cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New Perspectives on Prevention and Management of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infections

Traditionally, the sole treatment for the gram-negative opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been antibiotic therapy. Advancements in antibiotic therapy will be discussed in Chapter 8 (“Treatment of Serious Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections”) of this text. The purpose of this chapter is to explore alternative therapies and preventative measures for P. aeruginosa. Due to the multiple antibiotic resistance mechanisms that P. aeruginosa possesses, the need for adjunctive therapies is becoming imperative. However, effective alternative therapies have been slowly forthcoming. One reason for this deficiency is the wide variety of infections that P. aeruginosa causes. As discussed in Chapters 1 and 2 P. aeruginosa infections range from eye and ear infections to pneumonia and disseminated invasive bacteremia in burn patients. Thus successful therapies should be applicable to different anatomical locations and effective on several different types of infections. A second difficulty in designing new therapies is the variety of P. aeruginosa strains that infect patients. P. aeruginosa has the largest and most complex bacterial genome sequenced thus far (1). With over 20 sets of regulatory genes and an arsenal of different virulence factors, there can be dramatic differences in virulence of infecting strains (1). Consequently, it is imperative to determine which virulence determinants are conserved in clinically isolated strains for the design of the most appropriate targets.
The Heart Age Is Increased in Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Correlates With Fibrosis and Hepatocyte Ballooning.

The Heart Age Is Increased in Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Correlates With Fibrosis and Hepatocyte Ballooning
Postmodernism, politics and religion

Alan Sokal really likes footnotes, which may have made him uniquely qualified as a hoaxer of "science studies". The original hoax, a purposely and wonderfully nonsensical paper about the epistemology of quantum gravity, appeared in 1996 in the cultural-studies journal Social Text, with the enthusiastic endorsement of its editorship of eminent postmodernists. There were 107 footnotes.
Text Mining Tutorial

A growing challenge facing scholars who study group processes is textual data overload. The immense amount of text generated by group members’ interactions via email, text messages, and social media can be a barrier during data collection and analysis. Instead of scaling back textual data collection, group process scholars can make use of text mining, a computational approach to finding patterns within and extracting information of interest from textual datasets. This tutorial provides an entry-level introduction to the text mining approach in terms of how it works, its underlying assumptions, the basic steps of analysis, and decisions that must be made during the text mining process from data collection to final interpretation. The approach is demonstrated using a real-world dataset consisting of transcriptions of medical consultation conversations among groups of emergency department physicians. The results demonstrate the potential benefits of a data-driven approach to analysis of textual datasets.
Comparison of two specimen retrieval techniques in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: what is the role of endobag?

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has become a popular stand-alone treatment for morbid obesity. However, removal of the gastric specimen could be a challenging step due to its large size relative to the width of the trocar site. We aimed to compare a simplified retrieval technique for extraction of the gastric specimen without an endobag with conventionally performed specimen retrieval using an endobag. A case-control study was conducted recruiting patients undergoing LSG. Patient’s demographics, preoperative characteristics, intra-operative, and postoperative variables were compared between the two groups according to the technique of gastric specimen removal. A total of 193 patients (60.6% female) were enrolled into case (n = 100) and control groups (n = 93). Mean ± SD age and BMI of patients were 35.64 ± 11.84 years and 47.28 ± 8.22 Kg/m2, respectively with no significant difference between groups. Median (25th, 75th inter-quartile), extraction time was significantly reduced in the non-endobag group compared to the endobag group (3.5 [2.5–4.5] min vs. 6.5 [3.4–8.2] min, p = 0.03).Patients of both groups had similar intra-operative and trocar site complications (hernia and wound infection) (3% for endobag group and 3.3 % for non-endobag group). The median (25–75% [IQR]) LOS was also comparable between endobag and non-endobag patients (3[2–3] vs. 3[2–4] days, p = 0.84). No difference was observed between the two groups for weight loss and comorbidity resolution. Non-endobag technique for gastric specimen retrieval is safe and feasible with substantial saving in operative time and comparable intra-operative and postoperative outcomes to the conventional retrieval technique.
Well-Posedness of Linear Ultraparabolic Equations on Bounded Domains

We demonstrate the well-posedness of linear terminal boundary value problems on regular bounded domains for square integrable data; additional regularity and the Galerkin approximation of the solution are also considered.
Analysis of Taca Overexpression on Phenotypic Characteristics of Sinorhizobium meliloti

Sinorhizobium meliloti is a nitrogen-fixing bacterium that forms a symbiosis with legumes. These bacteria colonize plant roots within nodules and undergo a novel cell cycle as a symbiont. Free-living in soil, it undergoes asymmetrical cell division with one round of DNA replication per cell cycle. We are interested in identifying cell cycle regulators and understanding their function during free-living growth and symbiosis. We hypothesize that TacA is a cell cycle regulator since deletion of the TacA ortholog in Caulobacter crescentus shows morphology, motility, and cell membrane defects. To test this, we examined IPTG-induced overexpression of tacA for exopolysaccharide, membrane, and motility defects. Our results show low IPTG levels decrease motility of wild type and ΔcbrA strains. Surprisingly, higher amounts of IPTG restore motility to each strain’s original level. Additionally, tacA overexpression causes a membrane defect in WT that is similar to ΔcbrA, while tacA does not appear to regulate exopolysaccharide production. In conclusion, tacA overexpression has several cell cycle phenotypes, which makes it a good candidate for further investigation. S. meliloti is an important model organism, not only for its potential to replace synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, but also because it is related to bacteria that cause brucellosis and plant tumors.
Preparative Isolation of Ia Antigen Membrane Protein Component Polypeptides on C18 Reverse Phase HPLC

Considerable interest in the past several years has focused on the biochemical characterization of integral cell membrane proteins that are involved in regulating cell-cell interactions. Since these membrane proteins are readily available in only microgram quantities, both analytical and preparative separations of these polypeptides have often been done with SDS PAGE. Polypeptides preparatively isolated from SDS PAGE, however, are denatured and frequently recovered in low yields. The development of alternative polypeptide separation procedures is constrained by the inherent physicochemical properties of membrane proteins. These polypeptides are often heterogeneous with respect to both size and charge, due principally to the presence of variable amounts of carbohydrate. The polypeptides are also amphiphilic molecules which, after being solubilized from the membrane lipid bilayer, are soluble only in detergent-containing solutions or in strongly denaturing solvents.
Ammonia emissions from a beef feedlot: Comparison of inverse modeling techniques using long-path and point measurements of fenceline NH3

Abstract Nitrogen (N) deposition in Rocky Mountain National Park, USA (RMNP) and adjacent alpine ecosystems has led to increased focus on ammonia (NH3) emissions from livestock operations in this region. A study was conducted at a commercial beef feedlot in Northern Colorado, USA to quantify NH3 fluxes, estimate emission factors (EFs), and evaluate measurement methodologies. Point and line-integrated fenceline NH3 measurements were taken over a 78-day study at a large feedlot east of RMNP focusing on transport towards the park. Ammonia fluxes were estimated using two inverse models, a backward Lagrangian stochastic approach (WindTrax) and a simpler inverse dispersion approach (FIDES) using input data from both NH3 datasets. Line-integrated NH3 concentrations were obtained from a long-path laser and single-point concentrations were collected with a cavity ring-down analyzer, both positioned on the downwind fenceline. Mean feedlot NH3 concentration (±1 standard deviation, σ) was 601 ± 246 μg m−3 (1013 ± 421 ppbv), where peak values often exceeded several ppmv. Concentrations from the long-path sensor were slightly higher than the point sensor when winds were from the feedlot (p = 0.0005), but 2.5 times less data were collected with the long-path instrument due to dust or laser-reflector alignment issues. Regardless of the model used, fluxes showed a diel pattern peaking in the afternoon with early morning minimums. Emissions varied more by inverse model than by sensor, with WindTrax emissions 25% higher than FIDES. Composite 24-h mean emissions (± 1σ) from FIDES were 48 ± 24 μg m−2 s−1 (EF = 71 ± 35 g hd−1 d−1), while WindTrax averaged 60 ± 30 μg m−2 s−1 (EF = 89 ± 44 g hd−1 d−1) (p
The General Factor of Self-Control and Cost Consideration: A Critical Test of the General Theory of Crime:

The general theory of crime proposes that the components that make up self-control increase crime by “affecting the calculation of the consequences of one’s acts” (i.e., cost consideration). Despit...
Peptides and Proteins in Radiolabeling of Blood Elements

111Indium was introduced as an efficient gamma emitting tracer to label cellular blood components nearly 17 years ago1,2. A year or so later, a report was published which described the feasibility of using 111In labeled antologous leukocytes to image inflammatory foci in humans3.Today, this technique has become an established modality and a subject of numerous publications in diagnostic imaging and cell kinetic studies. Despite the succes this technique has enjoyed, there remains a compelling need to develop better agents which would eliminate some of the inherent drawbacks.
RNA Binding Proteins and the Pathogenesis of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration.

Frontotemporal dementia is a group of early onset dementia syndromes linked to underlying frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) pathology that can be classified based on the formation of abnorma...
Review of the Major and Minor Salivary Glands, Part 1: Anatomy, Infectious, and Inflammatory Processes

The major and minor salivary glands of the head and neck are important structures that contribute to many of the normal physiologic processes of the aerodigestive tract. The major salivary glands are routinely included within the field of view of standard neuroimaging, and although easily identifiable, salivary pathology is relatively rare and often easy to overlook. Knowledge of the normal and abnormal imaging appearance of the salivary glands is critical for forming useful differential diagnoses, as well as initiating proper clinical workup for what are often incidental findings. The purpose of this review is to provide a succinct image-rich article illustrating relevant anatomy and pathology of the salivary glands via an extensive review of the primary literature. In Part 1, we review anatomy as well as provide an in-depth discussion of the various infectious and inflammatory processes that can affect the salivary glands.
7 Language Development

This chapter reviews four major theoretical approaches to the study of language development: the Biological, the Linguistic, the Social Pragmatic and the Domain-General Cognitive. Each approach is described and evaluated with respect to its strengths and weaknesses. Major issues from the field are discussed, including the critical period for language, the poverty of the stimulus argument, nativism, and statistical learning. Evidence from the domains of phonological, lexical, and syntactic development are considered. The chapter argues that each approach has made important contributions, but none alone has so far been able to account for the entirety of the phenomenon of language acquisition. Keywords: language acquisition; language development; critical period hypothesis; lexical development; nativism
Cooling 87Rb in a magnetic trap

A promising method for achieving Bose- Einstein condensation of alkali atoms is evaporative cooling in a magnetic trap.1,2 In order to achieve a sufficiently high thermalization rate for evaporative cooling, we are developing a way to "pre-cool" the 87Rb atoms by cycling them between two trapped states.
Interdisciplinary Applications: Providing a Past for “Bodies That Matter”: Judith Butler's Impact on the Archaeology of Gender

Recent archeological work on gender and sexuality has drawn on Judith Butler's discussions of abjection and gender performance in ways that promise to contribute to explicating these concepts. Representations of the past have the potential to lend the illusion of time depth, and thus cultural legitimacy, to contemporary social phenomena. Initially, feminist scholarship in archaeology did not critically interrogate gender. Consequently, it could be used to reinforce static, natural, and binary representations of gender in reconstructions of the past and their use in conservative ways in the present. Recently, some archaeologists have begun to focus on the regulatory modes through which gender was produced and reproduced in prehistoric communities. Archaeological work has been especially successful in examining the material dimensions of gender performance, thus addressing one of the repeated criticisms of this concept. The authors of this essay provide an overview of this recent archaeological writing with an emphasis on the ways it draws on, critiques, and extends the work of Judith Butler.
Pediatric Dermatology Practical Approaches and Prescribing Tips

Providing care to children requires constant attention to a wider variety of developmental, social and communication parameters than most adult medical encounters. Building rapport, conducting physical exams and counseling children and their parents or guardians should adjust for patient age and psychosocial factors. Prescribing practices must also be modified for optimal logistics and safety. Here you will find useful approaches and medication prescribing tips that will help keep your patients safe and also save parents/guardians, clinical support staff and yourself many hours of logistical troubleshooting.
The Herald Bleed: A Case Report of an Aortoenteric Fistula causing an Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleed.

Aortoenteric fistula (AEF) is a rare life-threatening condition. Secondary AEF (SAEF) occurs in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair and has a high mortality rate. We present a case of a 66-year-old female who presented to the emergency room with hematochezia and hemodynamic instability. Emergent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was negative. Colonoscopy revealed a 5 cm, pulsatile, bleeding, submucosal mass. A stat computed tomography (CT) angiogram of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a large left external iliac artery (LEIA) pseudoaneurysm. Vascular surgery emergently placed a LEIA stent. It appeared the patient had an aorto-bi-iliac (ABI) common iliac artery (CIA) bypass, 15 years ago, for a large AAA that had resulted in a SAEF, with the rare finding of communication with the colon. She had a complicated course involving surgical and medical management but with successful outcomes.
Practical Guide to Storage of Large Amounts of Microscopy Data

Biological imaging tools continue to increase in speed, scale, and resolution, often resulting in the collection of gigabytes or even terabytes of data in a single experiment. In comparison, the ability of research laboratories to store and manage this data is lagging greatly. This leads to limits on the collection of valuable data and slows data analysis and research progress. Here we review common ways researchers store data and outline the drawbacks and benefits of each method. We also offer a blueprint and budget estimation for a currently deployed data server used to store large datasets from zebrafish brain activity experiments using light-sheet microscopy. Data storage strategy should be carefully considered and different options compared when designing imaging experiments.
Contoured PPM-EMAT Design for Ultrasonic Communication On Metallic Pipe Channels

Ultrasonic guided waves can be used as the carriers of information in ultrasonic communication for pipe or plate channels. Permanent Periodic Magnet (PPM) Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer (EMAT) can potentially provide unique capabilities for a communication system as a non-contact transmitter and receiver, which can selectively generate different modes of shear-horizontal (SH) waves. The SH wave shows the potentials in achieving high bitrate without error in ultrasonic communication. However, when a steel pipe is used as the communication channel, especially one with a radius comparable to the size of the transducer, no guided wave signal can be excited or detected by existing PPM-EMAT's with flat coupling surface. In this paper, a 3D printed magnet holder is designed which can shape the magnet array. Also, the transmitter/receiver coils are made of flexible printed circuit which can fit over the curvature of the pipe channels. The contoured PPM-EMAT transmitter and receiver can conform to the surface of the steel pipe channel in order to generate and detect torsional waves. Experimental tests of signal transmission with PPM-EMAT on a 160cm-long stainless steel pipe determine the optimal frequency for communication to be 916KHz. Information transmission experimental results confirm the validity of contoured PPM-EMAT for communication with a bitrate of 5kbps.
Impact of Relative Dose Intensity of FOLFOX Adjuvant Chemotherapy on Risk of Death Among Stage III Colon Cancer Patients.

Background The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines have recommended tailored chemotherapy for stage III high-risk (T4 and/or N2) and low-risk (T1-T3 and N1) colon cancer since 2018. Studies have investigated the effect of relative dose intensity (RDI) of FOLFOX on stage III colon cancer survival, however, none has performed a stratified analysis by risk profiles. This study aims to identify the FOLFOX optimal RDI for high-risk and low-risk stage III colon cancer patients. Methods Data on 407 eligible patients, diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2011 who received FOLFOX, were collected by 8 population-based cancer registries. Multivariable Cox model and Fine-Gray competing risks model were employed to explore Optimal RDI defined as the lowest RDI administered without significant differences in either overall or cause-specific death. Results Among the 168 high-risk patients, the optimal RDI cut-off was 70% (HR = 1.59 with 95% CI: 0.69-3.66 in overall mortality; HR = 1.24 with 95% CI: 0.42-3.64 in cause-specific mortality when RDI Conclusions There is no significant harm on the risk of death when reducing RDI by
Essentials of neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship: scholarship perspective.

Neonatal-perinatal medicine fellows must achieve a meaningful accomplishment in scholarly activity as part of their training. Despite the requirement for scholarly training in fellowship, there is a vanishingly small number of MD-only physician-scientists pursuing a research-oriented career. Recent neonatal trainees have identified several factors that preclude their careers in research-focused academic neonatology, including lower pay in academic positions, inadequate training in research techniques, and the perception that individuals in research careers have a poor work-life balance. High competition for limited pediatric research funds also contributes to a diminishing pool of physician-scientists in neonatology. This small number of physician-scientists is threatened by a high rate of attrition among physicians who enter this career path. In order to prevent further declines in the number of neonatal physician-scientists, we need improvements in funding and strong intra- and cross-institutional mentorship to foster individuals interested in a career as a physician-scientist.
Atomic-Resolution 1.3 Å Crystal Structure, Inhibition by Sulfate, and Molecular Dynamics of the Bacterial Enzyme DapE

We report the atomic-resolution (1.3 A) X-ray crystal structure of an open conformation of the dapE-encoded N-succinyl-l,l-diaminopimelic acid desuccinylase (DapE, EC 3.5.1.18) from Neisseria meningitidis. This structure [Protein Data Bank (PDB) entry 5UEJ] contains two bound sulfate ions in the active site that mimic the binding of the terminal carboxylates of the N-succinyl-l,l-diaminopimelic acid (l,l-SDAP) substrate. We demonstrated inhibition of DapE by sulfate (IC50 = 13.8 ± 2.8 mM). Comparison with other DapE structures in the PDB demonstrates the flexibility of the interdomain connections of this protein. This high-resolution structure was then utilized as the starting point for targeted molecular dynamics experiments revealing the conformational change from the open form to the closed form that occurs when DapE binds l,l-SDAP and cleaves the amide bond. These simulations demonstrated closure from the open to the closed conformation, the change in RMS throughout the closure, and the independence in the movement of the two DapE subunits. This conformational change occurred in two phases with the catalytic domains moving toward the dimerization domains first, followed by a rotation of catalytic domains relative to the dimerization domains. Although there were no targeting forces, the substrate moved closer to the active site and bound more tightly during the closure event.
Wnt/β-catenin regulates alloreactive T cells for the treatment of hematological malignancies

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is one of the most widely applied forms of adaptive immunotherapy. Both the detrimental graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and the beneficial graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects occurring after allo-HSCT are largely mediated by alloantigen-reactive donor T cells in the graft. Separating GVHD from GVL effects is a formidable challenge, and a greater understanding of donor T cell biology is required to accomplish the uncoupling of GVHD from GVL. Here, we tested a novel mouse model of {beta}-catenin (Cat-Tg) in an allo-HSCT model. Our data show that T cells from Cat-Tg mice did not cause GVHD. Surprisingly, Cat-Tg T cells maintained the GVL effect. Donor T cells from Cat-Tg mice exhibited significantly lower inflammatory cytokine production and reduced donor T cell proliferation, while upregulating cytotoxic mediators that resulted in enhanced cytotoxicity. RNA sequencing data revealed changes in the expression of over 150 genes for CD4, and over 250 genes for CD8+T cells involved in essential aspects of immune response and GVHD pathophysiology. Transgenic over-expression of human {beta}-catenin primarily affects CD8+ T cell phenotype. Altogether, our data suggest that {beta}-catenin is a druggable target for developing therapeutic strategies to reduce GVHD while preserving the beneficial GVL effects following allo-HSCT treatment.
Serving the Vulnerable While Being Vulnerable: Organizing Resilience in a Social Welfare Sector:

The interplay between formal organizing structures and the informal social networks of employees and organizations furthers the resilience of nonprofit organizations that serve the community. This ...
A systems view of the orienting reflex.

According to Pavlov’s observations, the orienting reflex is a specific response to a specific stimulus, bound together in a cause and effect relationship, and having the capacity to specifically inhibit or suppress weaker, conditional reflexes. Contemporary psychophysiological research has added to the definition the well-replicated fact that the total reaction to a novel stimulus is a highly generalized increase in variability that temporarily appears in many basic and vital physiological functions—“organismic uncertainty.” A systems view of the orienting reflex may be used to complement Pavlov’s understanding.
Centro de escritura en la Escuela de Idiomas de la Universidad Don Bosco

Este articulo narra la experiencia educativa exitosa de la implementacion de un Centro de Escritura en la Escuela de Idiomas de la Universidad Don Bosco en El Salvador durante el ciclo uno del ano 2013. Primeramente, se examina el concepto de escritura academica por parte de los docentes de idiomas y como este concepto, por su naturaleza, no facilita el desarrollo de esta habilidad. A continuacion se relata como el Centro de Escritura se integro como un proyecto de la catedra Composicion en Ingles 2 y brindo mas de 100 asesorias a estudiantes de diversas asignaturas en ingles y espanol. Finalmente, la experiencia permite senalar aspectos puntuales que de ser apoyados se trasladarian en una mejora significativa de los niveles de alfabetizacion academica de los estudiantes de idiomas en la UDB. Dia-logos 13, 33-40.
Daily total of after-hours calls to physicians in Family Medicine: maintaining patient expectations and person-centeredness

Purpose and background: To assess call volume in after-hours physician service. A new after-hours family physician call service was established in a large group practice to replace some of the resident call shifts and meet patient expectations. Methods: Call logs were completed by physicians who were on call over 52 days. The number of calls per day displayed on a run chart and control charts was the principal outcome measure. Results: The median calls per day was 2 and the mean was 2.45. A run chart revealed fewer runs than expected. Control charts led to misleading conclusions. Weekends were high-volume. More calls were received in the evenings than during the day. Conclusion: The after-hours call service experienced occasional high volume and limited movement below the median. Efforts to educate patients and to triage calls might be directed toward weekends and evenings. Inappropriate use of control charts may work against improvements in population health management, patient expectations and the person-centeredness of clinical services.
Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase α1 mRNA expression in the gill and rectal gland of the Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis sabina, following acclimation to increased salinity.

The salt-secreting rectal gland plays a major role in elasmobranch osmoregulation, facilitating ion balance in hyperosmotic environments in a manner analogous to the teleost gill. Several studies have examined the central role of the sodium pump Na+/K+-ATPase in osmoregulatory tissues of euryhaline elasmobranch species, including regulation of Na+/K+-ATPase activity and abundance in response to salinity acclimation. However, while the transcriptional regulation of Na+/K+-ATPase in the teleost gill has been well documented the potential for mRNA regulation to facilitate rectal gland plasticity during salinity acclimation in elasmobranchs has not been examined. Therefore, in this study we acclimated Atlantic stingrays, Dasyatis sabina (Lesueur) from 11 to 34 ppt salinity over 3 days, and examined changes in plasma components as well as gill and rectal gland Na+/K+-ATPase α1 (atp1a1) mRNA expression. Acclimation to increased salinity did not affect hematocrit but resulted in significant increases in plasma osmolality, chloride and urea. Rectal gland atp1a1 mRNA expression was higher in 34 ppt-acclimated D. sabina vs. controls. There was no significant change in gill atp1a1 mRNA expression, however mRNA expression of this gene in the gill and rectal gland were negatively correlated. This study demonstrates regulation of atp1a1 in the elasmobranch salt-secreting gland in response to salinity acclimation and a negative relationship between rectal gland and gill atp1a1 expression. These results support the hypothesis that the gill and rectal gland play opposing roles in ion balance with the gill potentially facilitating ion uptake in hypoosmotic environments. Future studies should further examine this possibility as well as potential differences in the regulation of Na+/K+-ATPase gene expression between euryhaline and stenohaline elasmobranch species.
2 - Supersonic Beam Sources

The supersonic expansions provide a means of preparing a molecular beam with a well-defined kinetic energy, which is particularly useful for crossed-beam and beam-surface scattering experiments. This chapter discusses the supersonic expansions from circular nozzles. The idealized continuum model assumes that collisions occur with sufficient frequency for equilibrium to be maintained throughout the expansion process. This chapter also describes the interaction with background gases. In any real apparatus, the idealized continuum model will also break down when the expanding gas becomes sufficiently rarefied that its density approaches that of the background gases. This chapter also focuses on the supersonic expansions from slit nozzles (plane jets). In an idealized continuum slit supersonic expansion, it is still assumed that the gas flows without heat transfer to the walls and without viscosity, and an adiabatic, isentropic expansion is obtained.
Entropy-based metric for characterization of delayed voltage recovery

In this paper, we introduce a novel entropy-based metric to characterize the fault-induced delayed voltage recovery (FIDVR) phenomenon. In particular, we make use of Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence to determine both the rate and the level of voltage recovery following a fault or disturbance. The computation of the entropy-based measure relies on voltage time-series data and is independent of the underlying system model used to generate the voltage time-series. The proposed measure provides quantitative information about the degree of WECC voltage performance violation for FIDVR phenomenon. The quantitative measure for violation allows one to compare the voltage responses of different buses to various contingencies and to rank order them, based on the degree of violation.
Package warpage evaluation for multi-layer molded PQFP

Finite element analyses (FEAs) together with molding experimentation with various mold chases were conducted to evaluate the mechanisms for package warpage and leadframe deflection of multi-layer PQFP (plastic quad flat pack) packages. The leadframe downset structure is identified as the major factor contributing to the package warpage. It is demonstrated that package warpage can be eliminated by properly tailoring the top and bottom mold cavity depths. The post mold cure, which raises the T/sub g/ of the molding compound, also helps reduce the package warpage. FEA calculations of package warpage at room temperature are in good agreement with experimental data. The leadframe deflection is also due primarily to its downset structure and may be reduced by preheating the leadframe before the encapsulation. >
Metrical Diophantine approximation for continued fraction-like maps of the interval

We study the metrical properties of a class of continued fraction-like mappings of the unit interval, each of which is defined as the fractional part of a Mobius transformation taking the endpoints of the interval to zero and infinity.
Linguistic Power and Persuasion

This study examined the role of linguistic power in persuasion. Participants listened to a persuasive message conveyed in either a powerless style (frequent hedges, hesitations, and tag questions) or a powerful style (the absence of these features). In addition, the ability of participants to process the message and speaker gender were manipulated. Participants who heard the powerless version perceived the speaker and the arguments more negatively and were less in favor of the message proposal than were participants who heard the same message in a powerful style. These effects occurred regardless of whether participants were able to process the message deeply. There was also evidence that the effects of linguistic power on persuasion are mediated by its effects on perceptions of the speaker and the message arguments.
Indexing large-scale raster geospatial data using massively parallel GPGPU computing

Advances in geospatial technologies have generated large amounts of raster geospatial data. Massively parallel General Purpose Graphics Processing Unit (GPGPU) computing technologies have provided personal computers with tremendous computing capabilities. In this paper, we report our work on fast indexing of large-scale raster geospatial data using GPGPU computing. We have designed a cache conscious quadtree data structure (CCQ-Tree) that is suitable for GPU indexing. A set of algorithms have been developed and integrated to construct CCQ-Trees on GPUs by utilizing multiple pyramid data structures and Z-order based prefix sum. Experiments on multiple 4096*4096 blocks of a global precipitation raster data have shown that CCQ-Tree indexing using a 112-core Nvidia Quadro FX3700 GPU device reduces construction times from around 9.83 seconds to 0.42 seconds (23X speedup).
Successful treatment of a patient with mixed warm and cold antibody mediated Evans syndrome and glucose intolerance

Thrombocytopenia and autoimmune hemolytic anemia (Evans syndrome) with the presence of both warm and cold autoantibodies (mixed type) are rare in the pediatric age group. This condition may be associated with other autoimmune disorders and is notoriously difficult to treat. This case describes an adolescent male who presented with rapid onset Evans syndrome and diabetes. After failing to respond to high dose prednisone and intravenous immunoglobulin, the patient was successfully treated with monoclonal antibody against CD20 (anti-CD20). This suggests that anti-CD20 is a valuable treatment for severe warm and cold antibody mediated Evans syndrome, and possibly for select cases of antibody mediated diabetes.
Hybrid Wing Body Aircraft System Noise Assessment with Propulsion Airframe Aeroacoustic Experiments

A system noise assessment of a hybrid wing body configuration was performed using NASA's best available aircraft models, engine model, and system noise assessment method. A propulsion airframe aeroacoustic effects experimental database for key noise sources and interaction effects was used to provide data directly in the noise assessment where prediction methods are inadequate. NASA engine and aircraft system models were created to define the hybrid wing body aircraft concept as a twin engine aircraft with a 7500 nautical mile mission. The engines were modeled as existing technology, in production, bypass ratio seven turbofans. The baseline hybrid wing body aircraft was assessed at 26.4 dB cumulative below the FAA Stage 4 certification level. To determine the potential for noise reduction with relatively near term technologies, seven other configurations were assessed beginning with moving the engines two fan nozzle diameters upstream of the trailing edge and then adding technologies for reduction of the ...
Emotion, Somatovisceral Afference, and Autonomic Regulation:

The precise relationship between the autonomic nervous system and emotion has been a topic of intense debate and research throughout the history of modern psychology. The present article considers ...
A flow procedure to determine oxygen binding isotherms for low affinity and easily oxidized hemoglobins.

Abstract 1. 1. The determination of binding isotherms for low affinity hemoglobins is particularly difficult because of rapid oxidation. 2. 2. In carp Hb ( pH 6 + 1HP, 25°C ), one-quarter of the hemes are oxidized within 3 min, preventing the accurate determination of even P 50 or X . 3. 3. We circumvent this problem by rapidly flowing HbO 2 , initially at pH 9 ( X = 1.4 μM ), against a low pH buffer to bring the system rapidly to equilibrium in the low affinity form. Diode-array spectrophotometry allows a complete spectrum to be obtained sec, after flow ceases, before significant oxidation has occurred. In tandem with the stopped flow apparatus is an oxygen electrode to measure O 2 activity. 4. 4. At 22°C, the half-saturation oxygen activity ( X ) is 227 μM, and the Hill number is 0.91, for carp Hb (T state) implying significant differences in the O 2 affinities of the alpha and beta chain hemes or, two different T states.
Reconstruction of NaCl surfaces from a dipolar solution to the Madelung problem.

Based on the manner in which large Coulomb terms with opposite signs cancel each other at long range, it is proposed that most ionic-crystal surfaces undergo a simple zero-temperature reconstruction, a prediction validated by computer simulation of surfaces in rocksalt-structured materials.
Long-Term Soil Organic Carbon as Affected by Tillage and Cropping Systems

The use of conservation tillage systems for corn (L.) and soybean [ (L.) Merr.] production has increased in recent years because of several factors including their potential to reduce losses or sequester soil organic C (SOC). This study evaluated the effects on SOC of three cropping systems (continuous corn [CC], continuous soybean [CSB], and soybean–corn [SB-C]) in six primary tillage systems (chisel, disk, plow, no-till, ridge-till, and subtill) under rainfed conditions in southeastern Nebraska. Soil samples were collected in depth increments of 0 to 7.5, 7.5 to 15, and 15 to 30 cm in the fall of 1989 and 2004 after harvest and analyzed for SOC. No significant differences in SOC concentrations were obtained among tillage treatments in any depth in a partial sampling of a study that was done in 1989. Tillage treatment and cropping system both significantly affected SOC concentrations and reserves at all depths in 2004, but only bulk density at a few depths. No-till SOC reserves ranged from 4.8 to 11.6 Mg ha greater than SOC reserves in the other tillage treatments in the 0- to 30-cm depth. Similarly, SOC concentrations and reserves were greatest in CC and least in CSB, with intermediate values for SB-C in all tillage systems. Soil organic C levels were maintained or even increased in all tillage systems; however, the greatest increases were obtained in systems with the least amount of soil disturbance, which strongly supports the adoption and use of conservation tillage systems for soil sustainability.
Cord serum thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroglobulin levels decline with increasing birth weight in newborns.

Abstract Cord serum thyroglobulin (Tg) and TSH levels were related to birth weight in 3 groups of newborn infants composed of 101 infants. Serum free T3 index, free T4 index, and/or T4 also were determined. Group I consisted of normal term newborns (20 females and 19 males), whose mean ± SD gestational ages (40.1 ± 0.7 vs. 40.1 ± 0.5 weeks) did not differ, but whose mean birth weights (3299 ± 282 vs. 3757 ± 447 g) differed significantly (P < 0.005). In female infants, serum Tg levels (r = −0.401; P < 0.05) and the log of TSH levels (r = −0.576; P < 0.005) correlated negatively with birth weight, while Tg levels correlated positively with the log of TSH levels (r = 0.401; P < 0.05). In contrast, none of these correlations was significant for male infants. However, T4 levels and birth weight correlated positively (r = 0.499; P < 0.025) in male infants, but not in female infants. Group II consisted of newborns whose birth weights were less than 2500 g (19 females and 19 males). Mean birth weights of female (...
Quantitating the Relative Abundance of Isoaspartyl Residues in Deamidated Proteins by Electron Capture Dissociation

Relative quantitation of aspartyl and isoaspartyl residue mixtures from asparagine deamidation is demonstrated using electron capture dissociation without prior HPLC separation. The method utilizes the linear relationship found between the relative abundance of the isoaspartyl diagnostic ion, zn-57, and % isoaspartyl content based on the ECD spectra of known isoaspartyl/aspartyl mixtures of synthetic peptides. The observed linearity appears to be sequence independent because the relationship exists despite sequence variations and changes in backbone fragment abundances when isoaspartyl and aspartyl residues are interchanged. Furthermore, a new method to calculate the relative abundances of isomer from protein deamidation without synthetic peptides is proposed and tested using a linear peptide released by protein digestion that contains the deamidation site. The proteolytic peptide can be rapidly aged to the expected 3:1 (isoaspartyl:aspartyl) mixture to generate a two-point calibration standard for ECD analysis. The procedure can then be used to determine the relative abundance of deamidation products from in vivo or in vitro protein aging experiments.
The Credibility of Nordic Exchange Rate Bands: 1987-91

The credibility of the exchange rate bands in the Nordic countries during 1987-91 is examined with two tests. The results suggest that the credibility of Finland`s exchange rate band within a twelve-month horizon could not be rejected except in the fall of 1991; however, the band lacked credibility within a five-year horizon throughout the period. Denmark`s and Norway`s bands lacked both short- and long-term credibility at the beginning of the period, but credibility could not be rejected from 1989 for Norway and as of 1990 for Denmark. The credibility of Sweden`s band within a one-year horizon could not be rejected up to fall 1989, but thereafter its credibility deteriorated sharply.
Resonant-collision spectroscopy of Rydberg atoms.

Resonant collisional energy transfer between atoms with small relative velocity is shown to have such long collision times, \ensuremath{\sim}0.17 \ensuremath{\mu}s, or equivalently such narrow linewidths, 6 MHz, that it may be used to make spectroscopic measurements. Specifically, we report the use of the sharply resonant collisional energy transfer ns+(n-2)d\ensuremath{\rightarrow}np +(n-1)p, between velocity-selected K atoms to determine an improved value, 1.711?5(5), and the K np-state quantum defect.
Laser‐assisted uvulopalatoplasty: Evaluation of postoperative discomfort and the effectiveness of this procedure

Background and Objective: The Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic of the University of California at Irvine began to offer laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty to treat snoring in October 1993. Current literature at that time advised that patients should expect mild or minimal pain after each treatment. Soon, it became apparent that those instructions needed modifying as most of the patients complained of severe pain. Study Design/Materials and Methods: Patient surveys were developed to evaluate postoperative pain, pain management, the rate of improvement after each treatment, and the success or failure of the procedure to reduce their snoring. Results: Severity of pain reported by patients declined. Conclusion: A combination of two primary factors reduced pain reported: 1) improved patient education regarding expected outcomes and pain management and 2) addition of anti-inflammatory medications.
Mission specialist interfaces in unmanned aerial systems

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) involve a human-robot team [6, 7, 14, 21]. For the purposes of this discussion, the UAS human-robot team is defined as the human personnel primarily responsible for UAS flight, navigation, and acquisition of mission-related information and will exclude consumers of information without direct control over the payload or platform (referred to as “knowledge workers” in [22]). Human team members may be co-located with the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or at a remote location, and, depending on the type of UAV and mission, can vary in number. Additionally, human team member roles may overlap.
Low-dose aspirin: lack of association with an increase in abruptio placentae or perinatal mortality.

Objective To perform a meta-analysis determining the association of low-dose aspirin treatment with subsequent abruptio placentae or perinatal mortality. Data Sources Studies were identified and selected using the MEDLINE bibliographic data base of entries from January 1985 through April 1994. In addition, a manual search was performed using the references from all retrieved reports, review articles, and chapters from textbooks. Methods of Study Selection Three criteria were used to select studies for inclusion: 1) Studies were designed as randomized or double-blind clinical trials; 2) aspirin was administered in doses of less than 200 mg/day; and 3) outcome data included the incidence of abruptio placentae and perinatal mortality. Three studies did not report the occurrence of abruptio placentae, but the authors of those papers answered written requests for such data. A total of 11 studies met our inclusion criteria. Data Extraction and Synthesis We independently evaluated the study methods for each trial and abstracted quantitative outcome data. For each outcome, relative risk, risk differences, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. The diagnosis of abruptio placentae was taken as self-reported in each trial. No trial of low-dose aspirin in pregnancy had predefined criteria for the diagnosis of abruptio placentae, and abruption was not a primary outcome in any of the 11 trials. We combined data from all studies and compared the data from the randomized trials to those from the double-blind studies. Conclusion We found no increased risk for abruptio placentae or increased perinatal mortality in women taking low-dose aspirin.
Effect of pressure on cubic (C-type) Eu2O3 studied via Eu3+ luminescence

Abstract Luminescence spectra from Eu3+ ion in C-type Eu2O3 under high pressures have been obtained. The spectral shifts can be used to study the effect of pressure on the spin-orbit and the Coulomb interactions of the 4f electrons, which are correlated with expansion of the 4f-electron wave functions. This expansion with the application of pressure results in both the variation of the electronegativity and radius of the Eu3+ ion and, ultimately, the phase transformation from C-to B-type Eu2O3. Therefore, core 4f-electrons can thus be thought of as quasivalence electrons.
Cutaneous Involvement by an Ovarian Serous Tumor of Low Malignant Potential

The case presented is of a 67-year-old woman with multifocal ovarian serous tumor of low malignant potential with skin involvement. To our knowledge this is the first such case not preceded by abdominal surgery. The pathogenesis of her cutaneous lesions is discussed. We propose neoplastic transformation of cutaneous endosalpingosis as a possible explanation.
Changes in the volumes of blood and extra-cellular fluid in bowel obstruction of the rabbit

Experimental obstruction of the upper portion of the jejunum by a soft ligature in rabbits resulted in an increase in the blood hematocrit of 23 to 40 per cent in 6 of 8 animals. The increase in the other two was 5 and 10 per cent but their total volume of red cells decreased. There was no visible sign of hemolysis in the serum of any of the rabbits. The plasma volume decreased in all animals, the percentage decrease ranging from 23 to 29 per cent. The volume of extra-cellular fluid outside of the circulating blood stream decreased, with one exception, 19 to 34 per cent below the normal. The data of one animal clearly showed the movement of tissue fluid into the blood stream after some hemoconcentration had been attained. In Rabbit 3, tissue fluid apparently did not significantly move into the blood stream. Other evidence of circulatory failure, was the apparent cyanosis, blanched, cold skin of the ear, poor cutaneous, hyperemic response to stimuli and inability to withstand removal of a small volume of blood. It is concluded that the loss of sodium, chloride and water into the obstructed bowel of rabbits leads to a reduction of plasma and tissue fluid volumes, with the accompanying circulatory failure.