cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reduction of Orbital Inflammation following Decompression for Thyroid-Related Orbitopathy

Purpose. Thyroid-related orbitopathy (TRO) is associated with inflammation, expansion of orbital fat, enlargement of extraocular muscles, and optic neuropathy (ON). We examined the effects of orbital decompression on the inflammatory and congestive signs of TRO in patients who underwent emergent orbital decompression. Methods. This retrospective, consecutive study included patients with ON from TRO who underwent orbital decompression. Pre- and postoperative orbital inflammatory signs in the operated and nonoperated, contralateral eyes were graded with the 10-item clinical activity score (CAS). Results. Thirty-one orbits were included. Postoperatively, 22 patients and 29 orbits had resolution of ON while the remaining 2 patients had improvement in visual acuity. Mean preoperative CAS was 9.5 ± 0.4. At 12 months, postoperative CAS was 2.1 ± 0.6 (P < 0.01) in the operated eye and 3.2 ± 0.5 (P < 0.05) in the nonoperated, contralateral eye. Conclusion. In our series, 94% of orbits had resolution of ON. There was also a statistically significant postoperative reduction in the CAS in both the operated and nonoperated, contralateral eyes. This phenomenon may be due to lowered venous congestion, decreased intraorbital pressure, and diminution in inflammatory factors.
Large Scale Reactive Power Planning

A new methodology for planning future reactive compensation for large scale systems is presented. The planning technique is based on a restructuring of the network model and a special formulation of the revised simplex method. A preprocessor is incorporated for correcting systems which are not able to converge using conventional power flow or optimal power flow programs. A 600 bus example is provided which considers 285 transmission contingencies.
The Accessibility of Abortion Services In the United States, 2001

Abortion services are provided in hospitals, doctors' offices and various types of clinics, but about two-thirds of procedures are performed in specialized abortion clinics. While this system appears to work well for most women, some women seeking abortion face obstacles related to distance, cost, harassment and special medical conditions. Nine percent of nonhospital abortion patients must travel more than 100 miles and 18 percent travel 50 to 100 miles for services. The average woman having a first-trimester nonhospital abortion paid $251 in 1989. Fees were higher in facilities with small abortion caseloads. An abortion at 10 weeks' gestation in a hospital cost an average of $1,757. Charges for abortions at 16 weeks averaged $509 in abortion clinics, compared with $1,539 in hospitals for curettage and $2,246 for instillation procedures. Some women face other barriers: Only 43 percent of all abortion facilities offer services past 12 weeks, and 27-37 percent of nonhospital facilities say they do not treat patients who test positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS. Women who need special services such as an administration of Rh immunoglobulin, general anesthesia or HIV testing usually pay extra for these services. In addition, 85 percent of nonhospital facilities that serve 400 or more abortion patients a year reported some form of antiabortion harassment in 1988, most commonly picketing; there was virtually no change in this proportion between 1985 and 1988.
Sex Differences in Jealousy in Response to Actual Infidelity

The present studies address two criticisms of the theory of evolved sex differences in jealousy: (a) that the sex difference in jealousy emerges only in response to hypothetical infidelity scenarios, and (b) that the sex difference emerges only using forced-choice measures. In two separate studies, one a paper-and-pencil survey with a student sample and the other a web-based survey targeting a non-student sample, men and women showed significant sex differences in jealousy in response to actual infidelity experiences; men experienced more jealousy in response to the sexual aspects of an actual infidelity, whereas women experienced more jealousy in response to the emotional aspects of the infidelity. Sex differences emerged using both continuous measures of jealousy as well as the traditional forced-choice measure. Overall, our results demonstrate that sex differences in jealousy are not limited to responses to hypothetical infidelity scenarios; they also emerge in response to actual infidelity experiences.
Teleassistance: contextual guidance for autonomous manipulation

We present teleassistance, a two-tiered control structure for robotic manipulation that combines the advantages of autonomy and teleoperation. At the top level, a teleoperator provides global, deictic references via a natural sign language. Each sign indicates the next action to perform and a relative and hand-centered coordinate frame in which to perform it. For example, the teleoperator may point to an object for reaching, or preshape the hand for grasping. At the lower level autonomous servo routines run within the reference frames provided. Teleassistance offers two benefits. First, the servo routines can position the robot in relative coordinates and interpret feedback within a constrained context. This significantly simplifies the computational load of the autonomous routines and requires only a sparse model of the task. Second, the operator's actions are symbolic, conveying intent without requiring the person to literally control the robot. This helps to alleviate many of the problems inherent to teleoperation, including poor mappings between operator and robot physiology, reliance on a broad communication bandwidth, and the potential for robot damage when solely under remote control. To demonstrate the concept, a Utah/MIT hand mounted on a Puma 760 arm opens a door.
Trust model for semantic sensor and social networks: A preliminary report

Trust is an amorphous concept that is becoming Increasingly important in many domains, such as P2P networks, E-commerce, social networks, and sensor networks. While we all have an intuitive notion of trust, the literature is scattered with a wide assortment of differing definitions and descriptions; often these descriptions are highly dependent on a single domain or application of interest. In addition, they often discuss orthogonal aspects of trust while continuing to use the general term “trust”. In order to make sense of the situation, we have developed an ontology of trust that integrates and relates its various aspects into a single model.
Education and Training of Occupational Therapists for Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Objective The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is an area in which occupational therapists require specialized advanced training and skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nature of current practice among occupational therapists in NICU settings, their training, and their opinions regarding educational experiences necessary for NICU work. Method One hundred seventy-four NICU occupational therapists completed a survey questionnaire designed to elicit information about these issues. Results The majority of respondents were engaged in similar practice duties in NICUs, most of which had been using therapy services for less than 10 years. Most of the respondents (83%) reported that their primary source of training was on the job rather than through formal course work or training programs. Many of the respondents (40%) lacked training in the use of any infant assessments, and 50% had 2 years or less of pediatric work experience before entering practice in the NICU. The respondents indicated that mentored experience, on-the-job training, pediatric work experience, extended continuing education courses, and formal internships could prove helpful to future occupational therapists who wish to acquire the knowledge and skills to become competent in the NICU. Conclusion Results of the survey indicate that current training and education to work in an NICU is inadequate and needs to be addressed. Occupational therapists working in NICUs desire and express the need for specialized training to work in this practice area. A more aggressive effort toward standard NICU education and training is necessary to ensure that occupational therapists are competent members of the NICU team.
A new approach of adaptive reinforcement learning control

A new learning algorithm for connectionist networks that solves a class of optimal control problems is presented. The algorithm, called adaptive reinforcement learning algorithm, employs a second network to model immediate reinforcement provided from the task environment and adaptively identify it through experience. Output perturbation and correlation techniques are used to translate mere critic signals into useful learning signals for the connectionist controller. Compared with the direct approaches of reinforcement learning, this algorithm shows faster and guaranteed improvement in the control performance. Robustness against inaccuracy of the model is also discussed.
A high density embedded array programmable logic architecture

An SRAM based embedded array programmable logic architecture with densities ranging from 10000 to 100000 gates is discussed in this paper. An embedded array is incorporated into this architecture to implement megafunctions like microprocessors, FIFOs and multipliers efficiently. A multidimensional interconnect scheme is featured to achieve flexible routing between logic blocks, the embedded array and I/O pins. The first member of the family is currently available with a gate density of 50000 gates.
The Basis for Using the Internet to Support the Information Needs of Primary Care

Synthesizing the state of the art from the published literature, this review assesses the basis for employing the Internet to support the information needs of primary care. The authors survey what has been published about the information needs of clinical practice, including primary care, and discuss currently available information resources potentially relevant to primary care. Potential methods of linking information needs with appropriate information resources are described in the context of previous classifications of clinical information needs. Also described is the role that existing terminology mapping systems, such as the National Library of Medicine's Unified Medical Language System, may play in representing and linking information needs to answers.
Initial Response of Soil Nutrient Pools to Prescribed Burning and Thinning in a Managed Forest Ecosystem of Northern Alabama

Forest management practices such as prescribed burning and thinning are commonly used to restore degraded forest communities in the Southern Appalachians. Prescribed treatments influence physical and chemical properties of soils and change the balance of nutrients such as carbon and nitrogen. This study was conducted to investigate the initial impacts of prescribed burning, thinning and a combination of prescribed thinning and burning on total carbon and nitrogen pools, as well as other properties, in soil and forest floor. Effects of these disturbance regimes were tested on Typic Hapludults at the Bankhead National Forest in Northern Alabama. Results show that prescribed burning alone led to significant increases in total C and N contents in soil surface horizons. Burning alone also resulted in changes in exchangeable Na pools and significant increases in pH values throughout the study sites. Combination of prescribed thinning and burning did not result in significant changes in total C and N concentrations. However, significant increases in K and Na concentrations were observed in these sites. Prescribed thinning alone did not appear to impact total C and total N concentrations, soil acidity or exchangeable Ca and Mg concentrations, but caused significant increases in Na and decreases in K concentrations. Results of the study indicated that prescribed burning alone appeared to have a stronger impact on total C and N pools than a combination of prescribed thinning and burning. Use of prescribed thinning alone did not have any effect on total C and N pools in soils and forest floor. While prescribed burning alone and a combination of thinning and burning led to changes in exchangeable K and Na pools, no change was detected in either Ca or Mg concentrations.
Incremental state saving in SPEEDES using C

Optimistic parallel discrete-event simulation engines require a rollback mechanism to restore the state of a simulation object to an earlier time if its events are accidentally processed out of time order. Traditional approaches save the entire state of an object before its next event is processed so that its original state can be restored. However, this approach can very quickly use up all of a processor's available memory. In addition, the overhead for copying large amounts of memory can be quite high. Incremental state saving helps to overcome these problems by saving only the changes that an event makes to an object. This paper describes some reversible incremental state saving techniques (i.e., the Delta Exchange Method and the Rollback Queue Mechanism) that are used by the object-oriented C++ SPEEDES (Synchronous Parallel Environment for Emulation and Discrete-Event Simulation) operating system, The need for reversible incremental state saving is emphasized by a brief discussion on lazy cancellation techniques which require roll-forward as well as rollback support.
Micromachined "Side-Viewing" Optical Sensor Probe for Detection of Esophageal Cancers.

In this paper, we report the design, fabrication and testing of a new miniaturized optical sensor probe with “side viewing” capability for oblique incidence diffuse reflectance spectrometry. The sensor probe consists of a lithographically patterned polymer waveguides chip and two micromachined positioning substrates and source/collection fibers to achieve 45° light incidence and collection of spatially resolved diffuse reflectance. Diffuse reflectance of human esophageal surface has been successfully measured for differentiation of cancerous tissues from normal ones.
Complex venture acquisition: going beyond the traditional systems engineering paradigm

Purpose – This paper seeks to explore new complex venture approaches needed because the classical twentieth century system engineering model does not accommodate the complexities of twenty‐first century ventures, especially those with significant knowledge management components.Design/methodology/approach – A complexity literature review was performed to identify the attributes of complex ventures. Then the fundamental differences in defining, developing, and implementing complicated traditional systems and complex ventures were explored. The resultant complex venture model builds on the insights derived from chaos and complexity theories; observations of several acquisition successes and failures; and doctoral research on agile enterprise decision support.Findings – Successful traditional systems engineering complicated systems models' built‐in assumptions do not scale to the needed twenty‐first century complex solutions. It is necessary to develop a complex venture model that guides the engineering solu...
Radar backscatter measurements from Arctic sea ice during the fall freeze-up

C-band radar backscatter from sea ice increases dramatically during the fall freeze-up. Measurements taken from a ship-borne scatterometer during the International Arctic Ocean Expedition (IAOE) '91 show that this increase is 15-20 dB at incidence angles from 25/spl deg/ to 35/spl deg/. This increase in backscatter is shown to be due mainly to a transformation from primarily surface scattering to primarily volume scattering through the use of simple scattering models. The re-freezing of moisture on or near the sea ice surface is believed to cause the increase in volume scatter. The authors applied a coherent noise reduction scheme to these data to improve the quality of the measurements and to remove systematic noise sources that corrupt the measurements. This scheme reduces coherent noise sources by 10 to 20 dB. >
Osteopontin N-terminal Domain Contains a Cryptic Adhesive Sequence Recognized by α9β1 Integrin *

Osteopontin is an adhesive glycoprotein implicated in numerous diseases associated with inflammation and remodeling. There are several structural domains in osteopontin that are of particular interest. The RGD motif is a cell attachment sequence shown to be critical for cell adhesion through alphav-containing integrins. In close proximity to the RGD domain is the thrombin cleavage site. Previous observations suggest that thrombin cleavage of osteopontin occurs in vivo and may be physiologically important. To study the functional significance of osteopontin cleavage by thrombin, we made glutathione S-transferase-osteopontin fusion proteins. These proteins contain either the N- or C-terminal domains expected to be formed following thrombin cleavage at the Arg169-Ser170 peptide bond. We compared these osteopontin fragments with native osteopontin in their ability to support adhesion of several different cell lines and identified the receptors mediating these interactions. Our data show that the N-terminal osteopontin fragment, which contains the RGD domain, supports adhesion of a melanoma cell line that is unable to bind native osteopontin. This suggests that osteopontin adhesive interactions may be regulated by thrombin cleavage. We also demonstrate that osteopontin contains a cryptic binding activity, which can be recognized by a novel osteopontin receptor. This receptor has been identified as the alpha9beta1 integrin.
“They Might Need a Little Extra Hand, You Know” Latino Students in At-Risk Programs

This is a qualitative study in a school district in a large city in the Southwest in response to the research question, “What are staff and student expectations for, and assessment of, three `at-risk' programs in this large school district?” Four thematic findings from observations and interviews in four classes in two high school alternative programs and one alternative high school over one semester are reported, concerning (a) commitment to the programs, (b) labeling of students, (c) student satisfaction, and (d) academic expectations. The impact on students of color, especially Latinos/as, is a focus of this study. Results show that students appreciated the caring and support of the smaller communities. However, academic expectations were low, the school work was remedial, and although they gained extra credits toward graduation, students were not being prepared for more challenging academic work. Such programs do not narrow the achievement gap for students of color.
Noncontact, low-frequency ultrasound as an effective therapy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected biofilm wounds.

Abstract : Bacterial biofilms, a critical chronic wound mediator, remain difficult to treat. Energy-based devices may potentially improve healing, but with no evidence of efficacy against biofilms. This study evaluates noncontact, low-frequency ultrasound (NLFU) in the treatment of biofilm-infected wounds. Six-millimeter dermal punch wounds in rabbit ears were inoculated with 10 (exp 7) colony-forming units of Pseudomonas aeruginosa or left as sterile controls. A biofilm was established in vivo using our published model. NLFU treatment was carried out every other day or every day, with contralateral ear wounds acting as internal, untreated controls. Wounds were harvested for several quantitative endpoints and scanning electron microscopy to evaluate the biofilm structure. The P. aeruginosa biofilm consistently impaired wound epithelialization and granulation. NLFU, both every other day and every day, improved healing and reduced bacterial counts relative to untreated controls (p less than 0.05). Scanning electron microscopy confirmed a qualitative decrease in bacteria after both treatments. NLFU also reduced inflammatory cytokine expression (p less than 0.05). Our study suggests that NLFU is an effective therapy against P. aeruginosa wound biofilm. This represents the first in vivo evidence of energy-based modalities impact on wound biofilm, setting the foundation for future mechanistic studies. Continued wound care technology research is essential to improving our understanding, and treatment, of biofilm-infected chronic wounds.
Public reporting and market area exit decisions by home health agencies.

Objective: To examine whether home health agencies selectively discontinue services to areas with socioeconomically disadvantaged people after the introduction of Home Health Compare (HHC), a public reporting program initiated by Medicare in 2003. Study Design /Methods: We focused on agencies’ initial responses to HHC and examined selective market-area exits by agencies between 2002 and 2004. We measured HHC effects by the percentage of quality indicators reported in public HHC data in 2003. Socio-economic status was measured by per capita income and percent college-educated at the market-area level. Data Source(s): 2002 and 2004 Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS); 2000 US Census file; 2004 Area Resource File; and 2002 Provider of Service File. Principal Findings: We found a small and weak effect of public reporting on selective exits: a 10-percent increase in reporting (reporting one more indicator) increased the probability of leaving an area with lesseducated people by 0.3 percentage points, compared with leaving an area with high education. Conclusion: The small level of market-area exits under public reporting is unlikely to be practically meaningful, suggesting that HHC did not lead to a disruption in access to home health care through selective exits during the initial year of the program.
Condition templates: improved distributed models for automated fault monitoring of manufacturing systems

This paper considers the problem of monitoring automated manufacturing systems with discrete input and output signals. In such systems, the timing and sequencing of signal changes (events) can be an indication of whether the process is operating correctly. We introduce condition templates as a model to represent the expected timing and sequencing relationships of these events. Condition templates can be distributed over multiple processors in the manufacturing system, allowing a distributed and robust method of fault monitoring. We present the condition templates monitoring method and develop a technique for deriving condition template models from timed automata models.
Prevalence of selected viral infections among temporarily deferred donors who returned to donate blood: American Red Cross blood donor study.

BACKGROUND: Health history questions are introduced into the predonation interview to identify blood donors believed to pose a higher risk of infectious diseases to recipients. This study assesses the current impact of some of those questions. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Donor deferral and donation data were extracted from a research database of the American Red Cross. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen or antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, or human T-lymphotropic virus was obtained for different groups of donors who were temporarily deferred in 2000 through 2001 and later returned to donate blood in 2000 through 2003. The results were compared with either first-time or repeat donors in 2000 through 2003, while controlling for differences in sex, age, and year of donation. RESULTS: Of donors temporarily deferred in 2000 through 2001 who had had no donation or deferral during the previous 2 years, only 22.08 percent subsequently returned to donate blood in 2000 through 2003. Donations from returning donors who had been deferred for potential infectious disease risk did not show a higher prevalence for any of the viral markers when those with no donation or deferral during the previous two years were compared with first-time donations, and those with prior donation were compared with repeat donations. CONCLUSION: Blood donors temporarily deferred in 2000 through 2001 for potential risk of viral infection who later returned to donate blood did not appear to pose a higher risk compared to first-time or repeat donors. The effectiveness of some of the currently used deferral questions in reducing viral risks warrants further study.
Experiments with a Regional Fine-Mesh Prediction Model

Abstract Twelve and 24-hr 500-mb forecasts have been made using a hemispheric dependent, limited-area, fine-mesh prediction model. The model is barotropic and makes use of the primitive equations. Boundary conditions are obtained via a coarse-mesh hemispheric model, and are imposed during the subsequent integration of the fine-mesh model. Two methods of initializing the fine-mesh simulation are presented. Comparison between the coarse- and fine-mesh results are shown. The quality of the fine-mesh predictions indicates the validity of the approach.
Effect of Rickettsia rickettsii (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) Infection on the Biological Parameters and Survival of Its Tick Vector—Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae)

Rocky Mountain spotted fever, caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, is a potentially fatal tick-borne disease spread from North America to Argentina. The major vectors of R. rickettsii in the United States are Dermacentor andersoni Stiles and Dermacentor variabilis (Say). It is generally believed that vector ticks serve as major reservoirs of R. rickettsii in nature; however, the ability of ticks to support the indefinite perpetuation of R. rickettsii has been challenged by reports of deleterious effects of rickettsial infection on D. andersoni. To better elucidate the relationship of the pathogen with D. variabilis, we assessed the effects of R. rickettsii on the survival, fertility, and fecundity of D. variabilis. We used an isolate of R. rickettsii (Di-6), originally acquired from an opossum caught in Virginia, and ticks from a laboratory colony established from adult D. variabilis also collected in Virginia. Overall, infection with R. rickettsii protracted the feeding periods of all life stages of ticks. Infected nymphal and adult ticks experienced a slight decrease in feeding success compared with the uninfected colony, but neither larval nor nymphal molting success was affected. Infected females reached smaller engorgement weights, were less efficient in conversion of bloodmeal into eggs, and produced smaller egg clutches with a lower proportion of eggs hatching. However, no sudden die-off was observed among infected ticks, and longevity was not decreased due to R. rickettsii infection in any stage. Although infection with the studied isolate of R. rickettsii caused slight decrease in fecundity in sympatric vector ticks, no obvious deleterious effects were observed.
Utility of Routine PET Imaging to Predict Response and Survival After Induction Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background Data from clinical trials suggest that changes in the glucose avidity of the primary site of lung cancer during induction therapy, measured by changes in 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, correlate with tumor response. Little information about the utility of changes in positron emission tomography imaging of involved lymph nodes during induction chemotherapy is available. The utility of positron emission tomography imaging of either the primary site or nodal metastases, obtained during routine clinical care outside of a clinical trial setting, to predict response has also not been examined. Methods A retrospective review of all surgical patients with non-small cell lung cancer at a single institution imaged between 2000 and 2006 with 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography before or after induction therapy was performed. Results An increase in standardized uptake value in the primary site of disease during induction therapy was associated with reduced overall survival after resection. Neither pretreatment standardized uptake value nor percentage change in the primary site was associated with overall survival after resection. A decrease in standardized uptake value of greater than 60% in the involved N2 mediastinal nodes was the best predictor of overall survival, better than changes seen in the primary site of disease. Conclusions An increase in glucose avidity of non-small cell lung cancers during induction therapy was associated with a worse prognosis compared with stable or any decrease in standardized uptake value. Changes in the glucose avidity of mediastinal nodal metastases may be a stronger predictor of survival than changes in the primary site of disease.
Patient Education and Adherence to Aerosol Therapy

Nonadherence to prescribed medications results in disease instability and poor clinical control, with increases in hospital admissions, emergency room visits, school/work absenteeism, morbidity, and mortality. Poor patient adherence to therapy can be due to lack of cognition, competence, or contrivance. Patients who have not been trained or fail to understand use of drug and device combinations (cognition) often do not have the ability to use an aerosol device correctly (competence). Many patients have the competence to use the device correctly and know why they should use the device in the way they were taught; however, they still contrive to use it in an ineffective and suboptimal manner that reduces its efficiency and effectiveness. Ensuring effective aerosol therapy and optimizing its role in disease management involve not only delivery of aerosolized medications to the lungs, but also understanding why, when, and how to use the medications, competence to use the device, motivation to adhere to therapy, and not contriving to use the device in a way that will prevent effective drug delivery. This paper explains some of the problems with patient education and adherence to aerosol therapy and suggests strategies to evaluate, monitor, and improve patient adherence effectively in primary care. Factors affecting patient adherence to prescribed medications, effective educational interventions, and strategies to promote patient adherence to aerosol therapy are also discussed.
Exposure Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis compares the findings of empirical studies that employ either a traditional form of cognitive–behavioral-based exposure therapy or virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) for the...
Abstract 269: Variation in Cholesterol Documentation and Control in Different Clinics Run by the Same Provider

Background: Cholesterol level availability during a patient’s clinic visit can enhance decision-making with regards to lipid assessment and therapy, and help achieve therapeutic targets. Methods: Clinic encounters from a 2 clinics run by the same cardiologist; a University-based clinic and a Veterans Administration (VA) clinic were compared for availability of lipid profiles and level of lipid control in patients with documented coronary disease. Results: There were 93 out of 300 patient encounters (31%) with documented coronary disease in the University-based clinic and 77 out of 134 patient encounters (57%) in the VA-based clinic. University patients with CAD had 61% (57/93) lipid documentation during their encounters, while VA patients had 99% (76/77) documentation. The average total cholesterol and LDL for University patients was 179 +/- 42 mg/dL and 111 +/- 35 mg/dL respectively, compared with 154 +/- 38 mg/dL and 93+/- 35 mg/dL for the VA patients respectively (P < 0.01 for each category). Only 39% (22/57) of the University-based patients achieved < 100 mg/dL, compared with 66% (51/77) of VA patients. Blood pressures, which were consistently documented every clinic visit in both clinics, averaged 128/76 mmHg in the University clinic compared with 131/75 mmHg in the VA clinic, with no statistically significant differences. Conclusion: Overall, better control of cholesterol levels is seen in the VA-based clinic compare with the University-based clinic. This may partially be explained by the result availability through a unified computer system, allowing more prompt decision-making with regards to medication changes and intensified dietary counseling during the clinic encounter. This is may not be available in other settings where laboratory tests are performed by a different provider utilizing a different reporting system which may not be readily shared or available to the treating cardiologist. Other factors could include variable compliance with laboratory appointments and access to medications.
Design and Operation on Parallel Gap Lightning Protection Device of Composite Insulators for 110 kV Overhead Transmission Line

The parallel gap lightning protection device is beneficial to the existing lightning protection measures for overhead transmission line and has broad application prospects.The application investigation on parallel gap lightning protection device of composite insulators for the 110 kV overhead transmission line used in Dongguan Power Supply Bureau is presented in this article.A variety of parallel gap lightning protection devices are designed.The functions of its guiding lightning discharge,transferring frequency arc,homogenizing frequency electric field and protecting insulators and fittings are verified by tests.After optimization of the design to determine the electrical parameters and dimensions of the gap,the samples are developed and used in five 110 kV transmission lines.The operation situation of the parallel gap lightning protection of composite insulator for 110 kV line is introduced.
Discussion of Construction of Socialist Core Values in the Health System

This paper discussed the importance of socialist core values in the health system,summed up the experiences on putting the core values into practice in the health system:strengthening the legal system is the linchpin,cultivating professionalism is the key,credibility building is the base,model of learning is the driving force and resource distribution according to demand is the guarantee.All that mentioned is the precondition and guarantee for the practice of socialist core values in health system,but also the essential measure to reduce medical disputes and ease physician-patient conflicts.
Utilization of precursor steroids in placental progesterone synthesis.

A number of radioactive steroid and sterol compounds were infused into the human term placenta in situ in an effort to assess their potential as precursors for progesterone production. Pregnenolone and pregnenolone sulfate were most efficiently converted to progesterone (12.8 and 12.9 per cent of injected radioactive material). 20β-dihydroprogesterone, 20β-dihydropregnenolone, and 20β-dihydropregnenolone-3-sulfate were converted in very low yield (
The prevention of adhesion formation by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs: an animal study comparing ibuprofen and indomethacin

The efficacy of two nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, ibuprofen and indomethacin, in the prevention of postoperative adhesions was examined. Thirty-three guinea pigs were randomly divided into three groups: a control group ( n =11), an ibuprofen group ( n =11), and an indomethacin group ( n =11). All of the animals received standardized injuries, and adhesions were graded 4weeks later. Both treatment groups were found to have significantly fewer ( P
Numerical Solutions of ODEs: Theory

The ubiquity of differential equations in all areas of physics and their resistance to analytical solutions in many cases of interest, plus the availability of cheaper and cheaper high-speed computers, has led to an explosion of interest in the numerical solution of differential equations. The techniques used in solving DEs are not new; some of the earlier ones date back to Euler himself.
Evolution of surfactant therapy for respiratory distress syndrome: past, present, and future

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) due to surfactant deficiency is the most common cause of respiratory failure in preterm infants. Tremendous progress has been made since the original description that surfactant deficiency is the major cause of RDS. Surfactant therapy has been extensively studied in preterm infants and has been shown to significantly decrease air leaks and neonatal and infant mortality. Synthetic and animal-derived surfactants from bovine as well as porcine origin have been evaluated in randomized controlled trials. Animal-derived surfactants generally result in faster weaning of respiratory support, shorter duration of invasive ventilation, and decreased mortality when compared to first- or second-generation of synthetic surfactants, but some of the second-generation synthetic surfactants are at least not inferior to the animal-derived surfactants. Using a higher initial dose of porcine derived surfactant may provide better outcomes when compared with using lower doses of bovine surfactants, likely, due to compositional difference and/or the dose. Third-generation synthetic surfactant containing peptide analogs of surfactant protein B and C are currently being studied. Less invasive intra-tracheal surfactant administration techniques in spontaneously breathing neonate receiving noninvasive ventilator support are also being evaluated. In the present era, prophylactic surfactant is not recommended as it may increase the risk of lung injury or death. In the future, surfactants may be used as vector to deliver steroids, or used in combination with molecules, such as, recombinant Club Cell Protein-10 (rhCC-10) to improve pulmonary outcomes. Also, noninvasive surfactant administration techniques, such as aerosolization or atomization of surfactant may play a greater role in the future.
The influence of a semi-reclined seated posture on head and neck kinematics and muscle activity while reading a tablet computer.

Increased tablet computer usage calls for a proper understanding of potential injury risks from these devices. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of tablet computer reading postures on head and neck flexion and muscle activity. Nineteen participants completed read a tablet computer in four different postures (standard computer monitor, tablet on a desk, tablet in the lap, semi-reclined with tablet in the lap). Reading the tablet in a semi-reclined trunk posture with the tablet in one's lap increased (p < 0.001) neck flexion angle (71.6%ROM) relative to reading from the standard computer monitor (6.39%ROM). Head flexion in the semi-reclined posture (19.7%ROM) and muscle activity (8.88%MVC) were similar to when reading from a standard computer monitor. Despite potentially reducing the gravitational moment produced by the head, the semi-reclined position could still compromise the force capabilities of the neck extensor musculature and result in increased strain on the passive tissues of the spine. Future work should assess how the semi-reclined position influences cervical intervertebral angles and passive tissue properties of the cervical spine. Overall, more research needs to be conducted on thoracic spine kinematics while reading a tablet computer.
Dynamic and Static Aging Precipitation of β-Mg 17 Al 12 in the AZ80 Magnesium Alloy During Multi-directional Forging and Subsequent Aging

Dynamic and static aging precipitation of Mg17Al12 phases in AZ80 magnesium alloy was studied by multi-directional forging (MDF) with decreasing temperatures from 410 to 300 °C and subsequent aging process. The results show that the morphology of the β-Mg17Al12 phases during forging process dynamically precipitates and aging process (statically precipitation) exhibited granular and laminar shapes, respectively. During the MDF, the inhomogeneous dynamic precipitation of the β-Mg17Al12 phases results in the uniformity on grain size, which is fine in the area with many granular Mg17Al12 phases but the grain is still coarse where there is no Mg17Al12 phases. During the aging process, the morphology of newly formed β-Mg17Al12 phases depends on the structural character of the forged sample. The newly precipitated β-Mg17Al12 phases are coarse laminar and needle-like shape in area with coarse grain. While, the fine newly precipitated β-Mg17Al12 phases are fine granular and needle-like in the area with fine grain.
Direct medical costs of accidental falls for adults with transfemoral amputations

Background:Active individuals with transfemoral amputations are provided a microprocessor-controlled knee with the belief that the prosthesis reduces their risk of falling. However, these prostheses are expensive and the cost-effectiveness is unknown with regard to falls in the transfemoral amputation population. The direct medical costs of falls in adults with transfemoral amputations need to be determined in order to assess the incremental costs and benefits of microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees.Objective:We describe the direct medical costs of falls in adults with a transfemoral amputation.Study design:This is a retrospective, population-based, cohort study of adults who underwent transfemoral amputations between 2000 and 2014.Methods:A Bayesian structural time series approach was used to estimate cost differences between fallers and non-fallers.Results:The mean 6-month direct medical costs of falls for six hospitalized adults with transfemoral amputations was US$25,652 (US$10,468, US$38,872). ...
Universal Restart Strategy for Scalar (V/f) Controlled Induction Machines

This paper presents a universal flying restart strategy for scalar ( V/f ) controlled induction machines. The proposed method performs a frequency search to estimate the rotor speed, and applies the correct frequency and voltage to minimize the inrush current during the restart. This method uses the measured phase current and the motor nameplate parameters, thus making the approach ideal for scalar-controlled motor drives. In addition, the restart algorithm provides controllable restart dynamics, independent of the motor parameters. The main advantages of this method include simple and cost effective implementation without the need for additional sensors, and controllable restart dynamics independent of the motor parameters. Beyond the development of the algorithm, we consider implementation issues to provide a general guideline for the application of the developed algorithm.
Image-based measurement of cargo traffic flow in complex neurite networks

Neurons depend critically on active transport of cargoes throughout their complex neurite networks for their survival and function. Defects in this process have been strongly associated with many human neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. To understand related neuronal physiology and disease mechanisms, it is essential to measure the traffic flow within the neurite networks. Currently, however, image analysis methods required for this measurement are lacking. To address this deficiency, we developed a method that could measure the flow rates of cargo traffic at any specified locations along individual branches of the neurite networks. Our method is based on detecting and counting cargo trajectories passing through the specified locations of measurement in kymographs, which are spatiotemporal maps of cargo movement within one-dimensional neurites. A main focus of our method development is robust performance, which ensures that our method works reliably and accurately under low signal-to-noise ratios. We validated and benchmarked our method using both synthetic and actual image data and found its accuracy to be >85% on average under normal conditions. Our method can be used to measure traffic flow in not just neurite networks but also other intracellular networks such as cytoskeletal filament networks.
A directional small-scale tissue model for an anthropomorphic breast phantom

Mammographic tissue structure has been shown to exhibit directionality, with a preferred orientation towards the nipple. However, this property is absent in the small-scale tissue model of current breast phantoms. To improve existing breast phantoms, a model for simulating oriented breast tissue has been developed, and has been included into an existing anthropomorphic breast phantom. Within this model, directionality was introduced by filling compartments with binarized power-law noise that was oriented towards the nipple. Mammograms were simulated based on the original and the new directional phantom. Tissue orientation was measured in the simulated mammogram. Visually, the appearance of the enhanced phantom was more realistic. Further, the distribution of the orientation measure computed from the enhanced phantom was more similar to that in actual mammograms. In conclusion, the use of a directional model to simulate fibroglandular tissue greatly improves the realism of the breast phantom.
A framework for data center site risk metric

Given the mission critical nature of data centers, metrics must provide a holistic understanding of the data center behavior, which is only viable if risks to the actual operation are considered. This paper proposes a framework for measuring data center site risk. The proposed methodology is aimed at standardizing a process to help evaluate data center sites and compare them to each other, or compare different scenarios where the data center operates. It establishes a process under defined criteria for the site risk analysis, despite the fact that much of that criteria is based on standards and expert knowledge. The metric is also a way to communicate and better understand risks due to the data center location, and help evaluate mitigation strategies.
Development of manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the rostral ventrolateral medulla of conscious rats: Importance of normalization and comparison with other regions of interest.

Spinally projecting neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) are believed to contribute to pathophysiological alterations in sympathetic nerve activity and the development of cardiovascular disease. The ability to identify changes in the activity of RVLM neurons in conscious animals and humans, especially longitudinally, would represent a clinically important advancement in our understanding of the contribution of the RVLM to cardiovascular disease. To this end, we describe the initial development of manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) for the rat RVLM. Manganese (Mn2+ ) has been used to estimate in vivo neuronal activity in other brain regions because of both its paramagnetic properties and its entry into and accumulation in active neurons. In this initial study, our three goals were as follows: (1) to validate that Mn2+ enhancement occurs in functionally and anatomically localized images of the rat RVLM; (2) to quantify the dose and time course dependence of Mn2+ enhancement in the RVLM after one systemic injection in conscious rats (66 or 33 mg/kg, intraperitoneally); and (3) to compare Mn2+ enhancement in the RVLM with other regions to determine an appropriate method of normalization of T1 -weighted images. In our proof-of-concept and proof-of-principle studies, Mn2+ was identified by MRI in the rat RVLM after direct microinjection or via retrograde transport following spinal cord injections, respectively. Systemic injections in conscious rats produced significant Mn2+ enhancement at 24 h (p < 0.05). Injections of 66 mg/kg produced greater enhancement than 33 mg/kg in the RVLM and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (p < 0.05 for both), but only when normalized to baseline scans without Mn2+ injection. Consistent with findings from our previous functional and anatomical studies demonstrating subregional neuroplasticity, Mn2+ enhancement was higher in the rostral regions of the RVLM (p < 0.05). Together with important technical considerations, our studies support the development of MEMRI as a potential method to examine RVLM activity over time in conscious animal subjects.