cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shear localization and size-dependent strength of YCd6 quasicrystal approximant at the micrometer length scale

Mechanical properties of materials are strongly dependent of their atomic arrangement as well as the sample dimension, particularly at the micrometer length scale. In this study, we investigated the small-scale mechanical properties of single-crystalline YCd6, which is a rational approximant of the icosahedral Y-Cd quasicrystal. In situ microcompression tests revealed that shear localization always occurs on {101} planes, but the shear direction is not constrained to any particular crystallographic directions. Furthermore, the yield strengths show the size dependence with a power law exponent of 0.4. Shear localization on {101} planes and size-dependent yield strength are explained in terms of a large interplanar spacing between {101} planes and the energetics of shear localization process, respectively. The mechanical behavior of the icosahedral Y-Cd quasicrystal is also compared to understand the influence of translational symmetry on the shear localization process in both YCd6 and Y-Cd quasicrystal micropillars. The results of this study will provide an important insight in a fundamental understanding of shear localization process in novel complex intermetallic compounds.
Thread: An IoT Protocol

Thread is a new IoT protocol released by Thread Group Inc. in 2015. More than 200 companies are currently members of the Thread Group Inc. and supporting this protocol. This paper provides an overview of the Thread protocol and discusses all the network layers. In the physical layer's overview we discuss the requirements for wireless communication. In the data link (MAC) layer we discuss the MAC link establishment (MLE) datagrams. We discuss use of 6LoWPAN addressing mode, which is a low power version of IPv6. In the network layer we discuss communication links and routing. In the transport layer we discuss the use of CoAP protocol and DTLS. In the security section we discuss setting up Commissioning agent and adding Thread devices to the Private Area Network.
Disease occurrence and risk factor analysis in Finnish Ayrshire cows.

Disease occurrences and risk factors for the most common diseases among 39,727 Finnish Ayrshire dairy cows belonging to 2338 herds were studied. All the cows calved during 1993 and were followed until the next calving or culling. Lactational incidence risks, recurrence of, and number of treatments required for one episode of a disease are described for 17 different veterinary diagnoses. The 5 most common diseases and their lactational incidence risks were: acute mastitis (17.0%), anestrus (8.1%), ovarian cysts (7.3%), milk fever (5.4%), and ketosis (4.9%). The highest recurrence probability (14.2%) was observed for acute mastitis, followed by fertility disorders. Milk fever was the one disease that required the most repeated treatments, i.e., almost 30% of the cows were treated at least twice, whereas for most of the other diseases about 10% of the cows required more than one treatment per first episode of the disease. Logistic regression models were fitted to study the effect of milk yield and other risk factors on the occurrence of the 5 most common diseases. Increasing milk yield was found to be a risk factor for acute mastitis, ovarian cysts, and for anestrus among older cows (parity>2), and for milk fever among younger cows (parity = 2). Several diseases were found to be risk factors for other diseases. kw|Keywords|k]dairy; k]milk yield; k]logistic regression
Editorial: web services and process management: a union of convenience or a new area of research?

Two recent trends are reshaping the research landscape in business process management. One such trend is the adoption of process-driven application integration by major e-business middleware vendors, and the other is the advancement of web services as a universal computing platform. In this paper, we investigate the impact of web services on business process technologies and present our viewpoints on research directions in business process management in the presence of web services. Finally, we introduce the papers published in this Special Issue on Web Service and Process Management.
Fraud Risk Management from the Perspective of CFEBT Risk Triangle of Accounting Errors and Frauds

The objective of the present contribution is to evaluate the risk of the impact of accounting errors and frauds on reported accounting records on the basis of the CFEBT risk triangle of accounting errors and frauds. The analysis is conducted in the framework of a case study that examines a selected accounting unit predominantly operating in trade, with respect to financial statements reported during the years 2011-2015. The evaluation of the risk of impacts of accounting errors and frauds forms a part of one of the three vertices of the CFEBT risk triangle. The contribution presents results of the CFEBT approach at three levels of the M-score and analyses significant discrepancies between the generation of earnings and increase in cash flow during the observed periods. The CFEBT risk triangle was designed as a tool for detection, evaluation and management of the risk of accounting errors and frauds in circumstances of the Czech accounting standards and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The essential aim of the triangle is to reduce information asymmetry between authors and users of accounting records, or, in other words, to increase the quality of available information with respect to decision-making on the basis of available accounting information.
Case reports of diagnostic error: liposarcoma mistaken for hematoma in an obese female with concurrent ipsilateral thrombosis on rivaroxaban

We report the case of a morbidly obese 49-year-old female found to have a 16×14×10 cm high grade myxoid liposarcoma of the thigh initially diagnosed as a hematoma. Recent initiation of rivaroxaban for a coincident ipsilateral popliteal vein thrombosis placed hematoma high in the differential diagnosis. Despite its large size, the mass was not directly appreciable on physical exam due to excess adjacent adipose tissue. Diagnostic success was achieved only after anchoring bias was abandoned and adaptive expertise was applied.
Management Strategies on an Upland Soil for Improving Soil Properties

Upland soils marginal in organic matter, low in soil quality, vulnerable to water and nutrient losses. This study was conducted to determine whether the integration of winter cover crops and soil a...
Maintenance Errors as Cause for Electrical Injuries - What We Can Learn from Aviation Safety

This paper raises the question of how can advancements in managing human error impacting inflight aviation safety be applied broadly to electrical maintenance in industry. It is well established that maintenance is essential to safety and reliability of electrical equipment and systems. Examples of latent failures caused by maintenance errors are provided. The paper reviews techniques used to manage maintenance error impacting inflight aviation safety that may be applied to electrical maintenance.
Ionic Liquid Tolerance of Yeasts in Family Dipodascaceae and Genus Wickerhamomyces.

In previous studies of ionic liquid (IL) tolerance of numerous species of ascomycetous yeasts, two strains of Wickerhamomyces ciferrii and Galactomyces candidus had unusually high tolerance in media containing up to 5% (w/v) of the 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2C1Im][OAc]). The study aimed at investigating whether additional strains of these species, and additional species in the Dipodascaceae family, also possess IL tolerance, and to compare sensitivity to the acetate and chloride versions of the ionic liquid. Fifty five yeast strains in the family Dipodascaceae, which encompasses genera Galactomyces, Geotrichum, and Dipodascus, and seven yeast strains of species Wickerhamomyces ciferrii were tested for ability to grow in laboratory medium containing no IL, 242 mM [C2C1Im][OAc], or 242 mM [C2C1Im]Cl, and in IL-pretreated switchgrass hydrolysate. Many yeasts exhibited tolerance of one or both ILs, with higher tolerance of the chloride anion than of the acetate anion. Different strains of the same species exhibited varying degrees of IL tolerance. Galactomyces candidus, UCDFSTs 52–260, and 50–64, had exceptionally robust growth in [C2C1Im][OAc], and also grew well in the switchgrass hydrolysate. Identification of IL tolerant and IL resistant yeast strains will facilitate studies of the mechanism of IL tolerance, which could include superior efflux, metabolism or exclusion.
Applying Mobile Location Data to Improve Hurricane Evacuation Plans

Can private location data be used for the public good? During an emergency, cities and municipalities must disperse limited resources to the areas of greatest need. The data which can best inform these decisions may be hidden within the mobile apps that city residents use on an everyday basis. Given the ethical concerns surrounding location tracking, we address this question using data from X-Mode Social, Inc., a start-up company with open and transparent data sharing policies. X-Mode’s high-quality location data are compliant with both regulations in the European Union (GDPR) and the United States (CCPA). We narrowed our focus to the City of Jacksonville, Florida, which issued mandatory evacuations prior to Hurricane Dorian’s approach in early September 2019. After validating that X-Mode’s data correlates with local population densities, we visualized locations pre- and post-hurricane in order to establish whether mobile app users were able to heed government warnings. Next, we used a combination of both spatial analysis and generalized linear modeling methods to characterize patterns of movement during the evacuation. Finally, we built an interactive web-based app to reveal areas where the evacuation process could potentially be improved. Our results work to fill current knowledge gaps and provide a process with which city and municipal managers might utilize to more effectively allocate resources during a crisis.
Undesired Cross Terms [Lecture Notes]

This lecture note briefly describes two examples in mathematics on how and why cross terms are disliked: orthogonal space-time block code (OSTBC) from orthogonal designs and free probability theory. The first example shows that the elimination of cross terms can significantly simplify the optimization that has many practical applications in, for instance, multiple antenna systems in wireless communications. The second example gives an intuitive and/or fundamental understanding of free probability theory, which has important applications in random matrix theory.
Kinematic Gait Adjustments to Virtual Environments on Different Surface Conditions: Do Treadmill and Over-Ground Walking Exhibit Different Adaptations to Passive Virtual Immersion?

Background. The aim of this study was to examine the kinematic gait adjustments performed in response to passive and photorealistic virtual reality environment (VRE) demands during over-ground and treadmill walking conditions and determine whether the surface presentation order affects the gait adjustments in response to different VREs. Methods. Twenty young participants divided into two groups performed two virtual reality (VR) walking protocols which included two different VREs (snowy and crowded conditions). Group A performed the VR over-ground protocol (four natural walking (NW), seven VR snowy, and seven VR crowded trials) followed by the VR treadmill protocol (four NW, one VR snowy, and one VR crowded trials); Group B performed the VR treadmill protocol (four NW, seven VR snowy, and seven VR crowded trials) followed by the VR over-ground protocol (four NW, one VR snowy, and one VR crowded trials). Center of mass (COM) excursion angles and mediolateral (ML) COM excursions were analyzed and used as outcome measures. Results. Group A showed higher COM excursion angles and ML-COM excursion on over-ground VR trials compared to NW trials ( ), while Group B only showed kinematic changes for the crowded VRE compared to NW trials during the treadmill walking protocol ( ). Post over-ground exposure, Group A showed greater COM excursion angle and ML-COM excursions on VR trials compared to NW trials during the treadmill walking protocol ( ). Post treadmill exposure, Group B only showed higher COM excursion angles for the snowy VRE compared to NW trials during the over-ground walking protocol ( ). Conclusion. Results showed that higher kinematic gait adjustments in response to VRE demands were observed during over-ground walking. Additionally, higher sensorimotor responses to VRE demands were observed when the VR protocol was first performed on the over-ground surface and followed by the treadmill walking condition (Group A) compared to the opposite (Group B).
Bystander reluctance in the aftermath of collegiate sexual misconduct

Most collegiate sexual misconduct victims disclose their experience to a friend, whose reaction and subsequent action are vital for a victim’s social-emotional recovery. The current study focuses o...
Bayesian Herders: Updating of Rainfall Beliefs in Response to External Climate Forecasts

Temporal climate risk weighs heavily on many of the world’s poor. Model-based climate forecasts could benefit such populations, provided recipients use forecast information to update climate expectations. We test whether pastoralists in southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya update their expectations in response to forecast information. The minority of herders who received these climate forecasts updated their expectations for below normal rainfall, but not for above normal rainfall. This revealed preoccupation with downside risk highlights the potential value of better climate forecasts in averting drought-related losses, but realizing any welfare gains requires that recipients strategically react to these updated expectations.
Non-Fungible Tokens: What Every Estate Planner Needs to Know

Your client may own non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and ask you for estate planning advice. Would you be caught off-guard and give your client the classic “deer in the headlights” look? Obviously, that would not be prudent. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, this article uses a FAQ approach to provide you with the background and information you need so that you will understand NFTs and how to give your client sage advice on how to handle them during the client’s lifetime and upon death.
Early Therapy Intensity Level (TIL) Predicts Mortality in Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Background Outcome from spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) may depend on patient-care variability. We developed as ICH-specific therapy intensity level (TIL) metric using evidence-based elements in a high severity sICH cohort.
Congenital and Acquired Penile Deviations: Assessment and Surgical Correction

Penile curvatures are defined as angulation of the penis during erections. According to Nesbit, the first congenital penile deviation was found and treated by Young in 1932, but it was Nesbit himself who first described this entity in 1954, and he later performed the procedure that we are still using to correct the deviation surgically (Nesbit 1965).
BMP Antagonists and Neural Induction

In vertebrates, during the gastrula stage of embryonic development, the dorsal part of the ectoderm (the animal pole) is fated to form the neural plate, whereas the ectoderm located at the ventral side will primarily form epidermis. Embryonic factors known as BMP antagonists play a critical role in the processes of neural and epidermal induction. Keywords: Spemann organizer; activin; BMPs; neural induction; epidermal induction
An ode to arrows

We study a number of embedded DSLs for autonomous ordinary differential equations (autonomous ODEs) in Haskell. A naive implementation based on the lazy tower of derivatives is straightforward but has serious time and space leaks due to the loss of sharing when handling cyclic and infinite data structures. In seeking a solution to fix this problem, we explore a number of DSLs ranging from shallow to deep embeddings, and middle-grounds in between. We advocate a solution based on arrows, an abstract notion of computation that offers both a succinct representation and an effective implementation. Arrows are ubiquitous in their combinator style that happens to capture both sharing and recursion elegantly. We further relate our arrow-based DSL to a more constrained form of arrows called causal commutative arrows, the normalization of which leads to a staged compilation technique improving ODE performance by orders of magnitude.
Characteristics and effects of nurse dosing over-rides on computer-based intensive insulin therapy protocol performance

Objective To determine characteristics and effects of nurse dosing over-rides of a clinical decision support system (CDSS) for intensive insulin therapy (IIT) in critical care units. Design Retrospective analysis of patient database records and ethnographic study of nurses using IIT CDSS. Measurements The authors determined the frequency, direction—greater than recommended (GTR) and less than recommended (LTR)— and magnitude of over-rides, and then compared recommended and over-ride doses' blood glucose (BG) variability and insulin resistance, two measures of IIT CDSS associated with mortality. The authors hypothesized that rates of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia would be greater for recommended than over-ride doses. Finally, the authors observed and interviewed nurse users. Results 5.1% (9075) of 179 452 IIT CDSS doses were over-rides. 83.4% of over-ride doses were LTR, and 45.5% of these were ≥50% lower than recommended. In contrast, 78.9% of GTR doses were ≤25% higher than recommended. When recommended doses were administered, the rate of hypoglycemia was higher than the rate for GTR (p=0.257) and LTR (p=0.033) doses. When recommended doses were administered, the rate of hyperglycemia was lower than the rate for GTR (p=0.003) and LTR (p<0.001) doses. Estimates of patients' insulin requirements were higher for LTR doses than recommended and GTR doses. Nurses reported trusting IIT CDSS overall but appeared concerned about recommendations when administering LTR doses. Conclusion When over-riding IIT CDSS recommendations, nurses overwhelmingly administered LTR doses, which emphasized prevention of hypoglycemia but interfered with hyperglycemia control, especially when BG was >150 mg/dl. Nurses appeared to consider the amount of a recommended insulin dose, not a patient's trend of insulin resistance, when administering LTR doses overall. Over-rides affected IIT CDSS protocol performance.
A Simplified Mixing Length Model of Flame Stability in Swirling Combustion

A model for the stability swirling flames is presented. The Zukowski-Marble criteria for flame stability behind bluff bodies is extended to flows exhibiting a recirculation region such as observed in strongly swirling jets. Both the recirculation distance and the effective flame speed are shown to be functions of the swirl parameter, S. An effective turbulent diffusivity relationship is obtained from an extension of the Prandtl mixing length theory and shown to be em = KR(l +/?2S2)1/2£700. By characterizin g the combustion zone as a free shear layer, an effective flame speed is obtained in terms of the diffusivity expression. The stability of the flame is obtained from the blowoff velocity model UBG = K'R •$>($)' V^/OL which is compared with available data. It is concluded that for strongly swirling flows, the principal fluid dynamic variable, 5, controls the process. The limits of applicability are reached when the recirculation zone produced by swirl extends to form a rotating Taylor column.
Variability of arterial blood gas values in stable patients in the ICU

To establish guidelines for the interpretation of changes in arterial blood gas (ABC) values, we studied 29 clinically stable ICU patients for spontaneous variability in PaO 2 , PaCO 2 and pH. ABCs were sampled six times over a 50-minute period, during which all patients received a fixed FIo 2 of 0.5 via endotracheal tube and underwent no therapeutic interventions. Each sample was analyzed in duplicate with careful attention to method of collection and measurement. The range separating the lowest and highest PaO 2 varied from 1 to 45 mm Hg (16.2±10.9 mm Hg [mean ± SD]). For PaCO 2 this range was from 1 to 8 mm Hg (3.0±1.9 mm Hg). Coefficient of variation for PaO 2 and PaCO 2 averaged 5.1±3.2 percent (mean ± SD) and 3.0±1.5 percent respectively. pH varied within 0.03±0.02 units. Percentage change in PaO 2 between sequential intra-patient samples averaged 5.3±2.8 percent (mean ± SD) and 7.1±7.9 percent over ten- and 50-minute intervals, respectively. Various clinical features were analyzed by multiple regression analysis for their relation to PaO 2 variation. Only leukocyte count and mean arterial oxygen content were statistically significant associations (p 2 values rather than on isolated changes interpreted without appropriate clinical correlation.
String in curved space: Use of spinor representation of a noncompact group

An approach to string theory in curved space is investigated. We use only fermionic dynamical variables. An essential role is played by a noncompact group in order that the observed space-time structure be incorporated. Frenkel-Kac realization of the current algebra obtained from the noncompact group is also investigated.
Development of rat neuromuscular junctions in organ culture

Abstract Pieces of thoracic body wall, including intercostal muscles, ribs, and the spinal cord were explanted from 15 to 18-day embryonic rats and maintained in organ culture for up to 6 days. During the time in culture muscle fibers continued to increase in size, and nerve sprouts extended along the center of the muscle. When muscle-spinal cord explants were cultured at 15 days gestation, the number of synaptic inputs per fiber increased with time in culture. Subsequently synapse elimination began with a time course similar to that recorded in vivo . In 15-day explants acetylcholine receptors were uniformly distributed along the fibers and focal cholinesterase (ChE) was not detected. The cholinergic receptors started to cluster at the midregion of the fibers after 1 day explantation, and ChE was detected in the fibers after 2 days in culture. The central receptor clusters were associated with ChE and their formation was dependent on the presence of nerve terminals. We conclude that neuromuscular contacts develop in organ culture with a pattern and time course similar to that of synapes developing in utero .
Effects of audio stimulation on gastric myoelectrical activity and sympathovagal balance in healthy adolescents and adults.

Aim: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different audio stimulations on gastric myoelectrical activity and sympathovagal balance in adolescents compared with adults. Methods: The study was performed in 11 adults and 12 adolescents. Each subject underwent two sessions, one for classical music, and the other for noise. Each session consisted of 30 min of baseline, 30 min of fasting audio stimulation, a test meal, 30 min of fed audio stimulation, and 30 min of recovery. Electrocardiogram and electrogastrogram were both recorded throughout each session. Results: (i) In the fasting state, both classical music and noise impaired gastric slow wave activity in adolescents. In adults, noise had no effects while classical music moderately improved slow wave rhythmicity. (ii) In the fed state, neither noise nor music had any effects on gastric slow waves. (iii) In the fasting state, both noise and music increased the sympathovagal balance in adolescents; in adults only noise had such an effect. (iv) The test meal increased the sympathovagal balance in all groups. Conclusions: Gastric slow waves and the sympathovagal balance are more strongly affected by audio stimulation in adolescents than in adults. The test meal normalizes the audio stimulation-induced differences between the groups.
How much hydrogen is there in a white dwarf

Stratified hydrogen/helium envelope models in diffusive equilibrium are calculated for a 0.6-solar-mass white dwarf for effective temperatures between 10,000 and 80,000 K in order to investigate the observational constraints placed on the total hydrogen mass. Convective mixing is included ab initio in the calculations, and synthetic spectra are used for comparing these models with observational materials. It is shown that evolutionary changes in the surface composition of white dwarfs cannot be explained by a model in which a small amount of hydrogen floats to the surface from initially being mixed in the outer parts of a helium envelope. It is pointed out that the shape of the hydrogen lines can be used for constraining theories of convective overshoot.
Identifying an appropriate view of software components for undergraduate education

Software components have existed in one form or another for a number of years. Work in this area can be classified into two broad categories. On the one hand, a number of researchers have approached the concept of software components from a first principles perspective, advancing ideas regarding what constitutes the ideal component paradigm from perspectives of efficiency, verifiability and reusability. On the other hand, recent commercial advances in a number of popular technologies have elevated the software component concept into widespread use within the software practitioner community. Such technologies include a number of technologies made popular by Microsoft (such as Active-X, COM, DCOM and Visual Basic), as well as CORBA and Java Beans.Neither of these perspectives on software components has become a standard cornerstone of software development pedagogy. Yet both perspectives may have an important role in preparing software developers to build high-quality software in the context of modern software development technologies. In particular, teaching students how to design and construct software components from first principles provides students with important guidance as to the "right way" to structure correct and efficient software systems (i.e., with emphasis on "what" component-based systems should contain). On the other hand, teaching students about current commercial component technologies exposes students to the important dimension of best commercial practice (i.e., with emphasis on "how" component-based systems could be built).The participants of this panel are all actively involved in the development of courses and curricula that provide various perspectives on component-based systems. They represent both the first principles and commercial perspectives discussed above. Position statements for each of the panelists appear below.
Lesions of the basolateral amygdala abolish the ability of drug associated cues to reinstate responding during withdrawal from self-administered cocaine

This study investigated the ability of bilateral excitotoxic lesions of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) to disrupt cocaine self-administration, responding during extinction sessions, and stimulus cued recovery of extinguished responding in rats. BLA and sham lesions following 7 days of 3 h limited access cocaine self-administration sessions (0.33 mg/infusion) on a fixed ratio 1 (FR1) schedule of reinforcement failed to alter cocaine intake and responding on 7 subsequent days of self-administration. This lack of effect suggests that the BLA is not paramount for the maintenance of cocaine's reinforcing effects. In contrast, BLA lesions, but not sham lesions, following 7 to 14 days of cocaine self-administration attenuated responding on a lever associated with cocaine infusions on the first day of extinction sessions and blocked the ability of drug associated stimuli to reinstate extinguished responding following 20 daily extinction sessions. However, lesions of the BLA did not attenuate stimulus cued recovery of responding following 43 days of withdrawal. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the BLA is important for the conditioned incentive properties of reinforcers, but not primary reinforcement itself.
Strong Interaction between Caldesmon and Calponin

Caldesmon was labeled at either Cys-153 in the NH2-terminal domain or Cys-580 in the COOH-terminal domain with a 6-acryloyl-2-dimethylaminonaphthalene (acrylodan) fluorescence probe. The addition of smooth muscle calponin to Cys-580-labeled caldesmon resulted in an 18% drop in fluorescence intensity, which titrated with a stoichiometry of 0.9 and a binding constant of 9.5 × 107 M−1. For Cys-153-labeled caldesmon, there was no change in fluorescence upon adding calponin. These findings indicate strong binding between calponin and the COOH-domain of caldesmon. The association was sensitive to ionic strength, suggesting that ionic interactions between calponin, a basic protein, and caldesmon, an acidic protein, contribute to the stabilization of the protein complex. That non-muscle acidic calponin interacts with caldesmon with a much reduced association constant of 3.5 × 106 M−1 supports such a model. The binding between acidic calponin and caldesmon is strengthened to 1.8 × 107 M−1 in the presence of Ca2+, which might bind to acidic residues of the calponin and partially neutralize its negative charge. The strong, specific binding between calponin and caldesmon suggests that this interaction occurs within smooth muscle cells and possibly plays a role in the regulation of contraction.
Hegel's Universal in Marx, Durkheim and Weber: The Role of Hegelian Ideas in the Origin of Sociology

The theoretical origins of the conflict, functionalist and organizational paradigms in sociology are usually seen as distinct. Common elements in the social theories of Marx, Durkheim and Weber are usually seen as common responses to the development of industrial, capitalist, democratic, bureaucratic structures. However, in all three milieus, Hegel's social theory, particularly his theory of the break-up of feudal society, was a looming point of reference. Thus, an inventory of the respective common elements and breaks from Hegel of founding sociological theorists represents one of the simplest ways of relating Marx, Durkheim and Weber to each other and to neighboring disciplines.
Different Patterns of C3 and C4 Activation in the Varied Types of Juvenile Arthritis

ABSTRACT. Quantitative assays for C3 and C4 activation were carried out simultaneously on blood from children with varied types of juvenile arthritis. Factor VIII-related antigen was also measured as an indicator of vascular damage. In active systemic juvenile arthritis, the C4d/C4 ratio was frequently elevated and was usually associated with elevated C3d/C3 ratios and elevated concentrations of factor VIII-related antigen. Children with chronic polyarticular arthritis, no matter which forms of onset they had had, also had increased levels of the C4d/C4 ratio, C3d/C3 ratio, and factor VIII-related antigen, but these were less consistent and were not associated with each other. In contrast, in pauciarticular arthritis there was a uniquely isolated increase in the C3d/C3 ratio. This work implies that there are different mechanisms responsible for complement activation in the different types and at different stages of juvenile arthritis.
Studies on the turnover of mRNA in free and membrane-bound polyribosomes in rat liver.

Abstract The metabolism of hepatic mRNA was investigated in order to determine whether there are differences in the turnover of mRNA associated with the two populations of polyribosomes, free and membrane-bound polyribosomes, of liver. The incorporation of [6-14C]orotic acid into hepatic mRNA was studied by two methods: (1) selective labeling of mRNA after using a low dose of actinomycin D, and (2) selective digestion of mRNA by ribonuclease using isolated polyribosomes from livers of rats with or without treatment of actinomycin D. These studies indicated that the hepatic mRNA associated with free polyribosomes became more highly labeled than mRNA of membrane-bound polyribosomes during the 0.5–3-h time course of labeling with [6-14C]orotic acid. The present results along with previous findings of selective disaggregation of free but not of membrane-bound polyribosomes after actinomycin D treatment indicate that the average half-life of mRNA associated with free polyribosomes appears to be relatively short-lived compared to mRNA associated with membrane-bound polyribosomes.
Evaluation of the Efficiency of Medical Masks and the Creation of New Medical Masks

The effectiveness of medical masks in preventing respiratory infection was investigated by testing bacterial leakage, filtration efficiency, respiratory resistance and oxygen concentration of the enclosed space. Polypropylene (PP) fibres were treated with dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide to impart a positive electrical charge capable of attracting bacteria. The fluffed PP fibres were used to make a polypropylene mask and to edge standard surgical and N-95 respirators to prevent leakage. A PP napkin was created by melting and blowing PP. The PP edging seal dramatically reduced bacterial leakage of standard masks and was more effective than adhesive paper tape edging in reducing respiratory resistance. Bacterial or viral filtration efficiency was almost 100% for the PP mask and the PP napkin. The specially designed PP mask with a synthetic adhesive at the edge of the mask may be more effective than the standard surgical mask and the N-95 respirator. The PP napkin is an important tool in preventing the spread of pathogens.
The Native American Healing Experience

Recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs is taking place with the assistance of culture-specific methods in American Indian and Alaska Native communities in North America. These communities utilize many of the recovery approaches that make up today's best practices, but they also use their own cultural and ethnic strengths as an important part of their addictions recovery. The Wellbriety Movement among Native people is one such expression of culture-specific healing for North Americans having the heritage of indigenous peoples. The rallying call, "Our culture is prevention," expresses an approach unique in addictions recovery processes anywhere.
Effects of modafinil on weight, glucose and lipid metabolism in clozapine-treated patients with schizophrenia.

Abstract Rationale Sedation is a common side effect of clozapine treatment and may exacerbate metabolic consequences of poor diet and exercise habits that are common in patients with schizophrenia. Modafinil has been proposed as a treatment for clozapine-induced sedation and metabolic abnormalities. Objective To estimate the effect sizes and person-to-person variation in anthropometric measures, glucose and lipid metabolism, and diet on modafinil treatment for future randomized control trials. Methods A double-blind, placebo-controlled, flexible-dosed 8-week pilot trial was conducted, adding modafinil up to 300 mg/day to stabilized schizophrenia outpatients receiving clozapine. Blood pressure, weight, BMI, laboratory assays, and dietary intake were tracked to monitor changes in metabolic markers. Results Thirty-five participants were randomly assigned to treatment with study drug or placebo and were included in the analysis. Modafinil did not improve blood pressure, weight, BMI, glucose or lipid metabolism compared to placebo. Modafinil was well tolerated and did not worsen psychosis. Conclusions Results of this pilot trial do not support routine use of modafinil to counteract increased weight and metabolic diseases in patients taking clozapine. However, the effects of modafinil on weight and insulin regulation warrant further investigation with effect sizes of 0.4 to 0.6.
The single-minded gene of Drosophila is required for the expression of genes important for the development of CNS midline cells

Abstract The single-minded (itsim) gene of Drosophila encodes a nuclear protein that plays a critical role in the development of the neurons, glia, and other nonneuronal cells that lie along the midline of the embryonic CNS. Using distinct cell fate markers, we observe that in sim mutant embryos the midline cells fail to differentiate properly into their mature CNS cell types and do not take their appropriate positions within the developing CNS. We further present evidence that sim is required for midline expression of a group of genes including sllt, Toll, rhombold, engralled , and a gene at 91F; that the sim mutant CNS defect may be largely due to loss of midline slit expression; and that the snall gene is required to repress sim and other midline genes in the presumptive mesoderm.
An Analysis of Supervision Cases Involving Outside Business Activities

Supervising an employee even under ordinary circumstances is no easy task. What happens when some or all of an employee's activities occur outside the firm? This article explores several recent enforcement cases in which a manager or firm has been held responsible (or at least criticized) for failing to supervise a broker where the conduct in question took place outside the firm. It also suggests the minimum procedures that supervisors should follow in such cases.
New method for calibrating a Ge detector by using only zero to four efficiency points

Abstract We have developed a method whereby the efficiency of a coaxial germanium detector can be determined with an accuracy of a few percent for the energy region from 0.05 to 4.0 MeV by using only the specifications provided by the manufacturer. The accuracy can be further improved to within 1–2% by using one to four (or more) measured efficiency points. Our method also allows the detector efficiency-versus-energy curve to be applied to any source-to-detector distance.
Water diffusion, oxygen vacancy annihilation and structural relaxation in silica glasses

Abstract Water diffusion into silica glasses causes structural changes which can be readily detected by ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. One such change is the annihilation of the oxygen vacancies which exist in some silica glasses. This process can be monitored using the UV absorption at ∼ 240 nm (∼ 5.0 eV). Water can also accelerate local structural relaxation of silica glass. This relaxation can be monitored by measuring the IR absorption peak at 1873 cm−1. The diffusion coefficients for water penetration and local structural relaxation were measured for various silica glasses with low water concentrations in the high temperature range of 750–1200°C under a constant water vapor pressure of 355 mm Hg. The diffusion coefficient for oxygen vacancy annihilation was also measured for oxygen-deficient glasses under the same conditions. The water diffusion coefficient was nearly identical for all glasses investigated. The diffusion coefficients for oxygen vacancy annihilation in oxygen-deficient glasses and for local structural relaxation of stoichiometric silica glass were higher than the water diffusion coefficient even though both structural changes are accelerated by water. Water diffusion into silica at high temperatures has been explained in terms of the local equilibrium of the reaction between mobile molecular water and silica glass to form immobile hydroxyl water. The phenomena observed here can be explained by postulating the presence of a minute amount of molecular water species which are not restricted by the equilibrium condition for the reaction and can diffuse faster than the majority of the molecular water species.
Inversion problem for singular integral operators: C-approach.

Abstract The inversion problem is solved for a wide class of singular integral operators, in particular for Wiener-Hopf operators in several variables, Mihlin-Calderon-Zygmund operators on bounded domains, and Folland-Stein operators on compact nondegenerate Cauchy-Riemann manifolds.
Measurement of the conduction band g-value anisotropy in InSb

Abstract The maximum fractional anisotropy of the g-value of the lowest two Landau levels in the conduction band of InSb has been measured using “combined resonance” at magnetic fields above 40 kG. Results are in reasonable agreement with the calculations of Ogg and of Pidgeon, et al.
Refractory atopic dermatitis treated with low dose cyclosporin.

History of Present Illness A 51-year-old man was referred to our clinic for severe atopic dermatitis (AD) by our dermatology department. The patient had a history of childhood hay fever, asthma, and hives, as well as a strong family history of atopy. As a young adult, his atopic symptoms subsided, but 14 years ago he noted the onset of intermittent dermatitis and pruritus. Initially, symptoms were controlled with over-the-counter topical corticosteroids. However, they gradually worsened and the patient was referred to our dermatology department in 1998. He was treated with antihistamines, emollients, and topical steroids, but these eventually failed to control his symptoms. Oral steroids were tried next, and when those failed, leukotriene antagonists were added with no effect. By the time of referral, the patient was regularly receiving intramuscular injections of triamcinolone acetate. The patient described his rash as intensely pruritic and erythematous, and that over time he has observed darkening of his skin. He was having trouble sleeping because of the pruritus and would frequently scratch until he bled. The rash appeared randomly and was not associated with any particular detergent, soap, cologne, or clothing items. The patient did not notice any association between the onset of the rash and eating meals or with the time of day. There was no seasonal variation to the rash, and sun exposure neither improved nor worsened its severity.
A Computer-based Approach to Preventing Pregnancy, STD, and HIV in Rural Adolescents

A computer- and Internet-based intervention was designed to influence several variables related to the prevention of pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in rural adolescents. The intervention was guided by the extended parallel process model and was evaluated using a pretest–post-test control group design with random assignment at the school level. Three hundred and twenty-six tenth-grade males and females enrolled in two rural Appalachian public high schools completed the survey at both points in time. Results indicate the vast majority (88.5%) of students in the experimental school completed at least one activity (M = 3.46 for those doing at least one activity). Further, both the overall program and all but one of the activities were rated positively by participants. Regarding the effects of the intervention, results indicate that students in the experimental school were less likely to initiate sexual activity and had greater general knowledge, greater...
Evaluation of intra-abdominal pressures and gas embolism during laparoscopic partial nephrectomy in a porcine model

ABSTRACTPurpose: Gas embolization is a well documented complication of laparoscopic surgery. We evaluated the association of gas embolization with increased intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) in the porcine model during laparoscopic partial nephrectomy with real-time transesophageal echocardiography.Materials and Methods: Eight domestic pigs weighing 143 to 162 pounds underwent unilateral transperitoneal laparoscopic heminephrectomy with renal artery clamping with varied IAPs. The renal vein was not clamped, allowing the exposure of venous tributaries to the pneumoperitoneum. IAP was increased in 5 mm Hg increments in 4 pigs each by 1) insufflation pressure adjustment to a maximum of 30 mm Hg and 2) intermittent application of an argon beam coagulator (ABC) to the cut kidney surface. Transesophageal echocardiography was used to monitor embolism.Results: None of the 4 animals subjected to increased CO2 insufflation pressure (maximum 30 mm Hg) demonstrated gas embolization during partial nephrectomy. The ABC ca...
Spatiotemporally controlled single cell sonoporation

This paper presents unique approaches to enable control and quantification of ultrasound-mediated cell membrane disruption, or sonoporation, at the single-cell level. Ultrasound excitation of microbubbles that were targeted to the plasma membrane of HEK-293 cells generated spatially and temporally controlled membrane disruption with high repeatability. Using whole-cell patch clamp recording combined with fluorescence microscopy, we obtained time-resolved measurements of single-cell sonoporation and quantified the size and resealing rate of pores. We measured the intracellular diffusion coefficient of cytoplasmic RNA/DNA from sonoporation-induced transport of an intercalating fluorescent dye into and within single cells. We achieved spatiotemporally controlled delivery with subcellular precision and calcium signaling in targeted cells by selective excitation of microbubbles. Finally, we utilized sonoporation to deliver calcein, a membrane-impermeant substrate of multidrug resistance protein-1 (MRP1), into HEK-MRP1 cells, which overexpress MRP1, and monitored the calcein efflux by MRP1. This approach made it possible to measure the efflux rate in individual cells and to compare it directly to the efflux rate in parental control cells that do not express MRP1.
Separation and recovery of food coloring dyes using aqueous biphasic extraction chromatographic resins

Aqueous biphasic systems (ABS) and aqueous biphasic extraction chromatographic (ABEC) resins are currently under investigation for their utility in the removal of color from textile plant wastes. The structures of several widely used food colorings, suggest that these dyes would also be retained on the resins. In work currently in progress, we have begun to investigate the retention and resolution of several common food colorings including indigo carmine, amaranth, carminic acid. erythrosin B, tartrazine and quinoline yellow. The relationship between the uptake of these dyes on ABEC resins in terms of the binding strengths and capacities of the resins and their partitioning behavior in ABS is illustrated. Some possible theoretical and practical approaches to the prediction of the partitioning and retention behavior is discussed.
Photoelastic determination of mixed mode stress intensity factors

Abstract : Using an idea proposed by G. R. Irwin, equations were developed for the maximum in-plane local shearing stress Tau sub m and average fringe loop inclination Theta sub m near the crack tip in terms of the Mode 1 and Mode 2 stress intensity factors K1 and K2 and polar coordinates r and Theta measured from the crack tip. A series of photoelastic experiments was performed on specimens exhibiting various edge crack configurations in finite strips under remote tensile loading. Measurements of Tau sub m and Theta sub m were made for progressively smaller fringes and used in the above mentioned equations to solve for K1 and K2 on a digital computer. Plots of apparent K versus r/a were made and extrapolated to the crack tip to yield the true values of K1 and K2. Results compared favorably with numerical results of Wilson. New results for 'angle' cracks were also obtained. (Author)
Steady-state distribution of bacteria chemotactic toward oxygen.

The phenomenological theory for the chemotaxis and consumption of oxygen by motile aerobic bacteria is shown to yield a remarkably simple one-dimensional steady-state solution for a congregation of bacteria close to the surface of an oxygen-depleted aqueous medium.
The reliability of pre-extraction records for complete dentures

Abstract Five methods for making pre-extraction records of the occlusal vertical dimension and three methods for making pre-extraction records of the maxillary incisor point were investigated to determine their reliability. The occlusal vertical dimension could be reproduced with a mean accuracy of 1.1 to 1.4 mm. The maxillary incisor point could be reproduced with a mean accuracy of 1.7 to 2.1 mm. There was no statistically significant difference between the methods. The potential for variation was much less for all of these methods than for the rest vertical dimension and interocclusal distance method now in common use. All methods were within limits of clinical usefulness, and each dentist should choose the most convenient method.