cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carbon Nanotube and Nanofiber Exposure Assessments: An Analysis of 14 Site Visits

m −3 with a geometric mean (GM) of 0.34 µg m −3 and an 8-h TWA of 0.16 µg m −3 . PBZ samples at the inhalable size fraction for EC ranged from 0.01 to 79.57 µg m −3 with a GM of 1.21 µg m −3 . PBZ samples analyzed by TEM showed concentrations ranging from 0.0001 to 1.613 CNT or CNF-structures per cm 3 with a GM of 0.008 and an 8-h TWA concentration of 0.003. The most common CNT structure sizes were found to be larger agglomerates in the 2–5 µm range as well as agglomerates >5 µm. A statistically significant correlation was observed between the inhalable samples for the mass of EC and struc ture counts by TEM (Spearman ρ = 0.39, P 1 μg m −3 . Until more information is known about health effects associated with larger agglomerates, it seems prudent to assess worker exposure to airborne CNT and CNF materials by monitoring EC at both the respirable and inhalable size fractions. Concurrent TEM samples should be collected to confirm the presence of CNT and CNF.
The prevalence of active tuberculosis of tuberculosis prevention and control department in Bohu county from 2011 to 2012

Objective To explore the source and route of transmission from active tuberculosis patients,to find effec tive ways to increase discovery rate of active tuberculosis patients.Methods To use the check-in book of new patients and tuberculosis patients of Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Department in Bohu County from 2011 to 2012 as well as the file of patients of China Disease Monitoring Information Reporting System to analysis.Result The proportion of the different source of active tuberculosis patients are 80.0% for recommendation based on symptom and 20.0% for referral in 2011;the proportion of the different source of active tuberculosis patients are 90.3% for recommendation and 9.7% for referral in 2012.Conclusion Strengthen the education of tuberculosis,enhance the recommendations based on symptom from doctors form villages and towns and individual physicians are the main routes to find active tuberculosis patients;improve cooperation of medical service and prevention and referral rate are important ways to find the patients.
Blockade of proteasomal degradation enhances MHC-II dependent peptide epitope production through chaperone dependent autophagy in dendritic cells infected with Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccine

Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) is the most frequently used and safe live attenuated vaccine against human tuberculosis. BCG secretes antigen-85B (Ag85B) which is an immunodominant protein generating protective CD4 T cell responses against tuberculosis. We found that over-expression of Ag85B in BCG (85B-BCG) led to aggresome formation in the cytosol of primary mouse dendritic cells. Aggresomes were cleaved through both proteasomes and lysosomes since, blockade of proteasomes using bortezomib led to an increase in the presentation of the p25-epitope of Ag85B to CD4 T cells, which secreted IL-2. We demonstrate here that during the initial stages of aggresome formation, much of the secreted Ag85B is lost through proteasomal degradation while over-expression led to the ubiquitination of Ag85B containing aggresomes. Using siRNA knockdown and biochemical inhibition for protein sorting agents, we demonstrate here that ubiquitinated Ag85B complexes recruit ‘co-chaperone Carboxyl Terminus HSP70/90 Interacting Protein’ (CHIP), which in turn binds to hsp70 triggering a cascade where hsp70 binds to bcl2-associated athanogene-3 (BAG3) followed by p62. The latter culminates in LC3 activation and formation of an autophagosome that delivers the Ag85B-chaperone complex to lysosomes for autophago-lysosomal degradation and p25-epitope presentation to CD4 T cells. Interestingly, blockade of proteasomes led to an increase in CHIP activity of DCs enhancing p25-epitope presentation to CD4 T cells. Thus, intrinsic degradation of subunit vaccines through proteasomes may prevent the efficacy of MHC-II pathway while CHIP dependent autophagy may provide a means to enhance epitopes for CD4 T cells.
Civilizing nature: national parks in global historical perspective

Arising from a blend of nationalism, railroad lobbying, and adoration of American Western scenery, the United States Congress established Yellowstone National Park in 1872. In subsequent years, the...
The Experimental Use of Syrian Hamsters

Publisher Summary The Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is a widely used experimental animal model. This chapter focuses primarily on the most current research uses of the hamster. More classical uses are covered only as they pertain to these current uses. Hamsters possess unique anatomical and physiological features, which make them desirable research models. Unlike other commonly used laboratory rodents, hamsters possess a cheek pouch, which can be easily everted and examined at both the gross and microscopic level. The hamster's relative size also allows for better visualization of certain biological systems including the respiratory and reproductive systems when compared to the mouse. Further, laboratory hamsters develop a variety of inherited diseases, which display similarities to human conditions. Hamsters possessing some of these inherited traits are commercially available. They are susceptible to a variety of carcinogens and develop tumors that other research animals less commonly develop. Also they are susceptible to the induction of a variety of metabolic disorders through the use of dietary manipulations. The antagonistic nature of hamsters is used to study the effect of treatment on male aggressive and defensive behaviors. Syrian hamsters display several unique characteristics that make them desired models for carcinogenesis studies.
Prolactin alters blood pressure by modulating the activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase

Increased levels of a cleaved form of prolactin (molecular weight 16 kDa) have been associated with preeclampsia. To study the effects of prolactin on blood pressure (BP), we generated male mice with a single-copy transgene (Tg; inserted into the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase locus) that enables inducible hepatic production of prolactin and its cleavage product. The Tg is driven by the indole-3-carbinol (I3C)-inducible rat cytochrome P450 1A1 promoter. When the Tg mice were fed normal chow (NC), plasma prolactin concentrations were comparable to those in female WT mice in the last third of pregnancy, and BP was lower than in WT mice (∼95 mm Hg vs. ∼105 mm Hg). When the Tg mice were fed chow containing IC3, plasma prolactin concentrations increased threefold, BP increased to ∼130 mm Hg, and cardiac function became markedly impaired. IC3 chow did not affect the WT mice. Urinary excretion of nitrite/nitrate and the amount of Ser1177-phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) were significantly greater in the Tg mice fed NC than in WT mice, as they are during pregnancy. However, when I3C was fed, these indicators of NO production became significantly less in the Tg mice than in WT mice. The effects of increased plasma prolactin were abolished by a genetic absence of eNOS. Thus, a threefold increase in plasma prolactin is sufficient to increase BP significantly and to markedly impair cardiac function, with effects mediated by NO produced by eNOS. We suggest that pregnant women with abnormally high prolactin levels may need special attention.
Optimizing Dielectric Strip Plasmonic Waveguides for Subwavelength On-Chip Optical Communication

In this paper, we develop an efficient method for optimizing the geometry of dielectric strip plasmonic waveguides for subwavelength on-chip optical communication in future nanoscale integrated circuits. Leveraging an efficient finite-difference field solver, we demonstrate that a dielectric strip embedded in a metallic medium can support single mode propagation while simultaneously achieving low loss and high light confinement. We then formulate the optimization problem for both mono-mode and general dielectric strip waveguides, which we solve using nonlinear constrained optimization. The results indicate that the method can locate optimal dielectric strip waveguide designs with significantly fewer model evaluations than enumerating over the complete design space.
Introduction to the Virtual Issue: Innovative Methods in Online Research

 Pablo Barbera, "Birds of the Same Feather Tweet Together: Bayesian Ideal Point Estimation Using Twitter Data" (doi:10.1093/pan/mpu011).  Andrew M. Guess, "Measure for Measure: An Experimental Test of Online Political Media" (doi:10.1093/pan/mpu010).  Adam J. Berinsky, Gregory A. Huber, and Gabriel S. Lenz, "Evaluating Online Labor Markets for Experimental Research: Amazon.com's Mechanical Turk" (doi:10.1093/pan/mpr057).  Zack W. Almquist and Carter T. Butts, “Dynamic Network Logistic Regression: A Logistic Choice Analysis of Interand Intra-Group Blog Citation Dynamics in the 2004 US Presidential Election” (doi: 10.1093/pan/mpt016).  Vito D’Orazio, Steven T. Landis, Glenn Palmer and Philip Schrodt, “Separating the Wheat from the Chaff: Applications of Automated Document Classification Using Support Vector Machines” (doi: 10.1093/pan/mpt030).  Christopher Lucas, Richard A. Nielsen, Margaret E. Roberts, Brandon M. Stewart, Alex Storer, and Dustin Tingley, “Computer assisted text analysis for comparative politics” (doi: 10.1093/pan/mpu019).
Planar metasurface retroreflector

Metasurfaces are two-dimensional arrangements of subwavelength scatterers that control the propagation of optical waves. Here, we show that cascaded metasurfaces, each performing a predefined mathematical transformation, provide a new optical design framework that enables new functionalities not yet demonstrated with single metasurfaces. Specifically, we demonstrate that retroreflection can be achieved with two vertically stacked planar metasurfaces, the first performing a spatial Fourier transform and its inverse, and the second imparting a spatially varying momentum to the Fourier transform of the incident light. Using this concept, we fabricate and test a planar monolithic near-infrared retroreflector composed of two layers of silicon nanoposts, which reflects light along its incident direction with a normal incidence efficiency of 78% and a large half-power field of view of 60°. The metasurface retroreflector demonstrates the potential of cascaded metasurfaces for implementing novel high-performance components, and enables low-power and low-weight passive optical transmitters.
Effects of roads and roadside fencing on movements, space use, and carapace temperatures of a threatened tortoise

Roads are widespread features of many landscapes that can negatively affect wildlife, most notably through animal-vehicle collisions. Roadside fencing has increasingly been installed to help eliminate this source of mortality. While fencing may reduce road mortality, other types of wildlife responses to this novel barrier are not well understood. Here, we examined the movement behavior, space use, and carapace temperatures of Mojave Desert Tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) as they interacted with a roadside fence and an unfenced road. Using GPS loggers, we tracked tortoise movements for two years at 15-min intervals. We found that carapace temperatures were greater near structures (fence or unfenced road) than away from structures; tortoises near the unfenced road had higher mean carapace temperatures, but tortoises along the fence experienced more extreme upper temperatures that approached the species' thermal limit. Movement speeds were also higher along the structures than away from them. Tortoise home range sizes decreased with proximity to the fence or road; fragmentation of home ranges and road-crossing avoidance may have contributed to smaller home ranges along the fenced and unfenced road, respectively. While tortoises crossed the road significantly less than expected by chance, they did so primarily in May and July and in areas with washes, indicating that placement of roadside fencing and animal underpasses could be optimized by targeting areas where roads intersect washes. Taken together, our results suggest that roadside fencing can affect behavior, space use, and thermal ecology of tortoises, which may require refinements to future conservation strategies involving roadside fencing.
Evaluation of Skin and Soft Tissue Infection Outcomes and Admission Decisions in Emergency Department Patients

Background. Skin and soft tissue infections are common presenting complaints for Emergency Department (ED) patients. Although they are common, there remain no definitive guidelines on decisions of admission for these patients. Objectives. To determine the influence of demographic and clinical information of those presenting with skin and soft tissue infection(s) (SSTI) on both disposition and treatment failure. Methods. We prospectively enrolled adults with SSTI seen at a large urban ED. Secondary outcome was treatment failure. Statistics utilized t-tests and multivariate logistic regression. Results. We enrolled 125 subjects and 32 were admitted. 15.2% of patients failed treatment with both increasing age and infection area correlating with admission. IV drug use (IVDU) (OR: 10.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.9 to 50.0) and recent antibiotic use (OR: 2.9; 95% CI 1.003 to 8.333) independently predicted admission. Age and recent surgery in the area of infection (OR: 6.4; 95% CI 1.3 to 30.8) showed positive association with treatment failure. IV antibiotics (OR: 22.3; 95% CI 2.8 to 179.4) and admission (OR: 12.1; 95% CI 2.9 to 50.4) strongly predicted treatment failure. Conclusions. Age, infection size, IVDU, and recent antibiotics predicted admission. Age, recent surgery at infection site, IV antibiotics, and admission correlated with treatment failure.
Modeling the interplay between narcissism, relational motives, and jealousy-induced responses to infidelity threat:

Threat-based accounts of narcissism postulate enhanced worrying and negative emotion following threat. The present study examined whether the psychological process by which people experience and re...
How Abnormal Is Normality

Many statistical analyses directly or indirectly assume that the population from which the sample was drawn is normally distributed. This article examines conditions under which one might or might not expect some variable to be normally distributed, ind..
Evolutionary Foundations of Solution Concepts for Finite, Two-Player, Normal-Form Games

This paper develops evolutionary foundations for noncooperative game-theoretic solution concepts. In particular, we envision a game as being repeatedly played by randomly, anonymously matched members of two populations. Agents initially play arbitrarily chosen pure strategies. As play progresses, a learning process or selection mechanism induces agents to switch from less to more profitable strategies. The limiting outcomes of this dynamic process yield equilibria for the game in question, and the plausibility of an equilibrium concept then rests on the characteristics of the selection process from which it arises. The results suggest that if one accepts the evolutionary approach to equilibrium concepts, then one will embrace either rationalizable or perfect equilibria. The choice between the two hinges upon whether the evolutionary process is sufficiently well behaved as to yield convergence. In general, there are robust adjustment processes which converge as well as robust processes which do not converge.
A Comparison of Several Ultrasonic Techniques for Absolute Stress Determination in the Presence of Texture

Most ultrasonic stress measurement techniques measure some combination of stresses, such as the sum or difference of principal stresses, relative to some (possibly unknown) stress state. In order to apply fracture mechanics methods to failure/life assessment of flawed structures, stresses must be determined absolutely.
Targeted Hybrid-Capture for Somatic Mutation Detection in the Clinic

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the USA behind heart disease. The costs of treating cancer patients are increasingly challenging the available health-care resources. The advent of massively parallel sequencing or next-generation sequencing (NGS) and its use in cancer research has resulted in characterizing the genomic landscape of many types of cancer and the discovery of somatic activating mutations with therapeutic and/or prognostic potential in most of the investigated cancer types. Many cancer types have some overlap in those genes observed to be recurrently mutated, but each cancer type can also have unique genetic attributes. The frequency of the discovered somatic mutations is variable and the alterations are heterogeneous, encompassing single nucleotide variations, small and large insertion/deletion events, structural rearrangements, and copy number variations. Translation of these discoveries into clinical applications requires the development of genomic tests that can reliably detect such somatic alterations with high sensitivity and specificity. Targeted NGS provides a strategy that is able to accommodate all such requirements. This chapter will discuss approaches currently in use for targeted NGS in clinical oncology (amplification-based, solid- or in-solution hybrid-capture-based) and focus on targeted sequencing by in-solution hybrid-capture. It will also discuss in detail the capabilities of detecting different types of alterations by analysis of data generated by in-solution hybrid-capture and how this accommodates the clinical needs in oncology. Finally, the chapter discusses genomic test development in clinical oncology: technical issues, data analysis, quality control metrics, test validation, and results interpretation and reporting.
Management of centrally located non-small-cell carcinoma.

Treatment optimization for centrally located lung cancers requires special considerations for determining resectability and patient selection.
How nanotechnology imaging can be used in kidney disease: an interview with Dr Mengxiao Yu.

Author biography Dr Yu currently is a research assistant professor at University of Texas at Dallas and is the Chief Scientist and Chief Executive Officer of ClearNano, Inc. She received her B.S. in Chemistry from Beijing Normal University in China in 2004, and her PhD in Chemistry from Fudan University in 2009. After that she joined Dr Jie Zheng's group at University of Texas at Dallas as a postdoctoral fellow and was promoted to research scientist in 2014 and research assistant professor in 2015. Her current research area comprises renal nanomedicine, biomedical imaging, luminescent gold nanoparticles and kidney disease detection.
Assessing the Effectiveness of Treatment Sequences for Older Patients With High-risk Follicular Lymphoma With a Multistate Model.

Abstract Background Disease progression within 60 years have been associated with poor overall survival (OS) in follicular lymphoma (FL). No standard treatment exists for these high-risk patients, and the effectiveness of sequential therapies remains unclear. Patients and Methods We studied the course of FL with first-, second-, and third-line treatment. Using large population-based data, we identified 5234 patients with FL diagnosed in 2000 to 2009. Of these patients, 71% had received second-line therapy Results R-CHOP demonstrated the most favorable 5-year OS among first- (71%), second- (55%), and third-line (61%) therapies. First-line R-CHOP improved OS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.50-0.64) and reduced the mortality risks after first-line (HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.47-0.77), second-line (HR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.29-0.53), and third-line (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.53-0.76) treatments. B-symptoms, being married, and histologic grade 1/2 were associated with the use of earlier second-line therapy. Early progression from second- to third-line therapy was associated with poor OS. The repeated use of R-CHOP or R-CVP as first- and second-line treatment yielded high 2-year mortality rates (R-CHOP + R-CHOP, 17.3%; R-CVP + R-CVP, 21.1%). Conclusion Our multistate approach assessed the effect of sequential therapy on the immediate and subsequent treatment-line outcomes. We found that R-CHOP in any line improved OS for patients with high-risk FL.
Book review of "Terrorism: What everyone needs to know" by Todd Sandler

In Terrorism: What Everyone Needs to Know, Todd Sandler provides a thorough accounting of a cross-section of contemporary terrorism research. The title is apt. The book represents what all serious ...
Effect of heat treatments on microstructure/small-scale properties of additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V

In the present study, the effect of various heat treatments on the microstructure and micromechanical properties of a Ti-6Al-4V alloy processed by a laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) technique is investigated. Heat treatment cycles employed in this study include solutionizing at 950 °C (for 1 h) followed by three different cooling rates (water quenching, air cooling, and furnace cooling) as well as solutionizing followed by water quenching and artificial aging. To assess the small-scale properties, a nanoindentation testing technique is employed. Microstructural quantitative analyses (i.e., optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy) were performed extensively on the as-fabricated and heat-treated samples. Artificially aged specimens showed the highest microhardness of all the heat-treated samples, followed by air-cooled and furnace-cooled samples.
Comparison of Body Composition Prediction Equations with Air Displacement Plethysmography in Overweight and Obese Caucasian Males.

Body mass index (BMI) has been used for years by clinicians to approximate total body fat. However, the body adiposity index (BAI), body adiposity index from the FELS longitudinal study (BAIFELS), and an equation developed by Deurenberg et al. (BFD) were created recently to offset BMI's limitations and accurately estimate percent body fat (%BF). The prevalence of overweight and obese Caucasian men is increasing in the United States; currently, there is no established way to quickly and accurately predict their %BF. PURPOSE To compare the existing %BF equations (BAI, BAIFELS, and BFD) to measured %BF via air displacement plethysmography (ADP) in order to determine the most accurate way to predict %BF in overweight and obese Caucasian men. METHODS Four hundred and fifty-two Caucasian men aged from 18 to 76, with a BMI of 25.0 to 42.4 kg/m2, participated in this study. Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and body composition using ADP were measured on each participant. These measurements were inserted into the three equations to determine any differences between the equations and the actual %BF measured by ADP. RESULTS Differences in %BF between ADP and the BAI (p < 0.001) and ADP and the BAIFELS (p < 0.001) were discovered. While no differences (p = 1.00) between ADP and BFD existed. CONCLUSION In a population of overweight and obese Caucasian adults from the United States, the BAI and BAIFELS are not appropriate to predict %BF while the BFD prediction equation proved worthy of consideration.
Examining the complex relationship between innovation and regulation through a survey of wastewater utility managers.

Abstract Despite pressures to increase performance and decrease costs, innovation has been slow to emerge in the municipal wastewater sector. The relationship between regulation and innovation in this sector is a particularly interesting aspect of this conundrum, given the degree to which public utility decision-making is influenced by regulation. Using a national survey, this paper examines US wastewater utility managers’ perceptions of how regulation influences the adoption of new technologies. Recognizing that the relationship between innovation and regulation is complex, we develop the concept of regulation as multifaceted and examine three interrelated aspects of regulation: (1) regulatory requirements, (2) regulators and relationships, and (3) the broader regulatory environment. Specifically, we seek to understand whether and in what ways wastewater utility managers perceive these aspects of regulation as hindering or encouraging the adoption of new technologies. We find that, although stringent effluent limitations are perceived to be a moderate barrier to innovation, most survey respondents did not identify weakening them as a way to encourage innovation. Instead, respondents generally identified factors related to regulatory relationships and factors related to the broader regulatory environment as barriers to innovation, and indicated that addressing these aspects of regulation would encourage innovation. We conclude that loosening or tightening regulatory requirements is not the most effective way to promote innovation in the municipal wastewater sector. Rather, those parties with an interest in innovation can focus on helping utilities and regulators build relationships and better navigate the processes that influence decisions about new technologies.
Strictureplasty in diffuse Crohn's jejunoileitis: safe and durable.

PURPOSE: As an alternative to resection, strictureplasty may allow for preservation of intestinal length and avoidance of short-bowel syndrome in patients with diffuse Crohn's jejunoileitis. However, the long-term durability of the procedure and its safety have not been confirmed. The purpose of this study was to report our experience with strictureplasty for diffuse Crohn's jejunoileitis. METHODS: Between 1984 and 1999, 123 patients underwent a laparotomy that included an index strictureplasty for diffuse jejunoileitis. Patient history, operative details, and postoperative morbidities were obtained by chart review. Nineteen patients (15 percent) were receiving total parenteral nutrition for short-bowel syndrome, and 81 (66 percent) were taking chronic steroids. Total number of strictureplasties performed was 701 (median, 5/patient). Seventy percent of patients underwent a synchronous bowel resection. Follow-up information was determined by personal or phone interviews. Recurrence was defined as the need for reoperation, and risk was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Patients with diffuse jejunoileitis were also compared with 219 patients with limited small-bowel Crohn's disease undergoing strictureplasty. RESULTS: The overall morbidity rate was 20 percent, with septic complications occurring in 6 percent. The surgical recurrence rate was 29 percent with a median follow-up period of 6.7 (range, 1-16) years. The recurrence rate in diffuse jejunoileitis patients did not differ from that seen in patients with limited small-bowel Crohn's disease (P= 0.38). Short duration of disease and short interval since last surgery were significant predictors of accelerated recurrence (P= 0.008 and 0.04, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Strictureplasty is a safe and durable alternative to resection in diffuse Crohn's jejunoileitis. Patients with a short duration of disease and short interval since last surgery are at higher risk for accelerated recurrence. Patients with diffuse jejunoileitis do not appear to be at higher risk for recurrence than patients with more limited Crohn's disease.
Chapter 11 – Water determination

Water content of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and excipients directly impacts their quality. The accurate determination of water is therefore critical and has been designated as a specific test by leading pharmacopeias. Loss on drying (LOD) and Karl Fischer Titration (KFT) are the primary methods described. The former is the loss of weight (usually at 105 °C for a given period) expressed as a percent (w/w) of the mass of sample. The latter is the most widely used analytical technique for water determination. However it is still subject to interferences, requires larger sample sizes, and the sample is destroyed. Gas chromatographic (GC) methods are versatile, rapid and accurate techniques, which only require small amounts of sample. Polar stationary phases are required to afford reasonable peak shapes. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), although not a primary method, is a rapid, noninvasive, nondestructive analytical technique that is particularly sensitive for water.
Recreational Harvesting of the Florida Bay Scallop: Wakulla County

This useful brochure written by Brittany Hall-Scharf and published by the UF/IFAS Extension Florida Sea Grant College Program includes a full-color map identifying access routes to the boat ramps and marinas in Pasco County, plus the latest information on scallops and scalloping, the recommended equipment you will want to bring, and a few tasty recipes for preparing Florida’s best summertime catch. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/sg157
Supply Modulation Behavior of a Doherty Power Amplifier

This paper presents a study of supply modulation in a Doherty power amplifier (DPA). To validate a simplified theoretical model, a 3.5 GHz conventional symmetrical DPA using a 6-W packaged GaN pHEMT is designed for supply modulation of the main and/or auxiliary amplifiers. The DPA is characterized in CW operation over a range of supply voltages, and shows up to 15 percentage point efficiency improvement at 12 dB output back-off when both main and auxiliary amplifiers are varied simultaneously. A comparison of three cases of supply variation is shown and potential benefits for improving back-off efficiency are discussed.
Development of a clinical intravascular dual-modality optical coherence tomography and near-infrared autofluorescence/fluorescence imaging platform

We present our next generation clinical dual-modality OCT and near infrared autofluorescence/fluorescence (NIRAF/NIRF) imaging platform. This platform allows combined tissue microstructure visualization (OCT) and obtaining molecular information either by intrinsic tissue near infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF) or by exogenous near infrared fluorescence contrast agents (NIRF). Components of this platform, OCT-NIRAF/NIRF imaging system, rotary junction and catheters, were developed using an industry standard design control processes to enable quality clinical translation. We have identified sources of image degradation in dual-modality catheter-based imaging (e.g. core-cladding crosstalk in OCT, background noise in fluorescence) and present methods to mitigate their effects. We also show catheter fabrication and validation, as well as automated fluorescence sensitivity and distance calibration methods that ensure robust and repeatable system performance.
Mechanical lengthening of porcine small intestine with decreased forces.

Abstract Introduction short bowel syndrome is marked by inadequate intestinal surface area to absorb nutrients. Current treatments are focused on medical management and surgical reconfiguration of the dilated intestine. We propose the use of spring-mediated distraction enterogenesis as a novel intervention to increase intestinal length. Given our previous success lengthening intestinal segments using springs with spring constant ~7 N/m that exerts 0.46 N or higher, we sought to determine the minimal force needed to lengthen porcine small intestinal segments, and to explore effects on intestine over time. Methods Juvenile Yucatan pigs underwent laparotomy with enterotomy to introduce nitinol springs intraluminally (n = 21 springs). Bowel segments (control, spring-distracted) were retrieved on post-operative day (POD) 7 and 14, and lengths measured. Thickness of cross-sectional intestinal layers were measured using H&E, and submucosal collagen fiber orientation measured using trichrome stained sections. Results all pigs survived to POD7 and 14. Spring constants of at least 2 N/m exerting a minimum force of 0.10 N significantly lengthened intestinal segments (p Conclusion a spring constant of approximately 2 N/m exerting 0.10 N and greater significantly lengthens intestinal segments and stimulates intestinal structural changes at POD7 and 14. This suggests a decreased force is capable of inducing spring-mediated distraction enterogenesis.
Pitch break and performance metrics remain unchanged in pitchers who returned to the same level of play after ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in Major League Baseball pitchers.

Background The ulnar collateral ligament is commonly injured in overhead-throwing athletes, particularly baseball pitchers. Pitch movement (break) is a critical aspect to pitching performance. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the changes in pitch velocity, pitch break, angle of break, and pitch performance metrics before and after ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (UCLR) in Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers. The secondary purpose was to determine changes in pitch performance metrics before and after UCLR. We hypothesized that pitch break and pitch performance metrics would be unchanged following UCLR. Materials and methods This was a retrospective case-series study of pitchers who had undergone primary UCLR between 2008 and 2014. Velocity, horizontal movement (Hmov), and vertical movement (Vmov) of each pitch were collected from the PITCHf/x system for each pitcher 12-24 months before surgery, 12-24 months after surgery, and 24-36 months after surgery. Overall break was calculated by taking the Pythagorean sum of Hmov and Vmov. Angle of break was determined by taking the inverse tangent of Vmov divided by Hmov. Repeated-measures analysis of covariance was performed to determine differences in pitch velocity, movement, angle of movement, and performance metrics between preoperative and postoperative time frames. Performance metrics included balls, strikes, swings, fouls, swings and misses, ground balls, line drives, pop-ups, fly balls, and home runs. Covariates included age at surgery, time from MLB debut to surgery, innings pitched as a starter, innings pitched as a reliever, and total pitches thrown. Results In a cohort of 46 pitchers who underwent UCLR between 2008 and 2014, pitch velocity, movement, and angle were not significantly changed with respect to preoperative or postoperative time frames. In addition, postoperative time frames had clinically insignificant differences in pitch performance metrics. Conclusion Pitch break and performance metrics are not significantly affected in pitchers who return after UCLR.
Integrating Africa by Competition and Market Policy

Africa has the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The agreement will lower tariffs and facilitate internal market trade on the Continent, and policy makers hope that it will help lift 30 million people out of poverty. A competition protocol is now in the process of negotiation and proposals have been made ranging from a full, detailed, technical competition law as in the West to a scaffolding of regional cooperation. For the competition element of AfCFTA, this article makes a bold suggestion. Africa needs a basic but deep competition protocol, concentrating on the priorities “at the top.” It needs to rid the continent of insidious trade-and-competition restraints at member state borders that prevent African integration, requiring a joinder of trade-and-competition violations. And it needs a voice at the top to take a stand for the Continent, for example against the mega-mergers that hurt Africa. Only with these three elements –clear basic rules, trade/competition restraint prohibitions, and voice at the top, can Africa hope to realize the promise of Africa.
The Development of Hippocampal Function: Implications for Theory and for Therapy

One thesis of this chapter is that the hippocampus may have two different but related modes of functioning. The simpler of the two, present in infancy and at times in adulthood, consists of a gross or nonspecific inhibition of emotional reactivity in general. The generation of nonspecific inhibition requires only that the hippocampal pyramidal cells be functionally developed and that they be driven by some synchronized input such as the θ-pacing system. The second functional mode is called “stimulus-specific inhibition” because it corresponds to a specific inhibition of an emotional reaction to a particular stimulus or set of stimuli. Stimulus-specific inhibition can be carried out only when the hippocampal pyramidal cells are “informed” of the stimulus via the temporoammonic tract and its major target, the dentate gyrus. The specific form of inhibition is at best only rudimentarily developed at birth and develops in synchrony with the maturation of the dentate gyrus. The development of stimulus-specific inhibition, it will be argued, is interfered with by early stressful i experience. The harmful effects of early stress on adult behavior appear to be counteracted by drugs which enhance cholinergic transmission.
Flow and Self-Presentation in Runners Participating in 5 and 10 Kilometer Road Races

The purpose of this investigation is to explore the relationship between flow state and self-presentation in runners. It was hypothesized that Self-presentation will be negatively and moderately correlated with the flow experience. A questionnaire packet containing an informed consent form, a demographic information handout, a Race Flow Scale (Modified DFS-2; Jackson & Eklund, 2002), and the Modified Self-Presentation in Sport Questionnaire (SPSQ; McGowan et al., 2008) was administered to 210 male and female runners. The analyses of this investigation are presented in two subsections: descriptive statistics and correlational analyses (including the results of a canonical correlation). It was found that individuals who experience self-presentational concerns are less likely to attain the state of flow. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
Self-determination and residents who smoke: A dilemma for the nursing home social worker

Abstract Nursing home social workers were surveyed regarding facility smoking policy and its compatibility with their professional values and ethics. Respondents were randomly selected from Georgia and Minnesota nursing home associations. Almost all respondents agreed that nursing homes are the resident's home and that residents have the right to make decisions that may not be in their best interest, i.e., continuing to smoke. At smoke-free facilities, significantly more social workers believed that residents should not have the right to make their own decisions regarding smoking (chi-square = 4.90, p = 0.03). Less than 14% of these social workers struggled ethically with their facility's smoke-free policy. Social workers personal smoking behaviors had significant influence on their perception of this dilemma.
On l/sup 1/ and H/sup infinity /-optimal decentralized performance

The Manousiouthakis parametrization of all decentralizing stabilizing controllers is employed in mathematically formulating the optimal decentralized controller synthesis problem. The performance problem is formulated in the l/sup 1/ and H/sup infinity / frameworks. In both cases, the resulting optimization problems are infinite dimensional and therefore not directly amenable to computations. It is shown that finite dimensional optimization problems that have value arbitrarily close to the infinite dimensional ones can be constructed. Based on this result algorithms that solve the l/sup 1/ and the H/sup infinity / decentralized performance problems are presented. >
A Regulated Firm's Incentive to Discriminate: A Reevaluation and Extension of Weisman's Result

This note reexamines the incentive of a regulated monopolist with an unregulated, vertically-related affiliate to discriminate against rivals of the affiliate. Taking Weisman's (1995) model as a framework, I show that his analysis understates the incentive to discriminate. My analysis shows that the incentive to discriminate exists more generally than his analysis suggests, and that the size of the incentive depends in an intuitive way on factors such as the stringency of regulation, the cost of discriminating, and the degree of substitution between the products of the affiliate and its rival.
Risk-bearing arrangements and capital financing strategies for integrated health systems

Abstract This paper analyzes the emerging marketplace arrangements in health care that shift risk between different organizations and economic agents. The linkages between these risk-bearing arrangements and the strategies used by health care organizations to finance their capital investments are discussed. A conceptual framework for predicting the success of different players in pursuing particular risk-bearing and capital financing strategies is presented and illustrated by reference to specific case examples from the professional and health services research literature.
Baseband Implementation of a Fast Acquisition Carrier Tracking Loop

The quasi stable lock state of conventional PLL'S is eliminated by using a phase error detection/error correction circuit in which the demodulated I and Q phase signals are rotated to the correct phase state. The signal information for the phase rotator is derived from a data estimation network that makes an estimate of the sine and the cosine of the demodulator phase error. Approximately 10 symbol times are required for the phase correction feedback network to stabilize at which time a conventional PLL network is activated to provide the tracking signal. Computer simulation and hardware results indicate a probability of synchronization failure of less than 10-8 for QPSK signals operating at a 12 dB E b /N o . The hardware design supports operation up to 100 megasymbols/second.
In situ TEM study of lithiation behavior of silicon nanoparticles attached to and embedded in a carbon matrix.

Rational design of silicon and carbon nanocomposite with a special topological feature has been demonstrated to be a feasible way for mitigating the capacity fading associated with the large volume change of silicon anode in lithium ion batteries. Although the lithiation behavior of silicon and carbon as individual components has been well understood, lithium ion transport behavior across a network of silicon and carbon is still lacking. In this paper, we probe the lithiation behavior of silicon nanoparticles attached to and embedded in a carbon nanofiber using in situ TEM and continuum mechanical calculation. We found that aggregated silicon nanoparticles show contact flattening upon initial lithiation, which is characteristically analogous to the classic sintering of powder particles by a neck-growth mechanism. As compared with the surface-attached silicon particles, particles embedded in the carbon matrix show delayed lithiation. Depending on the strength of the carbon matrix, lithiation of the embedde...
Parametric study of head response by finite element modeling

Abstract An investigation utilizing the finite element technique was performed to study the human head response to impact loading. Three axisymmetric head model configurations were selected where the human skull was represented by a single-layer spherical shell, an oval shell consisting of two spherical caps and a cone frustum, and a three-layer spherical shell. For all models the interior cavity was filled by an inviscid fluid representing the cranial vault contents, and the exterior shell surface was encased by a skin-flesh layer corresponding to the scalp. The skull and scalp materials were characterized by an elastic representation. For each configuration, an axisymmetric force history was assumed to act over one of the polar cap areas. Of particular interest were the levels of strain produced in the skull and stress in the fluid interior. Theoretical load levels required to produce skull fracture and/or brain damage by cavitation were predicted. A parametric study was conducted to determine the sensitivity of the response of the model to changes in the spatial and temporal distributions of the applied load, the head dimensions, and the material properties of skull representation. The results revealed that the load spatial distribution strongly influenced skull strains and, consequently, the load required to initiate skull fracture. The other parameters produced small effects on the models' responses.
Heme-based sensors: theoretical modeling of heme-ligand-protein interactions.

Abstract Heme proteins are uniquely adapted to bind the important diatomic molecules O 2 , NO and CO. An increasing number of heme proteins are being discovered that sense these molecules and thereby regulate a variety of biochemical responses. The interactions of diatomic molecules with heme, and with the surrounding protein, are therefore of great interest. Recent theoretical modeling, using density functional theory, captures many features of these interactions, as exemplified by the well-characterized heme protein myoglobin. Important details, however, especially the mutual influence of the bound diatomic molecule and the proximal ligand, remain to be clarified.
An analysis of radial segregation for different sized spherical solids in rotary cylinders

Rotary reactors such as ball mills, driers, mixers, blenders, and kilns are extensively used in chemical and metallurgical industries to process billions of tons/year of granular solids. Longitudinal and radial segregation of the feed and/or product due to size, shape, and density differences of the feed or product are often encountered in these unit operations. This paper presents some observations of radial segregation due to size differences of spherical solids for slumping, rolling, cascading, cataracting, and centrifuging beds. The mechanism by which spherical beads segregate radially is a combination of percolation and flow. The kinetics of radial segregation for rolling beds is observed and quantified using high speed photography. The rate of segregation is shown to be a function of the cylinder rpm but is independent of bed depth. Furthermore, the larger the size ratio of coarse to fines, the faster the rate of segregation. The scale-up of the segregation process is investigated using two cylinders, 0.2 m ID × 0.2 m L and 0.4 m ID × 0.4 m L. Both the size ratio of the solids and the Froude number are the scale-up criteria for the rate of radial segregation. The former is related to the packing characteristics of loosely packed beds when rolling and to the effective radius of rotation of particles when cataracting or centrifuging.
SU‐E‐T‐162: Dosimetric Comparison of Radiochromic Film and Diode Array Measurements for Quality Assurance of Small IMRT Fields

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of the dose distribution sampling on the outcome of the Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy(IMRT)Quality Assurance (QA) for the small fields. Methods: MapCHECK diode array (Sun Nuclear, Melbourne, FL) is routinely used for IMRT plans verification in our clinic. Dose distributions for ten plans with small field sizes ranging from 3 to 6 cm were measured using MapCHECK, satisfying our 3% and 3 mm distance‐to‐agreement (DTA) criterion for more than 90% of points above 10% threshold. The spatial resolution of 0.7 cm diagonally in the central region of the MapCHECK may result in as few as 20 or less sampling points. To increase the spatial resolution, we delivered the same plans to the MapCHECK, shifted 0.5 cm orthogonally, and merged the two dose distributions. Same fields were also delivered to the EBT2 radiochromic films (International Specialty Products, Wayne, NJ). Films were scanned using Epson Expression 10000XL flatbed film scanner with a resolution of 0.3 mm and calibrated for absolute dosimetry. The dose distributions with 3% and 3 mm DTA criterion were compared for as follows: plan with film, plan with MapCHECK and direct comparison of MapCHECK and merged MapCHECK distributions with film. Results: MapCHECK shows a slightly better agreement with plan than film dosimetry (mean percentage of passing points is 98.3% vs. 96.0%). The average percentage of passing points is 98.3% with standard deviation (SD) of 2.4% when comparing film with single MapCHECK measurements. This average is 97.7% with SD of 2.1% for MapCHECK measurement with merged fields. The increase of MAPCHECK sampling does not always results in improvement in agreement with film. Conclusions: The diode matrix may effectively replace the film dosimetry for small field sizes ranging from 3 to 6 cm.