cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medical comorbidities and perioperative allogeneic red blood cell transfusion are risk factors for surgical site infection after shoulder arthroplasty.

Background Multiple perioperative factors have been implicated in infection risk after shoulder arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to determine surgical site infection (SSI) risk due to medical comorbidities or blood transfusion after primary or revision shoulder arthroplasty. Methods Comprehensive data on medical comorbidities, surgical indication, perioperative transfusion, and SSI were obtained for 707 patients who underwent primary or revision hemiarthroplasty or total shoulder arthroplasty in a single hospital system. Multivariate Poisson regression was used to determine the independent association between allogeneic red blood cell transfusion, medical comorbidities, and SSI after controlling for procedure. Results The SSI rate was 1.9% for primary hemiarthroplasties and 1.3% for primary total shoulder arthroplasties. Among patients without prior shoulder infection, revision arthroplasty or prior open reduction and internal fixation had higher SSI risk than primary arthroplasties (incidence risk ratio [IRR], 11.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.84-34.0; P P = .002), rheumatoid arthritis (IRR, 8.63; CI, 1.84-40.4; P = .006), and long-term corticosteroid use (IRR, 37.4; CI, 5.79-242; P P = .002). Conclusion Gender, rheumatoid arthritis, and long-term (>1 year) corticosteroid use affect SSI risk after shoulder arthroplasty. Revision surgery, particularly in the setting of prior infection, increased risk of future infection. Finally, allogeneic red blood cell transfusion increases SSI risk after shoulder arthroplasty in a dose-dependent manner.
Bone and Muscle

Muscle and bone are anatomically integrated with each other to form the musculoskeletal system. Muscle has been considered as an endocrine organ to affect other tissues, including bone, via secreting factors within the microenvironment to modulate their biological functions. Thus muscle is essential for bone development, modeling, and remodeling. Similar to muscle, bone can also be considered an endocrine organ targeting other tissues such as muscle. Therefore, the aim of this chapter is to summarize endocrine factors derived from either bone or muscle and their potential benefits for the therapy of simultaneous bone-muscle dysfunction, such as osteoporosis and sarcopenia in the elderly population. Herein, we first describe the synchronous development of the musculoskeletal system during embryogenesis and how this close relationship between bone and muscle continues in postnatal life. Then the factors regulating both bone and muscle, including factors like myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) and myostatin from muscle, bone-derived factors like bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), as well as other secretory factors, are discussed to provide a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the parallel development of musculoskeletal system diseases. Finally, we discuss some meaningful and innovative treatment strategies, which preferentially strengthen the musculoskeletal unit as a whole.
Negotiating a uniform emissions tax in international environmental agreements

Abstract A consensus appears to be emerging that a global carbon tax is the best policy for managing greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions tax systems are relatively straightforward, cost effective and can generate revenues used to offset other distortionary taxes. Moreover, recent theoretical research (Weitzman, 2014) has demonstrated that under some conditions the globally efficient tax rate can be implemented through a majority voting rule. We extend this area of research by examining a uniform emissions tax system in the framework of an international environmental agreement in which only countries that voluntarily participate are subject to the tax. We show that in the simplest situation in which countries have identical marginal benefit and cost functions, the largest stable agreement consists of two countries and the tax system has little impact on abatement levels. Our analysis highlights that by ignoring the participation decision and assuming commitment by all parties, the efficiency gains from a uniform emissions tax system are overstated.
24-hour and 30-day perioperative mortality in pediatric surgery.

Abstract Purpose The low perioperative mortality rate in pediatric surgery precludes effective analysis of mortality at individual institutions. Therefore, analysis of multi-institutional data is essential to determine any patterns of perioperative death in children. The aim of this study was to determine diagnoses associated with 24-hour and 30-day perioperative mortality. Methods A retrospective review of the 2012-2015 Pediatric Participant Use Data File (PUF) was performed. Statistical comparisons were made between survivors and nonsurvivors and between those with 24-hour and 30-day mortality using Fischer’s exact tests. P-values ≤ 0.05 were considered significant. Results 103,444 patients who underwent a pediatric surgical operation were evaluated. There were 732 deaths with a 30-day perioperative mortality of 0.7% (732/103,444). Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) was the diagnosis associated with the highest 30-day perioperative mortality (175/901, 19%). A significantly higher proportion NEC deaths occurred in the first 24 hours (67% (118/175) vs 33% (57/175) 30 day mortality, p Conclusion Although the overall pediatric surgical operative mortality rate is low, the largest proportion of perioperative deaths occur secondary to NEC. Based on the high immediate mortality, optimization of operative care for septic patients with NEC should be targeted. Type of Study Prognosis Study Level of Evidence Level II
Children: Raising Future Hopes

Publisher Summary In the course of measuring hope in several thousand adolescents and children, research studies have found that they report higher hope than most adults. Most children never have to face catastrophes of war and disease but many do face other insidiously debilitating forces. There is ethnic prejudice which, despite legislation to ensure equal rights, continues to affect children. Related to prejudice are poverty, poor living conditions, inadequate medical care, and malnutrition, all of which may lessen the chances of these young people realizing their dreams. On one extreme, there are very high-hope children who are able to cope with daily circumstances, even the extraordinary and difficult ones. At the other extreme, there are children whose hopes are severely diminished because of the insurmountable roadblocks they have encountered. Most children fall somewhere in between these two extremes. Even in the technologically advanced countries, many children live in the conditions that place them at risk for losing hope. The chapter describes several of the interventions that were designed specifically to enhance hope in children from disadvantaged circumstances. In the early phases of research, the schools identified had high proportions of students whose families qualified for financial assistance. These first interventions shaped the development of subsequent techniques described in the chapter. All of the methods are effective in raising the hope of children and adolescents from a wide range of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
Celiac and SMA Stenting

Celiac and SMA stenting is performed for occlusive disease of the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries in the treatment of chronic mesenteric ischemia. This chapter describes indications, essential steps, variations, and complications of this procedure. It provides a detailed template operative note for the procedure.
Preparation of metal distributions within catalyst supports

The objective of catalyst design is to obtain the optimum metal profile for a particular reaction system. This is accomplished by the addition of certain ingredients to the impregnating solution, which are selected largely on the basis of empirical evidence. This paper proposes a classification scheme for these ingredients founded on three predominant interfacial effects. The first class of ingredients affects the electrostatics of the solution near the surface of the support. Ingredients in the second class alter the pH of the solution and consequently the potential of the support surface. The third class includes ingredients that adsorb onto the support and compete with the catalytic metal for adsorption sites. (change-para-here) The conceptual classification scheme developed allows one to predict adsorption profiles for both uniform and nonuniform metal distributions. The concepts are completely general and thus provide a theoretical as well as a practical basis for the preparation of catalysts.
Dynamics of Intentional Action

Intentions appear, typically, in the conscious thinking of agents as the result of considerations, choices, decisions, desires, interests, felt obligations, roles in institutions and groups, emotions, moods, motives, and other traits of character, and other intentions. Intendings are the dispositions, states or episodes whose contents are intentions. An intending is a thinking what to do oneself and, typically, how to do it. The contents of intendings are expressed in full sentences in the typical case. They are also expressed in ‘free standing’ infinitives, gerundial forms, or appropriate verbs. The form of expression is not crucial to the content expressed, since there are intentions which cannot be expressed linguistically (by children, for instance, and by the inarticulate). Further, some intentions are never formulated by agents who are under the pressure of necessity for action. Necessities of time and contingencies and opportunities do not wait upon linguistic formulations of what one is about to do, is doing, or has done, intentionally. Sometimes, of course, intentions are expressed in explicit ways, e.g., “I shall...”, “I will...”, or in free-standing sentences. In these cases, intention contents are expressed in verbs of action, gerunds, infinitives, and that-clauses. Only preferences of style select among these forms. Thus, propositional that-clauses are not essential; nor are expressions in infinitives essential.
Autoimmune encephalitis with elevated N-type calcium channel antibodies as a multiple sclerosis mimic.

Abstract Background Voltage gated calcium channels (VGCC) are well-known targets for antibody-associated disease. Of the 5 VGCC subtypes, the most well-known is the P/Q subtype associated with Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS). However, this case focuses on the much less understood N-type calcium channel antibody. The objective of this case is to review the literature regarding the clinical significance of the N-type calcium channel antibody and its relationship to MS. Methods A 37-year old male presented with vertigo, paranoia, and tremor and had MRI changes suggestive of demyelinating disease. Evaluation revealed positive N-type calcium channel antibodies. Steroids dramatically improved symptoms and normalized antibodies. Years later recurrent symptoms were again associated with elevated antibodies. Results and Conclusion This patient likely has autoimmune encephalitis associated with elevated N-type calcium channel antibodies. This case highlights the clinical significance of N-type calcium channel antibodies and the importance of correctly diagnosing patients with antibody mediated disease that may very well mimic more common neurologic diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS).
Beam Detection Analysis for 5G mmWave Initial Acquisition

In conventional initial acquisition (IA) process, a base-station (BS) periodically transmits synchronization signals called pilot signals on downlink (DL) channels to assist a user-equipment (UE) to connect to the cellular system. This paper introduces a new approach where the IA is done on an uplink (UL) channel where multiple base station’s receivers detect the pilot beams. A primary contribution of the paper is the development of an analytical technique that can compare various mmWave IA schemes including detection of directional pilot beams transmitted by multiple transmitters (as in conventional downlink IA process) and the newly proposed UL scheme. The analysis derives the non-centrality parameter for the directional beam detection problem that quantifies the detection performance with respect to the pilot signal’s duration and bandwidth, the number of sweeping beams, total transmitted power per beam, and the antenna size at the receiver(s). The above selection of design parameters for IA processes allows us to investigate the overall impact of the various IA schemes on power consumption, latency, or hardware implementation complexity. The analysis and simulation results show that the proposed UL scheme does not compromise on the detection performance compared to the conventional DL schemes. Furthermore, we show via simulation that pilot signal’s bandwidth and sweeping beam’s directional offset can attribute to large variations in detection performances. From these results we conclude that an UL scheme can provide a low latency and a flexible cell search process catered to each mmWave transmission channel between a BS and a $UE.$
Monolithic 3D printing of embeddable and highly stretchable strain sensors using conductive ionogels

Medical training simulations that utilize 3D-printed, patient-specific tissue models improve practitioner and patient understanding of individualized procedures and capacitate pre-operative, patient-specific rehearsals. The impact of these novel constructs in medical training and pre-procedure rehearsals has been limited, however, by the lack of effectively embedded sensors that detect the location, direction, and amplitude of strains applied by the practitioner on the simulated structures. The monolithic fabrication of strain sensors embedded into lifelike tissue models with customizable orientation and placement could address this limitation. The demonstration of 3D printing of an ionogel as a stretchable, piezoresistive strain sensor embedded in an elastomer is presented as a proof-of-concept of this integrated fabrication for the first time. The significant hysteresis and drift inherent to solid-phase piezoresistive composites and the dimensional instability of low-hysteresis piezoresistive liquids inspired the adoption of a 3D-printable piezoresistive ionogel composed of reduced graphene oxide and an ionic liquid. The shear-thinning rheology of the ionogel obviates the need to fabricate additional structures that define or contain the geometry of the sensing channel. Sensors are printed on and subsequently encapsulated in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a thermoset elastomer commonly used for analog tissue models, to demonstrate seamless fabrication. Strain sensors demonstrate geometry- and strain-dependent gauge factors of 0.54-2.41, a high dynamic strain range of 350% that surpasses the failure strain of most dermal and viscus tissue, low hysteresis (<3.5% degree of hysteresis up to 300% strain) and baseline drift, a single-value response, and excellent fatigue stability (5000 stretching cycles). In addition, we fabricate sensors with stencil-printed silver/PDMS electrodes in place of wires to highlight the potential of seamless integration with printed electrodes. The compositional tunability of ionic liquid/graphene-based composites and the shear-thinning rheology of this class of conductive gels endows an expansive combination of customized sensor geometry and performance that can be tailored to patient-specific, high-fidelity, monolithically fabricated tissue models.
Unusual case of a myelodysplastic syndrome with novel inv(5)(q15q33).

![Figure][1] A 29-year-old man without significant medical history was evaluated for fatigue and persistent mild thrombocytopenia spanning >5 years. His complete blood count revealed hemoglobin of 14.3 g/dL, mean corpuscular volume of 88 fL, white blood cell count of 4.2 × 109/L, and
Spatially Explicit Modeling of Community Occupancy using Markov Random Field Models with Imperfect Observation: Mesocarnivores in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

We developed a spatially explicit community occupancy model based on Markov random fields that accounts for spatial auto-correlation and interspecific interactions in occupancy while also accounting for interspecific interaction in detection. Simulation showed the model can distinguish different mechanisms of environmental sorting competition and spatial-autocorrelation. We applied our model to camera trap data from a Fisher(Pekania pennanti)-Marten(Martes americana) and Coyote(Canis latrans)-Fox(Vulpes vulpes) system in Apostle Island National Lakeshore. Results showed the observed partitioning pattern between marten and fisher distributions could be better explained by a flipped mainland-island source-sink pattern rather than competition, while we detected some evidence that on top of the mainland-island source-sink pattern, there was a positive association between fox and coyote that deserved further study.
Photochemically Induced Cyclic Morphological Dynamics via Degradation of Autonomously Produced Self-Assembled Polymer Vesicles

Autonomous and out-of-equilibrium vesicles synthesised from small molecules in a homogeneous aqueous medium are an emerging class of dynamically self-assembled systems with considerable potential for engineering natural life mimics. Here we report on the physico-chemical mechanism behind a dynamic morphological evolution process through which self-assembled polymeric structures autonomously booted from a homogeneous mixture, evolve from micelles to giant vesicles accompanied by periodic growth and implosion cycles when exposed to oxygen under light irradiation. The system however formed nano-objects or gelation under poor oxygen conditions or when heated. We determined the cause to be photoinduced chemical degradation within hydrated polymer cores inducing osmotic water influx and the subsequent morphological dynamics. The process also led to an increase in the population of polymeric objects through system self-replication. This study offers a new path toward the design of chemically self-assembled systems and their potential application in autonomous material artificial simulation of living systems. Polymerisation induced self assembly can lead to unusual morphology and dynamics of resultant structures. Here the mechanism of the collective dynamics of a self-assembled polymer system under light irradiation, including self-replication, is eludicated.
Aggressive outbursts among adults with major depressive disorder: Results from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiological Surveys.

Abstract Introduction Little is known about the epidemiology of aggressive outbursts, including physical assault, property destruction, and verbal aggression, among adults with unipolar Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Methods We examined the prevalence and correlates of aggressive outbursts among adults with primary MDD (N = 2539) from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiological Surveys (N = 20,013) using generalized linear models. Results The prevalence estimate of any aggressive outbursts was 58.7% among adults with MDD. MDD was associated with aggressive outbursts independent of other psychiatric diagnoses. The prevalence of aggressive outbursts differed significantly by age, race/ethnicity, sex, education, marital status, and employment status, and psychiatric diagnoses. Aggressive outbursts were associated with greater severity and earlier age of onset for MDD. Positive associations were also found between the frequency of aggressive outbursts and depressive symptoms including weight/appetite change, fatigue, recurrent thoughts of death. Moreover, aggressive outbursts significantly multiplied the odds of experiencing more severe functional impairment, suicidal ideation, suicide plan, and suicide attempt. Conclusion Aggressive outbursts are much more common than previously recognized among adults with MDD. The significant association of aggressive outbursts with MDD characteristics, increased functional impairment, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors make them an important target for assessment and treatment for adults with MDD.
Top of the Class: Mining Product Characteristics Associated with Crowdfunding Success and Failure of Home Robots

Recent high-profile failures of domestic robotic products suggest more research is needed on factors that impact consumers’ willingness to purchase robots, and the success rates of the consumer robotics industry compared with other innovative technologies. Using data from two crowdfunding sites (Kickstarter and Indiegogo), we summarize the applications, forms, prices, contexts of use, target populations, and sociality of potential consumer and home robots. We then use statistical analysis, predictive modeling, and word co-occurrence to determine which characteristics are associated with increased product support by early market consumers, finding that health and fitness, security and monitoring, and general education applications, cartoon-like and animal-like robot forms, and single user group robots have significantly more backers. We also find that social robots have a mean of 1.2–3.2 times as many backers as non-social robots and that every twofold increase in price results in a 20% decrease in financial supporters. Product reviews from these sites are additionally used to identify product features consumers found important. Finally, analyses of the failure rates of social and home robots find that these products are not failing more frequently than other innovative products overall. This research is among the first to study factors influencing consumers’ purchasing behavior of home robots, and to use data mining methods to gain insights into home and consumer robot design.
Learning longitudinal patterns and identifying subtypes of pediatric Crohn disease treated with infliximab via trajectory cluster analysis of electronic health records

BackgroundThe current classification of pediatric CD is mainly based on cross-sectional data. The objective of this study is to identify subgroups of pediatric CD through trajectory cluster analysis of disease activity using data from electronic health records. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study of pediatric CD patients who had been treated with infliximab. The evolution of disease over time was described using trajectory analysis of longitudinal data of C-Reactive Protein (CRP). Patterns of disease evolution were extracted through functional principal components analysis and subgroups were identified based on those patterns using the Gaussian mixture model. We compared patient characteristics, a biomarker for disease activity, received treatments, and long-term surgical outcomes across subgroups. ResultsWe identified four subgroups of pediatric CD patients with differential relapse-and-remission risk profiles. They had significantly different disease phenotype (p < 0.001), CRP (p < 0.001) and calprotectin (p = 0.037) at diagnosis, with increasing percentage of inflammatory phenotype and declining CRP and fecal calprotectin levels from Subgroup 1 through 4. The risk of colorectal surgery within 10 years after diagnosis was significantly different between groups (p < 0.001). We did not find statistical significance in gender or age at diagnosis across subgroups, but the BMI z-score was slightly smaller in subgroup 1 (p =0.055). ConclusionsReadily available longitudinal data from electronic health records can be leveraged to provide a deeper characterization of pediatric Crohn disease. The identified subgroups captured novel forms of variation in pediatric Crohn disease that were not explained by baseline measurements and treatment information. SummaryThe current classification of pediatric Crohn disease mainly relies on cross-sectional data, e.g., the Paris classification. However, the phenotypic classification may evolve over time after diagnosis. Our study utilized longitudinal measures from the electronic health records and stratified pediatric Crohn disease patients with differential relapse-and-remission risk profiles based on patterns of disease evolution. We found trajectories of well-maintained low disease activity were associated with less severe disease at baseline, early initiation of infliximab treatment, and lower risk of surgery within 10 years of diagnosis, but the difference was not fully explained by phenotype at diagnosis.
Perturbation practice in multiple sclerosis: Assessing generalization from support surface translations to tether-release tasks.

Abstract Objective To determine whether improvements in protective stepping experienced after repeated support surface translations generalize to a different balance challenge in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) Background MS affects almost 1 million people in the United States and impairs balance and mobility. Perturbation practice can improve aspects of protective stepping in PwMS, but whether these improvements generalize is unknown. Methods Fourteen PwMS completed two visits, 24hrs apart. The balance tasks included tether-release trials and support surface translations on a treadmill eliciting backward protective stepping. Margin of stability, step length, and step latency were calculated. Generalization was assessed via multilevel mediation models (MLMM) with bootstrapping to produce percentile and bias corrected confidence intervals Results There were no mediated effects for margin of stability or step latency; however, mediation was observed for step length, indicating that participants increased step length throughout the treadmill trials, and this generalized to tether-release trials Discussion MLMM may be useful for evaluating generalization of motor training to novel balance situations, particularly in small sample sizes. Using these analyses, we observed PwMS generalized improvements in step length, suggesting that aspects of protective step training may translate to improvements in other reactive balance tasks in PwMS.
A Case for Making Web Accessibility Guidelines Accessible: Older Adult Content Creators and Web Accessibility Planning

This paper presents our experiences supporting web accessibility planning among a group of older adult online content creators. We highlight challenges we encountered meeting the web accessibility informational needs of our partners and helping this group of creators become aware and put in place measures to address accessibility issues. Our reflections highlight opportunities for future efforts to improve web accessibility support for everyday content creators and support for helping those less familiar with web accessibility options.
Take 10: A Resident Well-Being Initiative and Burnout Mitigation Strategy.

OBJECTIVE Physician training is associated with stressors which contribute to burnout. Individual and institutional level strategies can be employed to address resident burnout; however, time is an often-reported barrier in initiating recommended well-being activities. We hypothesize that brief bursts of well-being activities that are conducive to a resident schedule can mitigate burnout. DESIGN This is a prospective observational study following burnout after implementation of an institution-wide, well-being initiative called “Take 10.” SETTING In the present study, the “Take 10” initiative, meditating or exercising for a minimum of 10 minutes per day 3 times a week, was encouraged at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, a tertiary care center in Nashville, Tennessee. PARTICIPANTS Following implementation of the initiative, 254 residents from surgical, procedural, and non-procedural specialties were invited to complete surveys assessing compliance with encouraged “Take 10” activities as well as rates of burnout over a 5-month period. A total of 201 surveys were completed during the study period. RESULTS Overall, burnout rates were worse for females (Odds Ratio [OR] = 3.7 | Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.57, 9.05), better for those living with others (OR = 0.22 | CI = 0.07, 0.64), and better for those participating in “Take 10” initiatives (OR = 0.71 | CI = 0.58, 0.86). There was a significant difference in resident-reported burnout (Control = 85.3% vs Intervention = 58.2% | p CONCLUSIONS “Take 10” is a low cost and low intensity initiative for individuals and programs to use to mitigate burnout.
Defending the Zygote: Search for the Ancestral Animal Block to Polyspermy

Fertilization is the union of a single sperm and an egg, an event that results in a diploid embryo. Animals use many mechanisms to achieve this ratio; the most prevalent involves physically blocking the fusion of subsequent sperm. Selective pressures to maintain monospermy have resulted in an elaboration of diverse egg and sperm structures. The processes employed for monospermy are as diverse as the animals that result from this process. Yet, the fundamental molecular requirements for successful monospermic fertilization are similar, implying that animals may have a common ancestral block to polyspermy. Here, we explore this hypothesis, reviewing biochemical, molecular, and genetic discoveries that lend support to a common ancestral mechanism. We also consider the evolution of alternative or radical techniques, including physiological polyspermy, with respect to our ability to describe a parsimonious guide to fertilization.
Lattice Path Matroid Polytopes

Fix two lattice paths P and Q from (0,0) to (m,r) that use East and North steps with P never going above Q. Bonin et al. in [1] show that the lattice paths that go from (0,0) to (m,r) and remain bounded by P and Q can be identified with the bases of a particular type of transversal matroid, which we call it a lattice path matroid. In this paper, we consider properties of lattice path matroid polytopes. These are the polytopes associated to the lattice path matroids. We investigate their face structure, decomposition, triangulation, Ehrhart polynomial and volume.
Células-tronco mesenquimais para reparo cardíaco

As celulas-tronco mesenquimais (CTMs) sao uma populacao adulta de celulas que compartilham algumas caracteristicas fenotipicas com as celulas-tronco embrionarias, mas carecem da preocupacao etica ou da seguranca associadas a tais celulas indiferenciadas. As CTMs estao localizadas, principalmente, na medula ossea e, em menor grau, em outros tecidos. Elas podem ser positivamente selecionadas, expandidas em cultura ex vivo, e se diferenciar para a linhagem de osteocitos, condrocitos e adipocitos do tecido mesenquimal. As chamadas celulas mesenquimais progenitoras (CMPs), precursoras de CTMs, podem ser isoladas da medula ossea, resultando em produto homogeneo, contendo uma populacao marcadamente mais pura de CTMs, ou seja, sem o elevado numero de celulas contaminantes inerentes as tecnicas de isolamento. Alem disso, as CTMs carecem de certos receptores coestimulantes, como os antigenos de histocompatibilidade (HLA) da classe II, e, localmente, secretam fatores, diminuindo a resposta das celulas T e permitindo a utilizacao alogenica como produto ja disponivel. As CTMs aumentaram a neovascularizacao e a regeneracao de cardiomiocitos em uma serie de modelos animais, acarretando a melhoria do resultado funcional cardiaco e a limitacao do progresso da insuficiencia cardiaca. O(s) mecanismo(s) de melhoria permanece(m) um assunto discutivel. As alternativas incluem diferenciacao direta das CTMs versus secrecao paracrina de fatores que indiretamente afetam o tecido endogeno e as celulas progenitoras locais. Apesar de ainda se buscar o mecanismo exato da melhoria cardiaca, fica claro que as CTMs alogenicas oferecem terapia celular reprodutivel, barata e amigavel, do ponto de vista regulatorio, para o tratamento de molestia cardiovascular, que, para maior seguranca e eficiencia, precisarao ser investigadas por ensaios clinicos.
Bench and bedside advances in otitis media.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Otitis media continues to be an important pediatric illness and requires significant expenditures in management and treatment. Despite its prevalence and importance, clinicians often have significant knowledge deficits regarding the most up-to-date research or clinical thinking regarding this disease. The present review aims to discuss recent and important publications related to otitis media and present an analysis of some of these findings. RECENT FINDINGS Major basic science and clinical themes related to otitis media are discussed and include the importance of biofilms in otitis media pathogenesis, the evidence that otitis media with effusion impacts development, the impact of otitis media treatment on quality of life, risk factors associated with otitis media and current concepts with respect to vaccine strategies and otitis media. SUMMARY Important basic and clinical research in the field of otitis media continues to clarify our understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease and drive new paradigms in treatment and clinical management.
Electrical conductivity, DSC and NMR studies of PEG and PPG containing lithium salts

Abstract Complex impedance, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and 7Li nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies have been carried out on poly(propylene glycol) (PPG) with an average molecular weight of 4000 and poly(ethylene glycol) mono-methyl-ether with an average molecular weight of 350 (PEG) containing lithium salts. The impedance studies were made over a range of frequencies, temperatures and pressures and were used to obtain values of electrical conductivity. The DSC, conductivity and NMR data are used to characterize the PPG-based material which is a glass-forming liquid. The PEG-based material exhibits the expected tendency to crystallize. The first new result is that the effect of pressure on the electrical conductivity (and hence activation volume) for the PEG-based electrolyte above the melting point is about half that for the PPG-based electrolyte. The same trend has been reported previously for the pressure variation of the glass transition temperature for related host polymers. The second new result is that the curvature in the effect of pressure on the electrical conductivity is opposite for the two electrolytes. It is pointed out that the curvature for PPG:LiCF3SO3 has the same sign as the effect of pressure on the relaxation time of the α relaxation in PPG. These results provide further evidence that ionic conductivity is controlled by large-scale segmental motions of the polymer chain. Further explanation of the data is given in terms of free volume.
How questioning constructs judge identities: oral argument about same-sex marriage:

An important but unstudied event in US legal institutions is when judges question plaintiff and defense attorneys about the issue that brings them to an appeals hearing before a state supreme court. In this article I analyze judges' questioning during the oral argument phase of the New York Court of Appeals' hearing of Hernandez v. Robles, a case concerning whether the state was violating same-sex couples' constitutional rights by denying them access to marriage. The article's purpose is to show how the content, format, and language style of judges' questioning turns constructs the judges as persons possessing particular attitudes, judicial philosophies, political leanings, and personalities. The article provides a quantitative overview of the 186 questioning turns and analyzes the discourse in selected episodes to evidence how features of questioning generate identity inferences. The conclusion considers how the oral argument phase of Appeals Court proceedings contributes to larger discourses of the law.
Role of Calcium in the Polar Secretion of Indoleacetic Acid

The rate of auxin transport in sunflower hypocotyls (Helianthus annuus L. cv ;Russian mammoth') or corn coleoptiles (Zea mays L. cv ;WF9 x 38') was less in seedlings grown in Ca-deficient medium than in controls. The rate of IAA transport depended on the concentration of Ca in the root medium up to 1 millimolar. Further increases in auxin transport were observed when the isolated segments were incubated in medium containing up to 30 millimolar Ca. We suggest that the rate of auxin transport in plant tissue is dependent on the pool of ionic Ca in the extracellular space.Segments from Ca-deficient seedlings exhibited a high specific requirement for Ca(2+) in auxin transport. Magnesium, strontium, and several other divalent cations tested for their ability to replace Ca(2+) in restoring auxin transport showed no effect; partial replacement by lanthanum was observed.Auxin transport, or auxin flux through the segment, which is the result of IAA secretion by individual cells, was reduced in the low Ca(2+) segments due both to lowered velocity and to reduced capacity of transport. The requirement for Ca(2+) in the secretion of auxin is believed to be equivalent to the phenomenon observed in animal cell secretion, where the influx of Ca(2+) serves as a link between an external stimulus and the secretion response.
Applications of Laser-Induced Thermal Emission Spectroscopy to Various Samples:

The Laser-Induced Thermal Emission (LITE) spectra of several solid samples were measured and compared with the usual thermal emission spectra generated by the heating element. The following advantages in LITE spectroscopy were made clear: (1) the spectral background is reduced; (2) the time required for the stabilization of the thermal emission signal is short; (3) the compounds which are coated on background materials with complex shapes can be measured.
Kinetics of the photooxidation of tris(bipyridine)iron(II) in chloroform

Abstract In chloroform/acetonitrile solution, [Fe(bpy) 3 ] 2+ , bpy=2,2′-bipyridine, reacts under 254 nm irradiation to yield Hbpy + and [FeCl 4 ]. The reaction rate is faster the lower the concentration of [Fe(bpy) 3 ] 2+ . The reaction proceeds predominantly through light absorption by chloroform, creating HCl and CCl 3 radicals, both of which participate in the reaction. A lesser part of the reaction is initiated through light absorption by the tris(bipyridine) complex. The variation of the reaction rate with light intensity and on the fraction of light absorbed by the solvent and the metal complex is between a square root and a linear dependence, and is consistent with a mechanism passing through a [Fe(bpy) 3 Cl] 2+ intermediate, in which one bipyridine is presumably monodentate.
Failure Analysis Techniques for Microsystems-Enabled Photovoltaics

Microsystems-enabled photovoltaics (MEPV) has great potential to meet the increasing demands for light-weight, photovoltaic solutions with high power density and efficiency. This paper describes effective failure analysis techniques to localize and characterize nonfunctional or underperforming MEPV cells. The defect localization methods such as electroluminescence under forward and reverse bias, as well as optical beam induced current using wavelengths above and below the device band gap, are presented. The current results also show that the MEPV has good resilience against degradation caused by reverse bias stresses.
An experimental study of auctions with a buy price under private and common values

Abstract eBayʼs Buy It Now format allows a seller to list an auction with a “buy price” at which a bidder may purchase the item immediately and end the auction. When bidders are risk averse, then theoretically a buy price can raise seller revenue when values are private (but not when values are common). We report the results of laboratory experiments designed to determine whether in practice a buy price is advantageous to the seller. We find that a suitably chosen buy price yields a substantial increase in seller revenue when values are private, and a small (but statistically insignificant) increase in revenue when values are common. In both cases a buy price reduces the variance of seller revenue. A behavioral model which incorporates the winnerʼs curse and the overweighting by bidders of their own signal explains the common value auction data better than the rational model.
Stereotypical beliefs about appearance: implications for retailing and consumer issues.

This research was designed to identify current stereotypical beliefs about obese men and women, assess subjects' desire to work with individuals described as “normal” weight as opposed to obese, examine subjects' perceptions of their own body size, inquire about subjects' personal desire to gain and lose weight, and identify subjects' diet and consumption behavior. The data indicate sex differences in subjects' perceptions of bodily appearance, desire to work with obese people, perceptions of their own weight, desire to lose rather than gain weight, and consumption and diet behavior.
Resonance ionization spectroscopy and one-atom detection

Resonance ionization spectroscopy, RIS, is a multistep photon absorption process in which the final state is the ionization continuum of an atom. The RIS process can be saturated with available pulsed lasers, so that one electron can be removed from each atom of the selected type. This method was first applied to the determination of the absolute number of Hes(2/sup 1/S) excited states produced when pulsed beams of protons interacted with helium gas. Laser schemes for RIS are classified into five basic types; with these, nearly all of the elements can be detected with commercially available lasers. A periodic table is included showing schemes applicable to all of the elements except He, Ne, F, and Ar. A compact theory of the RIS process is presented which delineates the conditions under which rate equations apply. Questions on the effects of collisional line broadening, laser coherence time, and nonresonant multiphoton ionization processes are discussed. The initial demonstration of one-atom detection of Cs is described. By using laser beams to saturate the RIS process and proportional counters as single-electron detectors, one-atom detection is made possible. With RIS, one-atom detection is highly selective, has the ultimate in sensitivity, and has excellent space and timemore » resolution. Furthermore, a modification of the technique in which single electrons (or single ions) are detected with a channel electron multiplier permits single-atom detection in a vacuum. The authors describe how RIS can be used for photophysics measurements such as far wing collisional line broadening, measurements of photoionization cross sections for excited states, and collisional redistribution among excited states.« less
Determination of fatty acid amides as trimethylsilyl derivatives by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection

Abstract Fatty acid amides are a newly emerging class of compounds with biological activity. The amides are formed enzymatically in vivo. Analysis of fatty acid amides has been accomplished by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Fatty acid amides required derivatization prior to analysis at high temperatures due to thermal instability. Trimethylsilylation of fatty acid amides has been accomplished under optimum reaction conditions. The limit of detection for the silylated amides is approximately 1 pmol, with the lowest detected level being 700 fmol for the lauramide derivative. Quantitation of fatty acid amide derivatives can be accomplished by monitoring m/z 59 or m/z M-71, the only two major fragments formed in the ion trap mass spectrometer with electron impact ionization. The smaller fragment is the result of a newly reported, McLafferty-type rearrangement; M-71 resulted from loss of an n -pentyl fragment. Either peak gave four–five orders of magnitude linear dynamic range. Numerous trimethylsilylamides from C 7 to C 20 were separated under standard conditions. Elution was linear with the number of carbons and was systematically affected by the number and position of the double bonds.
Hemodynamic effects of valvulotomy in pulmonic stenosis.

Seven patients with mild to moderate pulmonic stenosis with intact ventricular septum were subjected to cardiac catheterization before and from 4 to 18 months after pulmonary valvulotomy. Despite uniform clinical improvement, remarkably slight changes were observed, following surgery, in right ventricular pressure, pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary artery flow, and pulmonary valve area, when measured at rest. When present preoperatively, venoarterial shunt was reduced or eliminated after operation. It was speculated that further studies including the effect of exercise might show that valvulotomy increases the mobility of the valve under stress even when it does not increase valve area at rest.
Optimal dynamic routing in flexible manufacturing systems with limited buffers

An optimal routing policy is obtained for Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMSs) with limited buffers at the work stations. This policy is used to effectively drive a robotic material handling system. The routing decisions are made by a supervising computer on a real-time basis in order to avoid any work station running out of inputs and to control the blocking of the material handling system. Using our model, general material handling times can be assumed. The optimal policy and several key performance measures are computed, following the problem formulation as a continuous-time, semi-Markovian decision process. Fast convergence and computational stability are ensured by the ergodic solution algorithm augmented to solve the functional equations of the renewal process. The solution algorithm was implemented, tested on an extensive range of problems regarding the structure and the performance of the optimal policy. Complex environments involving diverse processing times, as well as very limited buffer storage, were examined. The interaction between the allocation of buffer spaces to work stations, the structural properties of the optimal monotone (threshold-type) policy and the system performance are also investigated.
Polarization of the H2, CO, CO2|Ni and H2S, H2, CO, CO2|Ni electrodes in molten sodium carbonate

Abstract Reactions at the H2,CO,CO2,Ni and H2S,H2,CO,CO2|Ni electrodes in molten sodium carbonate at 1000°C have been studied in detail by means of computer-assisted analysis of potentiostatic polarization curves. Calculated curves accounting for charge transfer polarization, concentration polarization, ohmic loss and passivation arc matched to experimental curves by a series of successive approximations. Kinetic parameters thus determined are interpreted via rate theory and hypotheses concerning the identity of individual electrode reactions. Previous work with the CO,CO2|Ni electrode was satisfactorily modelled by five anodic reactions: oxidation of physically dissolved CO, oxidation of chemically dissolved CO, oxidation of Ni to Ni2+, oxidation of NiO to Ni2O3 and oxidation of carbonate, occurring at progressively increasing overpotentials. At the H2,CO,CO2|Ni electrode, in addition to these reactions (oxidation of physically dissolved CO was not seen at the Pco values employed) oxidation of H2 was observed at low anodic overpotentials. These experiments also clearly delineated an additional reaction postulated to be oxidation of Ni2O3 to NiO2. Reactions at the H2S,H2,CO,CO2|Ni electrode were identical to those at the H2,CO,CO2|Ni electrode save that the diffusion-limited current for oxidation of chemically dissolved CO increased linearly with P H 2 5 1 2 . This is attributed to the occurrence of chemically dissolved CO as a sulfide species, e.g. COHS−, in addition to the CO22- found under CO, CO2 atmospheres. In support of this mechanism, the reaction did not display diffusion control when 0.5% Na2S was added to the electrolyte, suggesting a high level of, e.g., COS2-. Total cell pressure was 1 atm; in the sulfide experiments PH2S varied from 0.000027 to 0.027 atm, with PH2 = 0.5 atm and Pco = Pco2 = 0.25 atm.