cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mass spectrometry for the discovery of biomarkers of sepsis

Sepsis is a serious medical condition that occurs in 30% of patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Early detection of sepsis is key to prevent its progression to severe sepsis and septic shock, which can cause organ failure and death. Diagnostic criteria for sepsis are nonspecific and hinder a timely diagnosis in patients. Therefore, there is currently a large effort to detect biomarkers that can aid physicians in the diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis. Mass spectrometry is often the method of choice to detect metabolomic and proteomic changes that occur during sepsis progression. These “omics” strategies allow for untargeted profiling of thousands of metabolites and proteins from human biological samples obtained from septic patients. Differential expression of or modifications to these metabolites and proteins can provide a more reliable source of diagnostic biomarkers for sepsis. Here, we focus on the current knowledge of biomarkers of sepsis and discuss the various mass spectrometric technologies used in their detection. We consider studies of the metabolome and proteome and summarize information regarding potential biomarkers in both general and neonatal sepsis.
Vincent Ostrom's Research Program in Human Association: Replacing Equilibrium with Yin-and-Yang in Political Economy

This paper uses Vincent Ostrom’s treatment of government as entailing a Faustian bargain to explore some challenges that confront the research program he pursued in the theory of human association. To enable this exploration, I replace the standard resort to the law of the excluded middle with the principle of complementarity between opposites (yin-and-yang). In his substantive thinking, Ostrom worked with an ill-ordered soul and not a well-ordered utility function. This analytical scheme leads to recognition that both conflict and cooperation are endemic in human societies, with the crooked timber of humanity never allowing any good thing ever to be permanent. Ostrom was a realist or meliorist and not a utopian in his thinking about the potential for human association. Ostrom set forth a notion of genuine democracy that stands in sharp contrast with the faux-democratic ideas that are in promiscuous play today. As for the prospects for genuine democracy, Ostrom’s scheme of thought would surely have counseled a sober skepticism.
Effect of hypothermia on splenic leukocyte modulation and survival duration in severely septic rats.

Abstract Background Therapeutic hypothermia (HT) in severe septic shock is associated with prolonged survival. We hypothesized that moderate HT would prolong survival and modulate the inflammatory response in rats with septic shock by exerting its therapeutic effect on splenic leukocytes. Materials and methods Severe septic shock was created in rats by cecal ligation and incision (CLI). One hour after CLI or laparotomy, rats were randomized to sham, normothermia (NT), or 4 h of HT followed by 2 h of rewarming. HT (31 ± 1°C) was induced using a cooling blanket and monitored via a rectal temperature probe. Results Survival duration was 2.78 ± 1.0 h in NT rats and 8.33 ± 0.32 h in HT rats (n = 8/group, P Conclusions Moderate hypothermic therapy significantly prolongs the survival duration of rats with severe septic shock. HT dampens the inflammatory response during septic shock by modulating the spleen to an anti-inflammatory mode and preventing the spleen from releasing activated splenic leukocytes into the blood.
Postmenopausal pregnancy? Evaluation of elevated hCG in a 59-year-old woman

Slightly elevated serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) can be a normal finding in postmenopausal women. We report a case of a 59-year-old woman with a history of abnormal uterine bleeding who presented with a concern for pregnancy after developing nausea and vomiting a few weeks after unprotected intercourse. Although pregnancy was extremely unlikely, hCG was obtained in order to reassure the patient since she reported that her mother conceived at the age of 60. Serum hCG was positive, prompting concern for malignancy versus pregnancy. Stable serum hCG levels, elevated follicle-stimulating hormone and negative transvaginal ultrasound ruled out both malignancy and pregnancy. Positive serum pregnancy test and hCG elevation was attributed to normal postmenopausal state.
CSF inflammatory response after intraventricular hemorrhage.

Objective: To investigate the temporal pattern and relevant associations of CSF inflammatory measures after intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). Methods: We analyzed prospectively collected CSF cell counts and protein and glucose levels from participants in the Clot Lysis Evaluation of Accelerated Resolution of IVH phase III (CLEAR III) trial. Corrected leukocyte count and cell index were calculated to adjust for CSF leukocytes attributable to circulating blood. Data were chronologically plotted. CSF inflammatory measures (daily, mean, median, maximum, and cases with highest quartile response) were correlated with initial IVH volume, IVH clearance rate, thrombolytic treatment, bacterial infection, and adjudicated clinical outcome at 30 and 180 days. Results: A total of 11,376 data points of CSF results from 464 trial participants were analyzed. Measures of CSF inflammatory response evolved during the resolution of IVH. This was significantly more pronounced with initial IVH volume exceeding 20 mL. Intraventricular alteplase was associated with a significantly augmented inflammatory response compared to saline, even after correcting for initial IVH volume. There was an association but nonpredictive correlation of CSF inflammation measures with culture-positive CSF bacterial infection. None of the CSF inflammatory measures, including cases with upper quartile inflammatory response, was associated with a significant detrimental effect on 30 or 180 days functional outcome or mortality after multivariate adjustment for measures of disease severity. Conclusions: Aseptic CSF inflammation after IVH is primarily dependent on the volume of initial bleed. Thrombolysis intensifies the inflammatory response, with no apparent detrimental effect on clinical outcome. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00784134.
Combining Reclaimed PET with Bio-based Monomers Enables Plastics Upcycling

Summary Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the largest produced polyester globally with an annual production exceeding 26 million tons for use in carpet, clothing, and single-use beverage bottles, among others. Today, only PET bottles are reclaimed for recycling, albeit at a low reclamation rate, with most of the waste PET accumulating in landfills or the environment. In this study, PET is upcycled to higher-value, long-lifetime materials, namely two types of fiber-reinforced plastics (FRPs), via combination with renewably sourceable monomers. By harnessing the embodied energy in reclaimed PET (rPET) and implementing renewably sourceable monomers with distinct chemical functionality relative to petroleum building blocks, the resultant rPET-FRPs exhibit considerably improved material properties and are predicted to save 57% in the total supply chain energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% over standard petroleum-based FRPs. Overall, this study enables a route to PET upcycling via bio-based monomers that could incentivize both improved plastics reclamation and acceleration of the bioeconomy.
Inferring Autonomic Nervous System Stimulation from Hand and Foot Skin Conductance Measurements

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) stimulates various sweat glands. Changes in skin conductance measurements indicate sudomotor nerve activity (SMNA), and could be used in inferring the underlying ANS stimulation. We model hand and foot skin conductance measurements simultaneously using a state-space model with Gaussian errors and sparse impulsive events as inputs to the model. Using a multi-rate formulation, we recover the timing and amplitudes of SMNA using a generalized cross-validation based sparse recovery approach. We analyze experimental and simulated data to validate the performance of the proposed approach and illustrate that we are able to recover the underlying auditory stimuli.
Substrate Influences Turtle Nest Temperature, Incubation Period, and Offspring Sex Ratio in the Field

Abstract Temperature-dependent sex determination, where egg incubation temperature irreversibly determines offspring sex, is a common sex-determining mechanism in reptiles. Weather is the primary d...
Infrastructure and the environment in the Anthropocene

For centuries, man‐made infrastructure has been viewed as separate from natural systems. Yet in the past few centuries, as the scale and scope of human activities have dramatically increased, there is accumulating evidence that natural systems are becoming increasingly, and in some cases entirely, managed by humans. The dichotomy between infrastructure and the environment is narrowing, and natural systems are increasingly becoming human design spaces. This is already apparent with the management of hydrologic systems for urban water supply, wildlife, agriculture, forests, and even the atmosphere, and we can expect management of the environment to become more so as human activities grow. Yet our infrastructure largely remains obdurate. They are designed to last for long times even as changes in the environment and technology accelerate. As such, our current infrastructure paradigms fail at the level of the complex, integrated systems and behaviors that characterize the Anthropogenic Earth. Infrastructure in the future will need to be designed for adaptive capacity and the complexities associated with techno‐environmental systems.
Vision in the 1980s: A Bright Outlook for Senior Citizens.

Geriatric ophthalmology is assuming an increased importance in the 1980s. Never before have elderly citizens had the opportunities for visual rehabilitation and vision care that they have today. Ge...
A Quantitative Exploration of Students’ Mindsets and Behaviors: A Whole Child Academic, Emotional, and Career Development:

The demands of the 21st century require a systemic and collaborative perspective to promote the long-term development and success of all children. The purpose of this international comparative stud...
Anatomy of the Sympathetic Nervous System

Abstract The autonomic nervous system (ANS), also known as the visceral motor system, is a complex network that is part of the peripheral nervous system that maintains internal physiologic homeostasis. The ANS is divided into the parasympathetic (PNS) and sympathetic (SNS) nervous systems. Sympathetic nerve fibers from the head to the sacral region stem from the interomediolateral cell column and terminate on the effector organs. The main function of the SNS is arousal of the body in response to stress and increased demands. Nerve injury along the course of the neuron and axon can have significant consequences, and may require medical intervention. This chapter reviews the anatomy and physiology of the SNS.
Mommy in Waiting.

This piece examines a 2-hour wait in an exam room and the impact the wait has on doctor/patient communication. Specifically, I detail part of the events that occurred during my 16-week prenatal che...
Evaluation of the Modified Two-Tiered Testing Method for Diagnosis of Lyme Disease in Children

ABSTRACT Conventional two-tiered testing (CTTT) for Lyme disease includes a first-tier enzyme immunoassay (EIA) followed by a supplemental immunoblot, and modified two-tiered testing (MTTT) relies on two different sequential EIAs without the inclusion of an immunoblot. MTTT has shown promising results as an alternative strategy for the diagnosis of Lyme disease in adults but has not yet been evaluated in children. We performed a cross-sectional study of children and adolescents ≤21 years of age undergoing clinical investigation for suspected Lyme disease. Serum specimens were analyzed with both a whole-cell sonicate (WCS) and a C6 EIA, with a supplemental immunoblot if either EIA was positive or equivocal. We compared CTTT (WCS EIA followed by supplemental immunoblot) to MTTT (WCS EIA followed by C6 EIA) using McNemar’s test to evaluate for agreement beyond chance alone. We then used a kappa statistic to measure level of the agreement between testing strategies. We included 1,066 serum specimens, of which 156 (14.6%) had a positive CTTT and 165 (15.5%) had a positive MTTT. There were no significant differences between MTTT and CTTT (P = 0.16). Although the overall agreement between MTTT and CTTT was high (kappa, 0.88; 95% confidence interval, 0.84 to 0.92), 33 children had discordant test results. In a cohort of children and adolescents undergoing investigation for suspected Lyme disease, CTTT and MTTT results agreed in most cases. Since immunoblots are time-consuming, laborious, and challenging to interpret, MTTT provides a promising alternate Lyme disease testing strategy for children.
Control-Oriented Modeling and Layer-to-Layer Stability for Fused Deposition Modeling: A Kernel Basis Approach

Additive manufacturing (AM) is an increasingly important enabler of smart manufacturing systems. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is an AM technology that uses layer-wise extrusion to deposit material in 3D and most FDM machines run in open-loop. Due to the lack of feedback controllers, disturbances in the process cause failures. Although there are some spatial models for the FDM process, there are no layer-to-layer spatial dynamics models to enable control applications. This work proposes a novel modeling framework to capture the in-layer and layer-to-layer spatial dynamics of the FDM process utilizing a kernel basis approach. Individual kernels represent the deposition cross-sections and the orientation of the deposition. Layer-wise and layer-to-layer performance measures and stability definitions are proposed for the layer-to-layer spatial model. A simulation example is provided to demonstrate the validity of the stability criteria.
Association of an Electronic Health Record Add-on App for Neonatal Bilirubin Management With Physician Efficiency and Care Quality

Importance The usefulness of electronic health record (EHR) systems could be significantly enhanced by innovative, third-party EHR add-on apps. Objective To evaluate whether an EHR add-on app for neonatal bilirubin management can save clinicians time and improve patient care. Design, Setting, and Participants This quality improvement study was conducted at the University of Utah Health Well Baby nursery and outpatient clinics and consisted of 4 substudies: (1) time savings were estimated in an experimental task-timing study comparing the time required for physicians to manage newborns’ bilirubin levels with and without the add-on app, (2) app use was estimated from app logs, (3) health care use measures and guideline compliance were compared retrospectively before and after the intervention, and (4) clinician-perceived usability was measured through System Usability Scale surveys. The study took place between April 1, 2016, and September 3, 2019. Data analyses were conducted from October 30, 2018, to September 23, 2019. Interventions At baseline, clinicians used a manual approach to ensure compliance with an evidence-based clinical guideline for neonatal bilirubin management. To facilitate guideline compliance, an EHR add-on app that automatically retrieves, organizes, and visualizes relevant patient data was developed. The app provides patient-specific assessments and recommendations, including the risk of rebound hyperbilirubinemia following phototherapy based on a predictive model. The add-on app was integrated with the University of Utah Health EHR on April 12, 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures Clinician time savings, app use, health care use measures, guideline-compliant phototherapy ordering, and perceived usability as measured by the System Usability Scale survey. The survey is composed of 10 statements with responses ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The survey results in a single score ranging from 0 to 100, with ratings described as worst imaginable (mean System Usability Scale score, 12.5), awful (20.3), poor (35.7), okay (50.9), good (71.4), excellent (85.5), and best imaginable (90.9). Results In 2018, the application was used 20 516 times by clinicians for 91.84% of eligible newborns. Use of the app saved 66 seconds for bilirubin management tasks compared with a commonly used tool (95% CI, 53-79 seconds;P Conclusions and Relevance Well-designed EHR add-on apps may save clinicians time and improve patient care. If time-saving apps, such as the bilirubin app, were implemented widely across institutions and care domains, the potential association with improved patient care and clinician efficiency could be significant. The University of Utah Health bilirubin app is being prepared for release into EHR app stores as free-to-use software.
COVID-19: The Case of Three Patients with the Same Diagnosis but Different Clinical and Laboratory Features

SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus that causes COVID-19, which has been responsible for the pandemic that was declared in early 2020. Its pathological effect is majorly in the respiratory tract, but its full pathogenicity remains a mystery. Symptoms associated with COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Some patients develop other symptoms like diarrhea. However, it is possible for other organs to be affected including the central nervous system, liver, and blood cells. The purpose of this case series is to unravel other factors associated with this disease, so we report three cases of COVID-19 that were hospitalized during the pandemic.
Comparative Study on in-situ Ellipsometric Monitoring of III-Nitride Film Growth via Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition

In this paper a comparative in-situ ellipsometric analysis is carried out on plasma-assisted ALD-grown III-nitride (AlN, GaN, and InN) films. The precursors used are TMA, TMG, and TMI for AlN, GaN,...
Landscape for a Good Home: Inhabiting Ethics in the Tenement Houses of Buenos Aires and New York City

Through an analysis of the materiality of practices, which includes kitchens, furniture and clotheslines, this article contributes to an understanding of ethics of dwelling that acknowledges humans...
Totally Percutaneous Endovascular Repair of HeartMate 3 Ventricular Assistive Device Outflow Graft Pseudoaneurysm

Abstract The rate of heart failure and subsequent placement of left ventricular assistive devices (LVADs) has been increasing. The extra-anatomic placement of the LVAD and outflow graft presents a challenging problem for repair when complications arise. The present report describes a case of a 63-year-old man who had presented with acute pseudoaneurysm of the outflow graft of his recently placed LVAD. Percutaneous access of the left subclavian artery and percutaneous, transthoracic access of the outflow graft was obtained to allow for sheath placement and stent deployment within the outflow graft. The patient underwent successful endovascular repair of the defect without complications.
Towards Hardware-Agnostic Gaze-Trackers.

Gaze-tracking is a novel way of interacting with computers which allows new scenarios, such as enabling people with motor-neuron disabilities to control their computers or doctors to interact with patient information without touching screen or keyboard. Further, there are emerging applications of gaze-tracking in interactive gaming, user experience research, human attention analysis and behavioral studies. Accurate estimation of the gaze may involve accounting for head-pose, head-position, eye rotation, distance from the object as well as operating conditions such as illumination, occlusion, background noise and various biological aspects of the user. Commercially available gaze-trackers utilize specialized sensor assemblies that usually consist of an infrared light source and camera. There are several challenges in the universal proliferation of gaze-tracking as accessibility technologies, specifically its affordability, reliability, and ease-of-use. In this paper, we try to address these challenges through the development of a hardware-agnostic gaze-tracker. We present a deep neural network architecture as an appearance-based method for constrained gaze-tracking that utilizes facial imagery captured on an ordinary RGB camera ubiquitous in all modern computing devices. Our system achieved an error of 1.8073cm on GazeCapture dataset without any calibration or device specific fine-tuning. This research shows promise that one day soon any computer, tablet, or phone will be controllable using just your eyes due to the prediction capabilities of deep neutral networks.
Musical mourning in Manchester: Cultural norms, expectations, and meaning in grief.

Grief is a culturally-situated praxis, where cultural phenomena convey norms and expectations for grief expression and reconciliation. Music is one example of a cultural phenomenon that can inform ...
The "seeing place": Teaching nurse practitioners about cultural difference through dramatization.

Abstract Background The use of dramatization in health professional education is one method to teach students about implicit bias and cultural difference, yet it has not been widely studied among graduate students of nursing. Objectives The purpose of this article is to present a qualitative analysis of data regarding doctoral nursing students' responses to a new dramatic exercise as part of a funded project to facilitate cultural learning in a diversity-enhanced nursing curriculum. Design We employed a cross-sectional posttest design with qualitative data collection and hermeneutic analysis. Setting and. Participants Subjects were students from two cohorts in a Doctor of Nursing Practice program at a large metropolitan university in the Midwestern United States (n = 136). Methods Following a dramatic exercise facilitated by a local theatre group, students debriefed and provided feedback via paper-based surveys collected by their instructor. The research team reviewed and analyzed student feedback with an eye toward new learning or insights around cultural difference. Results Students rated the dramatic exercise highly. Their written feedback provided for a deeper exploration of how they internalized messages about cultural difference. These experiences were thematized in the following way: (a) Awareness is facilitated through integrating nonverbal (kinesthetic) and verbal encounters, (b) Hesitancy to participate in unfamiliar activities creates tension, and (c) Safety is a foundational aspect of learning sensitive issues. Conclusion Dramatization of culturally sensitive scenarios for advanced practice nurses can lead to new understanding. Educators who understand the need for thoughtful introduction of dramatization experiences can better prepare nurses for interaction in cross-cultural clinical environments.
General time-dependent Green's functions of line forces in a two-dimensional, anisotropic, elastic, and infinite solid

Abstract In this paper, we derive analytical time-dependent Green's functions in a two-dimensional, anisotropic elastic, and infinite solid. It is based on the Stroh formalism combined with application of the Cauchy's residue theorem. Final expressions of the Green's function are in terms of simple finite line integral from 0 to 2π. The time-dependence of the line forces can be impulsive, Heaviside, or within a given time duration. The space-dependence of the line force is very general, including concentrated or uniformly distributed sources within a given line interval. Green's functions of both displacements and stresses are derived in analytical forms, and are verified against existing results. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the effect of source types and material anisotropy on the Green's functions.
Releasing Masculinity for a More Just World: Lessons on How to “Be Water” in Hong Kong

This article develops a feminist reading of the biographical action series featuring Ip Man, the Wing Chun grand master lionized for mentoring Bruce Lee, as a set of culturally inflected practices in order to probe the sociohistorical structure that embeds and overdetermines these productions and allows for new, subversive potentialities. Building upon situated engagement, my analysis traces how the hypermasculine violent yanggang aesthetic tradition takes on new life by reclaiming women's voices in the Ip Man film franchise. I also identify the ways in which this filmic remaking of Ip's life story builds an alternative embodiment that unsettles musculature as the ground of colonialist/nationalist dominance and lays the basis for a new horizon of justice encapsulated by the flexible and elastic “Be Water” sensibility. As human beings are facing the common threat posed by prevailing toxic masculinity, these lessons, I argue, are crucial for us to find a path through the turbulence and build a more peaceful world.
Projection of future drought and extreme events occurrence in Goodwater Creek Experimental Watershed, Midwestern US

Predicting the impacts of projected change in precipitation (P) and temperature (T) on occurrence of drought and extreme events is essential for managing natural resources and setting policy. This ...
Estimating phytate intake from the US diet using the NHANES data

Abstract Phytate found in plant source foods has long been considered an antinutrient but recent studies have shown its beneficial antioxidant properties. Despite its health benefits, there are very few options for assessing phytate intake, especially in epidemiological studies. The aim of this study was to demonstrate an approach for estimating phytate intake from the US diet using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. We used data from NHANES 2009–2010 and 2013–2014 cycles and their corresponding Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED). To estimate phytate intake, the phytate content of nine food groups from the Food and Agriculture Organization/International Network of Food Data Systems/International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group (FAO/INFOODS/IZiNCG) database were merged with the appropriate FPED data. Phytate intake values were first estimated at the food group level and summed up to obtain daily intakes using two different approaches depending on the FPED data chosen. The mean phytate intake was 738 ± 10 mg/day for 2009–2010 and 784 ± 16 mg/day for 2013–2014. Refined grains contributed 52–53 % while nuts and seeds contributed 11–12 % to phytate intake. This new approach will be useful for further evaluating the relationships among phytate intake, micronutrient status and other health outcomes in the US population.
Evaluation of Commercial Pelvic Autosegmentation Solutions in Anatomic Edge Cases of Patients Receiving Definitive Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) To assess the performance of commercially available autosegmentation solutions of pelvic anatomy in edge cases of anatomic variation among patients receiving definitive radiotherapy (RT) for prostate cancer. MATERIALS/METHODS In a single institution retrospective cohort of 830 patients with prostate cancer receiving definitive RT between 2011 and 2019, we identified 112 patients with anatomic variations seen on simulation CT imaging which may present challenging cases for precise delineation of anatomy, including reasons such as arthroplasty metal artifacts, extensive median lobe hypertrophy, "droopy" seminal vesicles, presence of urinary catheter, and history of transurethral resection of prostatic tissue. Three commercially available solutions for pelvic anatomy autosegmentation (AS) employing deep learning and model-based segmentation were applied to treatment planning CT scans to generate segmented volumes of the prostate, rectum, bladder and femoral heads in DICOM-RT format. To quantify the accuracy of software-generated contours, Dice similarity coefficients (DSC) and Hausdorff distances (HD) were calculated for each AS contour with a comparator manually segmented reference contour. Calculations were performed in R using the RadOnc package and manually segmented contours were approved by an expert radiation oncologist with 19 years of experience. RESULTS A total of 112 patients were identified for inclusion after manual review of treatment planning CTs. Contours were generated using two atlas/model-based segmentation products and a deep learning segmentation method. The mean DSC for the prostate, bladder, rectum was calculated for each segmentation method (Table 1). Deep learning segmentation outperformed model-based methods for all structures with the highest mean DSC but still had significant disagreement with manually segmented structures. Hip arthroplasty in particular reduced overall performance more than other anatomical edge cases, followed by prostatic hypertrophy. CONCLUSION Anatomic edge cases present a challenging and relevant consideration in clinical implementation of autosegmentation software.
"Miedo" and "La esquina del mausoleo"

In "Miedo", the first of the two stories, a young engineer flees an imminent arrest during the Stalin purges in 1937 and assumes the identity of a stranger, which lands him in the Siberian taiga, in the unfamiliar role of a hunter. "La esquina del mausoleo" is a meditation on the visual nature of memory, exile and nostalgia "La esquina del mausoleo" is a meditation on the visual nature of memory, exile and nostalgia
Chaotic size dependence in spin glasses

We argue that chaotic size dependence is an intrinsic feature of the infiniterange Sherrington-Kirkpatrick (SK) model and should occur in short-range spin glasses if their low temperature behavior is analogous to that of the SK model. Chaotic size dependence offers a new way to distinguish, both numerically and theoretically, between the multistate picture of short-range spin glasses based on the SK model and the two-state picture based on scaling theories.
Mechanisches Verhalten Plastischer Stoffe

Feste Korper weisen eine grossere Vielfaltigkeit des mechanischen Verhaltens auf als Flussigkeiten oder Gase. Es ware zum Beispiel sehr schwierig, ein Gleichungssystem zu ersinnen, das elastische Formanderung, Nachwirkung und Hysterese, Kriechen und plastisches Fliessen unter zusammengesetzter Beanspruchung gleichzeitig und einigermassen wirklichkeitsgetreu darstellt. Selbst wenn ein solches Gleichungssystem angegeben werden konnte, ware es sicherlich viel zu kompliziert fur die praktische Bestimmung von Spannungen und Formanderungen in Maschinenteilen und Tragwerken. Der Ingenieur muss sich darum nach einfacheren Gleichungssystemen umsehen, welche nur diejenigen mechanischen Eigenschaften darstellen, die fur sein jeweiliges Problem wesentlich sind. Jedes solches Gleichungssystem definiert einen gewissen Idealstoff, und es muss der Einsicht des Ingenieurs uberlassen bleiben, welchen Idealstoff er am besten der Losung seiner Aufgabe zugrunde legt.
Lung Volume Reduction Surgery and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Improve Exercise Capacity and Reduce Dyspnea During Functional Activities in People with Emphysema

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the therapeutic effects of lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) and pulmonary rehabilitation on levels of dyspnea during functional activities in patients with diffuse emphysema. Methods: Fifteen subjects who had undergone LVRS participated in this study. A visual analog scale (VAS) Activity Dyspnea Scales (VADS) measurement tool developed for this study was determined reliable in 10 subjects. The VADS was used to assess changes in dyspnea with functional activity in 10 subjects prior to and following the interventions of LVRS and pulmonary rehabilitation. Results: Results of this study indicate that LVRS followed by pulmonary rehabilitation significantly reduces levels of dyspnea during functional activities. Conclusion: The VADS developed for this study is a valid and reliable method of assessing changes in levels of dyspnea during functional activities in the LVRS population.
Decentralized Sensor Scheduling

Decentralized observers separately observe and estimate the state trajectory of a stochastic dynamic system. At all times, each observer chooses, based on its past information, to make its current observation using one of a finite number of costly, noisy sensors. The observers do not share observations or estimates, yet the objective is to determine causal sensor scheduling policies, and implicitly estimators, which collectively minimize a performance measure coupling the observers' sensor csts and estimation errors. We show that the observers' -optimal sensor scheduling policies are non-randomized, open-loop policies that can be determined by solving a deterministic optimal control problem when: the stochastic dynamic system is linear and Gaussian, the observers' sensors are linear and perturbed by additive white Gaussian noise, and the performance measure is a quadratic function coupling the observers' sensor costs and estimation errors.
LNG Tank Sloshing Assessment Methodology - The New Generation

This paper presents ExxonMobil’s evolution of a direct sloshing assessment methodology to resolve several challenging technical issues that are essential for evaluating integrity of LNG containment systems. Among the most significant developments is the introduction of a probabilistic-based framework that facilitates modeling of the high variability of sloshing impact pressures due to sloshing physics and insulation materials that is inherent in products from natural sources (e.g. plywood, etc.). This probabilistic-based framework also provides the basis for a reliability-based assessment of structural integrity. In addition, this methodology furthered the technical basis of Scaling Law that supports the use of sloshing test as the method for prediction of design sloshing loads, addressed tank sloshing and ship motion coupling effects in deriving inputs to drive the sloshing test rig, demonstrated the influence of membrane surface structures on sloshing pressures, and developed limit state structural capacities as a function of loaded area. The authors are hopeful that this methodology enhances the foundation for achieving continuous safe operation of LNG carriers and enables sound design of offshore LNG loading and receiving terminals.
Technical tips: MRI compatible EEG electrodes: advantages, disadvantages, and financial feasibility in a clinical setting.

ABSTRACT.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatible EEG electrodes have been produced and available on the market for the past several years, however, their feasibility from a clinical standpoint remains unknown. Two hundred plus questionnaires were sent out to practicing epilepsy and trauma centers across the United States and Canada to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of these electrodes as well as their financial feasibility in a clinical setting. 30% of the surveys returned were from clinical sites utilizing MRI compatible EEG recording electrodes. From these results we were able to understand the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing such recording media and their financial feasibility in the workplace.
Canidate genes and pathways mediating hormonal regulation of the macaque fallopian tube

9935 improved bioavailability but did not maintain drug concentrations in the range needed to prevent oocyte maturation. While the extended-release preparation of NC35 prevented oocyte maturation, this improved PD performance was associated with serum levels that varied widely and exceeded the desired peak by 2-fold at the time of oocyte recovery. While promising, further enhancements of the PK profile will be needed to improve feasibility of this approach as a contraceptive in women. Supported by: NIH U54 HD055744, P51OD011092.
Motion Deixis, Indexicality, and Presupposition

This paper argues that deictic verbs GO and COME (English go and come and their counterparts in other languages) are kinds of indexicals in the Kaplanian sense. In Sections 2-3, building on Oshima (2006a), I defend the view that the acceptability of deictic verbs is determined with respect to a contextually provided set of individuals (rather than with respect to a specific individual that serves as the “deictic center”), and demonstrate that the pragmatic meanings associated with deictic verbs are both presuppositional and indexical. In Sections 4-6, I address the “deictic perspective shift” phenomenon in attitude reports, and argue that GO/COME can be used either as primary indexicals (which refer to the external context of utterance) or as secondary indexicals (which refer to a secondary context associated with an attitude predicate). Also, I demonstrate that the choice of the deictic perspective has interesting correlations with projection patterns of presuppositions associated with deictic verbs. In Sections 7-9, I develop an analysis of attitude reports where a presupposition may be filtered by an attitude predicate (in accordance with Heim 1992 and Karttunen 1974), or may be inherited through it. The proposed analysis provides a solution to the more general (and long-standing) problem for the theory of presupposition projection, which has been known as “de re presuppositions”.
An ‘Austrian’ Perspective on Public Choice

[F]rom the economic viewpoint, such ‘goods’ as family, church, love and the like are merely linguistic devices for a totality of concretely useful renditions of services. (Bohm-Bawerk, 1881, 133)
Effectively Analyzing Change over Time in Laboratory Research on Stress and Health: A Multilevel Modeling Approach

Stress and health researchers often utilize standardized laboratory stress tasks to evaluate the physical and psychological consequences of challenging experiences. These laboratory sessions usually include multiple measurements of physical and psychological responses collected over time. Multilevel modeling allows researchers to make use of all available data points to model the trajectory of change over time, and within distinct task periods such as baseline, stressor, and recovery. To effectively predict future health outcomes it is important to examine both stress-related reactivity and recovery. In this paper, we review the analytic approaches used in recent laboratory stress research and note that many recent articles have aggregated multiple responses, used difference scores, or conducted repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Relatively few studies used a multilevel modeling approach. We highlight the advantages of a multilevel modeling approach and provide an example for using this approach as an alternative to repeated measures ANOVA and difference scores.
Solvent isotope effects on microtubule polymerization and depolymerization

Abstract The initial velocity of polymerization of purified beef brain tubulin has been determined at various values of pH or pD in water and in H2O-D2O mixtures. D2O was shown to inhibit both polymerization at 37 °C and depolymerization measured at 5 °C and 37 °C. The microtubules formed in D2O were indistinguishable from those formed in H2O, by electron microscope examination. In 93% D2O the pL † versus rate of polymerization curve was displaced about one unit towards higher pL values. In certain regions of the pL versus rate curve, a stimulation in the rate of polymerization by D2O is observed. The extent of polymerization at the optimum pL value was not affected by D2O.
Nanoparticle mixing through rapid expansion of high pressure and supercritical suspensions

Mixing of binary mixtures of nanopowders afforded by rapid expansion of high pressure and supercritical suspensions (REHPS) is investigated to examine the roles of two previously reported deagglomeration mechanisms. The quality of mixing was characterized through intensity and scale of segregation using concentration data obtained through energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy; the corresponding deagglomeration was quantified using differential mobility and image analyses in conjunction with electron microscopy. Increasing the pressure from which expansion was carried out, and decreasing the nozzle diameter led to improved deagglomeration. However, increased pressure alone did not influence the mixture quality, which was found to also depend on the scale of mixedness of the constituents before transport through the nozzle, establishing that the REHPS mixing is significantly improved by improving the quality of the premix. The scale of segregation correlated with the size of the most energetic eddies present during flow through the nozzle, both of which increased with nozzle diameter, corroborating the importance of previously reported shear-induced deagglomeration mechanism. Finally, REHPS was also shown to be capable of deagglomerating carbon nanotube bundles and mix them well with alumina, silica, and titania at submicron scale.
Ab initio DFT + U predictions of tensile properties of iron oxides

Stress-corrosion cracking of steel is a ubiquitous phenomenon in which steel is chemically corroded, followed by fracture induced by applied loads. The products of steel corrosion in moist air at high temperature (>570 °C) are α-Fe2O3, FeO, and Fe3O4. Here we employ an ab initio density functional theory + U method to predict the tensile properties of these oxides, to gain insight into failure mechanisms. The universal binding energy relationship of Hayes et al. is employed to extrapolate atomic scale data to macroscopic sample sizes. The extrapolated macroscopic predictions are consistent with experimental measurements. The ordering of tensile strengths is shown to be FeO < Fe3O4 < α-Fe2O3, which correlates with increasing ionicity (as given by the formal charge on the Fe cations) in the three oxides. The direction that has weakest tensile strength is predicted to be along [01 (3/2)(a/c)22] for α-Fe2O3 and along [001] for both FeO and Fe3O4. The direction dependence of tensile properties for these three iron oxides can be understood via a local bond strain analysis. We also predict that loading FeO along [110] and Fe3O4 along [001] or [111] produces a plastic response prior to brittle fracture at high temperature.
Artificial Muscle Reversibly Controlled by Enzyme Reactions

Chemically induced actuation of a polypyrrole (Ppy) artificial muscle was controlled by biocatalytic reactions, resulting in changes in the redox state of the polymer film mediated by soluble redox species. The biocatalytic process triggered by diaphorase in the presence of NADH resulting in the reduction of the Ppy film was reflected by the potential shift in the negative direction generated in the film. Conversely, the biocatalytic process driven by laccase in the presence of O2 resulted in the oxidation of the Ppy film, thus yielding the positive potential shift. Both reactions produced opposite bending of the Ppy flexible strip, allowing reversible actuation controlled by the biocatalytic processes. The biocatalytic reactions governing the chemical actuator can be extended to multistep cascades processing various patterns of biochemical signals and mimicking logic networks. The present chemical actuator exemplifies the first mechanochemical device controlled by biochemical means with the possibility t...
Photo-electrochemical generation of hydrogen using hybrid titanium dioxide nanotubular arrays

Anodization of Ti in acidified fluoride solution resulted in a vertically oriented and an ordered nanotubular titanium oxide surface. Annealing of the TiO2 nanotubular arrays in a carbonaceous or nitrogen containing atmosphere presumably resulted in band-gap states, which enhanced the photo-activity. Composite electrode of nanotubular TiO2 + carbon doping resulted in a photocurrent density of more than 2.75 mA/cm2 at 0.2 V(Ag/AgCl) under simulated solar light illumination. The enhanced photo-activity of the carbon-modified nanotubular TiO2 is highly reproducible and sustainable for longer duration. The charge carrier densities, calculated based on the Mott-Schottky analyses, were in the range of 1-3 x 1019 cm-3 for both the carbon modified and the nitrogen-annealed nanotubular TiO2 samples. The asanodized and oxygen-annealed samples showed a charge carrier density of 5 x 1017 and 1.2 x1015 cm-3 respectively. In this study, the measured photo current density was not directly related to the charge carrier densities of the nanotubes. Presence of different phases, such as amorphous, anatase and rutile, influenced the photo activity more than the charge carrier density.
Progress in pain assessment: the cognitively compromised patient.

Purpose of reviewPain assessment is essential for patient care in many settings, but it proves difficult when the patient is cognitively compromised or otherwise unable to produce a conventional pain report. The present review describes the progress in pain assessment technology that involves the co
Isolated Adrenal Cells: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, Calcium, Steroidogenesis, and Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate

Corticosterone production by isolated adrenal cells in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone is reduced when the cells are incubated in a medium that contains no calcium. This reduction is associated with an equal reduction of accumulation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate. Production of corticosterone and accumulation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate are increased when the calcium concentration in the medium is increased (from zero to 7.65 millimolar). This is in contrast to the situation in "subcellular membrane fragments" of adrenal tissue where high calcium in the medium (> 1.0 millimolar) inhibits cyclic adenosine monophosphate accumulation. We propose that adenyl cyclase in the intact plasma membrane is located in a compartment wherein calcium concentration is low and remains unaffected by the concentration of calcium in the extracellular space. It is proposed that, as the concentration of calcium in the incubation medium is increased from zero to 7.65 millimolar, the strength of the signal generated by the interaction of adrenocorticotropic hormone with its receptor and transmitted to the adenyl cyclase compartment is proportionately increased.
Marginal analysis for competence set expansion

Given a set of decision environments, we explore the selection of the optimal competence set so as to maximize the expected net return. Marginal analysis is used to formulate the concepts. An elegant theory and subsequent algorithms are derived for special classes of problems.
Twenty years of work on solar distillation at the University of California

Abstract Solar distillation investigations at the Sea Water Conversion Laboratory, University of California, began in January 1952 and have continued to the present time. These studies have led to the development of still units of relatively small size, designed for furnishing potable water to isolated residences or small communities. Designs have been completed using wooden frames, precast concrete frames, and precast styrofoam basins. This paper gives information on the construction and performance of the several units; indicates the need for more effective utilization of solar energy; and offers a conceptual design of a solar collector for furnishing low-pressure steam for operation of a seawater distillation plant of advanced design with a capacity of 10,000 U.S. gal. (37·85 m 3 ) per day.
Electrophysiological comparison of pyramidal and stellate nonpyramidal neurons in dissociated cell culture of rat hippocampus

Differences in electrophysiological properties between pyramidal and nonpyramidal neurons have been previously demonstrated in the hippocampal slice preparation. However, it has also been shown that nonpyramidal neurons from several hippocampal regions have different morphologies as well as different active membrane characteristics. In this study, active and passive electrophysiological characteristics of pyramidal and a single morphological type of nonpyramidal neuron in rat dissociated hippocampal culture were examined with intracellular recording at room temperature and at 33-35 degrees C. No significant differences were noted between the two groups of neurons, at either temperature, with regard to action potential amplitude, rate of rise and fall, duration at half maximal amplitude, adaptation to steady state depolarization or resting membrane potential and input resistance. We conclude that these electrophysiological properties cannot be used to distinguish these two neuron types in dissociated hippocampal cell culture.