cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predictive Model for Thermal and Stress Field in Selective Laser Melting Process—Part II

Abstract During the part forming in laser powder bed fusion process, thermal distortion is one big problem due to the thermal stress which is caused by the high cooling rate and temperature gradient. Therefore, it is important to know the effect of process parameters on thermal and stress evolution in the melt zone. In this paper, a 3D finite element model for Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process based on sequentially coupled thermo-mechanical field analysis was developed for accurately predicting thermal history and surface features, like distortion and residual stress. Temperature dependent material properties for performed material 304L stainless steel are incorporated into the model capturing the change from powder to fully dense solid stainless steel. Surface temperature gradients and thermal stress were fully presented in the development of different parameter sets, which designed for the probability of reducing defect formation. Simulation results showed that the sequent thermal cyclic melting in successive scanned tracks resulted in alternating compressive and tensile thermal stresses. A predictive model for thermal and stress field in large part by selective laser melting process is come up in Part II. After the parts cooled down to room temperature, higher residual stresses were found in longitudinal stress. This paper will provide guidance on how to achieve minimum residual stresses and deformations by the study of the process parameters.
Benign Lesions of the Larynx

The mucosal wave is the most important parameter in differentiating cysts from polyps (diminished or absent in cysts compared to present in 80 % of polyps) Respiratory papillomas are most common at the transition between columnar and squamous epithelium
Hepatic Thermal Injury Promotes Colorectal Cancer Engraftment in C57/black 6 Mice

Treatment options for liver metastases (primarily colorectal cancer) are limited by high recurrence rates and persistent tumor progression. Surgical approaches to management of these metastases typically use heat energy including electrocautery, argon beam coagulation, thermal ablation of surgical margins for hemostasis, and preemptive thermal ablation to prevent bleeding or to effect tumor destruction. Based on high rates of local recurrence, these studies assess whether local effects of hepatic thermal injury (HTI) might contribute to poor outcomes by promoting a hepatic microenvironment favorable for tumor engraftment or progression due to induction of procancer cytokines and deleterious immune infiltrates at the site of thermal injury. To test this hypothesis, an immunocompetent mouse model was developed wherein HTI was combined with concomitant intrasplenic injection of cells from a well-characterized MC38 colon carcinoma cell line. In this model, HTI resulted in a significant increase in engraftment and progression of MC38 tumors at the site of thermal injury. Furthermore, there were local increases in expression of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1α), arginase-1, and vascular endothelial growth factor α and activation changes in recruited macrophages at the HTI site but not in untreated liver tissue. Inhibition of HIF1α following HTI significantly reduced discreet hepatic tumor development (P = 0.03). Taken together, these findings demonstrate that HTI creates a favorable local environment that is associated with protumorigenic activation of macrophages and implantation of circulating tumors. Discrete targeting of HIF1α signaling or inhibiting macrophages offers potential strategies for improving the outcome of surgical management of hepatic metastases where HTI is used.
GAT-FD: An Integrated MATLAB Toolbox for Graph Theoretical Analysis of Task-Related Functional Dynamics

ABSTRACT Functional connectivity (FC) has been demonstrated to be varying over time during sensory and cognitive processes. Quantitative examinations of such variations can significantly advance our understanding on large-scale functional organizations and their topological dynamics that support normal brain functional connectome and can be altered in individuals with brain disorders. However, toolboxes that integrate the complete functions for analyzing task-related brain FC, functional network topological properties, and their dynamics, are still lacking. The current study has developed a MATLAB toolbox, the Graph Theoretical Analysis of Task-Related Functional Dynamics (GAT-FD), which consists of four modules for sliding-window analyses, temporal mask generation, estimations of network properties and dynamics, and result display, respectively. All the involved functions have been tested and validated using fMRI data collected from human subjects when performing a block-designed task. The results demonstrated that the GAT-FD allows for effective and quantitative evaluations of the functional network properties and their dynamics during the task period. As an open-source and user-friendly package, the GAT-FD and its detailed user manual are freely available at https://www.nitrc.org/projects/gat_fd and https://centers.njit.edu/cnnl/gat_fd/.
Evaluation of Library Usage and Attitudes of Residents and Fellows: Results of 2017 - 2019 Surveys

The Cleveland Clinic Libraries wanted to evaluate what services are used by residents and fellows and their attitudes regarding library services. All exiting residents and fellows completed a volun...
Designing for Serious Mental Illnesses: Enabling Early Detection and Supporting Financial Wellbeing in Bipolar Disorder

Serious mental illnesses (SMIs), like bipolar disorder (BD) can have a significant negative impact on individuals’ lives, but ability to anticipate manic and depressive mood episodes before they occur can lead better treatment outcomes. BD and its symptoms can also show through online behaviors, suggesting an opportunity to use an online data-driven approach to managing BD. However, designing technologies to support individuals with SMIs have unique concerns, such as privacy and agency. In this proposed work, I mean to understand the feasibility and acceptance of a BD intervention system that uses online behavioral data to infer mood episode onset. Throughout this I mean to explore patient and clinician needs for managing BD through a data-driven intervention, as well as attitudes toward sharing personal data within social support networks to help support treatment, to develop a prototype for future evaluation. In conclusion, I present preliminary findings on patient acceptance, common problematic behaviors, and the role of patient-clinician relationships.
A Surgical Perspective on the Association between Cystic Lesions of the Pineal Gland (Descartes' Seat of the Soul) and the Pituitary (the Master Gland)

Introduction Rene Descartes (1596–1650), the famous philosopher and scientist, identified the pineal gland as the only cerebral structure not represented bilaterally, the “seat of the soul”; and the source of rational thought. Pineal cysts (PCs) are often incidentally identified in MRI studies, with a reported prevalence of 1 to 4.3%. Rathke cleft cysts (RCCs) are pituitary lesions accounting for Methods We reviewed the medical records of patients presenting at our institution from April 2008 through February 2020, whose records indicated a diagnosis of RCC, and those whose records included pineal lesions. Our objective was to evaluate the association between these two midline lesions. Brain MRI studies were reviewed for the presence of PCs; only patients with PCs that measured ≥5 mm in diameter were included. Results We identified 116 patients with RCCs, and 34 patients with PCs, treated from April 2008 through February 2020. Among the RCC group, 14/116 patients (12%) had PCs. Among the PC group, 3/34 patients (8.8%) had RCCs. Overall, 17 patients (11.3%) had concomitant RCCs and PCs. The mean maximal diameter of the PCs was 7.5 mm (range = 5–17 mm), whereas the mean maximal diameter of RCCs was 13 mm (range = 5–40 mm). Conclusion The incidental diagnosis of cystic lesions of the pineal and pituitary gland is increasingly reported, primarily because of advances in current diagnostic modalities. Our data demonstrated no clear consensual association between pineal and pituitary cysts.
Design and Construction in Romanesque Architecture: First Romanesque Architecture and the Pointed Arch in Burgundy and Northern Italy

In this 2003 study, Edson Armi offers a fresh interpretation of Romanesque architecture. Armi focuses on buildings in northern Italy, Switzerland, southern France and Catalonia, the regions where Romanesque architecture first appeared around 1000 AD. He integrates the study of medieval structure with an understanding of construction, decoration and articulation in an effort to determine the origins and originality of medieval architecture and the formation of the High Romanesque style, especially in Burgundy, at sites such as Cluny III. Relying on a close analysis of the fabric of key buildings, Armi's in-depth study reveals a lot about design decisions in the early Middle Ages. It also demonstrates that the mature Romanesque of the twelfth century continues many of the applications created and perfected over the previous one hundred years.
Late Woodland Adaptive Patterns in Eastern Kansas

Data available from 15 eastern Kansas Late Woodland sites, sequentially occupied over an approximately 500 year span of time (A.D. 500-1 000), have been assembled in an attempt to understand the na...
Dorian, Nancy C. (b. 1936)

Nancy Currier Dorian (b. 1936) has been at the forefront of studies of language death and minority languages, authoring several books and over 50 articles on the topic. She conducted fieldwork on East Sutherland Gaelic over the course of numerous extended visits between 1963 and 1978 and continues to be highly productive and well-recognized in the field for her convincing, detailed demonstrations that focusing on speakers who might be considered ‘marginal’ is crucial to a full understanding of human language.
Disruption of neurogenesis in the subventricular zone of adult mice, and in human cortical neuronal precursor cells in culture, by amyloid beta-peptide: implications for the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

The adult mammalian brain contains populations of stem cells that can proliferate and then differentiate into neurons or glia. The highest concentration of such neural progenitor cells (NPC) is located in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and these cells can produce new olfactory bulb and cerebral cortical neurons. NPC may provide a cellular reservoir for replacement of cells lost during normal cell turnover and after brain injury. However, neurogenesis does not compensate for neuronal loss in age-related neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), suggesting the possibility that impaired neurogenesis contributes to the pathogenesis of such disorders. We now report that amyloid β-peptide (Aβ), a self-aggregating neurotoxic protein thought to cause AD, can impair neurogenesis in the SVZ/cerebral cortex of adult mice and in human cortical NPC in culture. The proliferation and migration of NPC in the SVZ of amyloid precursor protein (APP) mutant mice, and in mice receiving an intraventricular infusion of Aβ, were greatly decreased compared to control mice. Studies of NPC neurosphere cultures derived from human embryonic cerebral cortex showed that Aβ can suppress NPC proliferation and differentiation, and can induce apoptosis. The adverse effects of Aβ on neurogenesis were associated with a disruption of calcium regulation in the NPC. Our data show that Aβ can impair cortical neurogenesis, and suggest that this adverse effect of Aβ contributes to the depletion of neurons and the resulting olfactory and cognitive deficits in AD.
Operation and maintenance decision-making using prognostic information

Practicable life extension of engineering systems would be a remarkable application of prognostics. Although considerable research has been devoted to developing prognostics algorithms, rather less attention has been paid to post-prognostic issues such as maintenance decision making. This research investigates the use of prognostic data to mobilize the potential residual life. In this respect, a multi-objective optimization model is presented for a typical power generation unit. This model proves the ability of prognostic models to balance between power generation and life extension. The results of the optimization models quantitatively indicated that maximizing the service life of bearings requires lower shaft speed and longer maintenance time.
Use of QT‐prolonging medications in US emergency departments, 1995–2009

Purpose Emergency department (ED) patients receive medications that place them at risk for adverse events, including drug-induced prolongation of the QT interval, which can lead to Torsade de Pointes and sudden cardiac death. We report the frequency of prescription and coprescription of QT-prolonging medications in US EDs and factors associated with high-risk prescribing practices. Methods We analyzed the ED component of the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey for 1995 through 2009. Yearly rates of visits involving the prescription of QT-prolonging medications were determined. Multivariate regression analyses identified factors associated with the prescription of two or more QT-prolonging medications. Results Approximately 16.5 million visits annually (15.0%) involved prescription of a QT-prolonging drug, with 1.7 million (1.6%) involving multiple prescriptions. Visits associated with QT-prolonging drugs more than doubled over the study period (10.4% to 22.2%). Diphenhydramine, azithromycin, and ondansetron were most frequently implicated (46.1% of cases). The most commonly prescribed combination was diphenhydramine and famotidine, both QT-prolonging medications available over-the-counter. Female gender and older age were associated with co-prescription of QT-prolonging medications. The rate of EKG screening among visits associated with QTprolonging drug combinations was low (20.9%), but more common than among visits without a QT-prolonging drug (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.2–1.5). Conclusion Use of QT-prolonging medications is increasing in EDs nationally. A small number of agents account for a large proportion of these visits and may represent an area for targeted screening or monitoring interventions in the ED. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. key words—Torsade de Pointes; drug-induced QT prolongation; emergency department; QT-prolonging drug prescribing patterns; pharmacoepidemiology
Structural Characterization of Novel ortho‐Lithiated Imines

ortho-Metallated imines are commonly used as ligands for late transition metals. Unfortunately, not all metals, such as titanium, zirconium, and niobium, can undergo the necessary oxidative addition reactions to form the desired ortho-metallated complexes directly. Therefore, a synthetic methodology allowing easy access to this binding mode from simple early transition metal halides via an ortho-lithiated imine precursor is desirable. ortho-Lithiation of benzylamines and other systems has been well studied; in contrast, that of imines is poorly developed. However, inclusion of a 3,4-methylenedioxy group on phenyl imines allows for straightforward lithiation and simple isolation of the ortho-lithiated imines. NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction allowed for the structural elucidation of the clustering in these lithium complexes. It has been determined that the nature of the imine nitrogen substituent has a profound effect on the clustering of the lithiated imines. Alkyl (Cy, tBu) substituents clustered in a tetrameric form, whereas aryl (2,6-R 2 C 6 H 3 ; R = Me, Et, iPr) substituents formed dimers that exhibited long-range ordering in the solid state as coordination polymers. The introduction of coordinating solvent, such as dimethoxyethane and diethyl ether, changed the long-range order of the coordination polymer and in some cases, forced the formation of discrete dimeric lithium complexes. Lithium NMR spectroscopy indicates that in solution the coordination polymer breaks up to form discrete dimers. These complexes also display a pronounced decrease in the ring bond angle of the aromatic carbon atom directly attached to the lithium atom, which indicates an increase in the p-character of the carbon-lithium bond.
Auxin and Cell Elongation

One of the most dramatic and rapid hormone responses in plants is the induction by auxin of rapid cell elongation in isolated stem and coleoptile sections. The response begins within 10 minutes after the addition of auxin, results in a 5-10 fold increase in the growth rate, and persists for hours or even days (22). It is hardly surprising that this may be the most studied hormonal response in plants.
Learning static occlusions from interactions with moving figures

We present a simple and efficient algorithm for determining the position of static occluding bodies within a scene viewed by one or more static cameras. All information about the occluding bodies is derived from the perimeter of a figure moving through the scene. Once the positions of the occlusions are learned, successful reasoning about the observability of future figures in the scene is demonstrated. The method is extended to derive an estimate of the 3D position of the occluding bodies from multiple views. Several experimental results are described.
The Development of Obesity Begins at an Early Age in Captive Common Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

Animal models to study the causes and consequences of obesity during infancy in humans would be valuable. In this study, we examine the patterns of fat mass gain from birth to 12 months in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Lean and fat mass was measured by quantitative magnetic resonance at 1, 2, 6, and 12 months for 31 marmosets, 15 considered Normal and 16 considered Fat (> 14% body fat) at 12 months. Animals were fed either the regular colony diet mix or a high-fat variation. Subjects classified as Fat at 12 months already had greater lean mass (198.4 +/- 6.2 g vs. 174.0 +/- 6.8 g, P = 0.013) and fat mass (45.5 +/- 5.0 g vs. 24.9 +/- 3.4 g, P = .002) by 6 months. Body mass did not differ between groups prior to 6 months, however, by 1 month, Fat infants had greater percent body fat. Percent body fat decreased between 1 and 12 months in Normal subjects; in Fat subjects, it increased. The high-fat diet was associated with body fat > 14% at 6 months (P = 0.049), but not at 12 months. This shift was due to three subjects on the normal diet changing from Normal to Fat between 6 and 12 months. Although maternal prepregnancy adiposity did not differ, overall, between Normal and Fat subjects, the subjects Normal at 6 and Fat at 12 months all had Fat mothers. Therefore, diet and maternal obesity appear to have potentially independent effects that may also vary with developmental age. Although birth weight did not differ between groups, it was associated with fat mass gain from 1 to 6 months in animals with > 14% body fat at 6 months of age (r = 0.612, P = 0.026); but not in 6-month-old animals with < 14% body fat (r = -0.012, P = 0.964). Excess adiposity in captive marmosets develops by 1 month. Birth weight is associated with adiposity in animals vulnerable to obesity.
Heterothermic flexibility allows energetic savings in a small tropical swift: The Silver-rumped Spinetail (Rhaphidura leucopygialis)

ABSTRACT Facultative heterothermy, or torpor, has been demonstrated in different clades of the Apodidae, proposed as a mechanism to reduce energetic demand in response to different physiological cues. In a small tropical Southeast Asian swiftlet species, the Silver-rumped Spinetail (Rhaphidura leucopygialis), we measured the facultative heterothermic response in a pair of experiments. In the first experiment, the mean body temperature of birds immediately after capture was ~38.9°C. Individuals exposed to consistent ambient temperatures of 28.0°C reduced mean body temperatures over time, and these reductions were greater in individuals kept in the dark than in those that were exposed to light during the trial. The second experiment consisted of respirometry trials measuring rates of carbon dioxide production along with internal body temperature in relation to decreasing ambient temperatures. Two different responses to the respirometry trials emerged: Some individuals modulated body temperature in relation ...
Effect of dietary selenium on selenoprotein W and glutathione peroxidase in 28 tissues of the rat

Abstract The influence of deficient (0.004 μg/g), adequate (0.1 μg/g), and excessive (4.0 μg/g) levels of dietary selenium (Se) on the selenoprotein W (Se-W) content and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity was investigated in 28 tissues of the rat. GPX activity was found in all 28 tissues examined, and dietary selenium resulted in increased activities in all tissues, except for the spinal cord. Except for the brain, 0.1 μg Se per g diet resulted in significantly greater GPX activity in all tissues as compared with rats fed the deficient diet. When 4.0 μg Se per g diet was fed, however, this resulted in significantly greater activity in the brain as compared with the rats fed the deficient diet. Se-W was nondetectable in liver, thyroid, pancreas, pituitary, and eyes regardless of the level of Se fed. Se-W was not detected in heart, lungs, prostate, esophagus, small intestine, tongue, skin, diaphragm, and skeletal muscle from Se-deficient rats, but was present in these tissues when the two higher levels of Se were fed. In other tissues such as the kidney and seminal vesicles Se-W was detected only in rats fed 4.0 μg Se per g diet. These results indicate that the distribution of Se-W among rat tissues is more widespread than thought, and suggest that the regulation of Se-W by Se is markedly different between various tissues.
Slice profile distortions in single slice continuously moving table MRI

Continuously Moving Table (CMT) MRI is a rapid imaging technique that allows scanning of extended fields of view (FOVs) such as the whole-body in a single continuous scan. 1 A highly efficient approach to CMT MRI is single slice imaging, where data are continuously acquired from a single axial slice at isocenter with concurrent movement of the patient table. 2 However, the continuous motion of the scanner table and supply of fresh magnetization into the excited slice can introduce deviations in the slice magnetization profile. The goal of this work is to investigate and quantify the distortion in the slice profile in CMT MRI. CMT MRI with a table speed of 20 mm/s was implemented on a 3 Tesla whole-body MRI scanner, with continuous radial data acquisition. Simulations were performed to characterize the transient and steady state slice profiles and magnetization effects. Simulated slice profiles were compared to actual slice profile measurements performed in the scanner. Both simulations and experiments revealed an asymmetric slice profile characterized by a skew towards the lagging edge of the moving table, in contrast to the nominal profiles associated with scanning a stationary object. The true excited slice width (FWHM) and pitch of the acquisition was observed to be dependent on table velocity, with larger table speeds resulting in larger slice profile deviations from the nominal shape.
Measurement of atmospheric pollutants by Raman spectroscopy

Abstract Raman spectroscopy has been used to measure silicone and the organophosphorous compound dimethylmethylphosphonate (DMMP) with good sensitivity from the vapor above the liquid. This result confirms that atmospheric sampling using a low temperature collection method should allow part-per-million (ppm) or better sensitivity. Advanced methods are proposed which may sufficiently increase sensitivity enough to detect silicone at the sub-ppm level in air.
Analysis of the Kinetic and Equilibrium Binding of Ku Protein to DNA

The loading of Ku onto a DNA end in a double-strand DNA break is thought to be one of the first steps in the non-homologous DNA end joining (NHEJ) pathway, giving it an essential role in the maintenance of genomic integrity. The binding of Ku to DNA is complicated since DNA can accommodate multiple Ku subunits, which can translocate on the DNA strand. Furthermore, Ku may exhibit cooperativity in the loading process. Therefore, simple one- to-one kinetic models are unable to adequately simulate the process. However, through the use of computer simulation and curve-fitting, we are able to provide a comprehensive mechanistic model and rate constants that closely approximate experimental data for DNA molecules that bind one, two, and three Ku molecules under both kinetic and equilibrium conditions. The model obtains a best fit with Ku having a roughly seven-fold preference to bind to DNA ends rather than internal positions and is consistent with Ku having a strong preference of which face of the protein loads onto the DNA end.
Application of time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy to a remote uranyl sensor

Time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy is an effective method for the determination of a wide range of uranyl concentrations in aqueous samples. We have applied this technique to the development of a remote-sensing device using fiber optic cables coupled with a microflow cell to probe for uranyl in aqueous samples. This sensor incorporates a Nafion membrane through which UO22+ can diffuse into a reaction/analysis chamber containing phosphoric acid, a reagent that enhances the uranyl luminescence intensity and lifetime. With this device, anionic and fluorescing organic interferences could be eliminated, allowing for the determination of uranyl over a concentration range of 10-4 to 10-9 M.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
High-throughput fiber-array transvaginal ultrasound/photoacoustic probe for ovarian cancer imaging

A high-throughput ultrasound/photoacoustic probe for delivering high contrast and signal-to-noise ratio images was designed, constructed, and tested. The probe consists of a transvaginal ultrasound array integrated with four 1mm-core optical fibers and a sheath. The sheath encases transducer and is lined with highly reflecting aluminum for high intensity light output and uniformity while at the same time remaining below the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) recommended by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The probe design was optimized by simulating the light fluence distribution in Zemax. The performance of the probe was evaluated by experimental measurements of the fluence and real-time imaging of polyethylene-tubing filled with blood. These results suggest that our probe has great potential for in vivo imaging and characterization of ovarian cancer.
Pressure tuning vibrational spectroscopy: Applications to aqueous systems

Abstract The pressure tuning vibrational spectroscopic techniques that can be used to examine the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the structural and dynamic properties of solutes in aqueous solutions are described and three examples of such studies are discussed in detail.
Smad3 Mutant Mice Develop Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

TGFbeta-related growth factors have been implicated in a variety of developmental and physiological processes in organisms ranging from nematodes to mammals. TGFbeta transduces its signal to the interior of the cell via Smad2, Smad3, and Smad4. We report the cloning and targeted disruption of the mouse Smad3 gene. Smad3 mutant mice are viable and fertile. Between 4 and 6 months of age, the Smad3 mutant mice become moribund with colorectal adenocarcinomas. The neoplasms penetrate through the intestinal wall and metastasize to lymph nodes. These results directly implicate TGFbeta signaling in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer and provide a compelling animal model for the study of human colorectal cancer.
Ureide biogenesis in leguminous plants

Abstract Allantion and allantoic acid are the predominant forms of organic nitrogen produced by N-fixing nodules of some important legume species. Only recently has the significance and biosynthetic origin of these substances in leguminous plants been realized.
The Search for Marital Order: Civic Membership and the Politics of Marriage in the Progressive Era

Scholars of the Progressive Era have analyzed the political responses to immigration, industrialization, and urbanization, yet none have examined the key role marriage played in these struggles. Conversely, scholars of marriage have shown how the institution underwent regulatory changes in the era, but have not linked them to the establishment of a new civic order. From 1890 to 1920, the rules and regulations of state marriage laws were altered as the political, economic, and social transformations of the Progressive Era took hold. Marriage, however, was not simply one of many sites in which Progressive Era imperatives were articulated. Rather, this article shows the different ways marriage became a central institutional site through which the boundaries of American civic membership were contested and reconstituted. These boundaries concerned both the accepted norms and practices of American citizenship as well as what was understood to be the genetic capacity for citizenship. Through an examination of three major areas of change in marriage law and policy: solemnization statutes, eugenic marriage laws, and marital naturalization and expatriation, I define marriage as a political institution and examine the critical relationship between the regulation of marriage and family and the construction of a national political order. To define the cultural and biological boundaries of civic inclusion, social reformers, immigration officials, judges, and legislators turned to marriage as a regulatory lever used to re-secure and stabilize increasingly fluid notions of American identity and the boundaries of civic belonging.
Pathogenesis of Mycobacterium spp. in zebrafish (Danio rerio) from research facilities.

Abstract One of the most common diseases that we have diagnosed in zebrafish is mycobacteriosis, caused by several Mycobacterium spp. The severity of the disease ranged from severe outbreaks to incidental infections. We conducted an in vivo study to evaluate the pathogenesis of six isolates of Mycobacterium from zebrafish with mycobacteriosis from four research facilities and one wholesale supplier of zebrafish in the United States: Mycobacterium abscessus, Mycobacterium peregrinum, Mycobacterium chelonae (2 isolates), and Mycobacterium marinum. We also included two isolates of M. marinum from other fishes. Fish were exposed by intraperitoneal injection at a target does of 5 × 104 bacteria/fish, and were held in static aquaria at 28 °C for 8 weeks. Fish were examined by histology and culture, and mortalities were recorded. The M. marinum isolates caused 100% infection and mortality between 30% and 100%. None of the other Mycobacterium species caused significant mortalities, but several of these fish had granulomatous lesions in visceral organs. Mycobacteria were consistently recovered in culture from fish exposed to M. marinum, and from only 9% of fish exposed to the other species. This study suggests that, of the isolates tested, only M. marinum is highly pathogenic and virulent to healthy zebrafish.
An erosion-based land classification system for military installations

The universal soil loss equation (USLE) has been integrated with a geographic information system known as the geographical resources analysis support system (GRASS) to create a land classification system for use by military trainers and land managers to minimize the environmental impacts of military training activities. The USLE provides an estimate of current average annual sheet and rill erosion based upon factors representing climate, soil erodibility, topography, cover, and conservation support practices. The erosion estimate is compared to erosion tolerance values to produce an expression of the current erosion status. An index of inherent site erodibility is also achieved through manipulation of the USLE. Based on published soil surveys, satellite imagery, and ground-truth vegetation transects, data layers are created within GRASS for each of the component factors of the USLE. Appropriate mathematical operations are performed with the data layers, and color-coded maps are produced that represent the erosion status and erodibility index for each 50-m × 50-m area of soil surface. These maps aid military trainers and land managers in scheduling appropriate kinds and intensities of military training activities.
Siderophore receptor-mediated uptake of lactivicin analogues in gram-negative bacteria.

Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens are an emerging threat to human health, and addressing this challenge will require development of new antibacterial agents. This can be achieved through an improved molecular understanding of drug–target interactions combined with enhanced delivery of these agents to the site of action. Herein we describe the first application of siderophore receptor-mediated drug uptake of lactivicin analogues as a strategy that enables the development of novel antibacterial agents against clinically relevant Gram-negative bacteria. We report the first crystal structures of several sideromimic conjugated compounds bound to penicillin binding proteins PBP3 and PBP1a from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and characterize the reactivity of lactivicin and β-lactam core structures. Results from drug sensitivity studies with β-lactamase enzymes are presented, as well as a structure-based hypothesis to reduce susceptibility to this enzyme class. Finally, mechanistic studies demonstrating that s...
Breast Cancer Screening Practices among Low-Income Vietnamese Women

Cancer is the leading cause of death among Asian-American women in the United States and breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Asian-American women. Early detection through breast cancer screening has been found to improve the rate of survival for breast cancer. This study examined factors associated with breast cancer screening among 345 Vietnamese women >/= 40 years old residing in a low-income Houston area. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire assessing socio-demographic characteristics access to care factors acculturation and perceived susceptibility and severity of risks. Results showed 38 percent 49 percent and 33 percent of the respondents reporting having had a breast self-exam a clinical breast exam and a mammogram respectively. Predictors of breast cancer screening include education employment ability to speak English having lived in the United States for more than five years and having a regular place of care. Implications of this study include the need for a culturally-relevant educational program for this understudied population. (authors)
A Comparative Analysis of Data Privacy and Utility Parameter Adjustment, Using Machine Learning Classification as a Gauge

Abstract During the data privacy process, the utility of datasets diminishes as sensitive information such as personal identifiable information (PII) is removed, transformed, or distorted to achieve confidentiality. The intractability of attaining an equilibrium between data privacy and utility needs is well documented, requiring trade-offs, and further complicated by the fact that making such trade-offs also remains problematic. Given such complexity, in this paper, we endeavor to empirically investigate what parameters could be fine-tuned to achieve an acceptable level of data privacy and utility during the data privacy process, while making reasonable trade-offs. Therefore, we present the comparative classification error gauge (Comparative x-CEG) approach, a data utility quantification concept that employs machine learning classification techniques to gauge data utility based on the classification error. In this approach, privatized datasets are passed through a series of classifiers, each of which returns a classification error, and the classifier with the lowest classification error is chosen; if the classification error is lower or equal to a set threshold then better utility might be achieved, otherwise, adjustment to the data privacy parameters are made to the chosen classifier. The process repeats x times until the desired threshold is reached. The goal is to generate empirical results after a range of parameter adjustments in the data privacy process, from which a threshold level might be chosen to make trade-offs. Our preliminary results show that given a range of empirical results, it might be possible to choose a tradeoff point and publish privacy compliant data with an acceptable level of utility.
Transverse correlations in multiphoton entanglement

We have analyzed the transverse correlation in multiphoton entanglement. The generalization of quantum ghost imaging is extended to the $N$-photon state. The Klyshko's two-photon advanced-wave picture is generalized to the $N$-photon case.
SU-GG-T-500: Controlling and Refining 3D Dose Distribution at an Individual Voxel Level in Biological IMRT Treatment Planning

Purpose: Biological treatment planning based on the equivalent uniform dose (EUD) demonstrates reduced treatment toxicity and better tumor control. However, EUD based approaches are lacking tools for controlling and refining resultant dose distributions on a voxel level. Here we introduce a method enabling regional dose distribution manipulations for biological IMRTtreatment planning.Method and Materials: Two dose distributions with the same EUD are EUD equivalent. However, one might be more clinically acceptable than the other. Embedding tools that find clinically more acceptable solutions and allow dose refining into biologic optimization is thus very important. We propose to use a hybrid biologic/physical dose optimization approach. We first identify region(s) where dose refinement is desired. For them a quadratic dose‐volume objective function with a homogeneous prescription is formulated. The remaining structures are included into the planning via EUD dose constraints. If the resultant optimal dose distribution does not fulfill planner's clinical dose‐volume criteria then the prescription is adjusted and the problem is re‐optimized. The adjustment mechanism accounts for the intrinsic dosimetric inequality between voxels which is ignored by the EUD and the objective function. Results: A clinical prostate case was used to test our method. The PTV was selected as a primary target for dose refinement. The rectum and the bladder were incorporated into the optimization via EUD constraints. By adjusting voxel prescriptions in the PTV iteratively, a dose improvement was obtained for the PTV and dose reduction was achieved in the critical structures comparing to a conventional dose‐volume based objective plan with the same PTV coverage. For instance, we demonstrate up to 25% reduction in the mean dose to the rectum. Conclusions: We show that regional dose distribution control and refinement can be achieved for biological optimization. It is relevant in the context of 3D dose sculpting based on the EUD.
Spectroscopic Research on the Major Planets

Spectroscopy of jupiter, saturn, uranus, and neptune - atmospheric, thermal, and kinematic properties
Mechanism of Elevated Innominate Artery Pressures in Supravalvular Aortic Stenosis

Patients with supravalvular aortic stenosis frequently have higher phasic and mean blood pressures in the innominate artery than in the aorta distal to the stenosis, a finding never fully explained. Theoretically, this phenomenon could result from the impact of a jet upon blood within the innominate artery. Slowing of the jet would convert kinetic into potential energy, thus increasing pressure within the innominate artery. The aorta distal to the innominate artery would receive blood whose kinetic energy had been dissipated and would consequently remain at the same pressure as the aorta proximal to the origin of the innominate artery. This hypothesis was tested in a model simulating supravalvular aortic stenosis. Cinematography showed a jet directed into the innominate artery. Only after this jet was dispersed, did fluid turn backward to flow into the distal portion of the aorta. Observed pressure rises in the innominate artery corresponded closely with values predicted from the estimated kinetic energy of the jet. Dispersion of the jet by replacement of the stenotic orifice with an equally obstructive screen or proximal displacement of the stenosis (simulating valvular aortic stenosis) abolished the pressure difference. The results obtained were thus entirely consistent with the mechanism proposed to explain the elevated innominate artery pressures seen in supravalvular aortic stenosis.
Effect of low potassium-diet on Na-K-ATPase in rat nephron segments.

Na−K-ATPase activity was determined in 10 segments of the rat nephron using a fluorometric microassay method [4]. The enzyme activity showed three peaks (>200 pmol ADP min−1 mm−1) along the nephron of normal rats. These peaks were in the S1 portion of the proximal tubule, the medullary thick ascending limb from the inner stripe and the distal convoluted tubule. Feeding the rats a low potassium diet for 8 weeks produced a significant decrease in Na−K-ATPase activity in the cortical collecting duct, but no significant change in this enzyme in any other segment. The low potassium diet did not produce a significant change in Mg-ATPase in any nephron segments. We conclude that Na−K-ATPase activity along the rat nephron shows a pattern that is qualitatively similar to that seen in the rabbit nephron [4]. However, quantitatively the Na−K-ATPase activity in the rat nephron is greater than in the corresponding segments of the rabbit nephron. The results are consistent with the greater rate of glomerular filtration and Na+ reabsorption per rat nephron. Furthermore, our results suggest that the decrease in potassium excretion during potassium deficiency is modulated, at leat in part, by the level of Na−K-ATPase activity in the cortical collecting duct.
The employability of psychologists in academic settings: A cross-validation

The curriculum vitae (CV) of 117 applicants for the position of assistant professor of psychology were analyzed to yield four cross-validated factors which were used as predictors in six stepwise multiple regression analyses, as well as in a canonical analysis, with ratings of 117 CVs by five members of a search committee being the criteria. Comparisons of the results of the present study with those of the previous one for which the data were collected four years ago indicated considerable correspondence in regard to (a) the stability of the factors and of their relative contributions to the multiple R s and (b) the similarities and differences among the judges with respect to their cognitive complexity and selectivity.
Hydrazines as Rubber Softeners

Abstract THE process of softening rubber has received much less study than its importance deserves. Since the method of softening rubber by mastication was devised by Hancock, the greatest advances have been in the introduction of machines of greater mechanical efficiency and greater capacity. Prior to 1920 the effect of such variables as temperature was little understood. Long and inefficient periods of milling at high temperatures were common. In case milling did not produce the required plasticity, recourse was had to the addition of oils, resins, and other soft materials sometimes in considerable amounts. Such conditions have not yet entirely disappeared. Various methods have recently been proposed for plasticizing rubber in a more uniform manner and with less power consumption. Worthington and Hyde (24) softened rubber by heating it in a nonoxidizing atmosphere. Bradley and Ferrettie (1) concluded that the rubber should be water-soaked before it is heated and should be kept wet during the process. Tu...
Uncertainty—an argument for more stringent energy conservation

Abstract Most energy conservation analyses assume various future paths for energy prices and other parameters and then proceed to calculate the optimal value of conservation investment under the specified assumptions. Sensitivity analysis is used to examine the amount which the calculations change as parameters are varied. In fact, the future is not known with certainty, and it is desirable to include uncertainty explicitly in the analysis. This paper approaches the uncertainty problem in a simple way but one which provides considerable insight. We assume that future energy price growth is characterized by a probability distribution, and calculate the optimal investment strategy for conservation investment given this uncertainty. The results are striking. Introduction of uncertainty leads to the conclusion that more conservation investment is desirable than would be made without uncertainty. The conclusion stems, in essence, from the observation that the upside risk to the consumer resulting from unexpectedly high energy prices is larger than the downside savings which would result from unexpectedly low energy prices. The policy conclusion is straightforward: All else being equal, if you think that future energy prices are uncertain, it pays off (for both the individual and the nation) to err on the side of “too much” rather than “too little” conservation. One set of results is expressed in terms of an effective growth rate of energy prices. An example is an electrically heated house located in Washington, D.C. If the most likely growth rate of energy prices is 5% per year, but there is a normally distributed uncertainty about this price growth of 5%/yr (i.e. it is equally likely that prices will grow by 10%/yr and by 0%/yr), then one should calculate the conservation investment as if the price growth rate is 6.8%/yr. A second price assumption used is a price jump at some time from an initial price to a new, higher, final price. Uncertainty is introduced in the time when the price jump occurs. The inclusion of uncertainty leads to the conclusion that the effective time of the price jump is sooner than the most likely time. This result implies that a higher investment in conservation is warranted than would be optimal absent uncertainty. Our model is simple and maybe applied directly by individual decision makers. From a societal point of view, there are many additional arguments that suggest that uncertainty leads to changes in optimal strategies. The essential results cannot be captured simply by carrying out sensitivity analyses on deterministic models. Changes in model structure are required. We believe the inclusion of uncertainty in energy modeling is an important area, and one which can lead to fruitful results for policy analysis. We also make a prediction about energy conservation investment in buildings: Total energy use is predicted to fall exponentially with total conservation investment.
Evidence for a Common Physical Description of Non-Fermi-Liquid Behavior in Chemically Substituted f-Electron Systems

The non-Fermi-liquid (NFL) behavior observed in the low temperature specific heat $C(T)$ and magnetic susceptibility $\ensuremath{\chi}(T)$ of many chemically substituted $f$-electron systems is analyzed within the context of a recently developed theory based on Griffiths' singularities. Measurements of $C(T)$ and $\ensuremath{\chi}(T)$ in the systems ${\mathrm{Th}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{U}}_{x}{\mathrm{Pd}}_{2}{\mathrm{Al}}_{3}$, ${\mathrm{Y}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{U}}_{x}{\mathrm{Pd}}_{3}$, and ${\mathrm{UCu}}_{5\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{x}}{\mathrm{M}}_{x}$ ( $M\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{Pd},\mathrm{Pt}$) are found to be consistent with $C(T)/T\ensuremath{\propto}\ensuremath{\chi}(T)\ensuremath{\propto}{T}^{\ensuremath{-}1+\ensuremath{\lambda}}$ predicted by this model with $\ensuremath{\lambda}l1$ in the NFL regime. These results suggest that the NFL properties observed in a wide variety of disordered $f$-electron systems can be described within the context of a common physical picture.