cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regional Anesthesia for Neurosurgery in Children

Regional techniques find use as anesthesia and analgesia modalities in children in several clinical scenarios. As anesthesia techniques, nerve blocks are integral to performing awake craniotomy, and some spinal procedures, while as analgesia techniques, they contribute to postoperative analgesia after several neurosurgical procedures. Regional techniques have been well established in the adult population for a long time, but they are gaining popularity among children only recently. As experience grows and expertise develops, these are gaining more acceptance among paediatric neuroanaesthetists, due to their many benefits and very few risks. The principles of these regional techniques are shared with adults, but few salient points stand out, which have been discussed in detail through this chapter. Although less commonly encountered in children, preexisting neurological conditions may have a bearing on utilizing the regional techniques for anesthesia or analgesia. There is an increasing number of children with previous neurosurgery, presenting for a follow-up or an unrelated medical intervention, who may be a candidate for the regional techniques; this aspect is described from the pediatric perspective in the latter part of this chapter.
Economics, Ecology and Thermodynamics

In the previous chapters I offered a comprehensive description and assessment of the interfaces of the three disciplines economics, ecology and thermodynamics. I pointed out how the core concepts of these disciplines can be combined with one another to evaluate interactions of systems and system components in a unified way. Such a synthesis is motivated by the need for new insight into the relationship of economic processes and environmental repercussions previously not dealt with comprehensively by either of the disciplines.
Clusters: challenges and opportunities

Summary form only given. The continuum of cluster computing continues to expand, with terascale clusters now in production and petascale clusters in design. How do we manage clusters with tens of thousands of nodes, each with power, communication, processing, and memory constraints? How do we design, package, and support systems with hundreds of thousands of processors in a reliable way? This paper discusses the approaches to computing and communication fault-tolerance and reliability for large-scale clusters. It also sketches some of the technical challenges and opportunities in deploying and supporting large-scale clusters, highlighted by recent developments at NCSA and the U.S. TeraGrid and their application to emerging scientific applications.
Impact of laurel wilt, caused by Raffaelea lauricola, on xylem function in avocado, Persea americana

Summary Laurel wilt, caused by Raffaelea lauricola, is a lethal, vascular disease of avocado, Persea americana. Its impact on xylem function was examined in artificially inoculated plants of the ‘Simmonds’ cultivar. Three, 7, 14, 21 and 42 days after inoculation (dai), plants were rated externally and internally for disease severity on a subjective one (asymptomatic) to 10 (dead or 100% symptomatic) scale. Stems were then cut under water, 15 cm below the inoculation point, and placed in 0.1% aqueous solutions of acid fuschin in a greenhouse. After 48 h, the percentage of functional xylem was estimated 10 and 5 cm above and below the inoculation point by quantifying acid fuschin-stained portions of digitized stem cross-sections. Hydraulic conductivity was determined by placing the proximal end of 5-cm-long stem sections, harvested between 5 and 10 cm above the inoculation point, in water and quantifying the volume of water that was drawn over time through the distal end under partial pressure (350 mm Hg). Functional xylem decreased by 3 dai, well before the development of vascular discoloration (7 dai) and wilting of foliage (14 dai). By 14 dai, extensive vascular discoloration had developed and there was a dramatic reduction in functional xylem; plants with internal disease severities of 7 or greater had 7, mean flow rates of water were 0.07 ml−1 min−1 cm−2vs. 42 ml−1 min−1 cm−2 in mock-inoculated plants. The rapid development of these changes suggests that it may be difficult to manage laurel wilt in avocado once plants are infected by R. lauricola. Better understanding of the temporal and spatial development of infection and how the host responds to infection may assist efforts to select laurel wilt-tolerant avocado cultivars.
20-F Filers and SEC Proposed Changes: Some Evidence of a US Home GAAP Preference

This study uses trading volume measures to provide a richer understanding of US investors trading in 20-F filers and US market reactions to the reconciliation and disclosures included in 20-F filings. A unique aspect of this study is the inclusion of all 20-F filers, including foreign filers that report using US GAAP typically excluded from studies that examine the explanatory power of the reconciliations. Consistent with some prior research and expectations expressed by practitioners, we document no abnormal reaction to the 20-F filing for any foreign filers with or without the reconciliation. In addition, we document that the level of trading by US investors in foreign filers is higher when the firm elects to report using US GAAP instead of either IFRS or other available GAAPs. This increased level of trading is found during information events (earnings announcements and 20-F filings) and non-information trading periods. Our findings add to an understanding of US investors trading in foreign filers and may be of interest to regulators and firms as they move toward changes in the filing requirements.
Law, Psychiatry, and Philosophical Analysis

The field of law and psychiatry is the forensic battleground of lawyers and psychiatrists over legal issues of common professional concern, particularly the criminal responsibility of the clinically insane and the diminished reponsibility of the neurotic. It is a field of discourse marred by an extravagant rhetoric of claim and counterclaim, overstating or understating the proper weight that legal liability should accord psychiatric disabilities. Michael Moore's Law and Psychiatry is a remarkable achievement of interdisciplinary learning, argument, and imagination, for it establishes a model of meticulous analysis which brings a new dignity to law and psychiatry as a subject of scholarly research. Moore deploys a style of rigorous philosophical argument which brings a judicious and balanced good sense to all the legal issues he discusses. At the same time, Moore advances the discussion of how psychiatric and psychoanalytic explanation should be understood more generally. On balance, Law and Psychiatry is a major contribution not only to law and to psychiatry, but also to our understanding of the power of interdisciplinary legal scholarship when it holds itself to uncompromising standards of rigor, precision, and clarity of argument. In order to bring out the innovative dimensions of Moore's achievement, I will analyze each of the four issues which organize the argument of the book: (1) the constructive view of the person, (2) insanity, (3) the psychoanalytic theory of the unconscious, and (4) the unity of the self.
mcrA Gene abundance correlates with hydrogenotrophic methane production rates in full-scale anaerobic waste treatment systems.

UNLABELLED Anaerobic treatment is a sustainable and economical technology for waste stabilization and production of methane as a renewable energy. However, the process is under-utilized due to operational challenges. Organic overload or toxicants can stress the microbial community that performs waste degradation, resulting in system failure. In addition, not all methanogenic microbial communities are equally capable of consistent, maximum biogas production. Opinion varies as to which parameters should be used to monitor the fitness of digester biomass. No standard molecular tools are currently in use to monitor and compare full-scale operations. It was hypothesized that determining the number of gene copies of mcrA, a methanogen-specific gene, would positively correlate with specific methanogenic activity (SMA) rates from biomass samples from six full-scale anaerobic digester systems. Positive correlations were observed between mcrA gene copy numbers and methane production rates against H2 : CO2 and propionate (R(2) = 0·67-0·70, P 0·05). Results from this study indicate that mcrA gene targeted qPCR can be used as an alternate tool to monitor and compare certain methanogen communities in anaerobic digesters. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY Using quantitative PCR (qPCR), we demonstrate that the abundance of mcrA, a gene specific to methane producing archaea, correlated with specific methanogenic activity (SMA) measurements when H2 and CO2 , or propionate were provided as substrates. However, mcrA abundance did not correlate with SMA with acetate. SMA values are often used as a fitness indicator of anaerobic biomass. Results from qPCR can be obtained within a day while SMA analysis requires days to weeks to complete. Therefore, qPCR for mcrA abundance is a sensitive and fast method to compare and monitor the fitness of certain anaerobic biomass. As a monitoring tool, qPCR of mcrA will help anaerobic digester operators optimize treatment and encourage more widespread use of this valuable technology.
Automotive sensor applications

The author looks at the features, approaches and technologies of sensors together with packaging problems and automotive applications. Areas of sensing discussed include piezoresistive sensing; capacitive sensing; pressure sensors; accelerometers; self-test features; and opto sensors. >
Orbital Integrals and the Wave Operator for Isotropic Lorentz Spaces

In Chapter II, §3 we discussed the problem of determining a function on a homogeneous space by means of its integrals over generalized spheres. We shall now solve this problem for the isotropic Lorentz spaces (Theorem 4.1 below). As we shall presently explain these spaces are the Lorentzian analogs of the two-point homogeneous spaces considered in Chapter III.
A Mother's Value Lies in Her Sexuality: The Simpsons, Family Guy, and South Park and the Preservation of Traditional Sex Roles

This article examines the relationship between being a sexual woman and a good mother in The Simpsons, Family Guy, and South Park. Considering the sexual criticisms of women in the “Mommy Wars” which continue to be fought across the United States, we find that these three programs reproduce conservative assumptions about women's sexuality and motherhood. Through critical constructionist theories of humor and motherhood, mothers from each program are analyzed and the relationship between their sexuality and motherliness is examined in detail. We conclude with a discussion of the social constrictions of reality that humorous popular culture both exposes and reproduces.
Vertical handoffs in wireless overlay networks

No single wireless network technology simultaneously provides a low latency, high bandwidth, wide area data service to a large number of mobile users. Wireless Overlay Networks – a hierarchical structure of room-size, building-size, and wide area data networks – solve the problem of providing network connectivity to a large number of mobile users in an efficient and scalable way. The specific topology of cells and the wide variety of network technologies that comprise wireless overlay networks present new problems that have not been encountered in previous cellular handoff systems. We have implemented a vertical handoff system that allows users to roam between cells in wireless overlay networks. Our goal is to provide a user with the best possible connectivity for as long as possible with a minimum of disruption during handoff. Results of our initial implementation show that the handoff latency is bounded by the discovery time, the amount of time before the mobile host discovers that it has moved into or out of a new wireless overlay. This discovery time is measured in seconds: large enough to disrupt reliable transport protocols such as TCP and introduce significant disruptions in continuous multimedia transmission. To efficiently support applications that cannot tolerate these disruptions, we present enhancements to the basic scheme that significantly reduce the discovery time without assuming any knowledge about specific channel characteristics. For handoffs between room-size and building-size overlays, these enhancements lead to a best-case handoff latency of approximately 170 ms with a 1.5% overhead in terms of network resources. For handoffs between building-size and wide-area data networks, the best-case handoff latency is approximately 800 ms with a similarly low overhead.
Rank of coal beds of the Narragansett basin, Massachusetts and Rhode Island

Abstract Coal of the Narragansett basin generally has been considered to be anthracite and/or meta-anthracite. However, no single reliable method has been used to distinguish these two ranks in this basin. Three methods — chemical, X-ray, and petrographic — have been used with some degree of success on coal of the Narragansett basin, but too often the results are in conflict. Chemical methods have been limited by inadequate sampling on a coal-bed-by-coal-bed basis and by a lack of analyses made according to (American Society for Testing and Materials, 1974) standard specifications. In addition, when corrections are made by using the Parr formulas, as required by the ASTM (1974) procedures, the generally high to very high ash content of coal from the Narragansett basin causes the fixed-carbon content to appear higher than it actually is. X-ray methods using the degree of graphitization as a measure of rank are not reliable because some of the graphite is related to shearing and brecciation associated with folding and faulting. Petrographic methods using reflectance on vitrinite give results that are generally consistent with results from chemical determinations. However, it is not clear whether the mean maximum reflectance or mean bireflectance is a better indicator of similar rank of such high-rank coals that have been structurally deformed. Coal from the Cranston Mine, RI, is probably meta-anthracite and coal from the Portsmouth Mine is probably anthracite. These ranks are based on chemical,X-ray, and petrographic data and are supported by associated metamorphic mineral assemblages that indicate that the Cranston Mine is in a higher metamorphic zone than the zone containing the Porthmouth Mine. Interpretation of the rank of Mansfield, MA, coal on the basis of extant chemical data is difficult because it is an impure coal with an ash content of 33 to 50%. Reflectance data indicate that the Mansfield, Foxborough, and Plainville coals in the northern part of the Narragansett basin are meta-anthracite but this is in disagreement with the rank suggested by the low degree of metamorphism of the associated rocks.
Flow through a mechanical distraction enterogenesis device: a pilot test.

Background We tested the coupling portion of a prototype intraluminal distraction enterogenesis device to allow flow-through of simulated enteric contents (SEC) in both pig and human jejunum. Materials and Methods SEC was made using 80% corn syrup. Ten-cm pig and human intestinal segments had a spoke-shaped 2.2 cm coupling adaptor sutured in place, intraluminally. The adaptor had a flow-through area of 33.6 mm 2 . SEC was pumped into the proximal part of the intestinal segment at 0.083 mL/s. The times to first passage of SEC through the coupler (first drop), 10 mL, and 20mL of SEC eluted from the distal end were recorded. Results Mean time to first drop elution was 155 ± 38 s with pig, and 149 ± 22 s with human bowel ( P = 0.8). This corresponded to a hydrostatic pressure of 37.5 mmHg before the initial drop passed through. Mean flow rates were 0.094 mL/s in pig bowel and 0.084 mL/s in human bowel ( P = 0.09). To account for occlusion from luminal debris, a 75% occlusion of coupler holes was studied in the smaller pig bowel to investigate if reductions in flow-through area could be tolerated. Mean time to first drop increased slightly to 171±15 s, but the elution rate stayed the same ( P = 0.5). Conclusions After a physiologic level of initial pressure buildup allowing the first drop of SEC to pass the coupling adaptor, our prototype intestinal coupling adaptor did not obstruct flow-through of SEC, even after a 75% decrease in flow-through area. This type of attachment represents a viable approach to placing a device in-continuity without obstructing flow of enteric contents.
The Interface between Membrane-Spanning and Cytosolic Domains in Ca2+-Dependent K+ Channels Is Involved in β Subunit Modulation of Gating

Large-conductance, voltage-, and Ca2+-dependent K+ (BK) channels are broadly expressed in various tissues to modulate neuronal activity, smooth muscle contraction, and secretion. BK channel activation depends on the interactions among the voltage sensing domain (VSD), the cytosolic domain (CTD), and the pore gate domain (PGD) of the Slo1 α-subunit, and is further regulated by accessory β subunits (β1–β4). How β subunits fine-tune BK channel activation is critical to understand the tissue-specific functions of BK channels. Multiple sites in both Slo1 and the β subunits have been identified to contribute to the interaction between Slo1 and the β subunits. However, it is unclear whether and how the interdomain interactions among the VSD, CTD, and PGD are altered by the β subunits to affect channel activation. Here we show that human β1 and β2 subunits alter interactions between bound Mg2+ and gating charge R213 and disrupt the disulfide bond formation at the VSD–CTD interface of mouse Slo1, indicating that the β subunits alter the VSD–CTD interface. Reciprocally, mutations in the Slo1 that alter the VSD–CTD interaction can specifically change the effects of the β1 subunit on the Ca2+ activation and of the β2 subunit on the voltage activation. Together, our data suggest a novel mechanism by which the β subunits modulated BK channel activation such that a β subunit may interact with the VSD or the CTD and alter the VSD–CTD interface of the Slo1, which enables the β subunit to have effects broadly on both voltage and Ca2+-dependent activation.
Linear vibration of a coupled string–rigid bar system

Abstract Linear vibration of a coupled string–rigid bar system is investigated. Owing to dynamic interaction between the strings and the rigid bar, the coupled system is not self-adjoint in its original equations of motion. Consequently, the classical modal analysis cannot be applied. This study develops an augmented formulation for the eigenvalue and boundary value problems of the coupled system. In this formulation, orthogonal eigenfunctions are obtained, and the general response of the coupled string–bar system is represented by an eigenfunction series. Green’s function formula for the coupled system is derived by two methods: modal analysis and Laplace transform. The analytical predictions about the system eigensolutions and response are illustrated in numerical simulation.
Azapeptides structurally based upon inhibitory sites of cystatins as potent and selective inhibitors of cysteine proteases.

A series of azapeptides as potential inhibitors of cysteine proteases were synthesized. Their structures, based on the binding center of cystatins, contain an azaglycine residue (Agly) in place of the evolutionarily conserved glycine residue in the N-terminal part of the enzyme binding region of cystatins. Incorporation of Agly should lead to deactivation of the acyl-enzyme complex formed against nucleophilic attack by water molecules in the final step of peptide bond hydrolysis. The majority of synthesized azapeptides shows high inhibitory potency toward the investigated cysteine proteases, papain, cathepsin B, and cathepsin K. One of them, Z-Arg-Leu-Val-Agly-Ile-Val-OMe (compound 17), which contains in its sequence the amino acid residues from the N-terminal binding segment as well as the hydrophobic residues from the first binding loop of human cystatin C, proved to be a highly potent and selective inhibitor of cathepsin B. It inhibits cathepsin B with a K-i value of 0.088 nM. To investigate the influence of the structure of compound 17 for its inhibitory properties, we determined its conformation by means of NMR studies and theoretical calculations. The Z-Arg-Leu-Val-Agly fragment, covalently linked to Cys29 of cathepsin B, was also developed and modeled, in the catalytic pocket of the enzyme, through a molecular dynamics approach, to analyze ligand-protein interactions in detail. Analysis of the simulation trajectories generated using the AMBER force field provided us with atomic-level understanding of the conformational variability of this inhibitor, which is discussed in the context of other experimental and theoretical data. (Less)
Simulation Studies of Collision Cascades in Liquid in Targets

Multiple interaction computer simulations have been used to determine the properties of collision cascades in liquid In targets induced by normally incident 5 keV Ar+ ions. Below the first atomic layer the cascade becomes Thompson-like relatively quickly. However, within the first atomic layer the angular distribution of moving atoms became forward peaked by 150 fs and remained so until,∼300 fs. Energy and angle resolved (EARN) spectra were calculated for the ejected atoms. The peak of the energy distribution shifted to lower energies at larger ejection angles, and the angular distributions became broader for lower energy particles. Both results agree with recent experimental data, and with a simple model proposed bg Garrison. Our results suggest that the detailed structure of the surface layer is very important in the sputtering process.
Channel optimized robust image coding over noisy channels

A wavelet-based robust image coding technique for image transmission over noisy channels is presented here. The system combines classification and optimal bit allocation along with robust quantization to produce an inherent error-resistant bitstream without channel coding. In order to improve coding efficiency, an iterative algorithm is developed for implementing optimal bit allocation involving both rate distortion and channel optimization. Also, a modified channel optimized uniform trellis coded quantization (TCQ) with a low computational complexity, yet an effective performance, is proposed and used to provide robust quantization. The system achieves both efficient image compression and robust image transmission over noisy channels. Computer simulations indicate that the proposed scheme is effective, even under mismatched channel conditions, and the performance is competitive with other robust image compression techniques.
Estimates of future impacts of degrading streams in the deep loess soil region of western Iowa on private and public infrastructure costs

In the beginning of the 20th century, many streams in western Iowa were channelized to reduce flooding and to open swamp land to cultivation. Channel straightening accomplished its goal. However, it resulted in greater streamflow velocities, causing stream channels to degrade. This degradation has resulted in significant loss of land and damage to transportation and communications infrastructure in western Iowa and in several states in the United States. Baumel et al. (1994; Impact of Degrading Western Iowa Streams on Private and Public Infrastructure Costs. Final Report Iowa DOT HR-352, Stream Stabilization in Western Iowa) estimated the historical cost of this degradation on land loss and damage to transportation and communications infrastructure in western Iowa. The purpose of this paper is to extend the Baumel et al. analysis to estimate future degradation costs on 141 streams in western Iowa. It also presents two types of degradation cost estimates. One is a time neutral cost that does not consider the dates on which the degradation costs are incurred. The second is a time value cost which considers the dates on which the costs are incurred and then discounts these costs back to 1992 dollars. The time value costs are the more accurate estimates of the cost of future degradation in 1992 dollars and should be used to evaluate stream stabilization project proposals.
Electron microscopic evidence for the cruciform structure in intracellular SV40 DNA.

Abstract The conformation of intracellular SV40 DNA during lytic infection of CV-1 cells was studied by the psoralen crosslinking technique. Analysis of the crosslinked SV40 DNA in the electron microscope revealed a rare population (0.1%) with a cruciform structure at coordinates 0.62 ± 0.05 or at 0.37 ± 0.05 of the SV40 genome. The implication of this observation in relation to SV40 DNA replication is discussed.
The Surface and Solution Properties of Dihexadecyl Dimethylammonium Bromide

The surface adsorption behavior and solution aggregate microstructure of the dichain cationic surfactant dihexadecyl dimethylammonium bromide (DHDAB) have been studied using small angle neutron scattering (SANS), light scattering, neutron reflectivity (NR), and surface tension (ST). Using a combination of surface tension and neutron reflectivity, the DHDAB equilibrium surface excess at saturation adsorption has been measured as 2.60 ± 0.05 × 10−10 mol·cm−2. The values obtained by both methods are in good agreement and are consistent with the values reported for other dialkyl chain surfactants. The critical aggregation concentration (CAC) values obtained from both methods (NR and ST) are also in good agreement, with a mean value for the CAC of 4 ± 2 × 10−5 M. The surface equilibrium is relatively slow, and this is attributed to monomer depletion in the near surface region, as a consequence of the long monomer residence times in the surfactant aggregates. The solution aggregate morphology has been determine...
Use of amine buffers for in vitro studies of bone resorption.

Responses of cultured fetal rat bones to parathyroid hormone (PTH) were compared in media gassed with 5% CO2 and buffered with bicarbonate or in media buffered with the amine buffers HEPES (N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N′-2-ethanesulfonic acid), TES (N-tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid), PIPES (piperazine-N,N′-bis(2-ethanesulfonic acid)), Tris (tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane), or glycylglycine. PTH-induced bone resorption was markedly reduced in media buffered with the amine buffers and cultured in air in the absence of added bicarbonate. When the amine buffers were added to bicarbonate-buffered media, they decreased the responses of the bones to submaximal concentrations of PTH. But the response to supramaximal concentrations of PTH was usually not impaired. The results confirm our earlier studies indicating a CO2 and/or bicarbonate requirement for optimal bone resorption. They also demonstrate that the amine buffers can inhibit the responses of bone to PTH even in the presence of CO2 and bicarbonate.
Dexlansoprazole MR for the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease

Dexlansoprazole modified release (MR; Dexilant™), the R-enantiomer of lansoprazole, was approved in the USA in 2009 for the management of erosive esophagitis and nonerosive reflux disease. Dexlansoprazole MR has a unique dual delayed-release delivery system that was designed to address unmet needs that may accompany the use of single-release proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), specifically, their short plasma half-life and requirement for meal-associated dosing. The delivery technology of dexlansoprazole MR is designed to release the drug in two separate pH-dependent phases, the first in the proximal duodenum and the second in the more distal small intestine. This extends plasma concentration and pharmacodynamic effects of dexlansoprazole MR beyond those of single-release PPIs and allows for dosing at any time of the day without regard to meals. This added convenience, along with excellent healing of esophagitis and symptom relief, substantiate its use in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease requiring PPI treatment.
EXTRA-EM: extraction of temperature and resistance for acceleration of electromigration at wafer-level

A thermal model and a control algorithm are developed for rapid electromigration (EM), which extracts both temperature and resistance for acceleration (EXTRA) from a standard wafer-level electromigration acceleration test (SWEAT) test structure. SWEAT structure complexity makes determination of the temperature and resistance during the execution of stress very difficult. The originally developed SWEAT thermal model is inaccurate because it cannot separate temperature changes from EM voiding, and this adds variability to failure distributions. EXTRA uses heat flow characteristics from individual structure regions to provide (1) narrow region temperature separated from resistance changes due to voiding, (2) rapid stress convergence, (3) stress control without empirically derived software, and (4) overall reduced variability in failure distributions. >
Effects of Contingent Self-Esteem on Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Behavior

Contingent self-esteem, or self-worth hinged upon successfully meeting standards or attaining goals, requires continual maintenance and validation. Despite the inherent instability that accompanies contingent self-esteem, relatively little is known about how it relates to markers of mental health. A sample of 371 college students completed measures of self-esteem, contingent self-esteem, suicidal behaviors, and depression. Individuals with fragile low self-esteem, described as highly contingent, reported greater depressive symptoms and suicidal behavior. Among those with secure high self-esteem, or high yet noncontingent, depression and suicide risk were markedly lower. Therapeutically promoting positive but noncontingent self-worth may reduce poor mental health outcomes.
Global existence in L 1 for the modified nonlinear Enskog equation in ℝ 3

A global existence theorem with large initial data inL1 is given for the modified Enskog equation in ℝ3. The method, which is based on the existence of a Liapunov functional (analog of theH-Boltzmann theorem), utilizes a weak compactness argument inL1 in a similar way to the DiPerna-Lions proof for the Boltzmann equation. The existence theorem is obtained under certain condition on the behavior of the geometric factorY. The condition onY amounts to the fact that theL1 norm of the collision term grows linearly when the local density tends to infinity.
Dynamic area telethermometry and its clinical applications

Dynamic area telethermometry (DAT) is a recent development in thermology, the science of biological heat generation and dissipation. DAT is based on monitoring changes in infrared emission, deriving from them information on the kinetics and mechanisms of biological thermoregulation. Remotely monitoring infrared emission is the most reliable technique to study bioenergetics, because it minimally perturbs the investigated system. Area monitoring of heat dissipating surfaces is needed because temporal changes in the spatial distribution of temperature conveys information on mechanisms of thermoregulation. DAT can be applied to biological systems ranging from single cells (microtelecalorimetry) to large areas of human skin (clinical thermology). DAT requires the accumulation of many (hundreds to thousands) thermal images followed by analysis of the thermokinetics of each pixel or group of pixels. In clinical thermology this analysis uses FFT to extract systemic, regional and local thermoregulatory frequencies (TRFs). DAT also extracts information on local thermoregulation from the temporal behavior of homogeneity of skin temperature (HST). Analysis of the relative contributions (FFT amplitudes) of the different frequencies allows distinction between vascular, neurological, and immunological thermoregulatory dysfunctions. This analysis, which can reveal the mechanism of the dysfunction, can be very useful in the diagnosis and staging of various disorders, ranging from diabetes mellitus and liver cirrhosis to breast cancer and malignant melanoma. From the engineering standpoint DAT requires highly stable imaging systems and effective display of the spatial distribution of TRFs to allow identification of thermoregulatory pathways and their dysfunction.
Protective actions of administered mesenchymal stem cells in acute kidney injury: relevance to clinical trials

Current therapies for acute kidney injury remain primarily supportive and have failed to reduce morbidity, mortality (>50%), and associated costs. This prompted our studies in which rats with bilateral ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury were treated with bone marrow-derived, culture-expanded allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells. Their administration into the suprarenal aorta after reflow significantly protected renal function and hastened repair, mediated by complex antiapoptotic, mitogenic, anti-inflammatory, and immune modulating actions that were not elicited by isogeneic fibroblasts. Infused mesenchymal stem cells, recruited to renal sites of injury, did not significantly differentiate into target cells but rather disappeared from kidneys and other organs within 72 h. Furthermore, at 3 months, compared with vehicle-treated controls, renal function was well preserved and interstitial fibrosis was absent. These preclinical data served as the scientific basis for a recently completed Phase I Clinical Trial (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov; # NCT00733876), in which patients at high risk for cardiac surgery-associated AKI were treated with allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells. Until now, MSC therapy in the study subjects has been safe, and none of the patients has developed postoperative AKI or subsequent loss of renal function, suggesting that this novel form of therapy may have promise in this group of high-risk patients, which will be further investigated in a Phase II Trial.
Effects of acute and chronic restraint and estrus cycle on pituitary--adrenal function in the rat.

Abstract Female Long-Evans hooded rats with 5-day estrus cycles were subjected to 4 hr of continuous restraint for either 1 or 20 days. On the last day of the stress regimen, plasma and adrenal corticosterone concentrations were determined and classified according to the stage of the estrous cycle. The results indicated that acute stress produced greater plasma corticosterone concentrations than controls only during estrus, whereas in response to chronic stress significant stress-induced increments were observed during estrus and proestrus. The results suggest that the estrous cycle influences the magnitude of the stress-induced increments for both acute and chronic stress. In addition, the pituitary-adrenal system did not show habituation to repeated administration of this stress, but sensitization was observed during proestrus.
Reproduction in an Introduced Population of the Brown Anole, Anolis sagrei, from O'ahu, Hawai'i

The reproductive cycle of an introduced population of the brown anole, Anolis sagrei, from O'ahu, Hawai'i, was studied from a histological examination of monthly samples collected July 1999 to June 2000. Males undergo a seasonal testicular cycle in which all males > 38 mm snout-vent length are in spermiogenesis from January to August. Although some ovarian activity was found in all months, the period of greatest ovarian inactivity was October- December, which corresponds to the time of male gonadal regression. The reproductive cycle of A. sagrei in Hawai'i resembles that of populations in Belize, Florida, and Jamaica, where minimum gonadal activity was recorded from November through February. Body sizes at reproductive maturity were similar in all four localities. Anolis sagrei in Hawai'i has an ovarian cycle typical of other Anolis lizards with a prolonged breeding season and production of single eggs in succession. Because A. sagrei has been in Hawai'i for only approximately 20 yr, sufficient time has not elapsed to allow evolution of its reproductive cycles, but this study presents baseline reproductive data that can be used for future studies to see if the A. sagrei reproductive cycles are modified as the lizards adapt to the environmental conditions of their newly colonized range.
Marketing management and marketing research

Abstract This article describes elements of the author's long career as a marketing researcher and professor of marketing, giving examples from his experience studying marketplace issues for many organisations and researching the nature of marketing. He cites the value of a broad educational background and the benefits of working with managers on a diversity of practical problems. As a practitioner and an advocate of the use of qualitative methods of research, he notes specific instances of their application to the concerns of managers. He sums up the awareness he gained about marketing management and the use of marketing research. He tells how he drew from that experience to make contributions about the role of marketing in society and the study of consumers in the theory and literature of the field.
Superconducting and Normal Specific Heats of Niobium

The measurements reported in this paper were undertaken to resolve differences in the published values of the low-temperature heat capacity of niobium and to determine the effect of high-temperature annealing (2340\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C) and degassing on the same sample for which data had previously been published by Brown, Zemansky and Boorse. The new measurements cover the temperature interval 1.1 to 11.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and are significantly different from those obtained prior to the thermal treatment. The normal-phase heat capacity may be expressed by the usual relation, ${C}_{n}=\ensuremath{\gamma}T+\mathrm{const}{(\frac{T}{{\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{D}})}^{3}$, with $\ensuremath{\gamma}=(7.53\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2%)$ mJ/mole ${\mathrm{deg}}^{2}$ and ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{D}=238\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{K}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.5%$. The zero-field transition temperature, determined from the midpoint of the transition interval, was found to be 9.09\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. In the superconducting phase below 1.7\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, the total heat capacity ${C}_{s}$ was found to be less than the lattice specific heat alone in the normal phase. This anomalous result, previously reported by the present authors, is comparable to that found in indium by Bryant and Keesom. This anomaly complicates the determination of the superconducting electronic specific heat ${C}_{\mathrm{es}}$ but by using a theory by Ferrell, it may be evaluated in the usual form, $a\ensuremath{\gamma}{T}_{c}\mathrm{exp}(\ensuremath{-}\frac{b{T}_{c}}{T})$, with $a=12.6$ and $b=1.71$.
Experimental and theoretical dynamics of isoelectric focusing: III. Transient multi-peak approach to equilibrium of proteins in simple buffers

Abstract Transient states in the isoelectric focusing of proteins in simple three-component buffer systems were examined by (i) analyzing the collected fractions from continuous flow electrophoresis at a range of operating conditions, (ii) photographing the behavior of colored proteins in capillaries, (iii) monitoring the electric field dynamics along a capillary with a potential gradient array detector and (iv) computeer simulation. The good agreement between simulation and experimental data clearly reveals how the separation dynamics of the buffer system, i.e., the formation of a natural pH gradient, produces the observed peaks and boundaries of protein during the approach to the steady state. The protein focusing dynamics are different, but characteristic, for each buffer system, with both transient double, and multiple, peaks being observed.
Delayed biliary drainage is common in asymptomatic post-cholecystectomy volunteers

A commonly used diagnostic criterion for sphincter of Oddi dysfunction is delayed drainage of contrast media from the bile ducts at endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC), which is defined as the persistence of contrast >45min after injection. We performed ERC in 11 asymptomatic post-cholecystectomy volunteers for the purpose of evaluating biliary drainage time. In an attempt to more accurately quantify emptying, concomitant scintigraphy was performed at the time of ERC and contrast drainage. Sufficient contrast mixed with technetium-99m sulfur colloid to completely fill out the intra-hepatic tree was injected (mean volume, 9 ml) and the volunteers remained in the prone position during imaging. The length of time from cholecystectomy, bile duct size, volume of contrast injected, and scintigraphic T1/2s did not correlate with drainage time at ERC. At 45min after injection the degree of residual contrast filling was scored as: empty in three volunteers, almost empty in one, one-fourth full in 5, and one-half full in two. Therefore, 7 of the 11 asymptomatic volunteers (63%) had delayed drainage. Even if more stringent criteria for delayed drainage were used (ducts one-half filled), 2 of the 11 (18%) had abnormal drainage. The frequent occurrence of delayed drainage in these asymptomatic post-cholecystectomy volunteers challenges the validity of the 45-min delayed drainage criterion for sphincter of Oddi dysfunction.
Padé-approximant corrections to general variational expressions of scattering theory: Application to 5σ photoionization of carbon monoxide

We discuss a method for systematically correcting results obtained using variational expressions in scattering theory. The approach taken is to compute a sequence of Pade approximants of the form [N/N] for the error in an initial variational estimate obtained using a basis-set expansion. The relationship between the Pade-approximant approach and the iterative Schwinger method for correcting variational estimates is also examined. We discuss a large class of general variational expressions to which the Pade-approximant approach can be applied. The variational expressions considered include those for the wave function, for photoionization transition matrix elements, as well as for scattering matrix (K-matrix) elements. We have applied this approach to the 5σ photoionization of CO using the frozen-core Hartree-Fock and fixed-nuclei approximations. We find that the Pade-approximant method converges rapidly and reliably. Both total photoionization cross sections and photoelectron angular distributions from threshold to 40 eV are presented and compared to previous experimental and theoretical results. We find major quantitative discrepancies between the present results for the total cross section and previous theoretical results.
On s- and (m, s)-optimality of minimal incomplete block designs

In this note, we determine s- and (m,s)-optimal designs in the class of all minimal incomplete block designs under the mixed effects model.
Risk factors for clinically important adverse events after protamine administration following cardiopulmonary bypass.

Abstract Objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine risk factors for adverse events following protamine administration after cardiopulmonary bypass. Background. Intravenous protamine administration is associated with a risk of severe systemic reactions. However, risk factors for these events have not been well delineated, thus hampering development of preventive strategies. Methods. A case–control study nested within a cohort of consecutive patients undergoing surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass was performed. The primary case definition included those events (pulmonary hypertensive and systemic hypotensive) occurring within 10 min of protamine administration in the absence of other measurable causes of hemodynamic compromise. Results. Comparing the 53 cases to the 223 control subjects, three risk factors were independently associated with events (multivariable odds ratio [95% confidence interval]): neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin use (8.18 [2.08, 32.2]); fish allergy (24.5 [1.24, 482.3]), and a history of nonprotamine medication allergy (2.97 [1.25, 7.07]). These risk factors demonstrated an increasingly strong association with progressively more specific case definitions. An estimated 39% of cardiopulmonary bypass patients had one or more of these risk factors. Prior intravenous protamine, central venous pressure prior to protamine, preoperative ejection fraction and the need for inotropes when coming off bypass did not exhibit statistically significant associations with events (all p > 0.15). Prior protamine allergy was associated specifically with an increased risk of pulmonary hypertension (multivariable odds ratio 189; 95% confidence interval 13, 2,856). Conclusions. Immunologic factors are important in predisposing individuals to protamine reactions, and a substantial proportion of patients are at considerably increased risk. Strategies to reduce the risk of protamine-associated events are needed.
Computerized readability levels

The reading formulas are based on two factors: sentence complexity and either vocabulary or the number of syllables per word. With the aid of computer programs one can reduce technical text from college graduate reading level to text with a reading grade level from six to nine without dilution of the concept content. The reading formulas programmed include the Dale-Chall, Flesch, Fry, Fog, Farr-Jenkins-Paterson, Spache, and a Spanish language formula. Through continuing adaptation to the needs of publishers and editors over many years the programs have become very user-oriented. They have run on a variety of computers and in many common higher level computer languages. The procedure is described.
Therapeutic Plasmapheresis in Primary Presentation of Diabetes Mellitus With Diabetic Ketoacidosis, Hypertriglyceridemia and Acute Pancreatitis

Severe hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG)-induced acute pancreatitis has been well described. Currently accepted therapeutic options are limited. We report a case of acute pancreatitis associated with hypertriglyceridemia and diabetic ketoacidosis that was safely and effectively managed with plasmapheresis. A 38-year-old female with history of gestational diabetes presented with acute onset of nausea and abdominal pain. She denied alcohol use and was on oral contraceptive pills. On physical exam, she was afebrile, normotensive, and tachycardic with mild abdominal distension and diffuse tenderness. Diagnostic tests revealed a serum glucose of 414 mg/dL, triglycerides > 816 mg/dL, amylase of 106 U/L, lipase of 272 U/L, anion gap of 23, BUN of 13 mg/dL, creatinine of 0.3 mg/dL, sodium of 120 mmol/L, HCO 3 of 14 mmol/L, and positive urine ketones. Computed tomography (CT) findings were consistent with severe acute pancreatitis. The patient was managed conservatively on day 1. Due to persistence of symptoms, plasma exchange using NxStage plasmafilter was performed on day 2 and day 3, which resulted in significant reduction of the triglyceride level and resolution of abdominal pain. Patient was discharged home with gemfibrozil and glyburide as maintenance therapy. The exact mechanism of hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis is not clear. It has been postulated that hyperviscosity of blood due to lipid particles causes ischemia in the pancreas, releasing inflammatory mediators and leading to pancreatic necrosis and inflammation. The advantage of plasmapheresis over conservative management is the removal of lipid particles in a relatively short period of time and clearance of triglyceridemia-associated pro-inflammatory agents. World J Nephrol Urol. 2014;3(4):162-166 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/wjnu189w
An alternative to cast etched retainers.

0 ne of the most significant advances in prosthodontics is the development of the resin-bonded retainers or “Maryland Bridge”.‘-3 This system precludes the need for extensive preparation of the abutment teeth. Other advantages include reduced patient treatment and laboratory time and cost. Clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of this treatment,4 which is used in several countries around the world.5, 6 Table I. Materials included in the study