cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Explanatory History of the Origin of Feathers1

Historical-narrative evolutionary explanations for the origin and further evolution of avian feathers involve two steps. The first phase reconstructs a series of probable morphological changes from a reptilian scale to the primitive feather. The second deduces possible functions and biological roles of the features and feasible selective demands on these features at all stages in its evolution. The best explanation for the evolutionary origin of feathers would be one consistent with historical-narrative evolutionary explanations for the origin and further evolution of other features in the history of birds. Feathers of Recent birds have a number of functions and biological roles, and it is difficult to ascertain which of these functions and roles were involved in feather origin. Two major rival published theories are based on the roles of feathers in insulating the body against heat loss and in providing an aerodynamic surface for flight. However, because of the lack of knowledge about the roles and ecological relationships of protofeathers and of the most primitive feathers, it is not possible to test strongly either of these theories, or others as proposed in this symposium, against objective empirical observations to determine which is falsified or is the most probable. Finally it is argued that test of historical-narrative evolutionary explanations, including classifications and phylogenies, is generally difficult to impossible because of the lack of the necessary objective empirical observations.
Laser treatment in gynecology

This presentation is designed as a brief overview of laser use in gynecology, for non-medical researchers involved in development of new laser techniques. The literature of the past decade is reviewed. Differences in penetration, absorption, and suitable delivery media for the beams dictate clinical application. The use of CO 2 laser in the treatment of uterine cervical intraepithelial lesions is well established and indications as well as techniques have not changed over 30 years. The Cochrane Systematic Review from 2000 suggests no obviously superior technique. CO 2 laser ablation of the vagina is also established as a safe treatment modality for VAIN. CO 2 laser permits treatment of lesions with excellent cosmetic and functional results. The treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding by destruction of the endometrial lining using various techniques has been the subject of a 2002 Cochran Database Review. Among the compared treatment modalities are newer and modified laser techniques. Conclusion by reviewers is that outcomes and complication profiles of newer techniques compare favorably with the gold standard of endometrial resection. The ELITT diode laser system is one of the new successful additions. CO 2 laser is also the dominant laser type used with laparoscopy for ablation of endometriotic implants. Myoma coagulation or myolysis with Nd:Yag laser through the laparoscope or hysteroscope is a conservative treatment option. Even MRI guided percutaneous approaches have been described. No long-term data are available.
Perceptions in Litigation and Mediation: Lawyers, Defendants, Plaintiffs, and Gendered Parties

1. Introduction 2. Great misconceptions or disparate perceptions of plaintiffs' litigation aims? 3. Voluntary versus mandatory mediation divide 4. Consequences of power: legal actors versus disputants on defendants' attendance at mediation 5. Actors' mediation objectives: how lawyers versus parties plan to resolve their cases short of trial 6. Actors' divergent perceptions of what goes on during mediation 7. Parallel views on mediators and styles 8. Conclusion: the parallel understandings and experiences in case processing and mediation.
Pharmacokinetics of Doripenem in Infected Patients Treated Within and Outside the Intensive Care Unit

BACKGROUNDDoripenem often is used in the intensive care unit (ICU) to treat serious infections. However, pharmacokinetics in this population often are altered by various physiologic changes. Current pharmacokinetic data in critically ill patients receiving doripenem are limited.OBJECTIVETo determine the pharmacokinetics of doripenem in patients treated in the ICU versus outside the ICU.METHODSA total of 3–4 serum samples were collected from 25 infected patients receiving doripenem. A 2-compartment model was fit to serum pharmacokinetic data with nonparametric adaptive grid with adaptive γ. In the structural pharmacokinetic model, clearance (Cl) was made proportional to creatinine clearance (CrCl) and an intercept term. Bayesian pharmacokinetic parameters were compared between the 2 populations. A 5000-patient Monte Carlo simulation was performed for various CrCl ranges. The probability of pharmacodynamic target attainment was calculated over a range of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), assuming a ...
Rapid thermal processing of high dielectric constant gate dielectrics for sub 70 nm silicon CMOS technology

The use of high-/spl kappa/ gate dielectrics in place of the currently used Si-based gate dielectrics has the potential to push Si complementary metal-oxide-silicon (CMOS) technology to the fundamental limit of about 10 nm feature size circuits. Rapid thermal atomic layer chemical vapor deposition (RTALCVD) is used to deposit ZrO/sub 2/ on Si substrates to fabricate MIS structures. The leakage current and capacitance measurements were done to analyze their electrical properties. Achieving low leakage current density along with high capacitance per unit area demonstrates the superior performance of our process.
Current status of intestinal transplantation in children.

Abstract Purpose: A clinical trial of intestinal transplantation (ltx) under tacrolimus and prednisone immunosuppression was initiated in June 1990 in children with irreversible intestinal failure and who were dependent on total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Methods: Fifty-five patients (28 girls, 27 boys) with a median age of 3.2 years (range, 0.5 to 18 years) received 58 intestinal transplants that included isolated small bowel (SB) (n = 17), liver SB (LSB) (n = 33), and multivisceral (MV) (n = 8) allografts. Nine patients also received bone marrow infusion, and there were 20 colonic allografts. Azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, or mycophenolate mofetil were used in different phases of the series. Indications for ltx included: gastroschisis (n = 14), volvulus (n = 13), necrotizing enterocolitis (n = 6), intestinal atresia (n = 8), chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction (n = 5), Hirschsprung's disease (n = 4), microvillus inclusion disease (n = 3), multiple polyposis (n = 1), and trauma (n = 1). Results: Currently, 30 patients are alive (patient survival, 55%; graft survival, 52%). Twenty-nine children with functioning grafts are living at home and off TPN, with a mean follow-up of 962 (range, 75 to 2,424) days. Immunologic complications have included liver allograft rejection (n = 18), intestinal allograft rejection (n = 52), posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (n = 16), cytomegalovirus (n = 16) and graft-versus-host disease (n = 4). A combination of associated complications included intestinal perforation (n = 4), biliary leak (n = 3), bile duct stenosis (n = 1), intestinal leak (n = 6), dehiscence with evisceration (n = 4), hepatic artery thrombosis (n = 3), bleeding (n = 9), portal vein stenosis (n = 1), intraabdominal abscess (n = 11), and chylous ascites (n = 4). Graft loss occurred as a result of rejection (n = 8), infection (n = 12), technical complication (n = 8), and complications of TPN after graft removal (n = 3). There were four retransplants (SB, n=1; LSB n=3). Conclusions: Intestinal transplantation is a valid therapeutic option for patients with intestinal failure suffering complications of TPN. The complex clinical and immunologic course of these patients is reflected in a higher complication rate as well as patient and graft loss than seen after heart, liver, and kidney transplantation, although better than after lung transplantation.
Neonatal hypoxia/ischemia is associated with decreased inflammatory mediators after erythropoietin administration

Background and Purpose— Erythropoietin (EPO), a hematopoietic growth factor, has been shown to be neuroprotective when administered as either a pretreatment or posttreatment. This study tested the hypothesis that one of the mechanisms of protection afforded by posttreatment with recombinant human EPO (rh-EPO) is an anti-inflammatory effect via inhibition of interleukin (IL)-1β. Methods— Seven-day-old rat pups were subjected to unilateral carotid artery ligation followed by 90 minutes of hypoxia (8% O 2 at 37°C). Pups were divided into the following groups: control, hypoxia/ischemia, and hypoxia/ischemia plus rh-EPO. In the rh-EPO–treated pups, rh-EPO (5 U/g body weight IP) was administered starting 24 hours after the insult and then for 2 additional days. Samples were collected at 3, 7, 14, and 21 days after the insult. IL-1β mRNA and protein levels were determined by quantitative real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and ELISA. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α mRNA levels were determined by colorimetric microplate assay. Results— rhEPO attenuated brain injury, as assessed by brain weight, and attenuated both the hypoxia/ischemia–induced increases in IL-1β mRNA and protein levels. TNF-α mRNA levels did not increase at 3 to 14 days after the hypoxic/ischemic insult. Conclusions— Administration of exogenous rh-EPO starting 24 hours after a hypoxic/ischemic insult is neuroprotective in the neonatal rat. This neuroprotective activity prevented the secondary, delayed rise in IL-1β and attenuated the infiltration of leukocytes into the ipsilateral hemisphere.
OrderRex: clinical order decision support and outcome predictions by data-mining electronic medical records

Objective: To answer a “grand challenge” in clinical decision support, the authors produced a recommender system that automatically data-mines inpatient decision support from electronic medical records (EMR), analogous to Netflix or Amazon.com’s product recommender. Materials and Methods: EMR data were extracted from 1 year of hospitalizations (>18K patients with >5.4M structured items including clinical orders, lab results, and diagnosis codes). Association statistics were counted for the ∼1.5K most common items to drive an order recommender. The authors assessed the recommender’s ability to predict hospital admission orders and outcomes based on initial encounter data from separate validation patients. Results: Compared to a reference benchmark of using the overall most common orders, the recommender using temporal relationships improves precision at 10 recommendations from 33% to 38% ( P < 10−10) for hospital admission orders. Relative risk-based association methods improve inverse frequency weighted recall from 4% to 16% ( P < 10−16). The framework yields a prediction receiver operating characteristic area under curve (c-statistic) of 0.84 for 30 day mortality, 0.84 for 1 week need for ICU life support, 0.80 for 1 week hospital discharge, and 0.68 for 30-day readmission. Discussion: Recommender results quantitatively improve on reference benchmarks and qualitatively appear clinically reasonable. The method assumes that aggregate decision making converges appropriately, but ongoing evaluation is necessary to discern common behaviors from “correct” ones. Conclusions: Collaborative filtering recommender algorithms generate clinical decision support that is predictive of real practice patterns and clinical outcomes. Incorporating temporal relationships improves accuracy. Different evaluation metrics satisfy different goals (predicting likely events vs. “interesting” suggestions).
Implementing an interdisciplinary capstone experience for interactive digital media majors

In this paper, we describe an interdisciplinary Interactive Digital Media Seminar capstone course at Northwest Missouri State University, which is co-taught by a team of faculty from three departments; Computer Science/Information Systems, Mass Communication, and Art. The Interactive Digital Media majors of Computer Science Programming, New Media and Visual Imaging, take this seminar course during the fall semester. This paper describes the course structure and the process utilized to develop and teach this interdisciplinary seminar course and shares the formal assessment process and observations about working with an interdisciplinary team and teaching students from the three majors.
TRAUMATOLOGY AND MYTHOLOGY: A FEW TIPS FOR BEGINNING DOCTORS

Professor Augusto Sarmiento is famous in the world for his works on traumatology and orthopedics. He developed a method for the treatment of fractures that has been widely recognized and bears his name. Professor Sarmiento was behind the widespread use of implants in large joints. He was also the president of the American Orthopaedic Association. Now, at the age of 85, he is actively involved in professional and public life, paying a lot of attention to the education of young doctors. In recent years Dr. Sarmiento has been publishing journalistic and polemical articles leading professional journals on general trends of orthopedics and traumatology, in which he sets out his bright and very personal views on our profession. This article is specifically provided by Dr. Sarmiento for publication in our journal.
On breaking the Abbé diffraction limit in optical nanopatterning

We report on a novel method of optical nanopatterning, where wavelength-selective photochemical transformations are exploited to achieve deep sub-wavelength spatial resolution with near-UV and visible photons.
In situ synthesis of TiO2-functionalized metal nanoparticles

The ability to prepare and functionalize passivated nanosized metal powders was demonstrated using TiO2 films that were deposited via atomic layer deposition (ALD). Metal nanopowders were synthesized from the dehydration and subsequent decomposition of bulk quantities of metal oxalates in a fluidized-bed reactor. The gas-phase TiO2 ALD coating process was used to passivate these particles in situ, which alleviated the need to expose the oxygen-sensitive materials to air. Metal oxalate size reduction was achieved using a cryogenic milling process that reduced the micrometer-sized oxalate feed powder and yielded metal nanopowders with an average primary diameter of ∼50 nm. The metal oxalates that have received the most attention are those of iron, nickel, cobalt, and copper. Al2O3-based ALD films have been deposited on each of these metals, whereas TiO2:metal nanocomposite powder research has been performed here and is the basis for this work.
Interactive On-Line Visualization and Collaboration for Parallel Unstructured Multidisciplinary Applications

In this paper we describe a visualization software being developed for parallel unstructured multidisciplinary applications. One of its most attractive features is the possibility of connecting to a remotely running parallel solver for on-line display. This loose coupling of viewer-solver allows full interactivity and makes the solution and the visualization processes completely independent. Other capabilities include parallel visualization of distributed data, multidisciplinary data, collaboration sessions and automatic movie making with scripts and navigation cameras.
Measuring Melittin Uptake into Hydrogel Nanoparticles with Near-Infrared Single Nanoparticle Surface Plasmon Resonance Microscopy

This paper describes how changes in the refractive index of single hydrogel nanoparticles (HNPs) detected with near-infrared surface plasmon resonance microscopy (SPRM) can be used to monitor the uptake of therapeutic compounds for potential drug delivery applications. As a first example, SPRM is used to measure the specific uptake of the bioactive peptide melittin into N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm)-based HNPs. Point diffraction patterns in sequential real-time SPRM differential reflectivity images are counted to create digital adsorption binding curves of single 220 nm HNPs from picomolar nanoparticle solutions onto hydrophobic alkanethiol-modified gold surfaces. For each digital adsorption binding curve, the average single nanoparticle SPRM reflectivity response, ⟨Δ%RNP⟩, was measured. The value of ⟨Δ%RNP⟩ increased linearly from 1.04 ± 0.04 to 2.10 ± 0.10% when the melittin concentration in the HNP solution varied from zero to 2.5 μM. No change in the average HNP size in the presence of melittin is observed with dynamic light scattering measurements, and no increase in ⟨Δ%RNP⟩ is observed in the presence of either FLAG octapeptide or bovine serum albumin. Additional bulk fluorescence measurements of melittin uptake into HNPs are used to estimate that a 1% increase in ⟨Δ%RNP⟩ observed in SPRM corresponds to the incorporation of approximately 65000 molecules into each 220 nm HNP, corresponding to roughly 4% of its volume. The lowest detected amount of melittin loading into the 220 nm HNPs was an increase in ⟨Δ%RNP⟩ of 0.15%, corresponding to the absorption of 10000 molecules.
Blackjack and the Market Timing Puzzle

The objective of this paper is to establish that variation in market timing results can be attributed to the favorability of engaging in market timing strategies and not changes in investors behavior or skill. This hypothesis is very similar to the idea successfully tested in playing 21 by Thorpe in “Beat the Dealer” (1966). Just as the conditions of playing the game of blackjack switch from favoring the house to favoring the player, I propose that the conditions of the market can switch from favoring buy and hold investing to favoring market timing strategies and these conditions can be systematically measured in any equity market. The MT-BH metric measures the favorability of engaging in market timing strategies in any equity trading market. The MT-BH metric was created for 44 country indexes from 1994-2008 to indicate which years were most favorable for market timing strategies. This study generalizes the market timing results of eight past studies covering mutual funds, stocks, option traders and individual investors across several US and International indexes. The MT-BH metric is particularly accurate in explaining the results for option traders and hedge fund managers. Academics and practitioners now have an additional metric from which to measure market timing skill of an investor or manager across any equity market.
Lipid peroxidation in the killing of phagocytized pneumococci

To directly examine the role of hydrogen peroxide in the killing of bacteria after ingestion by granulocytes, we have studied some of the events of phagocytosis of a mutant strain of pneumococci which is relatively deficient in peroxide production. The hydrogen peroxide-deficient pneumococci and the otherwise identical wild type were grown with [(14)C]arachidonic and [(3)H]palmitic acid labels to label their lipids with unsaturated and saturated fatty acids, respectively. They were then incubated with both normal and chronic granulomatous disease granulocytes. The rates of ingestion and bacterial killing and the stability of fatty acids in the cell-bacteria complex were followed. Radioactive carbon dioxide released from glucose was also independently followed to measure glucose oxidation. Ingestion was similar for all cell-bacteria combinations. Chronic granulomatous disease cells killed the peroxide-positive wild pneumococci much more effectively (20-fold) than the peroxide-deficient mutant. Normal cells killed both peroxide-positive and -negative strains effectively. A considerable loss of [(14)C]arachidonic acid ( approximately 40%) consistent with lipid peroxidation of this unsaturated fatty acid was observed in all normal cells and in chronic granulomatous disease cells with peroxide-positive pneumococci. However, no loss of [(14)C]arachidonic acid occurred in chronic granulomatous disease cells with the peroxide-deficient pneumococci. No loss tritiated palmitic acid occurred in any cell-bacteria combination. Glucose oxidation was impaired in the chronic granulomatous disease cells in comparison to normal cells at rest and was especially impaired in chronic granulomatous disease cells ingesting the peroxide-deficient mutant pneumococci. This defect was partially corrected after phagocytosis of the peroxide-positive strain. These data directly support the hypothesis that bacterial killing is partially dependent upon an intact peroxide-generating system in the leukocyte-bacteria complex. Moreover, they indicate that bacterial lipid peroxidation is associated with the generation of peroxide during phagocytosis. Finally, they suggest that such peroxidation may contribute to effective phagocytic bacterial killing.
Effect of Yanhuning Supplementing Cefminox in Treatment of Children Bronchial Pneumonia

Objective:To analysis the clinical efficacy of Yanhuning supplementing Cefminox in treatment of children bronchial pneumonia.Method:In this hospital from 2011 February to 2013 February 180 cases with bronchial pneumonia entered study,all patients were consistent with the clinical diagnosis standard of children with bronchial pneumonia,according to the different treatment methods patients were divided into the control group treated with Minuozhi and observation group treated with Yanhuning and Mino.Signs and symptoms were compared.Result:The clinical curative effect in observation group after treatment was better than that in the control group(P 0.05);after treatment symptom relief rate was significantly higher than that in control group(P 0.05);compared with the control group after treatment in observation group no significant adverse reaction was found in.Conclusion:Yanhuning supplementing Cefminox can effectively improve the pediatric patients with bronchial pneumonia curative effect,and relieve the clinical symptoms and signs.
Shoulder injuries in the athlete.

SUMMARY Most of the shoulder injuries occurring in athletes can be managed nonoperatively and handled conservatively. In specific traumatic injuries, such as shoulder dislocations and shoulder separations, reduction of the injury with appropriate immobilization may be all that is needed. The overuse injuries, including the impingement syndrome, bicipital tendinitis, rotator cuff tendinitis and tears, and Little Leaguer’s shoulder, also lend themselves to conservative management. The mainstay of conservative management in overuse injuries is to maintain the range of motion of the shoulder. This is best accomplished by active and active assisted range of motion in all planes. If significant tenderness or weakness is present, the use of pendulum exercises with the aid of gravity is believed to be the most beneficial in maintaining or obtaining the motion. A second goal of treatment in overuse injuries is to control the inflammation. The use of oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents generally provides adequate control. If this cannot be accomplished by one form, possibly one or two other forms may be tried before a surgical procedure is considered. The final cornerstone of nonoperative treatment involves strengthening of the muscles about the shoulder. This is best accomplished by repetitive exercises with light weights in a nonpainful arc of motion. Maintenance of motion, control of inflammation, and use of light weights usually allow the athlete to resume participation in his or her desired sport. Only after this combination has failed should a surgical procedure be performed.
Prerequisites for treatment of hepatic malignancy with Yttrium-90 microspheres

2401 Objectives Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) with Yttrium-90 microspheres is a powerful emerging tool for achieving regional tumor response and disease control in hepatic malignancy. Some tumors, which have been unresponsive to other treatment modalities, respond to this potent therapeutic modality due to achievement of high doses of radiation locally which is not possible by external beam radiation. This study aims to identify various considerations for treatment with Yttrium-90 microspheres with specific emphasis on evaluating anatomical barriers to SIRT. Methods After IRB review and approval, a retrospective review was conducted of medical records and relevant images of patients who underwent hepatic arteriogram with selective visceral catheterization and therapy simulation with Tc 99m macro-aggregated albumin (Tc-99m MAA) from January 1st, 2009 to July 31st, 2010 at The Nebraska Medical Center. This approximates a total of 17 patients. This review involved Tc-99m MAA scintigrams, contrast CT scans, MRIs and pertinent medical history of these patients. We then evaluated various reasons for exclusion of the five patients who were not treated with Y-90 microspheres. Results Five of 17 patients did not receive treatment with Y-90 microspheres therapy following scintigraphy with Tc-99m MAA and hepatic arteriography. Only one patient had lung shunt fraction > 10% (LSF was 12%) which required the treatment dose to be decreased to 80% of the calculated full dose of Y-90 microspheres. Conclusions Careful patient selection, meticulous pre-treatment assessment and coiling of the relevant abnormal vasculature makes it possible for the interventional radiologist to treat liver lesions with Y-90 microspheres in spite of abnormal vasculature. The interdisciplinary aspect of patient management for treatment with Y-90 microspheres is crucial
Negative Charge Neutralization in the Loops and Turns of Outer Membrane Phospholipase A Impacts Folding Hysteresis at Neutral pH

Hysteresis in equilibrium protein folding titrations is an experimental barrier that must be overcome to extract meaningful thermodynamic quantities. Traditional approaches to solving this problem involve testing a spectrum of solution conditions to find ones that achieve path independence. Through this procedure, a specific pH of 3.8 was required to achieve path independence for the water-to-bilayer equilibrium folding of outer membrane protein OmpLA. We hypothesized that the neutralization of negatively charged side chains (Asp and Glu) at pH 3.8 could be the physical basis for path-independent folding at this pH. To test this idea, we engineered variants of OmpLA with Asp → Asn and Glu → Gln mutations to neutralize the negative charges within various regions of the protein and tested for reversible folding at neutral pH. Although not fully resolved, our results show that these mutations in the periplasmic turns and extracellular loops are responsible for 60% of the hysteresis in wild-type folding. Over...
208 Prospective Randomized Pilot Trial Measuring the Feasibility and Knowledge Retention of Opioid Education in Emergency Department Patients Using a Multimedia Platform

Author(s): Chakravarthy, B; Somasundaram, S; Mogi, J; Burns, R; Hoonpongsimanont, W; Lotfipour, S
The Use of Intravenous Compared with Oral Busulfan in High-Dose Chemotherapy and Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT) for Lymphoma Is Associated with Improved Relapse-Free Survival.

Abstract The efficacy of high-dose chemotherapy and ASCT for lymphomas is generally believed to be independent of the preparative regimen used, although toxicities may vary. Delayed toxicities after ASCT led us to investigate IV busulfan in older patients as a substitute for oral busulfan in a preparative regimen of busulfan/cyclophosphamide/etoposide (BuCyVP), based on data suggesting lower treatment-related mortality after ASCT with the IV formulation. We then queried whether other outcomes of ASCT for lymphomas were improved by substituting IV busulfan for oral busulfan. We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of 308 patients over age 50 years who underwent ASCT for NHL (93%) or HL (7%) at the Cleveland Clinic from 1996 through 2/2006. Oral BuCyVP (“PO Bu”) was used in 261 patients and IV BuCyVP (“IV Bu”, 0.8 mg/kg IV x 14 doses given without monitoring or adjustment for serum Bu levels) in 47 patients. Differences in baseline characteristics were that the IV Bu group was more heterogeneous in the number of prior chemotherapy regimens (P=0.013), more often received chemotherapy for stem cell mobilization (P=0.026), had fewer NHL patients with a high-intermediate or high IPI score (P Median overall survival was 43.6 months after ASCT with PO Bu but was not reached for the IV Bu group. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated the unanticipated finding that IV Bu was associated with a lower rate of relapse (P=0.013), superior relapse-free survival (P=0.008), and a marginal improvement in overall survival (P=0.06). Download : Download high-res image (84KB) Download : Download full-size image Univariate Cox models identified the route of busulfan administration and disease status at ASCT as significant predictors of relapse. Age at transplant, the number of prior regimens, and LDH at transplant were significant predictors of mortality. Only the route of busulfan administration significantly predicted RFS in univariate analysis. In a multivariable model, the route of busulfan administration was the strongest predictor of RFS (P=0.043). Age was also predictive of RFS (P=0.047). These preliminary results suggest that replacing PO Bu with IV Bu is associated with a reduced relapse rate and improved RFS following ASCT for lymphoma. In contrast to other reports, we observed these improvements without targeting Bu dosage according to serum levels. Further study is necessary to confirm these findings and to ascertain whether IV Bu will favorably influence overall survival in this setting.
Thermal Resistance of Aeromonas hydrophila

Thermal resistance of five strains of Aeromonas hydrophila (three clinical and two food isolates) was studied at 45 to 51°C in saline solution and raw milk. In addition, effects of growth temperature and growth phase on thermal resistance of the cells were also studied. Survivors after various heat treatments were plated on starch phenol red agar; colonies were counted after 24 h at 28°C. Cells heated at 48°C and 51°C exhibited a diphasic response and the data presented are from the initial and final linear phases. Data were expressed as D- and z-values. Most variables caused small but statistically significant changes in D-value of the initial linear phase. At 48°C, D-values for stationary phase cells heated in saline solution ranged from 3.49 to 6.64 min; for cells heated in raw milk, the D-values ranged from 3.20 to 6.23 min. At 48°C, D-values for log-phase cells heated in saline solution ranged from 2.23 to 3.73 min, and z-values ranged from 5.22 to 7.69°C. These results indicate that A. hydrophila should be killed by many of the heat treatments given foods during processing. The thermal resistance of A. hydrophila appears similar to that of other gram-negative bacteria associated with food.
Heinrich von Kleist’s Suicide: Two Unpublished Letters by Caroline de la Motte Fouqué

(1951). Heinrich von Kleist’s Suicide. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 192-195.
The Separation and Quantitation of Peptides with and without Oxidation of Methionine and Deamidation of Asparagine Using Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry (HILIC-MS)

Peptides with deamidated asparagine residues and oxidized methionine residues are often not resolved sufficiently to allow quantitation of their native and modified forms using reversed phase (RP) chromatography. The accurate quantitation of these modifications is vital in protein biotherapeutic analysis because they can affect a protein’s function, activity, and stability. We demonstrate here that hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) adequately and predictably separates peptides with these modifications from their native counterparts. Furthermore, coefficients describing the extent of the hydrophilicity of these modifications have been derived and were incorporated into a previously made peptide retention prediction model that is capable of predicting the retention times of peptides with and without these modifications.
Lot-sizing in sequential auctions while learning bid and demand distributions

Sellers often need to decide lot-sizes in sequential, multi-unit auctions, where bidder demand and bid distributions are not known in their entirety. We formulate a Bayesian Markov decision process (MDP) to study a profit maximization problem in this setting. We assume that the number of bidders is Poisson distributed with a Gamma prior on its mean, and that the bid distribution is categorical with a Dirichlet prior. The seller updates these beliefs using data collected over auctions while simultaneously making lot-sizing decisions until all inventory is depleted. Exact solution of our Bayesian MDP is intractable. We propose and numerically compare three approximation methods via extensive numerical simulations.
Jerome Lewis Duggan: A Nuclear Physicist and a Well-Known, Six-Decade Accelerator Application Conference (CAARI) Organizer

Jerry Duggan was an experimental MeV-accelerator-based nuclear and atomic physicist who, over the past few decades, played a key role in the important transition of this field from basic to applied physics. His fascination for and application of particle accelerators spanned almost 60 years, and led to important discoveries in the following fields: accelerator-based analysis (accelerator mass spectrometry, ion beam techniques, nuclear-based analysis, nuclear microprobes, neutron techniques); accelerator facilities, stewardship, and technology development; accelerator applications (industrial, medical, security and defense, and teaching with accelerators); applied research with accelerators (advanced synthesis and modification, radiation effects, nanosciences and technology); physics research (atomic and molecular physics, and nuclear physics); and many other areas and applications. Here we describe Jerry’s physics education at the University of North Texas (B. S. and M. S.) and Louisiana State University ...
Margaritariidae, New Family (Pelecypoda) and Description of Two New Species

The new family Margaritariidae is proposed for the genus Margaritaria Conrad, 1849, of which the type, and previously only known species, is Pholadomya abrupta Conrad, 1832. This species, described from the upper Miocene deposits at Yorktown, Va., has been reported from southern Maryland to South Carolina in beds of middle and (mainly) upper Miocene age. The southern limit of its range is here extended to Collier County, Florida. Two new species are described: M. inexpectata from the upper Eocene Moodys Branch Marl, near Montgomery, Louisiana, and M. gardnerae from the Miocene Shoal River Formation of the Alum Bluff Group in Walton County, Florida.
Damped Oscillatory Respiratory Response after Marathon Running at Altitude

Abstract Serial determinations of oxygen and carbondioxide concentrations and volumes of expired gas were made in 5 partially acclimatized, endurance trained, sea level residents following participation in the 1972 Pike’s Peak Marathon. The race combined a 26.3 mile distance run with an 8200 foot ascent and descent. Inspired oxygen tension ranged between 93 and 116 mm Hg. The time courses of V ˙ E , V ˙ O 2 and V ˙ C O 2 were compared with the pre-marathon values. Following the initial rapid decrease in V ˙ O 2 , a sustained elevation was noted for up to 90 minutes of resting recovery. Superimposed on this curve were responses having characteristics of damped oscillations. Similar periodic fluctuations were noted for V ˙ CO 2 and V ˙ E . These findings are discussed. The most probable cause is due to sustained involuntary muscular contractions with further muscle contraction and/or movement producing additional variations in metabolic rate during this “unnatural” form of recovery required for this study.
Efficient visible frequency microcomb generation with 22% conversion efficiency

We demonstrate an efficient visible frequency comb generation process in the aluminum nitride microring resonator. Utilizing parametric mode coupling, Cherenkov-like emission enhancement appears in the visible frequency comb. Up to 22% conversion efficiency from infrared pump to the visible comb is realized.
Analyzing Postcrisis Challenges and Strategies Associated With School Shootings: An Application of Discourse of Renewal Theory

In recent years, the need to understand and identify effective data-driven strategies for the communication challenges faced by schools associated with school shootings has become paramount. The current study reports findings from 10 face-to-face interviews conducted with school crisis team members at the P–12 level who experienced school shooting events. The findings, which extend discourse of renewal theory, identify six primary communication-related challenges that districts face postcrisis and offer effective strategies for overcoming these challenges.
Determinants of Bifurcated Local Government Reporting Lag: The Potential for XBRL to Improve Timeliness

ABSTRACT Government financial reports are often released six months or more after the reporting government's fiscal year-end, and this lag limits usefulness. In a sample of 1,693 Illinois local gov...
Engaging police to identify challenging school crossings and potential improvements

Abstract This paper discusses the value of police officers as vital sources of information regarding pedestrian safety in their communities by presenting results from a survey of traffic safety police officers. The survey requested information on school crossings that the officers considered most challenging for pedestrians. Officers specified the intersections or mid-block locations with school crossings, and answered questions about elements of the locations, such as what makes the locations challenging, and what might be done to improve conditions at these locations. A key finding from the survey is the police officers’ identification of challenging intersections or other crossing locations by criteria other than the occurrence of crashes, including reported pedestrian-vehicle near-miss incidents. A broad literature review of pedestrian safety studies provides context for the use of near-miss data in discussions of improvements to pedestrian crossings. Although not typically considered a primary resource for pedestrian safety information, police officers are most often very familiar with their communities, work in locations where pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic can be experienced and observed, and receive information from their staff and members of the public who use pedestrian crossings. The survey findings demonstrate that police officer insights and near-miss data may serve as important supplementary sources of information in the effort to identify locations in need of interventions before crash occurrence.
Barriers and facilitators affecting the implementation of substance use screening in primary care clinics: a qualitative study of patients, providers, and staff

Alcohol and drug use are leading causes of morbidity and mortality that frequently go unidentified in medical settings. As part of a multi-phase study to implement electronic health record-integrated substance use screening in primary care clinics, we interviewed key clinical stakeholders to identify current substance use screening practices, barriers to screening, and recommendations for its implementation. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with 67 stakeholders, including patients, primary care providers (faculty and resident physicians), nurses, and medical assistants, in two urban academic health systems. Themes were identified using an inductive approach, revised through an iterative process, and mapped to the Knowledge to Action (KTA) framework, which guides the implementation of new clinical practices (Graham et al. in J Contin Educ Health Prof 26(1):13–24, 2006). Factors affecting implementation based on KTA elements were identified from participant narratives. Identifying the problem: Participants consistently agreed that having knowledge of a patient’s substance use is important because of its impacts on health and medical care, that substance use is not properly identified in medical settings currently, and that universal screening is the best approach. Assessing barriers: Patients expressed concerns about consequences of disclosing substance use, confidentiality, and the individual’s own reluctance to acknowledge a substance use problem. Barriers identified by providers included individual-level factors such as lack of clinical knowledge and training, as well as systems-level factors including time pressure, resources, lack of space, and difficulty accessing addiction treatment. Adapting to the local context: Most patients and providers stated that the primary care provider should play a key role in substance use screening and interventions. Opinions diverged regarding the optimal approach to delivering screening, although most preferred a patient self-administered approach. Many providers reported that taking effective action once unhealthy substance use is identified is crucial. Participants expressed support for substance use screening as a valuable part of medical care, and identified individual-level as well as systems-level barriers to its implementation. These findings suggest that screening programs should clearly communicate the goals of screening to patients and proactively counteract stigma, address staff concerns regarding time and workflow, and provide education as well as treatment resources to primary care providers.
Catastrophic Optical Bulk Damage – A New Failure Mode in High-Power InGaAs-AlGaAs Strained Quantum Well Lasers

High-power single-mode (SM) and multi-mode (MM) InGaAs-AlGaAs strained quantum well (QW) lasers with emission wavelengths of 910 − 980 nm are extensively used in various fiber lasers and amplifiers for both telecom and defense applications. In particular, underseas and satellite communication systems require stringent reliability from these lasers. Since these lasers predominantly fail by catastrophic and sudden degradation due to COD, it is crucial especially for space satellite applications to investigate reliability, failure modes, and degradation mechanisms of these lasers. Catastrophic optical mirror damage (COMD) was known to be the only failure mode until our group reported a new failure mode in MM and SM InGaAs-AlGaAs strained QW lasers in 2009 and 2016, respectively. Our group reported that bulk failure due to catastrophic optical bulk damage (COBD) has become the dominant failure mode of both SM and MM lasers. Since there have been limited reports on COBD compared to COMD, the intent of this paper is to introduce our studies on COBD that have spanned the last decade. We investigated reliability, failure modes, and degradation processes in SM and MM InGaAs-AlGaAs strained QW lasers by performing short-term step-stress tests and long-term accelerated life-tests as well as failure mode analyses using various nondestructive and destructive micro-analytical techniques including electron beam induced current (EBIC), time-resolved electroluminescence (EL), deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), focused ion beam (FIB), and high-resolution TEM. EBIC and EL techniques were employed to study dark line defects generated in degraded lasers stressed under different test conditions. Time-resolved EL techniques were employed to study initiation and progressions of dark spots and dark lines in real time as lasers were aged. DLTS techniques were employed to study electron traps in both pristine and degraded lasers. Lastly, FIB and high-resolution TEM were employed to prepare cross sectional and plan view TEM specimens to study DLD areas in post-aged lasers. We also report our current understanding on degradation mechanisms responsible for COBD in both SM and MM lasers.
Temperature Effect on Tensile Testing of Hybrid and Non-Hybrid Composites

Monotonic tensile tests were conducted following ASTM Standards D3039 (Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials) and D3518 (Standard Test Method for In-Plane Shear Response of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials by Tensile Test of a ??45° Laminate), on hybrid and non-hybrid plain weave composite materials. Strips of non-hybrid IM-7 Graphite/SC-79 epoxy called GR for short, non-hybrid S-2 Glass/SC-79 epoxy called GL for short, hybrid GR/GL/GR and hybrid GL/GR/GL specimens were tensile tested. The tests were conducted at –60°C, –20°C, room temperature, 75°C and 125°C. The rule of mixtures was used to predict the Young’s moduli of GL/GR/GL and GR/GL/GR using the experimental values obtained from the stress-strain curves of the GL and GR specimens. The predicted Young’s moduli of GL/GR/GL and GR/GL/GR were then compared to those obtained experimentally. It was found that the calculated Young’s and shear moduli match closely (within 6 %) to those obtained experimentally.
Toward the Modeling of the Oxidation of Small Metal and Metalloid Molecules

Oven based entrainment flow and supersonic expansion techniques are used to form small metal and metalloid molecules and to study their unusual oxidation behavior. These metal and metalloid molecules oxidize to form not only a distinct class of metal atom grouped cluster oxides and halides under kinetically as opposed to thermodynamically controlled conditions but also unusual (unexpected) excited electronic state product distributions. We exemplify this behavior by considering the optical signatures associated with the formation of the asymmetric silver and copper clustered oxides from the silver and copper cluster oxidation reactions. We also contrast the emission spectra generated for the asymmetric and symmetric isomers of Cu 2 O, comparing these with theory. A subset of the oxidation studies touches on the sodium trimer - halogen atom reactions, (Na 3 - X(Cl,Br,I)), which create a continuous electronic population inversion based on the chemical pumping of Na 2 with laser amplification throughout the visible and into the ultraviolet. The study of highly exothermic oxidation processes also yields interesting surprises concerning even the diatomic metal halides. This is exemplified by comparing the Bi x + F 2 and Bi x + F chemiluminescent reactions, extracting parameters for several new low-lying excited electronic states and obtaining an estimate of the BiF bond dissociation energy notably higher than that previously recommended in the literature.
The International Network of Biosphere Reserves: A New Dimension in Global Conservation

Abstract The International Network of Biosphere Reserves is being established under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Program to conserve representative examples of the world's ecosystems and to make these areas available for basic and applied research, education, demonstration, and training. Since UNESCO first designated biosphere reserves in 1976, the network has grown to include 226 sites in 62 countries (December 1983 data), and is becoming a significant factor in efforts to achieve harmonious relationships between human societies and the ecosystems on which they depend. The biosphere reserves provide a symbolic and practical framework for human cooperation at the local, regional, and international levels to find solutions to interrelated environmental, land use, and socioeconomic problems. They also provide a basis for developing and coordinating scientific, educational, and management functions performed individually or severally by various types of legally protected areas. The evolution of the biosphere reserve project is discussed, with emphasis on its role in putting protected areas to work in developing the knowledge, skills, and human value systems required for sustainable conservation of the world's ecosystems.