cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of dsDNA Architecture on Diffusion Properties in Networks

DNA is an essential element for genetic disease treatments. Its application depends on the diffusive properties of DNA through tissues. Although, there are works on linear DNA diffusion in a network environment, the dependence of the diffusion coefficient on chain architecture is not completely understood.In this work we study dsDNA molecule behavior in a network with the discrete slip-link model. We show dependence of the diffusion coefficient on the chain molecular weight and network mesh size. We compare theoretical predictions with experimental measurements of linear dsDNA thermal diffusion in agarose gels. To analyze the influence of the architecture of the DNA molecule on its diffusion properties, the theory can be applied to star-shaped molecules. However, to obtain experimental data it requires to synthesize a well characterized star-shaped dsDNA molecule.
Developmental Ascendency: From Bottom-up to Top-down Control

Development is a process whereby a relatively unspecified system comprised of loosely connected lower level parts becomes organized into a coherent, higher-level agency. Its temporal corollaries are growth, increasingly deterministic behavior, and a progressive reduction of developmental potential. During immature stages with relatively low specification and high potential, development is largely controlled by local interactions from the “bottom-up,” whereas during more highly specified stages with reduced potential, emergent autocatalytic processes exert “top-down” control. Robert Ulanowicz has shown that this phenomenology of ascendency follows thermodynamic principles and can be described quantitatively using information theory, providing a general theory of development. However, the theory has not found a wide audience among developmental biologists, as genetic determinism encourages the popular reductionistic perception that ontogeny is controlled entirely by molecular mechanisms that exert efficient causality from the bottom-up. Nonetheless, measurements of metabolic rates and mRNA complexity in developing embryos, as well as functional analyses of gene regulatory systems, indicate that ontogeny fits the paradigm of developmental ascendency. Beyond informing biomedical research and the interpretation of large datasets obtained by systems-biological approaches, developmental ascendency helps explain the origin of life, and, being independent of scale, provides an overarching explanation for phylogenetic change that contextualizes Darwinian evolution.
Unit commitment by genetic algorithm and expert system

Abstract A genetic algorithm is a random search procedure which is based on the survival-of-the-fittest theory. This algorithm is applied to the unit commitment scheduling problem, which is the problem of determining the optimal set of generating units within a power system to be used during the next one to seven days. This paper will present an explanation of the genetic algorithm, the implementation of this algorithm and the results for a six-generator 24-hour commitment schedule.
Spinal anesthesia to go: Optimizing spinal anesthesia for outpatients

Spinal anesthesia is an increasingly popular technique for ambulatory anesthesia. Desires for increased efficiency have driven our practice to seek spinal anesthesia that provides adequate anesthesia with the briefest possible recovery period. Use of small doses of spinal lidocaine and bupivacaine are appropriate in the outpatient setting in order to decrease patient recovery time. Unfortunately, use of small doses of local anesthetics are associated with a potentially high anesthetic failure rate. Addition of spinal adjuncts such as epinephrine and fentanyl can improve anesthetic success of small dose spinal anesthesia. Addition of epinephrine is not recommened due to prolongation of patient recovery, whereas addition of small doses of fentanyl appear to enhance surgical anesthesia without prolonging patient recovery
Analytic System Design With Pencil And Ruler--The Advantages Of The y-y Diagram

It is well known that the first-order properties of an optical system are sufficiently specified by the tracing of two meridional paraxial rays through the system, namely the marginal ray, which originates at the center of the object plane and passes through the edge of the stop, and the chief ray, which originates at the edge of the object and passes through the center of the stop. Wherever the marginal ray crosses the axis an image plane is located and wherever the chief ray crosses the axis a pupil plane is located. Moreover, the height of the chief ray at an image plane gives the size of the image and the height of the marginal ray at a pupil plane gives the size of the pupil.
Water Quality Statistics

Summary Water quality experiments, especially the use of macroinvertebrates as indicators of water quality, offer an ideal context for connecting statistics and science. In the STAR program for secondary students and teachers, water quality experiments were also used as a context for teaching statistics. In this article, we trace one activity that uses virtual streams and repeated sampling to develop the notion of a hypothesis test for one proportion.
Modeling and additive manufacturing of bio-inspired composites with tunable fracture mechanical properties

Flaws, imperfections and cracks are ubiquitous in material systems and are commonly the catalysts of catastrophic material failure. As stresses and strains tend to concentrate around cracks and imperfections, structures tend to fail far before large regions of material have ever been subjected to significant loading. Therefore, a major challenge in material design is to engineer systems that perform on par with pristine structures despite the presence of imperfections. In this work we integrate knowledge of biological systems with computational modeling and state of the art additive manufacturing to synthesize advanced composites with tunable fracture mechanical properties. Supported by extensive mesoscale computer simulations, we demonstrate the design and manufacturing of composites that exhibit deformation mechanisms characteristic of pristine systems, featuring flaw-tolerant properties. We analyze the results by directly comparing strain fields for the synthesized composites, obtained through digital image correlation (DIC), and the computationally tested composites. Moreover, we plot Ashby diagrams for the range of simulated and experimental composites. Our findings show good agreement between simulation and experiment, confirming that the proposed mechanisms have a significant potential for vastly improving the fracture response of composite materials. We elucidate the role of stiffness ratio variations of composite constituents as an important feature in determining the composite properties. Moreover, our work validates the predictive ability of our models, presenting them as useful tools for guiding further material design. This work enables the tailored design and manufacturing of composites assembled from inferior building blocks, that obtain optimal combinations of stiffness and toughness.
Advanced vapor-doping all-glass double-clad fibers

ABSTRACT We review the advanced attributes of double-clad optical fibers made by the Yb/Al-vapor-doped OVD (outside-vapor-deposition) method developed at Corning Incorporated. The method is characteristically completely synthetic in nature, which allows fiber composition flexibility for both the core and the claddings. Consequently, it has enabled some highly desirable fiber features, such as low-NA core ( 0.32), high Yb-doping concentration (> 1.2wt %) and ultra-low passive background-loss (~1/~3dB/km for core/innerclad @1310nm), in addition to the unique all-glass double-clad structure by additional composition engineering for the outerclad. Further, a high performance SBS-mitigated double-clad fiber is presented as an example enabled by this versatile OVD methodology. 1. Introduction The concept of double-clad fibers first emerged in the late 1980s [1] as a means to boost power-scaling properties in fiber lasers and amplifiers. Fiber lasers/amplifiers had been invented in the 1960s
A mosaic approach to wind wave modeling

Abstract A mosaic or multi-grid approach to wind wave modeling is presented. In this approach, a series of grids with different resolutions are treated as individual wave models, while simultaneously and continuously considering interactions between these grids. This converts a mosaic of grids into a single wave model. For overlapping grids with distinctly different resolutions, two-way nesting is introduced. For overlapping grids with similar resolution, a reconciliation method is introduced. These techniques are implemented in the WAVEWATCH III wind wave model and are tested for several idealized situations, and for a realistic wave hindcast for coastal Alaskan waters. The mosaic approach is shown to give consistent results across grid scales and provides an effective and economical way to locally increase the spatial resolution of wave models.
Tissue folate levels in transgenic mice with tumors and in nontransgenic controls

Tissues, whole blood, serum, and tumor folate of a tumor-bearing transgenie (TBT) mouse model for human neurqfibromatosis were measured to characterize effects of neoplasia on concentration of folate among tissues and tumors. Tissues of 11 TBT mice (killed when tumor burden was estimated to be 1% of body weight to minimize possible t~ffects of eachexia) and eight nontransgenic controls (NTC) of similar age were analyzedJbr fi~late. TBT mice had 1.5 +- 0.2 tumors. Tumor mass was 0.35 +- O. I0 g/mouse, and overall tumor folate concentrations were 0.38 +_ O. I0 nmol/g. Overall total tumor Jolate was 0.13 +- 0.04 nmol/mouse. Body weights and erythrocyte and leukocyte counts of TBT and NTC mice were similar. Hematocrits and hemoglobin concentrations were lower in TBT than in NTC mice. Livers and kidneys from TBT mice weighed less than those of NTC mice while spleens weighed more. Both groups had similar folate concentrations in liver and spleen while concentrations in kidney, brain, and serum were lower in TBT than in NTC miee. Folate per liver, kidney, and brain was lower while that per spleen was higher in TBT than in NTC mice. Tumor folate concentrations were lower than those of most mouse nontumor tissues. Folate concentrations of tumors were variable and were ranked as follows: nose > tail >--.[bot >-- ear. The presettce of tumors was associated with reduced folate concentration of some nontumor tissues. Folate concentrations of kidney, brain, and serum decreased as the number and mass of tumors increased.
Exercise-induced changes in hepatic blood volume measured during cardiac equilibrium cineangiography: Relation to coronary anatomy and right ventricular function

The relation of exercise-induced changes in hepatic blood volume to right and left ventricular ejection fraction response to exercise and the presence of proximal right coronary artery disease was examined in 47 patients undergoing angiography for the evaluation of chest pain. Hepatic blood activity was measured on separate 20 second anterior static liver images at rest and peak exercise during supine exercise equilibrium radionuclide cineangiography using a small lead marker to allow reproducible placement of a hepatic region of interest. Average hepatic counts/picture element at exercise compared with rest were used to determine an exercise/rest hepatic blood volume ratio. Patients with normal coronary arteries (Group A, n = 10) and patients with disease limited to the left coronary artery (Group B, n = 19) showed a significant decrease in hepatic counts with exercise (exercise/rest ratio 0.74 ± 0.09 and 0.80 ± 0.09, respectively) and patients with proximal right coronary artery disease (Group C, n= 18) showed no change in hepatic counts (ratio 1.00 ± 0.09). Mean hepatic blood volume ratio was greater among patients demonstrating a decrease in right ventricular ejection fraction during exercise than among patients with no change (p Hepatic blood volume response to exercise can be easily determined during exercise equilibrium radionuclide cardiac imaging. Measurement of such a response may be helpful in evaluating the presence of proximal right coronary artery disease and assessing right ventricular function during exercise.
The Hallelujah Effect

In a building on West 60th Street in Manhattan, in sight of the Lincoln Center, one of the world’s great classical music centers, Babette Babich practices philosophical inquiry in the classroom. Wi...
PROCESSES INVOLVED IN MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM SOLVING

grade subjects learned to solve nonroutine geometry problems and (b) changes in those processes as the problem-solving ability of the subjects developed. The second, more important section indicates a direction for future research in problem solving and sets forth suggested hypotheses for investigations, both clinical and experimental, resulting from reflection on the regularities observed in the problem-solving behaviors of the first section. The Study Mathematics educators agree that the development of the ability to solve complex, nonroutine problems is one important goal of mathematics instruction. An individual is faced with a problem when he encounters a question he cannot answer or a situation he is unable to resolve using the knowledge immediately available to him. He must then think of a way to use the information at his disposal to arrive at the goal, the solution of the problem. A problem differs from an exercise in that the problem solver does not have an algorithm that, when applied, will certainly lead to a solution. To complete an exercise, one must first determine the applicable algorithm,
Computed Tomography for the Diagnosis and Management of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Computed tomography (CT) is useful in the detection and diagnosis of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Rupture risk can be assessed by accurately measuring diameter, tortuosity, thrombus extent, and wall stress. CT can aid in accurately determining anatomic variants as well as AAA etiology. Evaluation for surgical intervention is made by close examination of AAA morphology and specific anatomic features.
Flowers of Sulphur and Charcoal in the Prevention of Experimentally Produced Coccidiosis

Abstract VAN ES and Olney (1940) set forth the opinion of many poultrymen when they stated that, although coccidiosis might be controlled to a bearable extent by sanitation and management, success in its complete elimination by these measures was difficult. Herrick and Holmes (1936) and Dickinson and Scofield (1939) reported that flowers of sulphur aided in the prevention of Eimeria tenella infection. In a preliminary report Goff and Upp (1940a) found that the coccidiosis preventive properties of sulphur were enhanced when 5 percent charcoal was included in a ration containing 5 percent of any one of the four grades of sulphur studied. Some of the effects of sulphur upon the chicks have been reported by Holmes, Deobald, and Herrick (1938), Dickinson and Schofield (1939), and Goff and Upp (1940b). Additional data regarding the coccidiosis preventive properties of sulphur and charcoal have been collected and a part of these are presented in . . .
Lignin geochemistry of North American coastal and continental shelf sediments

Abstract The concentrations and composition of lignin in coastal and shelf sediments at five locations along the North American continent—Georges Bank/North Atlantic shelf, northwestern Gulf of Mexico, Southern California, Norton Sound and nearshore Beaufort Sea—have been characterized using alkaline CuO oxidation. Lignin concentrations are generally highest at close proximity to the mouth of major rivers, indicating that deposition of river-borne vascular plant debris is the principal source of lignin to the offshore sediments. Arctic sediments contain the highest concentrations, presumably as a result of an abundant supply of terrestrial organic material and the prevalence of frigid temperatures and surface ice cover during much of the year. Concentrations are lowest in the Georges Bank/North Atlantic sediments, where a dynamic physical environment persists over much of the year and the supply of terrestrial organic matter to the offshore in the form of major rivers is lacking. Stable carbon isotopic compositions show that sediments containing the highest lignin concentrations also contain isotopically-lighter organic matter, consistent with a terrestrial source input. Vanillyl, syringyl and cinnamyl phenol distributions in these offshore sediments are consistent with primary contributions from gymnosperm (predominant) and angiosperm woods and secondary contributions from nonwoody tissues. These estimates may be subject to some uncertainty due to diagenetic alteration of individual lignin phenols. In contrast, p-hydroxyl phenol yields are not strongly correlated with those of the other lignin-derived phenols, suggesting generation from both lignin and non-lignin sources. Elevated acid/aldehyde ratios relative to undegraded plant tissues suggest that the lignin transported to these offshore sediments has undergone some biodegradative oxidation.
Defining the minimum size of a hydrophobic cluster in two-stranded α-helical coiled-coils: Effects on protein stability

The α-helical coiled-coil motif is characterized by a heptad repeat pattern (abcdefg)n in which residues a and d form the hydrophobic core. Long coiled-coils (e.g., tropomyosin, 284 residues per polypeptide chain) typically do not have a continuous hydrophobic core of stabilizing residues, but rather one that consists of alternating clusters of stabilizing and destabilizing residues. We have arbitrarily defined a cluster as a minimum of three consecutive stabilizing or destabilizing residues in the hydrophobic core. We report here on a series of two-stranded, disulfide-bridged parallel α-helical coiled-coils that contain a central cassette of three consecutive hydrophobic core positions (d, a, and d) with a destabilizing cluster of three consecutive Ala residues in the hydrophobic core on each side of the cassette. The effect of adding one to three stabilizing hydrophobes in these positions (Leu or Ile; denoted as •) was investigated. Alanine residues (denoted as ○) are used to represent destabilizing residues. The peptide with three Ala residues in the d a d cassette positions (○○○) was among the least stable coiled-coil (Tm = 39.3°C and Urea1/2 = 1.9 M). Surprisingly, the addition of one stabilizing hydrophobe (Leu) to the cassette or two stabilizing hydrophobes (Leu), still interspersed by an Ala in the cassette (•○•), also did not lead to any gain in stability. However, peptides with two adjacent hydrophobes in the cassette (••○)(○••) did show a gain in stability of 0.9 kcal/mole over the peptide with two interspersed hydrophobes (•○•). Because the latter three peptides have the same inherent hydrophobicity, the juxtaposition of stabilizing hydrophobes leads to a synergistic effect, and thus a clustering effect. The addition of a third stabilizing hydrophobe to the cassette (•••) resulted in a further synergistic gain in stability of 1.7 kcal/mole (Tm = 54.1°C and Urea1/2 = 3.3M). Therefore, the role of hydrophobicity in the hydrophobic core of coiled-coils is extremely context dependent and clustering is an important aspect of protein folding and stability.
Radiation Safety for the Speech-Language Pathologist

It is the responsibility of the medical Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) who performs video-assisted fluoroscopy of swallowing (VFSS) to be aware of guidelines, recommendations, and preventive measures to reduce radiation to oneself and the patient. Established parameters to reduce radiation during videofluoroscopy include keeping the exposure time brief, using lead aprons and other shielding, and maximizing the distance from the source of radiation. The purpose of this study was to measure radiation exposure to SLPs in the clinical setting and to provide practical recommendations to keep radiation exposure as low as reasonably achievable. Our study measured radiation exposure to six SLPs practicing in an acute-care university hospital. We monitored the radiation received during 130 examinations, 102 of which were of the pharynx only and the other 28 included pharynx and intrathoracic viscera. Individual times were documented, and average doses per exam were calculated from dosimetry badges worn on the lead apron of the SLP doing inpatient exams. Average fluoroscopy time per procedure was 165 s. Average radiation to the dosimeter worn on the front of the lead apron at chest level was 0.15 mR (0.0015 mGy) per procedure. SLPs stood behind the lead shield during fluoroscopy when feasible. Our measurements document the practical importance of reducing radiation exposure to health-care personnel by increasing the distance from the source of radiation and by shielding. While recommendations are not new, details of the findings may help guide and reinforce good radiation safety practice.
Observation of perpendicular ion acceleration in toroidal plasmas

Nonresonant fast ions (${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{i}}$/${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{i}}$\ensuremath{\sim}100) with large ratios of perpendicular-to-parallel energy (${\mathit{E}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\perp}}}$/${\mathit{E}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\parallel}}}$\ensuremath{\sim}100) have been observed in rf-produced, electron-cyclotron-resonance-heating-produced and low-density Ohmic plasmas in the Continuous Current Tokamak device by means of a scannable fast neutral spectrometer. Superthermal ions (${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{i}}$/${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{i}}$\ensuremath{\sim}20) are also observed in high-harmonic ion cyclotron-heated tokamak discharges (\ensuremath{\omega}/${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{\mathit{i}}$\ensuremath{\sim}20), but appear to be isotropic, possibly due to pitch-angle scattering. These measurements strongly suggest the existence of a universal mechanism of perpendicular ion acceleration.
Gastric contents retained in rat stomach following mild irritant exposure contribute to adaptive cytoprotection.

Fluid retained in the gastric lumen immediately preceding the administration of a damaging product will dilute that product and decrease its injurious capacity. In an attempt to explain the phenomenon of adaptive cytoprotection, we studied the effect of mild irritant exposure on the volume of fluid retained in the gastric lumen. Rats treated with 0.2 N–0.4 N HCl had a larger volume of gastric fluid retained as compared to animals treated with 0.4 N NaCl. Additionally, a mixture of gastric juice derived from rats exposed to 0.4 N HCl with 2 ml ethanol was significantly less damaging to the gastric mucosa than a similar mixture containing an equal volume of gastric juice derived from 0.4 N NaCl-exposed rats. We conclude from our observations that in mild irritant-exposed stomachs, the gastric juice is a main contributor to the protection against ethanol injury.
Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of a −Donor−Bridge−Acceptor−Bridge- Type Block Copolymer via Alkoxy- and Sulfone- Derivatized Poly(phenylenevinylenes)

A novel class of light harvesting conjugated block copolymers, with electron-donating conjugated blocks (D) connected to electron-accepting conjugated blocks (A) via non conjugated and flexible bridge chains (B), has been designed, synthesized, and characterized. Specifically, D is a decyloxy-substituted polyphenylenevinylene (C10−PPV). A1 and A2 are PPVs with sulfone (SO2) acceptor moieties substituted on every other phenylene unit. A1 carries two decyloxy groups on every phenylene unit, while in A2, half of the phenylene units are unsubstituted. The optical energy gaps are 2.24 eV for the donor block (D), 2.33 and 2.45 eV for A1 and A2 acceptor blocks. LUMO level offsets are 0.24 and 0.16 eV for D/A1 and D/A2 pairs, respectively. Comparing the photoluminescence from both films and solutions, very large red shifts (71 and 74 nm for A1 and A2 respectively) were observed in the two acceptor polymers. These red shifts in the emission spectra were more than twice as much as that observed for D (31 nm). The (...
Electromechanical response of porous piezoelectric materials

Abstract A finite element model is developed to study the effects of porosity on the electromechanical response of piezoelectric materials. Upon classifying 3-1-type porous materials as “longitudinally” or “transversely” porous, depending on the relative orientation of the porosity axis with respect to the poling direction of the piezoelectric material, the effects of porosity on the coupled properties of piezoelectric materials are systematically characterized. It is demonstrated that: (i) “longitudinally” porous materials with circular porosity cross-section exhibit higher order symmetry while “transversely” porous materials with elliptical porosity cross-section display lower order symmetry; (ii) the principal elastic, dielectric, and piezoelectric properties decrease monotonically with an increase in the porosity volume fraction (with higher sensitivity to porosity geometry in “transversely” porous materials); (iii) increasing the porosity in a piezoelectric material (especially in the “transverse” sense) enhances the utility of the materials for select applications by decreasing the acoustic impedance and increasing the hydrostatic charge coefficient.
Amblyomma americanum: physiochemical isolation of a protein derived from the tick salivary gland that is capable of inducing immune resistance in guinea pigs.

Crude salivary gland derived proteins from Amblyomma americanum ticks were analyzed by physiochemical (gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography) and immunochemical guinea pig IgG1 (anti-tick immunoaffinity column) techniques for the presence of antigens responsible for the induction of host immune resistance responses. Gel filtration (G-75 Sephadex) and ion exchange (diethyl aminoethyl cellulose) chromatography of crude salivary gland antigen yielded multiple fractions, but only one fraction from each procedure induced significant cutaneous anaphylaxis bluing reactions when used for skin tests in tick sensitized animals treated intravenously with 0.05% Evans blue dye. Salivary gland antigen (200 ng) eluted from the immunoaffinity column by 0.2 M Na2CO3, pH 11.3, and emulsified with incomplete Freund's adjuvant conferred a significant level of tick rejection (24%, P < 0.001) on naive guinea pigs compared with that seen in controls, but less than (P < 0.01) the level of immunity conferred by crude salivary gland antigen (380 μg). The immunizing dose of immunoaffinity purified salivary gland antigen was 11900 the dose of the crude antigen preparation representing 99.9% purification. Furthermore, engorged ticks from animals immunized with salivary gland antigen exhibited a significant decrease (P < 0.001) in weight compared with ticks from naive animals. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of 125I labeled proteins in the Na2CO3 eluate and the skin reactive fraction from gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography, after immunoprecipitation with a guinea pig IgG1 antibody to the tick that transferred resistance, revealed the presence of a 20 kDa weight protein reported previously to be the antigen responsible for the induction of host resistance. These studies present physiochemical and immunochemical procedures for the purification of an important tick protein that (1) induces skin reactions in tick sensitized guinea pigs, (2) is recognized by antibody to the tick, and most importantly, (3) is capable of immunizing naive guinea pigs against tick challenge.
Engagement in School and Community Civic Activities Among Rural Adolescents

Involvement in civic and community activities is a core part of positive youth development. Adolescents involved in voluntary civic activities have greater academic engagement, enhanced well-being, less involvement in problem behaviors, and they are more likely to value connections to their community than those who are not involved. The current research examined involvement in school and community civic activities as well as religious youth groups among 8th and 9th graders (N = 679, 61.7% female, 85.9% White) from small, rural schools in the Midwest U.S. and linked involvement to religiosity, well-being, problem behavior, academic engagement, and perceptions of parents and peers. Half of the adolescents in the sample reported involvement in civic activities or, more commonly, in religious youth groups. Adolescents who participated in religious youth groups reported more extracurriculars, less problem behavior, higher grades and motivation, and more support from parents and friends than adolescents who did not. The most frequently reported school civic activities were student council and Future Farmers of America, and 4-H was the most popular community civic activity. Those who were involved in school- and community-based civic activities reported more religiosity, academic engagement, and positive perceptions of parents and peers than uninvolved youth. The results support and extend research on rural youth by documenting civic activities across contexts and examining how involvement is associated with positive youth development.
Evaluating the impact of a pharmacist's absence from an antimicrobial stewardship team.

Purpose Results of a study to determine the impact of a clinical pharmacist’s temporary absence from a hospital’s antimicrobial stewardship team are presented. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted to compare the appropriateness of the use of selected antimicrobial medications with and without regular pharmacist involvement on the hospital’s antimicrobial stewardship team. The charts of two samples of patients were evaluated: (1) 119 patients who had received prolonged (≥72 hours) imipenem–cilastatin, linezolid, or micafungin therapy over a three-month period during which a clinical pharmacist routinely provided interventions to help ensure the drugs were used according to institutional guidelines and (2) 111 patients treated with one of the three drugs during a three-month period when the clinical pharmacist did not serve on the stewardship team. Results Relative to the period of active pharmacist involvement in antimicrobial stewardship, rates of inappropriate use of imipenem–cilastatin, linezolid, and micafungin during the pharmacist’s absence were deemed to have increased by 27, 39, and 35 percentage points, respectively, with corresponding increases in the average duration of therapy of 0.7, 4.0, and 3.2 days; in addition, the number of cases of Clostridium difficile infection increased more than threefold (from 8 to 25) during the pharmacist’s absence. Conclusion The temporary absence of a pharmacist from the antimicrobial stewardship team was associated with increased rates of inappropriate use of restricted antimicrobial agents and consequent increases in average durations of therapy.
ESDP and the future of the Atlantic Alliance: Political and geopolitical considerations

(2005). ESDP and the future of the Atlantic Alliance: Political and geopolitical considerations. Journal of Transatlantic Studies: Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 23-38.
Analytical potential of separations by liquid ion exchange

Abstract While extractions by liquid anion exchange with alkylamines or quaternary ammoniums and by liquid cation exchange with (especially) organophosphorus acids are being developed intensively for chemical processing, they appear as yet to be used considerably less than other types of extractions in analytical chemistry. It is suggested that this results from chance and habit rather than from any lack of potential usefulness, and that liquid ion exchange warrants increased attention from analytical chemists. Some of the advantages that have proved important in chemical processing should apply also to analytical use. When extractions reported from process and physicochemical applications are included along with analytical reports, a considerable range of extractions is already available to suggest and guide further uses. A representative compilation of such extractions is summarised, and the controlling variables in some of the typical liquid ion-exchange systems are reviewed.
Gene therapy for treatment of inherited haematological disorders

Gene therapy, a molecular medicine based on vector-mediated transfer of therapeutic genes, holds promise for a cure of monogenetic inherited diseases. In recent years, tremendous progress has been reported in the treatment of haematological disorders: clinical trials in severe combined immune deficiencies have been successful by using retroviral vectors to express target genes in haematopoietic stem cells, which after transplantation efficiently reconstituted the immune system concomitant with substantial improvement in the clinical status of patients. Conversely, unexpected adverse events were also encountered. In other work, progress towards clinical studies on ex vivo gene transfer for Fanconi anaemia and haemoglobinopathies has been made. Each approach features a unique treatment strategy and also faces various impediments to success. In the case of the X-linked bleeding disorder haemophilia, several Phase I/II clinical trials were conducted, including in vivo administration of viral vectors to skelet...
An energy-efficient media access control protocol for chain-type wireless sensor networks

We present in this paper an energy efficient media access control (MAC) protocol for chain-type wireless sensor networks. The chain-type sensor networks are fundamentally different from traditional sensor networks in that the sensor nodes in this class of networks are deployed along narrow and elongated geographical areas and form a chain-type topology. Recently, we have successfully developed hierarchical network architecture, sensor deployment strategy, and corresponding network initialization and operation protocols for this class of sensor networks. In this paper, we present a novel TDMA scheduling protocol that takes full advantages of the available channel reuse inherent in the chain-type sensor networks to develop energy efficient and high data throughput MAC protocols for sensor data transmission. The synchronized TDMA scheduling allows the nodes to power on only when it is scheduled to send and receive and therefore results in additional energy saving. Within a cluster, parallel transmission is made possible because of the linear distribution of nodes within the chain-type topology and this yields the desired high throughput. Preliminary simulations have been carried out to show that the proposed TDMA scheduling outperforms the well-know SMAC scheme in terms of energy efficiency and data throughput under various duty cycles.
Pressure wave propagation studies for oscillating cascades

The unsteady flow field around an oscillating cascade of flat plates is studied using a time marching Euler code. Exact solutions based on linear theory serve as model problems to study pressure wave propagation in the numerical solution. The importance of using proper unsteady boundary conditions, grid resolution, and time step is demonstrated. Results show that an approximate non-reflecting boundary condition based on linear theory does a good job of minimizing reflections from the inflow and outflow boundaries and allows the placement of the boundaries to be closer than cases using reflective boundary conditions. Stretching the boundary to dampen the unsteady waves is another way to minimize reflections. Grid clustering near the plates does a better job of capturing the unsteady flow field than cases using uniform grids as long as the CFL number is less than one for a sufficient portion of the grid. Results for various stagger angles and oscillation frequencies show good agreement with linear theory as long as the grid is properly resolved.
Homeostatic changes during post-nap sleep maintain baseline levels of delta EEG.

Abstract It has been hypothesized that visually scored stage 4 EEG (dense, high amplitude 0.5–3 Hz (delta) waves) is a correlate of a metabolic process that reverses some of the effects of waking on the brain. The results of nap studies appear inconsistent with this hypothesis since late naps produce a disproportionate loss of stage 4 during subsequent sleep. We show here with direct computer measurement that the integrated amplitude (and other measures) of 0.5–3 Hz EEG waves are conserved across a nap and post-nap sleep. Thus, the metabolic model remains tenable. However, the homeostatic adjustments involve changes in the periods, durations and distributions of delta waves that are not predictable by any existing model. This study also demonstrates the limitations inherent in visual estimates (sleep stage scoring) of delta wave amplitude and abundance.
Risk Factors for Inflammatory Complications Following Third Molar Surgery

mens. In addition, PCR amplification was then performed using a modified method of KAMBE with the addition of Ampdirect (SIMADZ). The products were then electrophoresed. Method of Data Analysis: We compaired the result of PCR and culture one. Results: Using this new method we were able to detect the kinds of Candida species from all the case of oral rinse which were also found to be culture positive based on conventional culture methods. Conclusion: Our new candida test was thus found to be a useful and highly sensitive method which was able to accurately detect candida species from oral rinse specimens.
Mechanical and thermal properties of AlN–BN–SiC ceramics

Abstract Mechanical and thermal properties were characterized for two AlN:BN:SiC composite ceramics produced from BN with different particle sizes. The ceramics were hot pressed at temperatures from 1950 to 2100 °C to ∼97% relative density. For both materials, the matrix (90:10 vol% SiC:AlN) had a grain size of ∼0.4 μm, and the BN grains (10 vol%) were crystallographically aligned. Microhardness values were between 20 and 22 GPa, while fracture toughness values were between 2.5 and 3.1 MPa m1/2. Other properties were found to be dependent on testing direction. Elastic moduli were between 260 and 300 GPa and strengths were ∼630 MPa for small particle BN additions. Thermal conductivity was calculated to be between 25 and 37 W/m K at room temperature and 17 and 25 W/m K at 900 °C. The low values compared to traditional SiC ceramics were attributed to AlN–SiC solid solution formation and sub-micron matrix grain sizes.
Identification and properties of P b -like centers in photoluminescent porous silicon

Abstract A paramagnetic defect in luminescent porous Si was observed at concentration 10 15 cm -2 . The g-values, hyperfine and superhyperfine structure identify it as a slight variant of the planar-surface P b0 center (•Si≡Si 3 ). Its complete g-map reflects multiply-oriented microcrystal faces on a lattice aligned with the substrate. It seems not to be the only luminescence recombination center in porous Si.
Isidor Fankuchen (1904–1964): more than memories of a master measurer of molecules and materials

The year 2014 has been declared “The International Year of Crystallography.” Coincidentally, it is the 50th anniversary of the death of Isidor Fankuchen, a premier pioneering practitioner of this discipline. The current study discusses some of Fankuchen’s contributions to our understanding of molecular structure and how he personally and professionally impacted the author.
A Filter for Deep Near-Infrared Imaging

The K passband (central wavelength 2.2 microns, FWHM 0.4 micron) is the longest wavelength standard near-IR passband through which deep ground-based imaging is possible. Thermal emission from telescope, instrument, and sky limits the depth to which such imaging can reach by producing strongly temperature-dependent backgrounds in the range 11-13.5 mag/sq arcsec. This paper describes how a passband, which is denoted as K-prime, located slightly shortward of the standard K passband (central wavelength 2.1 microns), yet still within the same atmospheric window, leads to a significantly lower thermal component of the background, reducing the background surface brightness by up to 0.9 mag sq arcsec, and thereby allowing deeper imaging to be obtained in the same integration time. The photometric differences between the K-prime filter and the standard K filter are discussed.
Estrogen receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor and cellular ploidy in elutriated subpopulations of hepatocytes during liver tumor promotion by 17α-ethinylestradiol in rats.

17 alpha-Ethinylestradiol (EE2)-mediated promotion of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-initiated liver tumors was evaluated in distinct hepatocyte subpopulations. Our initiation-promotion regime consisted of a single dose of DEN (200 mg/kg) to ovariectomized rats, followed by chronic exposure to EE2 (90 micrograms/kg/day for 30 weeks). We observed significant increases in liver and uterine organ wts which were associated with liver tumor formation. Isolated hepatocytes were separated by elutriation into seven subpopulations. The early eluting subpopulations consisted of a greater proportion of diploid cells and they exhibited a preferential uptake of acridine orange, which is characteristic of periportal cells. With the increasing order of elutriated fractions, hepatocyte subpopulations of tetraploid and octaploid cells were obtained. Elutriation revealed that EE2 promotion enhanced nuclear estrogen receptor levels (3-fold) and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase activity (5-fold) to a greater extent in the early eluting diploid subpopulations (1 and 2), even though total estrogen receptor (ER) levels were higher in the later eluting subpopulations. The stimulatory effect of EE2 on ER levels was associated with an increased ER occupancy in all subpopulations, although the effect was greatest in the later eluting fractions. Chronic EE2 exposure induced the emergence of new hepatocyte populations within fractions 6 and 7. Enhanced cell growth was observed in the DEN/EE2-derived hepatocytes by flow cytometric measurements of DNA synthesis. The new populations of altered cells expressed high levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), with 90% of the cells positive for EGFR-antibody. In summary, our data demonstrate that many effects of EE2 on hepatocyte pathways involved in growth control occur in nearly all populations of cells, derived by elutriation although some effects such as the emergence of an EGFR-enriched population of hepatocytes are localized in specific populations.
Design of a 6-DOF compliant manipulator based on serial-parallel architecture

A novel dexterous 6DOF manipulator serially connected by two compliant parallel stages is presented in this paper. The upper stage is a 3-RPS mechanism and the lower one is a 3-RRR mechanism. In virtue of the method of the physical model of the solution space, optimal design of the lower stage has been accomplished. Then, the calibration of the lower stage is undergoing by means of an ultra-precision vision system. The experiment shows that the lower stage possesses workspace of 120 mum times 130 mum times 18mrad with the resolution of 50 nm, 50 nm, 18 arcsec, respectively. This manipulator is to be used as a fiber optics aligner
Liberalizing Foreign Trade in a Socialist Economy: The Problem of Negative Value-Added

In their remarkably swift adoption of free trade with full current account convertibility in 1990, both East Germany and Poland experienced rapid industrial decline: the collapse—or threatened bankruptcy—in an astonishingly wide variety of manufacturing and agricultural industries that turned out ex post facto not to be internationally competitive. Are there constraints on how fast currency convertibility, and free arbitrage between domestic and foreign markets for goods and services, is best achieved in a liberalizing socialist economy?
SEX RATIO IN A NEW SPECIES OF NASONIA WITH FULLY-WINGED MALES

One of the better-studied sex ratio theories is local mate competition (LMC) theory, first developed by Hamilton in 1967 (for reviews see Chamov, 1982; Waage, 1986; King, 1987). LMC models assume a subdivided population structure with emergence and then random mating taking place within local patches followed by female dispersal to new patches to lay offspring. Under these conditions, offspring sex ratio (proportion sons) is expected to increase with increasing number of ovipositing mothers in a patch, eventually reaching an asymptote (Hamilton, 1967, 1979). One of the best-studied species with regards to LMC theory is the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis. N. vitripennis's sex ratio as it relates to LMC theory has been examined both genetically and behaviorally, both in the laboratory and in the field (e.g., Orzack and Parker, 1986; Werren, 1980, 1983). Although current sex ratio theory cannot completely explain offspring sex ratios in N. vitripennis (e.g., Orzack, 1986), empirical evidence on N. vitripennis supports LMC model predictions in general. For example, most N. vitripennis females produce female-biased offspring sex ratios when alone and increase the proportion of sons they produce when other ovipositing females are present (Walker, 1967; Wylie, 1965; Velthius et al., 1965; Werren, 1983). Here we examine offspring sex ratios in a newly discovered species of Nasonia, N. giraulti (Darling and Werren, 1990), and compare it to that of N. vitripennis. In N. vitripennis, the explanation for why the species meets the population structure assumed by most LMC models has been that 1) males lack full wings; 2) thus, males cannot disperse to mate, and so mating must take place at the emergence site; and 3) because mating takes place at the site of emergence, there will be competition for mates among males emerging from the same or nearby hosts (i.e., "local mate competition"). N. giraulti is almost identical morphologically to N. vitripennis, except that N. giraulti males have full wings and can fly. Thus, our expectation was that in N. giraulti, males disperse and so their populations, relative to N. vitripennis, should experience both less competition among brothers for mates and less inbreeding. Either or both of which should have selected for less female-biased sex ratios in N. giraulti than in N. vitripennis (Frank, 1985; Herre, 1985). We present results showing that N. giraulti does manipulate offspring sex ratio in response to the number of other mothers present, but that N. giraulti produces
What are good apertures for defocus deblurring

In recent years, with camera pixels shrinking in size, images are more likely to include defocused regions. In order to recover scene details from defocused regions, deblurring techniques must be applied. It is well known that the quality of a deblurred image is closely related to the defocus kernel, which is determined by the pattern of the aperture. The design of aperture patterns has been studied for decades in several fields, including optics, astronomy, computer vision, and computer graphics. However, previous attempts at designing apertures have been based on intuitive criteria related to the shape of the power spectrum of the aperture pattern. In this paper, we present a comprehensive framework for evaluating an aperture pattern based on the quality of deblurring. Our criterion explicitly accounts for the effects of image noise and the statistics of natural images. Based on our criterion, we have developed a genetic algorithm that converges very quickly to near-optimal aperture patterns. We have conducted extensive simulations and experiments to compare our apertures with previously proposed ones.