cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clozapine Discontinuation and Malignant Catatonia: A Case Report.

Abstract Context Malignant catatonia is a severe, potentially life-threatening variant of catatonia marked by hyperthermia, autonomic instability and rigidity. The condition is often viewed as being on the same spectrum as neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Causes of malignant catatonia include psychiatric illness, antipsychotic medications, illicit drug use, and intoxications with other agents. Malignant catatonia has also been reported in the setting of discontinuation of antipsychotic medications, specifically clozapine. Case report The following case describes a 22-year-old Southeast Asian male with a history of schizophrenia who, in the context of a slow taper off of clozapine, developed mutism, rigidity, autonomic instability and an elevated creatinine kinase. His course included ongoing catatonic features despite treatment with high-dose benzodiazepines and eight bilateral sessions of electroconvulsive therapy, with improvement in catatonic signs following resumption of clozapine, and recurrence after clozapine was subsequently held. Based on his course, outlined in detail in this report, we hypothesize that his presentation was a manifestation of malignant catatonia related to discontinuation of clozapine. Potential mechanisms for this phenomenon, as well as review of common features suggestive of this diagnosis, are discussed. Conclusions A thorough history of current and recently discontinued medications should be taken in all patients presenting with severe catatonia because the treatment for patients with “discontinuation” catatonia may be different than for those with catatonia of a different etiology.
Adaptive h -Refinement for the RWG-Based EFIE

An adaptive h -refinement algorithm is investigated for the electric field integral equation applied to a conducting missile target. The process incorporates the advancing front Delaunay algorithm to refine the triangular-cell surface mesh in conjunction with Laplacian smoothing to maintain the mesh quality. The performance of several error estimators used to guide the refinement process is compared. Two of the estimators used within the adaptive refinement procedure work well to improve the accuracy of the computed radar cross section.
Expert assessments on the future of direct current in buildings

Increasing adoption of distributed generation, improving power electronics, and growing electronic loads in buildings have led researchers to propose increased use of direct current (DC) power distribution systems in buildings. As these systems have proven safe and reliable in other applications, they are now being considered for more widespread use in commercial and residential buildings. But nontechnical obstacles remain that have not been addressed in the technical engineering and economic analyses conducted thus far. In this paper, we report on an expert elicitation of 17 experts from industry, research organizations, and the implementation or operation of DC systems to better understand the biggest nontechnical challenges to deploying these systems more broadly. Because these challenges vary based on location, the focus of this study is on the United States of America. Results show that the two biggest barriers are industry professionals unfamiliar with DC and small markets for DC devices and components. To address these, experts proposed developing training programs for engineers and electricians, and developing pilot projects to prove the benefits of DC in niche applications where DC power distribution holds a clear advantage over AC Experts also identified lasting and inherent benefits of DC that make these systems better suited to serve future building loads. These include their ability to interface with distributed generation and onsite DC generation sources such as solar photovoltaics, as well as their ability to communicate and supply power over a single distribution line. Finally, experts identified research priorities to make a better case for what appears to be a promising technological solution to safely and reliably powering future buildings.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma Occurrence and Recurrence in Hepatitis C-infected Patients Treated with Direct-acting Antivirals.

Introduction Multiple studies have shown the efficacy of the new direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) with a cure rate of over 90% in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients. Some recently published studies have suggested an increased incidence of de novo and recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhotic patients in sustained virological response (SVR) after completing therapy. A possible mechanism is the breakdown of immune surveillance after starting DAAs. We report a retrospective analysis on a population of chronic HCV infected patients, with and without a prior history of HCC, who developed HCC after receiving DAAs in the hope of adding to existing literature and in pursuit of greater clarity into this emerging concern with DAAs. Methods We analyzed 497 HCV-infected patients who were treated with DAAs, or a combination of DAA with interferon, from January 2014 to April 2017 at the Veterans Medical Center, Oklahoma City. Descriptive analysis, including the mean and standard deviation for different variables, was used. The cohort was divided into two groups: cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic. The analysis was run in the cirrhotic group between the subgroups who developed HCC and who did not. Results Data from a total of 233 cirrhotic patients were analyzed. We further subdivided these patients into those who eventually were diagnosed with HCC (group 1) and those who were not (group 2). These subgroups were comparable in regards to race, gender, baseline serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), platelets, sodium, HCV genotypes, and pretreatment viral load. All patients completed therapy. The rate of SVR was much lower in group 1 compared to group 2 (62.5% vs 88.94%, p = 0.002), respectively. Model End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score, and Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score were higher in the group that developed HCC. The average time period (weeks) from DAA therapy to HCC diagnosis was 48.2 weeks. The remaining 264 non-cirrhotic patients had no reported cases of HCC. Conclusion From a total of 497 treated HCV-infected patients, 233 (46.88 %) had cirrhosis, out of which 16 (6.86%) were reported to develop HCC during or after DAA therapy was initiated. The remaining 217 (93.1%) cirrhotic patients did not develop HCC. As per our comparison, achieving SVR in cirrhotic patients should not preclude HCC screening, and more studies are needed to assess the risk of HCC in patients who achieve SVR but have a high FIB-4 score. In fact, patients who do not achieve SVR may be at a higher risk of eventually developing HCC and may be candidates for closer surveillance.
Original Research: Lesbian Disclosure to Health Care Providers and Delay of Care

Purpose/Objective: 1) To identify if lesbians delay seeking health care because of sexual identity issues. 2) To examine the frequency of sexual identity disclosure for both lesbians and heterosexual women to health care provider (HCP). 3) To identify the methods used by HCPs, lesbians, and heterosexual women to disclose sexual identity. 4) To identify lesbians' perceptions of how disclosure of sexual identity could be made easier for them. Design: Descriptive study with convenience sample. Data gathered by survey. Setting: Thirty-three health care offices or clinics across the United States. Sample: The typical participant (n = 1161) was 40.14 years old (SD = 11.32, range = 15–92). Of this sample, 45.1% (n = 524) identified as lesbian and 54.9% (n = 637) identified as heterosexual. Most identified as white (83.6%) and educated, with variability in income levels. Measurement: Written survey was designed by expert clinicians and refined after two pilot studies. Results: Seventeen percent of HCPs inquired about client's sexual identity verbally; only 43% of HCPs (inclusive of this 17%) inquired about sexual identity in writing or in some other way. Lesbians reported that HCPs were less likely to know their sexual identity than heterosexual women. Lesbians were more likely to voluntarily report their sexual identity to HCPs than heterosexual women. Lesbians reported that ease of disclosure could be assisted by asking verbally, asking in writing, and by “improvement of HCP attitude.” Lesbians reported more delays in seeking health care because of sexuality issues, specifically, fear of discrimination against them because of their sexual identity compared to heterosexual women. Lesbians were more likely to conceal their lesbian identity from HCPs when they were less disclosed to family, co-workers, and friends. Conclusion: Most HCPs did not assess for sexual identity, even though related issues are important to discuss with clients. HCPs can ease disclosure by asking about sexual identity and by awareness of their expression of attitudes toward lesbianism. Delay of care related to discrimination can be considered a social risk factor for lesbian health and well-being.
Allozyme Variation of Port-Orford-Cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana): Implications for Genetic Conservation

Variation at 32 allozyme loci in nine disjunct populations of Part-Orford-cedar (POC) from the California floristic region was measured to estimate the amount and pattern of genetic variability in natural stands. Variation in electrophoretically detectable loci was moderately high, with mean number of alleles per locus = 1.9, 64.9% polymorphic loci, and observed heterozygosity = 0.13. Diversity was highest in the seven populations from the coastal mountains and lowest in the two populations from the inland portion of POC's distribution. The Sacramento River population in the inland group had only 44% polymorphic loci, and observed heterozygosity equaled 0.05. Populations in the inland region were allozymically distinct from those in the coastal region as well as from each other. Mean genetic distances among the coastal populations were 0.005 compared to 0.016 between the inland and coastal groups and 0.013 between inland populations. Population variation accounted for 5% of the total allozyme diversity. Genetic conservation efforts for POC in California are evaluated. In situ areas are already being established in some genetically important localities, although many gaps remain; ex situ coverage is inadequate.
Effect of Agricultural Exploitation on the Activity of Alkaline Phosphatase and Its Kinetic Properties in Some Soils

In order to study the role of agricultural exploitation in the activity of alkaline phosphatase in the province of Diwaniyah, six sites that differ in some of their chemical, physical and biological properties were selected (Diwaniyah, Sunniya, Shamiya, Daghara, Afak and Al Budair). Three types of soils were chosen in each location, namely, orchard soil, field soil and jungle soil. The kinetic parameters of the enzymes maximum velocity (Vmax) and Michaelis constant (Km) were estimated in all study soils using increasing concentrations of the controlled substance. The results present that the highest efficacy of this enzyme is in the orchard soil of all sites except the location of the center Diwaniyah and Shamia. The average efficacy values ranged between (208.11 - 234.95) μg P-Nitro phenol. g-1 soil. 1 hour-1. The highest value of maximum velocity (Vmax) recorded at the field soil of Al-Shamia site (108.57) μg P-Nitro phenol. g-1 soil. 1 hour-1. The lowest value recorded at the soil of a jungle field at the Sunniya location (49.62) μg P-nitro phenol. g-1 soil. 1 hour-1. While the orchard soil of Al-Budair had the highest value of the Michaelis constant (Km) of (85.90) mM, the orchard soil of the Sunniya location had the lowest value (24.34) mM.
Improved intraoperative imaging in spine surgery: clinical translation of known-component 3D image reconstruction on the O-arm system

Intraoperative imaging systems are seeing an increased role in support of surgical guidance and quality assurance in the operating room for interventional approaches. However, image quality sufficient to detect complications and provide quantitative assessment of the surgical product are often confounded by image noise and artifacts. In this work, we translated a 3D image reconstruction method (referred to as “Known-Component Reconstruction,” KC-Recon) for the first time to clinical studies with the aim of resolving both limitations. KC-Recon builds upon an optimization-based reconstruction method to reduce noise and incorporates a model of surgical instruments in the image to reduce artifacts. The first clinical pilot study involved 17 spine surgery patients imaged using the O-arm before and after spinal instrumentation. Imaging performance was evaluated in terms of low-contrast soft-tissue visibility, the ability to assess screw placement within bone margins, and the potential to image at lower radiation doses. Depending on the imaging task, dose reduction up to an order of magnitude appeared feasible while maintaining soft-tissue visibility. KC-Recon also yielded ~30% reduction in blooming artifact about the screw shafts and ~60% higher tissue homogeneity at the screw tips, providing clearer depiction of pedicle and vertebral body for assessment of potential breaches. Overall, the method offers a promising means to reduce patient dose in image-guided procedures, extend the use of cone-beam CT to soft-tissue surgeries, provide a valuable check against complications in the operating room (cf., post-operative CT), and serve as a basis for quantitative evaluation of quality of the surgical construct.
Drying Temperature and Capillarity-Driven Crack Formation in Aqueous Processing of Li-Ion Battery Electrodes

Unlike conventional electrode processing for Li-ion batteries, which uses the expensive and highly toxic organic N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) solvent, aqueous processing simply employs deionized wa...
Laparoscopic resection of ileocaecal duplication in children (report of 15 cases)

Background: Enteric duplication is a congenital anomaly with varied clinical presentation that requires surgical resection for definitive treatment. Ileocaecal (IC) duplications are duplications located at the IC junction, not clearly identified in all the published series. The reported treatment is IC resection and ileocolic anastomosis. The purpose of our study was to present our experience in successfully resection of IC duplication by laparoscope, thus avoiding bowel resection in children. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of medical records of 15 patients with diagnosis of IC duplication, treated in the Department of Paediatric Surgery of our hospital, within the period from November 2013 to September 2018. Results: Laparoscopic resection of IC duplication was successfully performed in all children without bowel resection. The operation time was 50-90 min (55 ΁ 10 min), and the post-operative hospitalization time was 5-7 days (average, 6 days). The 15 patients were followed up for 6-12 months (average, 10 months). No recurrence was found by abdominal ultrasound examination. The wound had small scars with good appearance of umbilicus. Conclusions: The laparoscopic approach allows for confirming the diagnosis and accurately defining the exact site of duplication, as well as for effective and safe treatment. Laparoscopic excision of IC duplication without bowel resection is a safe option and is worth promoting.
Facilitating Deployment Of A Wafer-Based Analytic Software Using Tensor Methods: Invited Paper

Robustness is a key requirement for deploying a machine learning (ML) based solution. When a solution involves a ML model whose robustness is not guaranteed, ensuring robustness of the solution might rely on continuous checking of the ML model for its validity after the solution is deployed in production. Using wafer image classification as an example, this paper introduces tensor-based methods that help improve robustness of a neural-network-based classification approach and facilitate its deployment. Experiment results based on data from a commercial product line are presented to explain the key ideas behind the tensor-based methods.
Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty for B2 Glenoid Deformity.

In shoulder osteoarthritis, the B2 glenoid presents challenges in treatment because of the excessive retroversion and posterior deficiency of the glenoid. Correction of retroversion and maintenance...
The association between physical activity and a composite measure of sleep health

Physical activity has been associated with several individual dimensions of sleep. However, the association between physical activity and sleep health, a construct that emphasizes the multidimensional nature of sleep, has not been explored. This analysis examined the relationship between physical activity and a composite measure of sleep health. A total of 114 adults (66% female, 60.3 ± 9.2 years) were included in the analyses. Participants reported daily light-intensity physical activity (LPA) and moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) via diary, while wearing a pedometer (Omron HJ-720ITC) to measure daily steps. Sleep health was measured using the RU_SATED questionnaire, which addresses regularity of sleep patterns, satisfaction with sleep, daytime alertness, and sleep timing, efficiency, and duration. Multiple linear regression, binary logistic regression, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were utilized for analyses. Mean sleep health score was 9.6 ± 2.4 (0 [poor]–12 [good]). Participants reported 62.9 ± 66.0 and 51.2 ± 51.2 min/day of LPA and MVPA, respectively, and took 5585.5 ± 2806.7 steps/day. Greater MVPA was associated with better sleep health (β = 0.27, P = 0.005) and sleep health scores differed between those reporting < 30 min/day and ≥ 60 min/day of MVPA (P = 0.004). Greater MVPA was associated with higher odds of having good sleep satisfaction (OR = 1.58 [1.14–2.20], P < 0.01), timing (OR = 2.07 [1.24–3.46], P < 0.01), and duration (OR = 1.48 [1.02–2.18], P = 0.04). Pedometer-based physical activity and LPA were not related to sleep health or its individual dimensions. In middle- to older-aged adults, higher-intensity activity, but not lower-intensity or volume of activity, was associated with greater sleep health. These data suggest that physical activity intensity may be important for sleep health.
Impact of Nutrition on the Next Generation: The INCAP Longitudinal Study.

Background:The design of the original nutrition supplementation trial that was conducted from 1969 to 1977 in 4 villages in rural Guatemala to evaluate the benefits of improving nutrition during pr...
Hippocampal-Dependent Cognitive Dysfunction following Repeated Diffuse Rotational Brain Injury in Male and Female Mice.

Cognitive dysfunction is a common, often long-term complaint following acquired traumatic brain injury (TBI). Cognitive deficits suggest dysfunction in hippocampal circuits. The goal of the studies...
Observation of Low-Energy Proton Direct Ionization in a 72-Layer 3-D NAND Flash Memory

Single-event upsets are observed in a 72-layer 3-D NAND flash memory operated in a single-level cell mode after low-energy proton (500 keV–1.2 MeV) and heavy-ion irradiation. The layer-by-layer error count is analyzed to visualize the stopping of low-energy protons within the memory stack, and Monte Carlo simulations are correlated with the experimental data. Direct ionization by low-energy protons is identified by 3-D data analysis and the energy dependence of device-sensitive cross section. Heavy-ion data is also presented for comparison.
Renewable energy as a determinant of inter-country differentials in CO2 emissions in Africa

Abstract A logarithmically transformed General Linear Model (GLM) is used to analyze secondary data from the following World Bank data bases: Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL), Spreadsheets for Carbon Emissions, and Country Development Profile. The hypothesis of renewable energy consumption as a determinant of inter-country differentials in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Africa is tested. CO2 emissions constitute the dependent variable (DV) while renewable energy consumption is the independent variable (IV). Four control variables, including 3 interval variables: level of urbanization, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, Gross National Product (GNP) per capita; and one binary variable, namely nationality of former colonial power, are included. Energy consumption is found to be inversely linked to CO2 emissions; it explains about 80% (R2 = 0.795, significant at the 0.05 level) of the inter-country differentials in CO2 emissions. These results confirm the study’s expectations and lend credence to findings extolling renewable energy consumption as a means of curbing CO2 emissions in Europe and North America.
Selective Separation of Hexachloroplatinate(IV) Dianions Based on Exo-Binding with Cucurbit[6]uril.

Since anions are vital for many chemical, biological and environmental processes, their recognition and separation continue to attract attention from chemists, materials scientists and engineers. Employing exo-binding of artificial macrocycles to recognize selectively anions remains a challenge in supramolecular chemistry. Herein, we report the instantaneous co-crystallization and concomitant co-precipitation between hexachloroplatinate dianions and cucurbit[6]uril, a phenomenon which relies on the selective recognition of these dianions through the noncovalent bonding interactions on the outer surface of cucurbit[6]uril. The selective hexachloroplatinate dianion recognition is driven by the weak [Pt-Cl···H-C] hydrogen bonding and [Pt-Cl···C=O] ion-dipole interactions. The synthetic protocol is highly selective. It is not observed in combinations between cucurbit[6]uril and other Pt- and Pd- or Rh-based chloride anions. We have also demonstrated that cucurbit[6]uril is able to separate selectively hexachloroplatinate dianions from mixtures of hexachloroplatinate, tetrachloropalladate, and hexachlororhodate anions. This highly selective and fast co-crystallization process, in principle, could be exploited to recover platinum from the spent vehicular three-way catalytic converters and other platinum-bearing metal waste.
Metallic Foam Metamaterials for Vibration Damping and Isolation

Metallic foam metamaterials consist of an open-cell metallic microstructure completely saturated by a viscous material. In this chapter, dynamic responses of metamaterials containing foams with two distinct pore sizes as well as six different saturating materials are measured in controlled laboratory settings. The vibration damping and isolation characteristics of the metamaterials are then analyzed using a lumped element approach. For all metamaterials tested, the saturating material increased the damping ratio due to increased viscous dissipation arising from metal foam ligaments interacting with the viscous fluid. For the best performing saturated foam subject to a transient excitation, an order of magnitude increase in damping ratio is observed, compared to the same off-the-shelf foam with no saturation. These results warrant further research into using metallic foam metamaterials for vibration damping and isolation applications, including optimization of the metal foam microstructure/pore size, and optimal selection for saturating material including other viscous fluids as well as rubbers or elastomers.
Physical Invariant Based Attack Detection for Autonomous Vehicles: Survey, Vision, and Challenges

Automobiles continue to become more autonomous and connected as increasingly integrating with information technology. Meanwhile, this advance also comes with a higher risk of various security violations on vehicles. In this paper, we study how to detect attacks on autonomous vehicles, and specially focus on physical invariant-based attack detection. A physical invariant (PI) is defined as a property that a physical system always holds, i.e., the evolution of system states (usually measured by sensors) follows immutable physical laws. We first discuss existing research efforts of PI-based attack detection and classify them according to the knowledge of physical invariants and sensor redundancy. Then, we point out several critical challenges on attack detection research efforts including data sets, benchmark and testbeds, and evaluation metrics. Finally, we highlight open problems that offer promising research opportunities.
Lymphoma Regression Induced by Monoclonal Anti-Idiotypic Antibodies Correlates With Their Ability to Induce Ig Signal Transduction and Is Not Prevented by Tumor Expression of High Levels of Bcl-2 Protein

Custom-made monoclonal anti-idiotype antibodies (anti-Id MoAbs) have been tested as a treatment modality in 34 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients. Partial or complete tumor remissions have been induced with this treatment in 68% of these patients. One mechanism by which anti-idiotype antibodies may have induced these tumor responses is via a direct antiproliferative effect on the tumor cells, resulting in apoptosis. Primary NHL cells do not proliferate well enough in vitro to test this hypothesis directly. Therefore, we studied the effect of anti-idiotype antibodies on signal transduction through the surface Ig receptor as measured by the induction of cellular protein tyrosine phosphorylation. To assess whether bcl-2 protein could protect lymphoma cells from death induced by anti-Id MoAb, we also measured the level of bcl-2 protein in the same tumor cells. We found a strong correlation between the ability of an anti-Id MoAb to induce an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation in vitro and its ability to induce a tumor regression in the patient. By contrast, the level of bcl-2 expressed by the tumor cells was not correlated with clinical response to anti-Id MoAb treatment.
Essay Review: Exploring the Borders of Environmental History and the History of Ecology

In 1980, when Raymond Williams’s essay “Ideas of Nature” was published, the field of environmental history was just coming into being, and instead of interrogating the many ways in which humans have constructed nature, American environmental historians were confidently adding a historical dimension to the political reform movement that had inspired their discipline – environmentalism. Like environmental activists, environmental historians relied on the science of ecology to guide their narratives of how human culture was altering nature. William Cronon’s Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England (1983), for example, juxtaposed explorers’ and colonists’ accounts of the landscape with recent ecologists’ literature, which Cronon intended to act as a transparent picture of what the New England landscape, sans human interference, was meant to look like. For Cronon and his fellow chroniclers of human impact on the environment, ecological theories held a status not unlike that which Williams noted had long been enjoyed by nature: ecology was seen as describing the essential constitution of the world, as a sort of transcendent principle, which could be counted upon to measure the degree of human folly in interfering with nature’s essence.
Using Brief Experimental Analysis to Intensify Tier 3 Reading Interventions

As implementation of multi-tiered systems of support becomes common practice across the nation, practitioners continue to need strategies for intensifying interventions and supports for the subset of students who fail to make adequate progress despite strong programs at Tiers 1 and 2. Experts recommend making several changes to the structure and format of instruction, however more information is needed about strategies that are individualized (i.e., matched to student need), not just intensified. One promising approach to matching student need to intervention is brief experimental analysis (BEA). This article will describe the theoretical and empirical support for BEA, provide a model for conducting a BEA, present an example of its use, and discuss implications for future research and practice.
Prioritization of a plant polysaccharide over a mucus carbohydrate is enforced by a Bacteroides hybrid two-component system

Bacteroides is a dominant genus within the intestinal microbiota of healthy humans. Key adaptations of the Bacteroides to the dynamic intestinal ecosystem include a diverse repertoire of genes involved in sensing and processing numerous diet- and host-derived polysaccharides. One such adaptation is the carbohydrate-sensing hybrid two-component system (HTCS) family of signalling sensors, which has been widely expanded within the Bacteroides. Using Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron as a model, we have created a chimeric HTCS consisting of the well-characterized sensing domain of one HTCS, BT1754, and the regulatory domain of another HTCS, BT0366, to explore the regulatory capabilities of these molecules. We found that the BT0366 regulatory region directly binds to and mediates induction of the adjacent polysaccharide utilization locus (PUL) using whole-genome transcriptional profiling after inducing signalling through our chimeric protein. We also found that BT0366 activation simultaneously leads to repression of distal PULs involved in mucus carbohydrate consumption. These results suggest a novel mechanism by which an HTCS enforces a nutrient hierarchy within the Bacteroides via induction and repression of multiple PULs. Thus, hybrid two-component systems provide a mechanism for prioritizing consumption of carbohydrates through simultaneous binding and regulation of multiple polysaccharide utilization loci.
Civil society and the negotiation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

Tobacco control civil society organisations mobilised to influence countries during the negotiation of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) between 1999 and 2003. Tobacco control civil society organisations and coalitions around the world embraced the idea of an international tobacco control treaty and came together as the Framework Convention Alliance (FCA), becoming an important non-state actor within the international system of tobacco control. Archival documents and interviews demonstrate that the FCA successfully used strategies, including publication of a newsletter, shaming symbolism and media advocacy to influence policy positions of countries during the FCTC negotiation. The FCA became influential in the negotiation process, by mobilising tobacco control civil society organisations and resources with the help of the Internet, and framing the tobacco control discussion around global public health.
Synchronizations and General Repetitive Machines, with Applications to Ultimate Definite Automata

Let s and t be states of a finite (deterministic) automaton A. t can be reached from s if there is a tape x such that, if A is in state s and receives x, A goes to state t.We consider (1) automata in which the initial state can be reached from any final state, and (2) automata which can be brought to a known state from any unknown state by applying a predetermined tape x.Necessary and sufficient conditions for an ultimate definite automaton to have the former property are obtained. Every ultimate definite automaton A is shown to have the latter property; and a characterization is obtained for all tapes which bring A to a known state. Finally, those ultimate definite automata having the former property are shown to be precisely those which can be brought to the start state from any state by some tape x.
Nuclear Spin-Lattice Relaxation in Superconducting Aluminum

The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time of superconducting aluminum has been measured from 0.35\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K to the critical temperature. The method used was that of Hebel and Slichter; low temperatures were attained through the use of a helium-three cryostat. The estimated energy gap is $3.2 k{T}_{c}$, in agreement with microwave measurements. The data are in good agreement with the predictions of Hebel and Slichter based on the Bardeen, Cooper, and Schrieffer theory of superconductivity. The data indicate a smearing or width of the BCS energy levels which decreases with increasing temperature and is approximately $\frac{1}{10}$ of the energy gap at all temperatures.
Fracture of laminates combining 2024-T3 and 7075-T6 aluminum alloys

Abstract Crack growth resistance curves have been determined for crack-divider laminates in which layers of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy are adhesively bonded to layers of 7075-T6 alloy. Results are compared with the fracture resistance of laminates consisting wholly of each material, the layer thickness being the same (1.54 mm) in all cases. The initial portions of the resistance curves are similar for both alloys; however those for 2024-T3 have steeper slopes at longer effective crack lengths. As a result, laminates consisting entirely of 2024-T3 alloy exhibit greater amounts of stable crack extension and higher toughnesses at instability. This is attributed in part to the greater strain hardening rate in 2024-T3 material. Laminates combining 2024-T3 and 7075-T6 layers are intermediate between those consisting entirely of one or the other alloy.
Si photonics technology for future optical interconnection

Scaling of computing systems require ultra-efficient interconnects with large bandwidth density. Silicon photonics offers a disruptive solution with advantages in reach, energy efficiency and bandwidth density. We review our progress in developing building blocks for ultra-efficient WDM silicon photonic links. Employing microsolder based hybrid integration with low parasitics and high density, we optimize photonic devices on SOI platforms and VLSI circuits on more advanced bulk CMOS technology nodes independently. Progressively, we successfully demonstrated single channel hybrid silicon photonic transceivers at 5 Gbps and 10 Gbps, and 80 Gbps arrayed WDM silicon photonic transceiver using reverse biased depletion ring modulators and Ge waveguide photo detectors. Record-high energy efficiency of less than 100fJ/bit and 385 fJ/bit were achieved for the hybrid integrated transmitter and receiver, respectively. Waveguide grating based optical proximity couplers were developed with low loss and large optical bandwidth to enable multi-layer intra/inter-chip optical interconnects. Thermal engineering of WDM devices by selective substrate removal, together with WDM link using synthetic wavelength comb, we significantly improved the device tuning efficiency and reduced the tuning range. Using these innovative techniques, two orders of magnitude tuning power reduction was achieved. And tuning cost of only a few 10s of fJ/bit is expected for high data rate WDM silicon photonic links.
Cooperative 3D and 2D mapping with heterogenous ground robots

Efficient and accurate 3D mapping is desirable in disaster recovery as well as urban warfare situations. The speed with which these maps can be generated is vital to provide situational awareness in these situations. A team of mobile robots can work together to build maps more quickly. We present an algorithm by which a team of mobile robots can merge 2D and 3D measurements to build a 3D map, together with experiments performed at a military test facility.
Simplified greens functions for mode I and II cracks

When using integral equation techniques to solve fracture mechanics problems, a solution for the stress and displacement fields surrounding an arbitrarily loaded crack face within an infinite two-dimensional plane can be used to accurately represent the behavior of the crack. It is advantageous to have this solution in as simple a form as possible, since the accuracy and computation time for numerical solution of the integral equations is improved by using less complex kernels. Previous solutions for the Green's functions for loaded cracks in an infinite domain involve lengthy complex variable expressions or double integrals with Cauchy and crack tip singularities. The results presented here are a simplification of a previous double integral solution, and the simplified result is a single integral representation with a non-singular integrand which involves only real numbers. Both the mode I and mode II problems are reduced to this simplified form, and the two may be combined for mixed mode two-dimensional crack problems.
Audience and image in ciceronian Rome: Creation and constraints of the Vir Bonus personality

Although the study of Roman oratory persistently has occupied the interests of classical rhetoricians, little research has been done to try to understand the speeches as they were actually delivered and the influence which listeners had upon speakers. Focusing on Cicero, this study investigates his views and relationship with listeners who frequently filled the Forum to evaluate rhetorical skills. The results of this research indicate that the audience became such a dominant force that many orators, in an effort to gain recognition, were encouraged to stress histrionics and the appearance of virtue over the realities of a sincere moral commitment to a cause. Consequently, individuals such as Cicero were strongly tempted to concentrate on the appearance of a virtuous public image and not the morality which it implied.
Treatment of experimental status epilepticus with the GABA uptake inhibitor, tiagabine

The potential clinical efficacy of tiagabine for control of status epilepticus was evaluated in an experimental model. Tiagabine was administered to cobalt-lesioned rats in which status epilepticus was induced by injection of homocysteine thiolactone. Tiagabine was effective in controlling status epilepticus in this model; the median effective dose for control of generalized tonic-clonic seizures in the model was 8.3 mg/kg. Tiagabine administration produced an abnormal, hypo-reactive behavioral state which was accompanied by an EEG pattern of high-amplitude, frontally dominant, rhythmic, 3-5-Hz spike-wave activity. This EEG and behavioral syndrome could be reproduced by administration of tiagabine to normal, non-epileptic rats. The exact nature of this syndrome remains unclear, but whether it is an epileptic or encephalopathic phenomenon, further study is clearly required before this drug should be considered for use in the treatment of human status epilepticus.
Surgical Induction of Endolymphatic Hydrops by Obliteration of the Endolymphatic Duct

Surgical induction of endolymphatic hydrops (ELH) in the guinea pig by obliteration and obstruction of the endolymphatic duct is a well-accepted animal model of the condition and an important correlate for human Meniere's disease. In 1965, Robert Kimura and Harold Schuknecht first described an intradural approach for obstruction of the endolymphatic duct (Kimura 1965). Although effective, this technique, which requires penetration of the brain's protective covering, incurred an undesirable level of morbidity and mortality in the animal subjects. Consequently, Andrews and Bohmer developed an extradural approach, which predictably produces fewer of the complications associated with central nervous system (CNS) penetration.(Andrews and Bohmer 1989) The extradural approach described here first requires a midline incision in the region of the occiput to expose the underlying muscular layer. We operate only on the right side. After appropriate retraction of the overlying tissue, a horizontal incision is made into the musculature of the right occiput to expose the right temporo-occipital suture line. The bone immediately inferio-lateral the suture line (Fig 1) is then drilled with an otologic drill until the sigmoid sinus becomes visible. Medial retraction of the sigmoid sinus reveals the operculum of the endolymphatic duct, which houses the endolymphatic sac. Drilling medial to the operculum into the area of the endolymphatic sac reveals the endolymphatic duct, which is then packed with bone wax to produce obstruction and ultimately ELH. In the following weeks, the animal will demonstrate the progressive, fluctuating hearing loss and histologic evidence of ELH.
Future Of Small Format Photography In The Armed Forces

Historically, the Armed Services have preferred the use of large format photography. This concept was expressed well by General Goddard in his famous remark: "There is no substitute for focal length." I would like to add, and if I may paraphrase General Goddard, that for the image interpreter there is no substitute for large format.© (1975) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Phosphate-dependent spectroscopic changes in liganded hemoglobin.

Summary The addition of organic phosphates (inositol hexaphosphate, IHP; diphosphoglycerate, DPG; adenosine triphosphate, ATP) or orthophosphate to fully liganded human hemoglobin produces ultraviolet and visible spectroscopic changes which are very similar to those observed when isolated unliganded alpha and beta subunits combine to form hemoglobin ( Brunori, et al. 1968 ). This characteristic difference spectrum is associated with changes in ligand binding cooperativity and affinity and appears to reflect changes in quaternary and tertiary structure of the protein.
Has mifepristone medical abortion expanded abortion access in New Mexico? A survey of OB-GYN and Family Medicine physicians.

Abstract Background The FDA approval of mifepristone in 2000 broadened the available options for abortion. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether physicians in New Mexico have integrated the use of mifepristone into their practice. Study Design We performed a mail-out survey of New Mexico Obstetrician Gynecologists (Ob-Gyn) and Family Medicine (FM) physicians in 2001 and 2008. Questions addressed integration of abortion services, attitudes towards providing abortion in different scenarios and barriers to offering abortion services. Results The response rates were 59% for the 2001 survey and 54% in 2008. In 2001 and 2008, 11% and 15% (p=.26) of physicians, respectively, provided any abortion — medical or surgical. Similarly, in 2001 and 2008, 5% and 10% (p=.07) provided medical abortion. Commonly cited barriers to provision of abortion in both years were beliefs against abortion and lack of training. Conclusions The number of physicians offering any abortion or medical abortion in New Mexico has not changed since the FDA approval of mifepristone. Residency training programs in FM and in Ob-gyn should include training in medical abortion.
Design of a New Stretching Apparatus and the Effects of Cyclic Strain and Substratum on Mouse Lung Epithelial-12 Cells

The pulmonary epithelium is exposed to mechanical strains during normal breathing or mechanical ventilation. While important for the regulation of cellular processes, excessive strains damage epithelial cells. To investigate the effects of strain on the epithelium, we developed a stretching device to apply equi-biaxial strains to cells cultured on elastic membranes. Following device validation, we exposed a murine epithelial cell line (MLE-12) to 30 min of cyclic stretch with 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% change in surface area on pronectin or type I collagen coated membranes. Following stretch, we assessed cell viability using fluorescent immunocytochemisty and surfactant secretion using [3H] labeled phosphatidylcholine (PC). Cell injury increased with increasing strain with cells on pronectin showing more injury than on type I collagen. Stretching had no effect on surfactant secretion on either substratum suggesting MLE-12 cells are a poor model for stretch-induced surfactant secretion. The cells grown on pronectin, however, demonstrated a 3-fold increase in surfactant secretion compared to those grown on type I collagen at all strains. This suggests that, while this cell line does not demonstrate stretch-induced surfactant secretion, the underlying extracellular matrix plays a crucial factor in both cell death and signal transduction in response to strain.
Interlimb coordination during stepping in the cat: in-phase stepping and gait transitions.

Abstract The coordination of step cycles between all 4 limbs during in-phase stepping and during transitions to and from alternate stepping was studied in 12 adult cats during repeated overground stepping trials. The temporal spacing of step cycles of the different limbs was determined from analysis of electromyographic (EMG) activity in a single extensor muscle of each limb. Patterns of coordination of the different limbs were established on the basis of the frequency with which phase values separating step cycles were encountered. Steps in which the phasing of step cycles of the two hindlimbs were closer to true in-phase coordination than true alternation (phase between 270° and 90°) and where similar coupling was found in both the preceding and following steps were defined as steady state conditions. Distinct patterns of coordination of forelimb-forelimb and forelimb-hindlimb step cycles were noted under steady state conditions. During stepping sequences which include transitions either to or from alternate stepping, both gradual and abrupt phase changes were found. The changes in both forelimb-forelimb and forelimb-hindlimb phase relationships were more often gradual than abrupt. Where abrupt changes were encountered in the change in phase relationships between one such limb pair the phase change in the other pair was gradual. Changes in hindlimb-hindlimb phase relationships during transitions were nearly always abrupt. It is concluded that the 4 limbs are coordinated during in-phase stepping according to a few patterns, but that the variability about these patterns makes their association with simple neural circuitry rather speculative. The finding that transitions were most often gradual is interpreted in terms of a state-dependent model of interlimb control, in which the type of transition utilized depends on the strength of neural coupling of step cycles of all 4 limbs at the time that the transition is initiated.
Alpharma Beef Cattle Nutrition Symposium: implications of nutritional management for beef cow-calf systems

The beef cattle industry relies on the use of high-forage diets to develop replacement females, maintain the cow herd, and sustain stocker operations Forage quantity and quality fluctuate with season and environmental conditions Depending on class and physiological state of the animal, a forage diet may not always meet nutritional requirements, resulting in reduced ADG or BW loss if supplemental nutrients are not provided It is important to understand the consequences of such BW loss and the economics of providing supplementation to the beef production system Periods of limited or insufficient nutrient availability can be followed by periods of compensatory BW gain once dietary conditions improve This may have less impact on breeding animals, provided reproductive efficiency is not compromised, where actual BW is not as important as it is in animals destined for the feedlot A rapidly evolving body of literature is also demonstrating that nutritional status of cows during pregnancy can affect subsequent offspring development and production characteristics later in life The concept of fetal programming is that maternal stimuli during critical periods of fetal development have long-term implications for offspring Depending on timing, magnitude, and duration of nutrient limitation or supplementation, it is possible that early measures in life, such as calf birth BW, may be unaffected, whereas measures later in life, such as weaning BW, carcass characteristics, and reproductive traits, may be influenced This body of research provides compelling evidence of a fetal programming response to maternal nutrition in beef cattle Future competitiveness of the US beef industry will continue to be dependent on the use of high-forage diets to meet the majority of nutrient requirements Consequences of nutrient restriction or supplementation must be considered not only on individual animal performance but also the developing fetus and its subsequent performance throughout life.
Self-similarity and clustering in the spatial distribution of species.

Condit et al. ([1][1]) examined the spatial aggregation of individuals of tree species in six different tropical forest sites. They found that most species were aggregated, that rare species tended to be more aggregated than abundant ones, and that smaller individuals of a species tended to be more