cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Homotaurine, a safe blood-brain barrier permeable GABA A -R-specific agonist, ameliorates disease in mouse models of multiple sclerosis.

There is a need for treatments that can safely promote regulatory lymphocyte responses. T cells express GABA receptors (GABAA-Rs) and GABA administration can inhibit Th1-mediated processes such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis in mouse models. Whether GABAA-R agonists can also inhibit Th17-driven processes such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a model of multiple sclerosis (MS), is an open question. GABA does not pass through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) making it ill-suited to inhibit the spreading of autoreactivity within the CNS. Homotaurine is a BBB-permeable amino acid that antagonizes amyloid fibril formation and was found to be safe but ineffective in long-term Alzheimer’s disease clinical trials. Homotaurine also acts as GABAA-R agonist with better pharmacokinetics than that of GABA. Working with both monophasic and relapsing-remitting mouse models of EAE, we show that oral administration of homotaurine can (1) enhance CD8+CD122+PD-1+ and CD4+Foxp3+ Treg, but not Breg, responses, (2) inhibit autoreactive Th17 and Th1 responses, and (3) effectively ameliorate ongoing disease. These observations demonstrate the potential of BBB-permeable GABAA-R agonists as a new class of treatment to enhance CD8+ and CD4+ Treg responses and limit Th17 and Th1-medaited inflammation in the CNS.
Measurement Development and Validation for Construct Validity of the Treatment: The Grief Recovery Method® Instrument (GRM-I)

ABSTRACTBackground: Death education is focused on the lifestyle behavioral and emotional aspects of grief. Although several interventions exist that aim to influence grief, many have not been theor...
P2X7 receptor deletion suppresses γ-radiation-induced hyposalivation

Head and neck cancer treatments typically involve a combination of surgery and radiotherapy, often leading to collateral damage to nearby tissues causing unwanted side effects. Radiation damage to ...
Functions and Events

Like Russell in his lectures on The Philosophy of Logical Atomism, I want to begin this part of my discussion with what is perfectly obvious and undeniable. I shall therefore make the assertion that there are events. Now the word ‘event’ whose referent is to be the event is a basic term in what I am to say and so in a sense no definition of it can be given. Its referent can be recognized, experienced, intuited and such like, but the word itself cannot be defined except ostensively. I do not wish to make the distinction that Russell does in Logical Atomism between simples and complex facts because our experience of whatever kind is never of what Russell calls facts but of events. Of course Russell defines a “fact” as that which makes a proposition true or false but in a sense this definition is not correct. Actually it is not the “fact” that makes the proposition true but our experience of it. This is not said in any facetious sense but sincerely.
Slurry Reactors for Coal Technology

In recent years, the use of coal as a raw material for the productions of hydrocarbons, liquid transportation fuels, chemical feedstocks and solid fuel is gaining importance. Three important processes for the achievement of this goal are: (1) direct coal liquefaction, (2) removal of sulfur from coal by oxydesulfurization and (3) indirect coal liquefaction or the FischerTropsch synthesis. All of these processes employ three-phase slurry reactors. In this overview, a present state of the art for the models, scaleup, design and other operational problems associated with these processes are briefly evaluated.
Deprived and Grandiose Explanations for Psychological Entitlement: Implications for Theory and Measurement.

This work aimed to corroborate “vulnerable-based” and “grandiose-based” forms of psychological entitlement by amending the Psychological Entitlement Scale (PES; Campbell, Bonacci, Shelton, Exline, ...
Active Investment, Liquidity Externalities, and Markets for Information

This paper studies speculators’ demand and supply for diverse information. The general insights are that liquidity externalities can generate complementarities in information acquisition and information sales are strategic means to manipulate liquidity. Three specific results illustrate these insights. First, there exist liquidity-information spirals in which decreases in information acquisition across trading strategies are mutually reinforcing as attrition in any strategy withdraws liquidity from others. Second, information sales can serve to crowd out alternative strategies and thus alternative information from prices. Third, it can pay to combine proprietary trading with information dissemination since the latter can generate liquidity for the former.
Latina/o Family Caregivers’ Reactions to Limited Help From Relatives: From Frustration to Resilience:

Using a qualitative approach, the current study aimed to understand how Latina/o primary caregivers react to and cope with a lack of (or limited) help from their relatives when an elder is in need of care. In-person semistructured interviews were conducted with 32 caregivers of Mexican descent; most were female and 84% cared for an older parent or parent-in-law. Inductive thematic analyses resulted in a multifaceted process model that reveals (a) reactions to a lack of help often include anger, frustration, hurt, or resentment; (b) negative reactions can be exacerbated or mitigated by caregivers' explanations for the lack of help and by the quality of caregiver-relative interactions; and (c) coping with and acceptance of the lack of help can evolve over time, aided by caregiver cognitive reframing, realization that negative feelings are ineffectual and/or lead to conflict, and/or other self-protective strategies. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Child and Parent Perceptions of Participating in Multimethod Research in the Acute Aftermath of Pediatric Injury.

Background:Despite growing evidence that participation in psychological trauma research is well tolerated by children and parents, ethics boards may voice concerns regarding research with families ...
Hemodialysis access cost comparisons among incident tunneled catheter patients.

Background:Arteriovenous fistula is the ideal hemodialysis access, but most patients start with tunneled dialysis catheter. Arteriovenous fistula and arteriovenous graft surgery may reduce tunneled...
Conclusion: The Brain at Risk

Each chapter of the Brain at Risk has explored different ways in which the brain is vulnerable for disease and/or various disorders, including ones that are acquired. Some of the latest research is presented in an informative way describing risk and mitigating factors that influence the expression and course of some of the more common major medical and environmental factors that alter behavior, emotional functioning, and cognition. Emphasis throughout each chapter is on a summation of the latest research on some of the most common major neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric disorders, highlighting the current understanding of each disease or disorder. Some general recommendations for improving outcome associated with some conditions are offered.
The Sun Shines Through

Modular design has been explored by textile and apparel designers. However, most designers who explored modular textile and apparel designs focused on two-dimensional products or more boxy silhouettes that did not contour closely to the body since most of their works were made from modular shapes of one size. This research exploration focused on creating modules that can be used to create fitted garments combined with digitally printed fabric for dramatic and changeable surface design. To investigate, the researchers created one modular shape based on a polygon shape with inspiration from elements found in nature. By gradually increasing the size of the modular shapes to fit the three measurements of a dress-form, those modules could be interlocked together through the slots on the sides to create a textile and fitted garments. An image was used in Adobe Photoshop and digitally printed on silk charmeuse fabric to create the final design.
"I Guess I Just Realized How Tired I Had Become": In Defense of Insurgent Pedagogy

This manuscript details how four self-described justice-oriented teachers, teaching social studies in urban schools maintained, defended, and expanded their teaching in unsupported environments. All four teachers are veteran educators who teach intentionally chose their school sites deliberately and can all be labeled activist educators, though one uncomfortably. Taken from a larger 5 year study, this article seeks to describe the actions taken by four teachers during the first two years of the study who teach in similar socio-economic, geographic and school spaces and who all attended the same justice oriented teacher education program. These four teachers prove that it is possible to teach for social justice in unsupportive schools but also indicate that are costs. These costs raise serious questions about the sustainability of their efforts over time.
Lung Ultrasonography: An Emerging Practice

Objective:Sonography of the chest has traditionally been focused on chest wall and pleural space. Over time, clinicians have developed a practice of bedside lung ultrasonography (LUS) to supplement...
Preoperative Lung Function Is Associated With Patient-Reported Outcomes After Lung Cancer Surgery.

Background Patient quality of life (QOL) is a critical outcomes measure in lung cancer surgery. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provide valuable insight into the patient experience and allow measurement of preoperative and postoperative QOL. Our objective was to determine which clinical factors predict differences in QOL, as measured by patient-reported physical function and pain intensity among patients undergoing minimally invasive lung cancer surgery. Methods PRO surveys assessing physical function and pain intensity were conducted using instruments from the National Institutes of Health Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System. PRO surveys were administered to patients undergoing minimally invasive lung cancer resections at preoperative, 1-month, and 6-month postoperative time points, in an academic institution. Linear mixed-effects regression models were constructed to assess the association between clinical variables on PRO scores over time. Results A total of 123 patients underwent a thoracoscopic lung resection for cancer. Mean age of the cohort was 67 ± 9.6 years, 43% were male, and 80% were White. When comparing clinical variables with PRO scores after surgery, lower diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (Dlco) was associated with significantly worse physical function (P Conclusions Low preoperative Dlco was associated with significant decreases in PRO after minimally invasive lung cancer surgery. Dlco may be of utility in identifying patients who experience greater decline in QOL after surgery and for guiding surgical decision making.
Lighting the way: Forces driving the diversification of bioluminescent signalling in sea fireflies

Understanding the drivers of diversification and processes that maintain biodiversity remains a central theme of evolutionary biology. However, these efforts are often impeded due to disparities across species and environments and the genetic complexity underlying many traits. The factors driving biodiversity can be more readily understood by focusing on the genetics of diversification, of one or few genes shared across species, with large influence over an organism's phenotype (Templeton, 1981; Wright, 1984). In this pursuit, previous studies often focus on the selective pressures that impact phenotypic diversity (Brawand et al., 2014; Yokoyama et al., 2015), often overlooking the contribution of neutral processes (i.e., genetic drift). In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Hensley et al. (2020) use an integrative approach, including RNA sequencing, in vitro protein expression and spectral measurements, to explore the drivers behind the diversification of bioluminescent signalling in cypridinid ostracods (Figure 1). Typical bioluminescent reactions primarily include an enzyme (luciferase) and substrate (luciferin). By focusing on a single gene, this study traces the molecular evolution of (c)luciferase in sea fireflies, elucidating diverse signatures of selection, drift and constraint to decipher the link between genotype and phenotype of their bioluminescent emissions.
SCALING UP SAGEBRUSH CHEMISTRY WITH NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AND UAS-ACQUIRED HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGERY

Abstract. Sagebrush ecosystems (Artemisia spp.) face many threats including large wildfires and conversion to invasive annuals, and thus are the focus of intense restoration efforts across the western United States. Specific attention has been given to restoration of sagebrush systems for threatened herbivores, such as Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis), reliant on sagebrush as forage. Despite this, plant chemistry (e.g., crude protein, monoterpenes and phenolics) is rarely considered during reseeding efforts or when deciding which areas to conserve. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has proven effective in predicting plant chemistry under laboratory conditions in a variety of ecosystems, including the sagebrush steppe. Our objectives were to demonstrate the scalability of these models from the laboratory to the field, and in the air with a hyperspectral sensor on an unoccupied aerial system (UAS). Sagebrush leaf samples were collected at a study site in eastern Idaho, USA. Plants were scanned with an ASD FieldSpec 4 spectroradiometer in the field and laboratory, and a subset of the same plants were imaged with a SteadiDrone Hexacopter UAS equipped with a Rikola hyperspectral sensor (HSI). All three sensors generated spectral patterns that were distinct among species and morphotypes of sagebrush at specific wavelengths. Lab-based NIRS was accurate for predicting crude protein and total monoterpenes (R2 = 0.7–0.8), but the same NIRS sensor in the field was unable to predict either crude protein or total monoterpenes (R2
Capital Structure with Asset Flexibility

The ability of equityholders/managers to partially control the earnings stream by temporarily shutting down to avoid negative earnings has an enormous effect on the choice of capital structure. Increasing switching costs reduces operating flexibility, and reduced operating flexibility implies less use of debt, but only up to a point beyond which the firm commits to significantly more debt.
Endogenous Technological Progress and Stock Returns

In this study, I present an equilibrium model of technological progress and stock returns with production, in which technological progress is endogenously driven by RD and (ii) the positive relation between R&D investment and future stock returns. In addition, I explore the implications of different tax treatments on R&D investment and physical investment, and find the model's predictions hold.
How Did School Meal Access Change during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Two-Step Floating Catchment Area Analysis of a Large Metropolitan Area

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) resulted in school closures and contingencies across the U.S. that limited access to school meals for students. While some schools attempted to provide alternative meal access points where students or parents could pick up meals, many students-especially those in low-income households-lacked adequate transportation to these access points. Thus, physical proximity to meal access points was particularly important during the pandemic. In this study, we explore how school meal access changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as it relates to race/ethnicity and socio-economic status. Taking into account both the "supply" (meal access points) and the "demand" (low-income students) for free meals, we employed a two-step floating catchment area analysis to compare meal accessibility in St. Louis, Missouri before and during the pandemic in the spring and summer of 2019 and 2020. Overall, while school meal access decreased during the spring of 2020 during the early months of the pandemic, it increased during the summer of 2020. Moreover, increased access was greatest in low-income areas and areas with a higher proportion of Black residents. Thus, continuing new policies that expanded access to school meals-especially for summer meal programs-could lead to positive long-term impacts on children's health and well-being.
Socially Responsible Co-Product Design

As consumers become increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their consumption, co-production technology that manufactures products of different qualities from a common source of raw material has emerged as a viable option to reduce natural resource consumption. Specifically, co-production technology allows a manufacturer to introduce a new co-product using raw material that would otherwise be discarded because of its inferior quality relative to conventional quality standards. In this chapter, we examine whether and how a manufacturer should leverage co-production technology to design its product offerings. We show that introducing co-products can both enhance a manufacturer’s profitability and curb resource consumption. In particular, when the co-product is introduced, greener demand in general results in lower resource consumption and waste. However, an exception may arise when the raw material is costly, forcing the manufacturer to underproduce and leave some demand unfulfilled. Finally, we also discuss other business strategies to reduce material usage and waste from a product life cycle perspective.
Des Compléments obligatoires en hongrois

(1969). Des Complements obligatoires en hongrois. WORD: Vol. 25, Linguistic Studies Pesented to Andre Martinet: Part Three, Non-Indo-European Linguistics, pp. 140-154.
Fabrication and Measurement

This chapter discusses the standard equipment needed to fabricate optical fiber cables and components, including topics such as fiber drawing, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), molecular beam epitaxy, and photolithography. There are many tests of fiber optics systems that are done with standard laboratory equipment, such as the fiber optic test procedures. For example, a digital sampling oscilloscope (DSO) used with a pattern generator can be used to characterize the waveform of an optical transmitter. The chapter focuses on several pieces of measurement equipment unique to fiber optics. These include the fiber optic power meter that measures how much light is coming out of the end of a fiber optic cable. Optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) can non-destructively measure the location of signal loss in a link. The chapter describes the principles and apparatus used to fabricate optical fibers and related components. Some approaches have been mentioned for reference.
Intrathecal Drug Delivery for Control of Pain

Over the last two decades, the use of intraspinal drug delivery (ISDD) systems for the treatment of chronic pain and spasticity has increased. The clinical practice varies from institution to institution as far as the utilization of different agents or routes of administration. The clinical approach for intraspinal drug delivery is influenced by the type of pain treated (e.g., chronic nociceptive vs. neuropathic). The choice depends on life expectancy as well as the planned time frame of treatment. Intraspinal catheter placement is frequently chosen for the treatment of cancer pain, spasticity (caused by cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and other neurologic conditions), and intractable nonmalignant pain (severe post-laminectomy syndrome and arachnoiditis, vertebral compressive fractures resistant to other therapies, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), postherpetic neuralgia, and other types of neuralgias) and the administration of intrathecal chemotherapy and CSF drainage.
A massively parallel implementation of the Optimal Transportation Meshfree method for explicit solid dynamics

Presented is a massively parallel implementation of the Optimal Transportation Meshfree (pOTM) method Li et al., 2010 for explicit solid dynamics. Its implementation is based on a two-level scheme using Message Passing Interface between compute servers and threaded parallelism on the multi-core processors within each server. Both layers dynamically subdivide the problem to provide excellent parallel scalability. pOTM is used on three problems and compared to experiments to demonstrate accuracy and performance. For both a Taylor-anvil and a hypervelocity impact problem, the pOTM implementation scales nearly perfectly to about 8000 cores.
Old Habits and New Media: Ethnography Meets Cyberspace Studies

As someone who grew up in the 1970s, I can recall the debut of telephones with push-button dialing. My friends and I amused ourselves for hours with the new devices’ three spare tones, playing “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and other simple tunes for each other. Within a short time, though, we became accustomed to the new phones and resumed using them as communication devices rather than musical instruments. The memory has always seemed emblematic to me of the process whereby new technologies, after being met with a certain fascinated experimentalism, soon tend to “slouch toward the ordinary” (Herring 2004). Academic observers of the Internet have watched it undergo enormous technical and social transformations in its short history, and in the process, the fledgling field of cyberspace studies has experienced significant changes itself. Through much of the 1990s scholarship on the Internet, like the “bubble economy” that surrounded Internet commerce, was fraught with a good measure of (in Alan Greenspan’s words) “irrational exuberance.” Futurist gurus touted the virtual world’s potential for democratic communication and the negation of privilege and prejudice, while cyborg theorists viewed the Net as a space for a postmodern fracturing of identity. As Susan Herring has recently argued, such early, euphoric receptions of the Internet tended to “overestimate the novelty of much [computer-mediated communication], and underestimate the effects of social forces such as mass popularization, according REVIEW ESSAY
Phosphorylated S6 Ribosomal Protein: A Novel Biomarker of Antibody‐Mediated Rejection in Heart Allografts

We tested the hypothesis that phosphorylation of S6 ribosomal protein (S6RP), a downstream target of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, is a biomarker of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) in heart allografts. Primary cultures of human aortic and microvascular endothelial cells (EC) were treated with anti-HLA class I and class II antibodies (Ab) and cell lysates were studied for phosphorylation of S6 ribosmal protein at Serine235/236 (p-S6RP). Treatment of cultured EC with anti-class I and class II Ab stimulated S6RP phosphorylation. Immunohistochemical techniques were used to detect the level of p-S6RP in endomyocardial biopsies (n = 131) from 46 heart transplant recipients and the results were correlated with histopathological diagnosis of rejection, C4d staining, production of posttransplant anti-HLA Ab and clinical outcome. Increased phosphorylation of S6RP in endomyocardial biopsies was significantly associated with the diagnosis of AMR (p < 0.0001). No significant association between acute cellular rejection (ACR) and p-S6RP was observed. C4d staining was positively associated with both AMR and p-S6RP. Posttransplant anti-HLA class II Ab production was also significantly associated with a positive p-S6RP status in cardiac biopsies. These results indicate that p-S6RP is a useful biomarker for the diagnosis of AMR.
Molecular Biology of Gut Peptides

The sections in this article are: 1 Methods in Molecular Biology 1.1 Construction of a cDNA Library 1.2 Identifying Specific cDNA Clones 1.3 Construction of Genomic Libraries 1.4 Isolation of Cloned Genes 1.5 Structure of Eucaryotic Genes 2 Gene Expression 3 Gastrin/Cholecystokinin Family 3.1 Molecular Biology of Gastrin 3.2 Molecular Biology of Cholecystokinin 4 Pancreatic Polypeptide, Neuropeptide Y, and Peptide YY Family 5 Glucagon/Secretin Family 5.1 Glucagon 5.2 Growth Hormone-Releasing Factor 6 Summary
Oxidation of a Proton-Irradiated 316 Stainless Steel in Simulated BWR NWC Environment

A proton-irradiated SUS316 stainless steel was exposed to the simulated BWR NWC environment for 70 hours during a constant extension rate tensile test and the resulted oxide film was examined using transmission electron microscopy. The oxide film on both the unirradiated and irradiated parts of the sample consists of an outer layer of hematite particles and an inner layer of (Fe, Cr, Ni)3O4 spinel. Formation of hematite under BWR NWC condition is consistent with the predication by the potential-pH diagram. Both the outer layer and the inner layer of the oxide film show a strong dependence on grain orientation. Some grains exhibit an inner layer thickness of 40–100 nm while some others have barely any oxidation. Persistent damage induced by proton irradiation did not show a strong influence on the oxidation process as the thickness structure and compositions of the oxide film on both the unirradiated and irradiated parts of the sample were very similar.
CMB anisotropies in the reionized universe

Observations of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropies smaller than the 10 degree scale axe more and more important after the discovery of cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies by COBE satellite (Smoot et al. 1992). If we assume the standard thermal history, one degree scale is just correspond to so-called doppler peak on CMB power spectrum because it is the horizon scale of the last scattering surface, i.e, the horizon scale at the standaxd recombination. Supposing possible reionization after the epoch of standard hydrogen recombination, however, we find the place of last scattering becomes much closer to present and the horizon scale increases. Hence, this peak is very sensitive to the thermal history of the universe. Readers will find the motivation, the physical mechanism and the constraint from compton y-parameter of reionization after the standard recombination in a paper by 3. Silk of this proceeding. Here, we would like to point out the fact that reionization reduces CMB anisotropies. Recently, several authors suggest cold dark matter dominated models (CDM models) are no more preferable (Gorski et al. 1993) or are given very severe constraints (Dodelson and Jubas 1993) from the resent observations by Gaier et al. (1992) at South Pole(hereafter as SP91). The beam of this experiment had a sinusoidal throw on the sky with amplitude 1.°5. Though the doppler peak of the CDM model without reionization is slightly smaller than this scale, this experiment is still sensitive to this peak. If reionization occurs, however, such a high peak is smeared out and CDM models may be saved. There is another model motivated by reionization. From the numerical simulations by several authors (Suginohaxa and Suto 1992 and Cen, Ostriker and Peebles 1993), the primeval isocurvature baxyonic models (hereafter as PIB models) are known as one of the most attractive candidate of the large scale structure formation. Because PIB model has very steep spectrum, first objects created in the very early stage and the universe kept ionizing till present. The most preferable spectrum index n from numerical simulations is about -0.5. Then when we
Implantable Pumps and Ports

An implantable pump is a device that can be implanted within the body to deliver a drug or other substance to the same location or another site in the body. In addition to a reservoir and pumping mechanism, an implantable pump usually has a refill septum so that it can be refilled in situ and a catheter for remote delivery; an implantable port also has a refill septum and a delivery catheter but lacks a reservoir and an intrinsic pump. Pumps and ports have been utilised for continuous heparin, chemotherapeutic agents, antibiotic, antispasmotic, analgesic and insulin infusions. The future use of this modality is only limited by the boundaries of imagination. Key Concepts: Implantable pumps and ports allow for intravenous, intrathecal and specific organ delivery of drugs and other agents. They circumvent alimentary tract destruction or failure of absorption, and permit the bypassing of the blood–brain barrier. These systems can provide constant circulating drug levels. Various continuous and programmable flow devices are available. Pumps and ports have been utilised for continuous heparin, chemotherapeutic agents, antibiotic, antispasmotic, analgesic and insulin infusions. The future use of this modality is only limited by the boundaries of imagination. Keywords: implantable pump; implantable port; intravenous, intrathecal and specific organ delivery of drugs
Inelastic Micromechanical Analysis of Graphite/Epoxy Composites Subjected to Hygrothermal Cycling

Results are presented of an inelastic finite-element analysis of the residual microstress state in a unidirectional graphite/epoxy composite subjected to temperature cycling from room temperature (294 K) to 405 K or a combined cycle of changing matrix moisture content from a saturated condition (5.6 percent water by weight) to 2.0 percent moisture content with a simultaneous temperature change from room temperature to 339 K. In the analysis, the graphite fibers are modeled as being transversely isotropic, and assumed temperature- and moisture-dependent properties of modulus and strength for epoxy are utilized. The results indicate that relatively large residual microstresses result from the cooldown of the composite from the curing temperature (450 K) to room temperature, and that in portions of the matrix material the residual stresses nearly exceed the yield strength of the material for a 60 percent volume composite. It is shown that moisture saturation of the matrix causes matrix yielding in both 40 and 60 percent fiber volume composites. It is noted that subsequent thermal cycling, or hygrothermal cycling, promotes definite changes in these microstress states which cause dimensional instability of the composite.
Outcome Predictors of Pediatric Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) allows clinicians to potentially rescue pediatric patients unresponsive to traditional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Clinical and laboratory variables predictive of survival to hospital discharge are beginning to emerge. In this retrospective, historical cohort case series, clinical, and laboratory data from 31 pediatric patients (<21 years of age) receiving ECPR from March 2000 to April 2006 at our university-affiliated, tertiary-care children’s hospital were statistically analyzed in an attempt to identify variables predictive of survival to hospital discharge. Seven patients survived to hospital discharge (23%), and 24 patients died. Survival was independent of gender, age, and CPR duration. ECPR survival was, however, associated with a lower pre-ECPR phosphorus concentration (P = 0.002) and a lower pre-ECPR creatinine concentration (P = 0.05). A classification tree analysis, using, in part, a pre-ECPR phosphorus concentration threshold and a CPR ABG base excess concentration threshold, yielded a 96% nominal accuracy of predicting survival to hospital discharge or death. A large, multicenter, prospective cohort study aimed at validating these predictive variables is needed to guide appropriate ECPR patient selection. This study reveals the potential survival benefit of ECPR for pediatric patients, regardless of CPR duration prior to ECPR cannulation.
The effect of the adsorption of lead and cadmium ions on the interfacial behavior of quartz and talc

Abstract Because of its importance in the fields of environmental and mineral engineering, study of metal ion adsorption on silicate minerals has received extensive continuing interest. However, limited work has been done to compare the behavior of silicates that are hydrophilic with those that are naturally hydrophobic. Our investigation was undertaken to provide a better understanding of the effect of hydrophobicity and surface heterogeneity on the adsorption of hydrolyzable metal ions (Pb and Cd) at the solid/liquid interface. Concurrent measurements of zeta potentials, the extent of the adsorption, and suspension stability were conducted on colloidal suspensions of two silicate minerals, namely naturally hydrophilic quartz and hydrophobic talc.
An improvement of the Feng--Rao bound on minimum distance

We present a lower bound for the minimum distance of certain affine variety codes which is better than the Feng-Rao bound. We also introduce a minimum distance estimate which, at times, can serve as a lower bound as well.
A simple method for concentrating dilute high-boiling samples for capillary gas chromatography

Abstract Diluted samples of high-boiling compounds in organic solvents or derivatization reagents can be effectively concentrated prior to gas chromatography on a pre-column which contains a small amount of siliceous support provided and deactivated with a non-extractable (supposedly monomolecular) layer of stationary phase. It has been shown that this method is particularly suitable for concentration and sampling of biologic materials onto high-resolution capillary columns. This sampling procedure is superior to the low-temperature direct sample introduction via syringe. Excellent reproducibility with nanogram samples has been obtained.
Moisture measurement for radioactive wastes using neutron activation of copper

Abstract Laboratory tests have demonstrated the use of neutron activation of copper to measure the moisture in radioactive wastes. Neutrons from a source scatter and return to activate the copper in the probe, the amount of activation varying with moisture content. A low-background spectrometer counts the gamma rays from activated 64 Cu. The calibration of count rate vs moisture was measured with waste simulants of three moisture contents (15%, 20% and 25% by weight). The technique can also measure the neutron flux from spontaneous fission of actinide nuclides and neutrons from ( α , n ) reactions on light elements.
Investigation of Fixed-Free Annular Plate Resonant Frequency Predictions

Nondimensional frequency parameters for predicting the resonant frequencies of annular plates with fixed-free boundary conditions as the plate inner to outer radius ratio approaches unity have been investigated experimentally. Frequency parameters have been determined by using modal analysis to measure resonant frequencies for annular plates of varied materials, thicknesses, and with radius ratios of 0.5 to 0.9. The data are compared to two different analytical frequency predictions which have been presented as solutions for resonance of fixed-free annular plates based on classical elastic plate theory.
Absolute value optimization to estimate phase properties of stochastic time series (Corresp.)

Most existing deconvolution techniques are incapable of determining phase properties of wavelets from time series data; to assure a unique solution, {\em minimum phase} is usually assumed. It is demonstrated, for moving average processes of order one, that deconvolution filtering using the absolute value norm provides an estimate of the wavelet shape that has the correct phase character when the random driving process is nonnormal. Numerical tests show that this result probably applies to more general processes.
The effects of context on cascaded-inference evidence evaluation

Abstract Individual consumers must often evaluate hierarchically linked inferences as part of their decision making process. This article examines the impact of context on cascaded-inference judgments and illustrates how changes in contextual cues may alter the cascaded-inference belief revision process. Results of a between and within-subjects factorial experiment indicate that (1) the cascaded-inference belief revision process is context dependent and (2) an inverse relation exists between the number of source-related uncertainties implicit in cascaded-inference evidence and decision makers' belief revisions. Specifically, revisions were larger when evidence was received from a source with imperfect observational sensitivity than when evidence was received from an information source of imperfect observational sensitivity and questionable veracity.
Kinetics of solvolysis of intrazole

The kinetics of degradation of intrazole [1-(pchlorobenzoyl)-3-(1 H-tetrazol-5-ylmethyl)indole] in solution was investigated at 65 ± 0.1° at constant ionic strength of 0.5 over a wide pH range. The observed rates, followed by measuring intact intrazole, obeyed first-order kinetics. The catalytic effect of a phosphate buffer was found to be greater than the acetic acid catalysis. The apparent rate of hydrolysis of intrazole increased with the increasing concentration of hydrochloric acid. Primary salt effects were observed in both acidic and basic solutions. The rate of hydrolysis decreased in acidic and alkaline solutions, with increasing concentrations of ethanol in the solvent system. The apparent heats of activation for intrazole degradation in solutionwere determined to be 19.87 kcal./mole in 0.1 N HCl, 21.40 kcal./ mole in pH 4.10 acetate buffer, 20.30 kcal./mole in pH 8.0 phosphate buffer, and 7.25 kcal./mole in pH 9.10 and 10.10 borate buffers. From the rate-pH profile, the pH of minimum degradation or maximum stability of the compound under buffer-free conditions was found to be 3.20. The products of hydrolysis formed in acid and alkali-catalyzed degradation of intrazole were identified by TLC. A mechanism consistent with the above observations is proposed.
A methodology for documenting hand positions and forces during manual work

In the course of a study to determine work methods associated with occupational wrist injuries, a low cost method was developed for estimating the frequencies that various hand positions and the corresponding hand forces were used for certain manual jobs. Hand positions were documented by filming the hands of a worker with a super 8 mm motion picture camera at four frames per sec. (gee Fig. 1). The film was then reviewed frame by frame through several work cyclest. The positions from each frame were noted, plotted and summarized as is shown in Fig. 2. The hand forces were estimated from the integrated Fig. 1. Cinematography and ekctromyography were used to
UPDATE ON THE MEDICAL TREATMENT OF ENDOMETRIOSIS

Endometriosis is a common gynecologic disorder estimated to affect 71% of women with pelvic pain and 84% of women with infertility and pelvic pain. 1,9 In asymptomatic women, histologically confirmed endometriosis has been reported to occur in 45% to 50% of patients at the time of laparoscopy. 42 The true prevalence of endometriosis is unknown owing to a lack of well-defined epidemiologic studies. To select the optimal medical therapy for a patient with endometriosis, one must be familiar with the varied clinical presentations and its pathophysiology.
A model for exchange of organic chemicals at fish gills: flow and diffusion limitations

Abstract A mathematical model for the exchange of neutral organic chemicals at fish gills was formulated based on limitations imposed by flows of water and blood to the gills, diffusion barriers defined by gill morphology, and chemical binding relationships within water and blood. This model was parameterized independently of exchange measurements and validated against datasets on the relationship of chemical uptake rates for large rainbow trout and small guppies to chemical hydrophobicity. This model was found to closely predict the magnitude and trends of observed gill uptake rates in these datasets, predictions deviating from observed values by no more than a factor of two over a range of octanol:water partition coefficients from 2 to > 10 6 . Elimination rates for small guppies were also predicted. This analysis suggests that gill exchange can be understood and predicted on the basis of fundamental physiological and morphological variables.
Progressive splenomegaly after epoprostenol therapy in portopulmonary hypertension

Patients with end-stage liver failure, portal hypertension, and associated pulmonary artery hypertension (portopulmonary hypertension [PPHTN]) have a high mortality when undergoing liver transplantation. Successful transplantation in these patients may depend on efforts to reduce pulmonary artery pressure (PAP). To this end, a number of centers are using a continuous intravenous (IV) infusion of epoprostenol, which has been shown to improve symptoms, extend life span, and reduce PAP in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension. We report four cases in which treatment of patients with PPHTN with continuous IV epoprostenol was followed by the development of progressive splenomegaly, with worsening thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. This finding may limit the usefulness of epoprostenol in PPHTN and influence the timing of transplantation in such patients.
Zollinger-Ellison phenotype in the absence of hypergastrinemia and islet-cell tumor.

Patients with the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome are characterized by islet-cell tumors, striking gastric acid hypersecretion, and peptic ulcer disease. They often experience severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal bleeding with potentially life-threatening consequences. It is a rare syndrome caused by nonbeta cell islet-cell tumors (gastrinomas) located in or in proximity to the pancreas. These tumors freely secrete gastrin, a peptide hormone that serves as a powerful stimulant of gastric acid secretion. Exuberant secretion of gastrin from the gastrinomas produces severe gastric acid hypersecretion that often leads to impressive peptic ulcer disease and the constellation of symptoms listed above. We describe a patient presenting with clinical manifestations characteristic of the ZES with strikingly elevated gastric acid secretion, multiple ulcers in the first and second portions of the duodenum and diarrhea, but in absence of islet-cell tumor and/or hypergastrinemia.
Doubly stochastic measures with prescribed support

Denote the set of doubly stochastic measures on the unit square X ×X that are supported on the graphs of measurable maps L,H∶X→X by ℳ(L, H). Conditions are given that imply that ℳ(L, H) is a singleton. Since ℳ(L, H) is in any event a (possibly empty) extremal subset of the set ℳ of all doubly stochastic measures on X×X, our results are intimately related to the problem of describing the supports of the extreme points of ℳ.
Catalytic CO Oxidation over Pt–Rh/γ-Al2O3Catalysts

Abstract Catalytic CO oxidation was investigated over Pt, Rh, and Pt–Rh bimetallic catalysts supported on γ-Al 2 O 3 . Both dry and wet calcination procedures were performed to control Cl content in the final products. The catalysts were characterized with hydrogen chemisorption and analytical electron microscopy (AEM). A steady-state plug-flow reactor was used for activity measurement. An automated on-line gas chromatograph was employed to analyze CO, CO 2 , and O 2 . Based upon our previous findings, we were able to prepare catalysts with only Pt-rich or only Rh-rich particles. The Cl concentration in these catalysts did not affect activity significantly. In net-oxidizing conditions, platinum was found to be more active than rhodium. The presence of synergism depends upon a certain metal particle composition-size distribution of Pt-rich alloy particles. The current investigation has also demonstrated that feed composition and operating temperature have a strong influence on the presence of the synergistic effect. The possible mechanisms of the observed synergism are discussed.
A Test of a Model of Consumers' Responses to Product-Manual Safety Information: A Replication and Extension1

Product manuals play an important role in the delivery of marketplace safety information. The present study extends prior conceptualizations of individuals' responses to threat communication by explicitly incorporating coping response efficacy and assessing relationships among arousal dimensions and coping appraisal processes in a more naturalistic context (i. e., in-home, self-paced exposure) than previous research. Proposed relationships among arousal, efficacy, and behavioral intentions are tested and largely supported. Based on the findings of the study, issues relevant to researchers and practitioners in the area are discussed.
THE SEARCH FOR OIL: FACTORS INFLUENCING US INVESTMENT IN FOREIGN PETROLEUM EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT∗

Determinants of foreign exploration and development spending by US oil companies are examined with multiple regression analysis. Since major US oil companies earn higher profits abroad, I test the role of profit rate surrogates and cash flow in a petroleum investment model. A high income tax rate is shown to discourage foreign oil investment, a finding that should be recognized by foreign governments. Institutional factors also appear to limit the flow of investment funds out of the United States, despite attractive foreign profit rates.
Thin layers of plankton: Formation by shear and death by diffusion

Abstract We show that a steady vertically-sheared current can produce a thin layer of plankton by differentially advecting an initial patch whose vertical and horizontal dimensions are H 0 and L 0 , respectively. Our model treats the plankton as an inert passive tracer with vertical diffusivity κ v and subject to a vertically-sheared horizontal current with shear α . After a transient of duration L 0 / α H 0 the vertical thickness H of the patch decreases with H ( t ) ≈ L 0 / α t . This shear-driven thinning is halted by diffusion at a time of order α - 2 / 3 κ v - 1 / 3 L 0 2 / 3 , and at this time the layer achieves a minimum layer thickness of order α - 1 / 3 κ v 1 / 3 L 0 1 / 3 . For typical oceanic parameters, such as κ v ∼ 10 - 5 m 2 s - 1 , α ∼ 10 - 2 s - 1 , and L 0 ∼ 1000 m the initial transient is about 3 h and the layer achieves a minimum thickness of order 1 m in a time of order 1 day. During the shear thinning the intensity of the layer decreases by a factor of 3 - 1 / 2 ≈ 0.58 , which means that the intensity of the thin layer is comparable to the intensity of the patch from which it was formed. Subsequently the layer thickens and its intensity decreases; the coup de grace is delivered by shear dispersion at a time of order H 0 2 / κ v . The lifetime of the thin layer, defined by the condition that the maximum concentration is comparable to the initial maximum concentration, is the same order as the time to achieve minimum thickness. Additionally, analysis of a nutrient–phytoplankton model shows that phytoplankton growing in a sheared patch of nutrients can result in a layer of phytoplankton that develops as an initially thin feature.
Biomechanical evaluation of a low profile, anchored cervical interbody spacer device in the setting of progressive flexion-distraction injury of the cervical spine

Introduction Anterior cervical decompression and fusion is a well-established procedure for treatment of degenerative disc disease and cervical trauma including flexion-distraction injuries. Low-profile interbody devices incorporating fixation have been introduced to avoid potential issues associated with dissection and traditional instrumentation. While these devices have been assessed in traditional models, they have not been evaluated in the setting of traumatic spine injury. This study investigated the ability of these devices to stabilize the subaxial cervical spine in the presence of flexion-distraction injuries of increasing severity.