cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Literary Erotics of Print and Misprint

This chapter analyzes Francois Rabelais’ Gargantua and Pantagruel and Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote apropos the culture of print and, even more, print's potentials for producing error. Generatively exploring what movable type permitted vis-a-vis the development of prose narrative, Nayar additionally explores how these authors’ proclivities for wandering, their imaginatively errant powers, and their manner of heaping material while conjointly expressing fears of absurd growth were often an allusive, and sometimes very direct, byproduct of typographic culture. Nayar consequently demonstrates that, contrary to the claims of many modern scholars, Rabelais’ opus is significantly less a manifestation of an earthy tactility derived from the Middle Ages and Cervantes’ of the emerging modern psyche.
Silencing Discipline in Legal Education

In current times, the production of critical legal knowledge has become constrained by a neoliberal education mindset that emphasizes economic performance and measured outcomes over critical thought. In this essay, I argue that academic freedom, in the sense of being free to speak, write, and teach critical knowledge, both in the intellectual sense and in the law practice sense, is being eroded. And, I urge my critically minded colleagues that are traditional law scholars (tenure-track or tenured) to consider the circumstances of law teachers who currently do not have the protections of tenure but who generate valuable knowledge, particularly in the realm of teaching critical common-law analysis and lawyering skills. Together, we should oppose further encroachments of neoliberal rationality into legal education. This is a matter of reform, but it is also a matter of protecting our voice.
Whole Body Human-Robot Collision Detection Using Base-sensor Neuroadaptive Interaction

Conventional methods to detect collisions or physical interaction between robots and human users and/or the environment consist of torque sensing at joints. In the case of non-collaborative robots, collision detection can be accomplished by wrist Force-Torque sensing at the end-effector, or covering the robot with pressure sensitive skin sensors. In this paper we present a novel approach to detect whole-body collisions with a robot manipulator equipped with a base force-torque sensor (BFTS), instead of a wrist force-torque sensor (WFTS). Our approach is summarized in the Base-sensor Assisted Physical Interaction (BAPI) controller described here. Although several other studies have investigated the advantages of this sensing configuration in conjunction with classical model-based computed torque controllers, here we make use of a Neuro-Adaptive controller (NAC) that can estimate the robot dynamic parameters on-line, for high performance interaction. The NAC requires no prior physical knowledge of the robot model parameters, and it offers Lyapunov stability and tracking performance guarantees. We offer the theoretical basis of the BAPI control algorithm and present experimental results with a 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) robot arm demonstrating the effectiveness of our approach.
The Five W's of Falls: Weekly Online Health Survey of Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Analysis of 4 Years Prospective Follow-up.

Background An in-depth examination of prospectively collected falls details may facilitate more effective falls prevention. Who was involved? What happened? Where did the fall take place? When did it happen? Why did it occur? This study aimed to provide previously unavailable details about the circumstances surrounding fall events and their consequences. Method A retrospective analysis of falls prospectively self-reported by older adults via an online weekly health form over 4 years. Results We collected 371 falls during the 4 year time period from 120 clinically characterized fallers (74% women, mean age 83.3 years). Most of the 371 falls occurred indoors (62%) and in well-lit areas (81%). Bedrooms were the most common places for in-home falls. Commonly observed precipitating factors included loss of balance, slipping or tripping. Almost one-third (31%) of falls were defined as injurious whereas 22% resulted in a change in the walking ability of which 26% led to the use of a cane or walker. Among falls that did not give rise to any formal health care intervention, 8% resulted in a modification of walking ability. Conclusions A relatively high rate of fall-related injuries compared to the existing literature was observed. Online weekly surveys and the richness of details provided through these data capture method allowed us to identify falls that did not result in health care utilization but did result in decreased mobility. This finding suggests why some falls classified in the literature as noninjurious may nevertheless increase the risk of loss of autonomy and undesired outcomes.
Evaluating the Crosstalk Current and the Total Radiated Power of a Bent Cable Harness Using the Generalized MTL Method

This paper presents a general formulation of the generalized multiconductor transmission line (GMTL) method to model a parallel cable harness including straight and bent wires. The parallel cable harness here indicates the uniform cross-sectional wire distribution. The GMTL equations are solved recursively based on the perturbation theory. This GMTL method facilitates an accurate evaluation of the current distributed on a cable harness. On top of that, the current obtained in a radiation problem is decomposed into two traveling currents, i.e., the positive-going and the negative-going currents, based on the least-squares method. With the decomposed currents, the steepest descent method is further adopted to achieve a fast approximation of the total radiated power. Finally, the capability and the limitations of the GMTL method in terms of the electrical wire separation and length are investigated. The necessity of the recursive corrections is also studied.
Surgical Management of Patients With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome

Purpose The purpose of this tutorial was to describe the surgical management of palate-related abnormalities associated with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Craniofacial differences in 22q11.2 deletion ...
Misunderstanding the Universal Audience

A major contribution to rhetorical theory and an important tool of rhetorical criticism, Perelman’s distinction between particular audiences and the universal audience has been misconstrued by his ...
Cytomegalovirus Immune Globulin (CMV-Ig): An Old Drug with Fewer Tricks - Removal of Prophylactic CMV-Ig Administration in CMV Mismatched Lung Transplant Recipients

Purpose The routine use of cytomegalovirus immune globulin (CMV-Ig) to provide passive immunity to cytomegalovirus (CMV) in patients is not supported in published literature. International guidelines do not advocate for the use of CMV-Ig alone in thoracic transplant and provide only weak recommendations for its role in combination with antiviral therapy for prevention of CMV. The utilization of CMV-Ig incurs significant cost, and carries the potential for infusion related toxicities. Furthermore, in 2012, an international survey reported only 38 % of thoracic transplant centers utilized CMV-Ig as part of a universal prophylaxis protocol. We evaluated the safety and cost efficiency of the removal of CMV-Ig from standard practice. Methods Prior to September 2018, CMV-Ig 150mg/kg x1 was given to all CMV high-risk lung transplant recipients on postoperative day two in conjunction with intravenous ganciclovir (GCV) followed by prophylaxis with oral valganciclovir (vGCV) for 12 months per institution protocol. After September 2018, CMV-Ig was removed from our institution protocol and high-risk patients received GCV/vGCV prophylaxis alone. Serum CMV PCRs were monitored per institution protocol. All patients post-intervention were retrospectively reviewed for occurrence of CMV viremia, seroconversion, and a cost savings analysis was performed. Results Twelve CMV high-risk lung transplant recipients were observed after the removal of CMV-Ig administration from standard practice. None of these patients experienced a detectable serum CMV PCR. Median follow up time was 163 days (IQR 111-301) post-transplant. All patients received antiviral prophylaxis immediately post-operatively, and had at least 8 weeks of follow up. Seroconversion was observed in three patients at post-operative day 7, 76, and 80 respectively. Using average wholesale price, the calculated cost savings was approximately $5,700 per patient and $68,400 across the entire cohort. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that removal of CMV-Ig administration from standard practice, even in CMV high-risk patients, did not increase the risk of CMV viremia and led to significant cost savings. These data allude to the decreasing utility of CMV-Ig for CMV prophylaxis in the GCV/vGCV era.
Prevalence and anatomical characteristics of the human massa intermedia

Massa intermedia (MI), also known as interthalamic adhesion is an inconsistent bridge connecting the two thalami. Recent studies suggest MI contains functional neuronal tissue and is responsible for interhemispheric communication. Absence of MI has been linked to cognitive differences and psychiatric disorders. However, MI is naturally absent in up to 35 percent of cases but its true prevalence during life in humans is unknown. High resolution anatomical MR studies of 1410 subjects aged 2 months to 93 years were reviewed and those with MI were identified. Prevalence and characteristics of MI were identified and grouped by gender and decade of life. MI was present in 87.3% of the studied subjects. Absence of MI was noted in as early as first decade of life as well as all decades of life, but its absence increased with age, suggesting additional factors during life as mediators. Females had 2.75 times higher likelihood of MI presence than males. Size of MI decreased with increasing age up to age 70. Size of MI was best predicted by third ventricular width and age mediating a larger MI with smaller third ventricular size and younger age. MI is present in 87.3% of the population as determined in this MRI study. Absence of MI is identifiable in very early years of life, suggesting a congenital cause. MI’s prevalence, however, was also found to decrease with advancing age, suggesting a dynamic process of MI disappearance during life.
Comparative response of rocking-wall systems with cast-in-place and precast floor systems in buildings

Abstract Two large-scale structural assemblages, which had equivalent PreWEC (Precast Wall with End Columns) rocking-wall systems but different surrounding structures, were tested under quasi-static cyclic loading to study the impact of wall-floor interaction on the performance of rocking-wall buildings. The first specimen (PFS1) included cast-in-place (CIP) edge columns and a CIP unbonded post-tensioned slab with rigid wall-floor connections, which maximized wall-floor interaction. The second specimen (PFS2) included precast edge columns and a precast slab with special vertical-isolation wall-floor connectors, which minimized wall-floor interaction. Test results showed that both structural assemblages demonstrated great seismic performance with limited damage and self-centering behavior. The strength of PFS1 was more than twice that of PFS2; PFS2 encountered less damage and had better self-centering performance than PFS1, but it possessed less energy-dissipation capacity. The difference in the performance of the two assemblages was mainly attributed to the different gravity load transfer paths and constraint effects of the surrounding structures. Contributions to the strength and the self-centering behavior of the two assemblages from different structural elements were quantified and compared.
Understanding self-affirmation effects: The moderating role of self-esteem.

OBJECTIVES Whether people benefit from self-affirmation in overcoming resistance to health messages may depend on their level of self-esteem. However, extant theories offer rival hypotheses about the role of self-esteem. We pitted these hypotheses against each other, building on the argument that how self-esteem shapes self-affirmation effects may depend on how and when people self-affirm. DESIGN A 3 (Self-affirmation type: value essay, attribute scale, control task) by 2 (Timing: pre-message, post-message) plus 1 (message-only) experimental, between-subjects design. METHODS Participants (N = 422) completed a value essay, an attribute scale, a control task, or no task, either before or after reading a message about health risks of excessive drinking. Participants then completed defensiveness and message acceptance measures. RESULTS Self-esteem moderated self-affirmation effects across different types and timing of self-affirmation. While participants with relatively high self-esteem consistently benefited from self-affirmation, participants with relatively low self-esteem experienced adverse effects from self-affirmation. Self-affirmed participants with high self-esteem showed lower psychological discomfort, lower personal risk discounting, and higher message acceptance than unaffirmed participants, while self-affirmed participants with low self-esteem showed higher psychological discomfort, higher personal risk discounting, and lower message acceptance than unaffirmed participants. CONCLUSIONS These findings support the proposition that self-esteem serves as affirmational resources, which implies that self-affirmation interventions to reduce defensiveness to health messages may be beneficial for people with high self-esteem but less so for people with lower self-esteem. Similar to much other self-esteem research, self-esteem was negatively skewed, which warrants caution in generalization of the findings across all levels of self-esteem.
Pressure- and temperature-dependent inelastic neutron scattering study of the phase transition and phonon lattice dynamics in para-terphenyl.

Inelastic neutron scattering has been performed on para-terphenyl at temperatures from 10 to 200 K and under pressures from the ambient pressure to 1.51 kbar. The temperature dependence of phonons, especially low-frequency librational bands, indicates strong anharmonic phonon dynamics. The pressure- and temperature-dependence of the phonon modes suggest a lack of phase transition in the region of 0–1.51 kbar and 10–30 K. Additionally, the overall lattice dynamics remains similar up to 200 K under the ambient pressure. The results suggest that the boundary between the ordered triclinic phase and the third solid phase, reported at lower temperatures and higher pressures, is out of the pressure and temperature range of this study.
Whole animal knockout of smooth muscle alpha-actin does not alter excisional wound healing or the fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition

The contractile phenotype and function of myofibroblasts have been proposed to play a critical role in wound closure. It has been hypothesized that smooth muscle α-actin expressed in myofibroblasts is critical for its formation and function. We have used smooth muscle α-actin-null mice to test this hypothesis. Full-thickness excisional wounds closed at a similar rate in smooth muscle α-actin-null and wild-type mice. In addition, fibroblasts in smooth muscle α-actin-null granulation tissue when immunostained with a monoclonal antibody that recognizes all muscle actin isoforms exhibited a myofibroblast-like distribution and a stress fiber-like pattern, showing that these cells acquired the myofibroblast phenotype. Dermal fibroblasts from smooth muscle α-actin-null and wild-type mice formed stress fibers and supermature focal adhesions, and generated similar amounts of contractile force in response to transforming growth factor-β1. Smooth muscle γ-actin and skeletal muscle α-actin were expressed in smooth muscle α-actin-null myofibroblasts, as shown by immunostaining, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and mass spectrometry. These results show that smooth muscle α-actin is not necessary for myofibroblast formation and function and for wound closure, and that smooth muscle γ-actin and skeletal muscle α-actin may be able to functionally compensate for the lack of smooth muscle α-actin in myofibroblasts.
Syndrome of Intrahepatic Biliary Dysgenesis and Cardiovascular Malformations

Peripheral pulmonary stenosis with or without intracardiac disease is described in 14 patients with intrahepatic biliary dysgenesis. Cardiovascular malformations were not present among a large group of patients with extrahepatic biliary dysgenesis. This association of intrahepatic biliary dysgenesis and vascular malformations is postulated to be a specific malformation syndrome resulting most probably from intrauterine infection. The cardiovascular disease is usually mild. The liver dysfunction varies in severity, and is accompanied by a notable hyperlipoproteinemia with secondary xanthomata which can be ameliorated by long-term treatment with cholestyramine resin and/or vegetable oil supplements.
Microstructure modeling of magnesium alloys for engineering property prediction

Magnesium alloys have found increasing application in the transportation industry due to their low weight and high strength. However, wider application is hindered by limited ductility. Microstructural features, such as porosity, brittle eutectics, and grain size, can significantly influence the macroscopic response of a component. These features can vary widely throughout a component. Our approach to studying the microstructures influence on bulk properties begins with measuring microstructural features in different regions of a component. These measurements are used to create statistically equivalent, 3D synthetic samples of the microstructure. The synthetic microstructures are meshed using finite elements and used to simulate the response and investigate the influence of specific features. We will demonstrate how the digital microstructure samples are generated, how variations in microstructural features influence the bulk properties, and how this methodology can be used to predict component performance and optimize processing.
The Behavior of Aggregate Corporate Investment

We study the behavior of aggregate corporate investment from 1952-2010. Investment grows rapidly following high profits and stock returns but, contrary to standard predictions, is largely unrelated to recent changes in market volatility, interest rates, or the default spread on corporate bonds. At the same time, high investment predicts negative profit growth going forward and is associated with low stock returns when investment data are publicly released, suggesting that a jump in investment coincides with bad news. Our analysis also shows that the investment decline following the financial crisis of 2008 was not unusual given the drop in GDP and profits at the end of 2008.
Examination of the hamilton scales in assessment of anxious older adults: A replication and extension

This study examined the original and reconstructed Hamilton scales in the assessment of anxiety and depression in a sample of older adults diagnosed with GAD (n = 82). Internal consistency of all scales appeared adequate. Results indicated improved construct validity with the reconstructed scales, which demonstrated reduced shared variance. However, construct validity examined through intercorrelations of the Hamilton scales with self-report measures of anxiety and depression was generally poor. Discriminant function analysis indicated that the reconstructed scales might have some clinical utility in differentiation of patients with and without coexistent depressive diagnosis (67% correct classification). In addition, two items from the Hamilton rating scale for depression (Work and Activities; Hopelessness) correctly classified patients with and without depression at a similar level as the Hamilton scale total scores (64–65% correct classification). These results suggest that the Work and Activities, and Hopelessness items may provide clinicians with useful screening questions for depression in anxious older adults.
About Complex Heat Capacities and Temperature-Modulated Calorimetry

With increasing use of temperature-modulated calorimetry, TMC, it is has been proposed to use a complex heat capacity for the description of the response of samples to periodic temperature changes. In this article the ramifications of this approach are discussed on the basis of irreversible thermodynamics. Experimental results are summarized which describe heat capacities of liquids and solids, as well as TMC during transitions. It is concluded that the complex heat capacity is of limited value. Solids and liquids have no dissipative (imaginary) contributions. In the glass transition, the thermal response is nonlinear, so that a detailed kinetic model (in real notation) is more advantageous to describe the heat capacity. The crystallization is often so far from equilibrium that it is not modulated. During melting and chemical reactions the heat flow is frequently so large, that steady state is lost and complex heat capacity is of questionable value, even if modulation is accomplished.
Protection of human subjects with disability: guidelines for research.

Typically, protection of human subjects is a shared responsibility involving the local institutional review board (IRB) and the clinical investigator, guided by federal and state law as well as local organizational policy. The IRB screens protocols to ensure subjects' safety by making sure that risks are acceptable and do not outweigh benefits. However, the recruitment of subjects, as well as obtaining consent, is the principal investigator's responsibility. Through the process of informed consent, the clinical investigator is obliged to ensure that each subject understands all treatments proposed and their potential benefits and risks. Achieving truly informed consent from people with major developmental, physical, sensory, communicative, or cognitive disabilities may be particularly difficult. Spurred on by increasing research of relevance to rehabilitation medicine and the patients served, we review legal, ethical, and moral issues surrounding the processes of obtaining informed consent and offer specific recommendations for protecting people with disabilities.
Long-term treatment of 12 children with chronic hypoparathyroidism: a randomized trial comparing synthetic human parathyroid hormone 1-34 versus calcitriol and calcium.

Context: Hypoparathyroidism is among the few hormonal insufficiency states not treated with replacement of the missing hormone. This is the first randomized controlled study in children comparing treatment with synthetic human PTH 1-34 and calcitriol. Objective: The primary objective was to assess the efficacy and safety of long-term PTH 1-34 vs. calcitriol treatment in the maintenance of normal serum calcium values and renal calcium excretion in children with hypoparathyroidism. Setting: The study was conducted at a clinical research center. Subjects: Subjects included 12 children aged 5–14 yr with chronic hypoparathyroidism and without severe renal or hepatic insufficiency. Study Design: The study was a 3-yr randomized parallel trial comparing twice-daily calcitriol (plus calcium and cholecalciferol in four daily doses) vs. sc PTH 1-34 treatment, with weekly or biweekly monitoring of serum and urine calcium. Results: Mean predose serum calcium levels were maintained at, or just below, the normal range, and urine calcium levels remained in the normal range throughout the 3-yr study, with no significant differences between treatment groups. Creatinine clearance, corrected for body surface area, did not differ between groups and remained normal throughout the study. Markers of bone turnover were mildly elevated during PTH 1-34 therapy and remained within the normal range during calcitriol therapy. Mean bone mineral density Z-scores at the anterior-posterior lumbar spine, femoral neck, distal radius, and whole body remained within the normal range and did not differ between groups throughout the study. Similarly, height and weight percentiles did not differ between treatment groups and remained normal throughout the 3-yr follow-up. Conclusion: We conclude that PTH 1-34 therapy is safe and effective in maintaining stable calcium homeostasis in children with hypoparathyroidism. Additionally, PTH 1-34 treatment allowed normal skeletal development because there were no differences in bone mineral accrual, linear growth, or weight gain between the two treatment arms over the 3-yr study period.
Alternative convergence criteria for iterative methods of solving nonlinear equations

Abstract Let χ m+1 =T( χ m ) or even χ m+1 =T( χ m , χ m−1 , …, χ m− q ), m=1,2,3 … be an iteration method for solving the nonlinear problem F ( χ )=0, where F ( χ ) and its derivatives possess all of the properties required by T ( χ m ). Then if it can be established that for the problem at hand ∥F( χ m+1 )∥⩽ β m ∥F( χ m )∥, ∀ m > M 0 (M 0 β m m ’ successive iterations of a new approach to convergence properties T( χ m ). These charateristics are referred to as “alternate” (local, global) convergence properties and none of the proofs given are restricted to any specific type of method such as, e.g. contraction mapping types. Application of results obtained are illustrated using Newton's method as well as the general concept of Newton-like methods.
The present status of ethnobotany in the Southwest

The Southwest is usually defined as comprising Arizona and New Mexico, together with adjacent parts of the surrounding states and northern Mexico. Within this area, there are three major ecological areas. The Desert, with its low altitude, hot climnate, open flats, is dominated by creosote bush with giant cactus on the foothills and contains extensive stands of mesquite and screwbean. The Plateau, ranging from two to six thousand feet, is, by New England standards, still desert. Here, one finds extensive open grass lands and huge areas of sage brush, or, if the land is alkaline, saltbush, and open stands of pinyon and juniper. Above 6000 feet, the area is covered with forests, ponderosa pine with fir and spruce in the higher elevations. The precipitation here is higher, the flora richer, but the growing season is considerably shorter. It is difficult to generalize about the Indian use of these zones. As one examines the Southwest in detail, one finds a number of areas which do not fit this classification. Canyons, of which there are a great many, contain rich and varied floras, even at lower elevations. The oak-manzanita covered slopes can hardly be passed off as transitional between the plateau and the lower desert. Furthermore, most, if not all, native economies exploit two or more of these basic areas. Just to complicate the situation, many native economies rest upon some unusual condition not typical of these broadly classified zones. The Hopi are dependent upon local springs in an area where springs are far from ordinary. The Havasupai inhabit an oasis isolated in the bottom of a branch
Syndecan-1 Signals Independently of β1 Integrins during Raji Cell Spreading

Abstract Syndecan-1-expressing Raji lymphoid cells (Raji-S1 cells) bind and spread rapidly when attaching to matrix ligands that contain heparan sulfate-binding domains. However, these ligands also contain binding sites for integrins, which are widely known to signal, raising the question of whether the proteoglycan core protein participates in generation of the signal for spreading. To address this question, the spreading of the Raji-S1 cells is examined on ligands specific for either β1 integrins, known to be present on the Raji cells, or the syndecan-1 core protein. The cells adhere and spread on invasin, a ligand that activates β1 integrins, the IIICS fragment of fibronectin, which is a specific ligand for the α4β1 integrin, or mAb281.2, an antibody specific for the syndecan-1 core protein. The signaling resulting from adhesion to the syndecan-specific antibody appears integrin independent as (i) the morphology of the cells spreading on the antibody is distinct from spreading initiated by the integrins alone; (ii) spreading on the syndecan or integrin ligands is affected differently by the kinase inhibitors tyrphostin 25, genistein, and staurosporine; and (iii) spreading on the syndecan-specific antibody is not disrupted by blocking β1 integrin activation with mAb13, a β1 inhibitory antibody. These data demonstrate that ligation of syndecan-1 initiates intracellular signaling and suggest that this signaling occurs when cells expressing syndecan-1 adhere to matrix ligands containing heparan sulfate-binding domains.
Stress relaxation in 60Sn-40Pb solder joints

The stress relaxation behaviour of 60Sn-40Pb solder in a joint configuration was investigated over a range of temperatures and two starting stresses. Unlike the bulk 60Sn-40Pb alloy, the deformation behaviour of the joint could not be described by a power law dependence between strain rate and stress. As expected, the amount of joint relaxation varied with the starting stress level. However, a dependence of the residual stress on the initial stress was also revealed: the more highly stressed specimens relaxed to a much lower final stress than did initially lower stressed specimens. Microstructural analysis of the deformed joint revealed extensive grain boundary sliding and inter Sn-Sn grain cracking.
Organization in the Perception of Speech by Young Infants

Evidence is presented that 3- and 4-month-old infants are able to integrate two sounds with different sources and locations to form a coherent speech percept. Synthetic speech patterns were presented dichotically so that one ear received the third-formant transition appropriate for the syllable [da] or [ga], and the other car received the base, that is, the remaining acoustic information necessary for syllabic perception. Adults typically perceive these stimuli as a birdlike chirp at the ear receiving the transition and. depending on which transition is presented, as the syllable [da] or [ga] at the ear receiving the base. Infants discriminated the two dichotic patterns. They also discriminated them when the third-formant transitions were attenuated to the extent that infant listeners could not discriminate them when they were presented in isolation. The results support the contention that the infants integrated the two disparate sources of acoustic information into a coherent percept that is presumably p...
First Significant Digit Patterns From Mixtures of Uniform Distributions

Traditional tests searching for human influence in data assume that, barring such influence, first significant digits (FSD) are uniformly distributed. More recent tests rely on Benford's law, postulating that lower digits are more likely than higher ones. I show that both patterns belong to a family arising from mixtures of uniforms, and characterize the FSD patterns for a one-parameter subset of the family. I also show that all family members exhibit decreasing FSD probabilities. The empirical analysis suggests that although the uniform FSD pattern and Benford's law are reasonable models for some data, alternative family members better fit other data.
Foreword: Morris J. Robins—Teacher, Mentor, Scientist, Colleague, and Friend

Morris J. Robins was born in Nephi, Utah. He received a B.A. in chemistry from the University of Utah in 1961 and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry with a minor in biochemistry from Arizona State Univ...
A Bulk-Flow Analysis of Multiple-Pocket Gas Damper Seals

A bulk-flow model for calculation of the dynamic force characteristics in a single cavity, multiple-pocket gas damper seal is presented. Flow turbulence is ac accounted for by using turbulent shear stress parameters and Moody's friction factors in the circumferential momentum equation, zeroth-order-equations describe the isothermal flow field for a centered seal, and first-order equations govern the perturbed flow for small amplitude rotor lateral motions. Comparisons to limited measurements from a four-pocker gas damper seal show the current model to predict well the mass flow rate and the direct damping coefficient. For a reference two-bladed teeth-on-stator labyrinth seal, the current model predicts similar rotordynamic coefficients when compared to results from a two control volume, bulk-flow model. Force coefficients from a reference single-cavity. four pocket gas damper depend on the rotor speed and pressure drop with magnitudes decreasing as the rotor whirl frequency increases. The multiple-pocket gas damper seal provides substantially more damping than a conventional labyrinth seal of the same dimensions. The damper seal cross-coupled stiffness coefficients are small though sensitive to the inlet circumferential preswirl flow.
Influence of timing of antibiotic administration on tissue concentrations during surgery

Background Prophylactic antibiotics must be administered so as to achieve adequate tissue levels before the initial surgical incision. We characterized antimicrobial tissue concentrations following intravenous administration at various times prior to surgical incision. Patients and Methods Twelve patients scheduled for elective colorectal surgery were randomized to receive cefmetazole 2 g by intravenous push either immediately prior to incision or 15 to 60 minutes prior. Blood and woundmuscle samples were obtained at predetermined intervals and assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results Tissue distribution of the study drug was extremely rapid. All patients had theoretically adequate tissue levels at the time of incision. Levels above MIC90 of the common pathogens were sustained throughout the surgical procedure regardless of the timing of administration. Conclusions Administration of cefmetazole immediately prior to surgical incision should be effective prophylaxis for surgical wound infections.
Permanent culture of an aphid on a totally synthetic diet

Es gelang 20 Generationen der Pfirsichblattlaus,Myzus persicae, auf sich folgender steriler kunstlicher Diat zu zuchten.
Protistan diversity estimates based on 18S rDNA from seawater incubations in the Western North Atlantic.

Abstract. Cloning/sequencing and fragment analysis of ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) are becoming increasingly common methods for the identification of microbial taxa. Sequences of these genes provide many additional taxonomic characters for species that otherwise have few distinctive morphological features, or that require involved microscopy or laboratory culture and testing. These same approaches are now being applied with great success in ecological studies of natural communities of microorganisms. Extensive information on the composition of natural microbial assemblages is being amassed at a rapid pace through genetic analyses of environmental samples and comparison of the resulting genetic information with well-established (and rapidly growing) public databases. We examined microbial eukaryote diversity in a natural seawater sample from the coastal western North Atlantic Ocean using two molecular biological approaches: the cloning and sequencing of rRNA genes and by fragment analysis of these genes using the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) method. A simple experiment was carried out to examine changes in the overall eukaryote (largely protistan) diversity and species composition (phylotype diversity) of a natural microbial assemblage when a seawater sample is placed in a container and incubated at ambient light and temperature for 72 h. Containment of the natural seawater sample resulted in relatively minor changes in the overall eukaryote diversity (species richness) obtained by either molecular method at three time points (time-zero, time-24 h, time-72 h). However, substantial changes in the dominance of particular eukaryote phylotypes took place between the three sampling times. Only 18% of the total number of phylotypes observed in the study were observed at all three time points, while 65% (108 of 165) phylotypes were observed only at a single time point (54 unique phylotypes initially, 37 more unique phylotypes at 24 h, and 17 more at 72 h). The results of this study indicate that a high diversity of protistan taxa existed in the original seawater sample at very low abundance, and thus were not observed in the initial characterization of community structure. Containment resulted in significant shifts in the dominance of these taxa, enabling the presence of previously unobserved phylotypes to be documented after 24 or 72 h of incubation.
Mutagenic and thermodynamic analyses of residual structure in the alpha subunit of tryptophan synthase.

The α subunit of tryptophan synthase from Escherichia coli has been previously shown to contain residual structure at 5 M urea, conditions where the secondary structure is entirely disrupted and the tyrosine residues are exposed to solvent [Saab-Rincon, G., Froebe, C. L., & Matthews, C. R. (1993) Biochemistry 32, 13981−13990]. The residual structure can be monitored by one-dimensional NMR spectroscopy studies of histidine 92 whose Ce proton is sensitive to the slow exchange between this form and the unfolded protein. The temperature dependence of the cooperative urea-induced unfolding transition between intermediate and unfolded forms demonstrates that this process involves negative values for both the enthalpy and entropy changes at 25 °C. The effects of replacements of several nonpolar side chains adjacent to histidine 92 on the slopes and midpoints of the unfolding transition curve show that these side chains participate in the residual structure. A 15-residue peptide spanning histidine 92 and the muta...
Gene expression in the oropharynx of children exposed to secondhand smoke

Objectives/Hypothesis: To compare gene expression in oropharyngeal mucosa of children with (ex+) and without (ex−) secondhand smoke exposure. Study Design: Prospective case-control. Methods: Forty-one age- and gender-matched children (2–6 years old) undergoing tonsillectomy for sleep disordered breathing at a tertiary care children's hospital were assessed for secondhand smoke exposure. Parental response to a validated questionnaire relating to secondhand smoke exposure governed inclusion. Sixteen samples were selected for microarray analysis (7 ex+, 9 ex−). Following tonsillectomy, ex vivo brushing of the mucosa isolated total RNA. Genome-wide expression profiles were generated by comparing sample RNA to a reference of all samples, assessing 27,323 cDNA clones. Microarray clones were ranked according to their ability to distinguish between the two groups using a Student t test. Results: A total of 318 cDNA clones distinguished the two groups (P < .01); 180 genes were overexpressed and 138 underexpressed in ex+ samples relative to the ex− group. Independent analysis of these two groups sorted genes into disease processes and molecular functional groups, including cancer (34 genes in the overexpressed group, 29 underexpressed, P < .05), cell cycle (14 and 10), and cell growth and proliferation (7 and 11). Two of the upregulated genes, LCN2 and IQGAP1, have been previously linked to inflammation in smokers and response/repair to cellular injury in bronchial epithelium. Conclusions: Findings in this pilot study support the hypothesis that secondhand smoke exposure seems to induce gene expression changes in the oropharyngeal mucosa of exposed children, which may have significant implications for current and future disease processes. Laryngoscope, 2010
Modulation by tumor necrosis factor-α of human astroglial cell production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)☆

Abstract Phagocyte survival and function are enhanced by GM-CSF and G-CSF. The production of both CSFs can be induced in mesenchymal cells by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 (IL-1). We have recently demonstrated that IL-1α and β induced the production of GM-CSF and G-CSF by two human astroglial cell lines. In the present study, we examined the effects TNF-α on the production of GM-CSF and G-CSF by U87MG, a human astroglial cell line that constitutively expresses GM-CSF and G-CSF, and U373MG, a second human astroglial cell line does not produce CSF. We demonstrate that U87MG can be induced to increase its production of GM-CSF and G-CSF by exposure to TNF-α while U373MG is induced to produce GM-CSF but not G-CSF. These responses, measured by accumulation of elevated levels of CSF protein and mRNA, are rapid and sensitive. The implications of these findings to the immunopathogenesis of central nervous system infections are discussed.
Advances in the treatment of neutropenia.

Purpose of review The present review updates treatment of neutropenia from articles published from January 2008 through April 2009. Recent findings Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia occurs most commonly in the first cycle of treatment. Older patients, patients with multiple comorbidities, and those receiving more myelotoxic drugs are prone to develop neutropenia and its complications. Current guidelines recommend the prophylactic use of the myeloid growth factors for the first cycle of chemotherapy for patients with more than a 20% risk of febrile neutropenia. Meta analysis from randomized trials shows that granulocyte colony-stimulating factor prophylaxis is associated with patients receiving more intensive chemotherapy, having better survival, but also having a higher risk of secondary acute myeloid leukemia. Antibiotics are standard treatment of febrile neutropenia and are increasingly used for prophylaxis in ‘low-risk’ patients. Summary The myeloid growth factor granulocyte colony-stimulating factor has radically changed our approach to the prevention of febrile neutropenia. Antibiotics remain the mainstay of treatment of febrile neutropenia.
Compact modeling for the changing transistor

Compact model is not only a tool for IC design but also the unique bridge between IC manufacturing and design. It needs not only a mathematical model of a prototype transistor but also accurate models of many real device effects of the modern transistor. Compact model can address not only circuit performance but also reliability. BSIM and BERT are used as examples.
Husbandry of the little file snake, Acrochordus granulatus

Aquatic snakes of the family Acrochordidae are unusual in terms of appearance, biology, and natural history. In spite of many attractive and fascinating features, there are few zoological exhibits of acrochordid snakes, and as a result many aspects of their husbandry are poorly understood. The present paper summarizes aspects of acrochordid biology related to health and welfare of captive snakes, with emphasis on the little file snake, Acrochordus granulatus. Several key points emerge having crucial relevance to successful husbandry. (1) File snakes are sensitive to low temperatures and to rapid thermal change. Captive snakes do well when maintained at water temperatures of 27–30°C and will not thrive if water temperatures are below 25°C. (2) File snakes can be kept in either fresh water or seawater. Snakes in sea or brackish water dehydrate, however, and must be allowed to drink fresh water periodically. If snakes from marine populations are maintained in saline water, 60–70% seawater is recommended. In all cases, water should be filtered or changed periodically to maintain quality. (3) File snakes feed almost exclusively on fishes which are usually captured in body coils. Snakes are more inclined to feed well if live prey are offered in shallow water where they are more easily captured. (4) File snakes are nocturnal and prefer quiescent seclusion within darkened refugia during daylight hours. Providing snakes with refugia such as sections of PVC pipe (which simulate burrows) helps reduce stress and improves the chances of snakes feeding regularly. (5) Snakes tend to burrow, and they locomote by crawling as well as by swimming. Use of sharp or rough materials in aquaria should be avoided because of possible skin abrasion which increases permeability and provides sites for bacterial infection. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
EFFECT OF POTASSIUM SORBATE ON THE GROWTH OF PSEUDOMONAS FLUORESCENS

Two strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens were grown in trypticase soy broth (TSB; pH 5.5 and 6.0) at 24°C with and without potassium sorbate. Potassium sorbate was more effective in inhibiting the growth of both strains in the pH 5.5 TSB than in the pH 6.0 TSB. The addition of 0.05% sorbate inhibited the growth of both strains in the pH 5.5 medium, and 0.20% sorbate delayed the growth of both strains in the pH 6.0 TSB.
The Scholarship of Educational Foundations: What Does It Imply for Teaching a Course?

This article examines the process of learning to teach an educational foundations course and explores the complexities of designing and teaching an educational foundations course based on the current educational foundations scholarship. The author details his graduate school experiences related to the pedagogy of educational foundations, connects that initial training to his early induction experiences, and describes how his understanding of the pedagogy of educational foundations has evolved over this period of time. In conclusion, the author examines the idiosyncratic nature of the course he currently teaches and offers recommendations for the preparation of future foundations educators.
Cosmochemical implications of the physical processing of cometary nuclei

Comets are not necessarily pristine nebular and interstellar material, despite a common perception to that effect. Alteration processes may occur during comet formation in the outer planet region, during their dispersal to or residence within the Oort cloud, and after their return to the planetary region. Processes that may have significantly modified cometary nuclei include heating, impacts, and irradiation. Possible consequences include phase changes in ices, hydration reactions in silicates, synthesis of organic compounds, collisional disruption and re-accretion, shock and irradiation effects in minerals and ices, cosmogenic nuclide formation, redistribution or loss of volatiles, and formation of a refractory veneer. A model of cometary nuclei that emerges from these considerations provides a framework for understanding observations of comets and future samples.
A Route to Diverse Combinatorial Libraries of Electroactive Nickel Hexacyanoferrate

Electroactive nickel hexacyanoferrate (NiHCF) thin films are of interest for their ion sensing and ion intercalation properties; these properties depend on the material's stoichiometry and structure. A small combinatorial library of NiHCF thin films was synthesized by microdispensing 2-μL droplets of reagent with varied proportions of a divalent nickel source (nickel sulfate), a ferricyanide source (potassium ferricyanide), and water on Pt substrates. Two different mixing orders were used (Ni II /H 2 O/Fe III and Fe III /H 2 O/Ni II ) and 13 discrete compositions on the ternary reagent diagram were chosen. These 26 library members were electrochemically intercalated/deintercalated with K + ions by cyclic voltammetry. Raman spectroscopy was used to screen individual library members for electroactivity; this step eliminated 11 inactive members, most of which resulted from Ni II -rich growth conditions. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) was used to determine the number of intercalated K + ions in the oxidized unit cell (N K,ox ) for the remaining 15 members. The quantity N K,ox is a sensitive measure of NiHCF matrix stoichiometry, with a perfectly stoichiometric matrix possessing N K,ox = 4. N K,ox for this library was found to vary from 0 to ∼3 (maximum possible variability is 0-4), with smaller N K,ox from the Ni II /H 2 O/Fe III mixing order and larger N K,ox from the Fe III /H 2 O/Ni II order. The methods used to synthesize this small, but diverse, library are easily scalable to much larger libraries.