cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Model checking publish-subscribe systems

While publish-subscribe systems have good engineering properties, they are difficult to reason about and to test. Model checking such systems is an attractive alternative. However, in practice coming up with an appropriate state model for a pub-sub system can be a difficult and error-prone task. In this paper we address this problem by describing a generic pub-sub model checking framework. The key feature of this framework is a reusable, parameterized state machine model that captures pub-sub run-time event management and dispatch policy. Generation of models for specific pub-sub systems is then handled by a translation tool that accepts as input a set of pub-sub component descriptions together with a set of pub-sub properties, and maps them into the framework where they can be checked using off-the-shelf model checking tools.
Incorporating generator exciter dynamics in an observability formulation for nonlinear power systems

This paper extends the proposed observability formulation for nonlinear power systems modeled as a set of Differential Algebraic equations by including additional generator dynamics, and focusing on the impact these additional dynamics have on the overall system observability formulation. In particular, the generator exciter dynamics are included in the power system model (using a network-preserving model of the system), and the observability formulation is determined for this enhanced power system model. The resulting observability Jacobian is compared to the case where the system generators are modeled using only the swing equation, and an example is presented to illustrate the steps needed to construct the observability Jacobian, and evaluate regions in the system state-space where the observability Jacobian is singular, and the system is therefore no longer observable.
The 5'-termini of bacterial RNA. I. The monophosphorylated termini.

Abstract A two-dimensional fingerprint technique is described which separates oligonucleotides by length and number of phosphates present at the termini. The diversity of terminal nucleotide sequences was found to be quite restricted in bacterial 4–5 S RNA: in the strain used here the predominant dinucleotide species was pG-C, and the only trinucleotides produced were pG-G-Up and pG-G-Cp. Examination of total pulse-labeled RNA revealed the same restricted set of terminal trinucleotides.
Dopamine and Glutamate Hypotheses of Schizophrenia

The original dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia posits that psychosis is associated with a hyperactive dopamine transmission. This hypothesis has been revised through the years to account for the cognitive and negative symptoms that are increasingly recognized as the core features of schizophrenia. The critical support for this hypothesis stems from the fact that until recently it was assumed that all antipsychotic drugs block dopamine receptors; however, decades of research have failed to provide solid evidence for a primary dopaminergic disruption in schizophrenia. An alternative hypothesis, based on glutamate transmission, was developed after discovering that the psychotomimetic agent phencyclidine is an antagonist of glutamate NMDA receptors. Further clinical and basic research has provided support for the notion that various genetic and cellular susceptibility factors in schizophrenia may converge at the level of NMDA receptor dysfunction. This hypothesis predicts that a disrupted glutamatergic transmission causes the core cognitive deficits of schizophrenia and may lead to a secondary disruption in dopamine transmission that in turn causes psychosis. This hypothesis has provided novel therapeutic targets for schizophrenia that modulate glutamatergic transmission through a number of mechanisms including metabotropic and AMPA receptors and glycine modulatory site on NMDA receptors. Keywords: schizophrenia; antipsychotic drugs; NMDA receptor; prefrontal cortex; D2 receptors
The solid state portion of the Hf-Ta phase diagram

The solid state reactions in the Hf-Ta system were investigated by high-temperature X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, and electron probe microanalysis. The results support a phase diagram with a monotectoid at about 40 at. pct Ta and an isotherm at 1083°C. A small miscibility gap was observed between about 40 and 80 at. pct Ta with a maximum temperature of about 1150°C.
Prospective evaluation of gastroenterologist-guided, nurse-administered standard sedation for spiral deep small bowel enteroscopy.

Sedation of patients for deep small bowel enteroscopy presents unique challenges and is traditionally provided by anesthesiologists. No study has directly evaluated gastroenterologist-guided, nurse-administered sedation for deep enteroscopy. Further, no comparison exists between gastroenterologist-guided versus anesthesiologist-guided sedation during deep enteroscopy. To evaluate safety and efficacy of performing deep (spiral) enteroscopy using gastroenterologist-guided sedation and compare outcomes between patients receiving gastroenterologist-guided and anesthesiologist-guided sedation. This prospective case series contains 91 consecutive patients who underwent deep enteroscopy with spiral Endo-Ease Discovery SB overtube. Of the patients, 64 received gastroenterologist-guided and 27 received anesthesiologist-guided sedation. In the 64 patients receiving gastroenterologist-guided sedation, successful completion occurred in 59 of 64 enteroscopies (92.2%). Mean insertion depth was 231.0 ± 85.8 cm beyond the ligament of Treitz. Total procedure time was 39.9 ± 15.7 min (diagnostic time 34.7 ± 12.3 min; therapy time 5.2 ± 8.9 min). Positive findings were noted in 32 cases (50.0%), with therapy performed in 27 cases (42.2%). Six minor complications occurred. Compared to the anesthesiologist-guided sedation group, there was no difference in patient characteristics except mean American Society of Anesthesiologists score (2.5 ± 0.5 in gastroenterologist-guided group versus 2.7 ± 0.6 in anesthesiologist-guided group; p = 0.046) and presence of adhesions (ten in gastroenterologist-guided group and zero in anesthesiologist-guided group; p = 0.030). Outcomes for both groups were not significantly different except for shorter times in the gastroenterologist-guided group (39.9 ± 15.7 min versus 46.0 ± 12.1 min; p = 0.047) and more frequent findings in the anesthesiologist-guided group (50.0% vs. 74.1%; p = 0.034). Deep enteroscopy using the spiral overtube can be successfully and safely accomplished with gastroenterologist-guided, nurse-administered standard sedation.
Pediatric cardiology outcomes research using an intervention-specific registry: The PDA Coil Registry

Abstract The PDA Coil Registry was organized in 1994 as an open, voluntary, multicenter registry of data on coil occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus. In the less than two years in which new patients were recruited, over 1300 procedures were reported to the registry. To encourage participation, the registry limited the amount of data to be reported, requested only data which would be collected for clinical purposes, and separated reporting of the initial procedure from the submission of follow-up data. The PDA Coil Registry is an example of an intervention-specific registry which was able to gather substantial data for carefully focused outcomes research in a limited period of time with a modest investment of resources.
Bone Loss with Aging and the Impact of SCI

One hundred forty-four individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), 129 men and 15 women, were evaluated by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to assess the risk factors of age, duration of injury, neurological deficit, and body mass index (BMI) on the bone mineral densities (BMD) of the lumbar spine, hip, and knee. The participants, ages 18 to 50 years old, were categorized into four neurological classifications: 37 with complete tetraplegia, 25 with incomplete tetraplegia, 57 with complete paraplegia, and 25 with incomplete paraplegia. The effects of risk factors at the regional sites of SCI osteoporosis can be summarized: BMI influences all sites especially the knee; neurologic deficit affects the hip and especially the knee; duration of injury positively influences the spine and negatively influences the hip and the knee to a lesser degree; and age negatively effects the hip.
DRAZIN INVERSES IN JÖRGENS ALGEBRAS OF BOUNDED LINEAR OPERATORS

Let X be a Banach space and Τ be a bounded linear operator from X to itself (Γ G B(X).) An operator D G Β {X) is a Drazin inverse of Τ if TD = DT, D = TD2 and Tk = Tk+lD for some nonnegative integer k. In this paper we look at the Jorgens algebra, an algebra of operators on a dual system, and characterise when an operator in that algebra has a Drazin inverse that is also in the algebra. This result is then applied to bounded inner product spaces and *-algebras.
The diverse functional roles and regulation of neuronal gap junctions in the retina

Electrical synaptic transmission through gap junctions underlies direct and rapid neuronal communication in the CNS. The diversity of functional roles that electrical synapses have is perhaps best exemplified in the vertebrate retina, in which gap junctions are formed by each of the five major neuron types. These junctions are dynamically regulated by ambient illumination and by circadian rhythms acting through light-activated neuromodulators such as dopamine and nitric oxide, which in turn activate intracellular signalling pathways in the retina. The networks formed by electrically coupled neurons are plastic and reconfigurable, and those in the retina are positioned to play key and diverse parts in the transmission and processing of visual information at every retinal level.
Methodology for creating empirically supported agent-based simulation with survey data for studying group behavior of construction workers

AbstractConstruction workers’ attitudes and behaviors are one of the most important factors of a construction project’s performance. As the attention paid to the impact of social influences and norms on worker behavior grows, agent-based modeling and simulation (ABMS) emerges as a research tool for studying workers’ group behavior. With ABMS, researchers can uncover the underlying process of group behavior emerging from individuals’ interactions in an organization. However, validating agent-based simulation with real data is the greatest challenge in using ABMS for organizational behavior research. With this background in mind, the objective of this paper is to propose a methodology for creating an empirically supported agent-based model for studying workers’ behavior influenced by social norms. The proposed methodology suggests that empirical data collected by a questionnaire can be used for ABMS in three steps: (1) testing the agent behavior rules used in an agent-based model (i.e., testing the modeling...
Accuracy of the tongue blade test in patients with suspected mandibular fracture

The inter-observer reliability and accuracy of the tongue blade test (TBT) for the identification of patients with mandibular fracture was prospectively evaluated using radiographic diagnosis as the gold standard. A consecutive sample of 110 patients presenting to the emergency department of a teaching county hospital was studied. Patients with uninterpretable x-rays, known diagnosis of mandibular fracture, or inability to cooperate for the test were excluded. Bilateral ability to crack a wooden tongue blade held between the teeth was scored as a negative test. Fifty-three patients had mandibular fractures. In the study group, the TBT had a sensitivity of 95.7%; a specificity of 63.5%; a positive predictive value of 66.2%; a negative predictive value of 95.2%; and an accuracy of 77.3%. The TBT provided contributory evidence useful in screening patients for mandibular fracture.
Automated acquisitions systems: Or, does your library acquire materials bit by bit?

More than 200 people attended a LITA conference at the Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee, December 6-7, 1979 to hear eight speakers present their views on the state of the art of automated acquisitions. Keynote speaker, Richard Boss (Information Systems Consultants), traced the development of automated acquisitions routines from the1960s to date in a presentation entitled, "The Functions o f Acquisitions." He pointed out that the specifications for many of today's automated systems continue to reflect the thinking of the 1960s: on-line ordering capability, collection use analysis, increased use of library budgets, increased sophistication among acquisitions librarians, and more emphasis on collection development. Among the options available to acquisitions librarians now and in the future are turnkey minis, in-house minis, jobber systems, multi-vendor systems, and bibliographic utility systems. Costs per order may range from less than 50 cents to more than $1.70 with one bibliographic utility which Boss did not name. Hardware costs are decreasing while telecommunications costs are not. Turnkey vendor systems offer the entire package (hardware, software, training, etc.) as well as providing the potential for integration with other systems (circulation, cataloging, data banks). Boss closed his presentation by urging librarians to become aware of the rapid progress in automated acquisitions and to attempt to influence that progress.
Development of an Integrated Microanalytical System for Analysis of Lead in Saliva and Linkage to a Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model Describing Lead Saliva Secretion

There is a need to develop reliable portable analytical systems for biomonitoring lead (Pb) in noninvasively collected saliva samples. In addition, appropriate pharmacokinetic analyses are used to quantitate systemic dosimetry based on the saliva Pb concentrations. A portable microfluidics/electrochemical device was developed for the rapid analysis of Pb based on square wave anodic stripping voltammetry, in which a saliva sample flows over an electrode surface, Pb2+ is chemically reduced and accumulated, and the electric potential of the electrode scanned. The system demonstrates a good linear response over a broad Pb concentration range (1–2000 ppb). To evaluate the relationship between saliva and blood Pb, rats were treated with single oral doses ranging from 20 to 500 mg Pb/kg of body weight, and 24 hours later were administered pilocarpine, a muscarinic agonist to induce salivation. To correlate saliva levels with internal dose, blood and saliva were collected and quantitated for Pb by inductively cou...
Performance analysis of information hiding

Information hiding in host data, or transparent digital watermarking, can be treated as an application of digital communications in which the hidden information is conveyed through a channel where the noise includes the host data and stems from other sources. The amount of information to be hidden is called the payload. At the detector, the hidden information (the watermark) should be retrieved with high confidence. We present a theoretical performance analysis of this information hiding problem in terms of payload, detection error rate, SNR, bandwidth of the watermarking channel, and channel coding for error correction. The detector is assumed to be a correlator, which is known to be optimal for Gaussian noise. However, our analysis does not require that the host data has a Gaussian distribution. Since our analysis does not depend on the synchronization between the watermark signal and the detector or on the maximum watermark power as constrained by preserving the fidelity, our result defines the theoretical performance limits. We present two decision rules designed to satisfy the given false alarm and code word error rate, based on energy detection and SNR estimation. We then apply two watermarking schemes, one with constant strength and the other with adaptive strength, in order to determine the watermarking design parameters by examining how the SNR is decreased against random and quantization noises.
Tried, true, and new: public health nursing in a county substance abuse treatment system

The Milwaukee Target Cities (MTC) project was the only site within 19 federally funded Target Cities programs to feature a public health nursing model as its sole means of providing comprehensive health-related services to indigent substance abuse clients. We first describe MTC's implementation process, focusing on the public health nursing component, and then present a program evaluation section with selected findings from the ongoing qualitative evaluation. Initially, misunderstandings about the nurses' community-based, family-centered strategy of assuring access to health care through cross-system service linkage dogged the nurses' efforts to explain their roles and mission to federal funders, project management, coworkers, and treatment providers. In the end, after federal funding ended, public health nursing left an enduring legacy of partnerships in the county substance abuse treatment system: education about public health nursing, networking, referral processes, and resources to meet the complex health-related needs of indigent substance abusers. Despite the project's many changes, the nurses (a) became specialists in substance abuse, gaining expertise and recognition in a new community, particularly with isolated subpopulations; (b) assured substance abuse clients and their families access to health-related resources through core public health nursing skills; and (c) educated project staff, administrators, providers, and clients about public health nursing.
Rapid graphic methods for the estimation of enzyme normalities and their ligand dissociation constants

Abstract Methods are presented for the rapid graphic evaluation of spectrophotometric titrations by which both the active site normalities and reactant dissociation constants may be estimated.
A dynamic-server queuing simulation

Abstract We proposea new dynamic-server queuing model that increases system efficiency and customer satisfaction compared with current practice. It fits multi-server systems sharing a common queue, typical in banks and airlines check-in among others. This is a proposal of a computer program. The program sends a signal periodically to add (or dismiss) a server when the ratio of customers waiting to the number of servers reaches (or falls below) a pre-specified threshold policy ratio. If this ratio is set equal to one for example, then each waiting customer is practically at most next in line to be served. Currently, management adds or dismisses a server subjectively, which is inefficient and lacks theoretical foundation. This work invites the development of a similar algorithm for multi-server, multi-queue systems. We develop a queuing simulation algorithm that systematically adjusts the number of servers in a system. It applies to systems with a single waiting line but multiple servers. We impose a few realistic assumptions then use the algorithm to simulate random Poisson arrivals and exponential service. The results show that the proposed algorithm increases the systems efficiency and customer satisfaction relative to existing models.
Value of Quantitative D‐dimer Assays in Identifying Pulmonary Embolism: Implications from a Sequential Decision Model

Objectives: To examine the cost-effectiveness of a quantitative D-dimer assay for the evaluation of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) in an urban emergency department (ED). Methods: The authors analyzed different diagnostic strategies over pretest risk categories on the basis of Wells criteria by using the performance profile of the ELISA D-dimer assay (over five cutoff values) and imaging strategies used in the ED for PE: compression ultrasound (CUS), ventilation‐perfusion (VQ) scan (over three cutoff values), CUS with VQ (over three cutoff values), computed tomography (CT) angiogram (CTA) with pulmonary portion (CTP) and lower-extremity venous portion, and CUS with CTP. Data used in the analysis were based on literature review. Incremental costs and quality-adjusted-life-years were the outcomes measured. Results: Computed tomography angiogram with pulmonary portion and lower-extremity venous portion withoutD-dimerwasthepreferredstrategy.CUS-VQscanningalwayswasdominatedbyCT-basedstrategies. When CTA was infeasible, the dominant strategy was D-dimer with CUS-VQ in moderate- and high-Wells patientsandwasD-dimerwithCUSforlow-Wellspatients.WhenCTPspecificityfallsbelow80%,orifitsoverall performance is markedly degraded, preferred strategies include D-dimer testing. Sensitivity analyses suggest that pessimistic assessments of CTPaccuracy alter theresults only at extremes of parameter settings. Conclusions: In patients in whom PE is suspected, when CTA is available, even the most sensitive quantitative D-dimer assay is not likely to be cost-effective. When CTA is not available or if its performance is markedly degraded, use of the D-dimer assay has value in combination with CUS and a pulmonary imaging study. These conclusions may not hold for the larger domain of patients presenting to the ED with chest pain or shortness of breath in whom PE is one of many competing diagnoses. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2006; 13:755‐766 a 2006 by the Society for Academic Emergency
The use of transarterial chemoembolization in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a response to the Cochrane Collaboration review of 2011.

This commentary is written in response to a recent Cochrane Collaboration review published in March 2011 (1). The authors of this commentary would like to express their concerns over the conclusions of the Cochrane review, which state, “There is no firm evidence to support or refute transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or transarterial embolization (TAE) for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).”
Uptake of Ibuprofen, Indomethacin and Ketoprofen into Isolated Rabbit Parietal Cells

In the United States and other countries, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be purchased without a prescription. Due to their widespread use, the drugs' most common side effect, gastric toxicity, becomes a more serious concern. Gastric toxicity can occur directly by contact with mucous membranes or indirectly by the inhibition of prostaglandin production in the gastric mucosa. We have studied the uptake of NSAIDs in gastric tissue, specifically parietal cells removed from the rabbit stomach. New Zealand White rabbits were killed and then used to harvest parietal cells. The purified cells were used to study the uptake of ibuprofen, indomethacin and ketoprofen (NSAIDs) over time and under different experimental conditions. The effects of concentration were investigated for all three NSAIDs. In addition, indomethacin and ibuprofen were used to investigate the mechanism of uptake. Studies were determined for the effects of varied extracellular pH from pH 6 to 8, and inhibitory conditions from depressed temperature (5 degrees C), metabolic inhibitors (sodium azide and 2,4-dinitro-phenol), an ionophore (nigericin) and a sodium free support medium. The interaction of NSAIDs with lysed parietal cells was investigated also. Initial rate data indicated that Michaelis-Menten kinetics were apparent; however, poor solubility of all three NSAIDs prevented complete characterization of the inclusion of a passive transport mechanism. Uptake showed a statistically significant increase (P = 0.01 to 0.05) as pH decreased, also suggesting contribution from a passive mechanism. Studies with inhibitors showed minimal effects. However, uptake at equilibrium for the ionophore, nigericin, showed a 10-fold increase over the control for ibuprofen (P = 0.005) and a 1.4-fold increase for indomethacin (P=0.04). Depressed temperature (5 degrees C) increased the initial rate and uptake at equilibrium 2.1- and 2.2-fold, respectively, for ibuprofen (P < 0.01). For indomethacin depressed temperature increased the initial rate and uptake at equilibrium 2.7- and 5.2-fold, respectively (P < 0.01). The increases at 5 degrees C suggests that adsorption may be an important uptake component. Experiments with lysed parietal cells showed a non-specific uptake phenomenon, suggesting an adsorption component was occurring also.
Retinal localization and copper-dependent relocalization of the Wilson and Menkes disease proteins.

PURPOSE. Menkes and Wilson diseases are associated with retinal degeneration. The Menkes and Wilson genes are homologous copper transporters, but differences in their expression pattern lead to different disease manifestations. To determine whether the Wilson and Menkes genes may act locally in the retina, this study was undertaken to assess retinal Wilson and Menkes expression and localization. METHODS. RT/PCR was used to test for the presence of Wilson and Menkes mRNAs in mouse and human retinas and retinal pigment epithelial cell lines. The Menkes and Wilson proteins were immunolocalized in human and mouse retinas and in the ARPE-19 cell line. RESULTS. The Menkes mRNA and protein were present in the RPE and neurosensory retina whereas the Wilson mRNA and protein were limited to the RPE. In the RPE, both proteins localized to the Golgi. Increased copper concentration led to relocalization of the Wilson protein to a diffuse cytoplasmic distribution. CONCLUSIONS. Both the Menkes and Wilson proteins are present in the RPE. Since the RPE is a blood-brain barrier, these proteins most likely regulate not only their own copper levels but also copper levels of the overlying photoreceptors. Because the Wilson protein delivers copper to the ferroxidase ceruloplasmin in the liver, it is likely that the Wilson and/or Menkes proteins provide copper to ceruloplasmin made in the RPE. Retinopathy in Wilson and Menkes diseases may result not only from abnormal systemic copper levels but also from loss of retinal Wilson or Menkes protein.
Seasonal Survival, Movement, and Habitat Use of Age‐0 Rainbow Trout in the Henrys Fork of the Snake River, Idaho

Abstract We quantified seasonal abundances, apparent survival rates, movements, and habitat use of age-0 rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in a 25-km reach of the Henrys Fork of the Snake River, Idaho, to determine what factors limit recruitment to the population. Natural production of rainbow trout occurred in each year of the study (1995-1997) and ranged from 158,000 to 306,000 age-0 fish each summer. No significant loss of age-0 rainbow trout occurred between summer and autumn; suitable habitat was present throughout the channel in all reaches and supported large abundances of age-0 rainbow trout through this period. The greatest losses (77-100%) occurred during winter and primarily involved fish from center-channel macrophyte beds. Most river sections, which had only simple bank habitat, did not support any age-0 rainbow trout through the entire winter. Overwinter survival was greatest (18-23%) in Box Canyon, a river section characterized by complex bank habitat, high gradient, and large substrate. Fi...
An evaluation of the Standardized Precipitation Index, the China-Z Index and the statistical Z-Score

The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) was developed to detect drought and wet periods at different time scales, an important characteristic that is not accomplished with typical drought indices. More and more users employ the SPI to monitor droughts. Although calculation of the SPI is easier than other drought indices, such as the Palmer Drought Index, it is still relatively complex. In China, an index called the China-Z Index (CZI) has been used since 1995 by the National Climate Centre of China to monitor moisture conditions across the country. The calculation of this index is easier than the SPI. A third index, the statistical Z-Score, can also be used to monitor droughts. This paper evaluates the SPI, CZI and Z-Score on 1-, 3-, 6-, 9- and 12-month time scales using monthly precipitation totals for four locations in China from January 1951 to December 1998 representing humid and arid climates, and cases of drought and flood. Advantages and disadvantages for the application of each index are compared. Study results indicate that the CZI and Z-Score can provide results similar to the SPI for all time scales, and that the calculations of the CZI and Z-Score are relatively easy compared with the SPI, possibly offering better tools to monitor moisture conditions. Copyright © 2001 Royal Meteorological Society
Cubanite: A New Sulfide Phase in CI Meteorites

Cubanite (CuFe2S3) previously unobserved in meteorites, has been discovered in two carbonaceous chondrites, Orgueil and Alais. The association of this mineral with low-copper pyrrhotite suggests that it formed in a low-temperature environment on the meteorite parent body.
In vitro lipofection with novel asymmetric series of 1,2-dialkoylamidopropane-based cytofectins containing single symmetric bis-(2-dimethylaminoethane) polar headgroups.

Novel N,N‘-diacyl-1,2-diaminopropyl-3-carbamoyl[bis-(2-dimethylaminoethane)] bivalent cationic lipids were synthesized and evaluated for in vitro transfection activity against a murine melanoma cell line. In the absence of the helper lipid DOPE (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine), only the dioleoyl derivative 22 (1,2lb5) elicited transfection activity. The transfection activity of this lipid was reduced when formulated with DOPE. Contrary to that, the dimyristoyl derivative 19 (1,2lb2) mediated no activity when used alone but induced the highest levels of marker gene expression in the presence of DOPE. In an effort to correlate the transfection activity with cationic lipid structures, the physicochemical properties of cationic lipids in isolation and of lipoplexes were studied with surface tensiometry, photon correlation spectroscopy, gel electrophoresis mobility shift assay, and fluorescence techniques. In regard to the lipoplex properties, gel electrophoresis mobility shift assay and EtBr ex...
Current recommendations for the anticoagulation of patients with atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commonly encountered cardiac rhythm disorder and is strongly associated with stroke. The risk of stroke and the benefit of anticoagulant therapy in patients with AF associated with mitral stenosis has been well accepted. Until recently the risk of stroke and the role of anticoagulant therapy in patients with nonrheumatic AF was unclear. Over the past decade studies have shown an approximate fivefold increase in the risk of stroke in patients with nonrheumatic AF. The results of large clinical trials have shown a benefit of treatment with anticoagulants and, to a lesser extent, aspirin for both the primary and secondary prevention of thromboembolic complications. Other than patients with a low risk of thromboembolic complications (primarily young patients without clinical risk factors), current guidelines recommend anticoagulation of most patients with AF. The studies that form the basis for these recommendations and the currently published guidelines are reviewed.
Boring crustaceans damage polystyrene floats under docks polluting marine waters with microplastic

Boring isopods damage expanded polystyrene floats under docks and, in the process, expel copious numbers of microplastic particles. This paper describes the impacts of boring isopods in aquaculture facilities and docks, quantifies and discusses the implications of these microplastics, and tests if an alternate foam type prevents boring. Floats from aquaculture facilities and docks were heavily damaged by thousands of isopods and their burrows. Multiple sites in Asia, Australia, Panama, and the USA exhibited evidence of isopod damage. One isopod creates thousands of microplastic particles when excavating a burrow; colonies can expel millions of particles. Microplastics similar in size to these particles may facilitate the spread of non-native species or be ingested by organisms causing physical or toxicological harm. Extruded polystyrene inhibited boring, suggesting this foam may prevent damage in the field. These results reveal boring isopods cause widespread damage to docks and are a novel source of microplastic pollution.
Worlds Apart: The Re-Migration of South African Jews - By Colin Tatz, Peter Arnold, and Gillian Heller

The article reviews the book "Worlds Apart: The Re-Migration of South African Jews," by Colin Tatz, Peter Arnold, and Gillian Heller.
Prefrontal regions play a predominant role in imposing an attentional ‘set’: evidence from fMRI

fMRI was used to determine whether prefrontal regions play a predominant role in imposing an attentional 'set' that drives selection of task-relevant information. While monitoring for an atypical item, individuals viewed Stroop stimuli that were either colored words or colored objects. Attentional demands were varied, being greater when the stimuli contained two distinct and incongruent sources of information about the task-relevant attribute (e.g., when attending to color, seeing the word 'blue' in red ink) as compared to only one source (e.g., seeing the word 'late' in red ink). Prefrontal but not anterior cingulate regions exhibited greater activation on incongruent than neutral trials, suggesting that prefrontal cortex has a major role in imposing an attentional 'set'. In addition, we found that prefrontal activation is most likely to occur when that attentional set is difficult to impose.
Vaccine therapies for patients with glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a high-grade glial tumor with an extremely aggressive clinical course and a median overall survival of only 14.6 months following maximum surgical resection and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. A central feature of this disease is local and systemic immunosuppression, and defects in patient immune systems are closely associated with tumor progression. Immunotherapy has emerged as an important adjuvant in the therapeutic armamentarium of clinicians caring for patients with GBM. The fundamental aim of immunotherapy is to augment the host antitumor immune response. Active immunotherapy utilizes vaccines to stimulate adaptive immunity against tumor-associated antigens. A vast array of vaccine strategies have advanced from preclinical study to active clinical trials in patients with recurrent or newly diagnosed GBM, including those that employ peptides, heat shock proteins, autologous tumor cells, and dendritic cells. In this review, the rationale for glioma immunotherapy is outlined, and the prevailing forms of vaccine therapy are described.
Three-dimensional theoretical temperature distributions produced by 915 MHz dipole antenna arrays with varying insertion depths in muscle tissue.

Abstract Interstitial microwave antenna array hyperthermia (IMAAH) systems are currently being used in the treatment of cancer. The insertion depth of an interstitial microwave antenna, defined as the length of the antenna from the tip to the point of insertion in tissue, affects its ability to produce uniform power deposition patterns in tumor volumes. The effect of varying insertion depths on the ability of an IMAAH system to heat two theoretical tumor models was examined. Four dipole microwave antennas were implanted in a 2 × 2 cm array and driven at 915 MHz in muscle tissue. The explicit power deposition patterns were calculated for each insertion depth using known theory. The bioheat transfer equation was solved for the 3-dimensional steady-state temperature distributions in cylindrical and ellipsoidal tumor models using a finite element method. Homogeneous and nonhomogeneous blood flow models were considered. As a basis of comparison of the various temperature distributions, the volume of tumor heated to ≥ 43°C was calculated. Under the conditions of this study, the insertion depth was shown to have a significant effect on the ability of an IMAAH system to heat the tumor volumes. A sharp decrease in the percentage of tumor volume heated to ≥ 43°C was seen for insertion depths between 7.8 and 14.6 cm. At an insertion depth of 11.7 cm (34 λ) there was virtually no heating of the tumor. Regions of elevated power occurred outside of the desired treatment volume, stressing the importance of adequate thermometry techniques and demonstrating the need for hyperthermia treatment planning prior to implantation of an antenna array. Plots of the power deposition patterns and the corresponding temperatures produced in the diagonal plane of the antenna arrays are present.
Provocative testing in children with suspect congenital long QT syndrome

Objectives This study was designed to evaluate several alternative ECG measurements and provocative tests in order to identify markers for children with suspect congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS). Background A single QTc measurement on a resting ECG does not identify all children with LQTS. Alternative ECG measurements have been established for identification of LQTS patients, with varied degrees of accuracy. Additionally, findings of QT prolongation during exercise or catecholaminergic stimulation have been suggested as indicators for the presence of LQTS and associated arrhythmias. Methods The ECGs from 40 children with suspect congenital LQTS were compared with 1000 gender and age matched control patients. Complete exercise ECG studies were performed on 32 of the 40 suspect LQTS patients and compared with 29 controls. ECGs recorded during isoproterenol infusion were obtained in 9 suspect LQTS patients and compared with 44 matched control subjects. Results During exercise, the QTc was mildly prolonged in both groups, without a similar increase in JTc, suggesting prolongation of depolarization time. QT and JT dispersion shortened with exercise in control subjects, but not in the suspect LQTS patients. During isoproterenol infusion, the QTc and JTc are prolonged in the suspect LQTS group, without an increase in the control patients. Conclusions We describe the ECG findings with provocative testing in patients in whom there is a clinical suspicion of LQTS, yet have a normal or borderline QTc. Exercise or isoproterenol may aid in identification of patients with congenital long QT syndrome.
The Problems of Quantifying Mineral Liberation: A review

A review is given of recent publications concerning the theory of liberation of component B from AB material as particle size is reduced, with a view to combining models of liberation with models of size reduction. Although a number of approaches are promising, it is concluded that there is no adequate model of liberation of binary systems suitable for incorporation into a mill model.
B lymphocyte stimulator overexpression in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: longitudinal observations.

Objective To assess the overexpression of B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) over time in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods Sixty-eight SLE patients were followed up longitudinally for a median 369 days. At each physician encounter, disease activity was assessed by the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index, and blood was collected for determination of the serum BLyS level, blood BLyS messenger RNA (mRNA) level, and cell surface BLyS expression. Twenty normal control subjects underwent similar laboratory evaluations. Results In contrast to the uniformly normal serum BLyS and blood BLyS mRNA phenotypes in control subjects, SLE patients displayed marked heterogeneity, with 50% and 61% of patients manifesting persistently or intermittently elevated serum BLyS and blood BLyS mRNA phenotypes, respectively. Surface BLyS expression by SLE peripheral blood mononuclear cells was also often increased. Treatment of patients who had elevated serum BLyS levels with intensive courses of high-dose corticosteroids resulted in marked reductions in serum BLyS levels, and tapering of the corticosteroid dosage often resulted in increases in serum BLyS levels. Serum BLyS levels generally correlated with anti–double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) titers (in those with detectable anti-dsDNA titers), but changes in serum BLyS levels did not correlate with changes in disease activity in individual patients. Serum BLyS phenotype did not associate with specific organ system involvement. Conclusion Dysregulation of BLyS over extended periods of time is common in patients with SLE. Neutralization of BLyS activity with an appropriate BLyS antagonist may be therapeutically beneficial.
The effect of the plasticizer system on the processability of poly(vinyl chloride) compounds

To conserve energy and process time, the judicious use of benzyl phthalate as a partial substitution for dialkyl phthalate is suggested. Data is presented from laboratory and pilot plant tests. Confirmation and correlation with factory trials is shown.
A numerical model of nonuniform solar cell stability

We model degradation in extended two-dimensional solar cells. The model couples electrical and thermal physics, so that voltage and temperature can vary over a device. Degradation is modeled phenomenologically, such that local open circuit voltage degradation is dependent on local temperature. Initial device nonuniformity is introduced with an initial spatial distribution of random shunt conductances. A comparison of pre- to post-stress performance shows variations, despite the deterministic nature of the degradation model, which is interpreted as a consequence of temperature variations.
Successful treatment using gentamicin liposomes of Salmonella dublin infections in mice.

Gentamicin entrapped within stable multilamellar liposomes was used to treat mice after they were infected per os with Salmonella dublin. Of 10 mice, 8 survived after a single intravenous (i.v.) injection of 2 mg of gentamicin liposomes per kg compared with 0 of 10 treated with the same amount of free gentamicin. All mice survived after treatment with a single i.v. or intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg of gentamicin liposomes per kg, whereas that dose of free drug was completely ineffective and caused neuromuscular paralysis when injected rapidly i.v. In mice treated with gentamicin liposomes, there was a steady decrease in the number of salmonellae in spleens for 2 weeks after treatment. High concentrations of gentamicin were present in the spleen for at least 10 days after treatment. Although gentamicin was not detected in the mesenteric lymph nodes of mice treated with gentamicin liposomes, bacterial counts in the nodes also decreased over time. Small numbers of bacteria remained viable in the mesenteric lymph nodes and Peyer's patches but not in the spleens of mice treated with 20 to 80 mg/kg. Mice treated with doses of gentamicin liposomes as high as 80 mg/kg showed only a transient increase in blood urea nitrogen and no rise in serum creatinine. These results confirm that gentamicin in liposomes is less toxic in mice than is free gentamicin and is extremely effective therapy for disseminated Salmonella infections in mice.
Design optimization using signal-to-noise ratio

Abstract This paper shows how design optimization can be achieved using signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios. A case of maintenance float policy is used to illustrate the application presented here. Basically, this involves the implementation of a robust design plan in simulation analysis. The design plan is based on the use of orthogonal arrays introduced by Taguchi. Through the application of Taguchi's S/N ratio, we demonstrate that the best design plan from an experimental design can be determined. This has several implications: (1) It reduces the experimentation time, (2) it can identify a fractional design that contains the best design plan and that design plan could be studied for full experimentation, (3) within a subset of a fractional design plan, the best design point can be found, and (4) the cost of experimentation is significantly reduced since minimal number of runs is required to identify the best design point. Finally, this important result helps experimenters to select a fractional design plan that contains the “best design point”.
Polymeric packaging for fully implantable wireless neural microsensors

We present polymeric packaging methods used for subcutaneous, fully implantable, broadband, and wireless neurosensors. A new tool for accelerated testing and characterization of biocompatible polymeric packaging materials and processes is described along with specialized test units to simulate our fully implantable neurosensor components, materials and fabrication processes. A brief description of the implantable systems is presented along with their current encapsulation methods based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Results from in-vivo testing of multiple implanted neurosensors in swine and non-human primates are presented. Finally, a novel augmenting polymer thin film material to complement the currently employed PDMS is introduced. This thin layer coating material is based on the Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) process of Hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) and Oxygen (O 2 ).
Origin of floral isolation between ornithophilous and sphingophilous plant species

Abstract Three plant groups in temperate western North America contain closely related ornithophilous and sphingophilous species: the Aquilegia formosa/Aquilegia caerulea group (Ranunculaceae), the Ipomopsis aggregata group (Polemoniaceae), and the Diplacus longiflorus group (Scrophulariaceae). The ornithophilous and sphingophilous species are products of allopatric speciation on the diploid level. Geographical races which are adapted to one class of pollinators in one area where these pollinators are abundant and effective and to another class of pollinators in another geographically isolated area (pollination races) represent a probable intermediate stage in the process of allopatric speciation. Mechanical and ethological isolation (collectively, floral isolation) is a byproduct of the divergence in pollination systems. Selection for reproductive isolation per se has not played any detectable role in the origin of the floral isolation in the three plant groups.
Simultaneous increases of extracellular monoamines in microdialysates from hypothalamus of conscious rats by duloxetine, a dual serotonin and norepinephrine uptake inhibitor

Duloxetine (LY248686, [+]-N-methyl-3-(1-napthalenyloxy)-2-thiophene-propanamine) is a potent dual inhibitor of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) uptake in hypothalamus and cerebral cortex of rat brain (Wong et al. 1993; Fuller et al. 1994). Consistent with the dual mechanisms of inhibiting 5-HT and NE uptake, duloxetine at 15 mg/kg IP produced large increases in extracellular levels of 5-HT (250%) and NE (1,100%) 30 minutes after systemic administration. Levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylethyleneglycol (MHPG) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), metabolites of NE and 5-HT, respectively, were reduced, whereas those of dopamine (DA) and its metabolite 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were not significantly altered. Duloxetine at 7 mg/kg produced less pronounced increases while no consistent effects were observed at 4 mg/kg. In this dose range, duloxetine inhibited 5-HT uptake in platelets ex vivo without inhibiting striatal dopamine (DA) uptake. In the present study we also found that the primary amine (a racemate) of duloxetine is about one-fourth as active as duloxetine to inhibit 5-HT and NE uptake. The potential primary amine metabolite of duloxetine might contribute, in part, to the inhibition of 5-HT and NE uptake in vivo. Thus the ability to produce robust increases of extracellular 5-HT and NE levels suggests that duloxetine may potentially be a highly effective antidepressant agent.
Ipecac‐induced myopathy simulating dermatomyositis

We studied a young woman with an eating disorder. To induce vomiting, she took syrup of ipecac daily for 2 years, and then developed insidious, progressive muscle weakness. Skin findings were similar to those of dermatomyositis. Muscle biopsy, however, was similar to experimental emetine myopathy and lacked inflammatory features. Upon cessation of ipecac abuse, strength returned. We believe that this patient had ipecac-induced muscle weakness.