cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In situ and ex vivo evaluation of a wireless magnetoelastic biliary stent monitoring system

This paper presents the in situ and ex vivo evaluation of a system that wirelessly monitors the accumulation of intimal tissue and sludge in a biliary stent. The sensing element, located within the stent, is a magnetoelastic resonator that is queried by a wireless radio frequency signal. The in situ testing uses a commercially-available self-expanding biliary stent enhanced with a 1 mm × 25 mm magnetoelastic ribbon sensor (formed from Metglas™ 2605SA1). The stent has a conformal magnetic layer (consisting of strontium ferrite particles suspended in polydimethylsiloxane) that biases the sensor. The external interrogation module is able to acquire a signal from the sensor from a distance of at least 5 cm while the sensor is implanted in a porcine carcass and loaded with biological fluids. The ex vivo testing uses bile harvested from the porcine carcass. The response of a 1 mm × 25 mm magnetoelastic ribbon sensor is first calibrated with fluids of known density and viscosity, and the calibrated sensor is used to estimate that the viscosity of the harvested bile is 2.7–3.7 cP. The test results presented in this paper illustrate the fundamental usability of the system when the sensor is implanted, loaded by biological fluids, and interrogated in a surgical setup.
On the excited state disproportionation of Ru(bipy) 32

Abstract The disproportionation of ( 3CT)Ru(bipy) 32+ in homogeneous solutions has been investigated by laser flash photolysis where excitations were carried out with high intensities (250>Iab> 70 MW/cc) of monochromatic light (λ excit ∼440 nm). Such a disproportionation reaction competes, at a nearly diffusion-controlled rate, with the unimolecular (radiation and radiationless) relaxation.
Closed-loop control of systems over a communications network with queues

Due to remote sensor, actuator and processor locations, many systems need to implement closed loop control through a communication network. Thus, they may thus face the problem of induced random delays caused by the network. These delays may deteriorate the system performance and may even cause instability. The problems get more complicated when the possibility of queue formation at the transmitting side is considered for closed loop data transmission. In this paper, we propose a state prediction/control scheme to control this type of system. The scheme utiliźes knowledge of the amount of data in the queue to enhance prediction. Two automotive examples will be used to demonstrate the performance of the proposed scheme.
Future directions in response surface methodology for simulation

As a tool for gradient estimation and sensitivity analysis in discrete simulation, response surface methodology possesses noteworthy advantages in comparison to some of the more recently developed techniques. This paper surveys future directions for research, development, and application of response surface methodology in discrete simulation.
Monte Carlo studies of multiwavelength pyrometry using linearized equations

Multiwavelength pyrometry has been advertised as giving significant improvement in precision by overdetermining the solution with extra wavelengths and using least squares methods. Hiernaut et al. [1] have described a six-wavelength pyrometer for measurements in the range 2000 to 5000 K. They use the Wien approximation and model the logarithm of the emissivity as a linear function of wavelength in order to produce linear equations. The present work examines the measurement errors associated with their technique.
Determining the effects of local development regulations on landscape structure: Comparison of The Woodlands and North Houston, TX

Abstract The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship between ecological landscape structure and local development regulations over time. Comparison analysis was conducted between two areas that had similar pre-development ecological conditions but were developed under vastly different regulatory environments. The Woodlands (regulated to protect ecological condition) and the North Houston area (which followed traditional subdivision regulations) were examined at three different developmental time periods: pre-development, early development (after 10 years), and matured development (after 30 years). Aerial photos of each site from the three time periods were classified into forested and non-forested classes and the landscape structure was quantified with a number of landscape metrics related to fragmentation – an indicator of habitat degradation. Two factors, the ecological approach to landscape planning and the adoption of more restrictive landscape regulations and guidelines, are discussed on the premise that they exert influence in developing and maintaining the long-term sustainability of ecosystems. This study provides quantified landscape configuration and composition of the effects of development regulations on landscape structure. The ecologically planned community shows that a less fragmented forest pattern and more restrictive development guidelines result in more ecologically structured environments. Understanding how elements of local development regulations affect ecological landscape patterns is important for landscape architects, planners, and administrators because it can lead to better strategies for planning and designing sustainable communities.
Temporal evolution of generalization during learning in linear networks

We study generalization in a simple framework of feedforward linear networks with n inputs and n outputs, trained from examples by gradient descent on the usual quadratic error function. We derive analytical results on the behavior of the validation function corresponding to the LMS error function calculated on a set of validation patterns. We show that the behavior of the validation function depends critically on the initial conditions and on the characteristics of the noise. Under certain simple assumptions, if the initial weights are sufficiently small, the validation function has a unique minimum corresponding to an optimal stopping time for training for which simple bounds can be calculated. There exists also situations where the validation function can have more complicated and somewhat unexpected behavior such as multiple local minima (at most n) of variable depth and long but finite plateau effects. Additional results and possible extensions are briefly discussed.
The influence of consumer diversity and indirect facilitation on trophic level biomass and stability

The relationship between species diversity and the stability and production of trophic levels continues to receive intense scientific interest. Though facilitation is commonly cited as an essential underlying mechanism, few studies have provided evidence of the impact that indirect facilitation may have on diversity/ecosystem functioning relationships. In this laboratory study, we examined the effect of zooplankton species diversity on trophic structure (total algal and zooplankton biomass) and temporal stability of total zooplankton biomass. We utilized four species of pond zooplankton grown in either monoculture or in polyculture. When comparing responses in polycultures with responses averaged across monocultures, a positive effect of diversity on total zooplankton biomass was observed. This occurred as a result of positive facilitative effects among competing zooplankton. Daphnia pulex , a biomass dominant in monoculture, was negatively affected by the presence of interspecific competitors. In contrast, Diaphanosoma brachyurum , a species that performed poorly in monoculture, was strongly and positively affected by the presence of interspecific competitors, driving positive diversity effects on total zooplankton biomass. Positive temporal covariances among zooplankton were detected in several polyculture replicates, increasing temporal variability of total zooplankton biomass. However, this destabilizing effect was weak relative to effects of high biomass yields in polyculture which caused temporal biomass variability (as measured by the coefficient of variation) to be lower in polyculture relative to monocultures. Zooplankton diversity effects on total algal biomass were not detected. However, increased zooplankton diversity significantly altered the size structure of algae, increasing the relative abundance of large, grazer-resistant algae.
Heterologous Protein Expression Affects the Death Kinetics of Baculovirus-Infected Insect Cell Cultures: A Quantitative Study by Use of n-Target Theory

The death of cultured insect cells after baculovirus infection is a time-dependent event. Without a quantitative model, it is difficult to characterize its kinetics. Our group has shown that the cell survival rate can be characterized by use of the n-target theory, which involves only two parameters: the number of hypothetical inactivation targets (n) and the first-order death rate (k). In this study, we used different recombinant viruses to examine the effect of heterologous protein expression on the cell survival rate. The proteins expressed were β-galactosidase, human T-cell leukemia virus type I p40x, human interleukin-2, and human tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). The survival rate was affected by protein expression, but the n value remained constant if the protein expression level was high (above 30 mg/L). Low-level expression of secreted, glycosylated tPA resulted in a reduced n value, which was restored to the normal value when the tPA signal peptide and prosequence were deleted. In addition, if the n value was normal (10–11), the level of protein expression correlated negatively with the death rate. However, if the n value was reduced by unfavorable culture conditions or foreign protein expression, the expression level correlated positively with the death rate. A dimensionless plot with kt as the dimensionless time shows that alteration of the k value while retaining constant n is equivalent to a rescaling of time. Therefore, the survival curves with constant n reduce to a single curve on the dimensionless plot. Although the underlying mechanisms affecting n and k are still unknown, this study shows that they can serve as convenient phenotypes for investigating virus—host interactions.
A comparison of the thermal and mechanical degradation of glassy polystyrene by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

The thermal and mechanical degradation of glassy polystyrene has been studied by Fourier Transform Infrared, FT-IR, spectroscopy. Using difference spectroscopy we have found that the products formed from these two modes of degradation were significantly different. This result is in contrast with other workers who found similar products for the thermal and mechanical degradation of polystyrene by mass spectroscopy. Our result suggests a reassessment of the thermal activation mechanism for mechanically-induced bond scission. We have also found that the distribution of oxidation products appears to depend upon the environment in which the polymer is mechanically degraded. Finally, we have demonstrated the utility of FT-IR spectroscopy for studying the mechanical degradation of polymers.
Hospital volume-related differences in aorto-bifemoral bypass operative mortality in the United States

Abstract Purpose: Aorto-bifemoral bypass (AFB) is commonly performed in US hospitals. Durable long-term outcome is achieved after AFB performed to treat aortoiliac occlusive disease. However, short-term outcome for complex surgical procedures is not uniform across medical centers. The objective of the current study was to define the relationship of hospital volume to operative mortality after AFB. Methods: The study included 3073 patients with a primary procedure code for AFB and a diagnostic code for peripheral vascular occlusive disease who received treatment during 1997 at 483 hospitals in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). The NIS represents a 20% stratified random sample representative of all US hospitals. Unadjusted and case mix-adjusted analyses were performed. Results: Overall AFB-related mortality was 3.3%. Hospitals that performed more than 25 AFB per year (33% of patients at 37 hospitals in the NIS) had a lower crude mortality rate (3.7% vs 2.2%) compared with hospitals that performed fewer AFB. In a multivariate analysis adjusting for case mix, AFB at a high- volume hospital was associated with 42% decreased risk for in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR], 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34-0.97; P =.04) compared with low-volume hospitals. Two other important risk factors associated with increased mortality in the multivariate analysis included age more than 65 years (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 2.0-5.4) and history of chronic pulmonary disease (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2-2.9). Conclusions: AFB operative mortality was significantly lower at high-volume hospitals in this nationally representative database. The effect of hospital volume of AFB procedures on outcome should be of importance to patients, providers, and health policy makers. (J Vasc Surg 2003;37:970-5.)
The Ethics of Reviving Long Extinct Species

There now appears to be a plausible pathway for reviving species that have been extinct for several decades, centuries, or even millennia. I conducted an ethical analysis of de-extinction of long extinct species. I assessed several possible ethical considerations in favor of pursuing de-extinction: that it is a matter of justice; that it would reestablish lost value; that it would create new value; and that society needs it as a conservation last resort. I also assessed several possible ethical arguments against pursuing de-extinction: that it is unnatural; that it could cause animal suffering; that it could be ecologically problematic or detrimental to human health; and that it is hubristic. There are reasons in favor of reviving long extinct species, and it can be ethically acceptable to do so. However, the reasons in favor of pursuing de-extinction do not have to do with its usefulness in species conservation; rather, they concern the status of revived species as scientific and technological achievements, and it would be ethically problematic to promote de-extinction as a significant conservation strategy, because it does not prevent species extinctions, does not address the causes of extinction, and could be detrimental to some species conservation efforts. Moreover, humanity does not have a responsibility or obligation to pursue de-extinction of long extinct species, and reviving them does not address any urgent problem. Therefore, legitimate ecological, political, animal welfare, legal, or human health concerns associated with a de-extinction (and reintroduction) must be thoroughly addressed for it to be ethically acceptable.
Snails, schistosomiasis, and irrigation in the tropics.

Abstract Schistosomiasis is a debilitating disease endemic to much of the tropical world. Certainsnail species serve as the intermediate hosts. As the warm countries develop irrigation schemes, the potential for increased transmission is created by the inadvertent creation of suitable snail habitats. The problem and possible solutions are examined and evaluated.
Improved immobilized carbon dioxide capture sorbents

The capture of carbon dioxide from simulated flue gas streams has been achieved by using immobilized and aminated-SBA-15 solid sorbents. SBA-15, a mesoporous silica material with a uniform pore size of 21 nm and a surface area of 200~230 m 2 /g. The solid sorbents prepared in this study exhibit similar or improved capacities relative to those already used to control CO2 concentrations in submarine and spacecraft applications. The results suggest that immobilized secondary amines have a stronger affinity for the capture of carbon dioxide from simulated flue gas streams than primary amines. The performance of these immobilized and aminated-SBA-15 solid sorbents decreased with regeneration. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Optimal Scheduling of Replacement and Inspection

This paper summarizes research on the optimal scheduling of replacement and inspection for stochastically failing equipment, it is assumed that for some parts of the equipment, the state of the equipment---whether good or failed---is not known with certainty. Periodic policies for inspection or replacement of equipment consisting of a single stochastically failing module are discussed, first under the assumption that the distribution of times to failure of the stochastically failing module is known and secondly under the assumption that the form of the distribution is known but that the failure rate is unknown. “Opportunistic” policies for inspection and/or replacement of equipment consisting of more than one stochastically failing module are discussed, for such policies, the action to be taken for a given part may depend on the state of other parts.
Effects of Lead Counseling for Children with Lead Levels &ge20 μg/dL:Impact on Parental Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior

The purpose of this study was to assess parental knowledge, attitudes, and behavior concerning lead reduction counseling. Of 108 children with confirmed venous lead levels > or = 20 microg/dL, 75 (69%) of the parents were interviewed by telephone 6-9 months later. The majority of parents recalled being given specific lead reduction strategies. Knowledge of cleaning interventions was associated with parents who could state the lead level, who perceived a benefit from knowing it was elevated, and whose children were referred to a specialty lead clinic. Recall of nutritional interventions was associated with parents who could state the lead level and whose children were referred to a specialty lead clinic. Although 79% of parents thought that it was beneficial to know their child's lead level was elevated, only 65% reported implementing lead reduction strategies. The majority of parents recalled receiving lead reduction counseling but reported low compliance with lead reduction strategies. Further research is needed to determine the causes of the discrepancy between knowledge and making the behavior changes necessary to comply with lead reduction interventions.
Sweep-net sampling acorns in forested wetlands.

We are unaware of any previous studies to evaluate using a sweep net to estimate abundance of red oak acorns (Quercus spp.) after they fall from tree crowns, sink to the ground in flooded bottomlands (i.e., sound acorns), and become potential food for animals or propagules for seedlings. We placed known numbers of white-painted red oak acorns of 3 size classes and used a sweep net to recover them in a flooded hardwood bottomland in Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, Mississippi, USA. We recovered large acorns 1.96 and 1.32 times more often than small and medium acorns, respectively. Mean recovery rate of all marked acorns across size and density classes was 34.0 6 7.0% (SE, n 5 9). Thus, sweep-net sampling for sound acorns in flooded oak bottomlands may yield negatively biased estimates of acorn abundance, and investigators should consider using correction factors. Red oaks (Quercus spp.) occur widespread in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley and elsewhere in the southeast-
Recent results in model-based wind retrieval

From multiple measurements of the normalized radar backscatter (/spl sigmaspl deg/) made by a spaceborne scatterometer, the near-surface wind over the ocean can be inferred using a geophysical model function relating /spl sigmaspl deg/ and the vector wind. Recently, a model-based retrieval technique has been developed. The technique avoids many of the problems associated with traditional point-wise wind retrieval and ambiguity removal. The model-based retrieval can also produce vorticity and divergence fields as auxiliary products. In this paper the method is applied to ERS-1 scatterometer data. Comparisons in performance between the traditional two-step pointwise wind retrieval/ambiguity removal method and the model-based retrieval method are presented using simulated and actual ERS-1 measurements. The results suggest that model-based retrieval can produce more accurate estimates of the wind field than pointwise wind retrieval-particularily in low wind speed regions where the C-band model function results in low wind accuracy for traditional wind estimation. The authors consider the spectra of the wind and wind vorticity over scales of from 50 to 1000 km. >
Isobutyraldehyde production from Escherichia coli by removing aldehyde reductase activity

Background: Increasing global demand and reliance on petroleum-derived chemicals will necessitate alternative sources for chemical feedstocks. Currently, 99% of chemical feedstocks are derived from petroleum and natural gas. Renewable methods for producing important chemical feedstocks largely remain unaddressed. Synthetic biology enables the renewable production of various chemicals from microorganisms by constructing unique metabolic pathways. Here, we engineer Escherichia coli for the production of isobutyraldehyde, which can be readily converted to various hydrocarbons currently derived from petroleum such as isobutyric acid, acetal, oxime and imine using existing chemical catalysis. Isobutyraldehyde can be readily stripped from cultures during production, which reduces toxic effects of isobutyraldehyde. Results: We adopted the isobutanol pathway previously constructed in E. coli, neglecting the last step in the pathway where isobutyraldehyde is converted to isobutanol. However, this strain still overwhelmingly produced isobutanol (1.5 g/L/OD600 (isobutanol) vs 0.14 g/L/OD600 (isobutyraldehyde)). Next, we deleted yqhD which encodes a broad-substrate range aldehyde reductase known to be active toward isobutyraldehyde. This strain produced isobutanol and isobutyraldehyde at a near 1:1 ratio, indicating further native isobutyraldehyde reductase (IBR) activity in E. coli. To further eliminate isobutanol formation, we set out to identify and remove the remaining IBRs from the E. coli genome. We identified 7 annotated genes coding for IBRs that could be active toward isobutyraldehyde: adhP, eutG, yiaY, yjgB, betA, fucO, eutE. Individual deletions of the genes yielded only marginal improvements. Therefore, we sequentially deleted all seven of the genes and assessed production. The combined deletions greatly increased isobutyraldehyde production (1.5 g/L/OD600) and decreased isobutanol production (0.4 g/L/OD600). By assessing production by overexpression of each candidate IBR, we reveal that AdhP, EutG, YjgB, and FucO are active toward isobutyraldehyde. Finally, we assessed long-term isobutyraldehyde production of our best strain containing a total of 15 gene deletions using a gas stripping system with in situ product removal, resulting in a final titer of 35 g/L after 5 days. Conclusions: In this work, we optimized E. coli for the production of the important chemical feedstock isobutyraldehyde by the removal of IBRs. Long-term production yielded industrially relevant titers of isobutyraldehyde with in situ product removal. The mutational load imparted on E. coli in this work demonstrates the versatility of metabolic engineering for strain improvements. Background The dependence on finite petroleum and natural gas resources as well as their potential environmental impact has generated interest in exploring renewable sources for replacements. This has more notably been applied to the areas of transportation fuels. However, less attention has been paid to the chemical feedstock industry.
Selective lysis of target cells by interleukin-2-expanded peripheral blood mononuclear leukocyte clones

The presence of distinct cytolytic subsets within interleukin-2-expanded peripheral blood leukocytes (IEL) cultures was demonstrated by clonal analysis. Thirty-seven IEL clones were isolated from two healthy blood donors; 21 destroyed both Daudi and K562 cell lines. Of those 21 clones, 1 clone could destroy autologous PBM, 7 clones could destroy fresh allogeneic ovarian carcinoma (OVA-CA) cells, and 6 clones could destroy normal autologous PBM and fresh OVA-CA cells. Twelve of the 37 clones destroyed only one of the four targets tested: 8 clones destroyed K562, 2 clones destroyed Daudi, and 1 clone each was selective for autologous PBM or OVA-CA. Of the remaining 4 clones, 1 destroyed OVA-CA and Daudi cells, 1 destroyed PBM and K562, 1 destroyed PBM and Daudi cells, and 1 destroyed PBM, Daudi, and OVA-CA. These results suggest that these functionally heterogeneous cytolytic clones may use different cell recognition or cytolytic mechanisms to enable these distinct and, at times, reciprocal patterns of target cell selectivity.
Experimental Cementation of Carbonate Sands: ABSTRACT

The processes of vadose and phreatic diagenesis in carbonate rocks have been simulated in the laboratory by using CO2 charged water to leach a "source bed" of carbonate sand. Precipitation of carbonate cement in a second sand body, above and below an artificial water table, was induced by CO2 evasion. Aragonite and high-Mg calcite (predominantly the latter) were leached from the source bed, and low-Mg calcite was precipitated as cement in the second sand unit. More cement was produced in the "vadose" zone than in the "phreatic" zone. The petrography of the cement is similar to that observed in cemented eolianites in Bermuda. Petrographic evidence suggests that cementation proceeds in 3 stages: (1) intragranular calcite cement forms drusy cavity fillings in the original voids of skeletal fragments; (2) rim cementation, consisting of fine-grained spar calcite; and (3) intergranular fine-grained calcite spar filling the original pore space in the skeletal sediment. Mass transfer calculations show that the laboratory cementation process is consistent with soil PCO2, rainfall, and cementation rates on Bermuda. End_of_Article - Last_Page 367------------
Efficacy of tracheal insufflation of oxygen during oleic acid-induced pulmonary edema.

Study objectives: To determine whether tracheal insufflation of oxygen (TRIO) might be useful in field resuscitation of casualties with lung dysfunction. Design: Physiological measurements of cardiac and respiratory function were compared before and after oleic acid lung injury. Setting and participants: Beagles were studied in a laboratory. Interventions: Oleic acid (0.06 mL/kg) was injected over four minutes into the central venous port of a pulmonary artery catheter. Measurements were made during 30 minutes of TRIO before and after acute lung injury. Measurements: Hemodynamic and respiratory measurements, including intravascular pressures, heart rate, cardiac output, blood gases, respiratory system compliance, and O 2 consumption were recorded during conventional mechanical ventilation and TRIO. Results: Before acute lung injury, Pao 2 (mean ± SD) increased ( P 2 (mean ± SD) increased ( P 2 . After acute lung injury, compliance decreased. Pao 2 decreased ( P P Conclusion: Despite poor gas exchange after acute lung injury, TRIO maintained adequate oxygenation and may be useful for emergency ventilation even when pulmonary edema complicates resuscitation.
The Relative Efficiency of Approval and Condorcet Voting Procedures

This article compares empirically the average utility for the electorate of the candidates selected by approval voting and by ranking-based voting with a search for a Condorcet winner (a Condorcet-completion procedure). “Feeling thermometer” scores from the presidential election surveys for 1972 through 1984 of the Institute for Survey Research are used for distributions of utilities of candidates for voters. Several hypotheses about voting behavior under approval voting are explored, while voters using a Condorcet completion procedure are assumed to rank the candidates according to the utility they offer. The average social utilities of the candidates chosen by these voting systems are remarkably similar, while that for single-vote plurality (under sincere voting) is significantly lower.
Thinking nonlinearly about brain dynamics: a neurocommentary

Despite significant progress over the past several decades in neural research there still remains an ingrained tendency to approach the field using overly reductionistic as well as linear theories and methods. We are just beginning to appreciate the complexity of the brain. A further shift in our "consciousness" about neural dynamics is needed to take the next steps in brain research. We need to use more reflexively what we have learned about the nonlinear dynamical and complex nature of the brain to attempt to "bootstrap" our own thinking processes about neural science itself.
Intramolecular regulation of phosphorylation status of the circadian clock protein KaiC.

Background: KaiC, a central clock protein in cyanobacteria, undergoes circadian oscillations between hypophosphorylated and hyperphosphorylated forms in vivo and in vitro. Structural analyses of KaiC crystals have identified threonine and serine residues in KaiC at three residues (T426, S431, and T432) as potential sites at which KaiC is phosphorylated; mutation of any of these three sites to alanine abolishes rhythmicity, revealing an essential clock role for each residue separately and for KaiC phosphorylation in general. Mass spectrometry studies confirmed that the S431 and T432 residues are key phosphorylation sites, however, the role of the threonine residue at position 426 was not clear from the mass spectrometry measurements. Methodology and Principal Findings: Mutational approaches and biochemical analyses of KaiC support a key role for T426 in control of the KaiC phosphorylation status in vivo and in vitro and demonstrates that alternative amino acids at residue 426 dramatically affect KaiC’s properties in vivo and in vitro, especially genetic dominance/recessive relationships, KaiC dephosphorylation, and the formation of complexes of KaiC with KaiA and KaiB. These mutations alter key circadian properties, including period, amplitude, robustness, and temperature compensation. Crystallographic analyses indicate that the T426 site is phosphorylatible under some conditions, and in vitro phosphorylation assays of KaiC demonstrate labile phosphorylation of KaiC when the primary S431 and T432 sites are blocked. Conclusions and Significance: T426 is a crucial site that regulates KaiC phosphorylation status in vivo and in vitro and these studies underscore the importance of KaiC phosphorylation status in the essential cyanobacterial circadian functions. The regulatory roles of these phosphorylation sites–including T426–within KaiC enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying circadian rhythm generation in cyanobacteria.
Effects of weather and climate on the dynamics of animal population time series

Weather is one of the most basic factors impacting animal populations, but the typical strength of such impacts on population dynamics is unknown. We incorporate weather and climate index data into analysis of 492 time series of mammals, birds and insects from the global population dynamics database. A conundrum is that a multitude of weather data may a priori be considered potentially important and hence present a risk of statistical over-fitting. We find that model selection or averaging alone could spuriously indicate that weather provides strong improvements to short-term population prediction accuracy. However, a block randomization test reveals that most improvements result from over-fitting. Weather and climate variables do, in general, improve predictions, but improvements were barely detectable despite the large number of datasets considered. Climate indices such as North Atlantic Oscillation are not better predictors of population change than local weather variables. Insect time series are typically less predictable than bird or mammal time series, although all taxonomic classes display low predictability. Our results are in line with the view that population dynamics is often too complex to allow resolving mechanisms from time series, but we argue that time series analysis can still be useful for estimating net environmental effects.
Experimental Radiation-Induced Heart Disease: Past, Present, and Future

Radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) is a serious side effect of radiotherapy for intrathoracic and chest wall tumors. The threshold dose for development of clinically significant RIHD is believed to be lower than previously assumed. Therefore, research into mechanisms of RIHD has gained substantial momentum. RIHD becomes clinically apparent ten to fifteen years after radiation exposure. Chronic manifestations of RIHD include accelerated atherosclerosis, cardiomyopathy, and valve abnormalities. Reducing exposure of the heart during radiotherapy is the only known method of preventing RIHD, and there are no approaches to reverse RIHD once it occurs. We use a combination of pharmacological and genetic animal models to determine biological mechanisms of RIHD. Major technological advances in small animal research have made this type of study more valuable. The long-term goal of this work is to identify targets for intervention in RIHD, thereby enhancing the efficacy and safety of thoracic radiotherapy.
THE NUMERICAL PREDICTION OF HURRICANE MOVEMENT WITH THE BAROTROPIC MODEL

Abstract In order to increase the accuracy of prediction of hurricane movement beyond that which has been obtained with methods now in use, a numerical procedure based upon the barotropic model is presented here. A vortex field is separated from the total flow to obtain the residual-steering flow field. By solving the equation for the steering field, which does not include any parameters related to the vortex, the prediction of the steering flow is executed in the ordinary manner. By solving the other equation, which includes the interaction terms between the hurricane and the steering flow, the movement of the vortex pattern is predicted. To make the latter problem more tractable, a velocity formula for the movement of the vortex center is derived on the basis of a few reasonable assumptions concerning the structure of the vortex and of the steering field. The variables in the formula are expressed only in terms of quantities determined by the steering field and a single characteristic parameter related ...
Clinical and laboratory evaluation of cefamandole in infants and children.

Fifty-three infants and children, aged three months to 15 years, were treated with an average daily dose of 100 mg of cefamandole/kg intravenously. Of these patients, 47 had soft tissue cellulitis and six had pneumonia. Primary pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae, were isolated from 43 of the 53 patients. Bacteremia was documented in six of the 53 patients. A satisfactory clinical and bacteriologic response to cefamandole was achieved in all cases except one (98%). The only treatment failure occurred in an infant with both periorbital cellulitis and bacteremia due to H. in fluenzae who developed meningitis while receiving cefamandole; no extravasation of the drug across the blood-brain barrier could be detected in spite of inflamed meninges. In general, the only aberrant effects of cefamandole were the appearance of eosinophilia in 28% of patients and a positive indirect Coombs' test without hemolysis in one patient. Cefamandole showed excellent in vitro activity against 87 ampicillin-resistant strains of H. influenzae. Because it has greater activity than any of the other cephalosporins against this important pediatric pathogen, cefamandole may have particular pertinence in the treatment of infections in infants and young children.
Comparison of the effectiveness of comprehensive evaluation recommended mode and its modified mode on health indexes of public places

Objective To compare the effectiveness of comprehensive evaluation recommended mode and its modified mode on health indexes of public places,and to explore a scientific,practical comprehensive evaluation method of health for public places. Methods According to Comprehensive Evaluation Method of Health for Public Places( WS /T199- 2001),the recommended evaluation mode and the modified mode of health indexes of public places quality were applied to assess the surveillance data of 5 hotels in Taiyuan City,and the differences of these evaluation results obtained by the two methods were compared and analyzed. Results The P values of calculation from the 5 hotels( A,B,C,D,and E) assessed by the modified mode of health quality indexes were 0. 92,0. 95,1. 87,2. 34 and 2. 40 respectively,whereas those assessed by the recommended evaluation mode were 0. 59,0. 70,1. 08,1. 18,and 1. 41 respectively. The health quality of hotels C,D and E assessed by the modified evaluation mode were poorer,the poorest and the poorest respectively,whereas those assessed by the recommended evaluation mode were all poorer. And the evaluation results of the other two hotels assessed by the modified mode were consistent with those by the recommended mode. Conclusions The modified mode has a better resolving potency and warning power than the recommended mode. At the same time,it can objectively reflect the actual environmental quality of public places and conforms to hygiene requirements.
Optimization of the extraction technique of Usnea Polysaccharide via response surface analysis

In this paper,aiming at the extraction of Usnea polysaccharide,response surface methodology( RSM)with 3 factors and 3 levels was adopted to study the key parameters in order to increase the yield of Usnea polysaccharide. A second order quadratic equation was established,and the applicability of the model was verified.The results showed that the effect order of three factors on the yields of Usnea polysaccharide were as follows: extraction time,extraction temperature and ratio of sample to water. The optimum conditions of Usnea polysaccharide extraction were: the extraction temperature of 80℃,extraction time of 3.00h,ratio of sample to water of 40∶1. Under the optimization conditions the yield of Usnea polysaccharide reached 80.16mg /g,meanwhile the results indicated that the feasible model fitted well with the experimental data.
Image disparity in cross-spectral face recognition: mitigating camera and atmospheric effects

Matching facial images acquired in different electromagnetic spectral bands remains a challenge. An example of this type of comparison is matching active or passive infrared (IR) against a gallery of visible face images. When combined with cross-distance, this problem becomes even more challenging due to deteriorated quality of the IR data. As an example, we consider a scenario where visible light images are acquired at a short standoff distance while IR images are long range data. To address the difference in image quality due to atmospheric and camera effects, typical degrading factors observed in long range data, we propose two approaches that allow to coordinate image quality of visible and IR face images. The first approach involves Gaussian-based smoothing functions applied to images acquired at a short distance (visible light images in the case we analyze). The second approach involves denoising and enhancement applied to low quality IR face images. A quality measure tool called Adaptive Sharpness Measure is utilized as guidance for the quality parity process, which is an improvement of the famous Tenengrad method. For recognition algorithm, a composite operator combining Gabor filters, Local Binary Patterns (LBP), generalized LBP and Weber Local Descriptor (WLD) is used. The composite operator encodes both magnitude and phase responses of the Gabor filters. The combining of LBP and WLD utilizes both the orientation and intensity information of edges. Different IR bands, short-wave infrared (SWIR) and near-infrared (NIR), and different long standoff distances are considered. The experimental results show that in all cases the proposed technique of image quality parity (both approaches) benefits the final recognition performance.
Bounded Off-Policy Evaluation with Missing Data for Course Recommendation and Curriculum Design

Successfully recommending personalized course schedules is a difficult problem given the diversity of students knowledge, learning behaviour, and goals. This paper presents personalized course recommendation and curriculum design algorithms that exploit logged student data. The algorithms are based on the regression estimator for contextual multi-armed bandits with a penalized variance term. Guarantees on the predictive performance of the algorithms are provided using empirical Bernstein bounds. We also provide guidelines for including expert domain knowledge into the recommendations. Using undergraduate engineering logged data from a post-secondary institution we illustrate the performance of these algorithms.
Optical measurements using surface-emitting-laser cavities

The cavity design of a surface-emitting laser (SEL) is crucial to device performance. In addition several properties of the laser and its constituent materials can be determined by probing the passive cavity itself. Specifically, the longitudinal mode behavior of passive SEL cavities can be used to measure the thermal dependence of the refractive index and the free-carrier absorption of the cavity materials.
cGAS-STING Signaling Regulates Initial Innate Control of Cytomegalovirus Infection

ABSTRACT Several innate sensing pathways contribute to the control of early cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, leading to a multiphasic type I interferon (IFN-I) response that limits viral replication and promotes host defenses. Toll-like receptor (TLR)-dependent pathways induce IFN-I production in CMV-infected plasmacytoid dendritic cells; however, the initial burst of IFN-I that occurs within the first few hours in vivo is TLR independent and emanates from stromal cells. Here we show that primary human endothelial cells mount robust IFN-I responses to human CMV that are dependent upon cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), STING, and interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) signaling. Disruption of STING expression in endothelial cells by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-Cas9 revealed that it is essential for the induction of IFN-I and restriction of CMV replication. Consistently, STING was necessary to mount the first phase of IFN-I production and curb CMV replication in infected mice. Thus, DNA sensing through STING is critical for primary detection of both human and mouse CMV in nonhematopoietic cells and drives the initial wave of IFN-I that is key for controlling early viral replication in vivo . IMPORTANCE Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most common viral pathogens, with the majority of people contracting the virus in their lifetime. Although acute infection is mostly asymptomatic in healthy persons, significant pathology is observed in immunocompromised individuals, and chronic CMV infection may exacerbate a myriad of inflammatory conditions. Here we show that primary human endothelial cells mount robust IFN-I responses against CMV via a cGAS/STING/IRF3 pathway. Disruption of STING expression by CRISPRs revealed an essential role in eliciting IFN-I responses and restricting CMV replication. Consistently, in mice, STING is necessary for the first phase of IFN-I production that limits early CMV replication. Our results demonstrate a pivotal role for the cGAS-STING pathway in the initial detection of CMV infection.
Proteins of DNA Replication from Extreme Thermophiles: PCR and Beyond

PCR remains one of the most versatile and widely used techniques in molecular biology, yet the capabilities of PCR seem rudimentary when compared to genome replication in living cells. Modifying Taq polymerase, or supplementing or replacing it with other proteins of thermophilic archaea or bacteria, has enhanced the functional properties of PCR and created other techniques with extended or complementary capabilities. The enhancements to PCR include increased fidelity, the ability to amplify damaged template, and tolerance of otherwise inhibitory substances in analytical samples, whereas the complementary techniques include whole-genome amplification, high-resolution genotyping, and improved performance of massively parallel sequencing. A tremendous functional diversity of thermostable DNA-replication enzymes is provided by (i) the native proteins of thermophiles currently in culture, (ii) those cloned from uncultivated thermophiles, and (iii) molecular engineering of clones obtained from both these sources. The extent and depth of this molecular diversity argues that the pace of technological innovation involving DNA synthesis at elevated temperatures will continue to accelerate.
Skill Demands and Mismatch in U.S. Manufacturing

Recent economic events have sparked debates over the degree of structural mismatch in the U.S. economy. One of the most frequent claims is that workers lack the skills that employers demand. The existing literature, however, analyzes this potential mismatch at a high level of aggregation with abstract indices and noisy proxies that obscure the underlying mechanisms. The authors address these issues by presenting and analyzing results from a survey of U.S. manufacturing establishments. The survey is the first, to their knowledge, to directly measure concrete employer skill demands and hiring experiences in a nationally representative survey at the industry level. The findings indicate that demand for higher-level skills is generally modest, and that three-quarters of manufacturing establishments do not show signs of hiring difficulties. Among the remainder, demands for higher-level math and reading skills are significant predictors of long-term vacancies, but demands for computer skills and other critical-...
Semiclassical modeling of individual and arrayed nanoantennas in the quantum plasmonic regime

We put forward here design and semiclassical modeling of nonlinear and reconfigurable optical metasurfaces formed by arrayed nanoantennas with nano/subnano-scale feed-gaps, where the photon-assisted tunneling results in a set of linear/nonlinear quantum conductivities. We show that optical nonlinearities sourced from higher-order quantum conductivities may be boosted by the plasmonic resonance and the large local field enhancement in the load region of nanoantenna. We discuss two exciting applications of the proposed nanoantenna-based devices: efficient frequency multiplication at the nanoscale and dynamic resistive switching for holographic imaging.
The Definitive Management of Primary Hyperparathyroidism: Who Needs an Operation?

One of the first cases of successful parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism was described in JAMA in 1929. In that report, Barr and colleagues1 detail the case of a 56-year-old woman who presented with an inability to walk, frequent urination, and swelling of the right forefinger. She also had profound muscular hypotonia, nephrolithiasis with hypercalciuria, and bone demineralization. Her serum calcium level was elevated to 16 mg/dL. Suspecting the parathyroid glands to be causing her illness, the patient underwent surgery to remove a walnut-sized parathyroid adenoma from her neck, an operation that was complicated by postoperative hypocalcemia. Eventually both the hypocalcemia and her symptoms of hyperparathyroidism improved. The authors coined the term hyperparathyroidism to describe the relationship between the parathyroid tumor and this patient’s disease state.1
Mental Health and Academic Success of First-Year College Students

The prevalence and severity of mental health issues are increasing among college students, and such issues pose a threat to health and academic performance. Responses from 66,159 undergraduate students about mental health and academics from the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment II were examined using regression analyses. Differences in mental health diagnoses were found by classification with first-year students reporting higher rates of self-injury and seriously considering suicide. Upperclassmen reported higher rates of academic impact from mental health factors. Findings indicate one’s first-year of college as the prime time to promote awareness of and strategies to prevent mental health issues or negative academic effects; implications for first-year experience programs are discussed.