cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stages of change and the treatment of OCD

Abstract The Stages of Change model conceptualizes the process of behavioral change. The University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) is a self-report measure divided into subscales that represent four of the five different stages (Precontemplation, Contemplation, Action, and Maintenance). Research has shown that higher Precontemplation scores predict reduced treatment response in anxiety disorders. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the role of the stages of change in treatment outcomes with individuals with OCD undergoing intensive residential treatment including exposure therapy and response prevention (EX/RP). We hypothesized that a patient׳s stage of change, initially and throughout treatment, would be associated with both treatment outcome and symptom severity. The URICA was administered to a sample of 424 patients admitted to a residential treatment program for OCD at admission and after 30 days of treatment. Y-BOCS was given at admission and discharge. Stage of change at admission did not predict outcome. However, Precontemplation at discharge was associated with shorter length of stay. Results and their implications will be presented along with a discussion of future directions.
The gastroesophageal junction in the monkey and its relation to reflux

Summary Experimental surgical procedures can be carried out easily on the esophageal gastric junction of the monkey and satisfactory cinefluoroscopic and esophageal motility tracings can be obtained postoperatively. In the monkey the lower esophageal sphincteric mechanism is important, but in addition the angle of entry of the esophagus into the stomach and the gastric sling fibers aid in preventing reflux.
Spatial Orientation Aware Smartphones for Tele-operated Robot Control in Military Environments A Usability Experiment

We report an experiment conducted to assess the usability of a smartphone-based controller for use by dismounted troops using unmanned ground vehicles for reconnaissance and surveillance. A virtual...
Foxo1 regulates Dbh expression and the activity of the sympathetic nervous system in vivo

The transcription factor FoxO1 regulates multiple physiological processes. Here, we show that FoxO1 is highly expressed in neurons of the locus coeruleus and of various sympathetic ganglions, but not in the adrenal medulla. Consistent with this pattern of expression, mice lacking FoxO1 only in sympathetic neurons (FoxO1 Dbh-/-) display a low sympathetic tone without modification of the catecholamine content in the adrenal medulla. As a result, FoxO1 Dbh-/- mice demonstrate an increased insulin secretion, improved glucose tolerance, low energy expenditure, and high bone mass. FoxO1 favors catecholamine synthesis because it is a potent regulator of the expression of Dbh that encodes the initial and rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of these neurotransmitters. By identifying FoxO1 as a transcriptional regulator of the sympathetic tone, these results advance our understanding of the control of some aspects of metabolism and of bone mass accrual.
RE-EXAMINATION OF THE SOURCE COUNTS FOR THE 3C REVISED CATALOGUE.

ON the basis of optical identifications by Veron1 and Wyndham2, the 254 extragalactic sources of the 3C Revised Catalogue3 have been divided into the following classes: radio galaxies (RG), quasi-stellar sources (QSS) empty fields (E) and unidentified (?). Log N–log S curves for all the 254 extragalactic sources, for the RG + RG ? (certain and possible), for the QSS + QSS ? and for the QSS + QSS ? + E + E ? + ?, have been derived1,4, with exponents of −1.85 ± 0.05, −1.55 ± 0.05, −2.2 ± 0.1 and −2.2 (no quoted error), respectively. The conclusion was then drawn that the −2.2 ± 0.1 exponent for the quasars indicated an evolutionary effect which was not shown by the radio galaxies with an exponent of −1.55 ± 0.05. Furthermore, that the quasars plus the empty fields and the unidentified fields showed the same exponent as the quasars alone was taken as an indication that the empty fields and unidentified fields were quasars.
Electronic Journal Forum: Defining an “Access Level” Catalog Record Using MARC 21 and AACR2

The Library of Congress (LC) is in the process of developing a new level of MARC 21 and AACR2 cataloging for non-serial Internet resources called “access” level. This article briefly describes the impetus behind the creation of this new standard, information about the proposed standard itself, and the results of a test conducted at LC using the core data set and cataloging guidelines. The future plans of the Library for implementing and possibly expanding the use of access level are identified.
Coping with illness by a concentration camp survivor

A 54-year-old concentration camp survivor was observed during her third medical hospitalization in the past 3 months. The meaning of her illness leads to a symbolic reexperience of her traumatic past. Typical features of the Survivor Syndrome are reviewed and compared with the patient's symptoms. Coping mechanisms and management are discussed.
REDUCED POWER AUTOMATA AND SOFIC SYSTEMS

The state complexity of the cover language of sofic shifts arising from cellular automata is studied. It is shown that in the case where the underlying automaton is nearly a permutation automaton the deterministic automaton obtained by the classical Rabin-Scott construction is already reduced.
Conidial acquisition and survivorship of adult Asian longhorned beetles exposed to flat versus shaggy agar fungal bands.

Abstract Fungal bands can deliver lethal conidial doses to adult Asian longhorned beetles. Because higher doses result in shorter survival times, developing a method to deliver more conidia to beetles walking across the fungal bands is desirable. We compared fungal bands made using standard flat material to bands made using a shaggy, textured material. The median survival time of adult beetles exposed to shaggy bands was reduced to 10 d versus 18 d for beetles exposed to flat bands. Beetles climbing across shaggy bands acquired 1.83 × 10 6 conidia per beetle, which was 14.6 times greater than beetles exposed to flat bands.
CONTROLLING QUANTUM COHERENCE BY CIRCULARLY POLARIZED FIELDS

In terms of analytical results, we demonstrate that, within most parts in parameter space for a two-level magnetic system, suppression of quantum coherence can be induced by the circularly polarized fields. Low-frequency driving yields a dynamical localization opposite to the case of intermediate-to-high-frequency driving. The intrinsic relation between coherent suppression and the dressed-state level-crossing resonance is revealed.
The Land/Ocean Biogeochemical Observatory: A robust networked mooring system for continuously monitoring complex biogeochemical cycles in estuaries

An ocean observatory that consists of an array of moored sensor platforms, telemetry, and data collection and dissemination software was designed for monitoring the biogeochemistry and physical dynamics of coastal and estuarine ecosystems. The Land-Ocean Biogeochemical Observatory (LOBO) consists of robust moorings that can withstand tidal currents and weather. The moorings are highly configurable, can be deployed in waters as shallow as 0.5 m, are relatively easy to maintain, and accommodate a complete array of standard and novel sensors. The sensors communicate with an on-board controller which relays data to shore in near-real time. Up to five LOBO moorings have been simultaneously deployed and maintained in Elkhorn Slough, California, since November 2003. Continuous hourly data of biological, chemical, and physical properties are relayed to shore, processed, and disseminated to users through a web interface in near-real time. This article describes the design, implementation, and functionality of the LOBO monitoring system.
Heavy quark production in e+e− annihilation above the Z pole

Abstract At LEPII the study of the forward backward asymmetries of heavy quark production and the ratio of their production cross section with respect to hadrons, allows a further test of the electroweak predictions at the energies above the Z pole. The analysis techniques are discussed and the achieved results are reviewed.
Optical Constants of the Noble Metals

The optical constants $n$ and $k$ were obtained for the noble metals (copper, silver, and gold) from reflection and transmission measurements on vacuum-evaporated thin films at room temperature, in the spectral range 0.5-6.5 eV. The film-thickness range was 185-500 \AA{}. Three optical measurements were inverted to obtain the film thickness $d$ as well as $n$ and $k$. The estimated error in $d$ was \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 2 \AA{}, and that in $n$, $k$ was less than 0.02 over most of the spectral range. The results in the film-thickness range 250-500 \AA{} were independent of thickness, and were unchanged after vacuum annealing or aging in air. The free-electron optical effective masses and relaxation times derived from the results in the near infrared agree satisfactorily with previous values. The interband contribution to the imaginary part of the dielectric constant was obtained by subtracting the free-electron contribution. Some recent theoretical calculations are compared with the results for copper and gold. In addition, some other recent experiments are critically compared with our results.
Is there a pathway in the posterior funiculus that signals visceral pain

The present report provides evidence that axons in the medial part of the posterior column at T10 convey ascending nociceptive signals from pelvic visceral organs. This evidence was obtained from human surgical case studies and histological verification of the lesion in one of these cases, along with neuroanatomical and neurophysiological findings in animal experiments. A restricted lesion in this area can virtually eliminate pelvic pain due to cancer. The results remain excellent even in cases in which somatic structures of the pelvic body wall are involved. Following this procedure, neurological testing reveals no additional neurological deficit. There is no analgesia to pinprick stimuli applied to the body surface, despite the relief of the visceral pain. Since it is reasonable to attribute the favorable results of limited midline myelotomies to the interruption of axons of visceral nociceptive projection neurons in the posterior column, we have performed experiments in rats to test this hypothesis. The results in rats indicate that the dorsal column does indeed include a nociceptive component that signals pelvic visceral pain. The pathway includes neurons of the postsynaptic dorsal column pathway at the L6-S1 segmental level, axons of these neurons in the fasciculus gracilis, and neurons of the nucleus gracilis and the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus.
Protecting Endpoint Devices in IoT Supply Chain

The Internet of Things (IoT), an emerging global network of uniquely identifiable embedded computing devices within the existing Internet infrastructure, is transforming how we live and work by increasing the connectedness of people and things on a scale that was once unimaginable. In addition to increased communication efficiency between connected objects, the IoT also brings new security and privacy challenges. Comprehensive measures that enable IoT device authentication and secure access control need to be established. Existing hardware, software, and network protection methods, however, are designed against fraction of real security issues and lack the capability to trace the provenance and history information of IoT devices. To mitigate this shortcoming, we propose an RFID-enabled solution that aims at protecting endpoint devices in IoT supply chain. We take advantage of the connection between RFID tag and control chip in an IoT device to enable data transfer from tag memory to centralized database for authentication once deployed. Finally, we evaluate the security of our proposed scheme against various attacks.
Climate Change Does Not Affect Protandry in Seven Passerines in North America

Abstract Recent studies have suggested climate change could amplify the differences between arrival dates of male and female passerines. We investigated the generality of this finding and additional questions related to protandry by analyzing 32 years of banding data for seven species of migratory passerines. Six species exhibited significant protandry with males arriving on average between 2 and 6 days earlier than females. Only Baltimore Orioles (Icterus galbula) did not have significant differences between average arrival dates of males and females. The magnitude of protandry did not change in response to warming spring temperatures during the period of study, and none of the ecological variables examined explained variation in the amount of protandry. Males of all species studied were significantly larger than females. However, the magnitude of size difference also did not explain the amount of protandry observed. Arrival dates of males and females within each species tended to follow similar trends o...
Complete PostScript: An archival and exchange format for the sciences?

Despite the rapid expansion of the Internet and the promise of easy and fast dissemination of information, much of the results of science are published in a form similar to a paper journal article, albeit online. In particular, it is often very difficult or impossible for readers to check the validity of the author's claims, since the software used and the raw data analyzed are not necessarily available. Admittedly the Web has made it possible for authors to post links to data sets and pro grams, and many journals allow additional material to be posted in conjunction with the publication of an article. But in reality, it is still difficult to verify author results without expending a considerable amount of effort. The Web has opened up new avenues for interactive presentations of knowledge in which the user can explore new theories or data sets, but only a small group of authors have the technical resources to present their results in such an interesting fashion.
Variational approaches on discontinuity localization and field estimation in sea surface temperature and soil moisture

Some applications in remote sensing require estimating a field containing a discontinuity whose exact location is a priori unknown. Such fields of interest include sea surface temperature in oceanography and soil moisture in hydrology. For the former, oceanic fronts form a temperature discontinuity, while in the latter sharp changes exist across the interface between soil types. To complicate the estimation process, remotely sensed measurements often exhibit regions of missing observations due to occlusions such as cloud cover. Similarly, water surface and ground-based sensors usually provide only an incomplete set of measurements. Traditional methods of interpolation and smoothing for estimating the fields from such potentially sparse measurements often blur across the discontinuities in the field.
The microbiology of colonization, including techniques for assessing and measuring colonization

Organisms living on our external and internal body surfaces are the first contact for many potentially pathogenic invaders. Factors that alter this microenvironment include antibiotics, the host immunity, and the various diseases of man and their treatment. Predicting when colonization leads to infection remains an important challenge for every clinician. The maintenance and breakdown of colonization resistance by changes in the native microflora and the body's natural mucosal coating by various extrinsic and intrinsic factors is reviewed in this article. Quantitative culture methods developed to improve the predictive value of a given sampling technique (most notably with bronchoscopy) is presented. Besides improving diagnostic capabilities, quantitative cultures can be used successfully as an epidemiologic tool for some outbreak investigations.
A Display of Radar Echo Maximum Intensity in Use at the National Severe Storms Laboratory

A digital display of the location and intensity of the most intense radar echo in a selected sector is Storms Laboratory WSR-57 radar. The display provides the radar operator with immediate access to important provided by a digital comparator with shift register weather information. storage of digital video signals from the National Severe A numerical display that shows data on the maximum radar echo intensity has been designed and built at the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) and is now used routinely as part of the NSSL WSR-57 radar system (Sirmans et al. 1970). Display parameters include the maximum echo intensity class in a selected sector of the plan-position indicator (PPI) scope, the azimuth and range of the location where the maximum class is first encoun- tered during scanning from the selected starting azimuth, and the number of occurrences of the maximum intensity in the selected sector. The device is an important aid to NSSL observational programs in which the deployment of sensors is partially controlled in real time on the basis of radar information. It could also be an aid to National Weather Service (NWS) operations when digital equip- ment becomes available at NWS radar stations (Kessler and, Wilson 1970, Wilk and Gray 1970). Figure 1 is a photograph of the display unit and figure 2 is a diagram indicating principal components of the unit and their connections. The digital comparator shown in figure 2 compares incoming digital video (DV) signals with the digit stored in the intensity shift register (SR). This display is unchanging as long as the SR value is not equaled or exceeded. As signals equal to the SR value are received during a sector scan, the number-of-occurrences counter (NOC) advances. A DV signal exceeding that in the intensity SR causes the stored value to be replaced by the larger value, and the NOC is simultaneously reset to unity and the spatial coordinates (range and azimuth) are stored and displayed. The display unit uses azimuth data from the digital shift encoder and other information from the NSSL digital recorder, including DV, mite pulses, 2" angle marks, 1-n.mi. marks, and counter resets. When used in a continuous recording mode, the display lights are reset to zero at the start of each sector scan. By use of selector switches, the display unit can be used to monitor the maximum intensity value over any selected azimuth sector or the entire PPI scope. In this mode, it continuously displays the maximum echo intensity en- countered since the chosen starting time, and thus alerts
Testing a Culture-Specific Extension of Objectification Theory Regarding African American Women's Body Image

Objectification theory has emphasized objectification in terms of body shape and size. African American women may expect to be evaluated on additional physical attributes such as skin tone. Therefore, we extended previous research on objectification theory by adding separate measures of skin-tone concerns in a survey of 117 African American women. Results from a series of path analyses revealed that as hypothesized, habitual body monitoring of skin tone predicted specific skin-tone dissatisfaction as well as general shame regarding body shape and size. Contrary to theoretical predictions, self-objectification did not mediate links between habitual monitoring (of skin tone or of body size and shape) and body dissatisfaction. In terms of objectification theory, results suggest that skin tone is a relevant dimension of habitual body monitoring and dissatisfaction for some African American women.
Trial Design and Reporting Standards for Intraarterial Cerebral Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke

The Technology Assessment Committees of the American Society of Interventional and Therapeutic Neuroradiology and the Society of Interventional Radiology
High Field Magnetization of Gadolinium Metal

The high magnetic field behavior of gadolinium metal and the comparison between that behavior and the predictions of the molecular field model are reported. Measurements were made on a c-axis oriented single crystal of gadolinium in pulsed fields to 140 k-oersted and over a range of temperatures.
Influence of thermal history and humidity on the ionic conductivity of nanoparticle‐filled solid polymer electrolytes

The crystallinity and conductivity of nanoparticle-filled solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are investigated as a function of thermal history and water content. Our objective is to evaluate how performance is affected by the conditions under which the SPEs are handled and tested. The samples consist of polyethylene oxide (PEO), LiClO4, and Al2O3 nanoparticles. At low humidity, SPEs at ether oxygen to lithium ratios of 8:1 do not crystallize immediately; instead, 3 days are required for crystallization to occur, and this does not depend strongly on the presence of nanoparticles. The conductivity is improved by the addition of nanoparticles at low humidity, but only at an ether oxygen to lithium ratio of 10:1, which corresponds to the eutectic concentration. At high humidity, the recrystallization time is delayed for 3 weeks, and the conductivity increases in both filled and unfilled SPEs beyond that of the low humidity samples. Although we observe that water amplifies the influence of nanoparticles on conductivity, we also find that nanoparticles inhibit water uptake—but only in the presence of lithium. Because Li+ strongly absorbs water, this result suggests that nanoparticles may interact directly with Li+ ions to prevent water uptake. In filled samples at the eutectic concentration (10:1), more water is absorbed compared to the nanoparticle-filled 8:1 samples, even though less lithium is present. This suggests that nanoparticles may segregate to lithium-poor regions in the 10:1 samples, and this scenario is supported by the morphology that would be expected at the eutectic concentration. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 49: 1496–1505, 2011
PixNet: interference-free wireless links using LCD-camera pairs

Given the abundance of cameras and LCDs in today's environment, there exists an untapped opportunity for using these devices for communication. Specifically, cameras can tune to nearby LCDs and use them for network access. The key feature of these LCD-camera links is that they are highly directional and hence enable a form of interference-free wireless communication. This makes them an attractive technology for dense, high contention scenarios. The main challenge however, to enable such LCD-camera links is to maximize coverage, that is to deliver multiple Mb/s over multi-meter distances, independent of the view angle. To do so, these links need to address unique types of channel distortions, such as perspective distortion and blur. This paper explores this novel communication medium and presents PixNet, a system for transmitting information over LCD-camera links. PixNet generalizes the popular OFDM transmission algorithms to address the unique characteristics of the LCD-camera link which include perspective distortion, blur, and sensitivity to ambient light. We have built a prototype of PixNet using off-the-shelf LCDs and cameras. An extensive evaluation shows that a single PixNet link delivers data rates of up to 12 Mb/s at a distance of 10 meters, and works with view angles as wide as 120 degree°.
Preparing for Transition to Professional Practice: Creating a Simulated Blog and Reflective Journaling Activity

Abstract Newly registered nurses often feel challenged during the transition to professional practice. Faculty has a responsibility to create teaching and learning strategies that bring forth the desired technical and cognitive behaviors needed to practice professional nursing. Using present-day technology, faculty at one school of nursing created an innovative teaching and learning strategy in the form of a simulated computer blogging and reflective journaling activity. Lauren's Blog is about a fictitious newly registered nurse, Lauren, transitioning to the professional role. Lauren is similar to most new registered nurses in that she faces many challenges and triumphs personally and professionally during her 1st year of professional practice. Students identified with the realistic issues Lauren encountered and used learned problem-solving, decision-making, and critical reasoning processes to personally analyze the same situations. The simulated blog concept is easily adaptable to all levels of students across the nursing curriculum.
Extending the lifetime of a network of battery-powered mobile devices by remote processing: a Markovian decision-based approach

This paper addresses the problem of extending the lifetime of a battery-powered mobile host in a client-server wireless network by using task migration and remote processing. This problem is solved by first constructing a stochastic model of the client-server system based on the theory of continuous-time Markovian decision processes. Next the dynamic power management problem with task migration is formulated as a policy optimization problem and solved exactly by using a linear programming approach. Based on the off-line optimal policy derived in this way, an on-line adaptive policy is proposed, which dynamically monitors the channel conditions and the server behavior and adopts a client-side power management policy with task migration that results in optimum energy consumption in the client. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms existing heuristic methods by as much as 35% in terms of the overall energy savings.
Quantifying the Nucleation and Growth Kinetics of Microwave Nanochemistry Enabled by in Situ High-Energy X-ray Scattering.

The fast reaction kinetics presented in the microwave synthesis of colloidal silver nanoparticles was quantitatively studied, for the first time, by integrating a microwave reactor with in situ X-ray diffraction at a high-energy synchrotron beamline. Comprehensive data analysis reveals two different types of reaction kinetics corresponding to the nucleation and growth of the Ag nanoparticles. The formation of seeds (nucleation) follows typical first-order reaction kinetics with activation energy of 20.34 kJ/mol, while the growth of seeds (growth) follows typical self-catalytic reaction kinetics. Varying the synthesis conditions indicates that the microwave colloidal chemistry is independent of concentration of surfactant. These discoveries reveal that the microwave synthesis of Ag nanoparticles proceeds with reaction kinetics significantly different from the synthesis present in conventional oil bath heating. The in situ X-ray diffraction technique reported in this work is promising to enable further unde...
A Liberal House Divided: How the Warren Court Dismantled the Fourth Amendment

This article examines the decisions in which a liberal majority on the Warren Court replaced traditional theories of the Fourth Amendment with new doctrines that weakened constitutional protections of privacy, property, and liberty. The text of the Fourth Amendment prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures of persons and of three broad categories of property: papers, houses, and effects. From 1886 until the 1960s, the Supreme Court explicitly employed interpretive theories grounded in the text's emphasis upon property - although with notable inconsistency. In some contexts, these theories erected powerful limits on government power. In other contexts, the Court's constricted literalism insulated government surveillance from constitutional scrutiny. During the 1960s, liberals on the Warren Court began to dismantle the link between property law and Fourth Amendment rights, and to replace that traditional construct with a privacy-based theory of the Amendment. For several of these justices a fundamental goal was to impose constitutional constraints upon the use of intrusive modern technologies. In a series of decisions, the Court replaced traditional theories that both imposed procedural requirements and enforced property-based substantive rights with a new, if incoherent, emphasis upon "privacy" as the core Fourth Amendment value. This new approach, particularly as articulated by Justice Brennan, erroneously concluded that the procedural protections contained in the Warrant Clause and enforced by the exclusionary remedy were adequate to protect Fourth Amendment rights. The result has been an erosion of individual rights that can be directly traced to the application of these "liberal" theories.
Extended Retiming: Transforming Synchronous Data-Flow Graphs to Minimize Clock Period

Purpose: To develop an efficient transformation technique for synchronous data-flow graphs that produces an equivalent graph with minimum clock period. Design/Methodology: We develop the technique via mathematical proof and test on numerous filters. Findings: Our technique achieves the stated purpose. Originality/Value: As discussed in the paper, the problem is significant and has been extensively studied. Any method prior to this one either doesn’t achieve the goal or does so at great cost. The discussed technique optimizes the input graph efficiently while minimizing the resultant hardware costs.
Partitioning Behavior of a Probe between Lo and Ld Phases at the Nano- and Macro-Domain Scales

On model lipid membranes exhibiting coexisting liquid-ordered + liquid-disordered domains, the domains can be either micron-size “macro-domains” or tens of nanometer-size “nano-domains”. In the four-component mixture DSPC/DOPC/POPC/Chol, the size of the domains can be controlled by varying the ratio of DOPC and POPC within the two-phase regime, which we have found increase the Ld/Lo line tension as the DOPC fraction increases. This study shows that the partitioning of a probe is affected far more by the changes in the Ld/Lo lipid composition as DOPC and POPC are interchanged than by the domain size. Thus, phase-separation at the nanoscale is fundamentally the same as phase-separation at the macroscale concerning partitioning behavior.
Mechanistic studies on intramolecular C–H trifluoromethoxylation of (hetero)arenes via OCF3-migration

The one-pot two-step intramolecular aryl and heteroaryl C-H trifluoromethoxylation recently reported by our group has provided a general, scalable, and operationally simple approach to access a wide range of unprecedented and valuable OCF3-containing building blocks. Herein we describe our investigations to elucidate its reaction mechanism. Experimental data indicate that the O-trifluoromethylation of N-(hetero)aryl-N-hydroxylamine derivatives is a radical process, whereas the OCF3-migration step proceeds via a heterolytic cleavage of the N-OCF3 bond followed by rapid recombination of a short-lived ion pair. Computational studies further support the proposed ion pair reaction pathway for the OCF3-migration process. We hope that the current study would provide useful insights for the development of new transformations using versatile N-(hetero)aryl-N-hydroxylamine synthons.
Mortality of Hospitalized Patients with Pleural Effusions.

Background: Each year in the United States an estimated 1.5 million people develop pleural effusions and approximately 178,000 thoracenteses (12%) are performed. While it has been established that malignant effusions are associated with increased mortality, the association between mortality and all-cause pleural effusions in a medical population has not been previously evaluated. Our objective was to evaluate associations between 30-day and 12-month all-cause mortality among patients with a pleural effusion. Methods: All patients admitted to the medical service at Yale-New Haven Hospital during March 2011 were screened for pleural effusion. Pleural effusions were documented by the attending radiologist and the medical record was reviewed for admitting diagnosis, severity of illness and whether a thoracenteses was performed. The outcomes were 30-day and 12-month mortality after identification of the pleural effusion. Results: One-hundred and four patients admitted to the medical service had pleural effusions documented by the attending radiologist. At 30-days, 15% of these patients had died and by 12-months mortality had increased to 32%. Eleven (10.6%) of the 104 patients underwent a thoracenteses. Severity of illness and malignancy were associated with 30-day mortality. For 12-month mortality, associations were found with age, severity of illness, malignancy, and diagnosis of pulmonary disease. Although sample size precluded statistical significance with mortality, the hazard ratio for thoracenteses and 30-day mortality was protective, suggesting a possible short term survival benefit. Conclusions: In hospitalized medical patients with a pleural effusion, age, severity of illness and malignancy or pulmonary disease were associated with higher 12-month mortality. Thoracenteses may provide a protective effect in the first 30 days, but larger studies are needed to detect a short-term survival benefit. The presence of a pleural effusion indicates a high risk of death, with 15% of patients dying within 30 days and 32% dead within one-year of hospital admission.
The Recovery of Metals from Secondary Sources A U.S. Perspective Part III

ABSTRACT This author has been interested in recycling of metals from secondary sources for the past decade or so and have made many attempts to rectify the problems associated with recovering such valuable metals from waste through research and raising the awareness of the situation in this area. In this article, the author looks at the trend of production and consumption of important metals in the U.S. and also tries to place an emphasis of the contribution of these metals obtained from secondary sources. The current paper is a continuation of this series covering the period of 1998–2001. In this paper, an emphasis is given for metal recovery of electronic scrap which represents one of the fast growing industrial products. Metals covered in this paper include aluminum, copper, gold, lead, steel, manganese, pt-group metals, and zinc.
Primary undifferentiated spindle-cell sarcoma of sella turcica: successful treatment with adjuvant temozolomide

Sellar tumours in adults are most commonly pituitary adenomas. Primary spindle cell sarcoma of the sella turcica without a prior history of cranial radiation is extremely rare. We report a case of a large sellar mass with suprasellar and cavernous sinus extension in a geriatric male patient who presented with complete left oculomotor nerve palsy and panhypopituitarism. The patient underwent partial resection of the sellar mass through transcranial route. The pathology of the mass revealed a poorly differentiated spindle cell neoplasm most consistent with a sarcoma. Postoperatively, the size of the residual sellar mass decreased significantly following six cycles of external beam radiation in conjunction with temozolomide.
Conception of MIMO Radar Countermeasures

MIMO radar is a new concept featuring multiple-input and multiple-output function,great anti-jamming and stealthy aircraft detection capability.Only a few documents or articles are presented and no practical devices exist,so MIMO radar countermeasures are just conceived.In this paper,radar is categorized into various types,and their common weaknesses are pointed out.Therefore,unexceptional MIMO radar can be jammed too.In this paper,MIMO radar composition is illustrated,how to detect stealthy aircrafts by using multiple frequencies and target characteristics is described,interference equation of protective jammer on MIMO radar and equivalent power necessary for interference are exampled.Besides,interference equation of covering jammer on MIMO radar and equivalent power necessary for interference are analyzed.Principal diagram of MIMO radar jammer is presented and technical difficulties in MIMO radar jammer system development are concluded.
Measurements of Flow Rate and Force Coefficients in a Short-Length Annular Seal Supplied with a Liquid/Gas Mixture (Stationary Journal)

ABSTRACTDeep sea compression systems must work under strenuous conditions with either gas in liquid or liquid in gas mixtures, mostly inhomogeneous. Off-design operation affects the mechanical system's overall efficiency and reliability, with penalties in leakage and rotordynamic performance of secondary flow components, namely, seals. This article introduces a test rig to characterize the leakage and dynamic force coefficients of a short-length annular seal (L/D = 0.36, clearance = 0.127 mm) operating under various flow regimes ranging from pure gas, to bubbly (liquid in gas), to foamy (gas in liquid), to pure liquid. The test rig includes of rotating journal and a softy supported cartridge that make a clearance annular seal that is supplied with a liquid/gas mixture. Flowmeters record the fluid's passage, and with manual control of the streams, the mixture has a known liquid (or gas) volume fraction at the seal inlet plane. Two orthogonally mounted electromagnetic shakers excite the cartridge with perio...
Cervical repair of congenital tracheoesophageal fistula: Complications lurking!

Abstract Aim Esophageal atresia (EA) and tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) consist of a spectrum of rare congenital abnormalities. Although EA surgical treatment is well established, the outcome of EA with proximal fistula (type B and D EA) or isolated H-type fistula (type E EA) is poorly explored. These forms of EA shared a common surgical step: the need of a cervical approach to close the fistula. Therefore, the aim of present study is to evaluate postoperative outcomes of patients treated for Gross type B–D and E EA, on regards of their cervical surgery. Materials and methods A retrospective case series analysis of all patients affected by type B–D and E EA, and admitted to our tertiary care center between January 2003 and December 2014 was performed. All patients underwent preoperative flexible laryngo-tracheobronchoscopy (LTBS) as part of our standardized preoperative diagnostic assessment to define the diagnosis, evaluate preoperative vocal cord motility and to cannulate the fistula when required. Fistula closure was always performed through a right cervical access. Analysis of all cases and comparison between type B–D and E EA were performed. Mann–Whitney test, Chi-squared test and unpaired t test were used as appropriate; p Results During the study period, 180 EA newborns were treated. Proximal or isolated TEF was found in 18 patients (10%): 7 type B, 11 type E EA. Patients affected by type B and E EA/TEF frequently present associated major malformations (27%), and major cardiac abnormalities (44%). Major postoperative complications were: vocal cord paralysis (5 patients), bilateral in 2 infants requiring tracheostomy, cerebral ischemia (1 patient), and cardiac failure (1 patient). Conclusion Patients affected by type B and E EA have a high rate of associated abnormalities, and risk of possible sequelae. Postoperative complications are common, with possible transient vocal cord dismotility, but in some cases persistent paralysis may require tracheostomy. Therefore, both preoperative and postoperative LTBS is highly recommended to evaluate the presence of a proximal fistula, and vocal cord motility, even in asymptomatic patients, to rule out any possible intraoperative "surprise" and any vocal cord abnormality and to possibly define its pathogenesis (congenital vs. iatrogenic).
Outcomes of Sacral Neuromodulation in a Privately Insured Population.

OBJECTIVE In this study, we analyzed claims data from the Ingenix data base to analyze outcomes of sacral neuromodulation with respect to both provider and patient factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used the Ingenix (I3) data base to determine demographic, diagnosis, and procedure success information for years 2002-2007 for privately insured patients. Demographic information was obtained, as were the diagnoses given and procedures performed, based on ICD-9 diagnosis codes and Current Procedural Terminology procedure codes. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify specific predictors of success, as measured by progression to implantation of a pulse generator. RESULTS Overall success, as defined by battery placement, was 49.1%. Fifty-one percent of staged procedures were followed by battery placement compared with 24.1% of percutaneous cases (p < 0.0001). Among the patient variables analyzed, women were more likely than men to progress to battery placement. After Stage I testing, patients treated by urologists were overall more likely than gynecologists to proceed to battery placement (I3: 54% vs. 47%, p < 0.0001). Unlike previous findings in other claims-based data sets, we did not observe a provider-volume relationship in the i3 data set. CONCLUSIONS Success of sacral neuromodulation, as defined by proceeding to battery placement, was much better after formal staged procedures, which leads us to question the utility of percutaneous techniques. Outcomes were also better among female patients and among those treated by a urologist. Specialty differences will likely diminish over time as more gynecologists adopt sacral neuromodulation.
The evolving use of ECMO: The impact of the CESAR trial

Abstract Introduction To compare characteristics and outcomes of patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy as well as medical research activities related to ECMO before and after release of preliminary results of the CESAR trial. Methods We assessed trends in EMCO use among adults, patient and institutional characteristics, in-hospital mortality, peri-procedural complications and resource use before and after first quarter of 2008 in Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database. Literature review was conducted to evaluate publications related to adult ECMO during the same time period. Results Overall, 8389 patients received ECMO therapy between 2001 and 2011. ECMO use remained stable between 2001 and 2007 and increased significantly from 2008 to 2011. Comparing time periods before and after first quarter of 2008, patients on ECMO in later years were more likely to be older (Before vs. After: (age 65+) 18.9% vs. 23.1%) and have two or more comorbidities (43.6% vs. 52.3%). After adjusting for patient and institutional characteristics, in-hospital mortality was comparable for the two time periods (Odds Ratio 0.76, 95% CI 0.55–1.05). Between 2001 and 2011, 652 adult ECMO related English literature were identified, published in 181 English journals and by investigators from 31 countries. There was a significant increase in number of publications after 2008. Conclusion The presence of the CESAR trial was associated with significant increase in the utilization of ECMO in clinical practice and in the research activities related to ECMO. Moreover, ECMO has since been used in patients of older age and higher comorbidities, but with no increase in in-hospital mortality followed.
Licht- und elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen über die Keritomie bei Oscillatoria Borneti Zukal und O. pseudogeminats G. Schmid1)1) Die Durchführung dieser Arbeit wurde mir durch ein Forschungsstipendium der Alexander-von-Humboldt-Stiftung ermöglicht.

Summary Keritomic vacuoles in Oscillatoria Borneti are stained with neutralred but not with KJJ and sudan III, and neither react with Millon's- and PAS-reagent, nor show the fluorescence with nileblue. The plasmolysis by glucose is reversible, if applied for less than five minutes. The osmotic pressure of the cells which border on the plasmolysis corresponds to that of a 0.25 mol glucose solution. The development of keritomy is accelerated by light. It is revealed by the electronmicroscope that the thylakoid-membranes of O. Borneti and O. pseudogeminata consist of three layers, outer two are strongly contrasted and the inner one are less contrasted. Each layer is 2.5 nm thick. The keritomic vacuole is surrounded by a membrane, the structure and the thickness of which correspond to those of the thylakoidmembrane. It is concluded from the electronmicroscopic figures that the keritomy in both Oscillatoria species results from the volume-increase of the thylakoid content. The phenomenon of keritomy is assumed as a normal process of the cell development. The content of the keritomic vacuoles could not be determined. There are polyphosphate- and polyhedral bodies, osmiophilic granules, ribosomes and DNS-fibrils in the protoplast of both Oscillatoria.
Hybrid Surgery Management of Giant Hypervascular Tumors: Intraoperative Endovascular Embolization with Microsurgical Resection

Background Giant hypervascular intracranial tumors represent a formidable challenge because their size limits surgical control of the blood supply and debulking poses the risk of critical blood loss. Embolization facilitates resection but carries the risk of life-threatening tumor infarction, hemorrhage, or swelling if performed preoperatively. Endovascular intraoperative embolization avoids the fatal risk and allows the surgeon to attend instantly if any complication occurs. Methods and Results We report 2 cases in which combining intraoperative embolization with microsurgical resection in the hybrid operating room was used to safely and successfully remove giant hypervascular tumors. Conclusions Intraoperative embolization facilitates the safe resection of giant hypervascular tumors and mitigates the consequences of potential tumor infarction, hemorrhage, or swelling from embolization. These cases exemplify the benefits of combining expertise in endovascular and microsurgical techniques with the capabilities of modern hybrid operating rooms allowing for their simultaneous application.
Analyses of the Grain Boundary Misorientation and Oxygen Content of Bulk Processed YBa2Cu3O7-δ

The grain boundary misorientation distribution of 203 grain boundaries in bulk processed high Tc superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-δ with five processing conditions, was studied. Two complementary analytical approaches, Grain Boundary Misorientation Distribution (GBMD) from the random description, using a hypothesis test and χ2 analysis, and Grain Boundary Character Distribution (GBCD), using the Coincidence Site Lattice (CSL) model, were applied. The GBMD and GBCD both showed grain boundary evolution departing from a random distribution above 935°C processing temperature. The GBCD analyses indicated an approximately linear increase in the population of CSL-related boundaries, among which the tetragonal CSL (c/a 2260; 3) boundaries grew in the same trend while orthorombic boundaries (c/a = 3) became stagnated. The results from comparing the corresponding GBCD and volume averaged Jc for each batch indicated that the tetragonal CSL boundaries were oxygen deficient and accounted for, among other current limiting factors, lower current carrying ability.
The Effects of Flavor-Aversion Learning on Instrumental Performance

Two experiments investigated the role of lithium-mediated environmental conditioning on instrumental performance. Experiment 1 demonstrated that a novel taste consumed in one arm of a T maze prior to lithium-induced toxicosis reduced performance in this environment whereas similar aversions conditioned in the home cage failed to alter maze performance. Experiment 2 showed that maze performance in a straight alleyway was decremented during extinction only in a group that actually traversed the alley prior to drinking saccharin and receiving lithium injections. This demonstrated that the instrumental decrement observed in Experiment 1 was due not only to the presence of an unpalatable flavor in the goalbox during the test.