cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photon excitation enabled large aperture space-charge-controlled potassium tantalate niobate (KTN) beam deflector

To overcome the depth limitation of the space-charge-controlled (SCC) potassium tantalate niobate (KTN) deflectors, we report in this paper a method of increasing the aperture of SCC-KTN deflectors by harnessing the physical mechanism of blue light photon excitation. The experimental results show that the deflection angle can be increased from 0.7 mrad without the blue light excitation to 2.5 mrad with the blue light excitation at a penetration depth of 5 mm under the same external applied voltage, which is consistent with the theoretical analysis. This represents a substantial increase in the deflection angle at a much deeper penetration depth, which can be very useful for applications such as high speed 3D printings and displays.To overcome the depth limitation of the space-charge-controlled (SCC) potassium tantalate niobate (KTN) deflectors, we report in this paper a method of increasing the aperture of SCC-KTN deflectors by harnessing the physical mechanism of blue light photon excitation. The experimental results show that the deflection angle can be increased from 0.7 mrad without the blue light excitation to 2.5 mrad with the blue light excitation at a penetration depth of 5 mm under the same external applied voltage, which is consistent with the theoretical analysis. This represents a substantial increase in the deflection angle at a much deeper penetration depth, which can be very useful for applications such as high speed 3D printings and displays.
Purification and characterization of sea urchin initiation factor 2. The requirement of guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the release of eukaryotic polypeptide chain initiation factor 2-bound GDP.

Protein synthesis in sea urchin eggs is stimulated dramatically upon fertilization. We previously demonstrated that this stimulation is primarily due to an increase in the rate of polypeptide chain initiation which in turn may be regulated at the level of recycling of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2) (Colin, A. M., Brown, B. D., Dholakia, J. N., Woodley, C. L., Wahba, A. J., and Hille, M. B. (1987) Dev. Biol. 123, 354-363). We have now purified eIF-2 from sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus blastulae to apparent homogeneity by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, phosphocellulose, Mono Q, Mono P, and Mono S columns. The factor, which differs from mammalian eIF-2, is composed of three non-identical subunits with apparent molecular weights of 40,000-alpha; 47,000-beta, and 58,000-gamma as estimated by sodium dodecyl-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Antibodies raised against rabbit reticulocyte eIF-2 do not cross-react with sea urchin eIF-2. The binding of Met-tRNA(f) to sea urchin eIF-2 is totally dependent on GTP. A 4-fold stimulation in the rate of protein synthesis in unfertilized sea urchin egg extracts is observed by the addition of 1 micrograms of purified eIF-2. The factor also binds GDP to form a binary (eIF-2.GDP) complex which is stable in the presence of Mg2+. GDP binding to sea urchin eIF-2 inhibits ternary (eIF-2-GTP.[35S]Met-tRNA(f) complex formation. The rabbit reticulocyte guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) catalyzes the exchange of GDP bound to sea urchin eIF-2 for GTP and stimulates ternary complex formation. The requirement of GEF for the recycling of eIF-2 suggests that protein synthesis in sea urchins is similar to that in mammalian systems and may also be regulated at the level of GEF activity. The reticulocyte heme-controlled repressor phosphorylates the alpha-subunit of eIF-2 from both sea urchins and rabbit reticulocytes. However, casein kinase II which phosphorylates the beta-subunit of the reticulocyte factor specifically phosphorylates the alpha-subunit of sea urchin eIF-2. In this respect, the sea urchin factor is similar to eIF-2 isolated from other nonmammalian sources. Since both heme controlled repressor and casein kinase II phosphorylate the alpha-subunit of sea urchin eIF-2 caution should be exercised when interpreting the significance of eIF-2(alpha) phosphorylation in sea urchins.
Real-Time X-Ray Image Processing; Techniques for Sensitivity Improvement Using Low-Cost Equipment

Traditionally, real-time x-ray inspection systems have used standard video camera technology in conjunction with an image intensifier or phosphor screen [1]. Less often, image processing and image analysis capabilities are provided in expensive, turnkey systems. Such systems typically allow for real-time contrast modification, frame shift, smoothing, and edge sharpening. Previously, we have shown that these types of techniques can be implemented using commercially available low-cost image processing hardware that uses arithmetic logic units, hardware multipliers, and a pipelined data flow [2].
Organic Concomitants of Nonorganic Failure to Thrive: Implications for Research

The title of this chapter contains an apparent contradiction. If nonorganic failure to thrive (NOFT) has organic factors contributing to its etiology, then must “nonorganic” be a misnomer? This chapter will focus on these organic concomitants of NOFT. Before embarking on this description, examination of the traditional taxonomy of failure to thrive (FTT) is warranted.
Geometric Motion Planning for a Three-Link Swimmer in a Three-Dimensional low Reynolds-Number Regime

Purcell's three-link, two-joint planar swimmer is an iconic model of a simple mechanism that can locomote in the low-Reynolds number regime. In this paper, we consider a modification to the design of the planar swimmer by allowing yaw-pitch movements at the two actuated joints as opposed to the conventional yaw-yaw movements. We demonstrate that this design with only two active inputs is capable of swimming in three dimensions unlike the planar swimmer. Using analytical and visual tools from geometric mechanics, we design motion primitives that enable the swimmer to reorient itself and swim along canonical directions in the inertial frame. We also provide experimental results on a hardware testbed to show a comparison between the trajectories derived from simulated gaits and trajectory of the robot executing those gaits.
Benchmarking Undergraduate Manufacturing Engineering Curricula in the United States

Abstract Advanced manufacturing is demanding universities and industry expand their perception of the role of manufacturing engineers in driving innovation and competitiveness. In turn, innovations in rapid, smart, and sustainable manufacturing require engineers to investigate new ways of making products for flexible and competitive production. In addition to the associated operational, technological, and strategic advantages for industry, advanced manufacturing creates national workforce and market opportunities. While universities play a key role in educating and preparing engineers to fulfil these needs of advanced manufacturing industry, existing undergraduate manufacturing engineering programs have not been reviewed to learn how well they are meeting the needs of industry. The objective of this research is to investigate the structure and composition of undergraduate manufacturing engineering programs in the U.S. universities accredited by ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc.). A database was compiled to document the curricular requirements of these programs. Course and topical requirements were then categorized using the SME Four Pillars of Manufacturing Knowledge model. The subsequent benchmarking results documented here provide an opportunity for universities and industries to identify topical areas that have garnered attention of curriculum developers, as well as identifying potential programmatic deficiencies relative to comparator programs. Thus, benchmarking study results can be used as a basis for defining how an undergraduate manufacturing engineering curriculum could be revised to better meet the human resource needs of advanced manufacturing industry.
Predictors of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci co-colonization among nursing facility patients.

Background The emergence of vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) poses significant challenges for antibiotic therapy. We characterized the epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) co-colonization that may facilitate resistance transfer and vancomycin-resistant S aureus emergence among nursing facility patients. Methods We cultured newly admitted patient hands, nares, oropharynx, groin, and perianal region plus wounds and device insertion sites, if applicable, upon enrollment at day 14, day 30, and monthly follow-up up to 6 months. Demographic, comorbidity, and antimicrobial use data were collected. Functional status was assessed at each visit using the Physical Self-Maintenance Scale. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to determine factors predictive of co-colonization. Results Five hundred eight patients were enrolled, with an average follow-up time of 28.5days. Prevalence of MRSA/VRE co-colonization, MRSA alone, and VRE alone was 8.7%, 8.9%, and 23.4%, respectively. Independent predictors of co-colonization included indwelling device use (odds ratio [OR] = 5.5 [2.2-13.7]), recent antibiotic use (OR = 2.5 [1.4-4.2]), diabetes (OR = 1.9 [1.0-3.8]), and the presence of open wounds (OR = 1.9 [1.0-3.6]). Conclusions High rates of VRE are driving co-colonization with MRSA in nursing facilities. Indwelling device use, recent antibiotic use, diabetes, and open wounds predicted patient co-colonization.
Evaluation and management of ketosis-prone diabetes

Introduction: Patients presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) who lack the classic phenotype of autoimmune type 1 diabetes have become increasingly identified in recent decades. This has led t...
Implications of dried blood spot testing for congenital CMV on management of children with hearing loss: A preliminary report.

Abstract Introduction Non-genetic, congenital sensorineural hearing loss (cSNHL) is commonly caused by congenital CMV infection (cCMV). Hearing loss related to cCMV is variable in degree, often progressive, and can affect one or both ears. Objectives We sought to examine the outcomes of DBS testing in California, and the hearing outcomes of cCMV-positive children. Methods This is a retrospective study of patients with SNHL of unknown etiology aged 6 months to 17 years old presenting to a tertiary care pediatric center and evaluated for cCMV by DBS testing. Results 114 children (228 ears) with SNHL of unknown origin were included. 6/114 (5.3%) tested positive for cCMV versus 108/114 (94.7%), who tested negative. None of the cCMV-positive children had symmetric bilateral hearing loss, compared with 56.5% (61/108) of cCMV-negative children (p Conclusion A small proportion of patients presenting with SNHL tested positive on DBS. Of cCMV-positive children, most presented with profound hearing loss in the worse-hearing ear, and 50% of cCMV-positive children developed progressive hearing loss in the initially better-hearing ear. Prognostic information afforded by etiologic confirmation of cCMV infection informed decision-making concerning cochlear implantation in these cases.
A Qualitative Evaluation of Caregiver Support Services Offered at the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System

Introduction The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides health care to approximately 300,000 patients with dementia. Recognizing the critical role caregivers play in veterans' health, the Cognitive Disorders Specialty Care Education Center of Excellence (COE) at the Atlanta VA Health Care System implemented a suite of caregiver support services, including formal programs and resource linkages. We evaluated the effectiveness of these services and identified caregiver-perceived gaps in them. Methods We conducted 11 semistructured interviews from November 2016 through February 2017 with caregivers of veterans seen in the COE who had participated in support services. After coding transcripts, we established a codebook of 9 major themes and conducted a thematic analysis of all transcripts. Results Caregivers spoke positively of COE caregiver services that offered information on dementia, social support, an emphasis on caregiver well-being and self-efficacy, and methods for behavioral change. Gaps identified included the need for additional dementia information and practical support in such matters as advanced directives and eligibility for VA benefits. Conclusion Our findings will inform future improvements to COE caregiver support services, such as an expansion of COE's caregiver educational content and capacity building of existing components such as resource referrals. These results also highlight opportunities for COE to interface with internal and external organizations to enhance existing caregiver services.
Skin-Picking Disorder: A Guide to Diagnosis and Management

Skin-picking disorder, also known as excoriation disorder or psychogenic skin excoriations, is an obsessive-compulsive and related disorder that is classified with other body-focused repetitive-behavior disorders in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Skin-picking disorder is associated with significant comorbidity and psychosocial dysfunction. The disorder has a female predominance across studies, and the average age of onset is variable but commonly in adolescence and adulthood. A full clinical and dermatologic examination and multidisciplinary approach is important in the diagnosis of this condition. There is no specific or recommended treatment option, but cognitive-behavioral therapy, particularly habit-reversal therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy have shown promise. Various pharmacological interventions have also been described to treat this condition in case reports and open and controlled trials. Specific classes of agents implemented include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, and glutaminergic-modulating agents. SSRIs and N-acetylcysteine have been shown to be the most effective of the pharmacological interventions.
The long-term and far-reaching impact of hurricane Dorian (2019) on the Gulf Stream and the coast

Abstract Hurricane Dorian (28-August to 6-September 2019) was one of the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean; it had disastrous impact on the Bahamas, before moving along the southeastern coast of the U.S. The unusual track of Dorian followed the track of hurricane Matthew (2016)- both hurricanes moved along the Gulf Stream (GS) without making a significant landfall and both seemed to weaken the flow of the GS by almost 50%. In the case of Dorian, the transport of the Florida Current (FC) measured by the cable across the Florida Straits had dropped from 34.7 Sv (1 Sv = 106 m3/s) on 22-August before the storm, to 17.1 Sv on 4-September (the lowest recorded value since measurements started in 1982). Two questions that this study tried to answer are: 1. Did the disruption that Dorian caused to ocean currents off the Florida coast affect the large-scale Gulf Stream (GS) dynamics downstream? and 2. Was there a long-term impact on the GS flow and on coastal sea level? Satellite altimeter data showed that the signal of the hurricane's impact on reducing the GS flow near the Florida coast is seen as far as 4000 km downstream along the GS path 50 days later. This long period of a weakened GS flow can elevate coastal sea level and increase flooding in the days and weeks after offshore storms already disappeared. The observed FC transport was found to be significantly correlated with the downstream GS velocity as far as 50°W and was anti-correlated with sea level along the entire U.S. East Coast. The density and velocity anomaly created by the hurricane's cooling and mixing near the Florida coast seemed to propagate downstream with the GS flow at ~1 m/s, but slow-moving baroclinic waves with propagation speed of ~0.1 m/s were also observed along the GS path. The results of this study may have implications for the indirect impact of storms on large-scale ocean circulation, coastal processes and the response of coastal ecosystems to offshore changes.
Intravenous Versus Oral Acetaminophen in Outpatient Cystoscopy Procedures: Retrospective Comparison of Postoperative Opioid Requirements and Analgesia Scores.

PurposeTo assess if the choice of acetaminophen formulation (intravenous vs oral) when administered preoperatively for ambulatory cystoscopy procedures is associated with differences in anesthetic ...
Prevalence and Characteristics of Telehealth Utilization in the United States.

Importance Telehealth services, which allow patients to communicate with a remotely located clinician, are increasingly available; however, prevalence of telehealth use, including videoconferencing visits, remains unclear. Objective To measure the use of and willingness to use telehealth modalities across the US population. Design, setting, and participants This survey study, conducted between February 2019 and April 2019, asked participants about their use of different telehealth modalities, reasons for not using videoconferencing visits, and willingness to use videoconferencing visits. Questions were continuously posed to panel members and closed after 2555 responses were obtained, at which point 3932 panel members had been invited, for a 65.0% response rate. Exposures Demographic characteristics (ie, age, sex, race, rural/urban residency, education level, and income). Main outcomes and measures Self-reported use of specific telehealth modalities, reasons for nonuse, and willingness to use videoconferencing in the future. Results A total of 2555 individuals completed the survey with a mean (SD) age of 57.2 (14.2) years; 1453 respondents (weighted percentage, 51.9%) were women, and 2043 (weighted percentage, 73.4%) were White individuals. Overall, 1343 respondents (weighted percentage, 50.8%) reported use of a nontelephone telehealth modality, ranging from 873 respondents (weighted percentage, 31.9%) for patient portals and 89 respondents (weighted percentage, 4.2%) for videoconferencing visits. Although 1309 respondents (weighted percentage, 49.2%) overall answered that they were willing or very willing to use videoconferencing visits, respondents who were Black individuals (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.38-0.91), aged older than 65 years (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.40-0.66), or had less education (high school or less vs advanced degrees: OR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.25-0.56) were less likely to express willingness. Conclusions and relevance Despite the focused policy attention on videoconferencing visits, the results of this survey study suggest that other forms of telehealth were more dominant prior to 2020. Targeted efforts may be necessary for videoconferencing visits to reach patient groups who are older or have less education, and payer policies supporting other forms of telemedicine may be appropriate to enhance access.
Guest-Host Interactions in Clathrate Hydrates: Benchmark MP2 and CCSD(T)/CBS Binding Energies of CH4, CO2, and H2S in (H2O)20 Cages.

We present benchmark binding energies of naturally occurring gas molecules CH4, CO2, and H2S in the small cage, namely, the pentagonal dodecahedron (512) (H2O)20, which is one of the constituent cages of the 3 major lattices (structures I, II, and H) of clathrate hydrates. These weak interactions require higher levels of electron correlation and converge slowly with an increasing basis set to the complete basis set (CBS) limit, necessitating the use of large basis sets up to the aug-cc-pV5Z and subsequent correction for basis set superposition error (BSSE). For the host hollow (H2O)20 cages, we have identified a most stable isomer with binding energy of -200.8 ± 2.1 kcal/mol at the CCSD(T)/CBS limit (-199.2 ± 0.5 kcal/mol at the MP2/CBS limit). Additionally, we report converged second order Moller-Plesset (MP2) CBS binding energies for the encapsulation of guests in the (H2O)20 cage of -4.3 ± 0.1 for CH4@(H2O)20, -6.6 ± 0.1 for CO2@(H2O)20, and -8.5 ± 0.1 kcal/mol for H2S@(H2O)20, respectively. For CH4@(H2O)20, exhibiting the weakest encapsulation affinity among the three, we report CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ binding energies and, based on them, a CCSD(T)/CBS estimate of -4.75 ± 0.1 kcal/mol. To the best of our knowledge, the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ calculation for CH4@(H2O)20 is the largest one reported to date (168 valence electrons, 1978 basis functions, and the correlation of 84 doubly occupied and 1873 virtual orbitals) and required a scalable implementation of the (T) module on 6144 nodes (350 208 cores) of the "Cori" supercomputer at the National Energy Research Supercomputing Center (NERSC) for a total execution time of 195 min (for the (T) part). These efficient scalable implementations of highly correlated methods offer the capability to obtain long-lasting benchmarks of intermolecular interactions in complex systems. They also provide a path toward parametrizing classical potentials needed to study the dynamical and transport properties in these complex systems as well as assess the accuracy of lower scaling electronic structure methods such as density functional theory (DFT) and MP2 including its spin-biased variants.
Liquid Embolics: A Guide to Currently Available and Pipeline Products

Over the last decade, several publications have reported the safety and efficacy of liquid embolics in a wide range of clinical indications. The expansion of clinical scenarios in which liquid embolics are utilized has been in part driven by some of the advantages these materials hold over other embolic agents. For instance, liquid embolics do not rely on the patient's ability to form clot and can be delivered more distally then coils at times. While several liquid embolics are commercially available, and in some cases have been for decades, there are limitations to these materials as well. The potential benefits of liquid embolics combined with the limitations of available materials have led to the ongoing development of several new agents. This review aims to familiarize the reader with both available liquid embolics and those that are relatively new or in development.
The Impact of Glacial Geomorphology on Critical Zone Processes

Abstract At the present time, most of the glaciers on Earth are located in Antarctica, ∼98% of which is covered by ice with an average thickness of 1.6 km. In the Arctic, Greenland has the principal ice sheet with an area of 1,755,637 km 2 and a thickness up to 3,200 m. Individual valley glaciers, such as Vatnajokull, which is the largest glacier (∼1000-m thick) in Iceland, are significant factors in the local environments. With such a large spatial extent and major role as a sink for fresh water, especially in light of the current focus on global change, the cryospheric subsystem plays a very important role as a part of the Critical Zone of Earth. This area does not quite fit the original definition of the Critical Zone as the vertical zone extends from the top of the vegetation canopy to the bottom of the aquifer. For glacier regions in alpine locations, the top of the canopy has to be understood as the top of trees or bushes, sages, shrubs or grasses growing on various glacial deposits. In Polar Regions the top of the canopy is assumed to include the lower portion of the stratosphere. The relationship of glacial erosional processes and landforms to former ice sheets determines the continuity of subglacial deformed layers, associated landforms and sediments. Glacial erosion generates landscape evolution and relief production and moreover, can be used to assess paleoenvironmental factors. People living within the regions impacted by glaciers, in the present or past, must adapt and adjust how they use the surface to live successfully in glaciated regions. The term Critical Zone is very appropriate for how humans respond to surficial changes wrought by glaciers.
Dynamic scheduling in a steel plant using expert system

Summary form only given. An interactive expert system application is described for scheduling of resources in continuous manufacturing of a variety of products in a hierarchically distributed control system. The system allows the relaxation of certain rule constraints to attain a feasible schedule when none is available and the processing of an expedited/special order even when this results in violating one or more constraints. The information on a scheduled production run not meeting the specification is transmitted to the expert system application from lower-level systems in the hierarchy, which perform monitoring and control of the production equipment. The technique is illustrated with an application in steel production. >
Dreyfus on expertise: The limits of phenomenological analysis

Dreyfus's model of expert skill acquisition is philosophically important because it shifts the focus on expertise away from its social and technical externalization in STS, and its relegation to the historical and psychological context of discovery in the classical philosophy of science, to universal structures of embodied cognition and affect. In doing so he explains why experts are not best described as ideologues and why their authority is not exclusively based on social networking. Moreover, by phenomenologically analyzing expertise from a first person perspective, he reveals the limitations of, and sometimes superficial treatment that comes from, investigating expertise from a third person perspective. Thus, he shows that expertise is a prime example of a subject that is essential to science but can only be fully elaborated with the aid of phenomenological tools. However, both Dreyfus's descriptive model and his normative claims are flawed due to the lack of hermeneutical sensitivity. He assumes an expert's knowledge has crystallized out of contextual sensitivity plus experience, and that an expert has shed, during the training process, whatever prejudices, ideologies, hidden agendas, or other forms of cultural embeddedness, that person might have begun with. One would never imagine, from Dreyfus's account, that society could possibly be endangered by experts, only how society's expectations and actions could endanger experts. The stories of actual controversies not only shows things do not work the way Dreyfus claims, but also that it would be less salutary if they did. Such stories amount to counterexamples to Dreyfus's normative claims, and point to serious shortcomings in his arguments.
Pediatric Residents' Continuity Clinics: How Are We Really Doing?

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) established guidelines in 1989 requiring pediatric residents to attend a continuity clinic (CC) one half-day per week. OBJECTIVE. To assess pediatric residents' CCs, with an emphasis on those factors potentially affecting house staff education and patient care. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS. A multi-item questionnaire designed to assess the educational, administrative, and clinical components of CCs was distributed to all US CC directors. RESULTS. Responses were received from 164 programs (74.9%), which represented more than 90% of all house staff in accredited US pediatric programs. Fifty-five percent of programs acknowledged non-ACGME-approved exemptions from attendance, and 64% changed CC schedules dependent on in-patient rotation assignment. Less than half of the programs had core curricula or didactic conferences. Most programs (76%) were located in hospital clinics. Clinic resources and equipment were often limited; faculty preceptors and nursing and clerical support staff were frequently insufficient in number. On average, PL1s saw four patients per session, whereas PL2s and PL3s saw five. Continuity of care for the patient for phone calls, acute and after-hours visits, and hospitalization was limited. Directors' perceived support for CCs' educational programs ranged from a high of 87% by generalists to a low of 33% by intensivists. CONCLUSIONS. Despite the ACGME directives, many residency programs have not provided the required priority, protected time, or adequate resources for CCs. The recent emphasis on health care reform and primary care medical education highlights the prominent role the CC should play as an important site in our teaching of longitudinal and ambulatory medicine. Departmental support and committed resources necessary to enhance the experience and to meet the educational challenge successfully will be required.
A folding pattern that is stable to thermal cycling is achieved by long term storage of recombinant human β-casein with four extra N-terminals amino-acid residues at −20 °C

Studies have followed the turbidity (OD400 nm) of beta-casein (CN) as temperature (T) increased from 4 to 37 degrees C. Native non-phosphorylated beta-CN showed a turbidity increase above 25 degrees C and precipitated at about 22 degrees C in 5mM Ca+2. These patterns were reproducible upon T-cycling while those of recombinant beta-CN proteins are not. Here, a wild-type recombinant that was thermally stable after being frozen in solution and stored at -20 degrees C for a prolonged period of time was denatured with guanidine HCl and refolded by dialysis against buffer. This protein was again not stable to T-cycling. A recombinant mutant with four extra N-terminal amino acids was very stable to T-cycling, both with and without 5mM Ca+2. However, it was still much different than the native protein. These results indicate that there are probably many energy minima for this protein and emphasize the possibility of "chaperon-like" conditions for proper folding of human beta-CN.
Clinical Usefulness of Very High and Very Low Levels of C-Reactive Protein Across the Full Range of Framingham Risk Scores

Background— High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is a strong independent risk factor for cardiovascular events, and levels of hsCRP of 10.0 mg/L) is uncertain. Methods and Results— Baseline levels of hsCRP were evaluated among 27 939 apparently healthy women who were followed up for myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, or cardiovascular death. Crude and Framingham Risk Score (FRS)–adjusted relative risks (RRs) of incident cardiovascular events were calculated across a full range of hsCRP levels. Cardiovascular risks increased linearly from the very lowest (referent) to the very highest levels of hsCRP. Crude RRs for those with baseline hsCRP levels of <0.5, 0.5 to <1.0, 1.0 to <2.0, 2.0 to <3.0, 3.0 to <4.0, 4.0 to <5.0, 5.0 to <10.0, 10.0 to <20.0, and ≥20.0 mg/L were 1.0, 2.2, 2.5, 3.1, 3....
The first known alvarezsaurid (Theropoda: Aves) from North America

(1998). The first known alvarezsaurid (Theropoda: Aves) from North America. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology: Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 447-450.
A composite grid solver for conjugate heat transfer in fluid-structure systems

We describe a numerical method for modeling temperature-dependent fluid flow coupled to heat transfer in solids. This approach to conjugate heat transfer can be used to compute transient and steady state solutions to a wide range of fluid-solid systems in complex two- and three-dimensional geometry. Fluids are modeled with the temperature-dependent incompressible Navier-Stokes equations using the Boussinesq approximation. Solids with heat transfer are modeled with the heat equation. Appropriate interface equations are applied to couple the solutions across different domains. The computational region is divided into a number of sub-domains corresponding to fluid domains and solid domains. There may be multiple fluid domains and multiple solid domains. Each fluid or solid sub-domain is discretized with an overlapping grid. The entire region is associated with a composite grid which is the union of the overlapping grids for the sub-domains. A different physics solver (fluid solver or solid solver) is associated with each sub-domain. A higher-level multi-domain solver manages the entire solution process.We propose and analyze some centered discrete approximations to the interface equations that have some desirable stability properties. The coupled interface equations may be solved directly when using explicit time-stepping methods in the sub-domains, resulting in a strongly coupled approach. The stability of the interface treatment in this case is independent of the relative sizes of the material properties in the two domains with the time-step only depending on the usual von Neumann conditions for each sub-domain. For implicit time-stepping methods we solve the interface equations in a weakly coupled fashion to avoid forming a coupled implicit system across all sub-domains. The convergence of this approach does depend on the relative sizes of the thermal conductivities and diffusivities. We analyze different iteration strategies for solving these implicit equations including the use of mixed (Robin) approximations at the interface.Numerical results are presented to illustrate the method. The accuracy of the technique is verified using the method of analytic solutions and by computing the solution to some heat exchanger problems where the exact solution is known. The technique is also applied to the modeling of an inertial-confinement-fusion hohlraum target and the flow of coolant past an hexagonal array of heated fuel rods. The multi-domain solver runs in parallel on distributed memory computers and some parallel results are provided.
Cooperative competition in adolescent “girl talk”

Differences between male and female participation in speech events are based in differences in gender roles in society as a whole. Fruitful discussion of such differences, therefore, must account for the function of male and female interaction within a social theoretical framework. Such an approach is taken here to girl talk, a typically female speech event involving long and detailed personal discussions about people, norms, and beliefs. It is argued that the function of girl talk derives from the place of females in society, particularly as a function of the domestication of female labor. Deprived of direct power, females are constrained to focus on the development of personal influence. Thus constrained to define themselves, not in terms of individual accomplishments, but in terms of their overall character, females need to explore and negotiate the norms that govern their behavior and define this character. Girl talk is a speech event that provides females with the means to negotiate these norms and t...
Transperitoneal versus extraperitoneal approach to laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: an assessment of 156 cases.

Abstract Objectives To compare the results of 122 transperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (TP-LRP) procedures with those of 34 extraperitoneal LRP (EP-LRP) procedures to assess for differences in outcomes and complications. Both TP-LRP and EP-LRP have been touted as effective techniques for performing LRP. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 156 LRPs performed by a single surgeon (D.M.D.) at a single institution between October 2001 and June 2003. EP-LRP was introduced in February 2003. Results The cohorts were similar in terms of mean patient age, height, weight, body mass index, and American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification. Of the total cohort, 19 TP-LRP (16%) and 11 EP-LRP (32%) patients had clinical Stage T2; the remainder had clinical Stage T1c. Similarly, 18 TP-LRP (15%) and 9 EP-LRP (26%) patients had a biopsy Gleason grade of 7 or greater. About one third of patients underwent concomitant pelvic lymphadenectomy (all negative), and 15 TP-LRP (12%) and 2 EP-LRP (6%) patients underwent simultaneous inguinal or umbilical herniorrhaphy. Six TP-LRP patients (5%) required significant lysis of bowel adhesions. The patients in both groups had similar mean operative times (197 minutes and 191 minutes for the TP-LRP and EP-LRP group, respectively; P = 0.29). Clinically significant anastomotic leaks were documented in 7 (6%) TP-LRP and 4 (12%) EP-LRP patients ( P = 0.22). The two groups had similar mean hemoglobin decreases (3.0 g/dL) and transfusion rates. The mean time of drainage and hospitalization was 0.5 day longer for the TP-LRP cohort. A mean pathologic Gleason grade of 6.3 was noted for each cohort. Twenty-one TP-LRP (17%) and eight EP-LRP (24%) specimens were pathologic Stage T3, and 29 (24%) of the former and 7 (21%) of the latter ( P = 0.81) specimens were margin positive. The complication rates were similar (11% and 12% in TP-LRP and EP-LRP groups, respectively; P = 1.0), except for a greater rate of ileus in the TP-LRP cohort (3 patients). Conclusions Extraperitoneal LRP appears to offer similar results to TP-LRP. TP-LRP was associated with a slightly greater ileus rate and EP-LRP with a slightly greater anastomotic leak rate ( P = 0.22). However, the latter may have been the result of improved detection. Also, it was easier to manage using the EP-LRP approach.
Universal Continuum Regularization of Quantum Field Theory

I review the continuum regularization program, which has provided a universal geometric prescription for non-perturbative invariant continuum regularization of all quantum field theory
Comparison of Polymerase Chain Reaction of Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes and Plasma Identifies Patients Who Control Cytomegalovirus Infection after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

By use of an automated polymerase chain reaction test of plasma and a qualitative polymerase chain reaction assay on polymorphonuclear leukocytes, we identified a subgroup of hematopoietic cell transplant recipients who were able to control cytomegalovirus infection early after hematopoietic cell transplantation without antiviral therapy. Thirty-one percent of patients had cytomegalovirus DNA detected by qualitative polymerase chain reaction assay but had no cytomegalovirus DNA detected by the automated test; this group maintained a lower peak cytomegalovirus load, compared with the group of patients who had cytomegalovirus DNA detected by both tests (P = .03), suggesting a greater degree of functional immune reconstitution.
Effect of Pyrite Application on Wheat-Maize Growth and Nutrient Uptake Under Diverse Soil Conditions

Zinc (Zn) and phosphorus (P) deficiency is a common nutritional problem for the production of many crops in semi-arid Mediterranean region of Turkey. This problem results in the application of increasing amounts of fertilizers. Minerals (such as pyrite) including iron (Fe) and sulfur (S) can decrease soil pH may be a critical factor in crop production under low supply of Zn and P in calcareous and clay soils. The aim of this research was to determine the effect of pyrite application on wheat-maize-wheat growth, P and Zn concentration with three successive pot experiments. Bread (Seri-82) (Triticum durum L.) durum (Kunduru) wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and maize (Zea mays L.) RX 788 hybrid was grown in Zn and P-deficient calcareous soils from Central Anatolian Sultanonu and Cukurova Karaburun. Plants were grown under greenhouse conditions at five rates of pyrite (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 g pyrite kg−1 soil) in three consecutive experiments. Pyrite application increased shoot dry matter production of wheat an...
Promoting Inclusion Through Instructional Leadership: The Roles Of the Secondary School Principal:

Learning is the core purpose, the quintessential mission of schools and schooling. Learning and its sundry issues also present problems and questions for school leaders: Who can learn? What can the...
Relation between adaptation to rearrangement and the source of motor-sensory feedback

The source of reafferent inj(Jrmation during rearrangement determines the generality of adaptation. Walking with prism vision produces changes ill sensorimotor coordinations en­ tailing the limbs as well as the whole body, whereas viewing arm movements through prisms produces effects that are con­ fined to eye-hand coordinations.
MRI of spinal bone marrow: part I, techniques and normal age-related appearances.

OBJECTIVE. This article reviews MRI protocols, including routine and nonroutine pulse sequences as well as the normal MRI appearance of spinal marrow and expected age-related changes. CONCLUSION. Routine MRI of the spine provides useful evaluation of the spinal bone marrow, but nonroutine MRI pulse sequences are increasingly being used to evaluate bone marrow pathology. An understanding of MRI pulse sequences and the normal and age-related appearances of bone marrow is important for the practicing radiologist.
SU‐FF‐T‐63: A Study of Effectiveness of Stereotactic Head Frame Distortion On the Gamma Knife Automatic Positioning System by Stress of Screw Fixation

During routine Gamma Knife radiosurgery procedure, it was noted that the Automatic Positioning System (APS) (Elekta Inc) did not always function as expected for some patients This caused the plans to be readjusted for use of trunnions which greatly lengthens the treatment time in most cases. After investigation of those repeated APS operation failures, the reliability of APS was extensively tested by performing a series of measurements to determine head frame distortion. Measurements on a fabricated hard wood phantom using a range of torques (2–20 in⋅lbs) were applied to screws which fastened the head frame into the skull of the patients for Gamma knife treatment. The ability for the Leksell frame to lock into APS was used as the endpoint to determine whether the APS would operate clinically. A calibrated digital torque wrench was applied in those measurements. The magnitude of the distortion on the head frame has been measured by using calipers between the two frame members ( Z‐bars) which are attached to the sides of head frame bi‐laterally. In the clinical application, the acceptable torque upper limit was 15 in⋅lbs which was the maximum applied to the screws in 26 clinical cases and has been used to predict the success application of the phantom measurements. For 14 Gamma Knife cases, if a frame displacement was greater than 1.5 mm, the APS would not operate. If frame displacements under 1.5 mm, the APS operated in 12 cases. A linear correlation coefficient (r2) was found to be 0.94 for the fitting of the data to a line.
CT-guided hook wire localization of subpleural lung lesions for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

Background/Purpose Histologic diagnosis of suspicious small subpleural lung lesions is difficult and often impossible using existing image-guided needle biopsy techniques including video-assisted thoracoscopic wedge resection. Preoperative lung lesion localization provides a more obvious target to facilitate intraoperative resection. This study reviewed the indications, results and complications of CT-guided hook wire localization for subpleural lung lesions in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Methods Between February 2001 and January 2007, 41 patients (20 males, 21 females; mean age, 52.5 ± 5.1 years) with 43 subpleural pulmonary lesions underwent preoperative CT-guided double-thorn hook wire localization prior to video-assisted thoracoscopic wedge resection. Nodule diameters ranged from 2 mm to 26 mm (mean, 9.7 ± 1.6 mm). The distance of the lung lesions from the nearest pleural surfaces ranged from 2 mm to 30 mm (mean, 9.6 ± 2.0 mm). Patients then received VATS within 5 hours. The efficacy of preoperative localization was evaluated in terms of procedure time, VATS success rate and associated complications of localization. Results Forty-three wedge resections of the lungs containing 43 subpleural lung lesions as guided or assisted by the inserted hook wires were successfully performed in 41 VATS procedures (41 of 43 procedures, 95.3%). The mean procedure time for preoperative CT-guided hook wire localization was 30.4 ± 2.8 minutes. Eight patients had asymptomatic minimal pneumothoraces (18.6%); six patients had minimal needle tract parenchymal hemorrhages (13.9%) and one patient (2.3%) had an estimated 100 mL of hemothorax due to a small intercostal artery bleed that was cauterized during operation. The mean procedure time for VATS was 103 ± 9.7 minutes (range, 44–198 minutes). Pathologic examination revealed seven primary lung cancers, 11 metastases, one hemangioma, 19 definite non-neoplastic pathologies, two nonspecific chronic inflammation, and three metallic foreign bodies. Diagnostic yield was 95%. No major complications related to the preoperative hook wire localization and VATS were noted. Conclusion CT-guided hook wire fixation is useful, helps in precise lesion localization in VATS wedge resection, and has a low rate of minor complications.
Nothing but the Facts—And some Observations on Norms and Values: The History of a Consultation with a Metropolitan Police Division

The paper describes a case study of an initial intervention in a large municipal police division. A community group/police confrontation led to the development of an 80-hour community relations training program for 39 police recruits. The program, designed and conducted by a biracial staff, followed an experience-based learning format in sharp contrast to the quasi-military traditional learning format of the police division. Focus is placed on the value and norm conflicts between change agent and the power structure of the urban police system.
Spatially and temporally resolved thermal imaging of cyclically heated interconnects by use of scanning thermal microscopy.

A scanning thermal microscope with a Wollaston probe was used to investigate the spatial distribution and temporal variation of temperature in interconnect structures subjected to thermal cycling. The probe, utilized in passive temperature sensing mode, was calibrated from 20°C to 200°C using a single-layer aluminum microdevice. Spatial measurements were performed on nonpassivated aluminum interconnects sinusoidally heated by a 6 MA/cm2 current at 200 Hz. The interconnects were determined to have temperatures that decreased with position from a maximum located at the center of both the interconnect length and width. Time-resolved temperature measurements were performed on the same structures sinusoidally heated by a 6 MA/cm2 current at 2 Hz. Both the peak-cycle temperature and average-cycle temperature were found to decrease with increasing distance from the center of the width of the interconnects. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2008. Published 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Local connectivity functions on arcwise connected spaces and certain continua

Abstract Types of spaces are given on which every local connectivity function is a connectivity function, a connected function, or a Darboux function. A complete determination such spaces is obtained when the spaces are assumed to be arc-like continua or circle-like continua. Results provide answers to a question asked by Stallings.
Properties of large molecules that go beyond the properties of their chemical sub-groups.

Abstract Kasha has listed some of the physical and chemical properties that polyatomic molecules of 5 or more atoms begin to have that might not have been anticipated from a knowledge of diatomics and triatomics alone. Here a list is given of properties that “fully-complex” molecules of 500 or more atoms may begin to have that go beyond the collection of properties of their chemical sub-groups or the properties of smaller systems. The list includes mechano-chemical properties such as contractility and contractive forces in long flexible chains, and reproducibility in successive amplification processes of catalysis or response. It includes the effects of molecular continuity in facilitating sequential chemical reactions; the specificity of information and of reactions that can be obtained with complex sequences of side groups; long-range order; polyelectrolyte behavior; and other cooperative properties. Several of these properties are related to the action of muscle. Because the various properties appear necessarily and naturally with increasing molecular size, they make it possible to explain a number of strange processes in biology more easily in ordinary physical and chemical terms without invoking additional peculiarly biological assumptions.