cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of thermal and mechanical fatigue on flexural strength of G40-600/PMR-15 cross-ply laminates

The effects of thermal and mechanical fatigue on the flexural strength of G40-600/PMR-15 cross-ply laminates with ply orientation of (0(2),90(2))2S and (90(2),0(2))2S are examined. The relative importance of shear and tensile stresses is examined by varying the span-to-depth ratios of flexural test specimens from 8 to 45. Acoustic emission signals are measured during the flexural tests in order to monitor the initiation and growth of damage. Optical microscopy is used to examine specimens for resin cracking, delamination, and fiber breaks after testing. Transverse matrix cracks and delaminations occur in all specimens, regardless of ply orientation, span-to-depth ratio, or previous exposure of specimens to thermal and mechanical fatigue. A small amount of fiber tensile fracture occurs in the outer 0 deg ply of specimens with high span-to-depth ratios. Because of the complex failure modes, the flexural test results represent the 'apparent' strengths rather than the true flexural or shear strengths for these cross-ply laminates. Thermal cycling of specimens prior to flexural testing does not reduce the apparent flexural strength or change the mode of failure. However, fewer acoustic events are recorded at all strains during flexural testing of specimens exposed to prior thermal cycling. High temperature thermal cycling (32 to 260 C, 100 cycles) causes a greater reduction in acoustic events than low temperature thermal cycling (-85 to +85 C, 500 cycles). Mechanical cycling (0 to 50 percent of the flexural strength, 100 cycles) has a similar effect, except that acoustic events are reduced only at strains less than the maximum strain applied during flexural fatigue.
Interference with histidyl-tRNA synthetase by a CRISPR spacer sequence as a factor in the evolution of Pelobacter carbinolicus

Pelobacter carbinolicus, a bacterium of the family Geobacteraceae, cannot reduce Fe(III) directly or produce electricity like its relatives. How P. carbinolicus evolved is an intriguing problem. The genome of P. carbinolicus contains clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) separated by unique spacer sequences, which recent studies have shown to produce RNA molecules that interfere with genes containing identical sequences. CRISPR spacer #1, which matches a sequence within hisS, the histidyl-tRNA synthetase gene of P. carbinolicus, was shown to be expressed. Phylogenetic analysis and genetics demonstrated that a gene paralogous to hisS in the genomes of Geobacteraceae is unlikely to compensate for interference with hisS. Spacer #1 inhibited growth of a transgenic strain of Geobacter sulfurreducens in which the native hisS was replaced with that of P. carbinolicus. The prediction that interference with hisS would result in an attenuated histidyl-tRNA pool insufficient for translation of proteins with multiple closely spaced histidines, predisposing them to mutation and elimination during evolution, was investigated by comparative genomics of P. carbinolicus and related species. Several ancestral genes with high histidine demand have been lost or modified in the P. carbinolicus lineage, providing an explanation for its physiological differences from other Geobacteraceae. The disappearance of multiheme c-type cytochromes and other genes typical of a metal-respiring ancestor from the P. carbinolicus lineage may be the consequence of spacer #1 interfering with hisS, a condition that can be reproduced in a heterologous host. This is the first successful co-introduction of an active CRISPR spacer and its target in the same cell, the first application of a chimeric CRISPR construct consisting of a spacer from one species in the context of repeats of another species, and the first report of a potential impact of CRISPR on genome-scale evolution by interference with an essential gene.
The preparation and physical properties of polyester–poly(methyl methacrylates) triblock copolymers

Abstract : Block copolymers having the basic structure of PMMA-PE-PMMA (PMMA = polymethyl methacrylate, PE = polyester) were prepared by the reaction of diisocyanate-terminated polyesters with hydroxyl-terminated poly(methyl methacrylate). The molecular weights of these copolymers varied from 7500 to 47,000. The formation of block copolymers by this method was confirmed by infrared and molecular weight analyses as well as by the physical behavior of these materials. Block copolymers of molecular weight less than 21,000 were extremely brittle in nature. The stronger copolymers of molecular weight greater than 29,000 were examined as to their dynamic modulus and stress-strain behavior. This included the effect of added homopolymer on the stress-strain behavior of such materials. To better understand their physical properties, the micelle theory of Inoue et. al. was applied to these copolymers to help elucidate their morphologies.
Protecting ideas---Careers in intellectual property and patents [Career Building Blocks]

Patent law is the body of law governing the protection of rights to an invention made by an inventor and/or patent owner (such as a company or other organization which has obtained rights to a patent). Such an invention stems from an idea and may or may not result in a tangible product. Patent law protects the idea, and the owner of such an idea can prevent others from making, using, and selling a product that uses that idea by means of one or more associated patents. In the current global economic scenario, protection of intellectual property means protection from theft of potential profits that an individual or an organization can possibly make by commercialization of a patent and/or a family of patents related to a particular technology.
Neuropathic pain symptoms relative to overall pain rating.

Abstract The influence of sensory symptoms on overall simple pain ratings in neuropathic pain is not well understood. The goal of this study was to determine this relationship by using the Neuropathic Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) and Neuropathic Pain Scale (NPS) in patients who had neuropathic pain. Overall pain intensity ratings were assessed by means of Average and Worst Pain ratings from the Brief Pain Inventory. Ongoing average pain was rated as 5.7 and worst pain as 7.7 on 0 to 10 scale, and it was present in 96% of patients, whereas symptoms that are commonly studied in the laboratory, such as increased pain due to touch and due to heat, were much less frequent (64% and 38%, respectively). Worst pain was most highly correlated with shooting, stabbing, and distress symptom complex, which was in contrast to Average pain, which was most highly correlated with symptom complex consisting of a large number of items. Analysis of conceptually related thermal heat sensation types of pain, spontaneous “burning” pain and the evoked pain “increased due to heat,” showed that spontaneous burning pain was reported at much higher frequency and intensity than the evoked increased pain due to heat. There was no statistically significant difference between descriptors from NPS and NPQ among subgroups of neuropathic pain, such as polyneuropathy, radiculopathy, or posttraumatic neuralgia, but this could be in part due to relatively small number of patients in these subgroups of neuropathic pain. Quantitative analysis, as performed in this study, is one of the steps in developing an approach for elucidating the relationship between neuropathic pain symptoms and underlying mechanisms. Perspective Assessment of neuropathic pain symptoms by means of specifically designed questionnaires provides significant insight into patients' pain experience, including pain overall, which is under many influences. Further research of this type can contribute to advances in mechanism-based diagnosis and treatment.
Are predicted structures good enough to preserve functional sites

Abstract Background: A principal goal of structure prediction is the elucidation of function. We have studied the ability of computed models to preserve the microenvironments of functional sites. In particular, 653 model structures of a calcium-binding protein (generated using an ab initio folding protocol) were analyzed, and the degree to which calcium-binding sites were recognizable was assessed. Results: While some model structures preserve the calcium-binding microenvironments, many others, including some with low root mean square deviations (rmsds) from the crystal structure of the native protein, do not. There is a very weak correlation between the overall rmsd of a structure and the preservation of calcium-binding sites. Only when the quality of the model structure is high (rmsd less than 2 A for atoms in the 7 A local neighborhood around calcium) does the modeling of the binding sites become reliable. Conclusions: Protein structure prediction methods need to be assessed in terms of their preservation of functional sites. High-resolution structures are necessary for identifying binding sites such as calcium-binding sites.
Frequency judgments for distractor items in a short-term memory task: instructional variation and adult age differences

The present study compared memory of both young adults and elderly adults for frequency information under true incidental and intentional memory conditions that differed with respect to the presence or absence of rehearsal strategies. The paradigm involved a short-term memory task for which the distractor words verbalized during the retention interval varied in frequency of occurrence. Prior knowledge of the frequency judgment test for the distractor items (intentional memory) lowered short-term memory proficiency, particularly for elderly adults, but had no effect on frequency judgments, relative to the absence of prior knowledge of the frequency test (incidental memory), for both young and elderly adults. Elderly adults were less proficient than young adults on both the short-term memory task and the frequency judgment task.
Genetic studies of aquatic biological invasions: closing the gap between research and management

Recent years have seen a dramatic rise in the application of genetic methods to understand aquatic biological invasions. In part these methods have been adopted to address fundamental questions in biogeography, evolutionary biology, population ecology, and other fields. But it is also commonly suggested that genetic information has the potential to directly inform the management of aquatic invasions. Here I explore the potential promise of genetic approaches for informing management of aquatic invasive species, the degree to which that promise has been realized in terms of utilization of genetic information by managers and other decision-makers, and the likely limitations to the value of genetic methods (both in principle and in practice) and ways in which these limitations might be overcome. I consider a range of possible applications of genetic tools for management, including molecular detection and identification of cryptic invaders, source tracking and reconstruction of invasion history, and inference of population demographics. Retrospective assessment of the utility of such applications is based on both literature review and solicitation of expert opinion, and suggests that a number of hurdles likely often prevent genetic information from effectively informing decision-making. These include (1) limitations or misunderstandings of the resolution and certainty afforded by genetic analysis; (2) failure to engage decision-makers in problem formulation, research design and research implementation; and (3) complex relationships between basic research and management actions. While some of the obstacles considered are rooted in theoretical and practical limitations of genetic analysis, others are clearly associated with poor communication and insufficient engagement of potential end-users of genetic information. I consider possible avenues for overcoming these obstacles and for improving the applicability of genetic information for supporting management decisions.
Effects of alkyl amine surfactants on the corrosion of a rotating copper cylinder

Abstract The corrosion of a rotating copper cylinder in saline solution has been studied in terms of the rest potential and the limiting current density for optimum cathodic protection of the metal. A comparison of these electrochemical parameters has been made in the absence and the presence of alkyl amine surfactants of various chain lengths. Alkyl amines were found to reduce both the tendency of the metal to corrode and the current requirement for cathodic protection. An attempt has been made to explain the inhibition phenomenon and its dependency on such variables as the electrode rotational speed, surfactant concentration and chain length.
A general immunochemical method for detecting proteins on blots

Abstract Following horizontal electroelution, or blotting, of proteins from polyacrylamide gels to immobilizing matrices, such as nitrocellulose or Zeta-bind paper, the transferred proteins can be derivatized in situ with pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and sodium borohydride. After a quenching step to eliminate nonspecific binding of antibody to the protein-binding matrix, the blot is incubated with a solution containing a mouse monoclonal antibody specific for the 5′-phosphopyridoxyl group. The transferred proteins can then be located on the blot with second antibody staining procedures employing either a peroxidase-linked goat anti-mouse ((ab′) 2 antibody or a peroxidase-linked avidin/biotin system. The solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method described in this report is a mild, general, and sensitive immunochemical method for the detection of proteins on protein-binding matrices.
Parasitism of Heliothis zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) eggs and larvae and Celama sorghiella (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) eggs on grain sorghum panicles

Grain sorghum panicles were collected and examined for Heliothis zea (Boddie) eggs and larvae and Celama sorghiella (Riley) eggs during 1986–1988 in seven sorghum fields along the Red River in southwestern Arkansas, northeastern Texas, and southeastern Oklahoma. Trichogramma exiguum (Pinto and Planter) and T. pretiosum Riley were the predominant parasites attacking H. zea and C. sorghiella eggs. Trichogramma spp. appeared to be an important mortality factor of H. zea and C. sorghiella eggs on grain sorghum panicles, particularly if H. zea or C. sorghiella eggs were available through the season for Trichogramma spp. to build up on. Seven species of parasites were reared from H. zea larvae; one eulophid, three tachinids, and three braconids. The incidence of larval parasitism was low, less than 2%, for the three-year study and appeared to have a minimal effect on larval numbers.
Confined viscous liquids: Interfacial versus finite size effects

Confining a supercooled liquid to spaces of several nanometer in diameter can lead to dramatic changes in the relaxation dynamics of the material. In many cases, the effect is reported as a confinement induced shift of the glass transition temperature Tg. Both positive and negative values for ΔT g have been observed and the length scale of the confining geometry is considered the main variable. We review the dynamics of glass-forming liquids in both hard and soft confinement of <10 nm spaces, with focus on results from solvation dynamics experiments. It is shown that the interface is instrumental in determinig the dynamics, giving rise to reaxation time gradients across the cooperativity length scale of the liquid. Depending on the interfacial conditions, dynamics can become faster or slower for the same liquid, same size of confinement, and identical experimental technique used. No indications of true finite size effects are observed, and the pore or droplet size is relevant only indirectly through the relative number of molecules near the surface.
Noise characterization of a pulse train generated by actively mode-locked lasers

We analyze the entire power spectrum of pulse trains generated by a continuously operating actively mode-locked laser in the presence of noise. We consider the effect of amplitude, pulse-shape, and timing-jitter fluctuations that are characterized by stationary processes. Effects of correlations between different parameters of these fluctuations are studied also. The nonstationary timing-jitter fluctuations of passively mode-locked lasers and their influence on the power spectrum is discussed as well.
The coagulation of hydrosols by brownian motion and laminar shear flow

Abstract The coagulation of hydrosols was investigated theoretically and experimentally. A reduced form of the particle size distribution function, designated “self-preserving,” was found to satisfy Smoluchowski's equations of coagulation by Brownian motion and shear flow. Brownian motion coagulation experiments with two heterogeneous hydrosols showed that the distributions were self-preserving. The rate of coagulation for heterogeneous systems was found to be second order in total particle concentration, consistent with the self-preserving form of the distribution function. Coagulation experiments were carried out in a simple laminar shear field using a homogeneous Dow polystyrene latex dispersion. Smoluchowski's shear flow theory was confirmed for shear rates ranging from 1 to 80 sec. −1 The shear coagulation of a heterogeneous emulsion was studied at several shear rates, and the size distributions were self-preserving.
Kruskal's uniqueness inequality is sharp

Abstract Kruskal proved that a tensor in V 1 ⊗ V 2 ⊗ ⋯ ⊗ V m of rank r has a unique decomposition as a sum of r pure tensors if a certain inequality is satisfied. We will show the uniqueness fails if the inequality is weakened. We give two different constructions for counterexamples.
Stress inversion using slip tendency

The in situ stress state is an important controlling factor for the slip behavior of faults and fractures in the earth's crust and hence for the productivity of faulted and fractured hydrocarbon reservoirs. Current methods for stress tensor estimation rely on slip vector field data; however, this information is not generally available from data sets that are commonly used in the oil and gas industry. This work presents a new stress inversion approach where slip tendency is used as a proxy for fault displacement, which can easily be extracted from data sets routinely used by the oil and gas industry. The inversion approach is demonstrated using a data set obtained from the Canyon Lake Gorge in Comal County, Texas.
Broadband single-pulse CARS spectra in a fired internal combustion engine

The first known broadband single-pulse coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) measurements within the cylinder of a firing internal combustion engine are reported. Postcombustion temperature and carbon monoxide concentration are probed with 1-mm(3) spatial resolution and 10-nsec temporal resolution. Space- and time-resolved measurements, as presented here, are shown to be necessary for the study of fluctuating systems such as engines.
Pharmacokinetic interactions between cyclosporine and protease inhibitors in HIV+ subjects.

Summary: With advances in antiretroviral therapy, many HIV + individuals are living longer lives and some are developing end-stage renal and/or hepatic disease requiring transplantation. These patients require concomitant use of immunosuppressants (e.g., cyclosporine [CsA]) and antiretrovirals (e.g., protease inhibitors [PIs]), which exhibit narrow therapeutic windows and are substrates and inhibitors of cytochrome P450 3A enzymes and the cellular transporter P-glycoprotein. In this pilot study, HIV + subjects on either oral nelfinavir (NFV) or indinavir (IND) with nondetectable viral loads and normal renal and hepatic function had 12 hour pharmacokinetic (PK) studies on 3 separate days: PIs alone, PIs + intravenous CsA, and PIs + oral CsA to determine the extent of PK interactions between these medications. PIs and CsA concentrations were measured by LC/MS in plasma and whole blood, respectively. Nine subjects (n = 7 on NFV, n = 2 on IND) completed the study. Only the results of those subjects taking NFV are reported. Oral co-administration of CsA increased NFV T max from 2.6 ± 0.9 to 3.2 ± 0.8 h (p 0 -∞ from 27.9±15.2 to 43.2±27.1 mg*h/mL (p = 0.06). Intravenous CsA did not appreciably alter oral pharmacokinetics of NFV. Both CsA and NFV PK parameters exhibited a high degree of intersubject variability, underscoring the need for routine therapeutic drug monitoring of both CsA and PIs in HIV + subjects undergoing transplantation.
Strings Complete the Spectrum of 1-D δ-FUNCTION Fermions

We study the completeness of the nested Bethe ansatz eigenfunctions for a one dimensional gas of spin-1/2 fermions interacting via a repulsive delta-function potential. We show the completeness of the eigenfunctions for a system in an infinite box with N fermions and the orientation of either one or two of the spins differing from the rest. This demonstrates that the spin bound states (also called Λ-strings) are necessary for completeness of the spectrum.
Family Poverty, School-Based Parental Involvement, and Policy-Focused Protective Factors in Kindergarten.

Multilevel models of data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (N = 19,375) revealed that the negative association between family poverty and school-based parental involvement in education varied according to family and school factors targeted by large-scale policy interventions. Specifically, the association was weaker when parents and teachers had higher levels of educational attainment. In contrast, the association was stronger when schools had greater parent outreach. Also, the moderating role of parent education was stronger for two stably partnered biological parents than for other parents. These findings underscore the need to examine protective factors in research on the family process model and shed light on policy-amenable factors that potentially improve the early educational experiences of poor children.
No dignity in BODY WORLDS: a silent minority speaks.

I applaud Lawrence Burns (2007) for his decision to carefully examine the ethics of Gunther von Hagens' popular BODY WORLDS shows. These collections of plastinated, dissected human cadavers and bod...
Why Mexico's ‘stabilizing development’ was actually destabilizing (with some implications for the future)

Abstract The recent devaluation of the Mexican peso, with all its accompanying disruptions, was a symptom of still unresolved structural problems. Apparent successes of the economy during the ‘stabilizing development’ of the 1960s caused the deferral of difficult solutions to underlying fiscal, financial and social problems. Echeverria's ‘shared development’ policies heightened the instability of the economy by avoiding tax reforms, postponing inevitable peso devaluation and failing to implement measures to reduce social inequalities. Given the eventual devaluations in 1976 and subsequent float of the peso, the new administration hopes to address more effectively fiscal and social disequilibria, but US cooperation will be required in the form of long-term credit to facilitate internal growth and employment, and in migration policy to permit a safety valve for Mexico's large and growing labour surplus.
Kinetic Studies of the Reaction of Tetraethoxysilane with Oxygen Atoms

The temperature dependent kinetics of the reaction of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) with O atom have been determined by fast flow reactor molecular beam sampling. The rate of constant has the form k = 3.4 x 10 -11 exp (-1304 K/T) cm 3 s -1 over the temperature range 300 to 673 K and similar to that of H atom abstraction from carbon-bonded ethoxy groups. Gas-phase products of the chemistry have been analyzed which suggest that following formation of the primary radical, subsequent reactions lead to the formation of R 3 SiO and/or R n Si(OH) 4-n (n < 4). These species are believed to undergo both four center elimination of ethylene and addition reactions to produce Si-O-Si ligands by dehydration.
Solar pond ground heat loss to a moving water table

Abstract An analytical solution is presented that calculates the heat loss from the bottom of a solar pond (or any heated object) to a soil that contains a moving water table. The water table is treated as a fluid slab moving as a slug flow in one dimension. Edge effects and horizontal heat conduction are ignored. Both steady-state and time-dependent solutions are presented. Results are presented in terms of an effectiveness ratio—the actual heat flux divided by the steady-state heat flux resulting from a constant temperature heat sink at the depth of the water table. The only water-table parameter that strongly affects the effectiveness is the fluid capacity rate. Thus, for any potential solar pond site, a measurement of the mass flow rate of the water table combined with knowledge of the soil thermal properties will allow a good estimation of the ground heat loss expected over the lifetime of the pond.
Photonic crystal microcavity lasers

We report on our progress made in developing microcavity photonic crystal lasers. Both suspended membrane devices and devices formed in membranes bonded to sapphire are described.
Electron energy loss spectroscopy - A contribution to analytical electron microscopy

Abstract On passing through a thin electron microscope specimen, electrons can transfer energy to the specimen. How the specimen absorbs that energy depends on the chemical and electronic structure of the sample. As pointed out by Hillier 1 measurements of the energy loss spectrum can be utilized as a scheme of microanalysis. In recent years, considerable interest has arisen in the development of electron spectroscopy as a microanalytical tool for low elements. In addition, valuable insight into the electronic properties of the specimen can be obtained from a study of details of the energy losses. A discussion of the physics underlying energy loss characteristics will be presented with emphasis on angular dependence of the fine structure in graphite and boron nitride 2 and fine structure associated with unoccupied d-bands in transition metals 3 .
Emission tomography of the heart: principles and applications.

Radionuclide methods for evaluation of myocardial ischemia [42, 88] and infarction [42, 43] have become widely available. In addition to providing diagnostic information, these techniques also have predictive value [45]. The accurate interpretation of myocardial scintigraphy is, however, complicated by the compression of a three-dimensional radiopharmaceutical distribution into a two-dimensional image by the detector System. This can cause masking of abnormalities by normal underlying or overlying areas, as well as introduce errors due to superposition of extracardiac activity.
A randomized stepped care intervention trial targeting posttraumatic stress disorder for surgically hospitalized injury survivors.

Objective—To test the effectiveness of a stepped care intervention model targeting posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after injury. Background—Few investigations have evaluated interventions for injured patients with PTSD and related impairments that can be feasibly implemented in trauma surgical settings. Methods—The investigation was a pragmatic effectiveness trial in which 207 acutely injured hospitalized trauma survivors were screened for high PTSD symptom levels and then randomized to a stepped combined, care management, psychopharmacology, and cognitive behavioral psychotherapy intervention (n = 104) or usual care control (n = 103) conditions. The symptoms of PTSD and functional limitations were reassessed at one-, three-, six-, nine-, and twelve-months after the index injury admission. Results—Regression analyses demonstrated that over the course of the year after injury, intervention patients had significantly reduced PTSD symptoms when compared to controls (group by time effect, CAPS, F(2, 185) = 5.50, P < 0.01; PCL-C, F(4, 185) = 5.45, P < 0.001). Clinically and statistically significant PTSD treatment effects were observed at the six-, nine-, and twelve-month post-injury assessments. Over the course of the year after injury, intervention patients also demonstrated significant improvements in physical function (MOS SF-36 PCS main effect, F(1, 172) = 9.87, P < 0.01). Conclusion—Stepped care interventions can reduce PTSD symptoms and improve functioning over the course of the year after surgical injury hospitalization. Orchestrated investigative and policy efforts could systematically introduce and evaluate screening and intervention procedures for PTSD at United States trauma centers. (Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00270959)
From Crops to Concrete: Urbanization, Deagriculturalization, and Construction Material Mining in Central Mexico

In tropical countries, urbanization and rural deagriculturalization are intimately linked processes. Growth of the construction industry, which draws labor and materials from rural and periurban areas, is a key component of rural–urban interactions. Using a case study from the Perote Valley, Mexico, this article analyzes how urban-driven concrete aggregate mining affects rural agricultural lands and livelihoods. Land-cover changes associated with aggregate surface mining were examined by comparing aerial photographs, satellite images, and Global Positioning System field maps of the valley. In addition, sixty-six formal household interviews were conducted in three agrarian communities. Results indicate that between 1995 and 2006, mine surface area quadrupled, from 181 to 706 hectares, and the spatial distribution of surface mines followed a predictable pattern of extraction, from most to least accessible. Numerous factors persuaded farmers to convert fields to mines, including increased prices for aggregat...
Sheriff’s deputies’ receptivity to organizational change

Many criminologists have investigated the implementation process concerning the transformation toward community‐oriented policing, while researchers interested in the area of work and occupations and/or complex organizations have examined factors which contribute to or inhibit successful organizational change. To date, however, there has been little empirical research addressing the issue of employee receptivity to such change. The present study examines the effects of sheriff’s deputies’ socio‐demographic characteristics, work orientations, and perceptions of agency readiness/preparedness on their receptivity to organizational change. These deputies are employed in a sheriff’s department undergoing an agency‐wide shift toward community‐oriented policing. Our findings suggest that a service orientation and a belief that the agency has attained an appropriate level of preparedness positively influence their receptivity to change.
Regional after-hours urgent care provided by a tertiary children's hospital.

Background. Ambulatory presentation to a tertiary pediatric emergency department (ED) is not convenient for many families. Yet many primary care pediatricians (PCPs) desire after-hours urgent care for their patients as an alternative to extended office hours or care by general emergency medicine providers at community hospitals. Objective. To describe a regional, community-based pediatric urgent care network (PUCN). Methods. The PUCN consists of 4 models: 1) pediatric emergency medicine faculty in a community hospital ED; 2) general pediatricians in a community hospital ED; 3) general pediatricians in a freestanding urgent care center; and 4) general pediatricians in a community hospital-based urgent care center. Physician staffing at all 4 sites is managed by our tertiary children’s hospital. Billing records were reviewed and a questionnaire was mailed to 55 PCP practices in our metro area. Results. Year 2001 visits totaled 37 143. Minor trauma, ear complaints, and viral illnesses accounted for 70% of visits. Current Procedural Terminology codes for visits, reflecting complexity levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 were billed at the following frequency: 1%, 35%, 44%, 17% and 3%, respectively. A total of 2.2% of visits required admission or transfer. Mean collection rates ranged from 37% to 68% across the 4 sites. Break-even average hourly patient volumes ranged from 1.1 (site 4) to 1.9 (sites 1 and 3). A total of 110 PCPs, representing all 55 practices, responded to the questionnaire: 81% reported their patients used the PUCN often, 85% felt that communication between the PUCN and their practice was good, and 99% reported overall satisfaction with the network. Conclusions. The PUCN effectively addresses the needs of regional PCPs; however, the cost-effectiveness of such a program depends on billing practices, local collection rates, and site-specific staffing patterns.
The flight of the Tethered Satellite System

The U.S.-Italian Tethered Satellite System (TSS) Electrodynamics Mission flew aboard ST-46; the 500-kg satellite will be extended from the Shuttle Orbiter, to which it will remain connected via conducting insulated wire tether. TSS-1 constitutes the first effort to resolve the problem postulated in the 1920s by Langmuir, involving the determination of the dynamic current-voltage characteristics of a body that is charged to high potential and located in a magnetized plasma in the absence of physical boundaries. TSS-1 is also a first step to the use of tethers for space power generation and propulsion.
Insights into the Cyclic Nucleotide Selectivity Mechanism of Cyclic GMP Dependent Protein Kinase II

Membrane bound type II cGMP dependent protein kinase (PKG II) is a central mediator of cGMP signaling cascade, which regulates circadian rhythmicity, intestinal water secretion, bone growth and renal functions. PKG II contains an N-terminal regulatory (R)-domain, and a C-terminal catalytic (C)-domain. The R-domain contains tandem cyclic nucleotide binding domains (CNB-A and B) each with different affinities for cGMP, the second messenger that regulates kinase activity of PKG II. While it is known that PKG II needs to be highly selective for cGMP over cAMP to function properly, little is known about its cyclic nucleotide selectivity and the selectivity's role in activation. To understand its cyclic nucleotide selectivity and activation mechanism of PKG II, we first identified CNB-B to be highly selective for cGMP and solved its crystal structure with cGMP. The complex structure revealed that PKG II utilizes an arginine and two aspartate residues on the C-terminal helix to recognize the guanine moiety in cGMP. This is completely different from PKG I, where a conserved arginine from the β barrel of CNB-B specifically binds the guanine moiety of cGMP and imparts cyclic nucleotide selectivity. We are currently testing the roles of PKG II specific interactions in cGMP selectivity and activation of PKG II.
Outcomes Research in Facial Plastic Surgery: A Review and New Directions

Outcomes research is a fast-growing field of study that focuses on patient-related aspects of medical or surgical outcomes such as satisfaction and quality of life. In the realm of facial plastic surgery, many outcomes are subjective evaluations based on the patient and physician's judgment as to the surgical result, but little has been done to quantify these qualitative results in an objective manner. This paper discusses the basis for outcomes research and suggests its application to the field of facial plastic surgery. Four new facial plastic outcomes instruments have been developed and are provided for the potential use in measuring the quality of life results of rhytidectomy, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, and skin rejuvenation procedures.
Failure of Standards in Reporting the Composition of Artificial Cerebral Spinal Fluid in Studies of the Pial Blood Vessels

To the Editor: Reproducible experimental results require the replication of the experimental conditions under which the experiment was first performed. Relevance to humans may depend on the degree to which those conditions resembled those to which humans are exposed. With respect to studies of vascular reactivity, a most important parameter is the composition of the fluid bathing the vessel. For vessels on the brains surface, so-called pial vessels, this fluid is the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Experiments studying these vessel, in vivo or in vitro, generally bathe the vessels in an artificial CSF, sometimes called a “mock” CSF, or some other fluid, sometimes called a physiological salt solution and sometimes simply a buffered solution. A question that should immediately arise, if relevance to humans is an issue, is whether the fluid used has the composition of cerebrospinal fluid, and if so, is it the composition of the experimental species’ CSF or of human CSF. At present there is no data to tell us whether or not it would be better to always replicate the composition of human CSF, even if this differs from that of the animal …
Emergency Management of the Head Trauma Patient: Principles and Practice

Management of the severely brain-injured dog or cat can be frustrating, especially considering the lack of proven effective therapies for head trauma patients. A working knowledge of the basic pathophysiology of head trauma and intracranial pressure (ICP) dynamics is essential to the logical treatment of head traumatized patients. Prevention and correction of hypotension and hypoxemia are necessary for preventing progressive increases in ICP. Mannitol is recommended in most cases of severe head trauma, but there is little evidence to support the use of glucocorticoids in acutely brain-injured dogs and cats. The role of surgical intervention for head-traumatized dogs and cats is still uncertain, but may be beneficial in some cases. Aggressive, expedient treatment and attentive patient monitoring are key aspects of successfully managing canine and feline head trauma patients.
The influence of clinical and pathological stage discrepancy on cancer specific survival in patients treated for renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: We compared clinical and pathological staging in a contemporary, consecutive series of patients treated with partial or radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma and we determined the effect of clinical and pathological stage discrepancy on outcomes.Materials and Methods: We collected retrospective clinical, pathological and survival data on 264 consecutive patients with clinical T1-3 renal cell carcinoma who were treated with laparoscopic or open partial or radical nephrectomy at a single institution from 1994 to 2003.Results: Pathological up staging occurred in 44 of 264 patients (17%) patients. Of 135 clinical T1 tumors 25 (18.5%) and 18 of 85 (21.2%) clinical T2 tumors were pathologically up staged. Patients with clinical T1 and T2 tumors were stratified into 2 groups, including those with the same clinical and pathological stage, and those with pathological up staging. Mean 5-year recurrence-free survival ± SD for same stage vs pathologically up staged clinical T1 (84.3% ± 4.4% vs 47.4% ±...
Orienting and classical conditioning in the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus): effects of septal area lesions.

Abstract Rabbits with either sham or septal lesions recieved differential classical conditioning training in which tones of different frequencies served as CSs and paraobital shock served as the UCS. Eyeblink (EB), EMG, and heart rate (HR) CRs were concommitantly assessed. Free field activity was also studied in selected animals. Animals with septal lesions revealed an impaired EB discrimination which resulted from increased responding to the CS-. These animals showed HR CRs of greater magnitude than sham animals. The HR discrimination was, however, unimpaired by septal lesions, Differential EMG activity also occurred, but was unaffected by septal destruction. Septal lesions resulted in greater free-field activity associated with visual stimulation, but no differences were obtained between septal and sham animals in the dark. It is suggested that these results were due to an enhanced reactivity to environmental stimulation, possibly related to dysfunctions of the orienting reflex.
Blue lighting decreases the amount of food consumed in men, but not in women

Previous research has demonstrated that colors of lighting can modulate participants' motivation to consume the food placed under the lighting. This study was designed to determine whether the colors of lighting can affect the amount of food consumed, in addition to sensory perception of the food. The influence of lighting color was also compared between men and women. One-hundred twelve participants (62 men and 50 women) were asked to consume a breakfast meal (omelets and mini-pancakes) under one of three different lighting colors: white, yellow, and blue. During the test, hedonic impression of the food's appearance, willingness to eat, overall flavor intensity and overall impression of the food, and meal size (i.e., the amount of food consumed) were measured. Blue lighting decreased the hedonic impression of the food's appearance, but not the willingness to eat, compared to yellow and white lighting conditions. The blue lighting significantly decreased the amount consumed in men, but not in women, compared to yellow and white lighting conditions. Overall flavor intensity and overall impression of the food were not significantly different among the three lighting colors. In conclusion, this study provides empirical evidence that the color of lighting can modulate the meal size. In particular, blue lighting can decrease the amount of food eaten in men without reducing their acceptability of the food.
Critical role of TRAF3 in the Toll-like receptor-dependent and -independent antiviral response

Type I interferon (IFN) production is a critical component of the innate defence against viral infections. Viral products induce strong type I IFN responses through the activation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and intracellular cytoplasmic receptors such as protein kinase R (PKR). Here we demonstrate that cells lacking TRAF3, a member of the TNF receptor-associated factor family, are defective in type I IFN responses activated by several different TLRs. Furthermore, we show that TRAF3 associates with the TLR adaptors TRIF and IRAK1, as well as downstream IRF3/7 kinases TBK1 and IKK-epsilon, suggesting that TRAF3 serves as a critical link between TLR adaptors and downstream regulatory kinases important for IRF activation. In addition to TLR stimulation, we also show that TRAF3-deficient fibroblasts are defective in their type I IFN response to direct infection with vesicular stomatitis virus, indicating that TRAF3 is also an important component of TLR-independent viral recognition pathways. Our data demonstrate that TRAF3 is a major regulator of type I IFN production and the innate antiviral response.
Surgeon Perceptions of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.

Background Interest in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) of the spine has driven the development of new and innovative techniques to treat an ever wider range of spinal disorders. Despite these new advances, spine surgeons have been slow in adopting MIS into their clinical practice. This study aims to provide a better understanding of the factors that have led to limited incorporation of these procedures into their practices.
The Transition Region Response to a Coronal Nanoflare: Forward Modeling and Observations in SDO/AIA

The corona and transition region (TR) are fundamentally coupled through the processes of thermal conduction and mass exchange. It is not possible to understand one without the other. Yet the temperature-dependent emissions from the two locations behave quite differently in the aftermath of an impulsive heating event such as a coronal nanoflare. Whereas the corona cools sequentially, emitting first at higher temperatures and then at lower temperatures, the TR is multithermal and the emission at all temperatures responds in unison. We have previously applied the automated time lag technique of Viall & Klimchuk to disk observations of an active region (AR) made by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Lines of sight passing through coronal plasma show clear evidence for post-nanoflare cooling, while lines of sight intersecting the TR footpoints of coronal strands show zero time lag. In this paper, we use the EBTEL hydrodynamics code to demonstrate that this is precisely the expected behavior when the corona is heated by nanoflares. We also apply the time lag technique for the first time to off-limb observations of an AR. Since TR emission is not present above the limb, the occurrence of zero time lags is greatly diminished, supporting the conclusion that zero time lags measured on the disk are due to TR plasma. Lastly, we show that the "coronal" channels in AIA can be dominated by bright TR emission. When defined in a physically meaningful way, the TR reaches a temperature of roughly 60% the peak temperature in a flux tube. The TR resulting from impulsive heating can extend to 3 MK and higher, well within the range of the "coronal" AIA channels.
Predicting the Behavior of Robotic Swarms in Search and Tag Tasks

Abstract We are developing an approach for predicting emergent swarm behavior. The swarms consist of agents tasked with tagging targets in simple grid worlds. These swarms are interesting because of their emergent behavior. The path length distributions capture the local probabilistic information. We use networks of simple probabilistic graphs of this local information to model the collective behavior. These networks of local models predict the proportion of agents in each region at a given step. This allows us to predict the effectiveness of tagging in a large grid world given choices of local action by individual agents. We explain the approach, its limitations, and future directions of research.
THE GENERATION OF SUM AND DIFFERENCE PATTERNS USING FRACTAL SUBARRAYS

In this letter, we explore the potential for the application of fractal subarrays to the generation of sum and difference patterns. For the purposes of this investigation, a standard planar array is decomposed into two subarrays: one in the form of a Sierpinski carpet, and the other consisting of its complement. A methodology is then introduced for feeding the two subarrays in order to produce either a sum or a difference pattern. A particular example is considered in which directive gain plots are obtained for both the sum and difference modes of a 27×27 planar array. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 22: 54–57, 1999.
Generalized optimum receiver for pattern recognition with multiplicative, additive, and nonoverlapping background noise

We design an optimum receiver to detect a pattern or a reference signal. We design a receiver that detects the signal distorted by a multiplicative noise on the signal itself, as well as by additive noise and by nonoverlapping scene noise. We design the optimum receiver under the condition in which the statistics of the multiplicative and nonoverlapping scene noise are not available. In the case in which additive noise is present and the statistics of the multiplicative noise are not known, the usual method of maximizing the likelihood function to estimate the statistics of stationary noise fails. We overcome this problem by viewing the noise processes as vector random variables and describe two different schemes to estimate the statistics of the multiplicative noise. Using computer simulations we show that, for the images tested here, the optimum receiver performs better than some of the existing receivers.