cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Association Between Aortic Valve Leaflet Morphology and Patterns of Aortic Dilation in Patients With Bicuspid Aortic Valves

Background Dilation of the aorta is a frequent complication in patients with bicuspid aortic valves. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the subtype of leaflet fusion, right and noncoronary leaflet (R/N) fusion versus right and left leaflet (R/L) fusion, and the patterns of aortic dilation and valve dysfunction in young patients with bicuspid aortic valves. Methods We performed a retrospective review of 642 patients who presented with bicuspid aortic valves between 1994 and 2014. Of these patients, 210 (33%) had aortic dilation ( z score >3) by echocardiogram. For each patient, the most recent study or the last study before intervention was reviewed. Results Median patient age was 15 years (range, 0 to 40 years) with patients with R/N fusion being younger. The most prevalent subtype was R/N fusion (R/N, n = 114, 54% versus R/L, n = 96, 46%). Dilation of the ascending aorta was seen more often in patients with R/N fusion (R/N, 88% versus R/L, 68%; p = 0.004), whereas the prevalence of dilation of the sinuses of Valsalva was significantly higher in patients with R/L fusion (R/L, 46% versus R/N, 20%; p = 0.01). The magnitude of dilation differed as well. The z value of the sinuses of Valsalva was significantly higher in patients with R/L fusion (R/L, 2.03 versus R/N, 1.2; p = 0.003), whereas the z values of the ascending aorta and sinotubular junction were similar between the groups. Patients with R/N fusion were more likely to have aortic stenosis, and within the R/N group, patients with aortic insufficiency had a greater degree of ascending aorta dilation ( p = 0.04). Conclusions Our study suggests that in young patients with bicuspid aortic valves and aortic dilation, aortic valve morphology may be associated with the patterns of aortic dilation and valve dysfunction. Patients with R/N fusion were more likely to have ascending aorta dilation, whereas patients with R/L fusion were more likely to have dilation of the aortic root. In addition, patients with R/N fusion presented at a younger age and were more likely to have aortic stenosis. Recognition of these differences may eventually be helpful for patient counseling and the planning of follow-up.
LIES, DAMN LIES, AND RUMORS: AN ANALYSIS OF COLLECTIVE EFFICACY, RUMORS, AND FEAR IN THE WAKE OF KATRINA

In the days following Hurricane Katrina, many displaced residents from New Orleans evacuated to the Baton Rouge area. As a result, many Baton Rougians became increasingly concerned about crime in their community. This concern, coupled with a lack of official information, led to the widespread dissemination of rumors of criminal victimization. The purpose of this study is to examine the relations between collective efficacy, rumors, and fear during this trying time for Baton Rouge. The results are based on telephone interviews with Baton Rouge residents conducted two months after Katrina. As predicted, collective efficacy fosters the transmission of rumors. These rumors then lead to increased personal and altruistic fear of victimization; therefore, collective efficacy indirectly increases fear through its effect on rumors. The implications of these findings for public and emergency management policy are discussed as are concrete suggestions for future research.
ASYMMETRICAL CHANGES OF EXCITATORY SYNAPTIC TRANSMISSION IN DOPAMINE-DENERVATED STRIATUM AFTER TRANSIENT FOREBRAIN ISCHEMIA

Spiny neurons in the neostriatum are highly vulnerable to cerebral ischemia. Recent studies have shown that the postischemic cell death in the right striatum was reduced after ipsilateral dopamine denervation whereas no protection was observed in the left striatum after dopamine denervation in the left side. In order to reveal the mechanisms of such asymmetrical protection, electrophysiological changes of dopamine-denervated striatal neurons were compared after ischemia between the left and right striatum using intracellular recording and staining techniques in vivo. No difference in cortically evoked initial excitatory postsynaptic potentials was found between the left and right striatum in intact animals after ipsilateral dopamine denervation. The initial excitatory postsynaptic potentials in the dopamine-denervated right striatum were suppressed after transient forebrain ischemia while no significant changes were found in the dopamine-denervated left striatum. Paired-pulse tests suggested that these changes involved presynaptic mechanisms. Although the incidence of a late depolarizing postsynaptic potential elicited by cortical stimulation increased after ischemia in both sides, the increase was greater in the left side. The analysis of current-voltage relationship of spiny neurons indicated that inward rectification in the left striatum transiently disappeared shortly after ischemia whereas that in the right side remained unchanged. The intrinsic excitability of spiny neurons in both sides were suppressed after ischemia, however, the suppression in the right side was stronger than in the left side. The above results demonstrate that after ipsilateral dopamine denervation, the depression of excitatory synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability in the right striatum is more severe than that in the left striatum following ischemia. The depression of excitatory synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability, therefore, might play an important role in neural protection after ischemic insult.
Enhanced evaporation heat transfer in triangular grooves covered with a thin fine porous layer

Abstract Evaporation heat transfer in a triangular groove is enhanced by a thin fine porous layer on the groove surface. This not only improves the capillary force but also extends the evaporating surface with high heat transfer performance. The enhancement mechanism is explained and an analytical model is developed to predict evaporation heat transfer performance in a triangular groove formed by trapezoidal fins covered by a thin fine porous layer. The total heat transfer coefficient decreases with increasing liquid meniscus radii, increases with increasing of the half groove angle and the half width of the fin top surface. With receding of the liquid meniscus in the groove covered by a thin porous layer, the evaporation heat transfer performance is improved significantly. A comparison between evaporation heat transfer in triangular grooves with and without a thin porous layer, at the same conditions, shows the former is much better than the latter although the latter has a small area with a heat transfer coefficient as high as 10 8 W m −2 K −1 . In the calculation range, evaporation heat transfer in the groove covered by a thin porous layer is three to six times higher than that in the groove without a porous layer.
Event by event fluctuations in heavy ion collisions

We discuss the physics underlying event-by-event fluctuations in relativistic heavy ion collision. We will emphasize how the fluctuations of particle ratios can be utilzed to explore the properties of the matter created in these collisions. In particular we will argue that the fluctutions of the ratio of positively over negatively charged particles may serve as a unique signature for the Quark-Gluon Plasma.
Cation sites in mixed-alkali phosphate glasses

Two lithium/sodium mixed-alkali phosphate glasses were investigated with solid-state two-dimensional heteronuclear correlation NMR. The systems represent two distinct families of mixed-alkali glasses, as they contain a fixed sodium-to-lithium ratio of 1:3, but different overall concentrations of cations. In both glasses, direct NMR evidence is found for the presence of multiple sodium cation environments using frequency-selective editing of two-dimensional correlation spectra. Frequency-specific subspectra were obtained by projection of 23Na resonances correlated to distinct phosphate tetrahedral environments. Dynamic-angle-spinning (DAS) NMR provides for high-resolution subspectra of quadrupolar 23Na nuclei allowing spectral separation of multiple distinct sodium environments. Identification of distinct cation sites is important for understanding the physical origin of the `mixed-alkali effect', where non-linear behavior of physical properties is observed in glasses as a function of relative cation populations.
The effect of exchanged cations and heat treatment on the adsorption of carbon monoxide, nitrogen, argon, and krypton on amorphous silica-alumina cracking catalysts

Abstract Adsorption isotherms for CO, N 2 , Ar, and Kr were measured over the temperature range −50–250 °C over a pressure range of 2–350 Torr on exchanged and unexchanged silica-alumina cracking catalysts that had been evacuated at 250, 450, and 800 °C, respectively. Isosteric heats of adsorption were calculated at surface coverages ranging from 0.1 to 1%. When the samples were evacuated at 250 °C, the adsorption of CO was increased by a factor of about 3.5 when the exchanged cations were Ca and Ba and about 50% for K cations and also for ions of La and Mg. The influence of cations became even greater when the samples were evacuated at 450 °C, the adsorption for the samples exchanged with cations being three times as great on specimens evacuated at 450 °C as for samples evacuated at 250 °C. Evacuation of samples at 800 °C caused the adsorption of CO on the H form of the sample to be substantially the same as for the ones exchanged with calcium ions. The isotherm for the Ca exchanged specimen was substantially the same as for the sample evacuated at 450 °C. Isosteric heats of adsorption in general were highest for La and Ca exchanged samples, somewhat lower for those exchanged with K and least for those containing protons on the exchange sites. However the heats of adsorption on samples evacuated at 800 °C approached 15 kcal/mole of CO both for samples exchanged with Ca ions and for the protonic samples. Corresponding heats of adsorption of nitrogen were in the range of 7–9 kcal/mole of N 2 . Heats of adsorption of argon and krypton remained down in the range of 2.5–3.5 kcal/mole for all samples, and were not much influenced by the temperature of evacuation or the exchange of ions on the catalyst surface. The molecules for which the big changes in adsorption with temperature of evacuation and ion exchange of samples were noted were carbon monoxide and nitrogen, both of which have rather high quadrupole moments.
Inoculation strategies to assess biological interactions between Fusarium and Alternaria species infecting sorghum

New cultivars of sorghum are being developed for increased food use, as livestock feed, and for the bioenergy industry by manipulation of secondary metabolic pathways through breeding. Previous work has suggested that such modifications may have an impact on cultivar response to fungal pathogens. We investigated four inoculation strategies that may be used in studies involving pathogens of sorghum. Plants of elite sorghum genotypes ‘Wheatland’ and RTx430, commonly used in breeding programs, were inoculated with isolates of Alternaria alternata, Fusarium equiseti, Fusarium proliferatum, Fusarium solani, Fusarium thapsinum, and Fusarium verticillioides recovered from field-grown sorghum. Wound inoculation of the peduncles of heads at anthesis demonstrated that isolates of F. verticillioides and F. thapsinum produced mean lesion lengths that were significantly greater than control inoculations. The length of this assay was decreased by inoculating fungi onto plants of a very early maturing sorghum line (N247...
Linking manufacturing flexibility to innovation performance in manufacturing plants

Abstract In the past few decades, the concept of manufacturing flexibility has become a key competitive criterion for many manufacturing organizations. The importance of flexibility in supporting other competitive criteria such as cost, quality and delivery speed has also been recognized ( Bolwijn and Kumpe, 1990 ). However, there is a dearth of studies linking flexibility with another competitive criterion—innovation. In this study, we investigate the influence of the interaction of mix flexibility and labor flexibility on product innovation based on a survey of UK manufacturing plants. Further, we investigate the role of climate for innovation both as an antecedent of product innovation and a moderator that moderates the influence of the interaction of mix flexibility and labor flexibility on product innovation. The analyses reveal that the interaction of mix flexibility and labor flexibility positively predicts product innovation in manufacturing plants. Climate for innovation positively predicts product innovation and also positively moderates the interaction of mix and labor flexibility on product innovation. The implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Viscosity stratification and the horizontal scale of end-driven cellular flow

We analyze isothermal viscosity-stratified creeping flow in a horizontal semi-infinite slot. The slot top and bottom are traction-free, and a cellular motion is driven by a given uniform shear stress applied at the vertical end. The viscosity is a prescribed function of depth: A thin low-viscosity channel of uniform viscosity mμ and thickness αD overlies a thick sublayer of viscosity μ and thickness D. By coupling a lubrication analysis of the channel to an exact solution for the sublayer, we show that in the limit of α→0, with e=m∕α3 fixed, the flow has horizontal scale given for e<5 by l=2D∕3e. The analysis is motivated by the long-standing suggestion that the presence of a low-viscosity layer could explain the existence of long end-driven cells beneath the Pacific and the Indo-Australian plates. Our formula supports that suggestion; applied to published viscosity profiles, it predicts that viscosity stratification could allow a cell length of up to seven times that for isoviscous flow.
Transcending widgets: the nature of technical services

This paper was presented as the keynote address at the Ohio Library Council, Technical Services Division conference,“Technical Services, 2003: Inspiration, Example, Synthesis” at Mohican State Park, Ohio, May 7, 2003. The keynote was to fill the role of “inspiration.” The author considers why technical services personnel may feel isolated, misunderstood, or dispensable; why technical services personnel may be misunderstood or underappreciated by others; the nature and mission of librarianship and how technical services relates to them; the consequences of having a bad image and a bad self-image; and how harmful opinions and actions might be countered.
Multifunctional features of a gastrodermal sensory cell in Hydra : three-dimensional study

Computer-assisted, three-dimensional reconstructions of two gastrodermal sensory cells from transmission electron micrographs of serial sections of Hydra revealed a unipolar morphology with the nucleus near an apical cilium and a simple unbranched axon with a widened terminal. The sensory cells were similar in size and shape to a unipolar sensory cell isolated from macerated gastrodermis and examined with scanning electron microscopy. In thin sections, the cells were characterized by the presence of numerous dense-cored vesicles in the axon and its terminal. A few dense-cored vesicles were aligned at electron-dense synaptic foci in the axon terminal of the sensory cell, which formed an axo-axonal synapse with a nearby centrally located ganglion cell and a neuromuscular synapse with the basal myoneme of a digestive cell. The ganglion cell possessed a perikaryal cilium and a slender axon that extended adjacent to the sensory cell terminal, where it formed an en passant axo-axonal synapse in reciprocal arrangement with that of the sensory cell. In addition, the ganglion cell axon formed a neuromuscular synapse in sequence with the sensory cell axo-axonal synapse. The presence of a large number of neurosecretory-like granules, apical cilium and reciprocal interneuronal and neuromuscular synaptic loci suggests that this gastrodermal sensory cell, characterized ultrastructurally for the first time, represents a third type of multifunctional neuron in Hydra. Thus, Hydra may contain primitive stem-like neurons, which are sensory-motor and also function in both neurosecretion and neurotransmission.
Vascular injury and concomitant long-bone fracture in war wounds.

t g Until the early part of the 20th century, an open fracture generally necessitated immediate amputation and was virtually synonymous with death. For 2000 years, the traditional method of attempting to control hemorrhage after amputation was cauterization of the wound with hot irons or by the application of boiling pitch. This often resulted in tissue necrosis and encouraged infection and secondary hemorrhage. Even under ideal conditions, in the latter part of the 19th century, patients with open fractures suffered considerable morbidity and death. Billroth published in 1881 that 46 of 93 patients treated with compound fractures of the lower leg in hospitals in Zurich died. Recovery from an open fracture of the femur was, in Billroth’s experience, so unusual that, describing the case of a 23-year-old woman who recovered from such an injury, he stated, “The following case is perhaps unique.” Gunshot wounds with associated fractures were particularly notorious and were generally treated with immediate amputation through the 19th century. The results of this policy, however, could be quite horrifying. Wrench reported that in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), the death rate from open fracture was 41%, and open fractures of the knee joint carried a 77% mortality rate. On the French side, of 13,172 amputees, 10,006 died. In the American Civil War, however, the overall mortality rate for nearly 30,000 amputees was 26%, although it reached 54% for thigh amputations. The survival rate of those undergoing amputation and those treated by debridement and subsequent wound care were approximately the same, with the function of limbs that were preserved grossly impaired.
Stereochemical labeling at natural abundance. Stereochemistry, isotope effects, and mechanism of the Diels-Alder reaction of hexachlorocyclopentadiene with ethyl vinyl ether

Abstract The variation in cis versus trans deuterium content in natural-abundance ethyl vinyl ether is retained in its cycloadduct with hexachlorocyclopentadiene, indicative of a stereospecific process. The kinetic isotope effects for this reaction were also determined at natural abundance, and suggest a very asynchronous but concerted process. This conclusion is backed by comparison with theoretically calculated isotope effects.
Long-term observations of the midlatitude stratospheric aerosol from the Mount Pinatubo eruption

Lidar measurements, conducted at Hampton, Virginia, over the past 4 years, have provided data to characterize the mid- latitude stratospheric aerosol cloud produced by the Mount Pinatubo volcano in June 1991. These data also extend a long-term record on the stratospheric aerosol backscatter over the Hampton area dating back to 1974. Since shortly after the Pinatubo eruption, frequent measurements of aerosol backscatter have been taken using a 48-inch ground- based lidar facility at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Aerosol backscatter ratios at 649 nm were measured throughout the 4-year period. In November 1992, a 532 channel was added to the 48-inch lidar, and backscatter ratio measurements were started for that wavelength as well as for 694 nm. Results show that integrated backscatter values increased to more than two orders of magnitude above background levels within about eight months after the Pinatubo eruption. These levels have gradually decreased since then, but some variations caused by seasonal influences have been observed. Recent measurements (December 1995) indicate that the aerosol loading has returned to approximately pre-Pinatubo levels. Over the time period that these measurements were conducted, a number of hardware modifications were made to enhance measurement capability of the Langley 48-inch lidar system, including the addition of a Nd:YAG laser, a more versatile detector package, and a Sun Sparcstation for automation and data analysis.
A practical implementation for solutions to the algebraic matrix Riccati equation in a LQCM setting

Abstract The linear-quadratic control model (LQCM) is very popular due to its applicability to many economic situations. An infinite-horizon equilibrium solution to such a model requires that we solve the algebraic matrix Riccati Equation. Numerical methods based on a modified Newton–Raphson iteration converge quadratically to this solution. We show that the computational complexity of each iteration can be substantially reduced from O(n6) to O(n4) by applying Broyden’s method of rank-1 updates. This method achieves superlinear converges. Moreover, it maintains the generality of the original method in that it does not impose constraints on matrix structure.
Intracavity Laser Absorption Spectra of Nickel Hydride

The visible electronic spectrum of the nickel hydride B2Δ5/2–X2Δ5/2(1,0) and A2Δ5/2–X2Δ5/2(1,0) transitions have been recorded with rotational resolution by intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy. The gas-phase NiH molecules were produced in an electric discharge using a nickel hollow cathode in a pure hydrogen atmosphere at 2-3 torr total pressure. Peak positions for NiH isotopologues are presented for both the transitions.58NiH and 60NiH have been observed in sunspots and attempts to observe NiH in stellar spectra are underway.
The Use of Earnings and Cash Flows in Investment Decisions in the U.S. and in Mexico: Experimental Evidence

In this study, we investigate which of the two main accounting performance metric (earnings or cash flows) is used more in valuation decisions as workers enter the business world. Results reveal that the majority of participants in the U.S. rely on earnings while the majority of participants in Mexico rely mainly on cash flow information. The results also suggest that the users’ predisposition can be dysfunctional since they economically harmed themselves by not adjusting their reliance on valuation calculations to the other accounting metric even when it was easier to arrive to the correct answer by doing so. This study contributes to the existing international literature by documenting a country specific predisposition to use cash flows or earnings as a valuation tool as workers enter the business world. Furthermore, this study also shows that this predisposition can be dysfunctional, leading participants to make decisions that economically harmed themselves by using their predisposed metric.
Assessing children's pain in the emergency department

Abstract Pain assessment is an integral component of comprehensive pain management of children. Assessing pain in infants and children can be challenging because of the multiple factors that can modify a child's perception and expression of pain, as well as the wide range of developmental and cognitive levels of infants and children. Numerous measures and scales for assessing children's pain have been developed in the last 20 to 30 years, although there is no one ideal scale for every child and every situation. Because the emergency department is a common setting where children experience pain in a multitude of different scenarios, it is extremely important for all health care providers to be familiar with the basic concepts and tools of pain assessment. This report will discuss some general principles of pain assessment and measurement tools and a general approach to pain assessment. Selected physiologic, behavioral, and self-report assessment measures will be discussed and illustrated. Finally, challenging issues and suggested strategies for assessing children's pain in the emergency department setting will be presented.
Mitochondria: are they the seat of senescence?

Summary The frequently quoted figure for the fractional univalent reduction of oxygen to superoxide in mitochondria is certainly too high by at least one order of magnitude. This is so because the higher number (2%) was derived from mitochondria whose cytochrome c oxidase was blocked with cyanide. Nevertheless, even the more correct number (0.1%) means that the production of and H2O2 in mitochondria is large and apt to result in damage to macromolecules in spite of such defensive enzymes as superoxide dismutases and glutathione peroxidase. The data available for nematodes and flies provide a compelling case for the view that the accumulation of oxidative damage to specific mitochondrial proteins leads to the progressive dysfunction that we see as senescence. The data available from work with mammals are much weaker and do not yet allow a strong position to be taken.
The localization of projection neurons in the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus following vascular and neurohypophysial injections of HRP

Projection neurons in the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (pv) were identified using the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) following injections of this tracer into the neurohypophysis or jugular vein. The objective was to determine if parvocellular pv neurons might be labelled by either injection in addition to the well known magnocelluLar contingent. Injections confined to the neurohypophysis resulted in the labelling of only magnocellular pv neurons, while intrajugular injections which produced spread of the HRP to the arcuate nucleus-median eminence region resulted in the labelling of both parvocellular and magnocellular pv elements. Thus parvocellular pv neurons may project to the arcuate nucleus and/or the external layer of the median eminance but not to the neurohypophysis.
Functional BvgAS Virulence Control System in Bordetella bronchiseptica Is Necessary for Induction of Ca2+ Transients in Ciliated Tracheal Epithelial Cells

To study initial Bordetella bronchiseptica-tracheal epithelial cell interactions, we coincubated B. bronchiseptica with rabbit tracheal explant cultures and assayed bacterial adherence and host cell Ca2+ signaling. Wild-type B. bronchiseptica (RB50) preferentially adhered to cilia and induced ciliated host cell Ca2+ transients within 2 min of coincubation, whereas coincubation with an avirulent strain (RB57) resulted in limited binding and Ca2+ signaling. The described cell system allows for assessment of initial B. bronchiseptica-host cell interactions that can contribute to pathogenicity or to host cell defense.
The effect of fascicular block on ventriculoatrial conduction during AV reentrant tachycardia

Two patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and surgically mapped anterior left free wall atrioventricular bypass tracts had orthodromic atrioventricular reentry tachycardia conducted with complete left bundle branch block (CLBBB), complete right bundle block (CRBBB), left anterior fascicular block (LAFB), and a narrow QRS. Ventriculoatrial conduction increased by 35 and 85 ms with CLBBB compatible with the left free wall location of the bypass tracts. In one patient, resolution of CLBBB occurred in two stages. Initially, left posterior fascicular block (LPFB) resolved, decreasing VA conduction by 20 ms. With resolution of the remaining LAFB, there was a further 15 ms decrease in VA conduction. In the other patient, the isolated occurrence of LAFB increased ventriculoatrial conduction by 30 ms. These changes confirmed the location of the bypass tracts in the anterior portion of the left ventricular free wall. Changes in VA conduction with fascicular block can help localize the ventricular insertion of atrioventricular bypass tracts.
Early integration of palliative and supportive care in the cancer continuum: challenges and opportunities

Palliative care has become synonymously associated with hospice care in the minds of patients and physicians. Supportive care is a more acceptable term and leads to earlier referral. Miscommunication and a "collusion of hope" centered on cancer treatment is detrimental to care at the end of life and results in complicated bereavement. Patients, despite being told prognosis, may not comprehend the news even if delivered in an empathetic manner. There are resource and policy barriers to palliative care. However, integration of palliative care early in the management of advanced cancer has demonstrated multiple benefits without reducing survival.
The effects of criteria-based Foley catheter guidelines in a 642 suburban hospital medical/surgical intensive care unit

BACKGROUND: The critical nature of patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) makes the use of indwelling Foley catheters an inevitable “standard of care.” The use of indwelling Foley catheters is quite common in the hospital setting and can cause many complications. They are used in 15%–25% of all hospitalized patients. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common problem associated with their use. The risk of developing UTI, bacteriuria, and bacteremia is directly related to the length of catheterization. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the appropriate use of Foley catheters in an ICU and develop guidelines that will lead to criteria-based medical reasons for their use, thus decreasing the mean Foley catheter device days as well as the variation of their use. METHODS: Based on a sample size calculation (n = 124), the pre-intervention mean Foley catheter device days in the ICU (95% confidence) was 4.72 with a standard deviation of 7.67 days. Nurse-driven surveillance was implemented using criteria-based Foley catheter (CFGC) guidelines. An algorithm for Foley catheter decision-making and a CFGC checklist were developed. Program was implemented following extensive education. After implementation, 83 charts were needed to review for a 95% confidence. Positive change was created by using a collaborative approach from all disciplines. Nurses, physicians, residents, management, and infection control all had a role to play. The goal was to reduce Foley catheter device days in this 22-bed mixed medical/surgical/trauma ICU. RESULTS: Six sigma techniques were used to isolate the root causes, measure capability, and define variables. After implementation of the program, the mean for device days was 2.98 and the standard deviation was 3.17 (n = 83). CONCLUSIONS: Pre-intervention, only 6% of the Foley catheters were removed before the patient was transferred out of the ICU; post-intervention, 20% of the Foley catheters were removed prior to ICU transfers, which may ultimately lead to a decrease in hospital-acquired UTIs.
Blends of POSS−PEO(n=4)8 and High Molecular Weight Poly(ethylene oxide) as Solid Polymer Electrolytes for Lithium Batteries

Solid polymer electrolyte blends were prepared with POSS−PEO(n=4)8 (3K), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO(600K)), and LiClO4 at different salt concentrations (O/Li = 8/1, 12/1, and 16/1). POSS−PEO(n=4)8/LiClO4 is amorphous at all O/Li investigated, whereas PEO(600K) is amorphous only for O/Li = 8/1 and semicrystalline for O/Li = 12/1 and 16/1. The tendency of PEO(600K) to crystallize limited the amount of POSS−PEO(n=4)8 that could be incorporated into the blends, so that the greatest incorporation of POSS−PEO(n=4)8 occurred for O/Li = 8/1. Blends of POSS−PEO(n=4)8/PEO(600K)/LiClO4 (O/Li = 8/1 and 12/1) microphase separated into two amorphous phases, a low Tg phase of composition 85% POSS−PEO(n=4)8/15% PEO(600K) and a high Tg phase of composition 29% POSS−PEO(n=4)8/71% PEO(600K). For O/Li = 16/1, the blends contained crystalline (pure PEO(600K)), and two amorphous phases, one rich in POSS−PEO(n=4)8 and one rich in PEO(600K). Microphase, rather than macrophase separation was believed to occur as a result of Li+/et...
A simplified technique for performing the Waterston shunt.

Abstract The Waterston shunt is preferred by many surgeons for palliative treatment of cyanotic congenital heart disease with decreased pulmonary blood flow. Technical problems such as control of the proximal right pulmonary artery, suturing of the back row of the anastomosis, angulation of the right pulmonary artery, and creation of an exact orifice size have decreased its appeal. A simplified technique was developed that has shortened the operative time and almost eliminated the difficulties of pulmonary artery anastomosis.
A fuzzy set approach to the problem of sustainability

Evaluating sustainability in forest management requires decision makers to consider multiple, conflicting definitions in an environment of risk, uncertainty, and incomplete or non-quantitative information. Zadeh's fuzzy set theory provides a rigorous, flexible approach to the problem of defining and evaluating sustainability and comparing alternative scenarios. We discuss how fuzzy set concepts can be used to better manage for goals such as sustainability, equity, and ecosystem health. We then show how a simple tabular technique using fuzzy sets can be used to compare management alternatives, incorporate multiple objectives, and identify knowledge gaps and areas of disagreement. The simplicity and flexibility of this technique provides needed support for more explicit, objective decisions.
An experimental xenograft mouse model of diffuse pontine glioma designed for therapeutic testing

The prognosis for diffuse infiltrating pontine gliomas (DIPG) remains extremely poor, with the majority of patients surviving less than 2 years. Here, we have adapted standard xenograft techniques to study glioma growth in the mouse brainstem, and have utilized the mouse model for studying a relevant therapeutic for treating DIPGs. bioluminescence imaging monitoring revealed a progressive increase in signal following the injection of either of two tumor cell types into the brainstem. Mice with orthotopic GS2 tumors, and receiving a single 100 mg/kg dose of temozolomide showed a lengthy period of decreased tumor luminescence, with substantially increased survival relative to untreated mice (P < 0.001). A small molecule inhibitor that targets cdk4/6 was used to test AM-38 brainstem xenograft response to treatment. Drug treatment resulted in delayed tumor growth, and significantly extended survival. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using an orthotopic brainstem tumor model in athymic mice, and for application to testing therapeutic agents in treating DIPG.
On knowing others and predicting what they say

Couples who were at three stages of relational knowledge (low, medium, and high) were tested for their accuracy in: 1) predicting parts of the actual message behavior of their dyad partner; and 2) predicting words based on clues given by their dyad partner. Generally, the accuracy of prediction increased as the level of relational knowledge increased—but some exceptions occurred. Predictability was enhanced when a person made attributions about his or her partner's responses associated with impersonal topics and common words. Nonverbal cues (visual and vocal) tended to facilitate predictive accuracy for high knowledge couples but inhibited accuracy for the newly‐acquainted couples. Results were discussed in terms of those conditions which facilitate accurate predictions about another's communication behavior.
A Note on Rotation Matrices

Properly establishing the relation between linear algebra and geometry makes it easier to obtain the three-by-three orthogonal matrix that describes a specified rotation.
Prenatal diagnosis of the fetus with cystic fibrosis and meconium ileus

The sonographic finding of hyperechoic or dilated fetal bowel raises suspicion of a number of prenatal disorders including meconium ileus (MI), meconium peritonitis, congenital infection, neoplasm, or chromosomal trisomy. These findings may also represent transient normal variants. The following case report details the evaluation of one pregnancy with abnormal intestinal echogenic findings on serial sonograms (US), to demonstrate inherent diagnostic difficulties in such a case. A diagnostic algorithm is presented to aid in the proper use of US and DNA mutation analysis for cystic fibrosis (CF), so that the cause of an abnormal abdominal US can be established earlier and more accurately than suggested by previous management schemes. Earlier fetal diagnosis may help to anticipate postnatal problems associated with CF/MI, and therefore provide more optimal clinical management of the affected fetus.
Alperin's weight conjecture in terms of equivariant Bredon cohomology

Alperin’s weight conjecture [1] admits a reformulation in terms of the cohomology of a functor on a category obtained from a subdivision construction applied to a centric linking system [7] of a fusion system of a block, which in turn can be interpreted as the equivariant Bredon cohomology of a certain functor on the G-poset of centric Brauer pairs. The underlying general constructions of categories and functors needed for this reformulation are described in §1 and §2, respectively, and §3 provides a tool for computing the cohomology of the functors arising in §2. Taking as starting point the alternating sum formulation of Alperin’s weight conjecture by Knorr-Robinson [11], the material of the previous sections is applied in §4 to interpret the terms in this alternating sum as dimensions of cohomology spaces of appropriate functors, using further work of Robinson [15, 16, 17].
Course Module: Design By Contract

This paper introduces a module which has been submitted to the SWENET initiative that is collecting examples of software engineering teaching and learning modules. The module itself introduces the concept of design by contract as a rigorous approach for designing and producing more reliable software. The module introduces the concept of assertions and more specifically, preconditions and postconditions. The ideas presented in this module describe a formal approach to software construction that can easily be understood by both undergraduates and graduates. The module also provides guidelines for specifying good contracts. The material presented in this module is primarily derived from "Design by Contract by Example" by Richard Mitchell and Jim McKim (2002)
Thiol-functionalized chitin nanofibers for As (III) adsorption

Abstract Natural polysaccharide chitin nanofibers, prepared with a series of chemical and mechanical treatments, were used as an absorbent material for arsenic (As(III)) removal. The dimensions of chitin nanofibers, determined by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), were about 6 nm in thickness, 24 nm in width and a few hundred nanometers in length. The chemical/mechanical treatment enabled the chitin nanofiber surface to be charged, thus facilitating the dispersion of nanofibers in aqueous suspension at neutral pH. The large amount of amine groups (1.7 mmol/g) on the nanofiber surface provided opportunities for further modifications, such as formation of amide bonds. In this study, grafting of cysteine was carried out to create adsorption sites for arsenic metal ion (AsO 2 − ) removal. The thiol-functionalized chitin nanofibers ([-SH] = 1.1 mmol/g) were characterized by titration, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The arsenic adsorption performance of thiol-modified chitin nanofibers was evaluated under different pH conditions and at different metal ion concentrations, where the maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 149 mg/g at pH = 7.0 using the Langmuir Model. This adsorption capacity was higher than any existing chitin/chitosan-based hydrogel or bead absorbent systems.
Yin and Yang: Unsilencing Synapses to Control Cocaine Seeking

In this issue of Neuron, Ma et al. (2014) show that long-term depression of two independent prefrontal cortical inputs to nucleus accumbens modifies behavioral responses controlling incubation of cocaine craving. Intriguingly, one input increases while the other attenuates behavioral responses, hinting that both "prorelapse" and "antirelapse" pathways are strengthened after cocaine self-administration.
Detecting Psychopathological Reactions to Natural Disaster: A Methodological Note.

Two opposing views in a controversy were examined in this paper. In the psychiatric literature it is argues that natural disasters can cause severe negative psychological reactions in victims. However, in literature generated by sociologists and psychologists, it is purported that natural disasters do not produce adverse reactions. It is argued that the apparent empirical stalemate is probably a function of methodological difficulties, and the contradictory findings are explained on the basis of different measurement strategies and problems of study design.
Pulse transmission in elastic exponential and conical shells

Abstract A theoretical and experimental investigation was conducted to ascertain the response of an axisymmetric exponential shell and of a hollow cone with identical terminal dimensions and lengths, both composed of aluminum, to central longitudinal impact by steel spheres. The principal tests were concerned with loading at the small end and an open distal section; in a few cases, the large end was covered by a relatively thin aluminum plate and subjected to central impact by the various strikers. The range of initial velocities for the 3.175, 6.35 and 12.7 mm diameter pneumatically-fired steel spheres was from 7.6 to 60 m/s, while 23.7 and 50.8 mm steel balls were propelled in a pendulum arrangement at about 1.2 m/s. The input was monitored by a quartz crystal, while the waves were detected by a set of foil gages. A one- and a two-dimensional numerical analysis were executed for a typical set of experimental conditions of the first wave transit in both systems when struck at the small end: the results were in good correspondence with experimental data. The exponential shell exhibited the theoretically predicted cut-off behavior beyond a certain pulse duration which was also found previously in the case of a geometrically similar solid exponential rod. Correspondingly, the conical shell evidenced enormous attenuation, but not complete cut-off beyond such critical impact duration when the wave process was initiated at the small end. The much greater dispersion and attenuation relative to that of the solid bars is primarily due to wall bending of the specimens.
The claim of sound

This book articulates well the claim of sound?against the hegemony of visualism in the history of Western thought, against its neglect in empirical scientific methodology, and against the general failure to appreciate the participation of the auditory dimension in meaningfulness. Ihde's work, however, is not couched in the shape of an argument, but as patient phenomenological description and reflection on the character of the auditory dimension both in perception, as hearing, and as the action of auditory imagination in vocal utterance. Phenomenology, as a movement of European thought which has subsequently penetrated American thinking, labors under the distinct disadvantage of having its founding theoretical works written in German and French, and unevenly translated into English. Thus, its theoretical articulation is often heavy with terminology that tends to put off all but the courageous soul who is willing to wade through hours of reading choppy, unreadable English. Sensitive to this problem, Ihde has chosen to do phenomenological description without elaborate and obtrusive methodologi? cal machinery. In an English free of jargon and in a style that does not presuppose a working knowledge of the major works of Husserl and Heidegger, Ihde provides a "phenomenological" description of auditory meaningfulness that is accessible to the reader unfamiliar with phenomen? ology. Ihde proposes to do several things: (1) to do phenomenology and not just talk about it or get ready to do it; (2) to remain accessible to the nonphenomenologist who is interested in what "happens" in listening and voicing; (3) to make use of both Husserl and Heidegger in a way that makes them methodologically useful for understanding the phenomenology of sound; and finally, (4) through phenomenological descriptions and reflection to reclaim an important place for sound in any account of meaningfulness in the understanding-processes of man.
Sub-shot noise measurements with an acousto-optic modulator

The shot noise limit is a fundamental lower limit on the sensitivity of any measurement and is de ned by nature. We propose an experiment in which we measure the di erence current from each heterodyne detector and nd that the result is a sinusoidal function of the path length di erence between the the two heterodyne systems. For certain values of the path length, we expect to overcome the shot noise limit set by the local oscillator. Here we review our experiment and report on the current experimental progress.
Eddy current measurements on ultrapure molybdenum and rhenium

An extension of the well‐known eddy current method for measuring the resistivity ρ of low‐resistivity specimens is described. The induced voltage in a pickup coil around a cylindrical sample is given, for a sudden field change, as V(t)∝∑n=1∞exp[−λn2α(ρ)t]. The usual procedure requires the measurement of V(t) for values of the time t such that only the first term in the sum need be considered. For low‐resistivity metals, this method requires a long observation time (several seconds) and a low‐noise high‐gain amplifier. By including the first M terms in this expansion, the amplifier requirements and the observation time may be reduced. Resistivity data with an estimated error of less than 5% have been obtained for several ultrapure samples of Mo and Re at 4.2 K.
Catalase enrichment using recombinant adenovirus protects αTN4-1 cells from H2O2

Abstract Since oxidative stress has been implicated in the development of numerous diseases including cataract, this laboratory has created and investigated the stress response of murine immortal lens epithelial cell lines (αTN4-1) conditioned to withstand lethal peroxide concentrations. Two of a group of antioxidative defense (AOD) enzymes found in such cells to have markedly enhanced activity are catalase (CAT) and GSH S-transferase α2 (GST). In order to determine if enrichment of one or both of these AODs is sufficient to protect αTN4-1 cells from lethal H2O2 levels, these cells were infected with adenovirus vectors capable of expressing these AODs at a high level. With this system, gene enrichment and increased enzyme activity were observed with both CAT and GST vectors. The percentage of cells infected ranged from about 50 to 90% depending on the multiplicity of infection (MOI). CAT but not GST protected the cells from H2O2 stress. The CAT activity was increased from 15- to 150-fold and even at the lower levels protected the cells from H2O2 concentrations as high as 200 μM or more (H2O2 levels which rapidly kill nonenriched cells). Even when only about 50% of the cell population is infected as judged by GFP infection, the entire population appeared to be protected based on cell viability. The CAT enrichment appears to protect other intracellular defense systems such as GSH from being depleted in contrast to nonenriched cell populations where GSH is rapidly exhausted. The overall results suggest that enriching the cellular CAT gene level with an appropriate recombinant viral vector may be sufficient to protect in vivo systems from peroxide stress.