cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Probabilistic fatigue damage assessment of coastal slender bridges under coupled dynamic loads

Abstract With coupled dynamic interactions of vehicle-bridge-wind-wave (VBWW) system, fatigue damage accumulations at complicated weldments of the orthotropic steel deck (OSD) for coastal slender bridges could be critical and might affect structural safety and reliability. Due to the stochastic nature of the environmental loadings including vehicles, wind and waves, it is challenging to include uncertainties for the assessment of the fatigue damage accumulations in the bridge’s life cycle. In the present study, an efficient probabilistic fatigue damage assessment framework for coastal slender bridges is proposed with a machine learning algorithm to include the coupled stochastic dynamic loads in the VBWW system. Firstly, stochastic load models are developed based on the long-term field measurements for realistic modeling of the truck load and the correlated wind and wave load, which serve as the input for the VBWW system to extract the stress time histories at critical structural details using multi-scale finite-element analysis (FEA). After calculating the equivalent stress range and the corresponding number of cycles using the rain-flow counting method, the daily equivalent fatigue damage is obtained using the linear fatigue damage rule. To reduce the calculation cost, a machine learning algorithm is utilized for probabilistic modeling of the daily equivalent fatigue damage by integrating uniform design and support vector regression to link the multiple random inputs of environmental loadings with the single output of the stress time history. The fatigue life of critical structural details, therefore, can be obtained using the established limit-state function with a target reliability index. A prototype cable-stayed bridge in a coastal region is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed simulation framework. Finally, the impacts of the traffic growth including the traffic volume and the gross vehicle weight on the fatigue life of three welded joints are investigated and discussed, as well.
Makeing the tracks placement of touch sensor with auto-routing

Touch sensor technology is booming and heavily used to input-devices to replace the keyboards and mouse. No matter what kind of touch application technology in the design and development stage, the sensor electrodes signal layout usually need to undergo numerous changes and the design time urgent. Currently in the touch sensor, when the designer or manufacturer's drawings the signals with 3um to 30um width, them must via the EDA tools complete the works of routine, placement, and evaluation. Therefore, the paper will provide a 2D automatic routing tool for touch sensor design stage with text edit that is through the Metal Mesh techniques to let microcircuit more effectively.
Abstract B26: Immune-active microenvironment in SCCOHT: Rationale for therapy with immune checkpoint blockade

Introduction: Small cell carcinoma of the ovaries, hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT) is a rare and very aggressive malignancy with limited treatment options. SCCOHT is described as an epigenetically altered SMARCA4-mutated monogenic disease, but the exact mechanism of SCCOHT tumorigenesis is not clear. Immune checkpoint-targeting antibodies have not been considered as a suitable treatment option for SCCOHT, because this cancer is characterized by a small number of mutations. Anecdotal reports of patients with SCCOHT responding to PD-1 blockade have challenged this view. We aimed to characterize the immune microenvironment of SCCOHT in order to evaluate a rationale for therapy with PD-1/PD-L1 targeting antibodies. Methods: To test whether SCCOHT tumors were identified by the immune system, we examined PD-L1 expression and T cell populations within tumor samples. The immune landscape was profiled using quantitative immunofluorescence and gene expression profiling. Results: Most tumors showed PD-L1 expression and prominent T cell infiltration, with PD-L1 being primarily limited to tumor-infiltrating immune cells. Gene expression analyses revealed upregulation of genes related to T-cell infiltration and cytolytic function in the PD-L1-high tumors. We hypothesize that PD-L1 upregulation in SCCOHT is an adaptive immune response to T-cell infiltration, as has been previously reported for several other cancer types. Conclusions: Our findings provide an impetus for further investigation of PD-1/PD-L1 as a potential therapy for patients with SCCOHT. More generally, these results challenge the prevailing view that tumor immunogenicity is primarily driven by mutational burden, calling for identification of additional immune pathways involved in tumor recognition. Citation Format: Elke Van Oudenhove, Petar Jelinic, Jacob Ricca, Narciso Olvera, Taha Merghoub, Douglas A. Levine, Zamarin Dmitriy. Immune-active microenvironment in SCCOHT: Rationale for therapy with immune checkpoint blockade. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Conference: Addressing Critical Questions in Ovarian Cancer Research and Treatment; Oct 1-4, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(15_Suppl):Abstract nr B26.
An application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process for prioritizing user preferences in the design of a Home Energy Management System

Abstract Most demand response programs focus primarily on commercial and industrial loads. The sheer number of decision-influencing variables combined with a lack of a comprehensive understanding of human behavior make it difficult to develop response programs that encourage greater residential consumer participation. This paper presents a multi-criteria decision making approach using actual survey data for identifying user preferences. The novelty of the work is in considering functionality, cost, and carbon emissions for a given set of home appliances toward energy management. The paper explains the design methodologies used to prioritize the preferences from 1023 survey participants. The results are expected to inform the design of Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) for participating in demand response programs.
Male Bladder Microbiome Relates to Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms.

Abstract Background In women, compelling evidence associates lower urinary tract microbiota (LUTM) with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS); a similar association in men with benign prostate enlargement (BPE) is not established. Objective To determine whether associations exist between LUTM and LUTS. Design, setting, and participants Forty-nine male volunteers, aged 40–85 yr, were recruited from one academic tertiary care center. Twenty-eight patients undergoing BPE/LUTS surgery and 21 undergoing non-BPE/LUTS surgery were stratified by International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and paired voided/catheterized urine specimens were collected for expanded quantitative urine culture (EQUC) and 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Primary and secondary outcomes were presence of detectable LUTM and specific bacterial members of the LUTM, respectively. Baseline data were compared. Univariable logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for IPSS category associated with the presence of bladder microbiota. Relative LUTM proportions were compared with IPSS using chi-square tests. Results and limitations Thirty-nine percent of catheterized and 98% of voided specimens contained LUTM. Catheterized and voided LUTM differed significantly. LUTM was detected in catheterized urine of 22.2% of men with mild LUTS, 30.0% with moderate LUTS, and 57.1% with severe LUTS (p = 0.024). Increased IPSS category was associated with significantly higher odds of detectable bacteria (OR: 2.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.09–4.49). Small sample size limited this study, making it unable to identify significant differences in specific bacterial taxa based on IPSS. Conclusions Voided urine does not adequately characterize the male bladder microbiome. In males with and without BPE, IPSS severity was associated with detectable bacteria in catheterized urine, which samples the bladder. Additional studies are needed to identify specific bladder bacteria associated with LUTS. Patient summary To study bladder bacteria, urine should be collected with a catheter. Men with severe urinary symptoms are more likely to have detectable bladder bacteria than those with less severe symptoms.
Simulated Responses of the West African Monsoon and Zonal-Mean Tropical Precipitation to Early Holocene Orbital Forcing

This study seeks to improve our mechanistic understanding of how the insolation changes associated with orbital forcing impact the West African monsoon and zonal‐mean tropical precipitation. We impose early Holocene orbital parameters in simulations with the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory AM2.1 atmospheric general circulation model, either with fixed sea surface temperatures, a 50‐m thermodynamic slab ocean, or coupled to a dynamic ocean (CM2.1). In all cases, West African Monsoon rainfall expands northward, but the summer zonal‐mean Intertropical Convergence Zone does not—there is drying near 10°N, and in the slab ocean experiment a southward shift of rainfall. This contradicts expectations from the conventional energetic framework for the Intertropical Convergence Zone location, given anomalous southward energy fluxes in the deep tropics. These anomalous energy fluxes are not accomplished by a stronger Hadley circulation; instead, they arise from an increase in total gross moist stability in the northern tropics.
Impact of Changes in Maternal Age and Parity Distribution on the Increasing Trends in the Low Birth Weight and Very Low Birth Weight Rates in South Korea, 2005-2015

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of shifts in maternal age and parity on the increasing trends in the low birth weight (LBW) and very low birth weight (VLBW) rates from 2005 to 2015 in South Korea. Methods Data from 4 993 041 live births registered with Statistics Korea during the period between 2005 and 2015 were analyzed. Applying a modified standardization method, we partitioned the total increment in the LBW and VLBW rates into (1) the increase in the LBW and VLBW rates due to changes in the maternal age and parity distribution (AP-dis) and (2) the increase due to changes in the age-specific and parity-specific rates (AP-spe) of LBW and VLBW for singleton and multiple births, respectively. Results During the study period, the total increment in the LBW and VLBW rates was 1.43%p and 0.25%p, respectively. Among singleton births, changes in the AP-dis accounted for 79% (0.34%p) and 50% (0.06%p) of the total increment in the LBW and VLBW rates, respectively. Meanwhile, among multiple births, changes in the AP-dis did not contribute to the increase in the LBW and VLBW rates, with 100% of the increase in the LBW (1.00%p) and VLBW (0.13%p) rates being attributed to changes in the AP-spe. Conclusions This study demonstrated that shifts in maternal age and parity were prominent contributors to the increase in the LBW and VLBW rates among singleton births between 2005 and 2015 in South Korea.
Insights from Drosophila on mitochondrial complex I

NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase, more commonly referred to as mitochondrial complex I (CI), is the largest discrete enzyme of the oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS). It is localized to the mitochondrial inner membrane. CI oxidizes NADH generated from the tricarboxylic acid cycle to NAD+, in a series of redox reactions that culminates in the reduction of ubiquinone, and the transport of protons from the matrix across the inner membrane to the intermembrane space. The resulting proton-motive force is consumed by ATP synthase to generate ATP, or harnessed to transport ions, metabolites and proteins into the mitochondrion. CI is also a major source of reactive oxygen species. Accordingly, impaired CI function has been associated with a host of chronic metabolic and degenerative disorders such as diabetes, cardiomyopathy, Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Leigh syndrome. Studies on Drosophila have contributed to our understanding of the multiple roles of CI in bioenergetics and organismal physiology. Here, we explore and discuss some of the studies on Drosophila that have informed our understanding of this complex and conclude with some of the open questions about CI that can be resolved by studies on Drosophila.
Skeletal Stem Cell-Schwann Cell Circuitry in Mandibular Repair.

Summary Regenerative paradigms exhibit nerve dependency, including regeneration of the mouse digit tip and salamander limb. Denervation impairs regeneration and produces morphological aberrancy in these contexts, but the direct effect of innervation on the stem and progenitor cells enacting these processes is unknown. We devised a model to examine nerve dependency of the mouse skeletal stem cell (mSSC), the progenitor responsible for skeletal development and repair. We show that after inferior alveolar denervation, mandibular bone repair is compromised because of functional defects in mSSCs. We present mSSC reliance on paracrine factors secreted by Schwann cells as the underlying mechanism, with partial rescue of the denervated phenotype by Schwann cell transplantation and by Schwann-derived growth factors. This work sheds light on the nerve dependency of mSSCs and has implications for clinical treatment of mandibular defects.
Inadequacies in genetic testing referrals and counseling in prostate cancer.

43Background: Recent studies have recognized the high prevalence of germline mutations in genes affecting DNA repair in patients with prostate cancer. In recognition of their growing clinical signi...
Fabrication of a Pseudo-reference Electrode on a Flexible Substrate and Its Application to Heavy Metal Ion Detection

Flexible electrochemical sensors with three- electrode configuration are useful for various in-situ measurements of electroactive species. An electrochemical modification of a printed silver layer is presented as a method to integrate a mechanical and electrochemically stable pseudoreference electrode. The surface morphologies and compositions of the pseudo-reference electrode were characterized by a scanning electron microscope, an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis, and an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The electrochemical performance of the integrated pseudo-reference electrode was studied using potassium ferricyanide as a probe molecule and compared against the results obtained from a commercial reference electrode. Its application towards heavy metal ion detection in aqueous solutions was demonstrated.
Long-Term Information in the Decision to Provide a Short-Term Forecast

Several recent empirical papers assert that the decision to disclose an earnings forecast shortly before the actual earnings announcement reveals only short-term information and is therefore unlikely to entail proprietary costs. Using a simple dynamic model of voluntary disclosure, we show that the decision to disclose a short-term earnings forecast reveals managers’ private information about long-term future performance. We test the predictions of the model empirically and find that the decision to disclose a short-term earnings forecast predicts earnings three years beyond the forecasted period, and that the predictive ability is incremental to short-term earnings itself. Consistent with the predictions of our model, we find that the predictive ability of the short-term forecast decision for long-term performance is higher when short-term performance is poor; is lower when managers have short horizons; and is lower when proprietary costs of revealing long-term performance is high. Our analysis suggests that – despite its short horizon – the decision to provide a short-term earnings forecast contains significant information about long-term performance and thus can entail significant proprietary costs.
Intermodalism history, advantages, and disadvantages

Abstract Intermodalism has been around for nearly two centuries, but it has only been in the past 60+ years that it has become the prevailing means for conveying goods by sea. This chapter explores the economic, safety, and security advantages, but also discusses the security disadvantages that have become evermore obvious in the current world political environment. With the title of this book being Intermodal Maritime Security, the syllable inter is emphasized because of its implications for both rail and truck transportation modes.
Safety and Efficacy of Basiliximab for Immunosuppression Holiday in Lung Transplant Patients

Purpose Calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) or mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor (mTORi) maintenance immunosuppression (MI) may lead to complications that require interim alternative therapies. The goal of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of basiliximab (BAS) when CNI/mTORi MI are held due to renal (RT), hematologic (HT) and neuro toxicities (NT). Methods This was a retrospective single-center clinical review of lung transplant recipients (LTR) who received BAS therapy during a hospitalization between January 2016 and July 2020 related to CNI/mTOR MI toxicity. BAS was given at a maximum of every two weeks, with MI held until resolution of toxicity. The primary endpoint was biopsy-proven or presumed rejection at 6 months following the first BAS infusion. Additional endpoints include recovery from CNI/mTORi toxicity, infection, and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. Toxicity analysis was expressed as degree of recovery. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data. Results Twenty-six LTRs were included and are described in Table 1. 38% of LTRs experienced rejection within 6 months, with median onset of 59 days post-BAS. Composite recovery from toxicity (≥50%) was achieved by 50% of LTRs at time of MI restart, and 61.5% by 6 months. All patients with NT had full recovery by 6 months, followed by HT (44%) and RT (44%) (Figure 1). All but one patient experienced infection by 6 months (Table 1). Conclusion BAS therapy may be an effective alternative IS for high-risk LTRs experiencing CNI/mTORi-related toxicities when balanced with the risk of infection. Further studies are needed to assess efficacy and safety of this approach.
Factors associated with suicidal ideation in an epilepsy center in Northern New England.

Abstract Suicidal ideation (SI), defined as thoughts and feelings of ending one’s life, is a known risk factor for completed suicide. Although studies show that rates of SI are elevated in persons with epilepsy (PWE) compared to the general population, it is presently unclear how disease, social, and psychological factors contribute to its frequency and severity. With an overarching goal to develop a screening tool for suicide prevention, the objective of this study was to understand the rate, severity, and factors associated with SI in a large cohort of PWE. A generalized linear mixed model was used to test the relationship between changes in SI and disease, social, and psychological variables in 2450 PWE over a period of four years. The prevalence of SI was 23.6%. Associated disease factors included increased seizure frequency, severity, and recency. SI was impacted by employment status, but not by driving. Depression scores and aggression were highly associated with frequency and severity of SI. These findings highlight that disease, social, and psychological factors impact levels of SI in PWE and that screening for suicide prevention in PWE should include measures of such factors.
Magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling through E region turbulence: 2. Anomalous conductivities and frictional heating

[1] Global magnetospheric MHD codes using ionospheric conductances based on laminar models systematically overestimate the cross–polar cap potential during storm time by up to a factor of 2. At these times, strong DC electric fields penetrate to the E region and drive plasma instabilities that create turbulence. This plasma density turbulence induces nonlinear currents, while associated electrostatic field fluctuations result in strong anomalous electron heating. These two effects will increase the global ionospheric conductance. On the basis of the theory of nonlinear currents developed by Dimant and Oppenheim [2011], this paper derives the correction factors describing turbulent conductivities and calculates turbulent frictional heating rates. Estimates show that during strong geomagnetic storms the inclusion of anomalous conductivity can double the total Pedersen conductance. This may help explain the overestimation of the cross–polar cap potentials by existing MHD codes. The turbulent conductivities and frictional heating presented in this paper should be included in global magnetospheric codes developed for predictive modeling of space weather.
The Soybean Rj4 Allele Restricts Nodulation by Bradyrhizobium japonicum Serogroup 123 Strains

Of nine Bradyrhizobium japonicum serogroup 123 strains examined, 44% were found to be restricted for nodulation by cultivar Hill. Nodulation studies with soybean isoline BARC-2 confirmed that the soybean Rj4 allele restricts nodulation by the same serogroup 123 isolates. Immunological analyses indicated that B. japonicum strains in serogroups 123 and 31 share at least one surface somatic antigen.
A distance geometry study of ring systems

Abstract We present the application of distance geometry methods to the generation of structures of a sampling of organic molecules: cyclooctane, cyclododecane, 18-crown-6, and androstane-3,17-dione. The method provides a simple, convenient method to generate either a random sample of molecular conformations, or to generate specified conformations. Using this approach, we found a new, relatively low-energy conformation of 18-crown-6. We also demonstrated that the lowest energy structure of cyclododecane was not exactly of D 4 symmetry, which had been previously assumed in molecular mechanics optimization.
Studies of Prothrombin Biosynthesis in Cell-free Systems III. REGULATION BY VITAMIN K AND WARFARIN OF PROTHROMBIN BIOSYNTHESIS IN RAT LIVER MICROSOMES

Abstract The de novo biosynthesis of prothrombin by rat liver microsomes has been studied under various conditions of vitamin K nutriture and 4-hydroxycoumarin drug treatment. Incorporation of label from l-[U-14C]leucine into prothrombin as measured by specific antibody and a radioimmunoassay of net prothrombin biosynthesis with 125I-labeled rat prothrombin were both employed. It was found that the rate of prothrombin biosynthesis in vitro correlated well with the plasma prothrombin levels observed in vivo under various conditions. Liver microsomes from vitamin K-deficient rats or warfarin-treated rats showed a negligible prothrombin synthesis when compared with normal control preparations. When deficient or anti-coagulated rats were treated with doses of vitamin K in vivo required to restore circulating prothrombin levels toward normal, a large increase in the incorporation of isotopic amino acid into prothrombin was observed in vitro which paralleled measurements of net synthesis of prothrombin by radioimmunoassay. Under these conditions, total protein synthesis and serum albumin synthesis as measured by specific antibody were unaffected. When vitamin K1 was added in vitro to microsomes from deficient rats, no effect was observed on the negligible prothrombin synthesis. Similarly, when warfarin was added to microsomes from normal rats, no diminution in prothrombin biosynthesis was observed. Since unfortified rat liver microsomes engage only in peptide chain elongation and not initiation, it was concluded from these data that vitamin K and warfarin probably regulate the initiation of prothrombin biosynthesis in rat liver cells.
Age distributions and dynamically changing hydrologic systems: Exploring topography‐driven flow

[1] Natural systems are driven by dynamic forcings that change in time as well as space, behavior that is inherited by the system flow field and results in time-varying age distributions (ADs). This work presents a review of the mathematical tools and solution approaches used to model ADs in dynamic time-varying flow systems. A simple conceptual, numerical model is then used to explore the role of flow dynamics in ADs for topography-driven flow systems. This model is an analog for regional groundwater systems and hyporheic zones. This model demonstrates that relatively small fluctuations in the forcing, even though importantly affecting the flow in the system, can have minimal effects in ADs. However, as the intensity of fluctuation increases, still within the bounds observed in natural systems, ADs in shallow parts of the system become highly sensitive to dynamic flow conditions, leading to considerable changes in the moments and modality of the distributions with time. In particular, transient flow can lead to emergence of new modes in the AD, which would not be present under steady flow conditions. The discrepancy observed between ADs under steady and transient flow conditions is explained by enhancement of mixing due to temporal variations in the flow field. ADs in deeper parts of the system are characterized by multimodality and tend to be more stable over time even for large forcing fluctuations.
Image Recognition with Occlusions

We study the problem of how to detect “interesting objects” appeared in a given image, I. Our approach is to treat it as a function approximation problem based on an over-redundant basis. Since the basis (a library of image templates) is over-redundant, there are infinitely many ways to decompose I. To select the “best” decomposition we first propose a global optimization procedure that considers a concave cost function derived from a “weighted L p norm” with 0<p<-1. This concave cost function selects as few coefficients as possible producing a sparse representation of the image and handle occlusions. However, it contains multiple local minima. We identify all local minima so that a global optimization is possible by visiting all of them. Secondly, because the number of local minima grows exponentially with the number of templates, we investigate a greedy “L p Matching Pursuit” strategy.
Autonomous Target Detection and Localization Using Cooperative Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

In this chapter we present sensor implementation issues encountered in developing a team of cooperative unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. UAVs that compose the cooperative team are equipped with heterogeneous sensors and onboard processing capability. The sensor information collected by each UAV is constantly shared among the neighboring UAVs and processed locally using Out-of-Order Sigma-Point Kalman Filtering (O3SPKF) techniques. Results from flight experiments support the effectiveness of the cooperative autonomous UAV technologies.
Determining the Incidence of Horseshoe Kidney From Radiographic Data at a Single Institution

ABSTRACTPurpose: An estimated 150,000 children are born with birth defects each year. One of the most frequent genitourinary abnormalities is horseshoe kidney (HSK). The incidence of HSK in the population is estimated to be 1/400 to 1,600 births based on autopsy data from the 1940s and 1950s. We prospectively evaluated the incidence of HSK based on radiographic studies to determine the contemporary incidence of HSK.Materials and Methods: In a 6-month period patients undergoing abdominal computerized tomography, renal ultrasonography and excretory urography were screened for HSK. After identification medical charts were reviewed for demographics, history, study indication and findings. A literature review of 12 studies of 825 patients with HSK was compared with the current series with regard to common associated findings.Results: From 15,320 radiographs 23 patients were identified with HSK for an overall incidence of 1/666. Computerized tomography, excretory urography and ultrasound identified 16, 5 and 2 ...
Measure for Measure: Calibrating Ten Commonly Used Calibration Scores.

Abstract This study examined the dimensionality of 10 different calibration measures using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The 10 measures were representative of five interpretative families of measures used to assess monitoring accuracy based on a 2 (performance) × 2 (monitoring judgment) contingency table. We computed scores for each of the measures using a common data set and compared one-, two-, and five-factor CFA solutions. We predicted that the two-factor solution corresponding to measures of specificity and sensitivity used to assess diagnostic efficiency would provide the best solution. This hypothesis was confirmed, yielding two orthogonal factors that explained close to 100% of sample variance. The remaining eight measures were intercorrelated significantly with the sensitivity and specificity factors, which explained between 91 and 99 percent of variance in each measure. The two-factor solution was consistent with two different explanations, including the possibility that metacognitive monitoring may utilize two different types of processes that rely on separate judgments of correct and incorrect performance, or may be sufficiently complex that a single measurement statistic fails to capture all of the variance in the monitoring process. Our findings indicated that no single measure explains all the variance in monitoring judgments. Implications for future research are discussed.
The politics of social accounting: public goals and the evolution of the national accounts in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States

Abstract National social statistics have become one of the pervasive institutions of modern economics and politics. However, less is known about the origins of national accounting and the disagreements over its fundamental purpose and design. Modern national accounts emerged in attempts by German statistical entrepreneurs to understand the industrial economy and harness production in the service of national goals. In the American context national accounts emerged as a means for measuring social welfare, but evolved in the direction of the German and then British efforts at maximizing war production during the Second World War. The origins and evolution of social accounting in the German, British and American contexts illustrate the competing public goals served by our institutional choices. Different normative purposes, driven by new national goals, may require institutional change.
An application of Boussinesq modeling to Hurricane wave overtopping and inundation

Wave and combined wave-and-surge overtopping was significant across a large portion of the hurricane protection system of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. In particular, along the east-facing levees of the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet (MRGO), the overtopping caused numerous levee breaches. This paper will focus on the MRGO levees, and will attempt to recreate the hydrodynamic conditions during Katrina to provide an estimate of the experienced overtopping rates. Due to the irregular beach profiles leading up to the levees and the general hydrodynamic complexity of the overtopping in this area, a Boussinesq wave model is employed. This model is shown to be accurate for the prediction of waves shoaling and breaking over irregular beach profiles, as well as for the overtopping of levees. With surge levels provided by ADCIRC and nearshore wave heights by STWAVE, the Boussinesq model is used to predict conditions at the MRGO levees for 10 h near the peak of Katrina. The peak simulated overtopping rates correlate well with expected levee damage thresholds and observations of damage in the levee system. Finally, the predicted overtopping rates are utilized to estimate a volumetric flooding rate as a function of time for the entire 20 km stretch of east-facing MRGO levees.
Medial patellar ossification after patellar instability: a radiographic finding indicative of prior patella subluxation/dislocation.

Objective To describe the correlation between medial patellar ossification and prior patella subluxation and/or dislocation.
First-principles study of the structural and energetic properties of H atoms on a graphite (0001) surface

Abstract Electronic structure calculations based on spin-polarized density functional theory with the generalized gradient approximation and ultrasoft pseudopotentials are used to investigate the interaction between H atoms and a graphite (0 0 0 1) surface. An asymmetric slab supercell approach is employed to model the graphite surface. The calculated equilibrium properties of bulk graphite, the hydrogen molecule and the graphite (0 0 0 1) surface are all in good agreement with experimental data. The interaction of H with three high-symmetry sites on a graphite surface is considered. A broad and site-independent H physisorption region centered at around 4 A above the surface has a small binding energy of 8 meV. A localized stable chemical adsorption site can be found only when H is placed on the top site, with the help of substantial surface reconstruction. The reaction of a gas-phase H atom with an H adsorbed in the chemisorption site is then considered. Numerous total energy points are computed in the region of configuration space believed to be important for this Eley–Rideal reaction. Our results are in good agreement with the studies of Sidis and co-workers [Chem. Phys. Lett. 300 (1991) 157, Proc. Conf. H 2 in space]. Preliminary results from a quantum scattering calculation using a model potential energy surface fit to these points are presented. The trapping and recombination of H atoms on graphite surfaces is discussed, taking surface reconstructions into consideration.
Viral proteinases : Targets of opportunity

During antiviral drug development, any essential stage of the viral life cycle can serve as a potential drug target. Since most viruses encode specific proteases whose cleavage activity is required for viral replication, and whose structure and activity are unique to the virus and not the host cell, these enzymes make excellent targets for drug development. Success using this approach has been demonstrated with the plethora of protease inhibitors approved for use against HIV. This discussion is designed to review the field of antiviral drug development, focusing on the search for protease inhibitors, while highlighting some of the challenges encountered along the way. Protease inhibitor drug discovery efforts highlighting progress made with HIV, HCV, HRV, and vaccinia virus as a model system are included. Drug Dev. Res. 67:501–510, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Preinfection cell wall formation in roots and developing nodules ofAlnus rubra Bong

The establishment of actinorhizal root nodules involves penetration of host cell walls and intracellular colonization by the nitrogen-fixing endosymbiont,Frankia (Actinomycetales). In the early stages of the infection process inAlnus, unusual cell walls with undulate profiles were observed in root tip meristematic derivatives, and in early (preinfection) derivatives of the nodule lobe meristem, inFrankia-inoculated plants. The irregular cell walls attached obliquely to preexisting walls, but were not discontinuous. Serial sections revealed that the unusual walls divided two daughter cells. Microtubules in bundled arrays were abundant near the undulate walls, and radiated in several planes. In the root tips, the anomalous cell walls were observed within one day of inoculation withFrankia.
STOCHASTIC ACCELERATION BY A SINGLE WAVE IN A MAGNETIC FIELD

The nature of a particle orbit in an electrostatic plasma wave is modified by a magnetostatic field, because there exists a set of resonant parallel velocities $\frac{(\ensuremath{\omega}+l\ensuremath{\Omega})}{{k}_{z}}$. If the wave amplitude ${\ensuremath{\Phi}}_{0}$ is sufficiently large, neighboring resonant regions overlap, and the particle motion becomes stochastic; the threshold condition is ${{k}_{z}}^{2}(\frac{e}{m}){\ensuremath{\Phi}}_{0}|{J}_{l}({k}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}\ensuremath{\rho})|\ensuremath{\approx}\frac{{\ensuremath{\Omega}}^{2}}{16}$. As an application, a weakly damped intermediate-frequency ion-acoustic wave may be used to heat the tail of an ion distribution.
Effects of antioxidant nutrient deficiency on the retina and retinal pigment epithelium of albino rats: a light and electron microscopic study

Abstract Male Sprague-Dawley rats were maintained, from weaning, on diets deficient either in vitamin E, selenium, chromium and sulfur amino acids (−E−Se−S−Cr), or only in vitamin E and selenium (−E−Se+S+Cr). Control animals (+E+Se+S+Cr) received all four nutrients. After 24–26 weeks on their respective diets, both deficient groups showed a dramatic accumulation of an autofluorescent pigment, similar to lipofuscin, in the retinal pigment epithelium. This increased autofluorescence was correlated with a large increase in the number of electron-dense inclusion bodies observed in the pigment epithelium by transmission electron microscopy. Accompanying the build-up of autofluorescent pigment was the development of an irregularity and an overall increase in retinal pigment epithelium cell height. There was also an increase in the number of lipid droplets in the retinal pigment epithelium, particularly in the periphery of the eye. In the eyes of deficient animals, cells were occasionally seen which appeared to have detached from Bruch's membrane and migrated into the region of the photoreceptor outer segments. Photoreceptor outer segment phagocytosis by the retinal pigment epithelium appeared to be decreased as a consequence of dietary antioxidant deficiency, since a reduction of over 75% in the number of phagosomes per unit retinal pigment epithelium cell length was seen in some areas of the eye in both deficient groups. These changes in the retinal pigment epithelium were accompanied by a pronounced loss of photoreceptor cells, particularly from the central retina (20–34% fewer cells than supplemented controls). The disk membranes of the photoreceptor outer segments of deficient animals were often swollen, disoriented and vesiculated, and areas were frequently seen where outer segment debris had accumulated at the interface between the photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium. Many of the changes in the retina and retinal pigment epithelium were more severe in the fully deficient (−E−Se−S−Cr) group, than in the group deficient only in vitamin E and selenium.
Human Complexity: Development of a Theoretical Framework for the Clothing and Textile Field

Recognizing the dynamic, complex nature of human systems and their interaction with multiple other systems led to the research question: What multidimensional theoretical framework could address this complexity and provide an expanded view for research and education, specifically in the field of clothing and textiles [CT]? Metatheory, a study of theories, was conducted using a qualitative research design. Data were collected from documents pertaining to systems theory and social psychology theories used by CT and were analyzed by the constant comparative method. Four main themes were identified—relationship, process, organization, and outcomes. The Human-Environment Systems Theoretical Framework was developed through an integration of the themes. Recommendations are made for using this holistic perspective to address dynamic, complex human-environment problems.
Unusual 31P Chemical Shielding Tensors in Terminal Phosphido Complexes Containing a Phosphorus−Metal Triple Bond

Phosphorus-31 NMR data for one-coordinate phosphorus compounds are extremely scarce in the literature.1,2 Until recently, the only stable compounds with a terminal phosphorus atom involved in a triple bond were phosphaalkynes, RCtP,3,4 and the isoelectronic iminophosphenium cations, [RNtP]+.5 The isotropic 31P chemical shift range for these compounds extends from 96 to -207 ppm. In general, phosphaalkynes and iminophosphenium ions are found to have their 31P chemical shifts at lower frequency (more shielded) compared to phosphaalkenes and iminophosphines, respectively. This trend is analogous to the relationship between 13C chemical shifts in alkynes and alkenes. Recently, the first terminal phosphido (P3-) complexes containing a phosphorus-metal triple bond were successfully synthesized.6,7 Surprisingly, 31P NMR signals in these complexes were found above 1000 ppm. Observation of such unusual 31P chemical shieldings suggests that phosphorusmetal triple-bonding schemes may differ substantially when compared to phosphorus-carbon and phosphorus-nitrogen triple-bonding schemes. Here we report the 31P chemical shielding tensors for the terminal phosphido (MtP) complexes Mo(P)[N(Bu)Ar]3 (1, Ar ) C6H5; 2, Ar ) 3,5-C6H3Me2) and M(P)(NN3) (NN3 ) [Me3SiNCH2CH2)3N]; 3, M ) Mo; 4, M ) W). The anisotropies are all in excess of 2000 ppm, which is by far the largest 31P chemical shielding anisotropy (CSA) ever observed. A typical solid-state 31P NMR spectrum8 of the terminal phosphido complexes obtained with magic-angle-spinning (MAS) is shown in Figure 1. In addition to the isotropic peak, a large number of rotational sidebands extend over a range of ca. 2000 ppm. From the rotational sideband intensities, it is possible to compute the principal components of the chemical shielding tensor.9,10 For complexes 1-4, orientations of the principal components of the 31P chemical shielding tensor are constrained by crystallographic symmetry. For example, complex 1 crystallizes in the space group I4h3d with its MotP bond lying along the crystallographic C3 axis.11 Therefore, the 31P chemical shielding tensor in 1 must be axially symmetric with the unique axis lying along the MotP direction. Similarly, complexes 2 and 4 crystallize in the space groups P63 and Pa3h, respectively; each complex has its MtP vector lying along a cystallographic C3 axis.6,7 The structure of 3, although not yet determined, is expected to be identical to 4. Our NMR results also confirmed that the 31P chemical shielding tensor in 3 is axially symmetric, suggesting the presence of an axis with C3 or greater symmetry.
Design of emergency logistics networks, taking efficiency, risk and robustness into consideration

This paper provides an integrated framework to design emergency logistics networks (ELNs) based upon efficiency, risk and robustness metrics. The mixed integer linear programming-based framework consists of strategic level design (SLD) and operational level plan (OLP) phases. The efficiency and risk are determined using transportation cost (TC) and relief item loss cost, respectively, in SLD phase while the robustness is analysed in terms of perturbed TC through diverse damage scenarios to major facilities in OLP phase. The applicability of the framework is demonstrated with two case studies using historical disaster records. The results show that this framework provides two options to decision-makers. One option is to design the optimal ELN based upon three integrated costs, while the other is to select ELNs based upon risk tolerance. We claim that the framework would provide significant insights to practitioners and researchers for design and implementation of ELN models.
Intravenous xenon-133 for the determination of radionuclide first pass right ventricular ejection fraction

Abstract The use of intravenous xenon-133 for determination of radionuclide first pass right ventricular ejection fraction is described. First pass determinations of right ventricular ejection fraction were made with both xenon-133 and technetium-99m in 13 subjects (15 right ventricular ejection fraction determinations); results obtained with xenon-133 show an excellent correlation (r = 0.98, p
Effect of Supplemental β-Carotene on Incidence and Responsiveness of Ovarian Cysts to Hormone Treatment

Abstract Sixty-two multiparous and 35 primiparous Holstein cows were assigned randomly at 10 days postpartum to receive a ration with or without 300mg β -carotene/cow per day. Multiparous and primiparous cows were grouped separately and group-fed complete rations once daily. Incidence of ovarian cysts (26% by rectal palpation) was not affected by β -carotene fed. Multiparous cows had greater incidence (39%) of ovarian cysts than primiparous cows (11%). Fifty-seven percent of cysts were classified follicular by rectal palpation. Progesterone concentration of milk also was used for diagnosis of type of cyst. Cows with ovarian cysts and with progesterone concentrations in milk less than 1ng/ml were classified follicular, and those having concentration greater than 1ng/ml were classified luteal. As determined by milk progesterone, rectal palpation was more accurate for diagnosis of luteal cysts than for diagnosis of follicular cysts. Progesterone concentrations of milk for animals with luteal and follicular cysts were 10.66±1.29 and .37±.07ng/ml. β -Carotene did not affect response or days to respond to treatment with human chorionic gonadotropin or gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Supplemental β-carotene was not beneficial for reducing incidence of ovarian cysts in cows receiving an adequate supply of β-carotene in their diet.
Microwave Processing of Ceramics: Guidelines Used at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

To make meaningful comparisons between conventional and microwave processing of materials, one must conduct experiments that are as similar as possible in the two environments. Particular attention must be given to thermal conditions, sample parameters, and furnace environment. Under thermal conditions, one must consider temperature measurement (pyrometer or thermocouple, sheath type, and arcing of thermocouples), thermal history (heating and cooling rates, thermal gradients), and exothermic reactions. Regarding sample parameters, one must. consider sample size, and packing powders and insulation systems. With respect to furnaces, one must consider differences in atmosphere, impurities, and uniformity of heating. Examples will be drawn from diffusion, grain growth, sintering, nitridation, and drying experiments conducted at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) over the past six years.
On the determination and construction of optimal designs for comparing a set of test treatments with a set of controls in the presence of a linear trend

In this paper we consider the problem of constructing optimal designs for experimental situations where c controls are to be compared to t test treatments and the treatments are to be applied to experimental units occurring in a linear array and where there may be an unknown linear trend. Methods are given for determining and constructing optimal designs for such situations.
Performance metric for evaluating conformance of medical image displays with the proposed ACR/NEMA display function standard

ACR/NEMA has released for public comment the display function standard document. This standard, produced by ACR/NEMA Working Group XI, has been developed in order to solve the problem of standardizing the response of grey scale display systems. This paper presents a methodology proposed in the display function standard for quantitatively calculating the conformance of a display device to the standard display function based on statistical measures, which are referred to as the linearization uniformity measures (LUM). There are two LUM measures, R2, or global uniformity, and root mean square error, or local uniformity. The derivation of both measures is described. Two additional measures that provide a better description of the achievable dynamic range of a display device than simply its luminance range are also described, the theoretical number of just noticeable differences (JNDS) of the display, and the realized number of JNDS of the display. Currently available medical image display systems are analyzed using each of these measures, to examine their shortcomings, and suggest what changes might be desirable in the design of medical image display systems in the future.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.