cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A method for the induction of blood eosinophilia with simple protein antigens.

Abstract A new method of immunization is presented in which blood eosinophilia is induced with simple protein antigens in rats. Large inert particles coated with antigen are injected intravenously embolizing the lungs. Eosinophilia is maximal 5 days after a booster injection. It is concluded that the site of tissue localization of antigen is important in blood eosinophilia induction.
Science, technology and society education for engineers

The value of exposing engineering students to social issues raised by science and technology is discussed. A required engineering course at Lafayette College, 'Engineering Professionalism and Ethics', which is designed to provide all engineering majors with an introduction to science, technology, and society topics, is described. Experience with the course is evaluated. >
Crystallographic and magnetic ordering studies of plutonium carbides using neutron diffraction

Abstract Neutron diffraction studies were carried out on polycrystalline samples of carbon-saturated PuC1−x and Pu22C3. In both, the targets were prepared from material that was highly enriched in 240Pu to minimize the fast neutron background due to the thermal fission of 239Pu. A magnetic transition was observed to occur in PuC1-x at approximately 100 °K. The ordered structure was found to be composed of ferromagnetic layers coupled antiferromagnetically. The planes of constant spin are the (001) planes and the spin vectors are aligned perpendicular to the (001) planes. No low temperature magnetic ordering was observed in Pu2C3. Room temperature diffraction data were used to compute the crystal positional parameters for this compound: Xc = 0.2896 ± 0.0005XPu = 0.0492 ± 0.0005, and the thermal parameter: B = 0.69 ± 0.06 A 2 . The C-C bond length calculated from these data is 1.39 A. Using room temperature data for both compounds, the coherent scattering amplitude of pure 240Pu was found to be 0.38 × 10−12 cm.
Grain growth and morphology of In2O3:Pd nanocomposite films

Abstract Thin film nanocomposites based on semiconducting oxides and palladium have been systematically studied using combinatorial chemistry techniques to optimize their thermoelectric properties. These nanocomposites have considerable potential for energy harvesting applications in harsh environments and were prepared by embedding palladium nanoparticles into an indium oxide matrix via co-sputtering from metal and ceramic targets. The as-deposited films were largely amorphous and thus were subsequently heat treated in nitrogen ambients to produce crystalline nanocomposites. These nanocomposite films were screened for their thermoelectric properties at room temperature as a function of composition, and the resulting films exhibited thermoelectric power factors that were significantly greater than the semiconducting oxides deposited directly from ceramic targets. Based on these rapid screening protocols employing hundreds of micro-thermocouples, the most promising nanocomposite films in terms of thermoelectric power factor were down-selected. Transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy were then used to study the microstructural changes in these films as a function of temperature. When thermally cycled to 800 °C, an abrupt transition from normal, equiaxed grain growth to abnormal (spherulitic growth) was observed at a threshold palladium loading which was also optimal for thermoelectric energy harvesting.
Strained-layer InAsP/InGaP MQWs grown by MOVPE

Abstract Strained balanced InAsPfInGaP superlattices for optoelectronic applications were studied with materials grown by low pressure MOVPE. For 20 and 30 period InAsP/InGaP superlattices with a 23 % As mole fraction in the InAsP layers, sharp X raysatellite peaks are obtained. The superlattices show an average lattice constant close to that of the InP substrate. Strong photoluminescence with narrow emission linewidth areobserved at room temperature around 1 . 1 1 p.m. PIN diodes with an intrinsic region consisting of the InAsP/InGaP superlattice show efficient electroabsorption at wavelengthsaround 1 . 1 5 m with a small residual absorption of 59 cm . I. Introduction One of the principal material systems for optoelectronic devices and circuits covering the 0.9 m to 2 tm wavelength range has been the InPIInGaAsP on InP substrate. In this material system, both the lattice constant and the bandgap energy of theInGaAsP can be tuned separately, making it possible to grow lattice matched materials onInP with an adjustable bandgap. To provide larger flexibility in the design of device and
Conformations of cyclic 2,3-nucleotides and 2,3-Cyclic-5-diphosphates. Interrelation between the phase angle of pseudorotation of the sugar and the torsions about the glycosyl C(1)-N and the backbone C(4)-C(5) bonds.

Semiempirical potential energy calculations have been carried out for cyclic 2',3'-nucleotides and their 5'-phosphorylated derivatives, which are the intermediates in the hydrolysis of RNA. Calculations have been performed for both purine and pyrimidine bases for the observed O(1')-endo, O(1')-exo and the unpuckered planar sugar ring conformations. It is found that the mode of sugar pucker largely determines the preferred conformations of these molecules. For cyclic 2',3'-nucleotides themselves, the O(1')-endo sugars show a preference for the syn glycosyl conformation while the O(1')-exo sugars exclusively favor the anti conformation regardless of whether the base is a purine or pyrimidine. For the unpuckered planar sugar, the syn conformation is favored for purines and anti for pyrimidines. Both the gauche (+) (60°) and trans (180°) conformations about the C(4') - C(5') bond are favored for O(1')-endo sugars, while the gauche (-) (300°) and trans (180°) are favored for O(1')-exo sugars. On the contrary, the 5'-phosphorylated cyclic 2',3'-nucleotides of both purines and pyrimidines show a preference for the anti-gauche (+) conformational combination about the glycosyl and C(4') - C(5') bonds for the O(1')-endo sugars and the anti-trans combination for the O(1')-exo sugars. The correlation between the phase angle of the sugar ring and the favored torsions about the glycosyl and the backbone C(4') - C(5') bonds as one traverses along the pseudorotational pathway of the sugar ring is examined.
Impact of adaptive functioning on readmission to alcohol detoxification among Alaska Native People

Background This study examined predictors associated with readmission to detoxification in a sample of adult Alaska Native patients admitted to inpatient alcohol detoxification. Even though Alaska Native people diagnosed with alcoholism have been identified as frequent utilizers of the health care system and at elevated risk of death, little is known about factors associated with readmission to detoxification for this group.
The Anthropoid-Like Face of Siamopithecus: Cherry Picking Trees, Phylogenetic Corroboration, and the Adapiform–Anthropoid Hypothesis

ALFRED L. ROSENBERGER,* GREGG F. GUNNELL, AND RUSSELL L. CIOCHON Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York Department of Anthropology, City University of New York Graduate Center, New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), New York, New York Department of Mammalogy, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York Division of Fossil Primates, Duke Lemur Center, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina Department of Anthropology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
Correlation of strain and velocity during dilatancy

PRESENT earthquake mechanism models are predicated on the hypothesis of the formation of a dilatant zone in the region of the proposed break and the time history of physical rock properties that are a function of crack porosity. For example, field observations have shown drops in compressional wave velocity in earthquake areas prior to events. The anomaly persists for a time dependent on the source dimensions of the impending shock, and returns to normal prior to the event1–4. Velocity measurements made during laboratory fracture tests have shown a decrease in compressional wave velocity above approximately 80% of the fracture stress5,6. The effect is most pronounced normal to the direction of greatest compression. Similarly, as the fracture stress is approached the inelastic volumetric strain is the greatest7, indicating a definite correlation between velocity and inelastic volumetric strain.
Analysis of Temperature Dependence of the Vortex Core Parameter in He II

The results of Glaberson and Steingart on vortex-core radii at low temperatures are analyzed from the point of view of a quasithermodynamic theory and found to be in agreement with the theory.
Experimental Effects of Bone Size and Temperature On Bone Diagenesis

Abstract In the ground, bone undergoes chemical and physical changes which affect its preservation. This fact has important implications for dating and other analytical procedures involving bone, as well as faunal analysis where differential preservation of bones of different species may affect conclusions regarding the relative significance of an animal to the economy of a given society. The diagenic processes in bone range from minor changes in the bone protein to complete structural and chemical breakdown. Using fresh cow bone, we conducted laboratory experiments which simulate the effect of temperature and bone size on the rate and nature of bone disintegration in archaeological sites. Temperature influences the rate of chemical change, and bone size and density affect the accessibility of the molecular constituents of bone to extrinsic chemical reactions. These findings clarify the importance of two well-known concepts in bone taphonomy. (1) The rate of chemical breakdown in bone tissues is related to the proximity of a given unit of tissue to the bone surface. This means that, in archaeological bone samples, tissue near the surface may be different chemically from tissue away from the surface and great care is necessary in choosing and preparing bone samples for analytical procedures. (2) In general, small bones are not as well preserved as large bones, therefore small animals are likely to be underrepresented in faunal assemblages.
Facial motor neuron regeneration induces a unique spatial and temporal pattern of myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate expression.

Abstract We have previously shown that the myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate, a primary protein kinase C substrate in brain that binds and cross-links filamentous actin, is enriched in neuronal growth cones and is developmentally regulated in brain. Here we examined myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate expression in the facial motor nucleus during axonal regeneration following facial nerve axotomy or facial nerve resection lesions, which impede regeneration, or following motor neuron degeneration induced by the retrograde neurotoxin ricin. For comparative purposes, the protein kinase C substrates myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate-like protein and growth-associated protein-43 were examined in parallel. Myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate messenger RNA exhibited a robust increase in both neurons and non-neuronal cells in the facial motor nucleus beginning four days after axotomy, peaked at seven days (2.5-fold), and declined back to baseline levels by 40 days. Myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate protein similarly exhibited a twofold elevation in the facial motor nucleus determined four and 14 days post-axotomy. Following nerve resection, myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate messenger RNA levels increased at seven days and returned to baseline levels by 40 days. Unlike myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate messenger RNA, myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate-like messenger RNA levels did not increase in the facial motor nucleus at any time point following nerve axotomy or resection, whereas growth-associated protein-43 messenger RNA exhibited a rapid (one day) and prolonged (40 days) elevation in facial motor nucleus neurons following either nerve axotomy or resection. Ricin-induced degeneration of facial motor neurons elevated myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate and myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate-like messenger RNAs in both microglia (lectin-positive) and astrocytes (glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive). Collectively, these data demonstrate that myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate exhibits a unique expression profile in the facial motor nucleus following facial nerve lesions, and it is proposed that myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate may serve to mediate actin-membrane cytoskeletal plasticity in both neurons and glial cells in response to protein kinaseC-mediated signaling during nerve regeneration and degeneration.
Information theoretic subset selection for neural network models

In this work, an information theoretic input variable subset selection (ITSS) scheme for neural network based modeling of chemical processes is proposed. In recent years, artificial neural network models have been shown to be useful empirical models for modeling complex nonlinear chemical processes. ITSS selects an informative subset to be used as input data for constructing a neural network model. ITSS can select appropriate subsets for neural network model development, regardless of the dependencies between the process outputs and inputs. The power of the ITSS method is illustrated through its application to three example problems. Results obtained show that ITSS is capable of identifying subsets for developing viable artificial neural network models. As it uses a smaller set of input variables, ITSS can help identify simpler neural models with better generalization and ease of interpretability.
Effects of preference for attachment to low-degree nodes on the degree distributions of a growing directed network and a simple food-web model.

We study the growth of a directed network, in which the growth is constrained by the cost of adding links to the existing nodes. We propose a preferential-attachment scheme, in which a new node attaches to an existing node $i$ with probability $\ensuremath{\Pi}({k}_{i})\ensuremath{\propto}{k}_{i}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, where ${k}_{i}$ is the number of outgoing links at $i$. We calculate the degree distribution for the outgoing links in the asymptotic regime $(t\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty})$, ${n}_{k}^{*}$, both analytically and by Monte Carlo simulations. The distribution decays like $k{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{k}∕\ensuremath{\Gamma}(k)$ for large $k$, where $\ensuremath{\mu}$ is a constant. We investigate the effect of this preferential-attachment scheme, by comparing the results to an equivalent growth model with a degree-independent probability of attachment, which gives an exponential outdegree distribution. Also, we relate this mechanism to simple food-web models by implementing it in the cascade model. We show that the low-degree preferential-attachment mechanism breaks the symmetry between in- and outdegree distributions in the cascade model. It also causes a faster decay in the tails of the outdegree distributions for both our network growth model and the cascade model.
Simulation of a heavy wintertime precipitation event in California

A coupled mesoscale atmospheric-land surface model is used to simulate a twelve-day heavy precipitation event in California. In addition to the temporal variation of the large-scale flow, local topography played a crucial role in the simulated precipitation and land-surface snow budget through orographically-generated vertical motion and a decrease of atmospheric temperature with increasing altitude. The observed and simulated heavy precipitation occurred at locations where orographic lifting is strong: western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Coastal Range. Due to rainshadow effects, the Central Valley area, which is located at the lee side of the Coastal Range, received only a small amount of precipitation. The snowline appeared at altitudes as low as 750 m above sea level, and most of the precipitation above the 1.8 km level was snow. Maximum rainfall was located near the 1 km elevation along the western slope of the Sierra-Nevada while snowfall maxima appeared along the ridge of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Snow accumulation was also strongly dependent upon surface elevations. The simulation suggested that over 75% of the fresh snowfall during the study period was added to the existing snow cover at elevations above 1.5 km while much of the snowfall over lower elevations melted.
Midterm results with thoracic endovascular aortic repair for chronic type B aortic dissection with associated aneurysm.

Objective Thoracic endovascular aortic repair for chronic type B aortic dissection with associated descending thoracic aneurysm remains controversial. Concerns include potential ischemic complications due to branch vessel origin from the chronic false lumen and continued retrograde false lumen/aneurysm sac pressurization via fenestrations distal to implanted endografts. The present study examines midterm results with thoracic endovascular aortic repair for chronic (>2 weeks) type B aortic dissection with associated aneurysm to better understand the potential role of thoracic endovascular aortic repair for this condition. Methods Between March 2005 and December 2009, 51 thoracic endovascular aortic repair procedures were performed at a single institution for management of chronic type B dissection. The indication for thoracic endovascular aortic repair was aneurysm in all cases. A subset of 7 patients (14%) underwent placement of the EndoSure wireless pressure measurement system (CardioMEMS, Inc, Atlanta, Ga) in the false lumen adjacent to the primary tear for monitoring aneurysm sac/false lumen pulse pressure after thoracic endovascular aortic repair. Results Mean patient age was 57 ± 12 years (range, 30–82 years); 14 patients (28%) were female. Mean aortic diameter was 6.2 ± 1.4 cm. There were no in-hospital/30-day deaths, strokes, or permanent paraplegia/paresis. There were no complications related to compromise of downstream branch vessels arising from the false lumen. Two patients (3.9%) who had preexisting ascending aortic dilation had retrograde acute type A aortic dissection; both were repaired successfully. Median postoperative length of stay was 4 days. Mean follow-up is 27.0 ± 16.5 months (range, 2–60 months). Actuarial overall survival is 77.7% at 60 months with an actuarial aorta-specific survival of 98% over this same time period. Actuarial freedom from reintervention is 77.3% at 60 months. All patients with the EndoSure wireless pressure measurement system exhibited a decrease in aneurysm sac/false lumen pulse pressure indicating a depressurized false lumen. The aneurysm sac/false lumen pulse pressure ratio decreased from 52% ± 27% at the predischarge measurement to 14% ± 5% at the latest follow-up reading ( P = .029). Conclusions Thoracic endovascular aortic repair for chronic type B dissection with associated aneurysm is safe and effective at midterm follow-up. Aneurysm sac/false lumen pulse pressure measurements demonstrate a significant reduction in false lumen endotension, thus ruling out clinically significant persistent retrograde false lumen perfusion and provide proof of concept for a thoracic endovascular aortic repair-based approach. Longer-term follow-up is needed to determine the durability of thoracic endovascular aortic repair for this aortic pathology.
An update on pediatric cutaneous drug eruptions.

Abstract One of the early lessons learned in dermatology training is "any drug, any rash." This maxim quickly summarizes the vast array of cutaneous reactions that can be seen in response to systemic medications. We have reviewed common and unusual drug eruptions in pediatric patients that span the morphologic spectrum. These reactions can have an equally broad range of severity, from harmless to lethal, and by the end of this paper the reader will be better equipped to sort one from the other.
Procedure for construction of a custom tracheostomal obturator: a clinical report.

SUMMARY This clinical report describes the treatment of apatient with Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syn-drome using a simple impression procedure and pros-thesis fabrication. Treatment required only the basicinformation provided by the otolaryngologist, mea-surements were taken at the initial appointment, andbasic skills were used in fabrication of intraoral andextraoral prosthetic devices. It is recommended that theclinical phase of this procedure be performed in thepresence of an otolaryngologist. Patients who live withthis syndrome have undergone many trials physically,emotionally, psychologically, and socially. The presenceof this type of prosthesis has many advantages such asallowance of speech without obvious air leakage, andbeing relatively inconspicuous. Compared with the WRIGHT ET AL THE JOURNAL OF PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY OCTOBER 1999 389 Fig. 5. Ten-year-old girl with CCHS with tracheostomal obtu-rator assembly in place. Prosthesis is esthetically pleasing topatient and held in place through bulb on terminal end ofobturator with beaded necklace.
Diabetes Confers Little to No Increased Risk of Postoperative Complications After Hip Fracture Surgery in Geriatric Patients

Background Diabetes and hip fractures in geriatric patients are common, and many elderly patients have a history of diabetes. However, the influence of diabetes on surgical complications may vary based on which particular type of diabetes a patient has. To our knowledge, no prior study has stratified patients with diabetes to compare patients with noninsulin-dependent and insulin-dependent diabetes regarding rates of postoperative adverse events, length of hospitalization, and readmission rate after surgical stabilization of hip fractures in geriatric patients.
The Formation of the Qin Dynasty: A Socio-technical System of Systems

Abstract In systems engineering, architecture selection is crucial to total success of implementing a system. In light of nation building in Iraq during 2010 and Arab Spring during 2011, this theme is explored using Chinese Qin Dynasty as a historical model. The Qin Dynasty created the architecture for the socio-technical systems that are the foundation of Chinese society and have enabled Chinese success for two millennia. The Chinese experience validates importance of a systems integration perspective and a socially-acceptable pace. These insights were ascertained by the Chinese society without the benefit of precedence in other worldwide civilizations.
Global versus facet predictors of intention to quit: differences in a sample of male and female Singaporean managers and non-managers

Prior research on gender and turnover has produced inconsistent findings. Some investigators have argued that the use of more highly focused job, work and organization facets can reveal patterns no...
E-058 Basilar artery recanalization status after endovascular therapy does not predict outcome

Purpose Basilar artery occlusion is a devastating event without treatment. With the advent of mechanical and endovascular therapy, one would expect an improvement in outcomes. Materials and methods We retrospectively reviewed patient records on 17 patients who presented with acute basilar artery thromboembolism and underwent an interventional procedure. The admission clinical findings, CT and CT angiogram, angiographic images and follow-up CT/MRI were reviewed. Clinical follow-up was also recorded. Statistical methods to analyze the findings were performed using JMP software. Results 12% of patients had a good outcome and 18% were lost to follow-up. NIH stroke scale at admission had a direct correlation with outcome (modified Rankin scale). Recanalization did not directly correlate with outcome. Postprocedure hemorrhage was higher with larger doses of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and adding a mechanical device (MERCI) did not significantly improve outcome compared with tPA. Older age, higher admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) were indicators of an adverse outcome. Complete basilar occlusion was associated with a worse outcome than a partial occlusion but the difference did not approach statistical significance. Conclusions In this single center experience analysis, we were unable to identify any statistically significant angiographic predictors of outcome. Specifically, recanalization of the basilar artery did not correlate with good outcome. NIHSS at admission was an independent predictor of outcome. Basilar occlusion remains a complex and debilitating condition that is not satisfactorily treated by any current methods, including interventional techniques.
Small but Mighty: Cell Size and Bacteria

Our view of bacteria is overwhelmingly shaped by their diminutive nature. The most ancient of organisms, their very presence was not appreciated until the 17th century with the invention of the microscope. Initially, viewed as "bags of enzymes," recent advances in imaging, molecular phylogeny, and, most recently, genomics have revealed incredible diversity within this previously invisible realm of life. Here, we review the impact of size on bacterial evolution, physiology, and morphogenesis.
The Impact of Student Characteristics and Teacher Efficacy on Teachers' Predictions of Student Success.

Abstract This study examined how the interaction between student and teacher characteristics affects teachers’ predictions of students’ academic and social success. Three hundred and eighty-four general education teachers responded to (a) one of 32 possible case studies describing a student, in which gender, reading achievement, social behavior, and attentiveness were manipulated experimentally and (b) to a 16-item teacher-efficacy scale. Results showed that (1) teachers with high efficacy make less negative predictions about students, and seem to adjust their predictions when student characteristics change, while low efficacy teachers seem to be paying attention to a single characteristic when making their predictions. (2) All teachers respond similarly to students who exhibit a combination of aggressive and inattentive behaviors, that is, if students are friendly, inattentiveness is tolerated more than if they are aggressive. (3) All teachers make higher predictions of academic success for students reading on grade level even when they are aggressive, than for students reading below grade level even when they are friendly. The authors discuss the importance of attending to the complexity of characteristics each student brings in to the classroom.
Real-time estimation of magnitude-square coherence for use in implantable devices

Magnitude square coherence (MSC) has been shown to be a useful technique in discriminating fibrillatory rhythms (FIB) from nonfibrillatory rhythms (NON-FIB). The authors present a method for estimating MSC in real-time for intracardiac electrograms using an overlapped moving discrete Fourier transform approach. Real-time discrimination of FIB and NONFIB is performed by using 32-point data segments and a Hanning window. Fibrillation is detected by using a simple threshold technique for mean MSC in the 0-60-Hz band. This method of real-time mean MSC estimation reliably discriminates FIB from NONFIB rhythms in a time period appropriate for use in implantable devices. A moving mean MSC offers a new perspective on cardiac dynamics. >
Modeling: optimal marathon performance on the basis of physiological factors.

This paper examines current concepts concerning "limiting" factors in human endurance performance by modeling marathon running times on the basis of various combinations of previously reported values of maximal O2 uptake (VO2max), lactate threshold, and running economy in elite distance runners. The current concept is that VO2max sets the upper limit for aerobic metabolism while the blood lactate threshold is related to the fraction of VO2max that can be sustained in competitive events greater than approximately 3,000 m. Running economy then appears to interact with VO2max and blood lactate threshold to determine the actual running speed at lactate threshold, which is generally a speed similar to (or slightly slower than) that sustained by individual runners in the marathon. A variety of combinations of these variables from elite runners results in estimated running times that are significantly faster than the current world record (2:06:50). The fastest time for the marathon predicted by this model is 1:57:58 in a hypothetical subject with a VO2max of 84 ml.kg-1.min-1, a lactate threshold of 85% of VO2max, and exceptional running economy. This analysis suggests that substantial improvements in marathon performance are "physiologically" possible or that current concepts regarding limiting factors in endurance running need additional refinement and empirical testing.
Brief paper: Stochastic source seeking for nonholonomic unicycle

We apply the recently introduced method of stochastic extremum seeking to navigate a nonholonomic unicycle towards the maximum of an unknown, spatially distributed signal field, using only the measurement of the signal at the vehicle's location but without the measurement of the vehicle's position. Keeping the forward velocity constant and controlling only the angular velocity, we design a stochastic source seeking control law which employs excitation based on filtered white noise, rather than sinusoidal perturbations used in the existing work. We study stability with the help of stochastic averaging theorems that we recently developed for general nonlinear continuous-time systems with stochastic perturbations. We prove local exponential convergence, both almost surely and in probability, to a small neighborhood near the source. We characterize the convergence speed explicitly and provide design guidelines for maximizing it, as well as for minimizing the residual set near the source. We present a detailed simulation study, including a study of the effect of saturation on the steering input.
Application and Utility of iPads in Pediatric Tele-echocardiography.

Abstract Background: Telemedicine is used with increasing frequency to improve patient care in remote areas. The interpretation of medical imaging on iPad® (Apple, Cupertino, CA) tablets has been reported to be accurate. There are no studies on the use of iPads for interpretation of pediatric echocardiograms. We compared the quality of echo images, diagnostic accuracy, and review time using three different modalities: remote access on an iPad Air (iPad), remote access via a computer (Remote), and direct access on a computer linked through Ethernet to the server, the “gold standard” (Direct). Materials and Methods: Fifty consecutive archived pediatric echocardiograms were interpreted using the three modalities. Studies were analyzed blindly by three pediatric cardiologists; review time, diagnostic accuracy, and image quality were documented. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed by comparing the study diagnoses with the official diagnosis in the patient's chart. Discrepancies between diagnoses were graded as ma...
Overexpression of tomato LeAGP-1 arabinogalactan-protein promotes lateral branching and hampers reproductive development

LeAGP-1 is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored arabinogalactan-protein (AGP) in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). Patterns of mRNA expression and protein localization for LeAGP-1 indicate that it likely functions in certain aspects of plant growth and development. To elucidate LeAGP-1 function(s), transgenic tomato plants expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to LeAGP-1 [GFP-LeAGP-1] or two LeAGP-1 variants, one lacking the C-terminal GPI-anchor domain [GFP-LeAGP-1DeltaC] and the other lacking the lysine-rich domain [GFP-LeAGP-1DeltaK], under the control of the CaMV35S promoter were produced using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgenic T0 and T1 lines with high levels of both GFP-LeAGP-1 mRNA and protein: (i) were significantly shorter; (ii) were highly branched; (iii) produced more flower buds, but most of these flowers did not mature, resulting in less fruit production; and (iv) produced seeds that were significantly smaller than normal seeds. Overexpression of LeAGP-1DeltaK had a similar or even more pronounced effect on plant vegetative and reproductive growth, while the effect of LeAGP-1DeltaC overexpression on plant reproduction was minimal. These results indicate that the GPI anchor is critical for LeAGP-1 function. As the phenotype of GFP-LeAGP-1 overexpressing transgenic plants is similar to that of cytokinin-overproducing plants, mRNA expression patterns of LeAGP-1 under different hormone treatments were examined. Cytokinins upregulated LeAGP-1 mRNA expression, while auxins and ABA inhibited LeAGP-1 mRNA expression. Based on these results, GPI-anchored LeAGP-1 most likely functions in plant growth and development in concert with auxin/cytokinin signaling.
The Nurse Theorists: 21st-Century Updates—Callista Roy

This edited transcript of an interview with Callista Roy presents Roy’s recent thoughts about the current state of the discipline of nursing; the contributions of the Roy adaptation model; and Roy’s other work on the advancement of the discipline of nursing, nursing research, and nursing education.
Effectiveness of wildlife guards at access roads

The reconstruction of 90.6 km of U.S. Highway 93 from Evaro to Polson, Montana, USA, includes 41 wildlife crossing structures and 13.4 km of road with wildlife fencing. These measures are aimed at reducing wildlife–vehicle collisions and increasing human safety, while allowing wildlife to traverse the landscape. In the fenced road sections, gaps in the fence for side roads are mitigated by wildlife guards (similar to cattle guards). We monitored wildlife movements with cameras for 2 years from mid-July 2008 to mid-July 2010 at 2 wildlife guards and in 1 large crossing structure adjacent to one of the wildlife guards. We investigated how effective these wildlife guards were as a barrier to deer (Odocoileus spp.), black bear (Ursus americanus), and coyotes (Canis latrans). We also compared movements across a wildlife guard with movements through an adjacent crossing structure. The wildlife guards were ≥85% effective in keeping deer from accessing the road and 93.5% of deer used the crossing structure instead of the adjacent wildlife guard when crossing the road. The wildlife guards were less effective in keeping black bear and coyotes from accessing the road (33–55%). However, all black bears and 94.7% of coyotes used the crossing structure instead of the adjacent wildlife guard when crossing the road. Though the wildlife guards were not an absolute barrier to these species, the results indicate wildlife guards are a substantial barrier to deer and can be considered effective in mitigating gaps in a fence at access roads for these species. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.
Near-Optimal Radiation Patterns for Antenna Diversity

A recent method has been proposed for determining the optimal radiation characteristics of antennas that maximize the diversity gain for a given antenna aperture and power angular spectrum of the incident field. However, because this approach results in antennas whose current distributions overlap in the aperture, it is difficult to achieve the radiation characteristics using practical designs. This paper proposes several methods that construct the near-optimal radiation characteristics assuming the apertures representing distinct antennas are disjoint. Computational results show that the average diversity performance achieved for these approximate radiation characteristics is roughly 1.3 dB below that achieved using the optimal patterns.
Formal Operational Thought and Reading.

If reading is viewed as an active cognitive process, then the understanding and evaluation of written material may depend somewhat on the reader's cognitive ability. Furthermore, developmental changes in cognitive ability may be related to changes in reading behavior. This article provides a brief overview of Jean Piaget's theories of cognitive development; characteristics of the formal operational thought period (approximately ages 11‐14) are particularly emphasized. Finally, several studies which have attempted to determine the relationship between formal thought and reading behavior are described and discussed.
Loss of Matriptase Suppression Underlies Spint1 Mutation-Associated Ichthyosis and Postnatal Lethality

Hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor-1 (HAI)-1 is an epithelial Kunitz-type transmembrane serine protease inhibitor that is encoded by the SPINT1 gene. HAI-1 displays potent inhibitory activity toward a large number of trypsin-like serine proteases. HAI-1 was recently shown to play an essential role in postnatal epithelial homeostasis. Thus, Spint1-deficient mice were found to display severe growth retardation and are unable to survive beyond postnatal day 16. The mice present histologically with overt hyperkeratosis of the forestomach, hyperkeratosis and acanthosis of the epidermis, and hypotrichosis associated with abnormal cuticle development. In this study, we show that loss of inhibition of a proteolytic pathway that is dependent on the type II transmembrane serine protease, matriptase, underlies the detrimental effects of postnatal Spint1 deficiency. Matriptase and HAI-1 precisely co-localize in all tissues that are affected by the Spint1 disruption. Spint1-deficient mice that have low matriptase levels, caused by a hypomorphic mutation in the St14 gene that encodes matriptase, not only survived the neonatal period but were healthy and displayed normal long-term survival. Furthermore, a detailed histological analysis of neonatal, young adult, as well as aged mice did not reveal any abnormalities in Spint1-deficent mice that have low matriptase levels. This study identifies matriptase suppression as an essential function of HAI-1 in postnatal tissue homeostasis.
Handwritten word recognition using HMM with adaptive length Viterbi algorithm

The authors have developed a handwritten word recognition scheme based on a single contextual, discrete symbol probability hidden Markov model (HMM) incorporated with an adaptive length Viterbi algorithm. This work attempts to extend the earlier HMM scheme for naturally segmented word recognition to cursive and nonsegmented word recognition. The algorithm presegments the script into characters and/or fractions of characters, dynamically selects the correct segmentation points, determines the word length, and recognizes the word according to the maximum path probability. The HMM is on top of, but independent of, script segmentation and character recognition techniques, and therefore leaves room for further improvement. The experiments have shown promising results and directions for further improvement. >
Prosthesis design and stress profile after hip resurfacing: a finite element analysis

Purpose. To evaluate the effect of prosthesis design on stress profile in the proximal femur after hip resurfacing. Methods. The von Mises stress profile of the native femur was simulated and compared with that of resurfaced femurs using various prosthetic materials (titanium, cobalt-chrome, ceramic), stem lengths (normal, half, short, and no stem), and femoral head coverage (shell size) [260o, 220o, 180o, and 140o]. Results. Hip resurfacing altered the stress profile of the cancellous (but not cortical) bone of the femoral neck. Maximal cortical stresses were observed at the posterior half of the medial femoral neck. The stress profile of the native femur was most similar to that of the resurfaced femur made of titanium, with a short or no stem and 260 degrees of femoral head coverage (shell size). Conclusion. Optimising prosthesis design by minimising biomechanical alterations seems a valid approach to achieving favourable long-term
Microstructure and Corrosion Resistance of Laser Additively Manufactured 316L Stainless Steel

Additive manufacturing (AM) of metal alloys to produce complex part designs via powder bed fusion methods such as laser melting promises to be a transformative technology for advanced materials processing. However, effective implementation of AM processes requires a clear understanding of the processing–structure–properties–performance relationships in fabricated components. In this study, we report on the formation of micro and nanoscale structures in 316L stainless steel samples printed by laser AM and their implications for general corrosion resistance. A variety of techniques including x-ray diffraction, optical, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, x-ray fluorescence, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy were employed to characterize the microstructure and chemistry of the laser additively manufactured 316L stainless steel, which are compared with wrought 316L coupons via electrochemical polarization. Apparent segregation of Mo has been found to contribute to a loss of passivity and an increased anodic current density. While porosity will also likely impact the environmental performance (e.g., facilitating crevice corrosion) of AM alloys, this work demonstrates the critical influence of microstructure and heterogeneous solute distributions on the corrosion resistance of laser additively manufactured 316L stainless steel.
Combustion of 1,5-Dinitrobiuret (DNB) in the Presence of Nitric Acid Using ReaxFF Molecular Dynamics Simulations

In this study we have examined the combustion dynamics of 1,5-dinitrobiuret (DNB) and nitric acid using reactive molecular dynamics simulations. Simulations were performed using the ReaxFF force field with parameters that were fitted against quantum mechanical calculations on model compounds/clusters relevant for this particular chemical system. Several different compositions were investigated, at densities of 0.5 and 1.0 g/mL, to examine the reaction kinetics in a dense vapor and liquid phase of these mixtures. Our simulations show that at certain compositions of the mixture reaction kinetics result in a very sharp release of thermal energy, which we associate with spontaneous ignition or hypergolicity. Analysis of key reaction mechanisms responsible for this process is discussed.
Evangelicalism and the Two Pluralisms

Evangelicalism, a primary driver of the emergence of modernity, has enormous consequences for Peter Berger’s two pluralisms. It greatly increases the salience of religion and religious difference; it tends to undermine the religious unity of society and to foster over time societies in which “many altars” coexist and compete for influence and adherents; it supports religious freedom and undermines the power of political elites in religion; and it radically challenges the status, authority, and even existence of inherited religious traditions, hierarchies, and clerical leaders. At the same time, Evangelical social activism relates much more naturally to the first pluralism than to the second. Evangelicals have few existing resources for peaceful coexistence with secularism, and a typical Evangelical would be likely to reject significant elements of Berger’s description of the so-called “secular discourse.” Evangelicals face great challenges in the modern world but also have substantial resources, and a case can be made either for optimism or pessimism about their prospects as the two pluralisms increase.
Performance of Advanced Fan Exit Guide Vanes with a Product Derived Fan

Testing was performed on a 22 in. diameter fan model representative of a current high bypass, high speed fan in the NASA Glenn Research Center 9x1 5Foot Low Speed Wind Tunnel. Three fan exit guide vane configurations were tested with this fan for aerodynamic performance as well as acoustics, with aerodynamic performance being the scope of this paper. With the use of a simulated pylon and a bifurcated nozzle within the fan duct along with a simulated engine core complete with a core booster rotor, allowed the experiment to more closely duplicate the performance of the full scale engine. The performance data, taken with a variable fan exit nozzle in addition to flow correlation data taken with a fixed nozzle, was obtained at a tunnel Mach number of 0.04.
Microfluidic Detection of Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A Utilizing Polyacrylamide Hydrogels With SNAP-25 Peptide Crosslinker

We synthesized a new botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A) sensing material consisting of a photopolymerizable polyacrylamide hydrogel incorporating a 25-mer BoNT/A recognizable peptide substrate coupled to an acryloyl-PEG-NHS crosslinker that readily reacts with free amines at pH 8-9 via the NHS moiety. The peptide substrate residues are slightly modified from synaptosomal-associated protein SNAP-25 between amino acid residues 187-203 with an additional three glycine spacers and a lysine on each end for coupling to the crosslinker via NHS-ester conjugation reactions. The alpha and epsilon amines of the N-terminal lysine and epsilon amine of the C-terminal lysine were used to couple the peptide to the crosslinker instead of previously used cysteines to avoid having to remove dithiothreitol (DTT) after sample preparation or potential false positive substrate cleavage by DTT if not removed after sample preparation. By integrating this hydrogel into a microchannel, we developed a BoNT sensor based on the morphology change of this hydrogel. The hydrogel in the microchannel can be degraded in 22 h at 45 μg/mL of light chain (LC) of BoNT/A and 90 h at the lowest concentration of 4.5 μg/mL of LC, but remains intact in Hepes buffer and DTT solutions. The results indicate that the hydrogel-based device can potentially be a portable sensor for the detection of active BoNT/A with high accuracy and specificity.
Magic-angle effect in magnetic resonance imaging of articular cartilage: a review.

Xia Y. Magic-angle effect in magnetic resonance imaging of articular cartilage: A review. Invest Radiol 2000;35:602–621.RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES.The laminar appearance of articular cartilage in magnetic resonance (MR) images has been a source of confusion, especially concerning the number, intensity
Aircraft Dynamics with Input Rate Constraints: An Adaptive Flight Control Application

Magnitude and rate limitations imposed on the input signal in control systems can be handled using antiwindup compensator design procedures with near-optimal system performance guarantees in case the system experiences saturation. A problem of particular interest in handling input saturation nonlinearities using anti-windup compensation is the robust control of uncertain systems. An adaptive control design method has been recently developed based on an anti-windup scheme to recover the linear performance of systems with unknown parameters subject to input magnitude constraints and has been verified on an aircraft model. In this paper an extended adaptive control design for systems with input rate constraints is investigated for flight control applications based on the longitudinal dynamics of a glider Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) subject to significant input rate saturation nonlinearities limiting the aircraft’s achievable soaring performance. The control surface actuator is modeled as a first-order lag and a symmetric rate-limiting nonlinearity, and an absorption method is applied to augment both the aircraft dynamics and the unconstrained controller. The adaptive law is combined with the augmented control structure using the certainty equivalence principle. A set of simulation results are presented to evaluate the performance of the adaptive control design methodology through different flight scenarios.