cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Eddy Fluxes of Angular Momentum on Model Hurricane Development

Abstract The nonlinear effects of asymmetries associated with synoptic-scale waves in which hurricanes usually form are simulated by introducing steady-state and time varying eddy fluxes of angular momentum in a parameterized way into Sundqvist's (1970) symmetric model for hurricane development. The equations are integrated numerically using different initial conditions and different distributions of the parameterized eddy fluxes. It is found that angular momentum flux convergences, with magnitudes comparable to those measured from atmospheric data, markedly accelerate hurricane development, and can initiate a model hurricane when the sea surface temperature is slightly subcritical such that the purely symmetric model fails to produce a vortex of hurricane intensity. Different distributions of the eddy flux of momentum produce different rates of growth, different final intensifies and different vortex sizes. The most effective distributions are those in which the vertical derivative of the angular momentu...
Approximation of nonlinear systems having outputs

For a nonlinear system with output derivative x = f(x) and y = h(x), two types of linearizations about a point x(0) in state space are considered. One is the usual Taylor series approximation, and the other is defined by linearizing the appropriate Lie derivatives of the output with respect to f about x(0). The latter is called the obvservation model and appears to be quite natural for observation. It is noted that there is a coordinate system in which these two kinds of linearizations agree. In this coordinate system, a technique to construct an observer is introduced.
Effect of pressure on the néel temperature of Kondo-lattice systems

Abstract Electrical resistance measurements under hydrostatic pressure reveal a competition between Kondo and magnetic interactions in the Kondo-lattice systems CeM 2 Si 2 (M = Ag, Au, Pd, and Rh). If the Kondo temperature T K is small compared to T N (M = Ag, Au), magnetic exchange dominates; however, for M = Pd or Rh, T K > T N and Kondo spin compensation suppresses T N rapidly with pressure.
A comparison of objective measures of activity and distractibility in hyperactive and nonhyperactive children.

In a 15-minute free-play and a 5-minute test session, 13 measures of activity, distractibility, and parental ratings of activity were obtained on three groups of children, consisting of 16 boys referred to a psychological services center for evaluation of possible hyperactivity, 16 referred to that same center for problems other than hyperactivity, and 20 obtained from the local community. Subjects were boys with average intelligence between the ages of 4 and 12 years. Results indicated that the multiple measures of activity and distractibility had significant but relatively low order correlations among themselves. These relationships varied as a function of the subject group. However, there was no consistent relationship between the measures of activity and distractibility. The pattern of relationships obtained suggested that both activity level and distractibility are not homogeneous, unidimensional constructs. Results also indicated that boys referred for hyperactivity displayed greater wrist activity in free play, tended to display greater ankle activity in free play, had significantly correlated wrist and ankle activity, and were rated by their parents as more active than other children. This pattern suggested a global restlessness in children referred for hyperactivity that distinguishes them from other children.
Cross-bridge arrangements in Limulus muscle☆

Abstract X-ray diffraction patterns show Limulus muscle to have a structure in rigor similar to that of insect flight muscle, except that the thick filaments are staggered. Myosin filaments in relaxed muscle bear a highly ordered helical array of cross-bridges which, however, is very labile. The array undergoes a reversible transition between order and disorder in response to changes in ionic strength.
Postoperative neurological deficits may occur despite unchanged intraoperative somatosensory evoked potentials

We describe 6 patients who demonstrated postoperative neurological deficits despite unchanged somatosensory evoked potentials during intraoperative monitoring. Although there is both experimental and clinical evidence that somatosensory evoked potentials are sensitive to some types of intraoperative mishap, the technique should be empolyed with an awareness of its possible limitations.
Measurements of the transient behavior of a capillary structure under heavy thermal loading

Abstract The transient operating characteristics of a slab type capillary structure in a refrigerant 11 heat pipe have been studied under conditions which cause partial or complete drying and rewetting to occur. Detailed changes with time in internal liquid and vapor temperature distributions, internal pressure, and heat transport capability are presented. It was found that the device will, under some conditions, approach steady operation with a portion of the capillary structure dried and that rewetting can be quickly accomplished. However, when the entire structure is dried, rewetting is much more difficult to accomplish.
How New Market Categories Emerge: Temporal Dynamics of Legitimacy, Identity, and Entrepreneurship in Satellite Radio, 1990–2005

We theorize how new market categories emerge and are legitimated through a confluence of factors internal to the category (entrepreneurial ventures) and external to the category (interested audiences). Using qualitative and quantitative analyses and multiple data sources overtime, we study the evolution of the U.S. satellite radio market over its initial sixteen years. We offer convergent evidence to show that the legitimation of a new market category precipitates shifts in the focus of market actors' attention from the category as a whole to the differentiation of firms within. This effect was demonstrated for entrepreneurial identity claims, linguistic frames, and announcements of interorganizational affiliations and endorsements, as well as in the focal attention of media and financial audiences. We synthesize these findings to offer an integrated theoretical framework on new market category emergence and legitimation.
NanoCluster Beacon - A new molecular probe for homogeneous detection of nucleic acid targets

Oligonucleotide-templated nanoclusters consisting of a few atoms of silver (DNA/Ag NCs) have been made into a new molecular probe that “lights up” upon target DNA binding, termed a NanoCluster Beacon (NCB). We discovered that interactions between silver nanoclusters and a proximal, guanine-rich DNA strand can lead to tremendous red fluorescence enhancement [1]. Here we show that dark silver nanoclusters templated on an ssDNA can be lit up into a palette of colors (green, yellow/orange, and red) by employing different proximal sequences, potentially enabling the use of NCBs in multiplexed assays. We tested a suite of nanocluster-nucleation sequences and found the sequences that created strong red fluorescence enhancement share a common 5′-C 3 NNNNNC 4 motif, where N is either a thymine (T) or an adenine (A) base. We optimized the design of NCBs by testing the effect of different lengths of an interaction stem. The highest signal-to-background (S/B) ratio, 175, was achieved when the stem length was 3 base pairs long.
A boosted-trees method for name disambiguation

This paper proposes a method for classifying true papers of a set of focal scientists and false papers of homonymous authors in bibliometric research processes. It directly addresses the issue of identifying papers that are not associated (“false”) with a given author. The proposed method has four steps: name and affiliation filtering, similarity score construction, author screening, and boosted trees classification. In this methodological paper we calculate error rates for our technique. Therefore, we needed to ascertain the correct attribution of each paper. To do this we constructed a small dataset of 4,253 papers allegedly belonging to a random sample of 100 authors. We apply the boosted trees algorithm to classify papers of authors with total false rate no higher than 30% (i.e. 3,862 papers of 91 authors). A one-run experiment achieves a testing misclassification error 0.55%, testing recall 99.84%, and testing precision 99.60%. A 50-run experiment shows that the median of testing classification error is 0.78% and mean 0.75%. Among the 90 authors in the testing set (one author only appeared in the training set), the algorithm successfully reduces the false rate to zero for 86 authors and misclassifies just one or two papers for each of the remaining four authors.
The use of virtual and simulated teaching and learning environments: Inviting gifted students into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers (STEM) through summer partnerships:

New technologies and virtual environments are emerging globally, yet the way these tools can impact the learning and future career paths of students who are gifted is limited in the literature at t...
Electrical properties of super junction p-n diodes fabricated by trench filling

We have fabricated Super Junction (SJ) p-n diodes by our previously proposed defect-less trench filling technique with pre- and post-annealing in H/sub 2/. The trench filling technique has been applied to a comparatively low aspect ratio p/n column structure. Electrical measurements of the SJ p-n diode indicate an increase in breakdown voltage from 70V to 195V due to the multi RESURF effect of the p/n column structure. The leakage current of the diode is below 1x10/sup -7/a/cm/sup 2/ at a reverse bias voltage of 150V. It has been experimentally confirmed that complete depletion occurs when the number of acceptors in the p column is equal to that of donors in the n column.
Assessment of Proposed Cyclohexanone Limits for Containers

A limit of 5 mg was recently proposed as the European Pharmacopoeia limit for residual cyclohexanone in plastic containers for parenteral medical use with a nominal volume greater than 250 ml. Comp...
DocTalk: extending doctors' visits with personalized voice messages

Because doctors are scarce in developing regions, they often lack the time to provide detailed counseling to every patient. In this paper, we propose DocTalk: a system that extends doctors' visits by allowing them to share pre-recorded audio messages, in their own voice, to patients with low-end mobile phones. DocTalk uses a combination of SMS and interactive voice response (IVR) to orchestrate this communication between doctors and patients. We describe the design and implementation of the system, as well as feedback gathered in conversations with 21 doctors in urban India.
The role of espoused national cultural values in technology acceptance

Prior research has examined age, gender, experience, and voluntariness as the main moderators of beliefs on technology acceptance. This paper extends this line of research beyond these demographic and situational variables. Motivated by research that suggests that behavioral models do not universally hold across cultures, the paper identifies espoused national cultural values as an important set of individual difference moderators in technology acceptance. Building on research in psychological anthropology and cultural psychology that assesses cultural traits by personality tests at the individual level of analysis, we argue that individuals espouse national cultural values to differing degrees. These espoused national cultural values of masculinity/femininity, individualism/collectivism, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance are incorporated into an extended model of technology acceptance as moderators. We conducted two studies to test our model. Results indicated that, as hypothesized, social norms are stronger determinants of intended behavior for individuals who espouse feminine and high uncertainty avoidance cultural values. Contrary to expectations, espoused masculinity/femininity values did not moderate the relationship between perceived usefulness and behavioral intention but, as expected, did moderate the relationship between perceived ease of use and behavioral intention.
Pulmonary function in children and young adults with ataxia telangiectasia.

Background Pulmonary disease contributes to significant morbidity and mortality in people with ataxia telangiectasia (A-T). To determine the association between age and lung function in children and young adults with A-T and to identify factors associated with decreased lung function, pulmonary function tests were performed in 100 consecutive people with A-T. Methods Children and adults ranging from 6 to 29 years of age and with the diagnosis of A-T were recruited, and underwent pulmonary function tests. Results The mean forced vital capacity % predicted (FVC %) in the population was 56.6 ± 20.0. Males and females between 6 and 10 years of age had similar pulmonary function. Older females were found to have significantly lower FVCs % than both older males (P < 0.02) and younger females (P < 0.001). The use of supplemental gamma globulin was associated with significantly lower FVC %. A modest correlation was found between higher radiation-induced chromosomal breakage and lower FVC % in males. No significant change in FVC % was found in a subset of subjects (n = 25) who underwent pulmonary function testing on two or more occasions over an average of 2 years. Conclusion In children and young adults with A-T, older females and people who required supplemental gamma globulin had significantly lower lung function by cross-sectional analysis. Stable lung function is possible over a 2-year period. Recognition of groups who are at higher risk for lower pulmonary function may help direct care and improve clinical outcomes in people with A-T. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2014; 49:84–990. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Molecular mechanisms mediating antimyeloma activity of proteasome inhibitor PS-341.

We have recently shown that proteasome inhibitor PS-341 induces apoptosis in drug-resistant multiple myeloma (MM) cells, inhibits binding of MM cells in the bone marrow microenvironment, and inhibits cytokines mediating MM cell growth, survival, drug resistance, and migration in vitro. PS-341 also inhibits human MM cell growth and prolongs survival in a SCID mouse model. Importantly, PS-341 has achieved remarkable clinical responses in patients with refractory relapsed MM. We here demonstrate molecular mechanisms whereby PS-341 mediates anti-MM activity by inducing p53 and MDM2 protein expression; inducing the phosphorylation (Ser15) of p53 protein; activating c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), caspase-8, and caspase-3; and cleaving the DNA protein kinase catalytic subunit, ATM, and MDM2. Inhibition of JNK activity abrogates PS-341–induced MM cell death. These studies identify molecular targets of PS-341 and provide the rationale for the development of second-generation, more targeted therapies.
Database support for engineering CAD and simulation

An integrated database architecture is presented to support the diverse requirements of a CAD environment. The resulting CAD system consists of a design representation database, an existing-design database, and a parts catalog database. The design representation database stores and manages designs currently being developed. The existing-design database and the parts catalog database serve as suggestion systems. The first suggestion system helps the designer by recommending an existing design that closely satisfies the input specifications. In the second suggestion system, the user provides an incomplete component specification and the system suggests a set of standard components that fit these descriptions. A structure-function CAD modeling paradigm is used to represent designs, to perform simulations, and to let designs evolve over time. The structural information represents the physical or the logical aspects of the design, whereas the functional information represents the behavioral aspects of the design. >
Analysis of Energy Efficiency in Clouds

A cloud can be defined as a pool of computer resources that can host a variety of different workloads, ranging from long-running scientific jobs (e.g., modeling and simulation) to transactional work (e.g., web applications). A cloud computing platform dynamically provisions, configures, reconfigures, and de-provisions servers as needed. Servers in the cloud can be physical machines or virtual machines. Cloud-hosting facilities, including many large businesses that run clouds in-house, became more common as businesses tend to out-source their computing needs more and more. For large-scale clouds power consumption is a major cost factor. Modern computing devices have the ability to run at various frequencies each one with a different power consumption level. Hence, the possibility exists to choose frequencies at which applications run to optimize total power consumption while staying within the constraints of the Service Level Agreements (SLA) that govern the applications. In this paper, we analyze the mathematical relationship of these SLAs and the number of servers that should be used and at what frequencies they should be running. We discuss a proactive provisioning model that includes hardware failures, devices available for services, and devices available for change management, all as a function of time and within constraints of SLAs. We provide scenarios that illustrate the mathematical relationships for a sample cloud and that provides a range of possible power consumption savings for different environments.
Burnout Among Physical Therapists

Burnout results in a decrease in job performance because of excessive work-related stress. This study assessed the presence of burnout among physical therapists and determined if potential organizational and personal causes of burnout could predict symptoms of burnout. One hundred and sixty therapists surveyed nationwide met the established criteria for inclusion in the study; 84 (53%) stated that they were currently experiencing feelings of burnout. Subjects were asked to respond to the frequency of their symptoms of burnout and the relevancy of the list of potential causes. A standard multiple regression equation was completed on each of the five dependent variables (symptoms) predicted by the eight potential causes of burnout, four of which were organizational in nature and four of which were personal in nature. Four out of the five symptoms of burnout were significantly predicted by different potential causes. Burnout experienced by physical therapists can have a detrimental effect on patients, therapists, and the facilities in which they are employed.
Timing driven placement using complete path delays

A methodology for standard cell or gate array designs is described. A new approach is introduced whereby the placement process is divided into a global step and a detailed step. The timing drive placement (TDP) system balances wirability and timing constraints so that the final released design meets timing criteria. This is achieved by dynamically evaluating the timing of critical paths during placement. TDP is significant because convergence to a timed wirable solution early in the physical design cycle is achieved, or else it becomes apparent that logic changes are required. >
Comparison of SOLR and TRL Calibrations

We examine a short-open-load-reciprocal scattering parameter calibration in both in-line and orthogonal probe configurations. We explore its standard definitions and verify its accuracy by comparing it to a multiline thru-reflect-line calibration.
The effects of modulatory systems in sensory thalamic nuclei

Thalamic relay cells receive two types of afferents: drivers, considered responsible for relay cells' receptive field properties, and modulators, thought not to contribute significantly to the receptive field properties, but, rather, to modulate thalamic relay properties. Modulators often work by slowly modifying the resting potential of the cell and thus determining the mode of response: if sufficiently depolarized, tonic (more linear) or if sufficiently hyperpolarized, burst (highly non-linear but capable of larger signal to noise ratios and cortical activation). Thalamic drivers have two origins. Some relay cells receive their drivers from subcortical areas, including those in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), the ventral posterior nucleus (VP), and the ventral portion of the medial geniculate body (MGBv). These have been called first order relays (FO) since this is the first time that a particular information type is relayed to cortex. Other relay cells receive drivers from layer 5 of cortex, including those in the lateral posterior nucleus (LP), the posterior medial nucleus (POm), and the dorsal portion of the medial geniculate body (MGBd). These are known as higher order relays (HO). Both FO and HO relays receive modulatory inputs, mainly from brainstem areas (e.g., cholinergic input from the parabrachial region, noradrenergic input from locus coeruleus, serotoninergic input from the dorsal raphe nucleus, etc) and from layer 6 of cortex. We sought to determine the effects of modulators in the two types of relays, using current and voltage clamp recordings of rat (P12–P18) thalamic cells in the whole-cell, patch-clamp configuration. We bath-applied general agonists for muscarinic and serotonergic receptors and determined their effects on relay cells of six sensory nuclei, three FO relays (LGN, VP, and MGBv) and three HO relays (LP, POm, and MGBd). We have recently shown that cholinergic input (by activating muscarinic M2 receptors) hyperpolarizes about 17% of the HO relay cells, whereas it depolarizes all FO relay cells through M1 and possibly M3 receptors. Preliminary results suggest that serotonergic inputs also have differential effects in FO and HO relays: 3 out of 5 cells recorded in LP are depolarized by serotonin whereas all 4 cells from VP and LGN are depolarized. Furthermore, we are finding that HO and FO cells differ in their response properties. HO cells are more likely (60% of cells vs. 25% in FO; N = 23) to show spike frequency adaptation, which is also stronger than in FO cells. Activation of muscarinic receptors modifies the response properties of some HO cells, largely reducing the spike frequency adaptation. Our results indicate that modulatory influences are different in thalamic nuclei that process information of cortical and non-cortical origin. They suggest that HO nuclei are more likely to be hyperpolarized when brainstem centers are active (waking, attention), therefore being more likely to respond to cortical inputs in the non-linear burst mode.
Consciousness, Attention, and Hypnoidal Effects during Firewalking:

Subjective experiences of individuals who walked on hot coals during a firewalking ceremony were investigated. This study extended and partially supported an investigation reported by Pekala and Ersek in this Journal [1]. Twenty-three participants completed retrospective questionnaire assessments concerning their subjective experiences while walking on hot coals. Results from twelve participants were compared with the participants' own experiences during a baseline condition. The data suggested that attention during firewalking is significantly more “one-pointed” than during a baseline condition, and that consciousness may be characterized as more “hypnoidal” than during a baseline condition. Walking on hot coals was further characterized by trends toward reporting increased altered awareness, altered experience, and absorbed attention. Participants who developed a greater degree of blistering reported significantly greater hypnoidal effects during the firewalk than those who developed a lesser degree of ...
MicroRNAs: Panacea or Pandora's box?

Paraplegia is a devastating complication of aortic surgery. Depending on the specific anatomic parameters and techniques of operation, incidence has been reported to vary from 0% to 32%, with most recent averages still exceeding 5%. The fundamental problem is one of imbalance between oxygen supply and demand as a result of aortic clamping. Numerous strategies have been used to ameliorate this injury, including distal aortic perfusion, maintenance of mean systolic arterial pressure, cerebrospinal fluid drainage, hypothermia, epidural cooling, selective spinal cord perfusion, sequential aortic crossclamping, reimplantation of intercostal arteries, identification and preservation of the artery of Adamkiewicz, and adjunctive pharmacologic therapies (steroids, mannitol, barbiturates, etc), as recently outlined by Takayama and Borger in a recent edition of the Journal. The fact that thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair carries the same risk of paraplegia as open procedures supports the observation that spinal cord ischemia is primarily a matter of collateral blood flow and ischemic tolerance, rather than assisted circulation and selective intercostal reattachment, supporting the relative importance of cerebrospinal fluid drainage and maintenance of perfusion pressure relative to other techniques. Strategies that might improve spinal cord tolerance for ischemia or interfere with the mechanisms of ischemiareperfusion injury therefore provide a promising and important area for further investigation. First discovered more than 2 decades ago, microRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAmolecules containing approximately 22 nucleotides that function in the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression through base pairing with complementary sequences within mRNA molecules and silencing gene expression by cleavage, destabilization, or interference with messenger RNA (mRNA) translation. Animal miRNAs recognize their target mRNA with as few as 6 to 8 nucleotides (the seed region), and this relative lack of specificity enables a
Magnetic Compton scattering study of the Invar alloy Fe3Pt

The magnetic Compton profile (MCP) for ordered Fe72Pt28 has been measured at T = 305 and 490 K. The shape of the MCPs are compared to one obtained from first principles band-structure calculations for the ferromagnetic ground state. The theoretical analysis includes a decomposition of the various orbital and atomic contributions. The experiments indicate a discernible change in the shape of the MCP with increasing temperature, and possible implications for the observed change in shape are discussed.
Dow Chemical Polyolefins and Elastomers R&D: Sustaining High Performance (Abridged)

Once considered a candidate for divesture, Dow Chemical Polyolefins and Elastomers has had 12 successful years in a row. The company has set the standard of excellence for new-product innovation, having launched an average of one new-product line each year with 10 of the 11 launches being a success. After winning awards and receiving recognition for his speed in developing and launching chemical products, the company’s COO now had a new concern to address: how will the company sustain its high performance over the long haul?
Astrocytic response to injury.

Publisher Summary The chapter discusses the role of the astrocyte in the central nervous system (CNS) injury and disease. Astrocytes comprise as much as 25% of the cells and 35% of the total mass of the CNS. Astrocytes form barriers around blood vessels and connections between nerve cells. Numerous functions have been assigned to the astrocyte depending on its stage of maturation, location in the CNS, and response to CNS insult. Some signals that regulate gene expression in development and response to astrocyte injury are: growth factors, prion protein from Scrapies, neural and immunological adhesion molecules, such as NCAM, LFA-1, gangliosides, low density lipoproteins, cytokines from T-cells, macrophages and other glia, neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, such as catecholamines, monoamines, glutamate, ATP, substance P, and antigen-antibody complexes. Astrocytic responses to these signals include: (1) proliferation, movement and differentiation; (2) changes in shape, cell volume, cytoskeletal organization, endocytic activity, lysosomal fragility, and enzyme content; (3) buffering capacity for K + , glutamate and GABA; (4) expression of nerve growth factor, tumor necrosis factor, interferon α and β , interleukin 1 and 6, colony stimulating factor-1, fibroblast growth factor, neurotropic factors, neurite promoting agents, MHC class I and I1 histocompatibility antigens, amyloid protein, GD3 ganglioside, ICAM- 1, Na + channel protein, GFAP, crystallin, vimentin and heat shock proteins.
Improving the Objectivity of Economic Expert Testimony for Personal Injury/Wrongful Death Litigation

This paper considers issues relating to the admission and quality of expert economic testimony in personal injury and wrongful death litigation. Those issues are first considered in light of United States Supreme Court decisions in Daubert v. Merrell Dow (1993), General Electric v. Joiner (1997) and Kumho Tire Co. v. Carmichael (1999) and the Preliminary Draft of Proposed Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Evidence (August 1998). It then considers that those issues in light of the U. S. Supreme Court in Jones & Laughlin Steel v. Pfeifer (1983), which sets out a framework for how an economic damage analysis should be performed for a personal injury litigation in federal courts. Finally, it considers the special issue of plaintiff-defense orientation in expert economic testimony and makes several suggestions for small legal changes that might improve the neutrality and objectivity of economic testimony in litigation.
Revisiting the panculture

Traditionally, generations of physicians have been taught that the evaluation of the febrile hospitalised patient consists of the ‘panculture;’ that is, microbiological culture of blood, urine, sputum or stool in search of an offending pathogen. Often, these laboratory tests are paired with complementary imaging such as chest or abdominal X-rays in order to elucidate sources of infection. Indeed, it is hard to find a ‘competent’ physician that has not developed this repertoire during the course of their practice. Although well established in clinical parlance, the term panculture was formally introduced in the medical literature in the 1990s in response to an article examining blood culture contamination in emergency department settings.1 Even at this juncture, the phrase introduced palpable anxiety. For example, some termed the practice a ‘knee-jerk’ response to fever. Others called for the term to be removed from medical discourse.2 Why the consternation regarding an ostensibly innocuous practice? As with most medical interventions, the practice of panculture to evaluate fever is associated with benefits and risks. For example, ordering pancultures in a febrile patient allows for retrieval of bacteria from multiple sites, thus informing decision-making with respect to source and severity of infection. In haemodynamically unstable patients or those at high risk of adverse events, the practice also allows for microbiological sampling prior to initiation of broad-spectrum antibiotics which may reduce subsequent yield. Finally, panculture data in association with imaging can inform management beyond diagnosis. For example, the presence of an anaerobic pathogen in blood in association with a right lower-lobe infiltrate helps clinch the diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia, and inform care beyond the management of fever. Despite these benefits, relying on pancultures in the setting of fever is also problematic for several reasons. First, culture of bodily fluids inherently assumes that all fever is infectious in …
Annual and seasonal dynamics of ectomycorrhizal fungi colonizing white pine (Pinus strobus) seedlings following catastrophic windthrow in northern Georgia, USA

The effect of wind disturbance on ectomycorrhizal fungal (EMF) communities in forests remains largely uninvestigated. We monitored EMF colonizing Pinus strobus L. seedlings in an oak–pine forest in northern Georgia, USA, after catastrophic wind disturbance. Over three years, we sampled naturally regenerating P. strobus seedlings across three growing seasons in the windthrow area and an adjacent undisturbed forest, identifying 53 unique EMF taxa using molecular techniques. The diversity of EMF colonizing seedlings in the undisturbed forest was consistently greater than in the windthrow area. Although the EMF compositional similarity between EMF in the gap and in the undisturbed forest was low throughout the study, many EMF taxa colonized seedlings in both the gap and the undisturbed forest. Seasonal differences in EMF composition and diversity were pronounced in the undisturbed forest, with diversity increasing from spring to fall. In contrast, EMF composition and diversity were relatively constant through...
Transient Nonlinear Optics of Solids in Extremely High Fields

We discuss latest developments in theory and recent experimental results for a new class of phenomena in condensed matter optics when a strong optical pulse field ~1-3 V/A reversibly changes the solid within an optical cycle. A dielectric undergoes a reversible transition to a semimetallic state.. Such a pulse drives ampere-scale currents in dielectrics and controls their properties in a non-perturbative manner on a 100-as temporal scale
Bacteriophages in live virus vaccines.

SummaryBacteriophages were isolated from 11 of 60 samples of live virus vaccines for human use. One of the phages isolated gave similar plaques and had similar morphologic characteristics to the phage found most frequently in fetal bovine serum.We appreciate the support and encouragement given to us by R. L. Kirschstein, B. L. Elisberg, H. E. Hopps, and H. M. Meyer, Jr.
Quality control of the production of the hadron calorimeter for the CDF End Plug Upgrade

We summarize the quality control results of scintillating tile/fiber multi-tile assemblies (megatiles) produced for the CDF End Plug Upgrade Hadron Calorimeter. The sample of megatiles presented in this analysis corresponds to approximately 12500 individual tile/fiber assemblies produced and tested. We discuss the quality control requirements and present the distributions of the quantities measured during the QC process. The various contributions to the tile-to-tile light yield variations are isolated and discussed. >
Relaxation Dynamics, Scaling Limits and Convergence of Relaxation Schemes

Relaxation dynamics, scaling limits, and relaxation schemes are three main topics on hyperbolic relaxation problems that, remarkably, can be well understood with one model equation. The criterion that leads to desired results for the three problems is the so called “sub-characteristic condition”. The criterion of this nature is also pivotal in the study of general hyperbolic relaxation problems.
Septic Systems Contribution to Phosphorus in Shallow Groundwater: Field-Scale Studies Using Conventional Drainfield Designs

Septic systems can be a potential source of phosphorus (P) in groundwater and contribute to eutrophication in aquatic systems. Our objective was to investigate P transport from two conventional septic systems (drip dispersal and gravel trench) to shallow groundwater. Two new in-situ drainfields (6.1 m long by 0.61 m wide) with a 3.72 m2 infiltrative surface were constructed. The drip dispersal drainfield was constructed by placing 30.5 cm commercial sand on top of natural soil and the gravel trench drainfield was constructed by placing 30.5 cm of gravel on top of 30.5 cm commercial sand and natural soil. Suction cup lysimeters were installed in the drainfields (at 30.5, 61, 106.7 cm below infiltrative surface) and piezometers were installed in the groundwater (>300 cm below infiltrative surface) to capture P dynamics from the continuum of unsaturated to saturated zones in the septic systems. Septic tank effluent (STE), soil-water, and groundwater samples were collected for 64 events (May 2012-Dec 2013) at 2 to 3 days (n = 13), weekly (n = 29), biweekly (n = 17), and monthly (n = 5) intervals. One piezometer was installed up-gradient of the drainfields to monitor background groundwater (n = 15). Samples were analyzed for total P (TP), orthophosphate-P (PO4-P), and other-P (TP-PO4-P). The gravel trench drainfield removed significantly (p 300 cm in the groundwater, both systems had similar TP reductions of >97%. After 18 months of STE application, there was no significant increase in groundwater TP concentrations in both systems. We conclude that both drainfield designs are effective at reducing P transport to shallow groundwater.
The Combination of Formalism and Realism

For several generations now, legal scholars in the United States have framed debates about law and judging in terms of formalism-versus-realism. This entrenched framework is grounded in a widely accepted historical account. In this essay, I dismantle this antithesis and reconstruct their relationship. When properly understood, they go together. The first half of the essay shows that the conventional historical narrative is incorrect. Realism about law and judging has long been present in the American legal tradition. This discussion covers the views of Langdell, James Fitzjames Stephen, and other nineteenth and twentieth century jurists. The second half of the essay explains why systematic rule formalism is necessary, why realism is inevitable, and how they go together. The legal system would not work absent formalism, realism is parasitic on formalism, and realism reflects the ameliorating presence of human judgments within formalistic systems. The formalism-versus-realism framework does not allow this relationship to be expressed as a coherent bundle of views about law and judging, and should be discarded.
Treating Smoking in Adults With Co-occurring Acute Psychiatric and Addictive Disorders.

Author(s): Das, Smita; Hickman, Norval J; Prochaska, Judith J | Abstract: ObjectivesTobacco use is undertreated in individuals with psychiatric and substance use disorders (SUDs), with concerns that quitting smoking may compromise recovery. We evaluated outcomes of a tobacco intervention among psychiatric patients with co-occurring SUDs.MethodsData from 2 randomized tobacco treatment trials conducted in inpatient psychiatry were combined; analyses focused on the subsample with co-occurring SUDs (n = 216). Usual care provided brief advice to quit and nicotine replacement therapy during the smoke-free hospitalization. The intervention, initiated during hospitalization and continued 6 months after hospitalization, was tailored to readiness to quit smoking, and added a computer-assisted intervention at baseline, and 3 and 6 months; brief counseling; and 10 weeks of nicotine replacement therapy after hospitalization. Outcomes were 7-day point prevalence abstinence from 3 to 12 months and past 30-day reports of alcohol and illicit drug use.ResultsThe sample consisted of 34% women, among which 36% were Caucasian, averaging 19 cigarettes/d prehospitalization; the groups were comparable at baseline. At 12 months, 22% of the intervention versus 11% of usual care participants were tobacco-abstinent (risk ratio 2.01, P = 0.03). Past 30-day abstinence from alcohol/drugs did not differ by group (22%); however, successful quitters were less likely than continued smokers to report past 30-day cannabis (18% vs 42%) and alcohol (22% vs 58%) use (P l 0.05), with no difference in other drug use.ConclusionsTobacco treatment in psychiatric patients with co-occurring SUDs was effective and did not adversely impact recovery. Quitting smoking was associated with abstinence from alcohol and cannabis at follow-up. The findings support addressing tobacco in conjunction with alcohol and other drugs in psychiatric treatment.
Genetic diagnostics of male infertility in clinical practice

Approximately 15% of couples are infertile. Male factors contribute to infertility in over 50% of cases. Identifiable genetic abnormalities contribute to 15%–20% of the most severe forms of male infertility, azoospermia. In this chapter, we explore known genetic causes of male infertility such as Klinefelter syndrome, XYY men, Kallmann syndrome, y-microdeletions, Robertsonian translocations, autosomal inversions, mixed gonadal dysgenesis, x-linked and autosomal gene mutations, and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator abnormalities. We also briefly comment on novel biomarkers for male infertility.
Silicones for Encapsulation of Medical Device Implants

Encapsulation of medical device implants with a suitable material is an essential and critical process step in the manufacturing of a wide range of medical device products and for their applications. The barrier material is often subjected to stringent functional (e.g. prevent current leakage from the device into the body), and the regulatory requirements for the device’s safe and intended use. Additionally, the material used for this purpose should be biocompatible and safe to the patients’ health and wellbeing. Silicon containing polymers, particularly silicones, with their unique material properties, have found widespread utility in healthcare products and applications. Some of the properties attributed to silicones include biocompatibility, hydrophobicity, low surface tension, good chemical stability and good thermal stability. Thus, silicones are well suited for encapsulation of various types of medical devices and implants. As an example, the encapsulation of an electrical/electronic implant device connected through gold wires to a polymer scaffold for in vivo bone tissue regeneration under controlled electrical stimulation in a porcine model is presented and discussed in this article.
Simplification of Markov chains with infinite state space and the mathematical theory of random gene expression bursts

Here we develop an effective approach to simplify two-time-scale Markov chains with infinite state spaces by removal of states with fast leaving rates, which improves the simplification method of finite Markov chains. We introduce the concept of fast transition paths and show that the effective transitions of the reduced chain can be represented as the superposition of the direct transitions and the indirect transitions via all the fast transition paths. Furthermore, we apply our simplification approach to the standard Markov model of single-cell stochastic gene expression and provide a mathematical theory of random gene expression bursts. We give the precise mathematical conditions for the bursting kinetics of both mRNAs and proteins. It turns out that random bursts exactly correspond to the fast transition paths of the Markov model. This helps us gain a better understanding of the physics behind the bursting kinetics as an emergent behavior from the fundamental multiscale biochemical reaction kinetics of stochastic gene expression.
Explaining Attitudes Toward U.S. Energy Extraction: Offshore Drilling, the Keystone XL Pipeline, and Hydraulic Fracturing

Objective This research develops and tests several individual-level explanations of citizen attitudes toward offshore drilling, the Keystone XL pipeline, and hydraulic fracturing. Methods Using survey data from the Pew Research Center, logistic regression models analyze the effects of partisan and ideological considerations, presidential approval, affect for various levels of government, and a number of demographic considerations. Results Findings indicate that partisan, ideological, and core value considerations are highly influential in shaping individual sentiment toward the energy policies. Further, evidence for the affect heuristic suggests important empirical divides are also found with respect to patterns of citizen orientation to President Obama, his energy policies, and to federal and local governments. Conclusion These results are important in the context of previous assertions that energy policy and its regulatory character have changed over time and remain highly partisan and politically polarized. Additionally, citizen patterns of orientation, including measures of affect as encapsulated by the affect heuristic, also provide citizens with important shortcuts when developing attitudes toward the three policies.
Clinical Use of Precision Oncology Decision Support

PurposePrecision oncology is hindered by the lack of decision support for determining the functional and therapeutic significance of genomic alterations in tumors and relevant clinically available options. To bridge this knowledge gap, we established a Precision Oncology Decision Support team that provides annotations at the alteration level and subsequently determined whether clinical decision making was influenced.MethodsGenomic alterations were annotated to determine actionability on the basis of a variant’s known or potential functional and/or therapeutic significance. The medical records of a subset of patients annotated in 2015 were manually reviewed to assess trial enrollment. A Web-based survey was implemented to capture the reasons genotype-matched therapies were not pursued.ResultsThe Precision Oncology Decision Support team processed 1,669 requests for annotation of 4,084 alterations (2,254 unique) across 49 tumor types for 1,197 patients. A total of 2,444 annotations for 669 patients included ...
Design of MC1R Selective γ-MSH Analogues with Canonical Amino Acids Leads to Potency and Pigmentation

Melanoma is a lethal form of skin cancer. Skin pigmentation, which is regulated by the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), is an effective protection against melanoma. However, the endogenous MC1R agonists lack selectivity for the MC1R and thus can have side effects. The use of noncanonical amino acids in previous MC1R ligand development raises safety concerns. Here we report the development of the first potent and selective hMC1R agonist with only canonical amino acids. Using γ-MSH as a template, we developed a peptide, [Leu3, Leu7, Phe8]-γ-MSH-NH2 (compound 5), which is 16-fold selective for the hMC1R (EC50 = 4.5 nM) versus other melanocortin receptors. Conformational studies revealed a constrained conformation for this linear peptide. Molecular docking demonstrated a hydrophobic binding pocket for the melanocortin 1 receptor. In vivo pigmentation study shows high potency and short duration. [Leu3, Leu7, Phe8]-γ-MSH-NH2 is ideal for inducing short-term skin pigmentation without sun for melanoma prevention.
Feedback Control of Optically Trapped Particles

Optical trapping is a method for manipulating micro- and nanoscale particles that are widely used in biophysics and colloid science, among other areas. This method uses optical forces to confine a particle to a localized region, which is referred to as a trap. This chapter examines the application of feedback control to optical trapping to improve particle localization, manipulation precision, and trap stability. Although control systems have been used in optical trapping for almost two decades, their perceived importance has largely been secondary to the scientific experiments that they support. As a result, only limited effort has been taken to explore the performance and stability of control systems in optical trapping. This chapter provides an introduction to the field and an overview of many of the issues relevant to a control systems perspective in optical trapping, including sensor and actuator performance, trap modeling, and instrument design. It also describes the design and implementation of a control system that has been used to dramatically improve the localization of a trapped particle with respect to the center of the trap. Many of the challenges in controlling optically trapped particles and future research directions for addressing these challenges are also described.