cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid monodisperse microencapsulation of single cells

A microfluidic device was designed having the ability to continuously produce monodisperse microcapsules with controlled cell loading. The design included stages of inertial focusing, droplet generation, and photopolymerization. Prototype microfluidic devices were fabricated in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to demonstrate each stage using poly(ethylene-glycol)-diacrylate (PEGDA) as the encapsulating material and oil as the droplet-containing medium, creating a water-in-oil emulsion. 10.3-µm-diameter fluorescent polystyrene beads were used as cell simulants. In the first stage, inertial focusing was demonstrated using a straight-channel configuration. In the second stage, droplets with a 60±5µm diameter were generated. In the third stage, successful encapsulation of the beads in hydrogel droplets was verified. This technology can significantly impact a wide research area ranging from cellular therapeutics to single-cell manipulation.
REMOTE SENSING OF SOIL MOISTURE

BACKGROUND The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requires accurate hydrologic forecasts when it performs emergency operations during potential or actual flooding situations. These forecasts also include the prediction and assessment of drought conditions. Current hydrometeorological data bases and techniques for interactive data usage are limited in providing a reliable real—time hydrologic forecast capability. Several factors related to climate, frozen ground, and regional soil moisture combine to make hydrologic forecasting difficult. Hydrologic models are normally designed to use point measurements of precipitation and the water equivalent of snow cover as indices of actual areal mean values. Synoptic measurements of the occurrence of frozen ground and soil moisture are practically nonexistent.
Spin-wave modes in a cobalt square vortex: Micromagnetic simulations

Spin-wave modes in a thin submicron cobalt square with a closure domain structure are obtained by using a micromagnetic equation of motion approach. In addition to modes with amplitude over the whole sample, some low-frequency modes, localized at the center, corners, and diagonals of the square, are also found. In analogy with the modes found in a circular vortex, the nonlocalized modes can be broadly classified into radial-like and azimuthal-like modes, and their frequencies can be understood qualitatively in terms of the dispersion relation of spin-wave modes of an unconfined film. Other modes that can be interpreted as the combination of radial and azimuthal modes are also observed.
Nitrous oxide emissions in fluidized-bed combustion: Fundamental chemistry and combustion testing

Growing scientific and public concern over global warming and ozone layer depletion has led researchers to study nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from natural and anthropogenic sources. N2O is reportedly increasing in the atmosphere at an estimated rate of 0.7 ppb per year and was measured in the atmosphere at 307 ppb in 1988. Since N2O is a stable compound, it is transported to the stratosphere where it is photochemically oxidized to nitric oxide (NO), a contributor to catalytic ozone depletion. Potential anthropogenic sources of N2O that have been investigated include biomass burning, fertilization, groundwater release through irrigation and fossil fuel combustion. Until recently, pulverized-coal combustion was implicated as the main source of N2O emissions due to errors encountered in sampling. Emissions from these units are typically less than 10 ppm N2O. Fluidized-bed combustion (FBC) has emerged as an advanced method of energy production by utilities, but under current designs these units have been shown to emit greater (N2O) emissions than their pulverized-coal counterparts. This fact is related to lower combustion temperatures used to enhance SOx/NOx control, which, as a consequence, increases N2O emissions. Nitrous oxide emissions from FBCs range from 50–200 ppm. At N2O concentrations of 100 ppm, and assuming a 2.5% growth rate in U.S. coal-derived energy production with 50% of this generated by FBCs, by the year 2000 this production would account for only 1% of the total current global N2O inventory. Nitrous oxide emissions from FBCs are strongly dependent upon fuel type, operating temperature, and excess air level. Based on current measurements at standard operating conditions (1550°F and 3.5% O2), fuels such as wood, peat and lignite generally will have N2O emissions ranging from 15–50 ppm. Subbituminous and bituminous coal combustion generate emissions ranging from 40–100 ppm and 70–200 ppm, respectively. Petroleum coke combustion is similar to bituminous coal. Actual emissions from a plant will decrease with increasing operating temperature (0.2-1.1 ppm N2O/°F) or decreasing excess air levels (7–21 ppm N2O/% O2). Possible N2O abatement strategies include afterburning of a gaseous fuel in the freeboard or cyclone, increasing bed temperatures, decreasing excess air, or catalytic reduction of N2O by metal oxides.
Effects of residual coronary artery disease on results of coronary artery bypass grafting.

Abstract To assess the effects of residual coronary artery disease (non-revascularized coronary vessels) after coronary artery bypass grafting on symptoms and exercise left ventricular function, we categorized 77 patients into 3 groups according to the extent of residual coronary artery disease: group I ( n = 17) had no residual coronary artery disease (residual score=0); group II ( n = 30) had light residual coronary artery disease (score of 1 to 9, mean 4.7); and group III ( n = 30) had moderate residual coronary artery disease (score ⩾ 10, mean 23). Sixty patients were asymptomatic after coronary artery bypass grafting (14 in group I, 24 in group II, and 22 in group III), but the remaining patients had occasional angina pectoris. The resting left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly higher in group I than in the remaining 2 groups (56 ± 18% in group I, 47 ± 19% in group II, and 43 ± 16% in group III, P P Thus, coronary artery bypass grafting results in symptomatic improvement, even in patients with residual coronary artery disease. The presence of residual coronary artery disease, however, may be a determinant of exercise left ventricular function in these patients.
The transverse diameter of the chest on routine radiographs reliably estimates gestational age and weight in premature infants

Background Prior to digital radiography it was possible for a radiologist to easily estimate the size of a patient on an analog film. Because variable magnification may be applied at the time of processing an image, it is now more difficult to visually estimate an infant’s size on the monitor. Since gestational age and weight significantly impact the differential diagnosis of neonatal diseases and determine the expected size of kidneys or appearance of the brain by MRI or US, this information is useful to a pediatric radiologist. Although this information may be present in the electronic medical record, it is frequently not readily available to the pediatric radiologist at the time of image interpretation.
Knowledge-intensive global optimization of Earth observing system architectures: a climate-centric case study

Requirements from the different disciplines of the Earth sciences on satellite missions have become considerably more stringent in the past decade, while budgets in space organizations have not increased to support the implementation of new systems meeting these requirements. At the same time, new technologies such as optical communications, electrical propulsion, nanosatellite technology, and new commercial agents and models such as hosted payloads are now available. The technical and programmatic environment is thus ideal to conduct architectural studies that look with renewed breadth and adequate depth to the myriad of new possible architectures for Earth Observing Systems. Such studies are challenging tasks, since they require formidable amounts of data and expert knowledge in order to be conducted. Indeed, trade-offs between hundreds or thousands of requirements from different disciplines need to be considered, and millions of combinations of instrument technologies and orbits are possible. This paper presents a framework and tool to support the exploration of such large architectural tradespaces. The framework can be seen as a model-based, executable science traceability matrix that can be used to compare the relative value of millions of different possible architectures. It is demonstrated with an operational climate-centric case study. Ultimately, this framework can be used to assess opportunities for international collaboration and look at architectures for a global Earth observing system, including space, air, and ground assets.
Antineoplastic agents. 560. Isolation and structure of kitastatin 1 from an Alaskan Kitasatospora sp.

By utilizing a bioassay-guided separation (P388 lymphocytic leukemia and a panel of human cancer cell lines) of fermentation broths from a Kitasatospora sp. collected from a tundra soil sample taken at the shore of the Beaufort Sea, we have isolated three powerful (GI50 to 0.0006 μg/mL) cancer cell growth inhibitors (1−3) and determined their structures to be closely related cyclodepsipeptides. From 380 L fermentations of Kitasatospora sp. were obtained 2.6 mg of a new cyclodepsipeptide designated kitastatin 1 (3), accompanied by the previously known respirantin (1, 10.8 mg) and its valeryl homologue (2, 4.8 mg). The structures were determined by employment of a series of high-resolution mass and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses. The stereochemical assignments and overall structures were confirmed by subsequent total synthesis of depsipeptide 1, as reported in the accompanying contribution.
Geocoding Quality and Implications for Spatial Analysis

Many spatial analysis techniques rely on the ability to geocode individual locations based on addresses or other descriptive information. The quality of geocoding and its effect on spatial analysis have received some attention in the literature, in particular in the field of health. This article reviews the foundation of geocoding and presents a framework for evaluating geocoding quality. Errors introduced by street gecoding include incompleteness, positional error, and incorrect assignment to geographic units. A review of empirical studies suggests that these errors are neither small nor random in nature and that substantial bias may be introduced in spatial analysis that employs the results of geocoding. Several alternatives have also emerged, including the use of address points and parcels, and these are gradually becoming more widely used. Several areas for future research on geocoding have been identified: (i) refinements of address data models to incorporate complex addressing situations; (ii) development of error propagation techniques to determine the level of geocoding quality required for a particular analysis scenario; (iii) development of measures of reliability for geocoding results; (iv) comparative analysis of geocoding quality across different jurisdictions; and (v) validation of online geocoding services and volunteered geographic information.
Update on Membranoproliferative GN

Membranoproliferative GN represents a pattern of injury seen on light microscopy. Historically, findings on electron microscopy have been used to further subclassify this pathologic entity. Recent advances in understanding of the underlying pathobiology have led to a proposed classification scheme based on immunofluorescence findings. Dysregulation of the complement system has been shown to be a major risk factor for the development of a membranoproliferative GN pattern of injury on kidney biopsy. Evaluation and treatment of this complex disorder rest on defining the underlying mechanisms.
MBE growth of high quality GaN on LiGaO 2

We report on the growth of high structural quality (as determined by x-ray diffraction) GaN on a near lattice matched substrate, lithium gallate (LiGaO2 or LGO). Low temperature growth conditions are described that result in very thin GaN films (<0.3 µm) with (0004) x-ray diffraction rocking curves full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 145 arc-sec and thicker films (1 µm) resulting in 85 arc-sec FWHM. The effect of growth temperature is examined and found to result in a broad minimum in x-ray FWHM around 690°C. Detailed growth conditions and descriptions of the reflection high energy electron diffraction patterns observed during growth are given. Additionally, we report very highly resistive material and doped material with bulk electron mobilities in excess of 100 cm2/V-sec.
Curricula for Teaching MRI Safety, and MRI and CT Contrast Safety to Residents: How Effective Are Live Lectures and Online Modules?

Abstract Purpose The advent of the diagnostic radiology core examination and the new ACGME "milestone" evaluation system for radiology residents places new emphasis on topics in MRI and CT safety, and MRI and CT contrast agents. We evaluated whether either lecture-based teaching or online modules would improve baseline resident knowledge in these areas, and assessed which intervention was more effective. Methods Before didactic intervention, 2 cohorts were created from 57 radiology residents, with equal numbers and a matched level of training. The residents were tested on their baseline knowledge of MRI, MRI contrast safety, and CT contrast safety, using a multiple-choice examination. One group attended a live, 1-hour lecture on the preceding topics. The other engaged in 3 short online educational modules. After 6 weeks, the residents were again tested with the same questions to assess for improvement in their understanding. Results Both the module and lecture cohorts demonstrated a statistically significant increase in questions answered correctly on CT contrast safety (13.1%, P P P P P = .70). Resident confidence improved in both groups, for both modalities. Conclusions Focused didactic intervention improves resident knowledge of MRI and CT safety, and MRI and CT contrast agents. Live lectures and online modules can be equally effective, allowing residency programs flexibility.
Designing neurophysiology experiments to optimally constrain receptive field models along parametric submanifolds

Sequential optimal design methods hold great promise for improving the efficiency of neurophysiology experiments. However, previous methods for optimal experimental design have incorporated only weak prior information about the underlying neural system (e.g., the sparseness or smoothness of the receptive field). Here we describe how to use stronger prior information, in the form of parametric models of the receptive field, in order to construct optimal stimuli and further improve the efficiency of our experiments. For example, if we believe that the receptive field is well-approximated by a Gabor function, then our method constructs stimuli that optimally constrain the Gabor parameters (orientation, spatial frequency, etc.) using as few experimental trials as possible. More generally, we may believe a priori that the receptive field lies near a known sub-manifold of the full parameter space; in this case, our method chooses stimuli in order to reduce the uncertainty along the tangent space of this sub-manifold as rapidly as possible. Applications to simulated and real data indicate that these methods may in many cases improve the experimental efficiency.
Extinction Behavior of Soil at 26.5 to 110 GHz

Soil electromagnetic properties at the microwave frequencies have been extensively documented in the literature. However, similar information at the higher millimeter frequencies is not available. A laboratory experiment was conducted to investigate the extinction behavior of wet and dry soil at millimeter wavelengths (26.5-110 GHz). For dry soil, the extinction coefficient increased from 0.02 to 0.6 cm-1 as the frequency increased from 26.5 to 110 GHz. The presence of even a small amount of water in the soil (5% by weight) reduced the penetration of millimeter wave signals into soil by a factor of ten.
Synthesis and structural characterization of iron(III) salen complexes possessing appended anionic oxygen donor ligands

The synthesis and solid-state characterization of iron(III) salen complexes bearing monodentate and bidentate anionic oxygen donor ligands are reported. The synthesis of Fe(salen)OPh (OPh ¼ 2,6–diphenylphenoxide) (1) was accomplished using Fe[N(Si(CH3)3)2]3 with one equivalent of H2salen and the corresponding phenol. The complex was isolated as a crystalline sample by the slow diffusion of pentane into a concentrated solution of 1 at )20C. The solid-state structure of complex 1 reveals distorted square pyramidal geometry about the iron metal center. Alternatively the preparation of Fe(salen) complex 2 bearing the anionic, bidentate acetylacetonate ligand in the axial position was accomplished by thermally replacing two acetylacetonate ligands in Fe(acac)3 with one equivalent of H2salen. The complex was isolated and crystallographically characterized using X-ray quality crystals formed via the aforementioned protocol. The metal center adopts a very distorted octahedral geometry, indicating a preference for the square pyramidal species which is typical of other iron salen derivatives. Unfortunately, 1 and 2 were found to be inactive in the copolymerization of CO2 and cyclohexene oxide to afford polycarbonate in the presence of a Lewis base (i.e., N-MeIm and PCy3). Thel-[Fe(salen)]2 O( 3) derivative was also isolated via the protonation of Fe(salen)(N(Si(CH3)3)2). The complex is relatively air stable, forming large, dark crystals over a short period of time at )20 C. The solid-state structure reveals a nearly linear Fe–O–Fe bond angle, which is due to the electronic repulsions associated with the sterically encumbering tert-butyl groups on the salen framework. 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Thermal characteristics of TIMs with elliptical particles

In this study, direct numerical simulations of suspended particles are used to characterize the heat transfer properties of TIMs. The computational method is based on the solution of a thermal lattice-Boltzmann method. Based on the simulations, the effect of particle parameters such as loading, thermal conductivity and size on the thermal resistance of the TIM can be predicted. The effect of particle shape is also considered. Elliptical particles with different aspect ratios are examined. Cylindrical particle is a special case with aspect ratio of 1. The results are compared with existing data. The results can be used to design TIM for better thermal performance.
Parasites and marine invasions

Introduced marine species are a major environmental and economic problem. The rate of these biological invasions has substantially increased in recent years due to the globalization of the world's economies. The damage caused by invasive species is often a result of the higher densities and larger sizes they attain compared to where they are native. A prominent hypothesis explaining the success of introduced species is that they are relatively free of the effects of natural enemies. Most notably, they may encounter fewer parasites in their introduced range compared to their native range. Parasites are ubiquitous and pervasive in marine systems, yet their role in marine invasions is relatively unexplored. Although data on parasites of marine organisms exist, the extent to which parasites can mediate marine invasions, or the extent to which invasive parasites and pathogens are responsible for infecting or potentially decimating native marine species have not been examined. In this review, we present a theoretical framework to model invasion success and examine the evidence for a relationship between parasite presence and the success of introduced marine species. For this, we compare the prevalence and species richness of parasites in several introduced populations of marine species with populations where they are native. We also discuss the potential impacts of introduced marine parasites on native ecosystems.
The Effect of Tubulin Acetylation on Microtubule Structure and Dynamics

The post-translational acetylation of tubulin is a highly conserved process, but the effect of this modification on microtubule structure and function remains unclear. We have previously reported that the organization and localization of acetylated microtubules changes as epithelial cells undergo apico-basal polarization, suggesting that these microtubules may play a role in the trafficking of cargoes to specific subcellular domains in these cells. As the site of acetylation is thought to be in the lumen of the microtubule, it is unlikely that acetylation can directly affect the interactions between microtubules and molecular motors. Rather, we hypothesize that acetylation may alter the structure and/or dynamics of microtubules, which in turn may affect motor traffic. We have found that in MDCK epithelial cells, there is a persistent pool of soluble acetylated tubulin. When microtubules are de-polymerized by either nocodazole or cold treatment, this acetylation is not rapidly reversed, and the soluble tubulin remains acetylated. We found that this acetylated tubulin is polymerization-competent, and here we present data describing the polymerization rates and structural effects of acetylation. Finally, we have used a recombinant histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) enzyme to examine the effects of deacetylation in vitro. Together, these studies will shed light on the effect of the post-translational acetylation of tubulin on microtubule structure and function.
Coding scheme for multiple-access adder channel with and without idle users

A new coding scheme with asymptotically good, uniquely decodable codes for the multiple-access adder channel with and without idle users is developed based on the Lindstrom combinatory detection algorithm.
Income Reporting and the Phaseout of Exemptions

This study investigates taxpayer behavior in response to the phaseout of exemptions. This provision implicitly creates fifty $2,500 intervals based on the adjusted gross income (AGI) of high-income taxpayers. Certain individuals can save taxes by adjusting AGI to fall near the top of the previous interval. Thus, the distribution of their reported AGI is hypothesized to be disproportionately greater near the top of these intervals. This study uses tax return data with univariate tests to detect this “bunching effect” and logit models to profile taxpayer attributes that are associated with this behavior. Revenue and efficiency estimates are also addressed. Understanding responses to phaseouts is important as the tax system uses such to unobtrusively raise revenues and target incentives. This bunching effect was observed for the third and fourth years following enactment.However, no bunching was observed for the first two years or for the fifth year following enactment.
Total body water in pregnancy: assessment by using bioelectrical impedance.

Determinations of total body water (113W) cal- culated from deuterium dilution spaces and bioelectrical-impe- dance measurements were made serially in a group of 15 women before, during, and after pregnancy. Similar measurements were made once in a group of 50 nonpregnant women and intermit- tently in another group of 10 women during pregnancy and post- partum. TBW increased significantly during pregnancy, then de- creased postpartum. Estimates of TBW in pregnancy and post- partum calculated with models derived from nonpregnant and pregnant women were similar to measured values. Changes in reactance and resistance explained more of the variance in pre- dicting changes in TBW than did body weight, abdominal cir- cumference, or hematocrit (50-75% vs 4-50%, respectively). Changes in TBW estimated with the nonpregnancy impedance model were significantly different than either the measured changes or changes predicted with the pregnancy impedance model. These findings indicate that the impedance method is a practical and valid method for determining longitudinal changes in TBW. Am J Cli,, Nutr 1994;59:578-85.
What Is a Good Nearest Neighbors Algorithm for Finding Similar Patches in Images

Many computer vision algorithms require searching a set of images for similar patches, which is a very expensive operation. In this work, we compare and evaluate a number of nearest neighbors algorithms for speeding up this task. Since image patches follow very different distributions from the uniform and Gaussian distributions that are typically used to evaluate nearest neighbors methods, we determine the method with the best performance via extensive experimentation on real images. Furthermore, we take advantage of the inherent structure and properties of images to achieve highly efficient implementations of these algorithms. Our results indicate that vantage point trees, which are not well known in the vision community, generally offer the best performance.
Toward a History of the Blind in Spain

This paper uses archival documents, literature, and art to sketch the history of the blind in Spain. Traditionally, certain occupations, such as singing and playing musical instruments, saying prayers and selling chapbooks were reserved for the blind. Spanish artists and writers have portrayed the blind engaged in these occupations. Starting in the Middle Ages, the blind established powerful brotherhoods through which they controlled these professions. The changing roles that the blind played in the creation, production, performance and sale of popular literature known as literatura de cordel show their successful adaptation to an emerging print culture. The situation of the blind today and the success of the National Organization of the Spanish Blind (ONCE) are also discussed.
Pathogenic Anaerobic Bacteria

AbstractNo review can be all things to all people, the requirements of each reader being unique. In this case, the mission is two-fold; on the one hand, the author is sounding the alarm that the “anaerobes are here;” on the other, he is attempting to focus on the events that led him to this conclusion.
Louisiana Evidence Law: The Admissibility of Suicide Notes

On April 9, 2001, Courtney Garza, a twenty-one-year-old student at Southeastern University in Hammond, committed suicide by hanging herself in her parents’ Baton Rouge home. Courtney left behind a hand-written, nine-page suicide note alleging her depression and state of mind was the result of a rape that occurred three months prior. It is clear from Courtney’s note that the alleged rape caused her to enter into a deep state of depression which resulted in her taking her own life. Without Courtney’s statements regarding the alleged rape, the line of causation is severed and the action she took ending her life becomes an independent intervening force leaving Paul Upshaw and the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity free from liability. However, analyzing Courtney’s statements as non-hearsay state of mind, inferring the negligent wrongs of the defendants caused Courtney’s mental illness resulting in an uncontrollable impulse to commit suicide. Therefore, the defendants should have been held liable for her death. This ruling makes the state of the Courtney’s mind shortly before death, extremely relevant to the negligent acts of the defendants, and the suicide note admissible as evidence of that state of mind. Louisiana Supreme Court was wrong in addressing Courtney’s suicide note thoroughly under the hearsay dying declaration exception. Rather parts of the note should have been admissible under the hearsay then existing state of mind exception while other parts should have been admissible as non-hearsay because the statements in the note were being offered to prove the condition of Courtney’s state of mind at the time she took her life. It is evident that suicide notes, as a whole, should be analyzed statement by statement to determine its admissibility. Taken as a whole, or in large parts, each statement is not given the weight and significance, as it should. When correctly applied, the state of mind exception to the hearsay rule and the non-hearsay state of mind area of law, determine the admissibility of statements in suicide notes. While these two concepts are often confused, a full understanding of the similarities and differences between the two will yield an accurate result when applied correctly to suicide notes.
A hybrid Rayleigh-Taylor-current-driven coupled instability in a magnetohydrodynamically collimated cylindrical plasma with lateral gravity

We present an MHD theory of Rayleigh-Taylor instability on the surface of a magnetically confined cylindrical plasma flux rope in a lateral external gravity field. The Rayleigh-Taylor instability is found to couple to the classic current-driven instability, resulting in a new type of hybrid instability that cannot be described by either of the two instabilities alone. The lateral gravity breaks the axisymmetry of the system and couples all azimuthal modes together. The coupled instability, produced by combination of helical magnetic field, curvature of the cylindrical geometry, and lateral gravity, is fundamentally different from the classic magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability occurring at a two-dimensional planar interface. The theory successfully explains the lateral Rayleigh-Taylor instability observed in the Caltech plasma jet experiment [Moser and Bellan, Nature 482, 379 (2012)]. Potential applications of the theory include magnetic controlled fusion, solar emerging flux, solar prominences, coronal mass ejections, and other space and astrophysical plasma processes.
Turbulent temperature measurements using an Nd:YAG laser-based dual-line detection Rayleigh scattering technique

In 1993, Otiigen et al.' described a new Rayleigh scattering system for the diagnostics of complex, enclosed flows based on a copper-vapor laser and using two lines of the laser simultaneously. This dual-line detection method allowed the determination and subsequent removal of surface-scattered background noise from the Rayleigh signal, substantially improving the applicability of Rayleigh scattering to enclosed flows with high levels of laser glare. Presented here is a similar system, also using two lines simultaneously, but based on an Nd:YAG laser. The new system was tested in both a vacuum chamber and a heated turbulent air jet covering a range of gas pressures and temperatures and in the presence of various levels of background noise. The 532 nm second and the 266 nm fourth harmonics of the laser were used simultaneously to collect data. Comparison of results obtained by the present system to those of single-line Rayleigh scattering show that the dualline detection technique provides a substantial improvement in measurement accuracy. The new system can accurately measure gas temperature and pressure up to a point where the background noise-to-Rayleigh signal ratio is approximately 3 on the green line. The surface scattering coefficient for the 266 nm UV line was found to be half that of the 532 nm green line, making the Rayleigh signal-to-background noise ratio of the UV line thirty times higher than that of the green line. Copyright © 1997 by M.V. Otugen. Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. with permission. NOMENCLATURE C = calibration constant for optical system C' = surface scattering constant d = inner jet diameter at exit Eg = background energy EL incident laser energy ER = Rayleigh scattered energy ET = total detected energy
PL03.3 Syphilis: From Pathogenesis to Control

Syphilis is one of the most fascinating of all infections. Although its origin is still debated, the history of syphilis includes many famous (and infamous) persons, and the disease is featured in art and literature. Syphilis is caused by a corkscrew-shaped bacterium, Treponema pallidum , that was first identified over 100 years ago. It has a miniscule genome, and it lacks many of the common metabolic pathways. It is so fragile that it dies within hours outside of the host, yet it is capable of evading host defences to persist for decades within the host. Syphilis is known as “the great imitator” because its clinical manifestations, which can range from an ulcer or rash to blindness and insanity, can be mistaken for many other clinical conditions. In contrast, the infection can lie smouldering for many years, without any clinical evidence. After 70 years of use, penicillin continues to be an effective treatment, yet resistance to macrolide antibiotics like azithromycin has erupted in T. pallidum in many regions of the world. Physicians recognise that some persons who are treated for syphilis can be reinfected, sometimes multiple times. At the population level, the incidence of syphilis can wax and wane, often shifting from one population group to another. How does T. pallidum cause the many manifestations of syphilis and still evade immune clearance? How does macrolide resistance develop and spread? Is there a biological basis for determining which patients can be reinfected or when the incidence of syphilis will decline in a given population? Molecular studies involving the laboratory and the clinic have shed insights into pathogenic mechanisms involved in invasion and dissemination, induction of host responses, and immune evasion by T. pallidum . Molecular epidemiology studies have begun to unravel the movement of T. pallidum strains throughout communities, and to shed light on the appearance of macrolide resistance. Our evolving knowledge about these issues will be discussed in the context of the natural history of syphilis.
Examining Equivalency of the Driver Risk Inventory Test Versions Does It Matter Which Version I Use

Equivalency of test versions is often assumed by counselors and evaluators. This study examined two versions, paper–pencil and computer based, of the Driver Risk Inventory, a DUI/DWI (driving under the influence/driving while intoxicated) risk assessment. An overview of computer-based testing and standards for equivalency is also provided. Results of the study confirmed reliability, validity, and equivalency of the versions.
Synthesis and Characterization of Polymerizable Phosphorescent Platinum(II) Complexes for Solution-Processible Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

A norbornene-functionalized derivative of acetylacetone has been used to synthesize a series of new polymerizable norbornene-derivatized phosphorescent platinum complexes of the form Pt(C∧N)(O∧O*) where C∧N represents a cyclometalated ligand and O∧O* represents the functionalized acetylacetonate ligand. The complexes have been fully characterized, and the structures of three examples have been determined by X-ray diffraction. Solution absorption and luminescence spectra and electrochemical data are very similar to those for analogues without these polymerizable groups. A 9,9-dialkyl-2,7-di(carbazol-9-yl)fluorene material, in which one of the alkyl groups bears a norbornene group, has been synthesized and copolymerized with the Pt(C∧N)(O∧O*) complexes using Grubbs ruthenium catalysts, resulting in copolymers with broad molecular weight distributions. The copolymers have been used as lumophores in organic light-emitting diodes, thus demonstrating that platinum phosphors can be successfully integrated into t...
Comparison of HgO and CuSO4/TiO2 as catalysts in manual Kjeldahl digestion for determination of crude protein in animal feed: collaborative study.

Evaluation des performances de ces catalyseurs aux niveaux de la rapidite et de la precision des analyses et des risques de pollution de l'environnement par le mercure. Les resultats sont comparables a ceux de la methode conventionnelle. La nouvelle methode est adoptee a l'essai
Effect of Additives on the Crystal Morphology of Amino Acids: A Theoretical and Experimental Study

The crystal morphology of amino acids can be altered in a controlled manner through inclusion of tailor-made additives in their structure, in order to widen their scope for applications in drug design and targeted delivery. In this study, the effect of multiadditive combinations of hydrophobic and hydrophilic amino acids on the growth and morphology of l-alanine was investigated. Theoretical calculations were performed using two crystal growth models in Materials Studio software: (1) build-in model; (2) surface docking model. Crystallization experiments were carried out using the metal-assisted and microwave accelerated evaporative crystallization (MA-MAEC) technique with multiple hydrophobic and hydrophilic amino acids added in stoichiometric amounts to l-alanine solution. The crystal morphology was established and compared with predicted crystal morphology. The use of hydrophilic and hydrophobic additives was predicted to have significant changes in the morphology of l-alanine crystals. Multiadditive co...
Modeling of VANET for BSM Safety Messaging at Intersections with Non-homogeneous Node Distribution

This paper presents a new analytic model for the performance and reliability of safety-related message broadcast in vehicular ad hoc networks VANETs at intersections with non-homogeneous Poisson process NHPP for more general road traffic and node distributions. The new analytic model adopts semi-Markov processes SMP interacting with M/G/1 queues to characterize the IEEE 802.11p channel behavior of safety message broadcast. Then, the analytic model is applied to derive the MAC-level quality of service QoS metrics for safety applications at intersections taking into account impact of hidden terminal problem, Nakagami fading with path loss, and concurrent transmissions from different vehicles. The numerical results under various network parameters are cross validated with NS2 simulations. New observations and conclusions are given.
Rapid wastage of the Hazen Plateau ice caps, northeastern Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada

Abstract. Two pairs of small stagnant ice bodies on the Hazen Plateau of northeastern Ellesmere Island, the St. Patrick Bay ice caps and the Murray and Simmons ice caps, are rapidly shrinking, and the remnants of the St. Patrick Bay ice caps are likely to disappear entirely within the next 5 years. Vertical aerial photographs of these Little Ice Age relics taken during August of 1959 show that the larger of the St. Patrick Bay ice caps had an area of 7.48 km2 and the smaller one 2.93 km2; the Murray and Simmons ice caps covered 4.37 and 7.45 km2 respectively. Outlines determined from ASTER satellite data for July 2016 show that, compared to 1959, the larger and the smaller of the St. Patrick Bay ice caps had both been reduced to only 5 % of their former area, with the Murray and Simmons ice caps faring better at 39 and 25 %, likely reflecting their higher elevation. Consistent with findings from other glaciological studies in the Queen Elizabeth Islands, ASTER imagery in conjunction with past GPS surveys documents a strikingly rapid wastage of the St. Patrick Bay ice caps over the last 15 years. These two ice caps shrank noticeably even between 2014 and 2015, apparently in direct response to the especially warm summer of 2015 over northeastern Ellesmere Island. The well-documented recession patterns of the Hazen Plateau ice caps over the last 55+ years offer an opportunity to examine the processes of plant recolonization of polar landscapes.
Awareness of low self-control: Theory and evidence from a homeless shelter

Abstract Survey measures of self-control provide a potential low-cost alternative to incentivized elicitation. However, asking respondents to introspect on their self-control problems may instead measure their awareness of them, especially in populations with low self-control. We illustrate this with the Ameriks, Caplin, Leahy, and Tyler (2007) survey, which captures self-control problems through the deviation between self-reported ideal and predicted behavior (Expected Deviation, ED). Previous empirical evidence from high income or highly educated populations correlates larger ED with worse outcomes. We theoretically show that the reverse will be true in settings where awareness can play a large role: when self-control is low and costly commitment devices are available. We empirically show that, for residents of a homeless shelter, ED is positively correlated to savings in shelter lockboxes, a costly commitment device. This correlation is stronger for those likely to experience more self-control problems: individuals with past addiction problems.
Bleak Present, Bright Future: Online Episodic Future Thinking, Scarcity, Delay Discounting, and Food Demand

Obesity is associated with steep discounting of the future and increased food reinforcement. Episodic future thinking (EFT), a type of prospective thinking, has been observed to reduce delay discounting (DD) and improve dietary decision making. In contrast, negative income shock (i.e., abrupt transitions to poverty) has been shown to increase discounting and may worsen dietary decision-making. Scalability of EFT training and protective effects of EFT against simulated negative income shock on DD and demand for food were assessed. In two experiments we showed online-administered EFT reliably reduced DD. Furthermore, EFT reduced DD and demand for fast foods even when challenged by negative income shock. Our findings suggest EFT is a scalable intervention that has implications for improving public health by reducing discounting of the future and demand for high energy dense food.
Waking Yourself Up: The Liberatory Potential of Critical University Studies

Critical university studies courses can provide students with a context in which to learn not only about the concealed workings and hidden curriculum of the university, but more than that a liberatory space in which to find voice in shaping their own futures. This paper explores the liberatory potential of critical university studies through a conversation between a faculty member who designed and taught an interdisciplinary general education course on higher education and a student who was enrolled in the course the first time it was offered. The conversation explores the course’s pedagogy as both professor and student contemplate the ways in which contemporary higher education may limit the horizons of first-generation students and the ways in which critical university studies can open up possibilities and provide students with a sense of self-efficacy.
Experimental evaluation of model predictive control and inverse dynamics control for spacecraft proximity and docking maneuvers

An experimental campaign has been conducted to evaluate the performance of two different guidance and control algorithms on a multi-constrained docking maneuver. The evaluated algorithms are model predictive control (MPC) and inverse dynamics in the virtual domain (IDVD). A linear–quadratic approach with a quadratic programming solver is used for the MPC approach. A nonconvex optimization problem results from the IDVD approach, and a nonlinear programming solver is used. The docking scenario is constrained by the presence of a keep-out zone, an entry cone, and by the chaser’s maximum actuation level. The performance metrics for the experiments and numerical simulations include the required control effort and time to dock. The experiments have been conducted in a ground-based air-bearing test bed, using spacecraft simulators that float over a granite table.
Ending the history of silence: reconstructing European Slave trading in the Indian Ocean

Abstract: Thirty-eight years ago, Hubert Gerbeau discus-sed the problems that contributed to the “history of silence” surrounding slave trading in the Indian Ocean. While the publication of an expanding body of scholarship since the late 1980s demonstrates that this silence is not as deafening as it once was, our knowledge and understanding of this traffic in chattel labor remains far from complete. This arti-cle discusses the problems surrounding attempts to recons -truct European slave trading in the Indian Ocean between 1500 and 1850. Recently created inventories of British East India Company slaving voyages during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and of French, Portuguese, and other voyages involving the Mascarene Islands of Mauritius and Reunion between 1670 and the 1830s not only shed light on the nature and dynamics of British and French slave trading in the Indian Ocean, but also highlight topics and issues that future research on European slave trading within and beyond this oceanic world will need to address.
TTPDrill: Automatic and Accurate Extraction of Threat Actions from Unstructured Text of CTI Sources

With the rapid growth of the cyber attacks, sharing of cyber threat intelligence (CTI) becomes essential to identify and respond to cyber attack in timely and cost-effective manner. However, with the lack of standard languages and automated analytics of cyber threat information, analyzing complex and unstructured text of CTI reports is extremely time- and labor-consuming. Without addressing this challenge, CTI sharing will be highly impractical, and attack uncertainty and time-to-defend will continue to increase. Considering the high volume and speed of CTI sharing, our aim in this paper is to develop automated and context-aware analytics of cyber threat intelligence to accurately learn attack pattern (TTPs) from commonly available CTI sources in order to timely implement cyber defense actions. Our paper has three key contributions. First, it presents a novel threat-action ontology that is sufficiently rich to understand the specifications and context of malicious actions. Second, we developed a novel text mining approach that combines enhanced techniques of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Information retrieval (IR) to extract threat actions based on semantic (rather than syntactic) relationship. Third, our CTI analysis can construct a complete attack pattern by mapping each threat action to the appropriate techniques, tactics and kill chain phases, and translating it any threat sharing standards, such as STIX 2.1. Our CTI analytic techniques were implemented in a tool, called TTPDrill, and evaluated using a randomly selected set of Symantec Threat Reports. Our evaluation tests show that TTPDrill achieves more than 82% of precision and recall in a variety of measures, very reasonable for this problem domain.
Life-cycle analysis of repair of concrete pavements

Abstract Concrete pavements are widely used to carry heavy load and provide long-lasting solutions in highways, airports, and bridge decks. This chapter reviews the current state-of-practice in lifecycle cost analysis (LCCA) and lifecycle assessment (LCA) of concrete pavement repairs. Most studies focused on pavement rehabilitation alternatives, especially different overlay types, with assumption of relatively small contribution from routine maintenance of concrete pavement. Compared to the agency cost invested in the construction stage and the environmental burden brought by raw material and manufacturing, the impact of work zones on the cost of traveling public and the emission generated in the usage stage of pavement cannot be neglected. The integration of economic analysis and environmental assessment is critical to develop eco-efficient concrete pavement repair solutions for multiple-objective decision making. Future research recommendations are discussed for the purpose of improving accuracy of LCCA and LCA for the overall sustainability.
Benchmark problems in aerosol evolution: Comparison of some exact and DSMC results

Abstract Aerosols are generated in many normal or accident situations associated with the nuclear enterprise. For a good understanding and modeling of the nuclear source term, for example, good experimental data and computational programs relating to aerosol evolution are needed. In the past several years there has been an effort to explore use of the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) approach for such estimations to improve fidelity of computations to the actual physics and chemistry of the accidents. An integral part of these efforts has been verification and validation of the DSMC technique against other available results wherever possible. This paper explores verification of DSMC against one existing and two new benchmark problems covering condensation, coagulation, deposition and two-component aerosols. The simulations compare well with the exact results, providing further confidence in the use of DSMC.