cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quark Model Eigenstates and Low Energy Scattering

In this talk, based on work with R. Jaffe, I wish to discuss the connection between the discrete mass eigenstates which are calculated in an approximate quark-gluon model and the observed low energy hadron-hadron scattering in the same mass region. The problem we claim to have solved can be stated crudely: where are the exotics? The quark model predicts exotic states, for example, in the I=2 ππ system at 1.15 GeV; the 1=2 ππ S-wave phase shift, on the other hand, shows no sign of interesting behavior up to an energy of about 1.5 GeV, by which time it is approximately -.5 radians.
A Numerical Study of Nearly Integrable Modulation Equations

Previous numerical studies of the damped, driven sine-Gordon equation with spatially periodic boundary conditions have identified various low-dimensional attractors and bifurcation phenomena. These attractors are fully nonlinear (i.e., order one amplitude) space-time structures which have been independently measured (using the spectral transform) in terms of integrable, sine-Gordon modes. Based on these direct measurements, we posit a leading order approximation to the perturbed flow in terms of modulated sine-Gordon wavetrains. Our goal here is to present dynamical simulations of two-phase perturbed sine-Gordon modulation equations and to compare these predictions with the results of direct pde simulations using Ed Overman’s codes.
A thermodynamic study of corrosion behaviors for CoCrFeNi-based high-entropy alloys

To better understand the corrosion behaviors of CoCrFeNi-based high-entropy alloys (HEAs), the CALculation of PHAse Diagrams (CALPHAD) method was used to simulate the Pourbaix diagrams for CoCrFeNi, CoCrFeNiCu and CoCrFeNiAl HEAs. Although the CALPHAD simulations were performed under equilibrium conditions, assisted by published experimental results on CoCrFeNi, CoCrFeNiCu and CoCrFeNiAl0.5 HEAs, the CALPHAD simulations provide insights into the corrosion behaviors, such as the oxidation layer pitting and forming potential, of the CoCrFeNi-based HEAs.
Effect of lactoferrin on taste and smell abnormalities induced by chemotherapy: a proteome analysis

Cancer patients receiving chemotherapy often experience taste and smell abnormalities (TSA). To date, the underlying molecular mechanisms of this frequent side-effect have not been determined and effective treatments are not available. This study assessed the feasibility of lactoferrin (LF) supplementation as a treatment for TSA and investigate the related mechanisms through salivary proteome analysis. Nineteen cancer patients with established TSA following chemotherapy administration were enrolled in this study. Cancer patients and additional 12 healthy subjects took LF supplements, 3 tablets per day (250 mg per tablet), for 30 days. Saliva was collected at three timepoints: baseline, 30-day LF supplementation, and 30-day post-LF supplementation. Patient's TSA level, salivary proteome, and salivary minerals at each LF treatment stage were analyzed. High TSA level was associated with high concentration of salivary Fe and loss of critical salivary immune proteins. LF supplementation significantly decreased the concentration of salivary Fe (P = 0.025), increased the abundance (P < 0.05) of salivary α-amylase and Zn-α-2-GP, and led to an overall increase of expression (≥2-fold changes) of immune proteins including immunoglobulin heavy chain, annexin A1, and proteinase inhibitor. Abundance of α-amylase and SPLUNC2 were further increased (P < 0.05) at 30-day post-LF supplementation in cancer patients. At the same time, total TSA score was significantly reduced (P < 0.001) in chemotherapy patients. This study demonstrated the feasibility of developing lactoferrin supplementation as a treatment to reduce TSA caused by chemotherapy and improve cancer patient's oral immunity.
Changing Institutional Values and Diversifying the Behavioral Health Workforce

Meeting the health care and behavioral health needs of the USA requires a diverse and culturally competent behavioral work force. With the US census projecting that minority persons will constitute the majority populations by 2044, there is an urgent need to close gaps in the recruitment into and retention in medical schools and doctoral programs in clinical, consulting, and health psychology. Intersectional models of engagement and mentoring exist. Training and service delivery programs that consider the whole person, including the cumulative impact of bias across identity parameters, offer the promise of reducing health disparities while supporting the conditions that are likely to attract a diverse behavioral workforce. This chapter describes workforce trends in behavioral health, reviews the gains and challenges of previous efforts to diversify science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields (which are also pathways to medical, psychiatry, and psychology training), and discusses best-practice exemplars that might enable behavioral health to serve an increasingly diverse America.
A User's Guide to the View Camera: Third Edition

This reissued third edition of A User’s Guide to View Camera introduces photographers to large-format cameras, covering their use with both film and digital capture. Readers will learn the anatomy of cameras with a separately adjustable back or front, the proper techniques for using view cameras, and how to take care of large-format cameras—all through straightforward and practical instruction and abundant visual examples. This latest edition features: • Practical approaches to mastering lenses, shutters, accessories, and the ever-important maintenance of your view camera • Tips for both simple operation and advanced control of the camera, including film holders, bellows, and tripods, and film handling and development • A section on digital equipment, offering updates on the nearly 200-year-long history of the view camera
Invited author response to editorials on liposomal bupivacaine in minimally-invasive thoracic surgery: the judge is in favor but the jury is still out

We appreciate the insightful editorials by Martin and Mehran (1) and Caso and Marshall (2) regarding our recent manuscript (3), which described a decreased length of stay (LOS) in patients receiving intercostal nerve blocks with liposomal bupivacaine (LB) (Exparel ® ) compared to standard bupivacaine after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or minimally-invasive esophagectomy (MIE). Both articles raise a number of interesting points, and we would like to clarify some details of our study and expand on their discussion.
Rare presentation and endovascular treatment of multifocal iliac venous stenoses due to right sided May-Thurner Syndrome

Abstract May-Thurner Syndrome (MTS) is a well-recognized anatomical variant describing compression of the left common iliac vein and may manifest as lower extremity swelling, pain, ulceration, discoloration, and paresthesia. Right-sided MTS is documented in the literature, though exceedingly rare. Specifically, no current reports describe a multifocal stenoses of the right iliac vein due to anatomical variants associated with left sided IVC. We present a case involving a patient with this pathophysiology, radiographic/sonographic correlate imaging, and subsequent endovascular treatment.
Gut Microbiome Profiles Are Associated With Type 2 Diabetes in Urban Africans

Gut dysbiosis has been associated with several disease outcomes including diabetes in human populations. Currently, there are no studies of the gut microbiome composition in relation to type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Africans. Here, we describe the profile of the gut microbiome in non-diabetic adults (controls) and investigate the association between gut microbiota and T2D in urban West Africans. Gut microbiota composition was determined in 291 Nigerians (98 cases, 193 controls) using fecal 16S V4 rRNA gene sequencing done on the Illumina MiSeq platform. Data analysis of operational taxonomic units (OTU) was conducted to describe microbiome composition and identify differences between T2D and controls. The most abundant phyla were Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Clostridiaceae, and Peptostreptococcaceaea were significantly lower in cases than controls (p < 0.001). Feature selection analysis identified a panel of 18 OTUs enriched in cases that included Desulfovibrio piger, Prevotella, Peptostreptococcus, and Eubacterium. A panel of 17 OTUs that was enriched in the controls included Collinsella, Ruminococcus lactaris, Anaerostipes, and Clostridium. OTUs with strain-level annotation showing the largest fold-change included Cellulosilyticum ruminicola (log2FC = -3.1; p = 4.2 × 10-5), Clostridium paraputrificum (log2FC = -2.5; p = 0.005), and Clostridium butyricum (log2FC = -1.76; p = 0.01), all lower in cases. These findings are notable because supplementation with Clostridium butyricum and Desulfovibrio piger has been shown to improve hyperglycemia and reduce insulin resistance in murine models. This first investigation of gut microbiome and diabetes in urban Africans shows that T2D is associated with compositional changes in gut microbiota highlighting the possibility of developing strategies to improve glucose control by modifying bacterial composition in the gut.
Evaluating time to treatment and in-hospital outcomes of pulmonary embolism response teams.

Abstract Background Pulmonary embolism response teams (PERTs) have become increasingly popular at institutions around the country, although the evidence to support their efficacy is limited. PERTs are mechanisms for rapid involvement of a multidisciplinary team in the management of a time-sensitive condition with many treatment options. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 201 patients with PERT activations since inception, collecting data on demographics, time to treatment, treatment modality, and in-hospital outcomes. Results Massive pulmonary embolism accounted for 16 (8.7%) PERT activations. The majority of patients were treated without invasive intervention; 91.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 87.1%-95.7%) of patients received anticoagulation alone, 4.5% (95% CI, 0%-18.6%) had catheter-directed therapy (CDT), and 3.0% (95% CI, 0%-16.9%) had systemic administration of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). The average time to intervention was 665 minutes (95% CI, 249-1080 minutes) for CDT and 22 minutes (95% CI, 0-456 minutes) for systemic TPA. The average time to anticoagulation was 2.3 minutes (95% CI, 0-43 minutes). There was a trend toward higher rates of cardiac events (odds ratio [OR], 12.68; 95% CI, 0.62-65.74) and death (OR, 3.19; 95% CI, 0.28-5.18) among patients with massive PE. There was a higher rate of cardiac events (OR, 5.66; 95% CI, 1.34-23.83) among patients who received tPA or an invasive intervention. There was no difference in mortality rates of patients who underwent aggressive management compared with anticoagulation alone. Conclusions A dedicated PERT results in efficient delivery of care and excellent outcomes, in part owing to the rapid (on average, 8 minutes) time to initiation of a multidisciplinary discussion. Patients who ultimately underwent CDT had an interval of >10 hours on average between diagnosis and CDT. This provisional or delayed approach to CDT in selected patients who were not improving with anticoagulation alone (and therefore had potential for higher net benefit from a procedure with its own inherent risks) may have resulted in a lower rate of CDT.
Vibration Serviceability Evaluation of Office Building Floors Due to Human Movements

AbstractThe tendency of architects and engineers to reduce construction costs by using high-strength, lightweight materials, and owners’ requirements for large open spaces, along with the new trend...
35 A case of topiramate induced psychosis in a patient treated for seizure disorder and comprehensive literature review

Objectives/aims The objective of this paper is to present a case report of a patient with what we believe to be topiramate-induced psychosis. We also aim to persuade the reader to consider such a diagnosis in the differential of patients like ours. We present a comprehensive literature review of other similar cases, as well as a possible mechanism by which topiramate causes psychosis. Methods We reviewed the patient‘s chart in our electronic medical record and we conducted review of current case reports documenting associations between antiepileptic medications and psychosis. We used the PubMed database, using search terms ‘psychotic disorders,’ ‘hallucinations,’ ‘delusions,’ ‘psychosis’ in conjunction with ‘topiramate,’ ‘Topamax,’ ‘anti-seizure medication,’ ‘anti-epileptic medication.’ Results We present the case of a 66 year old woman admitted to the psychiatric inpatient unit for management of severe, recent onset psychotic delusions and hallucinations. Prior to this psychotic episode, she had no known psychiatric history and had functioned independently at home. The patient was recently transitioned to topiramate 100 mg BID for migraines and seizures, the latter of which had started after traumatic subdural hematoma 9 years prior. The patient had an extensive medical work-up on the inpatient psychiatry unit, including head imaging, EEG, and lab tests, all of which were non-contributory. She was started on risperidone and showed little improvement. At the recommendation of neurology, topiramate was discontinued in favor of an alternative antiepileptic. With discontinuation of topiramate, the patient had almost complete resolution of psychotic symptoms. She was discharged home. Conclusion Topiramate-induced psychosis should be considered in patients being treated with topiramate who present with psychosis. Special consideration of this diagnosis should be made in patients like ours, in whom older age of onset makes primary psychotic illness less likely. Continued study in this area will be necessary to definitely establish a causal relationship and identify the mechanism of this phenomenon.
CoBRA: Containerized Bioinformatics workflow for Reproducible ChIP/ATAC-seq Analysis - from differential peak calling to pathway analysis

ChIP-seq and ATAC-seq have become essential technologies used as effective methods of measuring protein-DNA interactions and chromatin accessibility. However, there is a need for a scalable and reproducible pipeline that incorporates correct normalization between samples, adjustment of copy number variations, and integration of new downstream analysis tools. Here we present CoBRA, a modularized computational workflow which quantifies ChIP and ATAC-seq peak regions and performs unsupervised and supervised analysis. CoBRA provides a comprehensive state-of-the-art ChIP and ATAC-seq analysis pipeline that is usable by scientists with limited computational experience. This enables researchers to gain rapid insight into protein-DNA interactions and chromatin accessibility through sample clustering, differential peak calling, motif enrichment, comparison of sites to a reference DB and pathway analysis.
Immigration Wait Times from Quotas have Doubled: Green Card Backlogs are Long, Growing, and Inequitable

During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly promised that although he would build a border wall, it would have a door open to those willing to come to America legally. This policy analysis shows how badly America needs that new door by providing the first calculation of how outdated quotas have increased the average wait times for immigrants. Since 1991, when the current quotas went into effect, time spent waiting to apply for a green card (i.e., legal permanent residence) has doubled for applicants immigrating through the family-sponsored and employment-based quota categories — from an average of 2 years and 10 months to 5 years and 8 months. More than 100,000 legal immigrants — 28 percent of the family-sponsored and employment-based lines with quotas — waited a decade or more to apply for a green card in 2018, up from 3 percent in 1991. By contrast, 31 percent had no wait at all from the quotas in 1991, while just 2 percent had no wait in 2018. The quota system also imposes limits on the number of green cards for individual nationalities, causing longer waits from countries with the highest demand. Indians averaged the longest wait because of quotas — over 8 years and 6 months. Behind those immigrants who applied for green cards in 2018 stand nearly five million people waiting in the applicant backlog. Without significant reforms, wait times will become impossibly long for these immigrants. Altogether, about 675,000 would-be legal immigrants — 14 percent of those waiting in 2018 — would die without seeing a green card if they refused to give up and stayed in the line indefinitely. It will take decades and — in some categories — a half century or more to process everyone else waiting now. Long waits separate American families and artificially suppress lawful migration to the United States of workers whose skills contribute greatly to the U.S. economy. Nearly three decades have passed since Congress last updated the legal immigration system. During that time, the U.S. economy has doubled, and its population has grown by one-third. Entire new industries have formed that need workers. Congress should reform the antiquated quotas, enact a limit on wait times, and keep these pathways viable for legal immigrants in the 21st century.
Feature-weighted Ordinal Classification for Predicting Drug Response in Multiple Myeloma.

Motivation Ordinal classification problems arise in a variety of real-world applications, in which samples need to be classified into categories with a natural ordering. An example of classifying high-dimensional ordinal data is to use gene expressions to predict the ordinal drug response, which has been increasingly studied in pharmacogenetics. Classical ordinal classification methods are typically not able to tackle high-dimensional data and standard high-dimensional classification methods discard the ordering information among the classes. Existing work of high-dimensional ordinal classification approaches usually assume a linear ordinality among the classes. We argue that manually-labeled ordinal classes may not be linearly arranged in the data space, especially in high-dimensional complex problems. Results We propose a new approach that can project high-dimensional data into a lower discriminating subspace, where the innate ordinal structure of the classes is uncovered. The proposed method weights the features based on their rank correlations with the class labels and incorporates the weights into the framework of linear discriminant analysis. We apply the method to predict the response to two types of drugs for patients with Multiple Myeloma, respectively. A comparative analysis with both ordinal and nominal existing methods demonstrates that the proposed method can achieve a competitive predictive performance while honoring the intrinsic ordinal structure of the classes. We provide interpretations on the genes that are selected by the proposed approach to understand their drug-specific response mechanisms. Availability and implementation The data underlying this article are available in the Gene Expression Omnibus Database at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/ and can be accessed with accession number GSE9782 and GSE68871. The source code for FWOC can be accessed at https://github.com/pisuduo/Feature-Weighted-Ordinal-Classification-FWOC.
Decreased bee emergence along an elevation gradient: Implications for climate change revealed by a transplant experiment.

Bees experience differences in thermal tolerance based on their geographical range; however, there are virtually no studies that examine how overwintering temperatures may influence immature survival rates. Here, we conducted a transplant experiment along an elevation gradient to test for climate change effects on immature overwinter survival by using movement along elevational gradient for a community of 26 cavity nesting bee species in the family Megachilidae along the San Francisco Peaks, AZ elevational gradient. In each of three years, we placed nest blocks at three elevations, to be colonized by native Megachilidae. Colonized blocks were then (a) moved to lower (warmer) elevations; (b) moved to higher (cooler) elevations; or (c) left in their natal habitat (no change in temperature). Because Megachilidae occupy high elevations with colder temperatures more than any other family of bees, we predicted that emergence would decrease in nest blocks moved to lower elevations, but that we would find no differences in emergence when nest blocks were moved to higher elevations. We found three major results: 1) Bee species moved to lower (warmer) habitats exhibited a 30% decrease in emergence compared with species moved within their natal habitat. 2) Habitat generalists were more likely, than habitat specialist to emerge when moved up or down in elevation regardless of their natal life zones. 3) At our highest elevation treatment, emergence increased when blocks were moved to higher elevations, indicating that at least some Megachilidae species can survive in colder temperatures. Our results suggest that direct effects of warming temperatures will have negative impacts on the overall survival of Megachilidae. Additionally, above tree-line, low availability of wood-nesting resources is a likely limiting factor on bees moving up in elevation.
Aspect Ratio Influence at High Subsonic Speeds

The velocity induced by the thickness of a thin infinite wing in a parallel flow can be calculated, at some distance from the wing, by linearized subsonic compressible flow theory. If now, a portion of the infinite wing is removed from the flow, the velocity at any point on the wing will be less by the velocity induced by the portion of the wing which was removed. Furthermore, if the part removed is relatively far away from the point on the wing for which the induced velocity is being calculated, linearized subsonic compressible flow theory is valid. Utilizing such a scheme, the velocity at the location of a finite wing can be considered as being the same as for the infinite wing, reduced by the amount which would have been contributed by the portions of the infinite wing which were removed from the flow. The difference in the induced velocity can be averaged over the area of the finite wing and the average applied as a correction to the free-stream velocit}^. At this increased freestream velocity, the finite wing should have approximately the same pressure distribution as the infinite wing at the uncorrected free-stream velocity.
Mistrafficking of primary granule proteins (pgps) in leukemia simultaneously promotes pgp cross-priming and increases susceptibility to ctl killing

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 12-16, 2008; San Diego, CA 1034 We have identified PR1, a nonomeric HLA-A2-restricted peptide (VLQELNVTV), as a leukemia-associated antigen (LAA) derived from the myeloid-restricted serine proteases neutrophil elastase (ELA2) and proteinase-3 (PRTN3), recognized PGPs overexpressed in many leukemias. PR1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (PR1-CTL) have been shown to preferentially recognize and kill myeloid leukemia cells. Vaccination with PR1 peptide leads to immune and clinical responses in some patients with myeloid leukemia. However, not all leukemia that is susceptible to PR-1 CTL killing overexpresses PGPs. Therefore, we hypothesized that aberrant protein expression in target leukemia causes LAA presentation by MHC-I and therefore predisposes leukemia to CTL killing. To study the subcellular localization of PGPs, the cytoplasmic, nuclear, membrane, and golgi/ER fractions were obtained from apheresis products from patients with AML and CML and compared to healthy donors. In contrast to normal granulocytes, leukemia showed significantly higher PRTN3 and ELA2 distribution to cytoplasmic, nuclear and membrane organelles, in addition to primary granules, as confirmed by western blot (WB) and confocal microscopy (CM). Similarly, PRTN3 and ELA2 were 5- to 20-fold higher in sera from AML and CML patients (n=20), compared to healthy controls (n=5). This increased serum expression might favor antigen uptake by antigen presenting cells (APC). To test this, we studied whether fresh B cells and the HLA-A2+ HMy.CIR B-cell line could cross-present soluble PRTN3 and ELA2 when co-incubated at concentrations similar to those of leukemia patients. PRTN3 and ELA2 localized to LAMP-2+ lysosomes 2 hours after co-incubation with B-cells or HMy.CIR, assessed by CM and WB. Priming of naive CTL with PRTN3- and ELA2-pulsed B cells could be shown in vitro and cross-presentation to PR1 CTL was dependent on proteasomal cleavage since treatment of APC with lactacystin blocked PR1-CTL proliferation using BrdU labeling. Together, these results demonstrate that in leukemia ELA2 and PRTN3 are aberrantly localized to gogli/ER and the cytoplasm, rather than azurophil granules, which are often absent or deficient in myeloid leukemia. This abnormal expression may confer preferential susceptibility to PR1-CTL killing since both proteins are readily available for MHC-I presentation, unlike in normal granulocytes where they are sequestered from this pathway in membrane-bound granules. Finally, increased serum expression of PRTN3 and ELA2 favors cross-presentation of both proteins to PR1-CTL by B cells. Thus, mistrafficking of PGPs can simultaneously shape host T-cell immunity and trigger target cell susceptibility, mechanisms that might be broadly applicable to other cancers.
Volume of home- and community-based medicaid waiver services and risk of hospital admissions

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether type and volume of Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver program are associated with risk of hospitalization and whether this association changes over time. DESIGN: Prospective. SETTING: Indiana Medicaid claims data from June 2001 to December 2004. PARTICIPANTS: Medicaid recipients (N=1,354) who enrolled in the Aged and Disabled waiver program between January 2002 and June 2004. MEASUREMENTS: Time to hospital admission since enrollment in the HCBS waiver program, adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, prior use of health services, and volume of HCBS received, including attendant care, homemaking, and home-delivered meals. RESULTS: A greater volume of attendant care, homemaking services, and home-delivered meals was associated with a lower risk of hospitalization. This effect diminished over time for attendant care and homemaking. The risk of hospitalization for subjects receiving 5 hours of attendant care per month was 54% (hazard ratio (HR)=0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.38–0.57) lower during the first month of enrollment and 20% lower by Month 10 (HR=0.80, 95% CI=0.73–0.88) than for those receiving no attendant care. CONCLUSION: Greater volume of HCBS services was associated with lower risk of hospitalization. The findings highlight the potential importance of assessing and monitoring the volume of HCBS patients receive.
New reptiles from the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation of Arizona

New records of Late Triassic reptiles from the Chinle Formation of Arizona include a new species of small trilophosaurid, a sphenodontid, and two taxa of eolacertilians. ?Trilopho- saurus jacobsi n. sp. is a small trilophosaurid showing affinities to the type of Trilophosaurus buettneri of the southwestern United States and Variodens inopinatus from the Upper Triassic of Great Britain. A sphenodontid is also reported along with maxillae tentatively referred to the Kuehneosauridae and a jaw fragment from a subpleurodont eolacertilian with polycuspate teeth.
Image de-fencing revisited

We introduce a novel image defencing method suitable for consumer photography, where plausible results must be achieved under common camera settings. First, detection of lattices with see-through texels is performed in an iterative process using online learning and classification from intermediate results to aid subsequent detection. Then, segmentation of the foreground is performed using accumulated statistics from all lattice points. Next, multi-view inpainting is performed to fill in occluded areas with information from shifted views where parts of the occluded regions may be visible. For regions occluded in all views, we use novel symmetry-augmented inpainting, which combines traditional texture synthesis with an increased pool of candidate patches found by simulating bilateral symmetry patterns from the source image. The results show the effectiveness of our proposed method.
Analysis of von Hippel-Lindau hereditary cancer syndrome: implications of oxygen sensing.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on oxygen sensing during the analysis of von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) hereditary cancer syndrome and the implications of oxygen sensing. VHL disease is a hereditary cancer syndrome caused by germline mutations that inactivate the VHL tumor suppressor gene that resides on chromosome 3p25. The cardinal features of this disorder are blood vessel tumors (hemangioblastomas) of the central nervous system (CNS) and retina, clear cell renal carcinomas, and pheochromocytomas. Tumor development in VHL disease is linked to somatic inactivation of the remaining wild-type VHL allele, thus depriving a susceptible cell of the wild-type VHL gene product (pVHL).The chapter discusses the expression and purification of GST–VBC complex and VBC complex, production of pure VBC complex and GST–VBC for pull down, far western blot analysis with VBC complex, i n vitro ubiquitination assay, and prolyl hydroxylation protocols
Current devices for pediatric extracorporeal life support and mechanical circulatory support systems in the United States

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) and mechanical circulatory support (MCS) have become indispensable treatment tools for pediatric patients with congenital heart defects undergoing peri-operative or end-stage heart and/or lung failure. ECLS and MCS can serve as bridges to recovery, transplantation (heart or lung), destination therapy, or "bridge to bridge" long-term MCS. Dependent on patient condition, venoarterial ECMO (V-A ECMO) for heart and lung support, venovenous ECMO (V-V ECMO) for respiratory support, and MCS for uni- and biventricular support can be selected properly. Considering small patient body size, the access sites and cannulation should be selected carefully to obtain adequate blood flow, minimum injury, and easy management. The applying equipment, including tubing, cannulae, oxygenator and blood pump, need to be selected optimally in order to enable rapid setup and priming, successful cannulation and early support, and to reduce the risk of device-related morbidity and mortality. The aim of this review manuscript was to discuss briefly the current devices for pediatric ECLS and MCS available in US.
Symposium links geophysical structure and process

The Jeffreys Symposium at the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics meeting in Vienna (August 11–24 presented a wonderful symphony of 19 maestros performing throughout the whole spectrum of Earth and planetary sciences. The symposium was well-received by the audience and ended with a standing ovation to Lady Jeffreys, who listened to all presentations with keen interest. B. Bolt opened the symposium with “Jeffreys and the Earth,” a paper that succinctly reviewed Jeffreys' overwhelming work, based largely on his mastery of simple representations to produce mathematical models of complicated structures and processes. A model simple enough for the application of principles of mathematical physics, and yet capable of capturing the essence of the subject phenomenon, is essential to successful geophysics.
Conducting diamond films in electrochemistry

Summary form only given. Electrically conductive diamond thin films show great promise as electrode materials, particularly in the field of electroanalysis. Some of the basic macroscopic electrochemical properties have been identified, but many aspects of the structure-reactivity relationship at the microscopic and nanoscopic levels is needed in order to understand what factors influence reactivity of these materials. We report herein on the basic electrochemical properties of boron-doped microcrystalline (nominal grain size of 1-5 /spl mu/m) and nitrogen-incorporated nanocrystalline (nominal grain size of 3-10 nm) diamond thin film electrodes, and how these electrodes are useful in electroanalysis. Characterization of these film electrodes by electrochemical methods of analysis, electrogenerated chemiluminescence imaging analysis (ECL) and Raman spectroscopy in the imaging mode is discussed. In addition to discussing the use of these materials in electroanalysis, the author also highlights efforts to fabricate (i) free-standing, optically transparent diamond electrodes for use in spectroelectrochemical measurements and (ii) electrocatalytic electrodes consisting of Pt nanoparticles incorporated into the diamond surface structure.
Criminal registries, community notification, and optimal avoidance

Abstract This paper studies how community notification of criminal registries affects neighborhood behavior and shows that notification is not always optimal. Using a game-theoretic model of a neighborhood, I establish optimal information disclosure policies when law-abiding neighbors’ actions generate inefficiencies. In my model, notification helps to deter criminal activity by making it harder to victimize informed citizens. On the other hand, notification affects the incentives for costly avoidance by law-abiding citizens, which generates negative externalities. My main results highlight the complementary relationship between notification policies and criminal penalties. In particular, I show that notification is always welfare-improving when penalties are large, but can be harmful when penalties are small.
The dynamics of He+ ion neutralization at metal surfaces: spin dependent studies

Abstract Spin-labelling techniques, specifically the use of electron-spin-polarized He+ ions coupled with energy-resolved measurements of the ejected electron polarization, are used to probe the dynamics of He+ ion neutralization at Al(1 0 0), Au(1 0 0) and Cu(1 0 0) surfaces. A marked correlation in the spins of the electrons involved in ion neutralization is observed and is discussed using a theoretical model that considers the perturbation in the surface electronic structure induced by the presence of the ion. Factors that influence the ejected electron polarization such as the (unperturbed) surface electronic structure and matrix element effects are considered. The results demonstrate that comparisons between theory and experiment can provide new insights into the dynamics of ion neutralization at surfaces.
First Report of the Walnut Witches'-Broom Phytoplasma on Japanese and Black Walnut in Iowa.

A single Japanese walnut (Juglans ailantifolia Carriere, an ornamental, deciduous tree) with symptoms of witches'-brooms and branch dieback, consistent with those associated with the walnut witches'-broom (WWB) phytoplasma (1), was observed near Ames, IA. No other Japanese walnut trees were present in the planting and the numerous black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) trees were asymptomatic. Leaf samples were collected in September 2009 from witches'-brooms as well as from two asymptomatic branches from the Japanese walnut tree and from three branches each from two nearby (10 m and 100 m away, respectively) black walnut trees. The presence of phytoplasma was tested using DNA extracted (sodium dodecyl sulfate and potassium acetate methods) from the midvein of individual leaves and PCR with universal phytoplasma primers P1 and P7, which amplify from the beginning of the 16S rDNA to the beginning of the 23S rDNA gene (4). Each of the five symptomatic leaves yielded a PCR product, but the two asymptomatic leaves f...
Effect of Inhibitors of Pyridoxal-5′-Phosphate-Dependent Enzymes on Cysteine Synthase in Echinochloa crus-galli L.

Abstract The effect of inhibitors of pyridoxal-5′-phosphate-dependent enzymes (IPEs) on cysteine synthase (CS; EC 4.2.99.8), which synthesizes cysteine from O-acetylserine and sulfide, was examined. CS was extracted from the leaves of Echinochloa crus-galli L., fractionated with 30–70% ammonium sulfate, and then used for the enzyme assay with seven IPEs. When substrates of CS and 10 mM IPEs were added simultaneously, dl -allylglycine, dl -propargylglycine, β-chloro- l -alanine, 3-bromopropionate, amino-oxyacetate (AOA), and hydroxylamine inhibited CS by 64, 45, 62, 61, 89, and 33%, respectively. All the IPEs inhibited shoot elongation of E. crus-galli in a seedling growth bioassay; however, there was a very low correlation between the inhibition of CS and that of shoot elongation (R2 = 0.173). When CS was preincubated with 10 mM IPEs at 30°C for 1 h, dl -allylglycine, dl -propargylglycine, β-chloro- l -alanine, 3-bromopropionate, AOA, and hydroxylamine inhibited CS by 47, 27, 49, 40, 96, and 98%, respectively. CS inhibition by AOA and hydroxylamine increased during the preincubation period, suggesting that AOA and hydroxyamine might be irreversible inhibitors of CS. The correlation coefficient between CS inhibition by preincubation and inhibition of shoot elongation was R2 = 0.630. These results suggest that CS inhibition in E. crus-galli might affect its growth.
Standard methodology in digital library project management

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to provide a description of the model for standardized project management developed by the Project Management Institute (PMI), as applied to digital library projects.Design/methodology/approach – Using the PMI model for project management, the paper develops a context for managing digital library projects according to the PMI's standard methodology.Findings – The paper finds that by using a standard methodology increases the likelihood of delivering projects on time and on budget.Originality/value – This paper will be of interest to digital library project managers as it fills a gap in the literature by providing an accessible overview of the major components of standard project management methodology as defined by the PMI.
Studies in a phenotypic female with 17-α-hydroxylase deficiency

In a 19-year-old phenotypic female (46,XY) with hypertension and hypokalemia, studies confirmed 17-α-hydroxylase deficiency. Prior to diagnosis she had been considered to have testicular feminization. Increased plasma progesterone and urinary pregnanediol levels were present before treatment. Increased secretion rates of deoxycorticosterone and corticosterone and abnormally low production of cortisol and aldosterone were present. Following treatment with hydrocortisone, plasma progesterone, serum potassium, and urinary pregnanediol levels and DOC and B secretions were normal. Aldosterone secretion six months after treatment remained low. Normal blood pressure measurements were achieved during treatment with hydrocortisone and oral estrogen with the patient at rest; however, mild elevations in blood pressure (130/90 mm Hg) have been noted despite continued hydrocortisone therapy.
Co-Simulation of Algebraically Coupled Dynamic Subsystems Without Disclosure of Proprietary Subsystem Models

A method for simultaneously running a collection of dynamic simulators coupled by algebraic boundary conditions is presented. Dynamic interactions between subsystems are simulated without disclosing proprietary information about the subsystem models, as all the computations are performed based on input-output numerical data of encapsulated subsystem simulators coded by independent groups. First, this paper describes a system of interacting subsystems with a causal conflict as a high-index, Differential-Algebraic Equation (DAE), and develops a systematic solution method using Discrete-Time Sliding Mode control. Stability and convergence conditions as well as error bounds are analyzed by using nonlinear control theory. Second, the algorithm is modified such that the subsystem simulator does not have to disclose its internal model and state variables for solving the overall DAE. The new algorithm is developed based on the generalized Kirchhoff Laws that allow us to represent algebraic boundary constraints as linear equations of the subsystems' outputs interacting to each other. Third, a multi-rate algorithm is developed for improving efficiency, accuracy, and convergence characteristics. Numerical examples verify the major theoretical results and illustrate features of the proposed method.
Bioavailability and biotransformation of 3H-benzo[a]pyrene metabolites in in Situ intestinal preparations of uninduced and BNF-induced channel catfish

Abstract The systemic bioavailability and intestinal biotransformation of dietary [G- 3 H]-3-hydroxy-benzo [a]pyrene (3OH-BaP), benzo[a]pyrene [G- 3 H]-9-sulfate (BaP-9-SO 4 ) and 9-benzo[a]pyrenyl [G- 3 H]-β- d -glucopyranosiduronic acid (BaP-9-Glu) were evaluated using an in situ isolated perfused intestinal segment of the catfish. 3OH-BaP (2 and 20 μM), BaP-9-SO 4 (10 and 40 μM) or BaP-9-Glu (10 and 40 μM) solutions were administered via micelles into the isolated intestinal segment of non-induced and β-naphthoflavone (10 mg/kg diet) induced catfish. Following a 60 min perfusion, the efferent blood, intestinal contents and mucosa were analysed for [ 3 H] content and metabolite profiles. BNF administration did not result in any significant effect upon the transport or metabolism of BaP-9-SO 4 , BaP-9-Glu or 3OH-BaP. The appearance of radioactivity in all analysed components for all compounds followed a dose-dependent relationship which was modified by bioavailability and biotransformation. BaP-9-SO 4 and BaP-9-Glu were readily transported intact from the intestinal lumen to the systemic circulation. 3OH-BaP was extensively biotransformed to BaP-3-SO 4 and lesser amounts of BaP-3,6-dione and BaP-3-glucuronide before being absorbed into the blood. These findings support the hypothesis that preconsumptive metabolites and their intestinal biotransformation products are readily available to the systemic circulation of a consumer.
Cardiac and hepatic seed implant embolization after prostate brachytherapy

Prostate brachytherapy seed implants occasionally embolize to lungs because of their small size. They may lodge in the right cardiac cavities before reaching the pulmonary arteries and lungs. A rare instance of seed migration to the coronary artery through an existing right-to-left cardiac shunt or patent foramen ovale has also been reported. I present a case of seed implant relocation to the heart and left hepatic lobe by way of presumed different venous pathways represented by the periprostatic and hemorrhoidal venous plexuses, respectively.
Some aspects of the analysis of hand-wrist bone-age readings.

Principal components analysis was applied to the individual center bone-age readings from the study outlined by Sproul and Peritz ('71) in the preceding paper. The first two components are amenable to a simple interpretation. The first one is a general skeletal maturity factor, which can be expressed as a weighted mean bone-age, with slightly higher weights attached to the metacarpals and phalanges II to V than to the other bone centers. The second component is a measure of the contrast between hand-bone and finger-bone ages, with generally high positive weights for the bone-ages of radius and carpals, low weights for metacarpals and negative weights for phalanges. The weights for the first component vary little between races and sexes or with children's height. The weights for the second component are less homogeneous. The first component accounts for some two thirds of the variability; the second component accounts for roughly nine percent of it. Mean values for the first two components vary considerably with the children's height. Various other results relating the first two components to height and parents' height are presented. An analysis of the correlation matrices of individual center bone ages revealed particularly high correlations (0.8 to 0.9) within rows, with the exception of thumb bone centers.
U.S. Government Litigation Strategies in the Federal Appellate Courts

I examine the decisions of the Department of Justice appellate sections and the Office of the Solicitor General to appeal unfavorable U.S. court of appeals decisions to which the federal government is a party during 1993 and 1994. I hypothesize that factors relating to the cost, reviewability and likelihood of victory in the appeal will be influential in the government's decision, and that the influence of each of these types of factors will vary depending upon the actor making the decision. Multivariate analysis supports these hypotheses, indicating that those factors which have been shown to influence both the Court's decision to grant certiorari and its decisions on the merits also operate in the government's decision to bring an appeal. Overall, my research suggests that the case selection process has a substantial influence on the success of the United States in the federal appellate courts.
Sphagnum Species in Coalmine Drainages of Western Pennsylvania

Abstract. Fifteen Sphagnum species were collected from wet drainages associated with 19 abandoned coalmines in western Pennsylvania: S. affine Ren. & Card., S. bartlettianum Warnst., S. centrale C. Jens., S. cuspidatum Hoffm., S. fallax (Klinggr.) Klinggr., S. fimbriatum Wils., S. isoviitae Flat., S. lescurii Sull., S. magellanicum Brid., S. molle Sull., S. palustre L., S. papillosum Lindb., S. russowii Warnst., S. subtile (Russow) Warnst., and S. teres (Schimp.) Angstr. The most common species was S. fimbriatum. All are common in the region, except S. molle, which may represent a disjunct population.
Foliar phenolic glycosides from Populus fremontii, Populus angustifolia, and their hybrids

Salicortin (1) and HCH-salicortin (2) were isolated and identified from the foliage of Populus fremontii and its F1 hybrids with Populus angustifolia. Salicortin, but not HCH-salicortin, also occurred in P. angustifolia and complex backcrosses to angustifolia. Concentrations ranged from 0 to 17.5% dry weight for salicortin and 0 to 5.9% dry weight for HCH-salicortin. HCH-salicortin may possess potent anti-herbivore activity as it contains two of the hydroxycyclohexen-on-oyl moieties known to confer such activity to salicortin. Further, this compound may be a useful chemotaxonomic character within the genus Populus, since it appears to occur in section Aigeiros but not in section Tacamahaca.