cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Field measurements of NO2 gas range-top burner emission rates

This paper discusses a field experimental technique used in a pilot study to measure NO{sub 2} emission rates from range-top burners throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. Twenty-five residences were selected on the basis of gas range age. The development work for the field study was performed in an environmental test chamber using one gas range. The field technique was compared to real time measurements using stoichiometric (direct method) principles. The experimenters concluded that there are no major differences between the field experimental technique used and the direct method for NO{sub 2} emission rate measurements. The measured NO{sub 2} emission rates from the 25 gas ranges vary considerably, with some indication of dependence on the gas range age.
Friedel oscillations in relativistic QED and QCD.

Modification of Debye screening and Friedel-type oscillations are found in high-density QED and QCD. At distances r\ensuremath{\gg}1/${m}_{\mathrm{el}}$ and in the ultrarelativistic limit the screened potential of two charges behaves like \ensuremath{\sim}${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{2}$sin(2${k}_{F}$r)/${r}^{4}$. This may have implications for charmonium suppression in the fragmentation region in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions and for the screening of impurities in white-dwarf stars.
Robots for Use in Autism Research

Autism spectrum disorders are a group of lifelong disabilities that affect people's ability to communicate and to understand social cues. Research into applying robots as therapy tools has shown that robots seem to improve engagement and elicit novel social behaviors from people (particularly children and teenagers) with autism. Robot therapy for autism has been explored as one of the first application domains in the field of socially assistive robotics (SAR), which aims to develop robots that assist people with special needs through social interactions. In this review, we discuss the past decade's work in SAR systems designed for autism therapy by analyzing robot design decisions, human-robot interactions, and system evaluations. We conclude by discussing challenges and future trends for this young but rapidly developing research area.
A Chemical Basis for Sour Taste Perception of Acid Solutions and Fresh-Pack Dill Pickles

Sour taste is influenced by pH and acids present in foods. It is not currently possible, however, to accurately predict and modify sour taste intensity in foods containing organic acids. The objective of this study was to investigate the roles of protonated (undissociated) organic acid species and hydrogen ions in evoking sour taste. Sour taste intensity increased linearly with hydrogen ion concentration (R(2)= 0.995), and with the concentration of protonated organic acid species at pH 3.5 (R(2)= 0.884), 4.0 (R(2)= 0.929), and 4.5 (R(2)= 0.975). The structures of organic acid molecules did not affect sour taste after adjusting for the effects of protonated organic acid species and hydrogen ions. Sour taste intensity was also linearly related to the total concentration of protonated organic acid species in fresh-pack dill pickles (R(2)= 0.957). This study showed that the sour taste of organic acids was directly related to the number of molecules with at least 1 protonated carboxyl group plus the hydrogen ions in solution. Conclusions from these results are that all protonated organic acids are equally sour on a molar basis, that all protonated species of a given organic acid are equally sour, and that hydrogen ions and protonated organic acids are approximately equal in sour taste on a molar basis. This study provides a new understanding of the chemical species that are able to elicit sour taste and reveals a basis for predicting sour taste intensity in the formulation of acidified foods.
Structural effects on the biodistribution and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of well-defined (64)Cu-labeled nanoparticles comprised of amphiphilic block graft copolymers.

The synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacryloxysuccinimide-graft-poly(ethylene glycol)) (PMMA-co-PMASI-g-PEG) via living free radical polymerization provides a convenient route to well-defined amphiphilic graft copolymers having a controllable number of reactive functional groups, variable length PEG grafts, and low polydispersity. These copolymers were shown to form PMMA-core/PEG-shell nanoparticles upon hydrophobic collapse in water, with the hydrodynamic size being defined by the molecular weight of the backbone and the PEG grafts. Functionalization of these polymeric nanoparticles with a 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecanetetraacetic acid (DOTA) ligand capable of chelating radioactive 64Cu nuclei enabled the biodistribution and in vivo positron emission tomography of these materials to be studied and directly correlated to the initial structure. Results indicate that nanoparticles with increasing PEG chain lengths show increased blood circulation and low accumulation in excretory organs, suggesti...
Molecular mechanisms of staphylococcus aureus iron acquisition

The unique redox potential of iron makes it an ideal cofactor in diverse biochemical reactions. Iron is therefore vital for the growth and proliferation of nearly all organisms, including pathogenic bacteria. Vertebrates sequester excess iron within proteins in order to alleviate toxicity and restrict the amount of free iron available for invading pathogens. Restricting the growth of infectious microorganisms by sequestering essential nutrients is referred to as nutritional immunity. In order to circumvent nutritional immunity, bacterial pathogens have evolved elegant systems that allow for the acquisition of iron during infection. The gram-positive extracellular pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is a commensal organism that can cause severe disease when it gains access to underlying tissues. Iron acquisition is required for S. aureus colonization and subsequent pathogenesis. Herein we review the strategies S. aureus employs to obtain iron through the production of siderophores and the consumption of host heme.
Texture evolution during shadowing growth of isolated Ru columns

The Ru vertical rods with different lengths were grown by dc magnetron sputtering under oblique angle deposition with substrate rotation. The deposition rate was 4.1±0.2 nm/min and the substrate was near room temperature during the growth. The crystalline structure and morphology of these rods were characterized as a function of time by reflection high energy electron diffraction RHEED , scanning electron microscopy SEM
Perceived Diabetes Task Competence Mediates the Relationship of both Negative and Positive Affect with Blood Glucose in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes

Background Adolescents dealing with type 1 diabetes experience disruptions in affect and diabetes management that may influence their blood glucose.
Learning slip behavior using automatic mechanical supervision

We address the problem of learning terrain traversability properties from visual input, using automatic mechanical supervision collected from sensors onboard an autonomous vehicle. We present a novel probabilistic framework in which the visual information and the mechanical supervision interact to learn particular terrain types and their properties. The proposed method is applied to learning of rover slippage from visual information in a completely automatic fashion. Our experiments show that using mechanical measurements as automatic supervision significantly improves the visual-based classification alone and approaches the results of learning with manual supervision. This work will enable the rover to drive safely on slopes, learning autonomously about different terrains and their slip characteristics.
Imaging the Transverse (Spin) Structure of Hadrons

Parton distributions in impact parameter space, which are obtained by Fourier transforming GPDs, exhibit a significant deviation from axial symmetry when the target and/or quark are transversely polarized. Connections between this deformation and transverse single-spin asymmetries as well as with quark–gluon correlations are discussed. The sign of transverse deformation of impact parameter dependent parton distributions in a transversely polarized target can be related to the sign of the contribution from that quark flavor to the nucleon anomalous magnetic moment. Therefore, the signs of the Sivers function for u and d quarks, as well as the signs of quark–gluon correlations embodied in the polarized structure function g 2 can be understood in terms of the proton and neutron anomalous magnetic moments.
Angiographic analysis of blood flow modification in cerebral aneurysm models with a new asymmetric stent

We have built new asymmetric stents for minimally invasive endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms. Each asymmetric stent consists of a commercial stent with a micro-welded circular mesh patch. The blood flow modification in aneurysm-vessel phantoms due to these stents was evaluated using x-ray angiographic analysis. However, the density difference between the radiographic contrast and the blood gives rise to a gravity effect, which was evaluated using an initial optical dye-dilution experiment. For the radiographic evaluations, curved-vessel phantoms instead of simple straight side-wall aneurysm phantoms were used in the characterization of meshes/stents. Six phantoms (one untreated, one treated with a commercial stent, and four treated with different asymmetric stents) with similar morphologies were used for comparison. We calculated time-density curves of the aneurysm region and then calculated the peak value (Pk) and washout rate (1/τ) after analytical curve fitting. Flow patterns in the angiograms showed reduction of vortex flow and slow washout in the dense mesh patch treated aneurysms. The meshes reduced Pk down to 21% and 1/τ down to 12% of the values for the untreated case. In summary, new asymmetric stents were constructed and their evaluation demonstrates that they may be useful in the endovascular treatment of aneurysms.
Nature, Conflict and Biodiversity Conservation in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve

Much of the research concerning biosphere reserves has focused on problems of ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation rather than the preservation of an ecosystem in which humans play an int e­gral part. Local people often oppose such protected areas because traditional economic and subsistence opportunities will be lost. Thus, there exists a tension between globalised conservation efforts and their unwanted local economic and cultural effects. This research uses the case of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (NDBR) in the Garhwal Himalayas of India to explore how conflicts over biosphere reserve management are grounded in competing social constructions of nature, reflected in discourse and trans­lated into resource management ideals. This article employs multiple methods to uncover how competing conceptions of nature, manifest through discourses of nature, influence ideas of how the reserve should be managed. Local populations seek to conserve biodiversity through livelihoods while the policies that govern the NDBR seek to limit such activities, creating conflict. Helping policy makers to understand that local ideas of resource management are based in ideas of a sacred landscape experienced through communal livelihood activities may serve to create conservation policies that will accommodate local people and help to preserve biodiversity.
Enfolding Health-as-Wholeness- and-Harmony: A Theory of Rogerian Nursing Practice:

The theory of enfolding health-as-wholeness-and-harmony has been derived from the science of unitary human beings and provides an evolutionary understanding of Rogerian nursing practice that recognizes the existence of subtle and gross manifestations of field pattern and the dynamic matrix of subtle configurations of patterning identified as health-as-wholeness-and-harmony. Evolutionary change is specified to be a dynamic, non-linear, and acausal process characterized by the movement of gross manifestations of patterning to new syntheses of subtle manifestations of patterning. Rogerian nursing practice is identified as the nurse and client knowingly participating in evolutionary patterning of the human and environmental fields for the purpose of enfolding health-as-wholeness-and-harmony.
A novel three-terminal negative differential conductance device in silicon: the hot-electron phonon-emission field-effect transistor

In this work, we describe the operation of a novel, three-terminal, laterally patterned NDC device fabricated in a high-mobility strained Si quantum well. We call this device a hot-electron phonon-emission field-effect transistor (HEPEFET), because the NDC is caused by phonon emission of energetic electrons injected into a constricted geometry. We describe the characteristics of the HEPEFET, and point out some of the features that make it potentially attractive for future high-density circuit applications.
What Technology Skills Do Developers Need? A Text Analysis of Job Listings in Library and Information Science (LIS) from Jobs.code4lib.org

Technology plays an indisputably vital role in library and information science (LIS) work; this rapidly moving landscape can create challenges for practitioners and educators seeking to keep pace with such change. In pursuit of building our understanding of currently sought technology competencies in developer-oriented positions within LIS, this paper reports the results of a text analysis of a large collection of job listings culled from the Code4lib jobs website. Beginning over a decade ago as a popular mailing list covering the intersection of technology and library work, the Code4lib organization's current offerings include a website that collects and organizes LIS-related technology job listings. The results of the text analysis of this dataset suggest the currently vital technology skills and concepts that existing and aspiring practitioners may target in their continuing education as developers.
Subspace Identification of a 5 MW Reference Wind Turbine

Nonlinear systems, a category into which essentially all real-world engineering systems fall, are challenging in their design, response prediction, and control. Simulating their dynamic response requires numerical solvers, and the use of frequency-domain techniques is prohibited, which eliminates many commonly used engineering techniques. Subspace identification is a convenient method to approximate a complex, nonlinear system with a linear model, significantly enhancing simulation time and allowing the use of traditional control schemes. This paper investigates the utility of subspace identification for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 5 MW reference model, which runs on their open-source wind turbine simulator, FAST. The ability of the identified model to predict a variety of outputs is compared. The linear models found with subspace identification are used to create a simple gain-scheduled controller, and its performance is compared with the standard NREL 5 MW controller.
Reducing Readmissions after Pancreatectomy: Limiting Complications and Coordinating the Care Continuum

Background Recent analyses of gastrointestinal operations document that complications are a key driver of readmissions. Pancreatectomy is a high outlier with respect to readmission. This analysis sought to determine if a multifactorial approach could reduce readmissions after pancreatectomy. Study Design From 2007 to 2012, the number of patients readmitted by 30 days after pancreaticoduodenectomy, and distal and total pancreatectomy was measured. Steps to decrease readmissions were implemented independently at 1-year intervals; these efforts included strategies to reduce complications, creation of a Readmissions Team with a "discharge coach," increased use of home health, preferred relationships with post-acute care facilities, and the adoption of "Project RED" (Re-Engineered Discharge). The ACS NSQIP was used to track 30-day outcomes for all pancreatic resections. The University HealthSystem Consortium was used to determine length of stay index. Results Over 5 years, 1,163 patients underwent proximal (66%), distal (32%), or total pancreatectomy (2%). The observed 30-day mortality was 2.9% for the study period, and the length of stay index (observed/expected days) was 1.10. Neither varied significantly over time. However, 30-day morbidity decreased from 57% to 46%, and proportion of patients with 30-day all-cause readmissions decreased from 23.0% to 11.5% (p = 0.001). Conclusions All-cause 30-day readmissions after pancreatectomy decreased without increasing length of stay. Efforts by surgeons to decrease complications and an increased emphasis on coordination of care may be useful for reducing readmissions.
Measuring the influence of grain-boundary misorientation on thermal groove geometry in ceramic polycrystals

We have used electron backscattered diffraction patterns to determine the misorientation of 201 adjacent pairs of grains in a magnesia polycrystal. The width and depth of the thermal grooves formed by these same grain boundaries were also measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). By simulating the errors associated with the AFM observations and comparing our observations to existing data for magnesia and alumina, we show that, under appropriate experimental conditions, surface dihedral angles, relative grain-boundary energies, and surface diffusivities determined from AFM measurements are consistent with data acquired by more laborious techniques. Correlation of the grain-boundary misorientation and thermal groove geometry leads to the observation that grain boundaries with small misorientations, regardless of the rotation axis, have shallow thermal grooves and relatively low grain-boundary energies. Furthermore, numerous boundaries with relatively large misorientations but shallow thermal grooves correspond to special boundaries near coincident-site-lattice (CSL) misorientations. Finally, the data set indicates that factors other than the boundary misorientation, such as anisotropy of the surface energy and the grain-boundary tangent plane, play a role in determining the groove geometry.
An Examination of Whitewater Boaters' Expectations: Are Pre-Trip and Post-Trip Measures Consistent?

Expectations are studied to help explain experience quality but are often measured after the conclusion of an activity. Psychological researchers suggest that such recall may be inaccurate. To assess accuracy of recall, 120 Owyhee River boaters indicated their expectations concerning experience conditions (e.g., amount of people, litter) and internal states (e.g., happiness, boredom) on a pre-trip questionnaire. At the conclusion of the trip, they were asked to recall their original expectations. Results showed that individuals recalled most of their original expectations accurately (9 of 13 conditions; 12 of 12 internal states). Recall accuracy was equally high among commercial and private boaters, novices and repeat visitors, and boaters on different length trips. These findings suggest that measuring expectations after a trip is as valid as measurements taken prior to the trip.
Natural Exopolysaccharides Enhance Survival of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Frozen Dairy Desserts

Abstract Viable lactic acid-producing bacteria in frozen dairy desserts can be a source of β -galactosidase for persons who absorb lactose insufficiently. However, freezing kills many of the cells, causing loss of enzymatic activity. Cultures selected for high β -galactosidase activities and high survival rates in the presence of bile were examined for survivability during freezing in reduced-fat ice cream. Encapsulated S. thermophilus strains survived better than their nonencapsulated mutants in reduced-fat ice cream after freezing and frozen storage at −29°C for 16 d (28 vs. 19%). However, a small nonencapsulated strain of Lactobacillus delbrueckii sp. bulgaricus survived better than the large encapsulated strain in reduced-fat ice cream. Factors that improved survival of encapsulated S. thermophilus 1068 in ice cream were 1) harvest of cells in the late-log phase of growth at 37°C rather than at 40, 42.5, or 45°C; 2) overrun at 50% rather than 100%; and 3) storage at −17°C rather than −23 or −29°C. Survival of strain ST1068 was unaffected by 1) neutralization of acid during growth or 2) substitution of nitrogen for air in building overrun.
DENSITY DEPENDENCE VIA INTERCOHORT COMPETITION IN A CORAL-REEF FISH

Demographic density dependence is essential for regulating population dynamics. For populations with multiple age or size cohorts, interactions between cohorts may be an important source of density dependence. Between-cohort interactions may be especially intense for many marine fish populations because of the potential disparity in competitive ability between small new recruits and relatively large resident conspecifics. Indeed, for marine fishes, density dependence in local populations appears to be widespread, particularly during a crucial time period following settlement of larvae into juvenile and adult habitats. I tested whether the demography of newly settled juveniles of the planktivorous fairy basslet (Gramma loreto) was affected by the density of adult conspecifics. Using spatially isolated local populations on coral reefs in the Bahamas, I experimentally transplanted a cohort of juveniles to local populations with three treatments of adult density: adults absent, average adult density, and high adult density (twice average). By following the fate of the transplanted juveniles, I determined that juvenile mortality increased as a function of adult density. Juveniles did not experience significantly higher rates of aggression or lower growth at higher densities of adults. However, in the presence of adults, juveniles generally fed at the back of aggregations, where feeding rates tend to be lower. Automated time-lapse video revealed that predators were found most frequently toward the back of aggregations. Thus competition with adults for prime feeding positions may increase predation risk for juveniles by forcing them to overlap spatially with predators. Consequently, interactions between juveniles and adults could influence the demography of subsequent generations in ways that promote local population regulation.
Alport syndrome and thin glomerular basement membrane disease.

Alport syndrome (AS) is a generalized inherited disorder of basement membranes, manifested by hematuria, progressive nephritis with proteinuria and declining renal function, sensorineural deafness, and ocular abnormalities. The natural history of AS is gender-dependent: affected males typically have severe disease, while the course of AS in females tends to be mild. The first description of familial hematuria was provided by Guthrie (1) in 1902. Follow-up studies of this family by Hurst (2) and Alport (3) described the progressive nature of the nephropathy, its association with deafness, and the poorer prognosis in affected males. Electron microscopic investigations carried out by several groups in the early 1970s identified the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) as the site of the primary renal abnormality in AS (4-6). A series of reports between 1980 and 1990 established AS as an inherited disease of type IV collagen: immunohistologic studies revealing abnormal type IV collagen composition of AS basement membranes (7,8); mapping of an Alport locus to the X chromosome (9); cloning of a new type IV collagen gene (COL4A5) and its assignment to the same region of the X chromosome as the Alport locus (10); and, finally, identification of the first COL4AS mutations in patients with X-linked AS ( 1 1).
The energetics of orientation at the liquid-vapor interface of water

xzzz=Ns denotes orientational averaging. thus more than the one nonlinear polarizability ele- ment a~~~ must be considered. The second issue is the possible contribution of quadrupole in addition to dipole terms to the nonlinear susceptibility. The first problem we addressed by deriving expressions equivalent to (2) and (3) applicable to biaxial mol- ecules ( 151. The second problem is harder to ad- dress, and quite possibly very important. For in- stance, the Kleinmann symmetry rule ( 161 for dipolar susceptibilities states that in the static limit, xxzx and xzxx should be equal; we noted that for water at room temperature, the measured xXzX is about twice xzXX, possibly due to quadrupolar con- tributions. We thus made an attempt to separate the dipolar contribution by a measurement of the tem- perature dependence of the effective susceptibilities ( 14 1. We argued qualitatively that since the dipolar susceptibility is sensitive to the absolute orientation of molecules, that is, up versus down, and since the effect of increasing temperature is to randomize this orientational distribution, then any dipolar contri- bution must be strongly temperature-dependent rel- ative to a quadrupolar term. With this argument we concluded that there is a substantial dipolar contri- bution to all the effective x's of water at room tem- perature. From the dipolar contribution we inferred the net absolute orientation at the surface. In this Letter we shall further examine the temperature-de- pendent SH signal with regard to the dipole part of the susceptibilities, and present a simple model that
Terahertz Spectroscopy and Applications

There has been a long and intimate relationship between frequency measurement and spectroscopy. For a time, wavelength based optical measurements and frequency based microwave measurements provided a measure of the speed of light. While as fundamental references these have been eclipsed by exquisite modern atomic measurements, frequency measurement and control still play a vital role in the terahertz (aka submillimeter) spectral region and are an important part of its rapidly developing technology. This talk will primarily be from a terahertz (aka submillimeter) perspective and focus on the science and technology that has resulted. This will include discussions of the frequency chain that passes through the terahertz, as well as of the astronomy, atmospheric science, remote sensing, analytical chemistry, and imaging that reside there.
Rural‐Urban Differences in Environmental Concern: A Closer Look*

In comparison with urbanites, rural residents live in environments that are less heavily modified by human activity. They also depend more directly on the extraction or use of natural resources and are more likely to suffer the kinds of economic weaknesses that could lead them to favor economic development even at the expense of environmental protection. Yet while some studies have found rural residents to express lower levels of environmental concern than do urbanites, other studies have found that low levels of rural environmental concern may actually reflect lower concerns among farmers in particular. These varied results may be affected by methodologies, including the degree of focus on local environmental concern and the need to separate livins in polluted areas from workins for polluting industries. Drawing on rural areas with significant employment both in agriculture and in mining, this paper presents data on more specific local concerns about the environment and technological development. The findings show persons in agriculture express higher levels of concern than do other rural persons in the same communities. The results suggest that widespread support for environmental protection may make it difficult to isolate groups having low levels of environmental concern unless greater attention is devoted to the specific environmental issues having the greatest local salience.
Shortest Path with Alternatives for Uniform Arrival Times: Algorithms and Experiments

The Shortest Path with Alternatives (SPA) policy differs from classical shortest path routing in the following way: instead of providing an exact list of means of transportation to follow, this policy gives such a list for each stop, and the traveler is supposed to pick the first option from this list when waiting at some stop. First, we show that an optimal policy of this type can be computed in polynomial time for uniform arrival times under reasonable assumptions. A similar result was so far only known for Poisson arrival times, which are less realistic for frequency-based public transportation systems. Second, we experimentally evaluate such policies. In this context, our main finding is that SPA policies are surprisingly competitive compared to traditional shortest paths, and moreover yield a significant reduction of waiting times, and therefore improvement of user experience, compared to similar greedy approaches. Specifically, for roughly 25% of considered cases, we could decrease the expected waiting time by at least 20%. To run our experiments, we also describe a tool-chain to derive the necessary information from the popular GTFS-format, therefore allowing the application of SPA policies to a wide range of public transportation systems.
Ballet for the Gymnasium.

(1969). Ballet for the Gymnasium. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 40, No. 8, pp. 79-82.
Membrane tension controls the assembly of curvature-generating proteins

Proteins containing a Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain regulate membrane curvature in the cell. Recent simulations have revealed that BAR proteins assemble into linear aggregates, strongly affecting membrane curvature and its in-plane stress profile. Here, we explore the opposite question: do mechanical properties of the membrane impact protein association? By using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, we show that increased surface tension significantly impacts the dynamics of protein assembly. While tensionless membranes promote a rapid formation of long-living linear aggregates of N-BAR proteins, increase in tension alters the geometry of protein association. At high tension, protein interactions are strongly inhibited. Increasing surface density of proteins leads to a wider range of protein association geometries, promoting the formation of meshes, which can be broken apart with membrane tension. Our work indicates that surface tension may play a key role in recruiting proteins to membrane-remodelling sites in the cell.
Autonomous Self-Expression and Meritocratic Dignity

While “dignity” plays an increasingly important role in contemporary moral and political debates, there is profound dispute over its definition, meaning, and normative function. Instead of concluding that dignity’s elusiveness renders it useless, or that it signals its fundamental character, this paper focuses on illuminating one particular strand of meritocratic dignity. It introduces a number of examples and conceptual distinctions and argues that there is a specific strand of “expressive” meritocratic dignity that is not connected to holding a special office or rank, but that is ascribed to individuals who are able to engage in autonomous self-expression.
Optimizing super-resolution on a clinical PET/CT for small animal PET

2397 Objectives When using a clinical PET/CT for imaging high resolution phantoms and small animals, super-resolution has been shown to significantly improve image quality compared to image reconstruction methods available on clinical workstations. In phantom and mouse studies, we investigated parameters for acquisition and reconstruction to obtain optimal image quality. Methods Data were acquired on a clinical PET/CT with the phantom or animal mounted to orthogonal linear stages for stepping. Micro hot rods and cold rods phantoms were imaged in order to assess contrast resolution and image quality. Phantom scans were repeated for various super-resolution protocols consisting of 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 step positions while keeping the total scan time constant. Multi-step image data were combined to produce super-resolution images using Iterative deconvolution with Gaussian kernels of various widths. Parameters yielding optimal phantom images were then applied to data from mice injected with 18F-FDG. Results Using super-resolution, the clinical PET/CT could resolve 2.4 mm hot rods with high contrast and 2.4 mm cold rods with low contrast. A deconvolution kernel of 3.5 mm (full width at half maximum) gave optimal image quality while avoiding ringing artifacts. Optimal contrast resolution was obtained in 8 steps at 0.6 mm intervals. In the phantom and mouse images, good resolution and contrast were obtained even for static acquisitions (1 step position) with iterative deconvolution, though subtle image artifacts remained. Conclusions Image quality was greatly improved witih super-resolution, in comparison to standard reconstruction methods on the clinical workstation. For some imaging tasks, iterative deconvolution processing without stepping produces acceptable results, thus avoiding the additional hardware. For best quality images, a stepped acquisition protocol is recommended
Significance of Intermedin Activity in Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Preparations.

SummaryThe validity of claims reporting an identity of ACTH and intermedin is questioned by experiments in which assays by the melanophore expanding test in the hypophysectomized frog and the adrenal ascorbic acid depleting test in the hypophysectomized rat were employed. The results demonstrate: 1. Lack of correlation between the 2 activities in various ACTH preparations. 2. Partial separation of intermedin and ACTH activities using a discontinuous pH gradient on cellulose. 3. Differential migration of activities during zone electrophoresis on filter paper. 4. Potentiation of intermedin and inactivation of ACTH by alkali-heat treatment. 5. Differential concentration of ACTH and intermedin activities in the anterior and intermediate lobes of the frog pituitary.
The Photoreceptive Organs of a Flesh Fly Larva, Lucilia Sericata (Meigen): an Experimental and Anatomical Study

Flesh fly larvae, although devoid of eyes in the commonly accepted sense, are extremely reactive to light, being sensitive to one hundred and seventy-six hundred thousandths of a candle meter (.00176 C. M.) as shown by Herms (1911). The same author demonstrated that “the functional photoreceptive organs are highly concentrated and equally distributed bilaterally in the immediate region of the oral pole.” He employed a light pencil with which he explored the entire body of the larva in order to locate the sensitive region or regions. Only one region was found where the light caused the larva to turn, and that was at the extreme oral pole.
Dragline Silk: A Fiber Assembled with Low-Molecular-Weight Cysteine-Rich Proteins

Dragline silk has been proposed to contain two main protein constituents, MaSp1 and MaSp2. However, the mechanical properties of synthetic spider silks spun from recombinant MaSp1 and MaSp2 proteins have yet to approach natural fibers, implying the natural spinning dope is missing critical factors. Here we report the discovery of novel molecular constituents within the spinning dope that are extruded into dragline silk. Protein studies of the liquid spinning dope from the major ampullate gland, coupled with the analysis of dragline silk fibers using mass spectrometry, demonstrate the presence of a new family of low-molecular-weight cysteine-rich proteins (CRPs) that colocalize with the MA fibroins. Expression of the CRP family members is linked to dragline silk production, specifically MaSp1 and MaSp2 mRNA synthesis. Biochemical data support that CRP molecules are secreted into the spinning dope and assembled into macromolecular complexes via disulfide bond linkages. Sequence analysis supports that CRP mo...
Lean Six Sigma Methods Reduce and Sustain Troponin Turnaround Time (TAT) for Emergency Department Patients

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Illinois, and accounts for nearly 25% of all deaths in the US. Rapid lab testing for troponin as a biochemical marker for myocardial infarction (MI) is Emergency medicine standard of care, with goal for turnaround time (TAT) to results within 60 minutes. Our system …
Identification of the +2 Oxidation State for Uranium in a Crystalline Molecular Complex, [K(2.2.2-Cryptand)][(C5H4SiMe3)3U]

Flash reduction of Cp′3U (Cp′ = C5H4SiMe3) in a column of potassium graphite in the presence of 2.2.2-cryptand generates crystalline [K(2.2.2-cryptand)][Cp′3U], the first isolable molecular U2+ complex. To ensure that this was not the U3+ hydride, [K(2.2.2-cryptand)][Cp′3UH], which could be crystallographically similar, the hydride complex was synthesized by addition of KH to Cp′3U and by reduction of H2 by the U2+ complex and was confirmed to be a different compound. Density functional theory calculations indicate a 5f36d1 quintet ground state for the [Cp′3U]− anion and match the observed strong transitions in its optical spectrum.
Power Prediction System for Large-capacity Grid Connected Photovoltaic Power Station

The design of power prediction system for large-capacity grid connected photovoltaic power station is presented.It includes the design for photovoltaic(PV) power prediction system,forecast input data source,solar radiation forecast,and PV power forecast.From the site experiments,it is shown that the system has good forecast results,providing a good guidance for dispatching and economic operation of photovoltaic power stations.
Bladder cancer and water disinfection methods

Publisher Summary This chapter begins with the discussion of water disinfection methods. The production of hazardous by-products during the chlorination of drinking water depends on the concentration of organic material in the source water. Most of the organic material in natural waters comes from natural sources through decay of vegetation and animal tissues, photosynthetic by-products, animal excretion, and release of organic matter by plankton and aquatic macrophytes. Due to the presence of natural humic material in source waters, drinking water treatment requires the presence of free chlorine used in the disinfection process. When free chlorine combines with organic carbon precursors, trihalomethanes (THMs) are formed. The four THMs found in potable water are chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform. The concentration of THMs found in treated water is dependent on the concentration of humic material, reaction time, pH, temperature, chlorine dose, and residual chlorine. Alternative methods such as chloramination are also used for water disinfection. The chapter also discusses bladder cancer. Much of the increase in bladder cancer incidence is attributable to changing cigarette smoking habits. Ex-smokers are found to have elevated risks as compared to non-smokers but the increases are lower than those of the current smokers.
The typology of Mandarin infinitives

There has been a long-standing debate in the literature about whether Mandarin has infinitival clauses. Since there is no verbal morphology to distinguish finite and nonfinite clauses, this is an open question. Researchers have used diagnostics such as the availability of an overt embedded subject and the interpretation of aspect markers to argue both for and against the presence of infinitival clauses in Mandarin. Using some of these diagnostics, in addition to the availability of partial control interpretations, Grano (2012/2015) argues that the distinction between types of clauses in Mandarin is not based on finiteness, but rather based on whether there is restructuring: some complement clauses are v Ps, while others are CPs. We provide new data based on the distribution and interpretation of the reflexive ziji , which suggests that there is a finite/nonfinite distinction. We argue for the existence of nonfinite control complements in Mandarin. Further, we evaluate the diagnostics used by previous researchers and illustrate that some of them are not reliable indicators of finiteness or of clause size.
Self-Reported Ecstasy/MDMA/"Molly" Use in a Sample of Nightclub and Dance Festival Attendees in New York City.

ABSTRACTBackground: Ecstasy (MDMA) use has regained popularity in the United States, particularly in the form of “Molly,” which is often marketed as pure MDMA. Surveys have generally not included “Molly” in the definition of ecstasy, so rates of use may be underestimated. As popularity of ecstasy increases, research is needed to examine use among those at highest risk for use—nightlife attendees. Methods: We surveyed 679 young adults (age 18–25) entering nightclubs and festivals holding electronic dance music (EDM) parties in New York City in 2015. A variation of time-space sampling was utilized. We examined prevalence and correlates of self-reported lifetime ecstasy use. Results: Self-reported lifetime ecstasy use was common (42.8%, 95% CI: 32.8, 52.7). Use was most common among older participants, frequent party attendees, and those reporting higher levels of exposure to users. Those surveyed outside of festivals were less likely to report use compared to those surveyed outside of nightclubs (AOR = 0.37...
Effect of Epilepsy Surgery on Associated Autism

The outcome of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) in 5 children who underwent epilepsy surgery at 3 to 8 years of age is reported from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH.
Big data to the rescue of systemic inflammatory response syndrome: is electronic data mining the way of the future?

The recognition and accurate diagnosis of sepsis continues to stifle clinicians and researchers alike, as evidenced in part by the recently proposed and ever-evolving clinical definitions (1). Based on available data, global estimates of the burden of sepsis are at 31.5 million cases annually with mortality rates around 20% (2,3). Despite decades of research, clinically efficacious therapies remain elusive. To aid the efforts of researchers and clinicians, the ACCP/ SCCM consensus conference in 1992 proposed a set of standard definitions, which have since come to be the cornerstone of clinical sepsis research and influenced clinical practice—enter the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria (4).
Molecular Mechanisms of Sleep Homeostasis in Flies and Mammals

Sleep is homeostatically regulated with sleep pressure accumulating with the increasing duration of prior wakefulness. Yet, a clear understanding of the molecular components of the homeostat, as well as the molecular and cellular processes they sense and control to regulate sleep intensity and duration, remain a mystery. Here, we will discuss the cellular and molecular basis of sleep homeostasis, first focusing on the best homeostatic sleep marker in vertebrates, slow wave activity; second, moving to the molecular genetic analysis of sleep homeostasis in the fruit fly Drosophila; and, finally, discussing more systemic aspects of sleep homeostasis.
Financial Management: An Introduction

This technical note provides an overview of Financial Management. It is intended as a note to accompany the opening session of case-based course in corporate finance or financial management, as a way of orienting students as to what they should expect and not expect from such a course. Excerpt UVA-F-1742 Nov. 14, 2016 Financial Management: An Introduction While there are many skills that are important for business managers, this note makes the case that financial management is one of the “must have” skills. This note provides an overview of financial management principles and answers to common questions and misconceptions about the topic. In so doing, the note motivates the relevancy of a strong background in financial management. Financial management provides a set of principles and tools that help managers accumulate and allocate capital in a firm. A firm's capital is the money the firm needs to carry out its full set of business operations. The objective that governs financial management decisions is that of economic value creation. For any business decision, value is created when the total value of the benefits accrued exceeds the total value of the resources expended. As business managers embrace the principles of financial management they become skilled at appreciating the value implications of their business decisions. Question 1. Isn't financial management only helpful to those who interact regularly with investors and financial markets? . . .
Imaging of Metastases in the Chest: Mechanisms of Spread and Potential Pitfalls

Pulmonary and pleural metastases are routinely identified on thoracic computed tomography. Pulmonary metastases are the most common pulmonary neoplasms and commonly originate from primary malignancies of the lung, breast, colon, pancreas, stomach, skin (ie, melanoma), head and neck, and kidney. Metastatic disease to the lungs may occur via 3 routes of spread: hematogenous, lymphatic, and endobronchial. Pleural metastases most commonly originate from primary malignancies of the lung and breast. Mechanisms of pleural metastatic involvement include hematogenous spread, direct invasion from a neighboring tumor, and retrograde lymphatic spread from the mediastinum. Awareness of the spectrum of appearances of metatastic disease in the chest is important in avoiding misinterpretation.
Trumped up challenges: limitations, opportunities, and the future of political research on Muslim Americans

With the election of Donald J. Trump as president, Muslim Americans may face the most pronounced threat to their collective political well-being in history. Unfortunately, while scholars have gener...
Using Anti-aliasing Camera Filters for DIC: Does It Make a Difference?

Aliased speckle patterns are a known problem for digital image correlation (DIC). By definition, aliased speckles are smaller than the resolution limit of the camera and add “noise” to images via the spatially-aliased frequency content. Aliased speckles occur quite frequently in practical DIC applications, especially when using spray paint to speckle a surface, where control of the speckle size is difficult at best. This paper compares DIC results from aliased speckle patterns imaged with typical machine cameras with and without physical anti-aliasing filters applied to the camera detectors. Additionally, physical anti-aliasing filters are compared with post-processing, digital low-pass filters of aliased images to quantify the influence of the two types of filters on the quality of DIC results. A key result from this work is that the loss of contrast associated with the addition of physical anti-aliasing filters is generally more detrimental to DIC results than the noise resulting from aliased speckles.
A Deleuzian reimagining of Susanne Langer's philosophy: becoming-feeling in music education

ABSTRACTWhile Langer's assertions about feeling and art have had a marked impact on music educators’ thinking and action, they have also earned substantial critique. The purpose of this philosophical inquiry is to examine Langer's and Deleuze's writings about the ontology of art and to posit a new concept, ‘becoming feeling,’ inspired by the meeting of their philosophies. Deleuze's assertions about forces, intensities, and becomings avoid the pitfalls of Langer's statements about music's symbolic nature, but his focus on ‘nonhuman becomings’ has the potential to neglect the emotional aspects of humanity that Langer finds central to musical experiences. I offer that artistic experiences foster ‘becoming-feeling,’ which involves sensing the world as though one were specific, continually-changing feelings. Examples of how musically educative experiences centred on ‘becoming-feeling’ might lead to more refined and ordered understandings as well as to more complex and confused ones are offered.
On the Subharmonic Instability of Compressible Boundary Layers

The subharmonic instability of a two-dimensional compressible boundary layer over an insulated flat plate is analyzed using the Floquet model. The resulting problem is solved numerically by using both finite differences and the computer code SUPORT. Results are presented for supersonic flows. First-and second-mode primary waves are considered. The effects of spanwise wavenumber, amplitude of the primary wave, and frequency are studied.