cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emergent and Therapeutic Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in Children

Pediatric patients with upper gastrointestinal disorders have benefited significantly from recent advances in endoscopic technology. Improved techniques of esophageal endosclerosis and dilatation have reduced the morbidity associated with these 2 procedures. Twenty-five patients underwent 136 endosclerosis treatments, with effective control of bleeding in all. Three of four deaths were caused by primary organ failure and one was due to a complication of endosclerosis. Fifty-seven patients with esophageal stricture have undergone successful dilatation with uniformly good results and no major complications. Virtually all foreign bodies may now be successfully removed endoscopically from the esophagus or stomach and formerly unrecognized mucosal lesions have been defined as a common source of gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Continued advances in therapeutic pediatric endoscopy will be limited only by the imagination of the pediatric endoscopist.
Intestinal Plasmacytoma in an African Hedgehog

A 3-yr-old male African hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) had anorexia and weight loss for 1 wk before its death. The colon and mesocolon were diffusely infiltrated by a neoplastic proliferation of round cells with plasmacytoid features. A diagnosis of intestinal plasmacytoma was made and confirmed by electron microscopy. No other organs appeared to be affected. This is the first description of intestinal plasmacytoma in a hedgehog.
TWO MODAL–ISMS: FICTIONALISM AND ERSATZISM

It is sometimes said that no living philosopher is a genuine modal realist. This is no doubt an exaggeration. But at least this much is true: while we all partake of possible world talk when philosophizing, most of us regard this talk as incurring no commitment to a plurality of concrete worlds. Actualist accounts of the discourse about possible worlds are intended to explain how it is possible for us to enjoy the benefits of the discourse without Lewisian ontological commitments. The most popular of actualist accounts, perhaps, are ersatzism and fictionalism. Ersatzism, or ersatz modal realism, as David Lewis calls it, is a bundle of views which have in common the fact that they deny that there is a plurality of concrete worlds. Instead of a plurality of concrete worlds there is a myriad of abstract entities purporting to represent ways that this world and its inhabitants might have been. Fictionalism is likewise a collection of views denying that there is a plurality of concrete worlds. Unlike ersatzers, however, fictionalists regard possible world talk as similar in important respects to literary fiction. Talk of merely possible worlds and their
Degradation and remodeling of small intestinal submucosa in canine Achilles tendon repair.

Background: Extracellular matrix derived from porcine small intestinal submucosa is used for the repair of musculotendinous tissues. Preclinical evaluation and clinical use have suggested that small intestinal submucosa extracellular matrix degrades rapidly after implantation and can be replaced by host tissue that is functionally and histologically similar to the normal tissue. Methods: The present study analyzed the temporal degradation of a ten-layer multilaminate device of small intestinal submucosa extracellular matrix used for the repair of canine Achilles tendon and examined the corresponding histological appearance of the remodeled tissue during the course of scaffold degradation. Devices were fabricated from small intestinal submucosa extracellular matrix labeled with 14C. The amount of 14C remaining in the remodeled graft was measured by liquid scintillation counting at three, seven, fourteen, twenty-eight, sixty, and ninety days after surgery. Blood, urine, feces, and other parenchymal tissues were also harvested to determine the fate of scaffold degradation products. Tissue specimens were prepared for routine histological analysis to examine the morphology of the remodeled graft at each time-point. Results: The small intestinal submucosa extracellular matrix graft degraded rapidly, with approximately 60% of the mass lost by one month after surgery, and the graft was completely resorbed by three months after surgery. The graft supported rapid cellular infiltration and host tissue ingrowth. By ninety days after surgery, the remodeled small intestinal submucosa extracellular matrix consisted of a dense collagenous tissue with organization, cellularity, and vascularity similar to that of normal tendon. Conclusions: Small intestinal submucosa extracellular matrix is rapidly degraded after implantation for the repair of a musculotendinous tissue in this canine Achilles tendon repair model and is replaced by the deposition and organization of host tissue that is histologically similar to that of normal tissue. Clinical Relevance: The present study provides insight into the degradation and remodeling of extracellular matrix derived from porcine small intestinal submucosa, a biologic scaffold that has been used clinically for musculotendinous applications.
Citizen Support for Hospital Privatization: A Hierarchical Cross-National Analysis

The movement for a new public management (NPM) holds that citizens will put aside partisan and ideological differences to support more efficient service delivery. Focusing on hospital privatization, a multi-national sample is utilized to investigate this assertion. Generalized hierarchical linear modeling (GHLM) is employed as the method of statistical analysis. The findings with regard to privatizing hospitals reveal that citizens develop their policy position by reference to a combination of symbolic political variables, service demand, self-interest, information levels, and political efficacy. The results cast doubt on the assertion that partisan differences will be set aside as citizens consider privatization reforms.
Validation of stochastic models: Some perspectives

The focus of the paper is the process of model validation. The discussion illustrates some problems encountered in validating stochastic models, with special reference to market behavior models. A brief discussion of some important dimensions of model validation are presented. The discussion focuses on the role of simulation to generate sample universes for realistic output validation (both at micro and macro levels) of a stochastic model. Also, some light is shed upon two neglected aspects of model validation, experimentation to test the realism of a model's policy implications and a comparative evaluation with existing models. It is hoped for that the article has raised some important issues for the attention of a serious model builder.
Scattering of dielectric cylinder with multi-conductors

A rigorous field analysis of scattering from a dielectric circular cylinder with multi-conductors and excited by a magnetic or electric line current in the free space is given in this paper. The field equivalence theorem is utilized to derive, for each excitation, a system of coupled integral equations for the equivalent magnetic and induced currents on the dielectric interfaces and the perfect conductors, respectively. Galerkin's method is applied to determine the unknown currents, which are used to determine the scattered field outside and inside the dielectric cylinder. Numerical results for the currents, scattered field patterns, and radar cross section of the problem are given for the TE and TM polarizations. It has been shown that the radar cross section is reduced by increasing the dielectric constant of the dielectric cylinder, and the far field is changed by increasing the arc length of the conductors.
Insourcing, Outsourcing, and Unemployment in the Spanish Auto Industry

This paper examines the role of outsourced intermediate goods, together with capital, labor, and insourced intermediate products, as inputs in Spain's motor vehicle production. Its findings are consistent with statistically significant economies of scale. Capital and labor are found to be substitutes, as are most of the other input pairs. However, capital and outsourced intermediate goods and labor and insourced intermediate goods appear to have complementary relationships, and the latter relationship has become stronger over the period of study. Any actions that decrease the price of one of the inputs in a complementary pair will increase the demand for the other input. Since labor and outsourced intermediate goods appear to be substitutes, a decrease in import prices as a result of further European integration will decrease the demand for domestic labor and exacerbate Spain's unemployment problem. A similar result holds for insourced and outsourced intermediate goods.
Registering, integrating, and building CAD models from range data

We introduce two methods for the registration of range images when a prior estimate of the transformation between views is not available and the overlap between images is relatively small. The methods are an extension to the work of Gueziec and Ayache (1994) and Turk and Levoy (1994) and consists of 2 stages. First, we find the initial estimated transformation by extracting and matching 3D space curves from different scans of the same object. If no salient features are available on the object we use fiducial marks to find the initial transformation. This allows us to always find a satisfactory and even highly accurate transformation independent of the geometry of the object. Second, we apply a modified iterative closest points algorithm (ICP) to improve the accuracy of registration. We define a weighted distance function based on surface curvature which can reduce the number of iterations and requires a less accurate initial estimate of the transformation.
Stress Corrosion Cracking Susceptibility of Irradiated Type 304 Stainless Steels

Slow-strain-rate tensile tests and microstructural analysis by Auger electron spectroscopy were conducted on specimens of high- and commercial-purity (HP and CP) heats of Type 304 stainless steel obtained from neutron absorber tubes and a control blade sheath after irradiation up to 2.5 {times} 10{sup 2l} n{center_dot}cm{sup {minus}2} (E > l MeV) in boiling water reactors (BWRs). The susceptibility of the HP absorber tubes to intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) was higher than that of the CP absorber tubes or the CP control blade sheath. IGSCC susceptibilities of the BWR components could not be correlated to segregation impurities on grain boundaries. However for comparable fluence levels, Cr on grain-boundaries.
Supporting Early Childhood Inclusion: Lessons Learned through a Statewide Technical Assistance Project.

This article describes Partnerships for Inclusion, a statewide project providing technical assistance (TA) to communities as they develop and coordinate inclusive services for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities and their families. Included in this description are the major factors influencing the model's development, the project's core services, and selected strategies for promoting systems-level change that supports early childhood inclusion. A framework for evaluating TA services is also presented along with the project's evaluation data. The article concludes with a summary of lessons learned about how to provide effective TA services to diverse client groups.
Weak Localization and its Applications as AN Experimental Tool

The resistance of two-dimensional electron systems such as thin disordered films shows deviations from Boltzmann theory, which are caused by quantum corrections and are called weak localization. The theoretical origin of weak localization is the Langer–Neal graph in Kubo formalism. It represents an interference experiment with conduction electrons split into pairs of waves interfering in the back-scattering direction. The intensity of the interference (integrated over the time) can easily be measured by the resistance of the film. The application of a magnetic field B destroys the phase coherence after a time which is proportional to 1/B. For a field of 1 T this time is of the order of 1 ps. Therefore with a dc experiment, one can measure characteristic times of the electron system in the range of picoseconds. Weak localization has been applied to measure dephasing, spin-orbit scattering, tunneling times, etc. One important field of application is the investigation of magnetic systems and magnetic impurities by measuring the magnetic dephasing time and its temperature dependence. Here the Kondo maximum of spin-flip scattering, spin-fluctuations, Fermi liquid behavior and magnetic d-resonances have been investigated. Another field is the detection of magnetic moments for very dilute alloys and surface impurities. This article given a brief survey of different applications of weak localization with a focus on magnetic impurities.
Characterization and modeling of a bulk acoustic wave particle focusing device

In this paper, we discuss our work in the modeling and characterization of an acoustic-microfluidic focusing device that uses standing bulk acoustic waves to focus particles under flow. Modeling was done using Comsol Multiphysicsreg (Comsol, Los Angeles, CA), a multiphysics FEM tool, and the performance of the device was assessed through coefficient of variance (CV) measurements using a confocal microscope.
Field effect real space transfer transistor

We report demonstration of the first field effect real space transfer transistor (FERST), a gated real space carrier transfer device. It is a dual output, multifunctional device which, depending on region of operation, demonstrates either of three characteristics: traditional FET transconductance, sign reversing transconductance, or dual output with near complimentary transconductances. Additionally, the FERST structure provides a new means for exploring the physics of real space transfer. >
Formal Specifications Guide Development and Testing of Software Components

Formal specifications provide many benefits to software developers. It has long been recognized that formal methods are required in safety critical applications, where it may even be necessary to perform formal proofs of correctness to increase confidence in the reliability of the system. However, not all uses of formal methods require the same level of detail, or even formality. We can design formal specifications of software components, and then use the specifications in an informal way to guide the development of an implementation as well as to provide a blueprint for testing of the finished component. In this paper we use the Larch Shared Language (LSL) to specify abstract data types, and show how the specification can be used both to guide implementation in Ada95 and to develop a testing plan. This approach increases both the quality of documentation and confidence in the correctness of reusable components providing abstract data structures.
Virtual Reality Cue Reactivity Assessment A Comparison of Treatment- vs. Nontreatment-Seeking Smokers

Objectives:The cue-reactivity paradigm has been widely used to assess craving among cigarette smokers. Seeking to replicate and expand on previous virtual reality (VR) nicotine cue-reactivity research on nontreatment-seeking smokers, the current study compared subjective reports of craving for cigarettes when exposed to smoking (proximal and contextual) and neutral cues using VR in treatment-seeking and nontreatment-seeking cigarette smokers.Methods:Data from two previously published studies in nontreatment seekers from our group (Bordnick et al., 2004; Bordnick, Graap, Copp, Brooks, & Ferrer, 2005) were compared to results with 82 newly enrolled treatment-seeking smokers.Results:Overall, VR cues produced similar levels of craving for both treatment seekers and nontreatment seekers across the different cue environments. Specifically, craving was greater for both groups in smoking environments (paraphernalia and party) than those in the neutral environments.Conclusions:These findings provide strong evidenc...
Volumetric Flow Rate Comparisons for Water and Product on Pasteurization Systems

Abstract A flow calibration tube system was assembled to determine the volumetric flow rates for water and various dairy products through a holding tube, using three different flow promotion methods. With the homogenizer, the volumetric flow rates of water and reconstituted skim milk were within 1.5% of each other. With the positive displacement pump, the flow rate for reconstituted skim milk increased compared with that for water as the pressure increased or temperature decreased. The largest increase in flow rate was at 310-kPa gauge and 20°C. On a magnetic flow meter system, the volumetric flow rates of water and reconstituted skim milk were within .5% of the flow rate measured from the volume collected in a calibrated tank. The flow rate of whole milk was similar to that of skim milk on the three flow promoters evaluated. Ice milk mix increased the flow rate of the positive displacement pump, but not the homogenizer and magnetic flow meter system.
Multiple Regions of Yeast Ribosomal Protein L1 Are Important for Its Interaction with 5 S rRNA and Assembly into Ribosomes

Yeast ribosomal protein L1 binds to 5 S rRNA and can be released from 60 S ribosomal subunits as an intact ribonucleoprotein particle. To identify residues important for binding of Saccharomyces cerevisiae rpL1 to 5 S rRNA and assembly into functional ribosomes, we have isolated mutant alleles of the yeast RPL1 gene by site-directed and random mutagenesis. The rpl1 mutants were assayed for association of rpL1 with 5 S rRNA in vivo and in vitro and assembly of rpL1 into functional 60 S ribosomal subunits. Consistent with previous data implicating the importance of the carboxyl-terminal 47 amino acids of rpL1 for binding to 5 S rRNA in vitro, we find that deletion of the carboxyl-terminal 8, 25, or 44 amino acids of rpL1 confers lethality in vivo. Missense mutations elsewhere in rpL1 also affect its function, indicating that multiple regions of rpL1 are important for its association with 5 S rRNA and assembly into ribosomes.
Work in progress — Exploring teacher and student differences in assessment of constructivist practices

Student and teacher versions of the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) are used to measure whether a class environment is consistent with constructivist practices. While studying STEM classrooms, we found differences between how teachers and students score the CLES. Since different perceptions of class norms may impede student learning, we propose to investigate possible causes for the differences.
Spontaneous occurrence of XYY primary spermatocytes in the Sitka deer mouse

Analysis of microspread, silver-stained primary spermatocytes from chromosomally and phenotypically normal Peromyscus sitkensis revealed the occurrence of XYY zygotene and pachytene nuclei at low frequency in three of eight individuals examined. Observed pairing configurations of sex chromosomes included a trivalent and a Y bivalent-X univalent. The data suggest that premeiotic nondisjunction may be involved in the origination of XYY chromosomal conditions.
Molecular Beam Epitaxial Growth of (Al,Ga)As Tilted Superlattices on Vicinal GaAs (110)

A study of the molecular beam epitaxial (MBE) growth on singular and vicinal (110) surfaces of GaAs is presented. Quantum well structures and tilted superlattices (TSL) were grown on substrates misoriented 0.5°-2° towards the nearest [010] and [111] A azimuths at growth temperatures ranging from 450° C to 600° C under different growth conditions. The structures were characterized by Nomarski optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. p]Two types of faceting were observed on the surfaces. The structures grown at temperatures above 540°C and As beam fluxes below l×10-5 torr showed V-shaped facets pointing in the [001] direction and are attributed to As deficient island growth. Lower temperatures and higher As beam fluxes lead to surfaces with microfacets that are elongated along the respective step directions on the vicinal surface and are due to step bunching during growth. Their density and height decrease with decreasing vicinal angle and they disappear on the singular (110) surface. The photoluminescence of the GaAs quantum wells grown on these samples is redshifted with respect to that of the quantum wells grown on the flat surface. This is being ascribed to the fact that on the vicinal surface, the recombination takes place at the facets where the quantum wells are wider. p]The contrast in the TEM images of the TSL show for the samples misoriented towards [010] that the lateral segregation to the step edges on this surface is appreciable. The TSL spacing and the tilt however show that during growth the vicinal surfaces tend towards a surface with smaller miscut.
Follow-up of patients with thoracic malignancies.

The optimal approach to the post-treatment managment of patients with thoracic malignancies is a controversial topic. This is primarily because of the lack of widely accepted practice guidelines. Several guidelines have been promulgated for the follow-up of thoracic malignancies, but none have been tested in randomized controlled trials. The problem is an especially interesting one because little is known about how outcomes vary when the follow-up strategy is altered.
Materialist and Causal Bridges Over the Explanatory Gap

I offer that the explanatory gap about consciousness can be bridged by a materialist account that is compatible with the causal closure of the physical world. I suggest that Jaegwon Kim’s argument for causal closure is the best motivation for materialist explanations of consciousness, or the character of subjective experience. I then propose that the best materialist account available to do this explanatory work, that is also compatible with a causal closure condition, is Austen Clark’s feature-placing hypothesis. Feature-placing has it that sensory individuals, or qualitative properties, are picked out by their locations in space around a perceiver, and it accounts for preattentive perceptual processes. Featureplacing is not compatible with functionalism however, which is a solution Kim offers to epiphenomenal theories of consciousness. I hold that despite feature-placing’s problems with functionalism, Clark’s account remains compatible with causal closure because it suggests physical reduction to neural processes, like selective attention mechanisms. I conclude that causal closure, combined with the featureplacing of sensory individuals by the spatial discrimination capacities organisms have can go a far way in bridging the explanatory gap.
The Effect of Antiplatelet Agents on Bleeding-Related Complications After Ureteroscopy

Abstract Introduction: The American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines state that continuing anticoagulation and antiplatelet agents in routine ureteroscopy (URS) is safe and without increased risk of complications. However, these recommendations are based on small case series; thus, we sought to analyze bleeding-related complications among patients on antiplatelet therapy (APT). Materials and Methods: Overall, 4799 URS procedures performed at our institution between June 2009 and February 2016 were identified. Records were then retrospectively reviewed to confirm APT use and to identify periprocedural complications. Antiplatelet agents evaluated included aspirin (low dose and full dose) and P2Y12 receptor antagonists (clopidogrel, prasugugrel, ticagrelor). Patients were excluded if they were taking a concurrent anticoagulant agent or if additional non-URS procedures were performed. Results: Of 4799 URS procedures, 314 (6.5%) were performed on patients taking APT, of which 234 (74.5%) held APT, 63 (2...
Integrating Computers, Science, and Mathematics

A course for prospective secondary mathematics teachers was developed at the University of Delaware, based on professional recommendations to integrate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the preparation of teachers of mathematics. Students used GeoGebra, Cabri3D, and Mathematica to model phenomena in the physical, natural and social sciences. They used motion sensors and graphing calculators to study motion. They wrote Python programs to simulate random phenomena. They built a robot and controlled it with a computer program, and made explicit the mathematical and scientific concepts involved in the functioning of the robot. Several forms of formative and summative assessment were conducted during the course. Teachers learned alternative ways of looking at mathematical concepts, and established connections in mathematics and with other areas.
Chemisorption of Atomic Oxygen on Pt(111) from DFT Studies of Pt-Clusters

Using density functional theory (DFT) with gradient-corrected exchange-correlation functionals (B3LYP), we systematically study the electronic structure and bonding of oxygen to various Pt-clusters. Our aim is to understand how the cluster size and shape affect the chemistry of dispersed catalysts and to find the smallest cluster suitable for modeling surface reactions on the Pt(111)-surface. We find that the dependence of binding on the sites of these clusters is well described in terms of the interstitial electron model (IEM). The results show that the 28-atom three-layer Pt9.10.9-cluster gives a good representation of the Pt(111)-surface for various adsorption sites. These results indicate that an O atom binds most strongly to the 3-fold hollow site with a binding energy of 3.28 eV for fcc and 2.95 eV for hcp. The binding energies for the other sites are 2.73 eV (bridge) and 2.02 eV (on-top). A one-layer 12-atom cluster does well at describing the bonding for all sites except the hcp site. These cluster results agree well with experimental results and with the best calculations on this surface: all results agree that the 3-fcc site is favored with a bond distance 2.01 A. In addition, our calculated bond energy of 3.28 eV is consistent with experiment at low coverage (3.43 to 3.71 eV) and with the best DFT calculations on a surface (3.43 eV). We interpret the bonding of O to the 3 sites (both fcc and hcp) in terms of the IEM localized covalent bonding model, in which the two singly occupied orbitals of O bond to singly occupied d orbitals of Pt, and the lone pair of p orbitals on the O coordinates to the third Pt of an 3 site to form a donor-acceptor bond. This leads to two bonds of 2.01 A and one of 2.21 A.
Roads through National Parks: A Successful Case Study:

Roads through protected areas are generally believed to have many adverse environmental effects but there are few examples of road building being halted for environmental reasons. In Katavi Nationa...
A Mapping Sentence Account of Non-traditional Three-Dimensional Art

In chapter three I present an augmentation to existing models of visual perception that have been developed to account for the perception and understanding of the experience of three-dimensional fine art. The chapter begins with a reflection upon how the model I propose draws upon the scholarship of Crowther (2007) in conjunction a modification of the mapping sentence approach used as a qualitative or philosophical research approach (Hackett 2014, 2016a, b). I delve into mapping sentences and I use these organizational templates to elucidate the writing of Rosalind Krauss by modelling how she has considered two-dimensional (Krauss 1986) and three-dimensional (Krauss 1979) modern abstract art. In facet theory research mapping sentences are frequently used either alone or in initial stages of research into a content domain using smallest space analysis (SSA) and to guide interpretation of later partial order scalogram analysis (POSA). In earlier publications I have put forward the mapping sentence as a structural template for understanding two-dimensional art (Hackett 2016b) and in this chapter I offer a modified version of this mapping sentence to account for the experience of three-dimensional abstract art.
Morphological and genetic evolution in eastern populations of the Macrhybopsis aestivalis complex (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae), with the descriptions of four new species.

For many years the North American cyprinid fish Macrhybopsis aestivalis (common name: Speckled Chub) was regarded as a single widespread and morphologically variable species, occurring in rivers throughout much of the Mississippi Valley and geographically adjacent eastern Gulf slope drainages, west to the Rio Grande basin in Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. Eisenhour (1997) completed a morphological study of western populations of the Speckled Chub, the results of which appeared thereafter in published form (Eisenhour 1999, 2004). He demonstrated the existence of five valid species west of the Mississippi River ( aestivalis, marconis, australis, tetranema, hyostoma ), of which the name aestivalis was shown to be restricted to the population occurring in the Rio Grande and the geographically adjacent Rio San Fernando system, in northeastern Mexico. Eisenhour (2004) considered populations throughout the middle Mississippi Valley and its major tributaries to be a single morphologically variable species ( hyostoma ), and he also indicated that populations of Macrhybopsis from eastern Gulf slope drainages may represent a complex of species. Genetic confirmation of Eisenhour’s conclusions regarding western species appeared in the publication by Underwood et al. (2003), who also showed that western populations of M. hyostoma , as presently recognized, are genetically much more complex than previously considered. Meanwhile, the present authors were involved in a companion study of eastern populations of Macrhybopsis , for which a genetic summary of the eastern Gulf coast species was published by Mayden & Powers (2004). Based on their findings, four species were recognized from southeastern drainages (identified as species A–D), although no formal taxonomic descriptions were included. Their genetic data, in combination with meristic, morphometric and other morphological data presented herein, form the basis for a revised classification of eastern Macrhybopsis populations, including formal descriptions of the four new species from eastern Gulf coast drainages.
Knowledge Workspace Design Problem Definition: Assimilative Coherence Effects on Project Outcomes

The physical work environment that supports knowledge workers in the performance of their work contributes toward an organization’s success. In order to design a supportive workspace, the projects design team must develop a unified project problem definition that leads to a design solution responsive to worker needs. This paper reports on a qualitative study of nine workspace design projects for knowledge work organizations based on interviews conducted with the design and facilities professionals, and respective managers and workers. The findings point toward a divergence of perception, relevance and influence among these key actors resulting in negative assessment of their individual contributions toward the design of a successful workspace outcome. This negative relational state precludes the formation of a unified project problem definition for the entire team. While a coherence of the design objective is present on an individual level; on a team level, a precursor of shared vision and values, and a common vernacular appears to be lacking in order to achieve an assimilation of the individual coherence states.
Elemente – sämtliche Materie besteht aus 92 verschiedenen Elementen

Die Vielfalt der Materie, die sich vom Mikrokosmos bis in die Tiefe des Weltalls erstreckt, hat von jeher zum Staunen und Nachdenken Anlass gegeben. Da strukturieren unsichtbare Krafte Zehntausende Galaxien zu Superhaufen mit unvorstellbaren 200 Mio. Lichtjahren Durchmesser (ca. 2000 Billionen km), wahrend im molekularen Bereich winzige Strukturen in der Grosenordnung von wenigen Zehntel Nanometer vorherrschen. Dazwischen eingebettet ist das Wunder des Lebens – Flora, Fauna, Mensch. So verwundert es nicht, wenn nicht nur Goethes Faust sich wunscht „ … dass ich erkenne, was die Welt im Innersten zusammenhalt“ (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust I, Vers 382 f), sondern sich auch Philosophen seit Menschengedenken Fragen stellen nach dem Woher und Wohin von Mensch und kosmischer Ordnung.
Are XBRL Files Being Accessed? Evidence from the SEC EDGAR Log File Dataset

ABSTRACT We provide evidence of whether users of financial reports are accessing XBRL files, the XBRL component of an SEC filing. The possibility of exempting small companies from the XBRL mandate ...
Epidural Hematoma Following Interlaminar Epidural Injection in Patient Taking Aspirin

Objective We present a case report of a patient who developed an epidural hematoma following an interlaminar epidural steroid injection with no risk factors aside from old age and aspirin use for secondary prevention. Case Report A 79-year-old man developed an epidural hematoma requiring surgical treatment following an uncomplicated interlaminar epidural steroid injection performed for neurogenic claudication. In the periprocedural period, he continued aspirin for secondary prophylaxis following a myocardial infarction. Conclusions For patients taking aspirin for primary or secondary prophylaxis, the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine antiplatelet and anticoagulation guidelines for spine and pain procedures recommend a shared assessment and risk stratification when deciding to hold the medication for intermediate-risk neuraxial procedures. Cases such as this serve to highlight the importance of giving careful consideration to medical optimization of a patient even when a low- or intermediate-risk procedure is planned.
Solubility and Interfacial Properties of Hydroxyapatite: A Review

Recent literature on solubility and interfacial properties of hydroxyapatite is reviewed. Representation of thermodynamic equilibrium between the solid and the solution is discussed for the system containing calcium, phosphate and hydrogen ions and their complexes. The origin of surface charge and the conditions for zero charge on hydroxyapatite are discussed, and adsorption mechanisms for fluoride and organic ions are critically reviewed. The literature review reveals that complex interfacial and dissolution interactions occur in this system.
Negative behaviours in health care: Prevalence and strategies

AIM To evaluate the effectiveness of a professionalism taskforce and the prevalence of negative behaviours across interdisciplinary groups at a south-eastern US academic medical centre. BACKGROUND Negative behaviours within health care organisations may undermine patient safety. These behaviours are associated with decreased productivity, increased turnover, and poor patient and staff outcomes. METHODS A pre-post study design using an adapted instrument, the Negative Behaviors in HealthCare (NBHC) survey, assessed perceptions of negative behaviours by physicians, clinical, and managerial staff both before and after a professionalism taskforce was convened in 2012 to identify and promulgate key strategies to improve behaviours. RESULTS The 1,980 respondents completed the pre-survey in January 2012 and 1,423 completed the post-survey in 2014. Significant reductions in use of lateral aggression (LA) and vertical aggression (VA) (χ2 = 5.65, p < 0.017), observation of LA and VA (χ2 = 4.90, p < 0.027), and experience with contributing factors associated with negative behaviours (χ2 = 9.03, p < 0.003) were identified. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that a professionalism taskforce guiding key strategies to elevate professionalism significantly affected beliefs about lateral and vertical aggression. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT Decreasing negative behaviours in health care will require additional strategies and consistent implementation. Additional research addressing fear, retaliation, and job stress, and linking these behaviours to patient safety outcomes, is required.
Simultaneous Determination of Tacrolimus and Cyclosporine A in Whole Blood by Ultrafast LC-MS/MS.

Numerous methods for the measurement of tacrolimus and cyclosporine A involving traditional liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) have previously been described. The majority of these methods use solid-phase extraction, liquid-liquid extraction, or protein precipitation extraction with instrument run times greater than 15 s per sample. Continued demands in clinical labs for greater efficiency and throughput have put increased stress on traditional technologies such as high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) and traditional LC-MS/MS. As an improvement to the existing methods, we describe a sensitive ultrafast LC-MS/MS with run times of less than 15 s per sample.
Rapid untargeted screening for drug residues in animal tissues with liquid microjunction surface sampling probe mass spectrometry.

Abstract An untargeted screening method for the rapid identification of veterinary drug residues in incurred animal tissues using liquid microjunction surface sampling probe mass spectrometry (LMJSSP-MS) was developed. Current analytical methods for veterinary drug residue screening involve lengthy sample preparation, extraction, and instrumental analysis steps. This method identifies veterinary drug residues in several different incurred animal tissues more quickly than conventional analytical methods. This LMJSSP-MS method uses an ambient ionization technology called liquid microjunction surface sampling probe along with a data dependent scan function of a quadrupole orbitrap mass spectrometer. Collected product ion spectra are searched against the mzCloud™ online mass spectral database to identify veterinary drug residues found in incurred animal tissue samples. Examples of veterinary drugs identified with this method include flunixin, tilmicosin, pentobarbital, xylazine, and ketamine. Optimization of method parameters is described and discussed. The limit of identification (LOI) of this method is estimated to be approximately 1 μg g−1 for xylazine and ketamine.
Room-Temperature Aqueous Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reactions Catalyzed via a Recyclable Palladium@Halloysite Nanocomposite

A reliable method for encapsulation of palladium nanoparticles (6–8 nm particles) in halloysite (Pd@Hal) has been developed. The Pd@Hal was found to be a highly efficient room-temperature catalyst ...
481-P: KCNMA1 Transcriptional Regulation by Nrf2 in Diabetic Vessels

KCNMA1 encodes the large conductance Ca 2+ -activated K + channel pore-forming subunits (BK-α), a major ionic mechanism that regulates vascular smooth muscle physiology and is impaired in high fat diet-induced (HFD) diabetic mice. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a master transcription factor that regulates a wide variety of cellular proteins by binding to the antioxidant response elements (AREs). We found that the promoter region of KCNMA1 contains multiple AREs, but whether Nrf2 regulates KCNMA1 expression is unknown. In this study, we hypothesize that Nrf2 is a transcriptional regulator of KCNMA1 and the reduced Nrf2 activity in diabetes contributes to BK channelopathy. Using videomicroscopy, patch clamp recordings, molecular and cellular approaches, we found that BK channel activity and BK channel-mediated vasodilation were diminished in the coronary arteries of mice after 4 months on HFD. This was accompanied by significant reductions in BK-α and Nrf2 protein expression. In cultured coronary artery smooth muscle cells (CASMCs), adenoviral transduction with Nrf2 (50 MOI) resulted in an increase of BK-α mRNA by 10-fold and BK-α protein expression by 2-fold, while a 70% knockdown of Nrf2 by shRNA produced a 30% downregulation of BK-α protein levels. Luciferase reporter assays showed robust luciferase signals in cells 48 h after co-transfection with Nrf2 vectors and reporter vectors containing a segment of the KCNMA1 promoter region with a predicted ARE-Nrf2 binding site, but not those with empty vectors or KCNMA1 reporter vectors with the ARE-Nrf2 binding site deleted. Most importantly, treatment with dimethyl fumarate (a Nrf2 activator) increased BK-α mRNA and protein expression in cultured CASMCs, and rescued BK channel function and BK channel-mediated vasodilation in coronary arteries of HFD mice. Our results indicate that Nrf2 transcriptionally regulates KCNMA1 expression in CASMCs and has a therapeutic potential in the treatment of BK channelopathy and vasculopathy in diabetes. Disclosure H. Lee: None. X. Sun: None. X. Wang: None. T. Lu: None. Funding American Diabetes Association (1-18-IBS-210 to H-C.L.); National Institutes of Health (R01HL74180)
Gastric MALT lymphoma refractory to Helicobacter pylori antibiotic therapy.

Gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma is a rare clonal B-cell neoplasm that is usually associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. The presence of H. pylori should be confirmed via ...
Experiences: Design, Implementation, and Deployment of CoLTE, a Community LTE Solution

In this paper we introduce CoLTE, a solution for LTE-based community networks. CoLTE is a lightweight, Internet-only LTE core network (EPC) designed to facilitate the deployment and operation of small-scale, community owned and operated LTE networks in rural areas with limited and unreliable backhaul. The key differentiator of CoLTE, when compared to existing LTE solutions, is that in CoLTE the EPC is designed to be located in the field and deployed alongside a small number of cellular radios (eNodeBs), as opposed to the centralized model seen in large-scale telecom networks. We also provide performance results and lessons learned from a real-world CoLTE network deployed in rural Indonesia. This network has been sustainably operating for over six months, currently serves over 40 active users, and provides measured backhaul reductions of up to 45% when compared to cloud-core solutions.
Diffusion MRI biomarkers of white matter microstructure vary nonmonotonically with increasing cerebral amyloid deposition.

Abstract Beta amyloid (Aβ) accumulation is the earliest pathological marker of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but early AD pathology also affects white matter (WM) integrity. We performed a cross-sectional study including 44 subjects (23 healthy controls and 21 mild cognitive impairment or early AD patients) who underwent simultaneous PET-MR using 18F-Florbetapir, and were categorized into 3 groups based on Aβ burden: Aβ− [mean mSUVr ≤1.00], Aβi [1.00
Incriminating Intelligence: The Strategic Provision of Evidence in War Crimes Tribunals

Transitional justice's effectiveness is hotly debated, with many scholars taking a negative view due to the difficulty of proving responsibility for war crimes. We highlight a largely overlooked source of such evidence: intelligence provided by third party states. We theorize countries' incentives and disincentives to share such information, arguing that they often wish to provide it to promote accountability and other political goals, but withhold it to avoid revealing intelligence sources and methods. However, we show that international war crimes tribunals' adoption of confidentiality systems can ease this tension. Courts can receive and use national intelligence to gain insights into culpability for atrocities while protecting that information from wide dissemination. However, states only supply sensitive information in line with their political interests. To test our claims, we focus on the United States' intelligence sharing with two ad hoc tribunals -- the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda -- which possess similar design features. Drawing on newly reviewed archival materials, elite interviews, and secondary sources, we show that confidentiality protections elicited considerable intelligence disclosures when the U.S. had a political interest in prosecuting the case, increasing arrests and indictments.
Assessment of climate change impact over California using dynamical downscaling with a bias correction technique: method validation and analyses of summertime results

This study explores climate-change influences on future air pollution-relevant meteorological variables (e.g., temperature, wind, humidity, boundary layer heights) and atmospheric phenomena (e.g., heat wave, marine air penetration, droughts) over California by the 2050s. The Community Earth System Model simulation results from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 under an emission scenario that most closely aligns with California’s climate change goals were bias-corrected with respect to North American Regional Reanalysis data to reduce biases in both the climatological mean and inter-annual variations. The bias-corrected ~ 1° × 1° meteorological fields were dynamically downscaled to a resolution of 4 km × 4 km over California using the Weather Research and Forecasting model. This study focuses on summertime results, while the analysis of wintertime results will be presented in a separate paper. Our downscaled results projected a future increase of approximately 1 K in summer mean surface temperature over California under this single future climate realization. The temperature increase is larger in the nighttime than in the daytime. Water vapor mixing ratio is also projected to increase over California and off the coast. There are discernable decreases in boundary layer heights over the mountain ranges surrounding the central valley of California, while increases in boundary layer heights are observed over other regions in California. The number and duration of heat wave events are projected to increase substantially over the most populated parts of the State. The occurrence of marine air penetration events over the northern California is also projected to increase in the future.
Diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma in client-owned rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus): 16 eyes from 11 rabbits (2008–2019)

Abstract Background Although rabbits are commonly used as laboratory models for human glaucoma, management of this disease in pet rabbits has received little attention in the current literature. Spontaneous congenital glaucoma was initially described in New Zealand Whites as an autosomal recessive trait manifesting early in life. Glaucoma may also develop secondary to cataracts, uveitis, or other ocular pathologies. Findings associated with glaucoma in rabbits include elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal edema, loss of vision, optic nerve head cupping, and progressive buphthalmia. Topical medications, intravitreal gentamicin injections, and various surgical techniques have been used to manage glaucoma in rabbits. This case series details the presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and clinical progression of glaucoma in rabbits at Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University and VCA South Shore (Weymouth) Animal Hospital from 2008-2019. Methods The records of Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University and VCA South Shore (Weymouth) Animal Hospital were retrospectively reviewed to identify records of rabbits diagnosed with glaucoma by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist or ophthalmology resident between 2008-2019. Results Glaucoma was diagnosed in 16 eyes from 11 rabbits. Median IOP at diagnosis was 39 mmHg (26-55 mmHg) with various clinical signs at presentation including vision loss (11 rabbits, 16 eyes), buphthalmia (8 rabbits, 11 eyes), corneal edema (4 rabbits, 5 eyes), and optic nerve head cupping (5 rabbits, 6 eyes). Other ocular examination findings included cataracts (5 rabbits, 8 eyes) and uveitis (4 rabbits, 8 eyes). Two rabbits were seropositive for Encephalitozoon cuniculi. All eyes were initially treated with topical medications, with 10 eyes from 7 rabbits refractory to initial medical management. Two rabbits (3 eyes) showed progressive reduction in IOPs with long-term continuing topical therapy. Two rabbits (2 eyes) underwent unilateral enucleation and 3 rabbits (5 eyes) received intravitreal gentamicin injections. Conclusions Etiology of glaucoma in rabbits is likely more varied than previously thought, as many of the cases described were not consistent with primary congenital glaucoma. Topical treatments were effective in many rabbits. In those refractory to medical management, enucleation or intravitreal gentamicin injection were successful in decreasing IOP as second-line therapy when performed.