cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Overview of biopolymer-induced mineralization: What goes on in biofilms?

Abstract Bacteria are associated with mineralization and dissolution processes, some of which may enhance or compromise the physical stability of engineered structures. Examples include stabilization of sediment dikes, bioplugging, biogrouting, and self-healing of concrete and limestone structures. In contrast to ‘biologically controlled’ precipitation (e.g. shells) of eukaryote organisms, microbial precipitation primarily results from two major processes: (1) ‘biologically induced’ precipitation, where microbial activities generate biogeochemical conditions that facilitate precipitation; and (2) ‘biologically influenced’ precipitation, where passive interactions of extracellular biopolymers and the geochemical environment drive precipitation. A common location for such biopolymers is the microbial ‘biofilm’ (i.e. cells surrounded within a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS)). EPS biofilms occur commonly in both natural environments and many engineered surfaces. Emerging evidence now suggests that EPS inhibit, alter or enhance precipitation of calcium carbonate. Functional groups on EPS serve as initial nucleation sites, while other moieties function to control extent and types (e.g. crystals vs. amorphous organominerals) of precipitation. Understanding how to control, or even manipulate, precipitation/dissolution processes within the confines of EPS matrices will influence long-term structural integrities of materials. The present overview explores properties of EPS, and their potentially destructive (dissolution) and constructive (precipitation) effects on precipitation. Initial insight is offered for understanding how biopolymers might be controlled for applied purposes.
The LCMV gp33-specific memory T cell repertoire narrows with age

The memory response to LCMV in mice persists for months to years with only a small decrease in the number of epitope specific CD8 T cells. This long persistence is associated with resistance to lethal LCMV disease. In contrast to studies focused on the number and surface phenotype of the memory cells, relatively little attention has been paid to the diversity of TCR usage in these cells. CD8+ T cell responses with only a few clones of identical specificity are believed to be relatively ineffective, presumably due to the relative ease of virus escape. Thus, a broad polyclonal response is associated with an effective anti-viral CD8+ T cell response. In this paper we show that the primary CD8+ T cell response to the LCMV gp33-41 epitope is extremely diverse. Over time while the response remains robust in terms of the number of gp33-tetramer+ T cells, the diversity of the response becomes less so. Strikingly, by 26 months after infection the response is dominated by a small number TCRβ sequences. In addition, it is of note the gp33 specific CD8+ T cells sorted by high and low tetramer binding populations 15 and 22 months after infection. High and low tetramer binding cells had equivalent diversity and were dominated by a small number of clones regardless of the time tested. A similar restricted distribution was seen in NP396 specific CD8+ T cells 26 months after infection. The identical TCRVβ sequences were found in both the tetramerhi and tetramerlo binding populations. Finally, we saw no evidence of public clones in the gp33-specific response. No CDR3 sequences were found in more than one mouse. These data show that following LCMV infection the CD8+ gp33-specific CD8 T cell response becomes highly restricted with enormous narrowing of the diversity. This narrowing of the repertoire could contribute to the progressively ineffective immune response seen in aging.
Microvascular double toe transfer for opposable digits—Case report and rationale for treatment

Microvascular transfer of the great toe has become an accepted technique for reconstruction of the amputated thumb in selected cases. In a few instances, double transfer of lesser toes has been used to reconstruct multiple finger amputations when the thumb was intact. This report describes the reconstruction of a thumb and an opposable finger in a patient who had lost all digits. A rationale for patient selection, preoperative planning, and postoperative management is also presented.
Facilitating Student Engagement: Lessons Learned from Check & Connect Longitudinal Studies

Lessons learned from years of applied research in the area of student engagement, dropout prevention and school completion are offered. This article begins with a summary of theoretical constructs that guided the development of Check & Connect and continues with descriptions of multiple applications of this targeted intervention. The roles of key personnel are identified and seven core elements of the model are highlighted including the importance of “persistence plus,” relationship building and individualized intervention. Considerations for effective implementation, derived from the experiences of longitudinal implementation studies, are discussed. These insights are offered for consideration to those who are in positions to influence the educational trajectory of youth for whom school completion is likely to be difficult.
Using comparative analysis to teach about the nature of nonstationarity in future flood predictions

Comparative analysis has been a little used approach to the teaching of hydrology. Instead, hydrology is often taught by introducing fundamental principles with the assumption that they are sufficiently universal to apply across most any hydrologic system. In this paper, we illustrate the value of using comparative analysis to enhance students' insights into the degree and predictability of future non-stationarity in flood frequency analysis. Traditionally, flood frequency analysis is taught from a statistical perspective that can offer limited means of understanding the nature of non-stationarity. By visually comparing graphics of mean daily flows and annual peak discharges (plotted against Julian day) for watersheds in a variety of locales, distinct differences in the timing and nature of flooding in different regions of the US becomes readily apparent. Such differences highlight the dominant hydroclimatological drivers of different watersheds. When linked with information on the predictability of hydroclimatic drivers (hurricanes, atmospheric rivers, snowpack melt, convective events) in a changing climate, such comparative analysis provides students with an improved physical understanding of flood processes and a stronger foundation on which to make judgments about how to modify statistical techniques for making predictions in a changing climate. We envision that such comparative analysis could be incorporated into a number of other traditional hydrologic topics.
Feeding beneficial bacteria: A natural solution for increasing efficiency and decreasing pathogens in animal agriculture

SUMMARY Consumer demand for natural and organic foods has risen steadily. Correspondingly, the demand for technologies to enhance animal performance through natural and organic solutions continues to increase. One such technology receiving considerable attention is the feedstuff application of live, beneficial bacteria, commonly called probiotics, but properly referred to as direct-fed microbials (DFM). The use of DFM in animal agriculture has grown continually over the last decade, yet the commercial success of DFM in poultry production to date has been limited. Overviewed here are the history, commercial applications, and research trials of DFM technology in animal agriculture as a means to gain some foresight into the future commercial use of DFM in poultry. We discuss successful probiotic trials in animal agriculture and emphasize those in poultry production that demonstrate 1) improved BW gain, 2) decreased morbidity, 3) decreased incidence of bird and human pathogens, and 4) increased economic profitability. Last, we present current and future obstacles and basic microbiological concepts that are essential for functional probiotic technologies.
Prevalence and Genetic Characterization of Powassan Virus Strains Infecting Ixodes scapularis in Connecticut

A total of 30 Powassan virus (POWV) isolates from Ixodes scapularis collected from Bridgeport and North Branford, CT in 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2012 and one earlier isolate from Ixodes cookei collected in Old Lyme, CT in 1978 were characterized by phylogenetic analysis of their envelope gene sequences. Powassan virus sequences segregated into two major groups termed the deer tick virus (DTV) and Powassan (POW) lineages. The lineage from I. cookei was POW. The remaining viruses from I. scapularis grouped with the DTV lineage. Powassan viruses from Bridgeport were nearly identical and clustered with a virus strain from a human in New York. Viruses from North Branford were homogeneous and grouped with viruses from Massachusetts, northwestern Connecticut, and Ontario. These findings suggest that POWV was independently introduced into these geographical locations in Connecticut and maintained focally in their respective environments. An improved method of isolation of POWV in vitro is described.
Systematic literature review and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of prescription opioids, including abuse-deterrent formulations, in non-cancer pain management

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to compare safety and efficacy outcomes between opioids formulated with technologies designed to deter or resist tampering (i.e., abuse-deterrent formulations [ADFs]) and non-ADFs for commonly prescribed opioids for treatment of non-cancer pain in adults. METHODS: PubMed and Cochrane Library databases were searched for opioid publications between September 1, 2001 and August 31, 2011, and pivotal clinical trials from all years; abstracts from key pain conferences (2010-2011) were also reviewed. One hundred and ninety-one publications were initially identified, 68 of which met eligibility criteria and were systematically reviewed; a subset of 16 involved a placebo group (13 non-ADFs vs placebo, 3 ADFs vs placebo) and reported both efficacy and safety outcomes, and were included for a meta-analysis. Summary estimates of standardized difference in mean change of pain intensity (DMCPI), standardized difference in sum of pain intensity difference (DSPID), and odds ratios (ORs) of each adverse event (AE) were computed through random-effects estimates for ADFs (and non-ADFs) vs placebo. Indirect treatment comparisons were conducted to compare ADFs and non-ADFs. RESULTS: Summary estimates for standardized DMCPI and for standardized DSPID indicated that ADFs and non-ADFs showed significantly greater efficacy than placebo in reducing pain intensity. Indirect analyses assessing the efficacy outcomes between ADFs and non-ADFs indicated that they were not significantly different (standardized DMCPI [0.39 {95% confidence interval (CI) 0.00-0.76}]; standardized DSPID [-0.22 {95% CI -0.74 to 0.30}]). ADFs and non-ADFs both were associated with higher odds of AEs than placebo. Odds ratios from indirect analyses comparing AEs for ADFs vs non-ADFs were not significant (nausea, 0.87 [0.24-3.12]; vomiting, 1.54 [0.40-5.97]; dizziness/vertigo, 0.61 [0.21-1.76]; headache, 1.42 [0.57-3.53]; somnolence/drowsiness, 0.47 [0.09-2.58]; constipation, 0.64 [0.28-1.49]; pruritus 0.41 [0.05-3.51]). CONCLUSION: ADFs and non-ADFs had comparable efficacy and safety profiles, while both were more efficacious than placebo in reducing pain intensity. Language: en
Local termination pattern analysis: a tool for comparing white matter morphology.

Disconnections between structures in the brain have long been hypothesized to be the mechanism behind numerous disease states and pathological behavioral phenotypes. Advances in diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) provide an opportunity to study white matter, and therefore brain connectivity, in great detail. DWI-based research assesses white matter at two different scales: voxelwise indexes of anisotropy such as fractional anisotropy (FA) are used to compare small units of tissue and network-based methods compare tractography-based models of whole-brain connectivity. We propose a method called local termination pattern analysis (LTPA) that considers information about both local and global brain connectivity simultaneously. LTPA itemizes the subset of streamlines that pass through a small set of white matter voxels. The “local termination pattern” is a vector defined by counts of these streamlines terminating in pairs of cortical regions. To assess the reliability of our method we applied LTPA exhaustively over white matter voxels to produce complete maps of local termination pattern similarity, based on diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) data from 11 individuals in triplicate. Here we show that local termination patterns from an individual are highly reproducible across the entire brain. We discuss how LTPA can be deployed into a clinical database and used to characterize white matter morphology differences due to disease, developmental or genetic factors.
Nanocrystalline Materials from Aerospace Machining Chips

The creation of nanostructured materials with enhanced mechanical properties by controlled chip formation has been demonstrated. The present study examines the microstructure and mechanical properties of chips from various alloys -Waspaloy AMS 5704, Inconel 718, Al 6061-T6, and titanium - produced in aerospace machining operations. While the deformation conditions with respect to chip formation may be ‘less than controlled’ in these cases, it is nevertheless seen that the chips created are composed entirely of nanocrystalline structures of high hardness and strength. The microstructural characteristics and properties of these chips are compared and contrasted with those produced under controlled conditions of strain and temperature. The results suggest that aerospace machining chips can be up-scaled as high-performance structural materials with substantial cost benefits.
A general equilibrium model for Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) with ecosystem considerations

Kirkley, J. E., Walden, J., and Fare, R. 2011. A general equilibrium model for Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) with ecosystem considerations. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 860–866.A framework is presented for assessing the economic ramifications of ecosystem-based management decisions, with attention focused on Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) in New England. The Atlantic herring has often been referred to as the most important fish in the northeastern United States because it is a filter-feeder, is believed to improve water quality, and is very important to the health, growth, and abundance of major gamefish, marine mammals, seabirds, and several species of fish. Although many approaches for examining the potential economic ramifications of ecosystem-based management are possible, attention is focused on one method that can be used given existing data. A static, deterministic input/output (I/O) optimization (IOLP, input/output linear programming) model is developed that breaks out the impact of different decisions on herring allocation on the 2006 New England regional economy of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. The IOLP model is a promising approach for informing policy-makers of the economic implications of various allocation choices. The framework is also flexible enough to allow further disaggregation of the small model presented to include additional fishing and non-fishing sectors.
Long-term retinal, renal and cardiovascular outcomes in diabetic chronic kidney disease without proteinuria

Background. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often have no proteinuria. Methods. To compare the characteristics that differ between DM 1 CKD patients with and without proteinuria, we conducted a cross-sectional study followed by surveillance over a decade for ‘hard’ cardiovascular, renal and retinal outcomes. Groups were stratified by presence (n ¼ 129) and absence (n ¼ 284) of DM. Each stratum had three groups: no CKD, CKD without proteinuria and CKD with proteinuria. Results. Compared to DM 1 CKD 1 proteinuria patients, those with DM 1 CKD but without proteinuria had similar clinical characteristics including estimated glomerular filtration rate. However, they had lower 24-h ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Crude all-cause mortality rates per 1000 patient-years in the nondiabetic group with no CKD, CKD with no proteinuria and CKD with overt proteinuria were 29.3, 68.5 and 111.1, respectively. Respective rates in the diabetic group were 50.1, 105.7 and 136.8. Diabetes increased the risk of coronary (P ¼ 0.01) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) events (P ¼ 0.05) even after multivariate adjustments. Proteinuria aggravated the risk of cardiovascular events, ESRD, death and time to first of these events similarly among diabetics with CKD compared to nondiabetics with CKD. Diabetic patients with CKD but no overt proteinuria were much more likely than nondiabetics to progress to overt proteinuria [adjusted hazard ratio 5.28 (95% confidence interval 1.64–17.02), P < 0.01). CKD was a risk factor for prevalent retinopathy and proteinuria was a risk factor for incident diabetic retinopathy. Conclusions. To protect sight, those with proteinuria and DM need regular retinal examinations. Since diabetic CKD patients without proteinuria are more likely to develop overt proteinuria, close follow-up and risk factor management among these patients appear to be more important than among nondiabetic patients with CKD and no proteinuria.
Culture and reproductive systems of 11 species of Mycetozoans.

The culture and reproductive systems of 10 species (16 isolates) of myxomycetes and one species (one isolate) of protostelid were investigated. A single isolate of Ceratiomyxa fructiculosa was grown on agar and found to be nonheterothallic. This is the first report of spore-to-spore cultivation of this species and the first report of a reproductive system in the protostelids. Isolates of the myxomycetes Didymium dubium, Didymium iridis, Didymium vaccinum, Licea biforis, Perichaena vermicularis, Physarum gyrosum, Physarum pusillum (six isolates) and Semimorula liquescens all were nonheterothallic. This is the first report of culture and a reproductive system for D. vaccinum, the first report of nonheterothallism for S. liquescens and the second report of nonheterothallic isolates of D. dubium, Licea biforis, Perichaena vermicularis and P. gyrosum. The nonheterothallic isolate of D. iridis is one of many reported for this species, and the six nonheterothallic isolates of P. pusillum add to the seven nonhete...
Effects of Contractors’ Risk Attitude on Competition in Construction

Competitive bidding is the major mechanism of competition. Bidding is risky because the actual cost of the job is unknown. Thus, the bid should be high enough to make a profit but low enough to win the bidding. The result of competition depends on the competitor’s risk-taking behaviors, which are affected by the organization’s risk attitudes. A contractor’s risk-taking is an essential element of the construction business. The current study explores the domain of competition at the aggregate market level. An evolutionary simulation model was developed to investigate the effects of risk attitude on a contractor’s success and on the market structure. The analysis accounts for different risk-taking behaviors in competition, different performances by contractors, corresponding organizational changes, and aggregate patterns in the form of the market structure. The study finds that risk attitude is a competitive characteristic of contractors. The results provide new insight on competition in the market place, an...
Virtual simple architecture (VISA): exceeding the complexity limit in safe real-time systems

Meeting deadlines is a key requirement in safe realtime systems. Worst-case execution times (WCET) of tasks are needed for safe planning. Contemporary worst-case timing analysis tools can safely and tightly bound execution time on in-order single-issue pipelines with caches and static branch prediction. However, this simple pipeline appears to be a complexity limit, due to the need for analyzability. This excludes a whole class of high-performance processors from many embedded systems.We reconcile the complexity/safety trade-off by decoupling worst-case timing analysis from the processor implementation, through a virtual simple architecture (VISA). A VISA is the timing specification of a hypothetical simple pipeline and is the basis for worst-case timing analysis. However, the underlying microarchitecture can be arbitrarily complex. A task is divided into multiple sub-tasks which provide a means to gauge progress on the complex pipeline. Each sub-task is assigned an interim deadline, or checkpoint, based on the latest allowable completion time of the sub-task on the hypothetical simple pipeline. If no checkpoints are missed, then the complex pipeline is as timely as the safe pipeline. If a checkpoint is missed, the pipeline switches to a simple mode of operation that directly implements the VISA so that execution time of unfinished sub-tasks is safely bounded. The significance of our approach is that we circumvent worst-case timing analysis of the complex pipeline, by dynamically confirming its behavior is bounded by worst-case timing analysis of a simpler proxy pipeline.The benefit of using a high-performance processor is that tasks finish much sooner than they would have on an explicitly-safe processor. The new slack in the schedule can be exploited for higher throughput or lower power. With the VISA approach, an arbitrarily complex SMT processor can safely run non-real-time tasks at the same time as a real-time task. Alternatively, frequency/voltage can be safely lowered to take up slack. We explore the latter application and show a VISA-compliant complex pipeline consumes 43--61% less power than an explicitly-safe pipeline.
X-Rays and Extreme Ultraviolet Radiation: Principles and Applications

This self-contained, comprehensive book describes the fundamental properties of soft x-rays and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation and discusses their applications in a wide variety of fields, including EUV lithography for semiconductor chip manufacture and soft x-ray biomicroscopy. The author begins by presenting the relevant basic principles such as radiation and scattering, wave propagation, diffraction, and coherence. He then goes on to examine a broad range of phenomena and applications. The topics covered include EUV lithography, biomicroscopy, spectromicroscopy, EUV astronomy, synchrotron radiation, and soft x-ray lasers. He also provides a great deal of useful reference material such as electron binding energies, characteristic emission lines and photo-absorption cross-sections. The book will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers in engineering, physics, chemistry, and the life sciences. It will also appeal to practicing engineers involved in semiconductor fabrication and materials science.
Dual-frequency IVUS array for contrast enhanced intravascular ultrasound imaging

Recent studies suggest that contrast enhanced intravascular ultrasound (CE-IVUS) may be used for identifying vulnerable plaques through molecular imaging or detecting neovascularizations within a growing atherosclerotic lesion. However, typical intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) transducers operate at a high frequency band (20–60 MHz) which makes them not ideal for imaging microbubble contrast agents due to the less effective microbubble excitation at high frequencies. In this paper, a prototyped dual-frequency array for CE-IVUS was developed and tested. The prototype flat transducer array consists of a receiving array (32 elements, 30 MHz) built on the top of a transmitting array (8 sub-elements, 2.25 MHz) to achieve real-time superharmonic contrast enhanced imaging. The size of the receiving aperture was varied, tested and resultant images were compared. Images of a contrast-filled microtube can be observed clearly with only 4 receiving elements at an excitation voltage of 55 V, which indicates feasibility of CE-IVUS imaging after circularly wrapping the array for catheter integration.
Determining possible event orders by analyzing sequential traces

One of the fundamental problems encountered when debugging a parallel program is determining the possible orders in which events could have occurred. Various problems, such as data races and intermittent deadlock, arise when there is insufficient synchronization between the tasks in a parallel program. A sequential trace of an execution can be misleading, as it implies additional event orderings, distorting the concurrent nature of the computation. Algorithms to generate, from the trace of an execution, those event orderings that can be relied on by the programmer are described. By its very nature, the information in an execution trace pertains only to that execution of the program, and may not generalize to other executions. This difficulty is mitigated by defining an inferred program based on the trace and original program, analyzing this inferred program, and showing how the inferred program relates to the original. The results of the algorithms can be used by other automated tools such as a data race detector or constraint checker. >
An Evaluation Of Agency Theory Influence In Pension Accounting

The Financial Accounting Standard Board Standard No. 87 supersedes all other methods of accounting for pensions. However, many accountants think that this statement will also be superseded eventually since it contains several theoretical inconsistencies. The purpose of this article is first to apply agency theory to the determination of pension benefits, in order to show that pension costs represent a sharing of future cost savings in the employee-employer relationship. Some implications of the derived model are then applied to the provisions of SFAS No. 87. This model can thus be used to develop a consistent economic theory for pension accounting.
Biodegradation of Ochratoxin A by Bacterial Strains Isolated from Vineyard Soils

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin with a main nephrotoxic activity contaminating several foodstuffs. In the present report, five soil samples collected from OTA-contaminated vineyards were screened to isolate microorganisms able to biodegrade OTA. When cultivated in OTA-supplemented medium, OTA was converted in OTα by 225 bacterial isolates. To reveal clonal relationships between isolates, molecular typing by using an automated rep-PCR system was carried out, thus showing the presence of 27 different strains (rep-PCR profiles). The 16S-rRNA gene sequence analysis of an isolate representative of each rep-PCR profiles indicated that they belonged to five bacterial genera, namely Pseudomonas, Leclercia, Pantoea, Enterobacter, and Acinetobacter. However, further evaluation of OTA-degrading activity by the 27 strains revealed that only Acinetobacter calcoaceticus strain 396.1 and Acinetobacter sp. strain neg1, consistently conserved the above property; their further characterization showed that they were able to convert 82% and 91% OTA into OTα in six days at 24 °C, respectively. The presence of OTα, as the unique OTA-degradation product was confirmed by LC-HRMS. This is the first report on OTA biodegradation by bacterial strains isolated from agricultural soils and carried out under aerobic conditions and moderate temperatures. These microorganisms might be used to detoxify OTA-contaminated feed and could be a new source of gene(s) for the development of a novel enzymatic detoxification system.
Toward Computer-Aided Food Engineering: Mechanistic Frameworks for Evolution of Product, Quality and Safety During Processing

Abstract Computer-aided engineering (CAE) can benefit food product, process and equipment design by enabling mechanistic understanding and speeding up optimization. This article provides a comprehensive big picture of CAE in terms of its conceptual frameworks, challenges, developments under way, and achievements so far. While not intended to be a comprehensive review of all models, the article focuses on mechanistic (physics-based as opposed to data-driven) models that apply to the transformations inside the solid food itself (as opposed to its processing environment) that could perhaps also be captured by the term “product engineering.” This article also leans on the practical aspects of implementation of CAE in a food product context by focusing on approaches and workarounds possible today. Framework discussions go beyond product modeling to its quality and safety modeling. While generic software tools have become more powerful and easy to use, in order to use them for food applications, one needs a framework for modeling various food process, quality and safety that provides an appropriate mathematical description of the reality. Challenges in implementing the frameworks and the workarounds are presented. The goal here is to help widen acceptance of the CAE approach in both research and education in the food sector, helping it reap the benefits of CAE like other sectors.
Sensing Temperature Dependence

In this chapter, we discuss the problem of temperature variation at the system level, and describe methods of detecting temperature and temperature dependence. In Sect. 3.1 we propose a low overhead adaptive temperature sensor, capable of adjusting its resolution and sampling rate based on the current temperature to reduce the energy required to maintain a chip thermal map. In addition, the proposed sensor features a process compensation unit, enabling the oscillator length to be adjusted to calibrate fabricated chips. In Sect. 3.2 we propose a temperature dependence sensor, capable of determining whether a core’s I-T slope (temperature dependence) is positive or negative for a given supply voltage. The proposed sensor design was fabricated, and chip design issues and measurements are provided in Sect. 3.3.
Zero Dimensional Quasi-Predictive Thermodynamic Simulation for Establishing Initial Cylinder Conditions for CFD Simulation of Diesel Combustion

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is now a ubiquitous computational tool for engine design and diagnosis. It is often necessary to provide well-known initial cycle conditions to commence the CFD computations. Such initial conditions can be provided by experimental data. To create an opportunity to computationally study engine conditions where experimental data are not available, a zero-dimensional quasi-predictive thermodynamic simulation is developed that uses well-established spray model to predict rate of heat release and calculated burned gas composition and temperature to predict nitric oxide (NO) concentration. This simulation could in turn be used in reverse to solve for initial cylinder conditions for a targeted NO concentration. This paper details the thermodynamic simulation for diesel engine operating conditions. The goal is to produce a code that is capable of predicting NO emissions as well as performance characteristics such as mean effective pressure (MEP) and brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC). The simulation uses general conservation of mass and energy approaches to model intake, compression, and exhaust. Rate of heat release prediction is based on an existing spray model to predict how fuel concentrations within the spray jet change with penetration. Rate of heat release provides predicted cylinder pressure, which is then validated against experimental pressure data under known operating conditions. An equilibrium mechanism is used to determine burned gas composition which, along with burned gas temperature, can be used for prediction of NO in the cylinder. NO is predicted using the extended Zeldovich mechanism. This mechanism is highly sensitive to temperature, and it is therefore important to accurately predict cylinder gas temperature to obtain correct NO values. Additionally, MEP and BSFC are determined. The simulation focuses on single fuel injection events, but insights are provided to expand the simulation to model multiple injection events.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
A socioecological fix to capitalist crisis and climate change? The possibilities and limits of renewable energy:

Many have argued that the burning of fossil fuels is an essential component of the socionatural metabolism of capitalism as we know it, and that the anthropogenic climate change it is causing may f...
Two Calculi from Mule Deer

The writers feel that description of two additional calculi from Rocky Mountain mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus hemionus ) may merit mention because of the paucity of records for deer calculi listed by Milton and Axelrod (Jour. Mamm., 32: 139–154, 1951) in their rather extensive review of calculi and other stones found in mammals. One of these calculi was obtained by a hunter, Albert Erickson, of Price, Utah from a stomach of a doe which he killed November 21,1953 in the Nash …
Analytic evaluation of infrared intensities and polarizabilities by two-configuration self-consistent field wave functions

For more than a few molecular electronic states, the simplest qualitatively correct picture of the electronic structure is provided by the two-configuration self-consistent-field (TCSCF) method. Here, analytic methods are reported for the evaluation of TCSCF infrared intensities and polarizabilities. These new methods have been implemented and applied to the molecules CH2(1A1), CF2, CH 3 − , NH3, HF and O3. Nine different basis sets, ranging from 3–21G to triple zeta plus double polarization (TZ + 2P), have been used. In several cases one finds qualitative differences between the analogous SCF and TCSCF predictions.
Crying Wolf in the Digital Age: Voluntary Disclosure under the Stored Communications Act

The Stored Communications Act (SCA) restricts the ability of electronic service providers to disclose customer communications and records voluntarily. It also limits the government's ability to compel such information. The SCA fails, however, to distinguish between compelled and voluntary disclosures. A narrow conception of compelled disclosure would permit government officials to make informal requests for information, undermining the SCA's procedural safeguards and preventing judicial oversight. Additionally, the SCA authorizes voluntary disclosure if a provider has a good faith belief in the existence of an emergency. Coupled with a limited conception of compelled disclosure, this emergency exception threatens to swallow any meaningful restrictions on the government's ability to obtain customer information. This Note argues that courts should incorporate existing Fourth Amendment law to strengthen the SCA's voluntary/compelled distinction. Further, Congress should authorize law enforcement officers to quickly compel disclosures if they certify that an emergency exists. Finally, the legality of emergency disclosures should turn on whether the government has acted reasonably, rather than on a provider's subjective belief.
Analysis on drug resistance of Salmonella enteritidis in Guangdong Province,2007-2013

Objective To analyze the antibiotic resistant characteristics of Salmonella enteritidis,and to provide scientific evidence for development of prevention and control measures. Methods Isolates from 34 hospitals of the WHO Global Salmonella Surveillance( GSS) system were identified by biochemical tests and serotyping. Antimicrobial resistance was tested using the broth microdilution method to measure its minimal inhibitory concentration( MIC). Results 386 Salmonella enteritidis strains were isolated from the feces of patients. The ratio of male to female in the collections of strains was 1 ∶ 0. 70. Strains were mainly distributed in the age group of 1-4 years( 35. 23%,136 /386). Epidemic season were found to be from June to October. The resistant rate of nalidixic acid was the highest( 85. 23%,329 /386,MIC50 = 128μg /ml). The 386 sporadic strains had a total of 27 antibiograms. 63 strains were multidrug resistant( 16. 32%,63 /386).Conclusions It shows that the multidrug resistant patterns of Salmonella enteritis are diverse. Rational use of antibiotics and real-time monitoring on Salmonella resistance may contribute to reducing the multidrug resistant strains.
Bacillus Calmette-Guerin for Superficial Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder

AbstractPasteur strain bacillus Calmette-Guerin was used to treat superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder in 28 patients. Patients selected for treatment had an incomplete resection, positive selected site biopsies and/or post-resection positive cytology findings. Complete response required negative histology and cytology findings at cystoscopic followup 4 to 8 weeks after completion of treatment. Of the patients 20 (71 per cent) demonstrated a complete response, including all 6 with carcinoma in situ. Results converted to negative in 16 of 17 patients with positive urine cytology findings and 4 with positive prostatic urethral biopsies. Of the responders 8 had received prior treatment with thiotepa.The treatment regimen of 120mg. Pasteur strain bacillus Calmette-Guerin weekly for 6 weeks was well tolerated. It was necessary to limit the number of treatments to 5 because of local irritative effects in only 3 patients. No chronic bladder disability has been noted during followup of 3 to 30 m...
Metal Organic Nanocapsules as Two-Dimensional Network Building Blocks

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous materials with a wide variety of applications, including molecular adsorption and separation. Recently, the first MOF based on the zinc-seamed pyrogallol[4]arene nanocapsule as a secondary building unit was reported. The zinc-seamed nanocapsules are linked together with 4,4′-bipyridine, which is a divergent ligand commonly used in the synthesis of MOFs. In an effort to identify other likely candidates for nanocapsular linking, electronic structure calculations were performed to determine energetic and geometric properties of (Zn(C2O2H3)2)1,2Y model complexes, which have been shown previously to reliably model the zinc coordination sphere found in the nanocapsules. Here, Y represents one of 17 divergent ligands with N, S, or O electron-donating atoms. MOFs were synthesized and characterized from two of the ligands suggested as most suitable for further experimental study.
A longitudinal comparative study of falls in persons with knee arthroplasty and persons with or at high risk for knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVES: we determined the yearly prevalence of single and multiple falls in persons with or at risk of knee osteoarthritis (OA) and persons undergoing knee arthroplasty over an 8-year period. We also compared annual fall rates among persons with and without knee arthroplasty to determine if fall rates are associated with knee arthroplasty. METHODS: we studied 4,200 persons from the Osteoarthritis Imitative (OAI), a National Institutes of Health funded prospective study of persons 45-79 years and conducted from 2004 to 2012. All either had knee OA or were at risk of developing knee OA but did not have knee arthroplasty. The surgical group comprised 413 persons who underwent knee arthroplasty. Key fall risk factors were assessed at yearly study visits. Graphical depictions illustrated single and multiple fall trajectories. Multinomial regression adjusted for potential confounders compared fall rates for those with and without knee arthroplasty. RESULTS: fall rate trajectories for the two samples were generally flat and fall rates were similar. For the arthroplasty sample, fall rates did not increase in the immediate perioperative period relative to earlier and later periods. No differences in fall rates were found among the arthroplasty and non-arthroplasty samples after adjustment for potential confounding (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: fall rates were generally stable and similar over an 8-year period among persons with and without knee arthroplasty. Clinicians should not assume that persons undergoing knee arthroplasty are at greater risk for falls either before or after surgery as compared to persons with or at risk for knee OA.© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: [email protected]/* */ Language: en
Heart failure medications prescribed at discharge for patients with left ventricular assist devices

Background Real-world use of traditional heart failure (HF) medications for patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) is not well known. Methods We conducted a retrospective, observational analysis of 1,887 advanced HF patients with and without LVADs from 32 LVAD hospitals participating in the Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure registry from January 2009 to March 2015. We examined HF medication prescription at discharge, temporal trends, and predictors of prescription among patients with an in-hospital (n = 258) or prior (n = 171) LVAD implant, and those with advanced HF but no LVAD, as defined by a left ventricular ejection fraction ≤25% and in-hospital receipt of intravenous inotropes or vasopressin receptor antagonists (n = 1,458). Results For β-blocker and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ACEI/ARB), discharge prescriptions were 58.9% and 53.5% for new LVAD patients, 53.8% and 42.9% for prior LVAD patients, and 73.4% and 63.2% for patients without LVAD support, respectively (both P P P = .0003). In the multivariable analysis of LVAD patients, patient age was inversely associated with β-blocker, ACEI/ARB, and aldosterone antagonist prescription. Conclusions Traditional HF therapies were moderately prescribed at discharge to patients with LVADs and were more frequently prescribed to patients with advanced HF without LVAD support. Moderate prescription rates suggest clinical uncertainty in the use of antiadrenergic medication in this population. Further research is needed on the optimal medical regimen for patients with LVADs.
Opportunistic Pathogens of Terrestrial Plants

Pathogens of terrestrial plants are categorized as biotrophic, hemi-biotrophic, or necrotrophic based on similarities in how they manipulate plant cells and based on when or if in the plant–microbe interaction plant cell death occurs. Biotrophic pathogens require live plant cells for infection, hemi-biotrophs require live plant cells to initiate colonization, but the plant cell eventually dies, and necrotrophs kill plant cells early in their interactions with their hosts. Pathogens in each of these categories that have arisen in multiple kingdoms and species within single genera may fall into multiple pathogen categories. The borders between these classifications are blurred and can be affected by environment and plant host species. Broad host range necrotrophic plant pathogens are sometimes referred to as opportunistic because some infect mainly damaged plants or only cause disease on harvested and stored fruits and vegetables. However, true opportunistic pathogens are rarely studied in plant pathology because they do not cause significant economic losses in agriculture. The broad host range necrotrophs may be the closest to true opportunistic pathogens. Recent mechanistic and genomic data shows that these pathogens are adept at manipulating plant defenses and subverting them to the benefit of their necrotrophic lifestyle. This subversion of conserved plant defenses likely contributes to the broad host range of these pathogens and the constant challenge of identifying resistant germplasm. Plants can also resist necrotrophic pathogens by producing antimicrobial compounds or plant cell wall modifications, but the genes encoding for these resistance mechanisms are little studied compared to canonical gene-for-gene resistance that act against biotrophic and hemi-biotrophic pathogens.
Mechanisms and Disorders of Magnesium Metabolism

Magnesium plays a vital role in virtually all cellular processes as a cofactor of enzymes, a structural element of proteins and nucleic acids, and a modulator of receptors and ion channels. The control of magnesium homeostasis primarily resides in the kidney tubules. Nephron segments critical for renal magnesium conservation mainly comprise the thick ascending limb and the distal convoluted tubule where different control mechanisms act. Over the past two decades, genetic and molecular studies in patients with hereditary forms of hypomagnesemia led to the identification of important components of epithelial magnesium transport. These discoveries have greatly advanced our understanding not only of inherited but also of acquired disorders of magnesium metabolism at the molecular level. This chapter highlights the different transport pathways involved in tubular magnesium reabsorption and their regulation; it also summarizes important discoveries in hereditary disorders of renal magnesium handling and provides an overview on acquired forms of hypomagnesemia.
Endoscopic ultrasound in pancreatic cancer: innovative applications beyond the basics

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has become a mainstay in assisting in the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic cancer. In addition, EUS provides a modality to treat chronic pain through celiac plexus neurolysis. Currently, there is growing data and utilization of EUS in more diverse and innovative applications aimed at providing more sophisticated diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic options for patients with pancreatic cancer. EUS delivery of chemotherapy, viral and biological vectors and fiducial markers may eventually revolutionize the way clinicians approach the care of a patient with pancreatic cancer.
Motor sequencing in older adulthood: relationships with executive functioning and effects of complexity

AbstractObjective: Older adults’ motor sequencing performance is more reliant on executive functioning (EF) and more susceptible to complexity than that of younger adults. This study examined for which aspects of motor sequencing performance these relationships hold. Methods: Fifty-seven younger and 90 non-demented, community-dwelling, older adults completed selected subtests from the Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System as indices of EF and component processes (CP; graphomotor speed; visual scanning; etc.), as well as a computerized motor sequencing task (Push Turn Taptap task; PTT). The PTT requires participants to perform motor sequences that become progressively more complex across the task’s four blocks, and is designed to assess action planning, action learning, and motor control speed and accuracy. Results: Hierarchical regressions using each discrete aspect of performance as the dependent variable revealed that action planning is the only aspect of motor sequencing that is uniquely related to EF...
Mechanisms of Neuron Death (Necrosis, Apoptosis, Autophagy) After Brain Ischemia

Focal brain ischemia, if its duration is long enough, will lead to irreversible brain tissue pan-necrosis or infarction in the ischemic territory. However, if adequate blood supply to ischemic tissue is restored within a short period of either focal or global brain ischemia, neuronal death may occur selectively in some populations of neurons, whereas the others as well as glial and vascular cells are preserved, which is commonly referred to as selective neuronal death. It is generally held that acute ischemic cell death in the ischemic core after permanent or a long period of ischemia is typical necrotic cell death, as manifested by a cascade of events of energy failure, breakdown of transmembrane ionic gradients, cell swollen, followed by the loss of cell membrane integrity to initiate an inflammatory response. However, whether selective neuronal death is necrotic, apoptotic, or autophagic, cell death has been a subject of debate. This chapter will discuss the current status of neuronal death mechanisms after brain ischemia.