cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exposure to open-fire cooking and cognitive performance in children.

We reexamined field data on cognitive performance in light of recent research that shows open-fire cooking – with its emission of harmful substances – to pose a risk to healthy physical development. Tests of three- to nine‐year-old children in four communities around the world yielded evidence concerning block-building skills, memory, and the discernment of embedded figures. Naturalistic observations of these children were also undertaken in everyday settings. Open-fire cooking (as opposed to cooking on kerosene stoves) was associated with both lower cognitive performance and less frequent structured play at all ages. Although these correlational results do not reveal causal mechanisms, they are consistent with ideas about negative developmental consequences of exposure to open-fire cooking and suggest that research is needed on the effect on brain development of practices involving production of indoor smoke.
Development of pneumatic end effector for micro robotic manipulators

In this paper, a micropneumatic end-effector for micromanipulation and microassembly with in-situ PVDF sensing is designed and calibrated. The micro pneumatic end-effector system consists of a DC micro-diaphragm pump and compressor, two regions of flexible latex tubes with different parameters and different function such as microtool and air channel. Effectively controlling the suction force and pressure are critical for the performance of the micro-pneumatic end-effector for micromanipulation and microassembly. The force sensing model was developed for the pneumatic end-effector system. An effective calibration method is proposed and its results verify the behavior of the developed pneumatic end-effector system. Ultimately the technology will provide a critical and major step towards the development of automated manufacturing process for batch assembly of micro devices, and also enhance micromanipulation
A fine-tuning of photoreactivity of large ring 2-phenylcycloalkanones adsorbed in cyclodextrins

Abstract The photochemistry of solid complexes of large ring 2-phenylcycloalkanones adsorbed in cyclodextrin cavities results in significant yields of enals as disproportionation products, at the expense of the para-rearrangement, depending on both the ring size of the cyclanone and the cavity size of the cyclodextrin. This behavior contrasts with its photoreaction in homogeneous solutions which yields predominantly para-cyclophanes.
Spectral localization by imaging using multielement receiver coils.

A new spectral localization technique for in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is introduced. Structural information extracted from anatomical imaging is utilized for defining compartments which provide the basis for spectral localization. Inherent spatial heterogeneity of multiple receiver coil elements is used along with optional phase encoding to resolve signals from different compartments. This technique allows a few compartmental spectra to be reconstructed from multi-channel data acquired with no or very few phase encoding steps, resulting in short scan time and high efficiency. Alternatively, this technique also allows a significant number of compartmental spectra to be reconstructed if sufficient phase encoding steps are used. A procedure is developed to semi-automatically generate a significant number of compartments of comparable sizes, which allows one to obtain spectra from small regions of interest with curvilinear shapes. This may be useful for obtaining spectra from relatively small stroke lesions or tumors. Phantom experiments and in vivo MRS of stroke patients have been performed to demonstrate this technique.
Modelling variable length tows and altitude-keeping with the Canadian Remote Minehunting and Disposal System

The minehunting scenario of a surface water platform towing, and mutually interacting with, its towbody in a maneuver with variable cable lengths and altitude-keeping to an arbitrary terrain is a realistic yet challenging dynamic situation to model. This paper describes and reports on developments of the SIMRMS modelling tool with emphasis on this scenario. The methodologies used are discussed as well as their validation against full scale sea trials data. To date, the authors have not seen such modelling capabilities for interactive tow cable systems reported in the literature.
MUPPETS: multi-user programming pedagogy for enhancing traditional study: an environment for both upper and lower division students

This paper discusses the pedagogy and use of MUPPETS (Multi-User Programming Pedagogy for Enhancing Traditional Study) for both introductory and advanced students. MUPPETS is a desktop collaborative virtual environment (CVE) that allows students to learn introductory programming skills through the creation of objects and avatars. The goals of the MUPPETS system are twofold. First, the MUPPETS system provides a complex, interactive, collaborative playground in which introductory students can learn the fundamental principles of objects-first programming, which places emphasis upon encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism over traditional constructs such as selection and repetition. Objects created by introductory students can be shared with peers and upper division students. Second, the MUPPETS system provides a mechanism through which upper division students can contribute to the success of introductory students. Upper division students are responsible for the development of MUPPETS extensions as well as complex artifacts intended for use within introductory courses
Fingertip and Whole Body Exposure to Nuclear Medicine Personnel

We calculate radiation exposure to the nuclear medicine technologist for all common sources of exposure. Special attention is given to exposure received by fingertips. We include typical exposure rates for patient injections, reagent preparations, generator handling and elution, patient positioning, and other phases of nuclear medicine. The cumulative exposure to fingertips and whole body is estimated. When every precaution is taken to minimize exposure in our laboratory, the unavoidable annual exposure to the fingertips is 11 R; to the whole body it is 1 R from all sources. When precautions are not taken, the annual exposure to the fingertips may exceed 170 R and the whole body dose may then approach 2 R. Our nuclear medicine laboratory averages about 1000 injections per technologist per year.
Does space make waste? The influence of ICU bed capacity on admission decisions

Stelfox HT, Hemmelgarn BR, Bagshaw SM, Gao S, Doig CJ, Nijssen-Jordan C, Manns B: Intensive care unit bed availability and outcomes for hospitalized patients with sudden clinical deterioration. Arch Intern Med 2012, 172: 467-474. Intensive care unit (ICU) beds are a scarce resource, and admissions may require prioritization when demand exceeds supply. However, there are few empiric data on whether the availability of ICU beds influences triage and processes of care for hospitalized patients who develop sudden clinical deterioration. The objective was to evaluate the effect of ICU bed availability on the processes and outcomes of care for hospitalized patients with sudden clinical deterioration on a hospital ward. We conducted a retrospective cohort study. The study was conducted in three hospitals in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with 2,040 beds and a catchment population of 1.5 million individuals. Hospitalized adults (n = 3,494) with a sudden clinical deterioration triggering medical emergency team (MET) activation between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2009 participated. This study compared treatments and outcomes among sudden clinical deterioration patients according to the number of ICU beds available (zero, one, two, or more than two) at the time of the MET activation. The outcomes of interest were ICU admission rates (within 2 hours of MET activation), changes in the goals of care (resuscitative, medical, and comfort), and hospital mortality. All analyses were adjusted for hospital, physician, and patient factors. The cohort consisted of 3,494 patients. Reduced ICU bed availability was associated with a decreased likelihood of ICU admission within 2 hours of MET activation (P = 0.03) and with an increased likelihood of change in patient goals of care (P <0.01). Patients with sudden clinical deterioration when zero ICU beds were available were 33.0% (95% confidence interval (CI), −5.1% to57.3%) less likely to be admitted to the ICU and were 89.6% (95% CI, 24.9% to 188.0%) more likely to have their goals of care changed compared with when more than two ICU beds were available. However, hospital mortality did not vary significantly by ICU bed availability (P = 0.82). For hospitalized patients with sudden clinical deterioration, ICU bed scarcity decreases the probability of ICU admission and increases the probability of initiating comfort measures on the ward but does not influence hospital mortality.
Aspects of hierarchical regression modeling in health services and outcomes research

From a statistical perspective, the goals of the analyses of health care data require the estimation of: covariate effects; cluster-specific measures of utilization, costs, outcomes; and systematic and random components of variation. These estimates need to account for within cluster correlations and to accommodate substantial variations in cluster size. The growing literature on hierarchical regression modeling (HRM) and its applications to health services and outcomes research includes work that is relevant to a broad set of subject-matter and methodologic questions. We focus on two illustrative examples: the HRM approach to profiling of medical care providers; and the use of HRM in the estimation and proper interpretation of the effect of covariates.
Effect of development on water quality for seven streams in North Carolina

In this study, baseflow and storm discharges were monitored in seven watersheds of varying development density to document the effects of development on stream water quality. In addition, two of the watersheds contained package wastewater treatment facilities, which were evaluated as an alternative to residential on-site septic systems. Monthly grab samples of baseflow and flow-proportional samples of storm event discharge were collected and analyzed for nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment, and bacteria. For the five watersheds without wastewater treatment facilities, a significant linear relationship was documented between fecal coliform and enterococci levels in baseflow samples and the percentage of residential or impervious area. For the two watersheds with wastewater discharge, bacteria levels were significantly greater than those from the two relatively undeveloped watersheds. These results indicate that bacteria levels increased with increasing residential development even if many of the septic systems were replaced by a community wastewater treatment system. Computed annual export rates for ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) were correlated to the percentage of impervious surfaces in the watersheds, while the rates for other nitrogen forms, total phosphorus, and total suspended sediment were not. Annual export rates from the two mostly undeveloped watersheds were greater than a compilation of rates for undeveloped areas across the USA. Export from the four watersheds with more than 68 % residential land use was less than those reported from local and national studies of residential areas.
Tensions in scaling-up community social media: a multi-neighborhood study of nextdoor

This paper presents a study of Nextdoor, a social media system designed to support local neighborhoods. While not the first system designed to support community engagement, Nextdoor has a number of attributes that make it distinct. Our study, across three communities in a major U.S. city, illustrates that Nextdoor inhabits an already-rich ecosystem of community-oriented social media, but is being appropriated by its users for use in different ways than these existing media. Nextdoor also raises tensions in how it defines the boundaries of neighborhoods, and in the privacy issues it raises among its users.
What the Berenstain Bears can tell us about school readiness: Maternal story grammar style and preschool narrative recall

Forty middle-class American mothers and their preschool children were observed in a narrative activity which involved telling a story using the Berenstain Bears Play Set as a stimulus. The goal of the study was to examine the presence of story grammar elements in both maternal and preschool narratives. In addition, the study sought to explore the types of narrative eliciting strategies mothers employ to assist their children in recalling a story. Mothers were also queried about the school readiness and narrative activity that are available in their home environments. The results of the study indicate that there are distinct maternal story grammar styles and narrative eliciting styles which are at some level related to the preschoolers’ recall of stories and those styles enable preschoolers’ to practice school readiness skills. The findings also suggest that preschoolers’ in our study live in narrative rich environments, where mothers embed school readiness activities in narrative-like games. Suggestions f...
An eddy viscosity model for friction in gas—solids flow

The equations normally used to predict velocity distribution and eddy viscosity in single-phase flow systems can be adapted to fit gas-solids flow systems by including a term to account for the quantity of solid matter carried by the gas stream. This solids loading is expressed as pounds of solid per pound of gas. These modified equations can then be used to calculate the pressure drop of a solids-laden gas stream flowing in a pipe by means of a two-phase friction factor. Comparison of this approach with available pressure drop data is used to check its validity and to evaluate the constants in the equations.
Retrieval of Embolized Central Venous Catheters by a Dormia Ureteral Stone Dislodger with Straight Filiform Tip

Two cases are presented in which a Dormia ureteral stone dislodger with straight filiform tip was used to retrieve broken central venous pressure catheters from the right side of the heart and vena cavae. It should be emphasized that this particular model is more easily passed into the vascular system and more easily manipulated within the vascular system. The delicate filiform tip also contributes to greater safety. It should also be emphasized that entrapment of the proximal tip of a fractured central venous pressure catheter is most ideal prior to extraction.
The effect of 17β-estradiol on isolated omental arteries from preeclamptic women

Abstract Objective: To study the effect of 17β-estradiol on isolated omental arteries from preeclamptic women. Study Design: Rings of omental artery with intact endothelium were mounted in organ chambers for isometric tension recording. We studied the effect of pharmacological concentrations of 17β-estradiol on potassium chloride-induced tension and the concentration–contraction relationships for norepinephrine and calcium. Results: Cumulative application of 17β-estradiol, in a concentration-dependent manner, relaxed potassium chloride contracted rings. Sixty minutes of incubation with 17β-estradiol (10 −5 mol/l) attenuated the tension developed in response to potassium chloride, norepinephrine and calcium. Tamoxifen (10 −6 mol/l) did not antagonize the inhibitory actions of 17β-estradiol. Conclusions: Pharmacological concentrations of 17β-estradiol retain the capability for relaxing omental artery rings from preeclamptic women. The loss of refractoriness to norepinephrine, increased responsiveness to calcium ions and decreased ability of 17β-estradiol to inhibit calcium-induced tension may be responsible for increased vascular reactivity in preeclampsia.
Design trade-offs of micromachined gyroscope concept allowing interchangeable operation in both robust and precision modes

This paper presents design trade-offs for a z-axis gyroscope allowing interchangeable operation in either precision or robust modes. This is enabled through a complete 2-DOF sense mode which allows the specification of the peak spacing and degree of coupling independent of frequency. Simulated sense mode frequency responses for various coupling amounts indicate that weakly coupled systems are desirable due to the larger precision mode gain increase (over 20 dB) for atmospheric pressure operation. Experimentally measured sense mode frequency responses for strong and weak coupling confirm the simulation results in air while also revealing that strong coupling is desirable at vacuum due to the increased precision mode gain improvement of over 40 dB while leaving the robust mode relatively unaffected.
Nodes in Phylogenetic Trees: The Relation Between Imbalance and Number of Descendent Species

The imbalance of a node in a phylogenetic tree can be defined in terms of the relative numbers of species (or higher taxa) on the branches that originate at the node. Empirically, imbalance also turns out to depend on the absolute total number of species on the branches: in a sample of large trees, nodes with more descendent species tend to be more unbalanced. Subsidiary analyses suggest that this pattern is not a result of errors in tree estimation. Instead, the increase in imbalance with species is consistent with a cumulative effect of differences in diversification rates between branches. (Equal-rates Markov model; imbalance; phylogeny shape; proportional-to-distinguishable-arrangements model.) Since the pioneering work of Savage (1983), a large body of research has been devoted to the question of what inferences about evolution can be drawn from the shape of phylogenetic trees. The property of trees most thoroughly studied is their degree of imbalance, that is, the extent to which some branches lead to many species (or higher taxa) while others lead only to a few. The ob- served degree of imbalance is typically compared to the imbalance predicted by a null model called the simple birth and death process or the equal-rates Markov model, which assumes that species originate and become extinct at stochastically constant rates on all branches of the tree. In their review of this literature, Mooers and Heard (1997) concluded that most empirical trees are more unbalanced than predicted by the model. The usual explanation for imbalance is differences among lineages in rates of speciation relative to rates of extinction; these differences in net diversification rates are presumably caused by biological differences among organisms. Slowinski and Guyer (1989) estab-
Virtual encounters with Hızır and other Muslim saints: Dreaming and healing at local pilgrimage sites in Hatay, Turkey

Healing, in conjunction with dream and vision requests at sacred sites, is a well-documented phenomenon in Turkey and the Middle East, and plays a major role in local Muslim traditions. This article presents an ethnographic account of dreaming and healing traditions, focusing on the worship of Hizir and Seyh Yusuf el-Hekim commonly practised at pilgrimage sites in Hatay, Turkey. It demonstrates how Muslims and Christians visit these pilgrimage sites for the purpose of both vows and dream-quests. I argue that visits to local pilgrimage sites – including dreaming and healing as key elements of these visits – lead to a virtual encounter with the saint and a ritual transformation of agency for the worshipper. In reference to the work of Bakhtin, I utilize the concept of the chronotope to analyze oral traditions about Muslim saints and the interrelatedness between temporal and spatial dimensions of visits to these pilgrimage sites. I link this approach with Kapferer’s concept of virtuality to account for the personal testimonies of those who visited these sites and experienced virtual encounters with Muslim saints through dreaming and healing. In conclusion, I present details from one of my own experiences at a site and discuss how this changed my relationships with my interlocutors.
Down-regulation of cytochrome P450 mRNAs and proteins in mice lacking a functional NOS2 gene.

Endotoxemia results in both the down-regulation of multiple cytochrome P450 genes and the induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2). The nitric oxide (NO) released during inflammation has been implicated as the mediator of the decreased catalytic activity and expression of several cytochrome P450 isozymes. We examined the role of NO in the decreases in both gene expression and activity of three P450s in endotoxemic parental and NOS2 knockout mice. Twenty-four hours of endotoxin (LPS) treatment significantly suppressed CYP2C29 and CYP3A11 mRNA expression in both the parental and NOS2 knockout strains. Microsomal CYP2E1, CYP2C-like, and CYP3A-like protein levels were also decreased in both strains of mouse. Similar results were obtained in parental strain endotoxemic mice co-administered the NOS inhibitor aminoguanidine. Six hours after LPS treatment, there was an NO-dependent decrease in testosterone 6β-hydroxylase activity, because no decreases in activity were observed in the NOS2 knockout mice or in mice co-administered aminoguanidine. LPS also evoked decreases in testosterone 15α- and 16β-hydroxylase activity after 24 hr that were observed in the parental strain and not in NOS2 knockout mice. Our results demonstrate that the down-regulation of CYP2C-like, CYP3A-like and CYP2E1 proteins and mRNAs, in the endotoxemic mouse can occur independently of NO production. We do, however, show that the NO released during endotoxemia is capable of causing decreases in some cytochrome P450 catalytic activities.
Virtual Water Trade in North America

The concept of virtual water – the amount of water used during the entire production chain of goods – represents a new tool for policymakers in water-scarce countries to shape policies in ways that improve water use efficiency. The present study extends work on the virtual water concept by testing a causality relationship between national water savings and economic growth of a water scarce country. Results of this study are twofold: (1) average annual precipitations explain the virtual water trade pattern in Mexico, and (2) there exists a Granger-causality relationship between agricultural and industrial growth and the annual volume of water saved in Mexico due to its acquisition of water-intensive crops from its North American Free Trade Agreement partners – Canada and the United States.
Nongaussian autoregressive sequences and random fields

In this paper we discuss estimation procedures for the parameters of autoregressive schemes. There is a large literature concerned with estimation in the one-dimensional Gaussian case. Much of our discussion will however be dedicated to the nonGaussian context, some aspects of which have been considered only in recent years. Results have also at times been obtained in the broader context of autoregressive moving average schemes. We restrict ourselves to the case of autoregressive schemes for the sake of simplicity. Also they are the discrete analogue of simple versions of stochastic differential equations with constant coefficients. It is also apparent that nonGaussian autoregressive stationary sequences have a richer and more complicated structure than that of the Gaussian autoregressive stationary sequences.
Addressing Civic Issues in the Classroom: A Review of Teaching Civic Literacy Projects: Student Engagement with Social Problems, by Shira Epstein

Reviewed by Ruchi Agarwal-Rangnath, San Francisco State UniversityOn August 9, 2014, Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black male was shot to death after an altercation with Darren Wilson, a 28-year-ol...
North American Species of Ascodesmis

During the month of January, I9I5, the writer secured an excellent growth of a species of Ascodesmis on the excrement of pigs sent from Porto Rico' by Mr. George L. Fawcett. The spores of this species were slightly ellipsoid and, when mature, were strongly roughened, although they were never found to be reticulate. At first it was thought that this species might be distinct from Ascodesmis nigricans in which species the spores are usually described as reticulate. Later, however, it was concluded that the apparent difference in spore characters was simply due to variation and the Porto Rican plants were finally referred to Ascodesmis nigricans, the only species known from North America.
Tailoring 1D ZnO Nanostructure Using Engineered Catalyst Enabled by Poly(4-vinylpyridine)

We have demonstrated a cost-effective homopolymer, poly(4-vinylpyridine), to prepare engineered catalyst systems. Using the polymer template, the composition of a catalyst system can be adjusted by metal incorporation while the size can be controlled by the catalyst layer thickness via the number of polymer coatings. We have found that the morphology of 1D ZnO nanostructures can be rationally tailored by catalyst composition in both vapor and solution-based approaches. For the vapor-based growth, incorporating a non-Zn cocatalyst reduces the onset growth temperature and affords higher growth rate. In the solution-based growth, the stability of catalyst in alkaline medium becomes critical. The presence of cocatalyst will lead to 1D ZnO nanostructures with larger diameter and lower density. Using catalyst which is identical to 1D nanostructure composition promotes epitaxial growth. A cocatalyst can be selected to tailor interactions with the precursors of 1D nanostructures for tunable morphology. These find...
Inhibition of a human fibrinolytic system by normal and pathologic sera.

SummaryA standardized, urokinase activated, human fibrinogen-plasminogen fibrinolytic system with an arbitrarily controlled lysis time of 13 ± 1 minutes is described. Normal human serum inhibited this fibrinolytic complex. Sera from 8 of 32 patients with various diseases had inhibitor activity significantly above normal. None of these had diseases with abnormal accumulations of fibrin. In ancillary studies epsilon-amino-n-caproic acid inhibited the assay system as, to a lesser degree, did serotonin and histamine; tolbutamide had no significant effect.
Synaptic Mechanisms of Memory Consolidation during Sleep Slow Oscillations.

Sleep is critical for regulation of synaptic efficacy, memories, and learning. However, the underlying mechanisms of how sleep rhythms contribute to consolidating memories acquired during wakefulness remain unclear. Here we studied the role of slow oscillations, 0.2–1 Hz rhythmic transitions between Up and Down states during stage 3/4 sleep, on dynamics of synaptic connectivity in the thalamocortical network model implementing spike-timing-dependent synaptic plasticity. We found that the spatiotemporal pattern of Up-state propagation determines the changes of synaptic strengths between neurons. Furthermore, an external input, mimicking hippocampal ripples, delivered to the cortical network results in input-specific changes of synaptic weights, which persisted after stimulation was removed. These synaptic changes promoted replay of specific firing sequences of the cortical neurons. Our study proposes a neuronal mechanism on how an interaction between hippocampal input, such as mediated by sharp wave-ripple events, cortical slow oscillations, and synaptic plasticity, may lead to consolidation of memories through preferential replay of cortical cell spike sequences during slow-wave sleep. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Sleep is critical for memory and learning. Replay during sleep of temporally ordered spike sequences related to a recent experience was proposed to be a neuronal substrate of memory consolidation. However, specific mechanisms of replay or how spike sequence replay leads to synaptic changes that underlie memory consolidation are still poorly understood. Here we used a detailed computational model of the thalamocortical system to report that interaction between slow cortical oscillations and synaptic plasticity during deep sleep can underlie mapping hippocampal memory traces to persistent cortical representation. This study provided, for the first time, a mechanistic explanation of how slow-wave sleep may promote consolidation of recent memory events.
Stressed to the Core: Counterparty Concentrations and Systemic Losses in CDS Markets

Supervisory stress testing to date has focused on the resiliency of large banks to withstand the direct effects of a credit shock. Using data from Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), we apply the Federal Reserve's Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR) supervisory scenarios to evaluate the default of a bank's largest counterparty. We find that indirect effects of this default, through the bank's other counterparties, are larger than the direct impact on the bank. Further, when taken as a whole, the core banking system has a higher concentration to a single counterparty than does any individual bank holding company. Under the 2015 stress, the banking system's counterparty credit concentration is high and corresponds in diversity to a market with just over three firms. Our results are the first to evaluate the credit derivatives market under stress and also underscore the importance of a macroprudential perspective on stress testing.
Case 45-1989: A 48-Year-Old Woman with Acute Respiratory Failure and a Left Suprarenal Mass

Presentation of Case A 48-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of the adult respiratory distress syndrome and left flank pain. She was well until eight months earlier, when she was a...
Therapy for genital warts.

This article presents the spectrum of genital wart infection, including possible subclinical infection and reinfection from partners. Present therapy is effective in warts of recent onset but usually requires multiple treatments and is painful, and warts are frequently recurrent. Trials of combination therapy appear to have greater efficacy than does singleagent treatment. Problems for the future include the best managment of warts in the sexually abused child, the immunocompromised host, and the pregnant patient. Genital warts are increasingly linked with the potential development of carcinoma, mandating more effective treatment regimens in the future.
The role of the orthoptist in the diagnosis of combined horizontal and vertical stabismus.

(1978). The Role of the Orthoptist in the Diagnosis of Combined Horizontal and Vertical Strabismus. American Orthoptic Journal: Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 28-31.
Periodic truss structures

Abstract Despite the recognition of the enormous potential of periodic trusses for use in a broad range of technologies, there are no widely-accepted descriptors of their structure. The terminology has been based loosely either on geometry of polyhedra or of point lattices: neither of which, on its own, has an appropriate structure to fully define periodic trusses. The present article lays out a system for classification of truss structure types. The system employs concepts from crystallography and geometry to describe nodal locations and connectivity of struts. Through a series of illustrative examples of progressively increasing complexity, a rational taxonomy of truss structure is developed. Its conceptual evolution begins with elementary cubic trusses, increasing in complexity with non-cubic and compound trusses as well as supertrusses, and, finally, with complex trusses. The conventions and terminology adopted to define truss structure yield concise yet unambiguous descriptions of structure types and of specific (finite) trusses. The utility of the taxonomy is demonstrated by bringing into alignment a disparate set of ad hoc and incomplete truss designations previously employed in a broad range of science and engineering fields. Additionally, the merits of a particular compound truss (comprising two interpenetrating elementary trusses) is shown to be superior to the octet truss for applications requiring high stiffness and elastic isotropy. By systematically stepping through and analyzing the finite number of structure types identified through the present classification system, optimal structures for prescribed mechanical and functional requirements are expected to be ascertained in an expeditious manner.
New antibiotics in clinical trials for Clostridium difficile

ABSTRACTIntroduction: There are limited number of approved therapies for C. difficile infections (CDIs) and new treatments are needed to decrease recurrence rates. Over the past 5 years, four novel antibiotics have been evaluated in clinical trials that offer distinct advantages over existing therapies for the treatment of CDI.Areas covered: This article reviews the preclinical and clinical studies of cadazolid, LFF571, ridinilazole, and surotomycin. The advantages that these antibiotics may have in the treatment of CDI is compared with current therapies metronidazole, vancomycin, and fidaxomicin.Expert commentary: The antibiotics examined have the potential to improve rates of CDI treatment without recurrence. We anticipate that one or more of these medications will be approved within five years.
Lead stabilization by Polonite and phosphate amended Polonite: Modeling

Abstract Polonite is an alkaline material that is used to remove nutrients from domestic wastewater and it has been evaluated as a fertilizer. Stabilization of Pb by Polonite and Polonite amended with orthophosphate, PO4, (Polonite-P) was evaluated and modeled with isotherm and chemical equilibrium models. Uptake of Pb at low Pb loading for each sorbent (sorbate to sorbent mass ratios of less than 0.6 mg Pb/g Polonite and less than 4 mg Pb/g Polonite-P) was best-fit with the Freundlich isotherm model. Lead sorption by Polonite, at high Pb loading, was best-fit with the Freundlich isotherm model and Pb sorption by Polonite-P, at high Pb loading, was best-fit with the Hill isotherm model. The Polonite chemical equilibrium model predicted that the primary form of Pb above pH 7.5 was comprised of Pb-oxides. The Polonite-P chemical equilibrium model predicted that Pb formed a stabilized solid over a wider pH range than Polonite and the percentage of solid Pb4O(PO4)2 increased with increasing initial Pb loading above approximately 65 mg Pb/L. The Polonite and Polonite-P models have been used to develop a framework that can aid in design of Pb remediation systems and they can serve as a foundation for more complex models in natural and engineered systems.
The role of channel distribution information in the cross-layer design of opportunistic scheduler for MIMO networks

In this paper, we design a new class of cross-layer opportunistic channel access scheduling framework for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) networks through exploitation of channel distribution information (CDI) in a form of full spatial correlation matrix. Due to propagation delay, infrequent channel updates, and time-varying node position, channel knowledge becomes outdated and scheduler based solely on channel state information (CSI) can experience severe performance degradation. By utilizing the higher stability of channel statistics such as CDI, we can achieve ‘differential’ time-scale equalization in MIMO networks between Physical (PHY) and Media Access Control (MAC) layer and reduce the frequency and amount of feedback between nodes.
Decitabine Improves Clinical Outcomes in Severely Ill Sickle Cell Disease Patients Who Have Exhausted Standard of Care Options.

Abstract Interventions such as immunization, penicillin prophylaxis, hydroxyurea and transfusion have extended life in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Nonetheless, these interventions are limited by toxicity or effectiveness; continued substantial morbidity and mortality in SCD indicates the need for better disease modification. In previous phase I/II clinical trials, 13 of 13 patients treated with the DNA hypomethylating agent decitabine responded with clinically significant fetal hemoglobin and total hemoglobin elevation and improvement in surrogate clinical end-points. However, in these early studies, no clinical end-points were measured and further studies have been delayed by funding issues. We describe an off-label experience in four patients with severe SCD that suggests i. remarkable clinical effectiveness in patients who have exhausted standard of care and are severely ill; ii. tolerability even in the severely ill; iii. a mechanism of action based on increased reticulocytosis in addition to increased fetal hemoglobin. All four patients had multiple alloantibodies and red-cell auto-antibodies that limited availability and increased risks of transfusion, and had previously been treated with hydroxyurea with continued clinical deterioration. Three of the four patients had relative reticulocytopenia (absolute reticulocyte count 2g/dl increases in hemoglobin levels with an associated improvement in clinical status - decrease in pain, improvement in performance status, improvement in congestive heart failure symptoms/signs. Upward trends in the platelet and reticulocyte counts concurrent with downward trends in the neutrophil counts were consistent with previously observed effects of low dose decitabine or the related compound 5-azacytidine. Clinically significant neutropenia was avoided by dose reductions that did not reverse the improved hemoglobin levels. The differentiation altering effects of low dose decitabine relieve SCD anemia by decreasing hemolysis (through elevated HbF) and increasing reticulocytosis. Previous clinical trials, and this off-label experience, suggest that decitabine holds remarkable promise as a disease modifying agent for SCD and β-thalassemia. Further clinical trials to confirm this impression should be supported.
On Discriminatory vs. Non-Preferential Tariff Policies

In a recent paper published in this JOURNAL, Cooper and Massell [1] have argued that “customs union is necessarily inferior to an appropriate policy of non-preferential protection” (p. 745). This conclusion, the authors maintain, emerges naturally from the separation of the effect of customs union into two exhaustive components, the one a tariff reduction component and the other a pure trade diversion component. As the terms themselves suggest, the former incorporates the single potential gain from customs union.These results depend crucially upon the assumption that the union is small and therefore incapable of influencing the terms of trade. Thus, the possibility that dominant terms-of-trade effects may endow the union with certain favourable outcomes which are not otherwise attainable need not be considered. It is the object of the present note to investigate the relevance of changes in the terms of trade to the conclusions reached by Cooper and Massell. It will turn out that even within the context of a model which resembles in most respects the one used by the authors, a positive terms-of-trade effect may indeed be dominant. However, and more important, it will be suggested that the relevant alternative to customs union is not unilateral, non-preferential tariff policy, but some form of international collusion. In the light of the latter, customs union may present the only effective solution to the problems of control and enforcement of “collective” policies.
SEX DIFFERENCES IN THE RESPONSE OF RATS TO PENTOBARBITAL SODIUM. IV. PENTOBARBITAL LEVELS IN PREGNANT AND NONPREGNANT RATS.

Abstract 1. 1. Pentobarbital disappears from the blood of pregnant rats relatively more slowly than from the blood of nonpregnant females. From the eighth through the twelfth hour after injection the blood level remains significantly higher in the pregnant animal. 2. 2. Brain levels remain significantly higher in the pregnant rat from the sixth hour. Two to 4 hours after injection fetal brain levels are 90 per cent of maternal values and up to 12 hours fetal levels remain approximately 75 per cent of that of the mother. 3. 3. Similarly, the drug level remains higher in the liver of the pregnant rat than in the nonpregnant rat. Fetal liver has a slightly higher affinity for barbiturate than does the fetal brain. It is doubtful, however, that the fetal rat liver contains enzymes capable of detoxifying the drug. 4. 4. Pentobarbital is also present in small amounts in amniotic fluid, but its disappearance from this site is slower than from the fetal tissues. 5. 5. Thus, when the nonpregnant female is given drug, the brunt of detoxification falls upon the liver at once. The respiratory, circulatory, and temperature regulatory mechanisms are severely depressed until detoxification is achieved within a few hours, and the drugged rat awakens relatively early. 6. 6. In the pregnant rat, on the other hand, the liver does not receive the full burden of the drug as rapidly. It crosses the placental barrier and pools in fetal tissues and in amniotic fluid, only to be fed back into maternal tissues gradually. The fetal tissues play no role in detoxification, but merely serve to decrease the load thrown upon the mother at one time. Thus, maternal barbiturate levels remain high and sleep is prolonged. 7. 7. In light of the higher barbiturate levels in pregnancy, the failure of the pregnant rat to become as severely depressed as the nonpregnant female remains enigmatic. A possible cause could lie in alterations of protein-binding in pregnancy. 8. 8. Two unknowns remain to be solved: (1) Is the assumption that fetal rats are incapable of detoxifying barbiturate valid as in neonatal rabbits, guinea pigs, and mice? (2) To what degree is protein-binding of pentobarbital altered in pregnancy?
Sigma 2 Receptor/Tmem97 Agonists Produce Long Lasting Antineuropathic Pain Effects in Mice

Neuropathic pain is an important medical problem with few effective treatments. The sigma 1 receptor (σ1R) is known to be a potential target for neuropathic pain therapeutics, and antagonists for this receptor are effective in preclinical models and are currently in phase II clinical trials. Conversely, relatively little is known about σ2R, which has recently been identified as transmembrane protein 97 (Tmem97). We generated a series of σ1R and σ2R/Tmem97 agonists and antagonists and tested them for efficacy in the mouse spared nerve injury (SNI) model. In agreement with previous reports, we find that σ1R ligands given intrathecally (IT) produce relief of SNI-induced mechanical hypersensitivity. We also find that the putative σ2R/Tmem97 agonists DKR-1005, DKR-1051, and UKH-1114 (Ki ∼ 46 nM) lead to relief of SNI-induced mechanical hypersensitivity, peaking at 48 h after dosing when given IT. This effect is blocked by the putative σ2R/Tmem97 antagonist SAS-0132. Systemic administration of UKH-1114 (10 mg/k...
Transmission loss of plates with embedded acoustic black holes

In recent years acoustic black holes (ABHs) have been developed and demonstrated as an effective method for developing lightweight, high loss structures for noise and vibration control. ABHs employ a local thickness change to tailor the speed and amplitude of flexural bending waves and create concentrated regions of high strain energy which can be effectively dissipated through conventional damping treatments. These regions act as energy sinks which allow for effective broadband vibration absorption with minimal use of applied damping material. This, combined with the reduced mass from the thickness tailoring, results in a treated structure with higher loss and less mass than the original. In this work, the transmission loss (TL) of plates with embedded ABHs was investigated using experimental and numerical methods in order to assess the usefulness of ABH systems for TL applications. The results demonstrated that damped ABH plates offer improved performance compared to a uniform plate despite having less mass. The result will be useful for applying ABHs and ABH systems to practical noise and vibration control problems.
Characterizing ponds in a watershed simulation and evaluating their influence on streamflow in a Mississippi watershed

Small water bodies, such as ponds and wetlands, are common landscape features, but often are not simulated within a watershed modeling framework. The wetland modeling tool, AgWET, uses a GIS framew...
On the dynamics of nucleate boiling

Abstract A transfer function believed to describe the dynamics of pool boiling heat transfer was developed analytically. A feedback system for control of the heater surface temperature was then designed and very successfully operated. It thus became possible to experimentally test the validity of the analytical transfer function. Tests on the controlled heat-transfer process indicated that agreement between predicted and experimental results was good only in the film boiling region. It was concluded that a time delay was involved in the bubble-formation process during nucleate boiling. Taking this time delay into account, a better agreement between predicted and experimental results was obtained.
Multi-structured redundancy

One-size-fits-all solutions have not worked well in storage systems. This is true in the enterprise where noSQL, Map-Reduce and column-stores have added value to traditional database workloads. This is also true outside the enterprise. A recent paper [7] illustrated that even the single-desktop store is a rich mixture of file systems, databases and key-value stores. Yet, in research one-size-fits-all solutions are always tempting and point-optimizations emerge, with the current theme du jour being key-value stores [8]. Workloads naturally change their requirements over time (e.g., from update-intensive to query-intensive). This paper proposes research around a multistructured storage architecture. Such architecture is composed of many lightweight data structures such as BTrees, key-value stores, graph stores and chunk stores. The call for modular storage and systems is not dissimilar to the Ex-okernel [4] or Anvil [10] approaches. The key difference that this paper argues about is that we want these data structures to co-exist in the same system. The system should then automatically use the right one at the right workload phase. To enable this technically, we propose to leverage the existing N-way redundancy in the data center and have each of N replicas embody a different data structure.