cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adenosine Inhibits Growth of Human Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells Via A2B Receptors

Adenosine inhibits rat vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) growth. However, the effects of adenosine on human vascular SMC proliferation and synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins, such as collagen, are unknown. The objective of this study was to characterize the effects of exogenous and endogenous (SMC-derived) adenosine on human aortic SMC proliferation and collagen synthesis. Growth-arrested SMCs were stimulated with 2.5% fetal calf serum (FCS) in the presence and absence of adenosine, 2-chloroadenosine (stable adenosine analogue), and with agents that increase endogenous adenosine levels, including erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA), dipyridamole, and iodotubericidin. All of these agents inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner FCS-induced SMC proliferation as assessed by DNA synthesis (3H-thymidine incorporation) and cell counting, as well as collagen synthesis (3H-proline incorporation). EHNA, dipyridamole, and iodotubericidin increased extracellular levels of adenosine by 1.7-fold to 18-fold when added separately to SMCs, and EHNA+iodotubericidin and EHNA+iodotubericidin+dipyridamole increased extracellular adenosine levels by more than 392-fold. Both KF17837 (selective A2 antagonist) and DPSPX (A1/A2 antagonist), but not DPCPX (selective A1 antagonist), blocked the antimitogenic effects of 2-chloroadenosine, EHNA, and dipyridamole on DNA and collagen synthesis, suggesting the involvement of A2A and/or A2B, but excluding the participation of A1, receptors. The lack of effect of CGS21680 (selective A2A agonist), excluded involvement of A2A receptors and suggested a major role for A2B receptors. A comparison of the inhibitory potencies of 2-chloroadenosine, N6-cyclopentyladenosine (selective A1 agonist), NECA (A1/A2 agonist), and MECA (A1/A2 agonist) were consistent with an A2B receptor subtype mediating the inhibitory effects of adenosine on human aortic SMC proliferation. In conclusion, human aortic SMCs synthesize adenosine, and exogenous as well as endogenous (SMC-derived) adenosine inhibits SMC proliferation and collagen synthesis via activation of A2B receptors.
Flow instability and wall shear stress variation in intracranial aneurysms

We investigate the flow dynamics and oscillatory behaviour of wall shear stress (WSS) vectors in intracranial aneurysms using high resolution numerical simulations. We analyse three representative ...
Hierarchical cluster analysis to detect coordinated protein expression in metabolically engineered Zymomonas mobilis

Two dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) was used to profile protein expression patterns in a metabolically engineered Zymomonas mobilis strain. An application of the hierarchical cluster analysis to dynamic protein expression patterns determined that functionally related proteins show similar expression trajectories. The three functionally related classes of proteins include: Entner-Douderoff (ED) and fermentative pathway enzymes, recombinant pentose phosphate (PP) pathway enzymes, and stress proteins. Findings included identifying a cellular stress response as a result of the utilization of the foreign metabolic pathway.
Single- versus double-blind reviewing: an analysis of the literature

The peer review process is generally acknowledged as central to the advancement of scholarly knowledge. It is also vital to the advancement of individual careers.
Greedy algorithms for optimizing multivariate Horner schemes

For univariate polynomials f(x1), Horner's scheme provides the fastest way to compute a value. For multivariate polynomials, several different version of Horner's scheme are possible; it is not clear which of them is optimal. In this paper, we propose a greedy algorithm, which it is hoped will lead to good computation times.The univariate Horner scheme has another advantage: if the value x1 is known with uncertainty, and we are interested in the resulting uncertainty in f(x1), then Horner scheme leads to a better estimate for this uncertainty that many other ways of computing f(x1). The second greedy algorithm that we propose tries to find the multivariate Horner scheme that leads to the best estimate for the uncertainty in f(x1,...,xn).
Base film over which roll waves propagate

The liquid that moves along the duct walls in the annular regime observed in gas-liquid flows often consists of a series of flow surges (roll waves) moving over a thin liquid film (base film). At a given gas velocity there is a critical flow rate of the liquid below which roll waves are not present. Measurements of the height and wall stress are presented to support the notion that the conditions in the base film are close to those which exist at the critical liquid flow rate.
Molecular dynamics simulations of periclase crystallization

Molecular dynamics simulations of MgO based on interionic potentials derived from modified electron-gas calculations have been used to model crystallization of periclase from a supercooled liquid. The phase transition between supercooled liquid and crystal is signaled by a large decrease in the enthalpy of the system, a decrease in calculated pressure, and a [4]Mg → [6]Mg coordination change. Nucleation is nearly instantaneous above a critical density corresponding to the transformation to octahedral coordination in the supercooled liquid. Crystal growth enhances diffusion during the simulation as ions in the liquid move in a direction consistent with the crystal orientation at the liquid-solid interface. Ions do not detach from the crystal surface once they are bonded to the growing crystal, suggesting that growth is in the diffusion-limited regime.
Chromosomal anomalies and prognostic markers for intracranial and spinal ependymomas

Ependymomas are neoplasms that can occur anywhere along the craniospinal axis. They are the third most common brain tumor in children, representing 10% of pediatric intracranial tumors, 4% of adult brain tumors, and 15% of all spinal cord tumors. As the heterogeneity of ependymomas has severely limited the prognostic value of the World Health Organization grading system, numerous studies have focused on genetic alterations as a potential basis for classification and prognosis. However, this endeavor has proven difficult due to variations of findings depending on tumor location, tumor grade, and patient age. While many have evaluated chromosomal abnormalities for ependymomas as a whole group, others have concentrated their efforts on specific subsets of populations. Here, we review modern findings of chromosomal analyses, their relationships with various genes, and their prognostic implications for intracranial and spinal cord ependymomas.
How to avoid errors when quantifying thermal environments

Summary Modelling thermal environments at high resolution becomes simpler when using operative temperature, which condenses microclimate and morphology into an index of thermal stress. Operative temperature can be mapped using large numbers of ‘operative temperature thermometers’, hollow models that duplicate external properties of the animal. As climatologists predict that air will warm by 2–4 °C by 2100, biologists must be able to distinguish climate change from systematic errors in operative temperature of the same magnitude. A systematic error in operative temperature of 2 °C or a similar amount of climate warming can change predicted surface activity and indices of habitat quality, thermoregulatory precision and predation risk by 5–12%, and in some cases more than 30%. As construction details of operative temperature thermometers can affect their accuracy by 2 °C or more, biologists should use detailed physical models calibrated against living animals over potential ranges of postures, orientations and microclimates. Water-filled models do not measure operative temperature correctly, fail to capture thermal extremes and are an unnecessary complication as one can easily compute the body temperature of moving or stationary animals from body mass and the spatio-temporal distribution of operative temperatures.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for the Management of Neuropathic Pain: The Effects of Frequency and Electrode Position on Prevention of Allodynia in a Rat Model of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type II

Background and Purpose. Complex regional pain syndrome type II (CPSII) is a painful condition that develops following a nerve injury. Although transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) relieves the pain of CPSII, the stimulation parameters that would best prevent the development of the condition are not known. The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of several different stimulation strategies to reduce the development of allodynia. Subjects. Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the study. Methods. A chronic constriction injury (CCI) to the right sciatic nerve was used to induce allodynia. Two groups of CCI rats received high-frequency TENS to the lumbar paravertebral region with electrodes positioned on the skin overlying either the right or left paraspinal musculature. Two additional groups of CCI rats received low-frequency TENS to acupuncture points in the right or left hind limbs. A fifth group of CCI rats received no TENS intervention. Thermal and mechanical pain thresholds were assessed in the right hind paw before and 12 days after the CCI surgery. The TENS was delivered 1 hour per day beginning on the day of surgery. Results. Daily high-frequency TENS reduced the development of mechanical allodynia in CCI rats, and low-frequency TENS reduced the development of thermal allodynia, but only when TENS was delivered on the left side. Discussion and Conclusion. The results indicate that TENS delivered contralateral to a nerve injury best reduces allodynia development. Comprehensive reduction of allodynia development would require a combination of high- and low-frequency TENS intervention.
Survey of green building water systems reveals elevated water age and water quality concerns

Widespread adoption of innovative water conservation strategies has potential unintended consequences for aesthetics and public health. A cross-section of green buildings were surveyed and compared to typical conventional buildings in terms of water retention time (i.e., water age), water chemistry, and levels of opportunistic pathogen genetic markers. Water age was estimated to be 2–6.7 months in an off-grid office, an average of 8 days in a Leadership in Environmental Engineering Design certified healthcare suite, and was increased to 2.7 days from 1 day due to installation of a solar “pre-heat” water tank in a net-zero energy house. Chlorine and chloramine residuals were often completely absent in the green building systems, decaying up to 144 times faster in premise plumbing with high water age when compared to distribution system water. Concentration of 16S rRNA and opportunistic pathogen genus level genetic markers were 1–4 orders of magnitude higher in green versus conventional buildings. This study raises concerns with respect to current green water system practices and the importance of considering potential public health impacts in the design of sustainable water systems.
Chronic Exposure to a TLR Ligand Injures Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) can be harmed by disease, chemotherapy, radiation, and normal aging. We show in this study that damage also occurs in mice repeatedly treated with very low doses of LPS. Overall health of the animals was good, and there were relatively minor changes in marrow hematopoietic progenitors. However, HSC were unable to maintain quiescence, and transplantation revealed them to be myeloid skewed. Moreover, HSC from treated mice were not sustained in serial transplants and produced lymphoid progenitors with low levels of the E47 transcription factor. This phenomenon was previously seen in normal aging. Screening identified mAbs that resolve HSC subsets, and relative proportions of these HSC changed with age and/or chronic LPS treatment. For example, minor CD150(Hi)CD48(-) populations lacking CD86 or CD18 expanded. Simultaneous loss of CD150(Lo/-)CD48(-) HSC and gain of the normally rare subsets, in parallel with diminished transplantation potential, would be consistent with age- or TLR-related injury. In contrast, HSC in old mice differed from those in LPS-treated animals with respect to VCAM-1 or CD41 expression and lacked proliferation abnormalities. HSC can be exposed to endogenous and pathogen-derived TLR ligands during persistent low-grade infections. This stimulation might contribute in part to HSC senescence and ultimately compromise immunity.
Coherent mid-infrared broadband generation in non-uniform ZBLAN fiber taper

We describe and numerically demonstrate asymmetric coherent continuum generation in mid-infrared by a fundamental soliton propagating in non-uniform fiber taper via dispersive wave emission in a stabilized regime near continuously shifting second dispersion zero.
Using the assessment of motor and process skills to compare occupational performance between clinic and home settings.

OBJECTIVES: The study described in this article examined the effect of home versus clinic settings on the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) performance of older adults. METHOD: Twenty older adults living in the community were evaluated in their homes and in an occupational therapy clinic with the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS). The motor and process ability measures were compared between the two settings with many-faceted Rasch analysis. RESULTS: The subjects' motor ability measures tended to remain stable from clinic to home settings. The process ability measures tended not to remain stable from clinic to home settings, because 10 of the 20 subjects performed significantly better in their homes. CONCLUSION: These findings support the idea that process skill abilities are affected by the environment to a greater degree than are motor skills abilities and that for persons living in the community, the familiar home environment tends to support IADL performance. If an occupational therapist wants to know how a person performs IADLs, the therapist should evaluate that person's performance in the environment in which the client will be functioning.
The relationship between spatial pooling and attention in saccadic and perceptual tasks

Saccades aimed at spatially extended targets land reliably at central locations determined by pooling information across the target shape [Melcher, D., & Kowler, E. (1999). Shape, surfaces and saccades. Vision Research, 39, 2929–2946; Vishwanath, D., & Kowler, E. (2003). Localization of shapes: Eye movements and perception compared. Vision Research, 43, 1637–1653]. Previous findings of saccadic errors when attempting to look at a target in the midst of distractors encouraged suggestions that pooling occurs indiscriminately, with little or no influence of a selective filter to eliminate the influence of nearby distractors. To determine the effectiveness of filtering, saccadic localization was studied for saccades made to a set of target elements (discs) interleaved with an equivalent set of distractors of a different color. With such interleaved elements, selection and spatial pooling are constrained to occur over the same spatial region. The results showed that filtering was effective and saccadic landing position was determined mainly by the target elements. Concurrent perceptual judgments made about the same stimuli (estimating the mean size of either target or distractor discs) showed better performance for the target discs than distractors, confirming that perceptual attention was allocated to the set of target elements. These results: (1) support the role of attention in setting the input to the spatial pooling process that guides saccades to spatially extended targets, and (2) show that perceptual judgments of mean value, often thought to impose modest attentional demands, are not immune to the constraints of this pre-saccadic filter. � 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
CLASSIFICATION AND DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF THE MYOCARDIOPATHIES.

HE MYOCAt/DIUM may be affected by a number of inflammatory, degenerative, or neoplastic processses whose principal manifestations are in other parts of the body. This discussion will be limited to disorders in which myocardial disease is of such clinical significance as to produce cardiac enlargement or congestive heart failure. Disorders which affect the myocardium have been classified in several ways. One group of writers 1 employs the term "primary myocardial disease" as inclusive of not only the idiopathic disorders of the myocardium but also of more generalized diseases when the myocardium is the principal site of involvement. For greater clarity, the present writer prefers a different classification. In this classification the term "primary myocardial disease" refers only to tho idiopathic disorder. This group probably will be found eventually to include several etiologic categories. Such terms as myocardosis, 2 idiopathic cardiac hypertrophy, 3 and idiopathic cardiomyopathy, 4 or cardiopathy 5 are probably synonymous with primary myocardial disease. The primary forms of myocardopathy probably represent a heterogeneous group of disorders and in many instances may begin as myocarditis. We have observed 3 patients in whom there was associated pericarditis, In 2 of these the illness began with the features of idiopathic pericarditis to be followed by a clinical course consistent with idiopathic myocarditis and in turn by tile myoeardopathy syndrome with prolonged congestive heart failure, persistent cardiac dilation, and other features described below. Other centers have reported a frequent association of pericarditis and the myocardopathy syndrome2 In some patients primary myocardopathy may result from nutritional, hereditary, or metabolic disorders. Secondary myocardial diseases are those in which the myocardial involvement is part of a generalized or specific disease process. The following is a proposed class~ification of myocardial diseases in accordance with the foregoing statemehts.
Temperature-sensitive mutants of herpes simplex virus type 1: isolation, complementation and partial characterization.

Abstract Twenty-two temperature-sensitive mutants of herpes simplex virus type 1 isolated following mutagenesis with 5-bromodeoxyuridine, nitrosoguanidine, and ultraviolet light were classified according to their ability to complement each other at 39°, the nonpermissive temperature. Fifteen nonoverlapping complementation groups have been identified. Partial biochemical characterization of mutants has demonstrated that members of 4 groups were unable to synthesize viral DNA at 39°. Several mutants were found to differ from the wild-type virus with regard to thermal stability at 39°, suggesting that they may possess altered structural proteins.
Skeletal myoblasts for cardiac repair

Stem cells provide an alternative curative intervention for the infarcted heart by compensating for the cardiomyocyte loss subsequent to myocardial injury. The presence of resident stem and progenitor cell populations in the heart, and nuclear reprogramming of somatic cells with genetic induction of pluripotency markers are the emerging new developments in stem cell-based regenerative medicine. However, until safety and feasibility of these cells are established by extensive experimentation in in vitro and in vivo experimental models, skeletal muscle-derived myoblasts, and bone marrow cells remain the most well-studied donor cell types for myocardial regeneration and repair. This article provides a critical review of skeletal myoblasts as donor cells for transplantation in the light of published experimental and clinical data, and indepth discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of skeletal myoblast-based therapeutic intervention for augmentation of myocardial function in the infarcted heart. Furthermore, strategies to overcome the problems of arrhythmogenicity and failure of the transplanted skeletal myoblasts to integrate with the host cardiomyocytes are discussed.
Vaccination, Underlying Comorbidities, and Risk of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease

OBJECTIVES: Children with underlying conditions remain at increased risk for invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD). This study describes the epidemiology, serotype distribution, clinical presentations, and outcomes of IPD in children with and without comorbidity. METHODS: Cases of childhood IPD in Massachusetts were identified via enhanced surveillance from 2002 through 2014. Demographic and clinical data were collected via follow-up telephone interviews with parents and/or primary care providers. Underlying conditions were classified according to the 2012 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases and 2013 recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. RESULTS: Among 1052 IPD cases in Massachusetts children P CONCLUSIONS: In children with comorbidity, IPD results in higher mortality, and a large proportion of disease is due to serotypes not included in current conjugate vaccines. Further research is needed, specifically to develop and evaluate additional strategies for prevention of IPD in the most vulnerable children.
PLANT SPECIES DISTRIBUTION IN RELATION TO WATER-TABLE DEPTH AND SOIL REDOX POTENTIAL IN MONTANE RIPARIAN MEADOWS

The distribution of riparian plant species is largely driven by hydrologic and soil variables, and riparian plant communities frequently occur in relatively distinct zones along streamside elevational and soil textural gradients. In two montane meadows in northeast Oregon, USA, we examined plant species distribution in three riparian plant communities—defined as wet, moist, and dry meadow—along short topographic gradients. We established transects from streamside wet meadow communities to the dry meadow communities located on the floodplain terrace. Within each of the three communities, we sampled plant species composition and cover and monitored water-table depth and soil redox potential (Eh) at 10- and 25-cm depths through three growing seasons (1997, 1998, and 1999). The study objectives were (1) to characterize and compare seasonal patterns of water-table depth and soil redox potential in portions of the floodplain dominated by the three different plant communities; (2) to compare plant species composition, distribution, and diversity among the three communities; and (3) to relate plant species diversity and distribution to water-table depth and redox potential. Strong environmental gradients existed along the transects. Water-table depth followed the seasonal patterns of stream stage and discharge and was consistently highest in the wet meadow communities (ranging from +26 cm above the soil surface to −37 cm below the surface), lowest in the dry meadow communities (−8 cm to − 115 cm), and intermediate in the moist meadow communities (+17 cm to −73 cm). Dynamics of redox potential were associated with the seasonal fluctuations in water-table depth and differed among the plant communities. In the wet meadow communities, anaerobic soil conditions (Eh ≤ 300 mV) occurred from March through July at 10-cm depth and throughout the year at 25-cm depth. In the moist meadow communities, soils were anaerobic during spring high flows and aerobic in summer and fall during low flows. In the dry meadow communities, soil conditions were predominantly aerobic throughout the year at both depths. Wet meadow communities were dominated by sedges (Carex spp.) and had the lowest species richness and diversity, whereas dry meadow communities were composed of a mixture of grasses and forbs and had the greatest number of species. Species richness and total plant cover were negatively correlated with mean water-table depth and positively correlated with mean redox potential at 10-cm and 25-cm depths (P < 0.01). Distribution of the 18 most abundant plant species in relation to water-table depth and soil redox potential showed that certain species, such as the obligate wetland sedges, occurred within a fairly restricted range of water-table depth, whereas other graminoids occurred over wide ranges. These results suggest that the biological diversity often observed in montane riparian meadows is strongly related to steep environmental gradients in hydrology and soil redox status.
Non-neoplastic pancreatic lesions that may mimic malignancy

The widespread use of abdominal ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has resulted in an increased identification of asymptomatic pancreatic lesions. Preoperative diagnoses of pancreatic lesions can be difficult. Solid and cystic lesions and anatomic variants of normal can all mimic tumor clinically and radiologically. Newer imaging modalities have increased the likelihood of the accurate diagnosis of non-neoplastic pancreatic disease, however, despite the many advances; it still remains a challenge to differentiate rarer non-neoplastic entities and inflammatory masses from adenocarcinoma, preoperatively. Adding to the challenge is the fact that a variety of inflammatory, solid and cystic non-neoplastic lesions have significant clinical and radiological overlap with malignancies. About 5-10% of pancreatectomies performed with the primary clinical diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma are later proved to be essentially non-neoplastic lesions. It is vital to include these non-neoplastic entities in the differential diagnosis while working up abnormal clinical and radiological pancreatic findings because it may drastically alter therapeutic options for the patients. The significance of recognizing these lesions preoperatively is to help to guide the clinical decision-making process and the avoidance of an unnecessary pancreatectomy. Examples of such entities include chronic pancreatitis, sarcoidosis, intrapancreatic accessory spleen (IPAS), lymphoid hyperplasia, lipomatous pseudohypertrophy (LPH), lymphangioma, lymphoepithelial cyst (LEC) and endometriosis.
The role of women in the urban economy of Istanbul, 1700-1850.

This article examines the role of women in manufacturing and the urban economy of Istanbul during the premodern period. It shows that Ottoman women engaged in a variety of economic activities, and invested in the real estate market. They participated in the textile industry of Bursa, Ankara, and Istanbul as weavers, dyers, and embroiderers. Their labor, however, remained marginal to artisanal production through the guilds. Very few women were accepted into the guilds. They were hired by the putting-out merchants to produce secretly at home. Their input to manufacturing increased in the second half of the nineteenth century when the guilds were losing their monopoly over production.
Proactive Cache Placement on Cooperative Client Caches for Online Social Networks

This paper investigates cache placement on a cooperative cache built from individual client caches in an online social network or web service. We use a service that maintains a mapping between content and the clients that cache it, and propose cache placement schemes that leverage relationships between clients (for example, social links) and workload statistics, proactively placing content on clients that are likely to access it. We evaluate efficacy through simulation, comparing our schemes against commonly used cache placement algorithms as well as optimal placement. We synthesize a workload to match characteristics of online social networks. Simulation results of our proposed caching schemes impose moderate network overhead and show considerable improvement to the client's cache hit ratio, even under churn.
Enhancement by thymectomy of tumor formation by oncogenic adenoviruses.

SummaryAdenoviral serotypes 1, 7, 8, 14, 21, and 24 were inoculated into thymectomized and nonthymectomized newborn Syrian hamsters because of their suspect oncogenicity in an initial screening program. Enhanced oncogenicity attributable to thymectomy at 1 week of age was observed when type 7 was inoculated subcutaneously. Tumor incidence increased from 4 to 17%. About 14% of the thymectomized hamsters inoculated with adenovirus 21 had tumors although this virus produced no tumors in intact animals of this series. All surviving animals remain under observation.
Scanning tunneling microscopy of carbon blacks

Abstract Three kinds of carbon black, HAF (high abrasion furnace, N330), MT (medium thermal, N990), and graphitized MT were observed with the scanning tunneling microscope (STM), the transmission electron microscope (TEM), and the scanning electron microscope (SEM) All the STM images are formed from measurements of the x, t, and z position of points on the surface of the particle. The STM images of carbon blacks were compared to transmission electron microscope (TEM) photographs. Pitted and stepped bumps were observed on the surface of HAF carbon black. The surface of MT carbon black was more rough and disorganized At the atomic scale, ordered structure was found on the surface of HAF carbon-black particles Graphitized MT carbon-black particles were faceted polyhedra. Some facets were smooth while others had multiple terraces. The surface of graphitized MT carbon black was so well ordered that a lattice of carbon atoms similar to HOPG (highly ordered pyrolytic graphite) was observed on the smooth facets.
Structural Design of an Integrated Avionic System Based on Directed Graph and Its Optimization

The structural design and optimization method is directly relevant to the avionic system as well as the survivability, expansibility and maintainability of the whole aircraft system. The design process is analyzed and the design steps are confirmed to construct system conveniently. A concept of the directed graph of system structure is proposed and the mathematical description is also presented based on directed graph theory. On this basis, an optimization method is further introduced. The structural directed graph of the system structure is decomposed vertically and horizontally, and a hierarchical association structure is set up for the system resources, which may supply a theoretical basis for structural design. Finally, an example demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Restoration of selective facial nerve function by the nerve-muscle pedicle technique.

The nerve-muscle technique combined with a modified muscle-fascia sling and neurotization from the temporal muscle has been successful in restoration of facial function. The technique and its advantages for reinnervation and restoration of tonus are described.
Phase array antenna pattern design using the minimax algorithm

This paper investigates the performance of beam pattern forming employing the Minimax algorithm. The examples used in this paper demonstrate how phase-only adjustment is performed on both circular and elliptical beams. Compared with complex weights adjustment, problem of phase only adjustment is addressed and performance analysis is provided. A 244 element non-uniformly spaced array antenna is used in this simulation study.
Scanning Electron Microscopic Study on Some Effects of Sodium Hypochlorite on Attachment of Bacteria to Stainless Steel 1.

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to demonstrate the effects of rinsing with water and various concentrations of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) on extracellular attachment fibers of Pseudomonas fragi (ATCC 4793), Salmonella montevideo , and Bacillus cereus (F4165/75) attached to stainless steel chips. Results indicated that use of a water rinse before sanitization with NaOCl was not sufficient to eliminate attached microorganisms and debris.
Robust transient stability assessment of renewable power grids

Large scale renewable generation is increasingly installed into power grids all over the world in an effort to reduce CO2 from electricity sector. Yet, the inherent intermittent nature of renewable generations, such as wind and solar, introduces high uncertainty into system operation and may compromise the grid stability. As such, stability assessment of power grid with high penetration of renewables is an important issue. Due to the renewable generations uncertainty, the transient stability of renewable power grid can be assessed by simulating power systems dynamics with different level of renewable generations, which leads to highly computational cost. In this paper, we present a robust stability certificate that can rigorously guarantee the grids stability with respect to the variation in power injections. Interestingly, quadratic Lyapunov function approach is presented to transient stability assessment, offering real-time construction of stability certificates. The effectiveness of the proposed techniques is numerically illustrated on a number of IEEE test cases.
Unusual findings in thyroid cytology and histology.

Introduction Although cytology and histopathology of thyroid lesions generally fall into common, well-defined categories, there are uncommon cases with unusual fine needle aspiration (FNA) findings or histology. Herein, we review the prevalence and characteristics of rare thyroid cytology and histopathology findings at a tertiary hospital. Methods Institutional data from >31,000 patients with a thyroid pathology from 1995 to 2013 were queried. Both cytology and histology were available in 6,693 patients. After exclusion of the common cytological categories detailed by The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) and common histopathology categories, 90 patients with either an unusual FNA, histopathology, or both were identified. Results A total of 90 cases were included (19: only unusual FNA; 25: only unusual histology; 46: both unusual cytology and histopathology). The positive predictive value of an unusual FNA for discovering an unusual lesion was 71% (95% CI: 58%–81%). The majority (66%) were females and median age was 59 years. On histopathology, 80 (88%) cases were malignant, 72 (90%) of which were initially diagnosed as malignant on FNA. Of the 10 benign lesions, 8 (80%) also had a benign FNA. Patients with unusual malignant lesions were significantly older than those with unusual benign lesions (62 vs. 44 years; P: 0.004). Conclusion Unusual cytopathological and histopathological findings in thyroid comprise a varied group of tumors that are individually rare but collectively common. A preoperative FNA with an unusual cytopathology is likely to lead to an unusual histopathological diagnosis; however, its diagnostic accuracy in differentiating benign from malignant is lower than the accuracy of cytopathology of conventional TBSRTC. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2017;45:185–190. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Guides to Reducing Social Loafing in Group Projects: Faculty Development

Student team projects in higher education are prevalent today because of the educational value associated with students working in teams. Research has shown the many benefits students acquire by engaging in team projects in higher education (Brooks & Ammons, 2003). For example, Butcher, Stefani, and Tariq (1995) suggested group work helps students cultivate communication, problem solving, and leadership skills. Hayes, Lethbridge, and Port (2003) stated students learn to cooperate with one another and learn from one another when working in groups. The benefits from group work ultimately allow students to successfully transition from school to the work world. The proliferation of students working in groups will continue due the demands from stakeholders, such as, employers and accreditation agencies (Hansen, 2006). Organizations request that schools incorporate additional team assignments in classes. For example, Aggarwal and O'Brien (2008) indicated businesses expect newly employed individuals to have experience with group work and the essential skills needed to interact successfully with other employees. In addition, accreditation agencies are requiring faculty members to give instruction in team-based skills. For example, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business—AACSB (2013) requires faculty members to communicate to students how to work effectively in teams. The main difficulty with students working in groups is social loafing. This article examines the literature regarding the theoretical construct social loafing and effective ways to reduce this impediment to learning. Administrators charged with faculty development can use these findings to assist professors having difficulty with social loafers.
Unmanned vehicle mission planning given limited sensory information

This paper proposes an approach to optimal planning under uncertainty with limited sensory information for an autonomous unmanned vehicle (UXV). We consider a surveillance application in which identification of environmental targets is impacted by controllable features commanded by the UXV as well as ambient features with dynamics that are uncontrollable. To manage computational complexity, mission states are defined by abstract or discretized features that are maximally influential based on Shannon information content. A receding horizon optimization method is applied to find optimal actions given uncertain and potentially erroneous sensor readings. Ambient feature transition probabilities are learned from empirical data then integrated with controllable features that evolve as a function of UXV actions.
An Integrated, Multimodal Resident Curriculum in Patient Safety and Quality Improvement.

Introduction Patient safety and quality improvement are essential components of modern medicine. The traditional model of graduate medical education does not lend itself well to learning these disc...
Relaxed impact craters on Ganymede: Regional variation and high heat flows

Abstract Viscously relaxed craters provide a window into the thermal history of Ganymede, a satellite with copious geologic signs of past high heat flows. Here we present measurements of relaxed craters in four regions for which suitable imaging exists: near Anshar Sulcus, Tiamat Sulcus, northern Marius Regio, and Ganymede's south pole. We describe a technique to measure apparent depth, or depth of the crater with respect to the surrounding terrain elevation. Measured relaxation states are compared with results from finite element modeling to constrain heat flow scenarios [see companion paper: Bland et al. (2017)]. The presence of numerous, substantially relaxed craters indicates high heat flows—in excess of 30–40 mW m−2 over 2 Gyr, with many small (
New generation nano-adsorbents for the removal of emerging contaminants in water

Abstract Nowadays, water contamination due to the drugs and pharmaceuticals residues is increasing and alarming. These contaminants are called as new emerging pollutants. The contamination due to the new emerging contaminants is of great concern due to their endocrine, hormonal and genetic disturbance nature. Also, some drugs and pharmaceuticals residues are converted into chiral metabolites, which are receptor specific and have serious side effects. Water pollution by new emerging pollutants is becoming a subject of global anxiety, with hazardous environmental consequences. Many water resources have been found to have new emerging pollutants. Nano particles are used to remove these pollutants and these are called as new generation nano-adsorbents. These new generation nano-adsorbents are capable to remove new emerging pollutants even at low concentration i.e. μg/L under varied conditions of pH and temperature. The present article describes state-of-the-art of the removal of new emerging pollutants using new generation nano-adsorbents by adsorption technology. The efforts are made to discuss the sources contamination and toxicities of new emergent pollutants, preparation, characterization and separation of new generation nano-adsorbents. Besides, the attempts have also been made to discuss the future perspectives of the new emergent pollutants and new generation adsorbents.
Development and evaluation of a patient empowerment video to promote hydroxyurea adoption in sickle cell disease.

Background For the last decade, compelling evidence on hydroxyurea (HU) efficacy in certain adult patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) has supported recommendations for use of this drug to decrease morbidity and medical costs. Despite these benefits, HU therapy is underused in patients meeting treatment criteria. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an educational video to empower patients and their families to initiate a conversation with their physicians on the benefits and risks of HU, encouraging a shared decision-making process. Methods Patients with SCD and physicians with prominence in the sickle cell community were selected to participate in the video based on their communication skills. They were encouraged to answer interview questions on camera with language that could be easily understood by all patients. Two focus groups participated in the development process verifying the messages in the video were clear and easy to understand. A pre- and postdesign survey of patients was performed to assess patient acceptability and utility of the video. Results A 15-minute educational video was produced and modified from input of the focus groups. Impact of the refined educational video was evaluated with a patient survey. Patients expressed a strong desire after viewing the video to learn about potential benefits of HU. Furthermore, the video was useful in heightening the intent of patients to ask their health care providers about HU therapy.
The impacts of internet traffic variability on modelling for large-scale broadband networks

Current methods for modelling network traffic bandwidth do not sufficiently take into account the impacts of traffic variability. The most common models for characterizing network traffic bandwidth are those based on the theories of Illka Norros using fractal Brownian motion [1] or those based on Frank Kelly's theories using stochastic processes [2]. In both cases the accuracy of the model is dependant on values derived from measured Internet data. These measurements are often sampled at a limited number of points on the network. The task of collecting, evaluating, and constantly updating the data in order to maintain required accuracy is extremely difficult. Data characteristics vary greatly according to time, location on the network, applications in use, and the behavior of users. This paper details the results of a survey examining the degree of network traffic variability on an example broadband network. Impacts are evaluated and the need for adaptive modelling techniques that utilize computational intelligence and adaptive capabilities is proposed.
A Relational Representation of Belief Functions

Set operations are one of the most difficult tasks in implementing belief functions for knowledge based systems. The problem becomes intractable because the number of subsets increases exponentially as the frame size increases. In this paper, I propose representing a subset as an integer, and reduce set operations to bitwise operations. I show the superiority of such a representation and demonstrate how, despite its simplicity, the technique has a profound implication in reducing the complexity of belief function computations and makes it possible to organize and store belief functions using relational databases for large projects.
Cycloaddition and Electrocyclic Reactions of Silyl Enol Ethers

The electron rich double bonds of silyl enol ethers and silyloxy dienes undergo a variety of cycloaddition and electrocyclic reactions.
Magnesium Alloy 3D Printing by Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM)

Mechanical properties similar to natural bone and good biocompatibility make magnesium a great option for its use as biodegradable implant material. The use of castings as fabrication technique brings inherent problems, such as segregation and void formation. Also, the architecture of the specimens created by using these techniques is limited. This study shows the implementation of WAAM for the fabrication of elements made out of AZ91D magnesium alloy (9% aluminium and 1% zinc). The results demonstrate that porosity or cracking only appears at the surface of the individual printed lines, while the central sections presents a void-less structure composed by an HCP magnesium matrix and a high density of well dispersed aluminium-zinc rich precipitates. EDS mapping confirms the presence of orthorhombic Al5Mg11Zn4 phase. Also, the relationship between the heat present in the system and the morphology of the lines is analysed.
Endoscopic therapy and surveillance versus esophagectomy for early esophageal adenocarcinoma: A review of early outcomes and cost analysis.

Abstract Background Endoscopic therapy is considered to be comparable to esophagectomy with respect to oncologic outcomes in early (cT1) esophageal adenocarcinoma (EC). The current study aims to compare early outcomes and financial costs, associated with endoscopic versus surgical therapy for early esophageal adenocarcinoma. Methods Retrospective review of patients undergoing either endoscopic or surgical therapy for cT1 EC between 2010 and 2015. Results Age, BMI, and Charlson Comorbidity Scores were similar in patients undergoing endoscopic therapy (N = 20) and esophagectomy (N = 23). For patients undergoing endoscopic therapy a median of 6 endoscopic interventions, were performed per patient (range 2–18). Esophagectomy was associated with a median hospital stay of 9 (8–13) days and greater procedure specific morbidity compared to endoscopic therapy. Costs related to endoscopic therapy were significantly lower compared to esophagectomy ($22,640 vs. $53,849, P Conclusions Endoscopic treatment is associated with decreased morbidity and financial costs when compared to esophagectomy.
Magnetized interstellar molecular clouds - II. The large-scale structure and dynamics of filamentary molecular clouds

We perform ideal MHD high resolution AMR simulations with driven turbulence and self-gravity and find that long filamentary molecular clouds are formed at the converging locations of large-scale turbulence flows and the filaments are bounded by gravity. The magnetic field helps shape and reinforce the long filamentary structures. The main filamentary cloud has a length of ~4.4 pc. Instead of a monolithic cylindrical structure, the main cloud is shown to be a collection of fiber/web-like sub-structures similar to filamentary clouds such as L1495. Unless the line-of-sight is close to the mean field direction, the large-scale magnetic field and striations in the simulation are found roughly perpendicular to the long axis of the main cloud, similar to 1495. This provides strong support for a large-scale moderately strong magnetic field surrounding L1495. We find that the projection effect from observations can lead to incorrect interpretations of the true three-dimensional physical shape, size, and velocity structure of the clouds. Helical magnetic field structures found around filamentary clouds that are interpreted from Zeeman observations can be explained by a simple bending of the magnetic field that pierces through the cloud. We demonstrate that two dark clouds form a T-shape configuration which are strikingly similar to the Infrared dark cloud SDC13 leading to the interpretation that SDC13 results from a collision of two long filamentary clouds. We show that a moderately strong magnetic field (M_A ~ 1) is crucial for maintaining a long and slender filamentary cloud for a long period of time ~0.5 million years.