes and accountability. Citation analysis can approximate the dissemination and impact of funded research outputs. Objectives Use references in guidelines and measures represented in the National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC) and National Quality Measures Clearinghouse (NQMC) to track the uptake of AHRQ Effective Health Care (EHC) programme outputs. Methods 442 EHC-related titles were searched against the full-text corpus of the Clearinghouses. Documents that cited the titles were examined for the context of the citations. References were considered strong when tied to a specific metric or recommendation or noted as important to the guideline’s methodology; moderate if discussed in the body of the citing document; and weak if they appeared only in the reference list. Results 174 individual guidelines and measures cited EHC-related titles (n = 341). 50% of the guideline references were strong, 28% moderate and the remainder weak or undetermined (22%). All measure references were strong. Discussion This analysis has been done annually since 2010 with the numbers of detected citations increasing each year. The method used not only assesses whether a work was referenced in a guideline or measure, but its relative importance to the guideline or measure providing evidence of impact of the EHC programme. Implications Systematic reviews and other research published through the EHC programme are being used to develop guidelines and measures that meet inclusion criteria for NGC and NQMC. EHC reports may be downloaded and topics nominated at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov
Kinetic variational theory for mixtures: Kac-tail limit

A kinetic-variational theory recently derived for a pure fluid on the basis of maximization of entropy is given for mixtures. Explicit results are found for particles interacting via hard cores and Kac tails (i.e., weak long-range attraction).
Two new species of Senecio section Palmatinervii (Asteraceae) from eastern Mexico

Two closely related new species,Senecio grimesii andS. marquezii, belonging to the sectionPalmatinervii are described, illustrated, and compared to their nearest relative,S. heterogamus.
Using interindustry input-output relations as a Bayesian prior in employment forecasting models

Abstract This paper presents the results of using input-output tables as a source of Bayesian prior information in a national employment forecasting model. A Bayesian vector autoregressive (BVAR) estimation technique is used to incorporate the interindustry input-output table relationships into the labor market forecasting model. This technique requires that a simple translation of the direct use coefficients from the input-output table be used as prior weighting elements to depict the interindustry relations. The Bayesian model provides out-of-sample forecasts superior to those from unconstrained vector autoregressive, univariate autoregressive, a block recursive bvar model and a naive BVAR model based on the Minnesota random walk prior. This suggests that interindustry input-output table linkages provide useful information that can be effectively incorporated into labor market forecasting models.
Sensory characteristics, shear values and cooking properties of ground beef patties extended with iron- and zinc-fortified soy isolate, concentrate or flour

Ground beef patties made from 100% beef or beef extended with 20% rehydrated soy isolate, concentrate, or flour, with or without iron and zinc fortification, were evaluated for sensory, shear and cooking properties. With the exception of patties formulated with soy isolate, soy-added patties were rated as more tender (P <0.05) than all-beef patties. Soy isolate imparted textural characteristics to patties that were more similar to those of all-beef patties than to those of soy concentrate or soy flour extended patties. Patties made with soy flour had the highest cooking yields. Also, patties extended with soy flour had lower incidences of rancid flavor, but higher incidences of soy flavor compared with all other beef-soy formulations. Iron and zinc fortification produced a higher frequency of rancid flavor when used with soy isolate and concentrate.
BV public policy: issues and challenges.

The American Social Health Association Ž . ASHA is the only national non-profit health organization dedicated to addressing the spectrum of sexually transmitted infections. For over 85 years, ASHA has worked with patients, providers, and policy makers to increase awareŽ . ness about sexually transmitted diseases STDs and to promote appropriate public policy initiatives. We work to address every viral and bacterial sexually transmitted infection. For ASHA and for many researchers of reproŽ . ductive tract infections, bacterial vaginosis BV is in some ways ‘the new kid on the block’. Although it has been described in medical literature for over a century, it is only recently that BV has achieved recognition as a major reproductive health condition. Identified as the most prevalent cause of vaginal symptoms among women of w x childbearing age 1 BV ranges from a minor annoyance to a condition threatening maternal and neonatal well being. While BV can be clinically managed, treated, and cured, numerous
Medial vestibular neurons are endogenous pacemakers whose discharge is modulated by neurotransmitters

1. Neurons in the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN), recorded in a rat brain slice preparation, exhibit a highly regular, high-frequency (5- to 35-Hz) spontaneous discharge. The rhythmic firing rate was constant (< 5% variation) and sustained for a long time (maximum observation, 4 hr). 2. The rhythmic firing was evident even in neurons (n = 15) completely isolated from exogenous input fibers, suggesting that it is due to an endogenous pacemaker property. When recorded intracellularly, the discharge was found to be associated with a smooth, concave pacemaker prepotential, and the rate of firing was reduced in proportion to applied hyperpolarizing current, indicating that these are pacemaker discharges. 3. This conclusion is supported by the observation that perfusion with a low-calcium/high-magnesium Krebs-Ringer solution, which completely and reversibly blocks all synaptic transmission, did not abolish the spontaneous discharge. The low-calcium/high-magnesium solution increased spontaneous firing in some neurons and decreased in others, suggesting that the firing is synaptically modulated and the synaptic influence is tonically active. 4. Application of kynurenate (10 mM), an antagonist of the excitatory amino acid receptors, gradually reduced neuronal discharges in most neurons (22 of 25), while the addition of 10 mM sucrose as an osmotic control had no effect. Depression of neuronal discharges reached its minimum (an average of 60% of the control level) and was maintained at that level until gradually washed out. The rhythmic firing pattern persisted in all neurons even after the excitatory receptors were blocked. 5. When the GABAA receptor antagonist, bicuculline (20 microM), was applied, elevation of neuronal discharges was evident in most neurons (30 of 32) tested. The firing increased gradually, with a final control level of 130% (121-160%). In contrast, the GABAB receptor antagonist, phaclofen (20 microM and 100 microM), had no effect in most neurons (19 of 23) tested. Further, the excitatory and inhibitory action could be detected on the same neuron when bicuculline and kynurenate were both evaluated (n = 10). 6. These results indicate that the spontaneous discharge of MVN neurons is due to an endogenous pacemaker under the tonic influence of both inhibitory and excitatory transmitter actions. The bicuculline-sensitive GABAA receptors and the kynurenate-sensitive glutamate receptors both mediate the tonic modulation.
Effect of Nonspherical Shape on Oscillations of Levitated Droplets

substrates are on the order of 10 i10 and 10 i11 m 2 , respectively. 2 From the experimental data, it is clear that silicone resin impregnation of FRCI-12 restricts internal gas e ow much more than phenolic resin impregnation of FiberForm. There are several possible mechanisms to explain this. First, pressure-driven internal mass e ow in a porousmaterialscalestothethirdpower (atleast)withthecharacteristic channel dimension. Thus, comparable resin loadings into substrates with comparable densities are expected to cause greater e ow restrictions in the material with the e ner microstructure. Secondly, whileresin impregnationpredominantlycoatsthe e bers,some webbing between e bers is possible and has been observed in scanning electron microscope images. Such webbing would be more likely in the e ner microstructure substrate (FRCI-12) and may contribute to the very low continuum permeability of virgin SIRCA. For PICA specimens, the continuum permeability is larger and the slip parameter is smaller (on average) along in-plane directions than along transverse directions. This result is consistent with the anisotropicmicrostructureoftheFiberFormsubstrate,whichcauses the e ow path to be less tortuous and the mean distance between gas-surface collisions to be longer along in-plane directions than transversedirections. 2 ThoughFRCI-12substrateshavemicrostructural anisotropies similar to FiberForm, the transverse permeabilities of the virgin SIRCA specimens are found to be comparable with or greater than the in-plane permeabilities. This e nding gives further evidence that the internal e ow properties of virgin SIRCA are dominated by the microstructural changes produced by resin impregnation. Asexpected fromthe mass loss accompanying pyrolysis, charred specimensofbothPICAandSIRCAofferlessobstructiontothee ow than virgin specimens. For PICA specimens, the relative changes in K0 and b due to the pyrolysis process are larger for the transversely oriented specimens than the in-plane oriented specimens. This result is consonant with the view that resin is likely to agglomerate or web at e ber intersections during impregnation. Because e bers are preferentially oriented normal to the transverse direction, agglomerations at e ber intersections would offer more obstruction to transverse e ow than in-plane e ow, and charring would thus have a greater effect on transverse than in-plane permeability. The continuum permeability changes dramatically for SIRCA specimens upon charring, increasing by three orders of magnitude. Moreover, the underlying anisotropy of the FRCI-12 substrate is recovered; in-plane oriented specimens of charred SIRCA are about twice as permeable as transversely oriented specimens.
Maternal plasma concentrations of the soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 are increased prior to the diagnosis of preeclampsia

Objective Soluble receptor levels of tumor necrosis factor (sTNF-R)-1 and -2 are increased during preeclampsia. We postulated the increase preceded overt disease. Study Design Archived plasma from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development aspirin to prevent preeclampsia in high risk women trial were used to measure serial sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2 (enrollment, 24-28 week's gestation) in 986 women (577 also sampled at 34-38 weeks). Results Preeclampsia incidence was 21.2%. sTNF-R2 levels were higher at enrollment ( P = .02) and weeks 24-28 ( P = .01) in women who eventually developed preeclampsia. The magnitude of increase from baseline of both receptors was significantly greater in women who developed preeclampsia in the future. Women with week 24-28 sTNF-R2 levels in the highest quartile had significantly increased odds to develop preeclampsia ( P = .03 vs quartile 1). This association was observed in the placebo but not the aspirin arm ( P ≤ .002). Sensitivities and positive predictive values were low. Conclusion sTNF-R2 levels are elevated prior to overt preeclampsia, suggesting a pathogenetic role for these proinflammatory cytokines.
A Binaphthyl-Based Conjugated Polymer for Light-Emitting Diodes

A conjugated light-emitting polymer based on the binaphthyl structure was synthesized via the Wittig−Horner condensation reaction. By introducing a twisted, noncoplanar binaphthyl unit, it provides an effective approach for tailoring the spectral characteristics and solubility of the polymer. The polymer has a very high glass transition temperature (Tg) of 225 °C and good solubility in common organic solvents. A single layer light-emitting diode with a configuration of (ITO/polymer/Al) showed a respectable external quantum efficiency of 0.1%.
High-performance membrane supports: A colloidal approach to the consolidation of coarse particles

Abstract Inorganic membrane supports, for hydrogen separation, must provide adequate surface morphology for the deposition of thin film membranes while offering acceptable permeability and mechanical strength. Supports prepared from stabilized suspensions of Sumitomo AKP30 and AKP15 powder were shown to exhibit ideal surface morphology (average roughness ∼ 30 nm ) and excellent mechanical strength ( > 200 MPa ) , but inadequate permeability, ∼ 1 × 10 - 6 mol / m 2 s Pa for H 2 at STP. The colloidal stabilization, subsequent vacuum filtration and sintering of coarse ∼ 3 μ m O α - Al 2 O 3 particles are shown to increase pore size from ∼ 70 nm (AKP30) to ∼ 700 nm (AA3) and consequently improve permeability by ∼ 10 × . The cost price of these supports can be decreased and sufficient flexural strength achieved with a low temperature phosphate bonding technique. Through the precise control of the colloidal chemistry and consolidation process, the near surface morphology of the supports can be intrinsically graded with ∼ 0.5 μ m particles gradually coarsening to ∼ 3 μ m . Supports generated in this manner then exhibit a smooth surface morphology comparable to AKP15 supports (average roughness ∼ 100 nm ) and mechanical strengths of ∼ 100 MPa .
Alternatives to hormone therapy for hot flashes: many choices but science is lacking.

CLINICAL SCENARIO A 51-year-old postmenopausal third-grade teacher requests help for her hot flashes. She finds them especially troubling as she stands in front of her class and starts sweating. Although one student offers her tissues, others make fun of her--disrupting the class. Her sleep is interrupted several times a night. She refuses to use any form of estrogen because her mother died of breast cancer at the age of 60 years. Perhaps alternative therapies can help her.
Quantitative Analysis of the Effects of Video Modeling on Social and Communication Skills for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of video modeling (VM) interventions on the social and communication skills of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Twenty-six single-case design studies involving a total of 59 participants were included in this meta-analysis. We measured intervention effects by computing the improvement rate difference (IRD). The overall mean IRD was 0.53, suggesting that VM interventions had a 53% improvement rate from baseline to intervention phrases on enhancing social and communication skills for these children.
Hierarchical multi-label gene function prediction using adaptive mutation in crowding niching

Computational prediction of protein function is an important field in functional genomics. Gene function prediction is a Hierarchical Multi Label Classification (HMC) problem where each gene can belong to more than one functional class simultaneously, while classes are structured in the form of hierarchy. HMC is becoming a necessity in many domains of applications as well. Crowding niching-Adaptive mutation (CAM) is a new proposed method for solving Hierarchical multi-label gene function prediction problem. The classification in CAM-HMC is structured in three different phases. In the first two phases, a sequential procedure is performed. In the first phase, a full cyclic evolutionary crowding algorithm based on new definition of distance between two individuals, and adaptive mutation is applied in order to find classification rules. In the second phase, all the examples that are covered by these rules are removed from the training data. This sequential procedure is repeated until most of the training examples are covered by CAM-HMC rules. In the third phase, consequent generation is determined to show the probability of coverage of each rule for each hierarchical class. Finally, this ratio is applied to classify testing data. Efficiency of this algorithm is displayed by comparing this algorithm with HMC-GA using Precision-Recall curves for three numerical datasets related to protein functions of the Saccharomyces Cerevisiae organism.
Effects of road deicing salt on chloride levels in four adirondack streams

A 2 yr study was conducted in 1987 and 1988 to determine the effects of road salt run-off from New York State highway 28N on chloride levels in four tributary streams to Rich Lake, located in the central Adirondack Mountains of New York. All four study streams exhibited significant increases in chloride concentrations at sampling stations located 50 and 100 m downstream from the highway. Chloride concentrations in downstream samples were as much as 31 times higher than comparative upstream samples. Elevated chloride levels continued throughout the 6 mo period following the termination of winter salt applications. A water chemistry profile developed for Rich Lake revealed a slight increase in chloride content at lower depths.
Variable Angle Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (VASE) for the Study of Ion-Beam and Growth-Modified Solids

In the most commonly used form of ellipsometry, a monochromatic collimated linearly polarized light beam is directed at an angle φ to the normal of a sample under study. The specularly reflected beam is, in general, elliptically polarized, and the state of polarization is analyzed using a second polarizer and photodetector.1 Figure 1 shows a schematic of the rotating analyzer automated spectroscopic ellipsometer used at the University of Nebraska. The angle of incidence can be set over a wide range of angles, with a precision and repeatability of ±0.01 angular degrees. A computer controls the monochromator, the azimuth of a stepper motor driven polarizer, a shutter, and the digitization of the detector signal. There are several other schemes used for acquiring ellipsometric data, and these are discussed in several sources.
The use of an elevated aldolase in diagnosing and managing eosinophilic fasciitis

Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) is a rare localized fibrosing disorder of the fascia whose diagnosis is often suspected based on clinical findings and laboratory values. These lab abnormalities can be transient in early disease and may not always be present. We have reviewed a case series of patients to assess the utility of the various laboratory abnormalities in diagnosing EF. We performed a retrospective review of EF patients seen at Georgetown University Hospital in the Division of Rheumatology during 2009 and 2013. This review included 15 adult patients with EF with a mean age at diagnosis of 45 years (range 18 to 77 years). The majority of patients 13/15 had classic skin thickening documented on all four extremities Only eight patients had peripheral eosinophilia ranging between 8 and 38 %. In these patients, the peripheral eosinophilia was an early but transient finding. Inflammatory markers including the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was elevated in 5/14 and C-reactive Protein (CRP) was elevated in 7/11. At disease presentation, only one of eleven patients checked had an elevated creatine phosphokinase (CPK). Aldolase levels were available for 12 of the 15 patients, and they were increased in 11 out of 12 patients. We have found that in this case series, aldolase was more likely to be abnormal than peripheral eosinophilia, hypergammaglobulinemia, and ESR particularly after starting treatment. Aldolase should be measured in all patients suspected of having EF, and may also play a useful role in following disease activity.
Improved-resolution real-time skin-dose mapping for interventional fluoroscopic procedures

We have developed a dose-tracking system (DTS) that provides a real-time display of the skin-dose distribution on a 3D patient graphic during fluoroscopic procedures. Radiation dose to individual points on the skin is calculated using exposure and geometry parameters from the digital bus on a Toshiba C-arm unit. To accurately define the distribution of dose, it is necessary to use a high-resolution patient graphic consisting of a large number of elements. In the original DTS version, the patient graphics were obtained from a library of population body scans which consisted of larger-sized triangular elements resulting in poor congruence between the graphic points and the x-ray beam boundary. To improve the resolution without impacting real-time performance, the number of calculations must be reduced and so we created software-designed human models and modified the DTS to read the graphic as a list of vertices of the triangular elements such that common vertices of adjacent triangles are listed once. Dose is calculated for each vertex point once instead of the number of times that a given vertex appears in multiple triangles. By reformatting the graphic file, we were able to subdivide the triangular elements by a factor of 64 times with an increase in the file size of only 1.3 times. This allows a much greater number of smaller triangular elements and improves resolution of the patient graphic without compromising the real-time performance of the DTS and also gives a smoother graphic display for better visualization of the dose distribution.
Is Internet-based support for dyspnea self-management in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease possible? Results of a pilot study.

Background As of 2003, approximately 67% of US adults have Internet access. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an Internet-based dyspnea self-management program (iDSMP) for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A related aim was to compare the differential effects of the iDSMP on 2 different groups: (1) to test a “booster” effect and (2) to evaluate the program as a primary intervention. Methods Two groups (n = 16) were evaluated at baseline and at 3 months after completing the iDSMP, which included education, exercise, self-monitoring, and support. Dyspnea, self-efficacy, perception of available support, and exercise behavior were measured. Paired, independent t tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were used. Results Most subjects (87%) reported that the program increased their access to information and resources for managing dyspnea. Dyspnea with activities of daily living and self-efficacy for managing the symptom showed significant improvements (both P Conclusions The findings suggest that additional investigations of Internet-based interventions to promote self-management in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are warranted.
High-dose bromocriptine in a case of tardive dystonia.

Tardive dystonia, a persistent dystonia related to exposure to antipsychotic medication, is a relatively rare occurrence (Harenko 1967; Keegman and Rajput 1973; Burke et al. 1982). Burke et al. (1982) provide the most extensive description, discussing 42 cases and reviewing 15 previous reports. They noted the pharmacological management of the disorder to be difficult and rarely successful, with some improvement seen with dopamineblocking or -depleting agents (12 of 27 cases, 44%) or with anticholinergic agents (7 of 18 cases, 39%). We recently treated a patient with tardive dystonia who appeared to make a dramatic improvement with high-dose bromocriptine, a treatment used in other forms of dystonia (Stahl and Berger 1982). Because of the dearth of successful outcome in tardive dystonia, we thought it worthwhile to describe this case in detail. Mr. P is a 27-year-old single black man with a history of schizoaffective psychosis. During his first hospitalization at age 19, the patient was noted to manifest severe drooling and acute dystonia of the jaw musculature with either chlorpromazine, haloperidol, or fluphenazine. These symptoms were little improved by injections of diphenylhydramine 50 mg or oral benztropine mesylate up to 2 mg tid. Nevertheless, he continued to receive neuroleptics during his subsequent 14 hospitalizations. He was transferred to a chronic care facility in 1981, where he was treated with thiothixene 20 mg/day. In November 1982 the thiothixene dose was increased to 30 mg/day and a severe torticollis developed that did not respond to a 1-week withdrawal of antipsychotic medications along with oral or intramuscular benztropine 2 mg or diphenhydramine 50 mg. A neurological consultation led to the diagnosis of spasmodic torticollis and subsequent laboratory investigations including x-ray film of the spine, computed tomographic (CT) scan, electroencephalogram (EEG), and serum ceroloplasmin were all normal. Review of his history suggested no previous head trauma or loss of consciousness; however, there was a history of excessive alcohol intake during his early 20s. The patient was subsequently returned to antipsychotic medication, receiving in November 1982 thiothixene 40 mg/day along with amantadine 100 mg bid, in December 1982 chlorpromazine 800 mg/day, and in April 1983 thioridazine 400 mg/day along with diazepam 5 mg bid, and phenobarbital 30 mg tid. All these treatments were without significant effect on the patient's torticollis. In June 1983 the patient was diagnosed as having a tardive dystonia and all antipsychotic medications were discontinued. He was then treated with diazepam 15 mg tid alone and then in conjunction
Density functional theory analysis of reactivity of PtxPdy alloy clusters

Abstract We investigate the reactivity of various Pt x Pd y combinations (with x + y = 10 and various x : y ratios) towards the adsorption of specific intermediates of the oxygen reduction, using the B3PW91 hybrid density functional theory. The reactivity is shown to be not only sensitive to the composition of the cluster, but also to the atomic distribution. The calculations indicate that two different ensembles: one ordered and one randomly mixed, with overall composition Pt 3 Pd 7 are thermodynamically more favorable than pure Pt 10 for the oxygen reduction reaction. The reasons for this behavior are clearly explained in terms of the atomic and electronic distribution, which makes the Pd atoms to act as electron donors both to Pt atoms and to the adsorbates, thus the reactivity of the Pd atoms in such environment becomes intermediate between Pt and Pd. Moreover, it is found that in a mixed Pt 3 Pd 7 state the electronic distribution makes the average atom more similar to Pt than to Pd, whereas in an ordered Pt 3 Pd 7 cluster, the average atom is more similar to Pd than to Pt.
Influence of membrane properties on the transient behavior of polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Abstract Understanding the performance of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells is critical to the water management in the fuel cell system. Low-humidity operating conditions present a complex interaction between dynamic behavior and water transport owing to different time scales of water transport mechanisms in the transient process. Toward understanding the effects of membrane properties on the dynamic behavior, this paper presents numerical simulations for a single channel PEM fuel cell undergoing changes in load, by subjecting the unit cell to step change in current. The complex interaction between cell voltage response and water transport dynamics for various membrane properties is explored in detail, where the performance is critically related to the water content of the membrane. Detailed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are carried out to show that step increase in current density leads to anode dryout due to electro-osmotic drag, and to investigate the dependence of transient behavior on the variations in membrane properties. The results show that water uptake by the membrane is a crucial factor in determining the occurrence of anode dryout and hence voltage reversal, and can be avoided by a graded membrane design.
Precisiation of meaning—toward computation with natural language

The coming decade is likely to be a decade of automation of everyday reasoning and decision-making. In a world of automated everyday reasoning and decision-making, computation with natural language is certain to play a pivotal role. Much of human knowledge, and especially world knowledge, is described in natural language. Basically, computation with natural language is closely related to computation with information described in natural language and, more concretely, to Computing with Words (CW or CWW), but not to natural language processing.
Perception of Better Nasal Patency Correlates with Increased Mucosal Cooling after Surgery for Nasal Obstruction

ObjectivesTo (1) quantify mucosal cooling (ie, heat loss) spatially in the nasal passages of nasal airway obstruction (NAO) patients before and after surgery using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and (2) correlate mucosal cooling with patient-reported symptoms, as measured by the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) and a visual analog scale (VAS) for sensation of nasal airflow.Study DesignProspective.SettingAcademic tertiary medical center.Subjects and MethodsComputed tomography (CT) scans and NOSE and VAS surveys were obtained from 10 patients before and after surgery to relieve NAO. Three-dimensional models of each patient’s nasal anatomy were used to run steady-state CFD simulations of airflow and heat transfer during inspiration. Heat loss across the nasal vestibule and the entire nasal cavity, as well as the surface area of mucosa exposed to heat fluxes >50 W/m2, were compared pre- and postoperatively.ResultsAfter surgery, heat loss increased significantly on the preoperative most obstruct...
O-methylation in vitro of dihydroxy- and trihydroxy-phenolic compounds by liver slices

Abstract Several instances of O-methylation of dihydroxy- and trihydroxy-phenolic acids are shown in vitro with surviving rat or rabbit liver slices. Instances are shown where O-methylation affects the m-hydroxyl group specifically, the p-hydroxyl group specifically, or either one of the m- or p-Hydroxyl groups of the same phenolic acid indifferently. Some factors which influence the course of O-methylation are discussed.
Demonstration of PLOW: A Dialogue System for One-Shot Task Learning

We describe a system that can learn new procedure models effectively from one demonstration by the user. Previous work to learn tasks through observing a demonstration (e.g., Lent & Laird, 2001) has required observing many examples of the same task. One-shot learning of tasks presents a significant challenge because the observed sequence is inherently incomplete -- the user only performs the steps required for the current situation. Furthermore, their decision-making processes, which reflect the control structures in the procedure, are not revealed.
Diffraction limited ultra-small photonic-crystal ring resonators with low loss

There is an increasing and largely unfulfilled need for nanometer-scale photonic components, both passive and active, in intra-chip optical communications and other high-speed, ultra-low- power photonic applications. Silicon-based components are favored because they are capable of on-chip-network integration with CMOS electronics. This paper presents a detailed analysis of radiative waveguide bend loss in single-ring PCRRs, as well as bend loss in micro-strip rings as a function of effective radius from 1 to 15 mum at lambda ~ 1550 nm.
Nanocrystallization and Phase Transformation in Monodispersed Ultrafine Zirconia Particles from Various Homogeneous Precipitation Methods

Monodispersed ultrafine (nano- to micrometer) zirconia precursor powders were synthesized by three different physicochemical methods: (I) forced hydrolysis, (II) homogeneous precipitation in inorganic salt solutions, and (III) hydrolysis/condensation of alkoxide. The forced hydrolysis method produced monoclinic nanocrystalline particles (cube shaped) of nanometer scale, which depended largely on the initial salt concentration. Methods II and III, both involving the use of alcohol as a solvent, exhibited a faster particle formation rate and generated amorphous ultrafine (submicrometer) monodispersed microspheres, indicating that the presence of alcohol may have stimulated particle nucleation due to its low dielectric property (and, thus, the low solubility of nucleus species in mixed water-alcohol solutions). Nucleation and growth of the particles in solutions are discussed based on the measurements obtained by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). High-temperature X-ray diffraction (HTXRD) and TGA/DTA studies elucidated the differences in phase transformation for different types of powders. The most interesting finding was the nonconventional monoclinic nanocrystal nucleation and growth that occurred prior to transformation to the tetragonal phase (at 1200°C) during the heat treatment of the nanocrystalline powders produced by the forced hydrolysis.
The Management of Urban Water Conflicts in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo

Abstract In Latin America, after the democratization process in the 1980s, public pressure imposed new models of management in the water sector. These new models have been extremely successful in making the political class more aware of the water problem, as illustrated by the Brazilian example. Public pressure forced congressmen to propose a new Federal Constitution in 1988 in which environmental and water issues are explicitly considered. This paper discusses the technical, legal, and institutional aspects of integrated water management in the Upper Tiet[etilde] basin in the metropolitan region of Sao Paulo, with 16.5 million inhabitants and the largest industrial complex in Latin America. Emphasis is placed on the conflicting interests of upstream and downstream groups in the basin. A successful experiment of integrated water resources planning on a watershed basis is described, where modern decision support systems technology is combined with effective public participation.
Egocentric responses of normal and emotionally disturbed children in different treatment settings

Piaget has demonstrated that socialization is accompanied by a reduction of egocentrism in development. It has also been found that the deficient socialization of the emotionally disturbed child is reflected in greater egocentric thought than in the nondisturbed child. This study was conducted to determine if performance on a Piagetian task would demonstrate differences in egocentric responses not only between disturbed and nondisturbed children, but if differences among three groups of disturbed children would be obtained as a function of treatment setting. It was found that the performance of the nondisturbed group was significantly less egocentric than that of all three groups of disturbed children. Further, the directionality of the results indicates that increasing egocentric performance is paralleled by severity of disturbance as defined by treatment setting. Implications for the interpersonal aspects of treatment programs are discussed.
One-dimensional translational motion of a two-spring chain with strong nonlinear drag: A possible model for time-dependent DNA gel electrophoresis

In the high-viscosity limit we describe an elementary analytic solution of the one-dimensional translatory motion of three identical masses connected by identical harmonic springs, but subjected to strong viscous drag forces with step-function dependence on spring extension. Responses to step-function and periodically reversing external forces are found. The model may be relevant to DNA gel electrophoresis in time-dependent electric fields.