cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chapter 102 - Tropical myelopathies

A large number of causal agents produce spinal cord lesions in the tropics. Most etiologies found in temperate regions also occur in the tropics including trauma, herniated discs, tumors, epidural abscess, and congenital malformations. However, infectious and nutritional disorders occur with higher prevalence in tropical regions. Among the most common infectious etiologies are tuberculous Pott’s disease, brucellosis, and neuroborreliosis. Parasitic diseases such as schistosomiasis, neurocysticercosis, and eosinophilic meningitis are frequent causes of nontraumatic paraplegia. The retrovirus HTLV-1 is a cause of tropical spastic paraparesis. Nutritional causes of paraparesis include deficiencies of vitamin B12 and folate; endemic clusters of konzo and tropical ataxic myeloneuropathy are associated in Africa with malnutrition and excessive consumption of cyanide-containing bitter cassava. Other toxic etiologies of tropical paraplegia include lathyrism and fluorosis. Nutritional forms of myelopathy are associated often with optic and sensory neuropathy, hence the name tropical myeloneuropathies. Acute transverse myelopathy is seen in association with vaccination, infections, and fibrocartilaginous embolism of the nucleus pulposus. Multiple sclerosis and optic myelopathy occur in the tropics but with lesser prevalence than in temperate regions. The advent of modern imaging in the tropics, including computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, has allowed better diagnosis and treatment of these conditions that are a frequent cause of death and disability.
Robust Timing Attack Countermeasure on Virtual Hardware

Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are being increasingly used in Internet of Things (IoT) applications, as they usually provide lower power, lower latency and higher performance compared with their processor counterparts. However, security has emerged as a critical concern for FPGA-based systems as they are vulnerable to different form of physical attacks, such as side-channel attacks (SCAs). Existing protection methods, which primarily rely on bitstream encryption, are computationally expensive and more importantly, cannot protect against run-time attacks. Hardware virtualization, where instead of traditional direct mapping to FPGA, an application is mapped upon an application-specific virtual layer, called overlay, has been well-studied in past decades for productivity benefit, while its security implication has not been investigated at all. In this paper, for the first time to our knowledge, we present a novel usage of virtualization that limits damage from timing attacks and improves performance for RSA decryption by employing unique reconfigurable hardware architectures on FPGAs. Specific masking methods are implemented onto this architecture, and extensive security and performance analysis are done that demonstrates significant side-channel attack resistance under performance constraint.
Stress, adherence, and blood pressure control: A baseline examination of Black women with hypertension participating in the SisterTalk II intervention

Abstract The prevalence of hypertension is highest among Black women, but treatment adherence is reportedly low. Stress unique to the experiences of Black Americans may be associated with low adherence and poor blood pressure control, but few studies have examined the relationships between stress, adherence, and blood pressure control among hypertensive Black women. This study seeks to fill gaps in research by examining the association between stress, adherence, and blood pressure control. The baseline sample (n = 571) of at-risk or hypertensive Black women from the SisterTalk II RCT (Northeastern USA, 2004–2006) to improve adherence to recommendations for hypertension was analyzed. Participants self-reported stress, pharmacological adherence, non-pharmacological adherence (i.e. lifestyle management such as diet and exercise), and demographics. Blood pressure and anthropometrics (BMI and waist circumference) were measured. Statistical analysis included ANOVA, t-tests, linear regression. Tests of mediation examined if adherence mediated the relationship between stress and blood pressure control. This study found that stress was associated with lower age (p
Introducing the subdermal free flap: Preserving the ultrathin-free skin flap option in morbidly obese patients.

In the morbidly obese population (BMI > 35), distal extremity defects are difficult to reconstruct. Traditional skin flaps are several centimeters in thickness in obese patients; however, a new plane superficial to the scarpal plane has demonstrated success in these patients. In this report, we present a 62-year-old female (BMI = 44.81) with a chronic lower extremity wound. A suprascarpal thin flap (approximately 1 cm in thickness) was harvested from the thigh and transferred successfully with no wound-healing issues.
272 MEASURING ANTIBODY-SECRETING B-CELL RESPONSES TO IMMUNOLOGICAL STIMULI.

Memory B cells drive the adaptive humoral immune response following reexposure to antigen and are important for eliminating antigen not cleared by preexisting circulating antibodies. Measuring antigen-specific memory B cells would be useful for predicting long-term vaccine efficacy and a person9s level of immunity, which often may not correlate well with circulating antibody titers. We quantified antibody-secreting B cells (ASCs) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors stimulated with pokeweed mitogen, Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain 1, and the Toll-like receptor 9 agonist, CPG. By ELISPOT, goat antihuman IgG-, IgM-, and IgA were used as capture antibodies for total Ig isotype and tetanus toxoid (TT) and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PVAX) for antigen-specific ASCs. Enzyme-conjugated isotype-specific antibodies served as detector antibodies. ASCs were counted, and antibody levels were measured using a kinetic ELISA. Autologous and heterologous soluble competitive inhibitor antigens were added to TT and PVAX wells. We observed strong total IgM, IgG, and IgA responses. Large numbers of IgM ASCs were observed in the TT and PVAX wells, with fewer IgG and IgA responses to TT. Antigen adsorption data suggested that the majority of IgM ASCs reacting with TT and PVAX were nonspecific and did not reflect true antigen-specific responses. Moreover, the frequencies of TT- and PVAX-reactive IgG and IgA ASCs in subjects without recent immunization were low. Thus, methods to elucidate the frequency of antigen-specific memory cells should include the isotype and specificity of cells reactive with specific antigens.
Research of Metal Oxide Arrester on-line Monitoring System

Metal oxide arrester (MOA) is an important overvoltage protection device. However, some MOA will deteriorate gradually under operating voltage, and some will get wet due to structural problems. These two failures can lead to increased leakage current in the arresters, and accidents can happen even when the power system is severe. The first harmonic current and high harmonic current of the resistance are two fault eigenvectors reflecting the MOA performance. According to the characteristics and requirements of the measurement of conductive leakage current, this paper puts forward the principle and realization of the insulation on-line monitoring, and chooses to monitor the harmonic analysis of the conductive leakage current. The paper uses digital processing programming to obtain the resistance leakage current by virtual instrument, and then obtains the resistance wave current and harmonic current. Based on Lab View, the design of the entire MOA insulation monitoring system is also finished, including the system hardware and monitoring software. The on-line monitoring system of MOA can detect and monitor the resistive leakage current and harmonic resistive currents in good condition.
Makellos und ohne Kratzer — Die neuen Klarlackkonzepte

Die grosen Hersteller von Autoserienlacken entwickeln derzeit in Zusammenarbeit mit der Automobilindustrie neue Klarlacke, die erheblich kratzfester und gleichzeitig unempfindlicher gegen Umwelteinflusse sein sollen. Die Beispiele der Firmen DuPont Performance Coatings und BASF Coatings machen deutlich, in welche Richtung die Entwicklungen gehen.
Cardiac Contractility Modulation and Baroreflex Activation Therapy in Heart Failure Patients.

Despite advances in medical therapy, heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is still a leading cause of mortality, hospitalizations, and healthcare costs. In this review, we describe two novel, implantable devices for the treatment of patients with HFrEF, cardiac contractility modulation (CCM), and baroreflex activation therapy (BAT), and summarize literature regarding these devices from the last 5 years. CCM improves quality of life and functional capacity as assessed by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) score, 6-min hall walk test (6MHWT) distance, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, peak oxygen consumption (pVO2), heart failure (HF) hospitalizations, and mortality. BAT improves MLHFQ, 6-min walk test distance, NYHA functional class, and HF hospitalizations. Both devices have been shown to be safe. CCM and BAT have been shown to be safe and effective treatment modalities for HFrEF. CCM has been approved for use in Europe and has been implanted in thousands of patients. BAT has also been approved in Europe and continues to show promise in treating patients with HFrEF who fail optimal medical therapy (OMT). At present, both therapies are considered investigational in the USA.
Clear cell sarcoma in unusual sites mimicking metastatic melanoma

Background Clear cell sarcoma is an aggressive rare malignant neoplasm with morphologic and immunohistochemical similarities to malignant melanoma. Both disease entities display melanin pigment and melanocytic markers, making differentiation between the two difficult. Although clear cell sarcoma cases in the literature have mainly involved deep soft tissues of the extremities, trunk or limb girdles, we report here two cases of primary clear cell sarcoma in unusual sites and describe their clinicopathologic findings. Case summary The first case involves a 37-year-old female, who presented with jaw pain and a submandibular mass. The second case involves a 33-year-old male, who presented with back pain and a thoracic spine tumor. Both cases showed tumors with diffuse infiltration of neoplastic cells that were positive for melanocytic markers, and in both cases this finding led to an initial diagnosis of metastatic melanoma. However, further analysis by fluorescence in situ hybridization (commonly known as FISH) showed a rearrangement of the EWS RNA binding protein 1 (EWSR1) gene on chromosome 22q12 in both patients, confirming the diagnosis of clear cell sarcoma. Conclusion Distinction between clear cell sarcoma and malignant melanoma can be made by FISH, particularly in cases of unusual tumor sites.
The color continuum: Skin tone and online dating preferences among Asian Americans:

Despite the increasing body of literature surrounding online dating preferences, there remains a paucity of research that analyzes whether skin color influences the dating selection process. To fil...
The cultural tastes of bourgeois pre-adolescents in France: cultural omnivorousness as a new form of cultural capital

This is an ethnographic study of the reception of popular culture (music, films, and television) among bourgeois, Parisian children between the ages of seven and twelve. Pierre Bourdieu’s idea of s...
Predictors of radiation necrosis in long-term survivors after Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastases.

Background The long-term risk of necrosis after radiosurgery for brain metastases is uncertain. We aimed to investigate incidence and predictors of radiation necrosis for individuals with more than 1 year of survival after radiosurgery for brain metastases. Methods Patients who had a diagnosis of brain metastases treated between December 2006 and December 2014, who had at least 1 year of survival after first radiosurgery were retrospectively reviewed. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier estimator, and the incidence of radiation necrosis was estimated with death or surgical resection as competing risks. Patient and treatment factors associated with radiation necrosis were also analyzed. Results A total of 198 patients with 732 lesions were analyzed. Thirty-four lesions required salvage radiosurgery and 10 required salvage surgical resection. Median follow-up was 24 months. The estimated median survival for this population was 25.4 months. The estimated per-lesion incidence of radiation necrosis at 4 years was 6.8%. Medical or surgical therapy was required for 60% of necrosis events. Tumor volume and male sex were significant factors associated with radiation necrosis. The per-lesions incidence of necrosis for patients undergoing repeat radiosurgery was 33.3% at 4 years. Conclusions In this large series of patients undergoing radiosurgery for brain metastases, patients continued to be at risk for radiation necrosis throughout their first 4 years of survival. Repeat radiosurgery of recurrent lesions greatly exacerbates the risk of radiation necrosis, whereas treatment of larger target volumes increases the risk modestly.
Association of Race/Ethnicity and Sex With Differences in Health Care Use and Treatment for Acne

Importance Our understanding of potential racial/ethnic, sex, and other differences in health care use and treatment for acne is limited. Objective To identify potential disparities in acne care by evaluating factors associated with health care use and specific treatments for acne. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study used the Optum deidentified electronic health record data set to identify patients treated for acne from January 1, 2007, to June 30, 2017. Patients had at least 1International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9)orInternational Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10)code for acne and at least 1 year of continuous enrollment after the first diagnosis of acne. Data analysis was performed from September 1, 2019, to November 20, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures Multivariable regression was used to quantify associations between basic patient demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and the outcomes of health care use and treatment for acne during 1 year of follow-up. Results A total of 29 928 patients (median [interquartile range] age, 20.2 [15.4-34.9] years; 19 127 [63.9%] female; 20 310 [67.9%] white) met the inclusion criteria for the study. Compared with non-Hispanic white patients, non-Hispanic black patients were more likely to be seen by a dermatologist (odds ratio [OR], 1.20; 95% CI, 1.09-1.31) but received fewer prescriptions for acne medications (incidence rate ratio, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.84-0.95). Of the acne treatment options, non-Hispanic black patients were more likely to receive prescriptions for topical retinoids (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.14-1.38) and topical antibiotics (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.21-1.52) and less likely to receive prescriptions for oral antibiotics (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.72-0.87), spironolactone (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.49-0.94), and isotretinoin (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.23-0.65) than non-Hispanic white patients. Male patients were more likely to be prescribed isotretinoin than female patients (OR, 2.44; 95% CI, 2.01-2.95). Compared with patients with commercial insurance, those with Medicaid were less likely to see a dermatologist (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.41-0.52) or to be prescribed topical retinoids (OR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.73-0.92), oral antibiotics (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.79-0.97), spironolactone (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.31-0.80), and isotretinoin (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.25-0.75). Conclusions and Relevance The findings identify racial/ethnic, sex, and insurance-based differences in health care use and prescribing patterns for acne that are independent of other sociodemographic factors and suggest potential disparities in acne care. In particular, the study found underuse of systemic therapies among racial/ethnic minorities and isotretinoin among female patients with acne. Further study is needed to confirm and understand the reasons for these differences.
Breaking the Itch-Scratch Cycle in Prurigo Nodularis.

Prurigo nodularis is a chronic dermatologic condition that features intensely itchy, excoriated nodules on the extensor surfaces of the arms and legs and on the trunk. The disorder is most common i...
The influx of skeptics: an investigation of the diffusion cycle effect on online review

Can online review ratings be lower for more popular products? Ironically, it might be inevitable. We utilize diffusion theory and predict that the influx of skeptic users into online reviews might be prevalent as products gain in popularity. We examined 6776 apps with more than one hundred installs and review counts on Google Playstore about the trends in their user ratings by the number of installs. We visualize how the diffusion cycle might affect this phenomenon and examine anomaly in the trend of review ratings by the number of installs to detect the significant influx of skeptic users. Interestingly, most of the apps in the early diffusion stage received significantly high ratings, and clustering results indicated a significant skeptics loop in the review ratings past the early diffusion stage. We suggest that businesses can keep skeptics satisfied by connecting experiences and creating newness.
Palliative care for rare advanced lung diseases in underserved Appalachia: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Aim To pilot test a home end-of-life and palliative care intervention for family caregivers and patients with rare advanced lung diseases and to estimate effect-size for the power analysis in a future clinical trial. Design This study uses a parallel randomized control trial. Families are randomly assigned to the intervention group or the control group in a 1:1 fashion. Methods The study population includes patients with rare advanced lung diseases and their family caregivers who are involved in patients' home care. The control group receives standard care through their hospital or outpatient clinics. The intervention group receives standard care plus 2-weekly home end-of-life and palliative care coaching by experienced community nurses. Primary outcome is breathlessness measured by shortness of breath scale. Secondary outcomes are: (a) caregivers' anxiety and depression measures; (b) the presence of patient's signed advance directives in the medical record or not; and (c) Helpfulness of intervention measured by self-report Helpfulness scale. The study was funded in October 2018 and received ethical Institutional Review Board approval in February 2019. Discussion West Virginia has one of the highest incidence rates of lung disease deaths in the nation. However, there is inadequate home end-of-life and palliative care for this underserved population. This is an initial interventional study of nurse-led coaching home-based palliative care for rare advanced lung diseases in rural Appalachia. Developing research collaboration with clinicians is essential for enrolment. Enrolment was successful due to regular meetings with pulmonologists who screened patients per the study inclusion criteria in their specialty clinic and made direct referrals to the research assistants. Results of this study will be used in the future trial. Impact The findings will contribute to the evidence-based home nursing care, planning for family/patient preferences and supportive end-of-life palliative care for managing advanced lung diseases at home. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03813667; registered January 23, 2019. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03813667.
Diffusive hydrodynamics from integrability breaking

We describe the crossover from generalized to conventional hydrodynamics in nearly integrable systems. Integrable systems have infinitely many conserved quantities, which spread ballistically, in general. When integrability is broken, only a few of these conserved quantities survive. The remaining conserved quantities are generically transported diffusively; we derive a compact and general diffusion equation for these. The diffusion constant depends on the matrix elements of the integrability-breaking perturbation; for a certain class of integrability-breaking perturbations, including long-range interactions, the diffusion constant can be expressed entirely in terms of generalized hydrodynamic data.
Crystal Structure of the β Form of He 4

An x-ray-diffraction study of solid He/sup 4/ at (15.45 to 16.15 deg K and 18,440 psi) is made, in an attempt to detect the presence of a cubic ( beta ) crystal structure. The apparatus, sample preparation, and cryatal analysis are described. The face-centered cubic phase is detected with a unit cell edge length of 4.240 plus or minus 0.016A. (T.F.H.)
SUNCT/SUNA in children and adolescents: Application of ICHD-3 criteria and treatment response: Case series of 13 SUNCT/SUNA pediatric cases.

IntroductionTrigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs) are characterized by paroxysmal attacks of unilateral primary headaches associated with ipsilateral craniofacial autonomic symptoms. In this ped...
Pregnancy in systemic lupus erythematosus

Objectives Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic illness that often affects women of reproductive age. The objectives of this article are to review the impact of SLE on pregnancy and current management strategies, including commonly used therapies. Methods We conducted a review of available literature on the clinical course of SLE, diagnosis, management and pregnancy complications. Results SLE has a variable clinical course characterized by flares and periods of remission and can present unique challenges in the management of obstetric patients. Pregnancy in patients with SLE is associated with multiple risks, including fetal loss, preterm birth, fetal growth restriction, and hypertensive disease. With advancements in disease treatment, many women have favorable pregnancy outcomes, but appropriate preconception counseling and disease management remain important tools in reducing complications. Conclusion Given the implications SLE can have on women of reproductive age and in pregnancy, understanding the disease course and management is important in order to optimize pregnancy outcomes.
Reproductive Biology and Ecology of Shortspine Thornyhead Rockfish, Sebastolobus alascanus , and longspine thornyhead rockfish, S. altivelis , from the northeastern Pacific Ocean

We examined the reproductive biology and estimated life history parameters for female shortspine thornyhead, Sebastolobus alascanus, and longspine thornyhead, S. altivelis, from histological samples prepared from specimens collected from both Alaska and the West Coast of the United States. Both species spawn pelagic gelatinous egg masses, although timing differs between taxa and locations. Shortspines spawn between April and July in Alaska and between December and May along the West Coast. Longspines spawn between January and April along the West Coast. Length at 50% maturity differed between species and areas, with shortspines at 21.48 cm in Alaska and 18.19 cm on the West Coast, and longspines at 17.83 cm on the West Coast. We used the gonadosomatic index to estimate instantaneous rates of natural mortality (M). Values of M differed little between species and areas despite substantial differences in temperature and dissolved oxygen concentrations. Estimates for shortspines from both Alaska and the West Coast ranged between 0.013 and 0.017, while longspines from the West Coast showed an M value of 0.015. Such low estimates of M suggest Sebastolobus are extremely long-lived.
Determination of the Empirical Electrokinetic Equilibrium Condition of Microorganisms in Microfluidic Devices

The increased concern regarding emerging pathogens and antibiotic resistance has drawn interest in the development of rapid and robust microfluidic techniques to analyze microorganisms. The novel parameter known as the electrokinetic equilibrium condition (EEEC) was presented in recent studies, providing an approach to analyze microparticles in microchannels employing unique electrokinetic (EK) signatures. While the EEEC shows great promise, current estimation approaches can be time-consuming or heavily user-dependent for accurate values. The present contribution aims to analyze existing approaches for estimating this parameter and modify the process into an accurate yet simple technique for estimating the EK behavior of microorganisms in insulator-based microfluidic devices. The technique presented here yields the parameter called the empirical electrokinetic equilibrium condition (eEEEC) which works well as a value for initial approximations of trapping conditions in insulator-based EK (iEK) microfluidic systems. A total of six types of microorganisms were analyzed in this study (three bacteria and three bacteriophages). The proposed approach estimated eEEEC values employing images of trapped microorganisms, yielding high reproducibility (SD 5.0–8.8%). Furthermore, stable trapping voltages (sTVs) were estimated from eEEEC values for distinct channel designs to test that this parameter is system-independent and good agreement was obtained when comparing estimated sTVs vs. experimental values (SD 0.3–19.6%). The encouraging results from this work were used to generate an EK library of data, available on our laboratory website. The data in this library can be used to design tailored iEK microfluidic devices for the analysis of microorganisms.
"Talking without a Voice": Understanding Non-verbal Communication in Social Virtual Reality

Exploring communication dynamics in digital social spaces such as massively multiplayer online games and 2D/3D virtual worlds has been a long standing concern in HCI and CSCW. As online social spaces evolve towards more natural embodied interaction, it is important to explore how non-verbal communication can be supported in more nuanced ways in these spaces and introduce new social interaction consequences. In this paper we especially focus on understanding novel non-verbal communication in social virtual reality (VR). We report findings of two empirical studies. Study 1 collected observational data to explore the types of non-verbal interactions being used naturally in social VR. Study 2 was an interview study (N=30) that investigated people's perceptions of non-verbal communication in social VR as well as the resulting interaction outcomes. This study helps address the limitations in prior literature on non-verbal communication dynamics in online social spaces. Our findings on what makes non-verbal communication in social VR unique and socially desirable extend our current understandings of the role of non-verbal communication in social interaction. We also highlight potential design implications that aim at better supporting non-verbal communication in social VR.
Life is a highway: Driver's license acquisition and social determinants for youth in foster care and their non-foster care peers.

BACKGROUND Data regarding the connection between driver licensure and social determinants for youth could provide insight into the impact of driver license acquisition. These relationships are important for youth overall and particularly for foster youth given that adolescents in foster care obtain driver's licenses less often than their non-foster care peers. This integrative review explores the association between driver licensure and social determinants. METHODS Whittemore and Knafl guidelines were used to conduct the integrative review. The articles were identified in collaboration with an expert in library science and public health. Results were organized by the Healthy People 2030 (HP 2030) Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) model. RESULTS Six studies were included. Social and community context included social support structures helping youth get driver's licenses. Economics, including income and education, influenced license acquisition. Driver license acquisition was associated with improved well-being, security, and mental health. CONCLUSION While fewer of those living in urban, walkable neighborhoods with access to public transportation were licensed, results from other studies suggest that car access is associated with psychological well-being. Further, licensure is disproportionately lower for populations historically marginalized from equal housing, education, and employment opportunities. Licensure plays a role in well-being.
Illiberal Democracy: A New Form of Modern Tyranny

The world is changing—it is a multicultural world. However, nationalism—tribal identity—has emerged in reaction. Populism demands a return to traditional religious values and national identity. Immigrants are feared as culturally and “racially” different. Macho men worry that women and gays are taking over. Into this mix of fear and disorder, dictators, such as Putin, Orban, Erdogan, and others step in to restore order, and attempt to restore the past values of their religion and culture. It is a global reactionary movement.
PEDI - Piazza Explorer Dashboard for Intervention

Analytics about how students navigate online learning tools throughout the duration of an assignment is scarce. Knowledge about how students use online tools before a course's end could positively impact students' learning outcomes. We introduce PEDI (Piazza Explorer Dashboard for Intervention), a tool which analyzes and presents visualizations of forum activity on Piazza, a question and answer forum, to instructors. We outline the design principles and data-informed recommendations used to design PEDI. Our prior research revealed two critical periods in students' forum engagement over the duration of an assignment. Early engagement in the first half of an assignment duration positively correlates with class average performance. Whereas, extremely high engagement toward the deadline predicted lower class average performance. PEDI uses these findings to detect and flag troubling engagement levels and informs instructors through clear visualizations to promote data-informed interventions. By providing insights to instructors, PEDI may improve class performance and pave the way for a new generation of online tools.
VIBRATIONAL MODES AND RELATIVE STABILITY OF STEPPED SURFACES OF COPPER

We present a systematic study of the vibrational thermodynamic properties of vicinal surfaces of Cu(100) and Cu(111), in the harmonic approximation of lattice dynamics. The local vibrational density of states are evaluated using a real space Green’s function method with the force constant matrix generated from interaction potentials based on the Embedded Atom Method (EAM). Normal mode frequencies for the step-chain atoms are found to be softened the most, relative to corresponding bulk modes, along the direction perpendicular to the step-chain in the surface plane. The displacement patterns of surface atoms are determined for the low frequency surface modes. From free energy considerations, steps on Cu(211) and on Cu(511) are found to be more stable than their counterparts on Cu(331).
Dynamics of Muscle Microcirculatory and Blood-myocyte O2 Flux During Contractions

The O2 requirements of contracting skeletal muscle may increase 100-fold above rest. In 1919 August Krogh’s brilliant insights recognized the capillary as the principal site for this increased blood-myocyte O2 flux. Based on the premise that most capillaries did not sustain RBC flux at rest Krogh proposed that capillary recruitment (i.e., initiation of red blood cell (RBC) flux in previously non-flowing capillaries) increased the capillary surface area available for O2 flux and reduced mean capillary-to-mitochondrial diffusion distances. More modern experimental approaches reveal that most muscle capillaries may support RBC flux at rest. Thus, rather than contraction-induced capillary recruitment per se, increased RBC flux and hematocrit within already-flowing capillaries likely elevate perfusive and diffusive O2 conductances and hence blood-myocyte O2 flux. Additional surface area for O2 exchange is recruited but, crucially, this may occur along the length of already-flowing capillaries (i.e. longitudinal recruitment). Today, the capillary is still considered the principal site for O2 and substrate delivery to contracting skeletal muscle. Indeed, the presence of very low intramyocyte O2 partial pressures (PO2’s) and the absence of PO2 gradients, whilst refuting the relevance of diffusion distances, place an even greater importance on capillary hemodynamics. This emergent picture calls for a paradigm-shift in our understanding of the function of capillaries by de-emphasizing de novo ‘capillary recruitment.’ Diseases such as heart failure impair blood-myocyte O2 flux, in part, by decreasing the proportion of RBC-flowing capillaries. Knowledge of capillary function in healthy muscle is requisite for identification of pathology and efficient design of therapeutic treatments.
An algorithm to compute multipliers for repeated monotone nonlinearities

A MIMO negative feedback interconnection of a discrete-time LTI system and a repeated time-invariant, monotone nonlinearity are considered. Kulkarni and Safonov (2001) derived the largest class of multipliers that can be used to show stability of such feedback systems. This paper demonstrates in a simple way that these multipliers can be computed efficiently from the solution of a linear matrix inequality (LMI). It is also shown how the structure of the problem can be exploited to reduce its complexity.
The role of the "product steward" in advancing design for environment in Hewlett-Packard's Computer Products Organization

Hewlett-Packard, Computer Products Organization (CPO), has established a network of "product stewards" at each of its worldwide product lines. These product stewards act as champions, facilitators and catalysts for the product line's product stewardship or design for environment (DFE) program. Insights into the product steward's role and responsibilities, the methods and approach they use to fulfill their role, some of the DFE tools they utilize and some results from one product line are presented.
Optimization of anodization and annealing condition enhances TiO 2 nanotubular surface hydrophilicity

In this study anodization and annealing condition are optimized to fabricate nanotubular surface which is able to maintain its hydrophilicity over time — anti-aging surface. Our results indicate that anodization voltage and annealing temperature affect surface ability to maintain its hydrophilicity. Water contact angle measurements show hydrophilicty is sharply decreased after annealing regardless of annealing and anodization conditions. Non-anodized and 20 V anodized samples lose their hydrophilicity after 11 days of aging in air, while 60 V anodized samples are able to maintain their hydrophilicity after this period.
The Impossible in Political and Legal Philosophy

POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY and philosophy of law have of late been treated as though they were two distinct fields of thought. But they cannot be so separated. As was quite correctly understood during the natural-law period, both deal with the same basic problem of what laws ought to govern a country. The law that is may properly constitute the primary subject of study in law schools and in legal theory. Yet to philosophy of law, exactly as to political philosophy, this law, as it is being handed down by constitutions, legislatures, courts and administrative agents, is only a matter of critique or justification. Whenever we ponder about justice in the transpositive sense of what ought to be law, we necessarily turn to the question of whether there are eternal, or absolute, or at least objective, standards of justice. Examinations of this kind cannot be separated into political and legal divisions. If there are such standards, they are relevant to both policy and law. If there are not, philosophy of law, as well as of policy, must still establish and defend this negative contention, and thereafter either resign-as seems to have been the case generally with Anglo-American philosophy of law--or investigate, in a relativistic way, the political purposes to which legislation ought or ought not to be made subservient. Thus both "absolutists" and "relativists" in either branch of philosophy are bound to deal with legislation and political coercion. Absolutists have always done so quite elaborately. Whether building on revelation, intuition, reason, comparison or speculation, they have put forward dogmas on proper ends and means of legislation. Among relativists in legal
In Vitro Activity of Carbenicillin Against Gram-negative Bacilli

The activity of a new semisynthetic penicillin, carbenicillin, was determined against 241 strains of gram-negative bacilli with the tube-dilution technique. Of 143 strains of Pseudomonas sp., 99 had a minimal inhibitory concentration of 200 to 300 μg/ml. The majority of strains of Escherichia coli and Proteus spp. were sensitive to this antibiotic, with minimal inhibitory concentrations of 25 μg/ml or less. Strains of Klebsiella sp. were quite resistant to carbenicillin. The size of inoculum had no significant effect on the minimal inhibitory concentration for Pseudomonas sp.
Gender, class, and migration in the Dominican Republic: women's experiences in a transnational community.

The experiences of women in one village in the Dominican Republic Los Pinos are analyzed as these relate to the dense transnational network of social relations that now link the village to New York City where most Dominican migrants have settled. International migration and gender relations affect 2 groups of Pinera women: 1) those married to US migrants or with migrant offspring in the US and 2) those women who had no household members in the US. As a consequence of the remittances they received members of the 1st group often constituted the villages transnational middle class; the latter group included some of the poorest members of the community. Subsistence-level remittances also ensured that they were almost totally dependent on husbands to maintain their families. Women in patrilocal stable marriages with US migrants conformed more readily to prevailing ideals of respectable feminine behavior. Such respectability was also sustained by remittance-subsidized consumption especially of improved housing and consumer goods. For some of the younger women however conforming to these ideals was often an annoying burden. As the locus of many migrants investments the village of Los Pinos has experienced a modest growth in the number of full-time jobs paying somewhat above the minimum urban wage and in a variety of petty entrepreneurial activities depending heavily on the patronage of migrant households themselves heavily subsidized by remittances. Women who followed a serial mating pattern even some of the poorest benefited from migration (higher income consumer goods visas) through the informal ties they established with migrants and their kin although all of the desirable new jobs had gone to men. Nevertheless for both groups of women prevailing gender ideologies impacted the socioeconomic changes stemming from the transnational process to conform to Pinero practice.
An L-Aspartate: 2-Oxoglutarate Aminotransferase Reference Material from Human Erythrocytes: Preparation and Characterization

L-Aspartate: 2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1) from human erythrocytes is purified for use as a reference material in clinical assays for the enzyme. The procedure involves heat treatment in the presence of a substrate (2-oxoglutarate), ammonium sulfate precipitation, and fractionation with n -butanol. The material is further purified by anion- and cation-exchange chromatography. Specific activity obtainable by a typical preparation is 110 µmol min-1 mg-1 at 30°C. Identical behavior is demonstrated between enzyme in human serum and purified erythrocyte enzyme when substrate concentrations, temperature, and pH are varied. A lyophilized preparation at 4°C is stable for longer than 400 days. Data regarding purity and behavior in currently used clinical assays is described.
Factors Influencing Access to Primary Health Care via School Health Services

The school health and community primary health care contacts were studied for a group of elementary school children who have sociodemographic characteristics often associated with poor access to primary health services. The school system is engaged in a demonstration project that attempts to link the home with community and school services. Visits to the school health room accounted for 85% of all contacts. A visit rate of 1.13 visits/child/year occurred at primary care sites. Ethnicity is the single most important predictor of use of school health services, followed by family status and number of visits for primary health care in the community. In contrast, use of community primary care facilities is best predicted by socioeconomic status (SES), family status, and sex. The patterns of care received by the population were characterized. Children whose care was initiated, referred, or facilitated by the school were designated as receiving "interactive" care, which occurred mostly among minority and lower SES children. The data suggest that the school provides access to preventive health care for all children and facilitates care for segments of the population that usually have difficulty achieving access to the health care system.
New developments in the measurement of the hemagglutinin content of influenza virus vaccines by single-radial-immunodiffusion.

A variety of detergents were compared as solubilizing agents for the measurement of the hemagglutinin (HA) content of influenza vaccines by the single-radial-immunodiffusion (SRID) assay. The surfactant, Emulphogene (BC-720), was found to be generally the most satisfactory of the detergents tested against a variety of vaccine strains. In particular, the zone size for B/Hong Kong and A/USSR/77 strains was found to be unaffected by a wide range of BC-720 concentrations (1–4%) in contrast to the variable reaction size obtained with different concentrations of sodium sarkosyl sulfate (SSS). Little difference in zone size was observed between SSS and BC-720 detergents when testing A/Texas/77 antigens. The action of BC-720 was relatively mild as shown by the lack of adverse effect on previously solubilized A/USSR/77 and B/Hong Kong/73 HA.
Clinical and pathologic factors that predict lymph node yield from surgical specimens in colorectal cancer: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: The National Quality Forum endorses the recommendation of examining at least 12 lymph nodes (LNs) from colorectal cancer (CRC) specimens. However, heterogeneity in LN harvest exists. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinicopathologic factors that influence LN yield. METHODS: The authors used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database to identify patients who were diagnosed with stage I, II, and III CRC between 1994 and 2005. Poisson regression was used to model the number of LNs examined as a function of individual clinicopathologic factors, including age, sex, race, year of diagnosis, geographic region, anatomic site, preoperative radiation, tumor size, tumor classification, tumor differentiation, and LN positivity. RESULTS: In total, 153,483 patients with CRC were identified. The mean number of LNs examined (± standard deviation) was 12 (±9.3). Separate multivariate analyses revealed that age, year of diagnosis, tumor size, and tumor classification were significant predictors of LN yield for colon and extraperitoneal rectal cancers (P < .01 for all covariates). Tumor location and radiotherapy were significant predictors of LN yield in patients with colon cancer and rectal cancer, respectively. Overall LN yields increased between 2% and 3% annually. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the increasing yields observed over time, patients with rectal cancer and older patients who had distally located, early colon cancer were less likely to meet the benchmark yield of 12 LNs. Further investigation into how LN yield is influenced by alterable factors, such as the extent of mesenteric resection and the pathologic technique, as well as nonalterable factors, such as patient age and tumor location, may reveal innovative ways to improve current staging methods. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Evidence that central 5-HT2A and 5-HT2B/C receptors regulate 5-HT cell firing in the dorsal raphe nucleus of the anaesthetised rat.

1. Systemic administration of phenethylamine-derived, 5-hydroxytryptamine(2) (5-HT(2)) receptor agonists inhibits the firing of midbrain 5-HT neurones, but the 5-HT receptors involved are poorly defined, and the contribution of peripheral mechanisms is uncertain. This study addresses these issues using extracellular recordings of 5-HT neurones in the dorsal raphe nucleus of anaesthetised rats. 2. The 5-HT(2) receptor agonists DOI ((+/-)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine hydrochloride) and DOB ((+/-)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromoamphetamine hydrobromide), caused a dose-related (10-100 micro g kg(-1) i.v.) inhibition of 5-HT neuronal activity, with the highest dose reducing firing rates by >80%. 3. Pretreatment with the 5-HT(2) receptor antagonist ritanserin (1 mg kg(-1) i.v.) completely blocked the action of DOI. The 5-HT(2A) receptor antagonist MDL 100,907 (0.2 mg kg(-1) i.v.) blocked the action of both DOI and DOB. In comparison, the 5-HT(2B/C) receptor antagonist SB 206553 (0.5 mg kg(-1) i.v.) caused a small, but statistically significant, shift to the right in the dose response to DOI and DOB. 4. Pretreatment with the peripherally acting 5-HT(2) receptor antagonist BW 501C67 (0.1 mg kg(-1) i.v.) had no effect on the DOI-induced inhibition of 5-HT cell firing, but completely blocked the DOI-induced rise in mean arterial blood pressure. 5. These data indicate that the inhibition of 5-HT cell firing induced by systemic administration of DOI and DOB is mediated predominantly by the 5-HT(2A) receptor-subtype, but that 5-HT(2B/C) receptors also play a minor role. Moreover, central and not peripheral mechanisms are involved. Given evidence that 5-HT(2) receptors are not located on 5-HT neurones, postsynaptic 5-HT feedback mechanisms are implicated.
Attach, Remove, or Replace: Reversible Surface Functionalization Using Thiol–Quinone Methide Photoclick Chemistry

A very facile reaction between photochemically generated o-naphthoquinone methides (oNQMs) and thiols is employed for reversible light-directed surface derivatization and patterning. A thiol-functionalized glass slide is covered with an aqueous solution of a substrate conjugated to 3-(hydroxymethyl)-2-naphthol (NQMP). Subsequent irradiation via shadow mask results in the efficient conversion of NQMP into reactive oNQM species in the exposed areas. The latter react with thiol groups on the surface, producing thioether links between the substrate and the surface. Unreacted oNQM groups are rapidly hydrated to regenerate NQMP. The short lifetime of oNQM in aqueous solution prevents its migration from the site of irradiation, thus allowing for the spatial control of the surface derivatization. A two-step procedure was employed for protein patterning: photobiotinylation of the surface with an NQMP-biotin conjugate followed by staining with FITC-avidin. The orthogonality of oNQM-thiol and azide click chemistry allowed for the development of a sequential click strategy, which might be useful for the immobilization of light-sensitive compounds. The thioether linkage produced by the reaction of oNQM and a thiol is stable under ambient conditions but can be cleaved by UV irradiation, regenerating the free thiol. This feature allows for the removal or replacement of immobilized substrates.
Posterior dural arteriovenous malformations in infancy.

A 23-month-old infant with an extensive dural arteriovenous malformation (AVM) developed a heart murmur and cardiomegaly. The AVM involved the occipital and suboccipital dura mater and the tentorium, bilaterally. We embolized the AVM with Gelfoam and polyvinyl alcohol particulates, subtotally resect