Restrictions on copredication: a situation theoretic approach

This paper proposes a situation-theoretic account of polysemy: polysemous nouns denote situations that witness (i.e. contain) multiple entities of different types. For instance, lunch denotes situations that contain an eating event and some food where these stand in a patient relation. A puzzle regarding more than two ways polysemous nouns such as statement is the restrictions on copredication they exhibit, namely, where multiple, potentially incompatible predicates are applied based on a single antecedent, but not all combinations of readings are possible. Such restrictions fall naturally out of the situation-theoretic account of polysemy

Structural Behavior of Cold-formed Steel Header Beams for Residential Construction

The purpose of this experimental and analytical study was to observe the structural behavior of cold-formed steel header beams subject to a combined bending and interior-one-flange loading (IOF) condition as typically occurs in residential construction. This study focussed on the IOF loading of both back-to-back (I-beam) and box-beam configurations as specified in the Prescriptive Method for Residential Cold-Formed Steel Framing - Second Edition. Past research conducted in the area of web crippling strength, bending strength and flange buckling of cold-formed steel members was reviewed and is discussed. The data obtained from the experimental study was analyzed and evaluated to determine the interaction between bending and web crippling for the loading configurations used. The findings of this pilot study were used to define future research needed to establish design methodologies for residential header beam construction. Because this was a pilot study and was limited in the number of test specimens, no new design equations or recommendations were developed

Treatment of motion sickness

Scopolamine should be used to reduce nausea associated with motion sickness, but it does not reduce vomiting. (Strength of Recommendation [SOR]: A, based on multiple randomized controlled trials [RCTs].) Firstgeneration antihistamines (dimenhydrinate and chlorpheniramine) can also be used to reduce nausea associated with motion sickness. (SOR: B, based on multiple RCTs.) Scopolamine is more effective than meclizine (Antivert) and as effective as dimenhydrinate. Ondansetron (Zofran) and the second-generation antihistamines cetirizine (Zyrtec) and fexofenadine (Allegra) do not reduce symptoms of motion sickness and should not be used. (SOR: B, based on small RCTs.) Ginger can be used to reduce symptoms of motion sickness. (SOR: B, based on RCTs with conflicting results.

Analysis of Conventionally Framed Hip Roofs Using Cold-formed Steel Members

Cold-formed steel is continuing to increase in popularity in the residential construction market and is gaining an increasing market share compared with other construction materials. Conventionally framed hip roof construction uses rafters, ridge members, hip members and ceiling joists but does not include any supplemental interior supports or collar ties between rafters. Conventional framing has traditionally been used in light framed timber structures and more recently in roofs framed with cold-formed steel members. based upon a review of building codes, specifications and standards, it was determined that analysis and design of rafters and hip members for conventional hip roof framing does not typically consider axial forces in rafters or hip members. This paper investigates the behavior of conventionally framed coldformed steel roof framing members using elastic, finite element analysis methods. the roof system as a whole was considered in the analysis, including the contribution of the roof sheathing and ceiling joists. an analysis of members which does not consider any strength contribution from sheathing was conducted and shows that depending on the slope of the roof, axial forces developed in these members can be significant and should not be ignored. Alternatively, when roof sheathing is considered to act in combination with other framing members, the axial forces in the rafter and hip members are reduced and bending moment in the hip members are significantly reduced. This study indicates that conventional roof framing behavior can be predicted more accurately by considering the entire roof system, including sheathing, rather than as individual members

Water Wise: Native Plants for Intermountain Landscapes

This comprehensive volume provides specific information about shrubs, trees, grasses, forbs, and cacti that are native to most states in the Intermountain West, and that can be used in landscaping to conserve water, reflect and preserve the region\u27s landscape character, and help protect its ecological integrity. The book is an invaluable guide for the professional landscaper, horticulturist, and others in the Intermountain nursery industry, as well as for the student, general reader, gardener, and homeowner. Water Wise is both convenient and comprehensive. The heart of the book presents hundreds of species, devoting a full page to each, with a description of appearance, habitat, landscape use, and other comments. Color photographs illustrate each plant described. A reader-friendly introduction provides important background on the ecology of the Intermountain West, along with full descriptions of native plant habitats and associations.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/usupress_pubs/1142/thumbnail.jp

Severe thrombocytopenia in a man with prostatic cancer

A 66 year old gentleman was diagnosed to have metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate in 1990, following a CT scan of the abdomen and trans-uretheral resection of prostate (TLJRP). He was started on estrogen therapy (Fos­festerol sodium). Two years later he presented to the emer­gency room with breathlessness and edema of the left ann of a week’s duration. He admitted to persistence of symptoms of pmstatism and was found to have bilateral axillary lymphade­nopathy and pitting edema of the left arm. A doppler scan revealed left subclavian vein thrombosis. The patient was started on i.v. heparin and was maintained on it until the resolution of arm edema and was subsequently switched to oral anticoagulation. The serum Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) level was found to be 1460 ng/ml. Fosfesterol was discontinued and the patient was started on antiandrogen therapy (Cyproterone acetate). The patient was sent home on anticoagulation, but had to be readmitted shortly thereafter because of the sudden onset of shortness of breath. This time he was found to have bilateral pitting pedal edema and :tenderness in the right calf. Intravenous heparin was reinsti­tuted. An infçrior venacavagram revealed extensive thrombo­sis of the right popliteal vein and the left common iliac vein. A clinical diagnosis of pulmonary embolism was made. Despite continuous i.v. heparin in adequate doses, the patient experi­enced recurrent episodes of shortness of breath. A greenfield filter was placed in the inferior vena cava to prevent further episodes of pulmonary embolism. The patient remained heparinized for more than two weeks, until complete resolu­tionofsyniptoms had occured. Subsequently oral anticoagula­tion was started and the dose of coumarin was adjusted to maintain an international normalized ratio (INR) between 1.8 and2.0

A Pyrene Maleimide with a Flexible Linker for Sampling of Longer Inter-Thiol Distances by Excimer Formation

Pyrene-containing compounds are commonly used in a number of fluorescence-based applications because they can form excited-state dimers (excimers) by stacking interaction between excited-state and ground-state monomers. Their usefulness arises from the facts that excimer formation requires close proximity between the pyrenes and that the excimer emission spectrum is very different from that of the monomers. One of many applications is to assess proximity between specific sites of macromolecules labeled with pyrenes. This has been done using pyrene maleimide, a reagent that reacts with reduced thiols of cysteines, but its use for structural studies of proteins has been rather limited. This is because the introduction of two cysteines at sufficiently close distance from each other to obtain excimer fluorescence upon labeling with pyrene maleimide requires detailed knowledge of the protein structure or extensive site-directed mutagenesis trials. We synthesized and tested a new compound with a 4-carbon methylene linker placed between the maleimide and the pyrene (pyrene-4-maleimide), with the aim of increasing the sampling distance for excimer formation and making the use of excimer fluorescence simpler and more widespread. We tested the new compound on thiol-modified oligonucleotides and showed that it can detect proximity between thiols beyond the reach of pyrene maleimide. Based on its spectroscopic and chemical properties, we suggest that pyrene-4-maleimide is an excellent probe to assess proximities between cysteines in proteins and thiols in other macromolecules, as well as to follow conformational changes

Safety of magnetic resonance imaging of patients with a new Medtronic EnRhythm MRI SureScan pacing system: clinical study design

BACKGROUND: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of patients with implanted cardiac devices is currently considered hazardous due to potential for electromagnetic interference to the patient and pacemaker system. With approximately 60 million MRI scans performed worldwide per year, an estimated majority of pacemaker patients may develop an indication for an MRI during the lifetime of their pacemakers, suggesting that safe use of pacemakers in the MRI environment would be clinically valuable. A new pacing system (Medtronic EnRhythm MRItrade mark SureScantrade mark and CapSureFix MRItrade mark leads) has been designed and pre-clinically tested for safe use in the MRI environment. The EnRhythm MRI study is designed to confirm the safety and efficacy of this new pacing system. METHODS: The EnRhythm MRI study is a prospective, randomized controlled, unblinded clinical trial to confirm the safety and efficacy of MRI at 1.5 Tesla in patients implanted with a specifically designed pacemaker and lead system. The patients have standard indications for dual chamber pacemaker implantation. Successfully implanted patients are randomized in a 2:1 ratio to undergo MRI (MRI group) or to have no MRI scan (control group) at 9-12 weeks after pacemaker system implantation. Magnetic resonance (MR) scanning includes 14 head and lumbar scan sequences representing clinically relevant scans while maximizing the gradient slew rate up to 200 T/m/s, and/or the transmitted radiofrequency (RF) power up to SAR (specific absorption rate) levels of 2 W/kg body weight (upper limit of normal operating mode). Full interrogation of all device information and sensing and capture function are measured at device implantation, every follow-up and before and immediately after MRI in the MRI group and at the same time points in the control group. Complete pacemaker and lead evaluations are also done at one week and one month after the scan for the MRI and control group patients.The primary endpoint is safe and successful completion of the MRI scan as measured by freedom from both MRI-procedure related complications and clinically significant changes in the sensing and capture function of the leads. RESULTS: Results will be communicated after approximately 156 and 470 patients have completed 4 months of follow-up. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00433654

The ergogenic effect of beta-alanine combined with sodium bicarbonate on high-intensity swimming performance

We investigated the effect of beta-alanine (BA) alone (study A) and in combination with sodium bicarbonate (SB) (study B) on 100- and 200-m swimming performance. In study A, 16 swimmers were assigned to receive either BA (3.2 g·day−1 for 1 week and 6.4 g·day−1 for 4 weeks) or placebo (PL; dextrose). At baseline and after 5 weeks of supplementation, 100- and 200-m races were completed. In study B, 14 were assigned to receive either BA (3.2 g·day−1 for 1 week and 6.4 g·day−1 for 3 weeks) or PL. Time trials were performed once before and twice after supplementation (with PL and SB), in a crossover fashion, providing 4 conditions: PL-PL, PL-SB, BA-PL, and BA-SB. In study A, BA supplementation improved 100- and 200-m time-trial performance by 2.1% (p = 0.029) and 2.0% (p = 0.0008), respectively. In study B, 200-m time-trial performance improved in all conditions, compared with presupplementation, except the PL-PL condition (PL-SB, +2.3%; BA-PL, +1.5%; BA-SB, +2.13% (p < 0.05)). BA-SB was not different from BA-PL (p = 0.21), but the probability of a positive effect was 78.5%. In the 100-m time-trial, only a within-group effect for SB was observed in the PL-SB (p = 0.022) and BA-SB (p = 0.051) conditions. However, 6 of 7 athletes swam faster after BA supplementation. The probability of BA having a positive effect was 65.2%; when SB was added to BA, the probability was 71.8%. BA and SB supplementation improved 100- and 200-m swimming performance. The coingestion of BA and SB induced a further nonsignificant improvement in performance