cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS) Placement in Patients with Cirrhosis and Variceal Bleeding

The placement of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has been traditionally used as a rescue treatment for uncontrolled or recurrent acute variceal bleeding (AVB) in patients with cirrhosis. However, more contemporary studies are revealing that early or ‘pre-emptive’ TIPS placement (performed within 24–72 h of AVB presentation) significantly controls bleeding, prevents rebleeding, and improves survival in selected patients when compared with standard pharmacological and endoscopic therapies. Furthermore, the use of early TIPS did not translate to an increased risk of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) for this population. Proper patient selection for early TIPS is paramount, as the procedure is unlikely to benefit patients with advanced decompensated cirrhosis (Child–Turcotte–Pugh [CTP] class C, score > 13) or patients who do not carry high risk with only mild hepatic dysfunction (Child-Turcotte-Pugh class A). Finally, while the current results for early TIPS are promising, further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings before early TIPS can be widely adopted.
Staphylococcus aureus intramammary challenge in non-lactating mammary glands stimulated to rapidly grow and develop with estradiol and progesterone.

Intramammary infections (IMI) are prevalent in non-lactating dairy cattle and their occurrence during periods of significant mammary growth and development (i.e. pregnant heifers and dry cows) is believed to interfere with growth, development, and subsequent milk production. However, direct study of IMI impacts on non-lactating but developing mammary glands is lacking. The objectives of this study were to (1) define how IMI affected total and differential mammary secretion somatic cell counts in mammary glands stimulated to rapidly grow using estradiol and progesterone, and (2) characterize changes in mammary morphology in response to IMI. Mammary growth was stimulated in 19 non-pregnant, non-lactating cows and 2 quarters of each cow were subsequently infused with either saline (n = 19) or Staphylococcus aureus (n = 19). Mammary secretions were taken daily until mammary tissues were collected at either 5 or 10 days post-challenge. Staph. aureus quarter secretions yielded greater concentrations of somatic cells than saline quarters and contained a greater proportion of neutrophils. Staph. aureus mammary tissues exhibited higher degrees of immune cell infiltration in luminal and intralobular stroma compartments than saline quarters. Infected tissues also contained reduced areas of epithelium and tended to have greater amounts of intralobular stroma. Results indicate that IMI in non-lactating glands that were stimulated to grow, produced immune cell infiltration into mammary tissues and secretions, which was associated with changes in mammary tissue structure. The observed reduction of mammary epithelium indicates that IMI impair mammary development in rapidly growing mammary glands, which may reduce future reduced milk yields.
Performance of the Exercise Test

Each year, over 1 million Americans experience a nonfatal or fatal myocardial infarction or sudden death from coronary heart disease (CHD) [1]. Unfortunately, death or myocardial infarction is the first symptom in 55% of patients with coronary artery disease [2] and is usually due to dislodgement of a plaque causing acute coronary occlusion. However, about 30% of these patients present with ischemia and have concurrent chest pain. In these individuals, exercise treadmill testing is a practical and the most commonly performed test to identify or confirm the presence of latent coronary artery disease [2]. In addition, an abnormal test has been shown to have definite predictive value. It is well known that when symptoms of typical angina are present, coronary disease can be predicted with considerable reliability. Even when there is no history of pain, there is still a strong possibility of significant coronary disease in patients with specific risk factors. Also, the reliability of the test in asymptomatic patients is improved when testing patients with a higher prevalence of the disease. Exercise testing may also be used to measure functional capacity, assess the patient’s prognosis in coronary artery disease, and evaluate the patient’s treatment for hypertension, certain arrhythmias, angina, and congestive heart failure. It can be beneficial for patients who will be involved in exercise rehabilitative programs. It may be useful for predicting mortality risk among patients who plan to start an exercise program, whose job affects public safety (airline pilot), or who have specific medical conditions (diabetes or chronic renal insufficiency). The inherent accuracy of the test is defined by the sensitivity and specificity. The results of the test when applied to an individual depend on the prevalence of disease in the population to which the patient belongs. So, the two most important factors in the analysis of patients undergoing stress testing are the pre-test prevalence of disease and the sensitivity and specificity of the test. Various types of chest pain affect the probability of disease in each patient. By dividing the patients into one
Potential GRACEnet Linkages with Other Greenhouse Gas and Soil Carbon Research and Monitoring Programs

Networks can play a key role in greenhouse gas and soil carbon research, for a variety of reasons, including the complexity of the subject, regional variability in the driving factors, and the need for standardization of methods. This has been recognized for some time, and has resulted in the formation of numerous collaborative efforts throughout the world. Data archival and management is often a key focus, primarily driven by the need to provide data for the development and testing of models. A common problem is that it is apparently easier to obtain funding for organizational meetings and initial network development than for ongoing activities and long-term monitoring. It is highly important to maintain continued support for promising, potentially long-term collaborative efforts. This is a critical issue, since in climate change research long-term data are often necessary to discern the signals of real trends from the noise of normal variability.
A corpus study of Chinese EFL learners’ use of circumstance, demand, and significant: An in-depth analysis of L2 vocabulary use and its implications

This study investigated Chinese EFL learners’ use of circumstance, demand, and significant, three challenging words each being a member in a synonym set: circumstance in the case/circumstance/event/situation set, demand in the ask/demand/request/require set, and significant in the important/meaningful/significant set. Via an expert rating and a close examination of all the uses of the three words in Wen, Wang, and Liang’s (2005) Spoken and Written English Corpus of Chinese Learners, the study has uncovered various inappropriate usages as well as successfully acquired usages involving the three words. The results reveal a failure by many Chinese EFL learners to understand the three words’ semantic usage differences with their respective synonyms. The study has also identified L1 interference, inadequate descriptions of these words in dictionaries, and insufficient instructional attention to the semantic usage differences among synonyms as likely reasons for the learners’ inappropriate usages. Pedagogical and research implications are also discussed.
Image De-Noising Through Symmetric, Bell-Shaped, and Centered Weighted Median Filters Based Subband Decomposition

Here, a novel image denoising algorithm that eliminates different type of noise from an image using median filter based subband decomposition. The benefit of sub-band decomposition using median transform over the wavelet decomposition method is that the nonlinear filters are not subject to Gibb's phenomenon which causes the ringing effects associated with the linear subband methods and they can be computed with low computational complexity. It has been experimentally observed that noisy coefficients have a higher value at the first scale of multiresolution analysis and later the value decreases in the subsequent scale and so on. Hence, we proposed to apply subsequently decreasing threshold on every single step of the multiresolution coefficients such that the de-noising method filters out the noise while preserving good image quality. A number of noisy images contaminated with different combinations of the Gaussian, Speckle and Salt and pepper noises are denoised by this new approach and compared using SNR measure with other wavelet denoising algorithms. The experimental results validate that the proposed algorithm outperforms the traditional wavelet decomposition method for noise removal.
Amino acid disorders

Amino acids serve as key building blocks and as an energy source for cell repair, survival, regeneration and growth. Each amino acid has an amino group, a carboxylic acid, and a unique carbon structure. Human utilize 21 different amino acids; most of these can be synthesized endogenously, but 9 are “essential” in that they must be ingested in the diet. In addition to their role as building blocks of protein, amino acids are key energy source (ketogenic, glucogenic or both), are building blocks of Kreb’s (aka TCA) cycle intermediates and other metabolites, and recycled as needed. A metabolic defect in the metabolism of tyrosine (homogentisic acid oxidase deficiency) historically defined Archibald Garrod as key architect in linking biochemistry, genetics and medicine and creation of the term ‘Inborn Error of Metabolism’ (IEM). The key concept of a single gene defect leading to a single enzyme dysfunction, leading to “intoxication” with a precursor in the metabolic pathway was vital to linking genetics and metabolic disorders and developing screening and treatment approaches as described in other chapters in this issue. Amino acid disorders also led to the evolution of the field of metabolic nutrition and offending amino acid restricted formula and foods. This review will discuss the more common disorders caused by inborn errors in amino acid metabolism.
The Role of Cognitive Processes in Treating Mathematics Learning Difficulties

Abstract Cognitive, linguistic, and socioemotional processes have been identified as important predictors of individual differences in mathematics development. Yet attempts to strengthen such processes often fail to result in improved mathematics performance for students with math difficulties. In this chapter, we discuss two alternative approaches by which such processes may play a role in ameliorating mathematics learning difficulties. The first approach involves embedding instruction on cognitive, linguistic, or socioemotional processes within direct skills intervention. The second approach involves allocating different forms of direct skills intervention to subgroups of learners with different profiles of cognitive, linguistic, or socioemotional processes. For each approach, we provide background information and describe a relevant research study taking that approach to illustrate its potential for expanding the efficacy of intervention for students with mathematics learning difficulties.
On-Body Low-Profile Textile Antenna With Artificial Magnetic Conductor

A compact low-profile wearable antenna is proposed. The antenna is a combination of monopole with an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) as a ground plane. The proposed AMC-integrated antenna is fabricated using layers of textile and operates within the industrial, scientific, and medical 5.8 GHz band. The proposed low-profile AMC antenna features a small footprint, with dimensions of $102\times 68 \times 3.6$ mm3 and yields an impedance bandwidth of 34% (4.30–5.90 GHz), with a gain value of 6.12 dBi. Numerical and experimental investigations reveal that the performance of the proposed integrated AMC antenna is robust with respect to structural deformations, i.e., bending and crumpling, as well as human body loading, and show superior performance when compared to the conventional monopole antenna. Additionally, numerical investigations indicate that the inclusion of the AMC structure considerably reduces the specific absorption rate values for different planer and bending scenarios. For on-body analysis, three different body models of different compositions and shapes were used. Also, experiments were performed utilizing body phantoms. The proposed AMC antenna is a promising candidate for wearable wireless devices.
Deformations of the moduli space and superpotential flows in 3D SUSY QCD

Author(s): Shirman, Y; Waterbury, M | Abstract: We study the moduli space of three-dimensional N=2 SQCD with SU(N) gauge group and F
Classical Approximation Theorems

Let X be a compact Hausdorff space. Let 𝔄 be a subalgebra of C R (X) which contains the constants.
Automated vision-based system for monitoring Asian citrus psyllid in orchards utilizing artificial intelligence

Abstract Specialty crop growers face challenges from numerous diseases and pests. For example, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is a key pest of citrus due to its role as vector of huanglongbing (HLB) (greening disease). There is no known cure for HLB, but vector management is critical, both for slowing spread and attenuating symptoms in infected trees. Therefore, monitoring ACP population, as well as other pest populations, is an essential management component for timing and assessment of control actions. Manual crop scouting is often labor intensive and time consuming. In this work, an automated system was developed and evaluated utilizing machine vision and artificial intelligence to monitor ACP in groves. This system comprised a tapping mechanism to collect insects from the tree’s branches and a board with a grid of cameras for image acquisition. A software was developed using two convolutional neural-networks to accurately detect and distinguish psyllids from other insects and debris fallen from the tree. A GPS was utilized to automatically record individual tree position to facilitate data assessment on large groves. A precision and recall of 80% and 95%, respectively, was obtained on detecting ACPs on a sample of 90 young citrus trees. The system proved a great potential to automate scouting procedures in citrus and to be extended to other crop insects.
Mental Health Outcomes Among Military Service Members After Severe Injury in Combat and TBI.

Introduction Studies examining the mental health outcomes of military personnel deployed into combat zones have focused on the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder conferred by mild or moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, other mental health outcomes among veterans who sustained critical combat injuries have not been described. Materials and method We examined the associations of moderate and severe TBI and combat injury with the risk for anxiety and mood disorders, adjustment reactions, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, cognitive disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of U.S. military service members critically injured in combat during military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan from February 1, 2002, to February 1, 2011. Health care encounters from (1) the Department of Defense (DoD) Trauma Registry (TR), (2) acute and ambulatory care in military facilities, and (3) civilian facilities are reimbursed by Tricare. Service members who sustained severe combat injury require critical care. We estimated the risk of mental health outcomes using risk-adjusted logit models for demographic and clinical factors. We explored the relationship between TBI and the total number of mental health diagnoses. Results Of the 4,980 subjects who met inclusion criteria, most injuries occurred among members of the Army (72%) or Marines (25%), with mean (SD) age of 25.5(6.1) years. The prevalence of moderate or severe TBI was 31.6% with explosion as the most common mechanism of injury (78%). We found 71% of the cohort was diagnosed with at least one poor mental health condition, and the adjusted risk conferred by TBI ranged from a modest increase for anxiety disorder (odds ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-1.45) to a large increase for cognitive disorder (odds ratio, 3.24; 95% CI, 2.78-3.77). We found TBI was associated with an increased number of mental health diagnoses (incidence rate ratio, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.42-1.63). Conclusions Combat-associated TBI may have a broad effect on several mental health conditions among critically injured combat casualties. Early recognition and treatment for trauma-associated mental health are crucial to improving outcomes among service personnel as they transition to post-deployment care in the DoD, Department of Veterans Affairs, or community health systems.
ACAS sXu: Robust Decentralized Detect and Avoid for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Demand for small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) continues to increase in diversity and volume, however applications are currently limited by regulatory requirements for visual observation or special use waivers. For full integration of autonomous sUAS in the national airspace system, a collision avoidance system must be implemented to enable detection and avoidance of air traffic. Building upon collision avoidance systems development over the past decade for large UAS and manned aircraft, ACAS sXu provides such a capability, enabling autonomous and decentralized sUAS collision avoidance capability against manned aircraft, UAS, and other sUAS.
Comparing Student Performance in a Graduate-Level Introductory Biostatistics Course Using an Online versus a Traditional in-Person Learning Environment

Our study compared the performance of students enrolled in a graduate-level introductory biostatistics course in an online versus a traditional in-person learning environment at a school of public ...
Retrospective analysis of a dedicated care pathway for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in an integrated US healthcare system demonstrates support of weight management and improved ALT.

A care pathway for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Kaiser Permanente San Diego, California was instituted in August 2017 to improve efficiency of disease staging and promote lifestyle modification. The NAFLD Care Pathway includes: (1) patient education (2) vibration controlled transient elastography (VCTE) examination (3) hepatology consultation for VCTE ≥ 8 kPa and (4) referral to weight management (WM). Patients referred to the pathway during the first 6 months of its implementation were studied for adherence to its components and impact on weight change and ALT values in the 12 months following referral. Retrospective assessment of WM participation, change in weight, and change in ALT were evaluated in the 12-months following referral and compared to changes 12-months prior. Student’s t-test or Wilcoxon signed rank test were used as appropriate (p < 0.05). 632 patients were included. 575 (91.0%) completed VCTE examination with mean liver stiffness 8.5 kPa (SD 9.2). 52 patients had mean liver stiffness ≥ 15 kPa. 180/632 (28.5%) attended NAFLD education. 153/632 (24.2%) were offered hepatology clinic and 136/153 (88.9%) completed at least 1 appointment. Participation in WM was 24/632 (3.8%) prior to referral and 67/632 (10.6%) after referral and increased among patients who attended NAFLD education. Mean weight change following referral was − 0.69 kg (SD 6.58 kg) among patients without WM and − 7.78 kg (SD 13.43 kg) with WM. Overall, 44.2% of participants experienced weight gain after referral, 40.8% had weight loss < 5% and 15% had weight loss ≥ 5%. Variables associated with weight loss included WM (p < 0.0001) and higher liver stiffness (p = 0.0066). Mean ALT change was − 15.2 (SD 38.5) U/L without WM and − 28.8 (SD 29.6) U/L with WM. A care pathway for NAFLD within a large, integrated healthcare system provides non-invasive disease staging and minimizes hepatology clinic utilization to those with more advanced disease. Referral was associated with increased enrollment in WM, weight loss, and decreased ALT. Given its impact on healthcare resources, strategies to improve NAFLD identification, staging, and promotion of lifestyle modification are imperative.
Mechanistic Investigation on Oxidative Degradation of ROS-Responsive Thioacetal/Thioketal Moieties and Their Implications

Summary Thioacetal/thioketal moieties have been identified as responsive to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Despite its utility in a broad range of applications, the mechanism that underlies the ROS-induced cleavage of these moieties is not well understood. In this work, through a series of structure-property relationship studies such as Hammett correlation, we propose a mechanism or the oxidative cleavage of thioacetals and thioketals, where the thiolate components are converted to the corresponding disulfide product along with the formation of the respective aldehydes and ketones. The mechanism proposed here involves thioether oxidation that leads to the formation of a thionium intermediate, hydrolysis of which leads to the aldehyde/ketone product. In addition, we also show a preliminary demonstration of the utility of such an understanding, as it offers to sequentially release two distinct small molecules caged in a substrate using two contradictory stimuli, viz. oxidative and reductive conditions.
Exposure to Hurricane Harvey flooding for subsidized housing residents of Harris County, Texas

This article contributes to research on social vulnerability to natural hazards by analyzing the relationship between spatial patterns of flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey and subsidized rental housing residents. Our study area is Harris County, the most populous county in Texas, which includes the city of Houston and was severely impacted by Harvey-induced flooding. We sought to determine whether: (1) federally subsidized housing units and residents were disproportionately located in areas with greater flood extent and (2) areal extent of flooding around subsidized housing developments was greater for developments where higher proportions of socially vulnerable households reside. We integrated information from the US Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Harvey flood depths grid with US Department of Housing and Urban Development data on relevant rental assistance programs. Results from multivariable generalized estimating equations indicated significantly higher percentages of subsidized housing units and residents in neighborhoods with greater flood extent, after accounting for pertinent spatial and social factors. We also found subsidized housing developments with more extensive flooding nearby to contain significantly higher percentages of extremely low income, female-headed and older (62 + years) households. Findings have important implications for future research and policy, since these socio-spatial inequalities are likely to be reproduced through climate change-related disasters projected to affect many cities within and outside Texas.
Self-powered wearable biosensors

Electronic skin (e-skin) is expected to play a crucial role in the next generation of robotics and medical devices. However, existing e-skin-based sensing platforms primarily focus on monitoring physical parameters and rely on the power from the batteries or near field communication, which significantly hinders their broad use and sustainability toward continuous wireless sensing. Here I will introduce our recent works on flexible self-powered integrated electronic skin for multiplexed metabolic sensing in situ. These battery-free wearable sensors contain biosensors as well as highly efficient energy harvesters (such as biofuel cells and triboelectric nanogenerators) that utilize a unique integration of 0 dimensional to 3 dimensional nanomaterials to achieve remarkably high power intensity and long-term stability. Such battery-free soft wearable systems with highly efficient energy harvesting from the human body hold great promise for robotics and personalized healthcare applications.
Fingers See Things Differently (FIST-D): An Object Aware Visualization and Manipulation Framework Based on Tactile Observations

Planning object manipulation policies based on tactile observations alone is a challenging task due to the multi-factorial variances in the measured point cloud (e.g. sparsity, missing regions, rotation, etc.) and the limited sensory information available through tactile sensing. Nevertheless, the mainstream grasp planners are designed for well-structured point cloud data, and lack the crucial ability to plan grasps in unexplored regions that are common during tactile sampling. Hence, it is crucial to detect the grasp regions from incomplete and unstructured tactile point cloud data. To address this limitation, we propose a novel framework that utilizes a support set of CAD models to augment the tactile observations, and thereby facilitate object recognition, visualization, and developing manipulation policies solely using tactile samples. To cope with the noise and sparsity of tactile observations, we propose uGPIS, a surface reconstruction method that utilizes the occupancy possibility function and the Gaussian Process Regression to recover the underlying surface from tactile point clouds. Then, we complete the partially observed tactile point cloud using the prior knowledge obtained from the support set of full CAD models. This prior information will provide the enriched geometric information that is crucial to determine the grasp regions. Our experimental results on a physical simulation show that our method can successfully combine the prior knowledge from the database to enhance the grasp success rate.
The ultimate defense against piranhas.

![Graphic][1] Picture the arch-nemesis of a fearsome piranha. What comes to mind? A giant, ferocious fish with teeth even more menacing than those of piranhas? A spiny, turtle-like fish that is as hard as a rock? Maybe something like an electric eel that could fight teeth with electricity?
Research on Optimizing the Stability of Impulse Voltage Calibrator used in Traceability

Impulse Voltage Calibrator is important equipment in traceability of impulse voltage measurement. The characteristic of impulse voltage calibrator directly affects the accuracy and reliability of impulse voltage measurement. The output voltage parameters of standard calibrator will be changed after long-term operation. In order to optimize the stability and reduce the temperature rise of the calibrator, constant temperature control scheme of impulse calibrator is proposed. The parameters of (1.56/60) μs calibrator were selected to study. The results show that the long-term stability parameters of the standard impulse voltage source are improved by 0.04% and the accuracy of impulse voltage traceability is effectively improved after temperature control of the temperature.
Global positioning system studies of ionospheric irregularities: A technical review

Abstract Global Positioning System (GPS) techniques for studying the ionosphere have come to the fore within the past ten years or so. In that time frame: (1) the GPS constellation became fully operational, (2) GPS receivers became widely available, and (3) data from GPS receiver networks appeared on the Internet. Traditionally GPS studies of the ionosphere have focused on total electron content (TEC) measurements and the undisturbed ionosphere. More recently, researchers have begun to exploit the potential to study the disturbed ionosphere using GPS satellite signal observations. Broadly speaking, two GPS techniques are used to study disturbances: delta-TEC techniques and scintillation techniques. This article outlines both techniques and summarizes recent examples from the literature for high, low, and middle latitudes. We will discuss promising multi-instrument techniques and identify some areas where more ionospheric information can potentially be extracted from the data. Throughout the discussion we will also point out the limitations of GPS techniques for studying disturbances. Some of these limitations occur because the available GPS hardware and software were designed with other purposes in mind. In such cases we shall consider possible remedies. Other limitations are more fundamental to beacon satellite techniques. Ground-based GPS diagnostics will never match radar installations for wealth of ionospheric data, for example. What GPS techniques for monitoring disturbances offer is a relatively inexpensive means to proliferate measurements with the goal of resolving issues like spatial versus temporal variations of irregularities.
Physical Design and CAD Tools for 3-D Integrated Circuits: Challenges and Opportunities

Three-dimensional integration is a breakthrough technology that provides numerous benefits such as better performance, lower power consumption, and wide bandwidth by vertical interconnects and 3-D stacking. This paper presents an overview regarding the physical design and CAD tools suitable for 3-D integrated circuits.
Growth of Clostridium perfringens in cooked chili during cooling.

U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations require that brick chili be cooled from 48.9 degrees C to 4.4 degrees C within 2 h of cooking, but processors may not always be able to comply. Studies were conducted to evaluate the extent of bacterial multiplication resulting from outgrowth of germinated Clostridium perfringens spores experimentally inoculated into chili and incubated at various temperatures. Inoculated samples were heated (75 degrees C for 20 min) to activate spores, quickly equilibrated, and held at one of five desired temperatures for 6 h. No growth was observed for C. perfringens in samples held at 26.7 degrees C and below for 6 h, but growth was observed by 6 h in samples held at 32.2 degrees C and after 2 h in samples held at temperatures between 37.8 degrees C and 48.9 degrees C. Using isothermal growth data, we developed a simple model for predicting the growth of bacteria with time under exponential cooling conditions. The model predicts both the lag phase and the numbers of bacteria at specific times during the growth phase. It was developed by using isothermal growth data and tested by using temperature-varying growth data from experiments with spores of C. perfringens in chili. Actual data agreed closely with predicted results. The results should be useful for evaluating the hazard potential for growth of C. perfringens in chili.
Elevated plasma biomarkers of chronic inflammation in Gulf War illness (591.3)

As many as 200,000 veterans of the 1990-1991 Gulf War suffer from unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses collectively known as Gulf War Illness (GWI). Symptoms of GWI may include muscle and joi...
Reading a Chilean Classic: Eduardo Barrios's Gran señor y rajadiablos

The text of Gran senor y rajadiablos, published in 1948, is divided into an introduction, set apart by italics, and five sections called "evocations," an unusual designation that alludes to the central importance of memory and voice for the teller of the tale, the narrator. After the title and before the introduction lies an odd epigraph for a novel that follows as an epigone the tradition of the novel of the land, such as La vorâgine (1924), Don Segundo Sombra (1926), and Dona Barbara (1929). Barrios, without identifying the source for his quote, writes "Tolle, lege . . ." the well-known words recorded by Saint Augustine in Confessions, viii, 12: "Tolle lege, tolle lege."
Time Series: Economic Forecasting

Time-series forecasting uses historical empirical regularities, guided by a theoretical understanding of economic processes, to make future projections. Economic forecasts are used in a wide range of activities, including setting monetary and fiscal policies, state and local budgeting, financial management, and financial engineering. Key elements of economic forecasting include selecting the forecasting model(s) appropriate for the problem at hand, assessing and communicating the uncertainty associated with a forecast, and guarding against model instability.
College student generational status: Similarities, differences, and factors in college adjustment.

This study explored similarities and differences between 130 first-year college students classified as first or second generation. Multiple regression analyses and between-group t tests were performed to analyze the data. The study found that firstgeneration students reported significantly less parental income and social adjustment. On-campus friend support predicted overall adjustment better for second-generation students whereas intellectualism predicted better for first-generation students. Selfesteem and on-campus support consistently predicted adjustment for the entire sample. Implications are suggested.
Structure and expression of the barley stem rust resistance gene Rpg1 messenger RNA

Abstract The barley stem rust resistance gene Rpg1 confers resistance to many pathotypes of the stem rust fungus Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici. Rpg1 was recently cloned by a map-based approach from the barley cultivar Morex. Haplotype sequencing and transformation of a susceptible barley cultivar were employed to prove its identity. As a first step in understanding the molecular mechanism of action of Rpg1, we characterized the structure and transcription of the Rpg1 messenger RNA. Several alternative splice forms were identified, some of which could be translated into a predicted full-length protein product. The expression of the gene occurred in all plant organs and developmental stages analyzed. However, leaf epidermis exhibited ca. 30-fold higher Rpg1 expression than the whole leaf. Expression of Rpg1 was not induced by infection of barley cultivar Morex seedlings with the incompatible P. graminis f. sp. tritici pathotype MCC, while some defense-related genes, such as barley β-1,3-glucanases and PR1a, were strongly induced.
Effect Of Current Pulse Shape On Driving Metal/water Chemical Reaction

Pulsed electrical activation of a trigger wire embedded in a reactive metal powder-water mixture triggers a fast and highly energetic chemical reaction in the mixture. The major variable determining the extent of the reaction is the primary stored energy. The reaction efficiency, however, depends largely on the current pulse shape, which is characterized by the circuit parameters. In order to make the most efficient use of the pulsed power in driving the reaction the trigger wire should carry the current to near its peak value immediately before its explosion. This requirement uniquely determines the cross sectional area of the wire running through the center axis of a cylindrical slurry system, for a given set of primary energy and circuit inductance. As long as this requirement is fulfilled, the total mass of the wire (or the length) dictates the cross sectional area of the slurry around the wire which is going to undergo the reaction. There appears to be a range of the circuit inductance which helps generate a series of pulse shapes, effective for triggering the reaction in the slurry.
Hydrodynamic stability of viscous flow between rotating porous cylinders with radial flow

A linear stability analysis has been carried out for flow between porous concentric cylinders when radial flow is present. Several radius ratios with corotating and counter‐rotating cylinders were considered. The radial Reynolds number, based on the radial velocity at the inner cylinder and the inner radius, was varied from −30 to 30. The stability equations form an eigenvalue problem that was solved using a numerical technique based on the Runge–Kutta method combined with a shooting procedure. The results reveal that the critical Taylor number at which Taylor vortices first appear decreases and then increases as the radial Reynolds number becomes more positive. The critical Taylor number increases as the radial Reynolds number becomes more negative. Thus, radially inward flow and strong outward flow have a stabilizing effect, while weak outward flow has a destabilizing effect on the Taylor vortex instability. Profiles of the relative amplitude of the perturbed velocities show that radially inward flow sh...
Estimation of the actual bubble surface area flux in flotation

Abstract The bubble surface area flux, SB, defined as the ration between the superficial gas rate JG and the Sauter mean bubble diameter D32, has been widely used to describe the gas phase dispersion efficiency in flotation machines, and from this predict flotation performance, notable mineral recovery to forecast plant economics. In this work, results of bubble size distribution (BSD) generated in a pilot column are analyzed. Using video and image analysis techniques, the impact of different sampling rates on the BSD was evaluated. Measurements were carried out for D32 = 1–2 mm, JG = 0.5–1.5 cm/s and two frother concentration, with a maximum sampling rate of 100 fps. In addition, the bubble rise velocity in the bubble swarm was measured, as a function of the individual bubble diameter, for different operational conditions. The identification of the BSD depends on the proper selection of the visual field and sampling rate for acquisition and processing of bubble images. Distortion in the estimation occurs because a larger holdup of small bubbles is observed, relative to the overall data set, due to their lower velocity. The actual BSD was obtained by correcting the observed population, considering the effect of bubble rise velocity. Thus, the actual bubble surface area flux, SB, was calculated. The results were evaluated at a pilot scale (air–water system) as well as an industrial plant scale (air-pulp system).
Laser microprobe analyses of noble gas isotopes and halogens in fluid inclusions: Analyses of microstandards and synthetic inclusions in quartz☆

Ar, Kr, Xe, Cl, Br, I, and K abundances and isotopic compositions have been measured in microscopic fluid inclusions in minerals by noble gas mass spectrometry following neutron irradiation and laser extraction. The laser microprobe noble gas mass spectrometric (LMNGMS) technique was quantified by use of microstandards, including air-filled capillary tubes, synthetic basalt glass grains, standard hornblende grains, and synthetic fluid inclusions in quartz. Common natural concentrations of halogens (Cl, Br, and I) and noble gases (Ar and Kr) in trapped groundwaters and hydrothermal fluids can be analyzed simultaneously by LMNGMS in as little as 10−11 L of inclusion fluid, with accuracy and precision to within 5–10% for element and isotope ratios. Multicomponent element and isotope correlations indicate contaminants or persistent reservoirs of excess Xe and/or unfractionated air in some synthetic and natural fluid inclusion samples. LMNGMS analyses of natural fluid inclusions using the methods and calibrations reported here may be used to obtain unique information on sources of fluids, sources of fluid salinity, mixing, boiling (or unmixing), and water-rock interactions in ancient fluid flow systems.
Computed tomography of intracerebral gangliogliomas.

Abstract CT and clinical findings in 6 histologically proven cases of intracerebral gangliogliomas (out of 14,000 cranial CT examinations are presented. The tumor is most often isodense, with areas of calcification. Even though CT findings are nonspecific, they are suggestive of the benign nature of the tumor. When this histologically confirmed (by biopsy) the more aggressive forms of treatment may be obviated.
Experimental Design and Data Collection for Dynamic Fragmentation Experiments

Experiments have been conducted to investigate the fracture and fragmentation characteristics of a liquid phased sintered (LPS) tungsten and high strength steel alloys. Metal cylinders, each of which was 20.32 cm tall and 5.08 cm inner/5.88 cm outer diameter, were explosively driven to failure. Two complimentary types of experiments were conducted in this series to determine input parameters for a related continuum mechanics based modeling effort. Open air experiments utilized ultra-high speed framing photography and a photonic Doppler velocimetry system (PDV). The information from these experiments provided a case wall velocity, relative time of breakup and strain-rate during the stress loading timeframe. Complimentary experiments were conducted in a water tank to perform a soft recovery of the fragments. The fragments were subsequently cleaned, massed, and characterized according to their mass and failure strain distributions. Various methods of analyzing the data (Mott & Weibull distributions) are discussed along with the calibration of the continuum damage model parameters. Results of the failure strain analysis, fragment distribution, and damage model are then supplied for use in subsequent modeling and application designs. Further details of the modeling and simulation approach are outlined in a complimentary set of two papers presented by Lambert [1] and Hopson [2].
Anomalous coronary arteries: A familial clustering

We present two brothers with anomalous origin of left coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva. Screening of other members of the family revealed no coronary artery anomalies. The likelihood of finding such a rare anomaly in two members of a family by chance alone is extremely small; extensive review of the literature found only three other reports of such familial association.
Interventricular septal rupture complicating acute myocardial infarction: From pathophysiologic features to the role of invasive and noninvasive diagnostic modalities in current management

Rupture of the interventricular septum is a serious complication of acute myocardial infarction, accounting for 5% of deaths due to acute infarction. The septal perforation most frequently occurs during the first week after the infarction. The majority of these patients present with at least two-vessel coronary artery disease, and most cases have a total occlusion of the infarct-related artery. The degree of associated right ventricular damage is clinically important. Unpredictable hemodynamic deterioration can rapidly develop in 80% of the patients, and mortality with medical therapy alone exceeds 90%. Because the preoperative hemodynamic status of these patients appears to be a major determinant for survival, accurate diagnosis, urgent management, and early operative correction are necessary to avoid a catastrophic clinical outcome. Traditionally, diagnostic procedures included first, the insertion of a pulmonary artery catheter for recording of pressures, sequential oximetry, and calculation of the shunt's magnitude and the cardiac output followed by left ventriculography and coronary arteriography for angiographic demonstration of the shunt and the coronary anatomy. Currently, optimal utilization of color flow Doppler and two-dimensional and transesophageal echocardiography offers a significant clinical advantage and can be used to shorten the time spent on diagnosis, evaluation, and management prior to the urgent surgical repair. The elimination of time-consuming diagnostic tests can contribute to further improvement in the survival rate.
The Food Web of Boiling Springs Lake Appears Dominated by the Heterolobosean Tetramitus thermacidophilus Strain BSL

We studied the protist grazers of Boiling Springs Lake (BSL), an acid geothermal feature in Lassen Volcanic National Park, using a combination of culture and genetic approaches. The major predator in BSL is a vahlkampfiid ameba closely related (95% 18S+ITS rRNA identity) to Tetramitus thermacidophilus, a heterolobose ameboflagellate recently isolated from volcanic geothermal acidic sites in Europe and Russia, as well as an uncultured heterolobosean from the nearby Iron Mountain acid mine drainage site. Tetramitus thermacidophilus strain BSL is capable of surviving the physical extremes of BSL, with optimal growth at 38-50 °C and pH 2-5. This bacterivore also ingested conidiospores of the ascomycete Phialophora sp., but ultrastructural observations reveal the latter may not be readily digested, and conidia were not separable from the ameoboflagellate culture, suggesting a possible symbiosis. DGGE fingerprint transects studies showed the organism is restricted to near-lake environs, and we detected an average of ~500 viable cysts/cm(3) sediment on the shoreline. Other grazing protists were isolated from lakeshore environments, including the lobose amebae Acanthamoeba sp. and Hartmannella sp., and the kinetoplastid flagellate Bodo sp., but none could tolerate both low pH and high temperature. These appear to be restricted to cooler near lake geothermal features, which also contain other potential grazer morphotypes observed but not successfully cultured, including ciliates, euglenids, testate amebae, and possible cercozoans. We compare the food web of BSL with other acidic or geothermal sites, and discuss the impact of protists in this unique environment.
An exploratory study of activity in veterans with Parkinson’s disease

Movement disorder specialists have limited information on the specifics of how patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) spend their time. We deemed it important to examine the relationships among activity and daily energy expenditure (DEE), non-motor symptoms, and body mass index in veterans with PD who were outpatients at a Veterans Affairs medical center. In this exploratory study, we mailed demographic and activity questionnaires and gathered data on 100 patients. Activity was categorized into five domains and three intensity levels, and DEE was measured in kilocalories. Light activities accounted for 64.9% of DEE (9.1 h), moderate activities for 32.9% (2.1 h), and vigorous activities for 2.2% (0.1 h) of DEE. Television viewing comprised 10.6% (2.5 h) of the day. The effects of non-motor symptoms were significantly associated with more time spent on activities of daily life (ADL). Patients rated fatigue and pain as having the greatest impact on their daily activities. The overweight/obese group of PD patients expended more overall DEE (p = 0.044) and more DEE on social activities (p = 0.024) and light intensity activities (p = 0.021) than did the underweight/normal group. Leisure activities for both groups changed from active to passive. Veterans with PD primarily expended DEE on ADL, TV viewing, and light intensity activities. Television viewing time may have been under reported. Movement disorder specialists can be more proactive in referring patients to physical therapy and encouraging their participation in community exercise and support groups.
Selective fluorescence quenching of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by nitromethane within room temperature ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate

Abstract Recently discovered room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) show tremendous promise to replace volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Investigation of these RTILs as solvents is in the very early stages. Before the full potential of these RTILs is realized, much more information about them as solvent systems must be obtained. The applicability of one such RTIL, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIM PF 6 ), as a solvent toward analysis for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is explored. The steady-state emission behavior of six PAHs along with the fluorescence quenching by nitromethane within BMIM PF 6 is investigated. The steady-state emission of six PAHs showed a bathochromic shift in BMIM PF 6 compared to acetonitrile, indicating possibly a more dipolar environment. Further, the nitromethane quenching of PAH emission strongly suggests a selective nature as the emission from alternant PAHs are quenched while that from nonalternant PAHs is not. The PAH–nitromethane quenching behavior within BMIM PF 6 is compared with that observed in the polar aprotic solvent acetonitrile, and a polar and similar viscosity (to BMIM PF 6 ) solvent system, 90 wt.% glycerol in water. It is observed that the PAH–nitromethane quenching within BMIM PF 6 and 90 wt.% glycerol in water is less efficient than in acetonitrile. This observation is suggested to arise from solvent viscosity.