cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A non-dimensional parameter for classification of the flow in intracranial aneurysms. I. Simplified geometries.

Non-dimensional parameters are routinely used to classify different flow regimes. We propose a non-dimensional parameter, called Aneurysm number (An), which depends on both geometric and flow characteristics, to classify the flow inside aneurysm-like geometries (sidewalls and bifurcations). The flow inside aneurysm-like geometries can be widely classified into (i) the vortex mode in which a vortex ring is formed and (ii) the cavity mode in which a stationary shear layer acts similar to a moving lid of a lid-driven cavity. In these modes, two competing time scales exist: (a) a transport time scale, Tt, which is the time scale to develop a shear layer by transporting a fluid particle across the expansion region, and (b) the vortex formation time scale, Tv. Consequently, a relevant non-dimensional parameter is the ratio of these two time scales, which is called Aneurysm number: An = Tt/Tv. It is hypothesized, based on this definition, that the flow is in the vortex mode if the time required for vortex ring formation Tv is less than the transport time Tt (An ≳ 1). Otherwise, the flow is in the cavity mode (An ≲ 1). This hypothesis is systematically tested through numerical simulations on simplified geometries and shown to be true through flow visualizations and identification of the main vortex and shear layer. The main vortex is shown to evolve when An ≳ 1 but stationary when An ≲ 1. In fact, it is shown that the flows with An ≲ 1 (cavity mode) are characterized by much smaller fluctuations of wall shear stress and oscillatory shear index relative to flows with An ≳ 1 (vortex mode) because of their quasi-stationary flow pattern (cavity mode) compared to the evolution and breakdown of the formed vortex ring (vortex mode).
Insights into the CSR Approach of Switzerland and CSR Practices of Swiss Companies

Switzerland can be said to have a long tradition of corporate social responsibility which dates back to industrialization in the nineteenth Century and the introduction of the Federal Factory Law on working conditions in 1877. Environmental legislation, on the other hand, only started to be enacted in the 1950s. On this basis, the concept of CSR as it is practiced today—predominantly referred to as ‘sustainability’—became established after the year 2000.
Assessment of GCP Number and Separation Distance for Small UAS Surveys with and without GNSS-PPK Positioning

AbstractGeoreferencing of aerial images from small unmanned aerial systems (sUASs) is often achieved using (1) an abundant number of ground control points (GCPs), or (2) global navigation satellite...
Distribution and Origin of Primordial Helium, Neon, and Argon in the Fayetteville and Kapoeta Meteorites

Primordial helium, neon and argon have been extracted from polished sections of the Fayetteville and Kapoeta meteorites by a laser microprobe and analyzed mass spectrometrically. The concentration of primordial gas is extremely variable between different portions of dark phase in the same meteorite sample. The maximum concentration of primordial gas is found in fine-grained matrix material. In the Fayetteville samples, fine-grained matrix material within a vein contains an He4 concentration of 10−1−10−2 cm3/g(s.t.p.).
Changes in life history and population size can explain relative neutral diversity levels on X and autosomes in extant human populations

Abstract In human populations, relative levels of neutral polymorphism on the X and autosomes differ markedly from each other and from the naive theoretical expectation of ¾. These differences have attracted considerable attention, with studies highlighting several potential causes, including male biased mutation and reproductive variance, historical changes in population size, and selection at linked loci. We revisit this question in light of our new theory about the effects of life history and given pedigree-based estimates of the dependence of human mutation rates on sex and age. We demonstrate that life history effects, particularly higher generation times in males than females, likely had multiple effects on human X-to-autosomes (X:A) polymorphism ratios, through the extent of male mutation bias, the equilibrium X:A ratios of effective population sizes, and differential responses to changes in population size. We also show that the standard approach of using divergence between species to correct for the male bias in mutation results in biased estimates of X:A effective population size ratios. We obtain alternative estimates using pedigree-based estimates of the male mutation bias, which reveal X:A ratios of effective population sizes to be considerably greater than previously appreciated. We then show that the joint effects of historical changes in life history and population size can explain X:A polymorphism ratios in extant human populations. Our results suggest that ancestral human populations were highly polygynous; that non-African populations experienced a substantial reduction in polygyny and/or increase in male-biased generation times around the out of Africa bottleneck; and that extant diversity levels were affected by fairly recent changes in sex-specific life history. Significance Statement All else being equal, the ratio of diversity levels on X and autosomes at selectively neutral sites should mirror the ratio of their numbers in the population and thus equal ¾. In reality, the ratios observed across human populations differ markedly from ¾ and from each other. Because from a population perspective, autosomes spend an equal number of generations in both sexes while the X spends twice as many generations in females, these departures from the naive expectations likely reflect differences between male and female life histories and their effects on mutation processes. Indeed, we show that the ratios observed across human populations can be explained by demographic history, assuming plausible, sex-specific mutation rates, generation times and reproductive variances.
A Pictorial Explanation of Stellar Aberration

Stellar aberration is the phenomenon whereby the observed angular position of a star depends on the relative motion between the star and Earth. Specifically, a telescope must be tilted slightly into the direction of motion of Earth relative to the star. There are in fact three different angular positions of interest: the observed position of the star from Earth, the actual position of the star (at the instant of observation) as measured using Earth’s clocks and rulers, and the actual position of the star (relative to Earth) as measured using the star’s clocks and rulers. Clear diagrams show that none of these three angular positions are in general equal to each other, and help explain why the effect in practice depends only on Earth’s motion and not on the star’s motion, in apparent violation of the relativity of motion.
GP154 Improving asthma severity and control screening in a large urban health system

Background Asthma severity and level of control classification is the first step in asthma management. To optimize asthma management, screening must be done routinely and in a standardized manner at the time of patient’s visit with the health care provider. Objectives 1) To develop and implement asthma severity and control screening within electronic health record (EHR) system of a large urban health system to improve pediatric asthma care; 2) To increase asthma screening from 0% to 80% by December 2020. Methods We developed an algorithm for asthma screening in EHR based on national guidelines that asked about medications taken at home, exercise-induced symptoms, medication adherence, daytime and night-time symptoms, use of rescue medication and interference with activity in the past 4 weeks, and use of oral corticosteroids in the past year. Screening was conducted by the nursing staff prior to patient being seen by the provider. Based on responses to the screening questions, severity/control classification is calculated and displayed in EHR for provider to then treat patient accordingly. Classic Quality Improvement tools such as the Model for Improvement and Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) cycles were used to incorporate changes into daily workflow. Practice Advisory Board met monthly to discuss barriers to implementation and identify solutions. The Board made decisions on adopting successful strategies and brainstormed new strategies to address barriers. Results This project is ongoing and preliminary results are available from 3 practices: small pediatric, large pediatric and family medicine practices. The ultimate goal is to improve care and clinical outcomes of children with asthma. To date, a total of 4,057 screenings have been completed at these sites. Screening rates improved from 0% to 78.6% in a small pediatric practice, from 0% to 66.7% in a large pediatric practice, and from 0% to 38.7% in a family practice. Several problems were encountered during the process of change: competition with other nurse-completed screenings; screening questions are available in English only within EHR; nursing staff shortages; nurses forgetting to conduct screening; and caregiver not knowing information about child’s asthma or disagreeing with asthma diagnosis. Conclusion We developed an asthma screening algorithm within EHR, trained nursing staff and implemented patient screening at the time of clinic visit allowing providers take action on asthma management based on the screening result. Further collaborative efforts are needed to improve and sustain screening rates with the ultimate goal of improving patient clinical outcomes.
2164 Utilization of Appendectomy in the Surgical Treatment of Endometriosis

Study Objective There is paucity of data and lack of expert consensus on the role of appendectomy in surgical treatment of endometriosis. We seek to describe the nationwide practice of appendectomy for endometriosis, and analyze its safety profile and surgical outcomes. Design Retrospective cohort. Comparisons were made using Chi-squared for proportions or t-test for means. Setting 708 United States hospitals in the participating in American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. Patients or Participants Patients undergoing any surgery for endometriosis 2014-2017. Interventions Surgeries performed for endometriosis were identified by ICD-9/10 diagnosis code. Utilization of appendectomy was determined by querying these endometriosis surgeries for the CPT procedure codes for appendectomy. Measurements and Main Results We identified 14,776 endometriosis surgeries. Appendectomy was performed in 545 (3.7%) of all surgeries for endometriosis; of these, 352 (64.6%) were performed by gynecologists and 193 (35.4%) by general surgeons. Overall risk of perioperative complications in surgery for endometriosis did not differ with utilization of appendectomy (5.0% appendectomy vs 4.6% no appendectomy, p = 0.67); moreover, the incidence of complications with appendectomy did not differ by surgeon type (5.4% gynecologist vs 4.9% general surgeon, p = 1.0). Utilization of appendectomy was associated with increased operative time (149.0 ± 105.0 vs 117.6 ± 67.7 minutes, p = Conclusion Appendectomy for endometriosis is rarely performed; when utilized, it is performed by both gynecologists and general surgeons. Utilization of was not associated with differences in overall in risk profile. However, appendectomy for endometriosis was associated with longer operative times and length of stay, and lower reimbursement.
Ecologically relevant arsenic exposure alters female mate preference and anxiety-like behavior in Betta splendens

Arsenic is a metalloid pollutant that is commonly found in surface and groundwater worldwide. Toxicological effects of arsenic are relatively well-known, but much less studied are its effects on behavioral endpoints, which may have considerable evolutionary and population-level consequences. Here we investigated the effects of exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of arsenic (0, 10 and 100 μg/L) for 96-hours on female preference for male color (i.e. red versus blue) in Betta splendens, an increasingly popular fish model for contaminant-induced behavioral dysfunction. Further, we examined whether arsenic exposure altered anxiety-like behaviors using a standard scototaxis test (preference for light or dark), as well as measured tissue cortisol concentrations to increase our understanding of possible mechanisms driving behavioral responses. We found exposure to 100 μg/L arsenic results in a loss of female preference for red males, and arsenic exposed females showed increased anxiety-like behavior. The loss in preference for male coloration may have been driven by anxiety, as preference for red was negatively correlated with anxiety-like behavior for all fish. Interestingly, increase in anxiety-like behavior occurred without a parallel increase in cortisol. Female preference for red colored males may confer fitness benefits, and this study highlights important arsenic-induced behavioral changes that could have population level consequences.
Nanofabrication for all-soft and high-density electronic devices based on liquid metal.

Innovations in soft material synthesis and fabrication technologies have led to the development of integrated soft electronic devices. Such soft devices offer opportunities to interact with biological cells, mimicking their soft environment. However, existing fabrication technologies cannot create the submicron-scale, soft transducers needed for healthcare and medical applications involving single cells. This work presents a nanofabrication strategy to create submicron-scale, all-soft electronic devices based on eutectic gallium-indium alloy (EGaIn) using a hybrid method utilizing electron-beam lithography and soft lithography. The hybrid lithography process is applied to a biphasic structure, comprising a metallic adhesion layer coated with EGaIn, to create soft nano/microstructures embedded in elastomeric materials. Submicron-scale EGaIn thin-film patterning with feature sizes as small as 180 nm and 1 μm line spacing was achieved, resulting in the highest resolution EGaIn patterning technique to date. The resulting soft and stretchable EGaIn patterns offer a currently unrivaled combination of resolution, electrical conductivity, and electronic/wiring density. Though all-soft electronic devices with liquid metals are attractive due to the material’s compatibility with patterning methods, obtaining sub-micron patterns remains a challenge. Here, the authors report a hybrid lithography process to realize all-soft submicron-scale devices based on EGaIn.
The heat: temperature, police behavior and the enforcement of law

Despite ample investigation into the influence of ambient temperature on behavior, and especially on criminal activity, little research exists on the impact of temperature on police behavior. As such, this analysis tests the “heat hypothesis” over 5 years of traffic stops by the City of Pittsburgh Police Department. Across a range of specifications, police officers are more likely to issue traffic citations when temperatures are warmer—holding constant driving behavior—and the magnitude of the increase is comparable to citation rate discrepancies between black and white drivers.
Synthetic Approaches to Non-Tropane, Bridged, Azapolycyclic Ring Systems Containing Seven-Membered Carbocycles

This Short Review highlights various synthetic approaches to bridged azabicyclic ring systems containing seven-membered carbocyclic rings. Such ring systems are common to a number of biologically active natural products. The seven-membered ring in such systems is generally formed in one of four ways: 1) cyclization of an acyclic precursor; 2) ring expansion or rearrangement of a different ring size; 3) cycloaddition; and 4) use of a synthetic building block with the seven-membered ring already present. Representative examples of each approach from both total synthesis and methodological studies are discussed, with an emphasis on work published in the last twenty years. 1 Introduction 2 Cyclization Reactions 3 Ring Expansions and Rearrangements 4 Cycloadditions 5 Strategies Involving Seven-Membered Ring Building Blocks 6 Conclusion
How Belief in Conspiracy Theories Addresses Some Basic Human Needs

When it comes to conspiracy theories, identifying underlying psychological mechanisms of believers is crucial as we face precarious geopolitical tensions and sweeping domestic cultural-political change. Believers can have enormous power to adversely affect the lives of others when they choose means of conspiratorial thinking. Research suggests that it is our emotions and beliefs rather than logical arguments appealing to reason that usually determine our belief in conspiracies. Many people, because of a strong psychological need for complete explanations when unusual events happen, coupled with intense feelings of needing to belong to a social group, are prone to believing in conspiracies. This paper examines just two of the basic human needs that are satisfied by belief in conspiracies and suggests that the rise of conspiratorial thinking in contemporary society is related to needs going unmet.
Synthetic Siglec-9 Agonists Inhibit Neutrophil Activation Associated with COVID-19

Severe cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by infection with SARS-CoV-2, are characterized by a hyperinflammatory immune response that leads to numerous complications. Production of proinflammatory neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) has been suggested to be a key factor in inducing a hyperinflammatory signaling cascade, allegedly causing both pulmonary tissue damage and peripheral inflammation. Accordingly, therapeutic blockage of neutrophil activation and NETosis, the cell death pathway accompanying NET formation, could limit respiratory damage and death from severe COVID-19. Here, we demonstrate that synthetic glycopolymers that activate signaling of the neutrophil checkpoint receptor Siglec-9 suppress NETosis induced by agonists of viral toll-like receptors (TLRs) and plasma from patients with severe COVID-19. Thus, Siglec-9 agonism is a promising therapeutic strategy to curb neutrophilic hyperinflammation in COVID-19.
A Multi-Input Single-Output iterative learning control for improved material placement in extrusion-based additive manufacturing

Abstract A major limitation in extrusion-based additive manufacturing (AM) is the lack of process monitoring and control tools in the material deposition frame. Iterative learning control (ILC) has been demonstrated to be an effective control strategy (Hoelzle et al., 2009; Bristow & Alleyne, 2003 ) due to the repetitive nature of manufacturing processes, but for much of the prior work of ILC in AM, the focus was on precise control of the machine components. To improve on fabricated part quality, we apply ILC directly to the material deposition to account for uncertainty in material behavior and imperfect coordination between the material flow and the machine axes. This paper presents a novel Multi-Input Single-Output (MISO) Iterative Learning Control (ILC) method that couples the extrusion input and axis speed to improve material width control along the trajectory. MISO ILC partitions the error to the different stages through frequency separation to avoid input saturation. MISO ILC uses process feedback in the material deposition frame to improve material placement. The stability and convergence properties for the MISO ILC system are presented in the lifted domain. Simulation and experimental system results on an extrusion printing system demonstrate that MISO ILC achieves improved material placement control along the path. While we apply the MISO ILC to a specific extrusion system, we present a general control strategy that can be implemented for other MISO applications.
Better together: The impact of exercising with a romantic partner:

Many people have goals to increase their physical activity levels through engaging in exercise, but have difficulty establishing and maintaining an exercise routine. Research shows that people are ...
Case of Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy in SARS COVID 19 Pneumonia

Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome from COVID 19 typically presents with cough, fever, myalgias and progresses to respiratory and multi-organ failure. However, neurological manifestations of COVID 19, namely Guillain-Barre syndrome are rare. We present a case of acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP), a form of GBS in a patient with recent COVID infection. Case: 66 year old man with no significant medical history presented to the emergency department for progressive weakness of all extremities for 2 days. Patient was diagnosed with COVID 19 three weeks prior to onset of weakness. As per patient, he only had mild respiratory illness with cough, general weakness without respiratory symptoms. Two days prior to presentation, he felt weakness in his lower extremities, which then progressed to involve the upper extremities. On initial evaluation the patient's pupils were symmetric and 3mm, reactive to light, visual field were full to confrontation, cranial nerves intact, shoulder shrug symmetric with full strength. He had decreased motor tone with 2/5 strength in both upper and lower extremities and depressed or absent reflexes in all extremities. His labs were significant for positive COVID 19 PCR and antibodies. CT head was negative for acute stroke or intracranial pathology. The patient was admitted to MICU where he developed respiratory muscle weakness with diminished vital capacity of 12ml/kg and negative inspiratory force of 12mmHg and he was intubated. Cerebral spinal fluid showed elevated protein to 145mg/dL, WBC of 4/UL with 50% lymphocytes and glucose of 67. Other CSF studies were negative for oligoclonal bands, EBV, CMV, cryptococcus, syphilis, and sarcoidosis. Electromyography was consistent with moderate AIDP. He received 5 doses of IVIG with no significant improvement so he underwent tracheostomy and was initiated on plasmapheresis for AIDP. Discussion: GBS is an immune-mediated disease that typically affects the peripheral neurons and nerve roots after respiratory or gastrointestinal illness. Typical infections are Campylobacter jejuni, Zika virus, Influenza, and there are even reports of GBS after MERS and SARS COV-1. However, there has been increasing evidence of COVID 19 causing neurologic manifestations such as encephalitis, meningitis, stroke, and GBS [1]. Patients, such as the one presented in this report with GBS, usually have a long and protracted disease despite aggressive treatments with IVIG and plasmapheresis with reliance on mechanical ventilator. Understanding the full spectrum of diseases and systems affected by COVID 19 can help clinicians provide better care.
Wireless Communication Through Networks and Its Applications

Communication started with Telegraphy in the 1840s developing with Telephony some decade later and radio at the beginning of the century. The modern Telecommunication age is here. We live in a world of cordless phones, cells, Mobiles, Satellite TV. This is the information age. New Weather sports are made available to us almost instantly via Modern digital networks. Telephones, radio, television have become integral parts of modernizing society. My motto is to present cellular and mobile communication. Cellular communication listed some 200 million subscribers with an average of 1,50,000 new ones joining each day. The demand for basic voice and data services has stretched the limits of wireless communication in meeting the needs of an increasingly mobile market. The market is stretching the technology calling for the addition of videoconferencing image capability and data transfer through high-speed networks. The contents is explained in the preceding papers are ‘The Cellular Concept’, which includes Introduction to mobile telephony and the basic elements of the Cellular concept with the frequency allocations. The future content explains the operation of the Cellular system and the Cellular principle. The future scope of mobile and Cellular communication has also been explained.
Ovarian torsion secondary to serous cystadenoma in a patient with MOMO syndrome

Abstract MOMO syndrome is a very rare disorder that consists of macrosomia, obesity, macrocephaly, and ocular abnormalities. Very little is known about the implications of this syndrome as only 10 cases have been previously reported in the literature. Previous publications have observed multiple associations with this syndrome, such as intellectual disability, delayed bone age, and skeletal abnormalities. We report the first case of a patient with MOMO syndrome who presented with ovarian torsion from a large serous cystadenoma of the right ovary.
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information Fisheries Acoustics Archive Network Deep Dive

Author(s): Zurawski, Jason; Addleman, Hans; Miller, Ken; Southworth, Doug | Abstract: EPOC uses the Deep Dive process to discuss and analyze current and planned science use cases and anticipated data output of a particular use case, site, or project to help inform the strategic planning of a campus or regional networking environment. This includes understanding future needs related to network operations, network capacity upgrades, and other technological service investments. A Deep Dive comprehensively surveys major research stakeholders’ plans and processes in order to investigate data management requirements over the next 5–10 years. Deep Dives help ensure that key stakeholders have a common understanding of the issues and the actions that a campus or regional network may need to undertake to offer solutions. The EPOC team leads the effort and relies on collaboration with the hosting site or network, and other affiliated entities that participate in the process. EPOC organizes, convenes, executes, and shares the outcomes of the review with all stakeholders. Between May 2021 and August 2021, staff members from the Engagement and Performance Operations Center (EPOC) met with researchers and staff from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s N-Wave (the Enterprise network that supports the NOAA mission) and National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)'s Fisheries Acoustics Archive for the purpose of a recording a Deep Dive into research drivers. The goal of these meetings was to help characterize the requirements for the research use case, and to enable cyberinfrastructure support staff to better understand the needs of the researchers they support.
The Constancy of the Velocity of Light and Prospects for a Unified Standardization of Time, Frequency and Length

The use of fundamental constants of nature for the definition of the units of physical measurements was suggested by M. Planck in 1906 (1). By assigning the value of unity to the four constants, c, h, k, and G the “natural units” of time, length, mass, and temperature can be defined. Albeit its great theoretical merit, that proposal could not be practical in 1906 since the large uncertainties in the known values of the constants would have propagated into the determination of the units.
HYDRANENCEPHALY: CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS Presentation of Seven Cases

DURING the past two years the authors have identified in living infants seven examples of a cerebral anomaly which presents some of the clinical characteristics of hydrocephalus but which consists essentially of serious maldevelopment, or even complete absence, of the cerebral hemispheres, with intact meninges and cranium. The Anomaly The anomaly consists primarily of absence of the cerebral hemispheres within intact meninges and skull, the resulting cavity being filled with cerebrospinal fluid. The fluid circulation may be normal or the outlets of the ventricles may be closed; "hydrocephalus" results in either case. At operation or autopsy the most striking feature noted is absence of the cerebrum, although a few islands or bands of it may persist. The pia-arachnoid usually is intact, although in some cases it also may have broken down. In the authors9 surgical cases the transparent membrane was intact and the attenuated major branches of the middle cerebral artery were pulsating vigorously. As the fluid is aspirated, two egg-shaped, white, glistening bodies representing the basal ganglia are seen on the floor of the skull. Different specimens reveal variable amounts of residual cerebral tissue in the periphery of the tremendously expanded and freely communicating lateral ventricles. The anatomic description of these residual masses of nervous tissue as investigated in autopsy specimens (Cases 1, 3, 6 and 7) will be presented elsewhere. Etiology and Terminology: The cause of the condition remains controversial, but since the meninges and cranium are intact, it must be assumed that the anlage of the neopallium was present during the period of formation of these layers. Cruveilhier described the anomaly as hydrocephalic anencephaly ("l9anencephalie hydrocephalique") and contrasted it with anencephaly associated with absence of the cranial vault.
Model Selection for Two View Geometry: A Review

Computer vision often involves the estimation of models of the world from visual input. Sometimes it is possible to fit several different models or hypotheses to a set of data, the choice of exactly which model is usually left to the vision practitioner. This paper explores ways of automating the model selection process, with specific emphasis on the least squares problem, and the handling of implicit or nuisance parameters (which in this case equate to 3D structure). The statistical literature is reviewed and it will become apparent that although no one method has yet been developed that will be generally useful for all computer vision problems, there do exist some useful partial solutions. This paper is intended as a pragmatic beginner's guide to model selection, highlighting the pertinent problems and illustrating them using two view geometry determination.
Cavitation Inception—A Selective Review

This paper reviews recent developments in selected cavitation research areas which have been active mainly within the past two years. The new understanding resulting from this work is summarized. Research topics discussed are cavitation inception on smooth surfaces, on vortex cavitation and scaling, on the measurement of cavitation nuclei, and on the effects of polymer additives. Because of the selective nature of the review, a fairly comprehensive listing of recent contributions to the literature on these and related aspects of cavitation research is an essential part of the exposition.
Comment on Elvin K. Wyly and Daniel J. Hammel's “Islands of Decay in Seas of Renewal: Housing Policy and the Resurgence of Gentrification"—Gentrification resurgent?

Abstract Gentrification is a procyclical process by which certain inner‐city neighborhoods are revitalized to meet the demands of professional households. It is confined to cities with substantial central business district office growth and with housing markets characterized by substantial suburb‐to‐inner city filtering. The process remains limited in scale, and available data do not permit a judgment as to whether changes in mortgage lending have changed the nature of the process.
Human Cardiovascular Responses to Passive Heat Stress

Heat stress increases human morbidity and mortality compared to normothermic conditions. Many occupations, disease states, as well as stages of life are especially vulnerable to the stress imposed on the cardiovascular system during exposure to hot ambient conditions. This review focuses on the cardiovascular responses to heat stress that are necessary for heat dissipation. To accomplish this regulatory feat requires complex autonomic nervous system control of the heart and various vascular beds. For example, during heat stress cardiac output increases up to twofold, by increases in heart rate and an active maintenance of stroke volume via increases in inotropy in the presence of decreases in cardiac preload. Baroreflexes retain the ability to regulate blood pressure in many, but not all, heat stress conditions. Central hypovolemia is another cardiovascular challenge brought about by heat stress, which if added to a subsequent central volumetric stress, such as hemorrhage, can be problematic and potentially dangerous, as syncope and cardiovascular collapse may ensue. These combined stresses can compromise blood flow and oxygenation to important tissues such as the brain. It is notable that this compromised condition can occur at cardiac outputs that are adequate during normothermic conditions but are inadequate in heat because of the increased systemic vascular conductance associated with cutaneous vasodilation. Understanding the mechanisms within this complex regulatory system will allow for the development of treatment recommendations and countermeasures to reduce risks during the ever-increasing frequency of severe heat events that are predicted to occur.
PEGylated poly(ester amide) elastomers with tunable physico-chemical, mechanical and degradation properties

Abstract Biodegradable synthetic elastomers such as poly(1,3-diamino-2-hydroxypropane-co-polyol sebacate)s (APS) are gaining importance in soft tissue engineering applications due to their biocompatibility and mechanical compliance. However, APS-based thermoset elastomers possess narrow spectrum of physicochemical and functional properties, limiting their biomedical applications. In this study, we overcome these limitations by incorporating biocompatible polyethylene glycol (PEG) into the polymer backbone. A series of novel APS-co-PEG copolymers were synthesized by varying PEG mole percentage (15–40%) and PEG molecular weight (400 Da to 4 kDa) to tune the physicochemical, mechanical and degradation properties. APS-co-PEG pre-polymers were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The pre-polymers were thermally crosslinked into copolymer films and characterized for mechanical and degradation properties. Solubility of APS-co-PEG pre-polymers in common organic solvents was significantly improved by incorporation of PEG. Changes in molar percentage and molecular weight of PEG, monomer feed ratio and crosslinking time resulted in a wide range of ultimate tensile strength (0.07–2.38 MPa), elastic modulus (0.02–3.0 MPa) and elongation (93–993%) in crosslinked APS-co-PEG films. PEG incorporation increased the hydration of APS-co-PEG films, leading to tunable degradation rates (10–40% mass loss over 14 days). APS-co-PEG films also supported cell proliferation. The broad spectrum of properties exhibited by this novel series of elastomers indicates their promise in potential applications for soft tissue engineering.
Space Plasma Particle Instrumentation and the New Paradigm: Faster, Cheaper, Better

Space plasma physics makes rigorous demands on experimenters and instrumentation. In the past, using instruments that on average weighed roughly 10 kg and consumed roughly 10 W, space scientists successfully probed dilute plasmas from near Earth to the far reaches of the solar system. In the process of developing ever more effective measurement techniques, we have been largely guided by a philosophy of design to performance. This old paradigm has slowly driven up mission costs to the point where flight opportunities have become fewer. In recent years, driven in part by downsizing of national budgets, the old paradigm has given way to a new paradigm that demands exciting scientific returns from missions that are faster, cheaper, better. This places the space plasma physics community at a turning point: can experimental techniques be improved sufficiently to yield better science under the rubric of design to cost? Can performance improve dramatically as resources shrink? Although there is no one solution to these challenges, there are many approaches. This review attempts to place the new paradigm in a wider historical and technical context.
Stability Study Designs

A good stability study design is the key to a successful stability program. In this article, stability designs including full, bracketing, and matrixing designs will be exemplified. A full design involves complete testing of all factor combinations at all time points, which can be costly. The pharmaceutical industry would like to apply bracketing or matrixing design so that not every factor combination will be tested at every time point. The statistical aspects of these stability designs will be discussed in relation to the recent Internation Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. Several commonly used criteria for design comparison will be presented. The statistical and regulatory considerations on the selection of stability design will also be discussed. The stability study should be well designed so the shelf life of the drug product can be estimated with the high degree of accuracy and precision. Keywords: shelf life estimation; bracketing design; matrixing design; optimality criteria
Insights into transforming a Linux wireless device driver to run on a bare machine

Developing device drivers is often tedious and error-prone. Drivers for bare machine applications that run without an OS have been previously written by directly using specification documents. Transformation is an alternate approach that attempts to develop a bare machine driver by using existing code for an OS driver. We investigate the transformation of a Broadcom Linux 802.11n wireless device driver to a bare machine driver. As a first step towards understanding the transformation, we study the functions and OS dependencies of the Linux driver. The driver module is analyzed by examining its interaction with other modules, providing details of its key elements and code sizes, and by comparing code sizes with its counterpart Windows driver. We also discuss design issues that will be useful for developing device drivers that are independent of any operating system, kernel, or embedded system.
A Symbolic System for Classifying Multivariate Procedures.

Procedures are classified according to whether the dependent or independent variable sets consist of single or multiple variables, whether they are categorical or metric in nature, and whether or not they are statistically held constant.
Reliable Distributed Real-Time and Embedded Systems through Safe Middleware Adaptation

Distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) systems are a class of real-time systems formed through a composition of predominantly legacy, closed and statically scheduled real-time subsystems, which comprise over-provisioned resources to deal with worst-case failure scenarios. The formation of the system-of-systems leads to a new range of faults that manifest at different granularities for which no statically defined fault tolerance scheme applies. Thus, dynamic and adaptive fault tolerance mechanisms are needed which must execute within the available resources without compromising the safety and timeliness of existing real-time tasks in the individual subsystems. To address these requirements, this paper describes a middleware solution called Safe Middleware Adaptation for Real-Time Fault Tolerance (SafeMAT), which opportunistically leverages the available slack in the over-provisioned resources of individual subsystems. SafeMAT comprises three primary artifacts: (1) a flexible and configurable distributed, runtime resource monitoring framework that can pinpoint in real-time the available slack in the system that is used in making dynamic and adaptive fault tolerance decisions, (2) a safe and resource aware dynamic failure adaptation algorithm that enables efficient recovery from different granularities of failures within the available slack in the execution schedule while ensuring real-time constraints are not violated and resources are not overloaded, and (3) a framework that empirically validates the correctness of the dynamic mechanisms and the safety of the DRE system. Experimental results evaluating SafeMAT on an avionics application indicates that SafeMAT incurs only 9-15% runtime fail over and 2-6% processor utilization overheads thereby providing safe and predictable failure adaptability in real-time.
Bves Modulates Tight Junction Associated Signaling

Blood vessel epicardial substance (Bves) is a transmembrane adhesion protein that regulates tight junction (TJ) formation in a variety of epithelia. The role of TJs within epithelium extends beyond the mechanical properties. They have been shown to play a direct role in regulation of RhoA and ZONAB/DbpA, a y-box transcription factor. We hypothesize that Bves can modulate RhoA activation and ZONAB/DbpA activity through its regulatory effect on TJ formation. Immortalized human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells were stably transfected with Flag-tagged full length chicken Bves (w-Bves) or C-terminus truncated Bves (t-Bves). We found that stably transfected w-Bves and t-Bves were interacting with endogenous human Bves. However, interaction with t-Bves appeared to disrupt cell membrane localization of endogenous Bves and interaction with ZO-1. w-Bves cells exhibited increased TJ function reflected by increased trans-epithelial electrical resistance, while t-Bves cells lost TJ protein immunolocalization at cell-cell contacts and exhibited decreased trans-epithelial electrical resistance. In parental HCE and w-Bves cells ZONAB/DbpA and GEF-H1 were seen at cell borders in the same pattern as ZO-1. However, expression of t-Bves led to decreased membrane localization of both ZONAB/DbpA and GEF-H1. t-Bves cells had increased RhoA activity, as indicated by a significant 30% increase in FRET activity compared to parental HCE cells. ZONAB/DbpA transcriptional activity, assessed using a luciferase reporter probe, was increased in t-Bves cells. These studies demonstrate that Bves expression and localization can regulate RhoA and ZONAB/DbpA activity.
Preliminary studies of the effects of an induced phosphate deficiency on carbohydrate-nitrogen ratios inAlternanthera philoxeroides [Centrospermae: Amaranthacea] and on the feeding ofAgasicles hygrophila [Col.: Chrysomelidae]

In no-choice tests but not in choice tests, alligatorweed flea beetles,Agasicles hygrophilaSelman & Vogt (Col.: Chrysomelidae) exposed to alligatorweed plants grown with two levels of mineral nutrition fed significantly more on those grown in full mineral nutrient than those grown with deficient phosphate. Chemical analysis showed that the full nutrient plants had more ethanol-soluble nitrogen compounds but less total carbohydrate than the phosphate-deficient plants. The response of beetles to phosphate-deficient alligatorweed may thus result from a change in the carbohydrate-nitrogen composition of host plants, though further investigation is needed for confirmation. Flea beetle response was identical to terminal and mature leaf tissue of full nutrient plants.
Complications of percutaneous insertion of Hickman catheters in children.

Abstract Background/Purpose: The aim of this study was a retrospective evaluation of insertion and management complications of percutaneous Hickman catheter lines in pediatric patients to investigate whether the complication rate is acceptable in comparison with other insertion methods or other age groups. Methods: Over a period of 22 months a total of 27 Hickman catheters were inserted in 22 pediatric patients (20 oncological, 2 nononcological; age 6 weeks to 17.5 years). Results: Twenty-three of 36 insertion attempts (63.9%) were successful at first attempt. In another 4 patients, catheters were placed after repeated attempts. In an additional 4 patients, catheters were inserted by surgeons after percutaneous insertion failed. As immediate complications, 1 pneumothorax and 1 malposition were seen. Late complications included 1 to 29 (median, 8) days of fever in 15 patients, corresponding to 53 of 1,000 catheter days. Fourteen patients showed 21 positive blood cultures, including 11 cases of Staphylococcus epidermides , which might be related to the catheter. Antibiotics were given for a total of 1 to 130 (median, 35) days, that is 205 of 1,000 catheter days. No catheter was removed because of infectious complications. The total life span of the Hickman catheters was 1 to 371 (median, 163) days, the patients were in the hospital from 1 to 351 (median, 102) days because of their underlying disease. At the end of the study period, 8 of 27 (29.6%) catheters remained functioning in situ; 9 (33.3%) had been selectively removed. Two patients died with the catheter (7.4%) functioning well. Another 2 patients showed catheter thrombosis. Six catheters (22.2%) in 5 patients showed inadvertent dislodgement. Conclusion: Percutaneous Hickman catheter insertion in pediatric patients is effective; however, complication rate is relevant, but not higher than percutaneous insertion of subclavian vein or Hickman catheters in adults.
Factors affecting predation by a microcrustacean (Cypris sp.) on nitrogen-fixing blue-green algae

Abstract Nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction) by Aulosira and Anabaena in samples of flooded soil was reduced by Cypris sp. The number and biomass of this ostracod increased in the flooded soil when the animals were provided with Aulosira, Calothrix and Tolypothrix tenuis but not Anabaena. The decline in biomass of Aulosira was prevented by the addition of ethyl parathion to the floodwater. The predatory action was affected by temperature, and the optimum temperatures for reduction in biomass of the four blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) were different. Established populations of Aulosira. Calothrix and T. tenuis were more resistant to predation by Cypris sp. than developing populations.
Evaluation of respiratory liver and kidney movements for MRI navigator gating.

Purpose To determine the tracking factor by studying the relationship between kidney and diaphragm motions and to compare the efficiency of the gating-and-following and gating-only algorithms in reducing motion artifacts in navigator-gated scans. Materials and Methods Diaphragm and kidney motions were measured by using real-time TrueFISP sequences from 10 healthy human volunteers to determine tracking factors at different acceptance windows. Mean tracking factors were used to calculate mean residual errors and improvement factors for the gating-and-following and gating-only algorithms. Results Mean tracking factors for ±4, ±6, ±8 mm and full acceptance windows ranged from 0.6 to 0.7, with large interindividual variations. Acceptance rates increased as the size of the acceptance window increased (acceptance rate for a 4 mm window ∼50%). There was a greater reduction of motion errors by gating-and-following (maximum of 1.86 mm) than gating-only (maximum of 7.05 mm). Conclusion Mean tracking factors obtained in this study can be used as a guideline for using the gating-and-following algorithm in navigator-gated kidney scans. The gating-and-following and gating-only algorithms were quantitatively compared, and it was found that the former is more effective in reducing motion errors. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2011;33:143–148. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Association of Gender, Ethnicity, and Length of Residence in the Bay Area to Adolescents' Knowledge and Attitudes about Acquired immune Deficiency Syndrome1

A large-scale survey was conducted in San Francisco to assess adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about AIDS. Data obtained from 1,326 adolescents demonstrate marked variability in knowledge across informational items, particularly about the precautionary measures to be taken during sexual intercourse which may reduce the risk of infection. The findings identified ethnic differences in knowledge about AIDS, with Asians having a lower overall knowledge score than Hispanics, Blacks, and Caucasians. Adolescents who score below the median for total number of correct responses were more than twice as likely to perceive themselves as very susceptible to AIDS. A comparison of surveys from other parts of the country suggests that proximity to an AIDS epicenter has great saliency for adolescents with respect to their knowledge and attitudes about AIDS. The proportion of adolescents reporting correct responses, for questions in common, between the surveys indicates that students in San Francisco score appreciably higher. A framework is also described for providing school-based risk-reduction health education for adolescents.