cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quasi-one-dimensional devices utilizing two conducting polymers

Abstract Expressions for the chemical potential (Fermi level) are obtained as a function of the Peierls gap and the doping level for those quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) semiconductors and metals whose excitations not only include electrons and holes but in addition one or more of the following: solitons, polarons and bipolarons. The possibility of fabricating Q1D devices such as Q1D p-n junctions, Q1D Schottky barriers and Q1D heterojunctions is considered. Some specific examples of Q1D devices, including a Q1D Schottky barrier involving a junction between polaronic trans -(CH) x (a metal) and solitonic trans -(CH) x (a semiconductor), are discussed. The photoresponse, as well as J - V and C - V characteristics of the Q1D devices, are discussed in terms of the chemical potential of the material on each side of the junction.
Quantum depinning in layered superconductors with defects produced by irradiation

We consider Magnus force vortex dynamics in superclean superconductors and calculate the quantum tunneling rate of the pancake vortex creep from the pinning cites in the nondissipative limit. The consideration is based on the exact representation of the one-particle wave functions in the magnetic and electric fields. The obtained results are compared to the experimental data and the possibility of the observation of the discrete structure of the pinned pancake energy levels is discussed.
Clinical and Laboratory Evaluation of Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis Due to Adenovirus Types 8 and 19

During a community outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis due to adenovirus types 8 and 19, we compared the clinical and laboratory characteristics of the two viruses. Much of the disease was mild and the keratoconjunctivitis associated with adenovirus type 8 was indistinguishable clinically from that associated with adenovirus type 19. Adenovirus type 8 was isolated only from the conjunctival sac, whereas adenovirus type 19 was frequently cultured from the nose, throat, and conjunctiva. The two adenovirus types were never isolated from the same individual. In a prospective study of ten individuals exposed to known cases, adenovirus type 19 was isolated from two without clinical disease.
Photorefractive polymer in reflection geometry with large efficiency

We have investigated photorefractive (PR) properties of a polymer composite with low glass-transition temperature (T g ) in a symmetric reflection geometry. A diffraction efficiency of more than 30% is observed in 105μm thick devices. In low T g photorefractive polymers, poling of the nonlinear optical chromophores at room temperature leads to birefringence in the material. The birefringence will alter the Bragg condition, as the propagation vectors for object and reference beams as well as the readout angle are influenced. We observed the Bragg-mismatch effect that caused a reduction in diffraction efficiency as the external field is increased. We have varied the angle of readout beam slightly at each bias field to get the highest efficiency.
Crystal structure and biophysical properties of a complex between the N-terminal SNARE region of SNAP25 and syntaxin 1a.

Abstract SNARE proteins are required for intracellular membrane fusion. In the neuron, the plasma membrane SNAREs syntaxin 1a and SNAP25 bind to VAMP2 found on neurotransmitter-containing vesicles. These three proteins contain “SNARE regions” that mediate their association into stable tetrameric coiled-coil structures. Syntaxin 1a contributes one such region, designated H3, and SNAP25 contributes two SNARE regions to the fusogenic complex with VAMP2. Syntaxin 1a H3 (syn1aH3) and SNAP25 can form a stable assembly, which can then be bound by VAMP2 to form the full SNARE complex. Here we show that syn1aH3 can also form a stable but kinetically trapped complex with the N-terminal SNARE region of SNAP25 (S25N). The crystal structure of this complex reveals an extended parallel four-helix bundle similar to that of the core SNARE and the syn1aH3·SNAP25 complexes. The inherent ability of syn1aH3 and S25N to associate stably in vitro implies that the intracellular fusion machinery must prevent formation of, or remove, any non-productive complexes. Comparison with the syn1aH3·SNAP25 complex suggests that the linkage of the N- and C-terminal SNAP25 SNARE regions is kinetically advantageous in preventing formation of the non-productive syn1aH3·S25N complex. We also demonstrate that the syn1aH3·S25N complex can be disassembled by α-SNAP and N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor.
Atomic Hydrogen on Mars: Measurements at Solar Minimum

The Copernicus Orbiting Astronomical Observatory was used to obtain measurements of Mars Lyman-alpha (1215.671-angstrom) emission at the solar minimum, which has resulted in the first information on atomic hydrogen concentrations in the upper atmosphere of Mars at the solar minimum. The Copernicus measurements, coupled with the Viking in situ measurements of the temperature (170 plus or minus 30 K) of the upper atmosphere of Mars, indicate that the atomic hydrogen number density at the exobase of Mars (250 kilometers) is about 60 times greater than that deduced from Mariner 6 and 7 Lyman-alpha measurements obtained during a period of high solar activity. The Copernicus results are consistent with Hunten's hypothesis of the diffusion-limited escape of atomic hydrogen from Mars.
Prefabricated Dacron Baffle for Use in Correction of Transposition of the Great Arteries

Interatrial venous transposition for correction of transposition of the great arteries (TGA) is facilitated by using a premolded Dacron baffle. Fine-mesh Dacron is easily fashioned to the desired shape in a metallic brass mold at 200 degrees C. The resultant baffle material can be autoclaved without losing its shape or altering the fabric characteristics of flexibility and porosity. This premolded baffle has been used in our last 7 patients with TGA over the past two years without complication, and the use of Dacron in 13 survivors over the past seven years has shown no pulmonary or venous obstructions related to the material.
Ecological studies of economic red algae. v. growth and reproduction of natural and harvested populations of Chondrus crispus Stackhouse in New Hampshire

Abstract The seasonal growth, reproduction, and occurrence of Chondrus crispus Stackhouse have been determined at four New Hampshire locations and correlated with seasonal and spatial variations of surface salinity, temperature, and nutrients. Spring growth was initiated in March and April. Chondrus populations exhibited their maximum size and biomass during the late summer-fall. The period of fastest growth coincided with increasing summer temperature and day-length. Seasonal and spatial differences of reproduction were noted at the four sites. Cystocarpic plants were usually abundant during the late summer-winter. Tetrasporic plants showed a sporadic occurrence and were less common than cystocarpic plants — particularly at the more sheltered sites. The most extensive populations of Chondrus occur on the open coast i.e., on massive outcrops and boulders in the mid subtidal zone (−3 to −5 m below M.L.W.). The re-growth and reproduction of Chondrus populations after harvesting is dependent on the time and initial level of harvesting. Carefully and moderately harvested plots of the summer allowed re-growth to control levels of biomass in 5 to 6 months; the same quadrats were at or near (80 %) of the control values of reproduction after 9 months. Winter harvests had a more prolonged effect on re-growth and reproduction. Intertidal quadrats that were sequentially denuded for 22 months showed a biomass equal to the controls after 18 months of re-growth; reproductive structures were found after 13 or more months of re-growth.
Measurement of Pleural Fluid Cholesterol and Lactate Dehydrogenase : A Simple and Accurate Set of Indicators for Separating Exudates From Transudates

Objectives To evaluate the usefulness of diverse combinations of pleural cholesterol concentration, pleural or serum protein, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels for the differentiation of pleural exudates and transudates. Design Prospective laboratory study of pleural effusions. Setting Medical school hospital. Patients One hundred eighty consecutive internal medicine ward patients in whom the etiologic diagnosis of their pleural effusion was confirmed. Measurements Cholesterol concentration in pleural fluid and protein and LDH both in pleural fluid and blood serum. Results According to their etiology, 49 (27.2%) of the effusions were transudates and 131 (72.7%) were exudates. Using a cutoff point of 45 mg for pleural cholesterol and values for protein and LDH of Light et al, the best diagnostic power corresponded to the combination of pleural cholesterol and LDH: cholesterol level over 45 mg/dL and/or LDH over 200 IU/L identified exudates with a sensitivity of 99% and a specificity of 98%. All the other combinations showed inferior values and the criteria of Light et al reached 98 and 82%, respectively. Conclusions The measurement of pleural cholesterol and LDH permits the separation of pleural exudates from transudates with an accuracy similar to the original report of Light et al, with the advantage of requiring only two laboratory determinations and no simultaneous blood sample.
Experimental study of bedrock erosion by granular flows

[1] Field studies suggest that bedrock incision by granular flows may be the primary process cutting valleys in steep, unglaciated landscapes. An expression has been proposed for debris flow incision into bedrock which posits that erosion rate depends on stresses due to granular interactions at the snout of debris flows. Here, we explore this idea by conducting laboratory experiments to test the hypothesis that bedrock erosion is related to grain collisional stresses which scale with shear rate and particle size. We placed granular material in a 56-cm-diameter rotating drum to explore the relationship between erosion of a synthetic bedrock sample and variables such as grain size, shear rate, water content, and bed strength. Grain collisional stresses are estimated as the inertial stress using the product of the squares of particle size and vertical shear rate. Our uniform granular material consisted of 1-mm sand and quartzite river gravel with means of 4, 6, or 10 mm. In 67 experimental runs, the eroded depth of the bed sample varied with inertial stresses in the granular flow to a power less than 1.0 and inversely with the bed strength. The flows tended to slip on smooth boundaries, resulting in higher erosion rates than no-slip cases. We found that lateral wall resistance generated shear across the channel, producing two cells whose widths depended on wall roughness. While the hypothesized inertial stress dependency is supported with these data, wear mechanics needs to account for grain dynamics specifically at the snout and possibly to include lateral shear effects.
Identification and Structural Elucidation of Ergotryptamine, a New Ergot Alkaloid Produced by Genetically Modified Aspergillus nidulans and Natural Isolates of Epichloë Species

Ergot alkaloid pathway reconstruction in Aspergillus nidulans is an approach used to better understand the biosynthesis of these mycotoxins. An engineered strain named A. nidulans WFC (expressing ergot alkaloid synthesis genes dmaW, easF, and easC) produced the established intermediate N-methyl-4-dimethylallyltryptophan, as well as an uncharacterized ergot alkaloid. We investigated the chemical structure of the new metabolite and its role in the ergot alkaloid pathway. Mass spectrometry, labeling, and NMR studies showed that the unknown ergot alkaloid, designated here as ergotryptamine, differed from N-methyl-4-dimethylallyltryptophan by the loss of the carboxyl group, addition of a hydroxyl group, and shift in position of a carbon–carbon double bond. Feeding studies with Aspergillus mutants did not show ergotryptamine turnover, suggesting it is a pathway byproduct as opposed to an authentic intermediate. Several Epichloe species also produced this metabolite, and further investigations revealed the equivalency of ergotryptamine with an Epichloe-derived ergot alkaloid provisionally described as 6,7-secolysergine.
Reverse-engineering user interfaces to facilitateporting to and across mobile devices and platforms

As mobile devices are rapidly replacing desktop computers for a growing number of users, existing user interfaces often need to be ported from the desktop to a mobile device. In addition, successful user interfaces written for one mobile platform are commonly ported to other mobile platforms. Traditionally, porting user interfaces requires that their source code be reverse-engineered and translated, which is difficult and error-prone. In this paper, we present an approach that reverse-engineers user interfaces without having to analyze their source code. Specifically, our approach examines an interface's runtime representation by means of aspect-oriented programming (AOP). An aspect intercepts the program's control flow at the point when all the components of an interface are laid out on the screen, but before the interface is displayed. The aspect analyzes the interface's in-memory representation and extracts a platform-independent model that can then be used to generate equivalent interfaces for other devices and platforms. Our initial proof of concept ports Java Swing interfaces to Android. In this paper, we describe our approach, discuss its main technical challenges, and outline future research directions.
High-dimensional sparse factor modeling: Applications in gene expression genomics

We describe studies in molecular profiling and biological pathway analysis that use sparse latent factor and regression models for microarray gene expression data. We discuss breast cancer applications and key aspects of the modeling and computational methodology. Our case studies aim to investigate and characterize heterogeneity of structure related to specific oncogenic pathways, as well as links between aggregate patterns in gene expression profiles and clinical biomarkers. Based on the metaphor of statistically derived “factors” as representing biological “subpathway” structure, we explore the decomposition of fitted sparse factor models into pathway subcomponents and investigate how these components overlay multiple aspects of known biological activity. Our methodology is based on sparsity modeling of multivariate regression, ANOVA, and latent factor models, as well as a class of models that combines all components. Hierarchical sparsity priors address questions of dimension reduction and multiple co...
Optimal replacement policy for multicomponent systems: An application to a dairy herd

Abstract We consider the problem of finding an optimal replacement policy for a system which has many components. The main difficulty in this problem is that there is an interaction among the items in the system. Thus, the optimal replacement decision for each item depends not only on its state, but also on those of the other items in the systems. This interaction is due to the the fact that the both the stock size and the supply of replacement items is limited. (Instead of an unlimited supply of standard replacement items as is implicitly assumed by most of the replacement models). In our application to dairy herd managenent the problem is further complicated by the fact that this limited supply is not exogenous to the process but is actually generated by it. This is due to the fact that almost all the replacement young cows are home grown. The traits of these young cows have genetic dependence on those of their parents. The dairy herd management problem is actually a special case of the joint replacement and inventory problem, where the groups of cows are the stock of replacement items. At each point of time the decision problem is to find the optimal composition of items from the available population of items. An exact derivation of the optimal replacement policy for such problems is very complicated because the optimal decisions for each period depends on the state of the whole stock, and of all the available replacement components. This leads to a dynamic programming problem with a very large number of state variables which is not feasible to solve numerically due to the great amount of computer time involved. This paper presents a practical method for obtaining an approximate solution for the above described problem. The computational difficulty caused by the tremendously large dimensionality of the state variable is overcome by means of an iterative method which combines simulation and Dynamic Programming approach to compute successive linear approximations of the value function.
Orientation dependent X-ray absorption in high Tc superconductors

Abstract Orientation dependent x-ray absorption measurements have been on a number of high-T c superconductors using powders oriented in a magnetic field. Both the near edge and EXAFS show a strong orientation dependence which has proven very useful in understanding these anisotropic materials.
The effects of self-monitoring tendency on young adult consumers' mobile dependency

We test the relationship between self-monitoring and mobile device dependency.Self-monitoring has positive relationship with fashion involvement.Self-monitoring has positive relationship with tendency to experiment with appearance. Retailing industry has evolved drastically, especially in the past two decades due to the mobile technology. A recent empirical research study proved that the public use of mobile devices can be explained by the extension of the self, Hahn and Kim (2013) suggesting that fashion and appearance related constructs are imperative to understand young adult consumers' mobile use intentions. With an aim to better understand the consumer's mobile usage behavior, the researchers adopted psychographic characteristics such as fashion involvement, self-monitoring tendency, and proclivity of experimenting with appearance to gauge the individual consumers' mobile dependency. Using an online and paper survey, we collected 273 usable responses from college-aged consumers. T-tests revealed that individuals, who had a higher degree of one's sensitivity of self-monitoring, exhibited a significantly higher mean scores in fashion involvement, experimenting with appearance, and mobile dependency. A similar pattern was found among the ones with higher degree of ability of self-monitoring tendency as well. Discussion and pragmatic implications to the retail industry are provided.
Fast FPGA emulation of background-calibrated SAR ADC with internal redundancy dithering

A custom FPGA emulation platform for the verification of a slowly adapted, background calibration technique for successive-approximation-register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is demonstrated in an Altera DE4 board. The internal redundancy of a sub-binary SAR is exploited for the identification of ten leading bit weights in a 14.5-bit SAR ADC using pseudorandom bit sequence (PRBS) injection with background correlation. Experimental results reveal that the FPGA emulation achieves a 3000× speedup for the same simulation executed on a general-purpose microprocessor.
Iranian Kurds in an Age of Globalisation

Since 2003 and the establishment of Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government, Iran has witnessed a rise in ethnonationalist activity among its Kurdish population. Much of the motivation for this activity stems from the political success of the Kurds in Iraq. The spread of Iranian Kurdish nationalism has also been influenced by globalisation forces, such as global communications technologies, transnational networks, and increased mobility across borders. In this age of globalisation, the Iranian government's ability to rule over the Kurds will continue to erode, unless it caters toward Kurdish demands of minority rights.
ALKALI-SILICA REACTIVITY OF LARGE SILICA FUME-DERIVED PARTICLES

Abstract Pozzolanic materials, including silica fume, are commonly added to concrete to reduce expansion due to alkali–silica reaction (ASR). It has been noted, however, that commercial silica fume is not always adequately dispersed, and large agglomerates may be present. These large particles have been hypothesized to act as amorphous silica aggregates, thereby participating in an expansive reaction with the alkalis present in cement paste pore solution. If such were the case, some silica fume particles would actually aggravate expansion due to ASR rather than suppress it. The present investigation characterizes the microstructure and morphology of agglomerated and sintered silica fume particles and compares their effects on alkali–silica-related expansion. While a 5% replacement of moderately reactive sand with sintered silica fume aggregates caused significant expansion under accelerated testing conditions (modified ASTM C1260), the replacement with large agglomerates of densified silica fume decreased expansion compared with control mortar bars containing only sand. Both the sintered aggregates and the agglomerates reacted with the pore solution; one reaction was expansive, while the other was not.
Methods for coupling radiation, ion, and electron energies in grey Implicit Monte Carlo

We present three methods for extending the Implicit Monte Carlo (IMC) method to treat the time-evolution of coupled radiation, electron, and ion energies. The first method splits the ion and electron coupling and conduction from the standard IMC radiation-transport process. The second method recasts the IMC equations such that part of the coupling is treated during the Monte Carlo calculation. The third method treats all of the coupling and conduction in the Monte Carlo simulation. We apply modified equation analysis (MEA) to simplified forms of each method that neglects the errors in the conduction terms. Through MEA we show that the third method is theoretically the most accurate. We demonstrate the effectiveness of each method on a series of 0-dimensional, nonlinear benchmark problems where the accuracy of the third method is shown to be up to ten times greater than the other coupling methods for selected calculations.
Emotional imagery and physical anhedonia

A previous study by Fitzgibbons and Simons (1992) confirmed that subjects identified as anhedonic consistently report a reduced experience of pleasure when confronted with hedonic stimuli (i.e., color slides). Evidence that this emotion-processing deficit extended from the verbal report to the physiological and behavioral domains was mixed but suggested that poor imagery might be associated with the reduced capacity to experience pleasure. The present experiment was designed to test this hypothesis more directly. Anhedonic and normal control subjects were presented scripts, which they were to imagine as vividly as possible. During both script presentation and imagery, heart rate, skin conductance, and facial muscle activity were recorded. Verbal reports of emotional experience were obtained subsequent to each image. The physiological data, as well as an imagery questionnaire, were consistent with the poor imagery hypothesis and also with data from other laboratories (Lang, 1984), which suggests that imagery may be a fundamental aspect of emotion processing in humans.
Nicotine exposure during the neonatal brain growth spurt produces hyperactivity in preweanling rats.

Abstract Despite warning labels and increases in evidence of the adverse effects of tobacco use, women continue to use tobacco products during pregnancy. Cigarette smoking has been linked to increased prenatal mortality, increased incidence of SIDS, reductions in birth weight, and disruptions in CNS and behavioral development. Animal model systems have critically established the causal relationship between nicotine and adverse developmental outcome. The present study examines the behavioral effects of nicotine exposure in the rat during the third trimester equivalent of the human brain growth spurt, a period of rapid development of the cholinergic systems and a period during which the CNS is particularly vulnerable to a number of insults. Sprague–Dawley rat pups were exposed to nicotine (6.0 mg/kg/day) from postnatal days (PD) 4–9 via an artificial rearing procedure. This procedure ensures that observed effects are not due to nutritional deficits. Two control groups were employed, an artificially reared control group and a normally reared control group. Activity level was measured on PD 18–19. Nicotine-exposed subjects were significantly overactive compared to both control groups, which did not differ significantly from one another. This behavioral alteration was observed in the absence of nicotine-induced body weight deficits. These results suggest that women who use tobacco products during late gestation may place their fetuses at risk for hyperactivity later in life, particularly during early adolescence.
Applications of nonlinear Raman techniques

AbstractThe advent of the laser has unlocked several new Raman processes which have providednew approaches to many important diagnostic problems. These applications include biochem-istry, high resolution spectroscopy, combustion engineering, structural chemical analysis,chemical kinetics, surface chemistry, etc. Included in these techniques are: CoherentAnti - Stokes Raman Spectroscopy (CARS), Raman Induced Kerr Effect (RIKES), and StimulatedRaman Gain. A brief review of these methods and their utility are described with the mainemphasis on CARS. Variations of the techniques, e.g., BOXCARS, are also discussed andtheir use in making temperature and concentration measurements in hostile environments suchas turbulent media are presented.IntroductionSir C. V. Raman discovered the effect that bears his name.' For that discovery in1928 Raman received the Nobel Prize in Physics. The Raman effect has been well -known as apowerful analytical technique for the chemist and physicist. With the advent of the laserin 1960 there came a renaissance in Raman spectroscopy, as these new light sources had manyadvantages over conventional, incoherent lamps. However, physicists were then finding newRaman phenomena that could only arise from the enormous electric field strengths and pro-perties previously unavailable from conventional sources. The first of these new Ramanphenomena to be observed was the stimulated Raman effect, where electric field strengthsbecome so great that strongly allowed Raman transitions are driven by high gains3to emitstimulated coherent, laser -like emission, Stokes- shifted by the Raman frequency. Almostsimultaneously Terhune and Maker and Terhune discovered that by three- or four -wave mix-ing, stimulated Raman emissions coupled with the original laser light to produce coherentanti - Stokes output as well as many higher -order effects. It was this discovery that led tothe early foundations of a new kind of Raman spectroscopy, now called CARS or coherentanti - Stokes Raman spectroscopy.6 Of all the nonconventional Raman spectroscopies, CARShas probably received the most attention over the past few years and consequently thispaper treats this topic extensively.Soon after three- or four -wave mixing phenomena were discovered, Jones and Stoicheff7introduced another kind of Raman spectroscopy, called the inverse Raman effect, whichformed thR basis for the stimulated Raman gain process° and for photoacoustic Raman spec-troscopy.The list of new Raman spectroscopies that hâve resulted from the interaction of laerlight and matter seems enormous. Hyper- Raman1° and Raman - induced Kerr effect or RIKES''
Topological Polymerization of tert-Butylcalix[4]arenes Containing Diynes

The new 25,26,27,28-tetra(8-hydroxylocta-2,4-diynyl)-tert-butylcalix[4]arene was synthesized in good yield from copper-catalyzed coupling reaction of 25,26,27,28-tetra(2-propynyl)-tert-butylcalix[4]arene with 5-iodo-4-pentynol in pyrrolidine. The hydroxyl end groups were converted to urethane groups through addition to alkyl or phenyl isocyanate. Di- and trisubstituted tert-butylcalix[4]arene analogs were also synthesized through the same approach. The solid-state photopolymerization study revealed that only the calix[4]arene derivatives containing four diyne units with alkyl urethane groups were substantially polymerized upon exposure to UV or gamma irradiation to give polydiacetylenes containing calix[4]arene. The visible absorption band at 350−600 nm and the Raman signals around 1500 and 2100 cm-1 characterized the ene−yne conjugation formed through the topological 1,4-addition polymerization of the diyne units.
A moment inequality for Lq estimation

Abstract This note presents a simple moment inequality for use in Bayes and M-estimation with penalty function x→|x|q, q⩾1. When q=1, it reduces to |median X|⩽2E|X|.
Droning Toward the Boundless War

War reminds us of our disconnection from one another. If we begin with acknowledging our common humanity, war comes when those small differences between us become amplified. We fail to see in the e...
Quality of life : conceptual issues

The evaluation of the quality of life of oncology patients may enable us to evaluate the impact of medical and nursing interventions on patients' lives and, ultimately, to produce information that may improve health care and the quality of patients' lives. However, quality of life is a complex concept that does not have a universal definition or a standard for its measurement. It must be defined clearly in order for it to be clinically useful.
Particle-size measurements in flames using light scattering and dissymmetry ratios☆

Abstract Particle-size measurements have been performed above a flat-flame burner using C 2 H 6 /O 2 and C 2 H 4 /O 2 mixtures and the assumption that a self-preserving distribution (s.p.d.) obtains for spherical particles. The absence of significant deviations from sphericity for the particles has been verified. Dissymmetry ratios were measured for parallel polarized light from an argon-ion laser at 4880 A. The measured results are compared with previously obtained data for CH 4 /O 2 mixtures and show differences in the rates and amounts of particulate growths, with the growth curves for all three gases leveling off at about 40–50 mm above the burner rim. The rates of particulate growths downstream of the flame are ordered as follows in the gas mixtures: C 2 H 4 /O 2 >C 2 H 6 /O 2 >CH 4 /O 2 .
Acute GI Bleeding in the Setting of Supratherapeutic International Normalized Ratio in Patients Taking Warfarin: Endoscopic Diagnosis, Clinical Management, and Outcomes

Abstract Background: Acute GI bleeding is a life-threatening complication of warfarin therapy. Acute GI bleeding in patients with an international normalized ratio of 4.0 or greater (supratherapeutic) is often attributed to trivial mucosal lesions. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of potentially significant lesions that would warrant endoscopy in this setting. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of patients treated with warfarin who were admitted to a single Veterans Affairs hospital from 1996 to 2000 with acute GI bleeding. Endoscopic findings, clinical management, and outcomes are reviewed for patients with a supratherapeutic international normalized ratio (≥4.0) and compared with patients with an international normalized ratio in the therapeutic range (2.0-3.9). Results: Fifty-five patients with an international normalized ratio of 4.0 or greater (mean 8.4 [3.9]) and 43 patients with an international normalized ratio between 2.0 and 3.9 (mean 2.9 [0.6]) were hospitalized with acute GI bleeding. Thirty-seven patients (67%) with a supratherapeutic international normalized ratio and GI bleeding underwent upper endoscopy. Of these, 81.1% had positive findings, 18.9% had peptic ulcer disease, and 7.2% required endoscopic treatment. Thirty-eight percent of the patients with a supratherapeutic international normalized ratio underwent lower endoscopy; of these, 57.1% had abnormal findings and 9.5% required endoscopic treatment. Four patients (7.3%) in the supratherapeutic international normalized ratio group died during the index hospitalization. When patients with GI bleeding and a therapeutic international normalized ratio were compared with those with a supratherapeutic international normalized ratio, there were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to days of hospitalization, units of blood transfused, frequency of recurrent bleeding, need for surgery, or in-hospital deaths. Conclusions: The high frequency of clinically significant lesions in patients taking warfarin with an international normalized ratio in the supratherapeutic range and acute GI bleeding supports a role for endoscopic evaluation.
Need for and barriers to accessing public benefits among low-income families with children

Abstract This study used Survey of Income and Program Participation data to examine whether receipt of public benefits and private sources of assistance among low-income families with children eliminated their perceived need for pubic benefits or additional public benefits, because income was too low to meet basic needs. We also identified barriers to accessing public benefits. Results indicated that only 23% of the sample received public benefits and had no additional need, and the more public benefits families received the more likely they were to perceive unmet need. These findings suggest that a main goal of public benefits programs–to meet the basic needs of low-income families with children–is not being met. Families anticipating assistance from extended family, friends, or organizations were less likely to perceive a need for public benefits than families anticipating little or no assistance. However, families actually receiving assistance from extended family and friends increased the likelihood of perceiving such a need, compared with families who received none, suggesting that private assistance also is insufficient to meet these families' basic needs. Eligibility criteria, lack of knowledge, bureaucratic hassle, and social stigma were common barriers to accessing public benefits. Implications for social work practice and policy are discussed.
Value-Based Purchasing For Medical Devices

The performance of the medical device sector falls short of its remarkable potential because of weaknesses on the demand side of the market, in the way products are assessed, purchased, and used. This paper applies the core principles of value-based purchasing (integrated data on price and performance; alignment of financial incentives; and organizational capability to evaluate alternatives) to the medical device market. Emphasis is placed on the challenges posed by information inadequacies, incentive misalignments, and organizational fragmentation between hospitals and surgeons.
Enhancing Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy Through the Practice of Mindfulness: A Case Analysis

Though at first glance, mindfulness may not seem to be in concert with emotionally focused couple therapy, there are ways to intervene with each approach that enhances the treatment. Recent empirical evidence suggests that mindfulness practice can in fact complement emotionally focused therapy (EFT) in several areas of marital distress. This article reviews the empirical research on mindfulness and EFT and provides a case analysis that illustrates the use of mindfulness practice within the context of emotionally focused couple therapy.
Cytodifferentiation in the Rana pipiens oocyte. IV. Ultrastructural localization of thiamine pyrophosphatase and horseradish peroxidase.

In early diplotene frog oocytes incubated to illustrate thiamine pyrophosphatase (TPPase) activity, reaction product is uniformly distributed within the compartments of the endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope as well as within the saccules and small vesicles comprising the dictyosomes. With continued oocyte development the reaction product becomes concentrated in localized regions of the dictyosome saccules. Eventually, the enzyme is no longer apparent within the endoplasmic reticulum, but is concentrated in the cisternae of the inner dictyosome saccules. The variations noted suggest that the enzyme is synthesized early in diplotene by the endoplasmic reticulum and is subsequently transported to the Golgi apparatus where it is consistently observed at later developmental stages. TPPase activity is also present in the Golgi apparatus of follicle and theca cells as well as in ovarian epithelial cells. The enzyme is also detected in micropinocytotic vesicles contained within the cells comprising the follicle envelope and in intercellular spaces of the follicle. Horseradish peroxidase injected into the coelomic cavity is transported via micropinocytotic vesicles into and through the cells comprising the follicle envelope and in intercellular spaces. The exogenous protein is not found even after a prolonged time period in early diplotene oocytes. The protein is, however, present in large spherical and “tubular” vesicles in the cortex of vitellogenic oocytes approximately 500 microns in diameter. The possible functional role of the enzyme TPPase during oogenesis is discussed.
Design and performance of a high frequency link induction motor drive operating at unity power factor

The design and performance of a complete three-phase converter system and field-oriented induction motor drive based upon a 20 kHz AC link is described. By using the same converter for the AC input side and the output load side, it is shown that power can be transferred in either direction. It is also shown that, with the use of a current regulator, both power flow on the link and the link voltage amplitude can be regulated. In addition, by suitable feedback control, the power factor at the input to the converter can be adjusted to unity. Both computer and experimental results show unity power factor operation, low harmonic current in both the input and output of the system, and bidirectional power flow capability. >
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same: Comparing Special Education Students’ Experiences of Accountability Reform Across Two Decades

Over the last two decades, our nation has seen an array of reform initiatives that support lofty goals for student achievement. An underexplored issue in the literature is how this school reform set against the backdrop of high-stakes testing has impacted the students it is designed to assist. Now armed with years of student data, critics of accountability reform have argued that high stakes testing has done little to improve the educational outcomes of persistently low achieving students—urban poor, minority and students with disabilities. The statistics show a bleak picture. But, the numbers only tell half the story. This qualitative case study uses narrative analysis to detail the stories of 12 special education students in an urban Texas high school who experienced first hand the effects and fallout of accountability reform. The authors had the unique opportunity to interview two sets of students, one in 1995 when high stakes testing was first introduced and one in 2012 after two decades of implementation. Chronicling the voices of special education students at the same school over a 15 year period reveals that schooling experiences of these students have neither fundamentally changed nor improved despite numerous reform efforts. The paper provides a critical context for accountability reform juxtaposed with the students’ personal experiences of testing and accountability reform. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the importance of including student voice, particularly marginalized student voice, in ongoing reform efforts.
Parental efficacy and child behavior in a community sample of children with and without attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Most studies of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) youth have obtained data from the perspective of either children or parents, but not both simultaneously. The purpose of this study was to examine child and parent perspectives on parenting in a large community-based sample of children with and without ADHD. We identified children in grades 4–6 and their parents through surveys administered to a random sample of public schools. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine independent associations between child and parent characteristics and the presence of ADHD while controlling for covariates and clustering by school. Sufficient data were achieved for 2,509 child/parent dyads. Ten percent of youths (n = 240) had been diagnosed with ADHD. Compared with those without ADHD, those with ADHD were more commonly male (67.9 vs. 48.0 %, p < .001) and age 12 or over (16.3 vs. 10.3 %). After adjusting for covariates and clustering, compared to children without ADHD, children with ADHD were significantly more likely to report lower self-regulation (OR = 0.68, 95 % CI = 0.53, 0.88) and higher levels of rebelliousness (OR = 2.00, 95 % CI = 1.52, 2.69). Compared with parents whose children did not have ADHD, parents of children with ADHD rated their overall parental efficacy substantially lower (OR = 0.23, 95 % CI = 0.15, 0.33). However, child assessment of parenting style was similar by ADHD. Despite the internal challenges community-based youth with ADHD face, many parents of ADHD youth exhibit valuable parental skills from the perspective of their children. Feedback of this information to parents may improve parental self-efficacy, which is known to be positively associated with improved ADHD outcomes.
A Theory of Individual Creative Action in Multiple Social Domains

Creative and habitual actions represent competing behavioral options that may be simultaneously influenced by multiple domains of social action. This article integrates psychological and sociological descriptions of creativity and conformity to present a theory of individual creative action within organizational settings composed of intertwined group, organizational, institutional, and market domains. This theory contributes to the innovation literature by illustrating how intentional action and evolutionary processes that legitimize action interact to facilitate creativity and innovation.
Regulatory changes that affect coding for immunotherapy

Background During the past decade, a variety of federal regulations have had a significant impact on the way allergen immunotherapy is reimbursed and how Current Procedural Terminology ( CPT ) codes are used for this purpose. As mandated by the US Congress, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) through the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) targeted immunotherapy codes for scrutiny, because they are some of the most frequently used codes. Objective To examine how federal regulations have affected reimbursement for allergy immunotherapy and other allergy services. Methods A review was performed of the OIG survey of allergy immunotherapy and the OIG recommendations on CPT coding compliance guidelines. Results A preliminary survey found problems with medical appropriateness of allergen immunotherapy. For this reason, the OIG performed a more comprehensive study of 301 physicians using code 95165 to analyze by medical record and billing data whether the new billing rules were being correctly used and found that only 44% of physicians were following the new definition of a billable dose. In the early 1990s, the federal government served notice of its intent to more aggressively identify and prosecute health care providers who improperly billed and collected for medical services. Through the adoption of the 1991 US Sentencing Commission Guidelines, the government sought to enhance compliance by mandating lesser criminal penalties for violating organizations that nevertheless maintained and operated "effective compliance plans." In 2002, the OIG audited health care providers and recouped d14.4 billion in improper payments by Medicare. Between January and June 2003, Medicare excluded 1,241 individual providers and health care entities due to fraudulent billing practices. Conclusions Federal regulations have significantly affected reimbursement for allergy immunotherapy and other allergy services. Allergists need to be aware of these changes and implement the new recommendations into their practices.
Azido Groups as Site Specific IR Probes of Hydration Around Model Helical Peptides

Previous work from our group and others indicates that the NNN asymmetric stretching peak of aliphatic azido groups is sensitive to the hydrogen bond density of the azido group's local environment, but not to the local electrostatics. Thus, the azido group is a sensitive indicator of local hydration of a chosen site. The behavior of the probe in a model helical peptide that displays a cooperative helix/coil transition was investigated using solutions composed of varying ratios of TFE and water. Far-UV circular dichroism was used to determine whether the azido group disrupted the secondary structure of the peptide. A series of peptides labeled with azido groups on increasingly extended side chains provided information about the hydration around the backbone of the peptide through multiple solvation layers. Local desolvation by trimethylamine N-oxide and urea was investigated using the same system.
CO2 Velocity Measurements and Models for Temperatures down to -10 °C and up to 200 °C and Pressures up to 100 MPa

Summary Studies concerning how CO2 velocity is affected by a wide range of temperatures and pressures are important in understanding CO2 behavior in fluid and rock systems. Three laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of temperature and pressure on CO2 velocity for the range and 7
Temperature and Orientation Dependence of Plastic Deformation in GaAs Single Crystals Doped with Si, Cr, or Zn

Stress-strain curves are presented for Si-doped GaAs single crystals deformed in compression parallel to and at temperatures ranging from 250° to 550°C. In both orientations, slip occurs only on {111} . Repeated-yielding experiments on GaAs crystals, both undoped and doped with Si, Cr, or Zn, indicate that Si-doped crystals (n-type) have a greater yield stress than undoped crystals, that undoped crystals have a greater yield stress than Zn-doped crystals p-type), and that Cr doping does not significantly affect the yield stress. Extensive crack formation resulting from deformation was not observed. Compression specimens normally failed by breaking into several columnar fragments with their long dimension parallel to the stress axis.
Comparison of site-specific radio propagation path loss predictions to measurements in an urban area

With high frequency portable communication systems becoming more common, the need for fast and accurate predictions of high frequency radio propagation in urban environments has rapidly increased. Until recently such predictions were usually based on empirical methods, especially if a relatively large number of predictions were required. But advances in both computational methods and computer speeds now allow for fast, site-specific predictions of radio propagation even in a complex urban area. We are primarily concerned with narrow band signal attenuation, but the methods presented are also applicable to signal delay and delay spread predictions. Measurements were made at frequencies of 900 and 1900 MHz.