cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Moving Beyond Moral Revulsion: A Deeper Analysis of Social Justice Within Clinical Ethics Training

Mark Kuczewski does not disappoint us in his forward-thinking article “Clinical Ethicists Awakened: Addressing Two Generations of Clinical Ethics Issues Involving Undocumented Patients” (2019). He ...
Nonlinear Modeling: Lessons Learned and Room for Improvement in the M&S Literature

The field of Modeling and Simulation (M&S) has been growing at a rapid pace in the last few decades, particularly since the integration of growing computational capabilities, and the incorporation of more and more researchers coming from both computational as well as more traditional social, physical and biological sciences. At the same time, the ideas encapsulated in the growing paradigm of nonlinearity and Complexity have been gaining traction and have become increasingly accepted in the Literatures of all fields of study. In this sense, the rise of complexity science and of computer simulations have happened simultaneously because they have co-evolved and found inspiration from each other. This essay attempts to serve as a type of mirror in which both Complexity and Simulation can look at each other, understand each other, and compare notes. Nonetheless, the point of the article is that this is not yet a perfect mirror, and that the state-of-the-art theoretical Literature on complexity and computer simulations still do not yet see eye to eye. There are certainly lessons to be learned from the simulation side of the equation that have not been fully grasped and generalized. This work, however, focuses on the other side of the coin: On the theoretical insights that have not been appropriately modeled as of now, and about ways in which we can move the M&S field in that direction, with current and potential real-world applications of this increased rapport between theory and application.
Anesthesiology for dentists.

Finding the course to satisfy the requirement is not an easy matter. Fortunately, new educational programs are being developed.
Machine Learning Predictive Models Can Improve Efficacy of Clinical Trials for Alzheimer’s Disease

Background The ideal participants for Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical trials would show cognitive decline in the absence of treatment (i.e., placebo arm) and also would be responsive to the therapeutic intervention being studied (i.e., drug arm). One strategy to boost the power of trials is to enroll individuals who are more likely to progress targeted using data-driven predictive models. Objective To investigate if machine learning (ML) models can effectively predict clinical disease progression (cognitive decline) in mild-to-moderate AD patients during the timeframe of a phase III clinical trial. Methods Data from 202 participants with a diagnosis of AD at baseline from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) was used to train ML classifiers that can differentiate between individuals who had declining cognitive function (DC) and individuals with stable cognitive function (SC). DC was defined as any downward change in the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) score over 12 months of follow-up. SC was defined by the absence of decline in ADAS-cog. Trained models were applied to data from 77 participants from the placebo arm of the phase III trial of Semagacestat (LFAN study) to identify subgroups of SC versus DC. Results Only 74.8% of ADNI participants and 63.6% of LFAN participants had cognitive decline after one year of follow up. K-nearest neighbors (kNN) classifier had an accuracy of 68.3%, sensitivity of 80.1%, and specificity of 33.3% for identifying decliners in ADNI (training sample). In LFAN (validation sample), the model showed an overall accuracy of 61.3%, sensitivity of 65.5%, and specificity of 47.0% in identifying decliners at the 12 months of follow-up. The model had a positive predictive value of 80.8%, which was 17.2% more than the base prevalence of decliners. Conclusions Machine learning predictive models can be effectively used to boost the power of clinical trials by reducing the sample size.
Repeatable Stair-step Assay to Access the Allelopathic Potential of Weedy Rice (Oryza sativa ssp.)

Weed competition contributes significantly to yield losses in cropping systems worldwide. The evolution of resistance in many weed species to continuously applied herbicides has presented the need for additional management methods. Allelopathy is a physiological process that some plant species possess that provide the plant with an advantage over its neighbors. Allelopathic crop varieties would be equipped with the ability to suppress the growth of surrounding competitors, thus reducing potential yield loss due to weed interference. This paper focuses on the construction and operation of a stair-step assay used for the screening of the allelopathic potential of a donor species (Oryza sativa) against a receiver weed species (Echinochloa crus-galli) in a greenhouse setting. The structure described in this paper serves as a stand for the plant samples and incorporates a timed watering system for the accumulation and distribution of allelochemicals. Allelochemicals produced by the plant roots are allowed to flow downward through a series of four pots separately into a collection tank and recycled back to the top plant through electric pumps. This method of screening provides an avenue for the allelochemicals from the donor plant to reach receiver plants without any resource competition, thus allowing quantitative measurement of the allelopathic potential of the selected donor plant. The allelopathic potential is measurable through the height reduction of the receiver plants. Preliminary screening data for the effectiveness of this method demonstrated height reduction in the receiver species, barnyardgrass (E. crus-galli), and thus the presence of allelopathic residues from the donor plant, weedy rice (Oryza sativa).
Process-dependent effects of water on the chemistry of aluminum oxide and aromatic polyimide interface in composite materials

Abstract Replacement of Cu wires with Al wires has a significant impact on the overall cable and wire fields. This replacement is particularly important for reducing the weight of hybrid vehicles, significantly improving fuel efficiency, and reducing CO2 emissions. A promising analytical protocol is proposed for investigating the Al and polymer coating interface in samples fabricated by semiconductor-device-manufacturing techniques. The samples were analyzed by time-of-flight secondary ion spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), synchrotron hard-X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES), and electron energy loss spectroscopy with scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM-EELS). The protocol provides information about the chemistry of interfaces fabricated by (1) Al deposition on a polymer substrate and (2) coating of a polymer precursor on Al. Observation of the Al and pyromellitic-dianhydride-oxydianiline-type polyimide (PMDA-ODA PI) interfaces revealed: For (1), the water adsorbed on the pristine PI surface contributed mainly to formation of the Al hydrate. For (2), at the Al/PI interface, the two events occur in a chain: first, hydrolysis of PAA occurred to form the carboxyl group, followed by acid-base reactions between the carboxyl group and hydroxide/oxide to generate water. Thus, Al O C O bonds form at the interface. The proposed protocol is applicable to the investigation of a wide-ranging combination of metals and polymers.
Disastrous hydropower, uneven regional development, and decolonization in India's Eastern Himalayan borderlands

Abstract Sikkim, a small Eastern Himalayan state in India has twenty-seven hydropower projects proposed under the Indian Power Ministry's hydropower initiative that envisions the Himalayan region as the country's "future powerhouse" (Dharamadhikary 2008; Kohli, 2011). In 2011, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake rocked Sikkim, the epicenter of which was located eerily close to two under construction dams and the Dzongu reserve, revered as sacred by Sikkim's Indigenous minority Lepchas. Drawing on interviews with Lepcha residents of Dzongu, and state geologists and disaster management officials, I center my analysis on their encounters with disasters and hydropower infrastructure. Building on decolonial theorizations and scholarship on Himalayan borderlands, I argue that disastrous hydropower forms on historical terrains shaped not only by geophysical conditions but also generations of uneven regional development, and the racialized colonial and postcolonial governance of the Eastern Himalayan frontier. In placing ‘disastrous’ as a prefix to hydropower, I follow my interlocutors who implicate state and private developers in producing disaster conditions in Sikkim even as they evade culpability by discursively shifting blame onto the region's “inhospitable terrain” (GoI 2008: 27). I demonstrate that despite key differences in their relation to state power both Dzongu Lepchas and Sikkimese technocrats, forward a materialist, place-based understanding of precarity, differential vulnerability, and uneven regional development. Centering Indigenous and regionalist critiques, I argue that the recent entry of hydropower development in the Eastern Himalayas, conceptualized by colonial authorities as India's “Mongolian Fringe” (Baruah, 2013), requires a closer attention to the entanglements of frontier-making and racialization in India. More broadly, I demonstrate how disastrous hydropower development in a racialized frontier region offers a productive entry into decolonial theorizing in the Indian context.
Pancreatic β-cell heterogeneity in health and diabetes: classes, sources, and subtypes.

Pancreatic β-cells perform glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, a process at the center of type 2 diabetes etiology. Efforts to understand how β-cells behave in healthy and stressful conditions ha...
Digital Expression of Isoforms of Cyclooxygenase in a Model of Bovine Laminitis

A great deal of the proposed pathophysiology of bovine laminitis is extrapolated from data obtained from equine laminitis. Similar to its equine counterpart, bovine laminitis commonly occurs secondary to conditions associated with endotoxemia (i.e. carbohydrate overload and mastitis). However, due to differences in clinical presentations of laminitis in the two species, our laboratory is interested to discern if the same pathophysiologic mechanisms take place in the two different species. Our laboratory has provided evidence that the developmental period of laminitis is an inflammatory event in horses. Specifically, we have demonstrated the upregulation of interleukin-Iβ (IL-1β) locally in equine laminae and systemically in mesenteric lymph nodes in the early stages of laminitis. Our lab also found increased COX-2 expression in equine laminae in horses in the developmental stage of black walnut extract-induced laminitis. Cyclooxygenase (COX) is the key enzyme in the process of converting arachidonic acid to eicosanoids. Downstream eicosanoid synthesis resulting from COX upregulation during laminitis may account for the aberrant vascular events occurring in the digit during this condition. The purpose of our project was to determine if cyclooxygenase isoforms (COX-1 and COX-2) were similarly affected in the laminitic bovid.
Pheochromocytoma Multisystem Crisis: A Case Study.

Introduction Known as the "great mimic," pheochromocytoma is rare and difficult to diagnose. When a pheochromocytoma begins to cause end-organ damage, it becomes pheochromocytoma multisystem crisis, an even more rare and deadly diagnosis. Clinical findings N.R., a 63-year old man, presented to the emergency department 1 day after receiving a cortisone injection for a nondisplaced wrist fracture. His chief concern was a "racing heart and chest pressure." N.R. was admitted to the telemetry unit after routine electrocardiography showed atrial fibrillation and elevated blood pressure. Symptoms quickly progressed, and N.R. was transferred to the intensive care unit where he received noninvasive positive pressure ventilation. Diagnosis A computed tomography scan revealed a 7-cm right intra-adrenal mass, and an echocardiogram showed a markedly reduced ejection fraction. N.R. received a preliminary diagnosis of pheochromocytoma multisystem crisis, although confirmatory laboratory test results were pending. N.R. became progressively more hemodynamically unstable and his respiratory status worsened, and by the end of hospital day 2 he had been intubated and was receiving multiple vasoactive medications intravenously. On hospital day 7, N.R. was transferred to a facility for definitive surgical intervention. Conclusion This case represents the importance of timely interventions by nursing staff, clear communication between staff on different shifts, and real-time education by physicians to nursing staff. This collaborative milieu empowered nurses to use their experience and critical thinking to make clinical decisions in providing care.
First Amendment Pedagogy: Teaching New Challenges and Old Doctrine

For most constitutional problems, legal doctrine presents several tracks for resolution. Perhaps the most compelling case for this proposition comes from First Amendment cases. First one discovers the splintered, filigree of concepts in free expression law itself. Is it content-based regulation? Secondary-effect regulation? Is a public forum involved? Fighting words? A true threat? The analytical possibilities seem to multiply. And then one must often consider a relationship between free expression and the religion clauses: the freedom of religion clause and the prohibition against government establishment of religion. Assistance for understanding this relationship comes from the concept of freedom of conscience—the notion of being able to embrace what one believes as true and moral. This notion links both freedom of expression and the two religion clauses. Yet understanding how to navigate the tangled legal doctrines pertaining to both the religion and freedom of expression silos of constitutional caselaw remains a more challenging story. What is this article about? It focuses on these two challenges: the challenge of choosing which thread of case law is best of analyzing freedom of expression issues and the challenge of navigating the relationship among freedom of expression, freedom of religion and the prohibition against government establishment of religion. The article is written for (1) law professors trying to figure out how to guide students; (2) students trying to orient themselves in the First Amendment maze; and (3) practitioners trying to choose the appropriate strategy for conquering a legal problem. The article is derived in large part from a monograph on the First Amendment, published by Wolters Kluwer, LAURA E. LITTLE, FIRST AMENDMENT: EXAMPLES AND EXPLANATIONS (2021).
How Important is Editorial Gatekeeping? Evidence from Top Biomedical Journals

We examine editors’ influence on the scientific content of academic journals by unpacking the role of three major forces: journals’ missions, aggregate supply of and demand for specific topics, and scientific homophily via editorial gatekeeping. In a sample of top biomedical journals, we find that the first two forces explain the vast majority of variation in published content. The upper bound of the homophily effect is statistically significant but practically unimportant. Marginal editorial changes thus likely do not meaningfully impact journals’ content in the short run. However, we do not rule out persistent or pervasive frictions in the publication process.
High prevalence of pathological alertness and wakefulness on maintenance of wakefulness test in adults with focal-onset epilepsy.

Abstract Background Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is a common complaint in adults with epilepsy (AWE), but objective evaluation is lacking. We used the maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT) to objectively measure the ability of adults with focal-onset epilepsy to maintain wakefulness in soporific conditions. Methods Adults with epilepsy participating in a study investigating the effects of lacosamide on sleep and wakefulness underwent baseline ambulatory polysomnography (PSG)/EEG followed by MWT. Mean sleep latency (MSL) and mean percent sleep time (MST, mean percentage of non-wake EEG scored in 3-sec bins from lights out to sleep onset averaged over the 4 MWT trials) were quantified. Subjective sleepiness was assessed by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Spearman correlation and linear regression assessed relationships between MWT parameters, ESS and relevant sleep and epilepsy-related variables. Results Maintenance of wakefulness test MSL in 51 AWE (mean age 43.5 ± 13 years, 69% female, mean BMI 24.6 ± 11.2 kg/m2) was 21.7 ± 11.9 min; 45.1% had an abnormally short MSL 10). No correlation between subjective ESS and objective MSL (p = 0.67) or MST (p = 0.61) was found. MSL was significantly shorter in subjects with focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (FBTCS; 7.9 min [13.6, 22.3]) compared to those without (27.4 min [21.2, 33.6], p = 0.013). Younger subjects had shorter MSL; MSL increased 3.2 min for every 10-year increase in age. Conclusion We found a high prevalence of objective sleepiness/difficulty maintaining wakefulness on the MWT and subjective sleepiness using the ESS in AWE without a correlation between the two. More severe objective sleepiness was found in subjects with a history of FBTCS and younger age. Further research is needed to determine mechanistic underpinnings and optimal measurements of pathological sleepiness in people with epilepsy given the burden of it on quality of life.
Supercritical Water Oxidation as an Innovative Technology for PFAS Destruction

AbstractWater above 374°C and 22.1 MPa becomes supercritical, a special state where organic solubility increases and oxidation processes are accelerated. Supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) has be...
The importance of natural habitats to Brazilian free-tailed bats in intensive agricultural landscapes in the Winter Garden region of Texas, United States

Abstract The conversion of natural lands to agriculture is a leading cause of the worldwide loss of biodiversity. In particular, cropland monocultures alter insect abundance and diversity compared to adjacent natural habitats. While agricultural lands can provide large numbers of insect pests as prey items to predators such as bats, insect pest population size vary greatly throughout growing seasons. This study assesses the importance of land use and corn earworm moth availability as spatial and temporal drivers of bat activity. We quantified spatial variation in land use patterns at fifteen sites located within the Winter Garden region in south central Texas and used bat detectors and insect pheromone traps to monitor nightly bat activity and corn earworm moth abundance across the landscape and throughout most of the year. Our temporal analyses show that bat activity was positively correlated with moth abundance, but only early in the growing season when moth abundance is at its peak. The key result from this study is a positive relationship between bat activity and natural habitat cover during late summer months, corresponding to periods of low moth abundance and a peak in bat activity. During the late summer period, bats were more active at sites containing a larger percentage of natural habitats than those containing a larger percentage of agricultural land. Our results strongly suggest that intensive agricultural practices create systems providing bats with inconsistent resource supply, but the persistence of natural habitats provides consistency in food supply though time. Taken together, these findings illustrate the importance of protecting and restoring natural habitats for the conservation for bats and the pest-suppression services they provide in agricultural ecosystems.
Free Vibrations of Cable in Three Dimensions

The results of an extensive analysis of the three-dimensional free vibration of a single span cable, using nonlinear finite elements, is presented. The method provides excellent results throughout the spectrum of end conditions and geometric nonlinearity. For a homogeneous cable of constant cross section, the nonlinear equilibrium position and the natural frequencies were shown to depend only on the end conditions and the stiffness-to-weight ratio. It has been demonstrated that results of engineering usefulness can be obtained from plots made for a typical value of the stiffness-to-weight ratio since realistic deviations from this value result in only minor changes in the frequencies. An empirical formula based on static calculations, which gives a good approximation to the lowest natural frequency, has been presented.
Condensed Huffman coding, a new efficient decoding technique

A new technique is proposed for decoding Huffman codes. In this technique a Condensed Huffman Table (CHT) for decoding purposes replaces a typical Huffman table. It is shown that a CHT is much smaller in size and the decoding becomes significantly faster. In an example with a typical Huffman table containing 108 codewords, it is shown that a CHT with only 14 codewords is sufficient to perform the decoding.
Outcome of cardiac sarcoidosis after radiofrequency ablation and placement of AICD- A propensity matched analysis

Background: Cardiac Sarcoidosis (CS) can lead to life-threatening ventricular dysrhythmias and sudden death. Immunosuppressive medications, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) have been utilized to manage ventricular dysrhythmias but their benefits remain poorly defined. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the durability of RFA in CS population and to determine outcome predictors after RFA. Methods: We compared the CS patients who had RFA±ICD against those with only ICD placement and contemporaneous patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) who had RFA. We analyzed time to a composite first event of appropriate ICD therapy, subsequent RFA, cardiac transplantation or death. We also evaluated variables predicting recurrence of ventricular dysrhythmias, including LVEF, cardiac involvement on PET scan, percent of ventricular ectopic beats, number of inducible VT foci and success of the RFA procedure. We used propensity matching and multivariable regression to adjust for baseline differences between the groups to identify outcome predictors. Results: Thirty ablations for VT were performed in 20 CS patients (13 had concomitant ICD placement); 12 ablations were done in eight ARVD patients and 33 CS patients with only ICD placements were included in this cohort. The median follow-up period was 48 (9-173) months. Fourteen (70%) patients reached composite end points after RFA compared to 13 (63%) following ICD placement and five (87%) in the ARVD cohort. There was a significant time difference to reach composite end points (p=0.02) in favor of ICD only cohort. The median number of ICD therapies were higher in the CS-RFA group (p=0.01). The requirement for ICD therapy increased over time following RFA, especially after 12 months. Variables predicting earlier time-to-event were EF <40% (OR=13.2) and unsuccessful RFA procedure (OR=7.9). The presence of more than one inducible VT morphology was associated with higher likelihood of unsuccessful RFA (p=0.03). Conclusion: RFA can be an effective modality for the short-term treatment of ventricular dysrhythmias in cardiac sarcoidosis; however, after more than 12 months, the number of appropriate therapies escalates. Accordingly, ICD placement is recommended for all patients who undergo RFA for VT associated with CS, whether it is successful or not. Low LVEF and unsuccessful ablation were strong predictors of future events.
Predicting Political Biases Against the Occupy Wall Street and Tea Party Movements

Accusations of hypocrisy have flown against both supporters and opponents of the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) and Tea Party movements. Integrating the ideologically objectionable premise model (IOPM), a newly devised model of political judgment, with political tolerance research, we find that how the political activities of OWS and Tea Party demonstrators are described determines whether or not biases against these groups emerge among people low and high in right-wing authoritarianism (RWA). Specifically, people low in RWA were more biased against the Tea Party than OWS regardless of whether the groups engaged in normatively threatening or reassuring political behavior, whereas people high in RWA were more biased against OWS than the Tea Party when the groups engaged in normatively threatening (and therefore objectionable), but not normatively reassuring (and therefore acceptable) behavior. These findings further support the IOPM's contention that premise objectionableness, not right-wing orientation, determines biases in political judgment.
Long-term effects of ACTH and cortisone therapy in rheumatic fever

Summary 1. The cardiac status of a group of patients has been determined 5 to 8 years after an acute episode of rheumatic fever, and evaluated in relation to treatment or lack of it with ACTH or a corticosteroid. 2. The current observations indicate thatneither ACTH nor a corticosteroid administered during an acute episode of rheumatic fever exerted a beneficial influence on the incidence or severity of cardiac residua as measured 5 to 8 years after the acute episode. 3. The patients whose treatment with ACTH or a corticosteroid was started within the first 10 days of hospitalization did not show any significant difference in cardiac residua as compared with those in whom such treatment was begun later in the course of the disease. 4. Only 26 per cent of the patients with overt recurrences of rheumatic fever were among the 68 per cent of the patients who had satisfactory regimens of penicillin prophylaxis. The remaining 74 per cent who had recurrences were among the 32 per cent who did not receive prophylaxis. The changes in number and transmission of cardiac murmurs were found to be independent of penicillin prophylaxis. A possible explanation for this difference is discussed.
Refractory Thin‐Films Derived from Organometallic Polymers

Refractory materials are critical for the ultra-high temperature environments that are encountered in diverse settings, from turbine blades to the leading edges of objects travelling at hypersonic speeds through the atmosphere, such as railgun projectiles or reentry craft. Hafnium carbide and hafnium diboride are refractory materials with melting points in excess of 3200°C. Our goal is to develop a versatile polymer precursor-based route to produce hafnium carbide and hafnium diboride using reductive techniques to couple haloform monomers and oxidative methods to couple borohydride monomers. The flexibility of the system we describe will also enable us to produce hafnium carbide and tantalum carbide solid solutions, which possess the highest reported melting point of any refractory, >4200°C. Critically, these polymeric precursors will provide potential pathway for producing conformal, thin and thick films suitable for the leading edges of hypersonic projectiles or reentry craft.
Phase measuring interferometry algorithms

In this paper further discussions on some new methods proposed in an earlier paper on phase stepping interferometry is detailed. These studies reveal that certain algorithms are more sensitive to miscalibration and nonlinearity and can be better candidates to detect the presence of phase shifter miscalibration or nonlinearity. A simplified approach to the understanding of the error and its reduction/elimination in phase shifting interferometry are also presented.
Fingerprints of Equitable Estoppel and Promissory Estoppel on the Statute of Frauds in Contract Law

This Article evaluates a conundrum and identifies a genuine risk faced by state and federal courts in interpreting and applying the Statute of Frauds to contract law disputes. The Article provides a thorough analytical dissection of the Statute of Frauds as it has been interpreted and applied by the courts in light of the inescapable tension between the Statute’s formalities, mandated by the legislature, and the judiciary’s profound goal of attaining justice and fairness in deciding each contract law dispute in which the Statute is implicated. The Article discusses in depth how the Statute has been construed by state and federal courts in the unique factual context presented by each individual case argued before these courts. It investigates how judicial application of the Statute to particular facts has invoked creativity and ingenuity on the part of the courts that has led to the formulation of two equitable, ameliorating doctrines consisting of equitable estoppel and more recently, equitable estoppel’s evolutionary progeny, promissory estoppel. The Article discusses the potential dilemma of rigid application of the Statute at the expense of fair and just decisions, faced by the courts in applying the Statute, in light of the uniqueness of the factual context of each case. However, this Article criticizes impulses to apply promissory estoppel too readily because of the risk of eviscerating the Statute entirely. The Article’s analytical examination of a plethora of recent state and federal court decisions has concluded that the application of equitable estoppel principles in deciding whether to decline enforcement of a contract, based upon the defense of the Statute of Frauds, is viable and vibrant and is serving the legal community very well, but that there may also be a clear and present danger of over exuberance in unrestrained application of promissory estoppel by state and federal courts to override the application of the Statute and thereby nullify its mandate.
Contribution of the pAD1-encoded cytolysin to the severity of experimental Enterococcus faecalis endophthalmitis.

Abstract The contribution of the pAD1-encoded cytolysin to Enterococcus faecalis virulence in an experimental endophthalmitis model was studied by using isogenic strains differing only in the location of transposon Tn917. The course of experimental endophthalmitis in New Zealand White rabbits was evaluated by postoperative reduction in retinal neuroresponsiveness, thin-section histopathology, and transmission electron microscopy. Infections caused by cytolytic E. faecalis resulted in 99% loss of retinal function at postoperative day 3, while isogenic, noncytolytic strains produced reductions of only 74.2%. Light microscopy revealed near-total destruction of retinal architecture at 24 h postinfection with cytolytic E. faecalis, while noncytolytic strains produced few or no destructive changes. Transmission electron microscopy revealed tissue destruction in retinal layers as early as 6 h postinfection with cytolytic E. faecalis. In vivo and in vitro growth rates of cytolytic and noncytolytic E. faecalis showed similar kinetics. These data demonstrate the contribution of the pAD1-encoded cytolysin to both the course and the severity of experimental E. faecalis endophthalmitis.
Supereulerian Digraphs with Large Arc-Strong Connectivity

Let D be a digraph and let be the arc-strong connectivity of D, and be the size of a maximum matching of D. We proved that if , then D has a spanning eulerian subdigraph.
Diagnosis and treatment of ischemic pediatric stroke

Tremendous progress has been made in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of pediatric stroke. With a complete investigation, stroke etiology can be determined in most children, and multiple factors are commonly identified. Stroke can be prevented in some children and treated in others. Children at risk for recurrent strokes can be treated effectively. The prognosis after pediatric stroke is usually good, but today we can identify and initiate treatment in selected patients at risk for long-term problems. This article reviews recent advances in the identification, prevention, treatment, and outcome in pediatric ischemic stroke.
Hyperreal waves on transfinite, terminated, distortionless and lossless, transmission lines

A prior work (Graphs and Networks: Transfinite and Nonstandard, Chapter 8. Birkhauser: Boston, Cambridge, MA, 2004) examined the propagation of an electromagnetic wave on a transfinite transmission line—transfinite in the sense that infinitely many one-way infinite transmission lines are connected in cascade. That there are infinitely many such one-way infinite lines results in the wave propagating without ever reflecting at some discontinuity. The present work examines the case where the cascade terminates after only finitely many one-way infinite transmission lines, with the result that reflected waves are now produced at both the far end as well as at the initial end of the transfinite transmission line. The questions whether the reflected waves are infinitesimal or appreciable and whether they sum to an infinitesimal or appreciable amount are resolved for both distortionless and lossless lines. Finally, the generalization to higher ranks of transfiniteness is briefly summarized. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identification and estimation of tocopherols by gas-liquid chromatography.

A gas chromatographic method is described for the identification and estimation of the individual tocopherols as their trimethylsilyl (TMS) ethers. The TMS ethers are prepared by dissolving the sample in a mixture of hexamethyl-disilazane, trimethylchlorosilane, and anhydrous pyridine (2:1:10), and allowing it to stand for at least 15 min. The separations described were made at 235C on 0.08 in. I.D. ×15 ft silanized glass columns packed with either 0.5% Apiezon L or 2% SE-30 on 110/120 mesh Anakrom (acid and base washed, and silanized). Retention data, obtained either by chromatographing known compounds or by prediction using the Kovats Retention Indices, are presented for tocol, tocotrienol, and all 14 possible methylated tocols and tocotrienols. The quantitative results from the analyses of two standard mixtures are also presented. The application to naturally occurring tocopherols is illustrated by chromatograms of partially purified fractions from soy oil, wheat germ oil, whole wheat flour, and corn meal.
Variable Perception of White Noise in Ambiguous Phonetic Contexts: The Case of /p/ and /f/.

The roles of spectro-temporal coherence, lexical status, and word position in the perception of speech in acoustic signals containing a mixture of speech and nonspeech sounds were investigated. Stimuli consisted of nine (non)words in which either white noise was inserted only into the silent interval preceding and/or following the onset of vocalic transitions ambiguous between /p/ and /f/, or in which white noise overlaid the entire utterance. Ten listeners perceived 85% /f/s when noise was inserted only into the silent interval signaling a stop closure, 47% /f/s when noise overlaid the entire (non)words, and 1% in the control condition that contained no noise. Effects of spectro-temporal coherence seemed to have dominated perceptual outcomes, although the lexical status and position of the critical phoneme also appeared to affect responses. The results are explained more adequately by the theory of Auditory Scene Analysis than by the Motor Theory of Speech Perception.
An Optically Stabilized Fast-Switching Light Emitting Diode as a Light Source for Functional Neuroimaging

Neuroscience research increasingly relies on optical methods for evoking neuronal activity as well as for measuring it, making bright and stable light sources critical building blocks of modern experimental setups. This paper presents a method to control the brightness of a high-power light emitting diode (LED) light source to an unprecedented level of stability. By continuously monitoring the actual light output of the LED with a photodiode and feeding the result back to the LED's driver by way of a proportional-integral controller, drift was reduced to as little as 0.007% per hour over a 12-h period, and short-term fluctuations to 0.005% root-mean-square over 10 seconds. The LED can be switched on and off completely within 100 s, a feature that is crucial when visual stimuli and light for optical recording need to be interleaved to obtain artifact-free recordings. The utility of the system is demonstrated by recording visual responses in the central nervous system of the medicinal leech Hirudo verbana using voltage-sensitive dyes.
Statistical investigation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in the ambient air of Houston, Texas.

Abstract Polychlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (dioxins and furans) are persistent, bioaccumulative and highly toxic chemical constituents that appear in the environment at very low and difficult to measure levels. Although dioxins and furans are widely recognized as toxic contaminants needing regulation, their temporal and spatial concentration profiles and the factors impacting their partitioning and congener distribution are only moderately understood. This paper presents the results from one of the most extensive ambient air dioxin and furan sampling efforts conducted in a geographic area to date. The data consist of monthly ambient concentrations of 17 of the most toxic congeners of dioxins and furans collected at five locations in Houston, Texas over a calendar year. The results showed a total annual mean dioxin and furan congener concentration of 1047 fg/m 3 and an annual mean ∑I-TEQ concentration of 15 fg I-TEQ/m 3 (16 fg WHO-TEQ/m 3 ). These results, when compared with proximate data from the USEPA National Dioxin Ambient Monitoring Network (NDAMN), revealed significant (at the P ⩽ 0.05 level) differences between Houston and the NDAMN sites, suggesting the existence of local dioxin sources. A temporal analysis of the data showed that the congener concentration distribution varies over time, depending on the level of chlorination, type of congener, and temperature. The results also suggested that the fluctuations of congener concentrations and I-TEQ concentrations are closely correlated with minimum relative humidity, mean temperature, and mean NO x concentration.
Wavelet-based digital image watermarking

A wavelet-based watermark casting scheme and a blind watermark retrieval technique are investigated in this research. An adaptive watermark casting method is developed to first determine significant wavelet subbands and then select a couple of significant wavelet coefficients in these subbands to embed watermarks. A blind watermark retrieval technique that can detect the embedded watermark without the help from the original image is proposed. Experimental results show that the embedded watermark is robust against various signal processing and compression attacks.
Hydrocarbon Ions in the Ionosphere of Titan

We have constructed a new model of the ionosphere of Titan that includes 67 species and 626 reactions. Although N2+ is the major ion produced over most of the ionosphere, the ionization flows to ions whose parent neutrals have lower ionization potentials and to ions formed from species with large proton affinities. In contrast to other models, which have predicted that HCNH+ should be the major ion, our calculations suggest that the major ions at and below the ion peak are hydrocarbon ions, and H, C, and N-containing ions. Our predicted peak electron density for a solar zenith angle of 60° is about 7.5 × 10³ cm−3 at an altitude of 1040 km.
The parafascicular nucleus of thalamus exhibits convergence input from the dorsal raphe and the spinal tract of the trigeminal nerve.

Abstract Single unit activity was recorded in 92 units in the parafascicular nucleus (PFN) of the rat. Stimulation electrodes were placed in the dorsal raphe (DR) and spinal tract of the trigeminal nerve (SpV). Stimulation of either the DR or SpV evoked significant changes in firing rates of PFN units. Some units responded with short latency driven activity. Drivenannd non-driven convergence of input was detected. These findings support the concept that the PFN may be a site of modulation of analgesia and pain appreciation.
Investigation of parameters affecting a fixed bed bioreactor process for recombinant cell lines

A BHK 21 cell line expressing a recombinant antibody was grown in a fixed bed reactor (FBR) system using a porous support made of Siran glass beads. The contribution of five process variables (bead and inoculum sizes; circulation and dilution rates; glutamine concentration of the feed) to the productivity of the process (defined as production rate, effluent product concentration or yield of product on medium supplied) was investigated using a partial factorial experimental design. Individually, none of the variables tested had a significant affect upon productivity. The combination of smaller bead and inoculum sizes, higher circulation and dilution rates, plus higher feed glutamine concentration gave a markedly higher productivity than any other combination of variable levels tested. This combination of variable levels suggested that better results shold be obtained using a fluidised bed reactor system. However, comparison of the productivities of the two systems showed that the FBR gave the better results. This result can be explained in terms of the relationship of QsrAb to μ.
Fragrance material review on α-methylcyclohexylmethyl acetate

Abstract A toxicologic and dermatologic review of α-methylcyclohexylmethyl acetate when used as a fragrance ingredient is presented.
1976 Montreal Olympics: Case Study of Project Management Failure

AbstractA successful engineering project must include its timely and economic completion. A project management failure can lead to delays and cost overruns. One example of a project that greatly exceeded its projected budget is the construction of the multiple facilities for the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. These included the Olympic Stadium, a velodrome for bicycle events, and the Olympic Village to house the athletes. This case study reviews the circumstances of the cost increases and the design decisions and other circumstances that led to them. The difficulties were brought on by an unrealistic schedule to complete the facilities before the fixed start date of the Games, combined with an unusually cavalier attitude toward project costs, exacerbated by political tensions. Although the original cost estimate for the facilities was $120 million, the final cost was $1.5 billion, with $830 million for the main stadium alone. Part of the justification for the expense of the facilities was the hope that t...
Cloacal exstrophy: a 25-year experience with 50 cases.

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of reconstruction of all cloacal exstrophy cases seen by the authors from 1974 to 1999. Methods: A retrospective chart review and personal follow-up was conducted on all 50 patients, who ranged in age from newborn to 35 years. Thirty-eight were secondary cases, 12 were primary (no previous surgery). Twenty-eight (56%) were genetic boys; 6 were raised as boys and 22 as girls. Forty patients underwent extensive reconstructive surgery; 6 await reconstruction, and 4 were seen only in consultation. For urinary continence, 21 had bladder neck narrowing, 7 received a bowel nipple, and 12 had a Mitrofanoff catheterizable conduit on the abdominal wall, using tapered intestine in 8, ureter in 3 and the appendix in 1. Four patients had a urostomy. Bladder augmentation was performed in 35 patients (18 with stomach, 11 small bowel, and 6 with both). Twenty-five patients had pull-through of their colon to the perineum. Thirty-two have had a vagina constructed. Forty-seven of the 50 patients had spinal cord tethering, and most underwent neurosurgical release. Results: Overall survival rate was 98%; 1 patient died preoperatively at another institution. Acceptable bowel continence was achieved with enema washouts in 19 of 25 pullthroughs; 4 failed and were reversed. One case is too recent to judge. Of 40 reconstructed cases, 31 were dry, 3 had slight leakage, and 1 is too early to evaluate. Five had enough leakage to require further surgery. Conclusions: The once hopeless anomaly of cloacal exstrophy is treatable with extensive reconstructive surgery. Continence of urine (mainly by catheterization) and stool (mainly by enema washouts) is achievable in most. The hindgut, including the cecum and the usually rudimentary distal colon, should be saved and used as colon, not for urinary or vaginal reconstruction. In genetic boys, the authors continue to believe that gender assignment should depend on the likelihood for reconstructing an adequate phallus. J Pediatr Surg 36:68-75. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Genetic Polymorphism of Paraoxonase and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease

Recent studies have implicated paraoxonase, an HDL-associated enzyme, in providing protection against LDL oxidation, thus affecting the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in the general population. In this study, we evaluated the distribution of a biallelic PON polymorphism at codon 192 (A and B alleles) and its relationship with plasma lipids and CHD in two racial groups comprising Asian Indians and Chinese from Singapore. The frequency of the B allele was significantly higher in Chinese control subjects than in Indian control subjects (0.58 versus 0.33; P < .0001). With the exception of a marginal effect on apolipoprotein A-I levels in Indians, no other significant association was observed between the PON polymorphism and quantitative lipid traits in either racial group. However, there was a race-specific association of the B allele with CHD in Indians but not in Chinese. The Indian CHD patients had a significantly higher frequency of the B allele than control subjects (.43 versus .33; P = .014). The age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio for developing CHD with the B allele (BB+AB genotypes) was 2.01 (95% CI, 1.17 to 3.45; P = .011) compared with the A allele (AA genotype). When the Indian patients were stratified into subgroups, the association remained significant in nondiabetic patients (odds ratio, 2.29; P = .008), and it became stronger in patients with myocardial infarction (odds ratio, 2.94; P = .004) than in patients without myocardial infarction (odds ratio, 1.11; P = .76). These data indicate that a common polymorphism in the PON gene is an independent risk factor for CHD in populations with white ancestry.
SU-E-T-615: Investigation of the Dosimetric Impact of Tandem Loading in the Treatment of Cervical Cancer for HDR Brachytherapy Procedures

Purpose: To quantify the dosimetric impact of the tandem loading in the treatment of cervical cancer for HDR brachytherapy procedures. Methods: Ten patients were evaluated, each of whom received 5 fractions of treatment. Tandem and ovoid sets were inserted into the uterine cavity based on institutional protocols and procedures. Following insertion and stabilization, CT image sets of 1.5mm slice thickness were acquired and sent to the Oncentra V4.3 Treatment Planning System. Critical structures such as the CTV, bladder, rectum, sigmoid, and bowel were contoured and a fractional dose of 5.5Gy was prescribed to Point A for each patient. Six different treatment plans were created for each fraction using varying tandem weightings; from 0.5 to 1.4 times that of the ovoids. Surface dose evaluation of various ovoid diameters, 2.0-3.5cm, at the vaginal fornices was also investigated. Results: Critical structures were evaluated based on varying dose and volume constraints, in particular the 2.0 cc volume recommendation cited by the gynecological GEC-ESTRO working group. Based on dose volume histogram evaluation, a reduction of dose to the critical structures was most often discovered when the tandem weighting was increased. CTV coverage showed little change as the tandem weighting was varied. Ovoid surface dose decreased by 50-65% as the tandem weighting increased. Conclusion: The advantage of 3D planning with HDR brachytherapy is the dose optimization for each individual treatment plan. This investigation shows that by utilizing large tandem weightings, 1.4 times greater than the ovoid, one can still achieve adequate coverage of the CTV and relatively low doses to the critical structures. In some cases, one would still have to optimize further per individual case. In addition, the ovoid surface dose was greatly decreased when large tandem weighting was utilized; especially for small ovoid diameters.