cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experiences of Persons With Parkinson's Disease Engaged in Group Therapeutic Singing.

Background Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that leads to altered neural control of movement, including the control of voice, respiration, and swallowing. There is a prevalent need to provide therapy for voice, respiration, and swallowing difficulties because current pharmacological and surgical treatments do not effectively treat these impairments. Previous research has demonstrated that singing may be a treatment option to target voice, respiratory, and swallowing impairments, as well as quality of life. However, participants' perspectives related to reasons for enrolling and engaging in programs as well as evaluation of singing programs have been neglected. Objective The purpose of this descriptive study was thus to solicit participants' views of their involvement in a group singing intervention (GSI) led by credentialed music therapists. Methods Twenty persons with PD were interviewed 4 to 6 months after completing the singing intervention. Participants were asked about 1) why they chose to participate, 2) what were the beneficial and non-beneficial aspects of participating, and 3) how to improve overall design and delivery of the GSI. Results Using content analysis procedures, we learned that participants regarded their involvement in the study as mutually beneficial, fun, and engaging. Participants appreciated the fellowship with other persons with PD and offered minimal constructive criticism. Conclusions This study provided greater insight into how a therapeutic singing program may benefit participants and positively impact their lives.
Assessing the Effect of Weight-Based Protocol Modifications to Lower Dose for CT-Guided Hepatic and Renal Tumor Radiofrequency Ablations.

OBJECTIVE. This study assessed radiation dose after CT-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablations (RFAs) of hepatic and renal tumors and the effect of weight-based CT protocol modification for lo...
Regular A-Determinants and A-Discriminants

In the previous chapter we established some structural properties of the principal A-determinant E A . Now we shall apply this information to the A-discriminant Δ A . In the most important case when the toric variety X A is smooth, we have $$ {E_A}(f) = \prod\limits_{\Gamma \subset Q} {{\Delta _{A \cap \Gamma }}} (f) $$ where the product is taken over all the faces of the polytope Q = Conv (A) (Theorem 1.2 Chapter 10). Since (in the case when X A is smooth) a similar equality holds for each E A⋂Г, we have a system of equalities relating the polynomials Δ A⋂Г and E A⋂Г that allows us to recover Δ A as as an alternating product of the E A⋂Г. Consequently, alternating sums and products will appear in the expressions for the Newton polytope and coefficients of Δ A .
Effect of dietary supplementation of nitrocompounds on Salmonella colonization and ileal immune gene expression in laying hens challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis.

Foodborne disease caused by Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) is one of the important public health and economic concerns. A study was conducted to determine the effect of supplementation with 2-nitroethanol (NE) and 2-nitropropanol (NP) on Salmonella recovery of internal organs as well as on the immune gene expression in the ileum of laying hens. Thirty-six White Leghorns were orally gavaged with nalidixic acid resistant Salmonella Enteritidis (SENR). Hens were housed individually in wire-laying cages and randomly assigned to six dietary treatments: T1 = SENR unchallenged (negative control), T2 = SENR challenged (positive control), T3 = SENR challenged + 100 ppm NE, T4 = SENR challenged + 200 ppm NE, T5 = SENR challenged + 100 ppm NP, and T6 = SENR challenged + 200 ppm NP. Hens were sampled at 7 days post inoculation (dpi). Ceca, liver with gall bladder (L/GB), and ovary samples were collected for bacteriology, and ileum samples were collected for analysis of immune gene expression. T3 and T6 significantly reduced (P < 0.05) cecal SENR count, whereas T4 and T5 were not different from T2, the SENR challenged control. There was no significant difference in SENR reduction in the L/GB or ovary after supplementation of either nitrocompounds. Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-1B, IL-6, toll-like receptors (TLR)-4, and IL-10 all were significantly upregulated (P < 0.05) after SENR challenge. Supplementation at both levels of NE and NP showed a significant immune gene expression response in the ileum with reduction of IFN-γ, IL-6, TLR-4, and IL-10 mRNA expression. Overall, nitrocompounds such as NE and NP can be used in the intervention strategy to reduce Salmonella infection in hens.
Cluster Methods in Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics of Fluids

Cluster expansion methods have proven to be exceedingly useful and general for discussing the equilibrium structure and thermodynamic properties of fluids. They have been used to rederive older results, such as the virial expansions for gases(1) and the Debye—Huckel theory for ionic solutions,(2) and then extend them in a systematic way. They have been used to derive approximate results that had not been obtained in other ways, such as the г and γ expansions(3) and the EXP approximation(4) for classical fluids. Moreover, they provide a unifying language for discussing and comparing the variety of theories of liquids that have been proposed; for example, many integral equations such as the Percus—Yevick equation(5) and the mean spherical model equation(6−8) for the pair correlation function of a fluid can be regarded as devices for summing certain diagrams in a cluster series.
A new approach to distributed memory management in the mach microkernel

In this paper we describe a new approach towards extending Mach virtual memory semantics across the node boundaries of a multicomputer system. At its core, the Advanced Shared Virtual Memory (ASVM) system employs algorithms from the realm of shared virtual memory that were adapted and extended to create a system that is efficient and scalable and supports full VM semantics, paging between node memories and efficient execution of SVM applications. Our performance measurements demonstrate ASVM's superior efficiency and scalability compared to its predecessor, the Extended Memory Manager (XMM) that is part of the Mach kernel's NORMA distribution.
A SINGULAR POINT PROBLEM ARISING IN CONTROL THEORY

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a singular point problem arising in control theory. It presents an explicit solution of L2-optimal control problem and presents an alternate representation of a control function. It is the search for such a representation that will lead to a certain singular point problem in linear ordinary differential equations. The chapter presents information on the manner in which the L2-optimal controls operate.
Oligodendrocyte Bioenergetics in Health and Disease

The human brain weighs approximately 2% of the body; however, it consumes about 20% of a person’s total energy intake. Cellular bioenergetics in the central nervous system involves a delicate balance between biochemical processes engaged in energy conversion and those responsible for respiration. Neurons have high energy demands, which rely on metabolic coupling with glia, such as with oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. It has been well established that astrocytes recycle and transport glutamine to neurons to make the essential neurotransmitters, glutamate and GABA, as well as shuttle lactate to support energy synthesis in neurons. However, the metabolic role of oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system is less clear. In this review, we discuss the energetic demands of oligodendrocytes in their survival and maturation, the impact of altered oligodendrocyte energetics on disease pathology, and the role of energetic metabolites, taurine, creatine, N-acetylaspartate, and biotin, in regulating oligodendroc...
Growth, morphology and crystal structure of electrodeposited Bi2Se3 films: Influence of the substrate

Abstract In this study, we investigated the growth, morphology and crystal structure of electrodeposited Bi2Se3 films on n-Si, Au and Ru substrates. The range of potentials at which films with good quality and stoichiometry can be grown have been identified. Scanning electron micrographs of the early stages of nucleation and growth suggests the film formation on all three substrates follow the Volmer-Weber growth mode. In the case of Si substrate, a pure orthorhombic phase of Bi2Se3 could be grown which is influenced by the epitaxy of the Si substrate. The Faradaic efficiency of film growth on Si substrate was found to be around 90%. However, on Au and Ru substrates, growth of mainly the rhombohedral phase could be achieved having relatively lower Faradaic efficiencies of 68% and 78%, respectively. The Bi2Se3 films grown on Au at more negative potentials were found to exhibit improvements in the rhombohedral crystal phase. Low temperature annealing was found to transform the orthorhombic or mixed phase crystal structure to that of pure rhombohedral. The onset of phase transformation in the mixed phase Bi2Se3 films (on Au) was found to be around 125 °C, determined using in-situ Raman spectroscopy. Aside from the temperature, the duration of heat treatment is identified to play a crucial role in this phase transformation. Based on our findings on room temperature deposition, we conclude that the growth of pure orthorhombic phase is favored on Si, while on Au and Ru, growth of the rhombohedral or mixed phase of Bi2Se3 could be achieved.
English Pastoral Music: From Arcadia to Utopia, 1900–1955, by Eric Saylor

For many, the phrase “English pastoralism” evokes a very particular sound world. Hushed, muted strings undulate in lightly dissonant, modally inflected pan-diatonicism. An oboe or an English horn s...
Gastrostomy tubes appear to be safe following pediatric orthotopic heart transplant.

Background Gastrostomy tube (GT) placement is a common pediatric surgical procedure typically indicated for oral aversion. This may develop in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) who require an orthotopic heart transplant (OHT). The safety profile of GT placement in OHT patients who are immunosuppressed is unknown. Given the potential increased risk of wound site complications on a patient receiving immunosuppression, we sought to determine the safety profile of GT placement in pediatric patients with OHT. Materials and methods We performed a retrospective case series of all pediatric OHT recipients who subsequently underwent GT placement from January 1, 2009, to August 1, 2018, at the University of Virginia Children's Hospital. Major GT complications of wound breakdown, wound infection, peristomal GT leakage, ileus, or persistent emesis, and minor GT complication including the presence of granulation tissue are reported. Results Six patients who had a pediatric OHT subsequently underwent GT placement over the study period. There were no major 30-day or 90-day GT complications. One patient had excessive granulation tissue at their GT site. There were no accounts of acute kidney injury, urinary tract infection, sepsis, or pneumonia. Conclusion Gastrostomy tube (GT) placement appears to be safe in pediatric OHT patients who are on immunosuppressive medications and unable to feed orally. This is the first study documenting the safety profile of GTs in pediatric OHT patients and may aid clinicians to make decisions regarding this intervention.
Law: Economics of Its Public Enforcement

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by A.M Polinsky, S. Shavell, volume 12, pp. 8510–8517, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
Acute Flaccid Myelitis: A Clinical Overview for 2019

Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is characterized by flaccid paralysis of one or more limbs, often following a viral illness, with magnetic resonance imaging findings consistent with inflammation of the spinal cord gray matter. It is unclear whether all patients with AFM will have full recovery of neurologic function. Since 2014, there have been several clusters of AFM in the United States, with a 3-fold increase in reported AFM cases recorded in 2018 compared with the previous year. Epidemiological evidence supports a temporal association between respiratory enteroviral illness, particularly with enteroviruses D68 and A71, and clustering of AFM cases. However, causality has yet to be established. Treatment of AFM is primarily supportive. Adjunctive therapies such as intravenous immunoglobulin, corticosteroids, plasmapheresis, and fluoxetine have not been found to improve long-term outcomes. Further research is urgently needed to characterize and optimize management of this emerging, yet poorly understood, condition.
Conclusion: Caring for the Human Being—An Outline for Applied Existential Health Psychology

The concluding chapter can be read as a stand-alone introduction to existential health psychology and supplies a summary of four changes in perspective which a healthcare worker can make that will allow her to view her patients in their existentiality, thereby finding what was in their blind-spot. These are treating the how and not the what; understanding the illness in addition to the disease; treating the person and not the disease; and viewing the patient person in his or her Otherness, using the relational phenomenology of Martin Buber.
Five Threats to Phenomenology’s Distinctiveness:

Phenomenology is a distinct philosophical approach that attends to the ways our experiencing bodies participate in the constitution of meaning. Its description, however, in qualitative research tex...
Models predicting the role of emotion reactivity in the link between reasons for not using and lifetime substance use.

Objective: Substance use peaks in emerging adulthood, with evidence suggesting that college-attending emerging adults have a higher rate of substance use than their non-college attending peers. Mor...
Secondary circulation within a mixing box and its effect on turbulence

An experimental study was conducted to examine the formation of secondary circulation in a grid-mixing box and to determine its effect on turbulence. This apparatus has been used extensively to study turbulence and mixing in a variety of geophysical contexts, and it is commonly assumed that turbulence is nearly isotropic and horizontally homogenous and that it is a zero-mean shear flow. Exceptions to these assumptions, however, have been reported, where a secondary flow pattern has been observed consisting of two roughly symmetric large-scale circulations with upward flow in the center of the box and downward return flow along the sides. These secondary flows appear to be associated with different grid oscillation conditions and box and grid geometries, and criteria have been proposed to describe conditions when secondary flow may be expected. Experiments were conducted for three different combinations of the grid oscillation stroke and frequency, while maintaining a near constant grid Reynolds number, to examine the formation and strength of the secondary flow and its effect on the magnitude and distribution of turbulence within the box. Velocity characteristics were obtained by particle image velocimetry (PIV). Results show that (1) secondary circulations were present for all combinations of the grid oscillation conditions; (2) as stroke length increased, the intensity of the secondary circulation and the contribution of these motions to total kinetic energy increased; and (3) the presence of secondary circulation results in greater overall mixing and turbulent transport in the region close to the grid. These insights are expected to be relevant to a wide range of mixing box applications.
Inefficient visual search strategies in the first-episode schizophrenia spectrum

Abstract Background Knowledge is lacking regarding deficits in selective attention and their underlying biological mechanisms during early stages of schizophrenia. The present study examined the N2pc, a neurophysiological index of covert spatial attention, and its cortical sources at first psychotic episode in the schizophrenia spectrum (FESz). Methods Neurophysiological responses measured simultaneously with magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG) during pop-out and serial search tasks were compared between 32 FESz and 32 matched healthy controls (HC). Mean scalp-recorded N2pc was measured from a cluster of posterior-lateral EEG electrodes. Cortical source-resolved MEG activity contributing to the N2pc signal was derived for the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and lateral occipital complex (LOC). Results Group differences in EEG N2pc varied by task demand. FESz exhibited reduced N2pc amplitude during pop-out (p Discussion Reductions in EEG N2pc amplitude indicate an impairment of visuo-spatial attention evident at an individual's first psychotic episode, specifically during conditions emphasizing bottom-up processing. Examination of its cortical sources with MEG revealed that, compared to HC, FESz engaged parietal structures to a greater extent during the serial search condition. This pattern suggests a less efficient, more resource intensive strategy employed by FESz in response to a minimal demand on attention. The greater reliance on this controlled attentional network may negatively impact real-world functions with much greater complexity and attentional demands.
The structure of post-concussion symptoms in adolescent student athletes: confirmatory factor analysis and measurement invariance.

Objective: This study examined factor models for the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) at baseline and after suspected sport-related concussion, and measurement invariance from pre-injury to pos...
Unchecked vs. Uncheckable: How Opinion-Based Claims Can Impede Corrections of Misinformation

Although the prominence of fact-checking in political journalism has grown dramatically in recent years, empirical investigations regarding the effectiveness of fact-checking in correcting misperce...
Book Review, Space Adrift: Landmark Preservation and the Marketplace

Professor John Costonis demonstrates his awareness of developmental pressures in Chicago and proposes using those pressures to save architectural landmarks. His proposal, known as the Chicago Plan, would preserve landmarks through preservation restrictions and development right transfer districts. This proposal may cause many problems given current zoning practices, which may be politically impossible to alter. The Chicago Plan provides for the cost of landmark preservation by taxing the development process instead of using municipal funds. The adoption of this plan should be accompanied by alterations in zoning ordinances, which are not discussed at length by Costonis. The Chicago Plan, despite its expert analysis, is not a cure-all, but rather a complement to other types of preservation programs.
Tutorial on Biostatistics: Receiver-Operating Characteristic (ROC) Analysis for Correlated Eye Data.

Purpose: To demonstrate methods for receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of correlated eye data.Methods: We applied the Obuchowski’s nonparametric approach and cluster bootstrap for est...
Multiple Nationalities in Refugee Law: Toward a Practical Approach

The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (Refugee Convention), a treaty intended to protect some of the most vulnerable individuals in the world, has resulted in the exclusion of persons from refugee status due to a provision detailing citizenship requirements. According to the Refugee Convention, individuals who hold multiple nationalities must seek the protection of their other state(s) of nationality, or demonstrate why they cannot, before being able to be granted refugee status in another state. This paper will explore this provision of the Refugee Convention and the reasoning behind it, as well as survey issues that have arisen from its application over the past several decades, in order to recommend a more uniform application of the provision with an eye to the object and purpose of the treaty. The state application of Article 1(A)(2) can have serious implications for refugees fleeing the violence in Syria, North Korea, and countless other countries. We must take seriously interpretations of treaty law that are logical in theory, but lead to violations of rights and incongruous decisions in practice. This paper proposes an alternative view of effective citizenship and recommends a particular application of the Refugee Convention and understanding of citizenship.
Data Science and Predictive Analytics: Biomedical and Health Applications Using R

Ivo D. Dinov’s Data Science and Predictive Analytics: Biomedical and Health Applications Using R is a comprehensive twenty-three-chapter text and online course for burgeoning or seasoned biomedical and/or health sciences professionals who analyze data sets using the R programming language.
Heat transfer coefficients for quenching process simulation

Quenching heat treatment in a liquid medium is a very complex heat transfer process. Heat extraction from the part surface occurs through several different heat transfer mechanisms in distinct temperature ranges, namely, film boiling, partial film boiling (i.e. transition), nucleate boiling and convection. The maximum heat transfer occurs during the nucleate boiling stage. Experimental study shows that, the effective surface heat transfer coefficient varies more than two orders of magnitude with the temperature during the quenching. For quenching process simulation, accurate prediction of the time-temperature history and microstructure evolution within the part largely depends on the accuracy of the boundary condition supplied. The heat transfer coefficient is the most important boundary condition for process simulation. This study focuses on creating a database of heat transfer coefficients for various liquid quenchant-metallic alloy combinations through experimentation using three different quench probes. This database is a web-based tool for use in quench process simulation. It provides at-a-glance information for quick and easy analysis and sets the stage for a Decision Support System (DSS) and Data Mining for heat-treating process.
Entre la metrópoli a la tía rica

Sobre los llanos. Eduardo Mantilla Trejo (compilador) Fonotecanica Industrial, Bogota, 1988, 211 pags, dibujos, fotos.
Metabolic engineering: Biosensor keeps DOPA on track.

Biosensors are emerging as an important tool to evolutionarily engineer metabolic pathway enzymes for the microbial production of chemicals. A colorimetric biosensor used to increase dopamine levels in yeast now enables the production of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids from glucose.
Predictors of Early Grade Retention among Children in the United States.

Background. Despite increasing concerns regarding school readiness, little is known about child health correlates of early school failure among the general child population. The results of this study, conducted to investigate health and social factors associated with early grade retention in a nationally representative sample of children in the United States, are reported here. Design. Analyses of data derived from interviews with parents of 9996 children ages 7 to 17 years who participated in the Child Health Supplement to the 1988 National Health Interview Survey. Main Outcome Measures. History of repeating kindergarten or first grade. Results. Nationally, 7.6% of children repeated kindergarten or first grade. In a logistic regression model, factors independently associated with increased risk of grade retention were: poverty [Odds Ratio (OR) 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4, 2.1], male gender (OR 1.5, CI 1.3, 1.9), low maternal education (OR 1.4, CI 1.1, 1.8); deafness (OR 1.9, CI 1.4, 2.6), speech defects (OR 1.7, CI 1.1, 2.6), low birth weight (OR 1.6, CI 1.2, 2.2), enuresis (OR 1.6, CI 1.1, 2.2), and exposure to household smoking (OR 1.4, CI 1.1, 1.7). High maternal education (OR 0.6 CI 0.4, 0.9) and residence with both biological parents at age 6 years (OR 0.7, CI 0.6, 0.9) were independently associated with a decreased risk of retention. Recurrent otitis media, black race, and low maternal age, although associated with early grade retention in bivariate analyses, were not independently associated with grade retention in a model that controls for these other factors and for the age cohort of the child. Although omitted from the above predictive model because of uncertainty about its temporal relation to early grade retention in this dataset, behavior problems at the time of interview have a strong independent association (OR 1.9, CI 1.5, 2.5) with prior early retention. Conclusions. This is the first study that uses national data to investigate how health and social factors individually and collectively contribute to early grade retention. It demonstrates that early retention is common, that a number of extremely common child health problems are independently associated with it, and that the magnitude of the heightened risk associated with these problems is similar to that of many of the well-recognized and difficult to change family and social risk factors for early retention. The successful implementations of Pub L 99-457 (The Education for All Handicapped Children Act Amendments of 1986) services in communities nationwide, and the improvement in the educational performance of large numbers of children will be facilitated by pediatricians9 advocacy and surveillance for problems that place children at risk for educational failure, and by effective referral to and collaboration with nonpediatric child and family services.
Catalytic oxidation of alkanes at millisecond contact times

Publisher Summary Catalytic partial oxidation at very short contact times is a promising route to new chemicals and to catalytic destruction of volatile organic compounds. This chapter discusses experiments where these processes are used to produce syngas by partial oxidation of methane, olefins by partial oxidation of higher alkanes, and combustion products by total oxidation of alkanes. In excess, O2 similar processes produce primarily CO2 and H2O and these processes are very important to reduce pollution from NOx, CO, and unburned hydrocarbons in combustion to produce heat, radiation, and for the abatement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air. In all these processes, the possibility of homogeneous reaction steps must be considered. Partial oxidation of methane-rich flames does produce syngas and steam cracking is a homogeneous process that produces olefins at comparable selectivities to those described in the chapter. These results can be explained as occurring by purely surface reaction steps. The main argument against the presence of significant homogeneous reaction in these systems is that the product distributions are somewhat different than would be predicted by homogeneous free radical reaction steps and that no carbon buildup is observed over many hours of operation.
The role of surgeons in building a personalized medicine program

Changes in technology, with decreases in the cost of molecular profiling, has expanded the interest in creating institution-wide personalized medicine platforms to allow selective assessment of a given patient's tumor in real time, with the ability to utilize that information for patient-care decisions. In order for this approach to function adequately, a multidisciplinary team must be created in an environment with dedicated support at an institutional level. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015 111:3–8. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
DegU-phosphate activates expression of the anti-sigma factor FlgM in Bacillus subtilis

The bacterial flagellum is a complex molecular machine that is assembled by more than 30 proteins and is rotated to propel cells either through liquids or over solid surfaces. Flagellar gene expression is extensively regulated to co-ordinate flagellar assembly in both space and time. In Bacillus subtilis, the proteins of unknown function, SwrA and SwrB, and the alternative sigma factor σ(D) are required to activate expression of the flagellar filament protein, flagellin. Here we determine that in the absence of SwrA and SwrB, the phosphorylated form of the response regulator DegU inhibits σ(D) -dependent gene expression indirectly by binding to the P(flgM) promoter region and activating expression of the anti-sigma factor FlgM. We further demonstrate that DegU-P-dependent activation of FlgM is essential to inhibit flagellin expression when flagellar basal body assembly is disrupted. Regulation of FlgM is poorly understood outside of Salmonella, and differential control of FlgM expression may be a common means of coupling flagellin expression to flagellar assembly.
Inspection of integrated circuit photomasks with intensity spatial filters

Spatial filtering is shown to be an effective method for integrated circuit photomask inspection. Results show that errors of 0.2 mils can be detected using f/9.5 lenses and that the use of f/2.0 lenses detects errors of below 0.1 mil. Contamination, missing and added features, and step and repeat errors are all displayed. The method allows the observation of nonperiodic errors and can be used immediately for contamination inspection with very little increase in sensitivity. The procedure only needs alignment of the mask in rotation, and means that the mask can be totally inspected by scanning it through a laser beam.
Instructional ecology and academic responding time for students at three levels of teacher-perceived behavioral competence

Abstract Thirty third and fourth grade students, ages 8–10 years, were observed systematically over two entire school days to examine the nature of instruction and academic responding time for students at varying levels of teacher-perceived behavioral competence. Data were recorded on six categories in 10-sec intervals. While the amount of time spent in active academic responses (about 45 min in a typical school day) did not differ significantly between groups, it was found that students perceived to be lower in behavioral competence spent more time engaged in certain inappropriate behaviors and received more teacher disapproval. Yet, students grouped on the basis of teachers' perceptions of their behavioral competence did not differ on the majority of instructional or student responding variables. Findings related to the relationship between responding times and achievement also are presented. Implications of findings for understanding the classroom ecology for students exhibiting behavior problems are discussed.
Easily Modified Factors Contribute to Delays in Diagnosis of Clostridium difficile Infection: a Cohort Study and Intervention

Although rapid laboratory tests are available for diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), delays in completion of CDI testing are common in clinical practice. We conducted a cohort study of 242 inpatients tested for CDI to determine the timing of different steps involved in diagnostic testing and to identify modifiable factors contributing to delays in diagnosis. The average time from test order to test result was 1.8 days (range, 0.2 to 10.6), with time from order to stool collection accounting for most of the delay (mean, 1.0 day; range, 0 to 10). Several modifiable factors contributed to delays, including not providing stool collection supplies to patients in a timely fashion, rejection of specimens due to incorrect labeling or leaking from the container, and holding samples in the laboratory for batch processing. Delays in testing contributed to delays in initiation of treatment for patients diagnosed with CDI and to frequent prescription of empirical CDI therapy for patients with mild to moderate symptoms whose testing was ultimately negative. An intervention that addressed several easily modified factors contributing to delays resulted in a significant decrease in the time required to complete CDI testing. These findings suggest that health care facilities may benefit from a review of their processes for CDI testing to identify and address modifiable factors that contribute to delays in diagnosis and treatment of CDI.
Multiple polarization communications

If two independent signals are communicated using orthogonal polarizations, the communication throughput is doubled compared to a single polarization. Polarization reuse superimposes two independent signals in the same bandwidth and requires design attention to obtain adequate isolation between the signals to avoid cochannel interference. Polarization reuse is limited to doubling the communication throughput because any polarization has only one orthogonal polarization. A new technique uses multiple non-orthogonal polarizations and signal processing techniques to separate and combine multiple signal components and can more than double the communication throughput.
Correlation of thermophoretically-modified small particle diffusional deposition rates in forced convection systems with variable properties, transpiration cooling and/or viscous dissipation

A cooled object (heat exchanger tube or turbine blade) is considered to be immersed in a hot fluid stream containing trace amounts of suspended vapors and/or small particles. Numerical prediction calculations were done for self-similar laminar boundary layers and law-of-the-wall turbulent boundary layers. Correlations are presented for the effect of thermophoresis in the absence of transpiration cooling and viscous dissipation; the effect of real suction and blowing in the absence of thermophoresis; the effect of viscous dissipation on thermophoresis in the absence of transpiration cooling; and the combined effect of viscous dissipation and transpiration cooling on thermophoresis. The final correlation, St/St-sub-zero, is insensitive to particle properties, Euler number, and local mainstream temperature.
Loss of Skeletal Muscle HIF-1α Results in Altered Exercise Endurance

The physiological flux of oxygen is extreme in exercising skeletal muscle. Hypoxia is thus a critical parameter in muscle function, influencing production of ATP, utilization of energy-producing substrates, and manufacture of exhaustion-inducing metabolites. Glycolysis is the central source of anaerobic energy in animals, and this metabolic pathway is regulated under low-oxygen conditions by the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α). To determine the role of HIF-1α in regulating skeletal muscle function, we tissue-specifically deleted the gene encoding the factor in skeletal muscle. Significant exercise-induced changes in expression of genes are decreased or absent in the skeletal-muscle HIF-1α knockout mice (HIF-1α KOs); changes in activities of glycolytic enzymes are seen as well. There is an increase in activity of rate-limiting enzymes of the mitochondria in the muscles of HIF-1α KOs, indicating that the citric acid cycle and increased fatty acid oxidation may be compensating for decreased flow through the glycolytic pathway. This is corroborated by a finding of no significant decreases in muscle ATP, but significantly decreased amounts of lactate in the serum of exercising HIF-1α KOs. This metabolic shift away from glycolysis and toward oxidation has the consequence of increasing exercise times in the HIF-1α KOs. However, repeated exercise trials give rise to extensive muscle damage in HIF-1α KOs, ultimately resulting in greatly reduced exercise times relative to wild-type animals. The muscle damage seen is similar to that detected in humans in diseases caused by deficiencies in skeletal muscle glycogenolysis and glycolysis. Thus, these results demonstrate an important role for the HIF-1 pathway in the metabolic control of muscle function.
Experimental study of foam flow in horizontal pipes: Two flow regimes and its implications

Abstract Although foam has been widely used in many scientific and engineering applications, the current understanding of foam rheology in pipes is still very limited because of its complex nature. This experimental study, for the first time, investigates the flow rheology of foams in pipes by placing a special emphasis on two distinct foam flow regimes. A wide range of experimental conditions are examined in this study, which include five different surfactant formulations (Cedepal FA-406, Petrostep CG-50, Stepanform 1050, Aquet TD-600, and Ultra-Palmolive), three different surfactant concentrations (0.1, 1, and 5 wt.%), two different pipe diameters (0.5 and 1 in. nominal size stainless steel pipes), and two different filter opening sizes (50 and 90 μm) for upstream foam generation. The experiments revealed the following characteristics: (1) foam flow in pipes exhibited two different flow regimes called “high-quality” regime and “low-quality” regime, (2) the high-quality regime was characterized by unstable and oscillating pressure response which resulted from repeating free gas and foam slug, whereas the low-quality regime was characterized by stabilized pressure response which resulted from the flow of uniform and homogeneous foams, (3) different patterns of pressure contours were observed—the pressure contours were relatively steep in the high-quality regime but relatively gentle, or even almost horizontal, in the low-quality regime, and (4) the value of foam quality ( f g * ) that splits the two flow regimes was shown to be affected by experimental conditions such as surfactant formulations and concentrations. These observations imply that the rheology in the high-quality regime is primarily governed by dynamic mechanisms of lamella creation and coalescence during the flow, and the rheology in the low-quality regime is primarily governed by interactions between individual bubbles and/or interactions between bubbles and pipe wall. Therefore, the high-quality regime is likely to expand (or, the low-quality regime is likely to contract, equivalently) with a reduction in surfactant foamability.
Topological aspects of the structure of chaotic attractors in R3.

Strange attractors with Lyapunov dimension d(L) <3 can be classified by branched manifolds. They can also be classified by the bounding tori that enclose them. Bounding tori organize branched manifolds (classes of strange attractors) in the same way as the branched manifolds organize the periodic orbits in a strange attractor. We describe how bounding tori are constructed and expressed in a useful canonical form. We present the properties of these canonical forms and show that they can be uniquely coded by analogs of periodic orbits of period g-1, where g is the genus. We describe the structure of the global Poincare surface of section for an attractor enclosed by a genus- g torus and determine the transition matrix for flows between the g-1 components of the Poincare surface of section. Finally, we show how information about a bounding torus can be extracted from scalar time series.
Bis(pyrazolylethyl)thioether ligation to zinc and cadmium: structural characterization of [S(CH2CH2pzMe2)2]ZnCl2, [S(CH2CH2pzMe2)2]CdI2 and [S(CH2CH2pzMe2)2]Cd(NO3)2

Abstract Structural characterization of [S(CH2CH2pzMe2)2]ZnCl2 by X-ray diffraction demonstrates that the potentially tridentate [NNS] donor ligand S(CH2CH2pzMe2)2 does not coordinate via sulfur, but only binds through the pyrazolyl groups. Furthermore, the ligand does not chelate, but preferentially bridges two zinc centers, thereby resulting in a polymeric, helical, structure. In contrast to the zinc system, the thioether functionality does bind to cadmium in related derivatives, [S(CH2CH2pzMe2)2]CdI2 and [S(CH2CH2pzMe2)2]Cd(NO3)2.
Simulation Models and the Study of Information Utilization in Public-Sector Decision Making:

Progress in understanding the utilization of policy information in decision making can be accelerated by reliance on a variety of research approaches. One research approach that has not been widely employed to date in studies of information utilization is simulation modeling. In this article simulation modeling and its potential contributions to the study of the utilization of policy information in decision making are explored, along with the relationship between simulation modeling and other approaches to studying knowledge utilization.
Recovering planar projections of printed clustered-dot halftones

This paper presents a novel method to recover planar projections (homographies) from perspectively distorted images of clustered-dot halftones. The method uses the variation of the local affine deformation of the halftone (estimated using a Fourier method) to recover the additional projective components. Evidence provided from simulated distortion and mobile capture shows that the approach provides an effective first step in the problem of using mobile device to recover stenographic information embedded in unknown halftone images, as pixel-accurate alignment is needed to recover the data.
Ubiquitous occurrence of high molecular weight hydrocarbons in crude oils

Abstract For many years the presence of waxes in crude oils has been associated with organic matter derived from terrigenous sources. High temperature gas chromatography (HTGC) has been used to establish the ubiquitous presence of high molecular weight (HMW) hydrocarbons, extending as high as C 120 , in crude oils. HMW hydrocarbons (>C 40+ ) have been observed in crude oils derived from terrigenous, lacustrine, and marine source materials. Modified extraction techniques have also led to the detection of HMW hydrocarbons in source rock extracts. The fractions of HMW hydrocarbons are complex mixtures of long-chain aliphatic and alkyl-aromatic hydrocarbons, and can represent up to 8% of a whole oil. The carbon preference index (CPI) of HMW alkylcyclopentanes in the C 42 –C 46 range provides useful information on the characteristics of the original depositional environment. Age, maturity, and degree of biodegradation do not appear to affect the CPI of alkylcyclopentanes used for evaluating depositional environments. Differences in the distributions of the HMW hydrocarbons between the source rock extracts and the crude oils in the reservoirs may reflect changes occurring due to migration.
Impact of Dimensional Scaling and Size Effects on Spin Transport in Copper and Aluminum Interconnects

In this paper, compact models of spin-relaxation lengths (SRLs) in copper and aluminum interconnects by incorporating contributions to spin relaxation from phonon-induced and defect-induced scatterings are developed. The proposed models have been exhaustively calibrated with experimental data from mesoscopic lateral spin valves. The compact models are used to predict the SRL in ultrascaled copper and aluminum interconnects with cross-sectional dimensions of only few hundreds of nm2. Even though the SRL in bulk copper can be as large as 400 nm, it is predicted that SRL can become sub-100 nm for a 7.5-nm-wide channel in the presence of nominal size effects. It is found that the SRL in aluminum is more than that in copper for the same size effects and interconnect cross-sectional dimensions. The degradation in SRL in aluminum with size effects is slower than that in copper. Using the compact models for SRL in conjunction with spin-diffusion theory, spin injection and transport efficiency (SITE) for metallic interconnects in a conventional spin-valve configuration is quantified in the presence of phonon and defect scatterings.
The transcription factor Sox11 promotes nerve regeneration through activation of the regeneration-associated gene Sprr1a

Factors that enhance the intrinsic growth potential of adult neurons are key players in the successful repair and regeneration of neurons following injury. Injury-induced activation of transcription factors has a central role in this process because they regulate expression of regeneration-associated genes. Sox11 is a developmentally expressed transcription factor that is significantly induced in adult neurons in response to injury. Its function in injured neurons is however undefined. Here, we report studies that use herpes simplex virus (HSV)-vector-mediated expression of Sox11 in adult sensory neurons to assess the effect of Sox11 overexpression on neuron regeneration. Cultured mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons transfected with HSV-Sox11 exhibited increased neurite elongation and branching relative to naive and HSV-vector control treated neurons. Neurons from mice injected in foot skin with HSV-Sox11 exhibited accelerated regeneration of crushed saphenous nerves as indicated by faster regrowth of axons and nerve fibers to the skin, increased myelin thickness and faster return of nerve and skin sensitivity. Downstream targets of HSV-Sox11 were examined by analyzing changes in gene expression of known regeneration-associated genes. This analysis in combination with mutational and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays indicates that the ability of Sox11 to accelerate in vivo nerve regeneration is dependent on its transcriptional activation of the regeneration-associated gene, small proline rich protein 1a (Sprr1a). This finding reveals a new functional linkage between Sox11 and Sprr1a in adult peripheral neuron regeneration.
A stochastic variational multiscale method for diffusion in heterogeneous random media

A stochastic variational multiscale method with explicit subgrid modelling is provided for numerical solution of stochastic elliptic equations that arise while modelling diffusion in heterogeneous random media. The exact solution of the governing equations is split into two components: a coarse-scale solution that can be captured on a coarse mesh and a subgrid solution. A localized computational model for the subgrid solution is derived for a generalized trapezoidal time integration rule for the coarse-scale solution. The coarse-scale solution is then obtained by solving a modified coarse formulation that takes into account the subgrid model. The generalized polynomial chaos method combined with the finite element technique is used for the solution of equations resulting from the coarse formulation and subgrid models. Finally, various numerical examples are considered for evaluating the method.
Late thymectomy in Xenopus tadpoles reveals a population of T cells that persists through metamorphosis.

Abstract To investigate the persistence of larval T lymphocytes in the adult period, tadpoles of the South African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis , were allowed to develop to prometamorphic stages 57–58 and thymectomized (Tx). Thymectomy at this stage allows for maximal expansion of the larval T cell population but prevents emergence of the adult T cell population. Using a T cell-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) which recognizes the XTLA-1 determinant, we examined the absolute numbers of thymic and splenic T cells expressing XTLA-1 in normal tadpoles, postmetamorphic Tx frogs, and intact agematched adult frogs. A small, but measurable, number of larvally-derived XTLA-1 + cells persists through metamorphosis. By simultaneously staining with a mAb specific for class II major histocompatibility (MHC) antigens, we determined the phenotype of the persisting XTLA-1 + cells in the Tx frogs. Like XTLA-1 + splenocytes in intact adult controls which are predominantly class II + , most XTLA-1 + cells in Tx adults also express class II. In contrast, most XTLA-1 + cells in the tadpole are class II . This suggests that a small population of class II + larval T cells survives metamorphic transition to become a long-lived population in the adult. Alternatively, some class II − larval T cells may express class II in the adult period.
Repair of Isolated Axillary Nerve Lesions after Infraclavicular Brachial Plexus Injuries: Case Reports

Stretch injuries of the infraclavicular brachial plexus have a much better prognosis for spontaneous recovery than do their supraclavicular counterparts. We present three patients with stretch injuries of the infraclavicular brachial plexus who had spontaneous restoration of function in all muscles except the deltoid. Decreased shoulder abduction was a serious handicap to these individuals. At surgical exploration, each patient had an isolated, complete axillary nerve disruption at the quadrilateral space. Deltoid muscle function was restored in all three patients by repair of the axillary nerve with sural nerve grafts across the quadrilateral space.